Latest Posts

Five Songs We Should Have Written About in January

January 29, 2016

Okay, so over the “break,” I really could not pry myself from paying attention to what music was being released, so here are the songs I feel as though we should have shared with you. We are back in the swing of things with a preview set for tomorrow and back to programming on Monday. Welks Mice – “Talking Too Fast” It’s no secret that Welks Mice are truly unique and paint vivid pictures with their talented story telling. After close to a year of playing Buffalo’s DIY circuit, Welks Mice finally(!) have some recorded material. The nu-lounge duet released their first single “Talking Too Fast” along with “Dreams” and “Company Time,” in January. Centering around a vibraphone and highlighting lead-vocalist Max Weiss’s dramatic bravado,  the  minimalist duo’s “Talking Too Fast” is a great example of the band’s repertoire. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/240297245″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /] Aaron Welcher – “Bubble Gum”[...]

Herd Fest Accepting Applications for 2016

January 22, 2016

Yesterday afternoon, various Herd Fest social media accounts announced that the annual festival is now accepting applications for 2016’s event, which beings on Thursday, June 16, 2016 and ends Sunday, June 19, 2016 at an array of different venues. In the previous two years, Herd Fest had organizations curate their own showcases based on brand leanings, and although all our partners did an amazing job setting lineups, each year we’ve had the same gripes from bands wanting to get in on the action. “I wish we were knew about this,” “No one asked us to play,” and “Hey I’m in a super cool band coming through and have no contacts in Buffalo and we are playing North by North East in Toronto, Canada and we would like to be added to one of your shows 48 hours beforehand.” Unfortunately, while we cannot do much for traveling bands with poor tour planning skills,[...]

Gone Fishing

January 4, 2016

We’ve been updating buffaBLOG pretty much daily or every other day for the past almost six years. In that time we have exclusively written about hundreds of local/regional bands, curated many many nights with our show previews, and spent thousands of hours thinking about and discussing music from Buffalo, Rochester, and beyond. We are all volunteers over here, and I’ll be the first to admit it, fatigue has set in. We need to take a bit of a break. We will be back with one or two major posts this month, and then returning with our regularly scheduled program on Saturday, January 30th at Milkie’s where we will have our second installment of Taking Back Saturday Emo Night featuring guest DJs Dennis Ferry (THIS IS AN EMPIRE), Jay Zubricky (GCR Audio), and Kevin Scoma (Mandy K). Here’s a music video of an impressive new rapper out of Buffalo called Neese Rich. See ya’ll in about[...]

It Dies Today’s Nicholas Brooks Shares Demos

December 20, 2015

Nicholas Brooks, the lead singer of Buffalo-based post-hardcore act It Dies Today, released two demos earlier this month. Opening the tracks, I expected to immediately crush a beer can against my head and circle pit in the office, but the demos flavor is Americana at it’s fullest. In “Growing Pains,” Brooks leaves little to the imagination about what the song is about – leading a rugged life, toughing through it, and living life as best as you can. Brooks solo is effort could be classified as blue collar whiskey-rock for the working man that fans of Gaslight Anthem, Two Cow Garage, and Lucero would enjoy. Check out “Growing Pains” below.

Tonight: buffaBLOG Holiday Party

December 19, 2015

It’s that time of year again where ABC Family is pretty chill, you go through half your vacation days,  and buffaBLOG has our annual holiday party.  On the bill tonight are synth-pop trio Humble Braggers, gravelly-indie-rockers-all-the-way-from-Rochester Secret Pizza., blue collar Americana rock-band Sixties Future, and hip hop collective Good Huemans. If that isn’t a strong enough bill as it is, we also threw in the turnt tunes of DJ duo GLDN GIRLS just to keep the party going. Doors open at 9pm with a $5 cover. If you wear something festive, it will be noted.

New Masons Release New Single

December 17, 2015

The end of December is always an awkward time to release music – most blogs are doing year-end compilations and best-ofs, music fans are checked out more concerned with visiting family and friends, and generally the atmosphere is not very inviting to new material. With that being said, we are usually too tied up with our own lists and people taking time off to invest time into new music, but after hearing New Masons‘ latest single we decided we had to share. The Fredonia-based band, New Masons, have released their newest single with newly ArcAtlas Records. a record label established only recently out of Fredonia’s Music Business Program. The single “Night Calls” is  an indie-pop gem, with soulful vocals, delicate guitars, an M83 Saturdays = Youth-esque breakdown, and retro Miami-vibes.  If you are a fan of St. Lucia, Ellie Goulding, or Blackbird Blackbird, then you would dig this up-and-coming act. It’s too bad Canary Birds called it[...]

Just Announced: Titus Andronicus w/ Craig Finn

December 15, 2015

New Jersey raucous punk act, Titus Andronicus, will be headlining at the Tralf with direct support from Hold Steady frontman, Craig Finn, on Monday, March 21st. Titus Andronicus will be touring in support of their fourth and most recent album/rock opera, The Most Lamentable Tragedy. Led by one of the genre’s more intriguing front men in Pat Stickles, Titus Andronicus is returning to the Queen City after an almost year and a half absence. Let’s not let that happen again. Tickets go on sale on Thursday, December 18th, for $16. 

Tonight: Difficult Night

December 11, 2015

If you read this blog with any frequency, by now you probably know Difficult Night. The outfit’s brand of twinkly slackrock, when met with the open-book rhetorical accuracy of songwriter Shane Meyer, makes for a unique musical product about as unassuming as it comes. A balance is met, and it is met well. Difficult Night will be bringing their tunes to the stage of Nietzsche’s tonight after somewhat of a quiet year for the quartet. Buffalo roots rock vets Roger Bryan and the Orphans, post-punk locals The Patterns, and the vibraphone uniqueness of duo Welks Mice are all gracing the stacked Friday bill as well. Doors open at 9pm with a $5 cover.

Just Announced: The Mountain Goats

December 8, 2015

At this point last week, we were a little worried about our event calendar going into 2016. It was looking pretty sparse heading into the new year with less than ten events  on our radar. This is rapidly changing this week with the announcements of some real heavy hitters – Mac Sabbath, Bruce Springsteen, Deer Tick, and now hyper-literate indie folk veterans, The Mountain Goats. On Wednesday, April 6th, the trio is set to perform at Asbury Hall with 7pm doors. Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10am on TicketWeb.

Just Announced: Deer Tick

December 7, 2015

Minutes ago, The Tralf announced that on Saturday, March 19th, Providence-based rollicking alt-country act, Deer Tick, will be headlining a stripped down show in continued support of their latest album, Negativity. This will be more of a minimalist show (acoustic) so keep that in mind. We suggest grabbing a table quick. Tickets go on sale Friday via TicketMaster and are $20 presale.

High Drags Side Project, SLUGS, Release New Single

December 4, 2015

SLUGS are a fairly new project for long-time collaborators (and siblings) Marissa and James Longstreet. We have covered the pair in the past under their high-energy electro-pop moniker High Drags. With roots in Rochester, SLUGS is now Los Angeles-based, and probably as opposite of High Drags’ vibes as it can get. The new project’s sound drawing comparisons to Courtney Barnett, Angel Olsen, or Deer Tick. “Anything’s Impossible” is desert-y rock and roll tune, with some 90’s grunge tinge. Check it out below. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/233472120″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Tonight: Dreamers

December 2, 2015

Tonight, The Studio at Waiting Room plays host to touring Brooklyn-based band, Dreamers, as part of their nationwide tour in support of their forthcoming album set to be released in 2016. The band’s name might ring a bell as they were in town last September in support of Atlas Genius. If you weren’t at the show (or late), then expect Dreamers’ sound to be a mix between poppy garage-rock, surfy hooks, and gritty 70’s retro vibes. Fans of The 1975, Broncho, or even Muse would be into Dreamers. Also on the bill are locals Darling Harbor, Daniel Robinson, and No Vacancy. Doors open at 6pm with a $10 cover. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/233365889″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Chad Valley – “Arms Away”

November 30, 2015

Electro-pop UK-based artist, Chad Valley (aka Hugo Manuel), released his latest single and accompanying music video last week while we were scaling back for the holidays. Valley’s latest single, “Arms Away,” off of his sophomore album, Entirely New Blue, is synth-pop at it’s purest, combining youthful perception with growing-up sensuality. As poppy as “Arms Away” is, the subject matter is fairly sullen – the follow-up to a long term relationship that is no more. The video, directed by Lauren Sieczkowski (who also has directed TVOTR, and Vampire Weekend videos in the past) features dream-like interpretative dancing from Brooklyn’s Indelible Dance Company along with a sullen Valley talking to a past self, transforming back to the present. Fans of Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaur, Frankmusik, or Evan Voytas would dig Chad Valley. Check it out below.

Tonight: Lazlo Hollyfeld & Friends do Talking Heads

November 25, 2015

After dropping a crowd stirring performance at the Night Lights Festival this past September, long time experimental rockers Lazlo Hollyfeld (& Friends) will once again tackle their reoccurring tribute series to the Talking Heads this evening at McGarret’s. Since its debut at Pearl Street’s New Years Eve covers party in 2009, the tribute show has seen many different variations at venues and events all over town. Playing the part of the always revolving “Friends” role this evening will be Dave Calos (Bearhunter, Applennium), Chris Groves (Fourem, Applennium), both of whom joined Lazlo at Night Lights for the performance, and Ryan Campbell, currently drumming in Lazlo lead guitarist’s Sonny Baker’s fleshed out solo project. Music kicks off at 10pm and will go long into the night as the band plans two long sets. Cover will be $5 at the door.

Just Announced: buffaBLOG Holiday Party

November 23, 2015

Throughout our close to six year existence, we’ve had multiple staple events – our birthday party, Halloween Party, Herd Fest, and of course our year-end Holiday Party, with this year being no different. Join us on Saturday, December 19th at Duke’s to drink, be merry, and catch a killer lineup. This year, we are having soaring synth pop three piece, Humble Braggers, Rochester’s raucous grunge rockers, Secret Pizza, Buffalo’s resident bar band, Sixties Future, and hip-hop supergroup, Good Huemans, along with the sweet deejay’d sounds of GLDN GRLS pulling the night all together. 9pm doors with a $5 cover.