Latest Posts

Just Announced: Landlady

February 23, 2015

We are having one of those slow days in the office again, just staring out the window, watching Buffalo continue to freeze, but luckily, an under-the-radar show just got added to the Mohawk Place calendar that we think is worth your attention. Brooklyn’s off kilter Landlady, a band which combines elements of Dirty Projects, TV on the Radio, and Yellow Ostrich, will be making its return to Buffalo on Wednesday, April 22nd, at Mohawk Place. Those in attendance at the Silo Sessions launch party this past summer saw the five-piece put on a stunning performance as the sun set along side the grain elevators while on tour in support of the fantastic 2014 release, Upright Behavior. Speaking of Silo Sessions, the show is in support of a new collaborative project between the video series and the Public, so keep an eye out for further details. Tickets are available (we think), and[...]

Tonight: M.A.G.S. EP Release

February 20, 2015

M.A.G.S., better known as wunderkind Elliott Douglas’ solo project, will be releasing its highly-anticipated debut EP tonight. Chasing the positive reception from a two-song demo released late last year, Douglas has been hard at work on Cellophane, a six song EP full of garage rock with an indie-pop tinge (think Cloud Nothings or Tokyo Police Club’s earlier days). Cellophane comes to us via Admirable Traits Records. As if that weren’t enough, support tonight comes from The Slums (featuring Douglas’ ex-Malones bandmate, Steven Floyd), Kharlos (ex-Merchants and a current Space Wolf), and everyone’s favorite lake-pop band, Bryan Johnson & Family. A copy of Cellophane will be included with admission, which is $10. Doors are at 8:00, see you at Mohawk Place.

Tonight: Tiny Desk Concert Contest Concert

February 12, 2015

For years, the NPR Tiny Desk series has been home to many artists from T-Pain and Macklemore to Adele and Foster the People. Some of the biggest artists in music today have played in the small cramped studio that NPR calls home. And thanks to NPR’s extensive reach, the search for new fresh talent has made it’s way to Buffalo. Tonight at Mohawk Place, there will be a showcase for Buffalo’s entries in the contest which includes some of Buffalo’s best bands, both young and old, like Parade Chic, the Observers, Applennium and Tiny Rhymes. Will NPR offer a Buffalo band this amazing opportunity to extend its reach? We’ll have to wait to find out. But either way, tonight’s showcase should be an incredible show of Queen City talent. The show at Mohawk Place starts at 8pm and tickets are $5 at the door.

Tonight: King Buffalo

February 6, 2015

Rock’n’roll is alive and well in the Rust Belt, and in spite of the shit weather, is making a home at Mohawk Place tonight. Rochester’s King Buffalo makes its return to our fair city with a sinewy brand of stoner hymns (Think Quest for Fire), along with Buffalo hings of heavy, Malarchuk, rock’n’roll throwback machines, the Evil Things, and Merchants/Space Wolves-by-way-of-new-name, Kharlos. This show is quintessential Buffalo winter. Drink Pabsts, get loose, shake hips, fun, smile, party. Action Jackson at 8pm.

Tonight: Alpha Hopper, Orations, & Soul Butchers

January 30, 2015

As we all know, January is seemingly endless string of cold, dark days, the never melting coating of snow a reminder of our own growing despondency and claustrophobia. Shame it only comes but once a year. To help celebrate the coming end of this month, Mohawk Place has a pretty solid bill of local bands beginning at 8pm for only $5 later on tonight. Starting things off will be Alpha Hopper, a band quickly building momentum for their debut LP, set to be released this Summer. Abrasive garage rock anchored by amazing vocals, this is definitely a band to watch. From there we move on to the brooding post punk of Orations. Whose ep from last year was a definite highlight. Fans of Joy Division, Bauhaus, and early Cure do not want to miss this performance. Finally, rounding things out is the frantic and wholly entertaining punk of Soul Butchers. So really,[...]

Just Announced: METZ

January 26, 2015

When Mohawk Place, or I guess Buffalo’s Mohawk Place as it’s now technically called, reopened its doors this past fall, it had some growing pains. The sound wasn’t quite right, a bit of character was lost, and there was a lot of Magic Hat, like everywhere. But once the new owners and bookers got their feet wet, the place started to recapture some of the venue’s old spirit. Recent shows like Diarrhea Planet and the Wooden Waves album release show seemed to leave people with the impression that Mohawk had gotten some of its groove back, and with the exception of the loss of some of the old venue’s more colorful and crusty characters, the Hawk was settling back in just fine. The main reason of the new Mohawk Place’s coming of age has been this recent run of great bookings, and if rumors are true, even more are to[...]

Tonight: Genocide Pact

January 22, 2015

Whoa. Genocide Pact is heavy. Like, brain crushingly heavy. If your thing is old school death metal (ala low-end, riff bludgeoning), you’d best be advised to get to Mohawk tonight to check em out. I probably listened to “Despotism” off their bandcamp 5x trying to figure out how they got down to such a low register. There’s some cool locals to round the bill out too – Junk Drawer, Cal Dripkin and Armageddon – a beautiful sweaty mix of heavy. thrash, groove, and thunder, all at your fingertips. $7 for 7pm.

Tonight: Bill Nehill Tape Release Show

January 21, 2015

Bill Nehill should be no stranger to anyone who grew up in the Buffalo independent music scene. For years, he was Mohawk Place’s resident bartender, and, along with Pete, Marty and a slew of others, was one of the faces of our favorite neighborhood haunt. He’s also a fantastic musician and songwriter. Whether performing solo or with Magi Chippie, or anyone else for that matter, Bill speaks truth through his music, evoking the very real sense that he’s been there and lived it. Tonight, Bill would like you to join him for the release of Forward to Ministry Autumn, his new cassette tape. In his own words, Ministry is “six songs written in a hypomanic spree early in the summer and recorded on a September morning in a grey grain silo with one mic.” This couldn’t take place anywhere BUT Mohawk (7pm) and features some other familiar faces in Matthew[...]

Just Announced: Diarrhea Planet

January 13, 2015

If you were one of the roughly 250 people to go to Diarrhea Planet last fall at Mohawk Place, then you were one of the lucky ones to witness undoubtedly one of the best performances in Buffalo in all of 2014. This afternoon, after hearing mumblings on the street for months, it was finally confirmed that Diarrhea Planet would be coming back to Mohawk Place on Monday, March 30th. Between Cursive, Torche, and Diarrhea Planet all at Mohawk in March alone, we might be crashing upstairs for the month. Does anyone wanna go halfs on a practice space? Tickets go on sale this Friday at noon at Ticketmaster.

Tonight: The Silks

January 9, 2015

Here’s the key to being a cool rock’n’roll band: Authenticity. Real deal, tried and true grit, spunk and ‘tude. You can have the riffs, the looks…even the swagger can be faked. But Authenticity is something that can only be felt. The Silks are as true as it gets. Heavy, soulful, boogie-in-the-heels rock that harkens back to the days when rock’n’roll was the coolest thing on the planet. A true mish-mash of Mountain thunder, ZZ sleaze, and Hooker-blues, the Silks feel right…and that’s a cool thing. Along for the ride tonight our Silky Rhode Islanders are accompanied by Buffalo’s own kings of groove, Second Trip and Lockport Boogie-merchants, Handsome Jack. $5 to swing at where else? The ‘Hawk.

Tonight: Rachel Ries

January 6, 2015

Tonight, take refuge from this frigid January at Mohawk Place (8pm, $5) for a night of warm melodies performed Rachel Ries with local openers Tiny Rhymes and Wolf. Ries’ music mixes folk with something more expansive, reflective of her rural background (Ries is the daughter of Mennonite missionaries and grew up in South Dakota) and current urban home base (Brooklyn). Her songs are earnest and searching. On the Buffalo end of things, we have Tiny Rhymes and Wolf both playing  stripped down versions of their work. All in all this is a great opportunity to catch some great music and emerge from your usual January hibernation before it even starts. The best way to forget how cold it is it is to ignore it completely right? And if that isn’t enough, there will be jam for sale at Ries’ merch table. So, you can do some grocery shopping while you[...]

Tonight: Transmission Dance Party

December 31, 2014

Time travel back to the future this New Year’s Eve at Mohawk Place. Just two years ago, it was the end of an era when they closed their doors, but now you can dance your way into 2015 for just $5 at the famed venue. Doors for Transmission, a long-storied Buffalo dance party tradition, are at 10pm, and if you want to catch your favorite tracks from everyone from Robert Smith to Robert Palmer, you’ll show up on time and ready to dance. It’s a New Wave, New Order kind of evening, and while there’s no dress code, you should definitely come dressed to impressed in your best black and sexiest scowl. Bill Page and Jason Draper might call themselves the worst DJ’s in Buffalo, but the consistently packed dance floor at their events say otherwise. Ring in the New Year right tonight with the best dance party in Buffalo.[...]

Tonight: Rotten EP Release Party

December 27, 2014

The boys in Rotten have been called a lot of things but nice isn’t one of em. Glue splattered, filth-punk with some anarchistic flare, England’s favorite sons have been laying down a path of slime-strewn indecency since their inception. Whether live or recorded on wax these boys deliver the goods and do so in spades, inspiring sweet, sick madness. BUT BEWARE. They will ruin anything they touch and consume anything they can get their filthy hands on. They’re just a wee bit off-kilter. It makes sense then that their new EP is titled Bat Shit Crazy. You have to be a little crazy to inspire the kind of punk as hell attitude that these fellas cop. Do yourself a favor and head down to Mohawk Place tonight (6 bands for 6 bux!) and pick up a copy. It’s their release show and it would really make them happy. Then again,[...]

Tonight: Francie Moon

December 9, 2014

Tonight, the up-and-coming lo-fi blues rock singer, Francie Moon, makes her way to Buffalo to play Mohawk Place. The young singer/songwriter has yet to release a full-length album but has produced 4 spellbinding EPs that you can find on her bandcamp. With the aesthetic of all the best early lo-fi rockers like Guided by Voices and Slint, and the songwriting of a young P.J. Harvey, this music has absolutely blown me away. Francie Moon is an artist almost destined to greater things and tonight she stops by our neck of the woods to play all the beautiful tunes that have killed me for the past week. She’ll be joined by talented Pennsylvanian artist Shane Palko, whose powerful indie-singer-songwriter sound has been making waves of late in the blogger community. The bill also features local staples Alpha Hopper, Space is Haunted, and Mr. Boneless Doors open at 8pm with a cover of[...]

Tonight: Wooden Waves LP Release Party

December 5, 2014

Wooden Waves have been around for a few years so I was surprised to see they are just now releasing their debut full length, Wilder Dreams, on December 9th. This is sure to be a welcome addition to winding down year of great Buffalo music. Tonight, they will be celebrating the record’s release on One Percent Press at Mohawk Place. To really make this a party, they have invited a few friends, making for a very strong, all local bill. Starting promptly at 9pm and for the low price of $5(ish), tonight’s bill opens up with indescribable styling and creative mind meld of Little Cake & Jack Topht. As if that was not enough, Mallwalkers and TMMC round out the bill. This promises to be a real humdinger of a night, so you have no excuse for missing this. And, if these bands were not enough, DJ-about-town, Eric Kendall, will be DJing between[...]