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Tonight: Algiers

June 20, 2018

Big time indie soul band Algiers rolls through DIY art/performance space Sugar City tonight with support from Velvet Bethany and Hundred Plus Club and the timing could not be better. Known for their righteous and progressive approach to glorious American soul music, the Atlanta by way of UK outfit were excellent when they last played these parts, opening for !!! for their on/off/surprise show at the Mohawk last September, and with America staring into the abyss this sure to be incendiary show might be exactly what you and I need. Local surf punk shredders Velvet Bethany and indie post punkers Hundred Plus Club open the show, which starts at 7pm with $5-$10 suggested donation. Remember, Sugar City is all ages and a drug and alcohol free space, so be cool.

Tonight: Sugar City Soul Night

June 8, 2018

Get ready to shake your butt to the hottest soul, funk, disco, and afrobeat cuts tonight at Milkie’s when Sugar City puts on the latest edition of their Soul Night! Dance Party fundraiser. The volunteer and event powered DIY art and performance space (disclaimer: I’m one of those volunteers) has lined up Handsome Dan, Pat K, Press and Mutualism to spin only the choicest vinyl for your listening and dancing pleasure from 10pm to 3am, and it can all be yours for the reasonable donation price of $5. So be sure to carb up, hydrate, find your comfiest shoes, and get down to Milkie’s to get down for a good cause.

Tonight: Queen City Music Lottery

June 2, 2018

The Queen City Music Lottery, one of the wildest annual music showcases Buffalo’s got going is back for a fifth installment tonight at the Adam Mickiewicz Library and Dramatic Circle. Organized again by destiny and DIY arts collective Sugar City, the local musicians down for the adventure and previously grouped together by the hand of fate into The Final Countdowns, Solve For X, Party’s Over, Vincent & The Gallows, and Broski, have withstood ups and downs and the creative process, and they will be gathered together to show us all what they’ve come up with. Doors open at 8pm, show starts at 8:30pm, and cover is $5. Walk on the wild side, and see something shiny and brand new.

Tonight: 68

May 5, 2018

Heavy is good. Discord is life. Tonight promises to be a masterful combination of both, featuring a set from the Atlantan duo 68. There’s something to be said about the sheer noise that can come out of this duo, whose work is propelled by gravelly vocals and sinewy guitar riffs. 68 is gearing up for a new album, Two Parts Viper, out June 2nd. Rounding out the lineup is the newly-minted heavy-hitting act American Nosebleed, as well as sets from Squatch and Out Last. Tonight’s show is $12. Doors are at 7pm. A friendly reminder that Sugar City is a drug and alcohol free space.

Tonight: Terror Pigeon

April 23, 2018

OK, your Monday probably sucks so far, but tonight is another story because Sugar City is hosting a show guaranteed to make it all worth while featuring life affirming art rockers Terror Pigeon and NYC  punks White Rope. Terror Pigeon, from Nashville Tennessee, put on an amazing and deeply affecting show at Dreamland (sigh) a few years back that was generous and uplifting in a humanist, inclusive way,  so that will be especially nice. Think a more hyper Dan Deacon and you’ll get the idea. White Rope will be joining the fray to play some skull crushing, modern punk for your liberating pleasure, while NYC media artist Eric Barry Drasin will be presenting/performing a Power Point opus on how to make it big in the speed metal game. Local evil hip hop artist Medusa and beloved rap malcontent Jack Topht will be rounding out the show with their nasty beats, which[...]

Tonight: Jouska

March 27, 2018

Buffalo is in store for a solid Tuesday night treat tonight.  Albany/Philly based alternative/emo act Jouska returns to Buffalo, this time with a brand new EP under their belt. From Elson to Emmett was released just a couple weeks ago on Tiny Engines Records, and it features four brand new tracks.  Three local acts are also on the bill tonight, including slowcore duo Award Show, ambient folk outfit Be Locust or Alone, and an alt/emo four piece, Honey. Sugar City houses tonight’s show, located at 1239 Niagara Street.  The cover is only $5, and doors are set to open at 7pm.  Keep in mind that Sugar City is a drug/alcohol free space.

Tonight: Sugar City’s Soul Night

February 9, 2018

Venerable and essential Buffalo DIY arts and performance space Sugar City is having their semi quarterly dance party Soul Night! fundraiser tonight at Milkie’s on Elmwood, and as always it’s the place to be. Featuring vinyl jams spun (really spun!) by Handsome Dan, DJ Haüsfly, DJ Reazon, and Steve Soulson… the sweet soul, hot funk, and Soul Train line dancing joints will be kicking from 10pm to 3am, giving you plenty of time to drop in, throw your $5 towards this fine arts collective (full disclosure: I volunteer over there) to keep them going, and shake your booty right for as long as you like (or, until 3am when frankly, you got to go), and hit up the Lloyd’s truck across the street. Soul Night really is all you need.

Tonight: California Cousins

February 7, 2018

Rochester math/emo/punks California Cousins are headlining a Buffalo show tonight in support of a genre-blending tour package definitely worth your attention. Philly’s Caracara are swinging through courtesy of Flower Girl records, bringing their emotional baroque-pop/shoegaze/emo with them. Joining them are Richmond, VA act The Weak Days, who have been accurately described as “emo by association, pop-punk in denial.” Rounding out the show are Buffalo act honey, whose pop-tinged emo always guarantees a good time. Tonight’s show will be at Sugar City. There’s an $8 donation at the door to support the touring bands. Doors are at 6:30 – keep in mind Sugar City is an alcohol-and-drug-free safe space! George’s Bridge by California Cousins

Tonight: Izzy True

December 1, 2017

Originally from Ithaca, Izzy True is no stranger to Buffalo.  They have not been back to Buffalo area since their relocation from Ithaca to Chicago, so heading to Sugar City for their show tonight would be a good way to spend your Friday night. They haven’t dropped any new tunes since the release of Nope. on Don Giovanni Records last year, so expect to hear a bunch from their back catalog, and who knows, maybe some new ones? Iowa City based experimental sax driven act, Curt Oren, will also be doing a set.  Jack and MORBS will be providing the local talent. Doors open for the show at Sugar City at 6pm.  While there is no cost listed in the facebook event, I’d bring around $5-$10 to support the touring musicians.  Keep in mind that Sugar City is an alcohol and drug free venue, and is also all ages.

Tonight: Mom Jeans

November 14, 2017

California indie/emo quartet Mom Jeans are swinging through Buffalo today, so get ready to enjoy an excellent show featuring a fully-stacked lineup of dank bands. Joining Mom Jeans are Albany wunderkinds Prince Daddy & The Hyena, who will be bringing their brash brand of tongue-in-cheek emo alongside Philly pop-violence act Kississippi. Rounding out tonight’s lineup are the heartwarming harmonies of Buffalo emo mainstays honey. Tonight’s show is at Sugar City. Doors are at 6:30pm, get there early to support all the great bands. $10 in advance, $12 at the door. A friendly reminder to all that Sugar City is a drug and alcohol free space. NOW That’s What I Call Music Vol. 420 by Mom Jeans.

Tonight: Sugar City’s Soul Night

November 10, 2017

Buffalo might be in the grips of some hellafied arctic cold air this weekend but Milkie’s on Elmwood will be sizzling tonight because Sugar City’s Soul Night will be in full effect from 10am to the wee hours. $5 gets you in the door so you can shake your butts to the toe tapping and booty shaking soul sounds spun by DJ Handsome Dan, DJ Press, DJ Pat K and DJ Pumpkin Spice… while helping to keep Sugar City, that mighty DIY arts space that’s so important to our local arts and music scenes, running and doing it’s thing. Party starts at 10am and goes until 4am.

Tonight: Strawberry Runners

October 30, 2017

Buffalo’s Sugar City is the host to a jam packed line up full of folk pop acts, both touring and local. Heave, Joseph Meyers, and Honey Coma will be repping Buffalo, ranging in genre from experimental folk to stripped down post rock. Acoustic folk act Ben Morey will also be making a trip down the 90 from Rochester, and Strawberry Runners will also be rolling out. A collaborative effort spanning Brooklyn, Denver, and Philly, the tender pop act will be stopping in Buffalo in support of the new five song EP, titled In The Garden, In The Night. Doors open for the show at 6pm, and while there is no cost listed on the event page, I would bring somewhere from 5-10 dollars for the touring band. Sugar City is an all ages alcohol / drug free space located at 1239 Niagara street, across the street from the Resurgence Brewing Company.

Tonight: Peaer

September 25, 2017

Tonight, Sugar City hosts an amazing lineup of two touring acts and a couple great locals.  Brooklyn based slowcore/indie-emo act Peaer will be returning to Buffalo for the second time this year, touring in support of their fantastic self titled record, which came out at the end of last year on Tiny Engines. Sinai Vessel from North Carolina will also be playing, but without a full band, singer Caleb Cordes will be performing a solo set. On the local end of things, new Buffalo act Patchwork will be playing their second show, and Del Paxton will also be playing their first full band show in Buffalo in a minute. Doors open at Sugar City 7pm, and with only a $5 cover, you really can’t go wrong. Don’t miss this gig.

Tonight: Big Huge

August 31, 2017

Tonight Sugar City will be the scene of a glorious power rock revival the likes of which has not been seen in a long time when New York City’s Big Huge makes their local debut. Taking the tight songwriting, unadulterated fun and crisp riffage of 80’s Top 40 rock while amputating the corporate slickness and replacing it with proper DIY downtown rock bravado, Big Huge feels just right, especially as showcased on their tasteful but kick ass debut LP Cruel World. Opening the show will be local punks Uniform(OPR), avante garde noise rockers Welks Mice, and psychedelic punk rockers Slow Mutants. Doors open at 8pm with music starting promptly at 8:30pm to honor Sugar City’s curfew and their neighbors. Cover is $7-$10 depending what you can kick in. CRUEL WORLD by BIG HUGE

Tonight: Rick Maguire from Pile

August 23, 2017

Head down to Sugar City tonight to catch a short and sweet showcase featuring some stellar songwriters. Over the years, Rick Maguire has made numerous stops in Buffalo, mainly with his main project, Pile. While Rick is the front man of Pile, he has also been writing solo tracks since the late 2000’s, around the time when Pile formed. Tonight would be a great night to catch the amazing songwriter perform some of the more low key Pile tracks, along with some of his deep solo cuts. New Hampshire indie folk act, Footings, are also featured on the bill as well. Fresh off of the release of a fantastic new LP, the three piece’s set is not to be missed. The show will be opened with two sets from two Buffalo artists, David Adamczyk, a violinist/composer, along with folk songstress Laura Buckley. The show kicks off at Sugar City at 7pm, and its $7[...]