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Tonight: Wavves

Cliff Parks — Fri, 19 May 2017 16:13:03 +0000

Beloved California surf rockers Wavves make their welcome return to Buffalo tonight at the Tralf with Chicago psych rockers Post Animal. It’s since six long years since Nathan Williams and company played the Town Ballroom and the band’s had some adventures: signing to Warner Brothers after the indie success with King Of The Beach and releasing two albums with them before totally falling out with Warners and returning to the indie world all pissed off and invigorated. Footloose and free, Wavves dropped their wonderfully wacky and adventurous sixth album You’re Welcome this very day in history, making tonight’s show even more special for local fans.

Chicago buzz band Post Animal opens the show, having just dropped their latest single “Special Moment” last week. The buzz surrounding them is noteworthy for a few reasons: 1) it’s entirely justified thanks to their dense and dreamy, Tame Impalaesque sound; and 2) part of the buzz is derived from the band’s Stranger Things connection, namely band member Joe (Steve Harrington) Keery. Everything gets going with doors opening at 7pm. Tickets are $20.

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Tonight: SMUG

Cliff Parks — Fri, 12 May 2017 17:07:20 +0000

Buffalo’s music scene is definitely fluid, with bands coming and going, frequent collaboration, and sometimes bands up and change names. Case in point: the reborn punk rock band Naturalists, now known as SMUG, who took a break, changed their sound, recorded a forthcoming debut album, and rebranded themselves with a nifty all caps name that’s got fans of Naturalists eager to see what’s next. What do these guys sound like now? Nobody knows but them, but the impenetrable mystery becomes clearer tonight at their debut show tonight the Mohawk with tuneful surf rock darlings Dreambeaches, punk rock machine The Slums, and space rock explorer Moody Cosmos. Doors at 8pm and cover is $5.

Wicked Dreams/ Grown Up by The Naturalists

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KOPPS Drop “Baby I’m Dead Inside”

Cliff Parks — Wed, 03 May 2017 06:00:46 +0000

Rochester electro darlings KOPPS are back with a new single that accurately/regrettably/inevitably captures the zeitgeist, the sweet electronic poison that is “Baby I’m Dead Inside.” Trading their trademark trashed glitz for simmering, low key electronic funk punctuated by crunchy, fuzzed out guitar riffs, KOPPS find a new brand new slowed down groove for Patricia Patrón’s sultry disco diva vocal stylings to bewitch the faithful into helpless submission. Check out “Baby I’m Dead Inside” below and keep an eye on KOPPS- they could be busy this year.

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Tonight: Cloud Nothings

Cliff Parks — Fri, 28 Apr 2017 14:28:35 +0000

Tonight Cleveland post punk garage rockers Cloud Nothings make a welcome return to Buffalo at the Tralf for their first local show in three years. These spirit brothers of the Rust Belt and their mighty, primal rock are back in support of their excellent fourth album Life Without Sound, a melodically complex turn that still retains the angst fueled howl that makes them on of the most captivating bands going right now. Your guess is as good as mine about who’s opening the show, but tickets are still available for $18, and doors open at 8pm.

UPDATED: According to Cloud Nothings Twitter feed the openers will be “some weird Cleveland ____” in the form of a band called Brainwashed California and “this guy” Adam Miller.

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Record Store Day 2017 is Tomorrow

Cliff Parks — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 16:30:30 +0000

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Record Store Day, the international celebration of vinyl, physical media and the indie record stores that sell returns tomorrow with celebrations happening locally at Buffalo’s surviving record shops. Whether you brave the early morning lines for the Record Store Day special goodies you’ve scouted in advance or plan on some leisurely shopping, bonhomie, and live music later in the day after the rush subsides, enjoy yourselves (“It’s a celebration!”) and be sure to spend some money to keep these treasured local resources going:

Record Theatre will be having their annual Record Store Day blowout at their remaining location at Main and Lafayette from 9 AM til 9 PM with the line forming Friday night I imagine. They’ll have the RSD special releases, live music from 12pm-7pm, plus the R&R BBQ Truck for lunch, Lloyd’s for dinner, and Community Beer Works local brew throughout the day. You can check out their Facebook event page for schedules and other particulars.

Black Dots Record Boutique on Grant Street (at Lafayette) doesn’t play around on Record Store Day either, with a solid lineup of local bands including Del Paxton, as well as GG’s Franks hot dog cart slinging vegan and meat dogs, and maybe some Bud Light. No schedule as of yet for bands but check back their Facebook event page and maybe you’ll get lucky. Doors open at 10 AM.

Buffalo’s newest record shop Revolver Records on Hertel Avenue will be going for the North Buffalo early bird shopper with doors opening at 8am and twice the RSD specials releases as last year and live jazz throughout the day.

The Funny Or Die produced Record Store Day 2017 video featuring this year’s RSD Ambassador St. Vincent isn’t that funny or informative, so here’s the video for “Birth In Reverse.”

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Tonight: Operators

Cliff Parks — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 15:03:31 +0000

Tonight Canadian New Wavers Operators make a stop in Buffalo with blog favorites Humble Braggers for a night of synthed out electronic bliss and tasteful ass shaking. One of the many projects Dan (Wolf Parade, Divine Fits) Boeckner has going at any given moment, Operators released their terrific debut Blue Wave last year. Recorded in “a vintage barn in the middle of nowhere” of Southern Ontario, it’s a terrific slice of smart 80’s New Wave pop with an up to the minute sensibility that speaks to our immediate times with songs like “Mission Creep” and “Bring Me The Head.” Really, with the bombs falling in the Middle East and quite possibly North Korea by the time this post gets published, Operators couldn’t have come at a better time.

Meanwhile, local openers Humble Braggers have had a busy few months, playing shows in Fredtown, Rochester, and the city in support of their fine debut LP I Know Better, I’m No Better, and tonight’s show sets up perfectly for their big, stadium ready 80’s sound. On this, our last Friday night in Buffalo maybe, Operators with Humble Braggers at the Studio at the Waiting Room is what we need. Tickets are $17, and doors open at 7pm..

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Suburbs Drop New Jam “48 Hour Scumbags”

Cliff Parks — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 15:40:16 +0000

Enigmatic Buffalo electronica act Suburbs released a terrific single that is chilled out perfection and profoundly satisfying. Kicked off with a burst of howling bros, “48 Hour Scumbags” immediately downshifts into a sexy groove anchored by some godless church organs and the de-tuned and fuzzed out vocals from Kevin Stuitje. Time and space dilates in the late night/early morning haze conjured by this endearingly skeezy and subliminally agitated jam before crashing in the end, and like a 48 hour scumbag, it left me needing more.

48 Hour Scumbags by Suburbs

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Tonight: Rock A Mile In Her Shoes

Cliff Parks — Wed, 05 Apr 2017 14:58:21 +0000

Tonight one of the best fundraisers in Buffalo returns as Babeville once again hosts the 3rd Annual Rock A Mile In Her Shoes show featuring The Slums, Morbs, Erica Wolfing, Del Paxton, and M.A.G.S.. The show benefits the Crisis Services Advocate Program which provides 24/7 support to victims of domestic and sexual abuse while working to reduce violence and to make our community a safer place. This year’s show brings together local heavyhitters The Slums, Del Paxton and Morbs with ethereal chanteuse Erica Wolfing and indie pop act M.A.G.S. for a night of crushing riffs, solidarity, love, respect, and fellas rocking in high heels (fellas in the audience who want to rock some heels in solidarity are encouraged to do so if the spirit moves them). Tickets are $10, doors are at 7pm with fun set for 8pm..

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Feverbox Release New Single “Victoria”

Cliff Parks — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 05:00:58 +0000

Kenmore garage rockers Feverbox are getting ready to release their first EP in the coming weeks and the release’s first single, “Victoria” shines bright. The indie rockers from Buffalo’s best first ring suburb announced themselves nicely with a few well received singles last year, but “Victoria” definitely shows a band tightening it up, with those dreamy vocal harmonies, driving riffs and shimmering synths flying higher than ever. On a side note what is up with all these local bands representing with impressive vocal harmonies? Must be a lot of Beach Boys and Fleetwood Mac fans around here. Anyway, Feverbox’s EP arrives April 14th with a show at Babeville with Deadwolf and Super American, and you can check out “Victoria” below:

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Tonight: Acid Dad

Cliff Parks — Sun, 02 Apr 2017 05:00:07 +0000

Tonight the Waiting Room hosts a downstate vs upstate New York battle of the bands when NYC’s Acid Dad and Brooklyn post punks Honduras share a bill with local fellas Ugly Sun and Deadwolf. Actually, it’s not a battle of the bands at all; everybody’s cool and there’s no cash prizes or bragging rights on the line (or are there?), and the real winners are local fans of garage and psychedelic rock down to kick it out on a Sunday night with these fine bands.

NYC power trio Acid Dad specialize in the kind of sleezy garage rock usually ideal for getaway driving in vintage cars and/or driving on dark roads with the headlights off under the influence. Brooklyn’s Honduras meanwhile have been generating buzz in all the right places thanks to a raw garage rock that mainlines that 70’s downtown punk sound to satisfying effect. Local openers are both blog favorites: Ugly Sun are keeping Buffalo nasty while psych rockers Deadwolf are prepping a debut album. All of this could be yours for $12. Doors at 7pm, show at 8pm.

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