Preview

Tonight: Big Gigantic

May 14, 2015

Big Gigantic.  Who are they? What is it? Why? Is it EDM? Doesn’t seem like it, but a lot of people sure think so. I definitely hear some funky sax and drums?  These are the questions I look to answer tonight. The one thing that is for certain is that these two have something special going on.  Dominic Lalli and Jeremy Salken, the only members of Big Gigantic, will blow up Rapid Theater for one of the most anticipated shows of the summer.  Luckilyy for anyone who has waited, there are still tickets available.  For anyone troubled by the notion of a lack of EDM fret not, Snail, Grabbitz and Almond will provide. Doors open at 7pm and the show is set to kick off at 8 pm. Tickets are $40 unless you are feeling particularly special and want to spend an additional $20 to have balcony access, and exclusive[...]

The Demos

Preview: The Demos

May 11, 2015

If you’re feelin’ dog-tired from Porchfest this past weekend (or maybe you had a really rowdy Mother’s Day?), keep that show-going momentum up! Our Rochester neighbors from The Demos are bringing their tuneful indie pop to Mohawk Place tonight. Their harmony-laden tunes are sweet and sunny but offer enough kick to really dig into you and get you moving. It’s a cohesive mix between Kevin Devine and The Strokes with a hint of The Beach Boys. Definitely worth checking out if you haven’t heard! Dead Flowers from Dallas are slated to headline (picture The Black Keys with a little more twangy Southern blues influence) along with Old Best Friend out of Brooklyn, whose tender indie rock sound is fairly similar to Wild Sweet Orange. Buffalo’s own 90’s influenced alt-punk act Wolf are kicking the whole show off, so get there early to check them out. It’s bound to be the[...]

Today: Buffalo Porchfest

May 9, 2015

Porchfest could very weel bring a community together. It is finally nice outside and it’s a great opportunity to explore the two mile radius of Elmwood Village and Allentown. The fifty-four bands and performers staggered throughout the afternoon on porches all around the neighborhood are eclectic. Leaning heavily toward acoustic, Americana, and stripped down indie folk, the acts billed as synth or hip hop or even jazz seem most refreshing and exciting. Today’s event takes place 1pm-6pm at various locations. And its FREE Check out Chuckie Campbell (fresh off a set at SXSW) starting at 3pm @ 651 Elmwood Ave.  

Tonight: Irving Klaws

May 8, 2015

Masters of their own art, The Irving Klaws will headline Nietzsche’s tonight with supporting acts The Tell Tale Signs and The Surfin Cadavers. The “Klaws” have been together for over a decade and a half and provide a very energetic sound that reflects the time of their inception. If you haven’t made up your mind about what to do tonight, then get to Nietzsche’s. It’s not every day you get to see local rock legends on stage together, especially not for whatever the cover ends up being tonight. Speaking of the cover, there is no established cover yet, but if we all know Nietzsche’s, and I feel that I do, it is likely to $3 or $5.  The show starts at 10pm and is expected to go on to the wee hours of the morning. Make tonight a night of music and find yourself in one of Buffalo’s favorite watering[...]

Tonight: Soul Patch

May 8, 2015

It takes a lot for a 90’s cover band to be news; they’re basically a dime a dozen in Buffalo. But when local hardcore legend Keith Buckley of Every Time I Die comes crashing back into town to play a few tunes, ears perk up. Tonight, Keith and his 90’s cover band, Soul Patch, will take the stage at Duke’s (site of SP’s first show) for an evening of pure nostalgia. The group comes with a catalog of everything from Nirvana to The Cardigans. The band even gleefully stands on neutral ground, playing jams from Britpop rivals Blur AND Oasis. If you want to spend an evening side by side with friends in a mass singalong and catch what might be one of the year’s most fun shows, then this is one not to miss. And hey, if none of that appeals to you, then we got two words for[...]

Tonight: Pam Swarts, Fashion Expo 1990, and many more

May 8, 2015

In what is probably the largest non-festival local bill so far this year, Mohawk Place will play host to a deliciously wide spectrum of musical talent tonight. Beginning at 8pm, with no definitive headliner, tonight’s performances are to include the eclectic klezmer vibes of Ahavaraba, the powerful acoustic songwriting of Lara Buckley, Different Planets’ electronoise lounge beats, Rochester’s Makeshift Letterbox and their thick and eerie post rock, abrasive feminist punkers Jamie and the Debt, Pam Swarts’ beautifully layered art rock expeditions, Buffalo’s favorite saucy alt rap duo Jack Topht and Little Cake, and finally electro/house duo Fashion Expo 1990, who will be closing out the night at 11:30. *Inhales deeply* Mohawk Place will be divided into two separate stages for the monster of a bill, with live music being played endlessly from 8pm until after midnight. I know it’s getting warm out, but don’t wear flip-flops—more than just a few[...]

Jacob Peter

Tonight: Jacob Peter

May 8, 2015

With his most recent EP release Wind Song in circulation, and a handful of acoustic solo shows under his belt, local indie-soul act Jacob Peter is finally debuting his new material with a full band in tow at Dreamland tonight. It’d be tough to not call attention to the similarities in song stylings that Jacob shares with John Mayer (more so during his Born and Raised days), though there is a slightly more theatrical quality to this EP. The lyrics deliver honest sentiments about navigating through the often ambivalent landscape of love, loss and exploration of oneself — moving forward from it, being pushed backwards by it, and standing still through it all. The instrumentals are anything but uncertain. They are warm, they are haunting, they are demonstrative of all the intricacies hiding between those two things. They effectively bring listeners on a journey; one that I can only imagine[...]

Tonight: EPQ Presents A Tribute to Herbie Hancock

May 7, 2015

Buffalo jazz/funk collective Ellen Pieroni Quartet is presenting a killer four band tribute to American music legend Herbie Hancock at Nietzsche’s later on tonight. Jazz, funk, fusion, r&b, and classical… Hancock has done them all during his 50+ year career, and his CV is sure to provide fertile ground for the EPQ, along with Intrepid Travelers, Adam Bronstein Trio, and Jon Lehning Sextet to showcase Buffalo’s jazz scene. The show starts at 9pm and the cover is $5.

Tonight: CRUISR

May 7, 2015

Tonight, Philadelphia-based indie-pop quartet, CRUISR, will be making a stop at The Studio at the Waiting Room. Signed to Vagrant Records (The 1975,  School of Seven Bells), CRUISR has achieved quite the buzz, scoring exclusive features on internet suckhole Buzzfeed, Daytrotter, and All Things Go. Fans of Architecture in Helsinki, Royal Tongues, or Joywave should plan on pounding dinner pretty early tonight. CRUISR will be supporting Detroit garage-disco act Flint Eastwood, with local support from the majestic SHEDS and electropop voices. $10 cover with early doors at 6:30pm. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/193028979″ 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: Joe Pug

May 7, 2015

The weary, Austin via Maryland singer/songwriter, Joe Pug, makes his return to Buffalo tonight with an intimate evening set for Babeville’s Ninth Ward. The Americana artist has been making regular appearances in town on a near yearly basis, and is returning tonight to support his latest album, Windfall, which dropped earlier this spring. The gifted story teller recalls fellow folk acts like Bob Dylan, M Ward, and Tallest Man on Earth. Tickets are still available for purchase at the door for $14. Andrew Combs will be opening the show. Music begins at 8pm.

Tonight: UB Spring Fest

May 2, 2015

With the semester’s end in sight for area college students, and the generous blanket of warm rays we’ve been receiving lately, today is nothing short of an ideal setup for UB’s Spring Fest. This year’s event, sponsored by Alternative Buffalo 107.7 and held at the University at Buffalo’s Baird Point, is jam packed with headline-worthy artist after another. Cali natives and seasoned alt-radio vets, Young the Giant, are slated as the main act of the night. If you were able to catch the band at Canalside last year, you can most likely vouch for the energetic punch their set packed. Also in tow for the evening is sultry electro-pop singer Banks, whose debut album Goddess (released only last September) has made a lasting imprint on alternative charts worldwide. In the Valley Below shares a similar dark, synth-infused pop sound to Banks, but brings a fresh male/female vocal blend to the[...]

The Maine w/ Knuckle Puck

May 1, 2015

One might start to wonder if the Maine are still “fresh to death” having been around for close to 10 years now. Once emo-laced pop punkers, they’ve come to embrace a more straightforward rock sound in the 2010s. That hasn’t stopped them from touring with a cavalcade of buzzing pop punkers including Knuckle Puck, Real Friends, and The Technicolors. The show tonight is at the Waiting Room, but you might be out of luck because the tickets are reportedly sold out. Here is some information anyways: Doors are at 6pm, and the show is 16+.

Tonight: Difficult Night

April 30, 2015

Difficult Night will headline Sugar City tonight with special guests Newish Star and Facility Men.  If you haven’t heard the slacker vibes of Difficult Night, tonight is probably the night to see them. The line up is tight, and Difficult Night is easy on the ear to most listeners.  To that effect, the night is an all ages event, so bring the kid’s and give them exposure to some of the music Buffalo has to offer. The members of Sugar City would like all guests to know that their venue is both drug and alcohol free.  Anyone feeling a little parched is more than welcome to wet their whistle at Resurgence Brewery across the street.  The night will kick off at 7pm, and with only 3 bands shouldn’t go too late into the night.  There is no mention of a charge, but bring a few bucks just to be on[...]

Tonight: The Bones of J.R. Jones

April 30, 2015

If you’re at Mohawk Place tonight, you might think you’ve time traveled back to the early 1900s. The tunes emanating from the stage will be reminiscent of the stripped-down blues that has evolved over the last century into the modern folk and Americana music styles we enjoy today. The step back in time is the work or J.R. Linaberry, D.B.A. The Bones of J.R. Jones, in a solo act show that promises electric guitar licks, banjo backbeats, and acoustic charm. Patrick Stephen Johnson and Levi Van Cleve (of Buffalo’s beloved Pine Fever) open the evening. The show starts at 8pm and tickets are $5 at the door.

Tonight: Robert Sarazin Blake

April 29, 2015

All you folkies put on your Wednesday’s best; Robert Sarazin Blake is coming to town. Queen City Cartel is hosting the travelling folk singer/songwriter and his band, The put-it-all-down-in-a-Letters, tonight in the back room of Hardware on Allen. Blake is known for his inviting live performances of highly improvisational story folk, and anyone who has seen him perform before knows that “seeing him perform” isn’t really an all-encompassing way to describe being an audience member at one of his shows. In addition to the neighborly vibes of his celtic-laced acoustic songs, Blake excels at involving the audience conversationally, transforming whatever room he happens to be playing into a congenial space with old friends a-plenty. And speaking of old friends, the Americana balladeers in Pine Fever will be providing tonight’s local support. If there’s a good time to be had anywhere in Buffalo tonight, it’s here. Show starts at 8pm, with[...]