Pennywise Takes Over Buffalo’s Town Ballroom With Nearly 40 Years of Punk

Pennywise / H2O / Murphy’s Law – Buffalo, NY

Pennywise – Town Ballroom , Buffalo, NY

Pennywise has been doing this for nearly 40 years, and Saturday night at Buffalo’s Town Ballroom felt like a reminder of why the band has lasted. Jim Lindberg, Fletcher Dragge, Randy Bradbury and Byron McMackin ran through a set that had the room moving from the opening notes of “Peaceful Day” through a “Bro Hymn” finale that brought Murphy’s Law’s Jimmy Drescher back onstage.

Continue reading →

Bad Nerves Hit Buffalo Iron Works While Touring With The Sex Pistols

Bad Nerves – Buffalo, NY

Bad Nerves – Buffalo Ironworks, Buffalo, NY

Bad Nerves did not need much stage banter to make their presence felt at Buffalo Iron Works. The British punk quintet ripped through 17 songs with garage rock grit, power pop hooks and plenty of chaos, giving Buffalo a taste of the band currently touring with The Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter.

Continue reading →

Black Veil Brides: Vindicatour II Ends in Bubbles at Buffalo RiverWorks

Black Veil Brides – Buffalo, NY

Black Veil Brides – Buffalo RiverWorks, Buffalo, NY

Black Veil Brides came to Buffalo RiverWorks with loud guitars, a strong setlist and Andy Biersack in full sarcastic mode. The Vindicatour II stop moved through songs spanning the band’s catalog before taking an unexpected turn at the end of the night. Biersack closed “In the End” with a bubble gun, filling the stage with bubbles and giving the night one very unusual finale. Bubble Veil Brides has officially arrived.

Continue reading →

Staind Marks 25 Years of ‘Break the Cycle’ at Darien Lake Amphitheater

Staind / Seether / Hoobastank / Hinder – Darien, NY

Staind – Darien Lake Amphitheater – Darien, NY

Hinder opened the night at Darien Lake Amphitheater with a short set before Hoobastank and Seether took the stage ahead of Staind. The lineup brought together several bands that have been part of the rock landscape for more than two decades, leading into Staind’s 25th anniversary celebration of Break the Cycle. It was also the final Saturday concert of the season at Darien Lake, with a sold out crowd filling the venue for the occasion.

Continue reading →

Emily Wolfe Sets the Tone for Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls at Town Ballroom

Emily Wolfe and Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls – Buffalo, NY

Emily Wolfe – Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY

From Emily Wolfe’s opening set to Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls’ 23 song performance, there was plenty happening at Buffalo’s Town Ballroom. Wolfe showcased her mix of heavy riffs, bluesy guitar, and garage rock, while Turner kept the crowd engaged with a set built around punk rock, storytelling, and songs that ranged from acoustic driven to downright heavy.

Continue reading →

Divorce Dad Rock Takes Over Darien Lake with Breaking Benjamin and Chevelle

Breaking Benjamin / Chevelle / Starset / Kami Kehoe – Darien, NY

Breaking Benjamin – Darien Lake Amphitheater – Darien, NY

Breaking Benjamin and Chevelle shared the Darien Lake stage as the venue’s concert season moves toward its close, with Starset and newcomer Kami Kehoe opening the evening. Both veteran bands kept the focus on their music, with Chevelle working through three decades of material before Breaking Benjamin followed with an 18 song set filled with familiar favorites. The night also offered plenty of visual contrast, particularly with Starset’s elaborate presentation and the look back at Breaking Benjamin’s early years.

Continue reading →

Helmet and Spirit In The Room Bring Raw Energy to Buffalo

Helmet / Spirit In The Room – Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY

Helmet – Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY

Buffalo got a different look at Helmet as the band stepped into the headline slot for the final night of a short run booked around their Strap It Down Tour dates with Down. Spirit In The Room opened with a brooding mix of industrial textures, punk and psychedelia, followed by Helmet’s precise guitar driven sound at the Town Ballroom.

Continue reading →

Alexisonfire Revisits Crisis as Underoath and Snapcase Join Buffalo Show

Alexisonfire, Underoath and Snapcase – Terminal B at Outer Harbor, Buffalo, NY

Underoath – Terminal B at Outer Harbor, Buffalo, NY

Snapcase, Underoath and Alexisonfire shared the stage at Terminal B in Buffalo for a night that covered several generations of post hardcore. Underoath kept the crowd moving with songs spanning their catalog, while Alexisonfire played Crisis in full, surrounded by carefully crafted visuals and a few surprises along the way. With fans ranging in age and plenty of space throughout the outdoor venue along the Outer Harbor of Lake Erie, Terminal B proved to be a comfortable setting for a show that brought together several generations of the scene.

Continue reading →

A Storm Could Not Slow Franz Ferdinand at Electric City

Franz Ferdinand – Electric City, Buffalo, NY

Franz Ferdinand – Electric City, Buffalo, NY

Flash flooding, a roof leak, and a short delay only added to the story of Franz Ferdinand’s Buffalo stop. Once the music began, the focus shifted to a band whose catalog has stood the test of time while continuing to evolve.

Continue reading →