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PrintJanuary 2012: Hot 5
Evan Dando of The Lemonheads
Piper Ferguson
We’re deep in winter now, and with the holidays done, we can all move past Santa and caroling to the new fun, like festivals celebrating Buffalo winters, soup, and Lebowski, and the return of Jack Donaghy and Evan Dando.
The Lemonheads at Town Ballroom
Evan Dando is a ’90s alt rock survivor, one of several shaggy figureheads of that era who has retained the original moniker of the band that made him a star. The Lemonheads still record with semiregularity—the band’s most recent album, a collection of covers (cheekily including Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful”) called Varshons, was released in 2009—and now find themselves on a classic-album-in-its-entirety tour. That album is 1992’s great It’s a Shame About Ray, which included greats like “Confetti” and “My Drug Buddy.” But most casual fans will remember it as the “Mrs. Robinson” album. Interestingly, though, the Simon and Garfunkel cover was not originally on Ray; it was added on a reissue and became a massive hit. Typically, Dando and company have not been performing it live, but the rest of the album is so strong, you’re unlikely to notice. Fingers crossed for “Into My Arms” and “If I Could Talk I’d Tell You” for the encore.
8 p.m. doors on Saturday, January 14, at Town Ballroom, 681 Main St.; 888-223-6000 or www.townballroom.com.
Flurrious!
Leave it to Buffalo to find a new way to celebrate winter in all its glory. The Olmsted Parks Conservancy brought a festival called Flurrious! to life last year in Delaware Park, and year two looks to feature more of what made the debut event so memorable. Activities-wise, there’s a fun run, snow biking, snow tennis, kickball, ice skating, a couples sled pull, and Quidditch. (Bring your own Nimbus 2000.) But also on tap is music and entertainment, a local-artisan gift shop, kids’ crafts, and food and drink. And admission is free. So no complaining about there being no place to take the kids this January.
Saturday, January 21, at Delaware Park; 838-1249 or www.bfloparks.org.
The Big Lebowski Event at the Riviera
As a younger lad, I used to enjoy seeing a movie on my birthday (mark March 6 on your iPhone, now), and I can vividly recall an admittedly wacky 1997 double feature of David Lynch’s head-spinning (and head-switching) Lost Highway and Howard Stern’s Private Parts, and, in 1998, the Coen Bros.’ The Big Lebowski. Little did I know that Lebowski would go on to cult status; it only grossed about $17 million stateside upon release. Today, the film is its own cottage industry, and the Dude, played by Jeff Bridges, is a cultural icon. There is an annual festival each year, and the Riviera Theatre has a tradition of its own, The Big Lebowski Event. If last year was any indication there is much fun to be had: a cash bar stocked with White Russians, live comedy, a screening, and post-film bowling. (Check rivieratheatre.org for details.)
7:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 14, at the Riviera Theatre, 67 Webster St., N. Tonawanda; 692-2413 or www.rivieratheatre.org.
The Return of Alec Baldwin
Buffalo adores Alec Baldwin, and, it seems, Alec Baldwin loves Buffalo—see the actor’s Wegmans and New Era commercials, the rumor that he’s a huge Torches fan, and, especially, The Return of Alec Baldwin to the Queen City on January 27. He’ll read Clifford Odets’s The Big Knife at UB’s Center for the Arts, along with a who’s-who of Buffalo actors (Lisa Vitrano, Gerry Maher) and even Bert Gambini as emcee, to benefit Road Less Traveled Productions. This is the third time Baldwin has performed in an event to benefit RLTP; the 30 Rock star previously appeared in readings of Yasmina Reza’s Art (in July 2006) and David Mamet’s Speed-the-Plow (January 2009), and he’s also a member of the theater’s National Advisory Board.
Doors at 7:30 p.m., reading at 8 p.m., on Friday, January 27, at UB’s Center for the Arts, University at Buffalo North Campus; 800-745-3000 or www.ticketmaster.com; VIP tickets also available.
Buffalo Soup Fest 2012
Let’s end our roundup with that cold-weather staple, soup. The annual Buffalo Soup Fest on January 29 should be packed, especially since prices are so good. ($5 admission for adults, kids under ten free; “soup bucks” are $1 each.) And the list of vendors is long and varied: Joe’s Deli, Brennan’s Bowery Bar, Chocolate Bar, Yancey’s Fancy, and many more; see buffalosoupfest.com for the full list. And “best” categories include Southtowns, suburbs, city, taste, chili, potato, noodle, veggie, bisque, Buffalo-style—everything short of stone.
11 a.m.–8 p.m. at the Millennium Hotel, 2040 Walden Ave., Cheektowaga; www.buffalosoupfest.com.
Associate editor Christopher Schobert notes this is the second straight issue of Spree to mention The Big Lebowski. Go figure.
