There’s no one else like Jeremy Jermaine Jerome in Buffalo, and possibly the world. He’s the type of guy that you pass by on the sidewalk and can’t help but wonder what he does. Then, when you finally meet him and he describes to you what he does, you walk away even more unsure of who the guy is, what he does, and where he came from.
A conversation with the artist, currently known as Jeremy Jermaine Jerome, is a spiraling (upward) trip into the mind of a guy who has decided that Buffalo is the place where he will leave his mark on the world. I’m not talking about any mark, I’m talking about the type of mark that is indelible, stupendous, fantastical and mesmerizing, according to the artist himself.
Jeremy Jermaine Jerome is playing Kleinhans on Monday, October 19. That will be the day that he unleashes a tactical madness unlike anything that we have ever seen or heard. “I’m not playing Kleinhans,” he told me, when I asked what to expect from the upcoming uninhibited performance. “I’m taking it over. I am part Southern gentleman and part New York state of mind. I was born on the East Side of this city, grew up down south, and am back to make my mark – I’m inspired by my daughter, who is the reason that I do everything that I do. I’m carrying my name and my scene to Buffalo – you will find a group of people at Kleinhans that you would never expect to see there… or in one room anywhere for that matter. I want my city to be known – because of my singular dedication and unparalleled drive, tenacity and resiliency, I believe that I am one of the greatest performers on earth.”
When I think about what it is that Jeremy Jermaine Jerome is up to, I can’t help but think of his Buffalo predecessors in the realm of experimental music. So often we get trapped in the mainstream music culture due to the ever present nature of the media that drives it. Jeremy Jermaine Jerome is setting out to challenge our perceptions of what is music, what is art, what is performance, and what it is that we expect to encounter in our lifetime. He is the exception to the rule. He is the guy who will get into your brain. He is artist who makes the rules as he goes, not expecting a cattle call of people to necessarily understand – the world just might not be warped enough to follow the message.
At the same time, Jeremy Jermaine Jerome has already infiltrated this city’s underground, unconventional art and music world. He’s been rallying visual and sound artists to his side, to be a part of Monday’s performance – Just Ending Now | The Grandeur Finale. Joined by Art Lakewood (take a listen!) and special guests, Buffalo is in for some big surprises Monday evening. There are going to be some jaws hitting the floor, minds bended and blended, and a whole lot of adept nonsensical sensationalism that will come together in a way that only Jeremy Jermaine Jerome could dream up. Looking for something urban, upbeat, psychedelic and aggressively different? You have arrived at the right place my friend.
The Grandeur Finale | Monday, October 19, 2015 | Kleinhans Music Hall | 3 Symphony Circle | 6pm | Tickets
Jeremy Jermaine Jerome, joined by Art Lakewood & Friends’ music | See Facebook | Get tickets