Latest Posts

Ugly Sun – s/t

July 22, 2019

Crunchy, sweaty, rock-n-roll that should be played to summon demigods or while making sweet love under the desert sun has landed in Buffalo. The Crook brothers, John and Harrison, formed the rock duo Ugly Sun and have showed us the portal to a good time with the release of their first album, self-titled, Ugly Sun. The tone of the album begins at the cover. A desert sun setting behind mountains, spends its last few minutes shining down on a group of presumably nude females. If one downloads their album from Spotify, the figures will be blurred. However, I am hard pressed to believe that the brothers made that decision themselves, since their attitudes align with consistently pushing their creative boundaries. “Little Fire,” the album’s first song, and first released track, begins with an airy guitar melody that steadily builds until it combusts into a full on arena rock guitar lick[...]

Tonight: Ugly Sun

June 6, 2019

Summer is almost here in Buffalo and that means it’s time to crank out the tasty jams. In order to get a head-start on those summer vibes, we suggest going down to Mohawk Place on this evening as Ugly Sun will celebrate the release of their self-titled album. In the previous weeks, the boys released two absolute bangers in “Little Fire” and “Bury My Soul in The Garden,” both of which are included on the album. If you haven’t already, you need to listen to these tracks and get ready to sing them back. Joining Ugly Sun for their release is Johnny and The Man Kids, who have recently released an album of their own in You Made Me Hurt, as well as Cheap Peach. 

Advanced tickets are available for $10. Doors are at 7pm. See you there. 
In the meantime, listen to Ugly Sun below. Little Fire by Ugly[...]

Ugly Sun Drops Single “Little Fire”

May 29, 2019

What the world needs now more than ever is an injection of feel good party music, and Buffalo’s own Ugly Sun has the prescription. The band, consisting of brothers John and Harrison Crook, is a duo hellbent on delivering catchy 70’s era rock riffs and infectious vocal melodies. Case in point, their new single ‘Little Fire’. The song starts with an airy guitar melody that steadily builds until it combusts into a full on arena rock guitar lick reminiscent of Nazareth’s ‘Hair of the Dog’. John Crook, bass and lead vocalist, delivers a flawless howl recounting possibly the steamiest of romantic encounters, as the proof is put on display front and center, ‘I’m hangin’ by a thread when you lick it up’. After a short and sweetly stripped down bridge the song’s chorus roars to life with rock ‘n roll tricks that always deliver; crashing cymbals, steady tambourine, and layered[...]

Tonight: SMUG

March 22, 2019

Local pop punk trio SMUG are celebrating their return tonight  on a jam-packed bill at Nietzsche’s. The band has been busy since the release of their debut full-length Gorgeous, which came out at the tale end of 2018, recently returning from a twelve-date east coast tour as well as wrapping up a successful college radio campaign. Joining these rascals will be grunge rock re-imaginists Ugly Sun, riot grrrl up-and-and comers Party’s Over, and the second ever revealing of somber indiemo act Wild Once. Doors are at 9pm with an $8 cover.

Tonight: Ian Sweet

November 2, 2018

Tonight Los Angeles by way of Boston indie rockers Ian Sweet rolls through the Mohawk with fellow Angeleno art rock quartet Young Jesus, and recently reconstituted local duo and blog favorites Ugly Sun. Ian Sweet, aka Jilian Medford, is touring in support of her freshly released sophomore effort Crush Crusher, a powerful, fiercely emotional, and deeply rewarding DIY one woman band effort that alternately shimmers with beautiful restraint and shreds with glorious intent. Meanwhile, hyper literary yet primal post-punk riff rockers Young Jesus, noted for their improvisational live explorations, also just released some fresh new music of their own, the daring and searching The Whole Thing Is Just There. Then there’s skull crushing garage rockers Ugly Sun, still keeping things properly and properly unsavory but now as a duo, also have some new songs they want to play for you, so be sure to get there early. Doors are at 7pm[...]

Tonight: Slaughter Beach, Dog

September 27, 2018

Philly act Slaughter Beach, Dog (who you might also recognize as Jake Ewald from emo kingpins Modern Baseball) is strolling through Buffalo tonight. Full of easy-going riffs and a sunny disposition, Slaughter Beach, Dog takes the kitschy Modern Baseball approach and soaks it in indie-rock/folk sentiment. Support tonight comes from fellow Philly power-pop duo Gladie and local indie rockers Ugly Sun. Tonight, doors are at 7pm. $12 in advance. Birdie by Slaughter Beach, Dog

Tonight: Ugly Sun

July 15, 2018

Show up to Mohawk Place in downtown Buffalo tonight for an electrifying grassroots rock and roll show that’s sure to blow out both the speakers and your eardrums. Headlining, and celebrating a 2-year anniversary, is Buffalo’s Ugly Sun. This thrilling trio plays an intoxicating form of raw indie rock that’s wrought with emotion and isn’t afraid to venture outside the grimy garage and into a vibrant garden. It’s a dynamic sound you can feel and, best of all, will jumpstart your heart rate like a bolt of lightning. All of Mohawk is going to be singing and rocking along to this performance so get into it. Philly lo-fi four-piece, Qwark, will also be taking the stage with their delightful and deafening super rock records in tow. Seriously, these guys are loud as hell and could shatter a nerd’s lenses with the stroke of a single chord. Fun and rambunctious, Qwark[...]

Tonight: Made Violent

April 29, 2018

You hear a lot of talk these days about rock being dead. It’s a very fashionable thing to say, based on “diminished market share” or the lineup and crowd sizes at Coachella, but at the local and underground level we know better. Yes it’s true that the local scene isn’t particularly well supported by Western New York beyond the wonderful music fans that do, in part because some rock fans are sitting home complaining about rock being dead, but the fact remains that rock is very much alive, and tonight it’s going to be at the Mohawk when hometown heroes Made Violent bring it all back with some help from local skull crushers Ugly Sun and Philadelphia indie rockers Cold Fronts. Combining propulsive garage rock with Tweedyesque vocals and strong melodies, Cold Fronts feel like they’re actually a band on a big label worth a damn. Discovered by the justifiably legendary impresario Seymour Stein,[...]

Tonight: Good In The Dark

March 30, 2018

Tonight Good In The Dark hits up Milkie’s on Elmwood with support from local grunge rock heroes Ugly Sun and Nylon Otters. Hailing from Harrisburg PA,  Good In The Dark specializes in a moody and sexy take on New Wave, with bassist lead vocalist Heather Perry occasionally channeling the legendary Francoise Hardy to tremendous effect. Getting it all going will be reliable local indie rockers Nylon Otters and the ever satisfying Ugly Sun, just back from bopping around the Rust Belt with their heavy yet deeply melodious jams. Doors for this “secret show” open at 9pm and cover is   $5. Rafters by Good In The Dark

Tonight: Mutual Friends

March 9, 2018

Tonight  Mutual Friends and Ugly Sun will surely rock the Lockhouse Distillery & Bar off its framework. The establishment is located at 41 Columbia St. in Buffalo. The balance of local garage group Ugly Sun’s high-octane rush of punk and the atmospheric dreaminess of their fellow Buffalo natives, the synth-pop luminaries in Mutual Friends, will be quite the sight (and sound) to behold. Doors are at 9pm and cover is $5. Only those 21 and over are permitted to attend the gig. Check out recent, top-notch offerings from both Ugly Sun and Mutual Friends below:

Ugly Sun Drops Fresh Single “LITTLE SISTER”

December 21, 2017

In time for your holiday shenanigans, local garage punks Ugly Sun have graced us with a new single by the name of “LITTLE SISTER” and an accompanying lyric video that’s funny and trippy as all hell. A skull crushing ode to making time with somebody’s little sister (probably yours), there’s something eternal and timeless within Trey Hollowood’s punk riffs, Harrison Crook’s galloping backbeat, and John Crook’s yearning howl, and “I want to be the space in between” is just a killer lyric. Rudy Scheider’s lyric video is a psychedelic treat of lo-fi video effects, ridiculous detours, including some vaporwave and a cameo by a very sad Joe (Made Violent) White, and distortions that will remind some of trying to watch the Playboy Channel on the sly unsuccessfully with an old cable box. The fellas in Ugly Sun always seem to be up to no good, and I love them for it. Enjoy.

Tonight: Humble Braggers

December 9, 2017

Armed with some new tunes, synth pop heroes Humble Braggers headline an insanely stacked, can’t miss show tonight at Nietzsche’s that features some of the region’s best bands.  It’s a red hot Buffalo/Rochester showcase, with our friends KOPPS and The Demos representing for the 585, with KOPPS rocking their ever satisfying trashy electropop and The Demos bringing the glam power pop. Local garage rockers Ugly Sun are also thrown in their for good measure and will be sure to provide some righteously melted faces. Cover is $8 and doors open at 9pm. I Know Better, I’m No Better by Humble Braggers

Tonight: Ugly Sun

August 14, 2017

A night of heavy and hard charged music is in store for visitors to Sewing Souls Studios. Ugly Sun headlines a set of four acts in celebration of the release of their new EP Painted Post, with support from two up-and-coming  local groups and touring rockers Retirement Party. Ugly Sun’s offers a brand alt rock dripping with grunge and garage rock influences. Covering the pop punk side of things are both Buffalo’s Super American and Chicago’s Retirement Party. Cooler specializes in the emo realm, with layers of indie and fuzz. Things kick off at 7:30pm, with a $5 charge at the door. If you’re over 21, the event is BYOB (no glass). Painted Post by Ugly Sun

Ugly Sun – Painted Post

July 24, 2017

Local garage rock  trio Ugly Sun have wrapped up an impressive first year in existence with an excellent EP in Painted Post that’s a perfect summation of what this band, and the Rust Belt rock revival they’re part of, are all about. Anchored by Trey Hollowood’s post rock-guitar heroics, the sharp and insistent drums of Harrison Crook and his brother John’s versatile bass and unfailingly melodic wail, the four jams on Painted Post are beautifully messed up. Kicking off with defiance and grit, “Marble Eye,” a real winner from their live set, crushes from the start, thanks to warm riffs that also grinds and stomps under a deft, cranked up Beach Boys chorus, while “Soil” is subversive liberation, jangly guitars, and an ode to getting dirty while we can before we ultimately getting dirty with the worms six feet under, an ethos I can thoroughly get down with while the city rapidly[...]

Made Violent at Studio at Waiting Room (5/5/17)

May 12, 2017

Buffalo’s own rock ‘n’ roll rebels Made Violent played a blistering hometown show at the Studio at Waiting Room on May 5th, whipping the crowd into a fierce frenzy. With a seven-inch single soon to be released and a new album fully recorded, Made Violent are making moves, expanding their international reach to an even wider audience hungry for pure, uncut rock. Joining the fray that evening were Rustbelt roots-rockers Sixties Future, preparing a full length of their own, and indie punks Ugly Sun, who recently finished an EP. Check out the photos below! Sixties Future Ugly Sun Made Violent