Artvoice Presents Night Shift

Friday, July 18

In this year’s Artvoice Best of Buffalo reader’s poll, Allen Street Hardware pulled off an upset win for “Best Place to Dance” in Buffalo. The popular restaurant and bar has become one of the only night-club-like destinations in Allentown known for offering two different rooms of music. It’s always a fun sweaty night on the dance floor of Hardware, and that’s why we’ve begun holding our monthly dance party, Artvoice presents Night Shift, there. The front room is typically bumping with DJs that spin hip-hop, funk, jazz and soul and on Friday (July 18) DJ Dovey will keep that trend going with all of the hip hop and dance hits you can handle. But if you’re looking for something, let’s say deeper, then the intimate back room of Hardware is where it’s at. Local dance-party-enthusiasts IGLOO Music—DJs Paul Kuenzi, Rufus Gibson, and Brandon Chase—will vibrate the back room with a mix of techno and deep house, which should keep the crowd moving until the lights come on. See you there!

- sean heidinger & cory perla

11pm Allen Street Hardware Café, 245 Allen St (882-8843 / allenstreethardware.com) $5

Thursday, July 17

Jim Lauderdale w/the Stone Country Band

To true fans of Americana music, Jim Lauderdale is a household name. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter has been putting out music of the highest quality since his first solo effort in 1986. The son of a minister and a church organist/choral director, Lauderdale has penned tunes for Elvis Costello, the Dixie Chicks, Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, George Straight and Lee Ann Womack to name just a few. Folks in these parts might recognize him from his collaboration with Donna the Buffalo. Although his first love was bluegrass—the genre in which he has won two Grammys (the first with Ralph Stanley) —he’s also a master of hard-core honky tonk ballads like “The King of Broken Hearts,” which features lyrics as simple, true and sad as a Dear John Letter—with a melody reminiscent of George Jones’s greatest cry-in-your-beer weepers. A heartfelt singer and seasoned performer, Lauderdale is currently on tour in support of his 26th album I’m a Song—his first double-album. Showing no signs of slowing down, he’ll be performing two sets tonight (July 17) at the Sportsmen’s Tavern. The first will be solo—the second he’ll be joined by Buffalo’s tightest and most authentic hard country act, the Stone Country Band. This is another in a long series of memorable shows at the Sportsmen’s—winner of the best live music venue in the Artvoice Best of Buffalo Awards this year.

- buck quigley

7:30pm Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst St. (874-7734 / sportsmenstavern.net) $25

Friday & Saturday, July 18 & 19

Rock the Barn

Celebrating its 10th year, Rock the Barn has been one of those events that are easy to take in: just bring a chair or blanket and enjoy the music and top-notch food. Sample favorite dishes from several Clarence restaurants as a well the great barbeque from Pink Pig Catering by Adventures in Heat. Eat, drink and dance to the music and know that the money you spend will be making a difference. Rock the Barn is not only a good time, but also a fundraiser for the Clarence/Newstead Meals on Wheels Task Force and has raised over $250,000 for those in need. Friday night’s (July 18) lineup includes Johnny & the Homewreckers, the Outlyers, the Donnelly’s Band (a local band from Clarence), U People, and the Dave Viterna Band, one of the most popular rock bands in Western New York. Saturday (July 19) will feature Lil Ed & the Blues Imperials, an internationally famous Chicago blues band who has had the same band members for over 26 years, which does not happen too often in the music world. International recording artist Tinsley Ellis is also on the top of line-up and back to this year’s event is Canadian performer Chuck Jackson’s Big Bad Blues Band. Local performers are Robert “Freightrain” Parker & Friends and Robin & the Rubes. Having so many local performers is another reason this two-day event is so successful. Gates open at 4 pm Friday and 2 pm on Saturday. No overnight camping or coolers allowed.

- c. f. lohr

4pm, Friday, 2pm, Saturday, Big Yellow Barn, 9015 Main St., Clarence (rockthebarn.com) $15 advance, $20 at the gate, kids under 10 free

Friday, July 18

Mac DeMarco

Psychedelic rocker Mac DeMarco will bring his unconventional performance style to the Tralf Music Hall on Friday (July 18). In support of his newest album, Salad Days, the lo-fi rocker will bring his self-proclaimed “jizz jazz” style tunes to Buffalo with skilled musician Delicate Steve. DeMarco, a 24-year-old Canadian multi-instrumentalist, with special skill on guitar, bass, drums, and keyboard, is joined for live performances by guitarist Peter Sagar, bassist Pierce McGarry, and Joe McMurray on the drums. With musical inspiration from Steely Dan, Shuggie Otis, and Jonathan Richman, DeMarco’s shows have been deemed as unpredictable and surprising “raunchfests,” (open for interpretation) in hopes of better engaging the crowd. To get a better taste of the ever unique Mac DeMarco, have a listen to his AM radio inspired tune “Rock and Roll Night Club” from his album of the same name, and some more recent songs like “Passing Out Pieces,” “Ode To Viceroy,” or “Chamber of Reflection.”

- hannah epstein

The Tralf Music Hall, 622 Main St. (852-2860 / tralfmusichall.com) $14 advance, $16 day of show

Tuesday, July 22

Band of Horses

Ben Bridwell, 34-year-old frontman and founder of Seattle-based band Band of Horses, might look like a scraggly lumberjack, but his angelic voice and sensitive songs that tug on the heartstrings suggest otherwise. He’s been the only constant member since their 2006 debut album, Everything All The Time to their fifth album, this year’s Acoustic At The Ryman. From album to album the band has gone from indie to pop-rock to southern rock to acoustic, and after undergoing several lineup changes, BOH seems to have found the perfect recipe. Their Grammy-nominated studio album, Infinite Arms (2010) was a collaboration of old and new blood. This marked a significant turn away from the dreamy, backwoods indie rock of the band’s early sound, and honed in on a more polished, southern rock sound. Their 2012 studio album, Mirage Rock makes bold strides into the realm of radio-conscious pop that its predecessor only toyed with. Finally, their latest live album, Acoustic at the Ryman exhibits their raw talent. Bridwell’s goose bump-inducing tenor is stripped down and positively bone-chilling.Although they’ve taken some heat for their shape-shifting tendencies over the years, their versatility is manifested in their live shows. Band of Horses will play at the Town Ballroom on Tuesday (July 22) with support from Midlake.

- kellie powell

7pm Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. (852-3900 / townballroom.com) $32 advance, $35 day of show

Tuesday, July 22

Teamwork 2014: The BBQ

It takes teamwork to build community. Self-proclaimed “progressive rap cinema artist,” Chae Hawk knows this. That’s why he’s been lending his time to speak to students at local high schools including Tapestry Charter School in Buffalo. “Peace of the City reached out to me and asked me to speak and I gladly accepted,” says Hawk. He’s not only spoken to students about working hard to achieve their goals, he’s helped them set goals of their own. Working with the Western New York Book Arts Center he and his group of students learned how to screen print. The group screen printed posters for Chae Hawk’s upcoming show, the Team Work BBQ at Buffalo Iron Works on Sunday (July 20). The posters will be for sale for $10 at the show and proceeds will go to Peace of the City. But first, on Friday (July 18) Two Guys In A Boat and Team Radio present the premier of Chae Hawk’s latest short film, Dinner Plates at the Ujima Theater (545 Elmwood Ave). Directed by Alex Amoling, Dinner Plates is the next installment of Chae Hawk’s Dance Party For The Heavy Hearted music video series. The video, a perfect compliment to the song that taps into themes of fate and determination, is impressively cinematic and well acted. Brooklyn via Buffalo DJ Fenbred will be on hand to spin some tunes. To celebrate the release Hawk will continue the party with some good music with some good food at the Teamwork 2014 BBQ on Sunday, which will feature Hawk, Dus, Beev, and Bless of Niagara Falls hip hop crew Nameless, and newcomer Ezamadi.

- cory perla

7pm Buffalo Iron Works, 49 Illinois St. (200-1893 / buffaloironworks.com) $10 BBQ + show

Wednesday, July 23

Kalifornia Kym's Birthday Bash & Fundraiser featuring Randle and the Late Night Scandals

In February, Kalifornia Kym, saxophone player of Randle and the Late Night Scandals, fell down a flight of stairs. She broke four ribs, had a heart attack, and had to undergo quadruple bypass surgery. Because of the surgery, she hasn’t been cleared to work. On Wednesday (July 23) Nietzsche’s will host a fundraiser for Kym featuring 2013 Artvoice Battle of Original Music winners Randle and the Late Night Scandals, the Observers, Shaky Stage, Kathryn Koch, and 2014 Artvoice BOOM Grand Champions FolkFaces. Her road to recovery has been painful, but quicker than expected, says Randle frontwoman Amanda Markovich. The fundraiser will be held on Kym’s birthday and all of the proceeds will go toward her living expenses. “Doctors told her if she hadn’t fallen down the stairs they wouldn’t have known about the blockage and she wouldn’t have lived passed this birthday, so that’s why we’re doing it on that day,” says Markovich. Kym has been unable to perform for months, and she’s still unable to lift anything heavier than a saxophone, says Markovich, but she’ll be on stage with her band on Wednesday. Says Markovich: “To have her back on stage is incredible. We’re not complete without her.”

- cory perla

9pm Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St. (886-8539 / nietzsches.com) $10