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Tonight: Kerfuffle After Party

July 26, 2014

Hosted at what is quickly becoming my new favorite local music venue, the Kerfuffle afterparty is the perfect way to end your day of outdoor music festivities here in Buffalo. Buffalo Iron Works welcomes everyone 21+ to keep the party going at this free event (make sure you bring your ticket stub from Kerfuffle) that kicks off at 11pm, and while having that stub is important to admission, it doesn’t guarantee you’ll get in. Once the venue reaches capacity, and I have a feeling it will, no one will be admitted. This is one time you won’t want to show up fashionably late, because acts from Utah to Rochester will be there to entertain you with a blend of unique sights and sounds. 585 favorites Joywave, who’ve collaborated with Kerfuffle act Big Data, take the stage, along with Meg Myers; Oh, Be Clever; and Panama Music.  

Tonight: Humpday Horrorshow

July 23, 2014

Tonight, Allen St.Hardware is getting a facelift. The neighborhood bar, known for its classy decor and modest atmosphere, will paint its face black in celebration of the first Humpday Horrorshow, courtesy of Hematone Productions. What you can expect: Industrial music, courtesy of DJ’s Malik Saint (of Shaken Stylus) and [K A T O], go go dancers, shooter girls, pizza, wine tasting, a costume contest ($100 gift certificate to Divine Machine for best costume) and much more. With several sponsors and a great deal of hype, this is set to be one helluva mid-week party. And it’s only $7. The needles set to drop at 10, but doors are at 9 so get there early and experience all things Hump.

Tonight: Band of Horses

July 22, 2014

“I’m coming up only to hold you under And coming up only to show you’re wrong And to know you is hard; we wonder… To know you all wrong; we warn. Really too late to call, So we wait for morning To wake you is all we got To know me as hardly golden Is to know me all wrong, they warn. At every occasion I’ll be ready for the funeral At every occasion, once more, it’s called the funeral At every occasion, oh, I’m ready for the funeral At every occasion, oh, one billion day funeral” These iconic lyrics from Band of Horses track “The Funeral” are some of the most recognizable and cherished words ever sung in indie rock, and for good reason. They come from a place we have all, at one time in our lives, visited; a dark, inward vestige, the hole that we had to[...]

Tonight: Queens of the Stone Age w/Brody Dalle

July 18, 2014

It’s safe to say that 2013 was THE year for Queens of the Stone Age. Not only was their …Like Clockwork album wildly received by fans, it was their most critically acclaimed album to date; a perfect blend of sleaze, longing, grit and desperation. All the puzzle pieces fit on this one, and many fans of the band count it among their best. Since that time Queens have been touring in support of Clockwork, continuing to build their rep as one of rock’n’roll’s premier live acts. Tonight, along with QOTSA, is Brody Dalle, Australian singer-songwriter, formerly of the Distillers and Spinnerette. Dalle has been at this game a number of years first as the snarly punk rocker vocalist in popular Hell-Cat band the Distillers, then incorporating indie sounds into her repertoire to develop a fuller, more unique sound, first with Spinnerette and now on her first solo release; 2014’s Diploid Love.[...]

Tonight: DIIV

July 15, 2014

In this day and age, terms like “shoegaze,” “dream rock,” and “indie pop” get thrown around fairly often. It makes sense in our brains to categorize music as we try to explain it to someone who’s never heard it before. Rarely do these catch-alls catch all however. They may touch on distinct sonic qualities, or maybe even a vibe, but they hardly capture the soul of the music which it intends to prescribe. Sonically, DIIV could probably be described as any of the above. What separates them from the pack is the same thing that separated Nirvana from the rest of their grunge brethren, or Bob Dylan from the endless stream of folk artists, pre or post the man himself. Great music exists in intangible places. It is familiar, yet fresh; It captures some parts of our heads and hearts. DIIV exists in this current. DIIV’s songs are uniquely compelling;[...]

Tonight: Louis Prima Jr. and the Witnesses

July 12, 2014

To carry a legacy on decade after decade is quite a feat. Louis Prima was a pivital musician during the New Orleans jazz era. He became notable for classic Italian tunes to his starring vocal role as King Louie in the Disney film The Jungle Book. With Vegas experiences and collaborations with Frank Sinatra’s Rat Pack, Prima became known for his “Wildest!” signature. If you think you don’t know Prima, think again, especially if you’ve wandered Hertel Avenue for Buffalo’s Italian Festival. And if that doesn’t strike your memory, take a listen to his famous song from The Jungle Book. His son, Louis Prima Jr., is continuing the legacy but rather than recreating the past and following a set path led by his father, he is amping it up with a modern vibe. The band’s album Blow scored a #25 rank on CMJ‘s Jazz charts. Along with his eight-piece band,[...]

Today and Tonight: Red, White & Igloo – Queen City Cartel Boombox 003

July 4, 2014

America. Political stances aside, the Fourth of July is the one day a year where mostly everyone will bust out their patriotic attire, fire up the grills and shoot off those fireworks they scored from Pennsylvania (or trek downtown to watch regulated ones). For a while, my family and I had the same tradition each year. We would camp at Southwick Beach, which was just outside of Syracuse. I have the fondest memories as a child of chasing fireflies, spending time with my grandparents, the smell of the campfire and the exciting but almost terrifying feeling of holding a sparkler and running wild. My “Uncle Kenny” (we weren’t blood related) would gather the family, head to the beach and we would walk a decently far way down, where the campsites ended and there was hardly anyone in sight. My entire family and I, under the starlight ,with the sound of the[...]

Tonight: A Celebration of Pete Perrone

June 28, 2014

For the Buffalo music scene he was a key player; a fatherly figure who helped support a generation of bands simply by opening his doors and giving us weirdos an opportunity to be weird. In doing so he transformed an aging, somewhat dilapitated building into a musical mecca. Who would have thought that an aging Italian opening a small bar on the outskirts of downtown would play such a huge role in all of our lives? But that’s who Pete Perrone was, and for those who remember him those memories are only of the fond variety. I could launch into a huge diatribe about how Pete affected me personally and musically, but I’ll save that for another time (perhaps tonight?). In celebration of the man we all came to love, Town Ballroom will be hosting a remembrance tonight ($5 advance, 7pm) with music, words, and images. Many of the local[...]

Tonight: Slapshot

June 7, 2014

I think it’s fair to say that Slapshot is one of the most famous hardcore bands to ever come from Boston, Massachusetts. They’re certainly the most notorious, with a penchant for out of control shows and borderline militant straightedge dogma (at least in the early days, I don’t think they’re straight now…correct me if I’m wrong). Back on the Map, Step on It, and Sudden Death Overtime are hardcore classics and you’d be hard pressed to find anybody in hardcore who doesn’t have an opinion on this band. Love them or hate them, they are omnipresent, seemingly always there, and, along with Agnostic Front, Cro-Mags, and Bad Brains, represent some of the finest in 80’s hardcore. Tonight the Slapshot boys are playing with a who’s who of hardcore; the crushingly heavy Born Low, Tony Erba’s new band Fuck you Pay Me, GhostxShip, On the Ropes, and Buffalo’s own Longest War,[...]

Tonight: Titus Andronicus

June 7, 2014

In what is becoming a regular occurrence, NJ punks Titus Andronicus will make their return to Buffalo this evening at the Tralf Music Hall, their second stop in as many years. Since forming in 2005, Titus Andronicus has slowly built a catalog full of piss and vingar infused anthems, best exemplified on their sprawling, Civil War inspired concept album, The Monitor, all while being led by one of indie-rock’s best front man in the venomous Patrick Stickles. Expect Stickles and crew to test out some new material this evening as the band teased a new album was on the near horizon upon their last visit to town. Providing support this evening will be buzzing Brooklyn act Baked and local female foursome Cross Stitch. Show kicks off tonight at 8pm. Tickets are available at the door for $14.

Tonight: On The Cinder

June 6, 2014

What are you doing tonight? Well, if you’re not too busy binging on season 2 of Orange is the New Black, stalking your ex on Facebook, or trying to decide who won twitter this week between Rob Delaney and Patton Oswalt, I hear there’s a show going on tonight. But Justin, there are just so many shows going on in the Queen City tonight, how do I choose which one? You can start by heading over to the Flower House as later tonight, they will be hosting On the Cinder’s tour kick off show. The Buffalo punk band, who are ‘fueled by cheap beer and the fear of getting old,’ will be sent off in style by fellow Buffalonian punks Accidentals, Grain Assault, and Seven Thirty Seven before hitting the road. Music kicks off at 7pm with a suggested donation of $3-$5. Ask around for the address.

Tonight: Horse Lords

June 5, 2014

If you have been looking for an excuse to head over to Sugar City’s new location (1239 Niagara Street), and have been itching to catch a show at their headquarters after the 2+ year hiatus, then tonight you may cross both of your list as the DIY collective will be hosting Baltimore instrumental act Horse Lords. A last minute addition on the quartet’s tour, tonight’s set should feature a groovy brand of krautrock that can go from minimal to beat heavy to brash at any moment.  You can get a better idea by listening to their most recent mixtape below. The show will be a part of Sugar City’s Across The Way: an art adventure event also occurring tonight starting at 5:30pm. Horse Lords are set to go on at 8pm sharp, and while there is no cover, donations are accepted and welcomed.

Tonight: The Bloody Beetroots

June 5, 2014

When I think of The Bloody Beetroots, I hear “1, 2, WOOP, WOOP,” a humming scratching, a ticking clock and the guttural screams of “Warp.” [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/18855122″ params=”color=00aabb&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /] From Italy, Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo is known for his punk influence on the electronic world. He adorns a mask during performance and is known to many as The Bloody Beetroots. Whether it be a DJ set or a live performance, it is more than just dance music. The art of the Beetroots spans time and history, and incorporates cultural influences that set the sound apart from the rest. Last year, The Bloody Beetroots did a collaboration with Paul McCartney. The music video for that song, “Out of Sight,” truly captures the poetic essence of who Rifo is. “Electronic dance music is the bridge that spans my musical influences. My intention was to use the energy of punk[...]

Tonight: Graph Rabbit

June 4, 2014

Graph Rabbit is a dreamy indie rock act based out of Brooklyn that combines the talents of Austin Donohue, a filmmaker as well as musician and composer, producer Allen Farmelo (The Cinematic Orchestra, Talk Normal), experimental pianist Shy Kedmi, and sound engineer Valgeir Sirgurosson (Bjork, Sigur Ros). You get a blurry, fairy-tale-Icelandic vibe when you listen to the band (performing live as a duo) with some Thom York influences thrown in for good measure. Graph Rabbit’s debut LP, Snowblind, is literally defined as damage to the eyes caused by excessive exposure to highly reflective snow fields. You go blind and you can not see. Now that’s a concept Buffalo can wrap its head around. Using analog synths, glockenspiel, strong vocal leads, and lots of sleigh bells, Snowblind tells the story of an aimless wanderer searching for harmony. The LP is all about escape, and Graph Rabbit make an effort to transport[...]

Tonight: Squeaky Wheel Presents Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell

May 28, 2014

Continuing their series of excellent and innovative music documentaries that I seem to always be out of town for, Squeaky Wheel will be showing Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell tonight. The movie focuses on the life of the avant garde fixture who died of AIDs at 40. Russell’s work runs the gamut of disco and more experimental cello compositions. Tonight’s documentary is an episodic look at Russell’s life coupled with a wider look at the main cultural currents around his work. As always, the work will be followed by a performance by a local Buffalo artist. In this case it will be the very active cellist, T.J. Borden. Tonight’s screening will begin at 8pm in Hardware’s back room. Squeaky Wheel members are free, non pay $7.