Latest Posts

Must See Shows (3/12/25-3/18/25)

March 11, 2025

Wednesday, March 12th Haley Blais @ 9th Ward   Vancouver’s Haley Blais will make her first stop in Buffalo with tour mates Wormy. The band had originally planned to stop here in late September, however, the concert gods felt otherwise and Blais had to reschedule. Now here we are, with the same lineup and a new opportunity to check out the singer/songwriter’s cheeky sound.   Signed to the record label Arts & Crafts (Andy Shauf, Broken Social Scene, Feist, & MANY MORE), Blais’ sound is lush with clever lyrics that navigate life in your twenties in the 2020s. Touring in support of their latest album Wisecrack, fans of Caroline Rose, Soccer Mommy, or Snail Mail would be pleased with Blais’ sound.   Starting things off right is Wormy, the music moniker for Brooklyn singer/songwriter Noah Rauchwerk. He may look familiar as his other gig is the touring drummer for Samia. It will[...]

buffaBLOG Sessions: Makeout Tactics

February 19, 2025

We are so excited to unveil our latest iteration of buffaBLOG sessions to the public. Previously, the blog had done different live sessions series, ranging from simple cell phone videos, to live-to-tape recordings, to DIY pop-ups with a temporary set-up. This batch of sessions will be the first time we’ve partnered with a studio, Mammoth Recording Studio, based out of the First Ward. The videographer from the series is the very talented Devin Chavanne, whose work spans across Buffalo and beyond. Likely, if you pay attention to anything coming out of Buffalo’s start-up industry, you’ve seen his handiwork.   This past fall, we gathered 22 people to execute the session which went off seemingly flawlessly and it excites us to continue the project and continue to showcase up-and-coming musicians from Western New York that need to be on your radar.   Our third session features Elmwood Village indie pop collective act[...]

Makeout Tactics – Skunk House

December 23, 2024

Buffalo indie-pop outfit Makeout Tactics has released their first EP, Skunk House. Waxing philosophical, we are presented with a slice of life view of a group of friends in their 20s. Seemingly mundane, these stories and experiences are elevated through their eyes, creating a compelling story that captures our attention.   The EP opens with “311,” laced with a heartfelt urgency that draws you right in. Anchored by the haunting vocals of Akasya Croiser, lyrics float ethereally over the jangly and enveloping guitar lines. The banality of placing a 311 call becomes a plea; a call to action. Second is the driving “Laundromat Thief” which opens with guitars that could play against a gunslinger showdown in a Western. We are then presented with a scenario in which someone has stolen our narrator’s underwear (amongst other things). “Laundromat Thief” is a driving track that underpins our narrator’s struggles. While the drums[...]

Must See Shows (10/16/24-10/22/24)

October 15, 2024

Friday, October 18th @ 8pm Makeout Tactics EP Release Show w/ Spud and Cheap Peach  @ The Cave Friday evening might be one of the most jam-packed calendars for quality music in Buffalo in recent memory. Every neighborhood in the city has something that I would recommend, however, not every showcase is celebrating an EP release show like Elmwood Village indie pop act, Makeout Tactics. The five-piece will be unveiling their new EP titled Skunk House, which chronicles the escapades of a bunch of friends in their twenties living together in a house that’s falling apart – almost like a co-ed Frat House. Makeout Tactics’ sound is high energy, and could be compared to Surf Curse or Los Campesinos with a hint of an edgier Max Bemis (Say Anything) accenting the gang choruses. Joining the bill will be singer/songwriter SPUD and a recently re-launched Cheap Peach. Doors are $10. Friday,[...]