One of the most important factors involved in pleasing the party goers is the disc jockey. They do us a great service by pleasing our eardrums in-between acts, making sure we all keep our dancing shoes in check. This time around for our 4th bday party at Duke's, we will have Gowanda native Chauncey Tails spinning a delightful mix before acts, during, and closing out the night. Chauncey certainly has his chops when it comes to the wide-range of influences working within his own music, not only focusing on more popular genres such as dub-step but also incorporating elements of IDM, house, and trip-hop.  

Take, for instance, the songs "waitin 4 2 nite" and "Yr Girls Got a Drug Prob (Instrumental)." Chauncey layers minimally--and that may sound contradictory. He lays down an initial beat, with the former track it's more so four on the floor, and then glitches in a sharp, witty loop that could become repetitive until a gentle, video-game like synthesizer crawls in. It's similar to the likes of L.A. DJ Jonwayne. (See: Bowser.) Chauncey's style doesn't simply focus on strictly dance, he can switch up the groove to something more sensual and laid-back like in his track "Aura Like Aurora," which, simply, is sexy down-tempo at its finest. Below I've inserted his sample mix for the party tomorrow evening (10pm, $5), that flexes a chopped and screwed opening and relaxes into a delightful series mashing up southern-grime and pop.

Back in November, when Real People's excellent Ceilings EP 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.

~ Photo by Alex Andrasik

Well, how about Mr. Boneless kicking off buffaBLOG’s 4th birthday party? No time to sit down, order a light beer and settle down; nope, they are going to get things started with a bang. Their music, thankfully, has much more depth than the bio offered on the band’s Facebook page: Elliott met Nate who met Joe whom all met Brian in the summer of 2010. Sure, Brian sounds like a lucky son of a bitch, but surely there is more to their story than what they are telling us.

To find out more, check them out Saturday night at buffaBLOG’s party (and keep an eye out for a new Boneless album this summer). So far, they’ve filled a void left by Merchants’ semi-uncertain future, in that I listen to them and want to become more of a man. When Elliot sings, he uses every bit of throat that he’s got; picture, if you will, a dog getting a bone lodged in its throat and using every ounce of energy he’s got to dislodge it. That’s a pun within an analogy for you; my work here is done.

Check them out Saturday at Duke’s. They’re batting leadoff and will go on right at 10:30. Tickets are $5.