Filmage: The Story of Descendents/ALL

Friday, November 29

For a certain punk rock scene, Descendents are godfathers. For some it’s the Sex Pistols, the Clash, or the Ramones, but for those who grew up listening to SoCal punk, bands like the Dead Kennedys and Descendents were kings. After pop-punk went mainstream in the late 1990s, bands like Greenday, Blink 182 and Weezer would consistently note Descendents as one of their main influences. Formed in 1978 in Manhattan Beach, California, the band has featured a rotating cast of musicians, each their own quirky character, but dummer Bill Stevenson—who has drummed on or produced albums by bands from Alkaline Trio to Black Flag, MxPx, and NOFX—has been the only constant member. Known for his “caffeinated retardedness” the 50-year-old punk rock musician has followed a consistent path to “achieve ALL,” a philosophy of going for greatness at all costs. Last year filmmakers Deedle Lacour and Matt Riggle put together a movie called Filmage: The Story of Descendents/ALL, which attempts to capture the essence of the band that has inspired pop-punk more than any other. Featuring archival footage of the band’s 30 year career as well as interviews with Mike Watt (Minutemen), Keith Morris and Chuck Dukowski (Black Flag), Brett Gurewitz (Bad Religion), Brian Baker (Minor Threat, Bad Religion), Fat Mike (NOFX), Mark Hoppus (Blink 182) and Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters), Filmage opens the vault on an extremely influential, yet unusually private band. Filmage will be screened at the Town Ballroom on Friday (Nov 29) at 7:30pm.

- cory perla

7pm Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. (852-3900 / townballroom.com) $10 advance, $20 day of show

Wednesday, November 27

The Brian Setzer Orchestra

December is drawing near. If you’re looking for a way to get into the holiday spirit a concert is the way to go. It’s the least stressful way to experience the energy and joy of the season. Grammy winning artist Brian Setzer will bring Christmas to the UB Center for the Arts as part of the Brian Setzer Orchestra Christmas Rocks 10th Anniversary Tour. The show will feature his 18-piece big band as they perform some of their classic hits such as “Rock This Town,” “Stray Cat Strut,” and “Jump, Jive, & Wail.” The night will be packed with jazzy swing renditions of holiday favorites from their three best selling Christmas albums, Boogie Woogie Christmas, Dig That Crazy Christmas, and Christmas Rocks! The Best of Collection. If Christmas songs don’t get you feeling nostolgic, the stage will be decked out in every decoration imaginable, from Santa hats to giant, inflatable snowmen. Christmas with the Brian Setzer Orchestra has become a beloved tradition. They’ve performed their holiday show at the White House and Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center. If you’re in the mood to jump, jive, swing, or just dance, you’ll want to be doing it with the Brian Setzer Orchestra this Wednesday (Nov 27) at the UB Center For The Arts.

- sarah barry

7:30pm Mainstage Theatre, UB Center for the Arts, 103 Center For The Arts (654-ARTS / ubcfa.org). $37-$77

Friday, November 29

Lupe Fiasco

As an outspoken political voice in the hip hop scene, Lupe Fiasco has not been afraid to articulate his anti-establishment views on albums like 2011’s Lasers and his 2012 record Food & Liqour II. His next album, Tetsou & Youth, might be taking a different approach though, according to the 31-year-old rapper from Chicago. Featuring names like Rick Ross, Ed Sheeran, and Chris Brown, Tetsou & Youth will be a more personal album from Fiasco, one that he has described repeatedly in interviews as “rachet.” Don’t confuse the potential “rachetness” of the record with the possibility that it will be a party record, though. It will not be a party record, the rapper has reinforced many times. It will not be political, and it will not be a party record. It will be “rachet,” plain and simple. Read any interview that Fiasco has done in the last several months and you will understand. Likening Tetsou & Youth to his pre-Food & Liqour days (his 2006 debut album), Fiasco, real name Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, is making a return to his roots. Lupe Fiasco comes to the Rapid Theatre in Niagara Falls on Friday (Nov 29) as part of his Tetsuo & Youth preview tour with special geust Mickey Factz.

- cory perla

7pm Rapids Theatre, 1711 Main St., Niagara Falls. (205-8925 / rapidstheatre.com) $35-$40

Friday, November 29

Alan Evans Trio

Thanksgiving is one of those holidays that calls people home from near and far to be with their loved ones. As the holiday approaches, we all take time to reflect on those things that we are truly grateful for in our lives. This week in particular, we have yet another reason to give thanks as the Queen City welcomes home one of its most talented musical products. Alan Evans, known around the world for his work with Soulive, is returning home with his new band the Alan Evans Trio for a show on Black Friday. The band features superior musicianship with Evans on drums, Danny Mayer on guitar, and Beau Sasser on the Hammond B-3. Their individual styles fit like a glove with each providing an essential piece to the organ trio’s cosmically funky sound. Their serendipitous formation was quickly followed by their own version of the Big Bang as they released two albums, Drop Hop and Merkaba, within a year of one another. With the two albums under their belt, the guys hit the road hard this year playing multiple festivals over the summer and even taking their first trip to the UK as a band. This Friday (Nov 29), the Trio will be getting down at Nietzsche’s with openers Kid Splendor & the Royal Fortune. The band might still be relatively fresh, but they’ve already contributed an inspiring body of work with no signs of slowing down.

- jeremiah shea

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

Saturday, November 30

Buffalo Folk Heroes CD Release Show

The Buffalo Folk Heroes are Buffalo’s newest super-group. Featuring members of the Albrights (pictured), Second Trip, the Andrew J. Reimers Country Punk Extravaganza, and Buffalo ex-pats from around the world, the group came together to write and record a Buffalo themed folk album. “The Buffalo Folk Heroes is simply a group of friends and songwriters who wanted to make a folk album together to share our individual experiences,” says Evan Thompson, who got the ball rolling in forming the band. Members of the band each wrote songs on their own and came together to record them at Shabbey Road Studios in North Buffalo. The Buffalo Folk Heroes will make their stage debut with a CD release party at the Sportsmens Tavern on Saturday (Nov 30). As part of the event, each songwriter will take a young aspiring songwriter under their wing, and the Good Neighborhood will introduce an upcoming series of Music is Art benefit concerts that shares that theme. In addition The Good Hood will be colleting instrument donations for Music is Art. Donators will receive a free Buffalo Folk Heroes CD.

- cory perla

9pm Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst St. (874-7734 / sportsmenstavern.com) $7

Monday, December 2

Matisyahu

Following a spiritual breakthrough, Matthew Miller realized he loved dancehall reggae and Judaism and assumed the alias, Matisyahu. His debut album, Shake Off The Dust boasted an uplifting and spiritual message and although—in terms of musicianship and lyricism—that album may be an early pinnacle, his sophomore album, Youth, which held a darker, more political appeal, drew mass attention and commenced Matisyahu’s ongoing innovative musical career. In the early 2000’s Matisyahu would perform blistering, rock-influenced anthems wearing traditional Hasidic garb. Since then, he’s left the Hasidic Jewish enclave of Crown Heights, Brooklyn and moved to L.A. He retired his trademark beard and forelocks for a short, blond hairdo and is now known as the man behind the global pop anthem, “One Day.” His third album, Light, maintained some of his rootsier sounds, intermixed with a little more mainstream and pop. But his most recent album, Spark Seeker, has abandoned the old style all together, conveying a more urban, hip-hop sound. He’s distanced himself from Judaism, but he hasn’t cut it out completely—his religious inspiration is still conveyed through his music. He spent 10 years richly saturated in Judaism, it will take more than a haircut to take away all he’s learned. Matisyahu’s Festival of Light Hanukkah Celebration comes to the Town Ballroom on the sixth night of Hanukkah, Monday (Dec 2).

- kellie powell

7pm Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. (852-3900 / townballroom.com) $27 advance, $31 day of show

Thursday, December 5

Hidden Frequencies

To regard Monteith McCollum simply as a musician and filmmaker is an understatement. McCollum is perhaps one of the most superior intellectuals of the 21st century. His widely acclaimed 2002 film, Hybrid, showcased his arsenal of inexhaustible artistry and mental capacity. The documentary went beyond what traditionally constitutes a documentary. Hybrid’s focal point is an Iowa farmer who revolutionized a way to hybridize corn. When you hear the plot, it sounds like something that could only be moderately interesting to horticulture enthusiasts. On the contrary, this documentary delves far deeper. The film exemplifies McCollum’s propensity to push the envelope and expound a sophisticated level of complexity. His most recent multi-media masterpiece, “Hidden Frequencies” is richly layered, encompassing video projection, sound and sculpture to explore antiquated processes and technologies. “Mary Wore Janes So-Called Hat” is the first installment of the trifold, and uses performance of prepared electronics and violin to explore morse code. McCollum plays the violin, telegraph, instructograph, turntables, and an Animoog iphone app in morse code. The rhythms are composed to sound out the phrase “Mary Wore Janes So-Called Hat”—an exercise from a 1940’s instructional record on how to learn code. It is preceded by McCollum’s film Listen, which presents the abstract frequencies and fragmented narrative of shortwave radio. McCollum is truly a contemplative act that you won’t want to miss. He will perform “Hidden Frequencies” at the Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center on Thursday (Dec 5).

- kellie powell

7pm Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center, 341 Delaware Ave. (854-1694 / hallwalls.org) $8 general, $6 students/seniors, $5 members