Author: Meredith Snow

Headstones come to Rapids Theatre

On Friday July 10, Rapids Theatre in Niagara Falls was introduced to one of Canada’s best punk rock bands, the Headstones. The Headstones were a staple in the music scene since the late 80s. They disbanded in 2003 and decided to regroup and restart in 2011. Now they are back with vengeance and ready to make a name for themselves again, and they did just that when they came to town.

First act up of the night was a last minute wild card that I had never heard of before, Radio 9. Front women Patsy Silver had tons of energy on stage and was all smiles the entire time. I had to take a double look on stage because I could have sworn Mick Mars was their bassist; nope it was just doppelganger Joey Cristofanilli.

I have heard nothing but wonderful things about local legends Klear and finally had the opportunity to experience them live. Lead guitarist Bruce Wojick just left you with your jaw dropped to the floor and singer Fred Shafer wowed the crowd with his strong vocal presence and captivating lyrics. They have become one of my favorite local bands, hands down.

Next up was the Headstones and they brought such a powerful dramatic performance. They started off the set with “Bin This Way for Years,” then a little more than a quarter into the show vocalist Hugh Dillion stopped the show to call out all the irresponsible crowd surfers. He wanted anyone who was crowd surfing to be completely kicked out of the show for the remainder of the night. His reason was he didn’t want anyone to get hurt. The crowd roared with agreement and the show continued.

What I noticed all night long was Hugh constantly kept lifting his mic stand in the air and slamming it down onto the stage. I was not familiar with such a gimmick, it more or less gave off a sense of attitude. As the show was coming to a close they decided to play a brand new song called “Fuck It.” I could certainly see where the title came from. The only song I knew by them was one of their last encores called “I Smile and Wave,” and this seemed to be the crowd favorite by far. Every time the chorus was sung the entire crowd waved towards the front of the stage. I must say Headstones are back and they are here to stay this time. The show put on by them was a forced to be reckoned with.

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July 14, 2015
The Ataris at The Forvm in Buffalo, June 30

On Tuesday, June 30, The Forvm was treated to the spectacular show from The Ataris from Indiana. On tour promoting their 1999 classic album “Blue Skies, Broken Hearts…Next 12 Exits,” they will be singing the album in its entirety while on tour. The Ataris are currently finishing their long-awaited new album The Graveyard of the Atlantic, which will be their first since 2007′s Welcome the Night.

As I arrived to the Forvm approximately an hour before the show started I realized there were only a small handful of people waiting to get in. Upon arrival I realized that The Ataris were running a little late which is perfectly fine and normal considering they were coming from NYC which on a good traffic free day is a six hour drive at a minimum. As I looked to the stage I seen that The Home Crowd was already sound checked and ready to go. They waited patiently and I was anxious to see them because I have heard nothing but great things about these guys.

So as the time seemed to slowly pass I caught wind from the promoter that Ataris finally arrived approximately 15 minutes before the first band went on. So I went outside to say hello and introduce myself. In all honesty I didn’t know anything about the band besides the song called “Boys of Summer” which wasn’t even their own song. The first thing that caught my eye was the sound of a barking dog coming from the beat up eight passenger van. Being an animal lover I had to investigate. Kris Roe singer from The Ataris told me he brings his dog along on tour all the time.

Back inside it was time for The Home Crowd to take the stage. They are back after being on a hiatus and changing members, so I wanted to see how the new line up was. I was immediately impressed by their stage performance. They have a high energy on stage and its quite vivant that they put their heart and soul into the music. As they played I noticed they almost had a cult like following. People had homemade shirts of the Home Crowd and were singing along to every word of every song. They made quite an impression on me that night. I hope to see them headlining some big acts.

Then what the crowded room and gathered there for, The Ataris. In the beginning they gave off great vibes from the stage and the fans were holding on to every last word he sung. Though I was disappointed with some of the fans, Kris had clearly stated that they were singing their 1999 Album “Blue Skies, Broken Hearts…Next 12 Exits” in its entirety. disrespectful fans decided to continue shouting out songs for him to sing and he had to repeat himself a couple times. Just as quickly as it started it stopped, their momentum and stage performance that is, the show became quite dull and they seemed rather tired. To close the night out the sang with the only song I ever knew by them, “The Boys of Summer” by Eagles singer Don Henley. Overall I’d have to say is that while The Atari’s lacked a lot of energy in the set, I felt with the proper guidance and discipline they can make a strong worth while comeback.

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July 13, 2015
And the winner of Art Voice Boom 2015 is …

This past Friday the Tralf Music Hall located in the theater district of Buffalo was bursting at the seams with musicians and patrons alike. This was the night that many had been waiting for ever so patiently. It was the night a band would be crowned winner of Art Voice Boom competition. They would walk away five-thousand-dollars richer and opening up at the ever famous Kerfuffle concert at the end of July.

I arrived shortly before the first band took the stage and I was pleasantly surprised by what I seen. I saw musicians from many local bands that came out to support and that really was the best part of the night. It shows that this music community is ever-growing and supporting of one another. That what I say holds true time and time again. The fact that we are all in this together. Without the support of other bands and music fans we are nothing.

First to take the stage was the band Intent to Sell, I have watched these guys over the past year and I am blown away time and time again by the way they incorporate hip hop with rock and roll. What I like best about this band is that the lyrics tell a story that each and every one of us can relate to. They finished their set off by talking about the dangers of addiction and it really touched home with me. I think for most of us know or know someone who was personally affected by the results of addiction. They finished their set with a song called “The Light.” This song was about losing someone who we can all relate to and really put ourselves in the lyrics of the song. It was truly touching and beautiful.

Second band up was Uncle Bens Remedy. I saw these guys a couple of weeks ago at the semifinal rounds. I must say they really get the crowd going. Tonight was no different from the first time I saw them. They came from Gowanda, N.Y. and brought two busloads of people.

This band can be considered country like. There songs don’t necessarily all have deep meanings but they are fun, witty and upbeat. Front man Ben Westlund really gets the crowd going and you can’t help but be entranced by his on stage charm and loud hillbilly like calls.

Third up was a band I had never previously heard of but was quite entrancing. They were called Luanjie, they are a funk rock kind of band. From their catchy riffs to the melodies this band was entertaining from start to finish. What I loved is the bass player had a homemade bass that he used on stage and it sounded just as great as one pulled from the wall of Guitar Center.

Last but certainly not least was Erica Wolfling. She is a solo artist that I am amazed by every time I have watched her. She has such a beautiful haunting voice that you can’t help but stop what you’re doing and watch her. She is talented in many instruments from the piano, to guitar and even the harp.

Now the time came that everyone for weeks on end has been waiting for, the results. The winner of the Art Voice Boom competition was Uncle Bens Remedy. They walk away with a five thousand dollar prize and opening spot on the Kerfuffle concert.

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June 11, 2015
In This Moment Tears the Roof off Rapids Theatre

Rapids Theatre was treated to one of the best performance I have ever seen there to date, as In This Moment was here Friday on tour promoting their latest album Black Widow. They had brought some heavy hitters with them this time around. I was a little shocked as the line was not as long as I thought it would be. But never the less people filed in closer to the second bands performance.

First up was a five piece rock band The Nearly Deads from Nashville, Tennessee. They were a decent opener with some catchy melodies and she brought a lot of energy to the stage. The crowd did not respond to them very well, I think it had something to do that they were a spitting imagine of Paramore band. Her vocals were a bit weak, and she didn’t seem to have much range in her voice.

Second band up was Butcher Babies, I have never heard this band until that night. This band has all the elements of a metal band. Two scandalously dressed women who sang metal, a guitarist and bassist that had extreme amounts of energy on stage. Topped by a drummer whose double bass is one to compete with.

Towards the end of their set they forewarned the security guards to be ready. They look slightly baffled but soon enough realized what was about to happen. The music got heavier and the crowd surfing began to turn up. What I loved about this was as the fans were thrown over the barrier by security. The girls took the time to shake every fans hand or give them a fist bump. You don’t see this happen very often, kudos to them

Next up was the band I had been looking forward to seeing all night, Upon A Burning Body. I had previously listened to this band and loved everything about them. They originate from my birth state, Texas. Not one thing was out-of-place this entire performance. They had the crowd screaming and on their feet the entire time. Then Singer Danny Leal told the crowd he wanted to see some pits and mashing, the crowd listened and did just that. I witnessed several mash pits throughout the crowd for several songs. Then they proceeded to do a song tribute to Texas called “Texas Blood Money”. To finish off the night they sang “Turn Down For What” which for many know as a rap song sang by Lil Jon and DJ Snake. The crowd went absolutely crazy. Men put women on their shoulders, and it turned into a bit of a club scene. Their rendition of it was great and I prefer that over the original.

Last but certainly not least was the band most people where there to see, In This Moment. They took approximately a half hour to set up but it was definitely worth the wait. This is the second time I have seen them and every time I do it’s extremely theatrical. She is entrancing and with all her disappearances and reappearances after songs coming out in a completely different outfit. She keeps you guessing. They sang songs off their new album Black Widow. The choreography for her and her two dancing-girls who always remain faceless were done perfectly to a T.

Maria also took time to talk about how we are all united together by music, and how we must all take care of one another and change the world for the better. In my opinion the best part of the night was when I caught In This Moment Drummer Tom Hane`s drumstick. He threw it, what seemed like directly to me and I was floating on air. It now resides on my music memorabilia wall snugly between signed Shinedown CD and a painting done by Smile Empty Souls own Sean Danielsen.

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May 21, 2015
Sean Danielsen Comes to the Forvm

The Forvm was entertained to a wonderful night of rock bands going acoustic Tuesday night. Amherst had a special guest in town. Leader Singer Sean Danielsen was on tour doing his own acoustic music. Most people know him as the front man of the band Smile Empty Soul. I had the pleasure tosit with him before doors open and do a small interview and pick his brain on a few things. He was a down to earth delightful man to talk to.

Before doors opened bands arrived and started unloading all their gear. I had started chatting with the bands on the excitement from going rock to acoustic. All the local bands performing I have seen at least one time, and was very excited to hear them all acoustic. I was very interested to see how the arrangements were going to be.

6pm hit and it was time for doors to open. People filed in one by one and the venue filled up only about quarter of max capacity. Then the first band took the stage, this was Letterbox from Silver Creek New York. They are originally a four piece but they stripped it down to their vocalist Paul and main guitarist Andrew. This is how Letterbox originally started; this is how I knew them from years back. It was just Andrew and Paul. Then later down the line they added their bassist and drummer. Letterbox was a solid opener and played all their greatest hits and even entertained a new song that they have never played in public before.

Second up was John Harris, he treated the audience to originals and covers that everyone knew. This was John’s last show in Buffalo as he is moving to Syracuse in a couple of weeks to pursue his first love, jewelry. John is a full-time custom jewelry maker and does all sorts of charity work with big names such as Seether, and Ever Clear. He takes broken cymbals and creates custom works of art, they go up for auction and the proceeds go to charities. Next up was female fronted band Lost Elysium. There set was great Ashley’s captivating vocals rang clear through the venue. Now the band I was anticipating to see all night, Seven Faces. I have done work for them over the past couple years and have only known them as a hard-hitting in your face rock band. I spoke to drummer Chuck and vocalist Scott prior to the show they explained all the hard work they had put in and how they think this is something that could stick given the circumstances. I was pleasantly surprised to hear their set. It was entrancing and everything I hoped it would be.

Second last up was Christian Lawrence, also known as Opus, and Dead By Wednesday. Sounds little silly but I had the pleasure of talking to him a little bit before the show and had no idea of who he was until he got on stage. One of the most genuine musicians I have met. He sang mostly originals and they were all spectacular. I currently have his acoustic cd in my car and known almost all the lyrics word for word!

Then lastly was Sean Danielsen, if you weren’t there before the doors opened this would have been the first time you seen him. He remained in his trailer all night until five min before he was supposed to be on. I felt bad for Sean, when it was his turn to be on stage I could have counted the number of people on just my fingers and toes. Though the ones who did stay showed him all the love that he could ever need that night. He started off with songs like “Food Chain” and “Waves”. These were singles off his latest album Food Chain. Then he sang the song that made his main band Smile Empty Soul rise to fame. “Bottom Of the Bottle”. Everyone sang along to this song and showed his all the support he could ask for. As he finished his set he went and sat at his merch booth and talked to the small amount of fans that were left and signed a few things for everyone. It was a great performance by everyone that night and all the bands hard work showed in each of their sets. Not one individual left disappointed that night.

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May 19, 2015
Seether and Mark Tremonti Come to Rapids Theatre

Rapids Theatre was treated to a spectacular night of some top notch hard rock music last night with Seether and Mark Tremonti. I pleasantly surprised by the line when I arrived an hour and a half before the show started, it was wrapped around the building and down the street. The skies looked dark and gray as it was about to down pour any minute, but luckily it held out for all the patiently waiting fans.

Alternative rock band, Red Sun Rising, kicked things off with their intricate guitar playing and captivating vocalist Mike Protich. This was the first time I have ever heard of them and I have to say I am now a fan!

They brought the most energy to the stage that night and kept everyone on their toes. Their catchy riffs and dynamics in his voice reminded you of a mix between Foo Fighters and Myles Kennedy. The fans were eating up every inch of what Red Sun Rising was putting out. These guys were a solid opener and I expect one day that they will be headlining shows.

Afterwards, the ever Famous Mark Tremonti and his self-titled band Tremonti took the stage. The crowd roared as he and his band walked out onto the stage. Mark Tremonti is known widely for being the lead guitarist in the bands Creed and Alter Bridge. Tremonti and his band had a strong solid performance with his famous guitar playing and a strong vocal performance. The fans reacted wildly to the song “Decay” and sang along the entire time. Though as the set progressed guitars were turned up too loud and the sound became quite poor. Tanner Keegan had replaced Wolfgang Van Halen for this tour due to Wolfgang’s commitment to his main band Van Halen. Tanner had brought the most energy to the stage that night with his quick spin moves and facial expressions. He in my opinion was an excellent replacement.

Then the band the whole theatre was waiting for, Seether. I have seen them on several occasions over the years all at different venues and have never been disappointed, until last night. It seemed like the beginning was all smoke and mirrors. Their light performance was great and entrancing but it sound itself was poorly done. I had gone everywhere in the theatre to see if I could get a different perspective but no matter where I went it was poor. Shaun’s vocals were lacking in the mix for the first few songs. That did not stop the fans from showing Seether all the love. They had played their classics such as “Fine Again”, “Rise Above This”, “Remedy” and their newest single “Words as Weapons”.

Overall the show was good and it seemed that everyone had a great time in one fashion or another.

May 8, 2015
An Intimate Night of Acoustics with Sean Danielsen

The guitarist/vocalist Sean Danielsen will be stopping at The Forvm May 12 in Amherst, NY for an intimate acoustic performance. Joining him will be Opus, Lost Elysium, Seven Faces, Avius Me, and Letterbox. All these bands normally play as full rock bands but that night they will all strip down their sets and perform acoustically. I’ve seen all these bands at least once and to see them acoustically is going to be a spectacular treat.

Danielsen is primarily best known as the lead vocalist/guitarist of three-piece band Smile Empty Soul. They saw much success after releasing their self titled debut album in 2003. The song “Bottom of the Bottle” is the song that they are widely recognized for. Smile Empty Soul has been active ever since and shows no signs of stopping. Their recent album, Chemicals, released in 2013 has gotten rave reviews and Ultimeateguitar.com said, “Chemicals is filled to the brim with what fans would now consider classic Smile Empty Soul elements and crunching distortion.”

When Smile isn’t on the road Sean Danielsen has devoted his time to writing and recording his own solo projects. His latest EP is titled Food Chain and was released in November of 2014. I had the pleasure of listening to this album recently and I was blown away by the lyrics and composition of the album. He creates an immediate connection to the listener in songs such as “Rescue Me” and “Beautiful Things”. Sean kicks off his second round of touring on May 6, in Newport, Kentucky and ends June 4 at Emporium Blues and Rock bar in Jackson, Tennessee.

While Sean isn’t writing and touring for two musical projects he is painting in the comfort of his own home. His painting can be found on his Facebook page Sean Danielsen . When you purchase his painting you also receive his two solo EP`s Food Chain and Enjoy The Process signed.

Doors open at 6pm the first band is on at 7. Tickets can be purchased right at the door. Hope to see you for an intimate night of acoustic music.

May 7, 2015
Zepparella Mesmerizes Buffalo with a Tribute to Led Zepplin

On Thursday March 12, 2015 the all-female Led Zepplin tribute band Zepparella left the crowd mesmerized at The Forvm in Amherst , NY.

But before Zepparella took foot on the stage they had local alternative rock band Letter Box open up for them. Front man and founding member Paul Alguire and guitarist Andrew Douglas were the Letter Box Duo until that night. They brought bassist Ian Elder and drummer Ryan Lindfors into the mix for the very first time, and announced that this would be their new line up. Paul had stated this was their first live show together as a full band. As Letter Box started to play you would have never known that this was their first show together. They had such wonderful chemistry, and all their movements and timing were in synch. Ian and Ryan were just what they needed to complete this band. Letterbox was thoroughly impressive and made a large impression on the crowd. People were lining up for the free Eps they were handing out that night. I hope to see more from this band in the coming months

This was my first time ever seeing them and being a long time Led Zepplin fan I was a little hesitant for what I was about to witness. These girls are not only beautiful but they had the talent and pipes to pull off Led Zepplin with their own twist to perfection. The attendance for this show was phenomenal. The fan base was very diverse that night. There were individuals in their best attire to hard-core fans in their Led Zeppelin concert T-shirts with their frizzy ’80s hair-do. No matter what walk you were from, that night they all united and sang along as front women Noelle Doughty nailed every last note.

As the band played classics such as Dazed and Confused, and Ten Years gone. Drummer and founding member Clementine had her own drum solo for a solid five minutes and you could sense and hear that John Bonham was her biggest drumming influence. Once her hard-hitting intricate solo finished the band came together and finished off the evening with a three more songs. After all was said and done they met fans back and their merch table and took the time to talk to everyone and sign photos and take pictures. All in all this was a very impressive showing of what this examiner calls one of the best Zeppelin tribute bands around.

If you missed this show, you really missed a good one. You won’t want to miss the next time these ladies come back to rock the Buffalo area, or it surly will be your loss again.

March 20, 2015