THE HOT 5
An opinionated to-do list to get you through this month’s showers for next month’s flowers
By Ron Ehmke
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If your preferred answer to the question “animal, vegetable, or mineral?” is the final category in that list, you might want to catch the Buffalo Geological Society’s annual extravaganza, now in its fortieth year. It’s one of the largest events of its kind in the country, bringing together BGS members showing off their own specimens, more than twenty-five commercial vendors peddling their wares, and a host of government agencies (the fun ones). You can even bring the kids, at least one of whom is bound to be going through some sort of related obsession, like fossil collecting, jewelry making, or sand art. Rock on! (Sat. and Sun., Apr. 5 and 6 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Grange/Market Buildings on the Erie County Fairgrounds; Hamburg; call Steve Birtz for more info at 773-6386.)
2. Boom Days
I’ve said it before (consult back issues of Spree for evidence) and I’ll say it again: this is one of the cleverest ideas for a homegrown festival I’ve ever come across. Timed to coincide, more or less, with the removal of the Ice Boom from Lake Erie and the (eventual) arrival of spring, this cluster of activities happens up and down the mighty Niagara. There’s typically a little history, a little art (including an ice-related poetry slam), a little music, fireworks, yacht club schmoozing, cannons going off, and a lot of fun on and near the water. The actual Boom was banged up a bit during this winter’s storms—all the more reason to give it a proper sendoff. (For a complete-as-possible list of events, call 636-5797 or sail over to www.boomdays.com.)
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This recent addition to Buffalo’s line-up of intimate and enlightening home tours—you know, the kind where you get to walk through somebody else’s house and look at all their stuff—is very welcome. Take a drive down Linwood and you’ll see why. It is undoubtedly one of the city’s most beautiful streets, with a facinating and diverse range of architectural styles. Take our word—these homes are twice as beautiful inside as they are on the exterior. (Sun., April 27, Noon–4:30 p.m. Order your tickets in advance, then pick them up along with a guidebook on the day of the event at Art Dialogue Gallery, 1 Linwood. Afternoon Tour Tea will be served at Beau Fleuve Bed & Breakfast Inn, 242 Linwood, by advance reservation only: two seatings, at 1 and 3:30 p.m. For more info, call 882-6116 or e-mail beaufleuve@verizon.net.)
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Odds are good you probably missed the curly-haired character actor and sharp-tongued social satirist during his last in-person appearance in Buffalo (the last one I’m aware of, at least), at Hallwalls back in the early 1980s. Since then Bogosian has shifted from his original manic, genre-defining one-man shows to fully fleshed out multi-performer plays (a couple of which have been filmed by the likes of Oliver Stone and Richard Linklater), all the while popping up in the oddest places: the original Miami Vice series, a Steven Seagal film, the Beavis and Butthead movie, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. He’s in town to help raise money for the folks at Road Less Traveled Productions, who are currently staging his play Humpty Dumpty at the Market Arcade. (Wed., Apr. 23 from 7–11 p.m. at the Market Arcade Film & Arts Center for the play and Shea’s Intermission Lounge for a post-show reception. Tickets and info: 629-3069 or www.roadlesstraveledproductions.org.)
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Speaking of up-and-coming artists playing Hallwalls, that tradition obviously continues to this day. Here’s one who caught my eye (and ear). This Canadian pianist will be arriving with an armload of international awards (well, I expect he’ll leave them home, but you get the idea) and a stunning range of material from which to select. Hallwalls’ music program has made a name for itself primarily as a home for jazz and free improv, but Choi’s a classical performer whose repertoire contains stately pieces by Rachmaninoff, Haydn, Debussy, and Bach. At the same time, he’s a committed supporter of young composers and older experimentalists, having collaborated with John Zorn, Elliott Carter, William Bolcom, Christian Wolff, and others. See him now, so you can brag about it two decades later. (Sat., Apr. 19, at 8 p.m. at Hallwalls, 341 Delaware Ave., 854-1694, or www.hallwalls.org. Get more info on Choi and hear audio samples of his work at www.winstonchoi.com.)
Ron Ehmke is an associate editor of Buffalo Spree.
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