Preview

Tonight: Young Thug

March 11, 2015

Southern drawlin’ straight from the ATL, Young Thug kickstarted his career when he signed over to Gucci Mane’s 1017 Brick Squad Records. The Rich Gang track “Lifestyle” is what really spiked Young Thug’s career, as well as becoming one of the most viral references on Vine. 1017 Thug, his fourth mixtape, was the first release of his on the label. His single, “Stoner,” became widely-known, additionally winning Best Club Banger for the BET Hip Hop Awards last year. Young Thug has become known for his eccentricity and style. Slurring words, his tracks sometimes become mysterious puzzles in and of themselves. It’s definitely safe to say that there aren’t many rappers out there like Young Thug. On his Rodeo Tour, Young Thug will be performing tonight in Buffalo along with Houston-native Travi$ Scott. After Dark Entertainment present the Rodeo Tour: Young Thug and Travi$ Scott Town Ballroom (681 Main St.) $35 day[...]

Tonight: Filmstrip

March 11, 2015

Filmstrip will be bringing their wholly pleasant brand of alt-Americana to Mohawk Place tonight. The Cleveland-based band evokes a laid-back vibe reminiscent of The Life and Times, Pedro the Lion, and just the slightest touch of Father John Misty. My personal recommendation is the upbeat, guitar driven “Dollar Store.” Support tonight comes from the ever-fuzzy Fredonians in Zealot and Buffalo’s answer to alt-Americana, American Stores. The show starts at 8pm for $5.

Tonight: Kevin Morby

March 7, 2015

Fans of singer/songwriters have a great night ahead of them should they decide to head down to Mohawk Place to see Kevin Morby. Formerly of Woods and The Babies, Morby has recorded two albums as a solo artist. The most recent, Still Life, was released last Fall by Woodsist Records. Morby’s music is easy going and similar to Cass McCombs, before he got all jammy. Ryley Walker is currently touring in support of his upcoming third album, Primrose Green, coming out at the end of the month through Dead Oceans. Mixing elements of jazz and folk, Walker’s performance promises to be an engaging one. The Rochester based two piece, Buffalo Sex Change, rounds out tonight’s lineup with garage-y shoegaze. All in all, seems like a great way enjoy the balmy weather we are having today. Doors open for tonight’s show at 8pm with a cover of $12

Tonight: Newish Star & Space Wolves

March 7, 2015

Space Wolves and Newish Star are both putting out new cassettes; They’re playing a release show today at the Glitterbox with Alpha Hopper and Space is Haunted; There are, reportedly, free beverages, cookies, clothing, and balloons; You’ll also be able to pick up the new Feral Kid Records mix tape, which features Mallwalkers, Plates, Resist Control, White Whale, Utah Jazz, and more; There’s a mixtape exchange going on, if you’ve got any to spare; It’s all free, bay bee. What god smiled on us to make this show happen? Pick one to believe in, at least for today, because this will be grand. Below: good songs from both bands releasing tapes. Facebook event here.

Tonight: Transformers II – I’ll Be Your Mirror

March 6, 2015

The massively influential rock musician, singer and songwriter Lou Reed may have passed in October 2013 – succumbing to liver disease less than six months after he underwent a transplant of that same organ – but his legacy, as they saying goes, continues to live on. To honor the underground rock icon, Nietzsche’s will be holding its second annual Lou Reed birthday party, appropriately titled “Transformers II: I’ll Be Your Mirror” (Transformers, of course, is the Reed solo debut that introduced him to a larger audience, while “I’ll Be Your Mirror” is one of the more melodic songs off the Velvet Underground’s debut, and one of three tracks sung by Nico). Reed would have been 73. The lineup is quite eclectic: fitting for the risk-taking, ground-breaking artist who lent so much to punk, alternative rock, glam, noise, experimental rock, avant-garde rock and industrial. The lineup includes the gloomy synth-pop of[...]

Tonight: Pink Elephant

March 6, 2015

Tonight, one of our favorite regional hard-hitting rock bands, Pink Elephant, will make its triumphant return to Buffalo. Quickly becoming a regular embedded in the Buffalo music scene, Rochester’s Pink Elephant has been buddying up with local bands Soul Butchers, Handsome Jack, and Governess. The group’s raw indie rock sound is something that Buffalo could always use a bit more of. Fans of Les Savy Fav, Heavy Hands, or Call Me Lightning should make their way out to Mohawk Place with doors at 8pm and a $5 cover. Also on the bill is Governess, Fatal Figures, and Tugboat, so you’re $5 goes a long way on Mohawk Avenue tonight.

Tonight: Made Violent

March 6, 2015

Though the trio’s local appearances have been somewhat sparse, Made Violent is finally bringing their signature refined slack-rock sound to the Studio at Waiting Room tonight. The group’s recent self-titled EP release has been nothing short of well received, and is yet more tangible proof that these guys have carved themselves a comfortable spot in the upper echelon of bands on the rise. In addition to successfully managing to bust out of the Buffalo scene, they’ve already broken the U.S. seal in terms of touring, all while garnering attention from major music publications like NME. They have the essence of early Cage the Elephant paired with all the best Brit-pop big wigs like the Kooks and Arctic Monkeys. You can tell MV’s music is built for a live setting and a large crowd. The EP is chock full of raw, punchy grunge tunes that leave me amped for the prospects[...]

Tonight: Posture & The Grizzly

March 5, 2015

Our friends over at at Black Dots are hosting a raging good bill  at their Lafayette Avenue record shop tonight. Emo punks Posture & The Grizzly (East Haven, CT) will be headlining the shop’s basement back room tonight, slinging their gravelly melodic punk ragers. Touring support comes at us from the likes of indie-pop craftsmen Brightside (Pittsburgh) with local support from our hometown punk heroes Del Paxton. It’s notable that just this morning, both touring bands had their van break down and are awaiting repairs. Unfortunately, their attendance is up in the air tonight, so keep your ears to the ground and your eyes on the Facebook event page, here, for updates. Music set to start around 8, could be slightly later depending on the situation. Damn punk shows. $5 – $8 sliding donation for entry.

Tonight: Odesza

March 4, 2015

Seattle production duo, Odesza, formed back in 2012 when Western Washington University seniors Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight began collaborating on tracks, eventually releasing the debut album, Summer’s Gone, later that year. Blending elements of chillwave, synthpop, ambient and downtempo, the pair’s lush, atmospheric sounds caught on in the electronic music community, as two tracks from the debut, “How Did I Get Here” and “iPlayYouListen,” reached number one on the Hype Machine popular chart. The following year saw the release of the EP, My Friends Will Never Die, and a booking to open for Pretty Lights on his Fall tour. Extensive touring and the release of its second album, In Return, has earned Odesza widespread acclaim, appearing at Coachella, Hangout Festival, and Sasquatch Festival. The duo has been on the road in support of the sophomore effort since this past fall and will continue through the summer as the pair continued to develop its sets which[...]

Tonight: Poison Arrows

February 28, 2015

Dreamland’s putting on a showcase tonight of what the Facebook event calls “experimentalpostpunkdeathfolk.” Sounds about right. Poison Arrows, Hot Tip, and Scott Valkwitch are all playing, and I’d say all three have a penchant for darkness and noise. Bill Nehill’s Poison Arrows fill out the “deathfolk” part of the equation. Hot Tip will provide the “postpunk,” and Scott Valkwitch and his walls of guitar-generated noise are probably the “experimental.” Then again, all three probably experiment with death, punk and post in lesser and greater amounts, so don’t sweat: your demons will be represented across the board. Show starts at 8pm. Facebook event here. Hot Tip jams below.

Radarada

Tonight: Radarada

February 28, 2015

My first ever encounter with Radarada was at their debut EP release show last June at Iron Works. I happened to be helping out with the show that night, and witnessed their soundcheck when the venue was still emptied out. I remember being impressed and maybe a little transfixed with how meticulous they were with their setup, levels, the whole shebang. I watched the show from the balcony (you know, that little overhang in Iron Works that everyone peers up at and wonders how the hell to get up there) and from a bird’s eye perspective, I almost felt it a special privilege getting to see all these separate pockets of eager fans sway and chant about sippin’ Nyquil in the daytime in unison. Radarada goes down smooth. Real smooth. With a solid foundation of polished jazz instrumentals, they unite the smoky vocal stylings of Ana Vafai and hip-hop finesse[...]

Tonight: Two Cow Garage

February 26, 2015

It’s not often that we get to write about a show at the Sportsmen’s Tavern, but then again, it’s not that often that we get to feature a show from Two Cow Garage. The Columbus, OH based band was once a Mohawk Place mainstay. The band (think an alt-country Gaslight Anthem) has been swapping shows with bands like Roger Bryan & The Orphans for quite some time. Tonight, Two Car Garage is slotted for a three hour performance. Please note that the artists have a 3 hour window to complete the show. This does not meant the performance will be 3 hours in length, but here’s hoping. Show starts at 8pm for $10 at the door.

Tonight: Mooses

February 26, 2015

Tonight, Fred-town four piece, Mooses. will play the Mohawk with a strong bill of local and non local bands including The Naturalists and The Soft Love from Buffalo and Thick, out of Brooklyn. The blissfully fuzzed out psychedelia of this Fredonia quartet promises to balance out the garage rock of Naturalists and Soft Love and the intense punk of Thick. It’s always a treat when these guys play Buffalo. Doors open at 8pm, music starts at 9pm. Cover is probably around $5

Tonight: Sound Series w/ Meridian 7 & Patrick Cain

February 25, 2015

Squeaky Wheel launches its <SOS> series tonight, a 4 part series centered around the sharing and demystifying of techniques by a variety of innovative sound-based media artists. Held at Squeaky Wheel’s new location, the old Market Arcade Theater, the series opens with Brooklyn based project, Meridian 7. Meridian 7’s project focuses on the use of old telephone switchboards. Inititally, if you wanted to make a phone call you could not make a direct phone call, early callers had to first connect to an operator. Switchboards were originally used by telephone operators to physically connect callers to their intended destination.  This obsolete physical device has been modified into a synthesizer by Meridian7, who will be performing pieces composed with this technology tonight. Buffalo native Patrick Cain will also be performing tonight. Cain’s audio-visual pieces feature hand painted 16mm, no input feedback loops, tapes, and saxophone, thus rounding out what is sure[...]

Tonight: Krelboyne & Shit Blimp

February 22, 2015

End your weekend right: let four bands, two from Ohio, pummel you with sludgy punk. Shit Blimp and Krelboyne are coming to the Glitterbox, joined by locals Dream Journal and Red Heat. If you’re wondering what a Shit Blimp could possibly sound like, check the very first bass notes on the band’s demo: that’s exactly what a Shit Blimp sounds like. It’s not all heart-stopping low end, though: mostly it’s aggressive, fast, punch-your-face punk. Krelboyne can play in the same vein, but they’ve got a little bit more indie-rock groove in the tank. That vibe and its deceptive catchiness makes lines about “scrambling for answers in the bottom of a bottle,” spending your time on earth “eternally as a fumbling fucking imbecile” come across less like self-pity and more like relatable, uncontrollable internal rumination, which in turn makes it a whole lot easier to bob your head along to. Doors[...]