Latest Posts

Just Announced: Neko Case

December 17, 2015

After a rain soaked Lafeyette Square washed out her last last area show, alt-country queen Neko Case will finally be back in town on Saturday, February 27th at Babeville’s Asbury Hall. Last month, the long time spit fire and New Porngraphers member released a remastered, career spanning box set Truckdriver Gladiator Mule, a vinyl collection of her eight studio recordings, including her early work with backing her backing band, Her Boyfriends. Expect cuts from her nearly 20 year career on what should be a very special night at the very active Delaware Ave venue. Tickets are going on sale tomorrow for $30 advance.

Tonight: Andrew W.K.

December 7, 2015

Motivational speaker, weatherman, political commentator, advice columnist, and of course, noted party animal, Andrew W.K., will bring his annual holiday show to Broadway Joe’s this evening. The songwriter has been one of rock music’s most engaging forces since the early 2000’s, constantly clad in his signature white shirt/pant combo (and maybe a touch of blood), and finely riding the line of seriousness and stupidity. His arena rock meets nu-metal style has gone on to soundtrack a variety of films, cartoons, and video games, all while maintaining a feel good, carefree and endless party lifestyle. W.K. will once again be traveling solo for his show in the Heights, normally armed with only a microphone, keyboard, and backing tracks, just as he did at Waiting Room in 2013. While nostalgia heavy, that show left audience members confused, angry, and wanting more, but with the holidays around the corner, perhaps the rocker will[...]

The Modern Age Shares New Single

November 19, 2015

New-to-the-scene alt rock act the Modern Age shared its latest single late last week, the follow up to their debut single “All the Time.” Formerly a duo that consisted of past members of Mosaics and Aria, the retooled act is now a quartet and has been working on tracks over at Paul Besch’s Quiet Country Audio. On “We Belong Together,” the group recalls a less bratty version of Made Violent or a cleaner M.A.G.S., the second comparison being rather apt as M.A.G.S. front man Elliott Douglas does drum tracking on the tune. The Modern Age has already teased its soon to be next track, “Feel It,” set to drop next month, so keep an eye out. In the mean time, listen to “We Belong Together” below.

VWLS Shares Latest Album, Announces Tour

November 4, 2015

If you happened to be searching the “dumpstep” tag on bandcamp today, you may have stumbled upon the new release from Buffalo drone act VWLS, the moniker of artist Bobby Griffiths. Tournament and Cage is his latest collection of thought provoking, experimental noise, the follow up to his spring EP, Soft Block. With the new album in tow, Griffiths is set to take VWLS on a short tour of the Midwest starting tomorrow, along with fellow WNY acts God of Gaps and Deceiver, as well as Methlab Explosion out of Ohio. You can get the full tour itinerary below. November 5th: Pittsburgh, PA @ Duck House w/ Deterge, SNWV, APE * November 7th: Milwaukee, WI @ The Borg Ward w/ Temper, Subterranean Partygoer November 8th: Grand Rapids, MI TBA November 9th: Detroit, MI @ The Sanctuary w/ Izfernor, Bullshit Market, Vullmoxx, Kearne, Hypnic Jerk, GRVD Nov 10th: Dayton, OH @ Smiles[...]

Genesee Live Releases Latest Installment feat. Drippers

October 30, 2015

We haven’t checked in with Rochester’s Genesee Live for a minute, so we were happy to see the live session series released its latest installment this morning, this time featuring the psych-rock trio, Drippers. The act may be new to some of our blog readers because as to my best recollection, we have yet to cover them, but I am kicking myself for sleeping the group up until now.  Fans of janky Queens of the Stone Age, retro psych rockers like the Black Angels, or a heavier Ariel Pink may have a new favorite local in Drippers, and Gl’s video is a great introduction. Check out Drippers’ clip below, and for past installments of Genesee Live, visit their Youtube here to catch up.

Howlo & Pleistocene Team Up for Halloween Split

October 28, 2015

Halloween is always a fun time to track new music out of Western New York as bands get into the holiday spirit and share some new spooky flavored tunes. And right on cue, early this week, two of our favorite Rochester acts, Howlo and Pleistocene, teamed up to release a timely split LP, Ghost Walk. The childlike harmonies on Howlo’s menacing opening cut, “All Hallow’s Eve,” make comparisons to Dead Man’s Bones hard to ignore, while later on, the four piece dips into some 90’s nostalgia on its cover of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer theme. Pleistocene’s half is decidedly lo-fi featuring some eerily haunting and rather sweet cooing from Katie Preston. The quartet’s split contributions feature some surfier vibes than its normal catalog as the LP stand out track, “Natura Combo,” sounds like the band has been hanging out with Harmonica Lewinski a bit as of late. The two bands will be playing cuts[...]

The Tins Share First Single from Love on Strike EP

October 27, 2015

Yesterday, Brooklyn Vegan premiered “Summer Jazz,” the first single from the Tins’ upcoming new EP Love on Strike. An appetizer to the 2016 kickstarter funded, Robby Takac produced full length, the EP was self recorded at the group’s studio apt in August, while the drums were laid down at Mammoth and mixing came courtesy of Ted Young (Kurt Vile, Hold Stready, Cymbals Eat Guitars). As for “Summer Jazz,” the single is a cut of growing, Tame Impala-esque pop infused with psychedelics and layered harmonies. While Love on Strike won’t be available until 11/13, the Tins will celebrate the record’s release on Saturday, November 7th, at Nietzsche’s. Support will be provided by bands from all over the state: Buffalo’s Humble Braggers, Rochester’s KOPPS, and Brooklyn’s Mdnight Hollow. Further event details can be found here. Listen to “Summer Jazz” below.

Just Announced: twenty one pilots

October 26, 2015

Despite not knowing for sure if concerts will even be happening at Canalside next summer, promoters and talent buyers are moving until told otherwise by the Common Council and have booked alt radio mainstays twenty one pilots to play the waterfront venue on Tuesday, June 21st. The Columbus pair’s Buffalo visit will be one of the non-free, potentially soon-to-over Thursday at Canalside shows. While I support shows remaining at Canalside, if the Common Council wants to find some kind of middle ground and move this one as far away from the city as possible, then where can I sign up to help scout new locations? Tickets go on sale this Friday, October 30th, for $30.50. If spending over $30 to catch this group is up your alley, god bless you,

Mikaela Davis Performs on Consequence of Sound’s Treehouse Sessions

October 23, 2015

Rising Rochester singer-songwriter/harpist Mikaela Davis was recently featured in an episode of Treehouse Sessions, a live studio session performed in Chicago’s Treehouse Studios. The clip is the latest installment in an on going series featured on Rock It Out! Blog via Consequence of Sound. Over the past few weeks, Treehouse Sessions have featured performances from acts like San Fermin, Violent Femmes, JEFF the Brotherhood, and Albert Hammond Jr. of the Strokes. For her episode, Davis and her band tackled two new songs, “Other Lover” and “My Light is Always On.” Watch Davis perform “Other Lover” below, and to catch her full session, click here.

Tonight: Friendship

October 21, 2015

If punk by way of Brooklyn or Japan isn’t your thing tonight, head down to Dreamland on this unusually busy Wednesday night for a set from Philadelphia’s Friendship. Friendship has a Weakerthans meets Bonnie Prince Billy with a touch of Magnetic Fields vibe and could easily be an alt-country counterpart to Buffalo slackers Difficult Night. The group’s new album You’re Going to Have to Trust Me was released this past weekend on New Hampshire label Burst & Bloom Records. You can give it a spine here. Joining Friendship will be fellow Philly, well, friend Abi Remold. The folk artist has a Sharon Van Etten thing going on and should be a fine compliment to Friendship’s laid back tawng. Buffalo’s own chamber pop six piece Parade Chic will open the show. Music begins this evening at 8pm with a $5 suggested donation to cover the touring acts.

Just Announced: Dr. Dog

October 20, 2015

After a handful of memorable area appearances over the years, including a eulogizing set for Mohawk Place a couple years back, the Philadelphia based, Queen City loved psych-folk rockers, Dr. Dog, will be once again gracing the stage of Town Ballroom, this time on Wednesday, March 9th. While the band does not have a new record under its belt (at least yet) to tour on, the group did release its first live album, Live at a Flamingo Hotel, earlier this year, so if you have yet to catch Dr. Dog’s raucous, and sometimes shriek inducing, live show, that would be a good place to start. Tickets will go on sale this Friday, October 23rd, at noon for $25.

Hawker M. James Shares Latest Track, “Here’s A Love Song”

October 16, 2015

Hawker M. James, the solo moniker of Demos’ drummer Mike James, is prepping to drop his new, self-titled cassette, set to be a part of this weekend’s Cassette Store Day batch of special edition releases. And to whet the whistle of Hawker fans, the long time Rochester musician shared the first single from the cassette, “Here’s A Long Song.” Whereas James’ previous track “Pleasure Part” teetered more into a moody and atmospheric Roxy Music territory, the catchy “Here’s A Long Song” is led off by some glammy riffs and toe tapping percussion. Fans of Guided by Voices and The Soundtrack of Our Lives should dig the new single. Copies of the limited edition tape, which will be self released on James’ Bête Noire label, can be purchased at Rochester area record shops Record Archive, Lakeshore Record Exchange, and The Bop Shop starting tomorrow, while the digital version of Hawker M. James will hit the webs sometime this[...]

Jawbone Releases Follow Up Record, 2

October 13, 2015

Jawbone, a dream team act of sorts featuring some of Steak and Cake’s regular players – Elias Van Son (Beekeeper), Ben Randall (the Etchings), Brandon Schlia (Red Heat, Rackmastas), and former Batavia native turned LA transplant Adam Steinbrenner – have re-teamed to release their follow up record to last year’s contribution to the label’s 2014 improv trilogy.  Recorded over a three hour writing/recording session at the S&C homebase of Curly’s, 2 is an impressive and very well flowing album, one that is especially remarkable given the record’s short turn around time. The lyrics were scavenged from old, unused poems written by Van Son, while the layered harmonies are provided by the Beekeeper front man, Schlia, Steinbrenner, and fellow S&C mainstay, Jaz Frazier. Creepy Clues-y keyboards, rugged early Saddle Creek instrumentation, and Paul Banks meets Aaron Weiss (mewithoutYOU) vocals, make 2 an album that you need to download immediately and cherish on your mobile devices. Check[...]

Passive Aggressives Anonymous Release “Ninja” Music Video

October 13, 2015

Rochester tongue-in-cheek crooners Passive Aggressives Anonymous have premiered the music video to the previously unreleased song, “Ninja.” A heartbreaking tail of a ninja who can’t take a hint, the PAA front man John Valenti and crew deliver the slightly creeper-esque number in the most charming way possible. The clip was shot by Alex Freeman of Studio 73 Productions and directed by Valenti himself, and features cameos by the just-asking-for-it members of Buffalo Sex Change as Valenti’s ninja wisely keeps his stealth skills at bay inside Rochester’s Small World Books. No word on whether the track will show up on a future PAA record, so in the mean time, watch “Ninja” below. Ninja from John Valenti on Vimeo.

Just Announced: Joanna Newsom

October 6, 2015

As she preps the release of the much awaited follow up to her critically praised album Have One on Me, beguiling folk singer Joanna Newsom has announced a fall tour that will include a stop at Babeville’s Asbury Hall on Sunday, December 13th. The harp player is set to drop her latest album Divers on October 23rd, so expect some road testing of the record when the storyteller takes the stage. And with Sleater-Kinney and Waxahatchee also set to play Babeville this December, the Delaware venue appears set to end 2015 on a major high note. Tickets will go on sale this Friday, October 9th at 10am for $30 in advance, $35 day of. Alela Diane and Newsome collaborator Ryan Francesconi will provide support.