Tag: buffalo

Big Gigantic Sell Out Buffalo’s Town Ballroom

EDM legends Big Gigantic wrap up their last dates of their Brighter Future Tour. The duo are no strangers to the electronic scene, especially in Buffalo where they sold out the Town Ballroom on July 27.

Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

Buffalo had multiple DJ’s preforming for hours before Big G took over. Special guests Covex, MEMBA, and KASBO opened up the night getting the crowd pumped up.

Big Gigantic are veterans at mixing edm beats with multiple instruments to give a sound that is both danceable and intuitive. The Denver natives Dominic Lalli and Jeremy Salken utilize saxophone and drums to layer over samples. They don’t shy away from any style of music. Their range stretches from jazz to hip hop, and funk to dubstep. Alongside their cinematic production, Big G knows how to put on a show. Whether that be headlining a major festival like Electric Forest or filling up the Town Ballroom, these two do not disappoint.

Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

The duo opened up the show with their single “Future’s All I See” off of their latest 2022 album Brighter Future 2. They immediately captured the stage with their animated visuals and energetic crowd welcome. Their impressive instrumentation matched with their colorful lasers had everyone getting rowdy.

Big Gigantic never stopped once during their set. It was continuous beats and melodies blended into the next. This allowed them to play both old and new hits which left no one disappointed. Some of which included “The Little Things,” “Open Your Mind,” and “All of Me.” They managed to mix in some popular covers as well like Kid Cudi’s “Day ‘N’ Night.”

Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

To top off the night Big Gigantic brought Covex back on stage to sing their song “Second Time” and closed out with “Love Unlimited.” No matter the size of the venue or location Big G proves again that they know how to put on a show.

Make sure to stay up to date with shows coming to the Town Ballroom. Joyce Manor has a show on August 10 and Cody Jinks performs August 17.

All photos by Maddie McCafferty

July 30, 2022
Buffalo Jazz Festival to Bring Live Music Labor Day Weekend

On Sunday, September 4, Buffalo Jazz Festival brings four acts to the area for a full day of live music during Labor Day Weekend.

From noon until 6:30 pm, the West Plaza of the Seneca One Tower in Buffalo will bring audiences live music, food trucks, refreshments, and entertainment for all ages. In the second year of the festival using the venue space, people can enjoy a free community concert.

To open up the Buffalo Jazz Festival, NYC-based John Troy Quartet will perform from 12 noon until 1:15 pm. John Aaron Troy is a saxophonist, multiple woodwind musician, and educator. The artist picked up the saxophone at age 10 and his music is ever-evolving since then.

From 1:45 pm to 3:00 pm, Trigger & the Sermon will take the spotlight. Trigger & the Sermon Organ Jazz Quartet play classical soul-jazz while mixing in unique rhythm and groove. The group has played at multiple venues in the Buffalo area, including at the Four One Six and Duende at Silo City.

Trigger & The Sermon

The Dave Hill Group brings more entertainment to the Buffalo Jazz Festival, with a performance from 3:30 pm to 4:45 pm. Dave Hill Group consists of Jim Linsler (drums), Pat Georger (keys), Tim Sheldon (bass), Colin Brydalski (bass), and Matt Harris on saxophone.

To close out the festival Wendell Rivera Latin Jazz Ensemble will play from 5:15 pm to 6:30 pm. A Buffalo Music Hall of Fame Inductee who has played with the likes of Aretha Franklin, Arthuro Sandovar, and Ben Vereen, the performance is sure to be one to remember.

Wendell Rivera

JazzBuffalo promotes the genre of jazz in the Buffalo area with news, live performances, festivals, events, education, and more. The organization uses music and events to bring the community together and the Buffalo Jazz Festival is one such event. For more information about the organization and ways to get involved, visit the website available here.

July 29, 2022
Rage Against the Machine’s Tour Rips Buffalo to Shreds

On Monday July 25th, Rage Against the Machine (RATM) stopped in Buffalo for one of their many stops on their current tour. After an eight-year hiatus, Rage Against the Machine announced in November 2019 that they were reuniting for a world tour, which was initially scheduled to start in 2020, but was ultimately postponed to 2021, and then to 2022, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The opener of the show was Run the Jewels, an American hip-hop super-duo comprised of EL-P and Killer Mike.

photo credit- Mike Miller

Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles during 1991. RATM consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello, and drummer Brad Wilk.

It has been many years since RATM has played in Buffalo, but on their current tour they just played Toronto, Canada on July 23. A fan jumped on stage and security tackled the guitarist Tom off the stage in error. Luckily for everyone he was ok and able to continue playing shows. Earlier in the tour the singer Zack injured his foot and has had to sit during each performance now. This tour will be visiting 12 countries, 40 cities and 51 shows in total.

photo credit- Mike Miller

The whole night the crowd was filled with energy and singing along to all of their hits. “Testify”, “Killing in the Name Of”, and “Bulls On Parade” were some of the songs the crowd was seen screaming along and head-banging to.

photo credit- Mike Miller

August 8th through the 14th, Rage Against the Machine will be playing as MSG in New York City

Rage Against The Machine – Keybank Center, Buffalo – July 25, 2022

Setlist: Bombtrack, People of the Sun, Bulls on Parade, Bullet in the Head, Testify, Take the Power Back, Wake up, Guerrilla Radio, Close Your Eyes, Down Rodeo, Know Your Enemy. Calm Like a Bomb. Sleep Now in the Fire, War Within a Breath, The Ghost of Tom Joad, Freedom, Township Rebellion, Killing in the Name

July 26, 2022
NKOTB Mixtape Tour 2022 stops in Buffalo at Keybank Center

On Sunday July 17th, The Mixtape tour 2022 invaded Buffalo with multiple acts appearing. It featured multiplatinum selling pop super-group New Kids On The Block (NKOTB), Salt-N-Pepa, Rick Astley, and En Vogue who last visited Buffalo in 2015.

One of the first big ‘boy bands’ of the 1980s, New Kids On The Block hail from Dorchester, Massachusetts and consists of brothers Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg and Danny Wood.

Fans heard chart-topping hits and legendary catalogues spanning generations all night long. It follows the colossal commercial and critical success of NKOTB’s 2019 tour by the same name. Which was their biggest since reuniting in 2008 which grossed $53.2 million, sold more than 650,000 tickets and pioneered a super-sized show each night with multiple acts (Salt-N-Pepa, Tiffany, Naughty By Nature and Debbie Gibson).

Donnie from NKOTB walking around the floor taking photos with fans. Photo credit- Mike Miller

The crowd was mostly filled with female fans, but all the fans in attendance seemed to know the words to every song. There were two stages on each end of the floor which made some fans closer than usual. With a bar style single row seating layout along the edges of each stage, fans got up close and personal.

En Vouge Photo credit- Mike Miller

NKOTB hit the stage on the MixTape Tour 2022 to perform fan favorite #1 hits like “Hangin’ Tough,” “I’ll Be Loving You (Forever),” and “Step By Step” while tour mates Salt-N-Pepa (“Push It,” “Shoop,” “Whatta Man”), Rick Astley (“Never Gonna Give You Up,” “Together Forever”) and En Vogue (“Don’t Let Go [Love],” “Free Your Mind,” “Give It Up, Turn It Loose,” “Hold On”) kept the party going with music that catapulted them to stardom and solidified their places in music history.

Throughout the show, confetti was blasted in the air with cannons. Everyone got covered in it almost like snow falling. On the main stage, they used pyro vertical fire blasts for multiple songs. There was a huge video screen above the main stage so people in the back could see what was going on. The security and the guest experience was top notch at Keybank Center. Everyone had smiles on and enjoyed the night which brought back memories from the 80’s and 90’s.

Rick Astley at Keybank Center. Photo credit Mike Miller

Over the past two years, Rick Astley has amassed million YouTube followers with a series of covers from his studio. Rick has become a major force on TikTok with 1.7 million followers. “Never Gonna Give You Up” was recently featured on the critically acclaimed series Ted Lasso on Apple TV+ and its video has been viewed more than 1 billion times.

NKOTB. Photo credit- Mike Miller

At the very end of the show, all of the acts got on stage to perform “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley.

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July 19, 2022
In Focus: Spoon at Town Ballroom in Buffalo

Spoon opened their second leg of their summer tour at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo on July 7. Touring in support of their recent release Lucifer On the Sofa. Though it was the first show they had played since June, you wouldn’t know it. Opening up the leg with a Smog cover of Held, the show was an eclectic mix of old and new, playing 5 songs from Lucifer on the Sofa, along with an impressive mix of their older catalog. It really highlighted the deep well they can draw from and keep the audience on their toes.

Spoon is a band that serves no bullshit; no stage theatrics, no elaborate light setup or costumes. Britt Daniel (vocals, guitar), Jim Eno (drums), Alex Fischel (keyboards, guitar), Gerardo Larios (guitar, keyboards) and Ben Trokan (bass, keyboards) are just 5 guys on stage who are focused on just playing their music. The band represents their cool Austin roots from the 80’s and 90’s where bands were cool without trying too hard. The show moved along like a locomotive, it didn’t slow and keep chuggin along and gaining momentum. Their 5 song encore started with a cover of John Lennon’s Isolation and ended with their musical nod to The Rolling Stones with 2014’s Rent I Pay. Some people say that rock is dead, but Spoon is proof that it’s alive and well.

Setlist: Held (Smog Cover), The Devil & Mister Jones, Don’t You Eva, Wild, The Beast and Dragon, Adored, The Way We Get By, Don’t Make Me a Target, The Underdog, I Summon You, My Babe, Feels Alright, My Mathematical Mind, Do I Have To Talk You Into It, Inside Out, I Turn My Camera On, Got Nuffin

Encore: Isolation (John Lennon Cover), The Hardest Cut, Do You, Small Stakes, Rent I Pay

July 16, 2022
In Focus: The Wrecks Sell Out the Rec Room in Buffalo

Alt rock band The Wrecks made a local stop on their Better Than Ever Tour tour in Buffalo on June 29. The Rec Room was flooding with people from front of the venue to back for the sold-out show. Openers Girlhouse and Mothe got an already pumped up crowd ready for the night.

Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

The Wrecks are LA-based, however, vocalist and producer Nick Anderson hails from Wellsville, NY, so this show in Buffalo reunited him with friends and family that were alongside him when he first starting building this dream. Nick started this band in the middle of nowhere just making demos on his laptop. He slowly started building an audience and from there connected with others on the internet. It’s from online interactions that Nick connected with future bassist Aaron Kelley. Later he moved out to California where he recruited lead guitarist Nick Schmidt and drummer Billy Nally. A few secret sneak-in sessions into the studio after and the rest is history.

Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

The show in Buffalo showed nothing short of this band’s high energy reputation. The Wrecks opened the night with their hit “Out Of Style,” off of their 2020 album Infinitely Ordinary. Nick’s engagement with the crowd opened up some mosh pits followed by some much needed water breaks. The rest of the band cleared out after a few songs as the lead vocalist shared some acoustic versions. They even brought the openers back out to join in.

The Wrecks latest album release Sonder has been what their fans have been most excited about. The crowd proved this when they screamed the lyrics to “Ugly Side,” and “Normal” from the June 10 release. However, nothing compared to the rage that started when the group closed out the night with their #1 single “Favorite Liar.” With Nick running into the audience, crowd surfers from front to back, and belting fans, it made for a finisher to remember.

Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

Follow up with The Wrecks latest stops on their tour. Also make sure to check out upcoming shows at Rec Room. Nonpoint performs July 10 and The Acacia Strain will be there July 13.

Setlist: Out Of Style, Figure This Out, I Love This Part, Feels So Nice, Freaking Out, Dystopia, This Life I Have, Ugly Side, Normal, Panic Vertigo, Sonder, Fvck Somebody, Where Are You Now, James Dean

Encore: Infinitely Ordinary, Favorite Liar

Photos by Maddie McCafferty



July 7, 2022
Jazz at Chandlerville Summer Series Offers Free Music Every Thursday

The Jazz at Chandlerville Series will return to Chandler Street every Thursday this summer from 6 pm to 8:30 pm. The series is hosted by JazzBuffalo and produced by Tappo Events.

Jazz at Chandlerville

JazzBuffalo is the Greater Buffalo Jazz Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to building jazz awareness and jazz appreciation in the WNY area. Founded in 2011, the purpose of JazzBuffalo and the Greater Buffalo Jazz Society is to enhance the recognized value of arts to the individual and society, to use music and events to bring people together and to help build a stronger, more vibrant community.

Based on the success of last year, the JazzBuffalo scheduled diverse music, a variety of performers, something new each week, and showcasing some of the best talents in WNY who incorporate jazz into their performances for the fourth season.

Performers this year included Maria Sebastian, Alex McArthur Quintet, Original River Dogs, My Cousin Toné, Mary Ramsey and Friends, Hanna PK, Trigger & the Serman, GirlCrush+, Tim Clarke Soul-tet, Elliot Scozzaro Quintet, Kevin Hall Quartet, and the Banjo Juice Jazz Band.

All performances will be supported by an upgraded stage and full sound production by Tappo Event to maintain the JazzBuffalo quality. The lineup is listed as followed.

Jazz at Chandlerville Lineup

7/7 – My Cousin Toné
7/14 – Maria Sebastian American Songbook
7/21 – Trigger & The Sermon
7/28 – GirlCrush+
8/4 – Mary Ramsey and Friends
8/11 – Elliot Scozzaro
8/18 – Dave Hill Group
8/25 – Banjo Juice Band
9/1 – Hanna PK
9/8 – Kevin Hall Quartet

July 7, 2022
Beau Fleuve Music & Arts Celebration Announces Lineup

The Beau Fleuve Music & Arts Celebration returns to Buffalo for its sixth annual event at the Buffalo Central Terminal on August 28. The event includes a diverse set of musical performances, art exhibits, a silent disco, speaker panels, and much more.

The one-day celebration, previously described as “WNY-Buffalo’s Most Diverse Festival,” will welcome national and international musical acts, including performances by Stove God Cooks, DNTWATCHTV, Q Brock, Lindsay Niccs, and Grace Greenan among others.

In addition to giving space to many musical acts, the festival will also host art exhibitors kidwitthewings, Deja Marie, xoJOITA, Peter Ponce, and more. Attendees can also get a chance to see Burchfield-Penny Arts live painting, and numerous wearable and street art installations.

The Beau Fleuve Music & Arts Celebration also includes curated talks, hosted by mind + body + soul, CannaBiz, Seat at the Table, and Toneyboi. There will also be food trucks, a beer and wine garden, a family fun area, and more.

Founded by Buffalo native Lindsey Taylor, the festival has provided audiences with a wide array of exciting content since 2017 and aims to offer the community a way to connect through the arts. The annual event has continued to grow throughout the years, starting with an audience of 700 during its debut and now boasting over 2,000 attendees.

This year’s celebration will be held from 2:00pm to 9:00pm and is a ticketed event. Single and group general admission tickets can be purchased are now available on the festival’s website.

Leading up to the big event, Beau Fleuve will host entertainment from August 25 and end with their celebration on August 28. The events will include a comedy show on the 25th, a happy hour on the 26th, a field day and softball game on the 27th, and finally, finish on the 28th with the music and arts festival.

Beau Fleuve Music & Arts Festival Lineup – August 28

Notable Music Performances will be by National Recording & Touring Artist STOVE GOD COOKS, DNTWATCHTV, Q BROCK, LINDSAY NICCS, GRACE GREENAN, JOHNNY HART & THE MESS, CHUCKIE CAMPBELL, IMYOUNGWORLD, MC TAE, STRESS DOLLS & MORE

Notable Art Exhibitors include KIDWITTHEWINGS, DEJA MARIE, XOJOITA, PETER PONCE, JIMMY KELLER & MORE.

Notable Art Installation/Activation Areas include BURCHFIELD-PENNY ARTS LIVE PAINTING, STREET-ART, WEARABLE ART, SIT & THINK CHAIRS & MORE

Curated Talks will include MIND + BODY + SOUL, CANNABIZ, SEAT AT THE TABLE & TONEYBOI

July 2, 2022
Marina Laurendi Releases Nostalgic New Single “Neighborhood Kids”

Buffalo-based indie singer-songwriter Marina Laurendi has released her second single “Neighborhood Kids” of her Stay Mine EP releasing this August.

Neighborhood Kids – Mariana Laurendi

“Neighborhood Kids” is a sweet and summertime hometown ballad. It starts with simple acoustic guitar, piano and light synth until it culminates with the bluesy electric guitar solo ending. The folksy Americana vibe reminiscent of Brandi Carlile, melancholic indie pop evoking Lana Del Rey, and an edgier blues sound with notes of Gary Clark Jr. could be sensed from this song. The lyric video of “Neighborhood Kids” will be released on Monday, June 27th.

Marina Laurendi is a unique singer-songwriter who fuses elements of cinematic pop, alternative rock, and singer-songwriter lyricism. She was also a theatre performer and moved to NYC shortly after college to perform Off-Broadway and around the East Coast. However, as she returned to her hometown of Buffalo during the pandemic, she explored her roots with the “everything happens for a reason” attitude. Her music is heavily influenced by the pulse of the city along with the quiet nostalgia of her roots

I wrote “Neighborhood Kids” after coming back home after years of living away. Seeing and re-experiencing my hometown in the summertime as an adult hit me with a wave of nostalgia-driving down the neighborhood streets at sunset, reconnecting with people I hung out with in high school- all of it brought back this youthful sense of rebellion, curiosity, and a sense of suburban restlessness that summed up my entire youth pretty well.
Marina Laurendi

She sums it up perfectly at the end of the song when she croons, “Bittersweet baby, I got nothing to chase it. The music’s been here but we don’t wanna face it. Nothing feels different when I’m hanging with the neighborhood kids.”

Marina will be performing this summer at Griffon Gastropub in Lewiston on July 9, and at Gallo Coal Fire Kitchin in Lewiston on August 7. For more info visit her webpage.

June 25, 2022
Fernway Release Debut Album “Autocrave,” Announce Summer Tour

Buffalo-based band Fernway released their debut album Autocrave on June 17, and will hold an album release show on June 25 at Town Ballroom in Buffalo.

Photo Credit: Matt Sledziewski

Fernway formed as a band in 2017 and consists of RJ DeMarco (vocals/guitar), Brett Robertson and Jonah Wrest (guitar), Tanner DeMarco (drums), and Alec Dube (bass). The band has diverse influences, from Stand Atlanic, The Band Camino, COIN, and Bo Burnham, among others, no member of the band listens to exactly the same music.

The new album includes 29 minutes of new music across 9 tracks. Produced and engineered by lead singer RJ DeMarco, the album’s refreshing sound blends pop-rock, alternative emo, and elements of jazz.

Autocrave as an album acknowledges the immense impact technology has on our society as a whole. A large focus of the project is on mental health and regaining control over your own happiness.

Even the album artwork’s underlying messages focus on concepts of the addictive forms of technology and the way it can interrupt human connections. Created by Aaron Gordon and Quinn Gundel, the artwork was one of the most important parts of the album creation process.

The artwork of the record is a representation of how the advancement of technology has consumed each and everything around us. The red lips represent technological consumption and domination of all that is around us while the white represents the vast unknown.
Aaron Gordon and Quinn Gundel

Many of the tracks come from deeply personal experiences of the band, including the track “Compass Free” which was born out of guitarist Brett Robertson’s struggles and is now one of the band member’s favorites. Of the album, the band shares that they “hope these songs comfort you while you learn to navigate the ever-changing terrain of the world we live in.”

In the months leading up to the album release, Fernway has had 3 successful single releases and a great Spring tour across the Northeast region. In March, the band opened up for The Dangerous Summer and Cory Wells at Buffalo’s Rec Room.

Fernway will celebrate the recent release at the Town Ballroom’s new Oxford Pennant Stage. The stage was built with a specific focus to showcase local and up-and-coming touring acts. The tickets for the release show on June 25 can be found here, and Fernway will also be joined by close friends Marquee Grand, Ghostpool, and Amateur Hockey Club.

Following the celebration of the album, Fernway will be touring this summer with 10 shows across 6 different states. The Rock and roll band Imposters will join them on the road for 4 of the shows.

Listen to Autocrave, out now on streaming services. Fernway also updates their playlist, “Spread The Love”, every two weeks, which showcases artists they wish to bring more exposure to.

Fernway Summer Tour Dates

July 6 – Mercury Lounge – New York, New York

July 7 – Balmville Grange – Newburgh, New York*

July 8 – Soundbank – Phoenixville, Pennsylvania*

July 9 – House Of Independents – Asbury Park, New Jersey*

July 10 – Barca City – New Brunswick, New Jersey*

July 13 – Local 506 – Chapel Hill, North Carolina

July 14 -The Milestone – Charlotte, North Carolina

July 15 – House Space – Charlotte, North Carolina

July 16 -TBD – Nashville, Tennessee

July 17 – Legends Bar and Venue – Cincinnati, Ohio

*with Imposters

June 21, 2022