Wild Wild Fest

Friday, August 30

When Well Worn Boot strap on their dastardly masks and nasty costumes, you know the satirical Buffalo shock rock group is ready for another drunken, wild show. Then the props come out and all bets are off, with lead singer and flutist The Plainsman wielding a rubber tomahawk, a pink plastic toy gun, or some other sort of tin foil weapon as the rest of the band, including Horse, Baby Buckingham, and Billy Klubb unleash sleaze-rock songs like “Jack the Ripper” and “Big Bad Dick.” Well Worn Boot has been amassing quite the dedicated following in Buffalo, and those fans will surely follow them to the Willow Creek Winery this weekend for the second ever Wild Wild Fest. The one day music festival also features Buffalo mainstays Lazlo Hollyfeld. Led by guitarist Sonny Baker, Hollyfeld are veterans of the Buffalo scene with their experimental, post-rock sound. Funk, soul, and rock and roll band Funknut will also join rock duo Honey Spine, the Slyboots Drum Ensemble, Paul Antonio Magic, and odd-ball rapper Jack Topht for one wild night of music and camping. Expect plenty of beer, wine slushies, and chicken dinners, as well as late night jams. It all happens this Friday (Aug 30) at the Willow Creek Winery in Silver Creek, about a 45-minute drive south of Buffalo. $10 gets you in the door and includes camping too.

- cory perla

5pm Willow Creek Winery, 2627 Chapin Rd., Silver Creek. $10.

Friday, August 30

Anthony Hamilton

The gospel according to Grammy award winner, Anthony Hamilton, blends equal parts spirituality, classic R&B, hip-hop swagger, and vintage showmanship. Evidently, Hamilton comes from the Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, Al Green, and Stevie Wonder school of performance and song writing. His songs are entrenched in the melodic and rhythmic jubilance of R&B’s 1960’s and 1970’s golden era. Hamilton is one of soul music’s most consistent talents, but his affinity for hip-hop sets him apart from other R&B singers. When Hamilton humbly takes the stage, he’s accompanied by a full band. His soulful voice goes from a croon to a growl as he passionately sings self-written, emotional ballads like, “Can’t Let Go,” “Charlene,” and “Pray For Me.” The tempo picks up and Hamilton changes gears, covering classic and contemporary songs like Blackstreet’s “No Diggity” juxtaposed with Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind.” Word-for-word echoing from the crowd vibrates the packed venue as he jubilantly sings “So In Love,” originally a duet with Jill Scott. He puts his hand on his hip and in a high-pitched voice pantomimes Ms. Scott’s part. Obviously, Hamilton’s main aim at his concerts is to have fun doing what he loves, and that’s what truly animates the crowd. Hamilton will perform at the Tralf Music Hall on Friday (Aug 30).

- kellie powel

7pm The Tralf Music Hall, 622 Main St. (852-2860 / tralfmusichall.com) $69 advance, $74 day of show

Friday, August 30

Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo

You couldn’t write a better rock ‘n’ roll love story than Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo. How often does a tough-girl lead singer fall in love with her guitarist, get married, tour, collaborate and stay together for over 30 years? It takes a special kind of chemistry to make that work, and if the husband-wife tandem has proven anything over their career, it’s that they’re a pretty fierce duo. While it was Benatar’s name alone that shined during her early career, it was Neil “Spyder” Giraldo’s work and vision behind-the-scenes that helped propel her to stardom. He’s written, produced, arranged and recorded more than 100 of Benatar’s songs, along with playing guitar on every album Benatar’s made. The Benatar/Giraldo dynamic is responsible for giving the rock world hits like “Heartbreaker” off 1979 debut album Heat Of The Night, along with jukebox mainstays like “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” “You Better Run,” and “Love is a Battlefield.” His signature steel-bending guitar playing and talented songwriting has complemented Benatar’s versatile vocal range, resulting in a powerful, soul-pounding sound that helps to define 1980’s rock ‘n’ roll. These days, Benatar shares the bill with her husband, and the two have been performing as “Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo” for over a decade. Catch the power couple of rock this Friday (August 30th) at the Erie Canal Harbor Park with support from Eric Burdon and the Jamie Moses Band.

- jon wheelock

6pm to 11pm Canalside, 1 Navel Park Cove (856-3150 / buffaloplace.com/rocks) $15

Friday, August 30

Justin Martin

A dirtybird will be flying into Buffalo this weekend. Justin Martin is an international DJ, a genre-breaking artist, and a true lover of music and what he does. At first Martin was a bartender, making due and paying rent with tip money. His mentor towards success was dirtybird Records co-founder Barclay Crenshaw (Claude VonStroke). When he noticed that his lessons were working with Martin they decided to crank up the game; in addition to the parties their crew was throwing at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, they decided to start a record label. While Martin was bartending, VonStroke was doodling pictures on a bar napkin and according to Martin someone looked over and said, “that’s a really dirty looking bird.” From there, the success of Martin as an individual and the crew itself has grown immensely. His production style is unique in that it is danceable, but at the same time has a significant thought provoking depth. His 2012 debut album Ghettos & Gardens is a sexy blend of deep electronic dripping with hood influences. Dedicated to his music, he also maintains a strong relationship with his fans and says he has fun interacting with them through social media; you can follow him on Twitter @mrJUSTINMARTIN. Opening the night will be Buffalo’s own SwaggleRock (Cloud 11 and 222 Oceans), along with Jesse Aaron.

- alicia greco

10pm–4am Sky Bar, 257 Franklin Street (buffaloskybar.com) $10 advance, $15 day of show, 21+

Saturday, August 31

Bat For Lashes

It’s no surprise that literature and nature were huge inspirations on The Haunted Man, the third record by Natasha Khan, aka Bat For Lashes. The cosmic folk musician from London found herself exhausted and in a creative slump after touring heavily on her second record, 2009’s Two Suns. “I felt like I needed to be immersed in nature and have a quiet, reflective time,” she said, after returning home to Brighton England. The singer/songwriter picked up books like The Enchantment of Art in search of the “magic” she believed she had lost. Collaboration seemed like the key, so she teamed up with Justin Parker, known for his work with Lana Del Rey, to coauthor songs like “Laura,” an emotional ballad akin to work by 1970s pop stars like Elton John and the Carpenters. In the past she drummed up that magic by working with people like Scott Walker of Yeasayer, and even Beck, but she hadn’t fully embraced the idea of collaboration until her work with Parker. The result on The Hunted Man is a lush pop universe that Khan considers her most autobiographical to date, with a focus on her roots, genealogically and spiritually. Bat For Lashes comes to the Town Ballroom on Saturday (Aug 31).

- cory perla

7pm Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. (852-3900 / townballroom.com) $20 advance, $23 day of show

Wednesday, September 4

Gramatik

At the intersection of hip hop, electro, house, and bass, exists Gramatik. Hailing from Brooklyn by way of Solvenia, the Pretty Lights Music recording artist has built a nice following throughout the U.S. and Europe. Similar to label mate Eliot Lipp, Gramatik mixes electro sounds with funky, hip hop beats to create bouncing downtempo tracks like “Hit That Jive,” and “Dungeon Sound”—both from his ongoing Street Bangerz series. This year he added a new EP to his discography called #digitalfreedom. An outspoken voice against internet censorship, Gramatik introduced his new EP by citing a statement from The Pirate Bay, a popular, and illegal torrent downloading website. The statement compares the current state of the music industry with the birth of the film industry. With no copyright to speak of, studios would copy old stories and make movies out of them, one of the most notable being one of Disney’s biggest hits, Fantasia. “So fuck ACTA, SOPA, PIPA, and any bill that wants to give corporations the power to regulate and censor the Internet, especially if those same corporations built their empires solely on copyright infringement!,” the statement concludes. The EP itself takes Gramatik’s sound to a new level with twisting basslines and glitchy drum beats. Check out the buzzing producer when MNM Presents presents the Age of Reason tour featuring Gramatik at the Town Ballroom on Wednesday (Sept 4) with support from Exmag, and Manic Focus.

- cory perla

7pm Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. (852-3900 / townballroom.com) $20 advance, $24 day of show

Thursday, September 5

The Chop Tops

It’s a psychobilly freakout! Or at least it will be when the Chop Tops rock Tralf Music Hall next Thursday (Sept 5). The Tops have produced seven studio albums since 1997, first establishing their sound in 1995. The group labels its music as “Rewed-Up Rockabilly,” exploiting frenetic guitar schemes to retain the liveliness of the crowd. Lead vocalist/drummer Sinner jams on his set while standing and still providing vocals for the group, while lead guitarist Shelby and bassist Brett share a fancy for wild guitar rhythms. The Tops effortlessly implement an “old-school” sound while also blending a fresher punk rock sound to differentiate from the generic, cookie-cutter classic rock bands. It’s challenging not to feel invigorated when soaking in the fast-paced sound, even if rock music isn’t your fancy. The Tops don’t only supply concerts to their audiences; they provide a performance energizing enough to cause bruises and blisters from rocking out.

- jake knott

7pm The Tralf Music Hall, 622 Main St. (852-2860 / tralfmusichall.com) $10 advance, $12 day of show