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COMMENTARY: BUFFALO IS A LOT LIKE BALTIMORE, ONLY MORE SO

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NEWS: WHO IS JOCKEYING TO SUCCEED DEAN SKELOS?

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CENTERFOLD: CAITLIN CASS’S BENJAMIN RATHBUN SAGA CONTINUES

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EVENTS: PORCHFEST, 10,000 MANIACS, KIESZA, AND MORE

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PUBLIC RECORD: Skelos and the local GOP, plus other small news.

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LOOKING BACKWARD: St. Ann’s Church & Shrine, built 1878-1886.

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THE PUBLIC / MAY 6, 2015 / DAILYPUBLIC.COM

COMMENTARY NEWS Baltimore, Maryland: Saturday, May 2. See more photos on page 23.

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IS BUFFALO BALTIMORE?

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The conditions that led to unrest in that city obtain here, too

BY MICHAEL I. NIMAN FORBES MAGAZINE IS TO CORPORATE capitalism what Sports Illustrated is to professional sports. It’s the “capitalist’s tool.” These are their words, not mine. It’s their branding moniker. The 98-year-old business and finance magazine is edited by Steve Forbes, the billionaire who twice ran for president on the platform of replacing our progressive income tax structure with a plutocracy-friendly “flat tax.” Understanding this background is important in order to understand the earth-shaking significance of a recent (4/28/15) Forbes editorial piece by contributor Dan Diamond, blaming the civil disorder in Baltimore on persistent social inequality “that puts people down—and keeps them down.”

For readers of this column, this seems like one of those “duh” moments. But I’m quoting Forbes, whose existence is grounded in celebrating a greed-driven empire of denial. That Forbes chose to run Diamond’s piece says a lot about the threat that wealth disparity poses to the corporate order. A curfew means no one is spending money at Applebee’s or driving to shopping malls. A burned CVS means no one is filling expensive prescriptions or buying tubs of ice cream or cases of Bud Light. In March, Forbes valued the Baltimore Orioles at $1 billion, with annual revenues of a quarter billion, but last week they played to an empty stadium.

The bottom line: Urban unrest is disruptive to the sacred free market that “the capitalist’s tool” exists to serve. The rich took too much of the pie; now there’s no pie.

The argument in Forbes is sound and simple: Poverty in sections of Baltimore is at a crisis level. This leads to hopelessness, despair, and disenfranchisement from the so-called “economic recovery” that is thrown in the face of poor and working-class people who have seen their own living conditions grow progressively more desperate and unstable. The problem in Baltimore, however, is far from unique.

The Forbes piece points out that “about a quar-

ter of Baltimore residents live below the poverty line.” Here in Buffalo, recent Census data puts that number at more than 31 percent, with the number in Rochester well above 35 percent. For people under the age of 18 in Buffalo, that number soars to just over 50 percent. This last number is especially important since early accounts report that raging teens made up a large percent of those committing property damage in Baltimore, what the media terms “rioting.”

The Forbes story points out that the official unemployment rate in the impoverished area of Baltimore where most property damage broke out, is 19.1 percent. Official unemployment rates in the two poorest ZIP codes in Buffalo are just under 19 percent. While the actual rate of joblessness is much higher in both Buffalo and Baltimore, the official rate gives us a good benchmark for comparison. The two communities match up pretty well across a host of economic metrics. So, could we have been Baltimore last week?

To understand riots, let’s start with the more common white riot—a mass chaotic outbreak of white folks trashing property, attacking the police, etc. In many ways, these are the most frightening riots, since they often break out without precipitating incidents or causal factors. White crowds have been known to riot over sporting events, with wins seemingly more socially disruptive than losses. White youth riot when they’re happy, like at spring break, or just when they’re drunk en masse, such as at Keene, New Hampshire’s Pumpkin Festival last year. Historically these uprisings have gone beyond property crimes, however, giving our nation a horrific multi-century history of lynchings and white mob killings.

Black riots, by comparison, are more predictable.

Historically, just about every major rageful uprising of black folks has been in reaction to a violent police incident, usually in the form of a seemingly racist violation of the human rights of some member of the black community. Social disparity and injustice certainly fuels the frustration that historically is a component in such events, but in

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black communities civil disturbances also seem to need a spark. If a city wants to maintain the peace and protect their big-box pharmacies, it needs to avoid putting a spark to the injustice of its social fabric.

Here in Buffalo, this means we need to look proactively at racial disparities in policing, not only in the city but in all of the political constructs we call suburbs. Omnipresent cell phone video cameras mean that racist business-as-usual can no longer be ignored by authorities or hidden from the general public. Communities that have historically been denied justice are both fed up and empowered by recent events. I’ve always said this abuse has to stop—because it’s wrong. That, apparently, never was enough of an argument to move the ball. Now we’re reminded it’s also bad for business. Maybe that will move the sociopaths among our civic leaders to action. Property values won’t go up if adjacent neighborhoods are burning down.

Independent police review boards and monitors, and zero tolerance for civil rights violations, starting today, will go a long way toward preventing civic unrest by preventing sparks. But this is only a Band-Aid. The only real long-term fix that will cut the fuel to social unrest is to address the growing gap between the rich and the poor, and to address the societal structures that game the system and maintain racial inequity across generations.

For all the feel good stories about Buffalo rising, it’s not. We’re following in the path of gilded cities that are divided into playgrounds for the comparatively wealthy and bottomless hellholes for the intergenerationally poor. From Buffalo’s hipster enclaves, things might look great. Holistically, however, we’re living in a tinderbox of inequality.

Michael I. Niman is a professor of journalism and critical media studies at SUNY Buffalo State. His columns are available globally through syndication and are archived at mediP astudy.com.

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NEWS LOCAL

THE PUBLIC RECORD:

LITWIN FEEDS THE LOCAL GOP

BY GEOFF KELLY

GIVEN LOCAL MEDIA’S AFFINITY for extracting Western New

two terms in Albany? Cuomo last week nominated Grisanti for a plum post on the state Court of Claims. The job pays $174,000.

York connections from big stories unfolding elsewhere, it is surprising that none seems to have reported the contents of a footnote on page 17 of the federal complaint against New York State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and his son, Adam.

Equally unsurprising: Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz declared on Facebook this week that he would not be the Conservative Party’s candidate in his re-election bid this fall:

Both Skeloses surrendered to arrest on Monday, charged with using the father’s substantial political influence to derive payoff for the son from companies with business before the state.

After careful consideration, I have informed Chairman Lorigo I would not seek nor accept if offered the Conservative Party’s endorsement. While I respect the members of the Conservative Party of Erie County I cannot reconcile a number of the party’s positions with mine.

One of those businesses is Glenwood Management, a Long Island-based real estate holding company founded by magnate Leonard Litwin. (Pictured right.) On page 17, the complaint offers, as an example of Skelos’s influence, his arrangement of donations worth $100,000 from Glenwood to the Erie County Republican Committee in just one day.

Poloncarz, a Democrat, will face Republican Assemblyman Ray Walter in the fall. Neither candidate faces a primary opponent as of now.

Here’s the footnote:

At the same time that CW-1 [a Glenwood executive collaborating with federal investigators] was negotiating on behalf of ADAM SKELOS for greater compensation, DEAN SKELOS was soliciting substantial campaign contributions from Developer-1 [Glenwood] to DEAN SKELOS and officials and political entities selected by DEAN SKELOS. For example, on the same day CW-1 sent the email above, CW-1 and the Developer-1 Lobbyist exchanged emails about a call from DEAN SKELOS to send overnight checks to the Erie County Republican Committee, over which the Developer-1 Lobbyist believed that DEAN SKELOS had significant control. Public records show that Developer-1 sent five checks, totaling $100,000, dated September 2, 2012, using five different LLCs contributing $20,000 each.

Glenwood and its affiliate companies are huge donors in New York State politics: Newsday pegs its donations at $14.3 million since 1999. The five LLCs Glenwood used to fill Skelos’s order on behalf of the Erie County GOP have contributed nearly $3 million since 2006.

(They are, for those who like to plumb the campaign finance filings, 56th Street Realty LLC, Arwin 74th Street Realty LLC, Arwin 88th Street Realty LLC, East 72nd Street Realty LLC, and East 77th Street Realty LLC.) In that time period, these five LLCs gave individually to other local politicians, current and former: $44,000 to Senator Mike Ranzenhofer, $25,000 to Senator Tim Kennedy, $10,000 to Mark Grisanti, $10,000 to George Maziarz, $6,500 to Dale Volker, and nearly $5,000 to Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes.

The $100,000 would seem to have benefited Grisanti: Three days after receiving the Glenwood donations, the county GOP transferred $78,000 to Grisanti’s campaign. Grisanti, a Republican, was days away from a tough primary against Kenmore attorney Kevin Stocker, who campaigned on Grisanti’s vote in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage, among other capitulations to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s agenda.

In last year’s election cycle, Glenwood contributed nearly $3.6 million to New York State candidates, according to a Capital New York report, and at least another $700,000 in independent expenditures through a nonprofit that worked to retain Republican control of the New York State Senate. The company is also tied up in the charges against Sheldon Silver, the former Assembly Speaker who resigned that post February 2 after his arrest on federal corruption charges.

It’s certainly nothing new that a wealthy real estate magnate like Litwin should use a web of LLCs and, more recently, inscrutable nonprofits to funnel money to politicians who, in turn, help to make his enterprises richer. It illustrates, however, how systemic and powerful corruption is in New York State. US Attorney Preet Bharara and the FBI may target a Silver or a Skelos, perhaps even draw a bead on a sitting governor; others will take their seats.

IS ANYONE WHO FOLLOWS POLITICS SURPRISED that Governor Andrew Cuomo found a way to reward Mark Grisanti, who lost his State Senate seat last year to Marc Panepinto, for his devotion to Cuomo’s policy initiatives during his

DOES MAYORAL CONTROL HAVE LEGS?

BY JUSTIN SONDEL AS ASSEMBLYWOMAN Crystal Peoples-Stokes moves forward with her push to bring mayoral control to Buffalo Public Schools it remains unclear whether she will enjoy the support of her own party, let alone find votes from Republican senators necessary to make it a reality.

Peoples-Stokes, the Buffalo Democrat with close ties to both Governor Andrew Cuomo and Buffalo Mayor Byron, introduced a bill Monday that would establish mayoral takeover of the Queen City’s school system, which has struggled mightily in recent years with graduation rates hovering around 50 percent and a school board where infighting and personal attacks are commonplace.

But members of the Western New York delegation, on both sides of the aisle, are ambivalent.

Senator Patrick Gallivan, a Republican whose district stretches from the suburbs of Buffalo to the suburbs of Rochester, said his conference—which holds the majority in the Senate—has made no final determination on

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whether or not Peoples-Stokes bill would be considered.

“I’m sure it’s something over the next couple of weeks that I certainly will be discussing it and trying to learn more on where leadership is and where the conference is traditionally,” Gallivan said in a phone interview this week.

A ranking member of the Senate Republicans echoed Gallivan’s comments, saying that the conference was non-committal but open to considering, and negotiating for, mayoral control.

Gallivan said that regardless of whether the push is successful, something has to be done to address the persistent issues plaguing the schools in Buffalo. Even as some economic factors improve and more people look toward living in the city, families with young children are being pushed back out into the suburbs

THE PUBLIC / MAY 6, 2015 / DAILYPUBLIC.COM

REMEMBER A FEW YEARS BACK when there was a spirited argument about licensing chicken coops in the City of Buffalo? Opponents contended that chickens were nuisance and unhygienic; proponents maintained that urban production of healthful foods, small and large, could be an important part of the revitalization of a poor city scarred by vacant lots. The Common Council was tied up in the details for weeks. A statute was finally created, outlining requirements for notification of neighbors and setbacks, and forbidding roosters.

The outcome, according to the city’s latest reckoning: Just 14 permits have been issued. Which is not to say there aren’t more chickens out there…

DEAN SKELOS HAS HAD NO MORE FEARSOME AND CONSISTENT CRITIC than Carl Paladino, the 2010 GOP gubernatorial candidate whose campaign was derailed by the release of a cache of emails containing racist jokes and pornographic images that Paladino disseminated to a long list of recipients. Paladino’s campaign manager, Mike Caputo, has said that Paladino’s candidacy never recovered.

This week, a local tea party activist published a blog post accusing Alan Bedenko, a columnist for The Public and the guy who released the emails five years ago, of fabricating them. This is a fascinating accusation: Paladino has never disputed ownership of the emails; he merely argued their irrelevance, eventually apologized for causing offense, and tried unsuccessfully to move on. Bedenko suggests that the author of the post—Jul Thompson, wife of Rus Thompson, who served as Paladino’s driver in 2010—is seeking to discredit Bedenko because he is at odds with a friend of Thompson in a rancorous debate over school district policy in Clarence.

But who can see into the heart of tea partier from Grand Island?

Read Bedenko’s response at dailypublic.com.

for a lack of educational opportunities inside city limits.

“I think there’s the obligation to look at every potential avenue before you make the decision,” Gallivan said. “What’s the best way to go?”

While many Western New York Democrats have remained silent on the issue, Peoples-Stokes is facing opposition from at least one member of her own party. Senator Marc Panepinto, also a Buffalo Democrat, introduced what he describes as a compromise bill that would give the mayor input through two additional appointment seats on the school board—it is currently a nine-member body comprising six district and three at-large seats—to boost the city executive’s influence in the schools without handing over the keys.

Panepinto, a freshman lawmaker who enjoyed the support of the state teachers union but did not receive an endorsement from the governor in his campaign, also suggested during an interview with Capital Tonight’s Liz Benjamin that there could be larger forces at work, namely people from the Cuomo camp.

“Obviously the governor has had issues on the education front as we saw played out during the budget, and I think he’s got good institutional support from the assemblywoman (Peoples-Stokes) and the mayor [Brown],” Panepinto said in the interview. “So if [Cuomo] wants to do a test case for upstate mayoral control, Buffalo is the place to do it.”

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As for Brown, the mayor has continually said that he is not pushing for control of the schools, but would take the responsibility on if Albany lawmakers were to pass the Peoples-Stokes bill.

The mayor told City & State last week that he feels, despite the dysfunctional appearance of city schools, there are many places where key stakeholders—unions, business leaders, parents—all agree.

With his record as a consensus-builder, Brown believes he would be able to emphasize those points of agreement and bring people together to move them forward, he said.

“I would love to see those things that people agree on be adopted and then move in unison on those things,” Brown said.

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie visited Buffalo last weekend to attend a fundraiser for Grassroots, a political organization that has supported both Brown and Stokes throughout their careers, and the subject surely arose. But it remains to be seen whether the assemblywoman and her allies will be able to build the type of support needed to get her measure through the legislature and what the Democrats might have to give up to make it happen.

Justin Sondel is a staff reporter for City & State, P with which The Public shares content.

LOCAL NEWS PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BUFFALO HISTORY MUSEUM.

LOOKING BACKWARD: ST. ANN’S CHURCH AND SHRINE “We are the proud possessors of a most magnificent temple of God, but we have not built it. It was erected by our poor but pious ancestors who wanted to achieve something great for God.” —Souvenir of the First Fifty Years of Saint Ann’s Church, 1928

St. Ann’s Church and Shrine, at the corner of Broadway and Emslie streets, is the largest vacant religious structure in Buffalo. It was built between 1878 and 1886 by its own parishioners—skilled German artisans lacking in worldly wealth. Every stone was quarried, cut, and fitted into place by the church’s flock. Two spires, 225 and 180 feet in height, extended from the east and west towers prior to their removal in 1964.

Of the six bells in the east tower, one—named Sancta Anna—weighs 7,800 pounds and is reportedly the largest swinging bell in Buffalo. A mechanical weight and pendulum-driven tower clock, added in 1895, is still operational. The Royal Bavarian Art Works in Munich created the 35 stained glass windows. The church and shrine is even home to three “sacred particles” which some believe are from the body of St. Ann, grandmother of Jesus. Today, the church’s future is in doubt. The census tract surrounding St. Ann’s lost 77 percent of its population from 1950 to 2010. The Buffalo Diocese closed the church in 2012, and announced plans for demolition in 2013. It was shortly declared a city landmark and a Vatican court, acting on appeal by the small flock fighting for the church, ruled in 2014 that St. Ann’s could not be deconsecrated.

St. Ann’s Church and Shrine is now in limbo. Needed repairs are not being made, and P demolition by neglect continues. -THE PUBLIC STAFF

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NEWS STATE

SUCCEEDING SKELOS Let’s look at who’s jockeying to replace the embattled Senate Majority Leader

BY ASHLEY HUPFL

SINCE THE MONDAY ARREST OF New York State Senate Majority Leader Dean Ske-

los and his son, Adam, on federal corruption charges, political insiders have begun to speculate who could replace Skelos should he resign from his leadership position.

While Skelos has not made any indication that he is planning on stepping down and very well could continue on as leader, the fallout of former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver’s arrest and subsequent resignation of that leadership post already has many anticipating a similar shift in the Senate.

Several veteran observers say that the next election for majority leader will involve a fight between upstate legislators and the Long Island delegation. Upstate senators are frustrated with Long Island leadership on issues like school aid and economic development, while the Long Island power structure will fight to continue its grip on the leadership.

Here we break down the most common names being floated for the position and evaluated the strengths and weaknesses each candidate brings.

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FRONT-RUNNERS TOM LIBOUS PROS: As deputy majority leader and veteran lawmaker, Libous has strong ties to the Long Island senators and the upstate New York senators. Libous is wellliked and respected in the conference.

CONS: That being said, Libous seems to be a highly unlikely candidate for replacing Skelos due to his own impending trial in July. Libous is accused of lying to an FBI investigator in 2010 when he was interviewed about an alleged scheme to get his son a job at a law firm.

In addition to the charges, Libous was diagnosed with cancer in 2009 which has since spread to his lungs and bones. Recently, he underwent spinal surgery from a blood infection caused by the cancer.

JOHN FLANAGAN PROS: As chair of the state Senate Education Committee, Flanagan is well-versed in the education issues that have dominated the legislative session this year.

If Skelos’s arrest does not completely derail the rest of the session, Flanagan could be the best person to step up to the negotiating table on these issues.

Flanagan is from the Long Island delegation, which will fight to keep control of the leadership position. From a numbers standpoint, he could have nine of the 17 needed votes from Long Island alone if Skelos steps aside but stays on as a rank-and-file member.

Additionally, Young is chair of the state Senate Housing Committee, and the expiring rent regulation laws and 421-a will be a huge issue in the last few weeks of session.

CONS: Because of her position as chair of the Senate Republican Campaign Committee, Young has ties to some of the real estate developers and companies that are involved in the federal investigations into Silver and Skelos. One political observer went so far as to rule her out completely because of those issues. Following Skelos’s arrest, state Senate Republicans will likely want to pick a leader that will have no potential legal issues and is clean—or at least as clean as can be.

Young was reported back in 2013 to have doubled-dipped the STAR tax relief program and improperly received a tax credit for a condo.

JAMES SEWARD

JOHN DEFRANCISCO

of the session.

PROS: As chair of the Senate Finance Committee, DeFrancisco has been heavily involved in the conference’s policy decisions. His experience and knowledge of the conference’s goals would make him a logical choice to get through the final weeks

He is a veteran lawmaker who is well-respected by most of the conference’s members.

Unlike some of the other candidates, DeFrancisco has not been tied to any federal investigations or other ethics issues.

CONS: Every political observer City & State spoke to said DeFrancisco had emphasized that he has no interest in the leadership position. One went so far to say he is fed up with Albany and may soon retire.

CATHARINE YOUNG PROS: As chair of the state Senate Republican Campaign Committee, Young has ties to the new members and knows how to raise money.

She is a woman, which would reflect well on Republicans politically after they were hammered over the past few years for their failure to pass the full Women’s Equality Agenda. She would also be a historic pick as the first female state Senate majority leader.

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PROS: Seward has not been one of the more obvious candidates floated for the leadership position, but was mentioned by all political observers City & State spoke with.

He could emerge as a “compromise” candidate if the upstate Republicans are able to wrestle control of the conference from the Long Island delegation.

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CONS: Seward has never brought in significant fundraising efforts, which ultimately could hurt him and the conference.

NEW PROPERTIES

LONG-SHOTS JOSEPH GRIFFO PROS: Griffo has avoided any investigations or accusations of ethics violations.

As a veteran member of the conference he is aware of his colleagues priorities and knows the mechanics of the chamber, which could help guide the conference through the rest of the session.

Like Seward, he is generally liked by all members of the conference and could be a consensus candidate that upstate members and Long Island members could agree on.

CONS: He does not strike observers as ambitious, which could be viewed as a negative within the conference if they seek a permanent successor.

PATRICK GALLIVAN PROS: Gallivan has a lot of respect from the business community.

Gallivan has a background in law enforcement, which given recent federal investigations in Albany could work for him publicly.

CONS: Relative to the other candidates, Gallivan is lacking in seniority.

He was elected to the state Senate in 2011.

He was one of the targets of the Moreland Commission, as reported by City & State last year, which suggested he had about $80,000 in “unreported credit card expenses.”

As a Western New York politician, he could face some resentment due to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s economic development efforts in that area.

Other upstate regions have criticized the money put into the Buffalo Billion while other areas, like the Southern Tier, continue to struggle economically.

Ashley Hupfl is a staff reporter for City & State, P with which The Public shares content.

PLEAS EXAM THIS P CAREF

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Seward has been around for a long time and does not appear to have any federal investigations surrounding him. He’s called a “nice guy,” and keeps a low profile, which could also hurt him.

CONS: There are concerns that Flanagan has been subpoenaed as a part of the Skelos investigation and could be a potential target.

Flanagan has been a supporter of the Common Core curriculum, although he has backed off and suggested reform to the teacher evaluation system. One observer said Flanagan is already facing opposition from the anti-Common Core faction.

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7

ARTS REVIEW

DAVID ADAMO ALBRIGHT-KNOX ART GALLERY 1285 ELMWOOD AVE, BUFFALO / ALBRIGHTKNOX.ORG

David Adamo’s sculptures.

PHOTO BY TOM LOONAN

THE WOODCARVERS David Adamo at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery

BY JACK FORAN MAYBE EVERYBODY KNOWS THIS ALREADY, and, as often,

I am the last to find out. But maybe there’s still someone who doesn’t—maybe several—and so it’s worth relating. The other day on my way home from a visit to the Albright-Knox, I was walking the path along the north shoreline of Hoyt Lake—a path I guess I hadn’t traversed in a while, or if I did, I wasn’t looking—and discovered to my delight there are beavers now in the lake. At least one, but probably a family. I remember Hoyt Lake when no self-respecting beaver would go near it, much less swim in it. But now there are unmistakable signs of beaver along that path: one sizable—nearly a foot in diameter—clearly beaver-felled tree, not yet removed to whatever further location the beaver might have had in mind. And other beaver-gnawed trees, some of which the Olmsted Conservancy people—so I’m not the first to discover the beavers—have encircled with wire fencing to prevent or discourage further beaver depredations. (There are a lot of scrub trees along the north side of the lake the Olmsted people would probably be just as happy if the beavers removed.)

IN GALLERIES NOW:

BY TINA DILLMAN = ART OPENING 225 Louisiana Street Studios (225 Louisiana Street, Buffalo, NY 14204): Pop Up Installation by Marissa Carol & open studios including artist Mark Synder 5-8pm.

1045 Elmwood Gallery for the Arts (1045 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14222, 716-228, photographics2.com/store/ welcome-to-our-studio-1045-gallerystore): Student Art Show in Ceramic Sculptures by Hilary Collins. Thu & Fri 11-6, Sat 11-4 and by appointment.

Albright-Knox Art Gallery (1285 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, New York 14222, 8828700, albrightknox.org): Coexistence: Humans and Nature (2015 AK Teens: Future Curators Exhibition) on view through May 17; Overtime: The Art of Work & Eye to Eye: Looking Beyond Likeness, both shows on view through May 17; David Adamo in the Sculpture Court, on view through May 17: Robert Heinecken: Surrealism on TV, on view till May 31.

Tue-Sun 10am-5pm, open late First Fridays until 10pm.

Art Dialogue Gallery Custom Framing (5 Linwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14209. artdialoguegallery.com): New work by Donald Scheller, on view through May 29. TueFri 11am-5pm, Sat 11am-3pm.

Artists Group Gallery (Western New York Artists Group) (1 Linwood Ave, Buffalo, NY 14209, 885-2251, wnyag.com): Art-

8

The visit to the Albright-Knox was to see an exhibit to get to which I had to pass through the main sculpture court—the central room in the old building—where I had a quick look for the first time at the David Adamo sculptures, which I immediately decided I should try to write about. But not just then, not just yet. Huge chunks of raw wood, like segments of old barn beams, carved, chiseled—but chiseled isn’t quite the right concept, the right referent tool, which is not a chisel but what’s properly called a gouge, a rounded or scoop chisel—into minimalist, modernist forms for the most part, but some more ancient forms, too, or suggestive of ancient forms, such as architectural forms. Or occasionally or incidentally other sculptures by other artists. Terrific stuff, but just what to say about it? What about it made it terrific? Something I couldn’t quite make the connection to right then and there. Other, smaller, more enigmatic items—a ceramic facsimile of an orange peel remnant after somebody had peeled an orange and ate the innards, or sculptural half-eaten pear, or half-eaten corn on the cob, or painted aluminum what look like deflated balloons—leavings, like from the day after the

ists See Buffalo, on view through May 29. Tue-Fri 11am-5pm, Sat 11am-3pm, Closed Sun-Mon. Benjaman Gallery (419 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY, 14222, 553-8483, benjamangallery.com): An Exploration of Regional Art over 3 Centuries, with a focus on the paintings of Robert N. Blair. ThuSat 11-5pm, Sun-Wed by appointment.

Big Orbit (30 Essex Street, Buffalo, NY 14222, cepagallery.org/about-big-orbit): Drawing Together with Felice Koenig, a collaborative drawing project.

Koenig will be present for 90 minute sessions each weekend through May 10. Visit site to sign up for an appointment: http://cs1projects.org/drawingtogether. Fri-Sun 12-6pm.

Box Gallery (Buffalo Niagara Hostel, 667 Main St, Buffalo, NY 14203): As Above, So Below, new work by Caroline Doherty, on view through May 10.

BT&C Gallery (1250 Niagara Street, Buffalo, NY 14213, 604-6183, btandcgallery. com): some things, work by Roberley Bell, on view till May 29. Gallery open Fri 12-5pm or by appointment. ¡Buen Vivir! (148 Elmwood Ave. Buffalo, NY 14201): Photographs by Orin Langelle, Struggles for Justice: Forests, Land, and Human Rights—Late 80s to Late 90s, on view through June 19.

Fri 3-8pm.

Buffalo Arts Studio (Tri Main Building 5th Floor, 2496 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14214, 833-4450, buffaloartsstudio.org): William Koch, Works on Paper, opening May 8. On view through June 5. Tue-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 10am2pm, Fourth Fridays until 8pm.

THE PUBLIC / MAY 6, 2015 / DAILYPUBLIC.COM

Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology (1221 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14209, 2591680, buffaloartstechcenter.org): Coexistence: Humans and Nature, April 24May 15, Opening Thu Apr 23, 5-6:30pm.

Mon-Fri 10am-3pm.

Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens (2655 South Park Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14218, 827-1584, buffalogardens.com): Gardens’ Painting Class, included with admission; Mar 20-May 25, Mon-Sun 10am-5pm. Paintasia, on view till May 25 in the Arcangel Gallery. Mon-Sun 10am5pm, included with Garden Admission.

Buffalo & Erie County Central Library (1 Lafayette Square, Buffalo, NY 14203, 8588900, buffalolib.org): Buffalo Public Schools Annual Art Exhibit, a selection of student work from the city’s art program. 8:30am-6:00pm every day, open Thu until 8:00pm and 12-5pm on Sun. Burchfield Penney Art Center (1300 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14222, 8786011, burchfieldpenney.org): Fri May 8: Hands-on activities and performances by La Marimba (5:30pm) & A Musical Feast Takes a Deep Breath (8pm). On view The Likeness of Being, portraits by Philip Burke; Selections from a Soldier’s Portfolio, Patteran: A Living Force & Moving Power, Robert Blair; Portrait of a Media Artist, Emil Schult; The Scrutiny of Objects, Sculptures by Robert A. Booth; Inquisitive Lens, Marion Faller; Charles E. (The Font Project), Richard Kegler/P22 Type Foundry; Audio Graphics, Charles E. Burchfield; A Resounding Roar, Charles E. Burchfield; Body Norms, selections for the Spong Collection. Tue, Wed, Fri & Sat 10am-5pm, Sec-

party—are in the small sculpture gallery, behind the main sculpture court. I meant to come back and have more of a look at this stuff. Think about it.

Then on my way home, seeing the beaver evidence, it occurred to me. Adamo’s art is totally beaver. What the carving—gouging—looks like is beaver chew. Sculpturally revealing inner form previously concealed in the matrix raw form. But not only are beavers carvers, they are builders, constructors, the other kind of sculptor Adamo has recourse to in the small works, the small works, the ceramics and painted fashioned metal.

Moreover, what beavers are notable for is their leavings, the coneform stumps and cone-end felled trees, distinctly beaver-gnawed with little gouge marks from their little gouge—not properly chisel—teeth. And copious chips and shavings if you get there reasonably soon after the beaver’s work session on a tree.

On the floor along the whole front wall of the main sculpture court is a kind of trash pile of wood chips and fragments, ostensibly wood removed in the carving process on the large sculptures.

The tall, handsome minimalist form large sculptures invoke— in addition to the beaver process artist—artworks the likes of Greek temple pillars, Bernini spiral pillars (called solomonic), sculptures by Giacometti, Gaston Lachaise, Carl Andre.

(The Lachaise-reminiscent piece stands roughly where the Albright-Knox property Lachaise full-figured bronze woman has often stood in the main sculpture court.)

Other items in the small sculpture gallery include a sculptural disembodied nose, in homage to Russian writer Nikolai Gogol, his short story, The Nose, and several rows of pyramid classic metronomes, in homage to Hungarian composer Györgi Ligeti, his Poème Symphonique, for one hundred metronomes counting tempi simultaneously at different speeds. These metronomes are silent, however, surely also in homage to John Cage, who composed silent music.

Further personal note (also involving beavers): Some eons ago, I lived in Vermont for several years, in a remote location—in the winter, when the trees were bare of foliage, you could see one other house, on a ridge more than a half-mile away—a few feet from a rushing stream or small river that supported—about a quarter-mile upstream—a family of beavers that had constructed a dam that provided them their own still-water swimming pool.

Most evenings in the summer I would wander up to the beaver pool and sit on a large felled tree trunk the beavers had left conveniently on the shore for spectators—I think once they felled it, they found it was too big to do anything with—and watch for an hour or so as, their work done for the day, they came out and swam around leisurely in their pool, from time to time approaching the shore where I was sitting watching, but never coming ashore. We didn’t get that sociable. But I flatter myself to think they were as interested in me as I was in them. And from time to time, beaver tail slap on the water, and disappear for a minute or so before resurfacing in another part of the pond. I plan to get over to Hoyt Lake some evenings this summer to try to observe the beavers. To catch their show.

The excellent David Adamo exhibit continues through May 17. P

ond Fridays until 8pm, Thu 10am-9pm, Sun 1-5pm.

Canisius College Mary and Lou Vogt Art Gallery (Canisius College 2001 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14208, 888-8412): Inked, works by Patrick Willett on view through May 22.

Castellani Art Museum (5795 Lewiston Road, Niagara University, NY 14109, 286-8200, castellaniartmuseum.org): Patrick Foran: Defacement, opening May 10, 2-4p, with an artist talk at 3pm; Artists View the Falls: 300 Years of Niagara Falls Imagery, on view through Aug 16.

Tues-Sat 11am-5pm, Sun 1-5pm.

CEPA (617 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, 856-2717, cepagallery.org): Baby’s on Fire: Rachel Rampleman. On view through May 30. Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 12-4pm.

The CG Jung Center (408 Franklin Street, (Side Entrance), Buffalo, NY 14202, apswny.com): preluce: gregarious nature, Alicia Marvan, on view through May 22.

Eleven Twenty Projects (1120 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14209, 882-8100, eleventwentyprojects.com): The Sacrifice: A Retrospective (1980-2013) of Joe Orffeo through My 9. Open by appoinment only.

El Museo (91 Allen Street, Buffalo, NY 14202, 464-4692, elmuseobuffalo.org): Memento: New Paintings by Chuck Tingley, on view through June 2. Tue-Sat 12-5pm.

Hallwalls (341 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202, 854-1694, hallwalls.org): Amid/In WNY Part Two, survey of local and regional contemporary artists on

view through May 1. Tue-Fri 11am-6pm, Sat 11am-2pm.

Hi-Temp Fabrications (79 Perry Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, 852-5656, appointment only): Phism: Sorry, Grandma, Senior Thesis BFA Art Exhibition opening Sat May 2, 5-9pm & Experiential Ecosystems-video projections by Mary Beth Osborn, opening Sat May 2, 7-9pm.

Indigo Art Gallery (47 Allen Street, Buffalo, NY 14202, 984-9572 indigoartbuffalo. squarespace.com): Collisions, installation & paintings by George Afedzi. Opening Fri May 1, 6-9pm, artist talk 5/16 at 1pm. On view through May 30. Wed & Fri 12-6pm, Thu 12-7pm, Sat 12-3pm, and by appointment Sundays and Mondays.

Kenan Center Gallery (433 Locust Street, Lockport, NY 14094, 433-2617 kenancenter.org/arts/gallery.asp): Extraordinary Forms IV: The Ceramics Legacy of Robert Wood, on view through June 7.

Mon-Fri 12-5pm & Sun 2-5pm.

Karpeles Manuscript Library (North Hall) (220 North Street, Buffalo, NY 14201, 885-4139, rain.org/~karpeles): On view: Buffalo Boxers: A Cultural Celebration.

Tue-Sun 11am-4pm.

Karpeles Manuscript Museum (Porter Hall) (453 Porter Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14201, 885-4139, rain.org/~karpeles): On view Maps of the United States, and upcoming Early Maps of the World. Tue-Sun 11am-4pm.

Lockside Art Center (21 Main Street, Lockport, NY 14094, 478-0239, locksideartcenter.com): A Brushing Impression, solo exhibition by Manning McCandlish. On view through May, Fri-Sun 12-4pm.

REVIEW ARTS

BUFFALO BUSKERS Gary L. Wolfe’s paintings at Starlight Studio and Gallery

BY PATRICIA PENDLETON

OUR CITY IS ESPECIALLY ATTUNED to the

pleasures of street life as the weather turns warmer after months of winter indoor life. As the season of art walks, festivals, and fairs is just beginning in Western New York, new work by Gary L. Wolfe celebrates the tradition of street musicians. The lone performer or ensemble with donation hat on the ground is a familiar sight throughout the world since ancient times.

These artists entertain in exchange for rewards of gratitude—cash, gifts, food, or drink. Wolfe’s performers are immersed in their playing, while those around them are often absorbed in their own psychic space or talking with others. He explains: “As viewers, we come to these paintings and observe them as a momentary interlude in an ongoing narrative; a rest in a resonating melody.” The artist’s work addresses fundamental human concerns. He has previously exhibited a large body of portraits of homeless folks who inhabit our streets. The small side gallery at Starlight features a few selections from his Wall of Forgotten Faces series that points to the suffering, striving, and surviving all around us.

A Musical Interlude moves our attention to the hopefulness of social gatherings—the reprieve found in art, music, and celebration.

Wolfe works with encaustic and oil on tar paper, materials that highlight the gritty tactile quality of the street and his skillful representational painting ability. The musician is a traditional subject in painting. Renoir, Manet, and Picasso come to mind. However, these paintings are not portraits of the players. Instead,

David Adamczyk on Allen.

Market Street Art Studios (247 Market Street, Lockport, NY 14094, 478-0248, marketstreetstudios.com/): Upstairs gallery: student-teacher exhibition on view through May 9, Sue McKenna Retrospective on view through June 14.

Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm.

Manuel Barreto Furniture (430 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202, 867-8937, manuelbarreto.com): Nothing Happens Twice, work by Jozef Bajus. Exhibit on view through May. Tue & Wed 11am-5pm, Thu-Sat 10am-6pm.

Meibohm Fine Arts (478 Main Street, East Aurora, NY 14052, 652-0940, meibohmfinearts.com): On a Wing, recent watercolor works by Kateri Ewing, on view through May 23. Tue-Sat 9:30am5:30pm.

Native American Museum of Art at Smokin’ Joes (2293 Saunders Settlement Road, Sanborn, NY 14123, 261-9251): Open year round and free. Exhibits Iroquois Artists work. 7am-9pm.

Niagara County Community College Dolce Valvo Art Center (3111 Saunders Settlement Road, Sanborn, NY 14132, 614-5975):

Student Honors show, on view through May 9. Mon & Tue 12-5pm, Wed &Thu 127pm, Fri 12-3pm, Sat 11-3pm.

Nichols School Gallery at the Glenn & Audrey Flickinger Performing Arts Center (1250 Amherst Street, Buffalo, NY 14216, 332-6300, nicholsschool.org/ artshows?rc=0): Parent Art: recent work of Nichols School Parents on view through June 22. Mon-Fri 8am-4pm, Closed Sat & Sun. Open Air Studio (38 17th Street, Buffalo, NY 14213): Laura Curry & Liz Lessner: performance & installation. Sat May 9, 5:30-8:30pm.

Paint the Town Studio (74 Allen Street, Buffalo, NY 14202, 465-6682): Don’t Drink The Kool-Aid, new Work by Nekita Thomas, on view through May 8.

Pausa Art House (19 Wadsworth Street, Buffalo, NY 14201, 697-9069, pausaarthouse.com): Life’s a Beach, by Peter Caruso. Thu-Sat 6pm-12am. Live music every night, see website for more info.

Prism (MyBuffaloPride, 224 Allen Street, Buffalo, NY 14201): Retrospective, 5 years of illustration by Mickey Harmon,

on view through June 1. Thu & Fri 4-8pm, Sat & Sun 3-7pm.

Project 308 Gallery (308 Oliver Street, North Tonawanda, NY 14120, 523-0068, project308gallery.com): Planetary Perspectives, poster designs by Eric Johnson. Opening May 8, on view though May 15. Tue & Thu 7-9pm and by appointment.

Queen City Gallery (617 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, 868-8183, queencitygallery.tripod.com): Rotating members work on view. Tue-Fri 11am-4pm and by appointment. Open late every First Friday from 6-10pm and every Thursday Open Mic, 7-9pm.

Sports Focus Physical Therapy (531 Virginia Street, Buffalo, NY, 14202, 332-4838, Sportsfocuspt.com): Visual Parables by Glenn Kroetsch. Open First Friday May 1, 6-9pm.

Squeaky Wheel (617 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, squeaky.org): Baby’s on Fire, Installation by Rachel Rampleman Storefront Gallery with an Installation by Rachel Rampleman. Tue-Sat 12-5pm.

Starlight Studio and Art Gallery (340 Del-

GARY L. WOLFE STARLIGHT STUDIO AND ART GALLERY 340 DELAWARE AVE, BUFFALO STARLIGHTSTUDIO.ORG

they reveal entire storied environments full of local color—recognizable people and places in the downtown community. Looking at (seeing) his paintings evokes a bit of synesthesia.

The music and voices are almost heard—taste, smell, and touch are activated. A group gathers in front of the former College Street Gallery.

A violinist stands between Hardware and Spirits of Allentown. The detailed scenes include posters pasted on lamp posts, deep shadow, tattooed flesh, and eclectic street attire. A sax player dons an over-sized sombrero. A songstress gestures passionately in a flowing vibrant patterned skirt. An assembly of food vendors beckon a crowd of weary walkers, conjuring a felt sense of afternoon heat and the wafting aroma of fried dough.

Aldous Huxley wrote: “After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.” The busker is one who seeks after this ineffable and shares it with those who listen.

The uplifting paintings of Gary L. Wolfe will remain on view through May 29. Starlight is open to the public weekdays.

P

aware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202, starlightstudio.org): A Musical Interlude: New & Selected paintings by Gary L. Wolfe. Mon-Fri 9-4pm.

Studio Hart (65 Allen Street, Buffalo, NY 14202, 536-8337, studiohart.com): Water’s Edge, group exhibition. Tues-Fri 11:30am-3:30pm, Sat 12-4pm, and open every First Friday 6-9pm.

Sugar City (1239 Niagara Street, Buffalo, NY 14213, buffalosugarcity.org): Body is Home, mixed media work by Jaime Schmidt, on view through May 9.

TGW@497 Gallery (497 Franklin Street, Buffalo, NY 14202, 949-6604): The Collage, work by Joan Fitzgerald, Patti Harris, Marie Hassett, Joyce Hill, Gerald Mead, Russell Ram, Evette Slaughter & Daniel Rodgers. Wed-Fri 12-5pm, Sat 123pm.

UB Anderson Gallery (1 Martha Jackson Place, Buffalo, NY 14214, 829-3754, ubartgalleries.org): Transmaterial, a group exhibition curated by Alicia Marvan. Martha Jackson Graphics: Prints from the UB Art Galleries Permanent Collection; These Fragile Truths, UB MFA

Thesis by Tricia Butski; Our Own Devices: Exploring the Tools of Annette Cravens World. On view through June 28.

Wed-Sat 11am-5pm, Sun 1-5pm.

UB Art Gallery (North Campus, Lower Art Gallery) (201 Center for the Arts, Room B45, Buffalo, NY, 14260, 645-6913, art.buffalo.edu): Phantom Vibrations, curated

by Liz Bayan, works by Lynn Hershman Leeson, Clement Valla, Kris Verdonck, Future Death Toll, Jillian Mayer, Erik Carter and Tyler Madsen. On view through May 16. Tue-Fri 11am-5pm, Sat 1-5pm.

UB Art Gallery (North Campus, Project Space) (155 Center for the Arts, Buffalo, NY, 14260, 645-6913, art.buffalo.edu): Photography by Lawrence Brose, on view until May 8.

Villa Maria College Paul William Beltz Family Art Gallery (240 Pine Ridge Terrace, Cheektowaga, NY 14225, 961-1833): 2015 Graphic Design Student Exhibit. Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 10am-5pm.

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FASHION SPOTLIGHT

ZACH PATTON

BY CORY PERLA

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SPOTLIGHT FASHION IT’S HALLOWEEN AND a young Zachary Patton walks into his fifth-grade classroom.

He’s wearing the new Adidas sneakers his mom just bought him, but this morning he laced them up with black and orange laces. Jaws drop. The crowd goes wild. “Of course now who cares, but in fifth grade, this was a big deal,” says Patton.

It was at this moment that the now 24-year-old founder of Buffalo-based lifestyle brand Cretaceous Clothing realized he had a knack for putting together an impressive outfit.

“My girlfriend Nneka [Gigi] put it best: She said people don’t remember cool, they don’t remember cute, they remember weird. So I always wear things that are too big for me, shoes that are too big, things like that. Things that people will remember.”

By high school, that fashion flair turned into a passion for designing his own clothes and his own brand: Cretaceous Clothing. In 2009, as an 18-year-old senior at Kenmore West, he started creating his own clothing graphics. He made his way to Niagara University, ECC, and then Buffalo State for college, majoring in International Business Management, which he intends to pick up again after a planned move to California this fall.

The #SundayCypher eventually grew too big to work within the confines of the Cretaceous store, so it moved to the Hertel Lounge. The event maxed out at around 200 people one month before drama with the owners of the venue ensued and a fight at their last event in July put it on the back burner.

In 2012 Patton brought on Goose as a business partner. The two met in preschool, and after drifting apart during primary school, reconnected after Cretaceous was off the ground.

“Working with Zach has been amazing,” says Goose. “He’s a really smart guy and has a great business mind. I’ve learned a lot from him. His work ethic is second to none and thats what I love about him. His mind is always working.

Zach and I have a lot of the same views on things, so it makes it easy to work together. We work really well off each other.”

“I grew up liking skate shoes, some nice jeans, a cool T, and I’m good. But now I’m trying to thrift different outfits and I look up to these high-fashion designers and I try to use what I learn from them into my own stuff.”

From 2011 to October of last year, Patton ran a brick-and-mortar Cretaceous storefront at the corner of Elmwood and Shepard in Kenmore.

That’s where he and his friend Paul Boal conceived of the #SundayCypher. What started off as an idea for a one-time promotional branding video turned into a monthly event that grew within the hip hop community.

THE PODCASTS

“It was a big thing because it was something that was not fashion-related, but that grew the brand astronomically,” says Patton. “The best way to develop anything is to create a culture and a movement around it. So it’s like we had the hip hop culture vibing and it was a lot of fun.”

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10PM $5

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Cretaceous Excels IV Tank Top.

Together they’ve restructured the company to fit into the conglomerate of Bxillion Brands, which came into focus after the #SundayCypher ended and Patton closed his storefront.

His girlfriend Nneka Gigi has also been involved; an extra set of eyes on the clothing designs and website.

“As time went on, our website was surpassing the store, so I said, ‘Okay, let’s do this again.’

What if we put more money, more effort into this website and just do online? The other thing with the store was, it was cool locally but I have so many global and international ideas, that it was hindering my ability to pursue them: I was always stuck at the store. So I ditched the store, started to rebuild the website and hit the road.”

Last week Patton, Goose, and Gigi launched the Bxllion Brands website. The next step is to start profiling some underground and up-andcoming artists for the site. They’ll start when Patton takes a trip down to Kentucky to talk to his cousin, an R&B artist named Kori Black.

Then they’ll start pitching their brand at trade shows to major national stores like Zumiez and Urban Outfitters.

At the end of the day, these brands are simply an outlet for expression for Patton. “It wasn’t until Cretaceous that I said okay, let me broadcast my own creativity onto my own stuff.” P

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Spring Fling: The Irving Klaws, The Telltale Signs, The Surfin’ Cadavers

“I’ve always had a thing for fashion, never liked designing, I just liked shopping and I liked wearing certain clothes,” Patton says, sitting on a bench next to me at Acropolis in the Elmwood Village in a camo-colored vest. “I was just messing around with graphics, not professionally or formally, and I decided to take it to the next level, throw some stuff on some shirts, and it happened to just really take off right away.”

“Cretaceous is always going to have that skateboarding influence and those roots; it’s just built into the brand. I grew up skateboarding,” Patton says.

DAN SMALLS PRESENTS:

MAY 7

Cretaceous hit its stride in 2011 when they began throwing a monthly freestyle rap event, the #SundayCypher. The next step for Patton— along with his business partner Goose—is the creation of Bxllion Brands, an umbrella company which they’ll use to promote music artists and launch additional lifestyle brands, fashion labels, and events.

His original vision for Cretaceous was as a skateboarding brand. That evolved as his interests evolved. Hip hop took over. Kanye West and A$AP Rocky were in his ears, and designers like Alexander Wang and Scott Sasso came into view. Now Cretaceous has become more of an urban streeware line, says Patton. The designs are ultra modern: Black, gold, and grey are his primary colors, and the clothes often feature large logos and block letters.

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RATHBUN KEEPS BUILDING / CAITLIN CASS‘s fourth installment in her biography of Buffalo entrepreneur Benjamin Rathbun. See more of her work at caitlincass.com.

DAILYPUBLIC.COM / MAY 6, 2015 / THE PUBLIC 13

EVENTS CALENDAR

MARIA AURIGEMA THURSDAY MAY 7

PUBLIC APPROVED

7PM / MOHAWK PLACE, 47 E MOHAWK ST. / $5 [BLUES] Buffalo-born Maria Aurigema grew up surrounded by three brothers, living at the 30-room Degraff Mansion in North Tonawanda, which her dad owned. She was playing guitar and flute before finishing elementary school, but it was in her teens that she got a toehold on the blues, a byproduct of listening to WBFO’s late night programming. Still, she went on to study jazz guitar with revered local guitarist Stu Weissman and worked hard to emulate the complexity of artists like Pat Matheny and Al Dimeola while developing a taste for the emerging prog/fusion scene (articulated locally by a band called Gamalon that caught a big break opening for Genesis in 1973). Aurigema eventually began steering her sound away from the theory-based world of jazz and into the more intuitive territory of blues improv. The end result is a formidable blend of technical know-how and that sixth-sense that guides the best players through solo passages that never come out the same way twice—and she shares her expertise with her students as an instrumental music teacher in the Ken-Ton school district by day. By night, she’s opened for top-drawer blues artists like Tab Benoit, Elvin Bishop, and Jimmy Thackery, while also warming up crowds for larger acts like Foreigner, Little Feat and Blue Oyster Cult. Aurigema celebrates the release of her new disc, Long Way Home, with a show at Mohawk Place on Thursday, May 7. Anita West is hosting, and the Whole Hog food truck will be on hand with a special “Maria Menu.”

-CHRISTOPHER JOHN TREACY

IN PRINT

HUMBLE BRAGGERS “How It Starts” (Song) Recommended If You Like: Tears for Fears, Passion Pit, Joywave

“How It Starts,” the huge and soaring first single from the synth-pop group’s forthcoming EP, Disposable Friends, made its premiere last Monday morning. The EP will officially drop on June 16 via Admirable Traits Records with a release show planned for Mohawk Place on June 13.

SPACECUBS “The Eye” (Song) RIYL: Grimes, Bjork, Love Scenes

Spacecubs, the alter ego of Buffalo-turned-Carolina electro musician, Suzanne Bonifacio, recently released the ethereal and elegant “The Eye,” the first single from her forthcoming, debut LP. The former Chromakid member will see The Fire and Things Forgotten drop on May 12 through Unspeakable Records.

THICK WINTER BLUD RIYL: Say Anything, The Maine, I Can See Mountains

Early last week, former I Can See Mountains singer/guitarist Matt Cox resurfaced with his newest project, THICK WINTER BLUD, and its first single, the catchy and crunchy “Stupid Me,” recorded at GCR studios. Look for the trio to make its Buffalo debut appearance at Mohawk Place on June 13 supporting Humble Braggers.

MIC EXCEL W/ L-BIZ “Clouds” (Song) RIYL: Atmosphere, Cage

The Essential Vitamins Crew MC teamed with up with L-Biz and TheProgrammer to release “Clouds,” an intelligently written collection of verses backed by a smooth, laid back beat

LOCAL SHOW PICK OF THE WEEK SOUL PATCH DUKE’S / 253 ALLEN ST FRI, MAY 8 / 9PM / $8

THURSDAY MAY 7 Harland Williams 8pm Helium Comedy Club, 30 Mississippi St. $18-$30 [COMEDY] If you’ve never experienced the comedic genius of Harland Williams, you’ve likely never seen some cult comedy hits over the years. The comedian/actor has played some classic roles in movies like Dumb and Dumber, There’s Something About Mary, and Half Baked among many others. The various characters offer just a glimpse of his ability to make you laugh; his stand-up acts showcases his true talents. This Thursday, May 7, through Sunday, May 10, Harland Williams will make several appearances at Helium Comedy Club. The show will be hosted by Steven Rogers and feature Mike Gardner before Harland takes the stage.

With six shows, there’s no excuse not to find a time to catch this great act. -JEREMIAH SHEA

EPQ Presents: A Tribute to Herbie Hancock 9pm Nietzsche's, 248 Allen St. $5 [TRIBUTE] If you missed modern jazzist Herbie Hancock when he came UB a couple of years ago, then you missed a living legend who was once handpicked by Miles Davis to perform on albums like Seven Steps to Heaven. For the upcoming Tribute to Herbie Hancock, Thursday, May 7 at Nietzsche’s, Hancock himself couldn’t have picked a more talented group of local musicians to perform. The show will be headlined by the jazz group the Ellen Pieroni Quartet—a gifted set of young musicians known for their ability to move from Latin jazz to funk without missing a beat. They’ll be joined by four-piece psychedelic jazz-rock act Intrepid Travelers, Adam Bronstein’s ABTrio, and the Jon Lehning Sextet. -CORY PERLA

Here Come The Mummies 9pm Buffalo Iron Works, 49 Illinois St. $25 [FUNK] You haven’t truly experienced funk’s filthy groove until you’ve heard the infectious music of Here Come the Mummies. The band of ancient musicians is heading our way for a show at Buffalo Iron Works on Thursday, May 7. The band has been around for the better part of 15 years now with many releases under their belts, the most recent being a string of five-song EPs in 2014—A La Mode, Pull It Off, Shocker, and MuertoDiesel. With more mummies to pack onto the stage than a normal group, expect to see a full horn section and enough instruments

14 THE PUBLIC / MAY 6, 2015 / DAILYPUBLIC.COM

ILLUSTRATION BY ADAM LAWRENCE BRONSTEIN

to fill the place with sound. Beyond their musical expertise, the lyrics are penned with a comical twist. Joining Here Come the Mummies will be Buffalo’s own Gravy, a complementary side that is worth showing up early to catch. -JS

Joe Pug 7pm The 9th Ward, 341 Delaware Ave $12 [FOLK] Maryland-born singer/songwriter Joe Pug experienced a meteoric rise within his own ranks, selling 20,000 copies of an EP he’d originally been giving out as a freebie. More than his generosity, though, it was the quality of the craftsmanship that sold his music. Pug relocated from Chicago to Austin to get closer to the roots of songwriters he most reveres, but experienced a bit of a breakdown in 2013-2014, canceling tour dates and nearly abandoning his musical career altogether. His new set, Windfall, arrived in March. Written in the wake of emerging from his troubles, the disc pairs a coming-to-grips narrative with a more soul-tinged delivery that puts greater emphasis on Pug’s

vocals. It’s not quite Americana anymore, but Pug sounds refreshed. He comes to Babeville’s 9th Ward, Thursday, May 7. -CJT

Blue October 7pm Rapids Theatre, 1711 Main St. $22 [ALT ROCK] Blue October’s brand of alternative rock has never been rigidly fenced in, featuring growling rockers alongside hearton-your-sleeve ballads, and straight-up, SlimShady-style rap verses. Their eclectic mix of post-grunge is marked by the emotive and (often) painfully expressive songwriting prowess of frontman, Justin Furstenfeld. Whether he’s bringing his bipolar disorder to light through driving rockers as in Consent to Treatment, or reflecting on a newfound confidence in life as in the hymn-like “Breath, It’s Over”—which sounds like it should be the closer on Pink Floyd’s The Wall (after the wall comes down)—they do so with an unparalleled conviction that never misses a beat. Catch Blue October at the Rapids Theatre on Thursday, May 7. -KP

CALENDAR EVENTS PUBLIC APPROVED F E AT U R E D E V E N T S THU 5/7 @ 9PM

HERE COME THE MUMMIES

» $20 ADV / $25 DOS » 18+ » Doors: 8pm Show: 9pm

FRI 5/8 @ 9PM

10,000 MANIACS

ALBUM RELEASE PARTY

» $30 ADV / $40 DOS / $50 VIP » 18+ » Doors: 8pm Show: 9pm

SAT 5/9 @ 9PM

RHUBARB, MOSAIC FOUNDATION & MR. DONUT » $5 » 18+ » Doors: 8pm Show: 9pm

THU 5/14 @ 9PM

BEAU SASSER’S ESCAPE PLAN

» $5 ADV / $7 DOS » 18+ » Doors: 8pm Show: 9pm

FRI 5/15 @ 9PM

BIG LEG EMMA

EXMAG W/ ELAQUENT & M!NT FRIDAY MAY 8 9PM / THE WAITING ROOM, 334 DELAWARE AVE. / $10 [ELECTRONIC/DANCE] EXM4G is for the people, or so they say. The super group will perform live at the Waiting Room on Friday, May 8 along with Elaquent and M!nt courtesy of MNM Presents. For those who consider themselves fans of glitch, hip hop, future bass, breaks, or R&B your precious weekend time will be well spent at this show on Friday evening. Representing record label Extraordinary Magnitude, EXM4G, a Gramatik side project, is the work of Eric “EZ” Mendelson, Mike Iannatto, and Tyler Dondero (a.k.a. SuperNicer). Their sound spans from spacey vibes to funky and soulful sounds. Hailing from Canada, Elaquent, who often goes by eQ, will provide a smooth, hip hop heavy set with his SP-404sx in hand. Signed to HW+W Recordings, Urbnet Records and stillmuzik, Elaquent recognizes the sounds of J Dilla and DJ Premier as his inspiration. Brooklyn-based DJ and producer M!NT was living in Denver, Colorado when he passed by the United States Mint, taking his moniker from the epic fortified structure. A versatile producer, he delivers a far reaching hip hop set, all with a relatively dreamy and atmospheric element to it. -ALICIA GRECO

W. THE SUITCASE JUNKET » $8 ADV / $12 DOS » 18+ » Doors: 8pm Show: 9pm

SAT 5/16 @ 9:30PM

A COUNTRY NIGHT W. THE HERITAGE

» $5 ADV » 18+ » Doors: 8:30pm Show: 9:30pm

MON 5/18 @ 9PM

ORGONE

W. SOPHISTAFUNK

» $10 » All Ages » Doors: 8pm Show: 9pm

THU 5/21 @ 9PM

YO MAMA’S BIG FAT BOOTY BAND W. AFTER FUNK » $7 ADV / $10 DOS » 18+ » Doors: 8pm Show: 9pm

FRIDAY MAY 8

FRI 5/22 @ 9PM

CORY HENRY

(OF SNARKY PUPPY) & THE FUNK APOSTLES W. COSMIC KAT

Buffalo Bike Party 8pm Colonial Circle, Richmond Avenue at Bidwell Parkway free [BIKE RIDE] Every second Friday of the month the Buffalo Bike Party meets at a launching point, usually Colonial Circle (corner of Richmond and Bidwell) where a group of biking enthusiasts and casual riders take off for a leisurely cruise through Buffalo. Since the weather is just starting to break, this next ride, Friday, May 8, may be one of the biggest in a while, and it happens to be the ride's one-year anniversary.

The ride, which assembles at 8pm and takes off at 8:30pm, is typically about 10 miles long with a few stops to hang out, so pack some water, grab a helmet, and let's roll! -CP

6pm Studio at the Waiting Room, 334 Delaware Ave. $10 [POP] Head to Studio at Waiting Room this Thursday evening to experience the raw stage presence of Flint Eastwood, a.k.a. Jax Anderson. The indie-rock project calls up hints of Metric or the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, if commissioned to create a soundtrack for a spaghetti western. Anderson’s fervent vocals coalesce with melodic guitars, pounding rhythms, and spine tingling intensity to create heroine anthems beaming with desert swagger. This band is definitely one to witness live, especially considering four-member, Philadelphia dream-pop outfit CRUISR will be featured alongside. Buffalo’s Voices and SHEDS are set to open. -JC

SAT 5/23 @ 9PM

DOLLAR DIPLOMACY & RUSTIC RADIO

» $5 » 18+ » Doors: 8pm Show: 9pm

UPCOMING EVENTS WED 5/6 @ 8PM

TUE 5/12 @ 7PM

BLUES NIGHT W. THE JT BLUES BAND

TRIVIA NIGHT W. GEEKS WHO DRINK

SAT 5/16 @ 2PM

WED 5/27 @ 9PM

» FREE » 18+ » Doors: 7pm Show: 8pm

Rival Sons

Flint Eastwood

» $10 ADV / $15 DOS » 18+ » Doors: 8pm Show: 9pm

7pm Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. $21-$25 [ROCK] The Rival Sons walk with a retro-rock swagger that’s funky fresh, and Jimmy Page approved. The California boys spent their early days playing festivals and gigs in Europe, establishing a reputation for an improv-heavy live show. They aimed to offer a similar, lively energy on their studio albums, and succeeded in spades. Their four-album catalog is raw, loud, and dripping black and white. Rock sounds hailing from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s are strewn together and modified by an indescribable modernity in the same vein as the wildest Jack White cut. “Open My Eyes” off their 2014 album, Great Western Valkyrie, is a perfect example. Opening with a Zeppelin-saluting kickdrum beat—nearly identical to John Bonham’s on “Kashmir”—the song quickly transforms, as a groovy beat, powerful vocals, and bold riffs are thrusted to the forefront. Check out their new music video for the infectious “Electric Man,” and catch the Rival Sons at the Town Ballroom on Friday, May 8 with support from Robert Jon & the Wreck. -KP

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

MUSIC IS ART PRESENTS:

BATTLE OF THE HIGH SCHOOL BANDS

» $5 ADV/$8 DOS » All Ages » Doors: 1pm Show: 2pm FRI 5/29 @ 8PM

THE LEGENDS OF SUN RECORDS SHOWCASE: KICKSTART RUMBLE, BLOOD MONEY, LOWER TOWN TRIO, & TEN CENT HOWL » $10 GA/$20 VIP » 18+ » Doors: 7pm Show: 8pm

» FREE » All Ages » Doors: 6pm Show: 7pm

THE HEARD W. TBD

» $5 ADV/$8 DOS » 18+ » Doors: 8pm Show: 9pm SAT 5/30 @ 9PM

THE TOMMY Z BAND

» $5 » 18+ » Doors: 8pm Show: 9pm

TICKETS: BUFFALOIRONWORKS.COM OR TICKETFLY.COM CAN BE PURCHASED AT: BIW BOX OFFICE OR TERRAPIN STATION

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EVENTS CALENDAR

10,000 MANIACS FRIDAY MAY 8 8PM / BUFFALO IRON WORKS, 49 ILLINOIS ST. / $30-$50 [FOLK] When Mary Ramsey recently typed her name into Google’s search engine just for kicks, she discovered she had her work cut out for her. Along with what she describes as, “the good, the band, and the ugly,” her search yielded a pair of instrumental pieces called “Lady Mary Ramsey,” parts one and two, thus providing the bookends for the new 10,000 Maniacs disc, Twice Told Tales, a collection of traditional Celtic tunes overseen by founding member John Lombardo. A classically trained fiddler since the age of five, Ramsey, 51, has never sounded more at home in front of the band she stepped out of the shadows to front some 20 years ago in the wake of Natalie Merchant’s departure.

As she readies for the Twice Told Tales CD release show this Friday, May 8 at Buffalo Iron Works, the longtime Buffalo resident took time out to chat about making a CD of traditional music so intrinsically suited to the Maniacs’ core sound.

What was the catalyst for making a traditional disc at this particular time? I’ve played this kind of music here and there. John Lombardo and I played a number of these tunes in our duo John & Mary. With 10,000 Maniacs, a lot of times at our shows, maybe two-thirds through the set, I’d do “The Song of Wandering Aengus” or “Greenwood Sidey” a capella, and the crowds really responded to it. We’d do it after a string of older, familiar tunes, and I think it provided a nice respite. Two years ago we did Music from the Motion Picture, which was all original songs and this just seemed like a fun project and an appropriate way to follow it up.

How did the band go about finding its own stylistic take on these songs? We had listened to some of the existing versions and discussed how to put our own spin on it, but in the end we really just used the instruments as inspiration—we played what we felt and that’s how it came together. This music just lends itself to that sort of a natural treatment, it brings you to a space without ego where you have a respect for it because you’re continuing a tradition. When it came time to decide on the song

order, we sort of set it up like you’re time traveling—moving from one world to another—between different chapters of the Celtic story.

How was it working with John again in this capacity?

John and I are also in a band called the Valkyries, so we’ve continued working together all along, but we brought him in as artistic director for Twice Told Tales because of his expertise. He brought much of that British folk sound to the band back at the very beginning. Being the eldest, he has a huge record collection and used to play a lot of that kind of music on his radio show from his college years at Geneseo. Instead of being bittersweet, this turned out to just be pure fun.

Is it a struggle for 10,000 Maniacs to establish a clear identity now as opposed to 25 years ago? Enough time has gone by that we’ve naturally found another identity. I first became lead singer 20 years ago, so now it’s almost like having a second wife. We understand who we are and our identity as a band—something old, something new—it’s like the ghosts of past, present, and future. Our audience has been extremely supportive—the last two discs have been crowd-sourced through PledgeMusic. I’m very respectful of Natalie Merchant, her artistry and creativity, and I enjoy performing the music we still do that she was a part of. We do it because we love it and, to some extent, because we have to. And we’re blessed to have the opportunity. -CHRISTOPHER JOHN TREACY

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

David Hadbawnik, Barbara Cole, Kevin Thurston

PUBLIC APPROVED

8pm Rust Belt Books, 415 Grant St. free [POETRY] Two of the city's finest poets and another whose on-again off-again relationship to Buffalo coincides beautifully with his ability to hatch mainly conceptual gems of provocative pieces will gather in the friendly confines of the back room of the new Rust Belt Books on Friday, May 8. Thurston just recently returned to work for The Public, Hadbawnik just earned a Ph.D. from UB English, and Cole is Artistic Director for JustBuffalo Literary Center. The work of these three will bring to the assembly promises to be diverse and engaging, so start your night right with three of Buffalo's brightest lights. -AARON LOWINGER

Quintino 9pm Lift Nightclub, 257 Franklin St. $15 [ELECTRONIC/DANCE] I still haven't been able to figure out why or how the Dutch are able to pump out so many high profile electronica DJs: from Tiësto to Fedde La Grand and now Quintino. The 29-year-old DJ hasn't yet met Tiësto-levels of popularity, though maybe he has in his own mind. "My performance has become so much more than the DJ stuff I started out with.

I'm in the big league now and want to present myself as the artist that I am," he says. If nothing else, his performance is certainly high energy—clocking in at work-out level bpms. Decide for yourself if Quintino truly does step up to the big league plate when he comes to Lift Nightclub on Friday, May 8 with local support from Jesse Aaron and Nik Stylez. -CP

EKL 5 Year Anniversary Party 10pm Dnipro Ukrainian Cultural Center, 562 Genesee St $10-$25 [HIP HOP] EKL means Equality Knowledge and Light. The Buffalo lifestyle brand is celebrating five years this Saturday, May 9 with a party which will be held at the Dnipro Ukrainian Cultural Center. The party will feature Kinda Like Dreamin’s Dr. Ooo and Sammy Booms, along with Wza, Short Moscato, Truey V, and Hooizzy. Attendees will grab a free copy of the latest Eklephantz mixtape, an Eklephantz bandana, and drink tickets. And of course, a good time. -CP

RAGBIRDS W/ REAR VIEW RAMBLERS FRIDAY MAY 8 7PM / THE 9TH WARD, 341 DELAWARE AVE. / $12 [FOLK] The Ragbirds have been spreading their infectious world grooves since 2005, captivating audiences at home and abroad. The heart of their sound is the striking beauty in frontwoman, Erin Zindle’s earthy-sweet voice and the poetic language in which she sings her campfire-tale lyrics.

Backed by four skilled, multi-instrumentalists, Zindle sings, dances, and switches between various instruments, from violin to percussion. From their 2005 debut Yes Nearby—which boasted sounds from Celtic to Middle Eastern—to their most recent 2012 release, Travelin’ Machine, with sounds ranging from the American Bayou to the northern reaches of Africa, diversity remains a common thread. Their ability to play diverse styles of music is due to the impeccable musicianship of all five members. Zindle grew up in Buffalo before moving to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and on Friday, May 8 she returns to the 9th Ward at Babeville, accompanied by her Ragbirds, and armed with a worldly collection. Rear View Ramblers open the show. -KELLIE POWELL

16 THE PUBLIC / MAY 6, 2015 / DAILYPUBLIC.COM

CALENDAR EVENTS

SATURDAY MAY 9

PUBLIC APPROVED

John Mellencamp Plain Spoken Tour 7pm Shea's Performing Arts Center, 646 Main St. $36-$116 [ROCK] John Mellencamp’s tenacity and ambition are admirable. He sprung up in the early 1980s, and in the ensuing decades released countless albums and hit singles, like “Jack & Diane” and “Wild Night.” In 2008, Billy Joel inducted him into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Refusing to rest on his laurels, he continued writing music, alongside other pursuits. Currently on-tour in support of his 2014 release, Plain Spoken, Mellencamp stops by Shea’s Performing Arts Center on Saturday, May 9. -KP

SUNDAY MAY 10 Patrick Foran: Defacement 2pm Castellani Art Museum, Niagara University free [ART] As part of the Topspin series, UB Graduate student Patrick Foran presents Defacement, recent works on paper and sculpture that tackle the issues of war, political unrest, and epidemics through portraiture on Sunday, May 10 at the Castellani Art Museum. His large-scale drawings are highly detailed and reveal the artist’s superior ability with charcoal and graphite.

Though the viewer is faced with issues such as the lack of legitimacy in the global media, and the privileged systems of the West created by late capitalism, you will not be able to look away. Who knows where the future will take this one, so don’t miss out on your opportunity to see his work locally, and hear him speak during an artist talk that is happening at 3pm. -TINA DILLMAN

MONDAY MAY 11 The Demos, Dead Flowers, and Old Best Friend 8pm Mohawk Place, 47 E Mohawk St. $5 [INDIE ROCK] Lovely is one way to describe the Demo’s latest album—catchy is another, and playful works too—but overall the band's 12song album, Lovely, is just straight-up fun. It’s the kind of album you’ll find yourself throwing on in the car with the windows rolled down, singing along, that is, if you’ve discovered this still underground pop band from Rochester. If you haven’t, take the opportunity to check out this five-piece indie-pop band when they come to Mohawk Place on Monday, May 11 with Texas-based rockers Dead Flowers, Brooklyn’s Old Best Friend, and Buffalo's Wolf. -CP

BUFFALO PORCHFEST SATURDAY MAY 9 1PM / VARIOUS LOCATIONS / FREE [FUN] Finally, that time of the year has come around when the warm weather transforms the Elmwood Village and the West Side from a frozen tundra into a bright arena of joggers, shoppers, college students, and dogs walking their owners. This weekend, thanks to the Elmwood Village Association, life in the neighborhood is about to move to the next level of cultural vibrancy as Buffalo Porchfest makes its annual return. This Saturday, May 9 between 1pm and 6pm, dozens of Elmwood and Richmond Avenue residences will play host to over 50 local music outfits that will be delivering live sets from—you guessed it—their porches. The dispersed, neighborhood-wide event is a rare opportunity to experience what the city’s music scene has to offer within the unique setting of local residences. As the Elmwood Village Association professes on their website: “We loved seeing local musicians and bands showcased on beautiful and historic Buffalo porches and lawns and can’t wait to do it again.” This is a must-attend for all those who seek to revel in good music, good company, and good weather. So this Saturday, grab your sunscreen and create your own itinerary. A full listing of participating addresses, times, locations, and bands can be found on the back page of this newspaper or at buffaloporchfest.org. -JEANETTE CHIN

NOW THRU MAY 17 ONLY!

PUBLIC APPROVED

Agent Orange 6pm Studio at the Waiting Room, 334 Delaware Ave. $15-$18 [PUNK] Kind of hard to believe, but in the almost 40 years since Agent Orange's beginning, the band has only released three proper fulllength discs. As purveyors of the original surfpunk hybrid, it's their reputation as a live band that's kept them going all this time. The current lineup features original front man Mike Palm along with Perry Giordano and David Klein, both of whom have been on board since 2003.

Age may have recently claimed the lives of former members James Levesque and Brent Liles (also of Social Distortion), but a look at recent live YouTube clips reveals that not much has changed at Agent Orange shows—stay toward the back unless you dig the push and shove.

Catch them Monday, May 11 at Studio at the Waiting Room. -CJT

TUESDAY MAY 12 The Bros Landreth 7pm The 9th Ward, 341 Delaware Ave. $6 [BLUES] The Bros Landreth are comprised of four Manitobans who dish out delicious Southern-style blues anchored by striking slide-guitar solos and harmony-heavy rhythms. Helmed by David and Joey Landreth, the Bros are peddling their roots-rock tunes across Canada and the US, in support of their debut, Juno Award-winning album, Let It Lie. The album burns brightly, with a hauntingly beautiful title track, and cuts like “Our Love,” recalling an Americana-ized Allman Brothers. They'll come to Babeville's 9th Ward with Bobby Angel on Tuesday, March 12.

-KP

CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED!

... top tier talents ... (Kristen Tripp) Kelley is a deadly siren ... serene as candlelight ... a raging fire ... (Josephine) Hogan fills her stage time with blistering revelations ... (Chris) Kelly and (Kristen Tripp) Kelley share great passion in their embodiment of a tragic couple. ... strong performances, incredible set design ... angry yet hilarious dialogue.

KIESZA W/ BETTY WHO SATURDAY MAY 9

– Anthony Vitello, Jr., New York Theatre Guide

7PM / TOWN BALLROOM, 681 MAIN ST. / $22-$25 [POP] Kiesza is a little confusing, so let’s try and straighten it all out. Her full name is Kiesa Rae Ellestad, but she was born Kiesza Szösi. She’s 26, of Norwegian origin, but she’s actually from Canada—maybe less exotic than you thought. She served in the Canadian Navy at the age of 17. She wanted to be a ballerina, but an injury made that impossible. She ran in the Miss Universe Canada pageant. She’s just that type of electronica/house vocalist that makes it nearly impossible to discern whether she can really sing or if we’re being served a big earful of carefully engineered digital smoke and mirrors. But, to her credit, Kiesza was also awarded a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston, and it turns out her music has acoustic origins: She started off doing a singer/songwriter thing before switching gears for the hook-laden pop that informs most of last year’s The Sound of a Woman. Knowing that makes it easier for music snobs to appreciate the disc for the fun contained therein, which oozes post-disco references that recall early Madonna. Her cover of Haddaway’s much-maligned “What Is Love?” reveals a startling emotive ability that puts the original to shame, and a forthcoming collaboration with Duran Duran ought to prove interesting. Meanwhile, we’ll see if she can make it happen live at Town Ballroom on Saturday, May 9 with special guest, P Betty Who. -CHRISTOPHER JOHN TREACY

For information and tickets, call

716.853.ICTC (4282) Buy online or on your mobile device

@ irishclassicaltheatre.com

A WORLD OF THEATRE WITHIN REACH.

ANDREWS THEATRE

625 MAIN STREET • BUFFALO 14203

SEASON SPONSOR Made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

Made possible in part by the County of Erie and the City of Buffalo.

DAILYPUBLIC.COM / MAY 6, 2015 / THE PUBLIC 17

THEATER THE PUBLIC QUESTIONNAIRE

THE PUBLIC QUESTIONNAIRE:

MARY KATE O’CONNELL

BY ANTHONY CHASE MARY KATE O’CONNELL is currently appearing in Love Loss and What I Wore, a play by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron, about women and their relationship to clothes, based on a book by Ilene Beckerman. Five actresses sit in chairs and recount stories of clothes they wore at significant moments in their lives.

Mary Kate is a vivid presence in the Buffalo theater scene. With a magnetic stage presence and a luscious soprano voice, she has long been known as Western New York’s First Lady of Musical Theater. She is also greatly admired for her marvelous sense of comedy. Whether she’s taking a pratfall as Mother Superior in Nunsense, giving a dry reading to an earnest but absurd letter to Ann Landers, or channeling the persona of Florence Foster Jenkins, the worst singer in the world, Mary Kate can tickle the comedy out of any script. She can then turn around and tug at our hearts, smiling as she fights back the sorrow of her characters, and fails exquisitely.

As the guiding force behind O’Connell & Company, a theater troupe wisely named to capitalize on the MKO charisma, Mary Kate, accompanied

by Rosy, her ever-present little dog, has gathered an assembly around her at the Park School in Snyder who support the idea of theater and community with almost evangelical zeal. The warmth of her personality draws people in, and her audiences seem to enjoy her humorous and welcoming curtain speeches, almost as much as the O’Connell & Company shows.

In Love Loss and What I Wore, she is joined by Sandra Gilliam, Darleen Pickering Hummert, Melissa Leventhal, and Mary Moebius, under the direction of Roger Paolini. Here, Mary Kate submits to The Public Questionnaire.

What word would your friends use to describe you?

Social. (Thank you, Tony.)

What character in your current play is most unlike your own personality? Lynne’s story. She is brave and bold and confident. I strive to be these things but often fall short. But still strive.

What character in your current play is most like your own personality? The I Hate My Purse Woman. I am no good at purses. Never have been, never will be. Hoping that Hefty Bag comes up with a fashionable tote soon.

When and where were you the happiest? The happiest part of my life was when I realized that I could choose to be happy. And when I’m smart, I remember to do that.

What is your idea of hell on earth? Gin martinis…now an ice-cold vodka dirty martini with extra olives = Heaven.

What is your greatest fear? Fear.

Which talent do you most wish you had? Playing the piano and speaking French (like Ann Mosner). I could sing Edith Piaf songs while playing. Bonheur absolu! I’m sure there would be wine involved. French wine.

What superpower do you most wish you had? Power of mimicry. It allows you to reproduce the superpowers of others via absorbing their powers in many ways. Watch out! When I stand next to you at the Arties I may be lifting your powers.

Just sayin’.

What would you change about your appearance? Fewer pounds. Few more inches taller. Fewer “laugh lines” maybe.

But basically your appearance, attitude, and confidence reflects where you’ve been, how far you’ve come, and where you are. I’ve traveled a long way and some of the roads weren’t paved. Yup! What trait do you most despise in others? Dishonesty.

What trait to you most despise in yourself?

Procrastination. No wait. I’m not sure. Can I get back to you on that?

What do you most value in your friends? Loyalty, laughter, and love.

What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment? I’ll let you know when it happens.

What is your guilty pleasure? Cuddling with my puppy Rosy. Oh, and Fritos, definitely Fritos.

What character from fiction do you identify with most? Some days it’s Patrick Starfish, some days it’s

Nancy Drew, other days it’s everyone in between.

What person from history do you identify with most?

Rosalind Russell.

What do you consider to be the most overrated virtue?

Temperance.

On what occasion do you lie? Now. Right now. No, wait, I’m lying about that. No, I’m not. Yes, she is. Hey, who are you?

You. Don’t listen to her. She’s lying. No she’s lying. I’m not lying. Lying is too complicated.

What was the subject of your last Google search?

Coconut oil = World Peace.

If you come back in another life, what person or thing would you like to be? Myself —knowing all I know. The ultimate do-over.

What is your most prized possession? My close circle of friends.

What role, in which you will never be cast, is actually perfect for you? Annie. (I have the wig and the dog.

Any takers?)

What is your motto? Use your Diva Power for good.

pressed working-class setting, and proceeds with a mordantly quasi-comic tone that evokes memories of McDonagh’s forebears.

But it transpires that there’s a lot more than just the familiar satirically rendered, bitterly experienced lives of this tradition.

THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE AT IRISH CLASSICAL

BY GEORGE SAX DURING A BRIEF CHAT WITH A PROMINENT LOCAL JOURNALIST before the start of a performance of Martin McDonagh’s acclaimed Beauty Queen of Leenane at the Irish Classical Theatre Company, he told me that the play, a favorite of his, is another example of “the drama of Irish miserableness.” His observation isn’t wrong, as far as it goes. The playwright certainly has availed himself of the elements in a legacy of Irish theater that comprises serio-comic examinations of troubled small-town, small-minded, illusion-ridden life. It stretches back over a century to J. M. Synge, and includes Sean O’Casey and Brian Friel. McDonagh’s play, the first in what has become known as The Leenane Trilogy (along with A Skull in Connemora and The Lonesome West) begins in a semi-familiar vein, in an economically depressed and socially re-

18 THE PUBLIC / MAY 6, 2015 / DAILYPUBLIC.COM

Beauty Queen revolves around the plight of Maureen Folan (Kristen Tripp Kelley), a 40-year-old woman who would once have been called a spinster (and perhaps still is in her town) and who lives as a caretaker for her mother Mag (Josephine Hogan). These two reside together in a seemingly deadlocked state of low-level mutual warfare, Maureen articulately, mockingly resentful of her parent, Mag a passive-aggressive supplicant whose complaints and requests serve as an insidiously self-satisfying kind of control.

Their intimate combat has its comic aspect as Maureen exacts such little acts of revenge as deliberately serving Mag her powdered nutritional supplement with undissolved lumps and buying a brand of biscuits her mother dislikes.

And, of course, there is the sniping and nasty, petty disagreements. At first, it can almost seem like McDonagh is doing Neil Simon infused with a dose of Quentin Tarantino (to whom McDonagh has occasionally been compared). But a sense of unease soon enough seeps into the proceedings. And a puzzle develops. It’s not hard to see what Mag gets from this arrangement, but what binds the apparently intelligent, reasonably attractive Maureen to it?

As these two go at it, the two actresses play off each other with a coordinated and compelling blend of brio and subtlety. It’s not every actor who can hold her own with the formidable Hogan, but Kelley manages it. They’re quite a duo.

At least part of the reason for this struggle is forthcoming, precipitated by a rare invitation

to a party held by a local family for several members emigrating to America. (The lack of work in Ireland is a recurrent reference point.) Maureen almost doesn’t get to go to the affair, but she returns from it with a man in tow, Pato Dooley (Chris Kelly). In fact, he has silently admired her for many years, and, a little the worse for drink, he pays tribute to her as the title’s monarch. In the morning, their impromptu liaison turns colder after its initial warmth, but not because of any change of heart on Patto’s part.

This scene, which closes the first act, introduces a new note of pathos into the story, and this unexpected effect isn’t only the result of McDonagh’s writing. Kelly makes this moment palpable and plausible, his skillfully modulated performance promoting the shift in tone.

He conveys this admission of feeling that Patto harbors and communicates the man’s sturdy decency.

This is an uncharacteristic moment in the play, and the second act quickly leaves it behind as the tension ascends to something more unsettling, and, eventually, savage. If earlier Beauty Queen sometimes seemed to evoke a bleaker Synge, or a punk Joe Orton, now the tone isn’t so much bleakly witty as ugly and mentally aberrant. And this is before McDonagh returns at the very end to that note of pathos.

This is a lot to encompass and sustain and some may find too hard to go the distance with the author, to follow him when he risks running off the rails into implausibility, seemingly without qualm or doubt.

But this production, under the sure hand of director Vincent O’Neill, and with this excellent cast—it also includes Adam Yellen in a crucial performance—makes about as good a case for McDonagh’s challenging, assertively disharmonious vision as one could ask for.

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BEER DRINKS

SUMMER IS IN SESSION Seven session beers perfect for warm-weather drinking

BY DAN GIACOMINI

HAVE YOU BEEN OUTSIDE IN THE PAST WEEK? Summer is

upon us. Never mind that we’re barely into May. We needn’t wait for the solstice to start enjoying Western New York’s beautiful “other half.”

This is the time for camping, cookouts, and cruising on Lake Erie—in short, activities that, after adding beer, are transformed from fun to fabulous. And it’s because of these daylong drinking occasions that God invented session beer.

Session beers are lighter, more drinkable, and can be a great choice for those just dipping their toes into the world of craft beer. But as the choices below prove, great session beers are no less diverse or flavorful than their higher-gravity (beer speak for boozier) counterparts.

The knowledgeable and friendly folks at Premier Gourmet in Amherst helped me draft this lineup. Their selection of session beers is top-notch and their staff of suds lovers will help you find the perfect beer to pair with any summertime activity. Stop in today and grab a six-pack to go with whatever your weekend entails.

RIGHT-O-WAY IPA, SOUTHERN TIER (4.6%)—A great addition to Southern Tier’s lineup. Golden tan pour and generously carbonated. Great mellow aroma offering floral hops and citrus fruits. Excellent mouth feel with a taste that arrives malty and finishes hoppy.

This is a fantastic beer overall and one that’s delicious and accessible enough to convert even the most stubborn macro beer drinker. I have the feeling RightO-Way will be my go-to all season long.

ALL DAY IPA, FOUNDERS (4.7%)—Maybe the most ubiquitous on this list from the venerable Grand Rapids brewery. Nice foamy head, with a fairly hoppy aroma considering this beer clocks in at just 42 IBUs. The flavor is nicely balanced between hoppy bitterness and fruity sweetness. The smooth finish invites the next sip. As the label depicts, a great beer for a weekend in the woods.

GO TO IPA, STONE (4.5%)—Stone Brewing Company has developed a reputation for offering unapologetically hoppy ales and Go To is the Squire Stratocaster among them. Plenty dank at 65 IBUs but far more drinkable than the industrial-strength IPAs for which the brand is best known. A cloudy golden in color, with a fresh hoppy scent. The taste begins with a little of everything—fruity, piney, malty—which leaves you guessing. The hops arrive late to the party but they’re well worth the wait. This is a great beer overall. Go buy this before planning a weekend in the sun.

MOSAIC SESSION IPA, GREEN FLASH (4.5%)—I hadn’t heard of this one, and the folks at Premier recommended it. They are wise indeed. Pours a clear golden color with a pretty decent head. An earthy aroma gives way to a mild herbal hop flavor and a noticeable malty sweetness that adds nicely to the body. Green Flash is one of those brands that, for whatever reason, I never got around to trying but after this tasting, I will be eager to sample their other beers. Go get this if you want mellow, enjoyable flavors while lounging by a lake or pool.

SESSION BLACK, FULL SAIL (5.4%)—Full Sail’s Session was literally the dark horse of the group. This is the first session lager I’ve tried, and I was a little unsure what to expect. It poured a dark loganberry color with a minimal head. The aroma was especially malty but pleasantly so. The taste was also very malty, nicely carbonated, with roasted hints of coffee and chocolate. The taste was so much like a porter that I went back to investigate the label to make sure I was actually drinking a lager. A great beer for a cooler summer night when the grass is dewy and your breath becomes visible.

EASY JACK IPA, FIRESTONE WALKER (4.7%)—Firestone Walker’s Easy Jack showcases hops from three different continents that harmonize to create an interesting and diverse palate despite a lower 50IBU output. The beer pours golden yellow with a bright white head. The nose offered a subtly pleasant hop aroma balanced by a light maltiness.

Taste-wise, hops are everywhere, globetrotting from fruity to earthy to bitter, but the malty sweetness provides a nice backbone. Hop heavy but very drinkable. A fantastic beer overall.

DOWN TO EARTH, 21ST AMENDMENT BREWERY (4.4%)— Down to Earth packs a pretty incredible amount of hoppy flavor using just 42 IBUs. Pours clear golden with a foamy white head and a dry aroma that almost resembles a white wine. Arrives with bitter hoppiness that has you double-checking the ABV on the can, and the back-end brings a surprising sweetness that adds balance and complexity.

All of these brews are available for purchase at Premier Gourmet and Village Beer Merchant, among other retailers. Stop in and stock up for your next summer outing.

The Public’s weekly beer column is a collaboration with the Buffalo Niagara Brewers Association.

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ZSD VITAMIN D DUO RADARADA MAY 14TH / 8PM NIETZSCHE’S / $5 248 ALLEN ST FREE ENTRY WITH INSTRUMENT DONATION TO DAILYPUBLIC.COM / MAY 6, 2015 / THE PUBLIC 19

FILM REVIEW

IN CINEMAS NOW

BY M. FAUST & GEORGE SAX

PREMIERES THE D TRAIN—Jack Black as a former high school loser who hopes to jump-start his life by getting his most popular classmate (James Masden) to attend their 20th reunion. With Kathryn Hahn and Jeffrey Tambor.

Directed by Andrew Mogel and Jarrad Paul. Reviewed this issue. Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria FIVE FLIGHTS UP—Morgan Freeman and Diane Keaton as an aging couple forced by the increased stresses of city living to consider selling the Brooklyn apartment where they have lived since the 1970s. With Carrie Preston and Cynthia Nixon. Directed by Richard Loncraine (Brimstone & Treacle) Eastern Hills HOT PURSUIT—Action comedy starring Reese Witherspoon as a straightlaced cop assigned to guard the widow (Sofía Vergara) of a drug cartel boss. Directed

by Anne Fletcher (The Guilt Trip). Area theaters MAGGIE—Arnold Schwarzenegger as a Midwestern dad spending time with his daughter (Abigail Breslin) as she turns into a zombie. No, it’s not a comedy.

With Joely Richardson. Directed by Henry Hobson.

Area theaters

ALTERNATIVE CINEMA Ayako Fujitani and Kazuki Kitamura in Man from Reno.

THE REAL NEO-NOIR MAN FROM RENO / THE D TRAIN

BY M. FAUST

A parallel story involves the efforts of Paul Del Moral (Pepe Serna, one of those character actors whose face you know but not his name), an aging sheriff in a town south of Frisco investigating a mystery involving another mysteriously disappeared Japanese man.

Smooth as silk but never self-satisfied in its accomplishments, Man From Reno is so solidly constructed that you can enjoy it even if you lose track of the plot at times. It feature a charismatic cast of American actors usually consigned to smaller roles and the two Japanese leads, stars in their native country. Boyle has an instinctive knack for composition and framing, and makes great use of the San Francisco locations and atmosphere. You can see it this weekend at the Screening Room in Williamsville.

Just about the opposite is true in every way for The D Train, a depressing comedy whose most user-friendly aspect is recycling one of the hoariest devices, the character who tells a lie to make himself seem like a big shot only to get stuck trying to maintain it. Jack Black stars as Dan, who despite having a decent job and a happy family is obsessed with his high school days when he was the class loser. He 20 THE PUBLIC / MAY 6, 2015 / DAILYPUBLIC.COM

MAN FROM RENO—Noirish thriller about a Japanese novelist trying to start a new life in San Francisco, where she meets a man also looking to establish a new identity. Starring Ayako Fujitani and Pepe Serna. Directed by Dave Boyle (Daylight Savings) Reviewed this issue. Fri-Sat 7pm. Screening Room

A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN (1945)—Sentimental drama about a young girl (Peggy Ann Garner) growing up in a Brooklyn tenement at the turn of the last century, hoping for a better life than her alcoholic father (Oscar winner James Dun) can provide. With Dorothy McGuire, Joan Blondell, Lloyd Nolan and James Gleason. The film directing debut of Elia Kazan (On the Waterfront).

The low-budget but surprisingly accomplished Man From Reno is clearly the work of a filmmaker who has studied and absorbed the noir style without either parodying it or copying it. I haven’t seen any of director Dave Boyle’s previous films, and this one is apparently a departure in style for him, but it makes me want to see more of what he’s done: With limited resources, he has produced something as skilled as the work of studio filmmakers of Hollywood’s golden era.

At a hotel bar she meets a fellow Japanese (Kazuki Kitamura), a suave fellow who seduces her and then disappears. Fancying herself as good a detective as her fictional creation, Aki sets about discovering who this stranger was and what happened to him, opening up a hidden world of danger (think David Lynch).

THE KINGDOM OF DREAMS AND MADNESS—Documentary about Studio Ghibli, the Japanese animation studio that produced such films as Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke. Directed by Mami Sunada. Sat-Sun 11:30am. North Park

THE STRANGER (1946)—Orson Welles directed and co-stars in this suspenseful thriller about a government agent (Edward G. Robinson) tracking down an escaped Nazi living under an assumed name in suburban Connecticut. Welles and John Huston both worked on the script. Co-starring Loretta Young and Richard Long; look fast for “Brother” Theodore Gottlieb. Fri 9pm. Screening Room

IS THERE ANY MORE MISUSED MOVIE TERM than “film noir”?

Too often it is applied to any black-and-white crime film, as if it were nothing but a “look.” And to be fair, even those who have studied the style for years can’t agree on a definition without admitting that exceptions are plentiful. That’s not surprising when you remember that the term began with French film critics remarking on a tendency they saw in American films of the 1940s and 1950s: Only after the 1970s did filmmakers set out to create films noir.

Set in the one city that is even more noirish than Los Angeles—San Francisco—Man From Reno centers on Aki Akahori (Ayako Fujitani), the writer of a popular mystery series about a Sherlockian Japanese detective. On an international book tour to promote her latest novel, she ditches her publicists in order to deal with some personal guilt.

EVERY SECRET THING—Psychological thriller about the effects on a suburban town when a three-year-old girl disappears and suspicion falls on the girls who committed a similar crime seven years ago. Starring Diane Lane, Dakota Fanning, Elizabeth Banks, Danielle Macdonald, and Francis McDormand. This NY Film Critics Series presentation will include interviews with members of the cast and director Amy Berg. Tue 7:30pm. North Park

James Marsden and Jack Black in The D Train.

hasn’t entirely left that behind him: Despite having installed himself as the chairman of the committee to plan their 20th class reunion, no one else seems to like him.

When he sees a TV commercial starring Oliver, the guy in their class that everyone wanted to be, he concocts a plan: go to Los Angeles to persuade Oliver ( James Marsden, channeling James Franco) to come to the reunion, which will inspire all the rest of his indifferent classmates to RSVP and make Dan the star of the event. (If this sounds like a halfassed plan, you’re right.)

The familiarity of this plot cliché, exacerbated by Black’s ability to play an unsympathetic character, gets thrown a curve at about the halfway point. Ethics forbid me from revealing it, but I can say that while it initially appears brave, it goes nowhere other than to make life even more uncomfortable for Dan. The feature debut for the writing-directing team of Andrew Mogel and Jarrad Paul, The D Train seems to have been designed to impress the kind of Sundance audience that rewards intentions over accomplishment, though even the intention here is dubious. It’s too unpleasant to laugh at unless you’re particularly cruel, and it’s final message of “just be yourself ” rings as hollow as the sentiment on the P inside of a greeting card chosen at random.

IN BRIEF

THEATER INFORMATION IS VALID THROUGH THURS MAY 7

THE AGE OF ADALINE—Fantasy starring Blake Lively as an immortal woman tempted to give it up when she falls in love with Michiel Huisman. With With Amanda Crew, Harrison Ford, and Ellen Burstyn. Directed by Lee Toland Krieger (Celeste & Jesse Forever). AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Flix, Regal Elmwood, Regal Niagara Falls, Regal Quaker Crossing, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sun only) AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON—The latest and most elaborate special effects extravaganza from Disney-owned Marvel Studios is the weakest of that company’s interconnected crowd pleasers, neither as smart as Captain America: The Winter Soldier nor as fun as Guardians of the Galaxy. Of the overstuffed cast reprising their roles from other superhero movies, only Scarlett Johansen and Mark Ruffalo are called upon to do much more than provide action for green screen technicians and stunt doubles to enhance. So many characters and subplots have been crammed into this film that there is little opportunity for characterization or suspense. Starring Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, James Spader, Jeremy Renner, and Samuel L. Jackson. Directed by Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer). –Gregory Lamberson. AMC Maple Ridge, Aurora, Dipson Flix, Hamburg Palace, Lockport Palace, Regal Elmwood, Regal Niagara Falls, Regal Quaker Crossing, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In (FriSun only)

PLAYING NOW FILM

LOCAL THEATERS AMHERST THEATRE (DIPSON) 3500 Main St., Buffalo / 834-7655 amherst.dipsontheatres.com AURORA THEATRE 673 Main St., East Aurora / 652-1660 theauroratheatre.com EASTERN HILLS CINEMA (DIPSON) 4545 Transit Rd., / Eastern Hills Mall Williamsville / 632-1080 easternhills.dipsontheatres.com FLIX STADIUM 10 (DIPSON) 4901 Transit Rd., Lancaster / 668-FLIX flix10.dipsontheatres.com FOUR SEASONS CINEMA 6 2429 Military Rd. (behind Big Lots), Niagara Falls / 297-1951 fourseasonscinema.com HALLWALLS 341 Delaware Ave., Buffalo / 854-1694 hallwalls.org HAMBURG PALACE 31 Buffalo St., Hamburg / 649-2295 hamburgpalace.com LOCKPORT PALACE 2 East Ave., Lockport / 438-1130 lockportpalacetheatre.org

Every Secret Thing

MAPLE RIDGE 8 (AMC) 4276 Maple Rd., Amherst / 833-9545 amctheatres.com MCKINLEY 6 THEATRES (DIPSON) 3701 McKinley Pkwy. / McKinley Mall Hamburg / 824-3479 mckinley.dipsontheatres.com MOVIELAND 8 200 Thruway Plaza Dr., Cheektowaga 895-3409 movieland8theatres.com NEW ANGOLA THEATER 72 North Main St., Angola / 549-4866 newangolatheater.com NORTH PARK THEATRE 1428 Hertel Ave., Buffalo / 836-7411 northparktheatre.org REGAL ELMWOOD CENTER 16 2001 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo / 871–0722 regmovies.com REGAL NIAGARA FALLS STADIUM 12 720 Builders Way, Niagara Falls 236–0146 regmovies.com REGAL QUAKER CROSSING 18 3450 Amelia Dr., Orchard Park / 827–1109 regmovies.com REGAL TRANSIT CENTER 18 Transit and Wehrle, Lancaster / 633–0859 regmovies.com REGAL WALDEN GALLERIA STADIUM 16 One Walden Galleria Dr., Cheektowaga 681-9414 regmovies.com RIVIERA THEATRE 67 Webster St., North Tonawanda 692-2413 rivieratheatre.org THE SCREENING ROOM 3131 Sheridan Dr., Amherst / 837-0376 screeningroom.net SQUEAKY WHEEL 712 Main St., / 884-7172 squeaky.org SUNSET DRIVE-IN 9950 Telegraph Rd., Middleport 735-7372 sunset-drivein.com TRANSIT DRIVE-IN 6655 South Transit Rd., Lockport 625-8535 transitdrivein.com

CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA—French drama starring Juliette Binoche as an actress asked to star in a revival of the play that launched her career, but with an ambitious young actress (Chloë Grace Moretz) in her original role. Binoche is impressive in a low-key diva role, giving a spirited performance with notes of reflection and rue. But as a study in the interpenetration of life and art, the film offers too little dramatic charge and human interest to arrive at any insight or tension.

Co-starring Kristen Stewart, who was named Best Supporting Actress at the Cesar Awards.

Directed by Olivier Assayas (Summer Hours). – GS Amherst EX MACHINA—The question, as one character in this film says, isn’t if artificial intelligence will be developed, but when. The answer is probably in our lifetimes, but it’s a subject that seems to stymie the imaginations of filmmakers, from the evidence of, in the last year, Transcendence, Chappie, Eva, and now this. At a remote research installation, a minor employee in a Google-ish company (Domhnall Gleeson) is asked to interact with a female-formed robot (Alicia Vikander) to see if she seems fully and independently intelligent. That such a test would seem to require that he not know the answer in advance is one of many perplexing aspects of the script by Alex Garland, a variable sci-fi scribe (Sunshine, Dredd, 28 Days Later) here making his directorial debut. It’s hard to take any of it at face value given all the clues that there’s more going on here than meets the eye, making it all the most disappointing when we get to the end and discover we’ve mostly been led astray. With Oscar Isaac in a silly hipster beard as a combination of Steve Jobs and Dr. Frankenstein. –MF Dipson Amherst, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker Crossing, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria FURIOUS 7—A.k.a. Fast and Furious 7. Starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jason Statham and Michelle Rodriguez. Directed by James Wan (Saw).

AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Flix, Regal Elmwood, Regal Niagara Falls, Regal Quaker Crossing, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit DriveIn (Fri-Sun only)

Regal Niagara Falls, Regal Quaker Crossing HOME—Runaway alien meets a girl on the road in this animated feature. Directed by Tim Johnson (Over the Hedge). AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Flix, Regal Elmwood, Regal Niagara Falls, Regal Quaker Crossing, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria INSURGENT—Teen dystopian sequel. Starring Shailene Woodley, Miles Teller, and Theo James.

Directed by Robert Schwentke (R.I.P.D.) Four Seasons, Regal Elmwood, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sun only) PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2—The rent-a-cop whose name rhymes with “fart” (you don’t think that was accidental, do you?) goes to Las Vegas.

This sequel isn’t being screened in Buffalo, but early votes on IMDB.com (which tend to skew positive) give it a rating of 4.2. That’s out of 10. (Update: After the film opened, the rating dropped to 3.9.) Directed by Andy Fickman (Parental Guidance). AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Flix, Regal Elmwood, Regal Niagara Falls, Regal Quaker Crossing, Regal Transit, Transit Drive-In (Fri-Sun only) THE SALT OF THE EARTH—The world-traveling photojournalist Sebastião Salgado is the subject of this Oscar-nominated documentary by his son Juliano Ribeiro Salgado and Wim Wenders (Pina). Eastern Hills Cinema (ends Thursday) TRUE STORY— Adaptation of the book by Michael Finkel, the onetime New York Times magazine writer who was fired for creating a composite character to give a story more impact. Around the time he was fired, the FBI arrested a fugitive named Christian Longo who had been using Finkel’s name as an alias. Finkel visited Longo in prison and agreed to write his memoir, but had his bullshit meter tested by the man who was accused of murdering his wife and three young children. The story cries out for the controlled direction of a David Fincher; instead the job went to debuting Rupert Goold, whose experience in British theater only seem to give him a model to work against. Cast against type, James Franco and Jonah Hill are fine as the prisoner and the journalist, but at least as conceived here it’s not really a cinematic story.

With Felicity Jones, Ethan Suplee, and Gretchen Mol. –MF Dipson Eastern Hills Cinema, Regal Walden Galleria

GET HARD—After Unfinished Business and The Wedding Ringer, you’d think star-vehicle comedies would have bottomed out for the year. Let’s hope the nadir is this tired farce starring Will Ferrell as a dumbass businessman on his way to UNFRIENDED—Chat room friends are stalked by prison who hires the only black man he knows a demon using the account of a dead friend.

(Kevin Hart) to teach him survival skills. It’s Amazingly, it’s not a J-horror movie. It is, howawash in jokes reeking of racism and homophoever, a “found-footage” movie. Starring Heathbia, and while I’m sure that the film’s creators er Sossaman, Matthew Bohrer, and Courtney would argue that they’re simply trying to air out DAILYPUBLIC.COM FOR MORE FILMDirected LISTINGS & REVIEWS >> Halverson.

by Levan Gabriadze (Yolki theseVISIT differences, they utterly lack the finesse 3). AMC Maple Ridge, Dipson Flix, Regal Elmto walk that line. With Alison Brie and Craig T. wood, Regal Niagara Falls, Regal Quaker CrossNelson. Directed by Etan Cohen (My Wife Is Reing, Regal Walden Galleria tarded). -MF AMC Maple Ridge, Regal Elmwood,

CULTURE > FILM

THE WATER DIVINER—Russell Crowe’s debut as a feature director was a big hit in his native Australia, where the military battle at Gallipoli that sparks its plot is something of a national badge of honor. (Americans know it if at all as the title of Peter Weir’s film on the same subject.) Crowe also stars as a farmer who, four years after the end of World War I, sets off to Turkey to find his three sons, presumably killed in the battle along with nearly 9,000 of their countrymen. The film is high on emotional button-pushing and low on plot, which there could have been more of without a clunkily old-fashioned romance between farmer Russ and a Turkish war widow (played

by Ukrainian actress Olga Kurylenko). The production values outclass Crowe’s by-the-numbers direction. And while most audiences who see it won’t know anything about the concurrent genocide of the Armenians by the Turkish government that the film completely ignores, you have to wonder at the distributor’s tastelessness in release it on the exact anniversary of that event. –MF Dipson Amherst (opens ⅝), Regal Quaker, Regal Transit WHILE WE’RE YOUNG—The best film yet from Noah Baumbach, writer-director of such tart modern comedies as The Squid and the Whale, Frances Ha, and Greenberg. Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts star as a childless Brooklyn couple in their 40s, increasingly alienated from their friends, ho take up with a couple of young hipsters (Adam Driver, Amanda Seyfried). The film seems to change direction when the younger guy turns out to have unsuspected depths of personal ambition, but Baumbach pulls it all together for a satisfying conclusion. His satire is gentle and even-handed, and his wry observations on aging in the post-boomer era are spot on. With Charles Grodin and Peter Yarrow. –MF Dipson McKinley Mall WOMAN IN GOLD—Will the movies ever run out of ways to make us hate the Nazis? Helen Mirren stars in a fact-based story as an Austrian who fled to America after the Nazi invasion and now wants to reclaim a family heirloom, a valuable Gustav Klimt painting that is the pride of a Viennese museum. To help her fight the Austrian government she hires a green lawyer (Ryan Reynolds) who happens to be the grandson of another refugee, composer Arnold Schoenberg. The film doesn’t quite know what to do with that detail, or with a story that involves a lot of arcane legal wrangling that isn’t terribly cinematic. Mirren is the main point of interest here, but she’s asked to do too much with too little, while most of the memorable supporting players (Daniel Brühl, Charles Dance, Elizabeth McGovern, and Jonathan Pryce) are underused.

Directed by Simon Curtis (My Week with Marilyn). –MF Dipson Eastern Hills Cinema, Four SeaP sons, North Park

CULTURE > FILM

VISIT DAILYPUBLIC.COM FOR MORE FILM LISTINGS & REVIEWS >> DAILYPUBLIC.COM / MAY 6, 2015 / THE PUBLIC 21

PUBLIC MARKET TO PLACE AN AD CALL SEAN AT (716)856.0737 OR EMAIL SEAN@DAILYPUBLIC.COM THE PUBLIC’S NOTICE The Public encourages you to use caution while participating in any transactions or acquiring services through our classified section of the newspaper. While we do approve the ads in this section, we do not guarantee the reliability of classified advertisers. If you have questions regarding advertisers in this section please email sean@dailypublic.com.

LOFTS AT 1685 HERTEL

WORKSHOPS

2004 TOYOTA SIENNA LE FOR SALE $6,500 Great shape, maintained, tires, brakes, struts. Have records. Reliable and clean call 716.833.4804.

WORKSHOPS

WNYBAC BOOK ARTS AND PRINT MAKING WORKSHOPS / The WNY Book Arts Center offers book arts & printmaking workshops for children and adults. wnybookarts.org/workshops” 348-1430

BOOK CLUB

NEW LUXURY APARTMENTS produced by the Frizlen Group Architects and Developers to be completed in October-November for move in. Garage parking underneath and laundry services in the apartment. Balconies will be offered on some of the units. Please contact Jason to be put on the waitlist for further information. Call 381.9838 or email: Jason@Frizlengroup.com

NORMCORE MILLENNIAL BOOK CLUB! Anyone interested in a book club for normcore millennials? We are looking for new friends who are into literature and want to talk about what they’ve read. Or maybe just drink! Contact Whitney at whitneycaitlin@gmail.com

APARTMENTS ELMWOOD VILLAGE Richmond/Colonial Circle 2 bdrm apartment. Hdwd flrs, porch, garage, washer/dryer facility in basement. Must see. No pets/ smoking. $1175 incl all. 912.2906 ----------------------------------------------ELMWOOD VILLAGE Lafayette/Colonial Circle. 1 bdrm, hdwd flrs, off street parking, washer/dryer in basement.

Must see. No pets/smoking. $725.

912.2906 -------------------------------------------------WEST SIDE Baynes/Manchester: 1400 sq ft 3 bdrm lwr, hrdwd floors with parking, w/d, no pets. $1050+ 316-9279

NOW HIRING

THE ARTS

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DANCE CLASSES

TURNAROUND SKATES, a unique roller skate shop on west side seeks motivated, reliable employees for retail sales, web, & social media! Perks include traveling, incentives, and use of car. We’re a relaxed dog friendly and kid friendly environment. Email Turnaroundskates@gmail. com for full description or send resume!

BELLY DANCE CLASSES

by Nadia Ibrahim. All levels welcome.

716.560.1891 nadiaibrahim.com

ARGENTINE TANGO CLASSES and dancing for BEGINNGERS in Buffalo! OR planning your wedding dance? traviswidricktango.com or 517.7047

Buffalo Housing Associates is currently accepting applications for 1,2,3 & 4 bedroom apartments. Large units, located on the upper west side, include all utilities, appliances, 24 hour emergency maintenance and a professional onsite management staff.

Applicants must meet HUD Section 8 criteria, including income requirements. A thorough background check is required. Please visit our rental office at 491 Connecticut Street for an application or call

716-881-2233

AUTO MARKET

UB ART GALLERIES at the University at Buffalo announces a job opening: PREPARATOR/INSTALLER: Prepare & install artwork for exhibitions at UB Art Galleries. Bachelors + 3 yrs experience required. For further info & to apply, visit the website: www.ubjobs.buffalo. edu, Posting No. 1500213, for University Art Gallery. Deadline: 5/16/15. UB is an equal opportunity employer and encourages women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and veterans to apply.

NOW HIRING AGAINST THE GRAIN THEATER Festival seeks a dynamic, full-time Programming Director to facilitate its discovery and promotion of new plays. Experience in directing, literary management, and/or dramaturgy is required. For more details, please visit ATGFESTIVAL.ORG

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Crossword Puzzle by

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GREEK TO ME Yes, I was staring at you. You had some food on your face and didn’t know it. I really wanted to tell you about it but I didn’t want to make a scene. It did manage to fall off towards the end of the meal.

-------------------------------------------------HATCH BACK Steve, it’s Hillary- we met a rite aid, this is a one on a million shot but you made me laugh because you knew what a cobbler was when I complimented your shoes. Please contact me, if you’re interested Id love to go for a ride in that Hott turquoise hatchback.

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GOOD NEIGHBOR NOTICES

15. 1400-mile river to the Caspian Sea

70. Arthur Ashe Stadium inits.

16. 911 VIP

71. Unkeyed

44. First name in medical research

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

17. Cocktail party bite

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MICKEY HARMON BRIANNA BATTISTA MAC MCGUIRE JULIANA VUJCIC BRIANA LAINE MALLORY REID TODD TOWNSEND ELYSE MAZ THERESA IPOLITO LINDSAY BUCKLEY ANGELA TWENTYFIVE ALISSA VOGELSANG AMANDA TERHAAR SARAH CARNEY EMILY SARAMAK! STEPHANIE FLATTERY CHRIS GALBRAITH

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AARON MASON ED HEALY JACKI GARFINKEL SOUSA

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41. Babel attendees 42. “___ Beso” (1962 hit)

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3. “Anchors Aweigh” branch: abbr.

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5. Galleria salon 6. Be in hot water

60. “The ___ ‘e knows... “: Kipling

7. “Jai ___ deva om...”

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8. Port or Fort

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9. A bun may cover it

63. Advice column’s initial advice

30. Shea’s roadies 35. 1998 NFL Comeback Player of the Year 37. Boise’s state: abbr.

38. “...___ quit!”

43. “Pomp and Circumstance” marchers: abbr.

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50. Buffalo sports rarity

22. Prefix meaning “bad”

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PLEASE EXAMINE THIS PROOF CAREFULLY

LAST WEEK’S ANSWERSCrossword Puzzle by

MAYDAY

IF YOU APPROVE ERRORS WHICH ARE ON THIS PROOF, THE

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THOROUGHLY EVEN IF THE AD IS A31.

PICK-UP. Southern NY county

58. Calypso cousin

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22 THE PUBLIC / MAY 6, 2015 / DAILYPUBLIC.COM

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BUFFALO THERAPEAUTIC RIDING CENTER GARAGE SALE Saturday, May 16, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Great Arrow btwn Elmwood and Delaware

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CONE FIVE POTTERY! Six week pottery classes beginning June 9th and July 21st. 332.0486 or www.conefivepottery.com

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FAMOUS LAST WORDS BACK PAGE

THE GRUMPY GHEY I MADE MY BABY SAY GOODBYE

BY CHRISTOPHER JOHN TREACY SOMETIMES THE INTERNET JUST MAKES EVERYTHING 10 TIMES WORSE.

MAY 1, 2015: BALTIMORE PHOTOS BY JUSTIN SIROIS These photos were taken 20 minutes after the state’s attorney announced that six Baltimore police officers would be charged in April 12 death of Freddie Gray while in their custody.

Wrestling with Joni Mitchell’s mortality might seem silly, but it feels like a huge, impending loss. The internet hype simultaneously heightens and cheapens the entire grieving process—and she hasn’t even died.

It’s not that she’s got so much great work ahead and so much more to do…I think most of us who hold Joni Mitchell in high regard also realize her best work is behind her and that she’s lived a very full life. Actually, as a lifelong smoker and a childhood polio survivor, she’s already beat the odds, having lived to 71.

The hard part to get over is the realization that, as a gay man, Joni Mitchell taught me a lot about articulating my feelings. Letting go of someone that (albeit unintentionally) shaped such a large aspect of my innermost thinking is what makes the loss seem colossal.

And sharing that loss with lots of other fans online seems to water it down…to dilute its meaning. My grief. No sharing. Go away.

BY VERONICA AGUILAR

In middle school, I learned to hide my devotion. Joni was something to be enjoyed alone, and while elders seemed to get it, others in my age group were just brutal about the music’s perceived femininity. For those that found me out, it seemed to confirm longstanding suspicions about my sexuality.

And admittedly, not without good reason: To witness the thought bubble floating above my head while listening to a Joni Mitchell album, I wasn’t the frustrated guy sitting across from her, hearing her out or trying to soothe her irritation. Nope, I was Joni, embellished cheekbones and all.

Back when I was living in Boston, a musician friend of mine put together a cabaret show called “Venus as a Boy,” paying tribute to the mostly female songwriters who had informed his emotional understanding. It was the first time that I’d given the idea much thought, but I soon realized that much of my thinking about relationships—romantic and otherwise— had been shaped by writers who were also women, Joni Mitchell chief among them.

As I’ve gotten older, she’s become both a hobby and an indispensable part of my inner vocabulary…a bona fide frame of mind. But I still don’t often play her music in the company of other people. When Starbucks began giving her in-store play a number of years back, I was shocked. It’s an odd sensation, indeed, to hear something so intensely personal in a room full of strangers drinking coffee. It made me cringe.

A little history: The sound of Joni Mitchell’s voice became part of my world when I was three years old. Rooting through both my parents’ records and another relative’s collection in temporary storage at our house, my childhood record player scratched up an odd mix of kids storybook stuff, Bay Area bands, singer-songwriters, and AM radio 45s. Joni Mitchell became my favorite before Court and Spark had even come out.

But I cringed even harder when questionable information about her health leaked into the social media sphere last week. Particularly with regard to someone who has spent her life’s work striving for the truth, to have multiple rumors circulating about her level of deterioration seemed an unusually cruel injustice of media. Watching aging hippies dish out trite, new-age-y crap at one another to try and cope with the bad news just felt hollow to me. This is one time when I really wish I could turn the internet off for a little while, but I can’t walk away from my life just to avoid one storyline, and filtering is nearly impossible.

From 1976’s Hejira onward, I always had the new Joni Mitchell record right when it was released. The music became significantly harder for a child to work with, but there was a discernible viewpoint at its center that was somehow tangible to me even at such a young age. I may not have grasped what the narratives were really about, but they meant something to me, and those meanings morphed as I grew up.

Some people need that chart with the different facial expressions to pinpoint how they feel. I seemed to devise a system based on Joni Mitchell’s vocal timbre, tunings, and her strum/finger patterns. Something about the honesty in her delivery instinctively let me know I could trust her, that her take on things was forever on-target and justified. She became my moral and emotional compass.

Now in my mid-40s, I can see how this isn’t ideal: outspoken and oversensitive— just what every gay man is looking for in a partner, right? But, though her writing reflects someone generally distrustful of mankind, Joni Mitchell looks for the good in people and searches for truth above all else— this has always made sense to me. There’s no getting around her bullshit barometer, however, which—once employed—often leaves you with the unsettling sensation that you’re looking through people (and, when you’re being dishonest, vice-versa). As an adult, I repeatedly tried to explain this “heightened level of sensitivity” in therapy sessions and ended up having to switch doctors. Go figure.

Frankly, I take zero comfort in knowing that others will be saddened by Joni Mitchell’s passing, whenever it happens. My relationship to her work is far too complicated and the emotional lessons gleaned from deciphering her viewpoint—and in this case, adopting it—are way too intense for an easy goodbye.

Count me out of any teary candlelight vigils with choruses of “The Circle Game.” I will have to let go of her alone, they way I’ve worshipped her all these years—and the way I was forced, to some extent—to get to know her and her work. It’s selfish of me, I know, but it’s as if to say, “You didn’t celebrate her with me back then, so why should I have to share her now that you’ve changed your tune?”

The answer is, I don’t. But I do find some solace in knowing that, beneath my visceral, in-the-moment reaction, there’s a lasting legacy that cannot be undone. It’s been said that “Joni Mitchell never lies,” and in the mind of this gay man, she never truly dies, either. P

Justin Sirois is a novelist and city paper columnist living in Baltimore. His books include Falcons on the Floor and So Say the Waiters. / sosaythewaiters.com DAILYPUBLIC.COM / MAY 6, 2015 / THE PUBLIC 23

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