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Thursday at Canalside Report Card

April 30, 2015

The announcement of the Thursday at Canalside series, now years away from the cesspool that was Layfette Square, is one of Buffalo’s true indicators that summer is pretty much here. And with that announcement, comes lots and lots of bitching, at least normally. My fellow buffaBLOGGER Cliff Parks once told me “if you like three of the Canalside acts, then it’s a good year.” And you know what? The guy is 100% correct. What people don’t realize is that this FREE lineup isn’t made for you, or your parents, or a fan of one particular genre, rather, it’s made for everyone, which means multiple genres/bands/sounds will be represented, some to the pleasure and some to the disdain of those looking to spend a nice Thursday evening down on the water front. As per tradition, I have compiled my Thursday at Canalside Report Card, and before I go any further, please take[...]

Tonight: Gord Downie & The Sadies

July 3, 2014

I generally loathe referring to Gord Downie as the “heart and soul of The Tragically Hip.” It’s a disservice to the rest of the guys in the band, and besides, Gord is so much more: an enigmatic frontman,  solo artist, poet, activist, and a beloved international righteous dude. Tonight at Canalside, he’ll be here in the role of esteemed collaborator when he and the Sadies perform songs from their 7 years in the making Conquering Sun album, released in April by Arts and Crafts. Opening the show will Newfoundland indie rock band Hey Rosetta and Australian folk rockers Boy & Bear. Like all Canalside shows the good times start at 6 and wrap up around 10. It’s been said that Buffalo likes it’s Canadian rock, and with this being an international holiday week, Canalside will be jumping. See you there.

Tonight: Sam Roberts Band

June 26, 2014

For more than a decade now, Sam Roberts has been churning out dozens of memorable songs, both on his solo albums, and in recent years, his work with Sam Roberts Band. His work could fairly be described as power-pop, as exemplified on hits such as “Bridge To Nowhere,” and “Don’t Walk Away Eileen,” but he’s not afraid to venture into other realms, and have some of his longer songs – particularly 2006’s Chemical City – have some decidedly prog-rock tendencies. While the band has retained a cult following in the US, Roberts is huge in his native Canada, frequently topping the Canadian Indie Singles charts, and in 2007, winning a Juno Award for Video of The Year. Tonight, Roberts will be appearing for a free show show at Canalside, which figures to be well-attended by his ample cult following. Roberts is just one of several Canadian artists coming to town in the[...]

Thursday at Canalside Report Card

May 9, 2014

Along with Memorial Day, the official start of summer here in Buffalo always seem to be when the Thursday at Canalside Concert Series, formally Thursday at the Square, announces it’s summer schedule. Ever since leaving that cesspool that was a 5pm on a Thursday at Lafayette Square, the series seems to be on the up. It doesn’t hurt that the still-under-renovation Canalside is gorgeous on a summer night. With Buffalo Place pulling out of the concert series and Comcast stepping in, we were interested to see if anything drastically different would happen with the types of acts brought in (spoiler: it didn’t). Yesterday at 5:30pm, the Canalside Concert crew hosted a lineup unveiling party down by the water, and as expected, plenty of opinions were voiced. On one hand, concert-goers want familiarity. People like what they know, and repeats tend to rule. On the other hand, people want change. Keep it[...]