Tonight, head down to the Jungle Gym for what looks to be a massive lineup of punk of both the local and out of town variety. For only $6, you can get 5 live sets of the hard and fast variety, which is really quite a steal in terms of dollars per catharsis, an important statistical measurement that I just invented.

Brooklyn's Nancy, Chicago's Thumbsuckers and Hamilton's TV Freaks represent the out of town contingent while local mainstays Dream Journal and the newly formed Huns represent our fair city. The starts at 8pm so head down quickly so as not to miss one scuzzy riff. Plus the weather is slightly nicer so what excuse do you really have for staying in tonight? None? I thought so.

Dream Journal, Huns, TV Freaks, Nancy, Thumbsuckers
The Jungle Gym
$6
Doors at 8pm, show to start soon after

Tonight the Jungle Gym will play host to a night of firsts, the first show from a collective Buffalo regulars, Alpha Hopper, as well as an introduction to Facility Men. Alpha Hopper is a female-fronted driving punk project complete with shrieks and howls, featuring members of JOHNS, The Fucking Hotlights, and PANG. Fans of Pissed Jeans, METZ, or The Jesus Lizard should definitely cram themselves by the radiator. In addition to Alpha Hopper is Facility Men, a band we wrote about in January, whose sound is Fugazi brash with early Les Savy Fav hooks. Also on the bill are scene vets, Fatal Figures, whose sleazy punk rock will round out an excellent night of fuzzy sounds. If you were a fan of Blowtops, this is some of their members most recent project. Doors are at 9pm and it's free dollars. 

One of the more unique bills in recent memory, 2x4 is centered around the simplest musical grouping, the duo. Bringing together a bunch of Buffalo mainstays, possibly in the name of science, 2x4 explores what ideas can come when two sensibilities come together to create something new. It is almost elemental. Even more elemental is the promised arm-wrestling competition, which is perhaps the most pure test of strength one can offer while also avoiding legal liability and insurance issues.

Headlining tonight is Schwervon! a two piece known for raucous live sets and who have been described as an "expression of imperfect love through jagged rock minimalism." Opening for them will be a new duo featuring Eric Kendall (Stay Lows) and Nick Gordon (JOHNS), a noise based collaboration from weirdstronauts Bobby Griffiths and Andy Czuba, and a multimedia performance from Pat Kewley (local goof extraordinaire and sometimes Mark Twain impersonator) and Aimee Buyea (DIY/artspace tsar). The show starts promptly at 8 and will be held at the Jungle Gym.



Sugar City Presents 2x4 Featuring Schwervon!, Kendall/Gordon, Andy/Griffiths and PK/ABOO
The Jungle Gym
Doors at 7pm, Show at 8pm
$4 (for touring musicians)

Tonight everyone's favorite DIY speakeasy will quench your Friday night indie rock thirst. Mapmaker, a buzzing Buffalo band for 2014, debuted their first couple Jawbreaker hinged tunes in 2013’s fourth quarter. Also on the bill is Utica based Comfy, a band making waves in the WNY area as of late. Their sound can best be described as a retro-jangle Saturday Looks Good to Me type feel. Rounding out the evening is Ithaca's Why+the+Wires, sounding almost like an anxious Lucero. The band fresh off the heels of last night’s Punks + Tots show so hopefully they didn’t pull all their punches on Main St. Last and certainly not least on the menu is Buffalo based Supergoner (Dinosaur Jr. influenced indie rock that’s been around for the past 11 years). 

Music kicks of tonight at 9:30. Bring some money for the out of town acts, and if you haven’t been to the Jungle Gym before, just ask the right person for the address.

Do you like partying? How about boats? I like both. Know what's even better? Party Boat... The fun-in-the-sun, beachtastic garage band playing tonight at the Jungle Gym! Lo-fi at its loneliest, these dream surfers are currently on tour with bluesy psych-droners, Linear North, and it's a pleasure to have em in town tonight. Cross Stitch is also on the bill... maybe one more. Get to the Jungle Gym at 9 and stay til close. 6 dollarinos.

The other week, I saw Iration - a sunshine reggae band - at Waiting Room. It was a pleasant experience. Tonight, I'm going to a show in the basement of a house on the west side, a show that features the return of a band named after an ex-Sabres goalie who once had his jugular slashed during the middle of a game. The show will be a lot of things, but pleasant might not be the word. It will be painful, probably. It will be scary. And that is exactly how these bands like it.

I'm a rookie here, because I've never been to the venue, and I'm a rookie here, because I'm using the word venue. But these are four of the best bands to be trapped inside of a basement with, and I'm pretty fucking excited about it.

Show starts at 9. Bring a flask and a couple of bucks to donate.

So I was curious what this show was all about. I went on the facebook event page and laughed at the headliner description "Weirdo music show and temporal paradox generator, blood rite." I have no idea what that means, but I can only imagine it's fucked up. Let's take the plunge.

So what you got is 100% Black, some Binghamton punks, Steve Baczkowski and Bill Sack playing some horns and a "prepared guitar" whatever that means, the post apocalyptic devotion music of dog, and the percussive fueled, noise-blasting However Trio.

For fans of the weird. And weird is where else in Buffalo but the Jungle Gym (357 Breckenridge). shows at 9:30.

The female-fronted anarcho-surf punks in MAYDAY! are making their triumphant return to the Buffalo scene this evening.  They are joined by a number of other bizarrely genre'd bands including The Narcs ("Rochester's urban concern"), the "Clevo punk punks" in Smooth Brain, and the dope proto-metalheads in Flood Drinker.  

The show starts at 8:00pm with a $6 door.  It's at the Jungle Gym - 357 Breckenridge - although Facebook says this event is located in Buffalo, Outer Space.  You might want to leave a bit early then.

The Jungle Gym, Breckenridge Street's DIY space for music and other shenanigans, is hosting a menagerie of bands this evening for your listening enjoyment.

Headlining tonight's events are Summer People from nearby Binghamton, NY.  The band formed in 2008 and has been touring or recording seemingly nonstop since then.  Their sound is rock for sure, but the gravelly croon of the vocals splitting through the mix adds an extra dimension to the music.

Also performing tonight are a variety of bands from across the country performing music in the realm of punk/rock.

Goldmines has traveled here from Celveland, OH for tonight's show... which is a lot closer than Olympia, WA; the city Generifus has hails from.  Rounding our tonight's lineup are Pang and Dream Journal, both local outfits that enjoy a good thrashing of a guitar.

Show starts at 8PM with a suggested donation of $5

Very few local bands get me raging as hard as Utah Jazz, a female fronted punk rock band featuring the singer of one of my other favorite locals, Mayday! (Are they still around???) Too catchy to ignore, too punk to dismiss, this is fun, edgy, and bonkers r'n'r all in one package. Listen below and get a feel. Tonight, the Jazz will be playing with Resist Control, another local, along with Cleveland's Lucha Eterna, and Rochester's Beastman. Celebrate your hump day at the Jungle Gym (357 Breckenridge). It's an early one (7pm) and only costs a mere $6, so you'll have money for all the Pabsts you'll inevitably consume during and after the show.

Over the last few months, the Jungle Gym  has begun making a name for itself as a criminally underrated small venue for great music and mayhem. Where else in Buffalo can you see a show in the basement and then go up a floor and jump around in a room full of mattresses (it is really liberating). Anyway, tonight they are hosting some awesome bands for only $6 and you should really consider coming out.

Potty Mouth is from New England and describe themselves as "sonic babewave." This might be the best description I have read in some time. They play a surf tinged brand of punk perfect for warm summer nights like tonight.



Chemical Peel: Raucous garage rock that is fast and fun. What more do you need really?



Utah Jazz: More raucous garage rock of the fast and fun variety. Buffalo's own Utah Jazz have been quietly building a well deserved following and are not to be missed.

Mallwalkers: As buffaBlog's Handsome Dan beat reporter, I have discussed Mallwalkers several times in recent weeks. 11 people, horns, punk, funk, Mallwalkers are a real hoot and a half.


I should, by now, have made it abundantly clear that this will be a fantastic show. Bands will be starting promptly at 9 pm, so beeline down from Jesus and Mary Chain and catch this one at the Jungle Gym.

Potty Mouth, Chemical Peel, Utah Jazz, Mallwalkers
Jungle Gym (357 Breckenridge St, Buffalo NY 14212)
Bands start at 9pm
$6.00

Tonight, kick off the summer with some of Buffalo's best unheard of bands. The Jungle Gym, a DIY house who have been putting on some great shows and parties this year, will be hosting  Bees as they kick off their tour. Appearing with Bees will be Dirt Eyes, Settlers, and Jack Toft. All four acts are great, chaotic fun and there will be free pizza and $2 beers. This show is free, begins at 9pm, and promises to be a great start to your long weekend (we all know you will be phoning it in tomorrow).