Savannah King is one of the most talented up-and-coming artists the Buffalo music scene has to offer. Her sound could best be described as primarily folk, with a bit of jazz and soul thrown in for good measure, and her smoky voice gives her music an extra bit of warmth. Last night, she played a two-hour gig at Merge on Delaware Avenue, and the performance was incredibly strong throughout.

After beginning the night with covers of the Beatles and Bob Dylan, she threw the audience a curveball with a cover of Steve Miller's "Fly Like An Eagle." I was struck by how strong the classic rock staple sounded as an acoustic folk tune. That, however, is a big part of King's live shows; taking songs from other genres, and giving them her own take. In the past, this included a rousing rendition of Black Sabbath's "War Pigs."



As the set went on, King continued to switch things up, performing songs by artists from various genres. These included Sarah McLachlan ("Building A Mystery"), Mumford & Sons ("White Blank Page"), and in another twist, Katy Perry's "E.T." The ladder was one of her strongest performances of the night, as she transformed a generic pop radio hit into something genuinely soulful. In her second set, she took this to extreme with LMFAO"S "Sexy And I Know It." I'm pretty sure this was a joke, but in any event, it blew the original out of the water.

She performed several originals as well, including all the songs from her latest EP, She Sends Her Love, which really showcases her range as an artist. From the 60s folk of "Magnolia Creek," to the sultry jazz of "Sweet," every song on the EP brings something different to the table, and all sounded lively and vibrant at Merge last night. She also performed a few from her 2010 EP Throwing Stones, with the standout being the catchy, sing-a-longish "You, Me, and Ronald Reagan."

In the second half of her set, she continued to draw songs from every area imaginable, opening with a killer cover of Michael Jackson's immortal "Thriller." Later, she gave us her best performance of the night, with a beautiful cover of Bobby Darin's classic "Dream Lover." The song suited her voice extremely well, and she brought its yearning loneliness to life in a beautiful way.

When King began her sat, the audience seemed a bit preoccupied, but by the time she finished, everyone - including a particularly exuberant server - had been won over. King is an extremely talented young artist, and her skill was on full display last night. It'll be interesting to see what the future holds for her.

10p
free/18+
SOUNDLAB
110 pearl st. Buffalo, NY
Its a party, Its a party, Its a party, Its a free as fuck party. Brought to you by Toats Orig. For after the Harbor, or just for Thursday night weirdness. You've got JACK TOPHT doin his freaky rap thing, and DR. OOO spittin comical truths. And for the DJs, it'll be TEENWOLF, MIOSI, MEDISON, and STUNTMAN. I think the theme of the night is fun and not giving a fuck. Wait no, its pizza, yeah, pizza and pickle brine.

It's time to dust off your favorite records, or at least get the plastic off your recent Record Store Day purchases, because Merge is hosting a Vinyl DJ party tonight... only with a twist.  Patrons are invited to bring their own vinyl selections to supply the music.  Michael Benedetto, one of the brains behind the epic Get Down Solstice party last December and founder of the new PWP Productions (aka "Parties With Purpose"), is throwing the party to celebrate his birthday in the name of charity.  Proceeds from the event go to benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (ASFP). 

According to the press release:

"Attendees are being encouraged to bring out their favorite vinyl records and be a DJ for the evening. Every slot entitles the attendee to three songs; sign up several times in the evening, just not consecutively, so as to mix it up. If you personally don’t feel comfortable using the equipment, there will be a DJ on staff to put the needle on the record for you. Participants are encouraged to get on stage when their music is playing to experience the sensation of being the DJ!"  (You can read Michael's full statement on the event over at The Good Neighborhood's website)

Merge's pastry chef will be whipping up chocolate covered strawberries free of charge (while supplies last!), so don't dawdle.  The event starts at 9 pm and there is a $5 suggested donation.  I'll be dropping in with my re-issue of Kraftwerk's The Man Machine, come show me your robot.

Facebook Event

Tonight at Merge (439 Delaware Avenue) the Vinyl Retentives (three DJs: Needles Numark, Fjordan Turlingua, and King Eider) will be spinning nothing but vinyl early into the morning. Now, I can't tell you what exactly will be played (as the invitation promises "wax from all genres past and present for your listening pleasure"), but I can say this:

I love Merge. It's one of those places where I always end up having more fun than I expected. Even if I wind up there without pre-planning, there always seems to be something dope going down ...  and tonight looks like no exception. It starts at 10pm, and, best of all: there's NO COVER. So walk on in, get yourself a drink (alcoholic or otherwise), and start wigglin' it!

Also, to avoid that awkward in-person moment, I've made a selection from my own record collection that I'd like to request in advance: