Arts - The Spectrum

Kurtlyn Cunningham, owner of Love, Light & Magick, shows off some of her store’s goods. Love Light & Magick is one of many spiritual specialty stores scattered around Buffalo, alongside Strange Brew in Kenmore and Spiritually Rooted in North Tonawanda, which form the core of Buffalo’s metaphysical community, often offering tarot readings, psychic development workshops and henna drawings.

ARTS

Pagans, witches and wiccans – oh my

By BRIAN WINDSCHITL | Oct. 21, 2015

Love Light & Magick is one of many spiritual specialty stores scattered around Buffalo, alongside Strange Brew in Kenmore and Spiritually Rooted in North Tonawanda. These stores form the core of Buffalo’s metaphysical community, often offering tarot readings, psychic development workshops and henna drawings. Pagan and Wicca communities, often misunderstood as “black magic” groups, are some of the most open-minded, accepting and peace-loving people around.

A group of cosplayers consisting of a Joker, a Harley Quinn and a Captain Jack Sparrow enjoys Buffalo Comic Con, which moved this year to the Buffalo Convention Center as part of a two-day event Oct. 17-18. The event was hugely popular, with multiple different events held each day including meet-and-greets with different comic artists, cosplay contests and more.

ARTS

Age of the comic con: Buffalo Comic Con swells in popularity

By DAVID TUNIS-GARCIA | Oct. 18, 2015

Though still nowhere near the size of the convention that takes place in San Diego, California each July, Buffalo’s very own Comic Con is certainly gaining traction. In previous years the convention was held for an afternoon in a gymnasium-sized ballroom at the Buffalo Marriott Niagara, but this year the Buffalo Comic Con made the leap to the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center as a two-day affair with readings, panels and appearances from different comics.

David Sedaris speaks at a reading in 2007. An author, comedian, radio contributor and humorist, Sedaris performed at UB’s CFA Mainstage this Saturday. Sedaris, first gaining notoriety in 1993 for his essay Santaland Diaries which was broadcasted on NPR, has found a niche in pop culture with his high-brow, gutter-minded humor.

ARTS

David Sedaris at UB: Humor at the speed of life

By KENNETH KASHIF THOMAS | Oct. 18, 2015

An author, comedian, radio contributor and humorist, David Sedaris makes us see the humorous beauty in everyday life situations.

Sculpture by Jacob Schupbach, entitled Now Back To

ARTS

From the trash pile to the gallery

By Luke Heuskin | Oct. 18, 2015

Think twice before you throw out that dusty old computer keyboard – you just might be discarding a work of art. This idea was what inspired Natalie Fleming, art resource curator and supervisor for the Lower Gallery at the Center for the Arts, to start the Cradle to Grave: Re-Appropriation, Obsolescence, and the Arts exhibition.

ARTS

The grapevine

By BRIAN WINDSCHITL | Oct. 18, 2015

Buffalo always has a few surprising shows from week to week. This week, legendary musician and former-Beatle Paul McCartney is coming to play a sold-out show at First Niagara Center and 2000s pop punk Mayday Parade will play at Town Ballroom. With midterms wrapping up, get out and enjoy the Queen City and all that it has to offer.

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, The Latin Dance Company, Baila Salsa and the Latin American Student Association (LASA) will be hosting dance lessons and events until Oct. 15.

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Buffalo does the salsa

By GIOVANNI GAGLIANESE | Oct. 15, 2015

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, The Latin Dance Company, Baila Salsa and the Latin American Student Association (LASA) has hosted dance lessons and events until Oct. 15. As an integral part of Latin cultural expression, dance serves as an interactive art and creative outlet. Even though Buffalo is not a renowned Latin dance community, like New York City or Los Angeles, it still has a quality impact on the area. A Buffalo Latin-themed dance attracts a diverse group of people and is a social experience that differs from typical nightlife.

2013 AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS - GENERAL - “2013 American Music Awards” broadcast live from the NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE on SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24 (8:00-11:00 p.m., ET/PT) on the ABC. (Photo by Richard Harbaug/ABC via Getty Imagesh) TAYLOR SWIFT

ARTS

AMAs 2015: get your popcorn ready

By Tomas Olivier | Oct. 15, 2015

Popularity or sheer talent, there’s no foolproof way to know who will win at this year’s American Music Awards ceremony, but the trophies will do all of the talking in the end when some lucky talent walks away with the title. The 2015 AMAs will take place on Sunday Nov. 22. The award categories are plentiful, ranging from favorite Pop/Rock album to favorite movie soundtrack, and of course the titles of Artist of the Year & New Artist of the Year will give bragging rights to some talented musical soloist, duo or group.

ARTS

Fetty Wap makes good music 60 percent of the time, all the time

By Gabriela Ortiz | Oct. 15, 2015

While it feels like Fetty Wap infected our brains with “Trap Queen” centuries ago, it’s still been less than a year since the New Jersey rapper officially released the song. Since then, Fetty Wap hit the rap game and the Billboard charts with an avalanche of hits.

Samantha Pfeiffer (right) and Natalia Sarmiento (left) pose outside Lockwood Library on North Campus. This semester, Deja Stevens started Fusion UB Dance & Photography, a collaborative project where over 40 UB dancers, filmmakers and photographers tried to display UB and Buffalo at its most artistic. The first event was held Sept. 20 and Stevens is already at work planning for next semester.

ARTS

Student collaboration at UB discovers Buffalo through art

By KENNETH KASHIF THOMAS | Oct. 13, 2015

Deja Stevens saw a disconnect between performance artists and media students at UB and got inspired. She organized Fusion UB Dance & Photography, a collaborative project among UB’s artistic students, which highlights the beauty of UB’s campus in an artistic format by connecting dancers and actors with photographers and filmmakers to create an in-depth project about UB.

Philadelphia rocker Kurt Vile’s 6th studio album, b'lieve i'm goin down, released Sept. 25. The album feels like another milestone for the artist, whose genuine, self-reflective music is as relaxing as it is refreshing.

ARTS

Kurt Vile’s 6th studio album sees artist expand on previous success

By BRIAN WINDSCHITL | Oct. 13, 2015

Kurt Vile is, undeniably, a rock star. It’s his understated nature that sets him apart from all the other rockers out there; Vile isn’t in it for the fame or the fortunes. His music is an extension of himself – unassuming, self-effacing and above all else, honest. On Sept. 25, he released his newest project b'lieve i'm goin down, his 6th studio album to date.

“Goosebumps” is one of the many horror and thriller movies are coming out this month, released in the spirit of Halloween. In this film, R.L. Stine’s famous scary stories will finally make their way to the big screen. It premieres Oct. 16.

ARTS

The Spectrum’s fall movie guide

By Tomas Olivier | Oct. 13, 2015

As Halloween creeps closer and closer, it’s hard not to notice the barrage of movies that are being released within the coming weeks that pay homage to the beloved holiday. So save the date for scary night out at the movies or, if scary isn’t your thing, check out some of the other flicks soon to be released.

This past Thursday, Irving Feldman (pictured) returned to Buffalo to read his poetry at the Anderson Art Gallery. The artist, a former UB english department professor well-known for fostering creativity amongst his students, read his poetry and talked about the changing attitude towards arts and poetry.

ARTS

An evening with poet Irving Feldman: Legacy of friendship, fostering and creativity

By Tomas Olivier | Oct. 11, 2015

This past Thursday poet and former UB professor Irving Feldman returned to Buffalo to read his poetry at the Anderson Art Gallery. A crowd of more than 40 people attended the reading.

Meric Long (Left) and Logan Kroeber (right) performed at Buffalo’s Mohawk Place on Thursday. The folk-rock duo, who make up The Dodos, returned to Buffalo on the front-end of their tour for their 6th studio album Individ, which was released Jan. 23.

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The Dodos play intimate show at Buffalo's Mohawk Place

By GRACE TRIMPER | Oct. 11, 2015

Despite saying they would never be back, The Dodos returned to Buffalo on Thursday. Many concert-goers happened to be UB students, who ventured from all over Western New York to see the emotional folk-rock duo perform live.

ARTS

The grapevine 10/12-10/17

By BRIAN WINDSCHITL | Oct. 11, 2015

The grapevine is a weekly concert comprehensive seeking to bring all the latest and greatest Buffalo concerts to your fingertips.

ARTS

Big Grams: glitz and glitter, but no gold

By BRIAN WINDSCHITL | Oct. 8, 2015

The self-titled collaborative project between Big Boi (Antwan Patton) and Phantogram (Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter) has all the critical elements that a good album should have, good hooks and slick production – but the parts that standout, Big Boi’s trademark staccato style and Phantogram’s lilting vocals, never coalesce into something substantive.

On Tuesday, the UB Piano Club hosted its first club event of the year, a concert in SU theatre. The concert was open to any musicians. Paul Sottnik (pictured) travelled from SUNY Fredonia to take part in the performances.

ARTS

UB Piano Club builds to a crescendo

By Gabriela Ortiz | Oct. 8, 2015

Alex Schwartz wants students to know that the UB Piano Club is an open community that can help foster musical talent. “We have our concerts to get the word out there,” Schwartz, UB Piano Club president, said. On Tuesday, the UB Piano Club held its first official concert of the fall semester.

Attila Richard Lukacs, a world-renowned artist, presented some of his work on Tuesday at the Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center. His work centers around the synthesis of art, homophobia and pornography.

ARTS

World-renowned artist Attila Richard Lukacs: On pornography, art and homophobia

By GIOVANNI GAGLIANESE | Oct. 8, 2015

World-renowned artist Attila Richard Lukacs sparked audience conversation when he presented his work, focused on the world of homoeroticism and the narratives behind it, at Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center this past Tuesday evening. The event was sponsored by the Department of Visual Studies at UB and the Leslie-Lohman Queer Art Lecture Series provided free admission to Lukacs’ art.

The Albright-Knox Art Gallery is located in the middle of Elmwood. The gallery, opened in 1862, has grown to become one of the most important local staples of the Buffalo art scene. On the first friday of every month, admission is free.

ARTS

Buffalo’s best art galleries

By BRIAN WINDSCHITL | Oct. 6, 2015

Here, The Spectrum has done the research for you, to put you in the know. What follows is a list of Buffalo’s best art galleries, rated based on popularity, influence in the Buffalo art community and the diversity of the exhibitions.

ARTS

Buffalo’s most famous

By KENNETH KASHIF THOMAS and MARLEE TUSKES | Oct. 6, 2015

What do Rob Gronkowski, Patrick Kane, and Chad Michael Murray all have in common? While they may be people you have seen on your television before, there’s another quality that ties them together – they’re all from Buffalo.

Lower Dens lead singer Jana Hunter performs at Mohawk Place Thursday. Lower Dens, an indie rock-pop band from Baltimore, gave an inspired performance at Mohawk Place. The show was nostalgic, reminiscent of ’80s pop performances.

ARTS

Lower Dens performs at Mohawk Place

By BRIAN WINDSCHITL | Oct. 4, 2015

The singer of Lower Dens gave a passionate performance at Mohawk Place on Thursday, playing for the first time in Buffalo. The band, hailing from Baltimore, was formed in 2010. The progressive indie rock band was clearly influenced by the pop of the ’80s. Throughout the entire night, their sound was so reminiscent of an earlier generation of music, as the band performed all of their biggest hits: “To Die in L.A.,” “Ondine” and “Electric Current.”