For the past 16 years, Roger Bryan and the Orphans have been foraging a path merging classic american songwriting with both grace and recklessness. Over the fourse of four albums, multiple EPs, and singles, they have created a catolog of ragged glory that continues to grow and evolve while managing to keep a heart stil stitched on it’s well worn sleeve. – RBATO Days Or Nights/That’s Life! by Roger Bryan and The Orphans
Wednesday, October 9th @ 7pm Robert Ellis @ 9th Ward Houston-based singer/songwriter Robert Ellis makes a stop in the Babeville basement this Wednesday for an intimate performance. Touring in support of his latest album, Yesterday’s News, showgoers will be captivated by Ellis’ phenomenal story telling and alt country twang. Fans of Nick Drake, Justin Townes Earle, Jason Isbell, or Joe Pug should be up for a midweek foray onto the Delaware Strip. Tickets are $25. Friday, October 11th @ 7pm Ashford (Album Release Show) w/ Previous Love, The Weather Might Say Otherwise, & Robbery Club @ Mohawk Place Ashford are celebrating the release of their brand new full-length album, Pictures of Places I’ve Been, at what is bound to be the talk of Mohawk Ave. on Friday. The post-pop-punk project has been around for over eight years, but has really emerged as a a scene heavy-hitter after emerging from post-COVID[...]
The blog doesn’t voyage into the film realm often because, well, we are a music blog. However, Chris Scamurra and Nick Reynolds’ new short-film, Portland is the New Portland, blurs the lines too much for us to ignore. The duo was a staple of Buffalo’s music scene in the first half of the 2010s, and were heavily featured here on the blog with their project, Space Wolves. The short-film’s premise of a do-it-yourself musician juggling multiple projects has the potential to connect deeply with so many involved in the local scene. Moreover, the protagonist in the feature is Matthew Danger Lippman, another buffaBLOG favorite from the 2010s. We had a chance to speak with the co-creators of Portland is the New Portland in the midst of their media blitz for the short film. The picture has been making the rounds for the past month in the national film festival circuit,[...]
After more than a decade of writing and performing with indie rock band, The Tins, Mike Santillo is creatingmusic under a new moniker. Primarily a recording project, Matches Laces combines electronic and natural elements, including moody sci- synths, dark acoustic guitar, retro drum machines, eld recording samples and layered vocal harmonies to create a mix of somber and upbeat pop-leaning songs. In an interview with1120 Press, Santillo says, “everything I’m writing, I kind of write and record as I write. The songs kind of write themselves as I’m recording and adding layers. “These recorded layers have come together to form an 8 song EP. In the self-titled debut, Santillo explores heart break by examining past relationship dynamics, contemplates the nite nature of existence while re-solving to focus on the love there is in the moment, and tracks time just existing in mundanity, “sitting down by the water to pass the[...]
Thursday, October 3rd @ 7pm Coral Moons w/ Johnny & the Man Kids & tuesday nite @ Buffalo Iron Works Boston-born turned upstate New York transplants, Coral Moons, bring their indie pop goodness to Buffalo this Thursday. Fronted by lead singer and primary songwriter, Carly Kraft, Coral Moons sound is reminiscent of Alvvays, Best Coast, or Melody’s Echo Chamber. Since forming in 2018, the project has continuously toured, filled, and headlined venues and festivals throughout the continental states. Also on bill are legit local indie acts Johnny & the Man Kids and tuesday nite. Looks like there’s nothing at the Keybank Center, so parking should be a breeze. Tickets are $20 summer of u by Coral Moons Friday, October 4th @ 8pm The Curls w/ Patchwrok & The Hartwell Hospice House Band @ Milkies The Curls return to the Buffalo this Friday with some support from the locals listed above.[...]
“Tough Old Bird was formed by songwriting brothers Matthew and Nathan Corrigan in a rural corner of Western New York. Since releasing ‘Gambling Days’ in 2016, the duo has taken their singular style of modern folk music to coffee shops, listening rooms, music clubs, dive bars, campgrounds and front porches across the United States. The band’s newly expanded lineup features Ricky Bechard on drums and Brendan O’Shea on bass.” – Tough Old Bird
Wednesday, 9/25 @ 7pm Great Lake Swimmers w/ Tough Old Bird & Abe Partridge @ Buffalo Iron Works Indie folk outfit Great Lake Swimmers makes a mid-week stop in Buffalo on Wednesday 9/25. Based out of Toronto, Buffalo might be the easiest gig logistically for the band to reach, so expect the Swim team to be on their A-game. Since forming in the early 2000s, Great Lake Swimmers have received high praise from critics and fans alike with their earnest and homespun Americana sound. If you’re a fan of Iron & Wine, Sufjan Stevens, or Fleet Foxes, plan on heading down to the Cobblestone District. Opening up the night are Buffalo-based indie folk act, Tough Old Bird, and Alabama singer/songwriter Abe Partridge. Tickets are $25. Thursday, 9/26 @ 7pm The Japanese House @ Electric City English pop star The Japanese House will be in town this week at downtown Buffalo’s[...]
Zak Ward is another familiar name that blog has been covering since its inception in 2010. Back then, Ward was buzzing with his work with Son of the Sun. Summer 2024 saw a Son of the Sun reunion, which delivered tenfold with their packed show at Fountain Plaza. Ward is debuting a new project many are excited about, Zak Ward and the Million Dollar Question. Without any recordings of the project online yet, we are left to anticipate and prognosticate. All we know is it’s going to be good.
Like a phoenix, Letter to Elise has risen from the ashes of suit-wearing pop rockers Mom Said No. The band has gotten right down to business, showing they truly have a knack for crafting great indie pop. The band continues Mom Said No’s electric live show antics while maintaining a bit more mystique this time around – a welcome transformation that’s truly something to behold. OG Mom Said No member, Elliott Hunt formed the new project, which has a Harry Styles pop-influence with a Vampire Weekend preppy vibe. Letter to Elise may be one of the most proven breakthrough artists on this list, with their single “Day Drinking” taking off in the Spotify algorithm and garnering more than 100,000 streams as of press deadline. If that’s not enough, they rip an electric cello. Come on! No other bands at the festival have an electric cello (that we know of), and[...]
For those keen on the Attic at Mr. Goodbar (or Fredonia’s not-so-secretly amazing music scene), The Weather Might Say Otherwise (TWMSO) is an act you’re already familiar with. The band has been around for close to six years at this point, forming in 2018 during the trio’s freshman year at the aforementioned SUNY Fredonia, but truly emerged into a force to be reckoned with in the post-COVID landscape. If you are fan of jaunty Midwest emo, Modern Baseball, and/or Blink-182, then make sure you catch these guys live.
Addisyn Logan has been another one of our post-COVID favorites. A mix between Clairo and Phoebe Bridgers, this singer/songwriter truly delivers with her iconic sad girl energy. If you’re going to break up with someone, double check that it’s not Addisyn Logan with an alias, because she will make a biting song about it… And worst of all, it will have a really pretty melody.
Five piece ska project Skamagotchi is lead by multi-band juggler Philip Stephen, this high energy band’s sound is as fun as their pun-meets-nostalgia-inspired name and would nestle perfectly on a Tony Hawk Pro Skater re-vamp. If you like mozzarella sticks dunked in Mountain Dew, Less than Jake, or Keep Flying, then strap on your checkered vans and get ready to skank.
The musicians that make up this Buffalo alt-punk quintet is are by no means newcomers to the scene, with dozens of years under each of their belts spent on various other projects. This collaborative’s latest venture, Snakeland, is an amalgam of rock-heavy pop-punk a la Alien Ant Farm B-sides, with a tad more indie angularity and vocal passion.. Snakeland’s performance is dynamic with lead singer Tone Bone’s eclectic frontman energy truly something to behold.
Prairie Pavement is still in their pre-responsibility phase, the band’s youthful energy is truly infectious as they bring quite a commanding live show. There are many talented songwriters in this collective who each have their own identity and direction and frequently take turns taking lead. If Ween, GIRLS, and MGMT forgot their synthesizers, you’d have the essence of Prairie Pavement.
Music is Art is a dream come true for Buffalo music fans looking to Kobayashi the local scene in 12 hours. The list of local talents playing this year can be a bit overwhelming if you don’t know what to look for, so we put together a compilation of ten bands to add to your must-see list this weekend. If you’re a blog-reading regular, you may notice we aren’t writing about the many established local acts that are great and we’ve covered ad hoc. There are dozens of bands playing that we won’t discuss today, as we’ve already exhausted hundreds of adverbs over the past ten-plus years via album reviews and show previews. The purpose of this article is to add some newer bands to your knowledge base and expand everyone’s horizons. Should you see bands that aren’t on this list? For sure. One of the best aspects of this[...]