The Classics on Elmwood concert series returns tonight from a two-year hiatus with a performance featuring internationally renowned guitarist Mir Ali. Accompanying him will be members of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Amelie Fradette (cello), Betsy Reeds (flute), and associate concertmaster Amy Glidden (violin). This concert will also function as the quartet’s release of their collaborative CD, Amistad. Mir Ali, the Pakistani-born virtuoso, has graced these pages many times, and more notable accomplishments include composing music for movies, theater, radio, and TV—most recently for the documentary “Roots and Branches” which won the Award of Excellence from the Film Advisory Board of Hollywood. Amistad is Ali’s first recording in seven years, making this event a long-awaited revival for both the muscians and the Classics on Elmwood series.

—alan victor

Unitarian Universalist Church, 695 Elmwood Ave. / 8pm / $15

Tonight is the second annual celebration of  all things Lebowski at Voelker Lanes (corner of Elmwood and Amherst, across from Joe’s Garage). Thirty dollars  (a portion of which benefits the local chapter of the American Cancer Society) buys you unlimited bowling and shoe rental, some local comedians, live music, and an open bar from 11pm to 1am. Contests include His Royal Dudeness Trivia and the Buffalo Lebowski Achiever Costume Extravaganza. Doors open at 10:30pm.

Tonight (Nov. 7), Artvoice is presenting a Jeff Garbaz production, in tribute to Pink Floyd and the best in audio-visual psychedelia. You don’t have to be an aficionado to know that Floyd was seriously into pigs, and featured inflatable, custom-designed porcines as props at their live shows dating back to the mid-1970s. The first Pink Floyd pig was reportedly named “Algie” and designed by Roger Waters himself for the cover of the 1977 album Animals. Reflecting Orwellian themes during the heyday of punk rock’s reign, Animals has often been tagged by rock historians as the band’s “forgotten” album, though its iconoclastic status is indisputable today. Perhaps such a deep dive into symbolism and psychedelia (the song “Dogs” on the album is 17 actual minutes long—basically the entire A side) wasn’t easy to receive in the Sex Pistols-enthralled culture of late 1970s Britain. But the album is largely dedicated to pigs, with three songs out of its five titled on that subject (Waters’s Orwell-inspired political commentary is quite fitting in these late aughties, no?), and the other two songs being the aforementioned “Dogs” and the 10-minute “Sheep.” Still, don’t expect any 10- to 20-minute overtures from the bands playing on Saturday night. The set list will be more in keeping with the kind of Floyd you don’t have to lay down in a dark room all alone to listen to. Garbaz’s head-spinning visual FX and set design will accompany choice covers from local bands Appestra, Cowboys of Scotland, Peanut Brittle Satellite, the Project, Relics of WNY, Rogue Science, Stu Fuchs, and the Vegetable Men. And even if you think you’ve heard it all before, just show up to see some pigs fly.

8pm. Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St. $6.

Each month for the past year, 15-20 local and regional artists have exhibited their work at the College Street Gallery (which recently celebrated its 12-year anniversary), and it’s time to celebrate. The Co-op’s first anniversary celebration will be held during Allentown’s monthly First Friday Gallery Walk on Friday (Nov. 6). Besides College Street, particiating galleries this month include Allen Street Hardware, Betty’s Restaurant, Buffalo Big Print, El Buen Amigo, El Museo, Hallwalls, Hero Design Studio, Indigo, Kepa3, Merge Restaurant, Sp@ce 224, Starlight Studio, Studio Hart, and Sugar City.

Venues are scattered throughout the Elmwood/Allen area, all the way to Tupper and Delaware (where Hallwalls is, at Babeville). Back to College Street, where this month’s exhibitors number 18, the reception goes on from 5-10 pm and it’s as good a place (or better) as any to start.

Fire Under the Snow tells the remarkable story of Palden Gyatso, a Buddhist monk whose life tracks the modern history of Tibet: Born in 1933, Palden entered a monastery at the age of four. In 1959, after the failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule, he was arrested and spent the next 33 years in prison, undergoing brutal torture and re-education. Throughout, he maintained his Buddhist discipline. Released in 1992, he made his way to Dharamsala, India, the seat of the Tibetan government in exile. His autobiography is the basis for the film, which makes its Buffalo premiere next Thursday (Nov. 5), sponsored by the UB Asian Studies Program and the UB Law School’s Baldy Center for Law & Social Policy. All proceeds benefit the Tibetan Children’s Village in Dharamsala.

7:30pm. Market Arcade Film & Arts Centre, 629 Main St. $10.

Tonight at the Burchfield-Penney, Buffalo Spree hosts a panel entitled “Journalism on the Brink: When the daily paper becomes the daily blog, who wins and who loses?” It’s at 7pm, and it’s free.

By far the least interesting and least qualified participant on this panel is me:

Brian Connolly, web editor for the Buffalo News

Jim Heaney, blogger and columnist for the Buffalo News

Geoff Kelly, editor and blogger for Artvoice

Newell Nussbaumer, EStudent Network

Ben Siegel, editor for Block Club

Elena Buscarino, Buffalo Rising

Alan Bedenko, Marc Odien and Chris Smith of WNYMedia.net

Steve Balesteri and Frank Sandor

Looking for something to do Halloween night? Concert promoter Frank (the Tank) Sandor will introduce the Balesteri Band’s new lineup at Tony Rome’s (1537 Union Road in West Seneca) tomorrow night (Saturday, Oct. 31) at Tony Rome’s Halloween Party 10pm-2am. Many prizes for costumes…

Tonight, Beggar’s Night (Friday, Oct. 30), has almost as much going on as Halloween, with Bloodlust at Asbury Hall (a “sexy vampire ball for adults”—www.buffalobloodlust.com) and Halloween Overnight Ghost Hunt at Central Terminal and the Iron Island Museum (www.buffalocentralterminal.org). The Riviera Theater will screen The Rocky Horror Picture Show at midnight, preceded by a Rocky Horror party at 9pm. There are parties at most bars including a Beggar’s Night costume bash at Coles and J.P. Bullfeathers (they’ll both have another on Halloween as well) and the Essex Street Pub party, also on Beggar’s Night.

The Stripteasers

On Halloween at Nietzsche’s The Stripteasers present their annual fun-filled evening of burlesque and music with their “Tales From The Stripped” Halloween Burlesque show; the Palace Theater is screening a double feature of the lost classic Spider Baby followed by the Rocky Horror Picture Show; Central Terminal hosts another ghost hunt, the Off-Limits Halloween Ghost Hunt followed by a seance at Iron Island; the Town Ballroom is hosting the House of Horrors: Buffalo’s Biggest Halloween Party (www.houseofhorrors.com); the Mohawk Place has The Rabies and The Irving Klaws; the Third Room is having a Halloween costume contest with drink specials honoring the Seven Deadly Sins; and Club Diablo has its usual bunch of fetishy fun, both on “Devil’s Night” and on Halloween.

Ladies and Gentlemen, for one night, and one night only, the incomparable Twangbangers are jamming the big rig into gear, and letting the air-horn blow for the swinginest, psychobilliest, cry-in-your beeriest, butt-to-nuttiest geetar apocalypto blowout at the Sportsmen’s Tavern. Bill Kirchen and Redd Volkaert.

That night is tonight, cats and kittens.

Come spend your Saturday night (July 25th) with a riveting mix of animated shorts from around the world. Squeaky Wheel, Buffalo’s very own artist-run non-profit that supports the local media arts, will host its 6th annual Animation Festival featuring both low and high-tech presentations from local and international artists. Highlights at this family-friendly outdoor screening will feature globally recognized works by filmmakers hailing from such far corners of earth as France, Germany, and the United Kingdom all for your entertainment. The event will showcase methods utilizing everything from the vintage to the cutting edge tricks you thought only existed in your dreams. Viewers can expect creative pixilation, animated cats, a dancing Godzilla (see below), and the award winning short “I Met the Walrus,” featuring and inspired by original audio from an infamous John Lennon interview. Bringing your own picnic equipment is strongly encouraged to maximize viewing pleasure and stargazing opportunities.

—lindsey berman

8:30pm (dusk). Days Park at Wadsworth & Allen. Contact www.squeaky.org or 884-7172. FREE

SATURDAY, JULY 18

Photos of Wagons

A flamboyant group of dude-friends making their own playful, psychedelic folk-pop is local Buffalo buzz band Photos of Wagons. At the core of every song is the tension-driven ambiguity of the sweet, angelic yet sinister and provocative voice and words of lead singer and acoustic guitarist Brad Gower. Influenced by the likes of the Beatles, Wilco, and Paul Simon, Photos of Wagons has taken Buffalo fans on a few memorable magical musical voyages and has built a following quickly in the last six months. Recently, the five friends and band mates left Buffalo to play shows on the festival circuit. Saturday (July 18) marks their return and also the release of their self-titled debut recording. “We’ve kinda been dilly-dallying for a while, but now we are a bit more together,” explained drummer Joshua “Jams” Marotta. The name, Photos of Wagons came about after an unsuccessful quest to find a great band name. The group took a different approach; instead of looking for the best band name, they gave up and tried looking for the worst band name, and Photos of Wagons it was. They’ll be joined by special guests the WAKOS, Baby Blue Bird, and Andrew Moore for a night of original, not-to-be-missed music,rotating between two stages for only five bucks.

—baron von schtupin

7pm. Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St (886-8539 / www.nietzsches.com)