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Though it may only be the fifth time since 1992 that the Albright-Knox Art Galley has increased its admission rate, the higher fee speaks to the changing face of our society and economy. To keep the gallery in good financial health, it is necessary to increase the price of a regular adult admission ticket from $10 up to $12. The new price will go into effect on January 1st 2009. The director of the gallery, Louis Grachos, has said that due to higher costs in all areas of the gallery’s operation, the modest increase is necessary. The gallery will continue to offer free admission to the Pe...

French satire from the 1600's feels like falling asleep in high school english class. But classic French satire with a rock and roll band? That sounds better. We can thank Andy Liegl for this bold modernity on December 26th when his production of Such Foolish Affected Ladies opens at the Alt Theatre. The original play calls for violinists but this role has been liberally opened up to local band The Nepenthe. "I wanted an indie rock sound, something that my generation can click with but...

It’s funny how history seems to repeat itself. Florence Foster Jenkins was in the elite member of society, but terribly eccentric and utterly convinced that she was a great coloratura soprano – despite the fact that she couldn’t carry a tune for even a few notes. She even managed to hold a sold out concert, even though she couldn’t sing! Sound familiar? Remember William Hung? Jenkins’ story happened over 50 years ago. She would hold annual recitals in the Ritz Carlton hotel where she lived with her accompanist Cosme McMoon. News of her terrible singing and conviction that it was ...

What could be more perfect to spread the news about local artists at the Buffalo Indie Market than a literary magazine that features works from local artists? NOMAD is a new magazine set to debut in January 2009 that will feature writers, poets, photographers, artists, and designers from the area. Erica Eichelkraut, a freelance photographer, created NOMAD and is bringing it to the public. Since Eichelkraut is a part of the Buffalo Indie Market, it wasn’t long before a collaboration was brewing. Eichelkraut and the Buffalo Indie Market are teaming up to make a reversible publication. One ...

Too early to think about Mardi Gras? We don't think so! Plan ahead for the 2nd Annual Big Easy in Buffalo Jam on Feb. 20. So far Music is Art (MiA) founder and president Robby Takac has booked New Orleans artists Marcia Ball, Papa Grows Funk, and Big Sam's Funky Nation, as well as local opener Eric Crittenden & Ron Davis (Leeron Zydeco) and a student battle of the bands winner. "Buffalo and New Orleans are a lot alike," Takac said. "They're both great cities that keep going no matter what's thrown at them, and both cities have incredible local music scenes. I'm happy we can give our...

Downtown shopping will have a Brigadoon-like appearance at the old Slotkin building this Saturday for a one-day artisan marketplace event known as the "Last Minute Gift Buying Panic Marketplace". It is this Saturday, December 20th from 11am - 4pm at the Western NY Book Arts Center, 468 Washington St at Mohawk in downtown Buffalo. While the Book Arts Center is not quite officially opened, they have been busy with workshops and remodeling in anticipation of a Spring 2009 grand opening. The marketplace event will give a preview...

Dana Tillou, whose name is synonymous with fine arts, is offering "The Little Picture Show," an exhibit covering well over a century of regional art. I have one wall in my gallery dedicated to a Western New York and Niagara historical print collection," Tillou said. "The feature section is just one part of the gallery, and it covers more than 125 years to present of original regional prints with a lot of local appeal." Highlighting giclée prints of regional compositions and artists, there is a blow-up of an 1888 print of a print that depicts downtown Buffalo from the Lyon Grain Elevator...

Leave it to Artistic Director Scott Behrend of Road Less Traveled Productions to thrill us with An Evening at Rockwell Hall With Alec Baldwin. Baldwin will read the Tony-nominated play Speed the Plow by David Mamet, directed by Scott Behrend, with Brian Mysliwy and Kelly Jakiel. Regular seating goes for $40 or $55, but the private reception at the Burchfield-Penney with Baldwin and premier seating for the performance will set you back $175. Not bad for proximity to greatness along with a chance to help RLTP with this fundraising effort. A lot of you may know Baldwin from his r...

Buffalo Gay Men’s Chorus provides individual and collective example of hope rising from ashes of hate and intolerance. A Roman Catholic Church is not the first place one would expect to find a stirring, well-received performance of a gay men’s chorus. It is the sort of place one would expect protesters, placards, tag lines about the gay lifestyle being anti everything the so-called pro-life, pro-family, pro-God activists hold dear. But on one particular day, in one particular Catholic parish in Buffalo, both of these scenes were occur...

What happens when a group of volunteers form an ensemble? They could create a choir that has become so respected they have performed with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Ars Nova Musicians, the Greater Buffalo Opera Company, and with Opera Sacra, they performed Schubert’s Deutsche Messe, James McMillan’s Cantos Sagrados, and Dave Brubeck’s La Fiesta de la Posada and Pange Lingua Variations. The Choir of the Blessed Sacrament Church is all-volunteer using members of their parish as well as members of the community. Their repertoire includes nine centuries of sacred music and a...

Bob Schultz is calling all interested night photographers to join the Still Film Photographers of Greater Buffalo this Sunday, Dec. 14th @ 5:30PM, at the parking lot at Elmwood and Summer. He says, "We'll venture out and photograph at a few different sites. Please dress warmly, bring camera loaded with film, tripod, cable release, flashlight, and whatever else you will need. This is an open invite also to those who are not active members of our group, but t...

While there is great debate over how to reutilize our grain elevators on a business level, they have become almost constant fodder for the arts. Today at 3:30, Josh Sicard, a MFA student in visual media at the University at Buffalo, will unveil his masterwork of footage shot in and around the Perot Malt House. Sicard shot four rolls of 8mm film and then buried it in the soil surrounding the grain elevator. Having spent the chilly morning unearthing it, he will project it, on sight, where resident patron of the arts, Swannie Jim, has promised there will be a fire lit to keep viewers warm ...

I had the great pleasure of attending Amy Meza Luraschi's exhibit "Apt Noir" at the Big Orbit Gallery this past weekend. Saturday night's opening brought a nice crowd, but I couldn't resist bringing my friend George back on Sunday to have a more personal glimpse, walking off brunch and feeding on the palpable emotion of Amy's work. I trust I'll go there again before the January 17th close date.

When it debuted in 1977, it won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It ran for 2,377 performances and has been produced all over the world. It is one of the top 20 longest running shows in Broadway history and it’s coming to Shea’s Performing Arts Center for a special engagement. Get ready to watch little orphan Annie sing to you about a hard-knock life and keep your glass half full as she belts “Tomorrow” on the play’s 30th Anniversary Tour. The performances will only last three days – December 19th through the 21st – and there will be only four chances for you to see...

I’ve been waiting for this art event to start my family Christmas shopping. If you don’t have a guide and map to the event you can pick one up at any of the locations participating. Though we have talked about it, my extended family still hasn’t converted to a draw-one-name-out-of-a-hat for presents program. The kids of the family are still at the young-adult-but-not-just-a-card stage, which means I am in the market for lots of interesting small presents. Luckily, I live in Buffalo! Friday night I made it to: 190 Bryant St. – 9 artists - Purchased 2 snowmen mugs for my...

On Friday, December 12th, Will Holton will release his debut CD Always at the Tralf, along with 4-time Grammy nominee, Joseph "The Hands of Soul" Wooten. Alongside these performers will be Buffalo Bills cornerback Jabari Greer, who will double as a musician for the night. Recording artists Jimmie Highsmith, Joey Diggs, John Reed, and Dr. James Cornelius of 1400 AM with Big Jay hosting will also be present for the combination CD release and fundraiser. Holton’s career began ten years ago when he started playing the saxophone. In 2000, he had the honor of performing with ...

Some of you may remember this story about the exhibition currently running at UB Anderson Gallery dubbed an “Ode to Michael Goldberg.” To help bring the importance of this artist to families and children, the gallery will be holding a family workshop called, “Playtime, Paint, and Poetry,” hosted by Karen L. Lewis. Lewis is a published poet, author, editor, and teaching artist who will be leading participants in a variety of activities. Kids and their parents will first be led through a discussion about ...

Wrap your own incentive package with local ribbon. If you were unable to attend the Buffalo Art Studio's opening, don't worry - there's still time to visit the gallery and gift shop to find that perfect gift this holiday season. The exhibition showcases the extensive and multi-faceted talents of the over thirty artists in residence at BAS, as well as past resident artists and former exhibiting artists. Incentive. Sitmulus. Economy Carrot. Buy, Buy, Buy. What ever one thinks of the daily, no…hourly news or our economy…there is still one thing that is the true stimulus package. An...

To start off their 2008-2009 season, the Theatre of Youth is opening with a play that will captivate the children in the audience as their eyes follow the adventures of the well-known heroine Madeline in “Madeline’s Christmas.” With just a handful of performances before Christmas, be sure to get your tickets early so you don’t miss out on this holiday treat. Opening night for the play is Friday, December 12th at 7 PM. There will also be performances on December 13th at 2 and 5:30 PM, December 14th at 2 PM, December 19th at 7 PM, December 20th at 2 and 5:30 PM, and December 21st at ...

Amy Meza Luraschi is a Buffalo native who was not only born and raised here, but also educated here. She received her BFA from the University at Buffalo, she then left the city to go to Colombia College in Chicago to earn her MAT, but she has already returned to pursue her MFA in the Visual Studies Department at the University at Buffalo. She lives right in the city and as she works for her MFA, she works as a Lead Teaching Artist for CEPA Gallery’s Education Programs. Big Orbit will be proud to present this true Buffalonian’s work in her exhibit “Apt. Noir." Luraschi’s work is a s...