Latest Posts

Five Buffalo Acts We Want to Reunite in 2025

January 7, 2025

We’ve taken the office Christmas tree down and it’s back to business over here at blog headquarters. 2024 had its ups and downs with the local scene. We launched buffaBLOG version 4.0, witnessed the usual band break-ups/venue closings, but also saw the emergence of new artists that we are excited to listen to and share. With that, we’ve brainstormed Buffalo musicians that we would like to see reunite in 2025. We understand some of these may be a pipe dream, but think of this as more of a fantasy draft rather than an open letter.  Don’t get us wrong however, if any of these acts return in 2025, we are taking full credit. (photo via Unlisted Projects)  Jack Toft / Jack Topht Duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh don’t you miss Jack Toft? A wishlist for acts we would like to see reunited in 2025 would not be complete without the kookiest rapper of the[...]

Tonight: Terror Pigeon

April 23, 2018

OK, your Monday probably sucks so far, but tonight is another story because Sugar City is hosting a show guaranteed to make it all worth while featuring life affirming art rockers Terror Pigeon and NYC  punks White Rope. Terror Pigeon, from Nashville Tennessee, put on an amazing and deeply affecting show at Dreamland (sigh) a few years back that was generous and uplifting in a humanist, inclusive way,  so that will be especially nice. Think a more hyper Dan Deacon and you’ll get the idea. White Rope will be joining the fray to play some skull crushing, modern punk for your liberating pleasure, while NYC media artist Eric Barry Drasin will be presenting/performing a Power Point opus on how to make it big in the speed metal game. Local evil hip hop artist Medusa and beloved rap malcontent Jack Topht will be rounding out the show with their nasty beats, which[...]

Tonight: Smokin’ Black Tar

May 25, 2017

Tonight, Nietzsche’s is slated for a unique bill that boasts an impressive spectrum of genres, ranging from indie pop to rap to straight-up enthralling confusion. Arguably, the most noteworthy aspect of tonight’s showcase is the first public outing of new Buffalo-based art-rock project  Smokin’ Black Tar (featuring former members of Well Worn Boot and Mr. Boneless). The creative new project has four distinct characters – Ol’ Negro, a charismatic hobo approaching his early sixties, a raccoon aptly named Raccoon, a drummer/cottonball that loves cigars named Cotton, and lastly, a wispy unionist named Yankee Joe. We sat with Ol’ Negro to get his take on tonight’s show: “I’ve always shied away from being in a band. Something about singin’ and dancin’ for white folk just don’t sit well with me. But one day, whiles we was on the drink, Yankee Joe convinced me that we ain’t gotta do it for the folks in front[...]

Tonight: Superhuman Happiness

October 16, 2015

Luminescent NYC quartet Superhuman Happiness will be bringing their insanely pleasing brand of psych pop to Allentown’s Nietzsche’s later on tonight. Brimming with gorgeous boy-girl dual harmonies, warm and fuzzy melodies, and a mightily funky horn reminiscent of Antibalas, Superhuman Happiness are in town promoting their latest release Escape Velocity, and the vibe and good feelings will be potent and utterly irresistible. Opening the show will be blog favorite and Buffalo hip-hop troublemaker Jack Toft. According to the Bandsintown event page, doors open at 7pm, but this is Nietzsche’s so it’s probably closer to 9pm to 10pm, and the cover is unknown, so I’d keep $10 handy along with your dancing shoes…

Jack Topht and TEENWOLF Release Timely Collab

October 13, 2015

#FeeltheBern fever has apparently hit Allentown’s most prolific wordsmith, Jack Topht. In honor of tonight’s Democratic debate, rap collaborators Topht and DJ TEENWOLF have teamed up yet again after working on various projects together over the past few years. This time around, the two have joined forces to drop the well timed track “bernie sanders terry p shit.” Much like in the past, Topht gains great inspiration from the political landscape (see “Free Gay Abortions,” “Liberal Elite,” “Go Back to Russia”), and continues to make witty observations in his signature comical style, while maintaining his status of most-amount-of-Buffalo-culture-dropper per track with references to Cafe Taza, Tim Horton’s, and First Niagara. No word on whether Sanders will enter the debate podium to the Topht/TEENWOLF jam, so just in case, listen below.

Tonight: Plack Blague

October 11, 2015

Get your treats and beats tonight at Sugar City featuring six acts with at least two collabos. With a headliner like Plack Blague, who sports song titles like “Sarcastically Erect” and “Disco for Satan, you literally cannot go wrong. This is probably the best gay industrial noise out of Lincoln, Nebraska. Streetcleaver from Jamestown sounds like if Death Grips played through a bad connection, while Gainsville rap Brrat Boys and Big Whatever will join Baltimore rapper Height. Local beats by UBV-76 and a collaboration from local usuals Jack Topht and Fleshtrade will round out the bill. Music begins 6pm at Sugar City. Bring $8 to help out the touring bands. Leather Band by Plack Blague

Tonight: Schwervon!

June 25, 2015

So what’s in a duo, anyway? Schwervon! has an answer for that question. Armed with a guitar, a drumkit, and personality for days, Nan Turner and Matthew Roth craft deceptively simple yet deeply magnetic indie rock and makes it look as effortless as ever. And yet, somehow totally inimitable. With five albums and countless tours under their belts (some of which in support of some heavy-hitting names such as The Vaselines, Belle and Sebastian, Vampire Weekend), the NYC-bred, Kansas City-based art-rock power duo aren’t messing around. Schwervon!’s (yes Microsoft Word, the exclamation point is actually a part of their name) current tour makes a pit stop at Sugar City tonight on an expertly-arranged bill featuring blog-favorite slack rockers Difficult Night and rhyme-spitting funnyguy Jack Topht. Bring five bucks. While the show starts at 8pm, prime yourselves up beforehand with a Schwervon! music video produced by Difficult Night’s own Damian Weber,[...]

Tonight: Jeffrey Lewis & the Jrams

April 7, 2015

Tonight, Mohawk Place will host singer-songwriter Jeffrey Lewis with local support from Jack Topht and Max Weiss. Even if you don’t know Jeffrey Lewis, he is still probably like a guy that you know. With some hope, I might say their ranks are growing: the witty, thoughtful, sensitive types given both to melancholy and optimism, sometimes both at the same time. Lewis’s music is often humorous and easy to listen to, but it can still affect the listener deeply, sometimes unexpectedly. It kind of reminds me of watching home movies from your childhood: you’re laughing, you’re smiling, it all seems light, and then feel like crying all of a sudden. Doors at 7pm, show at 8pm. Facebook event here.

Day 2: Jack Topht and Little Cake

December 15, 2014

I am very happy that Steak & Cake Records decided to release their second annual Christmas Meltdown compilation with singles staggered starting on December 13th for two reasons. The first is that last year’s December 23rd release could only be enjoyed for like 48 hours tops. The second is that it makes writing six out of the twelve “12 Days of Christmas” posts a lot easier. The first song from Steak & Cake Records’ holiday compilation comes from Allentown’s own Jay-Z and Beyonce, Jack Topht and Little Cake. Titled “Santa Bae,” the song puts a spin on the Christmas classic in a way that you could only expect from the alt-rapper and soulful songstress. If you have Jack Topht for secret Santa, buy him a DVD player.

Tonight: Wooden Waves LP Release Party

December 5, 2014

Wooden Waves have been around for a few years so I was surprised to see they are just now releasing their debut full length, Wilder Dreams, on December 9th. This is sure to be a welcome addition to winding down year of great Buffalo music. Tonight, they will be celebrating the record’s release on One Percent Press at Mohawk Place. To really make this a party, they have invited a few friends, making for a very strong, all local bill. Starting promptly at 9pm and for the low price of $5(ish), tonight’s bill opens up with indescribable styling and creative mind meld of Little Cake & Jack Topht. As if that was not enough, Mallwalkers and TMMC round out the bill. This promises to be a real humdinger of a night, so you have no excuse for missing this. And, if these bands were not enough, DJ-about-town, Eric Kendall, will be DJing between[...]

Tonight: Michael Parallax

September 30, 2014

Feeling Wreckless? Catch one of the scene’s favorite superhuman spellbinding pizza pal weirdos, the haplessly hopeful and spiritually (for)giving artist Michael Parallax ( frequent tour mate of Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt) tonight in support of his latest album, Wilderness Year. Released on on Spirit Cat Tapes, the ten track album is exactly what you would want/expect to hear at a space like Dreamland. He is supported by local honeys Jack Topht and Little Cake, as well as Strawberry Boys. Doors are at 8? There is no set ticket price;  a suggested donation of $5 (or whatever you can swing) is accepted. Michael Parallax – TRSH MTN from Michael Parallax on Vimeo.

Tonight: Ami Dang and Slag Ralden

September 9, 2014

Over the past couple of years, the Ami Dang has garnered acclaim for her own brand of sitar electronic, her seamless ability to blend exotic melodies with puncturing beats, on her facebook page, she fittingly characterizes the project as “music from everywhere and nowhere.” Slag Ralden, in similar vein, creates brooding and captivating textures and melodies that bare semblance to elements of pop music. Together they have embarked on a Northeast US and Canadian tour in collaboration of each other’s material and tonight presents itself as an opportunity to catch one of their first stops at our very own Sugar City (recently relocated to 1239 Niagara Street). If this hasn’t captured your attention, set to open are Buffalo gems Pam Swartz, Copy Manager, and Little Cake & Jack Topht. Doors open at 7pm. We’ll see ya there.

Tonight: 716 Sike-O-Delic Party Invational

July 16, 2014

Chill party. Great bands. Sound like something you’d like to get into tonight? All this and more at Jack Topht’s Sike-O-Delic 7/16 show, held at local music, ahem, venue, the Plymouth House. Like most shows held at Plymouth House, the start time is more of a suggestion than a rule, and doors open at 9pm for this house party turned musical showcase. Local music lovelies Jack Topht & Little Cake and Chauncey Tails, along with out-of-town act Schwarz & Kilbourne, who round out the evening with a late-night DJ set, comprise most of the bill, but Gangsta Love (aka Frank Hurricane) and Wume will also be in the building with their unique sounds. Following tonight’s show, Topht and Hurricane will be hitting the road for a short tour so make sure to send them off right. Because this isn’t a traditional venue, I recommend you BYOBeverage, as well as hand sanitizer[...]

Tonight: Radarada

June 7, 2014

Get on that ra ra shit tonight with the release of Radarada’s debut EP, the aptly titled First Edition. Featuring fellow Buffalo artists Jack Topht and Dr. Ooo, the album is a compilation of what happens when people stop being polite and start getting weird. The all ages show opens it’s doors at 9pm, and is being hosted at one of Buffalo’s best new(ish) music venues, Buffalo Iron Works. Tix are five duckets, but being surrounded by so many yung thugs at an all ages show is kind of priceless, so this is easily the best $5 you’ll spend all weekend. Everyone in attendance will also get a ticket to the show’s afterparty, being held at a semi-undisclosed location (a house on the west side, and the address is on the ticket) and promises to have “free drinks, music bumpin, and good times.” In the words of Robert Sylvester Kelly:[...]

Sonny Baker, Nicholas Reynolds, and Jack Topht w/Little Cake

May 23, 2014

The latest installment of our buffaBLOG Video series is a more intimate affair of a show. Following the afternoon’s Porchfest showcases, we hosted a party, well birthday party, over at Colonial Circle and invited a few of the blog’s favorite acts – Sonny Baker, Nicholas Reynolds of Space Wolves, and Jack Topht with his Little Cake – to serenade us in front of the setting sun and well into the night. Check out the video below, shot and edited by Lesionread, featuring performances from all three acts.