Buffalo’s week in music takes a turn for the funky. Two separate, well-known Grateful Dead tribute bands will be performing in Buffalo, as well as a famous opera singer, the founders of electro-industrial music and Mary J. Blige. Make sure to plan out your week and catch at least one of the assuredly amazing concerts this week.
Monday, Nov. 9
Jason Heath & The Greedy Souls – Iron Works
Los Angeles-based band Jason Heath and The Greedy Souls recently released its newest album, A Season Undone’s, on Sept. 11 from Industrial Entertainment, Inc. The 11-song album is an ode to the band’s hard rock roots – the album has clear Springsteen influences, with a handful of power ballads and sing-along rock-and-roll. Come out to see the band during its Buffalo debut at Iron Works on Monday.
Tuesday, Nov. 10
Colm Wilkinson – UB Center for the Arts
Irish-born singer Colm Wilkinson is best known for his title role in The Phantom of the Opera and for playing Jean Valjean in Les Misérables at The Royal Albert Hall – Canada’s version of Broadway. The lauded theater performer will be at the Center for the Arts on Tuesday.
HONEYHONEY – Iron Works
Fusion music group HONEYHONEY is an American alternative-folk group from Los Angeles, California. Duo Benjamin Jaffe and Sizanne Santo formed the group when they met at a costume party. One year later, they signed a record deal for Ironworks and released their first album, On The Shelf. The band recently released its third album, humorously named 3.
Wednesday, Nov. 11
Dead & Company – First Niagara Center
Former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Micket Hart and Bill Kreutzmann are still clinging to the Dead’s glory days, forming their own tribute band alongside John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti. The band is following a rigorous tour schedule, playing 22 dates from Oct. 29 to Dec. 31. The former Dead musicians will be giving an ode to all Deadheads still in Buffalo on Wednesday – make sure you don’t miss this chance to see some former members of the most famous jam band of all time.
Lettuce – Tralf Music Hall
Funk band Lettuce from Boston has been around since 1992. The band was formed when its members met at the Berklee College of Music, stylizing their shows after favorite funk and jazz musicians such as Curtis Mayfield and Charles Wright. The band has cult followings in New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Tokyo and is known for its high-energy live shows. The eight-piece band will be performing at the Tralf on Wednesday.
Thursday, Nov. 12
Handguns – Studio at Waiting Room
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania pop-punk band Handguns has been around since the late 2000s and debuted its first full-length album Angst in 2012. Since then, the Pure Noise Label-signed band has been doing the punk rock circuit in the United States, playing in the 2013 Vans Warped Tour. The band released its newest album Disenchanted Nov. 1 – a promising up-and-coming record from pop-punk’s newest band arriving to the scene.
Friday, Nov. 13
Dark Star Orchestra – Town Ballroom
American rock band Dark Star Orchestra from Chicago, Illinois has been a tribute band for The Grateful Dead since 1997, claiming to continue the Grateful Dead concert experience. The Dead, one of the groups who founded the jam band genre, was known for its eclectic collection of cover songs and long, winding solos. The Dark Star Orchestra has continued all that the Dead was known and loved for, with their own original set list, able to play both Dead songs and their own impressive versions of songs from different artists.
Skinny Puppy – The Rapids Theatre
Canadian industrial music group, Skinny Puppy, one of the founders of the electro-industrial music genre, is an experimental side project formed by cEvin Key in 1982. The band has grown into a full-time band, touring constantly and releasing a total of 15 albums since 1984. The band is well known for its odd live shows, utilizing synthesizers, drum machines, acoustic percussion and tape splices in its unique, stream-of-consciousness music style.
Saturday, Nov. 14
July Talk – Town Ballroom
Alt-rock, blues fusion band July Talk formed in 2012 in Toronto. It has been a strong up-and-coming rock band in the alternative and indie scene, winning an award in the 2014 Juno Awards in Canada for the Breakthrough Group of the Year. The band is slated to become indie rock’s next big thing – try and catch them at Town Ballroom on Saturday so you can say you saw them first.
Mary J. Blige – Shea’s Performing Arts Center
Mary Jane Blige needs no introduction. A winner of nine Grammy Awards, nominated for 30 Grammys and one of the rarified few musicians to have eight certified-platinum albums in her career, her successful combination of hip-hop and soul in the early ’90s has long since placed Blige as one of the must influential musicians of all time. Don’t miss this chance to see her perform live – it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Sunday, Nov. 15
Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox – UB Center for the Arts
Popular Jukebox is an assorted, growing collection of musicians dedicated to reviving the pop music of the past. The group has over 40 members who play past pop tunes and jas been listed as one of the most progressive groups in modern music, despite its focus on old style songs. The group will often give its own, modern twist to its old-school pop covers. Scott Bradlee, Postmodern Jukebox’s brainchild, is the reason the group has grown to such epic proportions. The group will perform at UB on Sunday.
Brian Windschitl is the senior arts editor and can be reached at brian.windschitl@ubspectrum.com. Follow him on Twitter at @_brnwnd.
