Alt Picks By Ron Ehmke Andy Warhol: Stars, Deaths, and Disasters, 1962-1964 Through October 22 at the Art Gallery of Ontario If you’re a quantity-over-quality guy, you probably won’t want to drive to Toronto and shell out $18 Canadian for this show, which consists of twenty Warhol pieces in three small rooms (most of the rest of the AGO is still under construction)—but you’ll be missing out on one of the most fascinating and creative museum shows in a long time. Guest curator David Cronenberg’s assemblage of iconic paintings and legendary but rarely seen films leans more heavily on the audio tour than any other exhibition I’ve encountered, with stunning results. His idiosyncratic readings of the works are revelatory, and it’s cool to hear Warhol’s subjects (including Dennis Hopper and others) provide behind-the-scenes accounts of Factory life. The Spirit of Fès Festival of World Sacred Music Tuesday, October 17 at UB’s Center for the Arts The CFA routinely offers great music programming, much of it typically announced too late for us to include in the magazine. So while I reserve the right to champion some up-and-coming rocker in the months ahead, I’m also marking my calendar to check out this touring roster of acts from India, Spain, Morocco, and Lebanon, playing separately and with each other. Paint the Town Sunday, September 10, various locations TBA In a city with no shortage of art-related fundraisers, this one for the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society sounds truly fresh: fifty painters sent out all over the place with the assignment of creating a new work in one day, to be auctioned off that evening. Finally: a break from endless menageries of fiberglass critters in favor of good, old-fashioned canvas! Watch for an easel somewhere near you. Xiu Xiu, Dirty Projectors Monday, October 16 at Soundlab Those are both band names, you non-Pitchfork-reading old-schooler, although they’re both (sort of) one-man bands. Xiu Xiu plays quiet, aching, proudly avant-garde music for uneasy listening. The DPs once recorded a rock opera about Don Henley. I think that about says it all. The East Village Opera Company Saturday, October 7 at Rockwell Hall I’m just gonna come out and say it: Rockwell Hall’s programming has been disappointing for years, especially since their renovation. I can understand playing it safe, but this is ridiculous: the same low-risk acts (and/or types of acts) season after season, which is all the more annoying given what a beautiful venue it is. The one show that stands out this fall is this NPR-approved New York-based ensemble devoted to rock versions of well-known arias. Gimmick? Maybe, but it sounds like it could be fun. Ron Ehmke is Spree’s Associate Editor Back to the Table of Contents Back to Top