Events

[INDIE] Drug Party Tapes strives to keep the concept of a grassroots indie label alive, and so far it’s working pretty well: the free download and cassette label is celebrating its five year anniversary at Mohawk Place this Friday night. Spearheaded by Stephen Floyd of One Percent Press, the label merely attempts to cover costs, allowing free digital access to all of its releases (via bandcamp) and cassettes for $5, while providing an accurate snapshot of our punk underground. There are nearly 25 releases in the Drug Party Tape canon, all of which stem from the basement punk scene in Buffalo. Although basements have changed (as has what’s meant by ‘punk’), the tone of DPT releases stays pretty pure. Floyd says the current basement scene in Buffalo dates back to the late 1990’s and now includes the all-ages spaces Dreamland and the recently refurbished Sugar City. On hand to play Friday’s celebration are Utah Jazz, Big Suze, and Mallwalkers—all of which have sold out cassette releases through DPT—as well as Hot Tip, Scajaquada Creeps, and Space is Haunted. Floyd is printing up some limited edition shirts to commemorate the show, which gets going around 8pm and only costs $5 (free under 18, but you must bring a guardian).