Latest Posts

Diet Cig at Mohawk Place (1/29/18)

February 2, 2018

Effervescent pop-punk duo Diet Cig kicked off their 2018 tour at Buffalo’s Mohawk Place on January 29th, beginning the final lap in support of their full-length debut, Swear I’m Good at This (Frenchkiss Records). Alex Luciano and Noah Bowman were joined onstage by Karli Helm (Pllush) and Anna Cory (The Spook School), marking their debut as a live four-piece. Diet Cig’s exuberant slop-pop sound incited a rapturous response from the adoring crowd, as Luciano advocated for music as a force for inclusivity, acceptance, and positive change. The band were supported that evening by Chicago punks Lala Lala and Scottish indie-pop quartet The Spook School. Lala Lala The Spook School Diet Cig

Tonight: Diet Cig

January 29, 2018

Tonight is a special night… Typically a powerhouse duo, Diet Cig are touring the US as a quartet, and they are bringing this specially curated lineup to Buffalo tonight for an evening full of peppy indie-pop. The band released the stellar Swear I’m Good At This last year, full of thrashing guitars and singer Alex Luciano’s charming vocals – expect to see a lot of that tonight. Joining them tonight are Glasgow band The Spook School, who are buzzing from the recent release of their third LP, Could It Be Different?. Released just a few days ago, this quartet specializes in shiny, quirky power-pop with a special ear for pop hooks. Also playing tonight are fuzzy three-piece Lala Lala. Mohawk Place is the place to be tonight. Doors are at 7pm, $13 in advance, $15 at the door. Swear I’m Good At This by Diet Cig

The Front Bottoms at Town Ballroom (4/6/16)

April 11, 2016

If I were to choose one word to describe The Front Bottoms’ show at Town Ballroom on April 6th, it would be fun.  Love them or hate them,  the New Jersey four piece known as The Front Bottoms have been packing venues across the world since their 2013 breakout release, Talon of the Hawk.  With the release of their 2015 record, titled Back on Top, the band has found more mainstream indie success, while their live shows still remain the same.  One big push pit, kids attempting to get as close to lead singer Brian Sella as possible, pointed fingers in the air.  All cheesiness and pop punk stereotypes aside, this band never ceases to put on some of the most fun live shows that I have ever attended, and the show at the Town Ballroom was no different.  On their first show of their tour, The Front Bottoms brought along up and coming[...]

Tonight: Newish Star

March 24, 2015

Whenever Mac assigns me to write a preview, I quickly listen to a few songs to get a feel for each band and go on writing. I mean, I am sorry, I only have time to listen to so much. It is actually a little unusual that I will get so caught up in the music that I just go and listen to a band’s new cassette from start to finish. This is what happened with Newish Star, playing tonight at the Glitterbox with a host of other bands. For those unfamiliar, Newish Star plays guitar driven music reminiscent of Jawbreaker and Archers of Loaf. The trio’s latest cassette, How Soon We Forget, was released this month. It is excellent. Hailing from New Paltz, Diet Cig also recently released an excellent cassette of earnest, guitar music featuring declamatory vocals. The group is currently on tour in support of the release, Overeasy. Over easy happens[...]

Diet Cig – “Harvard”

January 27, 2015

We’ve been admiring from a distance San Francisco/Miami-based independent label, Father/Daughter Records, since its super impressive co-curated lineup with Miscreant Records at the co-presented 2014 CMJ party at Silent Barn. The label’s upcoming release which we are buzzing about in the office is from New Paltz-based duo, Diet Cig. With obvious comparisons to Swearin’, Quarterbacks, and Waxahatchee, Diet Cig is undoubtedly a band that should be on your radar in 2015. Coincidentally as of drafting this post, I just saw they are playing a show at the Glitter Box on Tuesday, March 24th along with Newish Star in support of the duo’s February 24th EP release, Over Easy. So see you then.