Back in November, when Real People's excellent CeilingsEP got the album of the week treatment, our own Nick Sessanna wrote that "Real People is a prime example of a band meant to be seen in basements." By which he meant that they're the kind of band you want to thrash around to, sweat and bleed on friends and strangers to: the kind of band that is not only there to be listened to, but experienced.
He isn't wrong. But I have confidence that, on Saturday, they'll be able to bring the energy and grit of an all-out basement throwdown to Duke's for buffaBLOG's 4th birthday party.
Real People has been around since 2008, but they've got a ton of momentum right now. Ceilings is a stellar example of emo done right: raw as all hell and void of cliches (not to mention that lead singer Landon Sworts has some fucking pipes). They released a session with Quiet Country Audio late January that should convince any doubters that they can bring it live, 110 percent. And they've been catching some radio play recently on Alternative Buffalo.
So if you want to see a band on the ascendant tearing it up (on a bill with several other artists who fit that description), you've got no excuse to miss our party on Saturday. Real People will be closing out the set, after which DJ Chauncey Tails will be spinning some tracks. Dance your ass off. Five dollars, bring your ID, stay all night.
Metal band Malarchuk will be playing Duke's Bohemian Grove Bar tonight, with fellow locals Second Trip (jam/prog) and Boston's Black Thai (heavy metal). Catch the show at 9PM-- it's only FIVE BUX!
Here's a sampling of the the aformentioned stoner/metal platter.
At 10pm this evening, you've got one shot at helping Buffalo acts Aircraft and Sleepy Hahas, with the help of Chicago indie rockers American Wolf, turn Duke's Bohemian Groove Bar into a steaming pile of rubble. American Wolf is making one stop here as they roll through town in support of their new album, Myriad. Feel free to thank them as you pull the wounded from beneath large piles of debris side by side.
This might also be your last chance to run around Scooby Doo montage style while listening to one of Aircraft's '60s-inspired tunes for a while as they hit the road with The Malones at the end of this month. For the more liberally inclined attendees, you can bet your ass the self-described wife stealing Sleepy Hahas can hook you up with some good, old fashioned cuckolding.
Duke's will be hosting a stacked bill of great local rock bands tonight to keep you pumped all night. Each band has a unique sound that will make this a very eclectic night and have something for every rock music fan. The rock band Cosmic Shakedown came onto the scene in late 2010 and will be playing songs from their EP and first full length album, Fake American Dream, which was released last year. The trio Second Trip have a groovy psychedelic rock style and will serve up some extended jams. Ronald Raygun will perhaps be the most unique band of the night as they describe their style as raygun-gothic.
I recently got to sit down with Funktional Flow band members Jeff Kuebler, Ben Whelan, and Jim Edgar to talk about touring, jamming, and other funky topics. A special guest also hung out for the interview. He didn't have much to say, but he still wanted and received attention from all of us.
Formed in 2003, Lazlo Hollyfeld is certainly one of the most diverse Buffalo bands as they have shared their fresh brand of electro-rock for almost a decade now with Western NYers. The group prides themselves on constantly scanning their musical psyche for new expansive ideas and sounds, and their live performances are usually no different, often accompanied with visuals to supplement their distinctive sonic offerings. The group released their fourth studio album Desert in 2010, which shared conceptual songs inspired by a season of budgeted touring and all of the blessings and hardships that come along for the ride, and its listening experience breeds all of its striking themes with minimal instrumental builds, congested percussion, and synth and guitar swells. Their anticipated follow-up is currently in the works, but that wont stop Lazlo Hollyfeld from playing buffaBLOG’s Holiday Party this Saturday at Duke’s Bohemian Grove Bar (DBGBs) which will be a gathering not to be missed, as they will be joined by several other prominent local groups including Well Worn Boot, Dr. Ooo & Mic Excel, KOPPS, and Cultr Club. The party starts at 10 sharp.
They're XXX, dancing under technicolor lights, and eccentrically electronic. They are KOPPS and they'll be performing at our holiday party this Saturday, Dec. 15. The first time I heard of KOPPS, I was impressed. Not only was it a video of them performing one of my favorite Eurodance songs live, but they gave Alice DeeJay's "Better Off Alone" the justice it deserved in a way that left me desiring to jump through the computer screen, transporting myself back through Time and Space to be on The Bug Jar's dancefloor in Rochester. Luckily for you, if you watch and feel the same all you'll need is patience until Saturday at Duke's Bohemian Grove Bar.
KOPPS, self-proclaimed to be "CrazySexyCreepy," definitely has a seductively unusual sound. It draws you in with its moments of experimentation, dance and soaring vocals. My favorite tune "Mourning Sex (feat. Joywave)" is strange and entrancing, with chopped vocals, heavy percussion and perfectly timed peaks and breaks. Their current EP Fuck Jams has sexy panting and well orchestrated electronic instrumentals provided by writers of the album Patricia Petrone, Kyle O'Hara, and Daniel Armbruster.
Also if sexual innuendos (or blatant references) are your jam, you'll enjoy their websites. A disclaimer on their Bandcamp page for their EP reads, "for erections lasting longer than 4 hours, please seek immediate medical attention."
This was a great year of enjoying live music for me as I just recently moved to the Elmwood/Allentown area. I was in walking distance of a couple of Buffalo's great venues now and had a chance to be introduced to many good local bands and see some great shows. Almost all of the best of items here are of national acts though as I have only recently gotten into the local scene, but perhaps by next year that will all be different.
Top 3 Shows of the Year:
Rocket to Allentown/
Beautiful Day on Allen at Nietzsches
Originally scheduled to be a night of bands playing U2
songs, the event was changed to include by popular demand a tribute show dome
the previous year in which bands played the music of classic punk rock bands
like The Ramones and The Buzzcocks. I was skeptical of these two different musical
styles being played back and forth in one night together but it came off well. All
the bands were very talented and performed the songs as good as the original
artists. It was great variety of music and it was great seeing some bands come clad
as the musicians they imitated, including the lead singer in Bono sunglasses.
Primus at Rapids Theater
Primus a favorite band of mine to begin with so to see them
at all puts them in my top favorite shows, but to see them playing some of
their rarer songs along with their hits and 3D images behind them makes this
one of my all time favorite shows. A highlight when they played my favorite
song of theirs, Dirty Drowning Man.
Sonic Garden and
Funktional Flow at DBGB
This double header of psychedelic rock bands was enough to
satisfy the biggest fans. The bands played extended jams to a visually stunning
light show creating a great psychedelic atmosphere.
Honorable Mention: It didn’t happen yet, but I’m sure the buffaBLOG holiday party and show this Saturday at DBGB starting at 10 will be the best show of all time.
Top 3 Albums of the Year:
Soundgarden - King Animal
The comeback album of one of the original Grunge Gods
and they came back still rocking as hard as when they left. Their first single
has the line “I’ve been away for too long” and it couldn’t be more true. Hopefully
this is the first of more new albums from them.
The Whigs - Enjoy the Company
While I did not find this album to be good as their last
one, I nevertheless enjoyed the garage rock bands fourth album. Per usual the rhythm
section of John Dorio on drums and Timothy Deaux on bass was stellar.
Jack White -
Blunderbuss
Jack White has been the creative force behind many albums
already, but this is his first solo release. The album featured his signature
blues style and dark lyrics such as “I want love to/ murder my own mother.”
Brooklyn based electronic duo Adam Deitch and Borahm Lee take all of the wonderful aspects of genres and merge them to form Break Science. Under the Pretty Lights Music label, Break Science puts together tunes with hints of many genres ranging from hip-hop, drum n' bass and minimal electronica.
"The monolith represents a transition into a higher level of consciousness. A spark that initiates us to consider wider possibilities and ideas. The code is the system to express this transformation. Containing information from the past, present and future, it holds the key to unlock our potential as spiritual beings," says Lee about their 2012 release of Monolith Code.
Catch them perform tonight at Duke's Bohemian Grove Bar, and be sure to get there for the opener. Also signed to the same label, Michal Menert will be performing prior to Break Science. After co-producing Pretty Lights' debut album, Michal Menert was the first person to be signed to their label.
Raising money for cancer is honorable, but doing it in a unique way is even better. Local hip-hop recording label DTR45 is on a mission to raise money for blood cancer awareness. They brought Being B.I.G., a tribute night to Biggie Smalls, and are back again with Being Beastie. Beastie Boy member MCA (Adam Yauch) recently passed in May of this year due to cancer, so the choice for the tribute show is the perfect honor and effort.
The Beastie Boys have become a musical and pop culture icon and their work still resonates as time passes. The bouncy sounds and the chants of "Brass Monkey" always run circles through my head when I pour orange juice into my forty ounce of Olde English.
Head over to Allentown tonight to see friends and strangers get on stage and perform classic covers from the New York City rap crew.
Tonight - September 7, 2012
Duke's Bohemian Grove Bar (253 Allen St)
10 pm - 4 am
$5 cover (100% of the donations go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma society)
The Queen City Cartel has been having their monthly event "Friction" for over two years now. This month they're teaming up with DeepThinka Records (DTR45) to host a special hip-hop event.
Tonight at Duke's Bohemian Grove Bar (253 Allen Street)
10pm-4am $5 cover at the door 21+
Headlining the night is Billy Drease Williams, a local hip-hop emcee and producer. He began his career in a group called The Elements alongside Soulive members Alan and Neal Evans. Eventually five tracks from his duo group Raw Intel were featured on the ESPN NFL 25K video game. A man of many trades, he has also opened Gallery 51, an art gallery in Buffalo.
Other performances include DJ Cutler, Kinda Like Dreamin', DJ Sandpaper, and Natural Ingredients.
Now that this Anderson Cooper nonsense has blown over, it's time to focus on a real issue to be outraged about. Duke's Bohemian Grove Bar, also known as DBGB's, is the victim of a lawsuit from chef Daniel Boulud, owner of DBGB Kitchen & Bar in the East Village of NYC. I'm going to cite a couple of reasons why this lawsuit is laughably ridiculous.
DBGB Kitchen & Bar is named for it's owner and head chef, Daniel Boulud. The name is also a nod to the legendary NYC punk rock club, CBGB. Duke's, on the other hand, is named after owner Patrick Duquin's brother Peter "Duke" Duquin, who tragically passed away in 2009. Right off the bat, it is made clear that both names stand for different things. I'm not sure how CBGB feels about an uptight East Village restaurant adopting it's name for it's own purposes, but I do know that it's decidedly un-punk rock.
How then, do you sue a business because they happen to have the same initials? My initials are BPG, what would happen if the Big Picture Group decided one day that I wasn't allowed to use my own name to identify myself? Granted, I'm not a business, but in order to bring a lawsuit for this reason, you have to prove the likelihood of consumer confusion. It would be a tragic thing if a hip NYC couple was out on the town, in the mood for a Frenchie Burger, and suddenly took a wrong turn and wound up 8 hours away in the Allentown district of Buffalo, NY.
If that couple existed, however, they might have made the best mistake of their lives. Anyone who fights the good fight in this city's music scene knows that DBGB's has been an indispensable part of the city's cultural growth. You can't read one of James Wild's Drum Machine Reports without coming across a reference to a fun event happening there. Duquin took the former Staples and converted it from my grandmother's living room decor to a classy, yet approachable night club and restaurant. Even other business owners in Allentown can't resist stopping in for their smoked barbecue chicken wings. It's disgusting to think that Boulud's Kitchen & Bar, a business that itself stole it's name from another business would have the audacity to go after someone else with the same accusation. Duke's name is derived from a place of remembrance and respect, something Boulud doesn't share.
That is what I muttered to myself as I listened through The Mordaunt Sisters' three songs they have posted on their website earlier this week.
Son of a biiittttch... this is what Buffalo needs! Screw that, this is what I need.
Things I like: minimalist soundscapes, female vocals, layers of sound effects
(i.e. - the pick scrapes in "Hirschfield"), and female vocals. I also enjoy music with female vocals.
Lucky for me, you, and everyone else in Buffalo, The Mordaunt Sisters are playing at DBGB's tonight at 10pm.
Do yourself a favor and come to the show tonight, you'll be rewarded with a set that is sure to be unfeigned and original. Plus, you'll have a chance to see what a glockenspiel looks like!
The Record Theatre staff will be spinning choice cuts throughout the evening as well, so you are guaranteed to hear some killer tunes tonight.
The weather forecast for tonight says it will still be above 60 degrees in Buffalo at 9pm. That is great news for those of us who want to go out and see some awesome rock n' roll this evening and pretend it is a glorious Thursday in late June.
There will be a riot in Allentown tonight when The Evil Things and The Fairweathers invade DBGB's at 253 Allen Street. Both bands call Buffalo home and each brings their own unique style of stripped down, take no prisoners, rock.
The Evil Things are steeped in Americana and roots rock styling, The rhythm section is anchored by walking bass lines delivered on a stand-up bass while the melodies are sweetened by the wonderful honk of a saxophone.
The Fairweathers (pictured above) pay homage to the optimism of the 1950's with a delectable brand of music that combines space age pop with lo-fi garage and pre-Beatles rock n' roll. Shimmering, punchy guitar is the big draw here. "Another Stray", the song below, takes me out of my house and transplants me directly on a boardwalk somewhere with an ice cream cone and roller skates.
These two bands are perfect for a beautiful day like today... I think I might go to the beach now, see you tonight on Allen!
Sprouts rise from the ground in less than a day in this unseasonable warm birthing season. Think about such a short lifespan on a greater scale. Our lives may sometimes seem endless, but they are really quite short. It is important to cherish each moment of living in this current consciousness.
Last weekend was sort of flukey because of the St. Patrick’s day festivities. I was going to bitch about the poor attendance at last weekends events but I feel as though ENOUGH has been said about over-saturation of parties, and also I pray that St. Paddy’s Day in Buffalo holds a prime spot on everyone’s proverbial stove-top. (Not referring to Oakenfold-which I’m told was great, not surprised.)
Anyways here’s what’s goodie this weekend...
saturday 3/24
toats orig and qcc present
M Y B A D : A 9 0 s P A R T Y
10p-4a
$5/21+
DBGB’S
253 allen st. Buffalo, NY
Featuring:BONES:LOPRO:KREAM:OWSKI
Be prepared for this totally radical party man. Yeah it’s a 90s themed party, but there shouldn’t be any difficulty in finding the right apparel because Buffalo is often stuck in the past. But more so because we love the 90s! That’s when most of us were young lads and babes coming of age in the Nintendo era! This is when defiance became a normality. Have fun and reminisce with friends about what those days were like with the TOATS ORIG and QCC crews on Saturday at Duke’s. I’m certain many old favs will be played, so don’t miss what these fantastic DJs are putting together for your listening and dancing pleasure.
A night featuring Techno and Tech house at BBW, Paul Kuenzi, MJ Biggz, and Jarvis provide the local talent. And coming down the QEW from Toronto are their friends Baby Joel from Footwork in TDot and RyLL, no stranger to Buffalo.
sunday 3/25
silk
10p-4a
21+
DBGB’S
253 allen st. Buffalo, NY
Featuring:BIGSKI:RY DIGGS:GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT
Artist submissions or event suggestions are always welcome to my email. Much Love.
Calling every Tom, Dick, and Harry: DBGB's is the place to be tonight with Jack and Johnny. Local rockers Handsome Jack and Johnny Nobody will be joined by Tell Tale Signs for what guarantees to be an energetic show. If you like your rock peppered with lots of guitar riffs and thumping drums then you sir/ma'am, will get your money's worth tonight. What a perfect way to kick off another rompin' St. Patrick's Day weekend in Buffalo.
Doors are at 8:00PM with a $5 cover.
Maybe we'll even hear an Irish traditional number or two...
Well, it's here again, St. Patty's Day is among us and the early groans from peoples livers can be heard loud and clear. This weekend everyone is Irish. Irish car bombs and Jameson shots will be flowing freely this weekend. It's not every year that St. Patty's and the parade the same weekend and that only equals immense amounts of fun. Here are a few things you can do this weekend to add to your drunken stupor(or sober if thats for you.)
Saturday 03/16/12
You will probably be waking up around 8am to get things started. Take it slow, it is going to be a long day and even longer weekend. Pace yourself and maybe watch some March Madness games. I know myself I will be doing kegs and eggs and beer wiffle ball in the afternoon, so screw it, go crazy. James already touched on the Shamrock Shakedown in The Drum Machine Report and if that is not for you try:
Duke's Presents a St Patrick's Day Celebration
This is just the warm up for Sunday but will still get your blood flowing with sweet sweet whiskey. DBGB's resident DJ's: Charlie the Butcher and Shuteyes, Drop D and Bearskinrug will take you deep in to the morning and probably prevent you from getting any sleep before the real shit show.
Sunday 03/18/12
The day where Buffalo goes insane. The St. Patty's Day parade in Buffalo is unlike anything I have ever seen. Delaware ave is flat out a zoo with drunken hooligans and actually a pretty awesome parade to boot. This seems to be the one time of the year that most of rules go out the window. The Parade takes up pretty much all of Delaware between North and Niagara Square, so anywhere you decide to post up you should get a good viewing. I personally like to set up shop right at Delaware and Allen. After you are all paraded out, again head on over to Duke's for some more Patty's Day fun.
Duke's St Patties Parade Day Party! Victory in 2012!
This folks, is an all day party. Who can pass that up? I know there are many other heritage events going on in the city but this is a music blog so I am sticking with whats good and in the city. Starting nice and early at noon, this fiasco will give you all the Irish feelings you can handle. Helping you get your Irish grub on will be hearty servings of complimentary corned beef and cabbage. Helping you get your dance on is a giant list of acts including Ould Pound, The Off the Grid Crew and Queen City Cartel Dj's: Medison, Arehouse, Owski and Swagglerock.
If Dukes is not for you, then Cantina Loco must be! Shoot on over to Cantina Loco after the parade for some excellent eats. For $5 at the door enjoy Jalepeno Corned Beef Hash Burritos, Chips and Salsa and Chips and Guacamole (food served 1pm-6pm or until it's gone). Loco will also be serving up $6 Cabo Wabo Tequila shots to really get you going.
Any one of these awesome events should be plenty to help you have a good time, not that you need assistance on St. Patricks Day, but take a walk on the wild side and try something new this weekend. Above all else, be safe and try to make even just a couple smart decisions!
St. Patrick’s Day weekend is another excuse for Buffalo to get sloshed, but is also a celebration of respected traditions. The city swarms green for two great parades and rowdy partying. What could be better? The tip of Spring is pushing up through the soil and beginning to bud fresh. Everyone’s got that itch.
Sort of having his own Spring awakening is local DJ and promoter Jason Krantz, more often known as LOKI. We spoke on the phone last night about music, the local EDM scene, and the upcoming shows he has playing tonight and tomorrow night. Confirming my inclinations, Jason is an individual with a strong focus on what is cutting edge. He is taking new steps with his production of shows to present acts and lineups that are fresh and exciting. Tonight, performing live on a night-off from the “World of Drum and Bass Tour,” will be London Bass DJ, CRISSY CRISS. The name is an ironic play on his famous step-father DJ’s, Kenny Ken. Don’t let the humor fool you, this prodigal step-son has been DJ-ing since he was a boy. And to Jason’s and everyone else's delight he was able to wrangle in this special show tonight at Soundlab. Also appearing will be GREENLAW, known to many bassheads, and climbing producer and local favorite HOOGS! Krantz’ work within the Drum and Bass scene in Toronto has blessed him with a network of people in the industry that can offer the sort of opportunities to build creative ideas for the EDM scene in Buffalo. Having a balance between creativity and constructive criticism is where his sentiments seem to lie when it comes to that scene in Buffalo. We agreed that the the fragmentation of Electronic and Dance music in Buffalo has pocketed the various “crews” and has hindered progress.
Loki’s already made a name for himself as a DJ. He’s been working hard at it for years. This same ambition he is bringing to producing shows of good quality; respected artists that he feels are deserving of a visit to our corner of the United States. We also spoke of his local “monthly” event. “They keep changing days on me” he said commenting in reference to his local night which will feature different styles of bass music currently being held at Big Bad Wolf on Delaware near Chippewa. This event will be in session again on Friday night featuring the skillful talents of BIG BASHA and POTENT J, along with SCUTTI a Drum and Bass DJ from the Rochester area and Jason, Loki, himself. For those hitting up PAUL OAKENFOLD at Rendezvous on Friday night might want to make a last stop over at Big Bad Wolf to see what’s going down late-night. A tip of the hat to Jason for letting me pick his brain, but his philosophy definitely needed to be recorded and his shows are certainly commanding attention.
Personally for St. Patty’s Day, I like to take in a little bit of traditional Irish music and dancing. However, if that’s not your bag, then Buffalo has plenty of other music going on for the parties of this colorful weekend. Much noise will be made in the Dance music world of Buffalo this weekend, including one of the world’s most famous DJs:
thursday 3/15
10p-4a
18+
SOUNDLAB
110 pearl st. Buffalo, NY
Featuring: CHRISSY CRISS with GREENLAW, HOOGS, LOKI, and HXLY
Featuring: PAUL OAKENFOLD with ANGELO PETRUCCI and JARVIS
Known as one of the most famous DJ/Producers, also voted as the world's deuchiest DJ. But I'll defend Oakenfold's legacy. Last time I saw him he played a over 4 and a half hour strait, and the quality of his set remained throughout the duration of that long set. His coolness may be under scrutiny, but his talent, prowess and international notoriety compensate for any of the bullshit shortcomings ;) He's still the fuckin man.
10p-4a
18+
BIG BAD WOLF
252 delaware ave. Buffalo, NY
Featuring: BIG BASHA, SCUTTI, LOKI, POTENT J, and THE MICK
saturday 3/17
10p-4a
18+
DNIPRO UKRAINIAN HOME
562 genesee st. Buffalo, NY
Featuring: JOHN ACQUAVIVA and ANTHONY ATTALLA along with 30+ DJs and Bands.
Well what better way to spend St. Patrick's Day than with another large "neo-rave" event in the DNIPRO Ukrainian Home? The last event held here was the Get Down Solstice back in December, which all of the attendees seemed to enjoy thoroughly. The coolest think is that they have a room for live bands along with DJs filling out every other room with all different styles. Including many of your favorite local DJs. You can find a full lineup and and ticket information at the website for the event HERE.
Featuring: THE OWSKI, SWAGGLEROCK, AREHOUSE, and MEDISON
Still standing after the parade. You made it to 10pm. Good God, your blood alcohol content matches your best high school GPA. Where are you going to go? Well if you can compose yourself and pull-it together, head to DBGB's for more dancing with 5 really talented DJs who love to tumble for ya.
Please please please be careful if driving anywhere this weekend. And try not to further that stupid stereotype that Irish drunks are angry drunks. Everyone is jovial on St. Patrick's Day! Have Fun. Be Safe. Much Love.
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