by Ronald Walczyk | Sep 9, 2015 | Interview
It’s no secret that Buffalo’s DIY community is an absolute force. Between the multitude of local labels and the wide-ranging artists and musicians that work hard to bring their craft to the forefront, the DIY ethic in our city is ever-strengthening. One of...
by Ronald Walczyk | Sep 1, 2015 | Buffalo
As both a supporter of local music and a Buffalonian (these are mostly safe assumptions to make—you are reading buffaBLOG), what comes to mind upon hearing the name Sonny Baker? Wooden Waves? Lazlo Hollyfeld? A Hotel Nourishing? As an Eden native, I could toss...
by Ronald Walczyk | Aug 29, 2015 | Preview
Best thing about Buffalo on a Saturday night? Options. One of tonight’s top picks would bring you to Mohawk Place for the highly-anticipated release party of A House Safe for Tigers, the debut album from the local mellotron supergroup of the same name. If you’re...
by Ronald Walczyk | Aug 25, 2015 | Buffalo
As we wind down the summer months and students start preparing for their dreaded return to classes, there is a certain influx of cool new music that usually hits us from the college towns. The creative last gasp of summer. Today’s scouring of the interweb yields...
by Ronald Walczyk | Aug 17, 2015 | Album of the Week
With a name like Hieronymus Bogs, eclecticism is almost expected. The Rochester folk artist and group of musicians that embellish his craft—the appropriately-named Bogs Visionary Orchestra, or BVO—harbor few inhibitions and fully live up to their respective monikers....
by Ronald Walczyk | Aug 16, 2015 | Preview
Mac is back! The reigning king of jizz jazz, Mac DeMarco, will make his welcomed return to Buffalo tonight at The Tralf, hopefully this time with full band in tow. Following last year’s excellent Salad Days, the goofball crooner’s latest mini-LP Another One continues...
by Ronald Walczyk | Aug 11, 2015 | Album Review
So the Pepperoni Playboy has done it again. Who is the Pepperoni Playboy, you ask? And what exactly has he done? He is none other than the slacker king of “jizz jazz” (self-proclaimed), Mac DeMarco, and he’s just put out his first release since 2014’s Salad Days....
by Ronald Walczyk | Aug 3, 2015 | Album of the Week
As many-a musician will attest to, putting out a full-length is hard work. Howlo has been hard at work. That claim goes beyond basic syllogism; the work is plainly evident in the music itself. The Rochester four-piece just put out its s/t full-length debut, 11 tracks...
by Ronald Walczyk | Aug 1, 2015 | Preview
As the annual week long Infringement Festival nears its final days, we are left with decisions to make. Where should I spend my Saturday? Which acts and artists warrant my attendance? It’s tough, because there is no way to see every act, every performer, or attend...
by Ronald Walczyk | Jul 28, 2015 | Preview
Following performances from the likes of Neutral Milk Hotel, The Tallest Man On Earth, and Strand of Oaks (among others) over the past few months, Buffalo’s summer folk streak continues full-steam tonight at the Town Ballroom. West coast indie-folk unit Lord Huron...
by Ronald Walczyk | Jul 23, 2015 | Concert Review
Having apologized for not being back to Buffalo for five years, Kristian Matsson recalled his last visit at Babeville: “Last time I was here I played in the basement. I haven’t improved as a person,” he paused. “…but I have friends now.” The Swedish songwriter flashed...
by Ronald Walczyk | Jul 22, 2015 | Know Your Opener
Rare is the bill on which the opening band draws as much (or more, in even rarer cases) anticipation as the main act. Last year’s Band of Horses / Midlake show comes to mind (still sore for missing that), or perhaps the stacked My Morning Jacket / Wilco / Bob Dylan...
by Ronald Walczyk | Jul 13, 2015 | Album of the Week
Geneseo’s Soft Cough has been hard at work. Their tunes may be slackish (deliciously so, I might add), but I wouldn’t jump to call them slackers. The garage-pop quartet takes a well-deserved pride in the flourishing Geneseo music scene that they support, and that...
by Ronald Walczyk | Jul 7, 2015 | Rochester
“Folk” has gotten a bad rap lately. It’s easy to blame bands like Mumford and Sons and Of Monsters and Men—some of the so-called pioneers of the neo-folk movement—for saturating the genre with their pseudo-inspirational pop-folk tedium, formulaic songs custom-tailored...
by Ronald Walczyk | Jul 2, 2015 | Preview
Anyone looking to get a head start on their holiday weekend should find themselves at Allen St. Hardware Café tonight. In Queen City Cartel’s third installment of their bi-weekly Thursday series, Orations and Strange Acres will be taking over the intimate confines of...