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Tonight: Blis.

June 9, 2018

Last minute show alert! Atlantan midwest-twinkle act Blis. is swinging through tonight to play a passionate set of guitar-driven emo/rock to us Buffalonians… Joining them are NJ act Puddle Splasher, who play equally emotive (but occasionally synth/fuzz tinged) emo rock. They’re bolstered by some of Buffalo’s finest, including math-emo prodigies Alleys, shoegazy-emo act Previous Love, and solo act Milo Duhn. Tonight’s show is at 7pm at Milkie’s. Bring $5-$10 for a donation. No One Loves You by blis

Alleys Release Farewell EP, Sliver of Great

January 9, 2018

Buffalo trio Alleys are in a strange place, figuratively speaking of course. Drummer/vocalist Sebastian Cichon recently moved about as far across the country as possible… About 3,000 miles to be exact. But mere distance couldn’t stop Alleys from releasing their latest and final(?) offering, a four-song EP titled Sliver of Great, recorded at GCR studios with Jay Zubricky. If you aren’t familiar with Alleys, they’ve perfected the art of mathy pop-punk with tinges of emo, twinkle, skramz, and any other sub-genre you might be able to think of. Opening track “Strange Things Are Afoot At The Circle K” is a wonderful waltz that highlights Alleys’ strong attention to syncopation. At just over two minutes in length, the song presents as one long crescendo, exploding into a fuzzed-out ending, supplemented perfectly by a disgustingly dirty bass tone. “Have Fun Being Married to Satan” is another two minute banger that finds Alleys exploring a more upbeat sound, pairing spitfire vocals with an[...]

Tonight: Ghost Slime

June 12, 2017

It’s a beautiful Monday in June… What better way to ring in the evening than to support your local DIY scene and catch some top-tier math punk courtesy of Ohio punx Ghost Slime and Backtalk? Buffalo emo kingpins Alleys are also going to shred this evening, as well as a potential last-minute TBA announcement. This is sure to be a night of passion, emotion, and unstoppable riffage. Tonight’s show is at Milkies. Bring $5 so you can walk in the door, and that way, the bands can also get paid. Human Stories by GHOST SLIME

Tonight: Taking Meds

May 13, 2017

Sewing Souls is set to be a real rager with a stacked bill this evening. Coming out from Rochester will be math-rock/pop-punk outfit, Taking Meds. The band released their full-length debut record, My Life as a Bro recently and are an intoxicating cocktail mixture of math-rock elements with just a bit of punk/pop sound to keep things groovy. Filling out the night’s roster are Alleys, a punk/emo group that showcase solid guitar compositions and a high octane energy, Passed Out, who just released their newest single, “the inverse is true,” and Slow Cooker, who always bring it with fast, solid tunes that mash up surfer rock that sounds like it’s been dragged through the mud and back. The night’s tunes start at 8pm. Cover is $3. My Life as a Bro by Taking Meds

Today: Such Gold

October 8, 2016

This afternoon Rochester-based punk act, Such Gold, will be playing a super early matinee show at Mohawk Place. The band has become a staple of the pop-punk scene over the past seven years, most recently re-releasing their cherished 2009 introduction, Pedestals. Fans of Millencolin, Four Years Strong, and Polar Bear Club should definitely make afternoon plans.  Also on the bill is local support from the always angular Alleys and emo act Subtle Words along with retro-rock Canadians Big School.  Doors are are 4pm and there is a $10 cover. Don’t put this one off because it ends by 8pm, just in time for NIght Slaves’ album release.

Tonight: Tiny Moving Parts

May 31, 2016

Tonight, Waiting Room once again proves it is the place to be for staked emo gigs as Minnesota’s Tiny Moving Parts will be making yet another stop in Buffalo,  this time in support of their newest release, Celebrate.  Also making a repeat stop will be indie-emo act Prawn, along with Nashville’s Free Throw. Tonight is the night to get sad. Doors open at 6:30pm with a showtime of 7pm, and local act Alleys will be kicking the show off. Tickets are only 14 bucks at the door.

Tonight: Oso Oso

March 9, 2016

The West Side is the place to be tonight for lovers of all things emo.  Following a stop at Sugar City last year, Long Beach emo outfit Oso Oso will be rolling back through Buffalo, to DIY spot The Lair. The band is in the midst of a spanning, two month tour of the United States, and are bringing along Albany young guns Prince Daddy and the Hyena, who let me tell you, are the real deal. I do not use the term stacked gig lightly, and I can assure you, this is a stacked gig.  Kicking the night off is local emo / pop punk act Alleys, who just put out a 7″ split on Running Around Records.   Closing the show out will be local emo vets Del Paxton.  The boys are sure to give you a taste of their new LP, out on Topshelf Records later this year, as well as[...]

Alleys Release New Live Session

October 20, 2015

Alleys are some of Buffalo’s most prominent twinkle daddies (aka emo dudes who utilize “sparkly,” tap-heavy guitar parts). Needles to say, the twinkle skill of groups’ members are demonstrated quite clearly in their new Chrome Session video, featuring footage that was captured at their show at Chrome Industries in Minneapolis. Mysterious guitarist Alex Ryan’s tapping is particularly hypnotizing, emphasized further by drummer Sebastian Cichon’s nimble drum work. Also, despite officially being a two piece, this video features the integral bass work of Tom Bryant. If you don’t have a full 28 minutes to spare, I recommend the particularly hooky song at 24:15 to start. Check out the riffage below.

Tonight: Take One Car

May 30, 2015

Sugar City is set to welcome Connecticut post-hardcore outfit, Take One Car, to the venue’s newly built stage early this evening. The band’s latest album, Everyone You Know is Here Right Now, was released early this spring through Broken World Media, and should appeal to fans of mewithoutYou or even The Slums if you want a local spin. Rounding out tonight’s bill are Steel City screamo act, Skull Kid, local emo group, Alleys, (set to take off on a new tour right around the corner), and the fresh Buffalo pop/punk trio, THICK WINTER BLUD. The all ages, substance free show will kick off around 7pm with a cover of $6 at the door.

Prawn

Tonight: Prawn

May 25, 2015

I saw a separate Prawn/Del Paxton show last March at The Lair, and it was an experience I can most closely (and I guess weirdly) compare to cracking a fresh egg on the rim of a frying pan. It was my first time seeing Del Paxton live, my first time really getting into Prawn, and I was genuinely excited about everything I was hearing. The show did not disappoint. If you weren’t at that show last year, fear not. Prawn and Del Paxton are headlining Dreamland tonight. Prawn’s post-rock sound is hypnotic, but not without inciting some type of visceral response, which makes for the perfect type of band to see in such an intimate setting. Del Paxton has recently joined the Topshelf family along with Prawn, and it is a well deserved membership. I’m consistently impressed with the trio’s live set and I’ve seen these guys a handful of times[...]

Tonight: The Traditional CD Release

January 24, 2015

In case you missed our Album of the Week nod, tonight is your best chance to figure out what The Traditional is all about. On second thought, The Traditional actually is that hard to figure out – it’s passionate, simple emo music in the same vein as Bayside or Taking Back Sunday. Tonight’s show celebrates the release of the foursome’s debut full length, How To Live Without Blood. It also celebrates years of self-booked tours, relentless promotion, and a record deal. Supporting The Tradish tonight are Tresspassers, Alleys, The Slums, and Younger Then (whose name was inspired from an older Traditional song). Tickets are $10, we’ll see you at the Studio at the Waiting Room at 6:00.

Alleys Post Wordy New Music Video

September 22, 2014

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 heartfelt and heartbreaking over Alex Cadwalladder’s nimble guitar – recommended for fans of TWIABP or Nai Harvest… Just no matter what, don’t accuse these guys of being WR.

Alleys Release Sophomore EP, One Day I’ll Find A Solution To All Of My Problems

July 24, 2014

Buffalo NY’s Alleys are a band that embraces sadness, and judging by the recent successes of quasi-discordant emo bands like Dads or The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die, their new EP is bound to bring them places. Running Around Records has just released One Day I’ll Find A Solution To All Of My Problems, yet another great EP recorded at GCR with Jay Zubricky. The five-song EP highlights Alley’s penchant for hyper-depressing lyrics over blasts of clean-ish guitar and spastic drums (with only a hint of a bassist, who they tend to borrow from other Buffalo emo kingpins Figurehead). Check out the quick finger work in “Dusty Sings the Blues” below.

Tonight: Banquets and Placeholder

April 12, 2014

Tonight, Buffalo has a Black Numbers showcase to offer. Banquets will be coming through to visit (one of) our favorite local record stores alongside the equally emo, but ever-so-slightly grungier Placeholder. I’m positive I’m going to say the word “emo” several more times throughout this post, but hey, I’m not complaining. Its going to be a great show. Local support tonight comes from the dudes in Lancer (with a guest member from Brother Keep), as well as old-school emo support from Alleys (who have a similar connection to Buffalo emo-kingpins Figurehead). This one is an early one – $10 gets you into a show that ends by eight so you have time to party hard afterwards.