Tonight, following a holiday event celebrating all of the great local businesses on Grant Street, head down the block to the Gypsy Parlor for noise band, Guerrilla Toss with support from a definite cavalcade of great local acts. Guerrilla Toss is a Boston-based post-punk act, layering yelping vocals atop complex polyrhythms and harsh distortion. And, for good measure, the rhythmic yelping is often cut through by explosions of noise and chaos. This music is punishing in the best way. You can hear their most recent album streaming here. While not as cacaphonous as Guerrilla Toss, Blanche Blanche Blanche is still just as chaotic. Combining synth and frenetic vocals, the group can be best described as the sonic equivalent of living as a pinball. Rounding out the lineup locally is the extremely dexterous All of Them Witches, who have built a reputation over the years for almost superhuman feats of hand eye coordination (seriously, I once saw the guitarist play a guitar and a bass at the same time and I am pretty sure he did better at both then two musicians playing them individually). Finally, a serious contender for best band name, Fleshy Mounds will also be playing and they sound like a band named Fleshy Mounds would be expected to sound (and I mean that in the best way). Guerrilla Toss w/All of Them Witches, Blanche Blanche Blanche, and Fleshy Mounds. The Gypsy Parlor (376 Grant Street) First band at 10pm $5
After playing an excellent show earlier in the year, Beach Fossils have announced that they will be cycling back to Buffalo before 2013 is out. The band, who released their second full length album, Clash the Truth back in February, will be performing at the Tralf Music Hall on Monday, November 18th. Tickets go on sale at noon tomorrow, October 25, and only cost $10. This is a real bargain and an opportunity to catch a great band who have already proven they can put on a good live show. So if you missed them last time, here is your chance.
Over the last few years, Jack Tatum's dream pop project, Wild Nothing, have released a string of strong records. Last year's Nocturne was excellent and this year's EP, TheEmpty Estate, indicated that Tatum was continuing to change and grow as a songwriter. In what is shaping up to be a great summer and fall for The Tralf, Wild Nothing will be stopping in Buffalo tonight.
Wild Nothing's music is a wistful blend of shoegaze and new wave that fits in well with acts like Beach Fossils, DIIV and Heavenly Beat, all of whom release records through Brooklyn based label, Captured Tracks and all of whom - barring Heavenly Beat - performed at the Tralf this year.
Wild Nothing will be joined by local acts, Lesionread and buffaBLOG favorite, Marine Biologist. With tickets being only $15, I am having trouble trying to come up with a better way to spend a Monday night. Unless you are going to the Moon, and by Moon, I mean the actual Moon. So really, unless you have a ticket to the Moon and back, you have no reason to miss this show.
Wild Nothing w/Lesionread and Marine Biologist
The Tralf
$15
7pm Doors
8pm Show
Ask any Buffalo MC and they’ll tell you the heart of a true hip hop scene pulsates deep within its city’s walls. If you listen closely, you can hear it. If you’re looking carefully, you’ll know where to find it.
But one thing you must know is that the scene isn’t necessarily opposed to a change of scenery itself. And tonight, Buffalo hip hop (and a few other varieties) is invading the ‘burbs.
ADDICTED TO HIP HOP, presented by Sickboy Productionz, will feature a delicious buffet of Buffalo’s finest hip hop acts performing in Amherst. They’re getting shuffled throughout the night to keep fans on their toes and ears satisfied.
“Acts will play two songs and jump on and off stage switching the whole night…think of it as an iPod on shuffle playing music from each performer,” said Mark Miller, president of Sickboy Productionz, who will perform under the stage name Emcee M.D. tonight.
The wildly talented hip hop collective Prime Example will also be tearing up the stage this evening with their anthem-driven sounds. Expect some classic material mixed in with new tracks off their latest EP, Modern Marvels, and energetic, live jams with member Steve Syracuse going hard on the drums and bass.
Joining them in the lineup are the soulfully splendid Type Relevant, a group prepared to electrify fans with their skilled musicianship and jazz-rooted style, the ferocious Hi-Lo and the hip hop group Free At It.
Akron native Emcee M.D., who’s known for his Andy Milonakis, Beastie Boys-esque rap style and persona as well as his humorous but meaningful viral music videos, will also be gracing the stage. In a space invader suit. And probably with a few more tricks up his sleeve.
It may get weird up in here, folks. Brace yourselves.
This eclectic gang is going to serve up bars and hooks you’ll pound down harder than a Bud Light and provide an interesting experience you’ll definitely be able to make the most of. Word on the street is that some of them are dishing out freshly baked mixtapes, too.
The show is 18+ and starts tonight at 9:30 pm at The Forvm located in the Maple Ridge Plaza. Tickets are $10 at the door.
“Expect the unexpected,” Miller said.
Go for the hell of it. Go because you give a damn. Go to support local music.
Oh, and if you truly support local music, comment on this post, we enjoy the feedback from you lovely people.
My favorite band is Pearl Jam and I have been lucky enough
to have seen them live in concert twice. They are a band I will go see live
every chance I get because every show is different and exciting. Aside from a
few staples, such as “Even Flow” and “Alive” for example, they play a varied
set list that reaches across their entire discography and I must emphasize entire. They are not afraid to take on
songs that they have played only a few times before because it was merely
recorded as a b-side on an early single. In addition to their own music, they
will usually play a cover of an artist they like, such as The Who or Neil
Young. But the variety of songs they play is not what makes them a great live
band either. It’s how they play the songs differently and with excitement every
time. Mike McCready offers an extended solo for several songs every night,
Eddie Vedder will sing altered lyrics or not sing at all so the crowd can take
over and sometimes Matt Cameron will deliver a drum solo. But they do so much
more in their live performances that make them so unique that they are all offered
as a download on the bands website.
Another band I have seen twice is Kings of Leon. They are a
solid band and I enjoy their music. I saw them headline Madison Square Garden a
few years ago when it was their biggest show ever because they just became
popular. I cannot say the same for this band as I said for Pearl Jam. Seeing
them live is just going to hear their songs played exactly as you would on a CD
except now it’s live. The guitar solos are the same as they are on the album
just like everything else is as well. They played only their songs and only the
ones that appeared on albums. Their lead singer Caleb Followill didn’t offer
much interaction with the crowd except for the mandatory “How are you doing
tonight (insert city here).”
Now I did not introduce these two bands so that I could
exclaim my love for Pearl Jam and my distaste for Kings of Leon. I used these
two as examples of the different types of live acts a band can be. There are
the bands that are like Pearl Jam and use their live sets to show their
personality. Foo Fighters are a band like this. They played covers as Dave Grohl
had fun with the audience and there was no telling what would happen next. Then
there are bands like Kings of Leon who do not take chances and play their songs
exactly the same as you hear them on the CD. Rise Against is a band like this.
I am not a fan of Rise Against but they were playing at my school’s Fall Fest
for free so I gave it a shot. Their songs were played exactly the same as you
hear them on the radio.
I am not suggesting that either style is better than the
other. That really depends on what you prefer. I however do not see the point
of spending 50 bucks to see a band live if it is just going to sound like the
album except with added cheers and applause. I suppose that there is a certain
energy when listening to the music while in the midst of a frantic crowd but
for me that is not enough. For a band to change up their songs live is to show
their personality and character. Otherwise to me, they might as well be
machines that pump out what is expected and offer no creative twist.
Last night, I went to see Thee Oh Sees and Ty Segall. Both bands were great, although I had an entirely different experience with each of these acts. I had never seen Thee Oh Sees before and they blew me away. Now, truth be told, Castlemania and Carrion Crawler have not left my record player in weeks so I wasn't sure if their live show would meet my incredibly high expectations, despite everyone telling me how awesome they are live and hearing the stories. They far exceeded any expectations that I had. They killed it.
Ty Segall were also great, although I felt the level of enthusiasm slighty fell off, and I must say, I much preferred the dirtiness and raw fuzz of Ty's albums (solo or otherwise) to the live experience.
This got me thinking about live music and recorded music and how sometimes our expectations can dissapoint us. The live experience is one that affirms our devotion to a band or, in some cases, sever's it. I remember years ago I went to see Velvet Revolver (I told you I had terrible taste in music) at Darien Lake and the show was so utterly and objectively bad on all fronts that I had trouble ever listening to them again, which is a shame because I loved their albums. It's hard to maintain any semblance of enthusiasm when a band is clearly going through the motions and trying really, REALLY hard to be bad-ass and not coming anywhere close.
The live experience can also have the opposite effect. I saw AC/DC two years ago. They played a 3 hour set and it was packed with b-side cuts and Bon Scott tracks, and the energy on display that night rivaled any punk show I've ever been to. I was "re-affirmed" in Cleveland and am loyal to that band til the day that I die.
In both of these cases, the live show had a a significant impact on my impression of those bands. They not only affected my perception of them, but the way I listen to their music. In the case of AC/DC, I sought out more. In the case of Velvet Revolver, I lost interest.
There is a flip side to this coin. Sometimes we are so unimpressed with a band's recorded material that the live experience, should we choose to pursue it, is transcendant. I will admit, I was NOT a fan of Interpol when they came out. I couldn't understand the hype. Fast forward a year or so (circa '03?). My friend Angela is going to see them in Toronto, had a free ticket and asked me if I wanted to go. I had nothing better to do that day so I said sure. I'm glad I did because Interpol were so incredibly on point that I had no choice but to become a fan. The vibe in that room was inescapable and I dare anyone to deny the presence that band had on that particular night. Since that time I've been become a devoted Interpol fan.
Recorded material and the live show can complement each other, or you can be left with a hole in your wallet screaming "why did I just spend $15 to see this shitty band?" It's a risk we take as music enthusiasts. I sometimes think that that gamble is part of the fun in this game. Will will be re-affirmed or will our favorite bands let us down? Can they deliver on both fronts? Do we move together upstream or jump ship and find something new? As our tastes change how do we evolve as music listeners yet still maintain our roots? I know one thing. Whether live, or in the studio, a great band, a truly transcendant one, always delivers. And you will know it.
If you haven’t already heard, Montreal three-piece Plants and Animals will be playing at Mohawk Place on April 19th. With an overwhelming roster of talent coming into town this spring (Cloud Nothings, Cults, Death Cab For Cutie, St. Vincent, M83, tUnE-yArDs), it might be easy for this lesser known group to get lost in the shuffle. If you’re new to Plants and Animals and they have yet to make your calendar cut, it might be time to give them a starting spot. While their album The End of That isn’t due out until next week, you can stream it live and read up about them over at Paste’s website right now. If you’re into what you’re hearing, head over to the band’s website and grab a ticket for a mere $8. You never know, this might turn out to be the best show you see all spring.
My post today is rather simple. Can we all agree, both bands and fans, to show up to shows on time? This mainly applies to the beginning to mid-level bands that don't have hordes of anxious fans lining up early to get a good spot. Here's how it usually works out with these shows:
Band advertises show at 10 p.m. sharp! Don't be late!
Loyal fans start trickling in around 9:45. Casual fans text to clarify the start time or to explain that they're "on the way."
Band milks it, hoping to maximize the crowd before the next band on the bill, the bar staff, and/or the fans who are already there become impatient.
An adequate number of people have arrived by 10:30. Band starts playing. Venue fills up by the set's third song.
For the band's next show, even the loyal fans realize that the band members are lying when they tell everyone to be there at 10 p.m. sharp! They show up at 10:30. This pushes the casual fans back to 10:45. Now, the next band on the bill and the bar staff are starting to get impatient.
The pattern continues.
Maybe this is just a byproduct of Buffalo's bars being open until an ungodly 4 a.m. - people somehow think 10 p.m. is early. But couldn't we just avoid this if we all agreed, once and for all, both bands and fans, that the show should start at the time it's advertised to start at? Meaning that all bands start at that time, and all fans are there by that time?
This will never happen, but it's worth bringing up.
Last night, Buffalo was treated to a great lineup of female fronted bands at Soundlab. Buffalo's own Love Scenes opened up the show with a solid set of favorites and a few rarities. The highlight of the night was their rendition of John Carpenter's Halloween theme, which led right into "Heavy". They finished their set with the rarely played "Precious Little Heart", the closing track to their debut album Classy Excuse for a Trashy Experience (which you can download here!). Memoryhouse took the stage boasting a 4 person lineup, including live drums, bass and guitar. Their live set had more of an indie rock feel than some of their studio work. While I enjoy the sound of their studio work, the full band made for a more engaging performance, at times seeming reminiscent of Beach House. You can check out videos of both bands below. Hooray live music!
What a crazy weekend that was. Zeds Dead and the Mothership tour ripped through Buffalo leaving behind cauliflower dreams with brains ripped to shreds. Brains. Brains. Zombies abound. And they’re out for more skull crackin’ Be on the ready for more to come, because Buffalo around this time of year is just plain cool. Get that Bills sweatshirt out of the closet.
Big ups to Town Ballroom, MNM, AfterDark, and Factory Nightlife, for facilitating all of that ruckus. Personally I was very happy for, and impressed by Brother Bear opening up for Zeds Dead. ZD was frickin’ sweet. They are what I love about Electronic and Dance music right now. Pushing away from DJ sets that are stylistically linear and breaking it up with their own take on genre-bending. And the Mothership/Skirllex afterparty popped off over at Pure as well. “Celebrity” ridden, the rollie kids were lapping it up. I was happy to discover that Dillon Francis is actually a good DJ, of his own tracks; stone-cold sober, I could tell. Moombahton is not dead. Yes, It is a genre. A style, a type of music. That cannot be denied. Stop hating. No one said you have to like it. Just know that some of us do.
It’s quite bizarre to reflect on the “October Storm.” It being five years ago this weekend. I can recall going to save my helpless Grandmother in a suicidal cross-town drive, through complete chaos of downed tree limbs and power-lines. She has since passed, and much has changed in the last five years. By that, I mean on the grand scale. It can frightening to think about what disasters humanity may face in the future, including in our lifetimes. I think it’s important to always be prepared, but it’s also kind off fun to blissfully ignore it. At least thats what my Grandma would have done. She just wanted to listen to Bob Marley and dance her troubles away, while still being keenly aware of everything going on in the world around her. If you're voice is loud enough to provoke change, by all means shout it out! I’ll take the simmering, slow-cooked, back-burner approach where observation and opinion is carefully crafted.
Rise up Buffalo.
thursday 10/13
+frosty tone+
LIVE EXPOSURE
10p-4a
21+
DBGB’S
253 allen st. Buffalo, NY
Frosty Tone’s weekly party at Duke’s. This week features CHARLIE THE BUTCHER with MCs SHUTEYES and DEFINITION. Along with Frosty Tone DJs BIG BASHA, TEMPERS ROUGE, E-MISSION, and DROP-D.
saturday 10/15
JUNIOR BOYS
8p-12a
$15/18+
TRALF MUSIC HALL
622 main st. Buffalo, NY
Definitely a must attend event for lovers of Electronic music in Buffalo. JUNIOR BOYS have been around for a minute, and close by too, hailing from the Hamilton/Toronto area. Got first wind of them a while ago, and have continued to support them by snatching up all of their waxes. Their soundscape reaches out on multiple ends by blending realism with ambience in an electric world. Most recently they released the EP It’s All True, which takes on a more direct theme and sounds almost like funky New-Wave. Similar to newer stuff from Cut Copy, Chromeo, or Toro y Moi. A reversion to the more stripped-down sounds of the Eighties and a little on the lighter side. Also performing will be EGYPTRIXX, who I am familiar with from his appearance on Kiss with Sinden, and after that, from his full-length release, Bible Eyes. Which I highly recommend checking out. But you can see it all live, at the Tralf, on Saturday night. Canada’s underground sounds should fill that room nicely.
Shorter than an hour’s drive away will be famous Drum and Bass act TOTAL SCIENCE appearing at Cloud 9 Campground for Ghost Notes, a Halloween Costume party and campout. Bring your gear, but no glass and you can enjoy a night out in the country with loud bass music and friends. Also on the bill is FOOT FOOT and local DJs LOKI, BASHA, STUNTMAN, BERETTA, EMJAY BIGGZ, POTENT J, THE VERDICT, BROTHER BEAR, and THE MICK.
Last time around Soundlab got packed up for DROP THE LIME and Luca’s set was plain freakish. Of course that was a DJ set. And it was all over the place. He even played Drum and Bass! This, this is Drop the Lime with a live band! So I don’t know what to expect. Well, with the exception that it will be raucous and fun as hell. Luca just knows how to step away from the table and grab people and bring them in, literally. A skill not embraced by all musicians, but one that lends itself to the party atmosphere. Even if you work on Monday morning, plan to attend. Spinning post and prior will be AREHOUSE and MARIO BEE, two of my favs in BLO.
Hot on the heels of his excellent new album 'King of the Beach', Wavves' main man Nathan Williams skateboards his way to Mohawk Place Sept 16th. That pizza eating, video game playing slacker is sure to bring down the house, so make sure to get your ticket asap.
Later that month, Built to Spill returns to the Town Ballroom on Sept 28 to melt your face. These guitar rock gods will be sure to impress, with blistering guitar solos and creative song structure. Think modest mouse and My Morning Jacket combined. Its definitely guitar rock at its finest.
LA folk-rockers Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros play The Town Ballroom tonight. In the same vein as Devendra Banhart or Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins, Edward Sharpe's sound is as home grown and American as apple pie. Lead singer Alex Ebert who is often shoeless or shirtless conducts his large band like a 1970's church choir director. The 10, 11 or sometimes even 12 piece band incorporates banjos, accordions, horns, and male & female vocals that volley back and forth like young teenagers in love. The band has blown up on the national scene, recently bringing their hippie hoedown to Coachella, Bonnaroo, the next weekend, Lollapalooza. So make sure you go see them tonight for only 20 bucks!
Radiohead might be the most covered band in the world. I of course have no facts to back that up, but when Gnarly Barkley, Amanda Palmer, Peter Gabriel, Prince and even Conan O'brien cover your music it seems like a safe statement to make. In a way this might make this weeks choice seem tame or cautious, but if you've seen the trailer for the new Facebook movie, The Social Network, you probably understand. Also click the Prince link for a blistering rendition from Coachella 2008. You won't be disappointed.
Alright, so Miike Snow came out last year but since buffaBLOG didn't even exist yet I don't see why it can't be this week's Album. So if you have never heard of the Swedish group Miike Snow, then check out this awesome album! And if you've been listening to it for over a year now.... I recommend revisiting it. In my opinion, a good album has 3 or 4 great tracks.... and at least one song you'd listen to on repeat for a while.... Miike Snow's debut album Miike Snow is a great album. Its the kind that you can push play and listen to all the way through without skipping a track. I wanted to pick it as my choice for album of the week because I recently revisited it and realized I haven't really loved an album all the way through like I do Miike Snow in a long time. Highlights include the first track "Animal" which you may have heard on various TV shows, "Silvia" and my favorite track "Cult Logic". Listen to my favorites below or on our new feature "what buffaBLOGs listen to" (to the right)..... and maybe go see them live on October 9th at Kool Haus in Toronto.
If you are a fan of Bob Dylan, Old Crow Medicine Show, or any other type of good-old-fashioned, homegrown American music then check out The Felice Brothers tonight at Mohawk Place. Hailing from upstate New York, The Felice Brothers got their start in 2006, busking in the subways of New York city. They eventually found themselves playing festivals and shows all over the country, spreading their brand of backporch, rootsy folk. The show is bound to be a good one; you can rely on The Felice Brothers to create a rowdy and fun environment that'll take you back to America's musical heartland. Doors are at 8pm.
Mohawk Place has always provided Buffalo with top notch quality talent at a fair and relatively cheap price. The proof is in the pudding, or rather, on all the autographed band photos that hang on the walls. What they haven't had in quite some time is a website. Sure their was a facebook page, and a mypsace page, but those can only do so much. Well last night Mohawk Place finally uploaded a decent website complete with bio, calendar, directions, etc. Honestly Its pretty nifty looking. Take a second and check out the new Mohawk Place website.
Today, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra with special guest Forever Young, will be playing the music of The Grateful Dead from 3 to 9. But don't drive to Kleinhans because this show is going to be outdoors rain or shine. The concert will take place at Kloc's Banquet & Gardens located in West Seneca. There is an odd contradictory list of rules regarding acceptable lawn chairs you can read here. Tickets are $15. Click here for directions to Kloc's.
Harvest Sum will celebrate their 20th release in style tonight as 8 bands take the stage in this rock n' roll blitzkrieg of sorts. Earlier in the week we talked to Harvest Sum main man Mark Nosowicz who explained that these sets will be short and sweet and cover almost ever genre in the book. Doors are at 8, and cover is 5 bucks. That's the line up below
C-Mon & Kypski is a group from Holland that I recently had the privilege of checking out in the Silent Disco at Camp Bisco.... (they also opened for Nobody Beats the Drum here at Soundlab not too long ago). For this week's segment of "Picking up the slack for MTV" I'm sharing with you their wildly creative and fun interactive music video! Not only are we picking up the slack of MTV's inability to ever show music videos anymore... the internet is pretty much kicking the shit out of MTV and allowing viewers to take their picture and BE IN THE MUSIC VIDEO.... you've gotta see it for yourself. Get to your nearest web cam... and go to this website: http://oneframeoffame.com/
or just watch the latest version of this video (I'm in it!) here:
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