Rolling Stone’s “new folk-rock heroes” Mt Joy stopped in Buffalo for their Fall 2021 tour on December 6.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Amy Allen opened up the show at Asbury Hall with eloquent vocals paired with her emo song writing skills. Her past work writing alongside Harry Styles, Halsey, and more has built her reputation, but her additional ability to captivate the crowd stood out greatly. She performed a couple of her hits such as “Tom Brady,” and “A Woman’s World.” Allen and her guitarist Griffin were the perfect duo for creating the appropriate ambience before Mt. Joy took the stage.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
From the back of the pit to the sides of the balcony had so many people pumped for Mt. Joy. Even Buffalo Bills fans came out during game day to see the folklore legends. The energy for the Bills transcended across the band members and the crowd while chants spread through the venue. Mt. Joy consists of members Matt Quinn (singer/guitarist), Sam Cooper (guitarist), Michael Byrnes (bassist), Sotiris Eliopoulos (drummer), and Jackie Miclau (keyboardist).
The group got together for their iconic sophomore album Rearrange Us which gave them major breakthroughs and achieved new records. Their new work had high expectations following their 2018 masterpiece, but it did not disappoint. Crowd favorites proved to be “Acrobats,” “Let Loose,” and “Strangers.” These newer works brought a sense of psychedelic reflection to Quinn’s poetic words.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Mt. Joy still goes back to their folk-stomp roots though with singles “Sheep,” and “Jenny Jenkins.” These classics create an atmosphere that is particularly resonate with the youth in an age of chasing one’s dreams while simultaneously adjusting to the turbulence of getting older. Of course, this group finished off the night with their #1 hit on the AAA Radio Charts, “Silver Lining.”
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Make sure to check out upcoming shows at Asbury Hall at Babeville Buffalo. Tig Notaro takes over the venue on January 15 and Brian Fallon performs on January 16.
Setlist: Acrobats, Strangers, I’m Your Wreck, Let Loose, Phenomenon, Sheep, Jenny Jenkins, Lemon Tree, Cardinal, Astrovan, Mt. Joy, Every Holiday, Evergreen, Julia
Alternative-rock band Acid Dad made a stop in Rochester at Bug Jar on Tuesday, October 5, as part of their Fall 2021 tour. Many avid fans gathered in the well-renowned venue to see the group perform.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
The rock-n’-roll fanatics The Ginger Faye Bakers opened up the show with their head banging tunes. The trio paid homage to heavy metal in their setwhile incorporating a modern sound. Acid Dad later took over the stage by opening with the song “Drone.” The group consists of singer-guitarists, Vaughn Hunt and Sean Fahey, and drummer Trevor Mustoe. Zoltán Sindhu played alongside them as well. Immediately, the audience transcended into their psychedelic ambience. With the addition of their trippy visuals, they lived up to their enthralling band name.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
The Bushwick natives played several of their most popular hits off their latest album Take It From The Dead, some of which includes “BBQ,” “She Only Eats Organic,” and “Searchin.” The Bug Jar’s kaleidoscopic atmosphere meshed perfectly with Acid Dad’s set. The fresh sound from the group rippled through the underground setting giving fans a great fall show.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
A year ago, Acid Dad spent time independently producing all their own music and art. From building a new studio space to even building their own guitars, this band has continued to fiercely go after their desires. This tour is the start of a new era for Acid Dad.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Make sure to check out upcoming shows at the Bug Jar. The Four Horsemen perform on October 14 and The Shivas do on October 15. Tickets are available here.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Acid Dad – Bug Jar, Rochester – October 5, 2021
Setlist: Drone, Bada Bing, RC Driver, BBQ, Searchin’, Living With a Creature, She Only Eats Organic, Dissin’, Get Me, Don’t Get Taken, Die Hard, Mr. Major, Djembe
Indie artist Phoebe Bridgers made a stop in Lewiston for her Reunion Tour. On September 15 the witty lyricist filled Artpark with skeleton suits and serenity.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
In a surprise turn of events, Phoebe Bridgers’ guitarist ended up opening the show. After two long years, Harrison Whitford finally got to perform live again. His guitar skills and soft vocals captured the crowd’s attention. His sense of ease on stage meshed well with his heart felt lyrics. The performance made the audience even more eager for the following act.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Fans screamed with excitement as the group dressed in skeleton costumes ran on stage to the iconic Black Eyed Peas song, “I Gotta Feeling.” Phoebe Bridgers immediately grabbed her guitar and opened up the show with the viral single “Motion Sickness.” The Grammy nominated musician has an ethereal presence on stage. Her angelic voice and smooth guitar strums carry the audience through these complicated yet all too relatable human emotions.
The new tour has allowed Phoebe to perform her latest releases that haven’t been heard live before. In 2020, she dropped her second solo album Punisher. Fans got to hear a lot of these newer songs like “Kyoto,” “Halloween,” and “Savior Complex.” Phoebe’s dreamy hooks make her ability to capture the different brands of depression that much more hard-hitting.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
The renowned musician described her show in Buffalo as “a rock concert with no rock music.” This is a perfect way to define the rare environment Phoebe creates at her concerts. She can pull at very specific heart strings that entrance her listeners into a seemingly new world. Through struggles with depression, a turbulent relationship with her father, and lack of faith, Phoebe doesn’t shy away from raw honesty. She further opened doors of vulnerability as the night closed with “I Know the End” and the buzzing Bo Burnham song “That Funny Feeling.” A sensation of awe swept over the whole venue that night.
Setlist: I Gotta Feeling (Black Eyed Peas), Motion Sickness, DVD Menu, Garden Song, Kyoto, Punisher, Halloween, Smoke Signals, Chinese Satellite, Moon Song, Savior Complex, Funeral, ICU, Scott Street, Me & My Dog (boygenius), Graceland Too, I Know the End
British indie rock icons Glass Animals started off their Dreamland North America tour right in Buffalo. With a sold-out show at Artpark on August 30, this band completely steam rolled the crowd. Getting to this level of success was nothing short of hard work and dedication.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
How It Started
Glass Animals members Dave Bayley (lead singer), Edmund Irwin-Singer (bass), Drew MacFarlane (guitar) and Joe Seaward (drums) met each other at age 13 in school. They began making music as a side hobby in 2010 and released their debut album ZABA four years later. This release accelerated their careers significantly, especially due to the viral hit “Gooey.”
After touring globally and appearing on several popular night shows, the band began developing their second album. As a singer, songwriter, and producer, front man Dave Bayley wanted to stray away from standard lyricism. Instead of writing about himself, Bayley sought to tell the stories of people he met on the road. And that’s how the How To Be A Human Being album was curated.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Creating Their Dreamland
These musicians built a community by celebrating the ability to be unique and different. Bayley felt this openness with his fans and decided to finally write material that was personal to him. The band faced a significant hardship as Seaward got into a horrific accident. This caused the group to have to reset as the drummer went through rehabilitation. It wasn’t until years later that they made their comeback with multiple singles and further on released their most ambitious album yet: Dreamland.
The 2020 autobiographical album was the most personal and raw material of theirs to date. Unsure of the outcomes of the future, Bayley spent time looking at his past. Dreamlandis about growing up and learning to be vulnerable even in the strangest of times. The band looks to challenge conformity and embrace the inevitable uncertainties of life. In hopes of capturing the essence of getting older, Bayley chose to add audio from old home movies. He layered audio from his Mom’s videos between the songs as interludes to provide a narration aspect.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Dreamland is nostalgic, funky, and very intricate. So many elements of this album are detailed in such a meticulous way that often go unnoticed. From creating a table of contents in the intro song to paying homage to Bayley’s favorite artist to alluding to album features on their website through games, everything was thought through. Basically, nothing went untuned when it came to producing this masterpiece. Glass Animals had to transform their at home production talent to an onstage experience after many years away, and let’s just say they did not miss a beat.
From Quarantine to Tour
The stage at Artpark was an immersive experience no matter where in the crowd you were located. The stage set-up felt like you were in a dream or rather submerged in Bayley’s head. A desktop computer image was loading in the background as the stage was filled with peculiar materials like a diving board, basketball hoop, neon signs, and even palm trees. Seeing all this made the packed crowd pumped up. It also helped that opening artist binki kept the funk alive. The indie musician filled the venue with groovy tunes and also performed magic tricks.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
When Glass Animals hit the stage, the screams echoed throughout Artpark. The band has undeniable infectious energy that had everyone up and dancing. They opened the show with the beloved single “Dreamland” which set the mood for the night. After that, not a single person sat down.
The hypnotic beats mesh effortlessly with Bayley’s delicate vocals. In addition, the rippling guitars and background psychedelic imagery was entrancing. The liveliness of the audience was incomparable as the band had to stop playing multiple times just to listen to everyone cheer. Being back to live shows never felt so good. They continued throughout the night playing hits off of all three of their albums including “Hazey,” “Pork Soda,” and “Space Ghost Coast to Coast.”
The energy shared from Glass Animals and the crowd made one huge epic dance party. No one wanted the night to end as multiple encores were cheered for. They closed the set with the streaming hit “Heat Waves” which did not disappoint. The song resonates with many as it deals with the struggle of identity and confronting one’s true emotions. Beyond that though, the beat and tempo in this is what makes it even more popular among fans. The night ended as an image of a desktop computer read, “It’s now safe to turn off your computer. Thank you, Lewiston.” There was no room for anything but feelings of awe as everyone left the venue.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Future Outlooks
If there was a “plain-Jane” section in the record store then Glass Animals’ discography would be located on the complete other side. Wait no scratch that, they would be located in their own area outside the store. Their sound is unmatched. From the use of rainforest audio, to obscure lyrics which always includes some kind of food, to mixing genres in innovative ways, this band cannot be contained. It’s only up from here and with all the growing momentum, the sky is the limit for Glass Animals.
Make sure to check out upcoming shows at Artpark. GOV’T Mule performs on September 7 and Phoebe Bridgers has a show on September 15.
Setlist: Dreamland, Life Itself, Tangerine, Black Mambo, Hot Sugar, Hazey, The Other Side of Paradise, Space Ghost Coast to Coast, Cane Shuga, It’s All SO Incredibly Loud, Your Love (Déjà Vu), Take A Slice, Gooey, Youth, Pork Soda
After long anticipation, Buffalo came together for the Beau Fleuve Music and Arts celebration. This 5-year event brought crowds of people to the Buffalo Central Terminal on August 29.
Photo credit: Maddie McCafferty
The atmosphere was uplifting as performers took over three different stages and venders filled the walkway. In addition, silent disco sets continued throughout the day. There wasn’t a dull area in the festival as many embraced the numerous exhibits.
Musicians with an array of different genres established their unique presence on stage. From alternative to rap to rock and everything in between, nobody left room for disappointment. Mom Said No was instantly a crowd favorite from the moment they walked on stage in matching blue suits. Not to mention their infectious energy that felt reminiscent to those harmonic alt boy bands.
Photo credit: Maddie McCafferty
Just when you think the intensity can’t get any greater, it did just that. Other artists like Billie Essco, A.I. The Anomaly, and FREAK THE MIIGHTY got the crowd even more wired up. Their stage presence and crowd engagement kept many up on their feet.
Photo credit: Maddie McCafferty
Throughout the day many were highly anticipating an exciting performance from the headliner Jae Skeese. His accolades are nothing short of the clear skill and passion he places in his craft. Guests stayed alongside Jae Skeese throughout the set while dedicating the night to a friend who passed, Weeze.
Photo credit: Maddie McCafferty
Beau Fleuve Music and Arts celebration brought together a diverse group of local musicians, artists, fashion designers, and other contributors to support Buffalo. The community collectively united to uplift the talented artists that are located right in their backyards. Supporting the arts has become a priority and with that comes even greater potential in the future. This event is just the start of a more profound movement.
Indie rock band Japanese Breakfast returned to Rochester on August 3. Earlier this year, Japanese Breakfast released their newest album Jubilee. This textured and imaginative album brought even more joy when the songs were performed live.
Opener Mannequin Pussy brought intense energy to Anthology. The Philadelphia punk band is made up of Missy on lead vocals and guitar, Colins “Bear” Regisford on bass, and Kaleen Reading on drums. Michelle from Japanese Breakfast described this trio as the “punk self-help motivational speaker that we all need.”
Front woman Michelle Zauner has transferred from her previous album dealing with grief to now a new era searching for happiness. Michelle keeps her ambitions high while constantly trying to search for new ways to express indescribable feelings. She has utilized her love of creation to develop unique tracks that cater to her childhood love in an adult catered world.
When Japanese Breakfast took the stage there was instant euphoria that took over the crowd. The band opened with their popular song “Paprika” that sent the crowd into a dreamlike state. The profound instrumentation in addition to Michelle’s airy vocals made the vision for the album come alive on stage.
Returning to Rochester after previously playing at the Bug Jar in 2018, Japanese Breakfast paid tribute to many die-hard fans in the crowd. Some fan favorites of the night included “Be Sweet,” “Posing in Bondage,” and “Everybody Wants to Love You.” A member from Mannequin Pussy even joined on stage as well. She performed a saxophone solo for Michelle’s single that’s dedicated to her love for soccer: “Slide Tackle.”
With a packed crowd, entrancing instrumentals, and Michelle’s angelic vocals, the performance left everyone mesmerized. Japanese Breakfast is continuing on their tour throughout the U.S. and even returning to Brooklyn in the fall. Tickets are available here.
Setlist: Paprika, Be Sweet, In Heaven, The Woman That Loves You, Kokomo, IN, Tactics, Boyish, The Body Is a Blade, Savage Good Boy, In Hell, Posing in Bondage, Road Head, Slide Tackle, Ballad 0 (Bumper Cover), Everybody Wants to Love You, Posing for Cars Encore: Diving Woman
Multi-platinum artists Fitz and The Tantrums made a summer tour stop at Artpark in Lewiston on July 6.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Alternative band Colony House kicked off the night in an upbeat fashion. The opening act consisted of Caleb Chapman, Will Chapman, Scott Mills, and Parke Cottrell. Popular singles “Silhouettes” and “You Know It” brought the energy to everyone at Artpark.
Fitz and the Tantrums later took the stage and steamrolled the crowd instantly. Their liveliness and distinct stage presence made everyone get up on their feet. They opened their set with the throwback song “Don’t Gotta Work It Out” from their 2010 album.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
The LA-based band is composed of Michael “Fitz” Fitzpatrick (vocals), Noelle Scaggs (vocals), James King (saxophone, flute), Jeremy Ruzumna (keyboards), Joseph Karnes (bass), and John Wicks (drums, percussion). This dynamic group is able to match each other’s intensity on the stage while also keeping the crowd engaged.
The band played songs from their recently released, fourth full length album ALL THE FEELS. This included their well-known hits “123456” and “I Just Wanna Shine.” Additionally, other songs that proved to be crowd favorites were “Out of My League,” and “Fool.” Throughout the night Fitz shared how excited he was to be back singing with a crowd again. Everyone from those on stage, to the crew, to the folks on the lawn, were absorbed in this feeling so many have missed. As Fitz has said, “It’s great to be back!”
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
With a roaring crowd, Fitz and the Tantrums performed their RIAA-certified 2x Platinum single “HandClap” for the encore. After, they finished off the performance with songs “All the Feels” and “The Walker.” Many left the show dancing down the streets as everyone was ready for more.
Artpark has much more in store for the rest of the summer with Lettuce performing on July 14 and a Bright Eyes show on July 27.
The 5th Annual Beau Fleuve Music & Arts Celebration will take place this summer at Buffalo Central Terminal. The diverse event will celebrate an array of artists while also conducting numerous exhibits.
The festivity will consist of performances on multiple stages, installations, the popular silent disco, food trucks, vendors village, backyard games, a family fun area, and much more. The acts in this year’s lineup go beyond Buffalo/WNY. They also include individuals from Rochester, NYC, Baltimore-DC, and Florida to name a few.
Music Performances By: Jae Skeese ( DrumWork Music & National Touring Artist Closing Out the Night),Danielle Ponder, Miller And The Other Sinners, Mom Said No, Deadwolf, Billie Essco, FREAK THE MIIGHTY, A.I The Anomaly, Herbal Tonics, Roy G Biv, Mile High, Source Academy & Dark Skin Jermaine, Velvet Bethany, 14 trapdoors, Chango4 & way2wavybaby, Maegan The Singer, Brother Tomsos, Sir Michael Prince, Money Set, Wakefield , Sugar Tea, Saranaide, Outwest, Underrated Evolution
On Stage DJ Sets By: Farenheight Crew, DJ Flow, DJ Onyx , DJ P-Nasty
Silent Disco Sets By: DJ Lil Gabby, DJ T, Deejay Ransum, DJ Jetta, DJ Yama Mama, Backpack Mafia Battle
Art Exhibitors: kidwitthewings, Deja Marie, Xojoita, Neese Rich, RozPaintedIt, Peter Ponce, Hooly & Syd, Cashis Green, Laike Palmero, Shantelle Patterson & more
Art Installations: SKATE PARK by Quincy Kosczka, WEARABLE ART by Buffalo State Fashion & Textile Dept & UB Arts Collaboratory, SIT & THINK CHAIRS by A.J. Smith, Ken Newton, Emeka Wajed, RozPaintedIt
Curated Talks: Creative Mornings Buffalo, Outside The Influence, The Poorman Show
Beau Fleuve Music & Arts Celebration takes place on August 29. Tickets are on sale now.
Buffalo continues to make its way back in the music scene while also bringing back the crowds. Local music venue The Cave, held a Funk Night on Thursday, June 10, presented by NYS Music.
Photo: Maddie McCafferty
The show established a nostalgic feeling as people gathered around for the jam band hits. The upbeat performance was held by Donny Frauenhofer on keys/vocals, Matt Fantini on guitar/vocals, Colin Brydalski on bass/vocals, Ellen Pieroni on sax/vocals, and Ryan Nogle on drums.
The group kicked off the night by opening with “Do It Like You Do” by Lettuce. The excitement from the crowd did not go unnoticed as everyone collectively felt a sense of normalcy again. This high energy extended even further when the musicians performed a mashup of The Whispers’ “And the Beat Goes On” and Will Smith’s “Miami.”
Photo: Maddie McCafferty
This month’s Funk Night was really special because although we’d been able to play the last few months, the guidelines didn’t allow for many of the things that make a funk show a funk show – dancing, musician sit-ins, interacting with the crowd, etc. This was the first show back where we could do all of that and we’re really excited to have more special guests and get more people dancing!
Donny Frauenhofer
The group invited guests on stage for a few songs, which included contributions from a singer and another sax player. The band closed the set with “What Is Hip?” by Tower Of Power. However, with the audience’s plea and many still wanting to dance, they performed “Squadlive” by Lettuce for the encore.
Photo: Maddie McCafferty
The set left many feeling energetic and ready for more. Luckily, the jam sessions are far from over. Funk Night will continue every second Thursday of the month. So, make sure to check out the next show on July 8 at The Cave.
Chrissie Hynde has announced a new album of original Bob Dylan covers. Standing In The Doorway: Chrissie Hynde Sings Bob Dylan arrives via BMG at all DSPs and streaming services on May 21.
During lockdown, the artist recorded remotely nine Dylan interpretations with her Pretenders bandmate James Walbourne. The album includes interpretations of Dylan’s songs “You’re a Big Girl Now.” “Love Minus Zero / No Limit,” Don’t Fall Apart on Me Tonight,” and “Every Grain of Sand.” All of which were recorded last year.
The nine-track collection was nearly made exclusively via back and forth text messages. Additionally, Walbourne would record an initial idea on his phone and send it off to Hynde to add her vocals. Grammy Award-winning producer/engineer/mixer Tchad Blake (The Black Keys, Fiona Apple) mixed the new versions. After all the collaboration, the works premiered on the Pretenders’ YouTube channel.
This process began a few weeks into lockdown when Walbourne sent Hynde the new Dylan track, “Murder Most Foul.” The impact of the song changed everything for Hynde. She connected to every reference that track had and after listening, her mood was also lifted.
Chrissie Hynde Shares her Inspiration:
Whatever Bob does, he still manages somewhere in there to make you laugh because as much as anything, he’s a comedian. He’s always funny and always has something to say. I called James and said, ‘Let’s do some Dylan covers,’ and that’s what started this whole thing.
The process behind Standing In The Doorway: Chrissie Hynde Sings Bob Dylan is featured in the new documentary, Tomorrow Is A Long Time. This documentary premieres exclusively via the UK’s Sky Arts channel on May 24. This work by International Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Michael Nunn and Billy Trevitt will commence the celebration of Dylan’s 80th birthday.
CD and vinyl LP release will take place on August 20. The pre-order is available here.
