[POP] On Wednesday, July 22 two soulful singer/songwriters will come to Larkin Square as part of the weekly Live at Larkin summer series. Toney Rhodes and Vinnie DeRosa will take turns on the Larkin stage before coming together for a collaborative encore to close out the night.
[EMO] Songwriter Matt Pryor is well known for his band, the Get Up Kids, but his perpetual side project, Reggie and the Full Effect is raging strong once again. The band, which has existed on and off since forming in 1998, delivers emo with a synthy punch. They’ll come to the Waiting Room on Wednesday, July 29 to play cuts from their 2000 record Promotional Copy. Buffalo’s Pentimento, the Weaks, and Well Kept Things open the show.
[INFRINGEMENT] As part of their Infringement series, Bringing Words to Life, members of Buffalo’s most established spoken-word poetry troupe, Pure Ink Poetry, will grace listeners with original poetry at the new Rust Belt Books location next Wednesday, July 29 at 6:30pm.
[INFRINGEMENT] Buffalo to Brooklyn transplant and singer-songwriter Rebecca Ryskalczyk will return to Mohawk Place this Monday evening alongside emerging folk-punk artist Corner and Buffalo electronic songstress Spacecubs.
[INFRINGEMENT] Looping pedals, guitars, and keyboards—one of Buffalo’s most diverse art-spaces will be hosting performances from three established Buffalo melody makers, from jazz to experimental leanings on Wednesday, July 29. Artists include Pam Swarts, Sarah Golley, and Erica Wolfling.
[BLUES] For Buffalonians who are fans of the blues, Anita West has been a mainstay on the scene. Between her long stint hosting a weekend blues radio show, to many appearances around the region, West is forever linked to the music. This Thursday, July 23, Sportsmens Tavern will celebrate her birthday with an Anita West Birthday Bash. The night will feature Jarekus Singleton and special guests Dive House Union.
[INDIE] Indie rock band Lord Huron may be based out of Los Angeles but their soul resides over the foggy waters of Lake Huron. It was on the Michigan shores of Lake Huron that frontman Ben Schneider divined the intense character of Lord Huron’s darkly sparkling indie folk music.
[FUNK] With the Canalside Concert Series taking place just a short walk from Buffalo Iron Works, the venue has become a great landing place for those looking to keep dancing.
[TRIBUTE] It’s not every day that a cover band does anything more than bar gigs and weddings; in fact, that’s the norm. When the band covered is Sublime though, whose lead singer’s untimely death left many fans without a way to see their live show, Badfish stepped in to save the day. Badfish: A Tribute to Sublime is a nationally touring act—named after a Sublime song—and lucky for the fans of the Long Beach rock band, they do their heroes justice. They’ve sold out huge venues and have given fans a way to see what might’ve been.
[ELECTRONIC/DANCE] “This one goes out to all the funky people,” a voice announces toward the beginning of Treasure Fingers’ latest mix for Splash House. The funky people of Buffalo are well advised to attend what should be the peak of Sky Bar’s summer rooftop concert series this Friday, July 24 when the hailed house music producer brings his round, bassy booty-house tracks to the dance floor.
[INFRINGEMENT] You can spend all day having fun at Dreamland this Saturday. At 5pm, Everybody Can See Your Buttons begins with poetry readings and interactive cell-phone-based music jams on Dreamland’s front porch, followed by the Dreamland Electronic Showcase at 8pm.
[METAL] Slipknot takes the stage donned in Ed Gein-style coveralls and creepy masks. You could chalk this up to shock-rock mentality, or you could (and should) disregard it because their appearance doesn’t hold a candle to their scary-good sound. Slipknot’s forte is distilling fury into artfully constructed, infectious melodies without losing their meaty metal edge. Their songs bash you over the head, but their crafty arrangements always cushion the blow.
[POP] Christina Perri emerged in 2011 with “Jar Of Hearts” off her debut album, Lovestrong. Her lyrics were raw and emotive; her voice was somber as she unabashedly aired her wounds. Her sophomore release, Head or Heart, proved Perri to be a full-bodied pop singer, more confident, introspective, and hot-blooded.
[ROCK] Grace Potter is a musical powerhouse with a fierce dexterity on multiple instruments, a sweeping vocal range, and a rock muscle that’s as strong as an ox. Formerly with the Nocturnals, Potter is known for her commanding presence in the live arena. Armed with her Flying V guitar, a tambourine, keyboards, and Hammond organ, her instrumental execution—while simultaneously dancing, singing, and vamping up the crowd—makes the blond-haired rock goddess so damn captivating.
[INFRINGEMENT] Can you believe it’s been 11 years? The Infringement Festival, Buffalo’s annual 11-day long underground art festival—a “decentralized arts explosion” to which artists of all kinds are invited—has surpassed the decade mark without the help of any corporate entities or sponsorships. This year’s festival begins on Thursday, July 23 and runs through Sunday, August 2, which means this weekend will be loaded with great Infringement Festival events. Here, we’ve highlighted six must-see events happening this weekend.