Preview

Tonight: Dirty Dozen Brass Band

June 24, 2014

The jazz-infused horns of New Orleans’ Dirty Dozen Brass Band will be boogying their way through town tonight for what promises to be the most intimate of get-downs at Main Street’s Tralf Music Hall. Known for a broad incorporation of bebop, funk, and rhythm n’ blues into the foundation of their jazz-based approach to improvisation, their sound is as much a melting pot of genre as it is of talent. With their five-horn collective and a supporting rotation of instrumentation to top it off, the grooves are sure to be tight and the dance floor boppin.’ Be careful out there Buffalovians, things might get dirty. Tickets for $24 day of, dancing shoes not included. Doors at 7pm.

Tonight: Newish Star

June 24, 2014

Head down to the Glitter Box later to catch one of Buffalo’s best newish bands in Newish Star. Sounding like a mix of Pavement and Coyote Shivers, the group recently played our Herd Fest this past weekend as part of the Black Dots showcase and have been building some nice buzz around town since forming back in 2013. Also on the bill are blog regulars JOHNS and Aaron & the Burrs, along with Cleveland’s gruff punk rockers Cruelster. Music begins at 6pm prompt. Bring $6 to cover the touring acts.

Tonight: Herd Fest Day 2

June 21, 2014

Day 1 of our inaugural Herd Fest is in the books, and if you happened to miss last night, or just wanted more, then you are in luck. Day 2 is bigger, and depending on your tastes, maybe even better. If you missed any of our spotlights on today/tonight’s showcases, lets once again get you up to speed: Black Dots Spiral Scratch Records Harvest Sum @ Nietzsche’s buffaBLOG @ Duke’s Only Comrades @ Allen Street Hardware Music kicks off earlier today at our first of two bonus record shop showcases. Black Dots will begin at 4pm, while Spiral Scratch gets things going at 6pm, then head back to Allen for another long night of music. All showcases today are $5. If you already bought a pre-sale bracelet, then you are all good.

Tonight: Herd Fest Day 1

June 20, 2014

I am not sure what more there is to say about Herd Fest tonight so I will give you the basics: 2 Days, 9 showcases, 43 acts, 1 city. We decided to go big this year for our summer party by bringing in the heavy hitters of the Buffalo music scene and work together to make something different, something special. If you missed any of our spotlights on tonight’s showcases, lets get you up to speed: Steak & Cake Records @ College Street Gallery The Good Neighborhood @ Nietzsche’s Quiet Country Audio @ Duke’s Sugar City @ Allen Street Hardware Steak & Cake kicks things off at 7pm tonight. Spolier: College Street is on the smaller side so get there early to get a spot. Music will be running all night long. Bounce around, find a new favorite band, and have fun. Thank you in advance for supporting this project.[...]

Tonight: Mutual Benefit

June 19, 2014

When I first heard Mutual Benefit, I was sitting in my room in China alone, drinking Tiger beer, eating the best fried rice I will ever eat, and feeling a little too far away.  Let me tell you, Jordan Lee’s debut LP was a welcome visitor. Listening to the self-released, Love’s Crushing Diamond, you feel like you’re having a conversation with Lee. You are not alone, never isolated or marginalized.  You can sense the collective memory of our generation in his post freak-folk ambient sound. It’s a relatively new genre, sort of orchestral-folk meets Elliot Smith. Everything about the album screams hope and community, from the way the wind chimes balance out the electric drum which in turn is balancing out the banjo, to how they all sort of walk then run together to drive the song safely in the exact direction it always needed to go. The album is kind[...]

Tonight: An Evening With moe.

June 19, 2014

Earlier this week, I put out an article featuring an interview with moe. drummer Vinnie Amico. Tonight, he and the band will be coming to Canalside for a free show at Buffalo’s waterfront venue. To see the part of the interview where he reminisces about his Buffalo roots, and for a preview of moe.’s impending show, check out the article beyond. With their first Buffalo appearance of the year, moe. will be spending an evening at the Harbor, in the city where their humble beginnings as a local bar band first brought them into the public eye. In a conversation I had with Vinnie a few weeks ago, we spent some time talking about Buffalo as the city that fostered both his and moe.’s growth as musicians. They’ve come a long way since playing in those dingy bars littered around the city, so I asked him what kind of meaning[...]

Tonight: Arctic Monkeys

June 18, 2014

Between the fact that the Arctic Monkeys remain one of the biggest acts in the world and that tickets to see them here at Artpark were ridiculously cheap, it’s no surprise tonight’s outdoor concert is sold out. For those lucky ticket holders (or those who can do some last minute scalping at inflated prices), the Arctic Monkeys show this evening at 6:30pm should be worth braving the traffic for. The band’s most recent album, AM, is arguably their best, featuring slick, soulful songwriting and a dark conceptual arc. The British rockers will be joined by Austin’s White Denim for a night under the stars (or under the rain clouds (we’ll see)). Get there somehow.

Murder Mystery Barbeque

June 17, 2014

Head down to 100 Plymouth Avenue this afternoon for a full evening of unbridled jollification. You heard right- the itinerary includes grilling, a murder mystery to partake in, and finally, live performances by Chicago acts, Headless Horse Head and Columbia Fasciata alongside Buffalo’s own Kristachuwan. On their bandcamp, Headless Horse Head describes themselves as a “continued assault of psychedelic ear candy swirling in a vortex of car accident debris, a mega basement of grinding blues using teeth filling to plug your ears, the 5th attempt at ripping your face off”. Meanwhile, Columbia Fasciata creates eerie, pop-tinged, lo-fi tunes that conjure themes of innocence along with the loss of it. Meats, murder, goth-pop, and interstellar electronic (from both ends of the spectrum). The fun starts at 6 and a donation of 3-5 dollars is strongly urged. See ya there.

Tonight: Andrew Jackson Jihad

June 17, 2014

Folk-punk duo Andrew Jackson Jihad, consisting of Sean Bonnette and Ben Gallaty, surely have a way with words. The first line that struck me from the group was “There’s a rapist and a Nazi living in our tiny hearts.” Even though the initial reaction is to sit back and protest—“I am certainly not a Nazi,” the underbelly of the statement means that we all can be evil, we all have the capability to damage and create chaos. Such is the vein that most of the songs AJJ runs along. They’re critical masters. In the song “FWP (Fuck White People)” they take a political dig at the larger representation of the good old USA “First they take the land, then they take the soil, and with their bloody hands, they dig for oil.” This past May, AJJ released Christmas Island, an album that featured a more orchestral sound. Lyrically, Sean Bonnette didn’t stray[...]

Tonight: Cross Faded Tour f/ World’s Fair & Two-9

June 14, 2014

Get all the way turnt up tonight at Waiting Room with a fresh lineup of hip hop, brought to you by the good people at After Dark Entertainment. World’s Fair & Two-9 touch down in the Queen City for their Cross Faded tour, bringing their blend of alternative hip hop to the stage, along with Network, Bill $aber, Blair Copeland, and Devon Charles. This all ages show (if you’re under 16, bring a grown-up…this would be an excellent early Father’s Day present for the cool dad in your life) is $15 at the door, and doors open at 7. Pro tip: regardless of your age, don’t be a yung thug. There is a little to zero tolerance policy for fuckery at WR, and you will be asked to leave.    

Tonight: Silo Sessions Launch Party

June 14, 2014

One of the most exciting developments in Buffalo’s alleged resurgence has been what’s going down in Silo City, in the city’s post industrial district. Between epic art happenings and pop up food fests, the Silos have become treasured local structures favored by Buffalo’s creative class, a trend that continues tonight with the launch of the Silo Sessions. Almost 30 local and touring acts will be converging at Marine A, Perot Grain Elevator, and American Warehouse starting at 5:00pm for a multi-stage event that will put the excellent acoustics and possibilities of those magnificent buildings to the test. Tickets at the gate will be $15, but you will get in for $10 if you kicked in to this Kickstarter campaign. The full schedule: RIVER STAGE 5:pm Difficult Night 5:45pm The Observers 6:30pm Alex Berkely and the Atlanta Falcons 7:15pm Wooden Cities 8:pm Sam Goodwill 8:45pm Viking Moses 9:30pm Aircraft 10:15pm Landlady 11:00pm Mallwalkers[...]

Tonight: Alternative 90s Dance Party

June 13, 2014

Are you only happy when it rains? Do you want to be the girl with the most cake? Is today the greatest day you’ve ever known? Well, then you’ll want to get down to Allen Street Hardware Cafe for tonight’s 90s alternative dance party. Hosted by DJs Jen and Bill Page( the latter of Transmission), this event will feature on the classic 90s alt-rock hits that you probably haven’t heard on the radio for at least 15 years. If you’re expecting to dance to Sir Mix-A-Lot or Ace Of Base, this party is definitely not for you. It’s going to be focused on alt-rock, techno, and Britpop, and will foresake many of the decades cheesier pop smashes. So, if jams like “Firestarter,” “Girls And Boys,” or “Seether” (the Veruca Salt song, not the post-grunge band) are your thing, youd be wise to get down to Hardware tonight. Tickets are $5,[...]

Tonight: Chuckie Campbell

June 13, 2014

Looking for a place to get spooky this Friday the 13th?  Weather permitting, the patio at Ohm Ultralounge is the place to be. The cash-only bar and lounge opens its’ doors at 8pm for a night of local hip hop under the stars (and full moon). For just $5, you get a full bill of music, featuring Kentucky transplant and Buffalover Chuckie Campbell, Dead Trash Mob, and G.S. + Indie Visuals. The Indie Visuals (say that three times fast) crew is a hip hop collective based out of Buffalo, and promotes all forms of hip hop artistry, from graffiti and breaking to beat-making. Record label Dead Trash Mob also reps the 716, and will have artists from the label performing tonight. This 21+ show promises to be full of good vibes, great music, and beautiful people (as long as you’re there).

Tonight: Aircraft and Bearhunter

June 13, 2014

This is one busy Friday! With shows happening all over the city, one particular destination that should be of note is M&T’s Second Friday series in front of the Burchfield Penny. Tonight’s showcase features performances from Aircraft at 5:30pm and Bearhunter at 7:00pm. The bands will be playing in the front yard until the sun goes down. Of course the event is free – the gallery will be open until 8:00pm. There will also be art-making workshops, book signings, and a movie screening at dusk.

Tonight: Beautiful/Decay

June 13, 2014

As visual art has always been an important component of live music performance, the creative possibilities of curating a collaborative, mutually informed showcase can often allow the unique tastes of the artists  to come together to realize a singular aesthetic statement. Hip hop and street culture has long been at the forefront of this avenue of performance, merging the ideas of local artists, filmmakers, DJs, MCs, and producers into a cohesive community event. Tonight, Allen Street Hardware will host “Beautiful/Decay,” presented by art collective ArmCandy. This interactive live event features the latest collection from visual artist Jessica Saddleson, as well as a release party for love.lost/love.gained.too, the newest instrumental tape from Essential Vitamins Crew-affiliated producer Cove. In addition, the event will include DJ sets from Josh Yourmoms and John Pal, along with a poetry reading from EVC artist Jay MF G. Professional photographer JK Media will also be on hand to shoot[...]