Latest Posts

Zillion Eyes – Demolished

October 9, 2017 Mike Powell

Buffalo sludge rockers, Zillion Eyes are front and center with the release of their latest, Demolished, that came out mid September. Zillion Eyes are no newcomers to the scene either, the project consists of former members of Sonorous Gale and Ancients of Earth. The trio showcase a solid collection of heavy riffs on this five track outing. For those that may not be familiar with sludge or stoner rock, or for those who have been all over the genre for years, Demolished is a step in a different direction from where the genre usually finds itself. The opening track, “Splendor In The Gas,” sets the pace for the rest of the album and shows some of what sets Zillion Eyes apart. There’s a hint of a 70s space/funk vibe throughout the record that really works in setting off the atmosphere of Demolished. Combined with the slow, crushing riffs, hallmarks of stoner/sludge, the album is chilling experience, in both senses[...]

Tonight: Against Me!

October 5, 2017 Mike Powell

Punk all-stars, Against Me! are making their way tonight to the Town Ballroom (change of venue from the Waiting Room) for what’s going to be an incredibly special night for fans of the band, and those into the scene Against Me! have been pioneering for almost over 20 years. The band are still going with just as much strength as when they started. Last September, the band released their seventh LP, Shape Shift with Me, which takes off from where they last left off. Their new outing doesn’t venture far off from what fans love to hear, but brings a little lightness and fun into the mix. On tour with Against Me! are LA’s Bleached, a punk trio with a touch of bouncy pop aesthetic and out of Canada, The Dirty Nil. Doors are set for 7pm and it’s $25 are the door.

Tonight: Pile

September 20, 2017 Mike Powell

Tonight the 9th Ward will be playing host to Boston’s Pile, touring on the heels of their latest LP, A Hairshirt of Purpose. Pile are never ones to disappoint and their new record is more of the same high octane ferocity. They’re one of those special kinds of groups, the kind that makes their name on being superb live performers. They’re the band that your friend will see live and then all they’ll talk about for the next few weeks is how crazy the show was. Pile also don’t neatly fit into any single classification and always keep things exhilarating. Alongside with Pile are a couple of local stalwarts. Be Locust or Alone and freak pop/indie rockers, Hot Tip. Doors are at 8pm, $13 day of show.

Tonight: Beach Slang

September 15, 2017 Mike Powell

Tonight Mohawk Place is the spot for a total rager that’s descending onto Buffalo when Philly’s Beach Slang come into town. Beach Slang are dropping a new EP titled, We Were Babies & We Were Dirtbags, which is a tonal shift for the ear-splitting post-punk group. The new EP features cellos and pianos and an all together, gentler sound. The shift shows a marked evolution for the band. Their first and second records are brash, energetic and make their statement on the decaying nature of youth. It’s going to be wild to see how they incorporate pieces from the EP into their typically loud punk shows. Sharing the night with Beach Slang will be *repeat repeat, a surf/garage rock outfit hailing from Nashville, TN, and Buffalo’s own post-punk act Orations. Doors are at 7pm, $17 at the door.

Tonight: Bleeders

September 4, 2017 Mike Powell

Tonight Deep Space 8 will be home to a chaotic night of jams when Bleeders come through town. Bleeders are a feminist punk band out of Kutztown, PA and are coming off their latest release, We Hate Men. They are a group you got to experience live as their profound energy isn’t something to pass on. Playing alongside Bleeders for the night are hardcore punks, Radiation Risks, Matthew Danger Lippman, and Grain Assault. Doors at 7pm. Donations of $5 for the touring band. WE HATE MEN by BLEEDERS

Pink Elephant – Around Your Neck

September 4, 2017 Mike Powell

Rochester garage/noise-rock outfit, Pink Elephant are hot off their recently released single, and have dropped a new LP, Around Your Neck on 20 Blood Records. The four piece consists of Eric Witkowski on vocals and guitar, Greg Wilcox rocking the bass, Jeff Thompson banging on the drums, and Nick Walter rounding out the group on guitar. Around Your Neck is a conjoined effort to put out some solid tracks that bridge the gap between pysch-noise and post-rock. What sets Around Your Neck apart from other alt-rock records is with its diversity. There’s so much going on with the record that things never get stale, like week old bread left out on the counter. These songs aren’t a band trying to reinvent themselves, or a band straining to be “different”. Instead, this diversity just shows how strong Pink Elephant are as a band. Songs like the title track, “Around Your Neck”[...]

Harmonica Lewinski Releases New Track “Pyramid Scheme”

August 2, 2017 Mike Powell

Rochester based sleaze rockers, Harmonica Lewinski have released a new single titled, “Pyramid Scheme” which comes almost a year to the date after the release of their last full length, Head Honcho. It bares mentioning that the cover art for the single is not an entirely apt description for the music but seems to be another example of irony the band puts to use. In some ways “Pyramid Scheme” follows this ironic trend by being a valiant reproduction of 50-60’s style surfer/rockabilly with less of the blues/country twinge the original genre typically used, and instead they add to the mix stuff that could be out of the Detroit garage-rock scene. Check out “Pyramid Scheme” below. Pyramid Scheme /// Risky Bizness by Harmonica Lewinski

Alpha Hopper Release Music Video for “Unruly Jane”

July 26, 2017 Mike Powell

Buffalo punk rockers, Alpha Hopper just came out with a new video for their song “Unruly Jane” off their last LP, Last Chance Power Drive. The new vid is full of trippy visuals filmed by the band. Things open up with a pan up of each band member with intercuts of the action in between that ramps up, getting quicker and quicker as the video nears the end. Behind the band is projected a series of visuals that are sure to stay with you. The combo of surreal visuals and the music brings it all together. Anyone not already familiar with Alpha Hopper should definitely keep them on your radar. Their record, Last Chance Power Drive is full of gripping, fast paced noise/post-punk. You can check them out live at upcoming shows at Sugar City and Deep Space 8 in the next few weeks.

Tonight: Out of Body

July 21, 2017 Mike Powell

What better way of spending a Friday night than by thrashing around for a few hours. Tonight at Deep Space 8 is set to be a heavy rager that’s sure to get you going. Coming from Austin, TX will be Out of Body, who are just coming off the release of their latest LP, Voiceless. Out of Body mixes the sounds of alternative rock and mid-90s post hardcore with a lot of solid riffs and guitar work. Playing alongside them will be Riot Stares from Charleston, SC who bring something of a revitalized old school hardcore sound, and locals Onpoint and Social Divorce. Those into Buffalo hardcore aren’t going to want to miss this. 7pm doors, music starts at 8 p.m. $5 for the touring bands. Voiceless by Out of Body

Yellow House Drops New Track “Nuestras Maquinas”

July 18, 2017 Mike Powell

Local indie rockers, Yellow House recently released a new single off their upcoming EP, slated for released on September 4, 2017. Opening up with guitar that’s got a bit of crunch to it, the song switches into something of a more standard indie beat, that ends up opening up once the vocals come in. The shoegaze like, listless quality to the vocals are made almost brittle when contrasted against the drums that really get going as the song goes on. “Nuestras Maquinas” is a tight track that sits under 4 minutes and really pushes forward Yellow House’s sound after the release of their last LP, Songs from Limbo. Nuestras Maquinas by Yellow House

Slow Dancer – In A Mood

July 7, 2017 Mike Powell

“Less is more.” It may be one of those little things you’ve heard flutter by you, said on a commercial or by a wise elderly neighbor. So, in trying to be on the lookout for new and exciting music, the idea of “less is more” is sometimes not a criteria that’s really ever considered. The new record titled, In A Mood by Slow Dancer, released on ATO Records on June 9th, wants to make you rethink that notion. Slow Dancer is the stage name for vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, Simon Okely who hails from Melbourne, Austrailia. The strongest element on In A Mood is Okely’s vocals which are smooth yet powerful, like a croon that reaches out to touch you. The vocals are supported by a mix of throwback 60s and 70s folk and blues with strong pop song-writing. Everything is kept in harmony, never letting one element over power another.[...]

Tonight: Hypoluxo

July 7, 2017 Mike Powell

It’s summer. It’s hot. It’s humid and you’re jonesing to get out and do something. Brooklyn act Hypoluxo will be playing at Sewing Souls to help you get that energy out. Having dropped their LP, If Language back in September, the four piece is back with a tight collection of songs in the form of their new EP, Taste Buds, releasing this August. The band came together and started making music while in Brooklyn, but it’s where each of the band members are from that’s really had an impact on their sound. Hailing from parts of Florida and LA, Hypoluxo’s sound has a laid back attitude and echoes Beat Happening a bit. Playing alongside Hypoluxo will be psych rockers, Deadwolf who are coming off their crazy show on Sunday, noise pop act, Suburbs, and locals, Planet Three. Doors are at 7pm. $5 at the door for the touring band. Taste Buds by Hypoluxo

Tonight: Chevron Bloom

June 9, 2017 Mike Powell

Chevron Bloom are a three piece band that’s been blazing through the scene recently. Tonight they are bringing their wide open sound to Milkie’s on Elmwood. Their sound puts together the more ethereal elements of psych and shoegaze with a harder alt/indie rock edge. Playing alongside Chevron Bloom on this stacked bill are the emotive slowcore band, Honey COMA, who always bring it with their strong songwriting and lastly a debut from Little Summer, a new act featuring members of the Mallwalkers, Unwelcome Guests, and Slow Mutants. Doors are at 8pm, $5 at the door. EP by Chevron Bloom

Tonight: Slow Caves

May 29, 2017 Mike Powell

Slow Caves are an exciting power pop band out of Fort Collins, Colorado and tonight they are bringing their killer vibes to Mohawk Place. Fronted by brothers, Jakob and Oliver Mueller, Slow Caves are a refreshing update to the jangly indie rock sound, mixed with a tasteful amount of synth. They are coming off their recently released EP, Desert Minded on Old Flame Records. Playing alongside Slow Caves on this stacked bill are Coral Collapse, a shoegaze influenced group that make use of a bevy of wonderful textures, and Yali, a folk-rock inspired band that use solid vocal melodies. Tunes start at 8pm. $5 at the door.

Hate Club – No, seriously

May 25, 2017 Mike Powell

Hate Club is an Albany based band that exhibits all of the raucous and raw energy you’d want to find in an indie pop/slacker group. On April 19, Hate Club released their debut EP titled, No, seriously. It’s a refreshing 4 track outing that packs a punch. The 4 piece, consisting of Audrey Goodemote on vocals/guitar, Noah Bondy on vocals/guitar, Alex Brooks on bass, and Ethan Sullivan filling out the drums, are a relatively new band, only coming together in January 2017. The band describes themselves as Tweemo, a nice sounding portmanteau (unlike most other ones) of twee and emo. Vocalists Goodemote and Bondy trade off vocal duties, striking a balanced approach with neither band member overshadowing the other. Their voices mixed together have a dreamy quality to them, like wisps of smoke from two separate sources weaving in and out of each other. This particular sound quality is aided[...]