Ron Hawkins Art+Music

Friday, November 13th & Saturday November 14

Ron Hawkins newest CD 10 Kinds of Lonely is an intimate, lyrically rich, country flavored work that he recorded in his basement studio over the past winter. The former singer/songwriter for the defunct, but still relentlessly popular Lowest of the Low, Hawkins’ talent as a wordsmith hasn’t diminished a bit. The binding theme of the CD is a portrait of picturesque small Canadian town that by night is becomes a teenage, drug-riddled hellhole. Sort of a musical version of David Lynch’s film Blue Velvet. You can catch him this Saturday, November 14, for a CD release party at the plush Allendale Theatre (home of the Theatre of Youth). This will be an acoustic performance with Ron accompanied on vocals and cello by classically trained cellist Alex McMaster. She also appears on the CD.

On Friday, November 13, Hawkins will be at the Vault, the new gallery at 702 Main St., to feature a one night only exhibition of 26 of his A to Z portraits of famous rock and jazz musicians. These are what Ron calls “recession busters” because they are smaller works and not that expensive. Apparently Ron’s painting career has been very successful thanks to sales over the Internet and he has sold paintings all across North America and Europe.

Watch an interview with Ron Hawkins about these upcoming events on Artvoice TV.

Nov. 13 - Art Show / The Vault, 702 Main Street / 8pm / 21+
Nov. 14 - Solo / Allendale Theatre, 203 Allen Street / 8pm / 21+

Friday, November 13

Lights

Intergalactic electro-pop heroine Lights (nee Valerie Poxleitner) started out as a little girl in Canada composing music in her head. If this fantasy rock opera did indeed become its own world into which she could escape, once she started laying it out with real instruments she captured that dreamy, fantasy essence to a tee. Her debut studio album, called The Listening,, was released in the States just last month, lyrically sincere dance music that can move your feet and your heart. She says, “I try to find sounds that seem like they could have been plucked from Saturn’s rings or a meteor belt,” by way of explanation. If that doesn’t help you get a sense of what she’s like, think epic ethereal beauty that stays light, and channels the happiness this little Canadian girl seems to find in whatever galaxy her muscic transports her to. Let her take you along, too. Lights comes to Soundlab on Friday (Nov. 13), with special guests Wooden Waves.

—k. o’day

Soundlab, 110 Pearl St. / 9pm / bigorbitgallery.org/soundlab

Saturday, November 14

Jason Ricci & New Blood, with Ana Popovic & Mike Zito

There’s a triple threat at the Tap Room this Saturday (Nov. 14) featuring blues harmonica/harp/guitar virtuoso Jason Ricci, Yugoslavian/Nordic blueswoman Ana Popvic, and St. Louis blues-rocker Mike Zito. All three are relatively young additions to this age old genre’s roster of greats. But despite the legacy left by the incomparable artists of legend (influences like BB King, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Charlie Musselwhite), the newcomers keep popping up, and these three are some of the best examples of the direction modern-day blues is taking. Ricci is hitting a bunch of cities with Popovic in tow, but Buffalo is one stop that will see all three of these artists on one stage. And they are a unique group: Ricci is one of the few (understatement?) openly gay performers on the blues scene; Popovic is a Yugoslavian who was taught to play in the Netherlands, now rockin in the USA; and Zito... well, his bio reads like a blues prodigy prophecy. The doors open at 5pm. If you get there early start off the night with the greatest of blues appetizers, the Tap Room’s famous BBQ. —k. o’day

Lafayette Tap Room, 391 Washington St. / 8pm / $18 advance, $22 at door / 854-2466 / lafayettetaproombbq.com

Saturday, November 14

Motherbaby International Film Festival

Nearly one third of babies in the United States are delivered via cesarean section. A procedure originally performed out of necessity, American mothers now commonly request it as a part of their birth plan. Nevertheless, the US has been ranked 45th in the world for infant mortality rate. How can this be? Attempting to address this question is the traveling Motherbaby International Film Festival (MIFF). Past festivals have hosted speakers such as Ricki Lake and Michael Moore. The mission of MIFF is to raise awareness about natural birthing and midwifery. The event in Buffalo, held on Saturday (Nov. 14) at Galllery 164, will begin with a performance by Anne Burnidge, professor of Dance at UB, and a reading of “Birth Song,” a poem by Suzanne Montalalou. Then three groundbreaking films will be shown: The First Hour of Life, a documentary by Dr.Marshall Klaus, captures four Italian home births. The second film, Birth Day, is a home video of sorts, documenting the natural home birth of baby Tamayao Okumura Vinaver in Veracruz, Mexico. Birth into Being, the final film, explores waterbirths. Filmed by Russian spiritual midwife Tatyana Sargunas and her husband, it documents five, some of which take place in the home, some into hand made birthing pools, and another into the Black Sea itself. A panel will be on hand after the screenings to answer questions about natural birthing options in Buffalo. All proceeds will go to the Life Cycles Center, Buffalo’s only organization dedicated to educating people on natural birthing. This event also marks the grand re-opening of Gallery 164, back in business after the owners welcomed their own new baby into the world.

—ann marie awad

Gallery 164, 164 Allen St. / 7:30pm / $10 donation / 885-BABY / LifeCyclesCenter.org / SageFemme.com

Monday, November 16

Metric

Canadian uber hip electronica outfit Metric —Broken Social Scene affiliates and “it” people on Toronto’s own social scene—take the stage at Town Ballroom on Monday (Nov. 16). Metric stands out among the collaborative crowd for their style as well as their sound. Their euro roots (frontwoman Emily Haines was born in New Delhi, guitarist James Shaw is from the UK) and alternate bases in Montreal, London, New York, and Los Angeles create a cetain “je ne sais quois” that only lends to the quartet’s mystique. That and their somewhat jaded, enigmatic appeal keeps them flirting with the edge of stardom, and the sense is that they like it that way. Refined, tasteful, a little bit punk, Metric toes a line between restrained and raucus that keeps them flying under the radar just high (or low) enough to have remained at the height of coolness for their entire career. It seems that you either know about Metric or you don’t. If you do, you like. If you don’t, well, maybe you simply aren’t in the know. British alt-rockers Band of Skulls open the show, one more gig before they hit the big time in the wake of the inevitable fame that will follow the band being featured in the second Twilight movie, New Moon.

—k. o’day

Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. / 8pm / $20 advance, $24 day of show / Box Office, Tickets.com / 852-3900 / townballroom.com

Wednesday, November 18

Shonen Knife

Melding 1960s girl-group imagery with Brian Wilson hooks and Ramones-style delivery, Japan’s Shonen Knife are legends in the underground music scene. Counting Nirvana and Sonic Youth as fans, Shonen Knife was a unique find for record buyers in the late 80s and early 90s. The three women who comprise the band were all working as office clerks in Osaka, Japan when they formed in 1981. Although their records were only released overseas, the albums started arriving as imports here by the late 80s. Shonen Knife earned a rabid and devoted cult following that resulted in a seminal tribute album Every Band Has A Shonen Knife That Loves Them that included tracks by Sonic Youth, Redd Kross, and Pat Smear (Germs/Nirvana/Foo Fighters). The three women finally landed a US label that led to their most popular release, Let’s Knife. In the last few years, the band signed to Buffalo’s Good Charamel Records and is now managed by Robbie Takac of the Goo Goo Dolls. Shonen Knife makes a rare Buffalo appearance at Mohawk Place on Wednesday (Nov. 18). Opening is JEFF the Brotherhood and Agent Me.

—eric boucher

Mohawk Place, 47 E. Mohawk St. / 8pm / $8 / 855-3931 / irvingklaws.com

Sunday, November 15

El Ten Eleven

It’s often difficult to describe the sound of El Ten Eleven. A duo from Los Angeles, El Ten Eleven employs bass, double neck guitar, textured drumming, and inventive looping to create an atmospheric soundtrackthat seems made the West Coast. While not nearly as rootsy as Calexico or as artsy as Tortoise, El Ten Eleven somehow straddles the line between those. Hypnotic rhythms and stunning musical interplay make for a sound that feels organic and true without pretension. Covering Radiohead and Joy Division might seem to tell you what they’re going for, but a true grasp is far from certain, Very few have seen them and not been completely amazed by their performance. All that’s required is an open mind. El Ten Eleven perform at Mohawk Place on Sunday (Nov. 15). Opening is All Of Them Witches and the Reggies Field.

—eric boucher

Mohawk Place / 8pm / $8