Nat Baldwin

Sunday, September 22

Aside from writing experimental rock music with Brooklyn collective Dirty Projectors, bassist Nat Baldwin has somehow made time to write several glorious solo albums. At times haunting but always beautiful, Baldwin’s free-form jazz style is demonstrated on albums like 2011’s People Changes and 2008’s Most Valuable Player. As the shaggy-haired musician stands behind his large acoustic double bass, bow in hand; he saws at the instrument as it creaks and groans through gorgeous songs like “A Little Lost.” With the combination of these warm strings and his dreamlike vocals, the native of glacially carved Kittery, Maine creates sound that lands somewhere between pop, folk, and experimental jazz; peculiarly intimidating at first, but quickly welcoming once absorbed. The jazz musician has played Buffalo a few times before but this time should be a truly special experience as the Vault Arthouse presents Nat Baldwin at the Perot Grain Silo on Sunday (Sept 22). Constructed in 1909, the elevator, with its 100-foot high walls, will provide a truly unique environment for Baldwin’s bass sounds to ricochet and reverberate in all directions. Folk musicians Andy Pothier and Lara Buckley, and saxophonist Steve Baczkowski will open the show. Performances will begin at 8:30pm sharp. To maintain the integrity of the sound in the room and minimize the amount of background noise, people should arrive by 8pm. Also keep in mind that this is a raw space so it would be wise to dress warmly. Beverages will be available.

- cory perla

8pm, Perot Grain Silo, 100 Childs St. $10

Friday & Saturday, September 20 & 21

Margaret Cho

Sex, politics, strip clubs, religion, drag queens, Kim Jong-Il, gay porn, Italian Men’s vogue, and menstrual blood are just a fraction of the many racy topics Margaret Cho refers to in her standup routines. Cho was born Moran Cho, a poetic Korean name that begged Cho’s elementary school classmates to nickname her “moron.” One of Cho’s core comic quirks is her spot-on impersonation of her brazen Korean mother. Cho squints and tucks her chin into her neck and inflects a heavy Korean accent, dropping the “s” from plural words, and going straight for the most hilariously embarrassing moments. Her upcoming stand-up show is aptly title, MOTHER, and it’s full of the aforementioned impersonations alongside Cho’s salacious stories. She boldly waves a gay pride flag and frequently discusses topics like same sex marriage and gays in the army. This gay rights supporting, tattooed biker babe is breaking Korean-American stereotypes and orchestrating revolution. Cho will perform at the Helium Comedy Club on Friday (Sept 20) and Saturday (Sep 21). Cho confidently asserts, “It’s bold, it’s tumultuous, it’s inspiring. I am happy about this show-it’s been in the works for a long time, and it feels great to get back on the road with it.”

- kellie powell

7:30pm and 10:00pm Helium Comedy Club, 30 Mississippi St. (853-1211 / heliumcomedy.com) $27 general admission, $34 reserved seating

Friday & Saturday, September 20 & 21

Buffalo Niagara International Antiquarian Book, Paper & Ephemera Fair

In the age of Kindles, iPads and downloadable everything, it’s easy to overlook how important printed books have become in a digitalized world. There’s something rewarding and nostalgic about holding a book, turning the pages and looking at the cover. Rare and antique books, in particular, are tangible pieces of history, and there’s a thriving community of collectors, booksellers, bookstores, and libraries out there that specialize in preserving and distributing these one-of-a-kind treasures. This Friday and Saturday (Sept 20 & 21) over 40 vintage booksellers from across New York state and beyond will converge on the Adam’s Mark Hotel for the Buffalo Niagara International Antiquarian Book, Paper & Ephemera Fair. Exhibitors will be displaying and selling a wide variety of book-related wares including rare autographs, documents and manuscripts, fine bindings, photography, literature, poetry, modern first editions and collectible ephemera like vintage pamphlets and posters. There will also be plenty of books starting at as low as $2. “We want to encourage the hobby of reading, collecting and owning books, as opposed to just using a Kindle,” says fair co-promoter Ron Cozzi of Old Editions Book Shop and Café. “Of course, e-readers are fine too, but we want to keep the spirit of the hobby alive as well.” Don’t forget to check out Old Edition’s booth at the event, where Cozzi will be selling a wide selection of Buffalo books and pictures, in addition to unique items like a map of the 1901 Pan-American Exposition, and a land deed signed by Joseph Ellicott. Every item has a story, and the event promises to be well attended by experienced and first-time collectors alike, along with fair-goers just looking to check out some truly unique pieces.

- jon wheelock

10am to 7pm Friday, 10am to 4pm Saturday Adam’s Mark Hotel & Event Center, 120 Church St. $8 adults, $6 seniors, kids under 12 free. Free parking in the WNED lot on Saturday.

Saturday & Sunday, September 21 & 22

Slyfest 8: Urban Edition

Buffalo is home to a deep history of mixed cultures that find common ground in various contexts. An example of this is our rich history of music and arts all around the city. The Slyboots School of Music and Art, which recently relocated to Rock Harbor in Buffalo, was founded with a similar diversity. Griffin Brady, who started the school, has put together a program there that not only teaches music and dance, but also has unique resources such as performance areas, a recording studio, instrument repairs, and anything else related. This Saturday and Sunday (Sept 21 & 22), the school is hosting SlyFest 8, a music and arts festival held right on their own grounds, at the Yard at Rock Harbor. The festival has been held at various locations in the past, but this will be the first at their new home. The two-day event is striving to help support the recent relocation and provides ample sources of entertainment from workshops, live music and dance, artists, and food. For only $10 per day, you can catch acts such as Bernard Woma and the SAAKUMU Dance Troupe of Ghana, West Africa; Mohamed Diaby (pictured) with Manding Foli Kan Don of Guinea, West Africa; Alassane Sarr of Senegal, West Africa; One World Tribe; 12/8 Path Band; Eric “Critt” Crittenden with special guests; Stu Fuchs (Stukulele); Ravi Padmanabha; Mosaic Foundation; MK Groove Trio; Rhubarb, and far too many more to name. The event is benefitting a great school within the city, and with all that is planned, there’s not a better deal for the entire family to get out and enjoy some of Buffalo’s culture.

- jeremiah shea

Noon-10pm The Yard at Rock Harbor, 57 Tonawanda St (onthesly.org) $10 per day, ages 12 and under free

Saturday, September 21

Aqueous

The dictionary defines aqueous as an adjective, meaning like or containing water. While the band, Aqueous, pulls from a deep, multi-genre pool of influences and alludes the grasp of classification, the name they settled on appropriately sums them up. Once running downhill, it’s hard not to get swept away in the band’s relentless current. Like water, they’re heavy, flow with general ease, and can be too hot to handle at times. They possess the power to go anywhere they want musically, yet follow a strong, progressive funk current. The guys are jumping in with both feet as their ambitious, 40-show fall tour is in full swing and following on the heels of a summer flooded with dates. What seems to be impossible can be overcome with a desire and drive as strong as theirs. Their relentless tour schedule is paying off as their popularity is building off an already passionate fan base. The band returns home this Saturday (Sept 21) to Nietzsche’s where they always seem to throw in a trick or two for the hometown crowd. The show kicks off at 9pm with openers Cocktail Party Phenomenon, followed by two sets from Aqueous. The Kings of the Queen City jam scene will be bringing it hard for those lucky enough to squeeze in. The band has sold out when playing here in the past, so make sure your grab a ticket early before they dry up.

- jeremiah shea

9pm Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St. (886-8539 / nietzsches.com) $7, 21+

Monday, September 23

Elephant Revival

Banjo, mandolin, bass, fiddle, washboard, djembe, drums, guitar and stompbox; these are the tools used by folk band Elephant Revival and they certainly know how to use them. If you ask them, this five-piece band from Colorado, who formed in 2006, would tell you that they’re a “neo-acoustic folk string band” or “transcendental folk” with Celtic, gypsy, funk, rock, and bluegrass influences, but what they really are is simply a very talented band with a flexible sound. Their latest record, this year’s These Changing Skies should get a lot of attention after the success of their last album, 2012’s It’s Alive EP. The sound is rich with heartfelt lyrics, interesting percussion, and plenty of virtuosic strumming. The delicate strumming of stringed instruments found on It’s Alive and 2010’s Break in the Clouds is carried over to These Changing Skies from the album’s opener “Birds and Stars” to the album’s center-piece “The Pasture,” a bouncing, almost celtic sounding instrumental track heavy with fiddle-work from multi-instrumentalist Bridget Law. Elephant Revival will perform live at Babeville’s Ninth Ward 0n Monday (Sept 23).

- cory perla

7pm Babeville’s Ninth Ward, 341 Delaware Ave. (852-3835 / babevillebuffalo.com) $15

Wednesday, September 25

Gurf Morlix

Former Buffalonian Gurf Morlix has traveled long and far on a musical journey that has crossed paths with some mighty respected names in the business. In mid-1970s Austin, Texas, he hooked up with legendary songwriter and hard-drinking character Blaze Foley—whose raw talent led Townes Van Zandt to observe: “He’s only gone crazy once. Decided to stay.” Two years ago, Morlix recorded a collection of covers by his late friend, entitled Blaze Foley’s 113th Wet Dream. Foley’s strange death is only rivaled by the bizarre demise of Gram Parsons in country rock lore, but the ragtag musician’s cult status gained a nice boost from Morlix’s personal tribute. If that’s too obscure a reference, let’s not forget to mention that Morlix accompanied Americana songstress Lucinda Williams for 11 years. In 2009, the Americana Music Association named him Instrumentalist of the Year. And if you’re really into name-dropping, here are a few more folks he’s collaborated with: Ray Wylie Hubbard, Warren Zevon, Ian McLagan, Patty Griffin, Robert Earl Keen, Michael Penn, Buddy Miller, Mary Gauthier, Tom Russell, Jim Lauderdale and Slaid Cleaves—and also recorded a record by Buffalo’s own Jim Whitford. Although Morlix excels as a sideman and producer, his real talent may lie as a singer-songwriter. It wasn’t until he was decades into his career before he began writing and recording some of the finest original music around, recorded at his home studio south of Austin. His latest Gurf Morlix Finds the Present Tense is no exception, replete with smart lyrics and no-nonsense arrangements. Don’t miss what’s becoming a once-a-year chance to catch Morlix solo this Wednesday (Sept 25) as he swings through his old stomping grounds for an intimate evening of stories and songs at the Sportsmen’s Tavern.

- buck quigley

7:30pm Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst St. (874-7734 / sportsmenstavern.com) $15