Artvoice: Buffalo's #1 Newsweekly
Home Blogs Web Features Calendar Listings Artvoice TV Real Estate Classifieds Contact

Cover Story

Inside the World of the Hardcore Comic Fair

by Peter Soscia

The term “fan” became popular the late 1800s to describe the most passionate and “fanatic” supporters of local baseball teams. The word is still typically associated with followers of sports teams. However, sports are not alone in creating passionate fans. Comic-book and sci-fi enthusiasts are equally passionate and pour copious amounts of time and money to accurately impersonate their favorite characters from comic books, videogames, movies and fantasy worlds.

News Feature

Buffalo's Economic Rebirth Provides a Dubious Lesson for Upstate New York

by Arthur J. Giacalone

We’re told that Buffalo is experiencing an “economic rebirth” and “building boom” not seen in decades. These self-serving pronouncements are premature and overblown, whether made by the local press, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, or Howard Zemsky, CEO of the Empire State Development Corp.

Film Feature

Locally Produced Short Film Screened in L.A. at 48 Hour Filmapalooza Festival

by Jordan Canahai

Silenced, a nine minute silent drama produced by local filmmakers for Rochester’s 48 Hour Film Project in 2014 was recently screened alongside 125 other shorts from around the country at the Filmapalooza Festival in Los Angeles. The film details the story of a deaf woman who risks her life to save her friend who is being held hostage by three criminals in his restaurant. I spoke with one of the film’s co-directors, Buffalo native Gabe Simon, about the experience of making the film.

Beer Feature

Brewing Up the Future in Niagara on the Lake and Beyond

by Willard Brooks

It has been a pleasure and a privilege over the last few weeks to have made new brewer friends on the opposite side of the Niagara River. A few weeks back it was great to visit with Rod Daigle at Brimstone Brewery in Ridgeway (see article “Oh Canada”). This past week afforded me the chance to visit Silversmith Brewery and The Teaching Brewery—both in Niagara on the Lake.

Puck Stop

Pegula Ice Arena and the Buffalo Connection

by Andrew Kulyk and Peter Farrell

Imagine a hockey facility with end zone seating so steep, that memories of the orange balcony at Buffalo’s Memorial Auditorium immediately come to mind.

What's Brewing

Presented by Consumer Beverages

by Willard Brooks, Paul Marko, and Chris Groves

Southern Tier Live "Bottle Conditioned" Pale Ale, Omegang Game of Thrones Three Eyed Raven Black Saison, Lagunitas Brown Shugga.

Artvoice B.O.O.M!

Round 3, Week 3: Bo-Bo vs. Ruthless Tom

Welcome to the ninth installment of Artvoice’s Battle of Original Music—a contest we call BOOM, for short. Visit boom.artvoice.com to listen to this week’s contestants, Bo-Bo and Ruthless Tom.

Classical Music Notes

Beethoven Rules at the BPO

by Jan Jezioro

Buffalo Philharmonic music director JoAnn Falletta will be on the podium for the next two weekends to lead her orchestra in two pairs of concerts devoted entirely to the music of Ludwig van Beethoven, featuring some of the composer’s best known works as well as the BPO premiere of an innovative new production of a neglected masterpiece.

Art Scene

There Used to be a Department Store Here

by Jack Foran

Well before Walmart and Target, Buffalo had a megastore, Sattler’s. At probably the best-known commercial address in the city—998 Broadway—from the barrage of radio ads for the store that always mentioned the location, in the jingle.

Theatrically Speaking

Arrivals and Departures at The Kavinoky

by Anthony Chase

The Kavinoky Theatre’s loyalty to prolific playwright Alan Ayckbourn continues with their current production of Arrivals and Departures, set in a London train station where an elaborate trap has been set to capture a terror suspect. A large assembly of law enforcement officers takes on the personae of everyday citizens in order to lure the terrorist into complacency.

Featured Events

See You There!

AV Hit List: Top Event Picks for This Week

Listings

On The Boards Theater Listings

Movie Listings (Friday, March 20 - Thursday, March 26)

Film Now Playing

Graphic Traffic

Clone, Vol. 1: First Generation

by Joe Tell

Robert Moses: The Master Builder of New York City

by Emil J. Novak Sr.

Trees, Vol. 1

by Joe Tell

Offbeat News

News of the Weird

by Chuck Shepherd

Researchers from Cornell University, inspired by the book “World War Z,” recently computer-simulated the spread of a “zombie apocalypse”—and now advise the anxiety-prone to head for higher ground if infections break out, recommending Glacier National Park in Montana or, even better, Alaska.

Horoscopes

Free Will Astrology

by Rob Brezsny

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You’re entering a time and space known as the Adlib Zone. In this territory, fertile chaos and inspirational uncertainty are freely available. Improvised formulas will generate stronger mojo than timeworn maxims.