by Justin Amidon | Oct 7, 2014 | Uncategorized
The words Bill & Jamie’s House may give you thoughts of stuffy, pompous dinners and cocktail parties, events where you find yourself surrounded by professors and PhD students who manage to speak a lot of words without saying anything. Needless to say, Bill &...
by Justin Amidon | Oct 1, 2014 | Album Review
She Keeps Bees is a homemade band. Essentially an alias for minivan loving front woman Jessica Larrabee, the act has been self-releasing EP’s and LP’s alike on their own since 2008. Eight Houses, the third LP release from the Brooklynite ex-pats, marks only the second...
by Justin Amidon | Sep 30, 2014 | Album Review
The Architects, the four piece who hail from Kanas City, MO, jog back and forth between classic rock and melt-your-faces-off dirty, grimy punk rock on Border Wars Episode II, the latest installment of their elaborate concept album endeavor which comes equipped with a...
by Justin Amidon | Sep 30, 2014 | Uncategorized
The issue with a lot of doom, hardcore, and even punk is that the genres so conforming and formative, that it becomes drone-esque, taking you on a flight plan without showing you any new views of Lake Tahoe. Once you have been to LA, you have been to LA, but how about...
by Justin Amidon | Sep 16, 2014 | Buffalo
It appears that the September Polar Vortex is upon us, slowly surrounding us like Union Soldiers at Wounded Knee, minus an aristocratic narcissist with a wicked mustache. As the weather gets colder and greyer, it’s hard not to focus on the inevitable coming winter....
by Justin Amidon | Sep 9, 2014 | Preview
You’re an idiot! Well, maybe not. Well you are if you don’t make it to the Hoyt House tonight. What’s the Hoyt House? Oh I don’t know, just one of the best destinations for house shows in the Queen City. The West Side is doing it right between Black Dots Record...
by Justin Amidon | Aug 28, 2014 | Preview
What’s new pussy cat? Not much, just Punk N’ Tots at Broadway Joe’s. Well it’s not really new, however, what is new is the Alpha Hopper/Hot Tip tour which kicks off tonight, as if you needed another reason go see some west side punk and munch on tater...
by Justin Amidon | Aug 20, 2014 | Uncategorized
Editor’s Note: Fresh Meat will be a periodical, in-depth look at some of the area’s freshest bands. For the first installment of the series, we focus on the instrumental trio, HUNS. For HUNS, it’s all about the improv, and no, I’m not talking...
by Justin Amidon | Aug 15, 2014 | Preview
The name Lydia Loveless may not ring a bell, even though it should. The alt-country goddess hailing from Columbus, Ohio has been churning out recordings like it’s her job since she was fifteen. Loveless (who is no relation to Nashville great Patty Loveless) was born...
by Justin Amidon | Aug 12, 2014 | Feature
By all accounts, Johnny Nobody is a forgotten band. The trio of Lockport natives—Andrew Vaeth (guitar/vocals), Colin Roberts (bass) and Jay White (drums)—haven’t released an album or been out on tour in over three years. According to the now-thirty-something Vaeth, he...
by Justin Amidon | Aug 7, 2014 | Preview
Burlington, Vermont isn’t a place that makes you think of punk rock. Visions of Canadian borders, beautiful open skies, hiking, babbling brooks that just won’t shut up, and green pastures, maybe. But punk rock? No. Never. However, if your father and uncles made up the...
by Justin Amidon | Aug 7, 2014 | Preview
So in case you have been living underneath a rock, or in a sinkhole, you probably already know that there is a ‘lady band’ fest going on this weekend, under the very fitting title of Vaggie Fest. Instead of a single day festival, which for the past three years has...
by Justin Amidon | Jul 28, 2014 | Feature
I’m sure you have seen the flyer. I’ve seen it everywhere, from Black Dots Record Boutique to the Elmwood Market, from Spot Coffee to Amy’s Place. The flyer depicts any man’s worst fear, especially if they’ve seen the campy B-horror film Teeth. Needless to say, it’s...
by Justin Amidon | Jul 23, 2014 | Buffalo
The great Howlin’ Wolf once sang the words, “…if you want me baby, you got take your time, because I’m built for comfort, not for speed.” Now, truer words couldn’t have been graveled out into raspy excellence, however, why do we have to choose? Can’t we be fast...
by Justin Amidon | Jul 9, 2014 | Preview
Iconoclast percussionists are, by definition, unhinged creatures, and Mike Dillon is no exception. Praised as a “punk provocateur,” a “jazz vibraphone visionary,” and a “percussion visionary,” this New Orleans-based multi-percussionist will make a stop...