Say what you like about Buffalo: Its demise in the national eye, the climate, the economy, the aesthetic sensibility of the general population (as captured by the failed 1990s sitcom “Jessie,” and even more atrociously in Vincent Gallo’s 1998 film Buffalo ‘66). Still, there’s an undercurrent here that’s raw and creative, attracting gypsy ventures just like Big Art Show. Along the lines of Soundlab’s Pecha Kucha night and the upcoming Infringement Festival, Big Art Show is the latest inter-city multi media movement to add Buffalo to the list of progressive places involved. Described as a “Traveling Art Carnival,” Big Art Show was born out of greater New Jersey’s simmering art community. The collective is driven by the artists and volunteers whose mission it is to seek out talent from the areas it travels to, as well as to promote the talent it brings to those areas. After successful shows from Philadelphia to New Orleans to Austin, TX, the show has gathered a cache of willing musicians from all over the country to expand the appeal of these events. This tour brings Mossyrock, an electronic folk pop trio from Brooklyn (a.k.a. “Folktronica” or “Intergalactic Faerie Funk”) and sweetly tortured alt-country desperado James Apollo, an Arkansas born musical drifter who currently calls NYC his home. Local music comes from Ice Cream Social and Nick Gordon. Over 20 artists will be featured.

Last weekend the Queen City Blues, Buffalo’s representatives in the amateur National Premier Soccer League, scored an impressive road victory at New Jersey’s Real Shore FC. The 4-0 win gave the Blues a 1-1 record thus far into their inaugural season and a dose of confidence to carry into their home opener this weekend against the Atlantic City Diablos. The NPSL (motto: “a league run by teams instead of teams run by a league”) is a 21-team semiprofessional league that is independent of Major League Soccer—the pinnacle of the pro sport in the US—but which aims to develop players for competition at the national and international level. The Blues are the leading edge of the one-year old Queen City Football Club but hardly the limit of the club’s agenda, which includes summer soccer camps and league play for kids (visit queencityfc.com for information). Friday’s match takes place at the Johnnie B. Wiley Sports Pavilion (Old Rockpile Stadium), near Jefferson and Best.

Brush Up Buffalo, an all volunteer, not for profit organization, will be holding its annual Buffalo home clean up this weekend. Previously as many as nineteen houses have been painted in a single selected neighborhood, and over the past ten years 193 homes in total have been painted. This year’s lucky neighborhood is Buffalo’s West Side along Plymouth Avenue and Hudson Street, surely in need of a “brush up” and new paint job. Brush Up Buffalo relies on sponsors for supplies and on volunteers for labor. This year‘s sponsorship goal has been met, a “huge blessing for the organization and the homeowners we serve,” says Roseann Sciblia, president of Brush Up Buffalo. In order to paint such a large amount of homes approximately 1,000 volunteers are needed. This community-minded organization that originated in 1996 continues to help low-income families clean up their homes in just one day. Be a part of the clean up this Saturday, enjoy the weekend weather, get some sun and make a difference. Volunteer applications are found online at www.brushupbuffalo.org or by calling 250-3353.

David Watts and the Great Train Robbery still deserve the adulation they received from young audiences, especially teenage girls, in their heyday of the the mid to late 1980s when they were far and away the biggest draw on the city’s rich local music scene. Back then the Great Train Robbery was less scary than the Ramrods or the Splatcats, easier to understand than Mercury Rev, less fleeting than the Moment, less ironic than the Real Wigs, hipper by far than the Goo Goo Dolls. David Watts sneered his way through sardonic lyrics and cut across the top of the mix with his rhythm guitar, while Vince “The Iceman” Fossitt led a changing lineup of brass players and extraordinary percussionist Andrew Case held down the ska and reggae influenced beats. The current lineup, re-established in 2004 after a long hiatus, includes these three as well as Naheem Shabazz on trombone, Rodney Chamberlain on bass and David Malia on lead guitar. What’s left to say about a band you’ve been listening to for 20 years? That, though time never runs backward, they are all they ever were. Juxtaposse opens the show.