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See You There!

Artvoice's weekly round-up of featured events, including our editor's pick for the week: Beach Fossils, playing Thursday, February 28th at The Tralf.

If you haven't already, be sure to check out our full events calendar on-line for complete event listings, a location guide to find your way about the city, restaurant reviews, and more.

Beach Fossils

Thursday, February 28

Giving Buffalo fans just enough time to absorb their salt water and sun soaked new album, Clash The Truth—released on February 19—Beach Fossils play the Tralf Music Hall on Thursday (Feb 28). Part garage rock, part surf rock, the four-piece band seems to be at the center of the Brooklyn indie rock scene. After former guitarist Zachary Cole Smith left to join like-minded lo-fi rock band, and Brooklyn natives, DIIV, Beach Fossils frontman Dustin Payseur hit the studio with drummer Tommy Gardner and producer Ben Greenberg—also of the Men—to create what would become the band’s second full-length album, Clash The Truth. Full of the familiar sounds of snappy drums and jangly guitars that made their 2010 self-titled stand out, Clash The Truth is essentially a sequel. Though the record toes the line of aggressive surf rock established on the bands’ self-titled record, producer Greenberg didn’t simply duplicate the lo-fi production values found on that album. There is a lot more space on Clash The Truth for the band’s clean reverberated guitars and driving bass to roam around in between Payseurs spacey vocals and Garnders flattened drums. If this band wasn’t already on your indie-rock radar, then their latest record should put them there just in time to catch them live this week.

- cory perla

7pm The Tralf Music Hall, 622 Main St. (852-2860 / tralfmusichall.com) $12 advance, $14 day of show

Saturday, February 23

WNY Black Film Festival

For its eleventh edition, the WNY Black Film Festival presents Wolf, a drama focusing on issues of child molestation and the church and how they impact a faithful family. Film Threat praised Wolf for its depth of character and even-handedness in approaching a difficult issue. The film stars Jordan Cooper as a troubled student, Eugene Lee as the bishop of his church, and veteran actress Irma P. Hall (The Ladykillers) as the boy’s grandmother. Hall, Lee, and director Ya’Ke Smith will be present for a post-screening discussion. The program takes place in conjunction with the “My Cry In The Dark” mental health initiative of the Buffalo Alumnae Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, which seeks to raise awareness about societal ills stemming from mental illness, domestic violence, child abuse, personality disorders, anger management issues, and substance abuse.

- m faust

5pm Dipson Market Arcade Film & Arts Centre, 639 Main St. (855-3022 / dipsontheatres.com) $5

Saturday, February 23

The Ragbirds

The Ragbirds might call Michigan their home, but the world is their inspiration, proving to audiences far and wide that music has no boundaries with their “infectious global groove.” The Ann Arbor-based quintet are musical nomads in every sense, never settling on one genre, but moving freely through styles and instruments with an unprecedented versatility and energy. Lead singer, multi-instrumentalist and Buffalo native Erin Zindle elevates the Birds’ worldly spirit with her heartfelt vocals and prowess on the fiddle, in addition to picking up whatever else she can get her hands on, whether it’s mandolin, banjo, accordion, or just about any percussive instrument you can think of. Everything from African and Latin rhythms, reggae grooves, swinging Gypsy jazz, and traditional Americana are rendered with such passion and joy that it’s obvious to see just how much fun this group has playing together on stage. Fittingly, the band dropped their new live album, We Belong to the Love on Valentine’s Day. “In all of our studio recordings we have been trying to capture our live sound because it’s in the electric joyful exchange between the stage and the audience that the real magic happens,” says Zindle. “I’m so excited to be able to release a record that truly represents that live musical experience.” The Ragbirds migrate to Nietzsches this Saturday (Feb 23), marking the Buffalo homecoming for Erin and guitarist TJ Zindle, who is also set to perform his band Haven. Opening the show is the solo effort from Son of the Sun frontman Zak Ward.

- jon wheelock

9pm Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St. (886-8539 / nietzsches.com) $5

Saturday, February 23

Tour De Force: Coolzey & Rasshan Ahmad

Midwestern hip hop? That’s like grunge from the south or country music from New England. It’s not that it doesn’t exist, but when people think hip hop they usually think East Coast, West Coast, Atlanta, and Chicago, not Dallas Center, Iowa. That is where rapper Coolzey hails from though, and he’s proud of it. You might see white picket fences and sun hats in his latest video for “Want It The Most,” an anti-consumerist anthem set at a picnic, but someone has to critique that massive section of the country between New York and Los Angeles. Coolzey is on an official “Tour de Force” across that section of the country and joining him is Bay Area rapper Rasshan Ahmad, the figurehead of live hip hop group Crown City Rockers. Ahmad has a nice résumé that includes collaborations with the likes of Chali 2na of Jurassic 5, Gift of Gab of Blackalicious and Greg Errico of Sly and the Family Stone, as well as two full length solo albums under his belt and a third on the way titled Cloud 9. Presented by Deep Thinka Records, Coolzey and Ahmad will hit up Duke’s this Saturday (Feb 23) with support from Toronto’s Philly Moves, Rabbi Darkside, who hails from Brooklyn via Buffalo, and Buffalo’s own Koolie High. DJ Charlie the Butcher will be on hand spinning records all night so don’t miss out.

- cory perla

10pm Duke’s Bohemian Grove Bar, 253 Allen St. (240-9359 / dukesbohemiangrovebar.com)

Sunday, February 24

Daedelus

In Greek mythology, Daedalus was a skilled craftsman and artisan. In the electronic music world, Daedelus, with his slightly different spelling, is the stage name of electronic music producer Alfred Weisberg-Roberts, and it’s a pretty appropriate one. That’s because Daedelus not only crafts gourmet beats and songs, but whole records that are full of the type of attention to detail that any skilled craftsman puts into his passion. His latest full length record, 2011’s Bespoke, is no exception. Sticking to his theme, the definition of bespoke, is “dealing or producing custom made articles,” typically of clothing, but in this case, articles of music. Like a well-made piece of clothing, the music on Bespoke fits nicely but isn’t made for every occasion. The elegant melodies and romantic tones on songs like “Sew, Darn, Mend” and “Overwhelmed” seem to be celebratory pieces that fit like a custom made tuxedo, while on the other hand tracks like “Penny Loafers” and “What Can You Do?” are more rugged and dance-floor ready. Though he’s a trained jazz musician, Daedelus spends most of his time on stage with a Monome interface at his fingertips and a laptop within his reach, but when it comes to the studio you could still find him near a clarinet and double bass. Daedelus brings his Magical Properties Tour to Soundlab on Sunday (Feb 24) with support from Canadian beat-maker Ryan Hemsworth and LA bass producer Samo Sound Boy.

- cory perla

9pm Soundlab, 110 Pearl St. (440-5907 / bigorbitgallery.org/soundlab) $12 advance

Tuesday, February 26

Fishbone

25 years of great music is an accomplishment for any act, but there must be something said for Fishbone’s 25 years of developing their own genre. “If there are 12 levels, they’re on the 13th level,” said Keith Morris of punk band the Circle Jerks. “It’s not in the black world and it’s not in the white world. It’s somewhere in between,” said Gwen Stefani of No Doubt. “The gang bangers would be there just looking at them like ‘Who are these crazy motherfuckers?’” said rapper/actor Ice-T. These quotes, and many more, can be heard in their critically acclaimed full-length feature documentary Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone. They altered the DNA of music, combining strands from punk, ska, hard rock, and funk to form something the world had never seen before. Bands like Primus, for example, pay tribute to Fishbone by saying how they have been “the band that went way beyond any of us who were influenced by them.” Never once has a stage seen a happy medium of dreadlocks and mohawks, of driving punk rock rhythms and funky bass lines, of gut wrenching vocals and saxophone solos. Their influences include bands from countless genres, speaking directly to the bands own versatility. After seeing them perform, Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, recalled the band thinking “Whoa... How are we going to follow this?” Come witness exactly what he was talking about this Tuesday (Feb 26) at Nietzsche’s with special guests Wolf Tickets and the B-side Basterds. Bring your slam dance shoes.

- brett deneve

8pm Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St. (886-8539 / nietzsches.com) $20 advance, $25 day of show

Tuesday, February 26

Buddy Guy with Jonny Lang

Buddy Guy is the pure essence of the blues, and he carries that very spirit throughout every one of his performances. His career has spanned over 50 years now and he doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. In his own words, he’s “76 years young,” and you can hear the sincerity whenever he sings that lyric. Even after all of these years, he still delivers the raw emotion you’d expect out of the blues and keeps your ear begging for the resolution of every note. Buddy Guy is the bridge between the humble beginnings of the blues and the literal and metaphorical jolt it received when artists began using the electric guitar. He was born and raised in the South, but musically, Guy honed his craft in Chicago under Muddy Waters. And while he’s typically labeled as Chicago blues, his diverse background gives his music its own unique range. Buddy will be in town on Tuesday (Feb 26) to perform at UB’s Center for the Arts with Jonny Lang. To say this will be an amazing concert, would be selling him short. During his performance last summer, he roamed freely offstage, giving the audience something not usually seen these days by a major artist. The show he put on was only outdone by his passionate playing and delivery. In his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame acceptance speech, Buddy said, “I’m just out of words; I just want to play for you.” His simple statement beautifully illustrates how he uses his guitar to express his heart and soul to every listener.

- jeremiah shea

7:30pm Mainstage Theatre, UB Center for the Arts, 103 Center For The Arts (654-ARTS / ubcfa.org) $29.50-$67.50