Preview

Tonight: Modern Baseball

November 12, 2014

The clever dudes in Modern Baseball seem to be riding high on a wave of interest in their awkward anti-pop musings about post-adolescence blues. It’s nothing short of endearing and relatable – see the startlingly frank acoustic musings about Twitter on “@chl03k” or the (somehow) nerdier version of Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin on tracks “Fine, Great.” Instagram and Twitter references aside, Modern Baseball songs are smart, relatable, and inherently infectious. RIYL The Front Bottoms, Tigers Jaw, or The Weakerthans. Opening this show is a veritable treasure trove of great underground emo. Knuckle Puck is classic pop-punk, but Somos, Foxing, and Crying each bring their own, excellent take on emo to the stage in different ways. Expect some sad, awkward, and conversely delightful chiptune from Crying, who we happened to catch up with earlier this week. Local support comes from Head North. Tickets for tonight are $15. Doors are at[...]

Tonight: Terror Pigeon

November 12, 2014

Tonight, Buffalo’s newest arts space, Dreamland, is going to be pulsating with weirdness and wildness when local art electronica giant Lesionread and ambient rockers Humble Braggers collide with Nashville’s Terror Pigeon and Halifax Nova Scotia’s Rich Aucion. The pushing of limits will be the order of the night, with all acts on the bill being noted for their sonic adventurousness, and with Dreamland being a space with no rules. It could truly be a night to remember, especially with regards to an unfettered Lesionread (aka Sean Louis), currently in a social media “beef” with Sleepy Hahas’ Pat Butler, who will be in the Dreamland audience. Will he be more than an audience member? Will this critique of the War On Drugs vs Mark Kozalek feud boil over? We’ll find out tonight. There’s a $5 cover and the show starts at 8pm. And here’s a salvo from Lesionread at Sleepy Hahas.[...]

Tonight: DJ Shadow & Cut Chemist

November 11, 2014

Once upon a time too long ago DJ’s used turntables to maximize flow, records were heard and no one stood; dancing was better and the music was good. There was a young DJ who was misled; he thought a laptop playlist could make him bread. When DJ’s stop creating and start pushing buttons both metaphorically and on Serato, the art of actual turntablism is lost, but tonight in Buffalo, two of the genre’s greatest combine forces to rep the music of yet another musical innovator. Presented by MNM, a local promotion company with global reach, this stop on the Renegades of Rhythm tour is easily one of the best shows to hit Buffalo all year(s). When two of the best in the game come together to celebrate the work of  Afrika Bambaataa (aka Kevin Donovan) you don’t sleep on it. Genre-shaping hip-hop electro legend and founder of the Universal Zulu[...]

Tonight: Home Body

November 9, 2014

According to the Facebook event page,  this will be good. Not exactly the ringing-est of endorsements, but modesty is always appreciated in the music world. With sets from five different acts, it’s not a stretch to assume there will be something for everybody, and the guarantee of sugar highs for your ears, brain, and eyes make this show a sweet stop on your Sunday night of debauchery before the work week begins. Dreamland opens its doors at 7pm for this all ages (I think) show, and while there isn’t a specified amount of scratch you need to get in, when an event tells you to bring “$ and all yr buds,” it’s safe to assume some sort of green will cover the ticket cost. The lineup boasts electropop weirdos Home Body, along with sets from Providence acts Player 2 and Invisible Robot Hands. Rounding things off are Buffalo faves Little[...]

Tonight: Sloan

November 9, 2014

Sloan are no strangers to Buffalo. Returning for their fourth show in the past five years, the Canadian power-pop legends make their way back to The Tralf again tonight in support of their latest album, Commonwealth. The four-piece is famous for their shared songwriting credits and the latest double-album perhaps offers the clearest distillation of Sloan’s sound with all four band members offering a collection of songs. One can expect  plenty of new rockers from the storied Canadian band as well as classics from seminal albums like Twice Removed and Pretty Together. With recent (and upcoming( appearances from other Canadian Indie Rockers like Tokyo Police Club and Stars, Sloan’s appearance tonight is yet another chapter in the great Canadian/Buffalo musical tradition and one not to be missed. Doors at the Tralf open at 7:00 PM tonight and tickets are $24 at the door.

Tonight: RL Grime

November 8, 2014

Well, the show sold out a few days prior to tonight and people were in a frenzy trying to find tickets. Waiting Room will be packed to the legal capacity brim for three heavy-hitting DJs. RL Grime is headlining the evening. With the WEDIDIT Collective, he kick started his career in the electronic realm. Further releases gained him recognition from Fool’s Gold, Ministry of Sound, Boiler Room and more. On tour for Void, his most recent album release, his track “Core” had people losing their minds after the first listen.   [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/158827653″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]   Also playing will be Branchez and Tommy Kruise. Hailing from New York City, Branchez has become acclaimed for his productions and supported by names like Diplo and Skrillex as well as  touring with Zeds Dead, Paper Diamond and Giraffage. Tommy Kruise has been rising as a big talent within the pool of Quebecois[...]

Tonight: (New England) Patriots

November 8, 2014

Spiral Scratch’s basement may feature the tonight’s best bill with Boston’s (New England) Patriots performing. The four piece plays an eclectic form of punk,  with songs that range from raucous 3 minute put-up or shut-ups to avant garde experimental noise. Along for the ride with the Pats will be PA power pop group, Glamour Girls. Local support comes from basements regulars, punk super-group Hot Tip, West Side surf kings Aaron & the Burrs, and the unknown Worse. Doors are at 5pm. Bring $5 for the touring bands and a little extra to grab a record or two. P.S. While this bill is great, this did seem like a missed opportunity to pair the Pats with Utah Jazz and Alex Berkley & the Atlanta Falcons. P.S.S. This show is also a celebration of Spiral Scratch’s 5 year anniversary. In a time where record stores have become a dying breed, the shop[...]

Tonight: Organic James Brown Series Featuring Bernard “Pretty” Perdie

November 7, 2014

Tonight Duke’s Bohemian Groove Bar kicks off a series of shows dedicated to the sheer awesomeness of the late but still great Godfather of Soul, James Brown. A joint effort featuring the Allen Town bar, Alien Life Form Entertainment, and Critt’s Juke Joint, Organic James Brown: An American Funk Experience promises to be an ongoing 3 month exploration of funk and groove featuring world renowned masters of funk as Brownman Ali, Freakbass, and Parliament/Funkadelic vocalist Kim Manning. Joining them will be a band including some of Buffalo’s funkiest motherbleepers like Eric Crittenden, Zuri Appleby, Michael DiSanto, and DeRay Jackson, while the Motha Funkin’ Friday Crew makes sure the funk is flowing all night long. Legendary funk drummer Bernard “Pretty” Perdie gets the series started right with a veritable history of funk tonight starting at 8pm. This is an incredible opportunity to get to the heart of modern American music while[...]

Tonight: J.Phlip and Monty Luke

November 7, 2014

Dirtybird is not just a record label. The people that comprise dirtybird are your friends. Whether it is one of the dirtybird players performing solo, or all of them at their touring dirtybird BBQ, there is no doubt that you will have an experience. J.Phlip, the dirtybird duchess, returns to Buffalo again tonight. When not monikered she is known as Jessica Phillippe. Given her Chicago house influences from growing up in Champaign, Ill., the sounds of her sets and productions have a depth, complexity and smoothness to them, you might as well be drinking a well-aged scotch. J.Phlip has the ability to draw you in with sound and take you to another place. Don’t believe it? Just take a listen to her set closing down the Beatport stage at DEMF last year. Also on tour with her is Monty Luke. From Brooklyn, he made his way to the West Coast[...]

Tonight: Pleistocene

November 7, 2014

Take a night off from Allen and hang out with area co-eds at Mr. Goodbar tonight as the college bar welcomes Rochester’s Pleistocene. Fronted by Katie Preston, a former member of Fredonia based act Giving Up The Otter and old school Steak & Cake alumni, the four piece specializes in fuzzy, female fronted indie-rock that should fit in well with fans of Bleached, Best Coast, or even Metric. Their early 2014 releases, Ontario Girls, is still one of our favorite albums out of the 585 area code this year. Check it out at their bandcamp page if you want to hear for yourself. Rounding out the local bill are West Side basement regulars Supergoner, Cross Stitch, and Hot Tip. All of this talent can be head tonight for the low price of $3. Music kicks off at 11pm.

Tonight: Zammuto

November 6, 2014

The recently resurrected Mohawk Place is certainly back with a strong lineup of shows to cement its reopening. Tonight, you can catch Zammuto, the latest project from one of the founding members of The Books, Nick Zammuto. While Nick Zammuto has been busy releasing music on his own since 2001, Zammuto is his latest project and has released 2 albums since The Books split up in 2012, including the upcoming Anchor.  Of no shock to fans of The Books, Zammuto’s music is equally creative and eclectic albeit in a more poppy direction than the previous group. Tonight’s show is a great opportunity to catch Zammuto on their small US Tour. Also, the band built a trebuchet for their latest music video, which is a pretty good reason to see what they are capable of live. Tonight’s show starts at 8pm. Tickets are $12 at the door.  

Tonight: Bryan Johnson and Family Release Show

November 6, 2014

Bryan Johnson and Family‘s upcoming release, Cool Your Jets, is shaping up to be maybe the best thing they’ve ever done. The two singles they’ve released, “Dead Fox” and “Cerulean Eyes,” take the elements of bands like Weezer, Vampire Weekend, and The Shins and, in their best moments, inject them with the intimacy of a campfire singalong. The rest of the tracks could be yours tonight as the Studio at the Waiting Room hosts the band’s release show. Ten bucks not only gets you into the show, but gets you a shiny new copy of the album as well. Filling out the bill: local emo superstars Del Paxton and superstar local punkfunkers Mallwalkers. Show kicks off at 8pm. FB event here.

Tonight: Slingshot Dakota

November 3, 2014

I was lucky enough to catch a set from Topshelf Records’ Slingshot Dakota the last time they rolled through Buffalo at Sugar City. Singer Carly Comando had a wicked sore throat, but powered through an energetic set full bolstered solely by bouncy keyboards and drums. For lack of a better word, it was really punk. Luckily for us, the duo is back in Buffalo tonight supported by Real People (who also played last time they were here), Cross Stitch, and Red Heat. The show is $5, doors are at 6:00pm, music starts at 7:00pm, and it will be over by 10:00. Ask a punk if you don’t know where the Glitterbox is. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/21281355″ 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: Lost Tribe

November 3, 2014

In the early eighties, punk rock was going through a bit of a transformation. Bands such as Christian Death, Bauhaus, 45 Grave, and Specimen were pushing the music into darker, more conceptually macabre avenues, paving the way for goth, death rock and horror-themed post-punk. While these offshoots never took hold in any mainstream sense, the seed was planted, and an incredibly devoted trail of followers have since come to embrace their blackened expanse. The last few years have even seen a rebirth, and now death rock and goth-punk are more popular than ever. A perfect starting point for the uninitiated is Lost Tribe, a Richmond-based band that simultaneously pays tribute to the Southern Death Cults, Alien Sex Fiends, and Psi-Coms of yesteryear whilst still exploring fresh ground and moving the genre to interesting places. Melodic, mysterious, plodding and charging, Lost Tribe is at once homage and yet-still inventive. Their excellent[...]

Tonight: Tokyo Police Club

November 1, 2014

The day after Halloween can feel anticlimactic, especially if you’ve just spent the night partying away. Solution? Start off pie-season right, and grab tickets to see Tokyo Police Club at the Town Ballroom. Though this band is rooted in Ontario, they’ve made quite an impression on the USA (so much so that they cover the classic Miley Cyrus song, “Party in the USA”). This concert will allow you to have the best of both worlds: an irresistibly Canadian indie-rock band showcased at one of Buffalo’s most adored concert venues. Perhaps best known for their single, “Your English is Good,” this almost decade-old band will start your November off on the right foot (and might be the perfect solution to shake off the night before, if you have to!). Doors open at 7 pm, and if you need tickets, you can grab them for $24 upon arrival. Fellow Canadian act, the Arkells,[...]