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Tonight: Holy Fuck

July 22, 2016

Tonight it’s going to be wild at the Waiting Room, when Toronto electro rockers Holy Fuck bring their full on sensory overload experience to Buffalo. Fusing electronica, noise rock, multimedia hi-jinx, and psychedelia, Holy Fuck does not play around, having just released their latest album Congrats, an even deeper dive into their freaky and idiosyncratic sound. Opening the show will be blog favorite Lesionread, somebody also known for multimedia freakouts, this time with a full band and more A/V experiments up his sleeve. Tickets are still available for $15, and doors open at 7pm.

Tonight: Preservation Hall Jazz Band

July 14, 2016

Alas most of the coverage for tonight’s installment of Thursday at Canalside seems to have the buried the lede and missed the real point of tonight’s show, which is that Preservation Hall Jazz Band is playing tonight down on the waterfront. Proud emissaries of New Orleans and the American art form created in that city, jazz, Preservation Hall Jazz Band will hit Buffalo with pure New Orleans jazz, and their opening set is going to be a party and a must for local music lovers down for enjoying the music that kick started American popular music. There’s also some guy Shakey Graves headlining tonight at Canalside, but you don’t have worry about him. There are other shows going on later tonight, but your night should probably start with Preservation Hall Jazz band, who go on at 7:15pm after soulful Austin TX fuzz rockers Wild Child. Everything starts at 6:15pm, admission is[...]

Tonight: Bob Dylan and Mavis Staples

June 30, 2016

Legendary human beings Bob Dylan and Mavis Staples have teamed up for one of the summer’s most fascinating tours, and tonight they’re making a much anticipated stop at Artpark. Folk rock hero Dylan is currently celebrating the 50th anniversary of going electric, a decision that shocked and outraged folk purists while liberating him as an artist; while gospel and soul heroine Mavis Staples is touring behind her latest album, the stellar Livin’ On A High Note, which featured songs written for her by Neko Case, Nick Cave, Jon Batiste, and Merrill Garbus. Tickets are still available from $49.50 to $89.50, and the show starts at 7:30pm.

Joywave Remixes Maybird’s Single

June 29, 2016

Rochester-raised psych-rockers Maybird have released the first single and title track off their debut EP, Turning Into Water, in late February. The song recently underwent a facelift by getting remixed by fellow breakout Rochester synth-rockers Joywave. “Turning Into Water” is transformed from vintage spaced out psychedelia into a riot of loops, drums simultaneously from the future and the past, discordant keyboards, and the clear, otherworldly tenor of Josh Netsky. Now based in Brooklyn and signed to Danger Mouse’s 30th Century Records, who released their debut EP last month, Maybird are yet another band  to the east that are breaking to the next level (see: KOPPS, Mikaela Davis). Check out the reworking below. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/269635543″ 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: Public Enemy

June 23, 2016

Before joining three quarters of Rage Against The Machine and Cypress Hill’s B-Real for a summer of kicking up ruckus as The Prophets Of Rage (including a show in Cleveland during the Republican National Convention), Chuck D and the original “Prophets Of Rage” Public Enemy  bring their incendiary brand of woke hip hop to Canalside tonight. Nearly three decades into their illustrious career and no less relevant, PE is The Clash of hip-hop: one of the few (if not the only) hip-hop acts that genuinely “matters:” changing the sound and texture of hip-hop while challenging audiences and the status quo with potent yet fun lyrical fusillades against racism, injustice, and systemic corruption, and tonight’s free show will be a wonderful chance to do homage to the legendary band and check out what they’ve got to say in 2016. Opening the show will local MC Chae Hawk and the Buffalo Afrobeat Orchestra,[...]

Tonight: Two Door Cinema Club

June 15, 2016

North Ireland indie-pop rockers Two Door Cinema Club are making an eagerly awaited Western New York appearance tonight at Artpark. Fine purveyors of  achingly bittersweet and very dance-able indie pop as showcased on their excellent two albums Tourist History and Beacon, TDCC is back after a three year break with a new single released just yesterday and a new album due this year, of which this show will offer a sneak peak. Opening the show will be sensuous electronic shoegazer Bayonne (aka Roger Sellers), currently on tour to promote his debut album Primitives. Doors open at 4:45pm, the show begins at 6:30pm, and tickets are still available. General admission is $17 and reserved seating and front of the stage is $27.

Titanics – “Close Enough”

June 9, 2016

Albany electro-pop duo Titanics just released the beguiling single “Close Enough” a few weeks before their performance at Herd Fest, and it’s safe to say that we should start getting stoked for this show sooner rather than later. Consisting of Mark Lombardo and Derek Rogers, Titanics deal in a sub genre (dubbed by them) “tranquil pop,” and the description is accurate as “Close Enough” is a gorgeous slice of Washed Out by way of M83 electronica, all hazy vocals, sexy attitude, dreamy synths, and tastefully deployed guitars and sax that gets all in your ear to shives your timbres. Titanics will be part of Herd Fest 2016, playing at Dreamland Saturday,  June 18th with Brat’ya, Humble Braggers, and M.A.G.S..

Tonight: Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires

June 8, 2016

The Thursdays at Canalside Concert Series kicks off tonight in magnificent style with the return of Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires. One of the new soul legends on the mighty Daptone Records label headquartered in Brooklyn,  Bradley has emerged as one of the most potent voices on this scene or any scene, a soul man of incredible range, dexterity and smooth grit who has walked the walk and talked the talk during his 67 years on this Earth. In the last week of his current tour behind his latest release Changes, named after his wonderful cover of the Black Sabbath classic, Charles Bradley will be unleashing his realer than real and instantly vintage brand of soul with opening support courtesy of Vin DeRosa, winner of the Public’s Battle of the Bands. The show starts at 6pm. Admission is of course free with VIP tickets available for $55.

A June 7th Prince Playlist

June 6, 2016

June 7th has been a special day for fans of Prince since the beginning as it’s the great man’s birthday. Before he became a Jehovah’s Witness and gave up on the concept of birthdays, Prince would mark his birthday with special performances, announcements, and the release of singles, and after he stopped having birthdays the fans kept celebrating them for him. This year however will be the first June 7th without Prince Rogers Nelson in 58 years , the incredibly sad result of a fatal overdose six weeks ago on April 21st, and that means it is going to be hard. As we get ready for another round of public mourning and appreciation for Prince’s aforementioned brilliance, here’s a playlist highlighting some Prince music from his legendary vault underneath Paisley Park, something for Purple newbies, casual fans, and for hardcore members of the Purple Squad to savor the profound genius of a prolific and[...]

Lesionread – “Listen To Me”

May 31, 2016

Local multi-media artist Lesionread (aka Shawn/Sean Lewis/Louis) seems to be everywhere lately, playing shows with a band, gearing up for his split release with Space Cubs, and most recently, releasing a wonderfully trippy video for “Listen To Me.” The gorgeous kaleidoscopic visuals are cut perfectly in time to the sweetest sounds we’ve gotten this far from Lesionread, so perfect that one can pleasingly anticipate when the soothingly psychedelic visuals will change. Even the LR psycho sound and vision breakdown seems pleasantly mesmerizing in execution for this preternaturally satisfying slab of art. Lesionread has a mixtape release party with Space Cubs coming up at the Mohawk this Friday featuring Mooses, Dogs In Ecstacy, Little Cake and Jack Toft, as well as a headlining spot at the Herd Fest 2016 kickoff June 16th, also at the Mohawk. Check out the clip for “Listen to Me” below. Lesionread – Listen To Me (Official Music Video) from Shawn[...]

Feverbox – “Gemini”

May 24, 2016

Local garage rockers Feverbox have dropped one the great, wistful jams of the summer with “Gemini,” a satisfying change-up featuring some plaintive vocals and melodies reminiscent of the Shins and Two Door Cinema Club. These dudes are showing some real range and a nice capacity for surprise, making their show on Herd Fest Day 3 at DBGB’s seriously essential. Speaking of which, anybody else digging that Herd Fest app? I had absolutely nothing to do with it’s development so I can honestly say I’m fairly impressed, and it’s going to be fun letting my smartphone guide me around the venues and shows going off over the three days. Good times in the city because the future is starting to look like now. Anyways, check out Feverbox’ new single below. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/265054943″ 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: Lazlo Hollyfeld Performs Radiohead’s In Rainbows

May 20, 2016

It’s been good times/bad times lately for local Radiohead fans: good times because the legendary UK art rockers just released their 9th studio album A Moon Shaped Pool, bad times because as of right now the band hasn’t scheduled a show for Toronto, depriving us for now of our customary pilgrimage up the QEW to see them. Hopefully that will change; hopefully Radiohead isn’t put off from playing Toronto after that regrettable stage collapse five years ago. In any case the new album is great (and their darkest record to date), and Lazlo Hollyfeld and friends from Applennium will be all we need, with a special performance of the band’s 2007 classic In Rainbows tonight at Buffalo Iron Works. Unlike the album, the performance will not be  “pay what you will” (a strategy that only works for Radiohead… the brilliant buggers) and will instead feature an entirely reasonable $7 cover. Chameleon Project opens[...]

Jon Bap- “Gooder Than Before/Forced”

May 19, 2016

It’s impossible to categorize Jon Bap. While certainly a soul crooner, he’s clearly not just “a soul crooner,” as his sweet croonings are backed with sounds that are in from way out. Without question however is the fact that Jon Bap is one of the most forward thinking artists on the Buffalo music scene, and based on some of the Internet love he’s starting to get it looks like his footprint will be expanding beyond WNY with the re-release of his 2014 EP Let It Happen and lead single “Gooder Than Before/Forced.” We loved it before, and that love affair has only gotten hotter thanks to his engrossing live shows over the last few years. Keep an eye out for this reissue in the coming weeks, and enjoy this slice of avant-garde soul. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/263800226″ 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: Old 97’s

May 15, 2016

Tonight Buffalo gets a visit from original 90’s alt rock stalwarts Old 97’s when they play the Tralf with Heartless Bastards and BJ Barham. Gritty yet lyrical country rockers Old 97’s hail from Dallas and are essentially the last men standing of that still vital musical movement, still going strong and touring behind their most recent album Most Messed Up.Opening will be Austin-based garage rockers Heartless Bastards, promoting their fifth album, last year’s Restless Ones, along with American Aquarium frontman BJ Barham. Tickets are $24 with doors opening at 7pm.

Tonight: Horse Lords

May 7, 2016

Baltimore band Horse Lords will be make a stop in Buffalo tonight at Sugar City to wield their challenging yet hypnotic brand of modern prog rock for local adventurous souls. Trippy instrumentals that combine dub elements with drone and post Kid A beeps and blurbs will be on the avant-garde menu along with forward thinking local bands UVB-76 and Welks Mice. Cover is $8 and doors open at 8pm.