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Just Announced: Great Lake Swimmers

March 10, 2015

The next couple months should be a formidable stretch for Buffalo folk fans. Horse Feathers and Shakey Graves will run through town within a two day period at the end of this month. And now, on Saturday, May 16th, Great Lake Swimmers are set to make a stop in Buffalo at the Tralf Music Hall. The Canadian folk outfit will be on the road in support of its forthcoming album, A Forrest of Arms, due out this April. Tickets go on sale this Friday, March 13th, for $14 in advance/$16 at the door.

Just Announced: Tyler, the Creator

March 9, 2015

Odd Future/OFWGTKA’s often controversial leader, Tyler, the Creator, will be returning to the Town Ballroom on June 14th. Known for his over the top, extremely hyped antics, Tyler will undoubtedly liven up the Main Street venue, even if it is just a Sunday. Earlier this year, Tyler reported he would be recording with Mac DeMarco, a collaboration that is intriguing to say the least. Tickets will go on sale Friday, March 13th, at noon for $30 via Ticketfly. Fuck Steve Harvey.

Just Announced: Father John Misty

March 3, 2015

I guess these show announcements are coming in threes today. First Modest Mouse, then My Morning Jacket, and now, we have Father John Misty, set to return to the Town Ballroom, this time in a headlining role, on Saturday, August 1st. Since leaving Fleet Foxes and his J. Tillman moniker behind, Josh Tillman’s newest project has grown into a cult like status, no thanks to his engaging and rather tongue-in-cheek stage performances. His latest album, I Love You Honeybear, has been blog approved across the board, he delivered a viral performance on Letterman earlier this year that may only rival Future Islands’ star making performance from 2014, and is set for a big 2015 with this tour. His last visit to Buffalo was in support of Youth Lagoon and Tillman proceeded to steal the show, so don’t sleep on him this time around. Tickets go on sale this Friday, March[...]

Just Announced: My Morning Jacket

March 3, 2015

I first caught My Morning Jacket live in the fall of 2002 opening for Manchester’s The Doves at the Kool Haus in Toronto. The Louisville based band was an unknown to me at the time and the members had yet to clean up their shaggy image, looking the part of what a Southern rock band should look like. Jim James’ hair was down to his knees and spun it in an almost hypnotic rhythm as the band proceeded to destroy “One Big Holiday.” I was so blown away by the band that I went to see them again the following night in Rochester at Water Street. Since then, the band has been steadily releasing albums over the years, with highlights including It Still Moves and Z, but MMJ is most definitely a live band, one whose shows have reached near legendary statuses over the years and should be seen in[...]

Just Announced: Modest Mouse

March 3, 2015

After a seven year hiatus, long time Washington indie rockers, Modest Mouse, will release its long awaited new album, Strangers to Ourselves, on March 17th. The band will be celebrating the release with a spring tour, one that includes a stop at Babeville’s Asbury Hall, on Friday, April 17th, just four days prior to the venue’s sold out Neutral Milk Hotel show. Thats a #winning week for Babeville right there. Tickets go on sale this Friday, March 6th, at noon for $52 in advance, $55 day of.

Tonight: Shilpa Ray

March 1, 2015

In what has turned into a regular occurrence over the past decade, Shilpa Ray, she of Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers, is back in town tonight, closing out the weekend later this evening at Nietzsche’s. The Brooklyn based musician, who blends blues, punk, and gritty soul along with her trusty harmonium, is one of indie rock’s strongest and most captivating vocalists. Don’t let her frequent trips to Buffalo keep you away tonight, as each show she delivers is as powerful as the next. Tonight’s show kicks off at 8pm with Buffalo’s Pine Fever setting the stage prior to Ray. Cost to get through the doors is $7.

Max Garcia Conover – “Motorhome (a love song)”

February 24, 2015

Jamestown, NY native, Max Garcia Conover, has begun to release weekly songs and videos while holed up in his home recording studio in his new home in or around Portland, Maine. His first video, “Moterhome (a love song),” was released on February 9th and has since released two more videos, the most recent on Sunday, in his year long project. While this Bon Iver-like exile is not a new concept to the musician, this year, the folkie decided to try something a bit different, creating a Patreon page where you, as the listener/viewer, can leave him “tips” for every time a song comes out, giving you early access to the videos and more. You can find out more about the sort-of crowd sourcing project here. Watch the video for the weary, Phosphorescent-esque “Moterhome (a love song)” below, and keep an eye out for future clips on Garcia Conover’s Youtube page.

Zealot Teases New EP, Releases Alternative Take of “Spent”

February 20, 2015

The fuzzy, Fredonia bred trio, Zealot, have been hard at work on a debut EP for a while now, with hints that a May release seems doable. Today, the three piece teased the forthcoming EP, which is currently titled Foilage, with a new song called “Spent.” The version that will eventually appear on the EP will have a different sound, but for the alternative take on the track, the trio left the influences of Yuck and 90’s fuzz rock behind, and released a song that would fit nicely on a Modern Baseball or Front Bottoms record, or for a local comparison, think Alex Berkley fronting I Can See Mountains. Listen to the alternative take of “Spent” below and keep an eye out for the full EP later this Spring.

Gay Angel Releases First Installment of floral

February 19, 2015

We first stumbled upon Jake Bellissimo’s Gay Angel project in the summer of 2014, impressing us enough to select his song “Gloria!” as one of our favorite Rochester tracks of the year. The chamber pop musician is what you would call ambitious, collecting one of the biggest cast of musicians for his album places i’ll eat, people i’ll eat I have seen on a WNY release, maybe ever. Bellissimo decided to up the ante on his latest work, an expansive four part, 100-track project that would make Sufjan Stevens blush. The first album, floral, pt. 1, was just dropped a couple days ago on bandcamp via Roch label Drunk With Love Records. The remaining albums hope to be released by the end of April according to Bellissimo. For the first floral installment, Gay Angel has continued to hone his orchestral sound, with influences ranging from Owen Pallett to Beirut to[...]

Watch Flatsitter’s SAFE WOR(L)D

February 18, 2015

If you have yet to attend one of Flatsitter‘s “shared virtual reality experiences,”  then check out the short clip that was just released to see what you could be getting yourself into when the audio/visual pair throws its next event. The duo debuted SAFE WOR(L)D earlier this year at the Buffalo Niagara Hostel, and just this last weekend, put on another installment at the Foundry Suites on Valentine’s Day. Both events quickly sold out so be on the look out for Flatsitter’s next event if you wish to experience. Watch the SAFE WOR(L)D montage, directed by Kevin Charlies Kline, below.

Just Announced: Glass Animals

February 17, 2015

After what seemed like an extended lull, Asbury Hall is getting back in the game with some quality shows down the pipeline. In addition to April’s now sold out Neutral Milk Hotel engagement, the Babeville complex, along with Ithaca based promoter Dan Smalls Presents, will be hosting one of 2014’s rising acts, Glass Animals, this coming June. The Oxford bred, electro-pop four piece released the buzz worthy debut album, Zaba, led by singles “Gooey” and “Black Mambo,” this past summer, and will be playing the Delaware venue on Tuesday, June 16th. The band appears to be using the Buffalo date as a prep before hitting the festival circuit later this summer. Tickets will go on sale this Friday, February 20th, for $17.50 in advance, $20 day of.

Joywave Annouces Debut LP, How Do You Feel Now?

February 17, 2015

After exhausting every ounce of airplay out of the breakout single, “Tongues,” Rochester’s synth pop five-some, Joywave, have finally announced the release of its debut full-length How Do You Feel Now?, set to drop on April 21st via Cultoco Music/Hollywood Records. The band has a couple area appearances coming up between now and then, including opening for Big Data, whose hit single, “Dangerous,” featured Joywave frontman Dan Armbruster on lead vocals, on Saturday, April 4th at the Showplace Theatre. The five piece is also set to appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday, March 2nd The band’s latest single, “Somebody New,” has been getting some serious burn on Alt-Nation lately. Originally included on the 2014 EP, How Do You Feel, which also featured “Tongues,” the song will be the lead off track on the forthcoming LP. Listen to “Somebody New” below.

Tonight: Red Rovers Roll – Valentine Night Adult Skate

February 14, 2015

After hitting negative degrees yesterday, I am sure it was a welcome surprise to wake up to another few inches of snow this morning in the winter that just won’t quit. And with today being Valentine’s Day, those single Buffalonians are either faced with being holed up in their apt all day and starting at the walls, or doing something about it. So why not choose the later and head over to Skateland at 10pm tonight for Red Rovers Roll Valentines Night Adult Skate, put on by the fine folks behind the recent Well Round Peoples Parties. Sike and DJ Reazon will be providing the tunes while you “gracefully” skate around the rink all night long. $5 will get you through the door and skate rentals are only a buck.

Revolver Records Lauches Storefront Crowd Funding Campaign

February 9, 2015

We don’t normally get behind too many crowd funding campaigns here at the blog. I mean, do we really need to help pay for another food truck at this point? Late last week, though, Revolver Records, a garage run vinyl store, launched a GoFundMe campaign to get its own shop up and running. If you have been to the Peddler during the summer or taken a stroll by Bureau on Friday afternoons, then you have prob run into Phil Machemer and his great collection of both quality used and new records. He and his wife, Kerri, are hoping to raise enough money to open their own storefront in the near future. Despite the recent surge in vinyl sales, record shops are still a dying breed so its great to potentially have another shop open up in Buffalo down the read. The Machemers still have a ways to reach their goal, so[...]

Cooling Card Drops Shoe-Gaze Track, “All of Lost”

February 6, 2015

A rather mysterious band/artist popped on up Rochester’s bandcamp today in the form of Cooling Card. The artist page has no links to any other forms of social media, and the song doesn’t even have a date stamp on it. Is this even new? No matter. Whoever Cooling Card may be, the act delivered a solid cut of shoe-gaze in the track “All is Lost.” Droning vocals and reverb heavy guitars with the occasional jangle, pretty much the key ingredients to a good shoe-gaze, are all present on “All is Lost.” The song recalls a less mopey Smiths, a less poppy Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and even a touch of local act Spirit Choir. Check it out below and if you have an extra $666 lying around, you can purchase the track over at Cooling Card’s bandcamp page.