Latest Posts

Tonight: Aircraft

August 29, 2015

While we have been geeking out all summer over the great music our sister city of Rochester has been putting out, Aircraft, one of the blog’s favorite Buffalo acts, has been busy at work on its latest release. Tonight at Sugar City, the soaring psych rock four piece is set to celebrate said release, a new EP titled 7 Gems from the Sparkling Void.  The EP will be released by Buffalo rooted label Admirable Traits records, which if you have been following, has quietly built a great catalog of local releases from Humble Braggers, M.A.G.S., Bryan Johnson & Family, and more. The party kicks off tonight at 7pm. Fuzzy Rochester shoegazers Pleistocene and fresh Buffalo rock saviors Sixties Future will provide support. $10 gets you through the door an a copy of the EP.

Just Announced: Paul McCartney

August 25, 2015

It seems like rumors have been floating around town for nearly a year that Paul McCartney would be coming to Buffalo for a concert, and those rumors finally turned into a reality this morning as word got out that the “cute Beatle” would be performing at the First Niagara Center on Thursday, October 22nd. In a better late than never moment, this will be Sir Paul’s first show in Buffalo during his long career, and for WNY fans of the legendary musician, the show could not have come any sooner. After the Rolling Stones came to town earlier this summer, 2015 is shaping up to be a good year for fans of defining British Invasion acts. No word on whether Herman’s Hermits will also be making an area appearance before the year is up. Tickets will go on sale this Monday, August 31st, for $29.50 to a robust $253.50.

Dumb Angel Readies Antenna, Shares “In Sun”

August 18, 2015

About four years ago, members of Rochester act the Instruments Band began recording the debut album for their new project, Dumb Angel, a trio featuring now Howlo band mates Justin Pulver (Europa & the Great Red Spot) and Ben Morey, in addition indie pop artist Blake Cooper. The threesome finally completed work on the album, titled Antenna, nearly a year ago and will be celebrating the release of the record next month on September 18th. Antenna will be available to purchase/stream via Dadstache Records and pre-sale orders are already being taken here. In preparation for Antenna‘s release, Dumb Angel premiered the record’s first single, “In Sun,” today. Fans of Howlo should be immediately drawn to the song’s nervy opening guitar line, but where as the former seemed to focus on crunchier alt-rock sounds, “In Sun” brings an easy going vibe and lo-fi guitars to the table. Think a straight forward Yo La[...]

1809 Studios Releases Latest Session feat. MD Woods

August 14, 2015

The 1809 Sessions series has been quietly building up an eclectic collection of installments featuring bands from in and out of the Rochester area for nearly a year now. Next up to bat for the Macedon based studio is sister city folk act MD Woods, the ongoing project from singer/songwriter Nicholas Lee Moore. Moore made waves at the blog office earlier this summer when he released the fantastic second installment of his Young & Vain series, and just today, his stark performance of “Low and Behold” at the 1809 Studios was released. Take a few mins to catch up on the entire lineup of past 1809 Session clips here, but first, watch MD Wood’s session below.

Just Announced: Neon Indian

August 14, 2015

After two memorable shows at the still missed Soundlab back in 2010, Neon Indian will be back in town this fall at the Tralf Music Hall on Friday, October 23rd. With Toro y Moi also set to hit Buffalo later next month, the Queen City will have the chance to see two of the major players of the often criticized, formerly buzzed about chillwave genre. Like Chaz Bundick, Alan Palomo has also seen his project shift in sound over the years, now settling in on a more dance driven version of vaporwave. Neon Indian’s latest album, VEGA INTL. Night School, the follow up to 2011’s lush Era Extrana, will drop one week before the show on October 16th. Along with the tour announcement, Palomo shared the album’s latest cut, “Slumlord,” late last night. Listen below. Tickets will go on sale this Tuesday, August 18th, for $17 in advance/$19 day.

Hawker M. James Debuts “Pleasure Part”

August 7, 2015

After rejoining the Demos following a short absence, the ever busy Rochester musician Mike James (Longwave, Mikey Jukebox, the Mercies) has released a new track today under his Hawker M. James moniker, the first single from his upcoming solo LP. Titled “Pleasure Part,” the song was produced by electronic musician Joel Ford (Ford & Lopatin) and finds Jame’ merging fragile, Elliott Smith-esque vocals with tense and atmospheric synths. The track also features contributions from James’ Demos band mate Jason Milton. Hawker M. James is set to drop on October 17th as part of the annual Cassette Store Day event. In the mean time, listen to “Pleasure Part” below.

Tonight: Beams

August 6, 2015

After tackling Detroit last night, Ontario alt-folk collective Beams will continue its first tour through the states this evening at Mohawk Place. Armed with a 1-2 punch female harmony and a singing saw, the group recently recorded its most recent EP, The Gutters & The Glass, with Tortoise and Sea & Cake member John McEntire, who has previously worked with Yo La Tengo, Stereolab, and Broken Social Scene. Beams reminds us of a rootsy version of Arcade Fire with touches of Neko Case sprinkled in for good measure. The band also has a pretty great and unexpected cover of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill,” which was previously covered by Chromatics on their 2007 record Night Drive. Check it out below. On hand for opening support tonight will be the crust buskers of Pine Fever and the folk group of Observers. Music begins this evening at 8pm with a measly cover of only[...]

Thick Winter Blud & I Can See Mountains Merge, Form Super American

August 3, 2015

The run of Thick Winter Blud proved to be a short one as the pop-punk trio, which emerged from the ashes of singer/bassist Mat Cox’s I Can See Mountains, is no more. Instead of disbanding, though, the group merged with a couple members of the fellow defunct Buffalo act to form Super American. The newly branded group reminds us of our favorite shouty, gone-to-soon local act, All Blondes Go to Heaven, along with some up-and-coming nationals like Modern Baseball, Somos, and Front Bottoms. You can get the full story of the four piece’s birth right here by the way. The quartet has promised to drop some new material early this fall, so until then, listen to “Nevermind,” a track the band quietly shared near the end of July, below.

Tonight: Bourbon and Coffee

July 30, 2015

Freak-beat poetry unit Bourbon and Coffee is taking on the task of tackling Neutral Milk Hotel’s seminal album In the Aeroplane Over the Sea in full tonight at Dreamland. Those who attended the now defunct Inventory Mondays at Hardware a couple years back may remember B&C leader Ian Be performing the occasional selection off of the album on his ukulele in what appears to be some sneaky foreshadowing to this evening’s event. Joining the group will be Tins’ drummer Dave Muntner and Space Cubs herself, Suzanne Bonifacio. In addition, B&C will be their own opening act, delivering a set of original material before diving into the Neutral Milk Hotel masterwork. Music begins tonight at 6pm while the first strum of “King of Carrot Flowers Pt. One” should ring sometime around 7pm.

Tonight: Iron & Wine w/ Ben Bridwell

July 30, 2015

My experiences at Iron and Wine visits to Buffalo over the years have been a bit mixed. Sam Beam’s sort of solo show (his sister was on hand to play cello) at Babeville’s Asbury Hall back in 2008, despite being rather beautiful, was down right sleep inducing while his face saving, big band backed performance at Town Ballroom in 2011 was quite possibly my favorite show at the venue that year. I missed his Spring Fest show at Buff State the following year, but I recall that being a solo show too, so maybe it was for the best. As for tonight, I think its safe to assume this show will be a busy one as Beam, a former Florida State film professor, takes on his biggest Buffalo audience yet at the Thursday at Canalside concert series with Band of Horses front man Ben Bridwell by his side. The pair[...]

Just Announced: In The Valley Below

July 29, 2015

After appearing as a featured act at this past weekend’s Kerfuffle down at Canalside, the electro-pop duo of In The Valley Below will return to Buffalo this fall with a headlining performance at the Tralf Music Hall on Tuesday, October 20th. The Echo Park  pair dropped its breakthrough hit “Peaches” WAY BACK in the early fall of 2013, and that song is still getting serious burn on alternative and indie rock stations. Whether they have other material or not, I do not have the answer, but I suppose you will find out if you grab a ticket. Speaking of tickets, they are currently on sale for $13 in advance, $15 day of.

Genesee Live Premieres Latest Session feat. Hannah Weidner & the Doorway Talkers

July 28, 2015

If you didn’t make it to the first installment of our Rochester Invasion shows (yes there will be more), then you missed not one but two sets from the Doorway Talkers, the full band project from singer/songwriter Hannah Weidner, on Nietzsche’s front room stage. Backed by members of Secret Pizza and Passive Aggressives Anonymous, the Doorway Talkers gives Weidner to nice vehicle to flesh out the Joanna Newsom-esque folk numbers taken from her debut LP, Comfortable Existence, which we selected as our Album of the Week last fall. This morning, Hannah and crew were the latest act to be featured in Genesee Live‘s video sessions series. After a quiet summer, the series is back with a clip that captures the four piece delivering a pleasant, living room (and just a little kitchen) performance. Check out the full session below.

OHS Releases Video for Alternate Take of “Coma”

July 27, 2015

Maybird and Thunder Body’s Overhand Sam Snyder, or OHS, just released the music video to his song “Coma,” a track from his Album of the Week selected EP Long Legs. The video is actually soundtracked by the tape version of the slow burner, which is a touch more organic and stripped down than its celestial Grizzly Bear-esque counter part featured on Long Legs, and finds Snyder sounding rather Sam Beamish. The clip doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, and I suppose it really shouldn’t as its a collection of sometimes eye catching found footage with some minor connections (rocket launches and crashes, flower blooms and decays) taken from Archive.org. Snyder is set to finish his month long residency at Rochester’s Flour City Station this evening. For those in the area, stop by at 8:30pm. Watch the video for “Coma” below. OHS Coma from Studio 73 Productions on Vimeo. OHS-[...]

Tonight: Project Grant Fundraiser

July 24, 2015

Rock on for a good cause tonight at Buffalo Iron Works as a cast of locals and non take the stage in support of the Project Grant Fundraiser. The West Side launched program is aimed to work with artists and communities who may be lacking in the proper resources for a given artistic medium and project. Further info on Project Grant and the program’s founder, Tina Dillman, can be found here. On hand for musical support this evening are Utica desert rockers Twin Speak (in town for an Infringement date), retro punk rockers Soul Butchers, lyrically sound slackers Difficult Night, audio/visual master Projex, and many more. The fundraiser’s full lineup can be found at here. Speaking of Difficult Night, the quartet just dropped its latest new track “Calamity” this morning. The track will be included on DN’s forthcoming LP. Stream it below so you know all of the words to sing along[...]

A House Safe for Tigers Releases Video for “Evaporate”

July 24, 2015

A House Safe for Tigers, the latest project from long time Buffalo players Brandon Delmont and Mark Constantino, has just released the music video for “Evaporate,” the melancholic lead single off the duo’s self titled debut LP. Directed by Stevie Matthews, Delmont’s former Son of the Sun band mate, the clip finds the the two strolling through Bidwell/Lincoln Parkway and Hamburg (?) Beach, contemplating their surroundings and each other as a longing Constantino croons into the off screen distance. A House Safe for Tigers will be celebrating the release of the record, which has been available to stream/purchase since early June and is currently out on vinyl via Headless Actor Records, at Mohawk Place later next month. In the mean time, watch the music video for “Evaporate” below.