Latest Posts

Tonight: Advance Base

April 3, 2015

Tonight, Sugar City is presenting an evening for introverts. Headlined by always-in-his-head, Advance Base, along with support from Rochester’s ice bar, experimental Jax and blog favorite Damian, this  for those who want a calm and cool night with artists who will talk to your heart. I’ve heard the name Advance Base around the internet for a bit, but never stopped to give it a listen. #bloglife. I played a few songs last night and was instantly like “Oh wow, this sounds like Casiotone for the Painfully Alone.” Guess what? Advance Base is Owen Ashworth, the voice and mind behind Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, an act known for its incredibly descriptive lyrics teeter tottering in between sad and self aware, and sometimes both. Another layer which makes this cake super sweet is the debut Buffalo performance by Ice Bar, who’s very impressive 2014 ante meridium came out of nowhere and[...]

ice bar – ante meridiem

January 19, 2015

There is something to be said about the type of songwriting that doesn’t require a full band to make it work. Making use of just an acoustic guitar and her voice, Rochester singer songwriter Camille Tharp, or ice bar, as she is so endearingly known, has put out ante meridiem, a collection of wonderfully emotional acoustic songs recommended for those who enjoy the likes of Sharon Von Etten or Daughter. Despite their simplicity, each of the EP’s five tracks channel a strong element of genuineness that makes it abundantly clear that a lot more went into ante meridiem than what initially meets the ear. It is that emotional authenticity that makes these songs such heavy-hitters, and with that, I welcome you to our Album of the Week. ante meridiem, in living up to its name, really capitalizes on the mellow vibes of early morning with delicately-plucked acoustic guitar progressions that would[...]