Latest Posts

Father John Misty at Canalside (07/26/18)

July 30, 2018

Three years after his last appearance at the Town Ballroom, Father John Misty made his triumphant return to Buffalo. Since his last appearance in 2015, Mr. Tillman and crew have released two critically acclaimed full length records, 2017’s Pure Comedy, and 2018’s God’s Favorite Customer.  The sizeable crowd in attendance was treated to a handful of tracks from both of those records, as well as a bunch off of his first two full lengths under his Father John Misty moniker. Supported by his tight backing band, Tillman went all in with his infamous showmanship, seemingly to frantically preach to the crowd at points, begging and pleading. Highlights included a stunning performance of “Bored in the USA,” closing out the main set with an insanely grandiose rendition “I Love You, Honeybear,” and kicking off the encore with “Real Love Baby”, equal parts sweet and soaring.  Over the course over his 20[...]

Tailor Made Festival at Canalside (09/02/17)

September 5, 2017

This past Saturday, Fanbassador threw it’s inaugural Tailor Made Festival at Canalside.   The festival featured local acts Bill $aber and Dolo Chillin, as well as countless touring acts, including Smokepurpp, Waka Flocka Flame, Keys N Krates, DVBBS, 2 Chainz, and Travis Scott.  Even with the unfortunate cancellation of one act, PNB Rock, as well as a temporary loss of power on stage, stellar sets from all of the acts made the festival one of the more memorable shows at Canalside this year.  Check out some photos from the day below, shot by blog photographer, Brendan O’Connor. Smokepurpp Waka Flocka Flame Keys N Krates DVBBS 2 Chainz Travis Scott

Kerfuffle at Canalside (06/17/17)

June 23, 2017

This past Saturday, Alternative Buffalo continued the tradition of their annual Kerfuffle festival at Canalside. The local radio station started the festival in 2014, which takes place at Canalside during the summer, and Key Bank Center in the winter. Canalside was packed to the brim, as this year’s lineup was probably their strongest yet, featuring acts such as OK Go, Frank Ferdinand, Dashboard Confessional, and more. Check out some photos from the day below, shot by blog photographer, Brendan O’Connor. Bob Moses OK Go  Franz Ferdinand Grouplove Dashboard Confessional 

Public Enemy at Canalside (6/23/16)

July 12, 2016

It has been said that in this materialistic, over commercialized and warring world that we live in, that the music offered to the masses is dull, corporate and without voice or purpose. The cult of celebrity is upon us and it ceases to be about what we say & how we say it.  More often than not we are concerned with how we look and how others perceive us. We are measured by how many Twitter followers we have and by the amount of photographs we post on Instagram. Words are still powerful weapons but only when delivered by the right voice, speaking with utmost clarity & conviction. Since their formation over 30 years ago, the message from Public Enemy has been both loud & clear –  one love, nonviolence and brotherhood. These words were laid down unflinchingly Thursday night at Canalside in Buffalo as people of all colors came[...]

Charles Bradley @ Canalside (6/9/16)

June 28, 2016

The 2016 Canalside season kicked off in extraordinary style on Thursday, June 9th. One of the more interesting shows at the venue over the past couple years went down as Charles Bradley & the Extraordinaires provided a soulful experience for the enthusiastic crowd. Bradley’s set started with a sharply dressed backing band laying down a midtempo soul-funk foundation while the frontman was introduced by the bandleader and sashayed on stage. The set was littered with autobiographical tales hitting on heavy subjects: the songs played on Thursday hit on heartache, social injustice, and his lengthy, humanizing struggle to make for himself the blessed life he now leads. Bradley knows how to work an audience into a frenzy using all of the natural tools at his disposal: his serpentine arms and legs, his always-in-motion ass, and, oh yeah, a voice that could stop a bulldozer in its tracks. Let’s hope this is[...]

Frank Turner at Canalside (6/16/16)

June 17, 2016

Last night, Buffalo showed up for folk / alt rock act Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls. Frank Turner’s ability to work the crowd shined through,  as by the end of the night, everyone near the stage at Canalside seemed to be having the time of their lives.   While a ton of people showed up, not TOO many people showed up (looking at you Matt & Kim), making the show a pleasant experience for all. With an opening set from alternative rock act July Talk, this was another stellar free Canalside show for the books.  Check out shots from the show below, and click HERE for a full gallery. July Talk Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls

Just Announced: twenty one pilots

October 26, 2015

Despite not knowing for sure if concerts will even be happening at Canalside next summer, promoters and talent buyers are moving until told otherwise by the Common Council and have booked alt radio mainstays twenty one pilots to play the waterfront venue on Tuesday, June 21st. The Columbus pair’s Buffalo visit will be one of the non-free, potentially soon-to-over Thursday at Canalside shows. While I support shows remaining at Canalside, if the Common Council wants to find some kind of middle ground and move this one as far away from the city as possible, then where can I sign up to help scout new locations? Tickets go on sale this Friday, October 30th, for $30.50. If spending over $30 to catch this group is up your alley, god bless you,

Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

October 14, 2015

The Buffalo News via Buffalo.com reported Wednesday that the Common Council unanimously voted Tuesday to eventually move the wildly successful Canalside Concert Series somewhere not Canalside, a move that might potentially kill off the long running concert series just when it’s getting good. Apparently complaints about noise, traffic, and unruly young people by Marine Drive Apartments residents proved sufficient to precipitate this shock move, and now Canalside concertgoers get to look forward to the series moving to the Outer Harbor or Lasalle Park, and truthfully, I don’t think the series can survive a move to either. Let’s be honest: while summer was great, it hasn’t been a good couple of weeks for the “fun crowd” in Western New York, with the oncoming change in bar closing time in Erie County, which is totally happening by the way (you’ve been warned), and now word of a Canalside Concert move to the[...]

Umphrey’s McGee w/Aqueous at Canalside (8/6/15)

August 7, 2015

Back on April 29th, local groove lords Aqueous announced that they would be opening for one of their favorite bands, Umphrey’s McGee, at Canalside, igniting an interesting twitter exchange. Dan Murawski of Orchard Park, an apparent Aqueous backer, wasted no time in proclaiming the group would “blow Umphrey’s out of the water, so get there early.” The following day, Umphrey’s keyboard player and founding member Joel Cummins responded with the joking reply “Umphrey’s suuuuuuuuucks so bad.” Although Murawski’s comment may have been a bit inflated, there was some truth to what he said. For one, this was absolutely a show to arrive early to and second, there is an argument to be made that when considering the time allotted to each band, Aqueous did more with their hour than Umphrey’s did with their two and a half. Working with a shorter than usual slot time, the Buffalo band still managed[...]

Iron & Wine w/ Ben Bridwell at Canalside (7/30/15)

July 31, 2015

As Samuel Beam and Ben Bridwell sidle on stage, they are received by a spirited yet collected crowd. Beam has this benevolent air about him while Bridwell has more of a boyish excitability (you can see this as his head flits back and forth at the mic and he attempts to dance). Beam, most commonly known under the moniker Iron & Wine, and Bridwell, vocalist of the staple indie-rock group Band of Horses, are undoubtedly two successful and prolific musicians in the indie/alt-folk scene of the past decade. So naturally, with their talents combined in a joint set, we expect great things. The duo’s friendship predates both of their main musical projects and the camaraderie is apparent. There’s a moment mid-show where they exchange coy laughs and joke about Hootie and the Blowfish being the only notable band out of South Carolina (both are also originally from SC). Beam takes[...]

Tonight: Iron & Wine w/ Ben Bridwell

July 30, 2015

My experiences at Iron and Wine visits to Buffalo over the years have been a bit mixed. Sam Beam’s sort of solo show (his sister was on hand to play cello) at Babeville’s Asbury Hall back in 2008, despite being rather beautiful, was down right sleep inducing while his face saving, big band backed performance at Town Ballroom in 2011 was quite possibly my favorite show at the venue that year. I missed his Spring Fest show at Buff State the following year, but I recall that being a solo show too, so maybe it was for the best. As for tonight, I think its safe to assume this show will be a busy one as Beam, a former Florida State film professor, takes on his biggest Buffalo audience yet at the Thursday at Canalside concert series with Band of Horses front man Ben Bridwell by his side. The pair[...]

Cake at Canalside (7/25/15)

July 27, 2015

In a summer that’s been made certifiably awesome by a whole bunch of shows from obscure bands in intimate locations like Mohawk, it was crazy refreshing to be able to sing the f***ing SHIT out of a bunch of songs that have weathered through my ever-changing tastes in music, and I’m sure I can’t be the only one with this train of thought. First of all, the intro. Who else but Cake has the gall to pre-construct a five minute, constantly building and never climaxing introduction to precursor their show with? It’s great, and I can’t find a Youtube clip, so you’ll just have to bear with me and probably go see Cake for yourself if you haven’t witnessed this gimmick yet. Then, the band walks out to the Kerfuffle crowd and with the first chord I easily recognize as “Sheep Go to Heaven,” the song that got me into[...]

Spoon at Canalside (6/25/15)

June 27, 2015

It goes without saying that there’s something exceptional about a band that’s been in the game for so long and still preserves a knack for consistency and relevance. In the case of Spoon, “in the game” translates to eight full length releases over the span of two decades, six singles peaking in the top 50 of US rock charts, music placement in over a dozen movies and television shows, and international tours galore. I imagine the band’s consistent success being attributed to the unique duality of their music. It has a classic rock ‘n’ roll feel to it and is poppy enough to reel in droves of both young and old. Spoon is like the quiet cool kid you knew from high school — somehow noticed by few and everyone at the same time — who undeniably wore his heart on his sleeve but disguised that sensitivity with a gritty[...]

Tonight: Spoon

June 25, 2015

Indie rock legends Spoon stop by Canalside tonight for the fourth week of free music down at the waterfront. In what is bound to be one of the highlights of the series, Britt Daniels and Jim Eno bring their nearly two-decade old band around for the first time in a long time. Spoon will no doubt be playing songs off of their most recent LP, 2014’s fantastic They Want My Soul. Also worth checking out before you head down to the harbor is the band’s cover of The Cramps’ “TV Set” that they recently performed on Conan (see below). July Talk will precede Spoon with Battle of the Jam Bands winner Tomorreaux kicking things off at 6PM. VIP passes are $40 as is the usual for these shows. For the rest of us, it’s free.

Arkells at Canalside (6/11/15)

June 12, 2015

After leaving the Arkells show at Canalside last night, it was difficult to decide who had had more fun: the band or the audience. Like poutine, Tim Horton’s, and everything else that’s considered “good” in Canada, Arkells have established themselves in the Buffalo culture. With roots in nearby Hamilton, Ontario, the band has seen its massive success in Canada transition smoothly into the American music scene. Of course, the band (made up of front man Max Kerman, Mike DeAngelis, Nick Dika, Tim Oxford, and Anthony Carone) is no stranger to Buffalo, or even to Canalside. Max spoke fondly of intimate shows performed in the city, like the one at Town Ballroom in April. He also reminisced about the first time they played at Canalside in 2011, when they opened for the Tragically Hip. Arkells’ ascent from opener to headliner in a four-year span mirrors their burgeoning success. Despite the Hip[...]