Artvoice: Buffalo's #1 Newsweekly
Home Blogs Web Features Calendar Listings Artvoice TV Real Estate Classifieds Contact
Previous story: That 1 Guy
Next story: Ookla the Mok

Simple Gifts

Ever heard of a guitjo? How about a doumbek? For those of you currently scratching your heads, these two things are in fact musical instruments. These, along with various other familiar and somewhat foreign music makers, are what makes Simple Gifts unique: An ethnic/folk band of three women and twelve instruments who have worked together for over ten years and have produced six albums and a sound to truly call their own. Their latest record, Crossing The Borders: Music of Many Lands, features a wide variety of blended folk music and ranges from Irish jigs to down-home American reels to intense Klezmer freilachs, Gypsy melodies, and Balkan dance tunes. Simple Gifts will be performing at the Historic Riviera Theater this Saturday to help the North Tonawanda History Museum celebrate its focus on the rich ethnic heritage of North Tonawanda. The band is also hosting two workshops: After the evening performance there will be a Q&A session, and before the concert the band will be at Dwyer’s Irish Pub (adjacent to the Riviera) from 1:30-3pm, open to any musicians and music students who want to show off their skills, jam with the band, or learn to play one of several rare instruments. Advance registration is required, so call the NT History Museum at 213-0554. Tickets for the concert are available at the Museum and at the Theater.

Saturday, February 17 at 7pm. Riviera Theater, 67 Webster, N. Tonawanda (692-2113) www.riviera.org. $12/adults; $10/seniors; $5/ages 5-16 (children under four are free)