Latest Posts

Motherhouse Drops Early Demo

July 23, 2015

Things have been a little quiet with new music lately as Buffalo paces through summer’s humid dog days, but last night, an intriguing new project hit bandcamp. Motherhouse, a collaborative duo featuring current and past members of acts like the Mordant Sisters, the Actors, and Cross Stitch, dropped a 3-track demo dubbed Sessions during Wednesday’s waning hours. The early material from the band is a haunting, yet soothing collection of ambient no-wave that should appeal to fans of Orenda Fink or Buffalo’s Space Cubs. The pair promises that more music will soon come, so enjoy this appetizer and keep an eye out for additional material in the near future. Listen to “Strong” below.

Just Announced: Blitzen Trapper

July 22, 2015

With local shows at the Tralf, Mohawk Place, and Babeville already under its belt, Portland’s Blitzen Trapper will be once again back in Buffalo this fall, this time set for a performance at Town Ballroom on Saturday, October 10th. The former freak-folk Sub Pop act has gradually transitioned into a more classic rock/country-folk outfit over the years, and will see its latest album, All Across This Land, drop this September on Vagrant Records. Tickets will go on sale this Friday, July 24th, at noon for $16 in advance, $19 at the door.

Hieronymus Bogs Releases First Single from The Angel

July 21, 2015

Man what is in the water in the Genesee River lately? We have been doing this blog for over five years now, and over last couple, expanding our focus past just Buffalo and into other areas of WNY. With that said, I have never seen such a run of quality new music than we have out of Rochester over these last few months (and more is on the way). One of those acts, which until now has sadly flown under our radar, is folk musician Alex Bogs, who performs under the moniker of Hieronymus Bogs. Yesterday, Bogs released the startling first single from his upcoming new album The Angel. “I Wonder” is a wonderfully haunting mix of Devandre Banhart freak folk, subtle touches of Antony and the Johnsons’ theatricality, and the vulnerability of Buffalo’s own Andy Pothier. The Angel should be a nice addition to what is shaping up to be[...]

Just Announced: Sufjan Stevens

July 21, 2015

After a run of somewhat gimmicky releases – the electro 180 turn of The Age of Adz, a second round of Christmas albums, an experimental ode to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway – Sufjan Stevens returned in prime form earlier this year with the stark and devastating Carrie & Lowell, a front runner for album of the year and what could be a personal best in the singer/songwriter’s eccentric catalog. This fall, he will once again take Carrie & Lowell on the road, this time including Buffalo on his latest itinerary. On Friday, Ocotober 30th, Stevens will perform in the Mainstage Theater at UB’s Center for the Arts, his first area performance since his magically bonkers holiday show at Asbury Hall a couple years back. Tickets will go on sale Friday, July 24th at 10am for $43.50. A portion of all ticket sales will go towards Stevens’ Plus One charity organization.

On Tour with Lemuria

July 20, 2015

Ex-pat photographer and blogger Derek Neuland recently went out on tour with Buffalo rooted pop-punk trio Lemuria. Over the last couple weeks, Newland, a Queen City native who now resides in Kentucky, has been compiling tour essays and photo galleries documenting his time on the road with the band members he calls friends and shared the moments on his blog, Quiet and Constant. He was nice enough to offer us a few unreleased outtakes from his first handful of tour essays, which you can check out below. If you wish to follow Neuland’s travels with the band and check out his on going collection essays and galleries, make sure to keep up with his progress over on his blog. His most recent essay about the band’s visit to LA’s Galco’s Soda Pop Stop was shared last week. Read about it here. Photos by Derek Neuland

Rebecca Ryskalczyk of Bethlehem Steel

July 20, 2015

Next week will see the return home of Rebecca Ryskalczyk, the front woman of the Brooklyn based, Fredonia bred indie trio Bethlehem Steel. The Buffalo born musician is currently on a solo tour that will bring her back to town for a pair of Infringement Festival dates. We recently caught up with the songwriter to discuss Buffalo and Brooklyn, her new label and upcoming EP, and her some of her favorite local music memories. buffaBLOG: Over the last couple years, we have seen some pretty great acts, including Zealot, Mr. Boneless, and Well Worn Boot, come out SUNY Fredonia and the surrounding town. What was the scene like when you were going to school there? Rebecca Ryskalczyk: There was a very tight knit DIY scene when I went to school there. I met all my current band-mates through the music scene there. Jon played in Longitude and Zephyr in Zona Mexicana. House shows[...]

Mr. Boneless Premieres Mammoth Studio Clip

July 16, 2015

Mr. Boneless is back this morning after premiering a live performance video shot at Mammoth Recording Studio. The Fredonia bred, folk-punk foursome dropped by the studios to perform the woozy “Fall Risk,” which was captured on film by the Bumrush Booking crew. The Mr. Boneless clip is the second installment from Bumrush at Mammoth Studio, having previously filmed an Aircraft performance back at the end of 2013. Watch the video below.

The Huckleberry Fins Return with New Single and Video

July 13, 2015

We got pretty hyped back at the end of 2013 when we came across the Rochester surf trio, The Huckleberry Fins. The group’s French Kiss flavored “Wild Blue Yonder” was like fire over at the blog office (ranking #10 on our favorite Rochester songs of the year), and we couldn’t wait to here what would come next from the threesome. After flying under the radar for what was quickly approaching two years, the band is back with a great new single and an accompanying music video for the track “The Sun is Setting.” The song could easily be included on a future Captured Tracks compilation as it brings to mind early Beach Fossils, while the video find the Huckleberry boys showing off some skate boarding moves through the streets and parking garages of Rochester. “The Sun is Setting” is the first single on the band’s upcoming 11-track LP, Pipe Dreams,[...]

Passive Aggressives Anonymous Releases New Single “Many at Once”

July 10, 2015

Tongue-in-cheek, Rochester crooner John Valenti and his band Passive Aggressives Anonymous have released a new single this morning, titled “Many at Once,” the follow up to the group’s late 2014 EP, Not so long songs of longing. If this is your first introduction to Valenti, think laid back Father John Misty showmanship meets Jens Lekman heart on his sleeve charm. Valenti and crew have the ability to romance you right off your feet, all while grinning ear to ear. PAA’s whimsical new song details the pros to keeping your options open when it comes to the opposite sex, all while striking riffs and fluttering strings back the dreamy, lounge ready number. In other Valenti news, the songwriter recently directed a clip for Kingston, NY musician Shana Falana. The video features appearances by fellow Roch musicans and Valenti buddies Buffalo Sex Change and just premiered yesterday on Paste. Check it out here.[...]

The Color Waves Drops Debut Singles

July 9, 2015

The Color Waves is cross Atlantic collaboration between fellows Scots Gary Hoggan (formerly of Butcher Boy) and Alison Eales. Hoggan moved to Buffalo a few years back, while Eales still calls Scotland home. Yesterday, the dreamy, jangle-pop pair released two tracks from its upcoming 7′ Chirology. Both songs, in particular the co-lead “Rose,” are darkly beautiful, and fans of Low, Belle & Sebastian, The Sleepy Jackson, and The Radio Dept should give the songs a spin. Keep an eye out soon for physical release of Chirology through Cloudberry Records (pre-orders are currently on sale here), and in the mean time, listen to the intimacy exploring title track below.

Just Announced: The Dodos

July 8, 2015

While starting blankly at the walls in the blog office today, our Songkick app woke us up with the news that the Dodos will be making a stop at Mohawk Place on Thursday, October 8th. The energetic, San Francisco psych folk act has been quietly building a pretty solid and consistent catalog over the years since dropping Visitor in 2008, and will add recently added to its discography in early 2015 with the well received Individ. Songkick failed to give us any further show details, as it so does, so keep an eye out in the very near future for on sale dates and ticket prices on the show’s event page.

Tonight: Curly’s Grand Re-Opening

July 8, 2015

The West Side’s newest basement venue is set to reopen its doors. Over the last couple months, Curly’s, the home base to Steak and Cake Records, was forced to relocate a handful of shows and go dark due to some residential conflicts, but now that matters have sorted themselves out, the DIY space will celebrate a grand re-opening this evening and smoother sailing for here on out. Tonight’s show will include the debut performance from Sonny Baker’s new trio. The group premiered its first single from the upcoming Flesh It Out EP on Monday, and is set to break in some of the new tunes for the eager audience. This evening will also feature the regrouping Queen City Lotto band Beast Coast, the return of basement super group Hot Tip, and the welcoming of Halifax’s psych pop act Walrus. Doors open at 6pm with a cover of $5. Music kicks[...]

Zinnicimo Films Releases “A Rackmastas Dream”

July 7, 2015

Buffalo turned Las Vegas animator and filmmaker Robert Zinni of Zinnicimo Films recently released his latest project, a “visual remix” of Sax Appeal, the 2014 EP from the on-going grab bag duo of Rackmastas (Brandon Schilia and Jordan Jones of RED HEAT). ‘”A Rackmastas Dream” follows two inter-dimensional brothers, Harvie & Onezie, as they take a trip across time and space,” explains Zinni. “It took me about eight months to complete. Every movement, texture, and animation, I did myself. I took images or videos and manipulated them to create a world.” With the meticulously crafted, 8-bit inspired stop motion clip in the bag, Zinni will next team up RED HEAT as the politically minded punk trio is set to provide the score for his upcoming film Murphy 2. In the mean time, watch “A Rackamastas Dream” below.

Just Announced: Lower Dens

July 6, 2015

Following a jam packed September for music fans in Buffalo, this fall will keep the good times rolling as the 80’s tinged Baltimore-based pop act, Lower Dens, will visit Mohawk Place on Thursday, October 1st. Earlier this spring, the band released its latest album, Escape From Evil (think Beach House recording in Twin Peaks), a high point in an already intriguing catalog. Ticket prices and on-sale dates have yet to be announced, but stay plugged up to date on the event page for further updates.

Tonight: Anti-Venue Tour Kick Off

July 2, 2015

Haute La Vie, a new-to-the-scene Buffalo entertainment company, will launch its Anti-Venue Tour later this evening at the 464 Gallery on Amherst Street. Aimed at bringing musical and artistic performances to non traditional spaces, the series is spread-headed Shawn Patterson, a Buffalo born, Southern raised entrepreneur who recently returned home to find himself part of the city’s growth and development. Musical support for the Anti-Venue kick off showcase will be provided by EKL roster members Truey V and Radarada, plus Saint Opal from the Black Sol crew. Keep up on the future installments of the Anti Venue Tour, which runs weekly throughout the month in Buffalo before moving on to cities like Rochester, NYC, and more, by following the series’ hashtag. The event begins this evening at 7pm and runs til 10pm. Entry is free of charge.