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Tonight: The Leones

February 18, 2017

Tonight Buffalo ghost rockers The Leones will be headlining a tight lineup of local bands at the 9th Ward at Babeville including Sonny Baker and Chevron Bloom that looks like a can’t miss show in the making. Fresh off their excellent album Ghost In The City, Leones fans can expect more synth heavy explorations into ghostly horror, along with new music from their upcoming album of a more psychedelic and spaced out variety, which is always good when heard in an acoustically perfect room such as the always exquisite 9th Ward . Joining them will be Sonny Baker and a special solo acoustic set and the very vibe heavy garage rockers Chevron Bloom. Cover is $7 and doors open at 7pm. See you there.

Rap & Destroy Drop Video For “R. Kelly’s Heel”

February 15, 2017

Buffalo’s got a new crew exploring the frontiers of hip hop and punk by the name of Rap & Destroy and they’ve dropped a video for their jam “R. Kelly’s Heel” that could be a game changer. Uniting local MC’s Tr38cho, Ideal, OLMEC, and MC/producer sparKmatiK, Rap & Destroy has both flow and grit, and an understated flavor that brings the big beats along with sweet lo-fi grooviness in manner reminiscent of the late 80’s and early 90’s… halcyon days when skatepunks skated to punk and hip hop.  There’s a full length debut LP on the way from Dead Trash Mob Records so stay tuned for more from these cats, and in the meantime enjoy this suitably gritty video for “R. Kelly’s Heel.”

Tonight: STRFKR

February 11, 2017

Get your dancing shoes cleaned and ready because dancing is mandatory when STRFKR comes to town, and they’re landing tonight here at The Waiting Room with Psychic Twin. The Portland, Oregon psychedelic dance funk outfit are known for irresistible grooves and their hyperactive, apocalyptic dance party live shows, are right on time and in town promoting their fifth album since 2008, last fall’s excellent Being No One, Going Nowhere. There will be dancing, confetti, rubber inflatables, and the kind of liberating freedom the human soul needs happening tonight at the Waiting Room. Opening the show will be emotionally charged but ethereal Brooklyn electronica duo Psychic Twin. Tickets are $20 and doors are at 7pm.

Psychic Twin

February 10, 2017

Brooklyn shoegazers Psychic Twin will be getting tonight’s STRFKR show at the Waiting Room started perfectly with their ethereal yet emotionally charged electronica, and to miss them frankly, is to play yourself out. Psychic Twin is the brainchild of daughter of the midwest Erin Fein, who decamped in Brooklyn to pursue her art, and after being joined by Rosana Caban on percussion, would culminate in the release last year of debut album Strange Diary on Polyvinyl Records, and this tour with STRFKR. Fans of Cocteau Twins and people who want to groove hard while looking inwards won’t want to miss Psychic Twin. You can check out their Bandcamp page here. Doors for STRFKR at the Waiting Room open at 7pm so plan accordingly.

Deadwolf Achieve Liftoff On Latest Single “Half A Man”

February 8, 2017

“Half A Man,” the latest single from Buffalo psych rockers, blew my mind straight up. If you haven’t already gotten this towering, epic jam into your ears, you really need to do so immediately. Anchored by drums that conjure seventies Genesis, spaced out, Drozdesque guitars, and glorious California folk rock vocal harmonies, “Half A Man” achieves celestial liftoff  and doesn’t come back, opting for sweet electronic oblivion instead. It’s B-side “To The Garden” is six minutes of nimble, psychedelic garage rock that simultaneously reminds me of Talking Heads and The Beach Boys and the American songbook these dudes are joyfully shredding on. Please check them out below and Deadwolf’s Bandcamp page for more goodness.

M.A.G.S. Debuts New Side Project, KIN

February 2, 2017

Elliot (M.A.G.S.) Douglas is back with a rather exciting new project that’s been something very much missing from the Buffalo music scene up until now. Over the last decade indie music has seen an entire sub genre rise up of boy/girl bands: Beach House, Purity Ring, Sleigh Bells, Civil Wars (defunct), Best Coast, Phantogram, etc etc… a genre noticeably absent from these parts until KIN. Composed of Douglas and his wife Julia Douglas, KIN goes one better and gives us the husband/wife duo (ala Tennis or The Carpenters) we’ve been waiting for, kicking TV On The Radio styled surf rock jams that feel good in all the right ways. Check out KIN below and stay tuned for more from Mr. and Mrs. Douglas.

Moody Cosmos Reveals New Psych-y Single

January 26, 2017

Buffalo’s fearless freak Moody Cosmos are back with a heavy curveball of a new single called “Take Me Home” that’s arrived right on time. Trading psychedelic space rock for unhinged psych garage rock that’s every bit as out there as anything Peter Cahlstadt has done, but with a glorious flaming car crash ambiance that feels so right for this new era. It’s been gratifying and encouraging seeing concerned citizen artist/musicians stepping up locally over the last few months, and now we can add Moody Cosmos to that roster with this fiery, shredding jam.

Father John Misty – “Pure Comedy”

January 25, 2017

At this point this almost qualifies as “housekeeping” but yes Father John Misty (aka Josh Tillman) dropped the title track of his forthcoming third album the other day, and “Pure Comedy” more than lives up the hype. For those just tuning in, it appears that liberal democracy/American democracy/the West/western civilization is collapsing all around us in real time, and Josh isn’t immune to that growing sense of dread, hence this devastatingly trenchant piece of art from his Father John Misty alter ego, even though that constructed duality too seems to be collapsing. The video, directed by Matthew Daniel Siskin  is already in the running for “video of the year” (in my dreams) thanks to it’s almost ecstatic depressiveness and up to the minute black humor, and the fact that it sums up the existential quagmire of 2017 perfectly.  Pure Comedy arrives April 7, and hopefully a tour will be announced, including hopefully a[...]

Tonight: Dance Yrself Clean Presents World War III

January 21, 2017

Tonight, Buffalo’s newest ongoing dance party series returns with a special event  at Milkie’s commemorating our new American now: World War III. There is absolutely no better way to celebrate the 45th President of the United States than a fun, apocalypse themed dance party with all your friends, some stellar DJs, and the proceeds going to the ACLU, who’s going to need the funds more than ever. Sure America is going to a dark, dark place and looking inwards, but Dance Yrself Clean’s DJs are going international, celebrating danceable hipster jams from all over the world. Tom Burtless (Humble Braggers, Honey COMA, Girl Jeans) will be covering Australia, Ben Parsons (Goth Prince of Spookyville) has Canada, Nick Muldoon (local cool dude; noted anglophile) will be repping the UK, Bryan Johnson (Bryan Johnson & The Family, Mutual Friends, Honey COMA) will be kicking out Japan’s finest jams while Allison Lavis (lead[...]

Ugly Sun Releases New Video, “Pretty One”

January 17, 2017

Buffalo garage rockers Ugly Sun are back with another excellent video, this time for their irresistible latest single “Pretty One.” Directed by Neil Maciejewski and edited by Made Violent collaborator Andy DeLuca, “Pretty One” features some beautiful lo-fi digital photography and local ingenue Whitney Smith to go along perfectly with the the single’s tasty post industrial garage riffs and stellar vocal harmonies that have already become the band’s signature sound. They might have made their debut last fall, but with jams and videos like “Pretty Sun,” 2017 could be Ugly Sun’s year.

Tonight: Little Baltimore Christmas Extravanza

December 17, 2016

Tonight get your groove on  while keeping Christmas weird at Little Baltimore’s Christmas Extravaganza featuring The Curls. The dreamy Chicago indie dance pop outfit (think Siouxsie and the Banshees meets Talking Heads) will be joined by garage pop duo Suburbs, the cranked up Strokes goodness of Ugly Suns, Brimstone Blondes frontman Matthew Danger Lippman, with a DJ set by Allen Nieves to wrap it all up nice. Show starts at 8pm, bring $3 for the visiting Curls along with Christmas cookies, beer and what have you.

The Leones Share Two New Christmas Songs

December 7, 2016

The Leones just released a beautifully melancholic new Christmas single that’s sure to fall on the “love” side of your love/hate relationship with Christmas songs. Featuring a sleeve by local artist Mickey Harmon, “Ghosts Of Christmas” b/w “Blue Christmas” is a festival of naked emotion; “Ghosts Of Christmas” floats on cloud of piano and sweet reverb to us from out of the Rust Belt void, while “Blue Christmas” is an achingly bittersweet ode to the Everly Brothers, Phil Spector, and the mighty Roy Orbison. “Ghosts Of Christmas” can be found on bandcamp and purchased for $2, an ideal way to support local music and art, and wallow in all of your feels.

Tonight: Beams

November 30, 2016

Tonight the Mohawk hosts a night of ambitious indie rock when fey folk rockers Beams comes to town. Shimmery, delicate, and haunting, the Toronto natives deliver a sound rich in hypnotic rhythms and exotic harmonies, and their cover of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” soars. Opening the show will be local experimenters Lifemusic mit Andre and Little Cake. Doors open at 8pm and cover is $5. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/198010294″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Tonight: Sammus

November 27, 2016

Thanksgiving holiday weekends in Buffalo really are a war of attrition beginning Wednesday and running through Saturday and into Sunday. Dreamland isn’t done yet however, hosting an evening of experimental/underground hip hop from Upstate New York featuring Ithaca’s Sammus along with Buffalo’s Hop Hop and We Stole The Show. Sammus (aka Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo) is a virtuoso behind and in front of the boards and an intellectual heavyweight, so be prepared to dance and ponder many, many things while enjoying material from her debut album Pieces In Space. Doors open at 6pm, music begins at 7pm, and admission is $6 or whatever you can pay (but don’t be stingy). Pieces in Space by Sammus

Father John Misty – “Holy Hell”

November 23, 2016

Funny story: went for my long overdue physical the other day (it’s been a few years, and the one I had scheduled in March got postponed after my heart attack… d’oh!) and the nurse had a few recently added extra questions at the end. “These last 2 weeks… have you felt depressed or unable to feel joy or enjoyment? Anxious and unable to sleep? We’re asking everybody.” I had to bust out laughing and respond “well… those are some loaded questions…”* Clearly the last two weeks have been a little rough, and unlike anything I can remember (fact: I’m in my early 40’s and I ain’t ever seen fecal matter like this before), probably because two weeks ago the course of this country was set for DANGEROUS WATERS, and folks are trying to cope with the new now however they can. Some folks are probably still on the couch staring into[...]