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Artvoice Weekly Edition » Issue v6n41 (10/11/2007) » Section: See You There


Marc Ribot, Solo

When classical guitar phenomenon Marc Ribot began his incredible career as a kid strumming in a handful of New Jersey garage bands, he hardly could have imagined the fame and praise his immense talents would eventually bring him. After moving to New York City in 1978, Ribot performed alongside the legendary Wilson Pickett before serving as lead guitarist for the influential jazz group the Lounge Lizards, where he perfected his unique blend of classical blues with a neo-pop and rock edge. Since forming a free jazz collective known as Spiritual Unity, Marc rarely makes solo appearances, but will grace Asbury Hall at Babeville with music from his career of over 30 years, including his latest collaboration, Ceramic Dog. Dog features a trio of talented musicians, including Ribot on guitar, Ches Smith on Drums and Shahzad Ismaily on bass. In addition to the three-piece group, a wealth of electronic sounds joins them to create an acoustically rich sound environment that mystified crowds in Europe when they toured throughout 2006. To the unfamiliar, the sounds of Ribot’s guitar should call to mind the Oscar nominated music from the films Walk the Line and The Departed, as he collaborated with T-Bone Burnett on both projects. Additionally, Ribot’s career includes work on a number of Elvis Costello and Tom Waits albums, as well as his additions to the Medeski, Martin & Wood record End of the World Party. While Ribot spends an impressive amount of time touring and presenting his music in live, intimate settings, the chance to experience him performing a rare solo show is not to be passed up. This show is being presented by Hallwalls Music (hallwalls.org).



disAbilities Film Festival

A new film starring Alan Rickman and Sigourney Weaver kicks off the third edition of disABILITIES, a film festival and speaker series designed to educate viewers, challenge stereotypes and celebrate the contributions to popular culture of people with disabilities. Carrie-Anne Moss co-stars in Snow Cake, a drama about the friendship between a high-functioning autistic woman (Weaver) and a man (Rickman) who is traumatized after a fatal car accident. USA Today calls it “a film imbued with humanity and powerful performances.” Following the film Stephen R. Anderson, Ph.D., Executive Director, Summit Educational Resources, Inc., and an expert on autism, will lead a discussion on that disability in today’s world. The series continues on Saturday with Gregory Hines in The Tic Code, an acclaimed drama about Tourette’s Syndrome, and Unforgotten: 25 Years After Willowbrook, a documentary about the infamous state school that was closed after accusations of abuse in 1972. For more information go to www.disabilityfilmfest.org or call (716) 816-7261.



Architecture in Helsinki

Imagining life on the road on the Architecture In Helsinki tour bus brings back visions of summer camp sing-a-longs, backyard birthday parties and general feelings of youthful exuberance. The Australian music collective spawned its first recording in a studio in Sydney called Supermelodyland, a magical sounding place built in a church hall which bore the debut album Fingers Crossed, the 2003 release that included the song “The Owls Go”—a twee pop masterpiece if there ever was one. Now, three albums later with the release of Places Like This (Polyvinyl), it is clear that the band has perfected its quirky appeal. The music is gleeful and enthusiastic, reminiscent of the B-52s with beach-party beats and a carnival atmosphere. But where the B-52s were four, Architecture In Helsinki includes at least six and sometimes eight (and counting), and it is definitely a case of the more the merrier. Sweet and complex, the music is a circus that’s more familiar than bizarre, where the clowns are funny, not scary, and the overstimulation never quite reaches its peak. A live show brings even more excitement with the flamboyant main vocalist Cameron Bird sometimes leading audience workout sessions or riding an exercise bike on stage. Hyperactive? Perhaps, but the melodies are calming too, often delivering a whimsical, almost poignant atmosphere when it’s most needed, just when you feel your happiness meter may be about to burst.



ReArt

In honor of its first birthday, hybrid deconstruction contractor and community organization Buffalo ReUse will once again prove the old maxim that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure…or art, in this case. Since its inception, Buffalo ReUse has committed itself to salvaging every available scrap from Buffalo’s aging housing stock through hybrid deconstruction. Next week they’ll feature the work of 18 regional artists, each of whom incoporates salvaged materials and architectural treasures into their work. These works could be described as renaissance art; after all, each work began with objects pulled from demolitions or set out by the curb—one way or another headed for the landfill. Formerly considered worthless and cast-aside, objects such as mirrors, pieces of stained glass and raw building materials have been transformed and have realized their potential in the hands of able artists such as Carol Henry (an example of her stained glass is pictured above), Bruce Beyer, Dennis Maher and Richard Rockford. Besides being an artshow, ReART is also a rockin’ party put on by ReUse to thank its many supporters who’ve been instrumental in its success up to this point. A note to all of those supporters: You won’t even have to pick up a hammer or pull a nail for this one.





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