Ted Rall
7pm. Burning Books, 420 Connecticut Street (burningbooksbuffalo.com/881-0791)
Award-winning political cartoonist Ted Rall has never been one to shy away from controversy. In fact, his career is riddled with examples of creating controversy where none previously existed. When his work has been criticized for being too extreme or offensive, his instinct has been to fight back first—often putting out small fires with gasoline. It’s a good way to provoke conversation, but not without its risks to his personal reputation. In 2013, he was taken to task by The Atlantic for an ape-like depiction of President Obama he submitted to Daily Kos. Last July, he was released from his job with the Los Angeles Times over discrepancies stemming from a 2001 jaywalking incident he wrote about 14 years later. In his defense, the Observer wrote “...he’s an over-the-top guy who views his life as an unending drama with himself as its main character. It can be kind of charming, actually.” Rall will be bringing his unique perspective to a talk tonight at Burning Books, focusing on his two most recent books: Snowden, about the famous whistleblower/spy Edward Snowden; and Bernie, about the democratic socialist Bernie Sanders, who is currently making a surprisingly robust run against party favorite Hillary Clinton. If you like gloves-off political conversation, you won’t want to miss this event.
> Buck Quigley
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Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber
9pm. Nietzsche’s 248 Allen St. (nietzches.com) $10
Burnt Sugar the Arkestra Chamber is a sprawling band of musicians whose prodigious personnel allows them to freely juggle a wide swath of the experimental soul-jazz hip-hop spectrum. Founded by Village Voice icon Greg Tate and co-led with monster bassist Jared Michael Nicholson since 1999, Burnt Sugar was originally conceived as a forum for the New York improvisational musicians to compose, record, and perform one-of-a-kind soulful funk jams which draw inspiration from artists as diverse as Chaka Kahn, Nina Simone, Parliament-Funkadelic, Miles Davis, Eddy Hazel, Sun Ra, Jimi Hendrix, Duke Ellington, and Betty Davis. Such a singular, experimental sound is made possible through the group’s employment of Butch Morrison’s conduction system, which makes every performance a fresh interpretation of its sum parts. Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber is very excited to pay tribute to the legendary Buffalo funk icon Rick James when they take to the stage at Nietzsche’s this Friday night to superfreak the Rick James discography as only they can.
> AV Staff
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fifth annual wine & beer tasting fest
The Kenan Center, 195 Beattie Ave., Lockport, (www.NiagaraWineAndBeerFest.com), $25/$35 at the door
The 5th annual Niagara Wine & Beer Tasting Fest is taking place this Saturday with 30 wineries, breweries, restaurants, and specialty food vendors! Sample a beer from 12 Gates Brewing, 42 North Brewing, New York Beer Project, Big Ditch Brewing, Black Bird Cider Works, Brooklyn Brewery, Flying Bison, Resurgence, Saranac, or Woodcock Brothers. Featured wineries include A Gust of Sun, Flight of Five, Honeymoon Trail, Long Cliff, Midnight Run, Niagara Landing, Schulze, Victorianbourg, The Winery at Marjim Manor, and the Winery of Ellicottville. 810 Meadworks will also be offering a variety of their honey-based meads. Grab a bite to eat from Zambistro, Steak, Stone & Sushi, Wagner’s, or Molinaro’s Ristorante. Specialty food vendors Pickle Annie’s, Sweet Melody’s, Blackman Homestead Farms, Hens Honey Bee Farm, Barker Chocolate Box, That Popcorn Shack, and Naturally Nuts will be on hand, as well. And once the Fest has ended, head over to Village Eatery Italian Bistro or Davison Road Inn. Both establishments will be hosting after-parties! With your ticket you’ll receive a souvenir glass, tasting journal, and $5 food voucher. Enjoy live music by the Stoll Brothers and enter for a chance to win the basket raffle or 50/50 split. VIP tickets are $50 and designated drivers pay $10 at the door.
> Natasha Romanov
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Donna the Buffalo
8pm. Buffalo Iron Works, 49 Illinois St. (buffaloironworks.com/200-1893) $25
For longtime lovers of Americana music in Buffalo and beyond, the American bluegrass group Donna the Buffalo is a band that truly needs no introduction. Founded by songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Tara Nevins and Jeb Puryear in 1989 in Trumansburg, NY, Donna the Buffalo has been performing roots music infused with unique elements of cajun, rock, folk, country, and reggae for over 20 years. As being among the founding and host bands of the Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance along with the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival and headliners at The Great Blue Heron Music Festival, they’ve developed a loyal fan following affectionately dubbed “The Herd”, a self-organized tribe of people united by the band’s many festival performances throughout their long career. Donna the Buffalo has also performed both live and in studio with such prominent folk artists as BK3, Jim Lauderdale, and many others. While their line-up has changed many times throughout their quarter-century of performing, the outstanding musicianship that defines the Americana music of Donna the Buffalo has remained consistently strong. Both new and old fans alike can see first-hand when they take to the stage this Saturday at Buffalo Iron Works.
> AV STAFF
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Sixth Annual Buffalo Soup Fest
11am-6pm. Buffalo Niagara Convention Center, 153 Franklin St., Buffalo, (www.buffalosoupfest.com), $5
Do you love soup? What a silly question. Of course you do! So, prepare to experience some of the very best this weekend at the 6th Annual Soup-Fest where you’ll be able to sample 75 vastly different soups from 30 of WNY’S favorite restaurants. “Five years and over 100,000 cups of soup later, I think we might be onto something,” said Soup-Fest founder Matt Carlucci. “Western New Yorkers are proud of the local restaurant scene, and we’re excited to again spotlight our collective love of soup.” From Sato Ramen’s Spicy Miso Ramen to a Lasagna Soup from Blue Dog Saloon or Dill Pickle Soup from Mr. C’s Downtown Deli, you’ll have a wide assortment to choose from. Why not try them all? Fat Bob’s Smokehouse, Joe’s Deli, Providence Social, Danny’s (with the always popular Original Chicken Wing Soup), Crazy Jake’s, Water Lily Café, Go Veggies, and Zoup! are just a handful of the eateries supplying samples. Awards for “Best Seafood Soup” and Best Chili” will be presented after being voted on by both the public and a panel of expert food industry judges. There will also be dessert, cash bars, music, kids activities, and the opportunity to help out local charity Friends of Night People by purchasing a bowl for $5 as part of their Empty Bowls fundraiser. All bowls are unique and handmade by area students ages K-12, from 18 participating schools and organizations.
> Carol Danvers
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Yosvany Terry Quintet
3pm. Albright-Knox Art Gallery Auditorium, 1285 Elmwood Avenue (albrightknox.org/882-8700) $29
Yosvany Terry, the Cuban-born saxophonist, percussionist, composer, bandleader, educator and cultural bearer of the Afro-Cuban tradition, is making a stop in Buffalo as part of the Albright-Knox Art of Jazz Series. Terry, who emigrated to New York City in 1999, came from a musical family in Camaguey, Cuba and studied the European classical tradition at Havana’s prestigious National School of Arts and Amadeo Roldan Conservatory. While he’s an astonishing improviser, his ability as a composer, bandleader and educator have led to a series of accolades including the Doris Duke Artist Award and an appointment as Director of Jazz Ensembles and Senior Lecturer on Music at Harvard University. Both his 2014 release New Throned King and 2012’s Today’s Opinion were nominated for Grammy Awards. His quintet includes Michael Rodriguez on trumpet, Osmany Paredes on piano, Yunior Terry on bass, and Obed Calvaire on drums. This is a great way to put some Cuban spice into your weekend.
> Buck Quigley
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