Latest Posts

Europa & The Great Red Spot – Inside Voices

October 13, 2014

This week brings us yet another Rochester Album of the Week nod. Europa & The Great Red Spot‘s Inside Voices is a wonderfully understated LP full of fuzzy lo-fi gems. Riding mysteriously on a heavy space theme, it might as well be the sound of Europa itself spinning around Jupiter. Album opener “Din” is an immediate highlight. Falling somewhere on the spectrum between TV on the Radio and Local Natives, “Din” is a simmering slow-burner, with beautiful lyrics that touch on love, space, tattoos, and conflicting weather patterns. It’s a fitting introduction for an album full of hazy, lo-fi beauty. Another great dowsing rod for this band is the title track, “Inside Voices” – a six-minute, almost-instrumental epic worth getting lost inside. E&TGRS specialize in songs like these – swirly synths, shy guitars, and a pleasant, washy mix. On the other hand, “Redshift” walks the line of psychedelic – think the[...]

Tonight: Bayside

October 8, 2014

Tonight, Bayside is playing at the Waiting Room… But fans of Bayside probably already know that – they refer to themselves as a cult. For those Buffalonians who haven’t been indoctrinated yet, think passionate pop-punk/emo with a monster discography a la Saves the Day or Alkaline Trio. Just make sure you keep an eye out for rabid fans. The ex-The Movielife stalwarts in I Am The Avalanche and Seaway will be opening up the show tonight. $19 gets you in at 6:30. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/7040414″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

Tonight: A Hotel Nourishing EP Release Show

October 3, 2014

After a dark, seven-year hiatus, A Hotel Nourishing (Sonny Baker and Cam Rogers) returns tonight to release some new music, the deeply textured and haunting Empty Gesture EP. The band will be taking the stage at the recently re-opened Mohawk Place, so get ready for a healthy dose of 2007-esque nostalgia. Joining AHN are Aircraft, Mr. Boneless, and Red Heat (their first show!). Doors open this evening at 8pm while music kicks off around 9pm. $5 cover.

Machine Gun English – I’m Too Tall For My Time Machine These Days

September 29, 2014

“They” say that rock n’ roll is dead; I think the Stainds and Creeds and Puddle of Mudds of the world are just getting smarter. Rock music is now led by bands like Black Keys and Cage the Elephant – its less about machismo and brain dead guitar distortion and more about bluesy goodness. Machine Gun English is kind of like a mix between the Arctic Monkeys and Wild Beasts. The Rochester three-piece is all about rock n’ roll and good times, and it shows through their music. “Body Shots” is an accurate representation of the band and a great way to open the EP. A chorus chant of “Are you ready to go?” coupled with a classic rock guitar riff is plenty to power through the four-minute banger. The band hits their stride hardest on “Thanks, But No Thanks,” the Wild Beast-iest of their tracks. I am reminded of[...]

Alleys Post Wordy New Music Video

September 22, 2014

Alleys get existential in their new video for “Can’t You Just Make Fun of the Way I Talk Again…?” Singer/drummer Sebastian Cichon literally faces himself in a minimalistic video featuring the two-piece’s riffy emo/skramz. Cichon’s distinctive Sprechgesang is equally heartfelt and heartbreaking over Alex Cadwalladder’s nimble guitar – recommended for fans of TWIABP or Nai Harvest… Just no matter what, don’t accuse these guys of being WR.

Pinback at Buffalo Iron Works (9/16/14)

September 17, 2014

With this odd polar vortex framing our upcoming winter, my sense of nostalgia has been going crazy. I have always felt like Buffalonians are allowed only a few short weeks of crisp sweater weather before we get annihilated with snow… So on went my flannel and my dollar store beanie – as I headed out my door to go see Pinback last night, I had a feeling it was going to be a night worth remembering. Luckily for me, Pinback was coming to Buffalo. I have resigned myself to the fact that I have to occasionally drive to Pittsburgh or Cleveland to catch my favorite bands. It’s just a fact of life… And when a soul-crushing shift at my job cost me a chance to see Cloud Nothings earlier this year,  I had been determined to get to Iron Works ever since. The cobblestone streets are a nice touch (maybe not[...]

Rochester’s princess//princess Releases New EP

September 10, 2014

Call it punk, call it lo-fi, or call it tweemo, Rochester’s princess//princess’ new EP is full of it. Upon reaching my goal, I am completely underwhelmed. is a set of six raucous bedroom-esque recordings full of bouncy guitar and, at times, some surprisingly dark lyrics. My personal favorite was the brooding “BFF <3 (metacaricature),” full of minor chords and lyrical curses like, “I won’t be there when you’re drowning in the ocean. I’ll be drenched in suntan lotion.” A close second was the album’s second, albeit upbeat metacaricature, “The Girls School (another metacaricature).” They’ve offered it up for free – follow the link to bandcamp below.

Tonight: Instead of Sleeping, Humble Braggers, and more

August 29, 2014

Pittsburgh, PA’s Instead of Sleeping has been through Buffalo three times already – and they always leave the stage having expelled more energy than one thought humanly possible. If that wasn’t enough convincing, there is also a stacked local lineup featuring Fredonia-fuzzmongers Zealot, the smooth piano pop of Darling Harbor, and the swimmy reverb of Humble Braggers. Tonight’s show is at the Ninth Ward. Tickets are $5 presale and $10 at the door. Be there for doors at 7:00pm. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/30317224″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

Tonight: Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness

August 18, 2014

For anyone attending high school in the 2000s, Something Corporate and Jack’s Mannequin were staples on any mix tape. Even just the nine-minute epic “Konstantine” was enough to knock any teenager into a lovesick coma. The man behind the piano is Andrew McMahon, touring to Buffalo tonight under his new moniker, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. Opening tonight is Badboxes. Doors are at 7:00pm at the Waiting Room. Tickets are $25 at the door.

Tonight: Newish Star, Difficult Night, and more

August 14, 2014

Unfortunately, New Jersey’s Brick Mower could not make it to this wonderful showcase at one of our favorite local record stores, Spiral Scratch… But there is some good news. On the bright side, tonight’s show is now free! Newish Star and Difficult Night, acts that both contain was distinct, yet different 90s influences, round out tonight’s impressive local bill, with a debut performance from Technochronic and an opening set by Space is Haunted. Doors are at 6:00pm tonight and music will start promptly at 7:00pm.

Tonight: Edgefest

August 10, 2014

In case you somehow haven’t heard by now, today is the day that Edgefest rolls through town. It’s hard to ignore such a prime opportunity to people watch at one of the most “accessible” shows of the summer… but enough about that. We here at buffaBLOG are here to bring you information about music, so here goes: Pentimento are the opening act tonight, and for good reason. Often compared to co-headliners Brand New, Pentimento are one of Buffalo’s strongest musical exports now. With a new wave of hardworking bands riding the resurgence of punk and emo, Pentimento are enjoying the benefits that come from several successful tours and the hype from their latest EP Inside the Sea. The Sheila Divine are an alt-rock band from Boston. They have a philosophy of following something called “the three b’s” – Boston, Buffalo, and Belgium. Having been a cult band here in Buffalo[...]

California Cousins Release Limited Edition Tour EP

July 31, 2014

Fresh off of a huge show with Pentimento and currently on a summer tour, California Cousins have just released a new three-song demo. The Rochester emo band has been on our radar since the dissolution of the now-defunct buffaBLOG favorite, Keeler. This set of songs is perfect for fans of riff-heavy emo and hardcore. The demo is currently free, but only for the duration of California Cousins’ summer tour. Listen to opening track “Your Backyard” below or follow the link to Bandcamp for a free download.

Have Mercy – “Let’s Talk About Your Hair”

July 28, 2014

Normally we try to feature brand new music videos, but some unfortunate events happened in Buffalo this weekend and we felt like an exception should be made. Topshelf Records band Have Mercy was robbed Saturday night while they were staying in Buffalo. Although they have since recovered most of their gear (the man who stole their gear was caught trying to sell it to a Guitar Center in Rochester), they are still missing two guitars and some drum gear. We here at buffaBLOG thought it was only right to spread the word to show that Buffalo really is The City of Good Neighbors. Anyone who is a fan of music knows how detrimental this is to the well-being of a hard-working touring band. If you want to help Have Mercy, you can order some merch or donate to their PayPal account – HaveMercyOfficial@gmail.com. We’re sure they’d appreciate some new Buffalonian fans[...]

Alleys Release Sophomore EP, One Day I’ll Find A Solution To All Of My Problems

July 24, 2014

Buffalo NY’s Alleys are a band that embraces sadness, and judging by the recent successes of quasi-discordant emo bands like Dads or The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die, their new EP is bound to bring them places. Running Around Records has just released One Day I’ll Find A Solution To All Of My Problems, yet another great EP recorded at GCR with Jay Zubricky. The five-song EP highlights Alley’s penchant for hyper-depressing lyrics over blasts of clean-ish guitar and spastic drums (with only a hint of a bassist, who they tend to borrow from other Buffalo emo kingpins Figurehead). Check out the quick finger work in “Dusty Sings the Blues” below.

The Traditional Announce Signing to Anchor Eighty Four Records

July 18, 2014

Buffalo’s own The Traditional have announced that they have inked a deal with Los Angeles-based Anchor Eighty Four Records. This welcome announcement comes after the band spent a large majority of last year touring in support of their debut EP. It seems like the countless weekend dates and the full-US tour have really paid off. The Traditional recently completed recording their new album here in Buffalo with Jay Zubricky at GCR Studios. Anchor Eighty Four will release How To Live Without Blood on August 5th. Until then, you can enjoy the sampler of their next single, the anthemic “Miss Me Yet.” Check it out below.