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Alpha Hopper – Let Heaven and Nature Sing

September 8, 2014

The title of Alpha Hopper’s Let Heaven and Nature Sing hints at harmony and order, and despite the fuzz and the dissonance, the album churns like a fantastic machine, pistons and gears lifting and pulling in sync. The two main drivers: the jagged, restless guitar work of John Toohill and Ryan McMullen and the stressed-out, frustrated vocals of Irene Rekhviashvili. Drummer Doug Schneider is no slouch either, holding things together behind the noise. But it’s the interplay between Rekhviashvili’s strung-out shouts and the guitars’ driving crunches that gives Let Heaven and Nature Sing much of its character. Take opener “Western Walk.” It starts off with an uneven stomp of a guitar riff which mimics the heavy steps of a drunk on a mission. Before your ear can adjust to the rhythm, Rekhviashvili comes in with her own off-kilter croon, filling spaces you didn’t even realize were there, drawing out and[...]

Tonight: Punk N’ Tots

August 28, 2014

What’s new pussy cat? Not much, just Punk N’ Tots at Broadway Joe’s. Well it’s not really new, however, what is new is the Alpha Hopper/Hot Tip tour which kicks off tonight, as if you needed another reason go see some west side punk and munch on tater tots. The mini four day jaunt will take Alpha Hopper and Hot Tip to Brooklyn, Providence, and Ithaca, but not before kicking things off tonight in Buffalo. Also on the bill tonight will be BLOBS, which will be bringing the out-there shit for all you freakazoids out there. What else would you expect from a band who is compiled of members from Bad People and Fleshy Mounds? Additionally there will be the new outfit, Space is Haunted, as well as False Paul’s final show. Doors at 9pm, 18+, so make sure you bring your ID, even if you do look like a drunken[...]

Tonight: Vaggie Fest – Day 1

August 7, 2014

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 been happening at the Polish Library on the East Side of Buffalo, year five of Vaggie Fest will be expanded to three days. Day one starts this evening at Broadway Joe’s as part of their Punk N Tots series, returning to Joe’s again tomorrow night, followed by the festival concluding at Ocean Garden Oriental Foods on Saturday afternoon over on Niagara Street. Tonight at Broadway Joe’s, three day passes will be available for $20 (or $7 if you can only make tonight), which will get you a cool handmade ticket and a shiny bracelet if you so choose to indulge[...]

Tonight: La Luna

July 30, 2014

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, 20 percent breakdowns and breathing room (maybe it’s more of a 90/10 split, 95/5, hard to say). The result: you aren’t necessarily drowning in noise, but you’re definitely getting waterboarded. That description stands for Sperm as well. I think so, anyway: we’re being treated to a “new lineup, new Sperm,” so it could be light beer and Simon & Garfunkel for all I know. Doubt it, though: their last tape (released in February) is still sitting on my desk and it still grinds with the best of ’em. Hot Tip, you guessed it, still rules, and if you’ve somehow missed ’em up to this point, you’re[...]

Tonight: Yi

May 26, 2014

As a wise person (at the top of the Facebook event) said, “Buffalo rools cuz there are a lot of gigs every week : ^ ).” He was teasing this week’s Punk ‘N Tots show over at Broadway Joe’s, but I’m going to steal his words to tease tonight’s show at Black Dots, featuring Oakland’s Yi, along with Alpha Hopper and Blackie & the Vanilla Sex. Right off the heels of yesterday’s doubleheader (which, at the time of writing, will be kicking off in a few hours), Black Dots is hosting another noisy, rock ‘n roll style extravaganza. YI will be visiting us on the third date out of their tour supporting their new release, Crying. Give it a listen. They’re some fuzzy punks that have the ability to bust out Yuckish pop (see “Going Dumb”), melodic, Cheap Trickish breaks (see “The Bus”) and harder fare that will make your[...]