Latest Posts

Tonight: Candy Ambulance

March 10, 2020

Candy Ambulance make their return to Buffalo tonight with a sweet midweek gig at Mohawk Place. The three-piece grunge rock band hailing from Troy make are in town in support of their latest length release, Traumantic. Released last September, Traumatic showcases Candy Ambulance’s raw and powerful sound. Fans of late 90s alternative scene will surely enjoy their set. Local support comes from the unstoppable indie punk band Passed Out, whose direct raw energy will surely get people moving. Also joining the lineup are new kids on the block, Olmsted. Fronted by former Halo Nellie guitarist Nate Miller, the fairly new and fresh group will be bringing their lo-fi bedroom sounds to the main stage. Doors are at 7pm with a $5 cover. Written by Zain Shirazi

Carrier Pigeons Release Debut Singles

March 9, 2020

The new year and decade has started with a resurgence of vibrancy in the Buffalo music scene, as newcomers Carrier Pigeons, introduce themselves to the world with the release of their first single, “Death of a Salesman.” The title track has definite traces of 1990s alt and grunge rock. Lead singer Logan Giddins emotes, with strength, a sense of longing. It borders on emo, but does not dive in directly. Perhaps that is due in part to the instruments used on the track. Percussion, guitar, and banjo. The banjo creeps up in the mix and compliments the tone of the track nicely with a metallic Side-B, “Waves About to Break,” seems to flip around the alt-emo-folk balance of “Death of a Salesman.” The second song is an upbeat song with a half-time tempo that makes it hard to not tap your toe. The banjo has a more prominent role, and[...]

Tonight: The Get Up Kids

March 8, 2020

Kansas City emo forefathers The Get Up Kids will make their biennial stop in Buffalo tonight to play Rec Room amid a North American tour in support of their latest release, Problems (2019) – their first full-length since 2011. Though they aren’t happy to associate themselves with the genre, The Get Up Kids were major players in the midwest emo scene in the ‘90s and continue to be hugely influential to both emo and pop punk bands today. Their second album Something to Write Home About (1999) garnered wide acclaim, launched them into worldwide fame, and eventually became a second-wave emo classic. In the 20+ years since then, The Get Up Kids grew into the alternative rock scene of the 2000s and 2010s, survived a temporary breakup, and bumped their full-length release count to six. Problems, a release that fell around the 20th anniversary of that beloved sophomore release, takes a step[...]

Tonight: Summer Salt

March 5, 2020

Midway through their 2020 Tour, Summer Salt bring their warm sunny jams to Rec Room tonight. Expect breezy and chill vibes from the Austin band, who seem like they have mastered the art of writing relaxing beach tunes. They released their latest EP Favorite Holiday Vol. 1 this past Christmas Eve. If you’re looking for some say listening psych-pop on a Thursday evening, Rec Room is the place to be. Summer Salt has brought along Nashville Motown psychedelic duo Okey Dokey and Tempe alt rockers Breakup Shoes along for the ride. Tickets are $17 and doors are at 7pm. Written by Zain Shirazi

Zazen Tapes Enters the Scene

March 3, 2020

Sean Wild has completed another part of the music business portfolio. Known for his work behind the West Side punk act Pink Guitars, Wild decided to venture from behind the cuitar and create his own record label, Zazen Tapes. The label specializes in low quantity cassette tape releases. In November of 2019, Zazen Tapes released their inaugural release, II, from the band Glue, a punk and experimental rock band, which helped introduced the label as hardcore oriented. Soon after, Zazen Tapes released Wild’s own project Pink Guitars’ We Are Made of the Sun.  The label created twenty-five copies in existence are hand dubbed on a tape deck by Wild, as well as the design, cutting, and folding of the j-cards. As an avenue of releasing music, cassette tapes have been utilized by a wide range of genres, as production costs are cheaper than vinyl, but listening is more reverential than an[...]

Oats Holy Roller – Fear Memorial Park

March 2, 2020

Music will shed light on what human beings are able to understand, yet unable to articulate. It provides a freeze-frame of circumstances and emotions that fall beyond the English language, and it will present them in a cohesive structure. The genre that routinely delivers the plight of human life in specific time periods, folk has a modern artist in its midst. Oats Holy Roller, the project headed by Buffalo’s Joseph Murray Meyers, has a unique voice and ability to deliver the mixture of modern emotions that are tied in with the technological revolution as we all step bravely into the new world. Their latest effort, an album titled Fear Memorial Park, draws heavily from folk artists of the past, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, and Joni Mitchel, while their striped down aesthetic makes the beautiful arrangements all the more powerful. Oats Holy Roller’s first released single “In Such Times//Ahhhhhhh,” tells the story of[...]

Oats Holy Roller –Fear Memorial Park

March 2, 2020

Music will shed light on what human beings are able to understand, yet unable to articulate. It provides a freeze-frame of circumstances and emotions that fall beyond the English language, and it will present them in a cohesive structure. The genre that routinely delivers the plight of human life in specific time periods, folk has a modern artist in its midst. Oats Holy Roller, the project headed by Buffalo’s Joseph Murray Meyers, has a unique voice and ability to deliver the mixture of modern emotions that are tied in with the technological revolution as we all step bravely into the new world. Their latest effort, an album titled Fear Memorial Park, draws heavily from folk artists of the past, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, and Joni Mitchel, while their striped down aesthetic makes the beautiful arrangements all the more powerful. Oats Holy Roller’s first released single “In Such Times//Ahhhhhhh,” tells the[...]

West Ferry Releases New s/t EP

February 26, 2020

Emo rockers West Ferry just dropped a concise self-titled EP last Friday. Clocking in at just over six minutes, it’s a quick yet impactful listen. Each of the songs has a distinct character; angst. While each had an anthemic quality, the standout was “Forever Home.” The group really seems to have settled on a sound, and the DIY energy is still present in their recording. If not already on your radar, a must listen especially for fans of Cursive, Tiny Moving Parts and early Brand New. Check out the EP below, you’ll have time. West Ferry by west ferry Written by John Smigielski

Tonight: PUP

February 21, 2020

Canadian punk rockers PUP will be gracing the Asbury Hall stage tonight for a sold out show. Riding the high of the release of their latest record Morbid Stuff, they will surely put on a high-energy show for Buffalo fans. PUP have become a staple in the punk community, with praise from top music magazines. Buffalo is just one stop on the band’s extensive world tour, ending in July. PUP will be joined by Toronto act Casper Skulls, known for their guitar dynamics and powerful vocals of Melanie St-Pierre’s. The Drew Thomson Foundation will start the night off with it’s power pop jams. Doors at 7pm, but only if you have a ticket.  Written by Zain Shirazi

Tonight: A Very Special Episode

February 21, 2020

NYC based post-punks A Very Special Episode headline a bill tonight at Sugar City. Since forming in 2016, the band has channeled the shoegaze energy found in their 2017 release Censored Dreams and embraced a punk aesthetic with their 2018 EP Cut for Time. 2018 also saw the band signing with upstart label Knuckle Down Records. Known for their energetic live performances, they’re a must-listen for fans of Bully, Sleater-Kinney, and Bikini Kill. They’ll be joined by upstart Buffalo indie-pop group Olmsted. Anchored by ex-Halo Nellie guitarist Nate Miller, the group has really started to make a name for themselves. Last seen at Steak and Cake’s 9 Year anniversary show, their dreamy aesthetic will certainly appeal to fans of The Beths, Snail Mail, and Soccer Mommy. Closing out the bill is buzzy indie-rockers Not For Nothing. While still relative newcomers, they hit the scene hard and have proved they’re a[...]

Shep Treasure – s/t

February 19, 2020

Sunday morning, a few hours after a long night out, I lay flat on my back in my new, sparsely furnished apartment, the snow-reflected Sunday light streaming through the windows – a big departure from the glass-block filtered sun of a previous basement apartment. I zoned out with my eyes glued to the wall above my bookcase, and “Nothing” by Shep Treasure was stuck in my head. The next night, wrapped up in a quilt, I once again found myself spacing out, this time toward a cat toy on the floor, and “Friday” was playing in my mind. Rochester indie pop trio Shep Treasure’s debut, self-titled EP is our Album of the Week, and it won’t leave me. Frontwoman Sabrina Nichols has been narrating my thoughts for a few years now. This is her second time landing Album of the Week, the former being in the days of a previous[...]

Anxious Kids Make Good People – Good By Nature

February 17, 2020

The future is uncertain. In the unknown lingers a wide array of possible emotions, which include joy, fear, and doubt. While we put our best foot forward to live in the positive aspects of life, we understand that the negatives are a possibility. Buffalo musician Devin Mullen, who writes and performs under the name Anxious Kids Make Good People, recognizes that possibility, and he has taken his best step in the direction of hope and understanding with his latest release, Good By Nature. The self-described contemptuous musician draws equally from influences such as Wilco, Fleet Foxes, and Joy Division; as well as his own emotions that walk hand-in-hand with depression and chronic illness. The result is an ambient folk sound that pulls no emotional punches. “Rebar,” the first track off of Good By Nature, begins with acoustic guitar, and the Fleet Fox influence is quite clear. A semi up-beat rhythm[...]

Tonight: Wild Once

February 14, 2020

Wild Once headlines a night of cathartic emo rock tonight at Mr. Goodbar. Fresh on the heels of their 2019 release Perennials, Wild Once have dropped a new track off their upcoming EP. Their new track “Trophy Girls,” the title track of their forthcoming EP, is an anthemic ode to digital addiction. As lead vocalist and guitarist Tom Mayer says: “On a broad scale… this song is sort of an acknowledgement of how often we catch each other staring at our phones these days. It’s to the point where we often don’t even feel rude whipping them out in the middle of a real life conversation. In both personal and professional situations. We use them to fill the fill the silence, that we get so bored and uncomfortable with so quickly. It makes us more lonely and yet we think it is the solution for loneliness. We weigh our options.[...]

Tonight: FOWLS

February 7, 2020

Angular indie rockers FOWLS make a return to Buffalo tonight, sharing a loaded stage with some of the area’s more notable talents. Hailing from Rochester, FOWLS have been a staple of the 585 local music scene for nearly nine years, which is is kind of like eighteen years in band years. The band’s light and dance-y sound is similar to that of FOALS, Bloc Party, and Bombay Bicycle Club. Tonight is a good chance to check this band out because they will be sandwiched with Medusa, fresh off their new single with Sons of Luther, Karrot Kake’s MIke Fridmann solo project KWKA, and of course the local staples that need little introduction, Aircraft. Doors at 9pm with a $7 cover. Wear a sweater. Palace to roam by Fowls

Tonight: Rhett Miller

February 6, 2020

Alt-country superstar Rhett Miller takes the stage tonight at the 9th Ward. Best known for his work as the frontman of the Old 97s, Miller has made quite a name for himself as a solo artist. His most recent release The Messenger from 2018, marks the eighth solo record from Miller. While decidedly more indie-pop than his work with the Old 97s, Miller sings with a convicted vulnerability that is instantly captivating. The Messenger is a deeply personal record that shows Miller at his highs as well as his lows. Miller’s sound will definitely appeal to fans of Uncle Tupelo, Jason Isbell, and Justin Townes Earle. Joining Miller on the bill is fellow Texas based songwriter Salim Nourallah. Nourallah approaches the same alt-country material as Miller with a decidedly atmospheric psych-pop approach. Local troubadour Tripi opens the show. 7pm Show. Tickets are $36. Written by John Smigielski