Spotlight: Artvoice B.O.O.M Party: Battle of the Bands

Friday, December 26

This Boxing Day, shake off those post-Christmas blues with the first live quarterfinal of our online battle of the bands. Four bands, each with one 35-minute set to prove to a roomful of local music fans that they should be the ones to win a recording package and CDs of that recording, plus a spot in the B.O.O.M. Grand Finale this May. It’s all up to the crowd on Friday (Dec. 26), as each person in attendance will receive one ballot to cast for their favorite act. Will it be the Manics, Kryszt, Peanut Brittle Satellite, or A Hotel Nourishing? These four bands have won a spot on the bill by collecting the most votes in our weekly preliminaries. Are you in a local original band and want to participate in the next round? Visit Artvoice.com and click on the BOOM link. The next round starts January 8. Stop in and see what all the commotion is about. Pictured clockwise from upper left: Peanut Brittle Satellite, the Manics, Kryszt, and A Hotel Nourishing.

10pm. Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St. (886-8539 / www.nietzsches.com or boom.artvoice.com). $5

Friday, December 26

Joe Strummer & The Clash Annual Tribute Party

On “Constructive Summer,” the lead off track on the Hold Steady’s 2008 album Stay Positive, Craig Finn sings, “Raise a toast to St. Joe Strummer/I think he might’ve been our only decent teacher.” This off-the-cuff canonization of Strummer—the late Clash singer/guitarist—is understandably due. To anyone who ever believed that music can be a force for change, it ought to be obvious that Strummer and Co.’s “kick down the walls” ethos, charged politics, and taste for boundless experimentation made them more than just some punks from London. It made them one of the greatest bands ever. Since Strummer’s untimely death, Buffalo rock Lothario and diehard Clash fanatic Chris Malachowski has organized a night of music that not only celebrates this legacy but does something Strummer would love—help for a cause. Malachowski leads the Rebel Waltz orchestra through a set of Strummer/Clash tunes, with a host of other bands. It all goes to benefit Strummerville— a charity set up by Strummer’s widow Lucinda.

—donny kutzbach

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

Friday, December 26

Chris’ Mas with Coolio

It’s the fourth annual “Nineties Style ‘Chris Mas’ Party” at the Town Ballroom this Friday (Dec. 26), with music by hip hop/soul star Coolio, headlining a night of inter-genre fun. We know Coolio from his bouts with “Weird” Al Yankovic (for the latter’s send-up of the former’s “Gangsta’s Paradise”—re-dubbed “Amish Paradise” by Al and featuring Florence Henderson) to his feud with Eminem over some perceived disrespect. Coolio has been quiet of late, but I hang on tight to my copy of the 1997 release, My Soul, which is terrific (“now the kitty’s kind of friend-lay”) Supporting Coo is—strangely—Buffalo’s own AC/DC tribute band Big Balls, and ‘90’ dance music will be spun all night long by DJ Nixx.

—k. o’day

9:30pm. Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. (852-3900 / www.townballroom.com). $25 at www.tickets.com or 888-223-6000

Saturday, December 27

The Fems Final Christmas Show

This might just be the end of an era. This Saturday (Dec. 27), the legendary FEMS will play their final Christmas reunion show. For any former Continental regular, this annual event has become a big part of the Christmas holiday. The regular line-up of John Walters, Kent Webber, Lou Mang and Bob Weider will all be there along with David Kane, who has rejoined the band. The presence of Mark Freeland will be sadly missed, and though those are some awfully big shoes to fill, a new member, Cage, has stepped in to play guitar for the last few shows. The band’s guitarist and founder, John Walters, has not ruled out a future summer show sometime, but has said this will be the last Christmas show. If you have never seen the Fems, be sure to catch them this time. It’s worth the price of admission just to watch Bob Weider for a couple of hours. He is a punk-powerhouse who can “out-Rotten” Johnny Rotten himself. Playing with The Fems are special guests Floozie, Charles Wants To Kiss You Goodbye, and Laced.

—rose mattrey

8pm. Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. 681 Main St. (852-3900 / www.townballroom.com)

Saturday, December 27

Great Train Robbery

This Saturday (Dec. 27), the Tralf will be hosting a Holiday Homecoming Bash. The event will feature the music of the Great Train Robbery, a Buffalo music staple since the mid 1980’s. The band has had a loyal following of fans since the beginning, and are always able to pull large audiences to non-traditional venues. This annual Homecoming event is a reunion of family fans, and friends of Buffalo, and proceeds will go to benefit Roswell Park Cancer Research Institute. The event provides the opportunity to celebrate the great hometown atmosphere that exists in Buffalo, as well as the expatriates who have returned to visit for the holidays, while donating to one of the city’s most notable facilities.

—justin sondel

8pm. Tralf Music Hall, 622 Main St. (www.tralfmusichall.com)

Saturday, December 26

Rebel Radio

The now annual Rebel Radio Community Jam is set for Saturday (Dec. 27), a FREE food-drive fundraiser/concert to benefit the Food Bank of Western New York and other non-profit organizations, including Buffalo First and PUSH Buffalo. The night’s entertainment features DJ Anubus, who is just back in town from California, and host Edreys. Patrons are asked to bring contributions in the form of non-perishable food items or monetary donations in return for the price of admission, a double CD, and giveaways courtesy of Scion and New Era Caps. Rebel Radio is a compilation series produced by Buffalo -based indie hip hop label DeepThinka Records, a label that has been a force to promote local music as well as community-building for the past bunch of years.

9pm. Broadway Joe’s, 3051 Main St. Contact www.dtr.45.com or 873-2151

Sunday, December 28

Buffalo Music Hall of Fame

The Buffalo Music Hall of Fame will put on a concert this Sunday (Dec. 28), hosted by the Lafayette Tap Room, entitled “Reunion of the Class of 2008 Performers.” The proceeds from the concert will be put towards the new Buffalo Music Hall of Fame Museum. The 2008 inductees will put on a four hour performance, an expansion on the single song that each of them played at the induction ceremony in October. Performers include Ed Bentley & the Morvells (pictured is Ed), Bob James (Party Squad), Jerry Livingston (C O Jones), Tom Reinhardt (Willie & The Reinhardts), Joe Rozler (Part Squad), Gretchen Schulz (The Morvells), and Dave Schulz (C O Jones).

—justin sondel

4pm. Lafayette Tap Room, 391 Washington St. (854-2566)

Wednesday, December 31

Sound in Motion

This New Year’s Eve brings an multi-media showcase to the Pearl St. Grill with a night of music and visuals. The noise will be made by Lazlo Hollyfeld (“Midnight Madness”), Psuedo Intellectuals (“Warmin’ It Up On the Real”), Rhubarb( a “Classixx Set” and apparently, the last show with Lars), and finally some post-rock electro gadgetry with Fourem. Visuals are courtesy of the esteemed Garbaz (Jeff, of the species), and there will be exhibitions/installations by artists Britney Murphy, Matt Calabrese, Attilio Celotto, Teri Drennan, Lauren Emmett, Benji Pecoraro, Marshall Scheuttle, Tanis Winslow, and Peter J. Lazarski.

10pm. Pearl St. Grill, 76 Pearl St. $10. Visit www.myspace.com/mnmpresents

Wednesday, December 31

Maddbasha

Maddtat2 brings another year to a close with an amazing party not to be missed on New Year’s Eve. OHM Ultra Lounge (formerly Miss Kittys) on Main and Allen Streets will be host to national recording artists Asleep (pictured). Beginning to draw attention in the industry, this Youngstown, Ohio, band’s style is ambient/alternative, and they have shared stages with such musicians as the Deftones, Stain’d, the Flaming Lips, and countless others. After midnight Ohm Lounge welcomes local DJs Big Bash/Jah Creation and Looney Tunes to shake the dancefloor until the wee hours. As usual, the artists at Maddtat2 will be providing eye candy (artwork), plus food and champagne all night long.

10pm. OHM Ultra Lounge/Guerilla Gallery, 948 Main St. (www.maddtat2.com)

Wednesday, January 7

Literary Café

Mike Kelleher is not just the artistic director of Just Buffalo Literary Center. He’s also a client. He’s a poet himself, with two published collections (both from Buffalo’s own BlazeVOX press) under his belt: Human Scale and To Be Sung. His poems and essays have appeared at the Poetry Foundation web site, The Brooklyn Rail, Ecopoetics, The Poetry Project Newsletter, and others. Kelleher inaugurates the new year with a reading—sponsored by Just Buffalo—with long-time Buffalo State professor David Landrey, author of Intermezzi to Divorce Poems and Dinner Table Scenes (from Jensen/Daniels), a collection that’s been growing strong since 1973.

—geoff kelly

7:30pm. Center for Inquiry, 1310 Sweet Home Road, Amherst (636-4869 / www.centerforinquiry.net). FREE