Latest Posts

Tonight: Silo Sessions Launch Party

June 14, 2014

One of the most exciting developments in Buffalo’s alleged resurgence has been what’s going down in Silo City, in the city’s post industrial district. Between epic art happenings and pop up food fests, the Silos have become treasured local structures favored by Buffalo’s creative class, a trend that continues tonight with the launch of the Silo Sessions. Almost 30 local and touring acts will be converging at Marine A, Perot Grain Elevator, and American Warehouse starting at 5:00pm for a multi-stage event that will put the excellent acoustics and possibilities of those magnificent buildings to the test. Tickets at the gate will be $15, but you will get in for $10 if you kicked in to this Kickstarter campaign. The full schedule: RIVER STAGE 5:pm Difficult Night 5:45pm The Observers 6:30pm Alex Berkely and the Atlanta Falcons 7:15pm Wooden Cities 8:pm Sam Goodwill 8:45pm Viking Moses 9:30pm Aircraft 10:15pm Landlady 11:00pm Mallwalkers[...]

World Cup Brasil 2014

June 12, 2014

Starting today, whether you like it or not, World Cup soccer is back. And with that in mind, we have a little playlist to get you ready for it, or piss you off because you’re tired of the World Cup and all this soccer already.  If you’re in the latter category, well, good luck with that during the next month, because it’s going to be everywhere this time around (and you can forget about Twitter during matches)…. even in Buffalo, with bars all over town vying to be your “World Cup bar.” If you’re a fan, then you know it’s going to be a hell of a party. Enjoy. “Tive Razao” by Seu Jorge. The standout track from the FIFA 06 soundtrack, this sublime acoustic ditty from Brazilian superstar Seu Jorge is gorgeous, irresistible, and a glimpse into the soul and rhythms of Brazil. “Festival” by Sigur Ros.  This soundtrack[...]

Tonight: Poliça

June 2, 2014

The Tralf’s “Summer Of Indie” continues with a killer lineup of up and coming electronic artists featuring Minneapolis  electronica outfit  Poliça with New York’s Lolawolf and blog favorite Lesionread. In town to promote last year’s excellent Shulamith,  Poliça stands apart from the field thanks to their propulsive, R&B infused 80’s new wave sound, evocative lyrics, intense live shows, and chilled out yet soulful vocals from front woman Channy Leaneagh. There’s a tremendous amount of buzz around Lolawolf and their debut EP due in no small part to minimalist old school synths and the distinct and delicately smokey voice of Zoe Kravitz (daughter of Lenny, spiritual son of Prince), while local wunderkind Lesionread (aka Shawn Lewis) will no doubt continue his rise to power and rapid evolution as electronic and multimedia artist  with some new hardware and some mouthwatering new material. Missing Lesionread is foolish, so being there by 8 PM is[...]

Led Zeppelin – “Whole Lotta Love”

May 29, 2014

Led Zeppelin released a new video for an unreleased mix of “Whole Lotta Love” to preview the remixed and remastered editions of their first three albums due next week. While in no way a replacement of the classic album version, the rough mix features the band finding it’s way to rock immortality; some of the pieces are in place, but the sum total of what “Whole Lotta Love” would become is still off in the future. The video is a classic old timey clip fest that attempts to convey something of what the Zeppelin phenomenon was during the 70’s and drum up interest for the new releases. The remastered editions of Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II, and Led Zeppelin III arrive in stores June 4th.

Lesionread Releases The Groovy “Open”

May 21, 2014

Buffalo artist/savant/ L’enfant terrible Lesionread has been busily toiling away working on new concepts and music, and has let slip this tasty new morsel to whet our appetites. “Open” is atmospheric and groovy with some extremely tasty synth lines, and being a Lesionread product, it’s got some off that kilter wildness.  You can check out “Open” live with whatever else Lesionread has in mind for us June 2nd when Minneapolis electronica outfit Polica comes to the Tralf Music Hall (doors at 7, Lesionread at 8).

Tonight: Radarada

May 17, 2014

McGarret’s will be where it’s at tonight when blog favorites Radarada unleash their patented infectious brand of soul infused hip-hop. Featuring live instrumentation reminiscent of Brand New Heavies and Digible Planets and a Native Tongues vibe, Radarada has been making serious noise in these parts leading up to the release of their debut EP, First Edition, next month, and this is a damn fine opportunity to check them out and get down. Cover is $3 and it all goes down at 10 PM.

Monty Python – “Lousy Song”

May 7, 2014

Today, Monty Python released “Lousy Song,” a previously unreleased collaboration between Eric Idle and the late, great Graham Chapman. The remaining members of the Python troupe (Idle, Cleese, Palin, Jones, Gilliam) are currently gearing up for live shows and hopefully a world tour as well as the release of Monty Python Sings (Again) June 9th, because there’s always something left in the vaults.   Thanks to NME for the tip.

Mooses – Tales From The Elephant’s Nest

May 5, 2014

There’s definitely something going on down the 90 in Fredonia. The proximity of Dave Fridmann’s Tarbox Road Studios in nearby Cassadaga, NY has contaminated the water or affected the electromagnetic fields emanating in that area in a way that wildness and psychedelia have become hallmarks of Fredonia’s music scene, which is of course a huge boon for WNY’s music scene. Case in point: Mooses, a young four piece from Fredonia who dropped itsdebut EP, Tales From The Elephant’s Nest, a tight and bold five song collection that sounds sweet in the ears and screams “POTENTIAL,” last week. Mooses get things started with the snarling, schadenfreude and 90’s drenched “Hypocrite’s Fall,” a slow burner that lures you in with restrained buildup before unleashing evocative new wave vocals reminiscent of Robert Smith and stirring Bends worthy guitars. The new wave swagger continues on the exuberant “Bette Davis,” a straight ahead rave up complete with[...]

Tonight: ElectroRespect 7 – A Tribute To Mark Freeland

May 3, 2014

Tonight, a cavalcade of musicians and Freeland devotees will be converging on Nietzsche’s for ElectroRespect 7: A Tribute To Mark Freeland to get their freak on and support the upcoming tenth anniversary edition of the Buffalo Infringement Festival. Ed Koban, Funk Monster and Woman, David Kane, John Toohill, Disobedient Quartet, JeffRepeater, Aversa Army, Lemonade, Gumwads, Moonpowder, and blog favorite Lesionread are coming together to honor and remember fallen local musician/artist/hero/Pride of Kenmore Mark Freeland, who we lost in 2007. Doors open at 9 PM and $5 gets you in, with proceeds benefiting Infringement and its 10 years of daring DIY art happening excellence across our city. Musical wildness, respect, and raising money for a good cause… you can’t go wrong.

Hooray For Earth – “Keys”

May 1, 2014

Yesterday, NYC’s Hooray For Earth released the first single from Racy, its highly anticipated follow up to 2011’s True Loves. Featuring crunchy guitars and a soaring ethos, “Keys” is ambitious, smart , pleasingly accessible, and one hell of a teaser for Racy, due out July 29th.

Tonight: Leon Russell

April 24, 2014

Tonight, Leon Russell, singer/songwriter, piano legend, and one of the original indie rockers, returns to Buffalo for a special show at the Buffalo Iron Works in the Cobblestone District.  Arriving on the LA scene in the 60’s to become a crack studio musician, Leon hit his stride in the 70’s, collaborating with the likes of Clapton, George Harrison, and BB King, and releasing a string of modest hits on his own Shelter Records label before fading into relative obscurity due in no small part to the perils of being an indie rocker before college rock and the Internet. He was entirely forgotten, mainly because Leon never stopped touring and performing his art for his devoted cult of fans. Things changed though in 2010 with the release of The Union, a two disc collaboration with his greatest disciple, Elton John, that gave Leon his due, raised his profile, and paved the[...]

Tonight: Turkuaz with Alan Evans’ Playonbrother

April 18, 2014

Nietzsche’s is going to be the scene of a soul funk dance party tonight when Brooklyn funk powerhouse Turkuaz bring it back to Buffalo along with local hero Alan Evans’ latest project Playonbrother.  In town promoting their latest album Future 86, it’s always something when the soul funk army of Turkuaz takes over that tight stage and unleashes their focused yet rampaging brand of old school funk. Soulive’s (and City Honors alum) Alan Evans will be setting things off with his ultra soulful and jazzy Playonbrother, formerly known as the Alan Evans Trio. Prepare yourselves for righteous fun when Brooklyn, Buffalo, and the funk collide tonight. Tickets are $12 and the show starts at 10.

Still Diggin’: Still Digging For Classics

April 16, 2014

I wasn’t always a vinyl head. Sure I grew up with vinyl, but by the time I was in high school, it was cassettes for my Walkman, and the digitally pristine sound of the CD became the coin of the realm during college and for a decade after. But after reconnecting to vinyl to expand some musical horizons, it became clear that the old vinyl heads weren’t selling soap: music really does sound better on this format, and after buying a turntable, I got down to business, first at Record Theatre and later at the wonderland that is the Record Baron on Delaware in Kenmore. I became a shark, always on the look out. It was at The Record Baron that I picked up the used Pink Floyd and Peter Gabriel Genesis albums that confirmed a suspicion that the CD had done the classics of rock jive, draining albums like[...]

St. Vincent at Asbury Hall (4/12/14)

April 13, 2014

Saturday night, the packed house at Babeville was privileged to experience a magical night of music and art when indie wunderkind St. Vincent returned to Buffalo with Brooklyn ambient guitarist Noveller. Folks from far and wide (a few blokes were up from Dallas specifically for the show) and local devotees converged on the re-purposed old church on Delaware and Tupper for worship of a different kind and were given ample reason to from start to finish. Brooklyn based guitarist Sarah Lipstate, aka Noveller, took us to church early with an enchanting set of ambient guitar rock, building a sea of sound with her lone guitar with loops, effects, drone, and reverb that took full advantage the acoustically vibrant space. The emotion drenched and deeply melodic compositions swirled and mesmerized while building to an impressive climax reminiscent of Sigur Ros at their most dramatic, with Lipstate deploying a bow to get[...]

Black Sabbath

April 11, 2014

Even with a garden of plenty unfolding this spring in formerly sleepy old Buffalo, when a legendary band like Birmingham UK’s Black Sabbath plays nearby Hamilton Ontario, that’s worth a road trip. Featuring 3/4’s of the classic Sabbath line up – Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, and Geezer Butler sans Bill Ward – this is the band that recorded Sabbath’s first eight studio albums from 1970 to 1978, and created heavy metal on their uber-masterworks Black Sabbath, Paranoid, Masters Of Reality, Vol. 4, and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, one of the best runs (1970-1973) is rock history. Indeed, tonight will be a night for worship. With his distinctive caterwaul still intact, Ozzy still has it, especially paired again with musical soulmate Iommi, whose darkly psychedelic guitar will always meld perfectly and beautifully with former reality TV star and magnificent shambling mockery of humanity Osbourne, whose  vocal prowess shined on their latest effort,[...]