Latest Posts

CHVRCHES – “Dead Air”

November 6, 2014

Glasgow electronica wunderkinds, CHVRCHES, continue their rapid conquest of Planet Earth with the release of “Dead Air,” their contribution to the penultimate Hunger Games movie soundtrack. With the have-nots gearing up for war with the fascistic haves of our dystopian future, who better to give voice in song to revolutionary Joan of Arc figure Katniss Everdeen than Lauren Mayberry? The answer is nobody as Lauren Mayberry is clearly growing into the role of feminist icon, giving CHVRCHES a vital edge and value that is definitely on display on this potent single. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 soundtrack arrives in stores November 17th, while the movie hits theaters on November 21st.

David Bowie Is to Screen One Night Only at Amherst 3

November 5, 2014

David Bowie transcended the term musician a long time ago. Folkie and pop singer gave way to terms like icon, rock god, actor, and philosophical touchstone. His life became art. Sometimes it was great and sometimes it wasn’t, but Bowie was always trying, growing his oeuvre into something worthy of study, archiving, and public exhibitions in prestigious museums worldwide, like the David Bowie Is exhibition that started at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum and traveled the world. Compiled from Bowie’s archive and co-curated by Geoffrey Marsh and Victoria Broakes, David Bowie Is was an intense  journey into his 40 plus year curriculum vitae that thrilled audiences worldwide, in museums and movie theaters thanks to a documentary chronicling the exhibition. Buffalo Bowie fans will get a chance to see David Bowie Is on it’s countrywide tour tomorrow night on the big screen (and tomorrow night only) at the Amherst Theatre in Main[...]

Tonight: The Irving Klaws

October 31, 2014

All Hallow’s Eve in Allentown… when the weird go pro and Halloween gets back to it’s primal roots, and there’s no better place to let your freak run wild than at the Nietzsche’s Halloween Party featuring local freaks The Irving Klaws, Small Smalls and ronaldraygun. Billed as a “freakshow tribute to music from the movies,” there is no way it’s not going to be bonkers (especially with the wonderfully sinful Irving Klaws involved), but if you throw in giveaways and a costume contest with a $100 prize, a bonkers time is guaranteed. $5 gets you in and the wildness jumps off from 10 PM.

One Direction Dads Draw Short Straw Next September

October 29, 2014

To say that there was a collective groan accompanied the shrieks of tweener and stunted teenage girls when it was announced that British boy band juggernaut, One Direction, would be playing the Ralph next September would be an understatement. From music bloggers to music blog readers to purists rightly bemoaning the fact that the first show at the former Rich Stadium in ages will be a boy band, not to mention Orchard Park residents bracing for an even louder godawful shriek that will be heard for miles around, there wasn’t an abundance of joy on display beyond the OD target demographic. But there’s a demographic that groaned the loudest, and it was from the sorry bastards who will have to take their daughters to the show. Sure, many blokes have already called “NOT IT!” whilst touching their index finger to their nose or are already scheming to have that week[...]

Interpol – “My Desire”

October 22, 2014

Early aughts NYC post-punk darlings Interpol released a video for “My Desire,” the latest single off their underrated 2014 release El Pintor, and it’s a doozy. Directed by Markus Lundqvist, the atmospheric and mildly disturbing clip features the band providing a slow burning soundtrack to one man’s alcohol fueled mental breakdown in an otherwise pleasant roadhouse. It’s another great single from a band enjoying a revival of sorts after the ho-hum Interol in 2010 and a four year break that some thought signaled its end. Hopefully Interpol will return to WNY in 2015, but in the meantime…

Tonight: Soul Butchers

October 16, 2014

It’s going to get hella weird tonight at Nietzsche’s when some of Buffalo’s (and beyond) more out there bands – Soul Butchers, Bike Cops, and Supergoner – unleash some high octane pre Halloween wildness. There’s something delightfully skeevy, dangerous, and wrong about Soul Butchers, whose 18 Wheeler EP makes for excellent reckless driving music, while Chicago  thrashers, Bike Cops, and 90’s rockers, Supergoner, will round things out with more music from the wrong side of the tracks. Doors open at 9pm and expect a modest cover.

Tonight: Merchandise

October 13, 2014

Big night of indie rock tonight at the Buffalo Iron Works  when Tampa post punkers, Merchandise, and Copenhagen’s Lower play that excellent Cobblestone district stage. 4AD Records buzz band are on tour in support of the well received After The End, an ambitious arena rocker, released this past August, that ought to translate well in Iron Works’ excellent brick performance space, while Danish noise rockers Lower will continue to make inroads with American audiences in support of their current Matador Records release, Seek Warmer Climes. Tickets are still available at the door for $14 and doors open at 7:00 PM.

Just Announced: Fleetwood Mac

October 10, 2014

Dreams do come true occasionally, like they did yesterday when it was announced that 70’s and 80’s stalwarts (and Pitchfork, NME, and Brooklyn Vegan* favorites), Fleetwood Mac, would be making a surprise return to the Queen City on January 31st, 2015. We’d been left off this most recent tour, significant because it marks the return of co-founder Christine McVie to the band, but that’s all water under the bridge now that the band will once again be playing the building that is the First Niagara Center, as they had on both of the band’s 1997 and 2003 tours. The brilliant three piece harmonies and spectacular musical chemistry that defined an era and sold millions of albums have been restored again to their proper glory, and really, it’s a can’t miss experience. Tickets go on sale Saturday October 20th at 10am, and range from $49.50 to $179.50.

Various Artists – “God Only Knows”

October 8, 2014

Yesterday, the BBC released the video for their tribute to The Beach Boys legendary 1966 single “God Only Knows” featuring Brian Wilson and a tremendous all star cast of musicians, and it is beyond sublime. The Pet Sounds classic and “teenage symphony to God” got the deluxe treatment to raise money for the BBC’s Children In Need charity telethon, assembling a preposterous galaxy of talent to join Brian on the single: Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Dave Grohl, Brian May, Chrissie Hynde, Kylie Minogue, Chris Martin, Lorde, Florence Welch, Pharrell, Sam Smith, Emile Sande, Paloma Faith and a variety of other UK talent plus the BBC Orchestra and the Tees Valley Youth Choir. The brilliantly surreal video also features cameos by such BBC music luminaries as Jools Holland, Zane Lowe, and Lauren Laverne, and in true Brian Wilson (and Phil Spector) fashion, it still clocks in under 3 minutes. Only the BBC and[...]

God Help The Girl Opens at the North Park Theatre

October 3, 2014

One of the most exciting development in Buffalo this year has been the rebirth of the venerable North Park Theatre on Hertel Avenue. Beyond the wonderful ongoing renovation efforts restoring the theater to a condition minter than in our wildest dreams, it’s the revamped programming made possible to the upgraded digital projection system that’s re-positioning the North Park as one of the cultural focal points of the city, with an Italian film festival, a well curated family matinee series, and other special shows like Monty Python Live and the NY Films Critics series. This bold programming continues this weekend with the local debut of international indie film God Help The Girl from Belle & Sebastian’s Stuart Murdoch. Originally a girl group offshoot of Belle & Sebastian featuring songs by Murdoch written from a female perspective, the work evolved into a cycle of songs and a script and low budget indie movie[...]

Tonight: The Elmwood Village 20 Block Bash

September 27, 2014

Tonight, celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Elmwood Village Association at a big street party between West Utica and Hodge where it all began tastefully called The 20 Block Bash and featuring a raft of blog favorites handling the music for the festivities. It’s hard to believe that the Elmwood Village is only 20 years old because it feels like the EV’s been the EV forever, a testament to the concept’s durability and success as an organizing principle for the Elmwood Strip (that’s what we used to call it, back when it was overrun by delinquents and blue neon). That’s why tonight’s shindig is so worthy of note and a good time waiting to happen: it’s a celebration of Elmwood’s history and it’s future and a great opportunity to hang out with your fellow Buffalonians and enjoy the bounty of the city and the West Side in particular, namely local[...]

U2’s 1% Problems

September 25, 2014

Last week was a bummer for a lot of U2 fans when the Irish band gave away their latest album, Songs Of Innocence, by heavy-handedly and shamelessly jamming it into everybody’s iTunes accounts. Listening to the dud, talking to other U2 fans and finding out that they too think it’s a dud, and seeing the album’s poor reception by critics, millennials, and Tyler the Creator has been sobering. What’s always been interesting about U2 and their grand gestures going back to the beginning is that there’s always been a few grand failures along the way, but this time they went too far. They’ve become a punchline… and spam that everybody wants to delete. And for this longtime fan at least, three duds in a row is enough and the end of the line. I know some fans are into Songs Of Innocence, but one gets the sense that those fans[...]

Wild Bear Releases Debut Single, “Glass Ceilings”

September 15, 2014

“Glass Ceilings,” the debut track from mysterious new local act Wild Bear, is a tempting morsel that fuses chilled out minimalist electronica with soulful spoken word vocals reminiscent of Bill Withers and Grizzly Bear. Throw in some inspirational pro feminist lyrics and you’ve got something that makes you want more. Follow Wild Bear on Twitter here and stay tuned here for the latest developments from this enigmatic new band. Update: Wild Bear’s full 3-song EP is now streaming on the act’s bandcamp page.

Tonight: Pleasure Leftists

September 11, 2014

Rust Belt post-punk rockers Pleasure Leftists return to the Queen City with their insurgent sounds for what’s sure to be a special show at Spiral Scratch Records. Cleveland’s music scene has been blowing up recently (i.e. that packed Cloud Nothings show at the Iron Works in April), and Pleasure Leftists seem poised to continue that explosion thanks to their wonderfully propulsive and dark new wave guitar rock and the powerful, Patti Smith-esque vocals of Hayley Morris. Locals surfrockers Aaron & The Burrs, post-punkers Softlines, and Worse, who are making their live debut, will all be providing opening support. Show starts at 7pm, $7.

Just Announced: Arkells

September 3, 2014

Hamilton, Ontario’s Arkells will be making a welcome return to the Queen City when they hit up the Town Ballroom on Saturday, October 4th. The lads will be in town to promote their latest release, the excellent High Noon, which finds the sturdy and reliable Arkells taking their always pleasing power pop into Bruce Springsteen and Paul Weller territory with rather interesting results that reveal previously unknown depths to these almost local favorites. TIckets are $18, can be purchased at the Town Ballroom box office or online at Ticketfly, and are onsale right bloody now. Here’s the video for “Come To Light,” the lead single off High Noon and a taste of this new phase for Arkells.