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Tonight: Rough Francis

Burlington, Vermont isn’t a place that makes you think of punk rock. Visions of Canadian borders, beautiful open skies, hiking, babbling brooks that just won’t shut up, and green pastures, maybe. But punk rock? No. Never. However, if your father and uncles made up the legendary proto-punk band, Death, you’d probably start a punk band in a Florida retirement community if you really had to. Burlington’s the Hackney brothers, who together make up more than half of Rough Francis, weren’t even aware of their father and uncles’ exploits when they first formed. After a few tribute shows, Rough Francis began writing their own music, and the rest was history. As the saying goes, “before there was punk, there was a band called Death. And before we knew of the band called Death, there was Rough Francis.” Tonight, Rough Francis descends on Buffalo, taking the stage at Nietzsche’s with Bloody Hollies,[...]

Tonight: Vaggie Fest – Day 1

So in case you have been living underneath a rock, or in a sinkhole, you probably already know that there is a ‘lady band’ fest going on this weekend, under the very fitting title of Vaggie Fest. Instead of a single day festival, which for the past three years has been happening at the Polish Library on the East Side of Buffalo, year five of Vaggie Fest will be expanded to three days. Day one starts this evening at Broadway Joe’s as part of their Punk N Tots series, returning to Joe’s again tomorrow night, followed by the festival concluding at Ocean Garden Oriental Foods on Saturday afternoon over on Niagara Street. Tonight at Broadway Joe’s, three day passes will be available for $20 (or $7 if you can only make tonight), which will get you a cool handmade ticket and a shiny bracelet if you so choose to indulge[...]

Buffalo Vaggie Fest

I’m sure you have seen the flyer. I’ve seen it everywhere, from Black Dots Record Boutique to the Elmwood Market, from Spot Coffee to Amy’s Place. The flyer depicts any man’s worst fear, especially if they’ve seen the campy B-­horror film Teeth. Needless to say, it’s definitely eye-catching. The flyer that I am speaking of is for the Buffalo Vaggie Fest, which will be celebrating its fifth year next weekend. The event is the brainchild of Britt Wagner, and even though it is a “lady band” fest, Wagner has a hard time identifying herself as a feminist. Well, maybe she is a feminist by its technical definition, but she prefers the term “equalist.” “I don’t like to say that I am a feminist, but I’m an equalist. Equal shit for everyone,” she says as she takes a sip from her bottle of Magic Hat. “I’ve been places where people have been[...]

Mr. Boneless Releases Debut LP, Cutting Teeth

The great Howlin’ Wolf once sang the words, “…if you want me baby, you got take your time, because I’m built for comfort, not for speed.” Now, truer words couldn’t have been graveled out into raspy excellence, however, why do we have to choose? Can’t we be fast and comfortable? Why yes, yes we can, and the proof is in the puddin’ pop. The figurative pudding pop I am referring to is the first full length release by Queen City juke joint marvels, Mr. Boneless. Cutting Teeth, the debut from the Buffalo steam folk quartet, is the follow up to their 2012 EP, Shame, all hopped up on dirty coke and Tullamore Dew. The ten tracks take you for a ride on their zooped up 1932 Ford as it hugs the midnight curves of a bootlegging road. Mr. Boneless doesn’t only take us for a joyride. They also manage to transport us to[...]

Made Violent

You desperately want to give the boys of Made Violent a bath. They’re not hippie dirty, nor are they ‘I’ve been candy flippin’ and shitting in my own hand for three days at Bonnaroo, dirty.’ No they’re just grungy. They’re filth-chic, if you will. They all sport wild manes and patchy beards, however bassist/vocalist Joe White’s mane is most Mufasa-esque. The trio has set up shop in the basement of a cottage in Colden, New York. The cottage sets far back from the road, with a quarter mile driveway surrounded by trees on both sides, which leads up to a two story cottage. To the right of the driveway is a pond, filled with fish and a snapping turtle. The cottage lives on the opposite side of the driveway. Behind the cottage sets another patch of trees, which hides two other structures, one which resembles the house from The Walking[...]

Tonight: Mike Dillon Band

Iconoclast percussionists are, by definition, unhinged creatures, and Mike Dillon is no exception. Praised as a “punk provocateur,” a “jazz vibraphone visionary,” and a “percussion visionary,” this New Orleans-based multi-percussionist will make a stop Nietzsche’s this evening in support of his latest release, Band of Outsiders. Mike Dillon and his merry mix of outsiders (The Mike Dillon Band) is comprised of Patrick McDevitt (bass), Adam Gertner (drums), and Carly Meyers (trombone), who Dillon has described as “a high priestess of trombone who channels the energy of Iggy Pop through the chops of JJ Johnson in second line parade.” Doors are at 8pm, $12 will get you in. Photo Credit: Zack Smith

Punks or Terrorists

The life of a small venue booking agent can be a trying one at best. You book the show and promote the show. If there’s a low turnout, you foot the bill, and you have to deal with your neighbors and the local authorities accusing you of harboring terrorist. The latter was the real life of St. Petersburg, FL booking agent and promoter, Kat Lynes. On Sunday June 29th, a concerned neighbor of Lynes’, Keith Coleman, called the police after he saw what he considered to be suspicious individuals, three men and three girls coming out of Lynes’ apartment. The ‘nefarious’ looking individuals were members of Nevada punk band, Vampirates. They had played a show at St. Petersburg’s Fubar the night before, a venue Lynes books shows at regularly. As per their agreement, Lynes had supplied them lodging at her apartment. Coleman had mistakenly had thought he had seen a[...]

Tonight: Pinky Doodle Poodle

If you’re like me, you never need an excuse to go to a casino. They have booze, gambling, and all of that extra oxygen that they pump through the air vents, like a diabetic kid shoving candy corn into their pie hole after trick or treating. However, if gambling, booze, and arbor secretions aren’t reason enough to head to the Hard Rock Cafe Casino in Niagara Falls, then maybe Pinky Doodle Poodle is the push that you need. Pinky Doodle Poodle are the amped female fronted Tokyo rock band with ties to the Rust Belt. PDP are the perfect mesh of Detroit proto punk and retro DC hardcore. Fronted by former Honey Bee vocalist Yuri, PDP’s first full length album was released on Robby Takac’s (of Goo Goo Dolls fame) label Good Charamel Records, which was also recorded here in Buffalo. The 10 song self titled release hit the street[...]

Psychic Teens

If you happened to make it out to buffaBLOG’s Herd Fest this past weekend, you may have heard something about a little band from Philadelphia called Psychic Teens. Now if you were fortunate enough, you actually got to catch their set at Allen Street Hardware, as part of Sugar City’s showcase. And if you missed their set, well, then shame on you. Needless to say, the brotherly love trio (singer/ guitarist Larry Ragone, bassist Joe Decarolis, and drummer Dave Cherasaro) made an impression on Buffalo this past weekend, brandishing their own brand of gothic, art-punk with some post-punk tendencies. As one attendee said, “I just got blasted by Psychic Teens,” while extending his jaw attempting to make his ears pop. “Did you catch them?” he asked me. However before I could answer, partly due to being unable to hear him, he said, “I totally forgot my plugs. They are definitely[...]

Black Dots

Josh Smith deserves a lot of credit, and not just because he’s a walking, talking encyclopedia of underground punk knowledge. Or because he owns and operates a basement record store, Black Dots, on the West Side of Buffalo. Or just because he runs a local label by the same name, or even because he also supplies a space for shows on the West Side. No, he doesn’t deserve credit for any one of these things, he deserves credit for all of these things. On paper, Smith should totally be Barry from High Fidelity. He’s been embedded in the underground scene in Western New York for years now. He’s shared the stage with members of Syracuse’s Perfect Pussy, among others. He knows about all of the bands you’ve never heard of, and can speak of them coherently and articulately. However, Smith is not that guy. “So I’m going to be releasing[...]

Street Eaters – Blood::Muscles::Bones

Blood::Muscles::Bones, the second full length release by Bay area band Street Eaters, reads like an ominous autobiography for the Berkley duo. How long can they withstand this experimental jet set lifestyle? A global tour schedule that has taken the band around the world at whiplash speeds. However, don’t romanticize their demise just quite yet, because Blood::Muscles::Bones may be the rawest, post-punk record to come from the West Coast in some time. Let me put it this way: this is the record that Kathleen Hanna and Dave Grohl got to never make. It was a project they always talked about before they both started believing their own legends. Blood::Muscles::Bones is juvenile in the sense that it is uncompromising and idealistic. You won’t find any unnecessary bridges, extra verses, or choruses. They’ve cut all of the fat, lacerated the gizzards, smothered them in hot sauce, and gobbled them up, just to wash it[...]

Tonight: Big Neck Fest

According to Bart Hart, it all started in 1994. It sounds like the beginning of a campfire horror story. A story that the ‘bro’ antagonist tells to get the big breasted cheerleader scared. However, Hart’s story is a bit more seedy and endearing, consisting of a bar called Ashbury Alley, punk rock, and of course Buffalo. Formerly the Rust Belt Show, the Big Neck Fest returns with its annual festival for the 15th year. Presented by Shaken Stylus and Queen City ex-pat record label, Big Neck Records( now based in northern Virginia). Tonight, Big Neck Fest will commence for its Day 1 festivities at the Allentown staple, Nietzsche’s. Big Fest isn’t just any  rock show. This is a festival that managed to bring Jay Reatard to Buffalo in its first two years back in 1999 and 2000, and this year isn’t any different. Headlining Day 1 will be Chi Town’s[...]

Joshua Smith of Black Dots

You have most likely walked by it a thousand times. You’ve probably totally ignored it, like it was invisible, like a vagrant. If it was a two headed mythological serpent of the future, it would have offered you it’s forbidden fruit. It sits drunkenly on the corner of Grant Street and Lafayette Avenue, like Dylan Thomas over a typewriter, directly across from Sweetness 7 Cafe. I am of course talking of Black Dots record shop. If you have ever wandered into the basement record store, you are familiar with it’s owner Joshua Smith. Smith can usually be found sitting behind the counter with the glow of his laptop dancing across his scruffy face.  Always sporting jeans and an obscure punk T-shirt, Smith will give a gentle nod as you enter the store, and calmly go back to his computer. He has a quiet demeanor, but if you can engage him,[...]

Tonight: On The Cinder

What are you doing tonight? Well, if you’re not too busy binging on season 2 of Orange is the New Black, stalking your ex on Facebook, or trying to decide who won twitter this week between Rob Delaney and Patton Oswalt, I hear there’s a show going on tonight. But Justin, there are just so many shows going on in the Queen City tonight, how do I choose which one? You can start by heading over to the Flower House as later tonight, they will be hosting On the Cinder’s tour kick off show. The Buffalo punk band, who are ‘fueled by cheap beer and the fear of getting old,’ will be sent off in style by fellow Buffalonian punks Accidentals, Grain Assault, and Seven Thirty Seven before hitting the road. Music kicks off at 7pm with a suggested donation of $3-$5. Ask around for the address.

Big Mean Sound Machine Releases Contraband

Angelo Peters may be the hardest working man in the Ithaca music scene right now. Between recently taking over the booking responsibilities at The Dock (formerly Castaways), as well as booking at the Loft, and current recording and production work, his 13 piece band, Big Mean Sound Machine, has managed to release its eighth studio recording, Contraband, through Angry Mom Records. Peters and company get a little bit spacey on this one, and it works, as extra moog and synthesizer effects that accent the expanding horn sections fit in perfectly. Big Mean Sound Machine, who are known for elaborate percussion and horn sections, has managed to up the ante on Contraband. Where before the horns (Alicia Aubin -Trombone, Bobby Spellman – Trumpet, Jamie Yamen – Tenor Saxaphone, and Remy Kunstler – Baritone Saxaphone) were more of an accent, on this album, they are the centerpieces that drive songs like “Whoa[...]