One World Tribe

Wednesday, November 24

When Kennedy Thompson founded One World Tribe in 1994, he set out to create a multicultural ensemble—one that would challenge audiences to not only listen to the music, but experience the music on a whole new level. The name alone suggests a sort of commonality and social consciousness among both musicians and humans, seeking to uplift and unite rather than break down and destroy. Their lineup is certainly indicative of that global mindset, with musicians hailing from Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Senegal, Sudan and the United States. Comprised of true, world-class musicians, their music effortlessly bridges across genres, incorporating elements of jazz, soul, hip-hip, Afro-funk, reggae, Latin, R&B and worldbeat. Of course, they pay homage to their predecessors, with the sounds of Santana, Marley, Peter Tosh, Chick Corea, and countless others woven into their eclectic, tight-knit grooves and rhythms. Vibrant, soulful vocals and unique instrumentation that includes conga, djembe, and horns elevate the Tribe’s sound to an almost spiritual level. There could be anywhere from eight to 12 members on stage, but you’d think there were 30 with the way their sound projects during a live performance. The message goes hand-in-hand with the music, with songs like “No Justice,” “No Peace” and “Money Don’t Make it Right” raising awareness on Third-World issues and the redeeming quality music has in bringing people together. Bringing people together is the key here, and you’ll find that a One World Tribe live performance feels more like a gathering or unifying event than a typical concert. We’ll be hearing a lot more from OWT, as the group recently inked a recording and distribution deal with indie label Little Fish Records. They plan to release a new album, Armed and Dangerous, in the spring of 2011. One thing is for sure, this tribe is something we can all be a part of. One World Tribe will appear at Nietzsche’s on Wednesday (Nov 24) at 10pm.

—jon wheelock

10pm. Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St. (886-8539 / www.nietzsches.com) $6.

Friday, November 19

The Temperamentals

On Friday, (Nov 19) at 8 p.m. Buffalo United Artists will offer a special performance of Jon Maran’s award-winning play, The Temperamentals, to benefit the Madeline Davis Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Archives of WNY. This historic collection is in the process of being moved to the Butler Library at Buffalo State College, where it will be available for public and scholarly use. The Temperamentals tells the story of two me—the communist Harry Hay and the Viennese refugee and designer Rudi Gernreich—as they fall in love while building the first gay rights organization in the pre-Stonewall United States, The Mattachine Society. In 1970 Madeline Davis was a founding member of The Mattachine Society of the Niagara Frontier, the first gay rights organization in Western New York. In 2001, Davis founded the Buffalo Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Archives, which is collecting and preserving the history of Buffalo’s gay communities. Davis continues to work as a writer, archivist, historian, political activist, and director of the Archives. She will address the audience for ten minutes before the performance. The event will also feature a display of The Fifth Freedom publication and other items from the Haynes-Licht Mattachine Society of the Niagara Frontier Collection within the Madeline Davis GLBT Archives of Western New York, courtesy of Davis, and Buffalo State archivist Daniel DiLandro. Directed by Chris Kelly, The Temperamentals stars Ryan F. Cupello, Christopher LaBanca, Adam Rath, Marc Sacco, and Michael Seitz. Tickets to this special event are $25.00 and may be reserved by calling (716) 886-9239 or e-mailing info@buffalobua.org. The Temperamentals runs at the BUA Theater through Dec 4.

—anthony chase

8pm. BUA Theater, 119 Chippewa (886-9239 / www.buffalobua.org). $25.

Friday, November 19

Donna The Buffalo

Donna the Buffalo is not from the city of Buffalo, but the fan base here is so large you’d think they were. Maybe it’s the power of suggestion stemming from the name, but it’s more likely due to Western New York’s penchant for this kind of music—the socially conscious, grassroots jam band stuff that has made groups like .moe, Phish, and Donna so well-loved. Originally meant to be called Dawn of the Buffalo, Donna got its name from a debut show where the (stoned?) emcee kept slurring their introduction. That seemed fitting, so the band just went with the flow and Donna the Buffalo was born. That was 20 or so years ago, and since then they’ve gathered a devoted following known as “the Herd.” Founding members of the Finger Lakes Grassroots Music Festival, Donna the Buffalo is also a co-headliner at the great Blue Heron every year as well as at many other weekend festivals through the midwest and all along the east coast. They’ll be playing indoors this week though, when they hit the Tralf on Friday (Nov 19). So for feel good roots music flavored with zydeco, raggae, and country, just follow the Herd.

—alan victor

7pm. Tralf Music Hall, 622 Main St. (852-2860 / www.tralfmusichall.com). $26.50/advance; $29.50/day of show at Ticketmaster locations (Ticketmaster.com/800-745-3000)..

Saturday, November 20

Positive Approach
Not So Terrible Two's Anniversary Party

Positive Approach Custom Screen Printing and Fashion will be celebrating their two-year anniversary this Saturday (Nov 20). Join the Positive Approach crew in their celebration at their new shop at 125 Elmwood Ave., where there will be new product releases from the Positive Approach and Problem Child brands, raffles, giveaways, refreshments, and music by Jamie Moore and WEJO 2.0. Founded by Buffalonians Justin Howard and Joe Piehler, Positive Approach is a screen-printing studio, storefront, and sometimes music venue all in one. All custom screen-printing is done by hand to assure the finest quality prints. Howard explains, “We use the most eco-friendly plastisol based inks and all eco-friendly chemicals, which are mostly soy and citrus based.” Their storefront offers a variety of t-shirt designs from their own evolving brands, Positive Approach and Problem Child. They also offer t-shirts, tote bags, and prints from local brand, Dazzle Me Formal. Positive Approach has participated in the Elmwood Village Association’s fashion show, Mass Appeal, twice. “It’s our chance to show the world our products,” Howard said, “It’s always exciting to see something we’ve created with our own hands walking down the runway of Elmwood’s biggest fashion event.” Originally located further uptown on Elmwood, Positive Approach is now at home in a larger location. Their second anniversary party will celebrate all of these aspects of the shop.

—jill greenberg

7pm-12am. Positive Approach, 125 Elmwood Ave. (www.positiveapproachpress.com) Free.

Saturday, November 20

DJ Rupture and Alex B.

Sometimes a DJ’s music can transcend the meaning of the term disc jockey. DJ Rupture and Alex Botwin, aka Alex B. both rise above that typical vision. Both DJs have redefined the term “sample.” Of course samples are present in their music, but you won’t recognize them, because in their brand of breakcore dub step those samples are morphed and twisted like a fender in a car wreck. DJ Rupture is known for standing in front of three turntables while he mixes in vocals, beats, and guitars from three records at once. His latest album, Patches, is full of the resonating, low frequency, dub step sound waves that one would expect, but he mixes it up by tossing in melting guitar tracks and tape effected vocals. Listen to Alex B. when you roll out of bed in the morning, take in his smooth, low-key electronic beats and relax. Step into the club and it’s a different story. The pulsating and groovy rhythms on his latest album, Moments, create a consuming atmosphere when thrust through his tabletop galaxy of electronic machinery. The same goes for Rupture, who’s style is similar to Alex B.’s, though the two have never met and this is a one time only tour date for both. Catch DJ Rupture and Alex B. at Soundlab on Saturday (Nov 20).

—cory perla

9pm. Soundlab, 110 Pearl St. (440-5907 / www.bigorbitgallery.org/soundlab). $10.

Tuesday, November 23

Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
Chrimbus Spectacular

Weird, unpredictable, funny. A bunch of futile words to try and describe the Day-Glo freak show comedy nightmare of Tim and Eric’s Awesome Show, Great Job! Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim has carved out a lovely place for itself in the oddball, energy drink swigging, midnight crowd. Many of the show’s recurring characters and guests have become staples on the internet. One just has to gaze upon the handsome visage of Dr. Steve Brule, played by John C. Reilly, the bumbling afro’d bespectacled faux-doctor, who mistakes wasabi for guacamole. Or the immortal guest appearance of one Tommy Wiseau, that heartbreakingly studly piece of man-meat from the monumental film achievement, The Room, a flim that has come to define a generation. Anyway, Tim and Eric’s Awesome Show, Great Job Chrimbus Spectacular 2010 will bring the show’s genius live to the Town Ballroom this Tuesday (Nov 23) at 8pm. The show will include sketches, short films and a performance by Tim and Eric’s “smooth” rock band Pusswhip Banggang, along with opener Neil Hamburger. The night is sure to be tasteful and tame, or anything but. It might be time to get really weird.

—peter vullo

8pm. Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. (852-3900 / www.townballroom.com). $25 advance, $30 day of.

Tuesday, November 23

30th Annual Buffalo Music Awards

The local music scene can be a place where legends are born, where music explodes and then evaporates into thin air, or a place where a band struggles to find their sound for years. Since 1981 the Buffalo Music Awards has been the litmus test for local music. Now it’s time again to honor Buffalo’s best in rock n’ roll, blues, alternative rock, and country. 48 of this city’s best bands and musicians will receive awards in categories like best blues band, best female vocalist, best guitarist and best original rock band among many other honors. Performing live at the event will be angsty folk rocker Alison Pipitone, 50-time Buffalo Music Award winners Black Widow, the guitar driven blues brothers of The Mick Hayes Band, alt-rock leaders Suckerpunch, and many more special guests. This year, 21 members of the Buffalo music scene will be inducted into the Buffalo Music Awards Hall of Achievement, an honor designated for musicians who have consistently won in their category. Following the celebration The Strangers will take the stage for a post-show midnight performance. It all happens Tuesday (Nov 23) at Club Infinity.

—cory perla

7pm. Club Infinity. 8166 Main St., Williamsville (565-0110 / www.clubinfinitylive.com). $5.

Wednesday, November 24

Stars

Canadian indie-pop band Stars comes to the Town Ballroom on Wednesday (Nov 24) for a Thanksgiving eve show. A spin-off of Broken Social Scene, Stars captures the pop element of that band and runs with it. They’ve been featured on television shows like the O.C. and Degrassi while frontman, actor Torquil Campbell, has appeared on episodes of Sex and the City and Law & Order. Stars also opened for Coldplay on their Viva La Vida tour which, combined with the aforementioned bits of trivia, should give a fairly good impression of the band’s indie-pop status. Riding the fence between artsy and mainstream has worked well for the band, whose crossover appeal has gained them devout fans across the Broken Social Scene/Canadian invasion/teeny-bop rock spectrum. Don’t be put off by their mainstream popularity though; their melodious, rock-tinged electro-pop is infectious but not at all cliched or annoying. If there were ever a good case for sharing musical tastes with a Degrassi fan, this would be it. Doors at Town Ballroom open at 7pm and it is, of course, an all ages show.

—k. o’day

8pm. Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. (852-3900 / www.townballroom.com). $20 advance; $25 day of show at TB box office, Tickets.com, 888-223-6000, and Tops Markets.

Wednesday, November 24

R&B Soul Revue

Buffalo’s well known rock-steady bass player Nick Veltri and saxman Sam Guarino have pulled together a smokin’ crew of Buffalo R&B singers and players for a grand pre-Thanksgiving show at the Knights of Columbus at 1530 Kenmore Ave. on Wednesday (Nov 24). This an opportunity to hear Buffalo’s best R&B performers from rising stars like the young vocalist Caitlin Koch to salty veterans like soulmen Billy McEwen and Johnny Soul; electrifying performers like Denzel Ward, Gretchen Shultz or Barbara St. Clair, and folks like pianist Jim Ehinger, who has played for Bonnie Rait, Dylan, Taj Mahal, George Harrison and a host of others. Close to 25 performers will be mixing it up for an extraordinary night of rhythm and blues that is sure to be memorable and something to talk about over your next day’s Thanksgiving turkey.

—jamie moses

7pm-11pm. Knights of Columbus, 1530 Kenmore Ave. $10.