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Tonight: PUP

February 21, 2020

Canadian punk rockers PUP will be gracing the Asbury Hall stage tonight for a sold out show. Riding the high of the release of their latest record Morbid Stuff, they will surely put on a high-energy show for Buffalo fans. PUP have become a staple in the punk community, with praise from top music magazines. Buffalo is just one stop on the band’s extensive world tour, ending in July. PUP will be joined by Toronto act Casper Skulls, known for their guitar dynamics and powerful vocals of Melanie St-Pierre’s. The Drew Thomson Foundation will start the night off with it’s power pop jams. Doors at 7pm, but only if you have a ticket.  Written by Zain Shirazi

Every Time I Die’s Annual Christmas Show at Riverworks (12/16/17)

December 19, 2017

Tid the season!  The Every Time I Die annual Christmas shows have turned into a sort of local legend, and this year, the local metalcore legends went all out.  They invited an insane assortment of  touring acts to open the all day event, including Vein, Knocked Loose, Frank Iero and the Patience, Reggie and the Full Effect, Pup, and Eighteen Visions.  This was probably their biggest Christmas show to date, Riverworks was totally packed, sold out months in advance, and the fans went off like the show was still a venue as small as at the Waiting Room.  Check out some photos from the hours of total madness below, shot by blog photographer, Brendan O’Connor. Vein Knocked Loose Frank Iero and the Patience  Reggie and the Full Effect Pup Eighteen Visions Every Time I Die

PUP at Studio at Waiting Room (05/18/17)

May 22, 2017

Well, it was bound to happen eventually. After making their Buffalo debut at the Studio in 2014 and playing there once a year since, they finally sold it out. Following the release of their latest LP, The Dream is Over,  the Toronto pop punk four piece have steadily been gaining popularity, and at that showed at their performance.  Going as down as one of the more insane crowds I’ve seen at the Waiting Room, the packed house didn’t slow down for a minute over the course of the bands hour long set.   The show was opened with an awesome set by Prawn, who played with PUP the last time they were in Buffalo as well.   Check out some photos from the insane night below, shot by blog photographer, Brendan O’Connor. Prawn PUP

Tonight: PUP

May 18, 2017

Can we just go ahead and make PUP honorary Buffalonians already? Tonight marks PUP’s umpteenth return to the Queen City, and for good reason. Every time this quartet comes around, they bring a raucous live show brimming with unparalleled energy. They’ve brought along the perfect tourmates to boot – peppy Topshelf math/emo act Prawn is in tow tonight. PUP will be shredding at the Waiting Room this evening. Doors are at 7pm and tickets are $16 presale, $18 at the door. <iframe style=”border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;” src=”https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3847837544/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=3521443435/transparent=true/” seamless><a href=”http://puptheband.bandcamp.com/album/the-dream-is-over”>The Dream Is Over by PUP</a></iframe>

PUP – The Dream Is Over

May 31, 2016

Toronto punk rockers PUP are back with their second full-length album. The title, The Dream Is Over, is apparently a jab at vocalist-guitarist Stefan Babcock’s doctor. After incessant touring following their 2014 self-titled debut, Babcock’s vocal cords were shredded. His doctor informed him that the dream was, in fact, over. Instead of calling it quits, the group defiantly pushed forward, bringing forth a sophomore album full of dark wit and in your face punk rock. The record opens with a gradual ascension into chaos as “If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You, I Will” asserts a severe and earnest sentiment towards life on the road. From there, it’s a non-stop parade of heavy guitars, aggressive drums, yelled gang-vocals, and self-loathing. The riffs are satisfyingly catchy, suggesting a pop inflection on their unapologetic edginess. The album possesses a drunken swagger and laments life’s many failed relationships and endeavors. The Dream Is Over feels like the youthful melancholy of The Front Bottoms combined[...]

PUP at the Studio at Waiting Room (2/11/16)

February 15, 2016

“It’s really cool to see you all here, because the last time we played Buffalo, we played to like 17 people in a giant amphitheater,” PUP vocalist/guitarist Stefan Babcock addressed the crowd a few songs into the band’s already raucous set last night at the Studio at Waiting Room.  It is clear that Warped Tour was to blame here (as usual), as PUP’s blasting, fun, punk tunes had already had the crowd on their feet by the first songs of the band’s set.  There was no rest within the crowd for the majority of PUP’s set, kids taking to the stage to sing along and stage dive during the band’s insane live renditions of their tracks, warmed up just right by sets from Buffalo natives The Slums and Toronto act Pkew Pkew Pkew. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again,  PUP is a band that is best seen live.  There is no[...]

Tonight: PUP

February 11, 2016

The Studio at the Waiting Room is about to have one of the most insane live shows of 2016 in early February.  Since the release of their self-titled debut in 2014,  the band has played both headlining and supporting sets in Buffalo multiple times.  Even at their first show, I was surprised by the amount of audience participation. By the end of the set the lead singer of PUP even crowd surfing while covering “Sabatoge” by the Beastie Boys. Last December,  PUP played a set in their hometown of Toronto that I will never forget. It was easily one of my favorite sets I saw ANY band play that year.  The energy that this band is able to play within the crowd they play for is unlike anything I’ve seen. I’m crossing my fingers that tonight will be no different. Kicking the night off will be local indie tinged post hardcore[...]

Modern Baseball at the Opera House (12/03/15)

December 7, 2015

Well, I learned three things at this show. One, that Jeff Rosenstock needs to be elected president. I’m not really sure why, but he does. Second, that there is nothing like the absolute MADNESS of a sold out PUP hometown show, and third being that stage diving is a dangerous game. Almost right from the get go with Tiny Moving Parts, the crowd was in a frenzy, passionately singing along to the band’s deeply personal, hard hitting lyrics.  Jeff Rosenstock then took the stage and initiated a total party, screaming at the top of his lungs, and even with being the one band on this tour that COULD be considered the odd one out, seemingly had won the entire crowd over by the end of his set,following a great cover of “Dancing Queen” by ABBA. Then, things got real insane real quick.  It’s almost hard to explain how the home town[...]

The Get Up Kids @ Waiting Room (3/25/15)

March 26, 2015

With a belly full of Joe’s Deli and two very heavy eyelids, I made my way to Waiting Room last night to see The Get Up Kids (TGUK). Approaching the door, I couldn’t help but calculate the median age of the crowd, which was probably somewhere around 27… Let’s just say that in lieu of x-ed out hands, I saw parents checking nanny cams on smart phones. Pixie cuts and shaved heads were a plenty. Ironically, TGUK were out on the “Spring Break” tour – I’d bet only 15% of the crowd was actually on spring break. I walked in on song two or three of Restorations’ set. The band’s vocalist reminded me pretty strongly of The Gaslight Anthem. They had a “vibey” feel. I enjoyed their set, but I spent most of it trying to find a comfortable place to lean my ragged 25 year old body. PUP took[...]

Tonight: The Get Up Kids

March 25, 2015

The Get Up Kids are just one of those quintessential emo bands. They have had an everlasting effect on the scene, helping ushering in a new era of bands in the genre. Tonight, the long time group is bringing it’s tour to Buffalo with a sold out show at Waiting Room. You might remember last year when one of the opening bands, PUP, put on one of the most incredibly fun live sets played in Buffalo, period. Opening alongside with PUP is indie outfit Restorations. This is an incredibly stacked lineup that you won’t want to miss. Doors at Waiting Room will open tonight at 6:30pm.  If you didn’t get your hands on tickets, you might be out of luck as this show is already sold out, but if you scrounge Facebook this afternoon, you might be able to find a ticket for sale.