Arts

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Culture at a low cost

Weekend in Buffalo

Who: Jameson Butler What: The Swellers When: Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Where: Mohawk Place Why: Arguably the biggest up-and-coming band in pop punk makes a stop in Buffalo to win over some new fans. Who: John Hugar What: Broken Social Scene When: Saturday at 8 p.m. Where: Town Ballroom Why: Indie-rock legends return to Buffalo to show off one of the most intense live shows out there. Who: John Connelly What: Pauly Shore When: Saturday at 6 p.m. Where: The Dome Theatre Why: Pauly Shore is quite possibly the most important comedian of our time.

Modern Family keeps the tradition

Grade: B

"Scorsese, Buscemi rule the Boardwalk"

Show: "Boardwalk Empire" Channel: HBO Grade: A- Put Martin Scorsese on a new HBO show and the viewers will tune in. More than 4.8 million people caught the series premiere of "Boardwalk Empire," HBO's newest hyped-up series with big names and an even bigger production cost.

Doucet misses mark

Artist: Luke Doucet and The White Falcon Album: Steel City Trawler Label: Six Shooter Release Date: September 21 Grade: B- The crisp, bluesy opening guitar riff of Luke Doucet and The White Falcon's sixth studio album, Steel City Trawler, hints at a direction worth getting excited about for any fan of classic rock inspired. Unfortunately this direction is never fully realized. The album's overall tone tends to lean more towards the world of alternative rock, similar to that of the Wallflowers and the Barenaked Ladies. As the album progresses, it gradually evolves into a genre-defying combination of blues, rock ?n' roll and contemporary pop mixed with maracas and a drum roll in track one, "Monkeys," that would make legendary drummer Keith Moon of The Who proud. "The Ballad Of Ian Curtis," a song that starts with a muddy, ominous beat and ascending bass line attempts to build anticipation.

Album leaks help the record industry

As anyone who pays attention to the music scene can tell you, album releases aren't what they used to be.

A week in ink

Captain America: Patriot No. 1 When super heroes fight alongside average citizens, those lacking superhuman powers are forced to compensate by dressing up in a unique costume. Essentially, that's how The Patriot is born. When Captain America was called abroad to fight the Nazi menace known as Red Skull, America needed a defender to stay back and thwart the German threat infringing on the homeland. The Daily Bugle journalist Jeff Mace steps up to the plate after an evening rumble alongside the star spangled hero.

A devilish improvement for Shyamalan

Movie: Devil Opening Date: September 17, 2010 Grade: B- M. Night Shyamalan is back to his old tricks of giving audiences nightmares, instead of just making movies that are nightmares. Devil, the newest film written by M.

Sunny' brings life to cloudy Buffalo

Channel: FX Grade: A- While most days in Buffalo are overcast with a high chance of precipitation, FX parted the clouds on Thursday night and gave viewers a few rays of hope with the premier of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." The raunchy, insensitive and vulgar cult classic began its sixth season, and if the season debut is any indication, this year should be no holds barred. The few fans that have watched the show from its pilot will rejoice as Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day and Glenn Howerton have returned their minds to the gutter with hope that it will return the edge that the show missed for the past two seasons. It might be hard for the show's writers and producers to continue coming up with new hot topics this season considering the show has already taken on heated issues such as abortion, the Israel-Palestinian conflict and dating the mentally challenged. But season six took it back to the days when Charlie had cancer.

"""The League"" fumbles with its season opener "

Angry wives, threats to national security and inappropriate songs. That's right, it's once again fantasy football season. The second season of FX's breakout comedy, "The League," premiered Thursday night and, while worthy of a few chuckles, the premier was a slight disappointment. The episode, titled "Vegas Draft," centered on the gang's kickoff to another quirky and inappropriate joke-filled season of fantasy football.

Of Montreal forgot disco is dead

Artist: Of Montreal Album: False Priest Label: Polyvinyl Records Release Date: Sept. 14 Grade: C Georgie Fruit is back. Of Montreal's lead man, Kevin Barnes, morphed into his infamous stage persona (a middle-aged transsexual named Georgie Fruit) about halfway through the band's previous album, Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? With a lack of coherent and continuous sound in Of Montreal's new release, False Priest, it's indicative that Barnes has yet to change back to his normal self. Thanks to a nauseating mixture of funk, kaleidoscopic pop hooks and, at times, gothic organ music, False Priest sounds more like a cabaret performance by the nightmarish duo of Prince and Brandon Flowers. The album's high point comes with track three, "Coquet Coquette," a catchy, cheerful and bouncy number that will give listeners a desire to dance. However, False Priest soon spirals wildly out of control. The entire album plods along dutifully as Jon Brion's weak splatters of energy via percussion aren't enough to whip the guitars and synth out of their stupor.

Weekend in Buffalo

Who: John Connelly What: Kevin Hart Live When: Saturday, Sept. 18, 8 p.m. Where: Shea's Performing Arts Center Why: Comedy is always funnier live, especially when you indulge in a few drinks. Who: Jameson Butler What: The Town When: Friday, Sept.

Fall Fest - a musically diverse success

Baird Point was packed to the brim on Wednesday night with thousands of energized music fans. This year's Fall Fest, presented by the Student Association, featured a diverse lineup that appealed to multiple musical tastes. Whether a hip-hop fan came out to watch B.o.B.

A Thousand Rocking Suns

Artist: Linkin Park Album: A Thousand Suns Label: Warner Bros. Release Date: Sept. 14 Grade: B

A finale fit for a spartan

Grade: A

Bringing California sunlight to Fall Fest

In the City of Angels, where guys with acoustic guitars are more abundant than Yankees hats on Long Island, one man has clawed his way out of the sea of mediocrity and has started to garner some well-deserved recognition. While most students may know the three main acts (Jason Mraz, B.o.B and Bruno Mars) in Wednesday night's Fall Fest concert, the opening act, Robert Francis, is a true diamond in the rough. With two full-length albums, One by One and Before Nightfall, Francis has a do-it-yourself attitude that has been lacking in the pop industry over the past twenty years.

The worst year for pop music

2010 has been the single worst year in the history of pop music.

A week in ink

X-Men: Curse of the Mutants #3

Mindless zombies in a brainless story

Grade: B-

The almost amazing Spider-Man

Grade: B-