CRITICS PICKS: Frank DeBlase 

1916

Like its Rochester brethren, The Sisters of Murphy and the much-missed Flour City Knuckleheads,1916 proudly celebrates its Irish with a raised fist and a raised pint. The band's songs are exuberant punk rock-fueled bits of sonic shrapnel, as they deliver the goods fast and loose. It's raunchy, loud fun soaked in sweat and beer and assorted tavern liquors. Cheers. (Friday, September 18, 6:30 p.m. Martin Luther King Jr. Park. Free. All ages)

Al Biles and GenJam

If you pray for danger in your music, why not invite an intelligent computer to the affair and jam with it as it reads and interprets the human component. That's what brave human trumpeter Al Biles has done with a computer called GenJam. He and his electronic counterpart play around with the notes found in music from bebop to swing to Latin pop. Someday computers will rule the earth, they might as well sing to us, too. (Friday, September 18, 5:30 p.m.; Sunday, September 20, 12 p.m.; Friday, September 25, 5:30 p.m. The Little Café. Free. All ages.)

Automatic James

Automatic James is a wide-spectrum musical antibiotic for whatever ails your dancing feet. From Jack Johnson, to the Dead, to Incubus, to its own stuff, there's something in there for practically everyone. (Friday, September 25, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, September 26, 7:30 p.m. The Strong. $10. All ages.)

"Beautiful Dreamer"

Actor Richard Barry intones on the work of Stephen Foster while The Dady Brothers and a lady Dady, Mara (niece to one, daughter to another) sings liltingly and beautifully throughout. Beautiful, effortless, and a future classic today. (Friday, September 25, 8:30 p.m.; Saturday, September 26, 8:30 p.m. Geva Theatre Center. $16. All ages)

Christina Custode

The quirk and structure in Christine Custode's music is percussive and melodic and not unlike Ben Folds (Custode is waaay prettier). The music lopes gently and purposefully around deliberate and catchy hooks. Her voice is powerful but never crowds the music, even in its fragile spots. It's no wonder Artvoice awarded her Buffalo's Best Female Vocalist three times. (Friday, September 18, 8:30 p.m.; Saturday, September 19, 3 p.m. $12. RAPA at School of the Arts: Ensemble Theatre. $12. All ages.)

"Dystopia: Explosion Highway"

If you didn't recognize me as I strolled about last year's Fringe Fest, that's because I had no head. I laughed it off at Geva Comedy Improv. These cats are pure genius as they take direction from the audience making for hairpin turns in plot and hilarity. Last year it was film noir, this year it's "Mad Max" and "Blade Runner" inspired. Bring a date. Bring your head. Has anyone seen mine? (Friday, September 18, Saturday, September 19, Friday, September 25, and Saturday, September 26, 10:30 p.m. Geva Theatre Center. $10. Appropriate for ages 18 and older.)

Extreme guitar

Whether rendering a gentle arpeggio, or recreating a dive-bomber laced with feedback, the guitar is mondo-versatile. It is both percussive and melodic. Eastman School of Music professor Nicholas Goluses has assembled a crack team of six-string slingers to wallow in the instrument's infinity. (Monday, September 21, 7 p.m. Kilbourn Hall at Eastman School of Music. $10. All ages.)