Latest Posts

Tonight: Krelboyne & Shit Blimp

February 22, 2015

End your weekend right: let four bands, two from Ohio, pummel you with sludgy punk. Shit Blimp and Krelboyne are coming to the Glitterbox, joined by locals Dream Journal and Red Heat. If you’re wondering what a Shit Blimp could possibly sound like, check the very first bass notes on the band’s demo: that’s exactly what a Shit Blimp sounds like. It’s not all heart-stopping low end, though: mostly it’s aggressive, fast, punch-your-face punk. Krelboyne can play in the same vein, but they’ve got a little bit more indie-rock groove in the tank. That vibe and its deceptive catchiness makes lines about “scrambling for answers in the bottom of a bottle,” spending your time on earth “eternally as a fumbling fucking imbecile” come across less like self-pity and more like relatable, uncontrollable internal rumination, which in turn makes it a whole lot easier to bob your head along to. Doors[...]

Today: Cold Blood MMXV

January 17, 2015

Good fests come along once in a blue moon, and, with respect to our lovely little wintry wonderland, are somewhat of a anomaly here in the Queen City. Oh sure, you have your Veggie Fests and Decency Rallies, but Buffalo is a “what have you done for me lately” kinda place. We are blessed in that sense. Buffalo breeds the toughest and the most dedicated. Not quick to rest on their laurels, the movers and shakers of the scene embody the DIY ethic that has made punk and hardcore the most significant form of underground music in the last 30 years. Case in point: Cold Blood MMXV, a 17 band first-run fest featuring some of the best and most rippingest (fuck a vocab) in local punk and hardcore (and a bunch of out of towers too) brought to you by Josh Smith, owner of Black Dots and Melody Seymour from[...]

Tonight: Dream Journal

November 13, 2014

Punk rock attack, thick, dirgy riffs, a lot of yelling. These are the trademark sounds of the Hoyt House and they are welcome in my earholes any day of the week. In todays age of processed nonsense sometimes you need a hit to the gut, and this place provides in spades. Hoyt’s played mark to some of 2014’s finest loud hours. Remember Who Killed Spikey Jacket? That show was off the richter. So tonight at 7pm you got Pittsburgh destroyers, Edhochuli, along with a fast-rising staple of our scene, Dream Journal, Cal Dripken and newbz Healer. It’s gonna be heavy and fast but you already knew that. $5 won’t break your bank so go or something.

Tonight: Ghost Dads

August 6, 2014

Get your dancing shoes ready for some weirdly awesome punk rock. Tonight at 6pm, a smattering of bands will take the stage at Spiral Scratch Records, ranging from surf-jam to hardcore, in support of Pennsylvania’s Ghost Dads. Hailing from Kutztown, Ghost Dads bring the funk to punk music, most recently in their newest EP, Next to the Water Heater. Dream Journal plays out exactly as their name suggests, with stream-of-consciousness lyrical imagery alongside a backdrop of punk-infused power chords. Taking a bit of a sidestep from the rest, Aaron & the Burrs are an instrumental surf rock revival band with a jazzy flair. These guys groove hard, so expect plenty of dance-friendly extended guitar jams. Kharlos (feat. members of Merchants and Space Wolves) will also be playing their first show tonight, so be sure to give them plenty of love as well. $5 at the door, beer and vegan cookies included.

Spiral Scratch Records

June 18, 2014

There’s something pretty special going on at Spiral Scratch Records this Saturday, June 21st. The independent record shop is hosting an afternoon showcase for our inaugural Herd Fest this weeks, so you might want to step outside your normal Allentown routine and check this bill out.  Headlining the afternoon showcase is Bill Nehill and The Poison Arrows along with White Whale, Dream Journal and Fleshy Mounds.  While Nehill and crew have a very early 90s singer-song-writer vibe (feels kind of like Counting Crows or the Wallflowers with some Rust Belt grind) the other three bands are much more high-energy, creating a wonderfully balanced and eclectic experience for concert-goers. Dream Journal is a punk, hard-core band with intelligent lyrics and a velocity to their tunes that makes it nearly impossible to stand still, while Fleshy Mounds kick up the volume and the violence, you can’t really decide if you wanna punch someone, or dance with them listening to their tunes but whatever[...]