Nick Kivlen of Sunflower Bean
You probably wouldn't wholly believe me if I told you that Sunflower Bean, based out of Brooklyn, NY, has existed for a measly two-years-and-some-change and that all three members have either just broken into their 20's or are about to cross that landmark threshold...
The Naturalists
And to start your weekend off in a good way, we present to you the next installment of buffaBLOG Sessions. This time around, with the Naturalists. Craig Perno heads the band with twin brother Travis on the drums, accompanied by bassist Zach Russel. They’ve amassed a...
Intrepid Travelers
If you’re familiar with Intrepid Travelers, you probably know Jerry or have at least unknowingly been exposed to his presence. Jerry, a stuffed rainbow-striped monkey, functions as an unofficial mascot and source of spirited inspiration for the band. When I ask them...
The Wombats
It was eight years ago the Wombats burst onto the scene, just fresh-faced youngsters at the time armed with roaring guitars, hooks galore, and a cheeky sense of humor to them. Since then, the band's sound and popularity have only grown, with the group experimenting...
John Paul Pitts of Surfer Blood
Surfer Blood's career kind of seems like a one giant surfing metaphor. They hit the ground running in 2010 with the help of the CMJ Music Marathon and have continued to tour and consistently release quality material since then. From playing huge bills like the ATP...
Potty Mouth
Prior to their set tonight at Mohawk Place opening for Screaming Females, we had a chance to chat with the vocalist/guitarist Abby and bassist Ally of Western Massachusetts trio, Potty Mouth. With a new self titled EP released this August, the three piece has been...
Meric Long of The Dodos
After six full-length albums and 10 years under their belts as The Dodos, Meric Long (guitar, vocals) and Logan Kroeber (drums, percussion) have something to be proud of. The duo crafts a signature strain of rhythmic indie rock, lying heavily on technical proficiency...
Jana Hunter of Lower Dens
Baltimore's Lower Dens have carefully balanced experimental, cerebral inclinations with a strong melodic sensibility throughout their career. Their third LP, Escape From Evil, released earlier this year on Ribbon Music, finds the band in full-fledged pop territory,...
Stephen Floyd of One Percent Press
It's no secret that Buffalo's DIY community is an absolute force. Between the multitude of local labels and the wide-ranging artists and musicians that work hard to bring their craft to the forefront, the DIY ethic in our city is ever-strengthening. One of the more...
M.A.G.S.
M.A.G.S. is the main project of Elliott Douglas, the multi-faceted Buffalo musician who has been a member of, by his count, about 14 different bands in the area over the years. Somehow distantly related to Jimi Hendrix, through marriage or something like that (you can...
Planet Three
Planet Three is a band best described by drummer Nathan Zak in a craftily worded Facebook message to us: "From a farm laden land known as Marilla, three musicians lived less than a mile from each other for nearly a decade until they formed the lizard rock outfit...
Aqueous
Aqueous is a successful Buffalo-born band and it’s hard to argue otherwise. Success, however, is such an imprecise concept these days. It can be boiled down to every individual musician having their own definition. Even then, it’s difficult to surmise that there’s...
Frame and Mantle
We have a new project for you, and it’s called buffaBLOG Sessions. The aim of this project is to take up-and-coming artists, whether they’re Buffalo born and raised or just passing through the area, and feature them in intimate locations around the city. Each...
Rebecca Ryskalczyk of Bethlehem Steel
Next week will see the return home of Rebecca Ryskalczyk, the front woman of the Brooklyn based, Fredonia bred indie trio Bethlehem Steel. The Buffalo born musician is currently on a solo tour that will bring her back to town for a pair of Infringement Festival dates....
Michael Tripi of Buffalo Beer Mug Co.
Last week, we had the chance to grab a pint with Buffalo Beer Mug Co. founder Michael Tripi at one of his old watering holes, Mohawk Place, to talk music and beer. Tripi’s company creates custom branded barware for local businesses and breweries. In addition to...
Blonde Redhead
Blonde Redhead is a band whose music speaks for itself. And sure, by definition, that is what being in a band is all about—writing, recording, and performing something worthwhile. Yet there exist so many artists today who build their reputations on a foundation of...
Five Questions with Kassie Carlson of Guerilla Toss
Editor’s Note: Local musician John Toohill (JOHNS, the Hamiltones, Alpha Hopper) will occasionally sit down with touring bands and ask them five questions. For his latest installment, he spoke with Kassie Carlson of Boston's Guerilla Toss, set to play Buffalo Sunday...
Alex Kerns of Lemuria
Tonight, our local indie rock heroes, Lemuria, will be playing at the Studio at Waiting Room with Tigers Jaw. I had a chance to exchange a few questions with Lemuria's drummer and Western New York native, Alex Kerns, about the bands history, future, and all things...
Lotus: Pioneers in a Gilded Age
After finishing up a seven week tour, Lotus is back on the road to celebrate over a decade of music, what they have dubbed The Gilded Age Tour. Jesse Miller gave us some insight on the band's evolution, process, and latest material. The group has grown not only as...
Ben Walsh of Tigers Jaw
Since it's inception in 2005, Tigers Jaw has become a mainstay in the punk/indie scene. After an armful of full-lengths, EPs, and splits, the band is still powering right through. This rings true to this day, despite the unexpected departure of three of the five band...
Solidisco
Considering that both members of the funky dance duo, Solidisco, were born and raised - even recorded material - here, it’s pretty strange to hear their show tonight at Waiting Room is their debut home performance. But that is what it is. Though the disco house duo...
Jordan Hudkins of Rozwell Kid
Since its 2014 new record, Too Shabby, Rozwell Kid has been making waves in the music community. Fresh off of a tour with The World is a Beautiful Place and I am No Longer Afraid to Die, Rozwell Kid is now hitting the road with You Blew It!, including a show with...
Zach Miller of Dr. Dog
Touring the US in support of their first live album, Live at Flamingo Hotel, Dr. Dog will bring their high-spirited folk rock to Buffalo again this year at the venerable Town Ballroom. After eight albums and a truckload of tours, the boys have undoubtedly hit a...
Cold Blood MMXV
Editor's Note: Guest interviewer, Ian Wardynski, recently caught up with Melody Seymour and Joshua Smith, co-founders and co-conspirators of COLD BLOOD MMXV, the first annual punk and hardcore fest set to take place January 17th at the Polish Library in sunny Buffalo,...
Cages
“Have you heard Cages?” Josh Smith asks. I shake my head no. “Oh they're awesome. They are this weird...I don’t even know how to describe it. It’s this avant-garde noise, neo-folk fusion of sorts. The first time I saw them was at the Sugar City Metro Show." When Smith...
Crying
What do you get when you mix a Gameboy, three musicians with a penchant for writing endearing indie music, and a heaping pile of dream-worthy nostalgia? This is not a rhetorical question. You get Crying. The indie-electronic outfit out of Harrison, NY is raising...
Nick Zammuto
Leaves cover the ground in a rural area of Vermont, where musician Nick Zammuto—known for the wildly collaged pop music he made with indie rock band The Books in the early 2000s, and for his heart-achingly beautiful and weird solo material—wakes up and feeds his kids....
Diarrhea Planet
Diarrhea Planet is the best rock band out of Nashville right now. And I realize 'rock' is a relative term, but you would be hard-pressed to find another band out there currently that embodies the spirit of rock and roll more than Diarrhea Planet does. Their...
Pile
Editor’s Note: Local musician John Toohill (JOHNS and Alpha Hopper) will occasionally sit down with touring bands and ask them some questions. For his latest installment, he spoke with Matt Becker of Boston's Pile, set to play Buffalo this Sunday, October 12th,...
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...