Latest Posts

Done Diggin’: Staff Grabs

April 19, 2015

Another Record Store Day came and went this past Saturday, and it turned out to be a great overall experience for many of us on staff here at the blog. The weather was fantastic, dozens of local bands were playing free shows all over Buffalo’s record shops, and we even bought some decent vinyl. Check out what a few of our writers had to say about Record Store Day 2015. Cliff Parks My football (soccer) team Arsenal was in the FA Cup semifinal, forcing me to bail on the prodigious line at the original Record Theatre at Main and Lafayette, which wasn’t specifically the end of the world because there weren’t too many RSD special releases this year that I considered “MUST HAVE.” Next year, hopefully I won’t such a conflict again, otherwise I’ll have to get in line at 5am like the brave souls at the head of the[...]

Today: Del Paxton

April 17, 2015

In case you’ve been ignoring our Still Diggin’ posts, today is Record Store Day.  As a sort of celebration, local independent record boutique Black Dots will be holding a show at the shop. Unlink every other show at Black Dots, instead of being held inside, the bands will play playing outside on a patio above the garage connected on the side of the shop. Genre wise, this showcase really hits all ends of the spectrum. Playing will be local indie lake-pop act, Bryan Johnson and Family,  avant-garde Black Dots signee, Cages, as well as indiemo rockers Del Paxton. This show will serve as the official release show for Del Paxton’s 7” split with Gulfer, out on Topshelf Records. The forecast is looking great for today, so its sure to be a great show.  If you have some spare time during your busy record store shoping,  Cages will be opening the[...]

Still Diggin’: Shopping Local

April 14, 2015

I remember beginning to buy and collect vinyl about four years ago. Sure, since then, my taste has changed vastly, but the reasoning for buying is still the same. There’s just something weird about owning a record, something that I can’t easily put into words, and it’s something that definitely seems to confuse a lot of people. For me, records have always been sort of a ritual for me in a way. Having to pull one off the shelf, open it up, and read the liner notes after dropping the needle is what draws me in. Simply put, it’s the involvement that listening to vinyl requires that makes it special, the involvement that that other formats lack. That involvement has drawn me in and turned record shopping into a real money sink, but a money sink that I love and has made music a truly special aspect of my life.[...]

Waxahatchee – Ivy Tripp

April 10, 2015

If there’s anything I’ve learned from listening to Waxahatchee’s music, it is that less is more. The acoustic, lo-fi sound that frontwoman Katie Crutchfield brought on her first record, American Weekend, was something very special. Recorded solo by Crutchfield in her bedroom, the lo-fi recording style made the record as a whole seem so humble, yet it managed to be so emotionally piercing. On her first record as Waxahatchee, Crutchfield more so proved herself as an absolutely incredible songwriter, even more so than she did her other projects, P.S Eliot and Swearin’. While both of those bands are great and shine in their own way, it is easy to tell that she really found her footing in Waxahatchee. Following American Weekend, Crutchfield released the band’s second full length, Cerulean Salt. On this record, she introduced a more cleaned up style of recording, prevalent drum sections, and electric guitars, bringing more of[...]

Alex Kerns of Lemuria

April 6, 2015

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 Buffalo related. buffaBLOG: Let’s start with a little history.  How did you and Sheena first meet and decide you wanted to start Lemuria? Alex Kerns: Sheena and I had been friends from high school, although we didn’t go to the same school. I went to Ellicottville and she went to Allegany, but the closest punk shows were in a town called Olean, NY. There were a lot of house shows and then eventually a place called Cobra La that brought through a lot of touring bands, even though it’s a pretty small city.  Sheena was learning how to play guitar and I was learning[...]

Death Grips – The Powers That B

April 3, 2015

There are very few bands that have as strong of a cult following as the controversial, experimental hip hop trio, Death Grips. Over its five year life span, DG has put out some incredibly genre defying music, even attracting the ears of one of the biggest names in the world of hip hop (I’m looking at you, Kanye). It seems that with countless cancelled tours and shows, shrouded release dates, and the wild goose chases fans have been led on, that Death Grips has been surrounded in controversy since the beginning. While I will fully admit that this kind of music is most definitely not for everyone, if you go into this with an open mind, it is easy to find the talent that Death Grips possesses. The group’s latest project, and supposedly its last, is the new double album, The Powers That B.  The first part, titled Niggas on[...]

Diarrhea Planet w/ Left and Right, Sleepy Hahas at Mohawk Place (3/30/15)

March 31, 2015

If you missed last night’s show, I am so, so sorry. Monday night, soon to be rock and roll legends, Diarrhea Planet, absolutely ripped apart Mohawk Place. You may remember when Nashville group did the same last year, being hailed as one of the best performances in Buffalo in 2014 by buffaBLOG writer Michael Morretti. DP definitely did not disappoint this time around either. Sleepy Hahas opened up the show with a very jam oriented set, featuring lots of psychedelic elements, as well as a lot of electronics and synthesizers. The set featured amazing custom lighting done by Shawn Lewis, aka local electrofreak, Lesionread. Following the Hahas was touring Philadelphia rock and roll act, Left and Right, who also put on an incredibly entertaining set of raucous garage rock While both opening acts were impressive, its no surprise that Diarrhea Planet commanded the night. There is just a certain energy[...]

Tonight: The Get Up Kids

March 25, 2015

The Get Up Kids are just one of those quintessential emo bands. They have had an everlasting effect on the scene, helping ushering in a new era of bands in the genre. Tonight, the long time group is bringing it’s tour to Buffalo with a sold out show at Waiting Room. You might remember last year when one of the opening bands, PUP, put on one of the most incredibly fun live sets played in Buffalo, period. Opening alongside with PUP is indie outfit Restorations. This is an incredibly stacked lineup that you won’t want to miss. Doors at Waiting Room will open tonight at 6:30pm.  If you didn’t get your hands on tickets, you might be out of luck as this show is already sold out, but if you scrounge Facebook this afternoon, you might be able to find a ticket for sale.

Torche w/ Nothing and WRONG at Mohawk Place (3/23/15)

March 25, 2015

It’s shows like this that really make me happy that Mohawk Place is back in action. There is just a certain vibe there that other venues downtown can’t really recreate. This past Monday,  Florida sludge rock titans, Torche, brought their tour to town, along with WRONG and Nothing. Torche and crew were one of the loudest shows I have ever been to, and it will also go down as one of my favorites. Not only was this the first show that I shot for the blog, but every single one of the bands seemed to be having a blast, even more so than usual. WRONG and Torche put on two of the heaviest sets I have seen in a long time, while Nothing put on easily the best live set of shoegaze music I have seen, period. WRONG NOTHING TORCHE Photos by Brendan O’Connor

Tonight: Torche

March 23, 2015

Following the release of its highly acclaimed February album, Restarter, Miami’s stoner/sludge metal heroes, Torche, makes its way to Buffalo tonight to Mohawk Place for a night full of riffing. Opening the show will be Florida band WRONG, followed by Philly shoegaze outfit Nothing. This is sure to be a very loud show, so bring your earplugs along to this one. Doors open at 8pm, and tickets are $17 at the door.  Beware though, as of this morning, there were only about 70 left, so try to make it as doors open.

Five Year Rewind: Staff Picks – Part 1

March 23, 2015

Since the blog debuted on March 28th, 2010, with a truly horrible post about a Passion Pit show (sorry Bill), our ever revolving staff of writers and contributors have spun hundreds of albums and songs, and attended more shows in and out of Buffalo than I dare to count. To commemorate our upcoming five year anniversary this Saturday night. we have assembled a cast blog writers from past and present, each discussing their favorite albums, songs, shows, and even some memories since the blog’s inception. Today is Part 1. – Mac McGuire Steven Gordon (Staff Writer) Favorite Album: Thee Oh Sees – Castlemania (2011) There are so many good things about Thee Oh Sees: an insane rate of musical output, notorious live performances, profoundly debauched aesthetics, and a propensity for gradual innovation despite inherent stylistic simplicity. The group started a decade or two ago as the artistic vehicle for guitarist/vocalist/flutist John Dwyer.[...]

Twin Shadow – Eclipse

March 19, 2015

After a delayed release date last year and a rescheduled tour, George Lewis Jr.’s new wave synth-pop outfit, Twin Shadow, is back with its third studio full length, Eclipse. On his latest release, Lewis really pushes the “pop” in synth-pop. He has definitely been leaning more towards this transition over time since his 80’s synthesizer filled new wave 2010 debut Forget to the 2012’s Confess, which featured more rock oriented instrumentals. The main appeal of the debut record was the incredibly simplistic approach to synth-pop Twin Shadow took. Everything was so smooth as Lewis’ vocals seemed to sort of ebb and flow along with the electronic drums and synthesizers, giving a distinct R&B type feel on many of the tracks. On Confess, Lewis went for a more grand approach, with similar verse structure to Forget, but as soon as the choruses hit, the vocals and instrumentals exploded. While most songs followed the similar instrumental[...]

Tonight: Defiance, Ohio

March 16, 2015

Tonight is the night. The wait is over. No more weird smells at Ocean Gardens. Sugar City is fully repaired and ready for action. To open up the musical side of the new venue, the DIY collective is hosting its first legal show tonight with a lineup headlined by folk-punk veterans Defiance, Ohio, on the road for the first time in two years, along with the touring bands Purple 7 and High Dive. For local talent, Mallwalkers will be bringing the funk punk as always, and Softlines will be opening up the show. You will want to get there on time, not only to check out the local bands, but also because there are over 200 people RSVP’ed to this show on facebook and the venue may hit capacity. Doors open at 6pm, and music starts at 7pm sharp, and the show will be over by 10pm. Entry is $8[...]

Tonight: Cursive

March 15, 2015

Following the deluxe reissue of their hugely popular album The Ugly Organ, indiemo heroes, Cursive, announced a spanning tour which reaches its near end at Mohawk Place tonight. Reviews from this tour have been nothing but positive. Opening the show will be first See Through Dresses, and then Beach Slang. If you caught Beach Slang last year at the Mohawk Place with Cheap Girls, you know that their set is not to be missed. Doors open at 8pm. If you did not snag tickets in advance, you’re out of luck. This show is completely sold out.

Just Announced: AWOLNATION

March 10, 2015

Just yesterday, alternative rock giants, AWOLNATION, announced a summer return to Western New York. After a successful show at the Rapids Theatre in Niagara Falls in 2013, the band will be back in support of its new album, Run (3/17), on Sunday, June 28th at Town Ballroom. Hearing a packed house at the Rapids all scream along the lyrics to the hit single “Sail” was one of the crazier concert experiences I’ve had, and I definitely look forward to seeing the AWOLNATION again. Take my word for it, this band can put on an incredible show. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 13th, at noon for $25 in advance and $30 day of show via Ticketfly.  A VIP meet and greet package will also be available.