CLUB CHATTER
Rock ’n’ roll ’staycation’
Bono once described the passion that makes us all move as the impetus for a blurry, full-bore sprint from “Friday night, running/to Sunday on my knees.” Even if we strip the Catholic imagery of cyclical sin/redemption from this couplet, it still smacks of hard-won truth.
That’s what it’s like around here during the summer, a roughly 90-day sprint toward a finish line, the hope being that one can break the tape at the end of the run before the first snow falls. Not really a big one, as far as problems go, but a challenge, nonetheless.
This week, you can forget about the bent-knee repose of Sunday, because if you hope to catch the best area shows, you’re going to have to make more than a weekend-length commitment. No, the surrendering of June to July will not be for the faint of heart this time around. You wanna rock? Show some fortitude. And schedule a vacation day or two, if you must.
First off, in the last-minute- announcement category, Ireland’s Stand — in town to record its forthcoming album inside the newly remodeled recording studio at the corner of Franklin and North, owned and operated by the Goo Goo Dolls — will squeeze in a “Hello again, Buffalo, how are ya?“ gig inside the Pearl Street Grill and Brewery (76 Pearl St.) this evening, beginning at 9 p. m. Stop by, say hi, and pay nothing at the door.
On Sunday, iconic Los Angeles punk outfit the Germs come to Mohawk Place (47 E. Mohawk St.). The original band — Foo Fighters/Nirvana guitarist Pat Smear, bassist Lorna Doom and drummer Don Bolles — will be joined by Shane West, who replaces the late Darby Crash in the vocal department. (West qualified for the job based on his performance in the recent, acclaimed Germs biopic, “What We Do Is Secret,” in which he portrayed Crash.) This incredibly cool gig kicks of at 8 p. m.
On Wednesday, Londonborn punk-folk-protest singer Frank Turner makes his Mohawk Place debut, after wowing the assembled during this year’s SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. A friend who happened to catch Turner’s Austin set insists that the man is “quite certainly the heir apparent to Billy Bragg,” also noting that Turner is well-versed in Dylan and Springsteen tropes. High praise, indeed. Check him out at www.frank-turner.com , or his MySpace page. Wednesday’s show starts at 8 p. m.
Hey, wait — not so fast! You’re not out of the woods yet. Will you actually feel comfortable calling yourself a true music fan if you blow off Todd Rundgren’s appearance at the Tralf (622 Main St.) on Wednesday evening at 8 p. m.? I think not. If you happened to catch any of Todd’s last three shows inside the same venue, you know the man never shirks his responsibilities to the Western New York fans who’ve supported him for decades. The Tralf will open its doors at 7 p. m. Remaining tickets are available through Ticketmaster.
More legends
That Van Der Graaf Generator, the seminal British art-punk-progressive band, is even performing as an ensemble today is impressive enough. That the band is coming to Buffalo to play the Tralf has those who know and love the Peter Hammilled outfit feeling like they won the lottery. Yes, it is indeed true — Van Der Graaf Generator, with guests the Strawbs (no less), will perform inside the Tralf on Monday evening, beginning at 8 p. m. Ticketmaster for this one, too.
Finally, a heavy-music bacchanal takes place inside Nietzsche’s (248 Allen St.) on Saturday evening, as our own Chylde is joined by American Buffalo and the much-ballyhooed Boston band Township for a show that has all the markings of the potentially transcendent.
Show time is 9 p. m.•
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