NYS Music 20​16

Tag: buffalo

  • Dark Star Orchestra Treats Buffalo Crowd to Three Sets

    Back in 1972 the cost of a gallon of gas was 55 cents. Richard Nixon was our nation’s president, soon to experience a fall from grace.  The Dallas Cowboys defeated the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI.  “American Pie” by Don McLean was #1 on the music charts. March 25, 1972 was the date in Grateful Dead history that Dark Star Orchestra helped us relive in Buffalo. That original show took place at the Academy of Music in New York City.j

    DSO took the stage at the sold out Town Ballroom in Buffalo NY right after 8:00 p.m. They started the night off with the classic “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You).”  They would close the first set with “Bertha.” Throughout the night they teased the crowd saying they might play three sets.

    By the start of the second set, DSO seemed to be feeding off the enormous amount of energy that the crowd was providing. “Mr. Charlie” got things started with set two. They would close this energetic second set with the sing a long classic “Casey Jones.”

    The third set did not directly correlate with this date in Grateful Dead history. It was a filler set but you couldn’t ask for a better way to close out four hours of beautiful music. Songs like “Black Throated Wind” and “Tangled Up In Blue” really seemed to hit the sweet spot with the crowd. All in all it was a beautiful night of music. The crowd consisted of old school and new school Dead Heads. No matter what their age, every last one of them left the Town Ballroom with a huge smile on their face.

    Set One: How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You), Are You Lonely For Me Baby, Next Time You See Me, Brown Eyed Women, Smokestack Lightnin’, Sitting On Top Of The World, Sugaree, Looks Like Rain, Bertha

    Set Two: Mr Charlie, Black Throated Wind, Deal, Playing In The Band, Turn On Your Lovelight, Casey Jones

    Set Three (Filler): Chinatown Shuffle, Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues, Black-Throated Wind, Positively 4th Street, Tangled Up In Blue

  • Dark Star Orchestra Returning To Buffalo At The Town Ballroom May 24

    Dark Star Orchestra (DSO), the Grateful Dead tribute band hailing out of Chicago Illinois, will return to the Town Ballroom in Buffalo. Since forming, DSO has played 2,200-plus shows, recreating Grateful Dead concerts in their entirety.

    dark star orchestra town ballroomTo any Dead Heads that need their fix, this show is not to be missed. It’s been more than 20 years since Jerry Garcia has passed, but the Grateful Dead’s music lives on with the passion and extensive touring DSO has displayed over the years.

    dark star orchestra town ballroomDark Star Orchestera has had a slightly changing line up throughout its existence; the current band members include Rob Barraco (keys/vocals), Rob Eaton (guitar/vocals), Dino English (drums/percussion), Rob Koritz (drums/percussion), Lisa Mackey (vocals), Jeff Mattson (guitar/vocals) and Skip Vangelas (bass/vocals), and look forward to their return to Town Ballroom.

    Tickets for the May 24 show are still available and can be purchased from Ticket Fly or through the Town Ballroom box office; door open at 7 p.m.

  • Sick Puppies Rock the Iron Works

    Buffalo Iron Works was introduced to a night full of in your face rock with promising young bands rocking the house. Hudson, all the way from Los Angeles, kicked things off Thursday night with a high energy, on-point performance, despite the lack of crowd participation and lackluster reaction.

    Stitched up Heart set up their gear and by their looks I wasn’t sure what to expect. Their outfits were great but hinted at a feeling of metal and screaming, which did not fit the rest of the bill. Front woman Alecia “Mixi” Demner ran onto the stage and had such a crisp, clear voice with a power that reminds one of Lzzy Hale from Halestorm. The band had magnificent harmony and the hair flips and guitar riffs were impressive. I am definitely a fan and cannot wait to listen to their newest tunes.

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    Red Sun Rising (RSR) is a band I’ve seen before when they were in town opening for Seether and Mark Tremonti at Rapids Theatre last year. RSR’s fan base has grown tenfold and they have a more confident stage presence since I last saw them. Mike Protich’s vocals have mammoth power and clarity to them.  He has a towering stage presence that captivates and engages the audience. Dave McGarry replaced original guitarist Tyler Valendza and he is an exceptional replacement. McGarry’s uses his long hair to his advantage, whipping it around while playing his catchy riffs. I expect to see this band headlining their own shows within the next five years.

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    Sick Puppies returned to Buffalo after a lengthy hiatus, and first time since their antecedent lead singer, Shimon Moore left the band. Many fan favorites were played as well as a couple of new songs. They kicked off their set with “War” that immediately brought the audience off their feet.

    Buffalo gave a warm welcome to new front man Bryan Scott as he stood his ground. Bassist Emma Anzai, made her presence felt with her typical top notch performance. Stand out songs from the Aussies’ set list included “Riptide,” “Should’ve Known Better” and “Pitiful.”  The band also performed their latest single, “Stick to Your Guns” from their upcoming release Fury.  The crowd loved the appearance of another taste of the new record during a short version of “Black & Blue.”  Bryan Scott has stepped into some big shoes and came off as a solid replacement. The direction the band is now taking is impressive and the crowd at the Iron Works seemed to agree.

  • Supporting Local Music From The First Note

    Have you ever thought about where your favorite famous musician started before they played in arenas around the world? Probably not. Chances are, at one point, every artist you can think of was playing a show to a handful of people rather than a sold-out crowd.

    It’s easy to forget that once upon a time, one of the only ways to discover musical artists was by going to the local music venue. There are some amazing talents hidden away in small and big towns alike with dwindling options for places to play their music for other people.

    The local music scene has been near and dear to my heart for quite a few years now. One word to sum up the scene is, family. I have experienced different music scenes from all over and this seems to be a common theme. Here in Buffalo, we are blessed to have such a tight knit music community.

    I am a professional music photographer and work with many of the bands here in Buffalo and sometimes in the Rochester area. Local music is very important to me and is one thing in life that keeps me going. I love capturing the truest of emotions on stage. That is something that cannot be recreated. I’m in it for the long haul, to make a career of this.

    Music is a powerful means of connecting people. It bridges linguistic and cultural divides, and is a vehicle for identity and expression like no other.  Music has the power to do this, no matter where you come from or your background.  Music, is one thing that brings all walks of life under one roof.

    I also love that no matter which genre of music I’m covering, we all treat each other with a sense of community. I see many musicians from different bands on their off night come support their brothers and sisters as they play locally. I’ve seen just about every vantage point in the music scene. I’ve been the band girlfriend; witnessing the countless hours and money artists spend writing and recording, trying to make a name for themselves. I’ve seen the local promoter putting in their own money, working to find artists who fit the same bill; taking chances on bands that nobody knows exist, hoping to possibly just break even.

    Buffalo is one of many communities that suffers when a local venue closes. Venues are struggling financially and are on the fence about whether or not to continue providing live music. We take this for granted.  To keep local music alive, it’s as simple as supporting the artists and the venues by buying a ticket to see the show or buying something from the venue; a beer, coffee or dinner. Sometimes venues will also dedicate a portion of the night’s bar revenue to the bands, making this a win-win situation.

    Musicians are a healthy part of local economies. When we support them, we are supporting a number of business owners and employees, including the local bars and venues, screen printing companies, record labels, record stores, even the food trucks on the street outside the venues.

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    If the music is something that tickles your fancy, consider purchasing the artist’s CD or a t-shirt. Musicians are often not getting paid their worth from venues and many end up losing rather than making enough money to cover  expenses. Many artists have the burden of working tirelessly to expose their music, most on penny-pinching budgets. Wearing a band’s t-shirt, listening to their music or even mentioning the music to friends is a simple way to continue your support long after the live music has ended.

    Live music has a power that can last long after a single performance. Lyrics and tones pull feelings from you that you have never experienced. The energy of a live show needs to be felt. Bands and artists pour their hearts and emotions into their live performances, and while the crowd is feeding off that energy, the band is feeding off the crowd.

    Checking out a local show is a much more intimate experience, and there’s no corporate music nonsense involved, meaning you’re truly hearing what the artists want you to hear.  These guys and girls on stage have day jobs just like the rest of us. They can be the girl from the coffee shop serving you your daily medium coffee, two cream and a muffin or the plumber who helped fixed your busted pipes on an emergency night call. Some of us are doing this for fun and some are striving for stardom. Regardless of what each individual`s motive is, support is what keeps it going.

    We must also extend our hands to local bands that took that leap of faith and decided to take their music on a weekend or a month-long tour to play with bands local to those cities in hopes of spreading their name.

    I`m happy to see fellow music lovers offer the courtesy of their homes to those traveling bands so they don’t have to spend money that can be used elsewhere on hotels or forced to sleep in their vans in the frigid or scorching weather.

    The bottom line is, don’t stop enjoying internationally known bands, just make some time to go to a local music venue and support the ones who are starting from the ground up, where their lyrics are true and haven’t been touched by 30 hands. Who knows, you may even be watching the birth of the next great star!

  • X Ambassadors Play to a Sold out Town Ballroom

    Tuesday in the heart of the Buffalo theater district Town Ballroom had a sold out crowd that was going to be highly entertained by X Ambassadors and some top of the line indie bands. Sara Hartman was the opener for the night; she is originally stems from NY but moved to Berlin in recent years. She brought her Berlin band mates with her as they were fresh off the plane. Despite having a couple technical difficulties they still put on a solid performance. I expect to see great things from her in the coming years.

    Savoir Adore was co headliners Tuesday and it was like something I haven’t quite experienced before. They are mixture of pop and indie. Main vocalist Hammer was highly energetic and combined with Muros soft voice it reminds me of the chemistry between Leah Fay and Peter Dreimanis of July Talk. The other band mates sing as well and for the most part it blends and is pleasing to the ear, but some of it was a little overdone and not necessary for everyone to be joining in.

    X Ambassadors—a soul funk band who started out in Ithaca, NY. If Sam Harris wasn’t enough to look at, his brother Casey Harris, over on the keyboard certainly was. I give him a notable mention for executing dinosaur-like; leg pounding dance moves while pulverizing the keys for the entire duration the show.
    Sam started playing the sax on Love Songs Drug Songs, proving that everyone loves some saxophone. Harris told the crowd that if they knew the lyrics to Renegades to sing along and the maybe the audience had just seen the Jeep commercial enough but during the chorus enough people actually sang the words to let Harris hold the microphone out to them. You could definitely distinguish by the participation of the crowd who have been lifelong members or Ambassadors to those who only know their top hits.

    Regardless of how long you have been following them everyone walked away entertained that night by the high energy performance they put out.

  • DATSIK Brought The Heat On A Cold April Night In Buffalo

    DATSIK had a sold out show at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo was a huge party. It was an unusually cold early April night here in the Queen city but that didn’t stop people from dressing for the occasion. DATSIK really brought the heat with his Spring Loaded Tour.

    datsik buffaloIt was high energy from start to finish. OOKAY and DREZO really set the tone for the evening. By the Time DATSIK took the stage the night was in full bloom. The lazer light show was pretty epic. Especially in a venue like the Town Ballroom. DATSIK had 100% of the crowds attention. The crowd couldn’t wait for the next beat to drop. The bass was so loud that it actually caused my camera to power off more than once.

    DATSIK’s love for his fans is apparent through his music and his actions. A handful of time bottles of water were passed out to people in the first few rows. He expressed his message of gratitude and love for the fans a few times throughout the night. DATSIK is a class act. He put on an amazing show for everyone’s ears and eyes.

    It was an eventful night to say the least. On top of the beach balls and pool noodles being thrown around the crowd, DATSIK went crowd surfing on an inflatable raft. He lost his hat doing so. When he made his way back on stage he asked the crowd for it back. The hat hit the stage less than 10 seconds later. A fan in the crowd was granted permission to take control of the microphone for a minute. He proposed to his girlfriend. Thankfully she said yes, that would have been a little awkward if she didn’t.

    The crowd was rowdy but respectful for the most part. Security at the Town Ballroom did their job and were nice about doing so. Ill be completely honest. EDM is not my first choice to see live. With that being said, I’m glad I chose to cover this show. It was a lot of fun on my end. I’m sure fans got their moneys worth at DATSIK’s Spring Loaded Tour stop in Buffalo.

  • Mac Sabbath Brings an Easter Treat to the Tralf Music Hall

    It took just under a half hour for the guys of “Drive-Thru metal” band Mac Sabbath to begin their set on Easter Sunday at the Tralf Music Hall. Before the large yellow and red tapestry that covered the stage came down the lights finally dimmed and Sinatra’s 1973 recording of “Send In The Clowns” began to play, only to descend into an unsettling loop of air-raid sirens and maniacal laughter .

    The stage was unexceptionally decorated. On each side of it were two inflatable demon clown body language.

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    When Ronnie himself was a showstopper, diabolical kindred to Alice Cooper, spraying water-filled ketchup bottles into the crowd, slapping spatulas together and flipping patties on a grill. His cutting lyrics covered everything from obesity to pink slime to GMOs and everything else that makes McDonald’s one of the worst corporations on the planet.

    I can’t tell you how many bad puns were squeezed into this super-size performance – including, but not limited to, the band’s fictional contemporaries Great White Castle, Iron Maidenny’s, Motley Croutons, and Cinnabon Jovi. I cringed about as much as I laughed, which was a lot.

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    He sent yellow and red confetti and blow-up cheeseburgers into the pit, Ronald had a fan willingly pour his Blue Light down a humongous fast food straw which he pulled from his jumpsuit and wielded around like a staff. Ronald later than had the fans beer replaced with a brand new one.

    The parody cover band brings humor to the stage while making Black Sabbath tunes all of their own with food-infused lyrics.Instead of “Iron Man,” “N.I.B.,” “Fairies Wear Boots” and “Children of the Grave” the enthusiastic crowd got the caloric versions hilariously titled, “Frying Pan,” “N.I.B.B.L.E.,” “Cherries are Fruits” and “Chicken for the Slaves.”

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    “We did invent the genre of Drive-Thru metal, so it seems a bit derivative,” Osbourne said. This joke alludes to the common debate as to whether or not Black Sabbath single-handedly founded heavy metal music.

    It closed the set with “Frying Pan,” it’s take on Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man” (Osbourne missed the opportunity to ask if the crowd would like fries with that) then for an encore played a wild “Pair-A-Buns,” its send-up of Sabbath’s biggest hit, “Paranoid,” with Osbourne encouraging the crowd to start a circle-slam, then crowd surfing around it.

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  • Rihanna Brings an Aesthetically Pleasing Performance to First Niagara Center

    Rihanna has always compensated for shortcomings in technical vocal ability with showmanship and arresting charisma. The international star delivered on levels with fashion, choreography, impressive stage aesthetics, dancers, and the band this past week as she played to a pack stadium at the First Niagara Center.

    Promoting her Anti album, Rihanna will be playing 75 shows in 18 countries this time around. She stopped in Buffalo at First Niagara Center this past Wednesday, and the energy in the arena was explosive and contagious as fans danced, yelled, jumped, cheered, took pictures, and recited the lyrics to their favorite Rihanna tracks. Fans were in full force with a multi-generational diverse crowd displaying their best Rihanna inspired fashion trends, hair and make-up.

    She opened the evening with the ballad “Stay,” emerging on a high platform in the rear of the arena wearing a boxer’s robe.  She was then whisked away by  a floating platform to meet with the rest of her band, who arose from beneath the stage like a magic trick.

    rihanna first niagara centerDuring her set, she had the audacity to call Buffalo “ratchety.” Some of the crowd booed and most were insulted. She then proceeded to back pedal, gushing about how she loves the  fans there etc. Sorry sister, you already insulted us Buffalonians. We have some serious pride in our town, and we have put a lot of work into our town to make it beautiful. Buffalo is far from “ratchety.”

    Vocally, she was what she has always been. Stunning at her ballads, but not pleasing to the ear when it comes to her other music. It was partially a mumbled mess, especially during the song “Work”.  She sang to a backing track most of the night.

    The clothing options of the night left a lot to be desired. Her band and backup singers looked like they were civilians in the Star Wars movies.  Regardless of poor costume choices, Rihanna’s several costume changes seemed to flow seamlessly between songs. While some were sexy; she wore her signature over-sized men’s suit, some were risqué and quite questionable.

    Despite a lengthy set list of her biggest hits, the entire show was only about 90 minutes. The singer appeared to be having fun throughout the night, it appeared that she had her foot on the gas, speeding from one song to another in what felt like a race to the finish. “This is the sad part of the show, when you know it’s almost over,” she said shortly before closing out with “Kiss It Better.” Regardless of the disappointments of the evening, true Rihanna fans were not disappointed and definitely got their money`s worth in theatrics and sex appeal.

  • Hearing Aide: Ten Cent Howl’s ‘Ain’t It Strange’

    Ten Cent Howl does the Americana genre proud on their latest album Ain’t It Strange. Featuring the deep and distant voice of Bill Smith, who sounds like he is coming to us from a different era a half century ago, this band makes it nearly impossible for listeners to not be tapping their feet and singing along after just one listen. All the songs on the album seem to be characterized by the perfect mix of catchy lyrics in the choruses, interspersed with beautiful poetry that is definitely worth focusing on. Also, as an added bonus, if you are of the opinion that one can do no wrong as long as there’s a mandolin playing, then this album is for you.

    Sounding like they come from a simpler time, unspoiled by the marvels of modern technology, Ten Cent Howl offers a refreshing glimpse into rural American living through their vacillatingly uplifting and melancholy songs, many of which are about love lost and found. While one can say this has been done already, Ten Cent Howl manages to put more on the table, with each band member seeming to be giving it their all on each and every tune. Featuring Jerry Hall on the bass, Harmony Griffin and Tim Pitcher on guitars, Peter Ramos on drums, and Bill Smith on guitar and lyrics, this band sounds like they have been playing together for decades, just like the music of the past, passed down through the generations. Listening to this album, one feels as if they have been transported to a country bar in the ‘50s, the way the harmonica licks come flying, the pedal steel strings are picked and the extraordinary harmonies that are belted out.

    From the Johnny Cash-sounding “33 Days” to the Roy Orbison-esque “This Is Real,” there is something to please everyone on this album, appealing to those who appreciate an album for its instrumentals, with its ideal mix of electric guitar, pedal steel, mandolin, and harmonica, as well as to those who are more interested in the vocals, with Bill Smith’s perfectly polished yet old timey quality, and fellow band members Hall, Griffin, Pitcher, and Ramos, who all seem to be able to harmonize so flawlessly. With a growing fan base in the Buffalo area, the band’s hometown, having numerous gigs lined up at local hotspots Sportsmen’s Tavern, where the band celebrated its release of Ain’t It Strange on February 27, as well as other area favorites including 189 Public House and Tudor Lounge, one can only hope that these guys will venture further to bring their wonderful timeless take on Americana music to the rest of the world. In the meantime, give Ain’t It Strange a listen; I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

    Key Tracks: Never Ceases, This Is Real, In View of Her

  • Cannibal Corpse Returns Home to Buffalo

    DSC_1941-2The winter in Buffalo has been awfully nice to us this year. For those who know we are known for some of the worst snow conditions. This past Friday was quite the exception. We had a beautiful 45 degree day to welcome Buffalo native legends Cannibal Corpse back to the stage. Hundreds of death metal fans descended upon Town Ballroom, you could tell without a doubt just about everyone was there to see CB. From Denim Jackets with huge patches sown, to zip up hoodies with their name. Cannibal Corpse is currently on tour promoting their latest album from 2014 A Skeletal Domain and joining them on tour are death metal veterans, Cryptopsy, Abysmal Dawn and Obituary, also a heavy hitter in the death metal genre.

    The show opened with Abysmal Dawn.  They provided a high energy 40 minute set that brought a buzz to the already lively crowd. After a short 15 minute break, the road crew had the stage set for Crytopsy. The Canadian veterans brought the crowd to another level of excitement as singer, Matt McGachy, effortlessly took command of the stage and encouraged the rowdiness of the audience.  Midway through their set, a mosh pit formed in the middle of the crowd. Elbows and bodies met as those participating appeared to have a great time as they released a weeks worth of aggression in the pit.

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    Obituary quickly set up and the guys played a instrumental number before singer John Tardy ran onto stage got the crowd roaring. It would be easy and obvious to say turned the crowd into a giant circle pit. The sound was brilliant.  Loud but not too loud, and it was crisp so you could hear every note. Solos were incredible. Every pick, every bend, was clearly audible and in perfect unison.

    When the lights dimmed in anticipation of Cannibal Corpse taking the stage, the venue erupted in cheers and screams. After all some of these guys are Buffalo Natives. For a brief second, vocalist George Fisher could have been mistaken for the mass axe murderer in a horror movie. The  set began with “Evisceration Plague.” After the first song, they dug deep into their catalog, playing some of their best tracks from as far back as Tomb of the Mutilated. It wasn’t until the midpoint of the set that they played a few songs from their 2014 release, A Skeletal Domain, including “Kill or Become,” “Icepick Lobotomy,” and “Sadistic Embodiment.” Throughout their set, the crowd was worked into a hysteria state. This was the type of show that leaves you sweaty and exhausted, in a good way. The show was loud, brutal and electrifying. Cannibal Corpse did not disappoint with their flawless musicianship

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