AV Editors Pick: Halloween 2008

Saturday, November 8

Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials

It’s a new day in America. Once again we, as a nation, have renewed the promise of our forefathers—that this great land is made stronger by the diverse fabric of its people. From humble beginnings in the city of Chicago, a charismatic African-American man has rekindled the sacred flame that for too many years had flickered in the cold winds of belligerence, elitism, greed, and indifference. My fellow Americans, it is my honor to give to you... Lil’ Ed Williams & the Blues Imperials! For lovers of real Chicago blues (Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Elmore James, Buddy Guy etc.), it’s always a treat when Lil’ Ed comes to town. He’s been burning down packed houses for the past couple decades with guitarist Michael Garrett, bassist James “Pookie” Young, and drummer Kelly Littleton. The Blues Imperials are easily one of the finest house-rockin’ bands in the business, and their latest release Full Tilt (Alligator) proves it again beyond a doubt. Williams has a genuine blues pedigree thanks to uncle and slide guitar mentor J.B. Hutto, and his rollicking licks are in full frenetic glory on their cover of Hound Dog Taylor’s “Take Five.” Still, it’s not the same as his transcendent live act, which has been aptly described as “contagious wildness” by the Washington Post.

—buck quigley

8pm. Tralf Music Hall, 622 Main St. (852-2860 / www.tralfmusichall.com). $20/advance at Ticketmaster (852-5000 / www.ticketmaster.com) or $22/day of show

Thursday, November 6

Ways In Being Gay: Derek Jarman

Beginning this week, Hallwalls celebrates 20 years of its “Ways in Being Gay” biennial, a multi-disciplinary series showcasing work by gay, lesbian, and transgendered artists. This tenth program, “Ways In Being Gay: Ways In/Between Gender,” lasts all year and exhibits, screenings, and performaces will reflect both the history of the series and new work by emerging artists. It kicks off this Thursday, November 6, at the Market Arcade, with a screening of the Derek Jarman film Blue (1993). The film is all soundtrack, no images; AIDS had cost Jarman his sight, and he died just months after the film was released. Two weeks later, on November 20, Hallwalls will screen Derek, a new documentary about Jarman by British artist Isaac Julien and actress Tilda Swinton. Contact Hallwalls at www.hallwalls.org or 854-1694 for more info. Proceeds from this screening benefit the rest of the “Ways in Being Gay” series.

—geoff kelly

8pm. Market Arcade Film & Arts Center, 639 Main St. (885-03022 / www.dipsontheatres.com). $10/general; $8/students, seniors, Hallwalls members

Friday October 31 & Saturday November 1

Polish Film Festival

‘Katyn’ is a forest near the Polish-Russian border where, on March 5, 1940, thousands of Polish prisoners were slaughtered by the Soviets. When the mass graves were discovered in 1943 it was immediately recognized as Stalin’s work. Yet when the USSR occupied Poland in the post-war era, they shifted the blame to the Nazis, and the international community was loathe to argue with them. Poland’s cinematic historian Andrzej Wajda explores this story and its coverup as a damning demonstration that wars seldom end with the signing of treaties: the true story of Katyn was repressed until after the collapse of the Soviet Union and efforts at even symbolic reparations are still being stonewalled. It’s a compelling film about a shockingly unknown story. Sad proof of how history is written by the victors. The Oscar nominated Katyn, will have it’s local premiere at 7pm this Saturday at the Hamburg Palace Theater ( 31 Buffalo St) as part of this weekends 3rd Annual Polish Film Festival. Contact 888-2835 or www.canisius.edu/polish for full festival schedule.

—m. faust

6pm, Thurs & 7pm Fri at Canisius College; 7pm Sat. at the Palace Theater; 2pm Sun. at the Adam Mickiewicz Library

Friday, November 7

Jamie Notarthomas

This Friday (Nov. 7) Syracuse native and musical iron man Jamie Notarthomas will play at Broadway Joe’s. Notarthomas, who has averaged over 200 shows a year for over 20 years, is touring to promote his new album The Crow Convention. The new album is Notarthomas’ fourth effort, and according to his web site (at www.jamienotarthomas.com), it “may be his most powerful moving work yet.” Dan Aloi of the Elmira Star writes, “He goes from jazzy blues to funky rock to Celtic swing and back again, meeting the demands of those vocal styles while keeping his own identity intact. Critics compare the style to Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, and Neil Young. Some songs are hilarious; others carry messages of preservation, compassion, tolerance and beauty of nature.” Notathomas plans on playing a long set, as he will follow up a set of his own work with a tribute to Bob Dylan and Bruce “the Boss” Springsteen.

—justin sondel

8pm & 10pm. Broadway Joe’s, 3051 Main St. (837-3650 / www.bjoes.com).

Saturday, November 8

The Brew

This Saturday (Nov. 8) the Massachusetts-based jam band the Brew will be playing at Nietzsche’s. The Brew has recently been touring the Northeast, and has a new album out, entitled Back to the Woods. The band finds its roots in classic rock but is influnced by such genres as prog, jazz, reggae, world beat, indie, funk, and orchestral pop. The Brew has become a widely recognized name on the jam band scene by playing festivals like Gathering of the Vibes and the Up North Festival. At this past year’s Jammy Awards, held in Madison Square Gardens, the band was nominated for the Best New Groove award. About those long guitar solos that are the hallmark of any self-respecting jam band, guitarist Dave Drouin has said, “we are just trying for that kind of overkill. Building up to ten nothches past where you thought the song should be able to go”.

—justin sondel

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

Saturday, November 8 & Fri-Sun 14-16

Ten Years of Artistry

Buffalo Contemporary Dance Celebrates its ten year anniversary with “Ten Years of Artistry,” a series of concerts beginning this Saturday (Nov. 8) and continuing on Fri., Sat., and Sun. through November 16. Company co-director Leslie Wexler’s works Quintessence, set to the music of Antonio Vivaldi, Come When I Call You, featuring the never-before recorded lyrics of Woody Guthrie, and Nolite te Bastards Carborundurum, danced to the music of Lou Reed, will all be presented as well as segments from her piece Rapid Motion Through Space Elate One. Director Amy Taravella will premiere a new work about the stages of life of the American woman, set against a video backdrop by UB graduate student Danielle Boris. The show ends with a performance of The Village Etude, based on choreographer Sophie Maslow’s 1950 work The Village I Knew. The cast includes student dancers from Niagara County Community College, Niagara University, Buffalo State College, and the University of Buffalo, with the members of Buffalo Contemporary Dance.

—k. o’day

Saturdays Nov. 8 & 15 at 8pm; Friday Nov. 14 at 8pm; Sunday Nov. 16 at 2pm. ALT Theater, 255 Great Arrow Ave., 3rd Floor (868-6847 / www.buffalocontemporarydance.org). $20/general; $15/students, seniors

Saturday, November 8

Flash 2008

The Essex Street Arts Center’s annual fundraiser is comin ‘round again on Saturday (Nov. 8). This year’s Flash Party will be held in the four-building arts complex as usual, a 1960s-themed shindig that raises money for the Ashford Hollow Foundation, which also operates Griffis Sculpture Park. The multi-media event features go-go dancers, video, light shows, film, and live music by the Ifs, with multiple DJs spinning all night long. The complex includes Big Orbit Art Gallery as well as numerous private studios occupied by painters, musicians, sculptors, photographers, draftsmen, and filmmakers. The party will be held throughout the multiple rooms and levels of the complex. The ticket price includes all entertainment, beer, wine, and the chance to design your own steel sculpture, which will be plasma cut by professionals for you to take home.

7pm. Essex Arts Center, 30 Essex St. (883-2066). $35. Available at Terrapin Station (1172 Hertel Ave., 874-6677) and Everything Elmwood (740 Elmwood Ave., 883-0607). Ages 21+

Sunday, November 9

Synergy

“Words & Nusic From the Tree of Life”

This Sunday (Nov. 9) Synergy, a group of musicians that that celebrates Jewish culture by combining music and poetry from various periods in Jewish history, will perform at Temple Beth Am in Williamsville as part of the Jewish Book Fair and Cultural Arts Festival. Led by the former BPO flutist Laurence Trott, Synergy, which also includes Dmitry Gerikh, Nadejda Nedeltcheva-Nigrin, Leslie Bahler, and Alfred B. Frenning, has been performing for just over a year now. The poetry and music used in the performance dates from the Golden Age of Jewish culture in Spain right through to modern day Israel. This program speaks to people of all ages and cultures, covering the breadth of human emotion. For more information on the book fair, visit www.jccbookfair.com.

—justin sondel

3:30pm. Temple Beth Am, 370 Sheridan Dr., Williamsville (633-8877 / www.bethambuffalo.org). $18/general; $10/students

Sunday, October 9

Hot Chili Cold Beer

This Sunday (Nov. 9) Hallwalls presents the annual “Hot Chili, Cold Beer” party for the post-Bills’ game crowd. Whether you are celebrating, drowning your sorrows, or completely indifferent, there is sure to be something to perk up your tase buds as well as your spirits. Featuring the famous Pink Flamingo chili, chipotle chili, cubano chili, and chorizo chili, as well as chicken, pork, beef, and vegetarian varieties, cold beer, and compatible wines, this cook-off is a study in the art of chili. It’s simple food with complex flavors for the vegetarian and carnivore alike. Admission includes drinks, a variety of chilies made by ten local chefs, side dishes, and desserts.

4:30pm-8pm. Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center, 341 Delaware Ave. (854-1694 / www.hallwalls.org). $25/general; $20/Hallwalls members; $15/students; $10/kids under 12.

Thursday, October 30

Grand Buffet / Edie Sedgwick

This Wednesday (Nov. 12) promises to be an extremely eclectic and interesting evening at Mohawk Place. Pittsburgh’s Grand Buffet (pictured) is a freaked out hip-hop duo that thankfully does not adhere to traditional “white boy rap” cliches. Together for over a decade, Grand Buffet tackles rap with innovative beats and rhymes that transcend the genre. Their seventh album, King Vision, is a lo-fi masterpiece utilizing prog-rock and psychedelia alongside their established sound. Sharing the bill with King Buffet is Dischord Records’ Edie Sedgwick. Although the Warhol actress of the same name tragically passed away in 1971, she has been reincarnated as transgendered diva who struts the stage to hyperactive rhythms and electronic beats. Her new album, Things Are Getting Sinister and Sinisterer, continues Sedgwick’s preoccupation with stardom. Performing with Grand Buffet and Edie Sedgwick are Lockport’s newest hip-hop sesnations D.T.O.P along with Red Tag Rummage Sale, who have a new record on the way.

—eric boucher

8pm. Mohawk Place, 47 E Mohawk St. (855-3931 / www.mohawkplace.com). $7