Passed Out (Release Show) @ Milkies

On Friday Buffalo emotional boys Passed Out will take the stage at Milkie’s on Elmwood for a special double release show. The event celebrates their 10th anniversary as a band and the release of their debut album, I just don’t feel like myself anymore, and their fourth EP, Do you miss anything at all?, both released on local stalwart label Harvest Sum Recordings.

Since forming in 2015, Passed Out has gained a local following with their raw emotion, intense energy, and thoughtful, poetic lyrics. Fans of Desaparecidos, Cloud Nothings or the Appleseed Cast would be into this one.

Joining the celebration will be local scene indie vets Roger Bryan and the Orphans (RBATO) *, pop-punk indiemos west ferry, and newer angular act Fear of Sleep. $10 or Pay What You Can (PWYC) at the door.

Saturday, December 13th @ 12pm

Blissmas @ Buffalo Riverworks

BLISSMAS 2025 is the evolution of annual hardcore invitational ‘Tid the Season, which melted the brains of many of the local hardcore scenesters throughout the 2010s. With the fracturing of Every Time I Die, Better Lovers picked up the baton to continue the holiday tradition with expanding the festival to it’s current iteration which delves into pop-punk and alternative scenes, inviting bands that have been influential in the hardcore scene, along with some up-and-coming buzz bands.

The stacked lineup includes a diverse array of acts with sets from Better Lovers, Glassjaw, Saves The Day, Terror, rap icons Onyx, Haywire, Teen Mortgage, Koyo, and Johnny Booth.  In addition to the extensive array of performances, BLISSMAS will feature live wrestling curated by current Atomic Rule guitarist / former ETID guitarist, “The Butcher” Andy Williams. $76.83 for quite the day.

Sunday, December 14th @ 4pm

Spaced @ Amvets Post 13

Hardcore hometown heroes Spaced are set to deliver an evening of high-octane, “far out hardcore” to celebrate the closing ceremonies of Western NY’s annual hxc Mecca. Known for their explosive live shows, the band will deliver their unique blend of aggressive hardcore, ’90s grunge tones, and psychedelic effects straight to the local stage floor.

Spaced has been a prominent part of the resurgent Buffalo hardcore scene, excelling at creating a fun, fast, and wild atmosphere that encourages the crowd to let loose. Drawing influences from hardcore acts like Turnstile and Gorilla Biscuits, while injecting textural sounds reminiscent of Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine, their sound is both a throwback and a fresh statement to the local scene.

This show is all about community and raw energy, ensuring a night of relentless power chords and an electrifying atmosphere that embodies the heart of Buffalo hardcore. Sharing the stage will be pop-punk act Autoignition, the brutal Buried Alive, hardcore band Selfish Act and grindcorers Mental Anguish. $15 and bring a wrapped toy for donation.

The post Must See Shows (12/10/25-12/16/25) first appeared on buffaBLOG.

Say Anything @ RiverWorks

Mid-aughts pop-punk royals Say Anything are in town mid-week to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their breakthrough album Is a Real Boy on Wednesday. Is a Real Boy holds a place in the heart of many millennials, as the album was almost anthemic with themes of defying the norm and embracing oneself. The band will be playing the album in its entirety, which will surely be accompanied by a chorus of hundreds of die hard fans. Hopefully, the band has time for their latest album …Is Committed, as it is a promising evolution on the band’s signature edgy delivery. Angel Du$t and Social Animals will be sharing the bill, so get there early as you won’t want to miss this. Tickets are $46.28.

Saturday, November 16th @ 7pm

Harvest Sum 20th Anniversary @ the Cave

Lauded local label Harvest Sum celebrates twenty years this Saturday with a trip down memory lane with sets from numerous defunct locals as well as label mainstays. This line-up is loaded, and without context, could have easily been a fantasy booking of our “Music We Miss” series showcase. Although there are eight bands slotted to play the showcase, performances will be fluid on the stage with briefer sets, as among the eight bands on the bill, there are only fifteen musicians overlapping among the projects. A big deal on the show is the return and reunion of The Old Sweethearts, Sleeping Kings of Iona, and Strange Acres, all bands that have been inactive for years if not more than a decade. Also featured are sets from currently active Harvest Sum acts TVMTN, Johnny Nobody, Roger Bryan and the Orphans, Bearhunter, and Lower Pony. Arrive early and stay late because this is a key moment in Buffalo’s indie rock scene of the 2000s to now.

Tuesday, November 19th @ 8pm

Alisa Amador @ 9th Ward

Sometimes when writing previews, you can’t really one-up the artist-approved descriptor of their genre. Certainly this is the case with Alisa Amador, whose press bio dubs the sound as “Boston Boricua Chicana  Porteña Bilingual Emotional Crybaby Music.” Amador came across many radars after breaking through with her Tiny Desk Concert in 2022, which was heavily praised by trusted NPR music critic Bob Boilen. This singer/songwriter prides herself in her multi-cultural upbringing, slipping effortlessly in between Spanish and English with nods to her upbringing in Massachusetts with influences from Argentina, New Mexico, and Puerto Rico. There are shades of Lucius, Bad Bad Hats, or Wet Leg in Amador’s delivery. Also on the bill will be alt crooner, Beane. It’s $18!

The post Must See Shows (11.13.24-11.19.24) first appeared on buffaBLOG.

The post Roger Bryan and the Orphans first appeared on buffaBLOG.

DONTL kicks off with the rambling “Remind Me,” which immediately highlights the aforementioned instrumental suite that makes Bryan’s compositions so heartwarming. Screaming harmonica soars overtop an open chord jangle, falling into a pocket of alt-country emotion that feels hopeful, lovelorn, and lightly restless. Bryan’s hushed but impassioned vocals are an obvious pull here, and while this is certainly more Wilco-coded than late-90s pop rock, I do feel like there’s a hint of Johnny Rzeznik’s raspiness peeking through here. I’m not sure if the alt-country-centric Bryan would be honored or confused by a Goo Goo Dolls comparison, but this is assuredly a compliment… There’s something special about the guitar-driven music that comes to life in the dive bars around these parts, and it’s a testament to RB’s songwriting skills that he’s able to bring his songs to life in such an agreeable way.

Song two, “Mine For A Little,” is a quiet little love song about taking chances, simmering with reserved energy and laced with swirly organs, an album highlight for sure. For the most part, however, Bryan keeps things upbeat and rollicking. “One Of These Days” makes me want to raise a PBR into the air while Bryan proclaims that “one of these days [he] might come through for you.” “Whispers” sparkles with just-enough Tom Petty energy, with its chiming guitar refrains popping into your headphones between Bryan’s intriguingly vague poetry. “All Them Years” hits like this too, with it’s dead-on proclamation of what it feels like to age across decades – see below:

“21 years, I’m learning to fight
31 years, figuring out what’s right
41 years, if I make it, I’ll see you in time”

Bryan is obviously a driving factor here, but it’s worth mentioning that his band is stellar across DONTL. Drummer Mike Sobieraj is one of those guys that every songwriter wants in his band, with his tasteful four-on-the-floor presence that serves to constantly elevate Bryan’s jangly compositions. Fellow rhythm section stalwart Matt Lavin deserves a nod here too – see the bouncing bassline in “Forget to Remember” that seems to keep you guessing on where it’s going next, while still staying true to that all-too-familiar country bounce (I particularly like when he matches Bryan’s cadence on the “We all do it” refrain). Lastly is Dave Calos, a verified Buffalo journeyman and fellow Harvestsum holdout whose shimmering and startlingly unique guitar work pops out at all the right times. These guys take the songs on DONTL to the next level – after 16 years together, that well-earned synergy shines through in the final product.

If you can call any of these songs an outlier, its the brooding “Wake Up,” with its angular verses and one of the coolest guitar moments on the album coming from Kalos (see 1:38). There’s also the surprisingly fuzzy bass crunch of follow-up song “Control.” All in all, once you’ve made it through the stomp-stomp-clap of album closer “Permanent,” it’s pretty evident that Bryan & co. are still at the top of their game, writing songs that feel fresh, palatable, and timeless… Even if they are a rusty Rust Belt band deep down.

Days Or Nights/That’s Life! is out now (July 23rd, 2024). You can find lots of different ways to support their adventures via this helpful Linktree link.

The post Roger Bryan and The Orphans – Days Or Nights​/​That​’​s Life! first appeared on buffaBLOG.

The title track, which kicks off the album does a nice job of setting the tone, with an upbeat sound and a thoroughly catchy hook. I must also make special note of the standout lead guitar work on this record by Bryan’s fellow Harvestsum alum David Calos.

Another fabulous track is the blistering “Faster Than Forward” which almost begs to be played with the windows down. “Roll It” shows a slower side of the band, with mournful pedal steel underscoring Bryan’s somber tone. The album closer “This Town” is an anthemic standout which gradually builds to an energetic outro.

With this record, Bryan has once again showed his ability to blend a more pop oriented sound of Wilco with the deep textures of The National. A necessary listen, this is without a doubt one of my top releases in the Buffalo scene this year.

Written by John Smigielski

The post Roger Bryan and the Orphans – Keep You in Mind first appeared on buffaBLOG.

Roger Bryan and the Orphans will be celebrating the release off their upcoming release on Friday, August 23rd at Mohawk Place with TVMTN. In the meantime, listen to “Nowhere, Underground” below.

Written by Kevin Prentice

The post Roger Bryan and The Orphans Release New Single first appeared on buffaBLOG.

“Man Of Time” is a series of musical sweet spots hit: plaintive vocals and guitar strumming give way to bittersweet harmonies and potent yet understated riffs that verge on anthemic. Wistful and beguiling, “Nowhere Else” is a psychedelic country rock gem that keeps lifting itself higher with it’s casually intricate vocal harmonies and modestly triumphant guitar rock heroism, while lead single “Whylife” is all searching Gen X angst and soaring guitars before crashing you back to earth.

9er is a slyly majestic alt alt rock with just a hint of stadium grandeur, and the definition of “all right” at a time when that sentiment might feel more needed than ever.

The post Roger Bryan and the Orphans – 9er first appeared on buffaBLOG.

If you’re into alternative / americana acts like Ryan Adams or The Replacements, do yourself a favor and check out the track below.

The post Roger Bryan and the Orphans Drop New Single “WhyLife” first appeared on buffaBLOG.

Difficult Night will be bringing their tunes to the stage of Nietzsche’s tonight after somewhat of a quiet year for the quartet. Buffalo roots rock vets Roger Bryan and the Orphans, post-punk locals The Patterns, and the vibraphone uniqueness of duo Welks Mice are all gracing the stacked Friday bill as well. Doors open at 9pm with a $5 cover.

The post Tonight: Difficult Night first appeared on buffaBLOG.

For this year’s showcase, the label will feature performances from Roger Bryan, Applennium, Bearhunter, Strange Acres, and Jonny Nobody, some of the best acts from HS’s past and present. A trimmed down version of the Orphans, which will see Bryan reunited with his former Old Sweethearts band mater, Andy Vaeth of Johnny Nobody, will kick the night off at 10pm. $5 is all it cost to take part in the next special evening with Harvest Sum. Don’t miss out.

The post Harvest Sum first appeared on buffaBLOG.