Genre-busters and convention-breakers Living Colour and Soulive both have histories of treading uncharted musical territory. On Friday (Dec. 2), these two renowned acts will share the stage for the first time. In the mid-1980s, Living Colour’s combination of funk, hard rock and jazz allowed the group to make a significant impact on the alternative music scene. In the band’s heyday, between the late ’80s and early ’90s, the group won two Grammys and sold over four million copies of their albums Vivid, Time’s Up and Stain (Epic). After breaking up in 1995, the band reformed and released CollideØscope (Sanctuary Records) in 2003. In the early stages of its career, groove-trio Soulive successfully fused elements of jazz, funk and r n’ b on its critically acclaimed albums Doin’ Something and Next (Blue Note Records). Since then, the group has dabbed its musical paintbrush in a palette of many styles including hip-hop, acid jazz and soul. The band’s recently released CD, Break Out (Concord Records), provides yet another new chapter in the group’s ongoing musical evolution.

As if we didn’t need more urging to go out and enjoy the season, Elmwood Avenue retailers are putting out their holiday best with “Unwrap Elmwood,” a month-long celebration along the fun and funky Buffalo strip. This Friday, a tree-lighting ceremony kicks off the series at the Lafayette Presbyterian Church, followed by caroling led by Nardin singers and hot chocolate for all. New this year are holiday treats provided by Elmwood restaurants. You’ll find fantastic and one-of-a-kind gift ideas from artists and artisans, too, as galleries take part in the annual “Artists in Buffalo” all weekend long (see “Artshorts” in this issue for details). Each Friday evening in December, horse-drawn carriage rides depart from Bidwell Parkway from 7pm to 9pm. On Saturday, make gingerbread houses at the Homespace fundraiser at the Unitarian Universalist Church (10am-1:30pm). Also watch for upcoming wine tastings, outdoor music and appearances by Santa and our favorite caroling state assemblyman, Sam Hoyt. Several events require pre-registration or a small fee; for more information, head to www.foreverelmwood.com.

At first glance, it is easy to lump David Dondero in as a protege of Conor Oberst. After all, the Bright Eyes leader did sign Dondero to his new label, Team Love, and the two artists’ songs do share some similarities. However, Dondero has actually been performing and writing songs for as long as Bright Eyes and has the material to rival his new label boss. After releasing an acclaimed live recording, Live At The Hemlock (Future Farmer Records), Oberst signed Dondero to his fledging label to release South Of The South, a surrealist and oblique travelogue of the southern states. Whether it’s the descriptive geography lessons of the title track or the simultaneous embrace and condemnation of adolescence heard on “Journal Burning Party,” Dondero’s muse shines with a resonance all its own. It’s little wonder that Dondero received such a warm reception when he performed in Buffalo with Tilly And The Wall and others this past fall. This time, Dondero returns all by himself to prove he is not just another member of the Bright Eyes camp but rather a talented, lonesome troubadour in his own right.

Even his detractors can’t accuse Michael Moore of having a hidden agenda: he was always open about calling his 2004 film Fahrenheit 9/11 an attempt to persuade Americans to vote George W. Bush out of the White House in last year’s presidential election. That he failed in that goal, however, hardly renders the film worthless, as faculty members Dr. Ted Pelton and Dr. Sue Weber will discuss after a screening of Fahrenheit 9/11 Wednesday evening as part of the Medaille Teach-In Project. Reminded of the filmmaker’s status as a cultural icon when Bush recently tried to insult Representative John Murtha by likening him to Moore, Pelton and Weber note that, at least on the surface, both Moore and Bush (and their defenders/detractors) use similar rhetorical tactics: Both claim to stand for the real, working class Americans who are fighting the war and against an exploitative “elite”; both claim to be patriots; both accuse the other of distorting facts; both accuse the other of seeking to exploit the lives of innocent victims for personal gain, etc. It’s worth a look if you haven’t seen it yet.