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Tonight: The War on Drugs

To get to the point, The War on Drugs’ most recent record, Lost in the Dream, is one of the most universally likeable rock records to come out in awhile. It is an early contender for album of the year and will definitely make many top 10 lists barring some sort of truly miraculous run of records (which, by all means, is welcome to happen) between now and December. If you are like me and would only love Bruce Springsteen if he were a little more influenced by Neu!, then this record is a must listen. It is as precise and charging as it is dreamy and lyrical. If you ever wondered what would play if you were ever standing atop a train driving into the American West and looking towards your future, this is it. Don’t even try to act like you haven’t pictured this before. With that introduction, it[...]

The Hold Steady at Town Ballroom (4/8/14)

As advertised yesterday, The Hold Steady played the Town Ballroom last night. Cheap Girls opened (though I arrived too late to catch them) and dozens likely woke up with hangovers on this Wednesday morning. Though the band’s set wasn’t as strong as their harbor show last summer, they did pull off on an extended encore that felt even more invigorating than the main bulk of the concert. And they were, as always, The Hold Steady. Much of the fun and sense of community that surrounds a Hold Steady show comes from the way frontman Craig Finn physically embodies his music. Every song is presented as a tale Finn himself is absorbed by the details of. At times, he is seemingly incredulous at his own narratives. Finger quotes accompany certain lines. Lyrics are repeated away from the mic as if they were side notes. Yet Finn is never detached from the[...]

Know Your Opener: Cheap Girls

Lester Bangs once wrote, “nothing ever quite dies, it just comes back in a different form.” Now Mr. Bangs could have been talking about a slew of things, however most likely he was speaking of music. Cheap Girls fits right into the quote by the late rock critic. The Lansing, Michigan natives’ sound is reminiscent of late 80’s alternative rock, a time when bands like Husker Du, The Replacements, Uncle Tupelo, and REM ruled the college radio air waves. After seven years and three studio albums – Find me a Drink Home (2008), My Roaring 20’s (2009) and Giant Orange (2012, the first album to be produced by Against Me’s Laura Jane Grace) – people are finally taking notice of the band. Currently on tour with Brooklyn’s The Hold Steady, Cheap Girls are on the verge of dropping their fourth studio album, Famous Graves, due out May 14th. “The phrase started taking[...]

Tonight: The Hold Steady

One time I heard the Hold Steady described as “Bar Rock for literates,” and to this day, I think that’s the best description I’ve heard of them. Thoughtful lyrics spoken story-like to the tune of hard-driving indie music with classic rock leanings. I suppose that’s an oversimplification, but it’s apt. If you have never heard the Hold Steady, I suggest you check out any of their first four albums (although, in truth, I like Heaven is Whenever just as much as those other releases). The music pulsates and the lyrics have a certain kind of weight that songwriters often strive for, but fail to capture. Perhaps that’s what’s made them so popular over the years. Despite the departure of original member and musical genius Franz Nicolay, the band’s popularity has continued to grow in recent years and the Hold Steady now find themselves on the road supporting their recently released,[...]

Tonight: Healing Mary Moser

When one goes to a U2 show you are invariably treated to a sermon (or two) from Bono about people of great importance, usually in far away lands, like Mandela or Aung San Suu Kyi. The last time U2 played Buffalo in 2005 the audience at the HSBC Arena however was treated to a loving and beautiful tribute from Bono to WNY’s own Bruce and Mary Moser. It was almost surreal, seeing and hearing the frontman for one of the biggest bands EVER paying heartfelt homage to local folks from our music community from the stage, but if anybody deserved it, it’s the Mosers. Their contributions to Buffalo’s music community is incalculable, and it’s safe to say that the burgeoning scene we’re enjoying today has been built on the foundations they’ve laid by folks following in their footsteps, which is why the benefit being held for Mary Moser tonight at[...]

Just Announced: Bombay Bicycle Club

Yesterday, proving its never too early to start thinking about summer, Town Ballroom announced that London band Bombay Bicycle Club will be making a stop at the Main St. venue on Saturday, August 2nd. If you are unfamiliar with the act, think of them as a UK version of Vampire Weekend and go from there. Tickets go on sale this Friday, April 4th, at noon for $20 in advance, $22 day of.

Cut Copy at Town Ballroom (3/25)

From the moment they took the stage with a vocal excerpt of Rhythm Control’s classic track “My House” playing faintly, it became clear that Tuesday night’s Cut Copy show at the Town Ballroom would be yet another memorable and celebratory performance from the Melbourne synthpop band. Touring in support of their latest record, Free Your Mind, co-produced by Fredonia based studio maestro Dave Fridmann, the band showed an effortless ability to incorporate house and Madchester influences into their eclectic, pop oriented sound.  Opting to play the album’s spectacular title track early in the set, “Free Your Mind,” was projected behind the band in Facebook’s signature font before a blue background, making for an interesting juxtaposition and provoking statement on independent thought in the digital era. Given frontman Dan Whitford’s background in graphic design, the show had a strong and concise visual element that ranged from hypnotic black and white spirals during “Let Me[...]

Tonight: Cut Copy w/Jessy Lanza

Over the last ten years, Cut Copy has been one of the most consistently solid electro-pop acts out there. On last year’s Free Your Mind, the band inflected their sound with an acid house vibe and the result was excellent. Tonight, they will be returning to Buffalo with the equally great Jessy Lanza. Those who have seen the band before know that their live shows are not to be missed. If you are unfamiliar with the opener, the Hamilton, Ontario based Jessy Lanza released the amazing Pull My Hair Back last year on Hyperdub. This strong debut was produced by the Junior Boys’ Jeremy Greenspan. Lanza’s icey grooves and spacey vocals make her an excellent opener for Cut Copy and this is definitely a show you should get to early. Cut Copy w/Jessy Lanza Town Ballroom $26 Doors at 7pm

MS MR and Gang of Youths

While the most buzzed-about event in our fair city this weekend was undoubtedly the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament games taking place at First Niagara Center, it’s unlikely that anyone had a better time than the folks who were at the Town Ballroom on Saturday night, where indie-pop phenomenon MS MR performed an excellent set, along with sport from Gang of Youths, a talented, anthemic rock band from Nashville. MS MR – the New York-based duo of Liz Plapinger and Max Hershenow, who met while attending Vassar College – scored a major alt-rock radio hit with “Hurricane” and appear to be poised for big things in the near future. Saturday’s excellent show certainly gave the indication that they are headed in the right direction. While the performances from both acts were top notch, the people in the audience deserve some credit for the evening. The crowd was thoroughly into it throughout[...]