Aries Spears
Thursday 2/26: 8pm / Friday 2/27: 7:30pm & 10pm / Saturday 2/28: 7:30pm & 10pm Helium Comedy Club, 30 Mississippi St. (853-1211 / heliumcomedy.com) $20-$33
Famous for his quick wit, charisma and ferociously aggressive style of comedy, Aries Spears will be making an appearance at Helium Comedy Club this weekend. Spears entered the comedy world at the young age of 14, performing in clubs throughout New York City. Shortly thereafter, he kicked off his career by appearing on Russell Simmon’s “Def Comedy Jam” and “Showtime at the Apollo.” Fans know him best for his sketches on the Fox comedy series MADtv, where he displayed his hilarious antic and celebrity character impressions on seasons 3-10, becoming the second longest-serving cast member behind Michael McDonald. Aside from his success on TV and stand up, Spears has made a name for himself on the big screen as well. He’s landed roles in films including “Home of the Angels,” “Out-of-Sync,” “Why Do Fools Fall In Love,” and “Jerry Maguire.” You can expect him to bring the heat as he connects with the audience while delivering jokes from his personal life, picking apart the trends in pop-culture, and of course, doing spot on impressions of celebrities like Jesse Jackson, Mike Tyson, Shaquille O’Neal, and Michael Jackson.
> Jeff Czum
2/26 -2/28
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THU 2/26
Solidisco
9pm The Waiting Room, 334 Delaware Ave (853-5483 / waitingroombuffalo.com) $10-$20 Ages 18+
Buffalo DJs Dstar and Biacco already had a solid followings as solo DJs in their hometown, but after pairing up to form Solidisco, they’ve become one of the fastest growing names in the disco house scene all over the country and beyond. Don Skotnicki and Matt McGurn decided to put their project into action two years ago and have since released records on various labels like Fool’s Gold, Get Right, Mixmash, and Ultra Records. Their ability to modernize dance music’s timeless notions creates an opportunity for new listeners to appreciate disco’s classic style. “The disco vibe is huge to us,” They say. “Our goal is 100% about capturing that feel-good uplifting vibe when we’re making a track. Some of our songs might stray away from being actually ‘disco’ and could be considered more ‘80s pop or freestyle-influenced, but as long as we feel it’s sticking to that ‘disco feeling’ we’re ok with it.” The duo has DJed clubs nationally and internationally alongside names Diplo and Steve Aoki, and their records have been supported by many great names in the industry. Come see Solidisco in their element Thursday night (2/26 @9pm) at The Waiting Room. They’ll be blasting the bass while igniting the dance floor. This is one event you won’t want to miss.
> Jeff Czum
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Buffalo Rising Presents: Madd Tiki Winter Luau
2pm RiverWorks, 333 Ganson St (749-2267 / buffaloriverworks.com) $10-$15
Buffalo Rising and Madd Tat2 will be hosting the Madd Tiki Winter Luau at the RiverWorks complex this Saturday (2/28). Tattoo artist, Mark Madden was inspired to put this tropical event into action after several trips to Polynesia and Hawaii, inspiring him to bring a little heat back to Buffalo. From 2pm to 10pm, you’ll feel as if you’ve stepped into a Hawaiian tropical resort. Expect to be greeted with live music including a full steel drum band, surf music, MiA indie and reggae. Come down to watch the band Surfin Cadavers set the tone of the party with their ‘horror surf rock’ sound and experience The Tins bring it home with classic indie rock. Preach Freedom from Rusted Root will also be performing as well as DJ Optimus Prime with Cove Hawaiian Reggae, DJ Jon Lay, and DJ Big Basha & Frosty Tone. The event will also show off the Queen City Roller Girls as well as professional dancers, ice carvers, art pieces, body painting, hula hooping, a beach bod tattoo stage contest and an appearance from the Guiness Book of World Records limbo queen, Shemika Charles. There will be food and drinks provided by Pearl Street Grill & Brewery and special guest appearances. This is your chance to finally warm up, so don’t miss out!
> Jeff Czum
SAT 2/28
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SAT 2/28
Badfish: A Tribute to Sublime
7pm Town Ballroom, 681 S. Main St. (852-3900 / townballroom.com) $17.50-$20
Badfish is the ultimate tribute band dedicated to the music of the legendary but short-lived band Sublime. In 2001, a group of musicians (and obviously, die-hard Sublime fans) formed the group and grew into a national phenomenon. Of course no one can replace Bradley Nowell, but fans have the opportunity to see a group who can capture the essence and grooves of Sublime’s unique music. The SoCal band’s sound was a fun blend of ska and punk, a genre that dominated the California coast throughout the early 90s. What set them apart was Nowell’s voice and mostly irreverent lyrics. Song’s from “40 Ounces to Freedom” to “What I got,” told stories of middle and lower class life in Los Angeles. Upon closer look, you can even hear foreshadowing of Nowell’s overdose. Those lyrics won’t change just because the singer is different or the backing band is new. Badfish succeeds channeling the spirit of Sublime and will make you feel as if you’ve been transported back to 1994. If you want to sing along to the anthem “Santeria” or recite every word to “April 29, 1992”, make your way to Town Ballroom Saturday night (2/28 @7pm)
> Jeff Czum
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The Nth Power
8pm, The Waiting Room, 334 Delaware Ave (853-5483 /waitingroombuffalo.com) $15-$18
On Saturday (2/28 @8pm) The Nth Power will be performing at The Waiting Room. The term “genre-bending” may be broad and overused, but in the case of TNP, it is the only description one can use. The band believes in music as a higher power and taps into that energy through a variety of musical genres, such as funk, jazz, soul, gospel and whatever else comes into their collective minds. “Individually, we all have our own vibe and love for music,” bass play Nate Edgaer says. With gospel-tinged three-part harmonies and a merciless blend of world-beat grooves, the band holds true to their motto: “exceptional music can be exponentially greater than the sum of its parts.” In the last six months, the group has performed more than 50 shows in 21 states across the US, and made their second appearance at Australia’s Caloundria Music Festival on their 2015 “Fall In Love Tour.” It’s going to be a big year for this band and so you won’t want to miss your chance to see them this weekend.
> Jeff Czum
SAT 2/28
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WED 3/4
Haiku
7pm Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst St. (874-7734 / sportsmenstavern.net/) $5
If you missed Haiku back when they played in December, here is your chance to make it up to yourself. The Buffalo quartet has earned the reputation of becoming one of the best super groups in Western New York. These jazz-influenced progressive rockers have been involved in various high profiled local acts. The group consists of Jim Wyne, Hugh Arthur, Spencer Bolden, and the notable George Puleo, who has not only been awarded Best Guitarist in Artvoice’s Best of Buffalo survey in the past, but is also a member of the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame. The band exceeds the boundaries of rock and jazz-fusion with hints of blues. They are a group you need to hear live to fully grasp and appreciate the magnitude of their talent. Puleo owns the stage while shredding his guitar while Wyne hold it down on bass, effortlessly finger picking away, all locked in the pocket with percussionists Arthur and Bolden. Mark your calendars for Wednesday (3/4 @7pm) because you don’t want to miss this band when they play at Sportmen’s Tavern.
> Jeff Czum
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