Frank Santora, 25, of Buffalo, has undergone a transformation of sorts. "Universe Shark will swallow you whole, and when they spit you out, you'll be something new," Santora said last Friday at DBGB on Allen Street, while local jam band Universe Shark prepared to take the stage. Thankfully, nobody was literally swallowed whole that night.
Artist: Yanni Album: Truth of Touch Label: Yanni Wake Entertainment Release Date: Feb. 8 Grade: C- For those of you that were waiting, wait no longer.
"Come Dream with Us" appropriately reads the caption splashed across the promotional flyer for a tour featuring musicians hailing all the way from the rainy state of Washington. On their two-month "Winter Greyhound Tour," autococoon and 1985 will be stopping at Sugar City in Buffalo this Sunday to intoxicate music lovers with their sound and enlighten humanitarians. Caitlin Payne Roberts of autococoon and Matthew Fu of 1985 will perform alongside local musicians, Martin Freeman of Repeater and Joshua Lee Almendinger, in an effort to support Roberts' association with the Honduras Accompaniment Project. At the end of the tour in mid-February, Roberts is expected to attend training in San Francisco, Calif.
Teen Titans No. 91 Puberty is a rough time, especially for those whose weekend chores consist of saving the planet from total destruction.
What would a band whose name was inspired by a famous children's book author sound like? Turns out, nothing like the whimsical and gentle poetry by Shel Silverstein. Five-piece post-hardcore/screamo outfit Silverstein has steadily been gaining popularity over the last decade.
As signed bands argue with record companies, unsigned bands engage in an equally difficult battle with promoters.
Friday night showcased the necessity for a frontman that knows how to put on a live show, which is more rare now than one might think. One of the most diverse tours of the winter stopped at Water Street Music Hall in Rochester and left with the patrons begging for more. Anberlin, Circa Survive, and Foxy Shazam all brought their high-octane live shows, but only two of the bands were able to warm up the crowd and get it participating. Foxy Shazam is known around the underground as possessing one of the highest-energy and choreographed live shows in the industry, and it's true.
Whether they're loyal to the books, a fan of the flicks, or are just having a "Lazy Sunday," Narnia lovers will be captivated by The Chronicles of Narnia: The Exhibition at the Buffalo Museum of Science, a series of displays that will immerse them into a land they have all grown to know so well. Since the exhibition's debut in Buffalo last Monday, devoted fans of Narnia have found themselves on a pilgrimage to the Museum of Science to explore the world of their imaginations.
Grade: A- Blood, guts and more severed limbs than an amputee ward; welcome to Dead Space 2.
Album: Mine is Yours Artist: Cold War Kids Label: Downtown Records Release Date: Jan. 25 Grade: A- With major album drops from Vampire Weekend, The Black Keys, and Arcade Fire, there is no denying that 2010 was the year of the indie kid.
Album: Deerhoof vs. Evil Artist: Deerhoof Release Date: Jan. 25 Label: Polyvinyl Records Grade: B In Deerhoof's wonderfully titled 10th studio release, Deerhoof vs.
Who: Jameson Butler What: The Mechanic When: The next 72 hours?straight Where: Pretty much any theater Why: It's Jason Statham kicking bad guy butt, and chances are, there is going to be at least one scene of him without a shirt.
Artist: Architects Album: The Here and Now Label: Century Media Records Release Date: Jan. 25 Grade: A- Hailing all the way from Brighton, UK, Architects have returned with The Here and Now; an album that's as heavy as it is beautiful. This is Architects' fifth studio album and they've yet to show any sign of slowing down.
Grade: A- In 2007, when Media Molecule introduced the world to the future of the platforming genre, no one would have expected the future to be made of burlap.
Green Lantern Corps No. 56 The Corps are in a rough position, trapped in the clutches of Qwardians, as Earth's mightiest lanterns, John Stewart and Kyle Rayner, can only watch helplessly as their comrades are quickly becoming prisoners of war. The Weaponer, their enslaver, is a villain of the most epic proportions.
1. "State of the Union" ? Rise Against 2. "American Idiot" ? Green Day 3. "March of the Dogs" ? Sum 41 4.
Artist: The Get Up Kids Album: There Are Rules Label: Quality Hill Records Release Date: Jan. 25 Grade: C It's very interesting to hear the new product of a band that is sorry for the scene it helped create.
Thursday, Jan. 27, Rapids Theatre ? Snoop Dogg Some might say he is past his prime, but Snoop Dogg is one of rap music's proven veterans.
Solutions by The State News
