Preview

Tonight: Neko Case

February 27, 2016

Despite a couple of area gigs with Canadian power-pop act the New Pornographers over the years, local fans have been patently waiting Neko Case to make a return to town after a rain soaked day canceled her scheduled performance for Thursday at the Square in 2009. And after nearly seven years, the alt-country spitfire will finally grace a Buffalo stage later on this evening at Babeville’s Asbury Hall. Touring in support of her career spanning, vinyl box set Truckdriver Gladiator Mule, a collection of her eight studio albums from early works with backing band, Her Boyfriends, to 2014’s well received The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You, the powerhouse singer/songwriter has a mighty deep catalog to pick from for her eager fans tonight. Case marks fantastic booking for the Delaware venue in what has been a hard to beat calendar[...]

Tonight: El Ten Eleven

February 26, 2016

El Ten Eleven, an L.A.-based band who have been at it since 2002, are the humble giants of the post-rock world. They make use of fairly unconventional setups, some of which include a seamless blend of acoustic and electric drums and a double-necked guitar/bass combo with an elaborate spread of effects pedals. This same band also runs on the manpower of just two people; bassist Kristian Dunn and drummer Tim Fogarty. This feat registers impressive when you hear the mesmerizing fluidity of their vocal-less tracks in full — each one more expansive than the next, each one telling a story and putting you into a groove simultaneously. For some instrumental bands however, the inclination for “complexity” has the potential of becoming nothing more than a cumbersome distraction from any deeper meaning to the music, but I don’t think that’s the case with Dunn and Fogarty. The duo have mentioned in[...]

Tonight: Snapcase 25th Anniversary Show

February 26, 2016

Buffalo has a long, rich history of solid hardcore bands from Zero Tolerance, Slugfest and Envy to Every Time I Die, and Buried Alive. There’s countless more I could name, but it would be a lesson in futility. There must be something in the water here. One of the best of these best has been around for 25 years and have released so many legendary albums, it would be pointless to try and pick out the high marks. Snapcase are, in many ways, Buffalo’s pride and joy. Throughout their history they’ve set the benchmark for great songs…. style for days. In the last few years they’ve been largely inactive, playing sporadic reunion shows, but the kids still get excited whenever they hear Snapcase will be lacing up again. Tonight the band celebrate their 25th anniversary at Town Ballroom ($28) with Grade (late 90’s fellow Victory alum and pretty f’n excellent[...]

Tonight: Judge

February 18, 2016

Several names pop up when you hear the term “straight edge” and have been involved in the hardcore scene for some years. The go-to’s are, of course, Minor Threat, who infamously coined the term, as well as Earth Crisis, the band that popularized the movement in the mid-90’s. Both excellent bands, synonymous with the label and the lifestyle it brings. There are of course many, many others though, few of which hold as heavy of a rep as Judge. In the late eighties, Judge represented a militant version of the movement. For the NYC hardcore band, featuring members of the famed Youth of Today, straight-edge was all encompassing. No compromise, no exceptions. This garnered the band many fans…and just as many critics. When the group called it a day in ’91, their reputation was sound. They were heavy (often bordering on metal, but not quite) and they didn’t fuck around.[...]

Tonight: The Felice Brothers

February 12, 2016

Tonight the Tralf is all about truly American music when Palenville, New York’s Felice Brothers bring their roots rock Americana to town, aided by local rock revivalists and blog favorites Sixties Future. From humble beginnings in the wilds of the Catskills to the subway stations of New York City, busking at Union Station, Grand Central Station and in Greenwich Village to touring the world, The Felice Brothers will challenge us with their aggressively folky rock and notoriously tetchy stage presence. Sixties Future meanwhile will convene the evening’s entertainments with their always captivating fusion of National post punk, Springsteen infused Americana, and dad rock. Tickets are $20 and doors open at 8pm.

Tonight: PUP

February 11, 2016

The Studio at the Waiting Room is about to have one of the most insane live shows of 2016 in early February.  Since the release of their self-titled debut in 2014,  the band has played both headlining and supporting sets in Buffalo multiple times.  Even at their first show, I was surprised by the amount of audience participation. By the end of the set the lead singer of PUP even crowd surfing while covering “Sabatoge” by the Beastie Boys. Last December,  PUP played a set in their hometown of Toronto that I will never forget. It was easily one of my favorite sets I saw ANY band play that year.  The energy that this band is able to play within the crowd they play for is unlike anything I’ve seen. I’m crossing my fingers that tonight will be no different. Kicking the night off will be local indie tinged post hardcore[...]

Tonight: Night Slaves

February 5, 2016

You may be living under a rock if you aren’t aware of the show that every local media outlet is talking about – Night Slaves release show at Mohawk Place. After much anticipation, the industrial duo, comprising of Johnny Toohill (JOHNS, Alpha Hopper) and David Kane (Them Jazzbeards) is set to release their self-titled debut six-song cassette via Bad Drone Media. Night Slaves makes some dirty industrial pop that sounds like it came out of a grimy basement (in the best way possible). This dark electronica is flavored with a psychedelic sound that has a pretty blatant punk influence. Toohill and Kane deliver on their own name, bringing out a specific yet dark atmosphere. The music is refreshingly produced in the provocative spirit of the avant-grade, and intensely immersive. Also on the bill are locals CAGES, VWLS, and Malaria control, with Flatsitter taking care of the atmosphere. Show starts at[...]

Tonight: Izzy True

February 1, 2016

When it comes to medium blending, Izzy True of Trumansburg, NY doesn’t disappoint. Front-woman Isabel Reidy is both parts songwriter and cartoonist, but as an artist she’s one hundred percent muscle. I heard about her newish band (the Troll EP was released June of 2015) when I saw a preview for their record release with the excellent Painted Zeros from NYC, and after checking out the fascinatingly bizarre music videos for songs “Swole” and “Absolute Troll,” I was hooked. Reidy combines sweetly masochistic imagery–such as greasy elbows during cake baking or rotten fruit–on the EP, while evoking dissonant tones and melodic hooks that bigger-time artists like Alex G or Waxahatchee would dig. With her brother Silas Reidy on bass and Chris Ploss on drums, the tunes are smooth in their transitions and timing, but conundrums on a deeper level. Don’t think too hard. Catch Izzy True at Curly’s tonight with[...]

Tonight: Taking Back Saturday: A Night of Emo Music

January 30, 2016

Admit it. This is a safe space. Emo music dominated your ipod in the 2000s. How could you drive to your part-time job without plugging  Deja Entendu into the auxiliary-to-tape input in your 1996 Ford Taurus? That tape converter was easily one of best piece of technology of the 2000s., by the way. Join us in nostalgia tonight at Milkie’s where we will be spinning the deep cuts from all your favorite bands from the era. We’re talking Taking Back Sunday, Saves the Day, Midtown all the way to some deep feelers like Hey Mercedes or American Football, sprinkled in with some must-have forefathers like Get Up Kids or Cap’n Jazz. It will all be there, folks. Fun starts at about 10pm with DJ sets from local reformed emos Kevin Scoma (Mandy K), Jay Zubricky (producer over at GCR), and Dennis Ferry (of This is an Empire). $5 will get you past the door[...]

Tonight: Every Time I Die’s 11th Annual Xmas Show

December 20, 2015

2015 was something of a banner year for Every Time I Die, Buffalo’s favorite sons. In addition to the usual, relentless pace of touring, and international travels (this band really, REALLY loves being on the road), band members found time to expand on their personal interests. Keith wrote a novel and released an EP with his synthwave side project, Tape, Andy dedicated himself to the pumpatorium and positioned the strategic rise of Pythons, Daniel Davison joined the band as the new drummer and Jordan continued to expand on the JBWW brand. Despite all of the new ventures, it always, seemingly, comes back to tradition. And nothing say’s tradition like an Every Time I Die, Christmas party. Now in its 11th year, ETID’s Christmas bashes have become legendary for their chaos, and fun surprises. Whether at Mohawk Place, Waiting Room, Town Ballroom or elsewhere, it’s guaranteed to be a great time,[...]

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.

Tonight: Comfy

December 18, 2015

Comfy visits Buffalo tonight for the third and final time this year, and if either of the Utica garage pop outfit’s other Buffalo shows are any testament to their ability to get the dance floor churning, it will be a banger once more. Gritty folk act Mr. Boneless and Mothers will also be gracing the stage of Dreamland tonight, where the show is set to take place. The show begins at 8pm (21 and up only please), and while the Facebook event lists no cover charge, it’d be a good idea to bring some cash for either a surprise cover (worth it), or some bomb merch. Pillowhugger by Comfy

Tonight: Cheap Girls

December 18, 2015

Michigan three-piece Cheap Girls have mastered the “throwback” feel. Their quintessential nostalgia-pop-punk sound is completely accessible but manages to maintain a characteristic garage-esque untidiness. There is a palpable earnestness in everything from the vocals to the slushy guitar parts that makes each and every song so inviting. In it’s most simple form, it’s feel good music for those that feel bad and the perfect band to keep in your pocket when you’re feeling a little wistful. If you’re at all a fan of The Menzingers or The Smith Street Band, I highly recommend seeing Cheap Girls tonight at The Studio at Waiting Room. Some of our favorite local bands including Mallwalkers, Cooler and Apathetic are slated to open. Doors are at 6:30pm and tickets are $12. Be there or be not there, but you should probably be there, as this show will pack a punch. Check the Facebook event for[...]

Tonight: Darwin Deez

December 11, 2015

During their Buffalo debut at Soundlab a few years back, NYC indie pop outfit Darwin Deez must have taken a liking to Buffalo.  The band will once again return to the Waiting Room tonight, this time upstairs, in support of their newest release, Double Down.  Released this September on Lucky Stars records, Darwin and crew continue with their trend of technical yet incredibly fun sounding tunes, and will no doubt inspire the crowd to slip on their dancing shoes over the course of the night.  This band is nothing but fun live, even utilizing full ban choreographed dance moves as interludes into tracks.  On tour with Darwin Deez  is Charlie Bliss, and locals Our Modern Moloch are also on the bill. Doors and show both begin at 6:30pm, so get there on time.  For only 14 bucks at the door, you can’t go wrong. Also, check out free Live Band Karaoke[...]

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.