[SPECTACLE] It took a while for this writer to make sense of exactly what William Close does with whatever an Earth Harp is, but I think I’ve finally figured it out. The Earth Harp is a humongous harp—I’m still unsure exactly how big, as it’s listed as having somewhere between 24 and 36 strings that add up to about 1,000 feet in length.
[PUNK] Sheer Mag has released two records already this year, and both have been extremely well received. The first was not actually a new record, but a compilation of the band’s first three EPs, and this was slapped with the “Best New Reissue” label from Pitchfork—which is usually reserved for rock icons who re-release groundbreaking that everyone ignored the first time around.
[METAL] Oshkosh, Wisconsin was once, tens of thousands of years ago, covered in glaciers. Maybe that’s why Attalla, a band that hails from that once glacial northern mid-west city, called their latest record Glacial Rule. Or it could have something to do with the band’s doomy, sludge metal pace. Or probably both. Anyways, Attalla will bring their heavy-ass sounds to Mohawk Place on Sunday, September 3, and they’ll bring with them the equally heavy and stoner-y Spacelord and Stone Priest.
[JAM] As the name might suggest, Baltimore-based Pigeons Playing Ping Pong brings an amused, prankster-style energy to the stage, making the band a recurring festival draw with its gooey funk amalgam. Featuring guitarist Jeremy Schon, who has played in Buffalo with the shape-shifting Everyone Orchestra, what’s most surprising is the amount of groove the band churns out as a mere four-piece—since it sounds more like six.
[JAM] A bunch of jam bands are throwing a big Labor Day weekend bash this Saturday, September 2. Dubbed Flow Fest, the party is headlined by Buffalo-based jam band Funktional Flow. As the namesake and organizers of the festival, the five-piece funk-rock-jam hybrid band will perform two sets. They’ll be joined by Intrepid Travelers, as well as Sunshine Daydream, a local supergroup of sorts featuring members of Workingman’s Dead, Scarlet Begonias, Just Good Business, and Dead Alliance. We’re sensing a Grateful Dead theme for that set.
[COMEDY] With his thick New York accent, Chris Distefano is billed as a “high energy” comic, but he’s nothing like, say Robin Williams or Dane Cook—his demeanor is much more like Louis CK or Bill Burr. And though he looks like he’s fresh off the Jersey Shore and he’s appeared on more MTV clip-style shows like GuyCode and Failosiphy, than anyone else would be comfortable to admit he’s actually a pretty likeable guy on stage.
[INDIE] Continuing New York City’s fine tradition of bands that merge power pop with punk sensibilities, Big Huge is the cure for your late summer blahs. Celebrating the release of Cruel World on the revered Don Giovanni label (August 17), the gritty five-piece comes to Sugar City on Thursday, August 31.
[ELECTRONIC/DANCE] British DJ/Producer Joshua Mellody a.k.a Zomboy comes to us from the dubstep/EDM hybrid school that brought us Skrillex and Rusko, among others. Hailing from a small town near Cornwall, Mellody cut his teeth working as a sound engineer here in the states before heading home to regroup. Not long after, Zomboy emerged, named for a character in the game Left for Dead.
[ART] This Friday, September 1, the Allentown Association will present a unique art event as part of their First Friday Gallery Walk series. The event is the 2017 Art Chase, during which registered teams will compete in various challenges in and around Allentown. Challenges include scavenger hunt type activites like performing an impromptu haiku, or reenacting a famous painting.
[ROCK] Larkin Square will host a Music is Art preview concert on Wednesday, August 30 as part of the Live at Larkin concert series. The free concert will feature two acts, Future Sounds of Buffalo—a group of young musicians assembled by Eric Crittenden—and Hayden Fogle and the Ambassadors, a blues band fronted by teenage guitarist Hayden Fogle. Both acts will also perform at Music is Art later in the month.
[ELECTRONIC/DANCE] I refuse to believe that summer is coming to an end, but the signs are starting to show. A classic sign is that, good lord, it’s Labor Day Weekend already. But that’s not such a bad thing, especially because there’s always a lot of fun outdoor stuff to do, specifically, partying on a boat. And the most infamous boat party each Labor Day Weekend happens on the Miss Buffalo II, a 90-foot-long two story pleasure yacht.
[FUNK] It’s impossible to feel anything but happy while listening to the music of Paa Kow. Hailing from Ghana, West Africa, the musician delivers a euphoric, funky afrobeat style that’s equal parts Earth Wind and Fire and Fela Kuti. Even his lyrics will make you smile. “Black and white, it’s a good combo. Day and night, it’s a good combo,” he sings on his song “Black and White,” and now I’m convinced racial harmony in America is possible.
[HIP HOP] The semi-regular hip hop showcase, The Life Ecstatic, happens again this Friday, September 1 at Milkie’s. Organized by Yace Booking, this month’s event features a pretty extensive lineup of local hip hop and trap including 14 Trapdoors, Rodagues, Dr. Ooo, We Stole the Show, Old Souls, Ooze Gang, and DJ Drop D. Host Jordan Hood Koolie will keep things on track for the fifth version of this event.
[FESTIVAL] What makes the TailorMade Music Festival special is that fans get to choose a portion of the line up. And, obviously, that’s why it’s called TailorMade. The core lineup that was announced earlier this year included Houston, Texas based rapper Travis Scott, and rap giant 2 Chainz. In addition, fans were allowed to vote on a variety of supporting acts, mostly, if not all rap or hip hop acts, which included names like A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Fabolous, Waka Flocka Flame, and XXXTentacion.
[PARTY] Dance Yrself Clean: A Hipster Dance Party moves to a new location, Marble & Rye, for their next party, this Friday, September 1. Expect some “classics of indie” from DJs Ben Parsons, Nick Muldoon, Tom Burtless, Bryan Johnson, and Allison Lavis. That means stuff like Vampire Weekend, The Strokes, Kendrick Lamar and of course LCD Soundsystem.
Frightening Friday, The First Disaster Arrives
For any of you that are worried about this storm, Hurricane Harvey, hold on to your pants. Its going to be a wild ride and modesty may not be permitted.
Return confederate flags to a South Carolina courthouse, said plaintiff Russell Walker. It’s about heritage, said the man who let loose “Martin Luther Coon” on live TV.
Russell Walker filed a lawsuit in York SC, demanding confederate flags be returned to the main courtroom @SpecNewsCLT pic.twitter.com/MVDYSEBIEe