Bill & Jamie’s House
The words Bill & Jamie’s House may give you thoughts of stuffy, pompous dinners and cocktail parties, events where you find yourself surrounded by professors and PhD students who manage to speak a lot of words without saying anything. Needless to say, Bill &...
Weezer – Everything Will Be Alright in the End
Make no mistake: despite the well-trodden narrative of 21st century Weezer as the sad, emotionally dead carcass of a once-great rock institution, the past 14 years have been good to Rivers Cuomo and co. Though critical and fan consensus regards their work in the 2000s...
Column 12: Beauty in the Ugly – The Music of Gone Girl
**Warning - This article features mild spoilers for the film Gone Girl** The first memorable musical moment of David Fincher's recent film, Gone Girl, takes place in a flashback as protagonists Nick (Ben Affleck) and Amy (Rosamund Pike) trade witticisms before...
Tonight: TOKiMONSTA
TOKiMONSTA will be returning to Buffalo tonight to shower an ecstatic crowd with eclectic sample constructions that translate into dreamy beat-scapes. A conjurer of syncopated enchantment, her samples are results of devout vinyl rummaging and by combining these clips...
Tonight: We/Ours
Minnapolis noise quartet, We/Ours, will be making a West Side stop this evening as part of a solid showcase down at the Glitter Box. Featuring members of Casual Users, Frozen Teens and the Sundowners, We/Ours are a fuzz-noise band with the ability create hooks...
Just Announced: The Tragically Hip
Buffalo's favorite Canadian act, the Tragically Hip, will be returning to town this spring, Saturday, April 18th, with a show set for the First Niagara Center. After a triumphant solo set this past summer at Canalside, Gord Downie and crew will be making their annual...
A Hotel Nourishing – Empty Gesture EP
For those of you who still cannot comprehend how A Hotel Nourishing is just two people—guitarist Sonny Baker and drummer Cameron Rogers—you’re not alone. I, too, have struggled with this concept since the band’s conception over seven years ago. Anyone who has seen the...
Today: Buffalo Porchfest
Well, its pretty awful out. After almost two straight weeks of nearly perfect weather, its currently pouring. But, the Elmwood Village's third installment of the Buffalo Porchfest will continue on. Many of the porches that volunteer do have some sort of covering....
Tonight: Code Orange Kids
Code Orange Kids live up to their name in age only. Though they are young, they have an extremely mature grip on their hardcore, punk sound. Signed to Deathwish, they have already toured, recorded with, and garnered praise from genre greats such as members of...
Thom Yorke – Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes
Over the years, Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke has garnered attention as a sort of outspoken purveyor of electronic music. Upon being asked what he would pick if he had to choose between using a guitar or the medium of electronic production for the rest of his life, he...
Tonight: A Hotel Nourishing EP Release Show
After a dark, seven-year hiatus, A Hotel Nourishing (Sonny Baker and Cam Rogers) returns tonight to release some new music, the deeply textured and haunting Empty Gesture EP. The band will be taking the stage at the recently re-opened Mohawk Place, so get ready for a...
The RealBads Drop “Prom Night” Music Video
Beyond paying attention to the music scene in Buffalo and Rochester, we like to explore a bit in Ithaca and Syracuse's music scene. Today was a good day to poke around, because Ithaca's the Realbads just released their debut video, "Prom Night," off the forthcoming...
God Help The Girl Opens at the North Park Theatre
One of the most exciting development in Buffalo this year has been the rebirth of the venerable North Park Theatre on Hertel Avenue. Beyond the wonderful ongoing renovation efforts restoring the theater to a condition minter than in our wildest dreams, it's the...
Tweedy w/Hospitality @ Town Ballroom (10/1/14)
Jeff Tweedy was met with an uproar of approval after telling the packed Town Ballroom “You guys are the best audience we’ve had, hands down.” No doubt his claim was validated—the Wilco frontman played over a two hour set for the adoring crowd. His new solo outfit,...
Tonight: Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad
Catch three of Rochester's best acts on one bill tonight at the Tralf to support Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad. The boundary-bending reggae act is known for their live shows, and they truly put the jam in jam band. Their latest album, Steady dropped September 30th on...
Tonight: Ab-Soul
After Dark presents hip hop artist Ab-Soul at Waiting Room tonight. Hailing from California, the rapper, born Herbert Anthony Stevens IV, has had a long winding road that has led him to where he is now. He has had three albums released and has been featured and...
Jon Lewis Releases Animated Video For “Tomorrow”
Earlier this week, we came across the new music video for "Tomorrow," a Jens Lekman-esque track from Rochester singer/songwriter, Jon Lewis. The animated clip, which was directed by Johnny Mchone (Adult Swim's Mr. Pickles), features a reflective, gumby-like man...
Tonight: Electric Six
There's a fine line to walk when making music as to whether or not you are going to be a parody band or to be taken serious. Electric Six is one of the few anomalies that are a legit rock'n roll band and are also fun, sarcastic, and legitimate. Tonight, one of our...
CHVRCHES/Interpol/Lykke Li @ Oakland’s Fox Theater (9/18/14-9/20/14)
Our former contributing photographer, Sean Mikula, sadly left town a couple years ago. After a stop in Chicago, he eventually settled in the Bay Area in California. While we won't be seeing him shooting at the Ballroom any time soon, we are happy to have him back,...
Joey Bada$$ – “Christ Conscious”
The hype is building for the debut album from young Brooklyn rapper Joey Bada$$. Cleverly titled B4.DA.$$ (Before Da Money/BADASS), the album hopes to continue the streak of very strong records from Joey. 2012 saw the then 17-year-old release 1999, a mixtape of boom...
She Keeps Bees – Eight Houses
She Keeps Bees is a homemade band. Essentially an alias for minivan loving front woman Jessica Larrabee, the act has been self-releasing EP’s and LP’s alike on their own since 2008. Eight Houses, the third LP release from the Brooklynite ex-pats, marks only the second...
Tonight: Tweedy
Father and son make their way through town tonight in the newest creation by Wilco front man Jeff Tweedy. With Jeff taking his usual spot at guitar and lead singer, you can find his oldest son, Spencer, behind him on drums. Listening to their music, you get the sense...
Tonight: Michael Parallax
Feeling Wreckless? Catch one of the scene's favorite superhuman spellbinding pizza pal weirdos, the haplessly hopeful and spiritually (for)giving artist Michael Parallax ( frequent tour mate of Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt) tonight in support of his latest album,...
Sunny Union Premieres New Single, “Wild Mountain Thyme”
Late last week, Rochester born folk act, Sunny Union (the moniker of Sunny Zaman), released the first track from his forthcoming album, Wollstonecraft II, the follow up to the January released Wollstonecraft. Titled "Wild Mountain Thyme," the rustic number is full of...
Tonight: Brillz and SNAILS Twonkaholics Tour
If you happened to catch Brillz the last time he was in Buffalo, then you know that he knows how to throw down, and he throws down hard. Brillz and SNAILS are kicking off their Twonkaholics Tour tonight in Buffalo. Brillz, a moniker based on an abbreviation for...
The Architects – Border Wars Episode II
The Architects, the four piece who hail from Kanas City, MO, jog back and forth between classic rock and melt-your-faces-off dirty, grimy punk rock on Border Wars Episode II, the latest installment of their elaborate concept album endeavor which comes equipped with a...
Cal Dripken
The issue with a lot of doom, hardcore, and even punk is that the genres so conforming and formative, that it becomes drone-esque, taking you on a flight plan without showing you any new views of Lake Tahoe. Once you have been to LA, you have been to LA, but how about...
Tonight: Giant Peach
You guys like fuzz, right? Giant Peach is playing at the Glitterbox tonight, and I think you'd like them, too. Poppy, high energy stuff from Brooklyn. Check 'em out. They'll be supported by locals Del Paxton, Space is Haunted and Grout. Good jams all around. Doors at...
Machine Gun English – I’m Too Tall For My Time Machine These Days
"They" say that rock n' roll is dead; I think the Stainds and Creeds and Puddle of Mudds of the world are just getting smarter. Rock music is now led by bands like Black Keys and Cage the Elephant - its less about machismo and brain dead guitar distortion and more...
Wild Bear Drops New Track, “Bloody Lips”
After getting our attention with the Grizzly Bear/CANT-esque debut single, "Glass Ceilings," the intriguing new electro project, Wild Bear, quickly returned with its follow up track over the weekend. Titled "Bloody Lips," the song is eerie and vocalless, with an air...
Tonight: The Elmwood Village 20 Block Bash
Tonight, celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Elmwood Village Association at a big street party between West Utica and Hodge where it all began tastefully called The 20 Block Bash and featuring a raft of blog favorites handling the music for the festivities. It's...
September 26th
Bicep - "Poly Pineapple" Belfast duo Bicep will finally deliver their long-anticipated BBC Essential mix this weekend and recently shared a new track "Poly Pineapple" via Soundcloud. Recorded in a single live take, the cut features lively arpeggiating synths and...
Yung Lean – Unknown Memory
This one hurts. This one really hurts. And it hurts because the pieces are there, but it just falls short of what it could've been. I do like this album, but I can't help but listen to it thinking of what I wanted it to be. I would say that I'm crying about this, but...
Mags Drops Debut Singles
A couple weeks ago, we wrote about The Slums EP, a new group led by The Malones ex-frontman, Steven Floyd. He is not the only former member with the creative bug brewing. Former Malones bassist, Elliott Douglas, formed a new solo project of his own under the moniker,...
Transfer in Jamaica Releases Speculative Party vol. 1
Buffalo producer/mashup artist, Transfer in Jamaica, creates music that, at it's most compelling, can shift our perception of two seemingly unrelated styles and reveal an unlikely common ground, reminding the listener that genres are dynamic as a result of this...
Tonight: Hank & Cupcakes
There's a difference between going to a concert and seeing a live show, and as fans of Brooklyn-based electropop duo Hank & Cupcakes know, their shows are LIVE. Whether they're covering the crowd and themselves in DayGlo paint, stripping down as the show heats up,...
Tonight: Cliffs
Buffalo Iron Works is sporting a formative bill of indie rock later on tonight, highlighted by Columbus duo, Cliffs. The pair is on night two of its first tour and Iron Works is as good of a place to keep the good times rolling. Cliff's crunchy brand of garage pop and...
U2’s 1% Problems
Last week was a bummer for a lot of U2 fans when the Irish band gave away their latest album, Songs Of Innocence, by heavy-handedly and shamelessly jamming it into everybody's iTunes accounts. Listening to the dud, talking to other U2 fans and finding out that they...
Kendrick Lamar – “i”
Yesterday morning, rap's current co-president (along with Drake) debuted the first single off of his upcoming album. Titled "i," the track was pretty much all about good-vibes. Centered around a chorus of "I love myself," Kendrick fires out short verses with a rapid...
Tonight: Ark Life
Buffalo will get a dose of Colorado tonight as Ark Life makes it’s way through town, breathing magic into the newly reopened Mohawk Place with their soul-steeped take on folk-rock. This is a band that hit the ground running—they’ve been together little over year, with...
Hospitality
On October 1st, Buffalo will welcome Jeff Tweedy (and his son Spencer) to the stage of the Town Ballroom for a performance in support of the frontman’s (of Wilco fame, for the few of you who didn’t know) solo album, Sukierae. Opening support on their fall tour comes...
Tonight: André Obin
Massachusetts based electronic musician, André Obin, will be playing Buffalo Iron Works this evening. Hailing from Cambridge and stopping in Buffalo as part of a tour which includes San Francisco, Brooklyn, and Boston, Obin's musical weapon of choice is the...
Bisexual Awareness Week
It’s Bisexual Awareness Week! We live in a society that loves to compartmentalize sex, and because of that, non-monosexual individuals are up against low cognizance from the public and difficulty expressing themselves to the community, which translates into their...
Such Gold Premieres New Single, “Faced”
Arguably one of the most popular up-and-coming pop-punk bands in upstate New York, Such Gold released its new single today via Alternative Press. The track "Faced," is a great sample of what is to come with the band's upcoming album, The New Sidewalk (Out November 10...
alt-J – This Is All Yours
If you’ve already listened to An Awesome Wave (2012), then it should come as no surprise that England-based trio, alt-J, is the farthest thing from generic. With the release of their latest album, This Is All Yours, their peculiar sound seems only to have...
Hot Tip Releases Simple, Fitting Video for “Human Cage”
Some of the best music videos (any maybe pieces of art in general?) are single concepts carried out simply and directly. I'm thinking of one in particular, the video for The Pixies' "Velouria," but Hot Tip's new video for "Human Cage" is pretty much in the same vein....
Alleys Post Wordy New Music Video
Alleys get existential in their new video for "Can't You Just Make Fun of the Way I Talk Again...?" Singer/drummer Sebastian Cichon literally faces himself in a minimalistic video featuring the two-piece's riffy emo/skramz. Cichon's distinctive Sprechgesang is equally...
Tonight: Matisyahu
Buffalo welcomes Matisyahu back to Town Ballroom as he takes his "Built to Survive" tour across North America to promote his latest album, the critically acclaimed Akeda. Streaming online now, the album is his most self-searching and raw release to date. Akeda is the...
Just Announced: Diarrhea Planet
Raucous Nashville sextet, Diarrhea Planet, will be taking over the newly re-opened Mohawk Place on a usually sedated Monday, next month on October 27th. Currently on tour with Jeff the Brotherhood (although not at the Buffalo gig), DP was getting some serious buzz...
Hannah Weidner – Comfortable Existence
Rochester is having a good September as far as buffaBLOG is concerned. Earlier this month we saw the release of Cottage Jefferson’s fantastic new album B-Side, which deservingly snagged the blog’s first Album of the Week spot of September. This week we have another...