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Psychic Twin

February 10, 2017

Brooklyn shoegazers Psychic Twin will be getting tonight’s STRFKR show at the Waiting Room started perfectly with their ethereal yet emotionally charged electronica, and to miss them frankly, is to play yourself out. Psychic Twin is the brainchild of daughter of the midwest Erin Fein, who decamped in Brooklyn to pursue her art, and after being joined by Rosana Caban on percussion, would culminate in the release last year of debut album Strange Diary on Polyvinyl Records, and this tour with STRFKR. Fans of Cocteau Twins and people who want to groove hard while looking inwards won’t want to miss Psychic Twin. You can check out their Bandcamp page here. Doors for STRFKR at the Waiting Room open at 7pm so plan accordingly.

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings

August 3, 2015

Many paragraphs have been written elsewhere about tonight’s Tedeschi Trucks Band show at Artpark so I’m not going to bother. Instead, some attention sorely needs to be payed to openers Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings and Doyle Bramhall II. The crown jewel and cornerstone of the Daptone Records label, SJ&DK return to WNY after memorable performances in Niagara Falls and at Town Ballroom (with Charles Bradley opening the show and melting hearts) with a vintage analog soul sound that’s fresh, dance-able as hell, and realer than real thanks to soul music goddess Sharon Jones, who’s back in the game after a triumphant battle against cancer and better than ever according to word on the street… Be prepared to get down and  worship in the presence of true soul music warriors, and be sure to get to Artpark in time for show opener Doyle Bramhall II, a prodigious talent, known  for[...]

Widowspeak

July 28, 2015

Brooklyn duo Widowspeak have been creating a unique style of shoegaze folk since forming in 2010. Comprised of singer Molly Hamilton and guitarist Robert Earl Thomas, their easygoing melodies and crawling rhythms make for an ambitious, elegant take on genres like country and dream pop. Their 2011 self-titled debut album was released on Captured Tracks to favorable reviews, earning praise for its alluring vocals which drew comparisons to Mazzy Star’s Hope Sandoval. Lead single “Harsh Realm” was featured in an episode of television series American Horror Story .  All Yours, the pair’s upcoming LP, marks a move to a more groove-oriented sound in addition to swells of strings and the vocal debut of guitarist Robert Earl Thomas. With their serene, reflective songwriting style continuing to incorporate more influences, the band has still retained the melancholic tone that’s been at the forefront of their discography. Tonight, Widowspeak will open for Los Angeles indie folk[...]

Hiss Golden Messenger

July 22, 2015

Rare is the bill on which the opening band draws as much (or more, in even rarer cases) anticipation as the main act. Last year’s Band of Horses / Midlake show comes to mind (still sore for missing that), or perhaps the stacked My Morning Jacket / Wilco / Bob Dylan roster at Darien Lake a few years back, if that even counts. Well that aforementioned phenomenon repeats itself tonight at Asbury Hall (for myself, anyway), where Swedish folk top-dog The Tallest Man on Earth will have his stage warmed up (or set ablaze) by the excellent Hiss Golden Messenger, a folk duo out of North Carolina. I use the term ‘folk’ as loosely as I can in this case; HGM—consisting of primary songwriter M.C. Taylor, recording partner Scott Hirsch, and a rotating cast of touring musicians—evades traditional “call ‘em as I hear ‘em” classifications with their soul-warming blend of[...]

Metric

June 24, 2015

If any of our readers are avid listeners of 102.1 or 107.7, you are probably familiar with Metric, a band that has evolved into a cornerstone of the alternative format. Having formed in Toronto, the Canadian alt-synth-poppers have been Buffalo favorites since their breakout debut in 2003. Over the past decade, frontwoman Emily Haines and co. have scored several great hits, including (but definitely not limited to): “Combat Baby,” “Help I’m Alive,” “Gimme Sympathy,” and “Gold, Guns, Girls.” Tonight, Metric is playing quite the gig. They are opening for the kings of dad-rock, Imagine Dragons… On the bright side, guests won’t have to suffer through their 5000th listen of “Radioactive” before catching what is sure to be a great set from Metric. The show is at the First Niagara Center, doors are at 6pm, and tickets are $59.50, $49.50, and $29.50. We’re so excited, our hearts are beating like a hammer!

The Lone Bellow

April 30, 2015

Tonight, Eric Church and The Lone Bellow are set to take over First Niagara Center. At this point, Church is a household name and one of the biggest stars in country, but The Lone Bellow, despite extensive blog coverage of the band, including a good from us here at buffaBLOG, isn’t quite as well-known. “Music does pay our bills,” singer Brian Elmquist said in a recent interview. “But we’re still in the fight.” Playing with Eric Church tonight in front of 15,000 people should help deliver a few blows. The last time the Brooklyn trio played in Buffalo was at a well-attended yet intimate show at The Tralf. This time, they’ll be playing an arena as big as any other in the country. “This will actually be the biggest venue we’ve played in to date, and we don’t really know what to expect,” Elmquist admitted. Certainly, they can expect a[...]

Willie Watson

April 8, 2015

The first time you hear Willie Watson’s music, you’ll probably think he hails from high up in the Adirondacks or low down in the Mississippi Delta. But he’s actually from Watkins Glen, NY, just a short jaunt across the Finger Lakes from our fair city. Tonight, we get the chance to support “local” talent as he as he opens for The Wood Brothers at the Tralf Music Hall. Willie Watson began his career busking on the streets of North Carolina with Old Crow Medicine Show. In 2011, over a decade later, Watson packed up his guitar and his high, lonesome harmonies and embarked on a solo career that saw the release of his first album, Folk Singer Vol. 1, in 2014. Since then, he has performed at South by Southwest, become a staple of outdoor music festivals, and traveled the country with other folk acts. Watson names Bob Dylan and[...]

Alvvays

April 1, 2015

The Decemberists are in town tonight, making a triumphant third return to UB’s Center for the Arts. Guests will be treated to the Mainstage Theater’s wonderful acoustics (not to mention the comfortable chairs), but one of the biggest treats of the night will come from opening band, Alvvays. Alvvays excels at swimmy, reverb-laden tracks that have more in common with the beach than their snowy hometown of Toronto. Nevertheless, the group’s self-titled debut was highly praised, having made many best-of 2014 lists. Singer Molly Rankin is a true delight – her voice a combination of innocence (a la fellow v-ers CHVRCHES) and mature, glassy-eyed indifference. Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard called lead single, “Archie, Marry Me,” his favorite song of the year (but the verdict is still out on whether Ben and Decemberists singer Colin Meloy are actually doppelgangers). Unfortunately for those of you who don’t have tickets, tonight’s performance[...]

Know Your Opener: Midlake

July 22, 2014

With free music offered on nearly every night of the week throughout the summer, it’s hard to justify dropping $35 on a show when I can practically hear live music from my balcony on many nights. Having a worthy opener, one that could easily be headlining on another night, certainly helps cushion the cost. That’s what we have facing us tonight as Band of Horses rolls through town with Midlake playing the role of table setter for an eager group of Buffalonians who want more out of their ticket price than simply getting out of the sweaty night and into some AC a few minutes early. I first heard about the Texas group after stumbling across their haunting, Fleetwood Mac-esque single, “Roscoe,” a few years back. Then front man Tim Smith’s tender vocals gave what could have been a cold number a beating heart, becoming one of the best singles[...]

Know Your Opener: Cheap Girls

April 8, 2014

Lester Bangs once wrote, “nothing ever quite dies, it just comes back in a different form.” Now Mr. Bangs could have been talking about a slew of things, however most likely he was speaking of music. Cheap Girls fits right into the quote by the late rock critic. The Lansing, Michigan natives’ sound is reminiscent of late 80’s alternative rock, a time when bands like Husker Du, The Replacements, Uncle Tupelo, and REM ruled the college radio air waves. After seven years and three studio albums – Find me a Drink Home (2008), My Roaring 20’s (2009) and Giant Orange (2012, the first album to be produced by Against Me’s Laura Jane Grace) – people are finally taking notice of the band. Currently on tour with Brooklyn’s The Hold Steady, Cheap Girls are on the verge of dropping their fourth studio album, Famous Graves, due out May 14th. “The phrase started taking[...]