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See You There!

See you There?

Driftwood

9:30pm. Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst St. (sportsmenstavern.com/874-7734) $15/$17

The Binghamton-based band Driftwood returns to the Sportsmen’s Tavern this Friday night. The quartet labels themselves as “a band with a rock ’n’ roll soul and a folk art mind.” “We started off playing rock in high school. Then studying jazz and classical music in college. Then we dove headfirst into folk and bluegrass. At some point I guess we kind of met in the middle,” says guitarist/songwriter Dan Forsyth. And the results are fantastic. Playing together since 2005, with multiple albums to their name, the band has a large and devoted following. And for good reason. Their repertoire ranges from heartfelt ballads to foot stomping, riotous, dance-inciting anthems, and they really know how to put on a show. Watching Claire Byrne tear it up on the violin is worth the price of admission alone. As Country Standard Time put it: “Sometimes a band can just appear out of nowhere and make a sound so agreeable and enticing it almost seems like they’re the product of some divine destiny. Driftwood offers an ideal example of that phenomenon.” Indeed.

> Wanda Maximoff

Micawber w/ Graveslave

6pm. Broadway Joe’s, 3051 Main St. (facebook.com/BroadwayJoesBarandGrille / 833-7000) $5

From out of the Midwest comes a pair of death metal acts guaranteed to snuff out whatever bits of holiday sentimentality you have left in your cozy little heart. Hailing from the great football city of Green Bay, WI, Micawber is touring in support of its most recent release The Gods of Outer Hell. A sample of some lyrics: “These are not the Gods you seek/Amongst the others I now reside/Their abyss, my hell/Forever black.” What’s gonna make this show twice as sick is the gloomy grind of Graveslave, from Minneapolis. Screw the Force. Give in to the Dark Side at Broadway Joe’s tonight.

> AV Staff

Soul Patch

10pm. Duke’s Bohemian Grove Bar, 253 Allen St. (dukesbohemiangrovebar.com/240-9359)

If there was an award given out annually in Buffalo for “Most Valuable 90s Alternative Cover Band” (and there totally should be) it’s safe to say Soul Patch would have won that bitch for the past few years now. Founded by Every Time I Die alums Keith Buckley and Steve Micciche, Soul Patch performs all your favorite 90s bangers with such conviction you’d swear you stepped into a time machine back to the Clinton era. Take note, for example, of how guitarist Micciche replicates the lunging riffs of Weezer’s “Say it Ain’t So,” or the desperate spontaneity that Mr. Buckley conveys as he croons away to Beck’s “Loser” or bellows out the self loathing lyrics of Radiohead’s “Creep” while sporting a vintage aviator hat and Jackie O sunglasses. Dig the awesome interplay between the melodic guitars and vocal harmonies on their cover of The Cardigan’s “Love Fool,” or appreciate how they make “Long Way Down” from fellow Buffalo rockers The Goo Goo Dolls distinctly their own, and it’s easy to see why Soul Patch is the cover band everyone wants to party with.

> Jordan Canahai

Rusted Root

8pm. Buffalo Iron Works, 49 Illinois St. (buffaloironworks.com/200-1893) $32

Rusted Root have been spreading peace and love ever since their 1992 debut Cruel Sun, gracing audiences with their high spirits and positive lyrics for over two decades. Formed in the early ‘90s by lead singer Michael Glabicki’s, who ended up dropping out of college in order to pursue the project full time. Influenced by bands ranging from the Bee Gees to the Black Keys, Rusted Root’s musical style is a unique hybrid blending elements of acoustic, folk, reggae, world, and other styles of music into their distinct rock sound. They’re known for incorporating soaring vocal harmonies into their song structures, which are also imbued with intricate percussive beats that draw from African, Latin American, and Native American influences. Lyrically, the content of their songs varies, but frequently incorporates Christian and Jewish spirituality. With seven studio releases and over three million albums sold worldwide, including the hit single “Send Me On My Way,” The Pittsburgh-based band has been delighting audiences with their lighthearted music for over 20 years. Opening is Devon Allman.

> AV Staff

Queen City Roller Girls Season Opener

2pm. Riverworks (buffaloriverworks.com)

This Saturday marks the beginning of the 2016 season for the Buffalo Queen City Roller Girls. Come down to Riverworks to watch the Devil Dollies take on the Suicidal Saucies. The Dollies feature returning skater Chickadeemolish and new members Jules Burn, Bully Holiday, La’Batt Blue, NicNugget, Cinister, Double Barryl, Erin GoBraless, Megalo-MEINia, May Bringdowndahaus, McCreadie, Precipihatin’ and Raspoutine. Also new is head coach Senor Wiener, a veteran coach, referee, and skater for the Toronto Outrage Mens Roller Derby team. The Suicidal Saucies, in their fourth undefeated consecutive year, have returning team members Beatrix Boom, Joyride, Roxanne Debris (veteran skater and head Coach), Wailing Wench, Cuban Mistress Crisis and Flame Throw-her with new skaters Val Du Morte, HerHeiny Granger, Crimes of Thrashin’, Pearl, Legs Luther, Maggie de Sade, Poisonous Peaches, with rookies Rosi, Chet UpStandUp, Sigourney Cleaveher, Skarpinski, and TeKill’ya Sunrise. It looks to be a promising season, so come check out the mayhem and show your support for these kick ass ladies.

> Elektra Natchios

Alleys w/ Pierre

5:30pm. Studio at the Waiting Room, 334 Delaware Ave. (waitingroombuffalo.com/849-1000) $8

Shoegazers will delight in Sunday’s performance by local emo practitioners Alleys, joined by Minneapolis band Pierre in a co-headlining gig at the Studio at the Waiting Room in celebration of their split four song EP. Local indie punk rockers Cedar Kites are also on the bill, along with Bungler. This 16+ gig featuring four cool bands is a sure way to put some excitement in your Sunday.

> AV Staff

Agrohippie

8pm. Mohawk Place, 47 East Mohawk St. (buffalosmohawkplace.com/312-9279) $5

The pride of Erie, PA—Aggrohippie, a self-described group of vegans, vegetarians, meat eaters, and social anarchists—will be bringing their frenetic brand of punk rock to Mohawk Place on a bill with local grindcore band Wrux and Buffalo-based brutal hardcore punk act Healer. If thrashing drum beats, overdriven guitars, and machine-gun vocal deliveries are your bag, this show should leave your ears throbbing for more.

> AV Staff