Joe Zimmerman
Thursday 2/19: 8pm / Friday 2/20: 7:30pm & 10pm / Saturday 2/21: 7:30pm & 10pm Helium Comedy Club, 30 Mississippi St. (853-1211 / heliumcomedy.com) $15-$28
New York City-based comedian Joe Zimmerman is known for his accessible style of comedy that combines absurdity with a fun loving demeanor. His debut album, Smiling at Wolves, was released last year and has reached #2 on the iTunes Comedy charts. Zimmerman specializes in clean, stand-up comedy with a unique point of view. He has rapidly become known at the national level for his likable stage presence and uniquely crafted wittiness. In 2007 he was named “Stand-Out Stand-Up” at Laughs Your Asheville Off Comedy festival, and in 2009, Rooftop Comedy nominated him for the Golden Shingle Award- given to the most outstanding rising star in comedy. Zimmerman found his comedic voice when he attended Davidson University, writing comical articles for the campus magazine Libertas. As an English major, he even found ways to incorporate humor into his assignments. “Those papers were often my most success,” he says. While the path from English major to stand-up comedian may not seem an obvious one, many of the skills Zimmerman learned and practiced while attending college still serve him well in comedy writing. If you don’t think “clean comedy” can be funny, come to Helium this weekend and let Joe Zimmerman prove you wrong.
> Jeff Czum
2/19 -2/21
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FRI 2/20
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong
6PM The Waiting Room, 334 Delaware Ave (852-3900 / waitingroombuffalo.com) $10-$12 Ages 18+
The Baltimore funk-jam band Pigeons Playing Ping Pong will be bringing the party to the Waiting Room this Friday night (2/20 @ 9pm). In 2006, Greg Ormont and Jeremy Schon were just two friends occasionally performing in coffee shops around the University of Maryland. After a year of playing together, they added drummer Dan Schwartz and bassist Ben Carrey to the mix to complete the band. The band’s debut LP, Psychology came out last summer and since then, the group has been receiving a steady rise of success. Pigeons Playing Ping Pong might sound like a funny name, but their music is serious, ranging from funk to dance to electronic. Psychology’s 13 tracks span across varieties of genres, but it’s clear that funk and psychedelic tones is their forte. Songs like “FU” and “Time to Ride” show what this band is capable of. The funky beats and ascending guitar riffs blend in perfectly with Ormont’s smooth vocal melodies. For those who love the funk and want to dance, this show will be perfect for you.
> Jeff Czum
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Jonathan Scales
9PM Iron Works, 49 Illinios St. (2001893 / buffaloironworks.com) $7-$10
When you hear the sounds of the steel pan drum, you often associate it with sandy beaches, tropical climates, and cruise ships: that’s not exactly what you get at a show by jazz-fusion quartet, Jonathan Scales Fourchestra. Classically trained composer turned steel pan maestro, Jonathon Scales has a different approach for this Caribbean drum. Heavily influenced by the complexity of banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck to the gritty hustle of Jay-Z, he mixes sounds from many genres to create something extraordinary. Blues guitar and old-soul bass provide the harmonic support for Scales’ sound, while gospel/hip hop drums drive the grooves. The band blends together with a jazz edge and classical sensibility. JSF formed in 2007 as a means to showcase their talent of musical complexity, but it’s still accessible to the average untrained listener. Scales has released two well-received, full-length albums and has collaborated with many artists such as, Jeff Coffin of Dave Mathews Band, Joseph Wooten of Steve Miller Band, and Jeff Swipe of Aquarium Rescue Unit. If you’re a fan of jazz, fusion, hip-hop, blues and classical music, you’ll find something you like in their sound and you shouldn’t miss Jonathan Scales Fourchestra this Friday (2/20 @9pm) at Iron Works.
> Sonny Q
FRI 2/20
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SAT 2/21
OCD: Moosh & Twist
6PM The Waiting Room, 334 Delaware Ave (852-3900 / waitingroombuffalo.com) $14-$16
Not long ago, DeGuincy “Moosh” Coleman McRae and Oliver “Twist” Feighan were two ordinary students at Haverford High, beat boxing their way through crowded hallways. I’m sure they’d never imagine that four years later, they’d be performing for massive crowds with their party-vibe jams. With releases of well-received mixtapes- The Welcome Mat in 2011, The Vestibule in 2012, and Back to the Basement in 2013, OCD: Moosh & Twist have grown tremendously as an upcoming Philly hip-hop group. The duo has built an impressive number of followers on social media and YouTube, and over 1 million views for their viral hit, “Take Me Back.” Moosh & Twist use their outgoing demeanor to their advantage. They have the ability to work crowds and cultivate everyone’s attention, almost doubling their fan base with each show they perform. If you want to be a part of the party, catch these guys on Saturday night (2/21 @6pm) when they hit it off at the Waiting Room. Ground Up, Marcello, Da Villy Kids, and Brian Gonser will be opening up the show.
> Jeff Czum
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Tim Reynolds & TR3
7PM Tralf Music Hall, 3690 Main St. (854-2457 / tralfmusichall.com) $17 Advance $22 Day of Show
Tim Reynolds is currently the lead guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band and he performs as one-half of the acoustic Dave Matthews-Tim Reynolds duo. Reynolds has had an impressive music career spanning more than 30 years. The two-time Grammy nominee’s friendship with Dave Matthews led to multiple tours together. Even while playing with Dave Mathews, Reynolds always maintained a parallel career of his own. In the mid 1980s, Reynolds had a breakthrough electric power group trio TR3 (Tim Reynolds Trio). The band was known for their fusion of funk, rock, and jazz. He toured with TR3 during the late 80s and 90s, using a rotating cast of musicians before taking a hiatus from the group to pursue a solo career. In 2007, Reynolds met with bassist Mick Vaughn and drummer Dan Martier and decided to resurrect TR3. Since then, the band has been touring extensively and released their first studio album together Radiance, in 2009. Reynolds is one of those artists’ that has the ability to master and improvise on any instrument he touches. TR3 will be sure to amaze a packed house at the Tralf this Saturday night (2/21)
> Jeff Czum
SAT 2/21
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SAT 2/21
Albert Lee Band
9:30PM Sportsman’s Taverm, 326 Amherst St. (874-7734 / sportsmantavern.net) $40 Advance $45 Day of Show
On Saturday night (2/21 @9:30pm), guitar legend Albert Lee will be performing with his band at Sportman’s Tavern. Lee witnessed the birth of rock n’ roll when he was growing up in England during the 50s. Inspired as a young guitarist by Jimmy Bryant, Cliff Gallup, Scotty Moore, and Elvis’s guitarist James Burton, Lee forge his own style. His picking technique includes elements of hot-rod country and jump-jivin’ rockabilly. He’s been voted “Best Country Artist” five times in the Guitar Player Readers Choice Awards and still continues to thrill audiences all over. Lee had his first taste of commercial success during the 1960s when he was playing with Chris Farlow and the Thunderbirds. He went on to play with Emmy Lou Harris, Heads Hands & Feet, Hogan’s heroes, and participated in variety of high profile solo projects and collaborations. Playing guitar was always natural to the country legend. “In the beginning you get home from school and couldn’t wait to pick up a guitar,” he says. “ I feel l’m luckier than guys who have been far more successful than I have, because they might not pick up their guitar for weeks on end because they don’t have to, and then they have to get their chops together for an upcoming tour. I’m a different case, because I barely go a week without playing.” Albert Lee is passionate about his craft and it won’t go unnoticed this weekend.
> Jeff Czum
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