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Tonight: The Beths

October 9, 2018

Delaware Avenue’s best basement bar, the 9th Ward, plays host tonight for touring New Zealand buzz band, The Beths. Playing in support of their new album, Future Me Hates Me, The Beths will be churning out punchy lyrics with sweet vocals and driving indie rock instrumentals. The band may sound familiar as they’ve been featured heavily on SiriusXMU over the past couple months, in addition to securing clutch write-ups via Pitchfork. Fans of Lucy Dacus or Courtney Barnett would be amped for this one. Doors are at 8pm with a $10 cover.

Tonight: MC Chris

October 4, 2018

MC Chris is celebrating the 10th Anniversary of MC Chris is Dead tonight at Mohawk Place! Originally self-released in May of 2008, MC Chris is Dead relays the tale of the rapper’s journeys in his worldly afterlife following his red carpet assassination in the album Dungeon Master of Ceremonies. The album features the artist’s iconic high-pitched rapping voice, geek knowledge, and seamless flow. Being performed in its entirety, the album’s tantalizing rhythms and thoughtful story line will have everyone in Mohawk Place jamming! What better way to kick off the Halloween season than dancing to an album about a zombie nerdcore rapper? Doors are at 7pm with music starting at 8pm. Tickets are $16 and available to those 16 and older with ID. Written by Samantha Schweitzer

Bearhunter – Nothing Further Beyond

October 1, 2018

Buffalo indie rock mainstays Bearhunter have been around for over 10 years. In the life of a local band, that sort of staying power is almost unheard of… But when you’re crafting finely-tuned music like this particular trio, it makes sense to stick around. The trio, brothers David and Mike Calos and bassist Robert Pusateri, have recently released a new album called  Nothing Further Beyond. These nine tracks are a fitting ode to the fading summer, full of airy, danceable indie rock that goes down smooth. Bearhunter’s dynamic immediately brings to mind the sound of modern rock royalty like Arctic Monkeys, Raconteurs, or Spoon. The guitar work from David Calos is impeccably nuanced – his sense of dynamics is truly incredible and helps carve out Bearhunter’s niche in the crowded indie rock scene. What’s more, Calos’ vocals are a tasteful mesh between smooth and rasp without having too much of one or the[...]

Tonight: Kal Marks

September 29, 2018

The fourth stop in their fall tour, touring Bostonites Kal Marks play the Tudor Lounge tonight! Having humble beginnings as a solo project, the indie rock trio have released three full-length albums through Exploding in Sound Records. Typically described as “the loudest band in Boston,” Kal Marks decided to switch things up for their latest release Universal Care, reigning in their volume and lightening the tone on a few tracks. Universal Care has influences in Nirvana and sludge rock, as well as the sounds we hear coming from more modern indie rock bands, namely Pile. The latest LP has been nominated for the “Album of the Year” award for the 2018 Boston Music Awards. Kal Marks is also a nominee for “Rock Artist of the Year.” Local artists Bold Folly and Soul Butchers are joining tonight’s show. Doors are at 9pm with music beginning shortly after. $5 at the door.[...]

Tonight: Super Whatevr

September 21, 2018

Sugar City is hosting a rock show with headlining Cali natives Super Whatevr. This groovy alt rock band is touring in support of their debut full-length album Never Nothing , which came out this past January via Hopeless Records. Listening to the album is reminiscent of bands like Modern Baseball (first heard specifically in “Katherin with a K”) and Microwave. Seamlessly woven into the fabric of upbeat rhythms are heavier messages within the lyrics and tones. A catharsis for the band, they’re hoping Never Nothing will bring peace to listeners also struggling with demons. Also on the band’s east coast tour are Beach Goons (surf punk) and Canadian band dubé (indie grunge). Additionally, tonight’s show at Sugar City also has alt rock band The Orange Friction as local support. Tickets are $12 and available to all ages. Doors are at 6:30pm. Written by Samantha Schweitzer

Tonight: Hundred Plus Club

September 13, 2018

Mr. Goodbar is hosting a quality local bill tonight, featuring notably Hundred Plus Club.  The four-piece last released an EP titled Everybody’s Friend . Notably last March, the EP reached #30 for “Most Added Album” on the North American College and Community (NACC) Chart.  Listening to the EP, it’s easy to hear why they made the list with their approachable indie rock leanings reminiscent of Bloc Party, Interpol, and Tokyo Police Club. Since releasing the album, Hundred Plus Club has been playing a number of local and in-state shows with bands like The Rifts, Humble Braggers, and Younger Then. Also on the billt tonight are rock bands The Brownstones  (formerly Nothing Casual) and Venus Vacation (formerly Major Arcana). The show will be held in the upstairs portion of the venue for a 21+ audience.  Doors are at 8pm with a $5 cover. Everybody’s Friend by Hundred Plus ClubWritten by Samantha Schweitzer

SLUGS – Cool World

September 4, 2018

Los Angeles-based band SLUGS have released their second EP titled Cool World, and it may just be the perfect summer album. A refreshing take on the classic rock sound our parents taught us to love, Cool World demonstrates an appreciation for the origins of the genre, as well as its promising future. From front to back, this 6-track album will have listeners’ full attention with little effort. There are elements reminiscent of well-known bands such as Dead Sara, Royal Blood, and Weezer (check out “Curveball” specifically for this reference) in choices of guitar tones and vocals. However, the interpretation of the genre itself is something we see developing in upcoming bands (some local examples include Cooler, Ellsworth). At its foundation, the music is still rock. Yet, there’s something wholly different about the songs by these emerging artists. To accurately depict this difference is challenging, because the distinction seems to entirely[...]

Kerfuffle at Canalside (6/16/18)

June 21, 2018

Buffalo’s indie leaning radio station, Alternative Buffalo,  has successfully done it again. Last Saturday, the radio station hosted its 5th annual incarnation of their growing music festival, Kerfuffle. After a long day of fist bumping, it was abundantly clear that the crowd loved the programmed bands along with the adorable puppies offered by the SPCA . Nobody does it quite like this radio station when it comes to hosting a giant crowd at one of the most scenic spots on the Buffalo waterfront. Throughout the day, a roaring crowd of 10,000 people enjoyed a bill with nine of the most exciting active alternative bands in the music scene today. These bands include: Mainland, Mansionair, Family of the Year, Robert DeLong, Marian Hill, Manchester Orchestra, Taking Back Sunday, Matt and Kim, and last but not least the headliner, Awolnation. See the gallery below for a visual representation of these performances. Mainland[...]

5 Bands to Catch at Thin Man Brewery’s Summer Solstice

June 16, 2018

Today Thin Man Brewery celebrates their second annual Summer Solstice street festival, where the up-and-coming establishment takes over the Elmwood Village block between W. Utica and Hodge and provides ample tunes from talented locals as well plenty of craft beers to wet your whistle. Doors start at 12pm with the fun going until about 10pm. Tickets are $20 for the GA with a $30 VIP option for the high rollers. Here are five bands we recommend checking out today, beer in hand. The CPX (3pm) If there is a community festival in Buffalo, chance are the CPX will make an appearance on the bill – and with good reason. The Americana-country leaning outfit has been in the local scene for years with their accessible sound and commanding stage presence, the CPX is a good lead-in to an afternoon of brews and sunshine. Bold Folly (5:30pm) Bold Folly are an up-and-coming[...]

Nylon Otters Reveals New Singles

November 21, 2017

The Nylon Otters emulate a bit of Nevermind-era Nirvana on their debut studio single, “Pollenblonde,” a bouncing and rhythmic track comprised of fuzzy guitars, monotone vocals and repeating avant-garde lyrics (“It feels great, Pollenblonde / ‘Aint it a strange thing we’re on? / It’s just fake, all in all / But it’s okay really, I don’t mind / I’m not mad,” Logan Ross sings during the chorus) set atop a bed of raw production, which suits this track perfectly. The band amps things up a bit on b-side “Loose Ends,” a rollicking tune that introduces a bit of driving Americana into the mix. All in all, “Pollenblonde” and “Loose Ends” do not ever comprise a total of five minutes, so there’s not really much excuse for you to not at check them out. Pollenblonde by Nylon OttersWritten by Brian Campbell

Hundred Plus Club Drop Music Video for “Cooler”

November 21, 2017

Buffalo indie rock act Hundred Plus Club have dropped a new visual for “Cooler,” the latest single off their upcoming EP Everybody’s Friend, a video that manages to capture the band’s true lo-fi essence. Nestled between a giant projection screen and projector, the band churns out their latest indie rock entry as a myriad of hazy colors, including plenty of blues and reds, and shapes dance across their faces. Angular guitars and cymbal crashes swell and build to a satisfying crescendo as the video fades out with the band’s name and song title flashed across the screen in a familial 80’s graphic font. The new clip was shot by James Carriero, directed by drummer Burak Spoth and co-directed by singer Zain Shirazi. Everybody’s Friend, Hundred Plus Club’s sophomore EP and first since 2016’s For You, will be released November 24 via Admirable Traits Records. In honor of the album’s release,[...]

Darryl Rahn – “Still In Luv”

November 3, 2017

Darryl Rahn’s Newlywed Records debut “Still In Luv,” is a three-minute slice of perfect indie pop, raises the momentum of the up-and-coming singer-songwriter, a New York City-bred artist acclaimed by alternative rock band Guster and discerned favorably by college radio stations statewide. Carried by a thumping bassline and impassioned vocals, “Still in Luv” welcomes in splashes of guitar—both acoustic and fuzzed-out—as well as trickling piano lines. Though the dispirited lyrics cleverly reevaluate the memories experienced alongside someone still entrenched in love (or “luv,” rather) with another man, the tune manages to stray away from balladry and instead takes up a deceivingly buoyant sound. Around the 2-minute mark, the song gives way to a wordless midsection and a breakdown of instruments. The song ends with one last build-up, after a line of questioning shows apparent recuperation from the anguish of lost love before culminating in a cry of “did you tell[...]

Nothing Casual – Blank Slate EP

November 2, 2017

Funktastic guitar licks and striking solos quarterback “Breakdown,” the opening salvo of Nothing Casual’s Blank Slate, the band’s first release since rebranding themselves (they were formerly known as White Shade). Thankfully for Nothing Casual, the guitar work helps mask the rather off-putting vocals of Matt Sacha, whose unique delivery sounds just out of place here. Blank Slate manages to recover rather quickly from its auspicious start on the following “394,” as Sacha’s mellow tones gel perfectly with the track’s indie pop sensibilities. Zach Moore’s howling guitars again work to pace “394,” as the band’s penchant for lush melody gets put on display. The closing “What a Shame” follows suit, with Sacha’s sleepy aesthetic perfectly complimenting Moore’s wailing riffs. The guitar-driven bridge during the song’s latter stages is a highlight. The EP is raw and messy at times, but Nothing Casual do a yeoman’s job in clicking at the right times[...]

Johnny & the Man Kids Release Single “I’m Just a Man”

October 31, 2017

Within the first 40 seconds of “I’m Just a Man” by Buffalo natives Johnny & the Man Kids, a grouping of instruments coalesce one by one—rollicking drums, chiming guitar, a buoyant bassline, a keyboard replicating a theremin, and intervening vocal calls of “1, 2, 3, 4.” Lead singer John Marciniak lyrically pleads with a love interest, tossing his pride to the curb while insisting on living each day to the fullest. The lines “now I / know that I’ll find / some peace of mind / knowing you’re fine” meet a thunderous instrumental barrage before falling back to that initial guitar line and, fittingly enough, a call to “slow down.” “I’m Just a Man” then reintroduces the remaining instruments only to wipe them all away again with exception of an ascending bassline and ethereal sound effects. After another build-up, the words enter, flipping the message to “don’t slow down” instead.[...]

Jon Lewis Band – Baby Brother EP

October 29, 2017

Not too far removed from the release of their Exquisite Corpse full length back in May, Rochester’s Jon Lewis is back with Baby Brother EP, a new collection of emotionally penned, fuzzed out indie rock. “Let It Go” opens Baby Brother with reckless abandon; Lewis’ hazy yet potent vocals underpinned with fervent driving indie rock, before the band opts for cleaner tones and bright melodies on the following “I’ve Got Mine.” EP standout “Hanging On” is instantly memorable thanks to culpable melodies that leap off the record as Lewis spins urgent bar after urgent bar (‘What should you say / When my light is fading / And all my bad decisions come collecting / To keep me hanging on / Would you keep me hanging on?’). The mid-tempo “Ride With Us” features perhaps the best work of drummer Jacob Walsh, and passionate closer “I Want Your Heart” brings Baby Brother[...]