I have been watching someone's cat now for almost a month now. He is a nice cat and all. Very loveable. But I think these last few weeks have reminded me that I am more of a dog guy. Its just a little strange when I wake up in the middle of the night and the cat is staring right at me from about 4 feet away. Give me a dog any day. Sorry cat lovers.

Anyways, if you are a fellow dog lover, then you may want to stop over at Hardware tonight. The "Dogs of Elmwood" 2014 calendar will be making its on-sale debut. I am not sure how dogs were selected for this honor, outside of belonging to Elmwood Village residents, but its for a great cause. All proceeds go towards local animal shelters.

As for the music angle, the Pieroni family seems to be taking over this event. First, the Ellen Pieroni Quartet will be holding things down up front from 8pm - 10pm with a couple jazz sets, only to be followed up by cousins Alison (Second Chic) and Stephen(Spooky Business) in the back room spinning in the back room at 11pm.

Event kicks off at 8pm. Entrance is free, but bring some cash for a calendar. It could make a nice holiday gift after all.

After wallowing in a post-Thanksgiving slumber, make your way down to Hardware tonight as Buffalo hip hop duo, Kinda Like Dreamin, make their triumphant return to the Queen City. This time of year is always about catching up with those you haven't seen in a while after all. Since relocating to Washington D.C. and NYC respectively, former EVC members Sammy Booms and Dr. Ooo have worked on their own solo projects, while remembering their Buffalo beginnings.

The hip hop tag team will be playing the back room of Hardware tonight, beginning at 12am, along with the party DJ duo of Spooky Business. Get there early to catch turntablist extraordinaire Camacian Sensation (and to save a couple bucks) in the front room all night long. Cover is $3 before midnight, $5 after.

Tonight lovers of fuzzed out instrumental space rock need to get to the back room at Allen Street Hardware when Boston psychedelic band Ghost Box Orchestra ply their trade. That excellent space ought to be perfect for their expansive soundscapes and heavy X-Files vibe, and with Malarchuck and Ancients Of Earth, you're $5 will go far...  into the unknown. The show starts at 10 PM.

Continuing their blistering run since snagging Best DJ Crew at this past spring's Artvoice Best of Buffalo Awards, the local duo of Sean Heidinger and Stephen Pieroni brings Spooky Business back to their home base. Tonight at Hardware, the party crew will once again take over the Allen St. bar's back room all evening. Joining them this time around is Jonesy, out of NYC, keeping the front room busy with throwback and current hits, and buzz-worthy party pop act Forealists, whose video for the uber-catchy single "Livin' It Up" has been getting some serious burn on Youtube. 

Forealists kick things off tonight beginning at 10 p.m., $3 before midnight, $5 after. 

In what has turned into a somewhat regular residency at Hardware, Americana group Pine Fever will return to the comfy confines of the Allen Street bar this evening. The five piece act, who can frequently be found busking a street corner during one of the city's many festivals, combines elements of jazz, ragtime, and traditional folk. Fans of Chydle may recognize Thor, the former bassist of the blistering stoner rock gods, behind the stand up wailing away on folk standards, original tunes, and some well chosen covers. Hardware has become known for its folk nights over the years and tonight features one of the city's best. Philadelphia folk project, and frequent Vault guest, Small Houses will join for support. Music kicks off at 10pm.
 

From their early days at the Pink to tomorrow night's buffaBLOG Summer Party, DJs Stephen Pieroni and Sean Heidinger, aka Spooky Business, have come a long way. After winning Artvoice's "Buffalo's Best DJ Crew," the pair have increased their street-cred around the Queen City, including a memorable set at 2013 Taste of Buffalo. With roots planted all down Allen, the two started by playing the Pink on Tuesdays, collecting a mixed audience. From there, they went on to numerous showcases and openings at Hardware becoming, in my opinion, the unofficial DJs of the bar's Back Room.

Myself, I first encountered Spooky Business playing in a hot-as-balls living room at the birD day's house. The crowd was pressed in and dancing on each other as Stephen and Sean laid down a healthy beating of rap songs.

Spooky Business is all about crowd pleasing. They play to the mood and atmosphere of the room, seemingly always bringing  the energy UP! They're style reaches all ends of the spectrum, from Hip-Hop to House and everything in between. Check out their fresh flavor at the party tomorrow night beginning at 10pm and running all night long. While not a video of Spooky Business exclusively, the clip below is from that party I had originally seen them:

As the city of Buffalo continues to melt into a puddle of sweat, beer, and chicken wing grease, the good news is that the weekend has arrived. The guys at Spooky Business, who will be our house DJs for a little summer party we are throwing next month, are hoping to take your mind of heat this evening as they welcome Khari Mateen to Hardware. Mateen, a famed producer known for his studio work with the Roots, Lauryn Hill, and others, returns to Allen St after appearing just over a year ago to play cuts from his own solo releases of R&B and laid back funk. Long time Buffalo DJ Cutler, Rick Jameson, and Seabass himself will provide support. Music kicks off tonight at 10pm. If you are going to sweat tonight, might as well be to some good music.

While the door may be shutting for Buffalo’s beloved Mohawk Place tonight, a window appears to be opening on Allen St. Live music is nothing new to the Hardware Cafe, but tonight there's a promise of a unique performance being held in the larger back-room area by Buffalo’s own CAGES.

For those who are unfamiliar, CAGES primarily consists of guitarist David Bailey and vocalist Nola Ranallo. Since 2004, David and Nola have been uncompromisingly pushing their deepest creative impulses and CAGES’s starkly haunting music is a direct result.

Dave’s guitar work sculpts impossibly huge sonic realms out of shockingly fragile elements (a shimmering dissonance here, a lonely guitar strumming melodic cords there) thus providing all the space necessary for Nola to command her palette of vocalizations (scorned vibratos, wondrous coos, cathartic wails), delivering each with devastating passion.

It’s the the type of music that never plays it safe and has an other-worldly, almost transportive effect that must be experienced to be fully understood. This performance is an excellent chance to witness CAGES in a properly honed environment, and I highly urge you to take advantage.

Saturday’s performance will consist of two sets. The first featuring additional percussion by Jerid Nowacki and the second featuring woodwind accompaniment by Steve Baczkowski.

Hardware (Backroom) - 245 Allen St.
Doors at 8pm, Music at 9pm
$5

To be honest with you, I am sick of this end of the world crap.  It's annoying.  The fact that I am sitting here at my desk typing this means those Mayans didn't know crap.  Oh well.  Since we are all still here, might as well enjoy some music tonight.  And if hip-hop is your bag, then head down to Hardware tonight for the return Buffalo's best hip hop duo.  After a great performance at our holiday party last week with Mic Excel, Dr.Ooo welcomes his Kinda Like Dreamin' partner in crime Sammy Booms back to Buffalo for the holidays and for a performance tonight at Allen Street Hardware.  Joining them on tables will be DJ Cutler, with the Chillharmonic Orchestra also throwing things down.  As you can see by the above flyer, music gets going at 11pm.  $5 will get you through the door.

The Allen Street Hardware is going to be the place to be tonight when the latest edition of Hard Times @ Hardware kicks off at 11 PM. This, the sixth volume in this ongoing series of soul meltdowns features Buffalo and buffaBLOG favorite Handsome Dan and from Boston's Soulelujah dj crew Raleigh Fingahs (if this dude doesn't have a nifty mustache I'm gonna be mad disappointed) spinning an ever diverse set featuring funk, soul, afrobeat, reggae, garage, etc etc for our listening pleasure. It all begins at 11 PM sharp, the music goes all night long, and dig this- there's no cover. Good times will 
be had by all.

Soulelujah in action:

Handsome Dan spins good records, and tonight he'll be spinning his good records at the Allentown Hardware with special guest MJB CORPORATION for the second edition of Hard Times @ Hardware. On the menu: soul, funk, punk, reggae, disco, afrobeat and god knows what else (it should also be noted that Hardware has probably the best g**damn fried chicken in the city). Music starts at 10, and there's no cover. In honor of this g**damn heatwave and Hard Times @ Hardware, here's some topical Fela...