From trap to conscious rap, a versatile mix of rappers hit the stage during Buffalo’s annual Anti-Venue Tour on Saturday night. The tour, now in its fourth year, featured headlining MCs Conway The Machine and Boogie, alongside its yearly assortment of the Queen City’s premier rhymers.
Following the SA Fall Fest Concert Series lineup announcement, the Student Association has received a wave of backlash with regard to the performing artists and performance dates.
The Student Association announced its Fall Fest Concert Series on Friday, with three separate shows held at the Center for the Arts throughout the semester. Vince Staples will headline the Sept. 21 hip-hop event, with support from openers Taylor Bennett and Blaise Moore. The Oct. 6 concert will feature alternative rock artists American Authors and duo Matt and Kim at the CFA, with the final Nov. 10 concert bringing headliner Ashanti, as well as supporting acts Tinashe and Queen Naija.
Losing Layne Staley was never the plan for Alice in Chains. The iconic grunge singer’s overdose shook the band to its core in 2002, resulting in a a lasting hiatus that would plague any future releases. For years, it was a mystery if Alice in Chains could ever replace Layne Staley. Until William DuVall entered the picture.
Last year, Waiting Room owner Chris Ring closed his popular music club. The venue owner was forced to relocate over 40 shows and say goodbye to Waiting Room’s four years of prominence in the Buffalo music scene. One year later, Ring’s new venue is continuing traditions and marking a “new beginning” for the club owner. The new venue, Rec Room, officially opens its doors in September, bringing both local and international acts to Buffalo.
Johnny Marr isn’t weary of a change of pace. Thirty years after the dissolution of the Smiths, Marr went from acts like the Cribs and Modest Mouse to session work.
The film season between August and September sits comfortably between summer blockbusters and Halloween releases.
Based on the beloved Disney animated film from 1992, the “Aladdin” musical kept some of the film’s charm despite production flaws. The Broadway musical took center stage at Shea’s Performing Arts Center from Aug. 8 to Aug. 19 for a two-week run at the popular local venue. The musical’s Middle Eastern style production and costume design paralleled the extravagant beauty within Shea’s Theater. The costume and set designs contrasted between the constant golden imagery with rich colors and fabric.
Vince Staples will perform at the Center for the Arts on Friday, Sept. 21 according to the rapper’s website. The Center for the Arts has not yet announced the show on social media. A CFA box office employee couldn’t confirm the show, referring The Spectrum to the Student Association.
Last August, Waiting Room owner Chris Ring closed the doors to his popular Buffalo venue after four years in the business.
ROCHESTER — Grammy-winning singer Jill Scott adorned Rochester on Friday night, but not just with her fine-tuned vocals. Her light aura and lyrical relatability made her an act to behold. Scott paraded through her catalog with ease and cracked jokes to the audience’s amusement. By the show’s conclusion, she proved her place at one of Upstate New York’s biggest jazz platforms.
The summer is a time to relax, sip some lemonade and enjoy the influx of blockbuster films that premier between June and August.
With summer underway, live music is fruitful in every corner. Buffalo’s music scene offers something for everyone year round, for multiple genres and areas of interest.
When Samuel Vespone isn’t studying for a chemistry exam or volunteering in Honduras, he’s working on his next song. Vespone, a UB ‘18 alum, can hit riffs on the saxophone, blow the harmonica, toot the trumpet and strum the ukulele. In short, he can play it all. Vespone spends half his day making music in his studio apartment, working both with instruments and his own vocals.
Aly & AJ is still the sister-powered pop rock group from the golden age of Disney, but Aly and AJ Michalka are no longer under anyone’s creative control. They make their own decisions. Last year marked an entire decade since the duo’s last album, “Insomniatic,” an appropriate time for Aly & AJ to release their first independent project “Ten Years.”
This is it, folks: the end of a gosh-dang era. While it’s been fun indulging myself writing about movies (almost) every month in ways that probably only I find amusing, I do hope that at least one reader — if there are any — has enjoyed this half as much as I have.
The UB Choir has nearly doubled in size since last semester, but director Claudia Brown used this growth to expand in other areas.
Jorja Smith didn't need an album out to win over a sold-out crowd at The Opera House. All she needed was a pair of pink Nikes and some unparalleled vocal chops.
Over the last several weeks, UB has outfitted North Campus with banners emblazoned with the phrase “Diversity Sparks Discovery.”
With Saturday’s closing set, the self-proclaimed “trap lord,” A$AP Ferg, wasted no time jumping into his opener “Trap and a Dream.” He rushed the stage as soon as his verse began. Ferg headlined this year’s Student Association Spring Fest alongside West Coast rapper Ty Dolla $ign and opener Daniel Caesar.
Solutions by The State News
