AV Editors Pick

Friday, September 19

Purgatory

Spend the night in Purgatory this Friday, when a huge traveling international fetish expo comes to Club Diablo. Founded in 2002 in Charlotte, North Carolina, Purgatory began as a bi-monthly fetish, arts, and music event at a now-defunct dive bar called the Hungry Duck. Averaging about 150 attendees at the beginning, Purgatory has since grown to draw crowds in excess of 1,000 pierced, poked, tattooed, and leather-clad partygoers. The event features world-class DJs, performance artists, visual art displays, dancers, photographers, and interactive fetish play-areas overseen by professional doms/dommes. There will be alternative lifestyle vendors selling clothing, CDs, and custom vampire fangs, among other “adult” novelties. This event is billed as “Buffalo’s first real fetish show,” though it’s possible that claim discounts some underground activities among the cognizenti. Either way, Purgatory should have something for both hard-core fetishists and the simply curious. Spanking? Whipping? Wax-dripping? It’s all fun and games, as they say, until somebody loses an eye. That is, unless somebody wants to lose an eye...

—k. o’day

9pm. Club Diablo, 517 Washington St. (842-0666 / www.clubdiablo.com). $10/advance (www.singlecell.us) or $15/at door

Thursday, September 18

Jeff Bujak

Jeff Bujak, the one man (with several computers) band, will be performing Thursday (Sept. 18) at Club W on Delaware Ave. Bujak, a Liverpool ,NY native, uses computers, keyboards, effects, samplers, and vocals to create a “progressive piano groove” that will keep you on your feet the whole night. Bujak’s music is inspired by a wide range of musicians, including Peter Gabriel, Album Leaf, Prodigy, and DJ Shadow. This eclectic mix of influences creates his unique sound that has been turning heads in the music industry. His recorded series of live shows, LIVEBUJ, is becoming an internet sensation with thousands of hits/downloads every month from all over the world. (Visit www.livebuj.com). This tour, which hit the east coast last month, will be fodder for LIVEBUJ Series 2, so come prepared to be videotaped. Tickets for the show are only $3, so if you are looking for a cheap way to get out of the house next week, this event is for you.

—justin sondel

10pm. Club W., 119 Delaware Ave. (840-9552). $3. Ages 21+

Thursday, September 18

Koffin Kats

Straight out of Detroit city, the Koffin Kats claim their musical inflences are both kinds: “country AND western”. However, they are much more than that, having earned an international reputation with their revved up horror/punkabilly. Sounding like a hyrbrid of Elvis Presley, Glenn Danzig, and Dave Vanian (of the Damned), vocalist Vic Victor wails through booze-fueled chuggers that unite the punks, goths, and rockabilly fanatics. Armed with guitar, drums, and stand up bass, the music is catastrophic and will leave the uninitiated listener in a whirlwind because it barely lets up for a second. The Koffin Kats make their yearly stop at Mohawk Place on Thursday (Sept. 18) at 8pm. Opening are local psychobilly punks the Drunkyard Boys and the Lower Town Trio.

—eric boucher

8pm. Mohawk Place, 47 E Mohawk St. (855-3931 / www.mohawkplace.com). $10

Friday, September 19

DJ Stretch Armstrong

Famous radio personality/ producer/ DJ Stretch Armstrong of NYC will be at Level Night Club this Friday blasting his unique style of club music. This legend of underground hip-hop has found great success in the music industry on almost every level and in various genres. Starting out as a self employed DJ and party promoter in high school, Stretch worked his way into the New York club scene and quickly became a staple at some of the most popular dance clubs, eventually working as talent on his Hot 97 radio show and behind the scenes as an A&R and producer. Stretch enjoys an eclectic mix of club music, focusing on pushing the boundaries of what is considered standard. With shows that are known internationally for their energy, Armstrong is an artist who remains focused on evoking responses from his audience. Anyone who enjoys a great night of heart thumping music and dancing should not miss this special appearance. Armstrong comes to town courtesy of Factory Nightlife, with local guests the Communist Party (Flava Braun), Jarvis & Corey Downey, and Jesse Aaron.

—justin sondel

11:00pm, Level Night Club, 75 W. Chippewa (853-5555 / www.clublevel.net)

Friday, September 19

Tomchess with Ravi Padmanabha

This weekend the music program at Hallwalls continues its mission to bring to the city musicians you won’t find anywhere else. Tomchess, based in New York City, is a renownded experimentalist who performs on such traditional instruments as the flute, the ney, the oud, and the guitar, as well as various reed instruments. He’s performed with avant garde-ians such as Ronald Shannon Jackson, Butch Morris, Dewey Redman, and Pharaoh Sanders. At Saturday’s concert Tomchess is abetted by percussionist Ravi Padmanabha, late of the Buffalo scene and ensconced for the last several years in New York City. Padmanabha’s tabla playing is familiar to denizens of this city’s experimental music scene: He’s played with the Maelstrom Percussion Ensemble, Hylozoa, Tabla Rasa, and a host of other combos. Padmanabha and Tomchess, both of whom perform and compose, have played together before, which means they should have each other’s measure.

—geoff kelly

8pm. Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center,

341 Delaware Avenue (854-1694 / hallwalls.org). $8 members/students/seniors, $10 general.

Friday, September 19

Punk Rock & Burlesque

A line up of all-local all-stars will grace the stage at Nietzsche’s this Friday night, a mix of rock and rowdiness, punk and politics, featuring Wolf Tickets (pictured), the Stripteasers burlesque show, and the Irving Klaws. All three acts have been around long enough they should need no introduction—though what to expect from the Stripteasers is pretty much anybody’s guess. Wolf Tickets, led by singer/songwriter/guitarist Chris Malachowski, features its best line up yet with two former members of the Razzels—Russ Bickert (drums) and Mike Snyder (bass)—and Brad Beikirch on lead guitar. As for the Irving Klaws, that self-professed “trio of psychotic, hard-rocking maniacs,” well, the more things stay the same, the more they change. Look for an old-school punk show with psychobilly, rockabilly, vaudeville, comedy, social commentary, and just about everything else. Punk Rock & Burlesque starts at 10pm, after a 6pm happy hour “Town Meeting” with John Weber and Greg Klyma.

10pm. Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St. (886-8539 / www.nietzsches.com)

Saturday, September 20

Technolust 4.0

Label owner and producer Mike Parker is back, fresh off his tour of Japan where he spread the sounds of techno to many new ears. This weekend, he plays the bi-annual Technolust 4.0; a party created to promote the sounds of pure, unadulterated techno. Parker is a Buffalo-based DJ whose productions on the label Geophone have gained international acclaim. He currently holds residency at Sunset Sundays, one of Buffalo’s longest-running and most successful club nights (all summer long on the Patio at the Calumet). With club favorite Joe Jubei and a late-night appearance by local percussionist Marc V. (adding a live element to a normally strictly-digital sound), this show promises dance music you don’t get to hear that often around here. Technolust happens in the back room at Staples of Allentown on Saturday, starting at 11pm.

11pm. Staples of Allentown, 253 Allen St. No cover charge.

Saturday, September 20

Lebros 20th Annual Fall Classic

A number of years ago Lee Federiconi fell in love with a little girl that used to come into his restaurant with her parents. Tragedy hit the family when both of her parents succumbed to cancer and died before her seventh birthday. As if that trial wasn’t hard enough, little Carly Collard Cottone was then diagnosed with brain cancer when she was eight years old. Throughout her fight Carly was very appreciative of the support she received from her family members and friends. She decided early on in her treatment that she wanted to help other kids who were also battling cancer, and Carly’s Club was born. Sadly, Carly lost her hard fought struggle in August of 2002. Little did she know the positive impact that Carly’s Club would have on the lives of thousands of children diagnosed with cancer each year. As a tribute, Lee and his partner decided to honor Carly by donating money from an annual foot race and a portion of every order of ravioli that they sell. To date they have raised nearly $70,000. Now thats what you call putting your best foot forward and making a difference. One ravoili at a time.

—eddy dobosiewicz

9:15am. Lebros, 330 Campbell Blvd., Getzville. Contact 688-0404 or www.carlysclub.org to register.

Wednesday, September 24

The Most RACES Show On Earth

Ten North American comedians with backgrounds ranging from Italian-Puerto Rican to Peruvian-Polish to Scottish-Canadian use the common experience of laughter to discuss the differences and likenesses between the groups that make up our melting pot of a country. This group of comics provides provocative subject matter that will set some wheels turning and perhaps spark conversation after the show. Neil Bansil (a Canadian of Filipino decent), said, “What we want people to bear in mind is that a lot of the barriers between cultures cannot be easily dissolved and sometimes its actually the shock value of a lot of the jokes that inspires people to start thinking.” The line up includes Bansil, Gina Brillon, Clayton English , Corey Fernandez, Quinn Martin, Corey “Zooman” Miller, John Moses, Daniel Tirado, Tom Tran , and Sheng Wang. Musical performance by Juxtaposse.

—justin sondel

9:00pm, Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. (852-390 / www.townballroom.com). $25 general; $20 for students, groups of 8 or more (www.Tickets.com)