Waka Flocka goes hard in the motherfuckin tape on his new mix, Re-Up, an 11 track compilation with solid production and clever collaborations. His much-anticipated album, Flockaveli 2, doesn't drop til later this year, and this mix will carry you through til it's release.

Fellow Atlanta rapper Young Scooter is featured on the 808 Mafia produced second track, "Cook Jug," and has one of the catchier hooks on the mix. Both "Lottery" and "Ain't No Problems" have that signature Waka sound, and the latter has verses from oddly charismatic ATL rapper Young Thug and Judo.

"Word to the Wise," an impeccably produced track by up and coming rapper-turned-producer Metro Boomin, is one of the strongest on the tape, and it's worth mentioning that Metro is only 19 years old. He can't get into the clubs that play his music, but that's what house parties, like the one in "Real N!gga Love," are for. Featuring the OG of putting dollar signs in your name, Too $hort, it's a banger, with Waka rapping about liquor, molly, weed, bad bitches, and turning the house into a club.

Former graffiti artist Gepetto (government name: Brendan Hanna) mellows the mix out on "Ghetto Child," a synth-y and chill track that gives you a moment to relax before going to the next track, "Work It Like A Pro." Featuring English-Caribbean rapper Giggs, it's the perfect track to dance to like you do it in the mirror.

The tape closes with the old-school sounding, Macon Hamilton featured, "Knowledge God," a track that could easily fit in on a mixtape when they were actually tapes. It's a surprisingly solid ending to the mix, and makes up for the first track, "Fuck N!gga," which is easily my least favorite of the compilation.

Overall, this is a solid mix that's been on repeat in my headphones for the last two days, and is available to stream and download for the low, low price of free99. 

Grade: B+

Since their last album, Tarot Sport, Fuck Buttons have gained well deserved recognition for their mining of the creatively fertile territory between noise/texture/cacophony and melody. That album was a compelling and grandiose demonstration of what the duo could do and it earned them a well deserved spot on the soundtrack to the London Olympics' Opening Ceremonies. 4 years of relative inactivity later, the duo recently returned with a new album, Slow Focus, an impressive albeit slightly disappointing followup to the triumphant Tarot Sport. 

Slow Focus is decidedly smaller in scale; however, it is no less noisy and "big" when compared with some of the other noted electronic releases this year. If Daft Punk was a study in pop/studio wizardry and Boards of Canada dealt in atmospherics, Fuck Buttons is an exploration of texture, drama on a grandiose scale. That it seems more minor is possibly more of a testament to how ambitious Tarot Sport was and how they so successfully pulled it off. Slow Focus lacks the peaks and valleys, doing away with moments of catharsis. Like Boards of Canada, this is a record of building tension with no discernible moment of emotional release to match what is developed. Taken together, we could begin to read into this a response to mainstream electronic music, itself so heavy on catharsis that tracks are almost all climax.

Slow Focus opens with a lone drum gradually giving way to rising and squelching synths. It is familiar territory for Fuck Buttons. The use of the descriptor "squelching" is especially appropriate given just how textural their music is, bringing attention to the corporeality of these sounds an inextricable element of their music. The droning squelch/burble in "Sentients" is especially emblematic of this element and underscores the record's pervading anxiety.

What is new here, however, is the addition of the beat on "Red Wing." The lead single is the album's strongest point and an indication of what the group can do when they target the dance floor. It is perhaps too droning and textural to actually work as something to put on at the height of a party, but still demonstrates the duo can create and utilize a beat effectively. Unfortunately, the duo never really develops this beyond "The Red Wing," and the rest of the album remains rooted in familiar territory.

As a whole, Slow Focus sounds almost too similar to Tarot Sport barring its lacking of that earlier record's dramatic sweep. This dramatic sweep was also what cohered Tarot Sport into a solid statement. On Slow Focus, the sound is the same but the tracks do not gel together in quite the same way. As a result of this, the record sounds more like a collection of darker outtakes from Tarot Sport. This would be fine if not for the fact that there was a 4 year gap between releases. This is a substantial amount of time to stop and then resurface with something not that radically different from before. Overall, it feels like Fuck Buttons are capable of more.

While a strong record, Slow Focus fails to build on the potential of  previous releases. It seems like the ambition is gone and the scope drastically cut down. Never fully coming together, this record is nothing more than a collection of tense, noisy, and textural songs and not much more. Strong, yes, but a full step forward, no.

Grade B

Through the gray fog illuminated by a waxing and waning of changing colors, she stood with a mic to her mouth and a lantern in the opposite hand. Her voice was like the sound of the sirens that entranced Odysseus' men as they sailed the epic turbulent seas. Lanterns reminiscent of a beehive were hanging above Megan James and Corin Roddick, the duo that comprise Purity Ring, as they performed the long-awaited show on Wednesday night at Town Ballroom.

The show was everything I hoped it would be. I became enveloped in Purity Ring, thanks to MaltDisney's (TOATS ORIG) video from their performance at Mohawk Place in 2011. From then until now, Purity Ring has gone from single releases playing a small scale event at Mohawk to a debut album playing a packed house show at the Ballroom. Their sound mirrored that of their productions. The visuals were ideal for the show: esoteric and surreal inspiring. Roddick was hypnotizing as he played his custom cocoon-like instrument that is synched for percussion and lighting. James in her black dress was often silhouetted through out the show, which only added more to the mystical vibes of the night. "Cartographist" was so intensely transcendent, mental images of scattered pentacles, stacked swords, tipped cups and propped wands reverberated with her embryonic vocals. "And I laughed in the light of the moon, was so close from the stem of the bloom." In addition to playing songs from their album Shrines, they also played the cover of Soulja Boy's "Grammy." You know that song you really hope to hear during a show but the chances of it happening are uncertain? You know that feeling you get when your on the floor and you hear it start to play through the speakers? I was ecstatic.

Blue Hawaii opened the night, and I was pleasantly blown away at how great they were. Their energy was dreamy but not spacey to the point of mellowing me out. "Realize your true orgasmic capabilities...2013. Orgasmic capabilities," said Raph Standell-Preston, female vocalist of the duo, as she introduced a song all about the poetry of masturbation. Wonderfully adorable with some killer pipes, she alongside Alexander Cowan were the ideal warm-up group for the night. This was undeniable as I walked down the tiers onto the dancefloor and nearly had my Stoli and cranberry knocked from my hands as the man next to me danced uncontrollably, fluid and interpretative. It also may have been acid.

It was a memorable show that lived up to the anticipatory expecations I had.

Thanks to fellow buffaBLOGGER Cliff Parks, he caught the entirety of Purity Ring's performance of "Obedear." Check it out.

It was a wild Wednesday at Town Ballroom when Tyler, The Creator from Los Angeles based crew Odd Future came through the 716. I had a hunch that the crowd was going to be just as rowdy as when they visited in September for the Camp Flog Gnaw tour; after immediately reaching the top of the walk-way into the venue and seeing the entire floor and tiers filled with people I found my intuition was spot on once again.

Thursday morning, I woke up with sore abs, arms and legs. OF member Taco opened the show with an incredible trap song which I actually tweeted at him, hopeful he'd share. I won't hold my breath. The moment Taco went on it was like a hand reached into shallow water and hundreds of minnows suddenly gathered in a clump and darted to a rock. Tyler finally came on the stage that was adorned with statues of baby-doll heads.

For the remainder of Tyler's set, it was utter madness. People were diving over the gate, hopping on stage only to stand next to Tyler for less than 10 seconds before the strong hand of security removed them. The amount of moshing was out of control. Mind you, I am 5' 2'' and less than 115 lbs. For the entire night, I was being tossed around, hitting people like the metallic ball in a Pinball game. There's something beautifully violent about that show; everyone releases their inner-animal. Besides my light-weight and short stature, I would use all my strength to push people off of me, laughing and screaming the words along with Tyler. No wonder trying to put my coat on the past couple of days has been a struggle. My friend was moshed away from me and we didn't reunite until the very end of the show. While separated from her, I stood on the right hand side of the stage in front of the speaker when out of nowhere, a fight broke out. After the man got about four hard punches in and I had already scooted as far away from it as I could (less than a foot) so not to be dragged in, security came over and dragged them out. Serious big ups to the security and bouncers at Town Ballroom for not being dicks and keeping that place semi-contained.

I wish I could tell you more, but honestly it was so insane I was afraid that my phone would get knocked from my hands the minute I took it out so I didn't get to jot down notes as per usual. His set was fantastic. Jasper and Taco were the only other two on stage with him. At one point, Tyler jumped and stood on top of the tall speaker on the right hand side of the stage, he hovered over the crowd and everyone went ballistic.

I did manage to get a nice video for you all so if you're at home kicking yourself that you didn't go, you can abuse yourself a little more and watch this. It's a little shaky and not at the ideal height; just think of it as seeing the world through my eyes for 32 seconds.

Thanks to MNM Presents, I had a pretty wild and awesome music fueled weekend. To start with, Brillz on Thursday night at Duke's Bohemian Grove Bar was a killer show. It was refreshing to see the dance floor at Duke's so packed throughout the entire night. Buzz Trillington and Shooter McNappin, from duo team SwaggleRock, opened for Brillz with a ghetto sexy set. With spikes lining the rim of his flat brim hat, Brillz transitioned smoothly from track to track.

"I dedicate this song to you four girls," he said as each of them twerked themselves into a frenzy in front of the DJ booth as he drops "Big Booty Bitches." 

A Duke's employee sneaked swiftly on stage with a roll of masking tape, to which someone behind the table of equipment then helped tape Brillz's laptop to the stand. In addition to the girls grinding and twerking on the speakers in front of the decks, the packed dance floor jumping up and down, and the crew and myself dancing on stage behind him, the laptop began to violently shake and flop. The masking tape worked as a perfect straight-jacket restraint for the crazed laptop.


I have two main reasons why I love going to a show on a Sunday night. First, it keeps me motivated to do things all day long instead of turning into a Lazy Sunday; I went on a cleaning frenzy, did every single bit of laundry, finished all of my work, rearranged furniture and ran errands yet was still amped enough to doll myself up and head downtown. Secondly, it makes Monday that much more exciting as I walk around doing my usual routine thinking about what happened the night before.

Sunday night, MNM Presents brought a great show to Soundlab. Surprisingly, I believe this was the first time I ever saw Rochester's Papi Chulo perform, and I was quite impressed. It was space groove and even for how early in the night it was, I was pleased to see that people were already dancing so early at a Sunday evening show. Following him was Samo Sound Boy; the visual projection and screen that were brought along for the "Magical Properties Tour" were highly appropriate for the name. A grid of colors projected on him and he was camouflaged with the background when suddenly the dimension changed and behind him was a dark silhouette followed by a gridded silhouette encompassed by a dark screen. It was entrancing. Even with relatively simple transitions between tracks, his set was very up and flawless.



To be completely honest I was most looking forward to Ryan Hemsworth's set. His track selection was totally on point. His performance was mostly trap vibes and the occasional slow jam (I laughed when Usher's "Let It Burn" came blasting through the speakers, but I'm also not going to lie. I was loving it.) The visual projections became even more intense as a cartoon sea took over the screen while little cartoon hands holding cartoon guns stuck themselves surrealistically out of the cresting waves.


Daedelus, the headlining act, followed. I was looking forward to this since I have never seen him perform before and after making the stupid decision of not going to see Yeasayer last year, I continue to hear through friends and my fellow buffaBLOGGERS how incredible the entire show was. However, I was not as totally blown away as I thought I would. Now don't get me wrong, I think that he played a helluva set and he definitely was giving off a lot of energy for the tiny basement venue. My major critiques were the difficulties with the sound; I'm not totally positive what was happening but something was off and the leveling was not as clear as it should have been which to be quite honest was distracting. Also, I was hoping to hear more of the romantic down tempo tunes that seemed to be his M.O.

All in all, shout out to MNM Presents for providing a damn good weekend for Buffalo. 

It was refreshing to take a break from the 716 on Friday night as I headed to Rochester for the long anticipated Sleigh Bells show at Water Street Music Hall. I finally got to see araabMUZIK live after missing his show in Buffalo last year, which is a regret I can now put behind me. His talent was as mind-blowing as I expected, although I wish he stuck with more of a hip-hop vibe rather than dubstep. Call me jaded.

After feeling like one in a handful of people that was actually getting down to araabMUZIK's set, Sleigh Bells initiated their show with a eerie introduction. I was pressed up against the gate attempted to squeeze next to a couple territorial of their spot. Sleigh Bells took the stage and suddenly vocalist and ultimate babe Alexis Krauss mentioned Buffalo. Several people screamed wildly, including the couple that wouldn't make room for my small frame. We exchanged smiles and nods of acknowledgment with the Buffalo couple, and suddenly enough space was made for me to fit comfortably. Regardless of the different city, the Buffalo love was still there. 


The show left me awestruck. With a more intimate crowd size than the Buffalo show in July, the feel of the room was intense. Similar, if not the same set list, I was able to enjoy this show even more because of how deep I fell into their music in the past three months. I couldn't help but tear up a little bit when they performed "End of the Line" and all that was between Alexis Krauss and I was a gate. "It didn't have to be this way, you know it didn't have to be, but it's the end of the line, so goodbye..." I sang along as she sang directly at me; it was as if she knew I felt that combination of utter desperation followed by the longing for retribution that the lyrics bleed.

Just as the show was about to end she beckoned the ladies to come on stage. What I expected was what happened at Town Ballroom when Santigold did the same thing. I braced myself for a mass rush of females climbing over each other, over the gate to hop around on stage. What happened was the furthest from that. Krauss came back over to my little space once again and amongst the outstretched arms she grabbed mine and began to pull me up. With the help of the security guard and my youthful skills and practice from hopping fences when I used to play Wiffle Ball, next thing I knew I was up on stage dancing around to "Rill Rill." After the song ended, me, my friend and the one other girl on stage each hugged Krauss and I must say it was that entire moment that verified this show a place in my top 10 favorites.  

Not only did I come home with a sore neck from head-banging, but also a new appreciation for the loyal Buffalo crowd. I left Water Street Music Hall with ringing ears and the biggest grin I've had in weeks. Seeing Sleigh Bells live once again is exactly what I needed to re-learn: that art created in darkness can also be and usually is the most freeing from such.

Last night's show included the second time I have seen Two Gallants in Buffalo since May and this performance was everything I hoped for and had anticipated since I learned of the show a few months ago.

I hadn't been to The Ninth Ward for a show before and didn't know exactly how punctual they were with set times but I was starving and decided to get as quick a dinner as possible down the street at Merge.  I was relieved when I got my table and saw the gentlemen of Two Gallants just placing their orders for dinner a few tables down... that way I could at least gauge how long I had to scarf down my food.

Last night was the first show of 2GS North American/European tour in support of their new album, The Bloom and the Blight (released on September 4th).  No strangers to Buffalo, drummer Tyson Vogel quipped that the Ninth Ward was a little different setting than Mohawk Place [the venue they are usually playing at when in town] as he invited the crowd to "come closer and hang out with them".

The tell-tale syncopation between guitarist Adam Stephens and Vogel were in full effect from the get go as they would coordinate tempo changes and song endings with an unspoken communication that only comes after playing countless hours with one another, as they have over the decades.

My friend Jonathan described 2GS as if an "emo/indie rock band had a child with a country rock band and that child rebelled against its markedly uncool parents and basked in a life of pounding drums and finger-picking insanity" after their show in May.  I still agree with that description after last night and feel that they are further blossoming into their own.  The folky ballads were still present (and welcomed), but when they pumped up the volume they came across as heavier than I have heard them play before... a "classic" heavy, mind you (the song "Ride Away" off The Blight and the Bliss features some riffing reminiscent of Black Sabbath).

The prevalence of a harder rock song in some songs did not take away from the sincerity of the warble in Stephens' voice throughout each and every song.  I found myself, on multiple occasions throughout the set, thinking to myself that the words and lines I could discern from the songs I wasn't familiar with made me want to go over to the merchandise table and buy all the albums I didn't own so I could read through all the lyrics and get the entire story of each character in each song.  The lyrical styling deals with wholly believable characters, subjects and stories that I feel many could relate to.

It's not easy being a two-piece band and creating a sound that fills a room.  2GS has the ability and energy to do it on a nightly basis and I feel fortunate that Buffalo has made an impression on them such that they travel across the country to play here so often.

2GS will be playing at Lee's Palace in Toronto next Saturday, September 29th.  They are entirely worth the drive if you haven't (even if you have) seen them before.

If the famed Italian composer Ennio Morricone is synonymous with the music of "Spaghetti Western" movies than the best way I can describe the music of MONO (their live performances anyway) is like a "Sushi Western"...

...that, or sex music for drug people.

There is an air of mystery to them, for sure.  They take the stage with nary a word to anyone and launch into light and fanciful guitar work that cascades into a vast, roaring sea of noise.  Dialed in, calculated noise.  Nothing that happens on the stage happens without MONO intending for it to.  Ten years of perfecting their sound has led to a band so disciplined that, at some points during the show, it almost seems as if the music is making itself... it's that organic.

MONO's current tour is in support of their latest album, For My Parents.  Their newest material comprised the bulk of the setlist as their latest effort was just released on September 4th.

The choice of songs performed at the show was the one minor drawback for me.  Everything was performed impeccably but songs tended to become indiscernible from one another at times due to the overarching theme of For My Parents.  It would have been nice to hear some more material from their back catalog (which, I know, is often a complaint of fans... I also go back to one of the greatest statements I've ever heard a musician make from stage when Mikael Akerfeldt of Opeth said something along the lines of "You may not like some of the music we are about to play but as musicians we feel that it is important to like the music you make.  If you're going to release new music then you need to stand behind it... and we like our music.  We're not going to go on tour and play the same tired songs every tour like some other bands do, no, we are always moving forward".  That has stuck with me and I will always respect an artists' motivation to share their newest music with their audience).  I also realize that MONO's songs are almost all over ten minutes long and there are only so many songs they can play in a given night.

The energy certainly made up for any similarities between songs, however.  One doesn't often associate "high energy" with a band that features both guitarists sitting on stools for the major duration of a show... MONO proves that theory to be incorrect. Guitarists Takaakira Goto and Hideki Suematsu emitted focused energy whether they were fingerpicking light chord shapes or thrashing away at their guitars with tremolo picking insanity.  All while Tamaki Kunishi kept the driving rhythm going via bass or piano as she swayed back and forth to the force of the song.  This was all brought together by the thunderous drumming of Yasunori Takada who made judicious use of both a timpani and gong in addition to his standard drum kit... the gong was awesome and, for once, fully utilized rather than serving as a showpiece for an egomaniacal rock drummer who only uses it to finish a drum solo.

No vocals.  No crowd banter.  No egos.  Pure instrumental symphonic music.

After attending the show, I am certainly looking forward to checking out more of their back catalog to see what their other material sounds like.

The line outside of Town Ballroom stretched back and security was tight as both men and women were patted down Sunday night. A giant floating cat head and technicolor lettering on the "The Camp Flog Gnaw" banner stretched across, setting the stage for Odd Future.

The room went from zero to ratchet the moment Taco came on stage to open. Before the show even started, the sweat already began to drip from people's bodies as the crowd intensely moshed about.  The bells dinged and as the trap drums dropped the mass began thrashing and all screamed in unison "THAT'S DAT SHYT I DON'T LYKE!"  Pushing hard, jumping and elbowing, I laughed wildly and although everyone's movements clashed with each other, somehow the group still dropped and dipped in an aggressively enjoyable way. The rest of the crew hadn't even came on stage and the energy was at a peak. Either the crew wouldn't live up to the high-energy expectations they opened with, or it was a message for the crowd to prepare themselves for what would entail; I expected the latter. 

There was hardly a dip in energy. Roaring, it was a pit of cheers and mirrored screams when they performed "Transylvania." Each performance was heart-palpitating and the packed floor added to the degree of intensity. The deepened rips in my Vans are physical proof of the magnitude. Each time someone took out their iPhone to snap a picture or tweet there was an undeniable fear that it would be knocked from their grip.

The word "Golf" was inscribed in yellow Gothic lettering on Tyler, the Creator's flat brimmed green hat. He and the OF crew scurried around the stage between songs to pick up the absurd "gifts" the crowd threw towards them. A Dairy Queen card, a strapless bra, a 50 dollar bill and a mystery object that had the crew members laughing hysterically after Tyler went around showing each of them.

"Someone threw their driver's license up here! You're a dumb-ass. You need your drivers license."

Hodgy Beats and Domo Genesis, a couple of my favorites in the gang, did phenomenal. During "Turnt Down" people pushed and shoved while crowd surfers were yanked down by security guards. Occasionally someone from Wolf Gang would take a running start at the crowd and dive into a sea of hands.           

The show got wildly ignorant during "Bitch Suck Dick," in a good way. They singled out a mother that was in the crowd and pointed out that it was a little awkward to be singing about "punching bitches" in front of her.  "My mom doesn't like the song either!" a crew member yelled, "my mom does" yelled Left Brain.  

Admittedly performing off-the-cuff they would goof around with each other as they do on their Adult Swim sketch comedy show Loiter Squad. "Flight of the bumblebee!" one of them yelled as they talked amongst themselves trying to figure out their next song then progressed into a Drumline joke ("One band, one sound!") Tyler grabbed a sign from a girl that had writing scribbled on both sides; the one said "Taco, it's my birthday!" the other side with a tye-dye background said "Tyler, I like cheese." After receiving the sign, Taco ran from the laptop to shake the fangirl's hand.

"I thought Buffalo was gonna be some kind of suburb," said Tyler. He said that as the crew was on their way into the Queen City, he had no idea how hood it was. After his voice was mostly gone, he began a Buffalo chant toward the end of the show.  

After their last song, each member went around with their phone snapping pictures of the audience and themselves. They all took their shirts off and tossed them into the crowd and each shirt landed on a small group that was jumping and grabbing at the air like bridesmaids and a bouquet at a wedding.
   

Before I start this review, I have to do a little bit of scolding. In one sentence, this was the best bill of music I've seen all year and I am still gushing about it two days later. Why then, was the venue so criminally underattended? It might be understandable, considering it was Yeasayer's first time in Buffalo, evidenced from singer Chris Keating's awkward Buffalo 66 shoutout. Opener Daedelus, however, is no stranger to Buffalo's music scene, having played to packed houses at Soundlab on several occasions. I entered during his set about 10 minutes in or so and was shocked at how empty the room was. I won't dwell on it for long because I have nothing but nice things to say about the show, but if Buffalo doesn't turn up to see acts of this caliber, we'll cease to seem attractive as a music market, and that's not something we want. (is it?)

As for Deadelus, I couldn't have imagined a better opener for a band as eclectic as Yeasayer. Dressed to the nine's in an all black shirt, tie, vest and napoleanic sideburns, Deadelus is a rare DJ who's fun to watch perform. Instead of a mousehead mask, insane lighting rig, or bizarre pointless miming, you just saw a guy performing on his monome. That's all he needed, as the small crowd was still an enthusiastic one, giving a loud applause as he exited the stage. As always, the set was different than the last one of his that I saw (April 6, 2011 at Soundlab), but I enjoyed seeing him embrace some more downtempo sounds. Deadelus always manages to give his sets the feel of pop music without sounding pandering or pretentious, this is mostly due to the great vocal sampling he does. Vocal heavy sets can often be tiresome and cheesy but Deadelus mixes his vocals with staggering tastefulness, never distracting from the other elements but still existing on their own.

After a lengthy breakdown, Yeasayer took the stage and opened with new single "Henrietta".  The crowd had filled out a little better by this point, and most of them seemed to be familiar with the song. The production heavy studio track was served nicely by the more live feel, giving prominence to the great three part harmonies that ride out the song. The band was flanked on all sides of the stage what appeared to be circular glass mirrors. Colored lights lit them up, giving the background lighting a unique and steady movement. I enjoy unique light shows, so this was a treat. It wasn't until the band broke into Odd Blood favorite "One", that the light show took a step up.  White beams filled the room from the floor of the stage, giving the appearance that the entire stage was a giant disco ball. This was somewhat nostalgic as I remember the days when Town Ballroom would unleash it's own giant disco ball from the ceiling, which was always a show highlight, but more on that later.

It was another beautiful summer Tuesday in Lewiston, NY as Heart took the stage in the latest installment of Artpark's Tuesday in the Park series.  I'm surely not the only one who was excited to make the short trip up the I-290 to enjoy an evening with the Wilson sisters because this had to be the most packed show I have seen at the outdoor stage of Artpark... and I thought the Ted Nugent show last August was busy!

I entered the venue around 7pm, as the opening band was finishing their set and quickly came to the realization that my best bet was to find a spot where one I could watch the stage and the other eye could monitor the video screen.

Mission accomplished... I found a decent spot right against a walkway guard rail.

Anywho, Heart too the stage shortly after 7:30 and proceeded to rock the night away with all of their hits and a few new songs as well.  i don't remember the names of the newer material they played, but they were markedly heavier than what you may expect from Heart.

It was certainly a treat to hear such classics as "Magic Man" and "Barracuda" performed to the level I was expecting; and I'll certainly give it up for Nancy Wilson, who played more lead parts and solos than I even remember seeing her perform in the videos I have seen of Heart in the 70s... she was certainly rocking all night.

The Tuesday in the Park series continues next week with the Steve Miller Band, but I'm more excited for what is further down the tubes in that of Peter Frampton and Roger Hodgson of Supertramp.

It is a great opportunity to see some all-time greats for little more than what you would spend to get into local bar shows... but be forewarned, that if you expect to have prime seating, you will have to show up shortly after they open the doors at 4:30PM... because that is when the middle-aged lawn chair militia starts staking their claim to... everywhere.

A man in black and white Nike high tops sporting a dark dinner jacket over a light patterned shirt stood at the mic.  He was talking about a girl, one he thought he'd be with "forever, forever-ever, forever-ever."  He was talking to the crowd, telling them about a time he was "cruising around in his 62 Lincoln Continental, when an amazing song came on the radio."  Suddenly, the band members in black and white t-shirts erupted into their cover of "Get Out Of My Life, Woman."

Andrew Mayer Cohen, known by his stage name Mayer Hawthorne, put on a surprisingly pleasant show.  After hearing three songs only a couple hours prior to entering Town Ballroom on Sunday July 22, I found myself grooving out the doors post-encore with a grin on my face, lit up by the flashing bulbs of the marquee.

Goofy and endearing, his personality and phenomenal voice inspired mental time travel to American Bandstand when girls were melting in their seats, except clearly after his Outkast reference, with a much more modern swagger.  He held a personable connection with the crowd; at one point he asked them to put away their phones - to actually be at the show rather than watching through the screen of an iPhone.

The night was an array of mellow instrumentals, harmonies, and acapella perfection.  The transition between songs was spot on; in the midst of telling his break-up anecdote he tells the crowd "I look this girl dead in her eyes," and the band swiftly begins their original "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out."

Mayer Hawthorne's performance was a perfect generation bridge.  As he slowed the show down for a dedicated cover of Ol' Blue Eyes, an older couple slow danced while the 20-year-old crowd listened intently.  It was truly beautiful to watch, overcome with the recognition that timelessness does exist. 

I haven't been to Ithaca in three or four years and, really, this was the first time I had spent any time in the actual downtown area.  It is a really cool little city with cool restaurants and bars.  I definitely plan on going back soon.

Here is a video of last night's performance of "Shadowboxer":

Slight tension could be felt as a group gathered around a stack of colorful boxes. A man walked around, strategically observing for the box of his choosing. The wheels of skateboards rolling and being kicked up could be heard along with the soon tumbling of the cardboard boxes during the life-size game of Jenga provided by vitaminwater, a participating sponsor. Maybe it brought the memory of simple joy; visiting grandparents, playing with the little wooden bricks sitting around the table waiting patiently for the home cooked meat sauce to be served.

Youthful reincarnation occurred on Saturday, May 26th. It was a day to be free from the stresses of the daily grind and the minuscule problems that add up - leaving you walking through your front door only to throw your keys on the table with a sigh. It was a relief to play childhood games and greet smiling friends as the sun seered the black pavement of Allen Street in Buffalo, New York.

The day began with an air of excitement. Field day: a progressive event for Buffalo. An all day festival on Allen where three participating bars were occupied by local talent and the street was closed off for activities, vendors and meandering festival goers to soak in the summer sun.

The Buffalo collective of artists and thinkers, Toats Orig, had their infamous bright pink banner with white lettering hanging beneath a tent. DJs rotated turns, providing music for the people outside; Miosi and DJ Mario Bee followed by half of the HXLY duo, Kyle Tatum, with a set that ended oddly abruptly.  A wooden board was propped where paint markers of pink, blue and black were tied by strings and with encouragement from the crew, drawings and tags compiled throughout the event. Krudmart, a street wear boutique, had a table next to them lined with original designs on their fitted hats and shirts. A couple guys, including Toats Orig's Mic Excel, free styled for the girls playing hopscotch and the early birds in sunglasses who were posted on the patios.

The beginning, although slow, began to fill up when the streets reopened and performances were limited to the participating venues: the Bend, Sample and Dukes Bohemian Grove Bar.

The VIP area, held in Hardware, was limited for the select bunch.  DJ Owski and SunGlasses Mike took turns playing house music for the room, their equipment propped up on a table tagged with the iconic Red Bull label.  Saranac bottles chilled in a bucket of ice, beckoning the thirsty intimate group while the representative of the sponsor was sure to go around to each person in the room recommending flavors of beer.  "Try the Blueberry Blonde Ale," he said to me while motioning to the table that was also scattered with stacked Red Bull cans.  Rainbow colored lights were projected onto a traditional looking area rug, although hardly visible from the beaming sunlight that was shining in from Allen Street.  


Sines played at The Bend while Pickster One and Melo performed at Dukes. Sines set was hood bass and although the sound system at The Bend wasn't perfect, it still had me leaning hard as the female voice of his drop moaned through the bar, "oh my god...Sines."  Orgasmic calls subliminally seeped and had the tight crowd that surrounded his set moving their hips just a little more freely.

Jon Kwest played an incredible moombahton set at Duke's, never faltering in concentration.  The bass was an immaculate strength of heavy, vibrating through the floor and firing everyone to move.  Across the bar I heard the high-pitched vocals cry out "you can't have my love," and ecstatically ran to the floor.  His remix of Treasure Fingers' "It's Love" was an obsession of mine for months so getting to hear him play it out live was exhilarating.  When David Heartbreak took over, the floor was already decently packed and steadily filled during his set.  Some usual Allentown dwellers that weren't aware of the event piled in as well, pleasantly surprised at the hustle and bustle of the bar.

Heartbreak's set was strong and no one left the floor even with many sweaty bodies squeezing through and shuffling as close to the specially crafted stage as possible.  As he finished up his set, the major headlining artist on the bill was preparing to go on.  Munchi: Netherlands native, moombahton master and DJ turned up the already hazy and humid room.  The lucky bunch that got to stand close to the subwoofers could feel small cooling gusts of air on their legs and regardless of the heat, no one stopped vibing out.  Steve Rittner, head honcho of Queen City Cartel and master-planner for the event, gave a special thank you to Munchi when his set concluded then opened the stage for Cobra Krames.  My ears perked up for his opening track, his own remix of "Bam Bam" by Sister Nancy.  The rest of his set was ideal for booty clapping with Diplo's "Express Yourself" and his original song "Bend Your Back."

After stepping out of my cab with the sun coming up just over the horizon, I walked into my room, collapsed onto my bed and muttered to myself "...field day."  Sore legs from dancing, a little bit of a tan and some great memories made, Field Day 2012 was most definitely a success.  The Queen City Cartel did it big.