The Importance of Young Thug’s TV Debut
Last night on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, we saw perhaps the most meaningful performance in recent rap history, as it was the coming out party for a certain Thug. Young Thug has been making waves with some of the best party songs of the last two years, as well...
Tonight: Girl Talk
Tonight, Pittsburgh mash-up guru, Girl Talk (aka Gregg Gillis), brings his brilliant dance party back to Buffalo for a highly anticipated show at Canalside. A party for the body and the mind, Gillis creates a full on sensory overload experience that also manages to...
Future Islands
A about a month or so ago, we were reached out to by Visit Pittsburgh, the Steel City's travel bureau, inviting us down to the city this weekend for something called a Quad City Blogger Tour. Bloggers from Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Columbus - the Quad Cities...
Tonight: Boris
It's not often that an experimental, Japanese metal trio receive the kind of hype that Boris has been showered with. After all, they are decidedly rock (in decidedly un-rockist times) and the words "experimental" and "trio" in the rock idiom are usually attached to...
Tonight: Humminbird
Rock on down to Electric Avenue tonight to catch the avant-garde folk of Chicago’s Humminbird. Normally featuring the ethereal vocals of Muyassar Kurdi and the decisive finger picking of Matthew Schneider on guitar, Kurdi will ride solo this evening with a sound...
Tonight: Rough Francis
Burlington, Vermont isn’t a place that makes you think of punk rock. Visions of Canadian borders, beautiful open skies, hiking, babbling brooks that just won’t shut up, and green pastures, maybe. But punk rock? No. Never. However, if your father and uncles made up the...
buffaBLOG Premiere: Work Drugs – “Free To Roam”
We've been a fan of Work Drugs at buffaBLOG since their 2011 sleepy dream-pop single, "Rad Racer," so we were beyond excited to jump on an opportunity to premiere their latest single, "Free To Roam." The band is comprised of electro-pop, Philadelphia-by-way-of-...
Tonight: Vaggie Fest – Day 1
So in case you have been living underneath a rock, or in a sinkhole, you probably already know that there is a ‘lady band’ fest going on this weekend, under the very fitting title of Vaggie Fest. Instead of a single day festival, which for the past three years has...
Tonight: Ghost Dads
Get your dancing shoes ready for some weirdly awesome punk rock. Tonight at 6pm, a smattering of bands will take the stage at Spiral Scratch Records, ranging from surf-jam to hardcore, in support of Pennsylvania's Ghost Dads. Hailing from Kutztown, Ghost Dads bring...
Son of the Sun’s Zak Ward Drops First Single From Upcoming EP
After quietly disbanding late last year, members of Buffalo's longtime act, Son of the Sun, have gone in a couple different directions. Drummer Brandon Delmont recently released a fantastic album along with fellow, former Girlpope member Mark Norris under the moniker...
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib – “Harold’s”
Simplicity is one of the characteristics that turned Piñata (AKA Cocaine Piñata) into one of the consensus, best rap releases of the year. Freddie Gibbs' raps were simple, hard gangsta talk. Madlib's beats were usually no more than a simple, buttery loop on repeat....
Small Smalls Releases Minute Long “Poolside” Jam
After remaining quiet for most of the summer, minimalist synth-pop act, Small Smalls, has resurfaced this morning with the quickest poolside jam you will find in Buffalo this year. Clocking in at just over a minute, "Poolside" has a frantic Small Smalls channeling Le...
Lord Nathaniel
This past Sunday over on Baynes, Boston's experimental,electronic musician, Lord Nathaniel, set up shop in the West Side attic for the latest installment of our co-presented Wonk Sesh series. Filmed as always by electro wunderkind Lesionread, the hypnotic performance...
Tonight: The Found
The Found don't play all that much these days. With members relocating out of the city, it's rare to come across a local, or any gig for that matter, from Buffalo's psych infused garage rockers. But the planets aligned just right this evening, so head over to...
Contribute to Desire Will Set You Free
Berlin. The LGBTQ community. Punk rock spirit. These are some of the common threads of the upcoming film from Yony Leyser (William S. Burroughs: A Man Within), Desire Will Set You Free, slated for release in Spring 2015. Straight from the press release, Desire...
Just Announced: New Found Glory
On Tuesday, October 21st, many Buffalonians in their mid-20s will have a flashback to spiked bangs, Billabong shirts, and Dickies shorts as 90s punk-pop heavyweights, New Found Glory, will be bringing their "The Glamour Kills Tour" to the Town Ballroom. Tickets go on...
Tonight: Drake vs Lil Wayne
Drake and Lil Wayne are kicking off their tour locally tonight so we can all hang with the Young Money Club and see the saddest twenty-something of Toronto in action. A new Street Fighter themed trailer for the tour’s associated smartphone app even seems to promise...
Genesee Live Debuts New Session feat. Mike Brown
After a short breather, Genesee Live, Rochester's live session series, returned late yesterday afternoon with a new installment featuring folk musician, producer, and Grammy nominee, Mike Brown. Shot at Brown's Temperamental Recording Studio, a renovated country...
Cleanse光777 – 6怪談
A Buffalo producer that goes by the moniker Cleanse光777 has released an EP packed with darkly manipulated vocal samples, delay effects, and droning melodies. Sonically, the tracks are reminiscent of releases put out by Triangle Records, a label noted for a coherent...
Buffalo Sex Change Releases New Music Video
One of the new, WNY releases that we are eagerly awaiting in the blog offices is the debut LP from Rochester, post-punk duo, Buffalo Sex Change. Set to be released tomorrow on 585-based label, Dadstache Records, the album currently has three songs available to stream...
Spoon’s They Want My Soul
After reading a few advance reviews of Spoon’s new album, it’s become apparent that one of the main storylines writers have latched onto is how this is a relatively difficult album to write about. This seems to be for two reasons. First, because Spoon has so...
Can We Still Believe In Weezer?
So a few weeks ago Weezer released a new single and... it's actually pretty good. If you haven't heard "Back To The Shack" yet, I'd recommend checking it out. It's catchy as hell and it displays the sense of humor that has always been one of Rivers Cuomo's strong...
Tonight: Wonk Sesh feat. Lord Nathaniel
The latest Wonk Sesh taping will take place tonight over at 362 Baynes. Shot and edited by Lesionread, this co-presented series aims to capture some (usually) electronic, left-of-the-dial touring acts stopping in Buffalo. Tonight's taping will be headlined by Boston...
Watch The Tins’ Making Of Video For “Let It Go”
Buffalo new wavy pop trio, the Tins, are currently on the road supporting their recent EP, Young Blame. I believe at the time of this writing, they are somewhere up in the Pacific North-West. The EP, and in particular, current single "Let It Go," have been getting...
Issa Gold – Conversations with a Butterfly
Issa Gold (formerly Issa Dash) is a Flatbush rapper who joined fellow rapper AK in forming the Underachievers. The two are members of the Beast Coast collective along with Pro Era (Joey Bada$$' crew) and the Flatbush Zombies. The Underachievers identify themselves as...
Tonight: Queen City Cartel Presents Boombox 004
It's a sucker free zone at the Queen City Cartel Boombox parties. The fourth session will take place tonight in the backroom at Hardware, featuring music from Miosi, Jolly Wailer and NSFW. [soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/76932595"...
Tonight: Blessed State & Worn Leather
The show must go on at The Flower House tonight. New Haven's Worn Leather and Western Massachusetts's Blessed State are coming to town, supported by locals Radical Operations. This was originally a five band bill, with four touring bands descending upon our sleepy...
Disco Infiltrator: July 31st
Dark Sky - "Odyssey" London electronic trio Dark Sky have been fairly prolific so far this year, with two excellent tracks appearing on the Mister Saturday Night compilation Brothers and Sisters in addition to an upcoming 12" single, "Silent Fall," out on August 15th....
California Cousins Release Limited Edition Tour EP
Fresh off of a huge show with Pentimento and currently on a summer tour, California Cousins have just released a new three-song demo. The Rochester emo band has been on our radar since the dissolution of the now-defunct buffaBLOG favorite, Keeler. This set of songs is...
Girl Talk
Mashup master Girl Talk is so gracious that he thanked *me* for doing this interview, as if the opportunity to talk with the world traveling beatmaker isn't one of my not-so-secret hopes and dreams. The last time I saw Girl Talk (government name: Gregg Gillis) was on...
Lesionread Shares Latest Track, Preps Next Wonk Sesh
Going under the working name of "Jordan," although technically untitled, the latest track and live staple from electro wunderkind Lesionread (aka Shawn Lewis/Sean Louis), is a nervy, four-on-the-floor jam. Those who have seen the former art student's show over the...
Janelle Monae – “Electric Lady”
This fine new clip for "Electric Lady" from Atlanta r&b and soul starlet, Janelle Monae, is so great I even forgive the sorority/fraternity theme. An homage to School Daze, Cooley High, and 80's Janet Jackson videos, "Electric Lady" features step dancing, an...
Facility Men Release New Four Song Collection, Futility Men
It really goes without saying that Buffalo’s punk / hardcore scene has been, and still is, one of the best around. From hardcore vets Snapcase and trailblazers Every Time I Die to the raw sounds of newer bands like Pentimento and The Traditional, B-town is home to...
JOYWAVE Makes Network TV Debut on Late Night with Seth Meyers
After the explosion of their 2013 track "Tongues" and a couple of opening gigs for the Killers, Rochester's JOYWAVE continued their excellent 2014 last night as the band made their network television debut on Late Night with Seth Meyers. The electro pop quintet, led...
Tonight: Hallowed Bells
Tonight at the Electric Avenue, Hallowed Bells will be gracing the crowd with lush, twinkling, synthesizer melodies, organ raptures, and steady rhythms. The two-piece Philadelphia outfit creates the kind of otherworldly music that calls to mind the sky, sentient...
Ezamädi Releases New Fire Following Performance at Teamwork 2014
Back on the 20th, he performed with Chae Hawk and Nameless at Teamwork 2014, and earlier this week, Buffalo rapper Ezamädi released the new track, "Coltrane." Just the second song we've heard from him on his soundcloud, Ezamädi's baritone voice speculates on...
Orcales – Divination
There is something so satisfying about exploring the darker side of things. From Houston, Texas, Leroy Bella - monikered SINES - has released the Divination compilation, under the Oracles label. The compilation features a variety of artists that bring a heavier and...
Column 11: Buffy Goes to the Bronze
In a very strong example of being late to the game, I’ve finally started watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer (thanks, Netflix). I’m only two seasons in so far, but the Scoobie gang’s hangout, the Bronze, is already as endearing to me as it was to the millions of fans...
Kerfuffle at Canalside (7/26/14)
This past Saturday, Buffalo's infant radio station, Alternative Buffalo 107.7, debuted their inaugural Kerfuffle on a crowd of thousands down at Canalside in spectacular fashion. The one-day music festival had a lot going in its favor that day: nearly rain free...
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – Hypnotic Eye
When you woke up on the morning of Tuesday, July 29th, 2014, you might have noticed that the grass was a bit greener, and the air was a bit cleaner. There's an easy explanation for that: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers released a new album! Ok, that might be a bit...
Tonight: La Luna
Nothing quite like a perfectly curated bill. Tonight at the Glitterbox: Calgary's La Luna, supported by Sperm, Hot Tip, Fleshy Mounds and Alpha Hopper. These bands really are five fingers on one hand, whatever that means. La Luna is about 80 percent brutal assaults,...
Jenny Lewis – The Voyager
“The voyager is in every boy and girl, / if you want to get to heaven / get out of this world.” On July 29th, Jenny Lewis released her first solo effort, The Voyager, since the sensual alt-country album Acid Tongue of 2008. I expect a lot from Jenny Lewis. I expected...
Tonight: RADARADA
Combining jazzy live instrumentation with dexterous, melodic lyricism, Buffalo hip hop outfit RADARADA have quickly caught on as one of the most intriguing new groups to emerge locally as of late. Their excellent debut, First Edition, received album of the week honors...
SW/MM/NG – “All I Want”
If you were one of the few people who caught Arkansas five piece, SW/MM/NG, last fall at Nietzsche's, you were treated to one of indie rock's best up and coming acts. Nearly a year later, the band is prepping the release of their forthcoming debut LP, Feel Not Bad, as...
Tonight: Morning Arms
Tonight, buffaBLOG's favorite basement venue, the Ninth Ward (341 Delaware Ave.), will play host to dreamy indie Chicago sextet, Morning Arms. The band's sound is comparable to a female-fronted Ra Ra Riot with a morphined Los Campesinos. For a local touch, Applenium...
Buffalo Vaggie Fest
I’m sure you have seen the flyer. I’ve seen it everywhere, from Black Dots Record Boutique to the Elmwood Market, from Spot Coffee to Amy’s Place. The flyer depicts any man’s worst fear, especially if they’ve seen the campy B-horror film Teeth. Needless to say, it’s...
Have Mercy – “Let’s Talk About Your Hair”
Normally we try to feature brand new music videos, but some unfortunate events happened in Buffalo this weekend and we felt like an exception should be made. Topshelf Records band Have Mercy was robbed Saturday night while they were staying in Buffalo. Although they...
Mikaela Davis at Buffalo Iron Works (7/25/14)
This was a show that our fair city had waited six months for. Mikaela Davis was scheduled to come to the Tralf on January 3rd, but the show was canceled due to a pipe bursting at the venue. The weeks and months continued to build up, and we were left to wonder if the...
Kerfuffle at Canalside (7/26/14)
Considering that Alternative Buffalo 107.7 is only nine months old, it's a bit of a miracle that their inaugural one day festival was as much a success as it was. After gestating for three full trimesters, the fledgling radio station has given birth to something that...
Tonight: Buffalo Vaggie Fest Benefit DJ/Dance Party
Planning a festival is not easy. Having just spent the last 6 months stressing over our first annual Herd Fest, I don't want to think about the next installment for some time. It was a blast, but a breather is needed. Another area music festival that is quickly...