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See You There!

See you There?

The Big Lebowski Party

6:30pm. The Riviera Theater, 67 Webster St. North Tonawanda (www.rivieratheater.org/692-2413) $14-$22

When Joel and Ethan Coen followed up there Academy-Award winning smash Fargo with a stoner comedy about “The Dude” (Jeff Bridges in a career-defining role) and his strange quest to recover his missing rug that famously tied the room together back in 1998, it seemed like one of the smart-ass brothers inside jokes. The quirky Los Angeles-set neo-noir was met with mixed reviews and disappointing box office returns only to slowly be embraced in the following years as a defining cult film for an entire generation as well as arguably the Coen’s most enduring work. Along with giving pop culture one of its quintessential anti-heroes and the philosophy of “Dudeism”, The Big Lebowski created an entire subculture of tongue in cheek “achievers” who dress up like the film’s characters, drink White Russians, bowl, and recite favorite lines at screening party’s across the country. For the past 8 years, the Riviera Theater’s annual Big Lebowski party has been the best placed for Buffalo-based achiever’s to celebrate their love of this one-of-a-kind American masterpiece. The pre-screening festivities include drinks and stand-up comedy provided by 103.3’s Josh Potter and friends, while bowling packages are also offered and will be held at Classic Lanes following the show.

> Jordan Canahai

Chillabration at Canalside

Canalside, 44 Prime Street (canalsidebuffalo.com)

Beat the winter blues this weekend with Canalside’s inaugural Chillabration at the Ice at Canalside, brought to you by BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York. This is a family friendly four day event which includes ice skating, ice biking, curling, broom ball, foam hockey, theme skates, loads of kid’s activities, a local vendor market, live music, food provided by Lloyd’s, SoHO Project, 716, House of Munch, Flamin Fish, Taste of Puerto Rico, and Best of Buffalo. Join in on a Wild West Theme Skate from 10 a.m.–10 pm Friday with line dancing lessons from 7:30 p.m.-9:30 pm, take part in a Guinness Book of World Records-busting World’s “Longest Ice Line” on Saturday or compete for prizes in a Bonspiel curling tournament (1-6 pm Saturday). If ice sports aren’t your thing, take a spin on the carousel or the teacups or a horse led carriage ride, try your luck in the snowman contest, check out a magic show or the ice sculpting demonstrations. There’s even a frozen bar crawl on Saturday night. Canalside celebrates winter in style. Bundle up and come on down!

> Emma Frost

Buffalo on Tap

Buffalo Niagara Convention Center, 153 Franklin Street (americaontap.com/buffalo-on-tap-festival-buffalo-ny) $35

Buffalo’s largest Craft Beer Festival returns to the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center this weekend. The 4th Annual Buffalo on Tap begins on Friday, January 15th from 6pm to 9pm and continues on Saturday, January 16th with Session 1 from 1pm-4pm and Session 2 from 6pm-9pm. Spend your weekend sampling over 150 beers from some of America’s best craft breweries. For a $35 ticket you get three hours of sampling, a souvenir sampling glass, live music, and yummy food available for purchase. Anchor, Angry Orchard, Bluemoon, Empire, Ithaca, Magic Hat, Ommegang, Pearl Street, Resurgence, Sam Adams, Saranac, Seadog, Sierra Nevada, Southern Tier, Strongbow, and Voodoo are just a few of the breweries that will be serving samples at the Festival. The VIP tickets have already sold out (this is clearly a very popular event), so hurry up and grab a standard ticket while you still can.

> Kara Zor-El

Walt Sopicki Trio w/ bobby jones & John Bacon Jr.

8pm, Pausa Art House, 19 Wadsworth Street (pausaarthouse.com/697-9069) $7 / $5 student

He’s been an active member of Buffalo’s thriving local jazz scene for over 20 years, but it isn’t until this Friday, that guitarist Walt Sopicki will be giving his deput performance at Pausa Art House. Joined by organist Bobby Jones, and drummer John Bacon Jr, the performance will feature music from Walt’s latest studio album, B3X3. As the title implies, the album is largely centered around the legendary Hammond B-3 organ, played by Joey Defrancesco, Bobby Jones, and Doug Riley. Walt’s music isn’t standard jazz, nor is it off-the-wall experimental jazz, but a pleasant combination of smooth lines, soulful melodies, and of course, the flawlessly tight timing that only a band of lifelong jazz musicians can produce. Come on down to Pausa Art House this Friday for an evening of some of the finest jazz Buffalo has to offer.

> AV Staff

Jessie Galante

7pm, Tralf Music Hall, 622 Main Street, Buffalo (Tralfmusichall.com/852-2860) $15-$20

Jessie Galante has always been a high energy performer with a powerful voice. Many will recall the Buffalo Hall of Famer as the young and glamorous lead singer for the local 80s big hair band Actor. With a rich Sicilian voice that fluctuates between bluesy and rock, Jessie comes across as a blend of Alana Myles and Janis Joplin. Buffalo musicians will remember her fondly as the host of a 90s radio show called Buffalo Lix on 103.3 The Fox (now The Edge). It was the only place where local musicians could get their recordings played on air and perhaps be a guest on the show, as well. Jessie moved out to LA and had moderate success with her new band Fire, playing all the major clubs and releasing a four song demo, but ultimately she decided to stop being a band chic and went solo. As happens with so many artists, she found greater success in Europe than in the U.S. Her recordings with Fire had gotten extensive radio play in several European countries and she was able to easily mount successful European club tours. Living in NYC now and still playing tours in Europe, Jessie’s performance at the Tralf will be a homecoming. She has a lot of friends and a lot of history in Buffalo so expect to see a crowd of music lovers also enjoying a Buffalo reunion.

> AV Staff

Chae Hawk

8pm, Colored Musicians Club, 145 Broadway, Bufflo (www.chaehawkatcmc.com) $20

Chae Hawk is described as a Progressive Rap Cinema artist. Born in Albany and raised in Rochester, Chae’s made Buffalo his home for several years. He’s released a high caliber rap video “Dirty Rich” (chaehawkatcmc.com) that’s well made and plays close to his heart with familiar images of the grimier side of life in Buffalo–without turning into thug rap. The show at the Colored Musicians Club will also feature the popular rap outfit Tone and Shane and there will be live filming for Buffalo Vibe’s City Alive Part II. If you get there early there is an 8pm tour of the Colored Musicians Club Museum, which a small but fascinating little museum full of great photos and videos from Buffalo’s historic musical past.

Proceeds for the night’s show go to Buffalo Center for Arts & Technology

> AV Staff

Wild Child

8pm, Tralf Music Hall, 622 Main Street, Buffalo (Tralfmusichall.com/852-2860) $12 presale $15 door

Since their formation in 2010, the Austin-based indie pop band Wild Child has been hailed as one of the best musical acts to come out of Texas since the release of their celebrated debut album Pillow Talk. Lead singer Kelsey Wilson has “the voice of a Jazz Age Broadway baby,” writes NPR, “all coos and hiccups and shivers.” Incorporating violin, ukulele, cello, piano, bass, banjo, and horns, Wild Child has broken through as one of the preeminent bands in one of the most storied music cities in the world, winning back-to-back honors for Best Indie Band at the Austin Music Awards. Behind their second album, The Runaround, the premiere release on Ben Kweller’s Noise Company label, the Austin six piece earned NPR’s Top Ten Songs of 2013 honors for the song “Living Tree.” Wild Child’s third album Fools (out via Dualtone Records) is an ambitious collection of lush pop that takes sad stories and transforms them into an ebullient love letter to the power of music and the art of living with yourself. Wild Child makes their debut in Buffalo at the Tralf Music Hall on Tuesday, January 19th, 2016

> AV Staff