Events

[ROCK] The competition is fierce, in all respects: thousands of submissions, many of remarkable quality, have inundated the offices of NPR Music for their Tiny Desk Concert contest. The popular video concert series has featured everyone from classic singer-songwriters like Jackson Browne to current superstars, ala Adele, to any number of impressive indie stalwarts and up-and-comers alike. They all get crammed into the NPR studios (behind a ‘tiny desk’) for a short set of maybe five tunes—call it the internet’s more tasteful answer to MTV Unplugged. NPR has opened the floodgates this winter by putting out a call for artists that will result in one grand prize winner being awarded a Tiny Desk Concert of their own and a showcase slot in Austin for SXSW. The winner will be announced Wednesday Morning. Buffalo participants will strut their stuff on Thursday, February 12 at Mohawk Place, amounting to somewhat of an indie-folk showcase. From the banjo-and-mandolin spiked, rustic harmonizing of the Observers to the old-timey string work and lilting vocals of Tiny Rhymes and the socio-political observations of troubadour Tom Stahl some of our best local talent will be on display, all for the bargain price of $5.