Just as the band’s 1988 debut, Isn’t Anything (Creation), kick-started the shoegazer movement, My Bloody Valentine’s 1991 watershed second album, the long-labored Loveless (Sire/Creation), all but reinvented guitar rock. The band’s music represented an equilibrium-challenging assault of crushingly loud feedback and distortion that, against the odds, eschewed cacophony for the ethereal. Creation Records’ founder and chief, Alan McGee, sunk everything he had into the band and, when he failed to recoup the investment, nearly bankrupted the label and sent the band into a tailspin in the process. Rumors of what happened next to MBV maestro Kevin Shields run the typical gamut of rock-lore. It’s been tipped that Shields has recorded a few albums’ worth of material though none up to snuff for the sonic perfectionist. Regardless of the rumors, there’s still no follow-up to Loveless some 15 years after its release (though My Bloody Valentine has never officially disbanded). This week some of Buffalo’s finest bands, from the shoegazey-inspired sounds of La Cacahouette (pictured) to the electronic dance pastiche of Sleeping Kings of Iona, get together to pay tribute to Shields and company. Besnyo and Otis and the Rufis round out the bill for a show on (when else?) Valentine’s Day at the Mohawk Place.

Louise Brooks appeared in 24 films between 1925 and 1948, during what is considered the Golden Age of Hollywood. Perhaps most famous for her portrayal of Lulu in G. W. Pabst’s German classic Pandora’s Box (1929), Brooks has since gained iconic status among film buffs. Though she may be remembered as much for her trademark bobbed haircut as for her acting ability, her impact on film history is undeniable. This year marks what would have been the actress’ 100th birthday, and a photo exhibit and reception will be held in her honor at the Karpeles Manuscript Museum. An exhibit of Brooks images is noteworthy enough but the fact that entertainment is provided by Lowest of Low frontman Ron Hawkins’ Acoustic Revue makes the evening extra special.

Formerly known as the Delta Film Series, the newly rechristened WNY Black Film Festival begins its fourth edition this Saturday, February 11, with a screening of Keith Beauchamp’s acclaimed documentary The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till. A 14-year-old Chicago boy who made the fatal mistake of whistling at a white woman while visiting cousins in Mississippi, Till was murdered after being tortured with such ferocity that a description of the damage done to his corpse is the stuff of nightmares. Nonetheless, his mother insisted that Emmett’s coffin be open at his funeral to show what had been done to the boy, a tactic that brought the case national attention. Outraged at the outcome of the sham trial that followed, filmmaker Beauchamp spent nearly a decade investigating the murder, uncovering enough new evidence for the Justice Department to re–open the case 50 years later. The series moves into a lighter mood on February 18 with Love Trap, an urban drama filmed in Jacksonville Florida about a law student who loses his footing when faced with sexual temptation. Capping the Festival on February 25 is the Quincy Jones production A Letter to the President, a documentary tracing the relationship between national politics of the Reagan era and the rise of rap and hip–hop music.

Written in 1903, W.E.B. DuBois’ (pictured) The Souls of Black Folk detailed the “strange experience of being black in the twentieth century.” The controversial collection of essays changed the way scholars viewed the African-American experience and continues to be a relevant description of African-American life. His essays, ranging from autobiographical to theoretical, are written with a poetic command of language, creating a hauntingly picturesque image of black life in America. On Saturday (Feb. 11), DuBois’ historical work comes to life in a theatrical production of From The Souls of Black Folk at the Buffalo & Erie County Central Library Auditorium. Six actors from the African American Cultural Center’s Paul Robeson Theater will perform excepts from the book as well as African-American spirituals in honor of Black History Month. Presented by the American Association of University Women, Buffalo Branch, and directed by Paulette Harris, this free, family-friendly performance will be followed by a talk with the actors and a reception.

Imagine yourself sitting in a theater, absolutely reeling from the dazzling display of lights and color on stage. Where every available inch of the stage and performance space is pulsing with life. Chances are good that you are not using your imagination but rather viewing the multimedia extravaganza of music, dance and theater known as the Cirque du Soleil. For its debut Buffalo appearance, this well-known traveling troupe comes to town just in time for Valentine’s Day (Feb. 13 and 14). Known for diverse artistic tactics—such as positioning its dancers 10 feet above the stage during a performance or embarking on an impromptu African percussion session—Cirque du Soleil’s current tour, “Delirium,” is a brand new production with a fresh mix of visuals and music. This Valentine’s Day, do something different with your sweetie.