Preview

Tonight: The Wombats

August 8, 2016

It would seem that The Wombats are developing a fondness for western New York, as tonight’s show marks the 3rd WNY show this calendar year for the Liverpudlian trio. And as someone who has been to these shows, I can attest that fondness has been returned as the previous occasions have been absolutely joyous affairs with a large vocal excitable crowd. The band will bring their particular brand of angst-ridden British ladrock back to The Waiting Room with a mix of material from their latest record, “Glitterbug” as well as their past indie rock anthems like “Kill the Director,” “Let’s Dance to Joy Division” and “Anti-D.” When I spoke to the band last Fall, they stressed just how important each live show was to them as they gradually grow in prominence over here to the level they’ve already reached in the UK. If you’re looking for an absolute party tonight,[...]

Tonight: Best Coast

August 7, 2016

In 2009, Bethany Cosentino burst onto the indie rock scene as one-half of Best Coast, a hauntingly romantic homage to all things heartbreak, weed and cats. Irony-free, Bethany’s heart-on-her-sleeve lyrics, coupled with the amazing instrumentation of Bobb Bruno, her partner in crime, led to one of 2010’s most unlikely success stories; the Crazy For You album, a record that seemed to excite just about everyone. Equal parts fun-in-the-sun and reverb-drenched Beach Boys melancholia, this was an album the underground and mainstream could both agree on and wrap their heads around. The songwriting was just that strong. Since that time, Best Coast has released two more albums, reputation firmly intact. Tonight, along with Sunflower Bean, an utterly fantastic psych-pop band with influences ranging from the Smiths to more recent (and fellow Brooklyn based) Diiv, Best Coast will be hitting up the Tralf (7pm, $24) for a night of sheer audio bliss.[...]

Tonight: Prinze George

August 5, 2016

No doubt about it, this Maryland trio has a palatial sound. Prinze George‘s music is fetching  and atmospheric, but the dreamlike vocals expand their sound to a level of surreal consciousness — the emotional weight to it is what sucks you in. The band’s latest release, Illiterate Synth Pop, seems very much the opposite of its descriptor. It’s thoughtful, digestible and magnetic in disposition. Catch Prinze George tonight at the Leopard Lounge at Town Ballroom. Find more information here. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/62565679″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

Tonight: Sugar City’s Two Part Anniversary Party

July 23, 2016

Tonight is the resurrection anniversary of Sugar City . Well, it’s not the ACTUAL anniversary, as the group has been around since 2009, then briefly went into a hiatus while searching for a new headquarters, then started a new headquarters, then ran into some construction setbacks, and then… Point is, Sugar City has called their Niagara St. location their home base for about two years. Entering their seventh year as a collective, the group has been responsible for bringing some of the best cultural events to Buffalo via art exhibits, concerts, comedy shows, and unique programming, while maintaining a safe and welcoming atmosphere to the public, and it’s time to celebrate. The celebration is programmed in two parts. Part one is at the Sugar City hideout at 1239 Niagara St. At 6pm, doors open for the gallery. At 7pm, music begins, with performances by Basement Rat, Chevron Bloom, Glove, Jason Martin[...]

Tonight: Holy Fuck

July 22, 2016

Tonight it’s going to be wild at the Waiting Room, when Toronto electro rockers Holy Fuck bring their full on sensory overload experience to Buffalo. Fusing electronica, noise rock, multimedia hi-jinx, and psychedelia, Holy Fuck does not play around, having just released their latest album Congrats, an even deeper dive into their freaky and idiosyncratic sound. Opening the show will be blog favorite Lesionread, somebody also known for multimedia freakouts, this time with a full band and more A/V experiments up his sleeve. Tickets are still available for $15, and doors open at 7pm.

Tonight: The Get Money Squad

July 21, 2016

Tonight marks a momentous occasion for one of Buffalo’s brightest up-and-coming bands, The Get Money Squad. After two years of impressive local shows the band made their label debut on Fresh Selects with their killer EP, Nothing’s Wrong. The project’s unique sound which they’ve dubbed “urban-surf” is an intoxicating blend of surf rock and classic R&B sounds. While these songs should be familiar to anyone who has seen them in recent years, tonight marks a new chapter as the band’s sound spreads outside our fair city to the world at large. And if you haven’t seen them live? You’ve been missing out, as the band could not sound any tighter and lead singer, Quinton Brock makes crowd participation key. But make sure to get down there early though, as local garage-rockers, Feverbox, will bring their raw anthemic rock sounds to Nietzsche’s. The band recently debuted one of their strongest releases yet,[...]

Tonight: Jeff Rosenstock

July 20, 2016

Tonight’s lineup at Mohawk Place boasts a slew of indie rockers. Long Island native Jeff Rosenstock brings his energetic brand of punk to Buffalo, with an extensive catalog of music to pull from. The veteran takes the stage with a few up and comers worth checking out. Rosenstock has been in and out of bands through most of his career. He has contributed guitar/vocals/songwriting to Bomb the Music Industry!, Kudrow, and The Arrogant Sons of Bitches to name a few. Now touring with his own solo material, he is well versed in the upbeat world of DIY indie pop. In addition to Rosenstock will be Columbus, Ohio’s own Sidekicks, as well as Salt Lake City natives Quiet Oaks, both supplying a chaotic element to the lineup. Also play are Buffalo’s Seven Thirty Seven who round out the bill with their skacore anthems this evening. Doors open at 7pm with a $14 cover[...]

Tonight: Eastern Mountain Time

July 18, 2016

Eastern Mountain Time’s minimalistic approach to recording their most recent self-titled full length is unequivocally the album’s most impressive characteristic. While it remains pretty even-keeled in mood and pace throughout, there is an inherent charm in singer Sean Hood’s rough-around-the-edges vocals and the placid instrumentals. It’s a collection of songs that totally has the power to let a listener indulge in their woes while inviting them to be vulnerable enough to be okay with them. Tonight’s show at Hostel Buffalo-Niagara featuring Eastern Mountain Time isn’t one to be missed. Opening the bill are Andy Pothier, Kirby Jayes and Erin Cassels-Brown. Check out the Facebook event for more information.

Tonight: Dog Party

July 17, 2016

Sacramento-based punk rock act Dog Party will be making a stop in Buffalo this evening at newly established east-side DIY basement, Deep Space 8. Composed of sisters Lucy and Gwendolyn, the duo is currently touring the U.S.A with fellow Sacramentans Sneeze Attack. Combining a grungy sound with poppy vocals, Dog Party’s sound is a mix between Bleached, Colleen Green, and The Ronettes. The band’s catchy ditties ultimately got them noticed by Asian Man Records (Alkaline Trio, Lemuria, Andrew Jackson Jihad), who released two of the band’s albums. Also on the bill are local punkers Trinkit. Doors are super early at 6pm so pack a dinner. Bring $5 for touring bands

Tonight: Black Lips

July 16, 2016

Good Bad, Not Evil. It’s the title of one of the Black Lips most popular albums and a pretty good descriptor of the band as a whole. Crass, juvenile, mischievous; they’re the kids in high school that failed every class, weren’t allowed to attend prom, spent the majority of the year planning a senior prank, then got kicked out of school for smoking cigs in the girls bathroom. And along the way decided to become one of the coolest and most interesting bands in rock’n’roll. Their sound; an amalgamation of 60’s garage, punk, classic rock’n’roll and psych-voodoo, has always lent heavily on the retro-vibe, while somehow remaining extremely fresh and current. They are known just as much for their whacked out videos, their blistering live sets and their willingness to play anywhere at anytime (sometimes resulting in 5-7 shows a day, as was the case at SXSW a few years[...]

Tonight: Preservation Hall Jazz Band

July 14, 2016

Alas most of the coverage for tonight’s installment of Thursday at Canalside seems to have the buried the lede and missed the real point of tonight’s show, which is that Preservation Hall Jazz Band is playing tonight down on the waterfront. Proud emissaries of New Orleans and the American art form created in that city, jazz, Preservation Hall Jazz Band will hit Buffalo with pure New Orleans jazz, and their opening set is going to be a party and a must for local music lovers down for enjoying the music that kick started American popular music. There’s also some guy Shakey Graves headlining tonight at Canalside, but you don’t have worry about him. There are other shows going on later tonight, but your night should probably start with Preservation Hall Jazz band, who go on at 7:15pm after soulful Austin TX fuzz rockers Wild Child. Everything starts at 6:15pm, admission is[...]

Tonight: Yonatan Gat

July 12, 2016

Yonatan Gat, former guitarist to traveling psych-band, Monotonix, brings his slick licks to Mohawk Place tonight for surely what will be a mind-melting performance. Since Monotonix’s break-up at the tail end of 2011, Gat went solo, evolving his sound from heavy guitar riffs a la Led Zeppelin to more intricate, jazzy psych vibes similar to a playful Mars Volta. Gat’s work is incredibly awe-inspiring, to quote SPIN  “…cults have been formed over less.” Without a doubt, this is well worth heading downtown on a Tuesday night. Also on the bill are local punkers Slow Cooker and Radiation Risks, along with returning psych-folk act via Austin, Calliope Musicals. Doors are at 7pm and there is an $8 cover.

Tonight: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds

July 6, 2016

There’s a lot of shows I write about for buffaBLOG with varying degrees of excitement, but it’s hard to hide just how excited I am for this one. Tonight Artpark plays home to a proper rock legend, when Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds come to town. Having made his name with his brother, Liam, as the songwriter and guitarist for Oasis, Noel Gallagher was one of the luminaries of the nineties Britpop movement. Across a span of number one hits and masterpiece albums, Oasis became, for a few years, the biggest band in the world. But after years of tension and public feuding with his brother, Oasis finally came to an end in 2009. Shortly after, keeping in the spirit of Oasis’s sixties-inspired British Invasion sound, Noel formed his own band with Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. The band finds Noel in a more earnest and contemplative place than his earlier[...]

Tonight: Bob Dylan and Mavis Staples

June 30, 2016

Legendary human beings Bob Dylan and Mavis Staples have teamed up for one of the summer’s most fascinating tours, and tonight they’re making a much anticipated stop at Artpark. Folk rock hero Dylan is currently celebrating the 50th anniversary of going electric, a decision that shocked and outraged folk purists while liberating him as an artist; while gospel and soul heroine Mavis Staples is touring behind her latest album, the stellar Livin’ On A High Note, which featured songs written for her by Neko Case, Nick Cave, Jon Batiste, and Merrill Garbus. Tickets are still available from $49.50 to $89.50, and the show starts at 7:30pm.

Tonight: Calliope Musicals

June 28, 2016

Tonight Buffalo will be greeted by the psych-pop sounds of one of Austin’s most exciting new artists, Calliope Musicals. The band are fresh off the release of their debut album, Time Owes You Nothing and have a sound that recalls everyone from Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros to Broken Social Scene, and even a tad Of Montreal. The band have made waves for their energetic and imaginatively immersive live show. With their multi-part harmonies and psych-inspired pop, the band are as creative as they are catchy. If you’re looking for a fun free-spirited live show on this beautiful summer evening, few bands would provide a better soundtrack. The Austin-band outfit will be complimented by Oklahoma City garage-rockers, Brother Gruesome, as well as Buffalo’s own alt-rappers Little Cake & Jack Topht and indie slackers Difficult Night. All this for just $5 at Mohawk Place tonight, fun starts at 8pm.