Kool Keith, the enigmatic iconic cult MC, goes by many monikers (Black Elvis, Matthew, Dr. Octagon, etc.). The common theme throughout all of his work is abstract "crazy;" a preoccupation with sex, space and the bizarre. These concepts manifest themselves through an almost psychedelic prism of trip-hop beats and often hilarious lyrics. Even during his days with Ultramagnetic MC's, there was something a bit off about Keith's eccentric rap verses and his odd manner of flow. But hey? True genius is rarely understood.

Keith will be in Buffalo tonight performing a rare club appearance that has many hip-hop heads and superfans excited. It's not often you get a chance to see hip-hop of this magnitude hit our city, and for that I'm appreciative. Duke's is the place. 10pm is the time. Get there early to catch support from DJ Lopro, DJ BRSKNRG, Frigid Giant and Natural Ingredients.

There's going to be an awesome dance party at Duke's Bohemian Grove Bar tonight! New Horizon Events brings you Electric Love, a night designed for positively letting loose. Electric Love will feature some of Buffalo's best dance music aficionados. This includes Swagglerock, aka Buzz Trillington and Shooter Mcnappin both of whom have been very productive of late with their own music. When put together they are an unstoppable duo of party adaptation. Sunglasses Mike and The Owski will also be on the decks this eve. The both of them are two of Buffalo's best talents, with a specialty of making dance music mixes sexy and provocative. Also performing will be C-Perfect and a surprise special guest DJ! Just added to sponsor the event will be Red Bull, which means there will be featured drink specials if your into destroying yourself.

This event is 21+ Cover charge of $3 at the door. Show begins at 10pm, Duke's Bohemian Grove Bar 253 Allen st. Buffalo, NY.

Chicago's Archie Powell and the Exports are making a stop at DBGB's tonight.  Full of frantic verses and melodic choruses, these guys craft smart and cynical songs that represent the new age of garage rock - led by the unfortunately unemployed rather than the unemployable slackers of the early 2000's.  Local support comes from The Screaming Jeans and Made Violent.

DBGB's is hosting this one at 9:00pm.  They didn't specify a price, but it can't be THAT expensive.

Tonight Duke's on Allen has a killer lineup of up and coming indie hip-hop artists for your listening pleasure when Coolzey and Raashan Ahmad's Tour De Force tour takes over. These dudes have travelled from all over the country to be here with us tonight, with Dallas Center Iowa's Coolzey and the Bay Area's Raashan Ahmad bringing their sharp, off kilter and left field lyrical stylings and interesting beats to the heart of Allentown. Also on the bill will be Toronto's Philly Moves (making a Buffalo debut), Brooklyn by way of Buffalo mc Rabbi Darkside, and representing for Buffalo will be Koolie High. Tickets are $5 and the show starts at 10 PM.

Tonight might as well be a showcase for two of western NY's best rock bands. Son of the Sun, from Buffalo, deliver indie flavored rock'n'roll in heavy doses. Some of their songs remind me of the Church, and that is always a good thing.

Representing Rochester is Sports, a joyous, pre-punk band with melodies for days. My immediate impression is Elvis Costello goes surfing or maybe the Beach Boys...not necessarily in sound but in vibe. They're good.

Anyways, they're playing tonight at DBGB's at 9pm for only $5. You should go.

Like the air temperature this winter, the climate of collective consciousness is constantly fluctuating in Buffalo. Us positivists are constantly shielding a barrage of bitterness and negativity grown out of many years of hardship and loss. Alas, we are the weight to balance these ideas, the youthful minds who will soon take over this city and lift it forward into the future! The work of change is never-ending, and only willing will rise up.

With the new year comes new happenings. It is a blessing to have some fresh things going on with a couple of new events happening this Friday. The Drum Machine Report focuses on what events and parties are going on that feature all styles of dance music every weekend in the Queen City. Check out what's happening now:

friday 1/11


saturday 1/12
Everybody loves Igloo Music! Such positive vibes and great House music fill the air every time this party goes down. This night will feature sets from CHUCK ABBOTT, PAUL KUENZI, BRANDON CHASE, GREG HOWZE, and LANCE UPPERCUT-who I believe is Kyle Moody's alter-ego. Guess you'll just have to go to find out!


Any submissions for The Drum Machine Report please forward to buffaBLOG, and keep those dancing shoes shinning Buffalo. Much Love.

Perhaps the best is yet to come. 2013 will be hard pressed to top last year in the number of great shows and events happening in Buffalo.  There is a bleak outlook for what has been announced. Many spring tours that were announced already left Buffalo out of the loop. We'll see. Things seem to work out. Buffalo will continue to trend upward both musically and artistically.

This weekend getting down on the dance floor will not be difficult. Check out these two cool events going on Friday night.

friday 1/4
10p-4a
21+
DUKE'S BOHEMIAN GROVE BAR
253 Allen St. Buffalo, NY
Frosty Tone and Duke's bring you DIRECT FEED tomorrow night. Known by many aliases David Houser has channeled all of his work as a DJ/Producer into Direct Feed. He plays music like Ragga-Jungle and Electro, and he is certainly no stranger to Dubstep. Check out the mix below containing a variety of genres. Many local supporting DJs on the bill, but most notably BETA and BROTHER BEAR both making their return to a Frosty Tone bill.



It may be a new year, but there's more of the same great stuff coming from Culture. Happening on the First Friday of every month, Culture is a party that combines the appreciation of visual art along with the entertainment of music! This week will feature the art of 464 Gallery artists, Marcus Wise and Ryan Mis. Also this is the first weekend that the show Culture will be a stop on the Greater Allentown First Fridays Gallery Walk. This installment of Culture will have music played by BFLO LYDIA, THE OWSKI, and TRAKBENDERS. All of whom will be playing on all vinyl!!! So if you'd rather be all in for some house music come and check out culture.

It helps a little that these two parties are directly across the street from each other. If you like a little flavor from both, it will be easy to hop from joint to joint. Much love.

Buffalo's I Can See Mountains play the kind of feel-good punk music that seems to exist solely to let everyone have a good time.  Their seven-song release, Hope You Never Get It, is a collection of messy, fun pop punk (because you know they're jumping around while they're playing it) chock full of sing alongs and a seemingly endless number of vocalists.  Their songs are simple to comprehend.  It's all about friendship and having a great time and that makes for a light-hearted listen.

They'll be playing tonight at DBGB's with fellow Buffalo pop-punk in All Blondes Go To Heaven as well as Sleepy Hahas and The Traditional.  The show is $8 - doors are at 9:00 PM.

Hopefully, you've had a chance to see Jeff Bujak perform live by now since he gets to come to Buffalo pretty often... if not... tonight's the night.  Jeff Bujak is an electronica producer who uses several keyboards and effect pedals to create an inventive and energetic sound.  He is a one man live electronic act that is too much fun to pass up. If you aren't entertained enough by observing his musical abilities, his light set up will definitely tickle your fancy. Also new to his show is Jen Dulong, a hula hooper from what the image above looks like has several glowing hula hoops that she dances with on stage. It honestly looks like a ton of fun. Local support tonight will come from the now three piece Early Attic, who will be debuting some new music and closing the night will be some sets from The Late Night Owl DJs.  The show starts at 10 pm sharp and there is a $5 cover.

What do you think of when you think of the nineties? Is it the fashion? The music? The state of the world at that time? Or is it the soulpatch?...that abhorrent clump of hair portruding from the bottom lip that somebody was crazy enough to say "this looks cool". Well it doesn't. Under no condition does a soulpatch look cool.

Fortunately Soulpatch the band is pretty cool. I mean they obviously have a sense of humor to call their band Soulpatch. Plus it's pretty cool that the band is an all nineties cover band featuring Keith Buckley and Steve Micciche of Every Time I Die and Joey Dynamite and Niko Georgiadas of Quintana. I also think it's cool their playing tonight at DBGB's (10pm) along with DJ Dante Velour.

Do yourself a favor. Go see Soulpatch tonight at DBGB's. And if you have a soulpatch go to the barbershop, have him shave that thing off your face and tell him you're sick of looking like an asshole.

All Blondes Go to Heaven are one of Buffalo's newest offerings, having just formed earlier this summer. Their songs are urgent and sincere, reminiscent of a band you'd find playing a packed basement show full of kids singing louder than the music itself. At times, it almost seems as if the band has a dozen members. Surprisingly, there are only five - guitarists Brett Mikoll, Chris Bryant and Alex Tiberia, bassist Mike Driscoll, and drummer Andy DeLuca. They employ an interesting dynamic in that every member sings, seemingly whenever they feel appropriate. The result is a blend of honest indie and pop rock full of sing-alongs.  All Blondes Go to Heaven could have come straight from the late 90's or early 2000's, but they also sound fresh and contemporary.

Their debut offering, the six-song the trick is to always look down, right? falls somewhere on the spectrum between 90's heroes Sunny Day Real Estate and the atmospheric emo-rock of The Appleseed Cast. You can find it on bandcamp where they are currently offering it at a "name your own price" rate. DBGB's is hosting their first show on September 29th with fellow Buffalo bands I Can See Mountains, The Traditional, and Sleepy Hahas.