Looking at WNY’s visual art, theater, music, and dance scenes.
Talk about ArtsAnnual 2011
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12/28/11Spree Music with E. Lovria: George ColeEvery once in a while, I like to step outside of my musical comfort zone to discover other musical talent. It’s refreshing and invigorating to take a chance on a show and see a veteran artist who doesn't appear on my typical playlist. One such musician is George Cole, who will bring his particular brand of jazz and swing to the Sportmans Tavern on Wednesday, January 4. A legend in his own right, Cole has been involved in the music business, wearing an array of hats, since the 1970s. Most often you would find him performing, but he wasn’t against composing, producing and sharing his talent as an instructor teaching guitar to prominent performers such as Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt of Green Day. But his true love is music from the great American songbook of... |
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12/23/11Movie Review: War HorseSpielberg goes back into the trenches. |
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12/22/11Meet the team behind Hedwig & the Angry InchALT Theatre is starting the new year with a startling new show. The musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch is outside of the theatrical norm because of its subject matter and its alternative musical style. Hedwig, a German born male, suffers a botched sex-change operation when (s)he tries to become a woman in order to marry her American G.I. boyfriend. She wants to live happily ever after in the U.S., but things don’t go according to plan. The glam rock/punk musical illustrates Hedwig’s journey to becoming a punk rock performer and the many lives and loves she meets along the way. The star of ALT’s production is local diva Loraine O’Donnell, who’s using Hedwig’s transformational journey to launch one of her own. We had a brief chat with Loraine,... |
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12/16/11Movie Review: Young AdultDiablo Cody and Jason Reitman re-team with much less success. |
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12/09/11Movie Review: New Year's EveThe latest unnecessary holiday-themed multi-narrative graces the screen. |
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12/08/11Spree Music with E. Lovria: David Bromberg QuartetThe musician plays at Buff State on December 17th |
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12/07/11Theater Review: Peter Pan" ... some people will likely be surprised by the style and approach of the New Phoenix production ... " |
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11/23/11Movie Review: Arthur ChristmasAardman Animation returns to the big screen. |
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11/18/11Movie Review: Like CrazyThe hit Sundance romance comes to Buffalo. |
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11/09/11Spree Music with E. Lovria: The SadiesWonderful weather isn’t the only exciting thing going on this week. Lucky for us, we have two uniquely talented bands, the Sadies and Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter, coming to Buffalo. Each band has its own distinct sound, yet somehow they manage to flatter one another. I recommend bringing a friend to their upcoming show, someone who may not share your taste in music. This way the two of you can share the discovery of some under-the-radar musicians. The Sadies hail from Toronto and bring with them the indie, alt-country sound similar to that which made so many Canadian acts popular here in the 90s. Its members include brothers Dallas and Travis Good, whose father and uncles were members of the Canadian country band the Good Brothers, and provide obvious... |
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11/04/11Movie Review: Tower HeistA little blue-collar grand larceny. |
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11/03/11Imagining MargolinThe Jewish Repertory Theatre of Western New York is currently presenting Deb Margolin’s Imagining Madoff. The one-act play highlights a series of conversations notorious Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff has with writer/historian/Holocaust Solomon Galkin. Like Galkin, the events relayed in the play are entire fictional, nevertheless, they allow for an introspective examination of how greed, power, guilt, and trust prey upon human nature. The playwright journeyed to Buffalo to see the JRT’s October 29th production, so we took a moment to ask her a few questions. Darwin McPherson: Where did you get the idea to do a play about Bernie Madoff? Did you feel you knew him or had any empathy with him before you started it? Deb Margolin: I began writing for Bernie Madoff... |
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10/28/11Movie Review: Puss in BootsDreamworks takes us back to Far Far Away for a Shrek spin-off. |
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10/27/11Spree Music with J. DiDomizio: Blitzen Trapper"That is where Blitzen Trapper wants to take you, back to the American concept of freedom on an open road." |
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10/21/11Movie Review: The WayEmilio Estevaz's new film takes us on a spiritual journey through Spain. |
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10/20/11The Sun Shines for Mike RandallYou’ve seen him on your television screen, but you can also catch him on stage. Over the years, WKBW Chief Meteorologist Mike Randall’s one-man show Charles Dickens Presents: A Christmas Carol has become a holiday favorite and he is renowned as a leading Mark Twain reenactor. In recent times, Randall has been showing off his skills as a touring puppeteer for children. From October 20-30, Randall is appearing in The Sunshine Boys by Neil Simon at the Springville Center For The Arts. We took a few minutes to chat with the media personality about his theatrical history. Darwin McPherson: You've been acting for more than forty years. How did you get into acting in the first place? Mike Randall: I was number five of six kids and found myself doing... |
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10/15/11A glorious tradition is better than everSlee's Beethoven series is an annual—and ever amazing—treasure |
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10/14/11Movie Review: FootlooseThe director of Hustle & Flow updates the 80s classic to surprisingly entertaining effect. |
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10/14/11Casa de ArteHusband and wife Rick Williams and Mara Odette Guerrero-Williams are spearheading a multicultural and artistic effort here in Buffalo. |
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09/30/11Movie Review: 50/50The semi-autobiographical account of writer Will Reiser's battle with cancer. |
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09/28/11Spree Music with E. Lovria: Jackie GreeneThis singer/songwriter performs at the Tralf on October 4. |
09/26/11Images from the Foo Fighters ShowLast night Spree photographer Nancy J. Parisi caught some great images at the Foo Fighters show. They were here in town touring in support of their newest album, Wasting Light. Enjoy! |
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09/23/11Movie Review: MoneyballThe story of how Billy Beane and the Oakland A's changed baseball. |
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09/22/11BNFF's first fall session beginsThe Buffalo Niagara Film Festival gives us a fall season in 2011. |
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09/12/11Spree does TIFF: Day ThreeTIFF screens "Shame," likely to be 2011's finest film. |
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09/11/11Spree does TIFF: Day TwoA "Melancholic" day. |
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09/10/11Spree does TIFF: Day OneDay One is in the bag. Film count is 6. |
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09/09/11Movie Review: ContagionA deadly disease threatens to wipe out humanity. |
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09/06/11Spree hits TIFF 2011Buffalo Spree's Chris Schobert and Jared Mobarak head up the QEW for a weekend of film. |
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09/02/11Movie Review: The GuardThe dark comedy from Ireland comes to Buffalo. |
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08/31/11Spree Music with E. Lovria: Carbon LeafSeptember 14, catch Carbon Leaf at the Tralf |
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08/26/11Movie Review: ColombianaRevenge served with a side of sexy. |
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08/24/11Spree Music with J. DiDomizio: Great Lake SwimmersGreat Lakes Swimmers set to make a splash at Babeville's Ninth Ward. |
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08/22/11The Admirable Crichton at ShawTake a trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake and enjoy a transformative experience—you are in a lush setting, experiencing a quality of life, a freedom, unbeknownst to you in your predetermined daily life, dictated as it is by societal roles, strict behavioral codes, and real-life responsibilities distracting you from the elemental joys of life. Forget those previously, dearly held tenets, and fiercely focus on the exciting circumstances at hand. Will you ever come back home and reassume the familiar mantle?Meet this challenge, and you will be echoing the story arc of The Admirable Crichton, by J.M. Barrie and directed by Morris Panych, now playing at the Shaw Fest. This piece by Barrie (1860-1937), the author most famously of the Peter Pan stories, was first performed in London in... |
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08/19/11Movie Review: One DayA story of best friends who should be lovers. |
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08/12/11Movie Review: 30 Minutes or LessThe plot may be one-note, but the laughs keep it interesting. |
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08/10/11Spree Music with J. DiDomizio: Return to Forever ReviewMonday's night's double bill rocks the house |
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08/05/11Movie Review: The Change-UpA lame attempt at recreating Freaky Friday. |
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08/02/11The 'Cowboy Suicide Club' returns to Buffalo in God's LandAn award-winning film with a tenuous connection to Buffalo returns to the screen in Amherst. |
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07/29/11Movie Review: Cowboys & AliensA genre mash-up that's more western than action, no matter what the trailers say. |
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07/27/11Spree Music with J. DiDomizio: The Sheila DivineAn interview with frontman and Buffalo native Aaron Perrino |
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07/22/11Movie Review: Friends with BenefitsA romantic comedy well worth your time. |
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07/20/11Spree Music with E. Lovria: Jesse MalinPunk rock legend Jesse Malin brings his new band to the Mohawk |
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07/15/11Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2Films opening this weekend: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 - Maple Ridge; Amherst Dipson; Market Arcade; Elmwood, Transit, Galleria, Quaker, Hollywood Regals; Flix; Transit Drive-In Winnie the Pooh - Maple Ridge; McKinley Mall Dipson; Elmwood, Transit, Galleria, Hollywood Regals; Flix; Transit Drive-In Every story must come to an end and the saga of Harry Potter and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is no exception. Splitting the final novel of J.K. Rowling’s epic tale of wizardry into two films makes it possible for very little to be left out, but just as Part 1 lacked a complete arc, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is even less its own entity. The two parts must be joined, and when put together are easily as close to a perfect ending as one could hope.... |
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07/15/11Son of the Sun rises again"Buffalo absolutely seeps into the music." |
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07/13/11Spree Music with J. DiDomizio: London vs. NYLocal rockers worth a listen Posted at 08:42 AM | Permalink | Comments: 1 |
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07/12/11Images from The Craft Allliance fair at ChautauquaWhite hydrangeas carried the sound of busy bees and a winding brick path set the perfect stage for the work of local artists. At last weekend’s Crafts Alliance show at the Chautauqua Institution's Bestor Plaza, the streets were filled with bicycles, patrons, and the smell of grilled panini.One uphill stroll from Chautauqua Lake set a crowed maze of proud vendors and their handiwork. A bounty of jewelry was displayed—women held up delicate, handcrafted earrings and other sparkling seeking approval from their husbands and friends. Others wound their way through staggered clothing racks modeling model hand-woven jackets and dresses of all varieties and color.Unusual treasures were not overlooked. Clock-faced wooden figures were a favorite as spectators stopped to get a closer... |
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07/11/11Lang Lang's long-awaited Kleinhans performanceIt should be noted that on Sunday July 10, 2011 Moscow’s weather was essentially the same as Buffalo’s. Both of these northern cities, known for their frigid winters, were hot and sultry. Thus, as I sat in a slightly clammy but highly-charged Kleinhans Theater, a great building raised when Stalin ruled the steppes, it seemed somehow possible that the enigmatic Russian spirit had infused the great hall for an all-Russian program and the long-awaited Buffalo debut of the Chinese pianist Lang Lang.The Philharmonic opened with Dmitry Kabalevsky’s Overture to his opera Colas Breugnon, the first of two Soviet-era pieces. Kabalevsky survived the purges which doomed so many of the artists of the Stalinist era by cultivating political connections and hewing closely to the... |
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07/08/11Movie Review: Horrible BossesWe all want to kill our bosses at some point—it is hoped we'd be better at it than these guys. |
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07/06/11Spree Music with E. Lovria: The AlbrightsLocal band provides a unique experience for each audience |
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07/05/11Manga favorite Trigun hits the big screenA film version of the popular Manga and TV series screens in Amherst. |
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07/01/11Big bold boats—and a win for the Albright-KnoxThe museum's newest and biggest acquisition is most welcome. Posted at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments: 1 |
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07/01/11Movie Review: Larry CrowneA promising comedy destroyed by poor writing. |
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06/24/11Movie Review: The Tree of LifeMalick's poetic—and triumphant—exploration of life's big questions. |
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06/19/11NXNE 2011: Night ThreeSpree's associate editor Ron Ehmke shares his adventures at NXNE Posted at 03:53 PM | Permalink | Comments: 2 |
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06/18/11NXNE 2011: Night TwoSpree's associate editor Ron Ehmke shares his adventures at NXNE Posted at 07:33 PM | Permalink | Comments: 1 |
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06/17/11NXNE 2011: Night OneSpree's associate editor Ron Ehmke shares his adventure at NXNE |
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06/10/11Summertime WNY outdoor film screeningsVarious WNY venues offer the chance to catch a flick under the stars |
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06/09/11Movie Review: Super 8J. J. Abrams takes a page from idol Steven Spielberg and creates a summer treat. |
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06/09/11British film showcase comes to BuffaloA showcase of acclaimed British film screens at Dipson's Amherst Theatre Posted at 05:14 AM | Permalink | Comments: 2 |
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05/30/11Shaw Reviews: My Fair Lady and Cat on a Hot Tin RoofMy Fair Lady Music by Frederick Loewe; book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, adapted from Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw. Directed by Molly Smith. Festival Theatre. Runtime: 3 hours. April 13–Oct. 30.Molly Smith helms a lively, if perfunctory production of Lerner and Loewe’s beloved musical. Unusually, Smith, artistic director of Washington’s Arena Stage, and her designers stress the play’s bird imagery. The sets resemble ornate filigreed cages, the costumes and furniture are bedecked with drawings of birds. We’re meant to remember that Edwardian England is a gilded cage, and as a woman in this society, Eliza is bound by conventions of class and gender, no matter how much her speech improves. It’s an apt metaphor, but despite plenty of charm and... |
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05/27/11Movie Review: Kung Fu Panda 2An entertaining sequel that still fails to live up to its predecessor. |
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05/16/11NBC's Judah Friedlander in Buffalo this weekendComedy star from NBC's 30 Rock to perform in Buffalo this weekend. |
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05/13/11Thursday at the Square: The best line-up in yearsPotter, Clinton, Tokyo ... |
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05/13/11Movie Review: BridesmaidsKristen Wiig tries her hand at some "Hangover"-type magic and succeeds. |
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05/07/11Call for submissions for exciting new art fairecho: Art Fair will promote Buffalo artists to larger market |
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05/02/11Movie Review: Henry's Crime offers an inauthentic BuffaloKeanu's Buffalo-set film disappoints. Posted at 10:08 AM | Permalink | Comments: 1 |
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05/02/11Review: Liebert's new age flamenco sound fills the TralfOttmar Liebert entranced the Buffalo crowd. |
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04/29/11Movie Review: Fast FiveA Fast and Furious film that's enjoyable in its absurdity. |
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04/22/11The Buffalo Niagara Film Festival maturesBNFF2011 showed real improvement. |
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04/13/11Movie Review: The ConspiratorRobert Redford tells the story of Mary Surratt. |
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04/09/11BNFF 2011 Celebrity DaySaturday, April 9th saw two Hollywood celebs hit the Market Arcade. |
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04/08/11Movie Review: Win WinAnother stunning dramedy from Tom McCarthy. |
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04/07/11A white-knuckle ride of a film at BNFF11The psychological drama White Knuckles premieres on Saturday. |
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04/07/11Buffalo natives have many ties to BNFF 2011The Buffalo Niagara Film Festival kicks off tomorrow. |
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04/04/11A preview of the 2011 Buffalo Niagara Film FestivalThe 5th Annual Buffalo Niagara Film Festival starts this week. |
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04/01/11Movie Review: Source CodeDirector Duncan Jones proves it is possible to reinvent the time travel plot in this engrossing sci-fi thriller. |
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04/01/11Book 'emThe Books play Babeville. |
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03/25/11Movie Review: Sucker PunchCan their imaginations free a group of troubled girls? |
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03/18/11Movie Review: PaulSimon Pegg and Nick Frost take a comic extra-terrestrial road trip. |
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03/11/11Movie Review: Red Riding HoodA failed update of a fairy tale fave. |
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03/10/11City Hall makes a cameo in the Henry's Crime posterKeanu does Buffalo. |
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03/05/11Ysaye Quartet tempers Beethoven's drama with Gallic reserveBeethoven quartets are given due diligence at Slee. |
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03/04/11Movie Review: Cedar RapidsInsurance salesmen go wild. |
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02/28/11Oscar night: The morning afterHow'd we do? And how'd the Academy do? |
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02/25/11Manny Fried: 1913-2011Remembering a theater legend. |
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02/25/11Movie Review: Hall PassAnother crudely comic offering from the Farrelly brothers. |
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02/18/11Movie Review: UnknownDr. Martin Harris thinks he remembers who he is. The world doesn't seem to agree. |
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02/11/11Movie Review: BiutifulA dying man deals with the compromises of his life. |
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02/07/11Spree's Top 10 Films of 2010Spree lists its favorite films from the past year, showing the Academy how it's really done. |
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02/04/11Movie Review: Blue ValentineA love story is compellingly rearranged in the telling. |
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02/03/11Post-Oscar nom breakdown 4: Director and PictureKings, cowboys, boxers, and social networks in a battle for Oscar. Posted at 03:03 PM | Permalink | Comments: 1 |
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01/28/11Post-Oscar nom breakdown 3: Supporting Actor and ActressThe Fighter looks to take two. Posted at 08:41 AM | Permalink | Comments: 1 |
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01/28/11Movie Review: The MechanicJason Statham kills with mechanical precision. |
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01/27/11Post-Oscar nom breakdown 2: Best ActressPortman takes on Bening in a two-woman race. Posted at 08:11 AM | Permalink | Comments: 2 |
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01/26/11Post-Oscar nom breakdown 1: Best ActorWho will win Best Actor? His name rhymes with Folin Cirth. Posted at 12:29 PM | Permalink | Comments: 2 |
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01/21/11Movie Review: Rabbit HoleA relationship drama and Nicole Kidman's triumphant return to the screen. |
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01/19/11The essential Rogovin: An in-depth conversationAn interview with photographer Milton Rogovin, which ran in Buffalo Spree's November 2004 issue. |
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01/14/11Movie Review: The Green HornetBritt Reid and Kato enter the twenty-first century in a Seth Rogen comedy. |
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01/07/11Movie Review: I Love You Phillip MorrisJim Carrey is cast against type, perfectly. |
