Arts

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Spontaneity and soul in Buffalo

Casey Abrams knew just what do when an audience member screamed out a request near the end of his set Saturday night.

A$AP Ferg, Ty Dolla $ign, Daniel Caesar to perform at Spring Fest

Rappers A$AP Ferg and Ty Dolla Sign will hit the stage at this year’s Student Association Spring Fest. The rappers will be this year’s co-headliners on May 5, with R&B/soul singer-songwriter Daniel Caesar opening the show.

A change of seasons: The Spectrum’s March Playlist

While the cold weather may not want to let up, spring is on the horizon. With warmer weather comes a change of pace in every facet, from clothing to daily routines. Music is no different. For the transition into spring, the editors at The Spectrum picked their favorite tracks for the change of climate.

'Weird Al' gets original at CFA

After a night of deep cuts and non-singles, “Weird Al” Yankovic gave the Center for the Arts a taste of what makes him so weird. When Yankovic’s band opened its stripped-down version of “Eat It,” the audience didn’t make too much noise.

The future at 16: Introducing Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish is redefining what it means to be a pop star. Her unique fashion sense, her captivating personality, her love of f-bombs and most of all, her infectious and honest music sets her apart from industry peers.

Daniel Caesar to open Spring Fest

R&B singer-songwriter Daniel Caesar will open the Student Association’s Spring Fest on May 5, according to SA’s announcement Wednesday night.

Buffalo artists bring Nina Simone’s music to life

An intense performance of “Strange Fruit” filled Albright-Knox with a sense of poignancy on Thursday night, as Drea d'Nur and Roostock Republic made Nina Simone’s music feel just as relevant as Simone herself did in the 1960s. The musicians collaborated on March 8 at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery for the premiere of d'Nur and Juliette Jones’ latest production “Dear Nina: a Sonic Love Letter to Nina Simone”. The performers covered some of Simone’s canonical works through vocals from d’Nur and a classically-trained six-piece string ensemble, Roostock Republic.

Upstate on stage: Joywave at Town Ballroom

Daniel Armbruster, lead vocalist of the upstate New York band Joywave, talked about the Buffalo Sabres and Rochester while he drank Genesee beer between songs at Town Ballroom Wednesday night.

Spring Awakening blossoms at Shea's 710

MusicalFare’s “Spring Awakening” takes place in 19th-century Germany, but it tells a story that rings true for modern audiences. The energetic rock musical about teen sexuality takes place in the repressive Victorian-era rural Germany and earned the Tony award for Best Musical in 2007.

Albright-Knox Gallery collaborates with Google Arts and Culture

The Albright-Knox Art Gallery now has seventy-six masterwork pieces available online in high definition in a collaboration with Google Arts and Culture. Some of the pieces taken from the gallery include Orange, Red, Yellow by Mark Rothko and La maison de La Crau by Vincent Van Gogh.

Lights illuminates downtown Buffalo

'This ain’t no Mudd Club or C.B.G.B.': David Byrne plays at the CFA

After taking their bows following a lively performance of the Talking Heads’ “The Great Curve,” David Byrne and his backing musicians headed back on stage for one last number: Janelle Monáe’s 2015 protest song “Hell You Talmbout.” The song lists the names of African-American men and women killed in acts of racial violence and was a powerfully stark and unexpected ending to a night that covered Byrne’s over-40 year career.

Stratford salutes Justin Bieber

Mark Monteith didn’t expect his eighth-grade student to leave town the following summer to pursue a music career.

Bass in yo’ face!

The world knew Casey Abrams was different when he stepped onto the “American Idol” Hollywood stage with an upright bass. Through his journey on “American Idol” in 2011, Abrams came off as different and his journey through jazz and soul continues to separate him from his peers.

Indian SA takes first place at International Fiesta

When Bobby Lundy showed off his intense acrobatics by flipping on stage Saturday night, the crowd went wild.

English department launches global film minor

This fall, the English department launched a global film minor for students interested in the arts and cinema, following long-existent strides in the area of film studies. The minor is not exclusive to students in the department and opens doors to anyone interested in the interconnectedness of film and global issues.

Fowl play: Andrew Bird rocks the CFA

Andrew Bird did just about everything one can do with a violin on Saturday night. He bowed, strummed and plucked the strings, played it clean and distorted with pedals, and looped his own sound back to build on himself. The genre-bending virtuoso made every note count. Bird took the audience through the evolution of his music career that started when he was just four years old.

Showcasing and celebrating black excellence

Saturday night’s Black Explosion was more than a fashion show; it was a celebration of art, culture and black excellence. This year’s show, “Chateau Noir,” or Black Castle, was named in honor of the Black Student Union itself and the work it does, in commemoration of its 50th anniversary on campus.

Living in “F.E.A.R.”: a discussion with Marillion’s Steve Rothery

After 18 studio albums, Marillion shows no signs of slowing down. The band’s latest full-length offering “F.E.A.R.” is hailed by fans and critics as its best work in years, while also reaching number four on the UK album charts. The Spectrum sat down with lead guitarist Steve Rothery to discuss the new album, its influences and the next steps for Marillion.

Melodies for days: Q&A with singer and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird

A glockenspiel, violin, guitar –– Andrew Bird plays them all. Bird, a multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter will perform at UB’s Center for the Arts on Saturday as part of his “Echolocations: River” national tour. The Spectrum spoke with Bird before the concert about his latest album, “Echolocations: River” and his extensive music career that began when he was four-years-old. Bird has 14 albums and “Echolocations:River” is his second installment in his “Echolocation” series, where he takes inspiration from various landscapes.