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11 Acts to Catch at Trimania 2018

April 13, 2018

Trimania returns Saturday, April 14th for its every three year take over of the TriMain building.  The multi-faceted program is a hard dive into the local arts and music scenes, allowing the opportunity for the regional creatives to convey their art and the thousands of attendees to consume it. The event will almost overwhelm your senses, with artists, poets, musicians, and DJs performing in various rooms and  corners throughout the six stories of the building. With that, here are 11 musical performances we suggest checking out Saturday night. 8pm Hop Hop @ Insight International (Suite 556) Experimental hip hop artist Jaz Frasier performs under the moniker Hop Hop to deliver smart lyrics with abstract instrumentals Scratch by Hop Hop 9pm Little Cake @ First Floor Stage Avant garde multi-instrumentalist and front woman Little Cake dips her toe into a variety of genres and styles to produce an undoubtedly commanding performance.[...]

Tonight: Fat Tuesday

February 13, 2018

Mardi Gras is now more or less a thing up here in Buffalo so you might as well celebrate it properly tonight at Mohawk with the return of their Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras Party. Featuring the artfully ramshackle Americana band Pine Fever, heavy duty psych rockers Deadwolf, the rockabilly punk sensibilities of Soul Butchers, The Buffalo Brass Machine cranking New Orleans brass, A. Dreamer Solutions, and Mr. Conrad playing piano in between sets all night long, there’s also going to be a New Orleans buffet, NOLA drink specials, beads… and it can all be yours for $10, or $5 after the food runs out. Doors open at 6pm.

Cadaver Country Drops Debut EP

November 11, 2015

This week marks a new album for Cadaver Country, the freak-folk side project of Pine Fever member Jacob Verghese. The six track EP, titled Vain Brain, follows much in the same vein as the album’s first single (released earlier this year), and finds a unique balance between the endearing weirdo-isms of artists like Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel and the eclectic folk instrumentation of The Decemberists or The Bowerbirds. Tracks like “Divining Light” and “Good Morning, Morning” capitalize on homey Savannah back porch vibes, both with plucky banjo lines and inviting tambourine, the former capturing an interesting storytelling side a la Lord Huron. My favorite of the six tracks, “The Man With the Teeth,” finds Verghese at his most instrumentally articulate, particularly with his impressive banjo work, while lonely sighs of pump organ surface from the background. The whole EP, written, recorded, and produced by Verghese himself, is an[...]

Tonight: Beams

August 6, 2015

After tackling Detroit last night, Ontario alt-folk collective Beams will continue its first tour through the states this evening at Mohawk Place. Armed with a 1-2 punch female harmony and a singing saw, the group recently recorded its most recent EP, The Gutters & The Glass, with Tortoise and Sea & Cake member John McEntire, who has previously worked with Yo La Tengo, Stereolab, and Broken Social Scene. Beams reminds us of a rootsy version of Arcade Fire with touches of Neko Case sprinkled in for good measure. The band also has a pretty great and unexpected cover of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill,” which was previously covered by Chromatics on their 2007 record Night Drive. Check it out below. On hand for opening support tonight will be the crust buskers of Pine Fever and the folk group of Observers. Music begins this evening at 8pm with a measly cover of only[...]

Tonight: The Bones of J.R. Jones

April 30, 2015

If you’re at Mohawk Place tonight, you might think you’ve time traveled back to the early 1900s. The tunes emanating from the stage will be reminiscent of the stripped-down blues that has evolved over the last century into the modern folk and Americana music styles we enjoy today. The step back in time is the work or J.R. Linaberry, D.B.A. The Bones of J.R. Jones, in a solo act show that promises electric guitar licks, banjo backbeats, and acoustic charm. Patrick Stephen Johnson and Levi Van Cleve (of Buffalo’s beloved Pine Fever) open the evening. The show starts at 8pm and tickets are $5 at the door.

Tonight: Robert Sarazin Blake

April 29, 2015

All you folkies put on your Wednesday’s best; Robert Sarazin Blake is coming to town. Queen City Cartel is hosting the travelling folk singer/songwriter and his band, The put-it-all-down-in-a-Letters, tonight in the back room of Hardware on Allen. Blake is known for his inviting live performances of highly improvisational story folk, and anyone who has seen him perform before knows that “seeing him perform” isn’t really an all-encompassing way to describe being an audience member at one of his shows. In addition to the neighborly vibes of his celtic-laced acoustic songs, Blake excels at involving the audience conversationally, transforming whatever room he happens to be playing into a congenial space with old friends a-plenty. And speaking of old friends, the Americana balladeers in Pine Fever will be providing tonight’s local support. If there’s a good time to be had anywhere in Buffalo tonight, it’s here. Show starts at 8pm, with[...]

Cadaver Country Drops New Track “Not Sleeping (you don’t know)”

April 8, 2015

Yesterday morning, Jacob Verghese, mulit-instrumental of crust folk act Pine Fever, quietly dropped a new song from his on-going solo project, Cadaver Country. Titled “Not Sleeping (you don’t know),” the track finds Verghese once again playing jack of all trades role, handling instrumental duties from banjo to washboard to harmonium. The upbeat toe tapper has a whimsical feel that artists like Andrew Bird and a (potentially) stripped down Dr. Dog do so well. Check out the song below.

Tonight: Handsome Jack Album Release Show

October 24, 2014

With their Southern blues-rock sound, some might mistake Handsome Jack for one of the host of bands from the Nashville rock scene, but rather this talented four-piece hail from our very own Lockport, NY. The local retro-rockers will take the stage tonight at Mohawk Place to celebrate the release of their new album, Do What Comes Naturally. The album is already receiving early acclaim and even landed them a shout from Rolling Stone. Tonight offers a rare chance to hear the self-described “boogie-soul” band debut their latest record in an intimate venue while you still can. The band will also be joined by a local acts Bearhunter, JOHNS, and Pine Fever. Doors opens at Mohawk Place at 8pm and tickets are $7.

Andy Pothier Performs “Castaway” For River House Sessions

August 13, 2014

Buffalo folk musician, Andy Pothier (Pine Fever, The Evil Things), just posted a simple video for the title track to his last EP, titled Castaway, released earlier this year. Taped for the River House Sessions series, the video finds Pothier (who has that Conor Oberst thing going on) and guitar delivering a hushed performance during a peaceful August afternoon. Check out the video for “Castaway” below and if you like what you hear, head over to Pothier’s bandcamp page to download the full Castaway EP for a couple bucks.

Tonight: A.J. Woods

July 20, 2014

Since opening a year or so ago, the back room of Hardware has been a great space to host a variety of events/functions from dance parties to poetry readings to a couple showcases from our recent Herd Fest. Later this evening, the room is set to host a night of quiet contemplative folk music headed by the New Mexico based A.J. Woods, who vocally recalls John Samson of the Weakerthans or local singer/songwriter Alex Berkley. His most recent album, AdamWoods, was released via bandcamp in 2013 and can be listened to here. Providing local support will be folk musician Andy Pothier, who on other nights can be found behind the drum set of rollicking Pine Fever, and Helen, a suddenly rather busy project featuring Andrew Biggie of Bourbon & Coffee. Music kicks off around 8pm. Bring $5-$7 to support the touring acts.

Tonight: Mr. Boneless Album Release Show

July 19, 2014

Bumrush Booking recording artist, Mr. Boneless, will be celebrating the release of the group’s full length debut, Cutting Teeth, tonight at the Gypsy Parlor. The Fredonia-born, Buffalo-based steam folk quartet (think an early Modest Mouse if they came out of the back woods), led by the menacing growl of Elliot Boneless, has been making the rounds in the city for a the past couple years, between members relocating to Philly and back. Since settling in Buffalo, the band has become one of the better live acts in town, normally found on area bills along side fellow Fredonia act, Well Worn Boot. Cutting Teeth is already streaming on Boneless’ bandcamp page if you want to brush up on the new material before heading over tonight. Unsure if physical copies will be made available, but bring some extra cash in case. Music begins tonight at 8pm. Cover is not noted so maybe[...]

Aneides

RESCHEDULED: Aneides, Pine Fever, & The Pharaoh Moans

May 23, 2014

UPDATE 5:00 pm, 5/23/14: This show has been cancelled due to some “scheduling shenanigans.” Will hopefully be rescheduled for tomorrow night, venue TBA. We’ll update ya when we know more! Keeping the preview intact below, to be updated when the venue is announced. Why have good dreams when you could have twisted ones? Make it happen tonight at Dreamland with some folk, freaky and non. You’ve got Asheville’s Aneides, who sings piano ballads that make you can make you feel uneasy, and then suddenly touched. You’ve got The Pharaoh Moans, who, judging from the tunes on their ReverbNation page, play ripping folk from a darker place designed to get your body’s chemicals a-pumpin’. And you’ve got Pine Fever, bringing some toe-tapping, rough-around-the-edges Americana to the table. Good deal. Doors at 8, Facebook event here. Suggested $3-$5 donation. Check out Aneides below.

Tonight: Pine Fever

May 5, 2014

What says “Cinco de Mayo” more than an Americana band playing at a pizzeria? A ton of things. But given that so many people use Cinco de Mayo more as an excuse to drink tequila than to celebrate the Battle of Puebla, I don’t think it matters so much, as long as it’s fun. Pine Fever will be playing some tunes at Vera on Lexington at 10 pm. They’ll be joined by local burlesque heroes the Stripteasers. Check it out, try to keep the crass cultural appropriation to a minimum, and you’re sure to have a great Monday evening.