Konkrete Jungle—an event dedicated to bringing top drum-n-bass talent to Buffalo each month—has relocated its home base to Club Diablo (from its former residence at Miss Kitty’s). The party starts at 11pm the first Friday of every month. This month (July 4) features British d-n-b production duo the Insiders, made up of long time friends Ben Payne and Joe Wills from Bristol, UK. The Insiders have been in high demand as DJs all over the world, with dates across the UK, Europe and the far east, hitting the USA for the first time last year. Special guests include Bones Jones (another d-n-b duo from Rochester), NY) and Konkrete Jungle residents OHM, the Verdict, Newt, Sikness, and the host Chief MC. Doors at Diablo open at 9pm, and there’s a break on the admission if you get there before 11.

It’s coming up fast: The 2008 Buffalo Infringement Festival is scheduled to begin on Thursday, July 24 and continue for eleven days until Sunday, August 3. That’s a week and a half of “Art Under the Radar,” and if you don’t know what that means you’d better educate yourself quickly (visit www.infringebuffalo.org). Infringement-related events have been happening for nearly the past year—the whole shebang takes a lot of planning—with fundraisers, committee meetings, auditions, and brainstorming sessions. This Saturday (July 5) will bring two pre-festival events: Actor auditions will be held from 3-5pm in the back room of Rust Belt Books (202 Allen Street), and later that night at Merlin’s there will be an Infringement Fundraiser Phase III with music by Besnyo (pictured), Harold Black & the White Lies, and the John Bertini Band. Come on down any time after 9pm, and catch up on the latest developments.

Sean Costello was a musical prodigy who’d released several internationally acclaimed blues records and seemingly had nowhere to go but up when he was discovered dead in an Atlanta hotel room on April 15 of this year, one day before his 29th birthday. Buffalo native Ray Hangen played drums with Costello, and has organized a tribute concert this Sunday (July 6) starting at 1pm at the Sportsmen’s Tavern. The show is also a benefit fundraiser for the Sean Costello Fund for Bipolar Research, a charity started by Costello’s mom to address the disorder the young guitarist and singer was struggling with at the time of his death. Performers include Blind Pig recording artist Scott Cable, the Blues Hounds, the Mark Winsick Band, the Alison Pipitone Band, Bass Reeves & the Outfit, Mr. Conrad, Acid Funk Duo (featuring Ron Davis and Ray Hangen), the Allen St. Jazz Band, and Jack Civiletto.

Ever since Green Day made punk an acceptable evergreen music form, it’s not unusual for young bands like A Wilhelm Scream to turn up the amps, speed up the tempo, spit words into the mic and capture it all on high definition videos available for viewing by any young angst-filled music fan with access to a computer. Still, it’s not the same thing as crowding into a small club and letting the music slap you in the face. The New Bedford, Massachusetts-based band will be joined by fellow neo-punkers the Swellers, who hail from gritty Flint, Michigan. Get up close and personal with the face(s) of today’s punk and catch these two hot acts next Wednesday (July 9) for an 8pm show at the Mohawk Place.

Twenty-two year old Grand Island native Mark Scibilia has been performing his own music for 15 years now, putting him around the age of seven when he began playing the piano and writing music. Now having perfected his own brand of progressive piano that melds rock, folk, and pop, Scibilia has turned his attention to politics, launching Freedom Tour 08, a five-week, 28 city “Road Trip Revolution” that will take him to Washington D.C. for the final leg of the tour on July 12. He’s swinging by his hometown on the way with a mini-version of the tour, featuring the song he’s been inspired to write for it, “Hope Anthem.” The show starts at 9pm at Nietszche’s on Wednesday (July 9). Special guests include Mark’s friends and fellow Buffalonians Liz Abbott and Vinnie DeRosa.

Keep an eye out for these upcoming events... As always, check our on-line events calendar for continually updated, full events listings.