As everyone who has experienced a spring break at home can tell you, the worst part isn’t that all your friends are going on a vacation; in truth, the real trial of spending a spring break at home is the boredom.
Questioning how to spend all your free time often turns into long, bedridden days, curled up watching Netflix and ordering Chinese food. But don’t let that happen to you. With all due respect to laying around doing nothing, getting out and doing something can, sometimes, be equally as rewarding. So, this break, maybe not every day, but at least once, make it out of your bedroom. Here are some potential reasons to make you might think about putting on pants, lacing up your shoes (or boots, probably) and heading out for a night out on the town.
Sunday, March 15
Kalin and Myles – Town Ballroom
A pair of young rappers will be arriving in Buffalo from the Bay Area. The duo has branded itself as two up-and-coming artists from the West Coast, and their budding musical talent can be heard in their raps. Their sound feels incomplete; they are still finding their own personal style. Regardless, their concert will be a spectacle, worth it, if just for the experience of seeing two new musicians on the brink of musical discovery.
Todd Snider – Tralf Music Hall
At 15, Todd Snider ran away from home with a friend to move to Portland, Oregon. Then, after high school, he ran away from college to become a harmonica player in California. And after that, Snider wandered through the south, following his dreams of becoming a musician. Thirty years later, at the ripe age of 48, Snider has built a reputation around his scatterbrained, humorous live shows, combining folk, Americana and alt-country. Snider’s half-comedy, half-musical act is guaranteed to entertain with laughs, twangy guitars and slightly off-color jokes about how terrible society is.
Monday, March 16
Taking Back Sunday – Town Ballroom
Taking Back Sunday has dealt with a massive slew of band drama, quitting members and infighting. On the “former” members list are are six musicians. Despite their struggles, however, the ’00s throwback band is coming to Town Ballroom on Monday, March 16. This concert will be a mix of millennials going to check out a band to take them back to their younger, angsty days.
Tuesday, March 17
Lloyd Cole – The Forvm
Arriving at The Forvm of all places, English songwriter and singer Lloyd Cole will be bringing his easygoing mix of rock, folk and indie pop to Buffalo. Cole is no stranger to the music scene; he has been part of three LPs, both with his band and as a solo act. The concert will be a set of music filled with the sounds of nostalgic, traditional ’80s Brit rock.
Wednesday, March 18
The Sadies – Ironworks
The Sadies have a dreamy country sound that is all their own. From heartfelt croons about love and heartbreak, to wistful songs about years passing by, The Sadies have a country soul that listeners can feel. The concert, held at Ironworks, will be a fun night of listening and dancing to The Sadies swinging, upbeat music.
Friday, March 20
Al Stewart – Rockwell Hall
Al Stewart, a Scottish artist, is performing at Rockwell Hall. He was an icon of the British folk revival movement in the ’60s and ’70s, with intricate, beautiful songs written about stories from characters and events from history. The man has a musical legacy more impressive than most. Friend to Yoko Ono, flatmate to Paul Simon and headliner of the first-ever Glastonbury Festival in 1970, Steward would be a concert worth going to see a man who is a musical history icon.
SomeKindaWonderful – Waiting Room
SomeKindaWonderful, whimsically feel-good name and all, will be using their alternative rock/neo soul blend to give Buffalonians all sorts of feels on Friday. They have had a shaky career, always flirting on the outskirts of breaking deeply into the music industry, only releasing a single LP with Downtown Records. Despite their limited success, SomeKindaWonderful has a charisma that is best heard, in their symphonic production, snappy hooks and great vocals.
Saturday, March 21
Michael Bolton – Seneca Niagara Casino
Michael Bolton has sold more than 75 million records, eight top 10 Billboard albums and multiple American Music and Grammy Awards. Bolton is a pure pop artist, and his musical vision has spawned 22 studio albums, six of which have been certified as platinum records. The numbers don’t lie: Bolton is a musical icon, who has done more for the development of pop music than most musicians can ever dream of. If you were one of the millions who Bolton’s music touched, or are just someone who wants to see a musical legend perform, then plan it out, buy tickets now and go. He will put on a show befitting of his legacy.
Brian Windschitl is an arts editor and can be contacted at brian.windschitl@ubspectrum.com
