Ab-Soul

Thursday, October 2

Name someone in the rap game. Ab-Soul has probably collaborated with them. Chance the Rapper, Talib Kweli, Jhene Aiko, Action Bronson, Mac Miller, Danny Brown, Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q, and Kendrick Lamar (he formed the super group Black Hippy alongside the latter three) are only a few of the many artists this 27 year-old hip hop artist has collaborated with since signing with Top Dawg Entertainment in 2007. On his latest record, These Days released over the summer, Ab-Soul, aka Herbert Stevens, shows off his lyrical talent, originally displayed on 2011 debut record Longterm Mentality. “These days I’ve seen my best,” sings a gospel choir on the album’s closing track, and title track “These Days,” just before Stevens unleashes one of his strongest, most poignant verses on the over 90-minute long record. By the end of that verse you’ll truly believe you’ve seen his best. He may not reside on hip hop’s highest tier like his friend Kendrick, or as a revered underground trend-setter like Schoolboy Q, who is featured on the album’s single “Hunnid Stax,” but on this, his third album for Top Dawg Entertainment—the follow-up to the 2012’s equally impressive Control System—he has finally stepped out from the intimidating shadows of the other members of Black Hippy. Ab-Soul comes to the Waiting Room on Thursday (Oct 2) with support from Earthgame, Bas, and DJ Jett.

- cory perla

7pm The Waiting Room, 334 Delaware Ave (852-3900 / waitingroombuffalo.com) $23 advance, $27 day of show

Friday, September 26

Only Comrades Takes Urban Outfitters

On Friday (Sept 26) Buffalo fashion designers Only Comrades will not only take over Urban Outfitters in the Walden Galleria mall for a special in store show, but they’ll also be the first to throw a party in the brand new Studio at the Waiting Room. “No one has ever done an event like this in an Urban,” says Zack Boehler of Only Comrades. “This is the first time they’ve had a brand come in and take over a store and do what they want.” What they want to do is sell a bunch of merch—they’ll offer over 30 different pieces of new and limited edition men’s and women’s clothing from basic tees to sweatshirts, jackets, and hats—but they also want you to customize it all too, so they’re bringing along a steam press to add some personal flare. S(in)isters will be on hand to provide some music, Melting Point will provide some tasty grilled cheese samples, and there will be plenty of giveaways and sales. Then, at 10pm the party moves to the Studio at the Waiting Room, an intimate new space above the Waiting Room on Delaware near Chippewa designed in part by the Only Comrades guys. The first 50 people through the door will receive a cryptic art-zine featuring work by Buffalo artists. Swagglerock will keep the crowd moving late into the night, so don’t miss this chance to party with the Only Comrades crew and be the first to check out the Studio at the Waiting Room.

- cory perla

7pm Urban Outfitters, 1 Galleria Dr, Buffalo (onlycomrades.com) free

10pm The Studio at the Waiting Room, second floor 334 Delaware Ave (852-3900 / waitingroombuffalo.com) $5 or free with Urban Outfitters invite

Friday, September 26

Brian Regan

Brian Regan is known mainly as two things: a comedian’s comedian (he is adored by legends like Jerry Seinfeld, Marc Maron, Patton Oswalt, and David Letterman) and a “clean” comic. If the latter deters you, don’t let it — he’s funny as shit. “I think some people look at the fact that I work clean and incorrectly assume that I have some kind of wholesome agenda,” Regan told us in an interview this week. “[Or] that I’m trying to show ‘the other side of what comedy can be’ or something. It has nothing to do with any of that.” He likens doing clean material to a painter using acrylics. Clean just happens to be the medium he prefers. “I’m always guarding against people thinking that I’m doing a kiddie show, you know?” Regan said. “That’s not my mission. My mission is to do stuff that makes me laugh, and some of it is not necessarily kid’s stuff.” Regan has had a long and busy career making audiences laugh. He first appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman in 1995 and has since returned 25 times, more than any other comedian. He’s released several specials including two Comedy Central specials (watch 2008’s The Epitome of Hyperbole for a good taste of his stuff). He tours non-stop and has hit almost 100 cities a year since 2005. He’s sold out iconic venues like the Red Rocks Amphitheater outside of Denver and was recently nominated for the American Comedy Award for Best Concert Comic. You can catch him Friday (Sept 26) at the Seneca Niagara Casino Events Center, but act fast, there are few ticktes left

- jonny moran

8pm Seneca Niagara Events Center, 310 4th Street, Niagara Falls (senecaniagaracasino.com) $25-$71

Friday & Saturday, September 26 & 27

Buffalo Humanities Festival

According to the Buffalo Humanities Festival website, the goal of this first time event is “to foster dialogue, the sharing of ideas, and the enjoyment of the humanities among the public, scholars, and creators.” To do so, the University at Buffalo’s Humanities Institute has arranged a series of presentations in a variety of categories like “imagination” “stories” “community” and “politics” by speakers like Law Eh Soe, who falls under the category of imagination with a presentation of photographs of Western New York’s Burmese community, or “Vietnamese Refugee Stories” essays by UB Department of Anthropology professor Deborah Reed-Danahay. The keynote speaker of the festival though is Gary Shteyngart, author of the New York Times bestselling memoir Little Failure. With Little Failure Shteyngart—a Russian-Jewish immagrant who is known primarily as a satirical author—penned what The Guardian called his “funniest saddest, and most honest work to date.” At 8pm on Friday Shteyngart will present a reading, an on-stage interview, and a book signing at the Albright Knox Art Gallery as the first half of the Buffalo Humanities Festival. On Saturday, the second half of the festival commences with a full day of speakers and presentations like The Cuban American Experience Through Art and Songs of the Dust Bowl Migration and Great Depression. Saturday’s events take place at the Burchfield-Penney Auditorium and Buffalo State College’s Ketchum Hall. For a complete schedule of events visit buffalohumanities.org.

- cory perla

Various locations. $20 Gary Shteyngart adult ticket, $15 students. $12 adult saturday pass. $10 students. $30 adult combo pass, $20 students

Saturday, September 27

Elmwood Village 20 Block Bash

Buffalo encompasses an array of unique neighborhoods, but among the most vibrant is the Elmwood Village. From the newly restored Richardson Complex that overlooks the village to the art galleries and locally owned specialty shops, restaurants and bars, to Sylvester—Elmwood’s favorite local—this neighborhood has a bold personality. The artistic culture and locally owned shops give the neighborhood a colorful buzz and it’s a testament to the revitalization of the area over the past decade. The Elmwood Village Association is in part responsible for Elmwood’s transformation. Since its inception, the nonprofit organization has worked with local businesses and residents to improve the quality of life in the Elmwood community. The EVA’s 20th anniversary is this Saturday (Sept 27) and to celebrate, a stretch on Elmwood between W. Utica St. and Hodge Ave. will be closed to traffic from 6pm to 10pm for the Elmwood Village 20 Block Bash. This street-party is aptly located, as this stretch has recently seen a number of new businesses open, and more are on the way. “We want to celebrate the vision and drive of this community and all that the Elmwood Village Association has accomplished and will accomplish,” says Cary Battin, executive director of the Elmwood Village Association. Enjoy street games and activities, local food vendors and continuous live music by local bands. The live music line-up is as follows: 6pm, DJ Milk; 7pm, the Tins; 8pm, Aircraft; 9pm, Chae Hawk. All proceeds go to the Elmwood Village Association and, therefore flow back into the Elmwood community.

- kellie powell

6pm Elmwood Avenue, between W. Utica St. and Hodge Ave. Free parking in Gallagher Ramp from the W. Utica St. entrance / Bike valet courtesy of GOBike Buffalo

Wednesday, October 1

Tweedy

Front man of alternative-rock band Wilco, Jeff Tweedy, isn’t foreign to the solo stage. From time to time the Grammy Award winning songwriter has taken a break from Wilco’s epic genre-bending country-pop-rock and stripped his music bare with improvisational acoustic sets, which showcase his guitar skills, deep song repertoire, and sarcastic charm. But this time touring has become a family affair. Collaborating with his son Spencer on drums, the Tweedy duo from Chicago brings a heartwarming, homemade element to the stage. Jeff’s soft yet scruffy melodies play with and against Spencer’s edgier raps mimicking the tug-of-war a parent has with his kid. Jeff sings as he smiles at his son, “I’m gonna love you the same/ I’ll always be your fool/ And when it looks like I don’t care/ I’m just playing it cool.” It is a pleasure to watch father and son jamming together then poke at each other with dry witticisms between sets. The feel-good tender moments are masterfully hidden within deceptively gleeful tracks as Jeff wistfully sings of doubt, love, mortality, and devotion. And although their music still carries the Wilco vibes, the Tweedy experience is a more personal and sentimental one. Tweedy comes to Town Ballroom on Wednesday (Oct 1) with special guests Brooklyn indie-pop band, Hospitality.

- adele jackson-gibson

7pm Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. (852-3900 / townballroom.com) $39.50 advance

Thursday, October 2

Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad

Boundary-pushing reggae band, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, has made a name for themselves on the East Coast circuit through relentless touring—and the fact that they’re just really damn good. GPGDS is a live band to the core, so much so that even their studio albums come to life: they aren’t recorded, they’re captured. Each track has a pulse that plays with such flavor, energy and color that the recording takes on the intensity of a live show. With their 2012 studio albums, Country and In These Times, they proved themselves to be musicians who are beyond talented, versatile and true game changers. Country featured raw, stripped-down Americana and folk music, while In These Times went back to their reggae roots with a psychedelic vibe. Their next album, Steady, drops on September 30, but the tracks they’ve already released hint that this may be their most polished and cohesive album to date. They’ll be playing their latest tracks as well as crowd favorites at the Tralf Music Hall at on Thursday (Oct 2).

- kellie powell

8pm The Tralf Music Hall, 622 Main St. (852-2860 / tralfmusichall.com) $13 advance, $15 day of show