Dada Life with Alvin Risk

Friday, February 14

Olle Corneer and Stefan Engblom are the Swedish DJ duo that makes up Dada Life. With goofy grins and a sense of humor, Dada Life have released chart-climbing productions and played for thousands. The eccentric duo are known for their signature champagne sipping and the banana display on their decks on stage. In one interview, they estimated that they go through approximately 20 pounds of bananas, at each show. To find solid information on these two men takes some digging. One piece that consistently surfaces is their “Rules of Dada.” In Dada Land: “Don’t look back in the past. Always go forward. And whatever you do: don’t trust us.” Factory Nightlife will presents Dada Life this Valentine’s Day, Friday (Feb 2). After Dark Entertainment originally had an evening with electro-house producer Alvin Risk planned for the dedicated day of love as well. This OWSLA original producer has also had releases on record labels such as Ministry of Sound and Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak, and has been featured on BBC Radio One. Two promoters got together, and made one hell of an evening, with After Dark and Factory Nightlife presenting Dada Life and Alvin Risk at the Town Ballroom. Opening for the major headliners will be local DJs Brother Bear and Medison. XOXO Happy Valentine’s Day.

- alicia greco

9pm Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. (852-3900 / townballroom.com) $35 advance, $40 day of show

Thursday, February 13

Wooden Waves / Returners / Bill Nehill

This Thursday (Feb 13) marks the beginning of a five-week concert series at Buffalo Iron Works, featuring the talents of some of Buffalo’s best and underrated local rock bands. If there are names on the bill you don’t recognize or have yet to see live, you should certainly get accustomed to them, and you can start by spending your Valentine’s eve with Wooden Waves, Returners, and Bill Nehill. Electro-pop quintet Wooden Waves mix up an energetic cocktail of surf rock, lo fi and punk, garnished with catchy analog riffs. Keep an eye out for their upcoming album, Wilder Dreams. Fans of Sonic Youth will find the same DIY spirit and grungy feel in indie outfit Returners, who could easily be nominated as “the best band you haven’t heard about” in Buffalo. Lastly, if you’re a lonely heart this Valentine’s Day, Bill Nehill is sure to strike a chord or two with his melancholy brand of acoustic folk. All of these acts bring a different dynamic to the table, providing a well-represented cross section of what Buffalo’s underground music scene is all about. Be sure to catch the next installment of Iron Work’s Thursday concert series on 2/20 with Lazlo Hollyfeld, Rhubarb, and Alex Berkley.

- jon wheelock

9pm Buffalo Iron Works, 49 Illinois St. (200-1893 / buffaloironworks.com) $5

Friday, February 14

Valentine's Vampire Masquerade Ball

The idea of the vampire, a bloodsucking, part human part bat goes back a few thousand years. The vampire’s connection to romance isn’t quite as old but it has become ingrained in the creature’s mythology. Vampires can represent the idea of insatiability: a being in an eternal state of thirst. Blood is what the vampire thirsts for and blood is a symbol for the soul, or life energy. When another being craves your soul, well that’s kind of romantic, right? Terror Technologies and Buffalo Zombies for Charity are taking that idea a step further for their Buffalo Valentine’s Vampire Masquerade Ball, one of this year’s biggest Valentine’s Day celebrations. The third annual event encourages attendees to dress up in their favorite vampire apparel but any romantic horror imagery is appropriate. The event will feature entertainment from electronic rockers Armageddon Party, drum and bass DJ Loki, Stuart Fuchs and many more across two ballrooms. Expect a macabre photo op, world-class magic, vendors, and lots of surprises. This event is a food drive so please bring canned goods (baby food is especially important). One raffle ticket will be awarded for every five canned goods donated or for each $5 donation. Prizes will be awarded throughout the night. The Valentines Vampires Masquerade Charity Ball is this Friday (Feb 14) at the Hotel at the Lafayette. Tickets are available at buffalovampiresball.com.

- cory perla

8pm Hotel at the Lafayette, 391 Washington St. (buffalovampiresball.com) $20 advance, $25 day of show

Friday, February 14

Valentine's Day Experience

Have you ever been to a keg party at a church? I haven’t either. The South Park United Presbyterian Church in South Buffalo prides itself on its ability to adapt to social change, and that is just what it is doing with its Valentine’s Day Experience party this weekend. Office manager of the church, Art Marzolf has envisioned the spot as an art space for several years. “These buildings were created as spaces for people to congregate, to come together. To not take full advantage of the space would be almost a sin!” says Mazolf. Music, lights, dancers, and artists will fill the church for the Valentine’s Day Experience. This singles and couples (of all sorts)-friendly event will feature Ballet dancers moving to the sounds of post-punk, LED poi dancers controlling electronic music with their glowing orbs, music by Pamela Swarts, Lara Buckley, and other eclectic artists and many other diverse sound, dance, theater, and spoken word performances throughout the evening. An $8 cover is enough to get you in the door and will cover your drinks for the night, so head down to South Park for a one of a kind Valentine’s Day party.

- cory perla

7pm South Park United Presbyterian Church, 519 Mckinley Parkway $8

Saturday, February 15

Hey Monea!

Even their name is upbeat. The incorporation of an exclamation point doesn’t so much translate to over-the-top energy, though. Actually, Hey Monea! is quite mellow, producing soothing sounds that are sometimes surprisingly positive despite the lyrical content. These former Jehovah’s Witnesses turned rockers hail from Canton, Ohio, and have traveled the world playing alongside some of the biggest names. Although they’re not new to the scene, forming in 2005, they caught on a little quicker after winning the Hard Rock’s Global Battle of the Bands in 2012 and have been strumming on acoustics and clapping along ever since. They’re a different breed of modern rock band, sans the electronic guitars and mixing. Their minimalist sound is dependent on raw vocals and letting the strings and their hands do the talking. They’re sticking to the basics and seem to subscribe to the theory that talent lends to good music. Cut out the extras and what are you left with? Take it away, Hey Monea! Clap along at the Waiting Room this Saturday (Feb 15).

- samantha wulff

6pm The Waiting Room, 334 Delaware Ave (852-3900 / waitingroombuffalo.com) $10 advance, $12 day of show

Tuesday, February 18

Hopsin

Is Hopsin a juggalo? That’s the question in hip hop circles that revolve around the 28 year old rapper and his Funk Volume record label. A juggalo is a fan of a certain type of hip hop made famous by Insane Clown Posse in the 1990s. Juggalos aren’t always the most respected group, but their numbers don’t lie and their cohesiveness sells out shows for those on the inside. The juggalo status of the former Ruthless Records MC, known for his white-out eyes and skateboarder style, is discussed endlessly on message boards. If the question is “is Hopsin a juggalo?” answers range from yes to no to answers like “He’s cool with Tech N9ne, and Tech N9ne is cool with juggalos. So yes and no.” It doesn’t matter so much to the rapper himself who is preoccupied with producing his “Ill Mind of Hopsin” music video series that has garnered tens of millions of views on Youtube. His live show is high energy and full of surprises so local hip hop fans should check out the wild-eyed rapper when he comes to the Town Ballroom on Tuesday (Feb 18) with support from DJ Hoppa and local all-stars AJ Jordan and Kamp Crystal Lake.

- cory perla

7pm Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. (852-3900 / townballroom.com) $22.50 advance, $25 day of show

Tuesday, February 18

Rusted Root

For two decades Rusted Root, has honed the perfect combination of musical intuition, freedom and virtuosity, which has allowed them to organically shape shift their music into their own distinct and undeniable vision. Their seventh studio album, The Movement, is progressive while maintaining their earthy roots. Frontman, Michale Glabicki says, “The Movement is an extremely joyous recording with seriously deep undertones. It is a culmination of everything we have learned, or have tried to learn, over our entire career. It truly is a career record for us.” This energized and poetic collection of originals captures the Pittsburgh based unit at their best. It’s a true testament to their longstanding ability to play in accordance with one another. “From the very first time we played music together, I knew we had something special. The music and the enjoyment of creating and playing with one another is the driving force behind this band,” says bassist and vocalist, Patrick Norman. Each member of the sextet adds a different and unique flavor to Rusted Root’s sound: Michael Glabicki’s unique and powerful voice, Colter Harper and Dirk Miller’s frantic guitar licks, and Liz Berlin’s primal percussion sounds. Their live sets, which typically include up to 60 instruments, truly epitomizes the band’s raw talent. Whether they’re playing chart topping hits like “Send Me On My Way” or African infused experimental pieces like “Drum Trip,” they play with unparalleled conviction.

- kellie powell

7pm Buffalo Iron Works, 49 Illinois St. (200-1893 / buffaloironworks.com) $22.50 advance, $25 day of show