Cannibal Corpse

Thursday, May 30

Buffalo is a city that hasn’t won a major sports championship in over 30 years, takes a beating from Mother Nature throughout the winter, suffers from high taxes, and continues to lose citizens to other cities. Is it at all surprising then that one of Buffalo’s own hometown bands is described as confrontational, brutal, gruesome, extreme, and morbid? Cannibal Corpse came on the scene in 1988 and completely redefined the death metal genre overnight. Their spin on it was not only far beyond where any previous band had ever taken it, but they’ve pushed that envelope throughout their entire career. Their latest album, Torture, was released last year in March and has the same over-the-top imagery that made them an underground cult hit. Next Thursday (May 30), Cannibal Corpse will be hitting the Town Ballroom on their Decibel Magazine Tour. Also on the bill that night are Napalm Death, Immolation, and Beyond Creation who have all been influenced, at least indirectly, by everything Cannibal Corpse has accomplished in their years together. Being that this is a hometown show for the guys as well, I’m sure they will be pulling out all of the stops and going over the top in a way that only they know how to do.

- jeremiah shea

6pm Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. (852-3900 / townballroom.com) $20 advance, $25 day of show

Thursday, May 23

John Brown's Body

John Brown’s Body is a progressive reggae-dub group that began in Boston in 1995. Their name is derived from the slavery abolitionist, John Brown, who was hanged for treason in 1859. Though the band’s name may suggest an extreme political agenda, the name is actually more indicative of freeing yourself from social norms and growing within yourself. The lyrical style the band uses is common of “mento.” “Mento” music often tells of everyday life in a light-hearted way. The casual nature of the topics brings about a sense of relaxation. JBB pays additional homage to Jamaican roots through the use of organic instruments. The band’s dedication to raw instrumentation and unmuddled tradition clearly sets them apart from modern reggae and dub styles and lends them an authentic Jamaican sound. JBB keeps close ties to traditional reggae. The band stirs up a mean funk and groove sound that could get even the stiffest stiff to bob their head. If you like Bob Marley or Burning Spear, this band will certainly appeal to you. John Brown’s Body will be performing at the Tralf Music Hall with Thunder Body and Moon Hooch on Thursday (tonight!).

- jazmine frazier

7pm The Tralf Music Hall, 622 Main St. (852-2860 / tralfmusichall.com) $14 advance, $16 day of show

Thursday, May 23

The Foundry Indiegogo Launch Party

A “foundry” is defined as “an establishment for producing castings in molten metal.” Here in Buffalo, The Foundry is a year-old community project of Net Positive—an organization which strives to create neighborhood wealth through housing redevelopment, community education, economic activity, and environmental improvement. Located at 298 Northampton Street, local craftspeople dedicated to reusing waste products for creative projects now inhabit The Foundry. Today, The Foundry’s residents go beyond simply metalworks: The space houses residents working on everything from green demolition techniques, glassware and woodworks crafted from reclaimed materials, and bicycle framing, to a line of beauty products, to hobby craft brewing, to demolition, construction, and architecture-focused artwork by Albright-Knox artist-in-residence Dennis Maher. Recent “Second Saturday” monthly events hosted by The Foundry showcased residents’ products and projects to the public, accompanied by live music, food, and beverages. However, looking to expand their community outreach and building space, The Foundry will host their launch party on Thursday (tonight!) to kick off their new fundraising effort, which is hosted on crowd-sourcing website Indiegogo.com. In order to create more space for resident artists, artisans, small businesses, and community activities, The Foundry is in need of some basic building repairs to open up the second floor of the building, which is currently not up to standards: Electricity, staircases, and a heating system will be very beneficial to a growing organization which aims to creatively and ecologically transform Buffalo communities. The launch party is free from 6-9pm, including barbecue, beer, vegetarian options, and live music from the 12/8 Path Band.

- meghan sauer

6pm-9pm The Foundry, 298 Northampton St. (thefoundrybuffalo.org) free

Saturday, May 25

New Horizon Events presents Electric Love

Love has everything to do with it. “New Horizon Events is looking to bring something different to the table of the Buffalo music scene,” says Ryan Howze, one of the founders of the promotion company. He and Luke Shrove kick off their company this weekend with Electric Love, to be held on Saturday (May 25) night at Duke’s Bohemian Grove Bar. Hoping to provide a more freeing platform for local prominent talent, the event they hope will turn into a monthly show will provide music that will satisfy any taste for the varying syncopated beats and electronically crafted instrumentals. New Horizon Events is bringing the love back to the genre that has become somewhat debated and relatively stigmatized. Electronic music isn’t just about “finding Molly.” There’s a history and a love that New Horizon is focusing on. The DJs on the bill for the night are some of Buffalo’s finest. SwaggleRock, comprised of Buzz Trillington and Shooter McNappin, are men of many talents—the hits on their SoundCloud are ever-increasing and just last month they were featured on their first We Keep It EP release via Do Androids Dance. Sunglasses Mike and The Owski, both great DJs on their own, will team together once again to play back-to-back as Bananas in Pajamas. Sunglasses Mike has been around the Buffalo block and back again, while The Owski brings his California-love influence after DJing in the Sunshine state then moving back East to the Queen City. Buffalo based DJ C-Perfect will provide the hip-hop/Top 40 house vibes, and a special guest surprise DJ like a magnet will bring the twerking girls to the floor with a booty house set. Event sponsors are featuring special perks for the jump-off night: Red Bull will have drink specials all night and No Bad Ideas Clothing will be giving away hats. Come through and let the love in.

- alicia greco

10pm Duke’s Bohemian Grove Bar, 253 Allen St. (240-9359 / dukesbohemiangrovebar.com) $3 cover 21+

Sunday, May 26

Sunset Sundays

If you’ve never been to Sunset Sundays at the Pearl Street Grill & Brewery, then this Sunday (May 26) is the perfect opportunity to check out the scene. Monday is Memorial Day, which means no work and much more play on Sunday evening. The weather on Sunday should be perfect, sunny and in the mid 60s, for the next incarnation of the free outdoor electronic music series presented by MNM Presents. The series runs each Sunday from Memorial Day Eve through Labor Day Eve on the patio of the Pearl Street Grill & Brewery right in the center of Downtown Buffalo. There will be a rotating roster of DJs which includes but is not limited to Paul Kuenzi, Jesse Aaron, Bill Bacon, John Patrick, Mcnasty, Zamboni Driver, Swagglerock, Greg Howz, and the occasional special guest spinning a mix of house, breaks, techno and more. The series kicks off immediately following the Capsized Boat Cruise aboard the Miss Buffalo II, a two story, 90 foot long cruise boat, which launches from the Erie Basin Marina. If you didn’t pick up tickets to Capsized you’ve missed out this time because tickets sold out earlier in the week, but the party cruise usually runs twice a year, so don’t forget to grab tickets at the end of the season for the next cruise. Happy Memorial Day and let the summer fun begin!

- cory perla

9pm Pearl Street Grill & Brewery, 76 Pearl St. (856-2337 / pearlstreetgrill.com, mnmpresents.com) free

Sunday, May 26

Femme Fest feat. The Fabulous Miss Wendy

Even though a large part of her sound is comprised of pop-punk ingredients, Fabulous Miss Wendy is a talented guitarist in her own right, and if you doubt that statement you had better take it up with Slash, who invited her to tour with him from 2010 to 2011. She also toured with Buffalo-born weirdo rockers Green Jellÿ, who even invited her to perform “Count Chocula” onstage with them. If that doesn’t solidify her street cred, then her attitude and virtuosic abilities will. Described as “Hollywood’s Punk Rock Princess” the Fabulous Miss Wendy is full of ambition and determination. She’s a rock star in every sense of the phrase. Her sound and passions are raw, and her performance is full of movement and swagger. A strong female presence in what is still a fairly male dominated business, Fabulous Miss Wendy is an in-your-face, unwavering force. She’ll be heading Femme Fest with Hear Kitty Kitty, Mahi Gato, and Sara_Rae at the Tudor Lounge this Sunday (May 26). It is the last stop of the tour, and is sure to be an explosive and entertaining experience.

- tom etu

7pm Tudor Lounge, 335 Franklin St. $15

Monday, May 27

Attack Attack!

American metalcore band, Attack Attack! [not to be confused with Welsh rockers Attack! Attack!], got its start in Westerville, Ohio in 2005. The process of finding band mates is what former member Johnny Franck calls “purifying gold.” When one member is not up to par, they sift through until they feel their line-up is pure gold. Side note: Franck was not booted; he left to focus on his relationship with God. Attack Attack!’s EP, If Guns Are Outlawed, Can We Use Swords? debuted in early 2008. Within the same year, they signed to Rise Records and released their debut album, Someday Came Suddenly. The album ranked number 25 on the Billboard Independent Album Chart and managed a spot on the Billboard 200 at number 193. Their last album, This Means War, was followed by a lot of finality. Not only is the band through with Rise Records, but after the Back in Action tour, the group will be disbanding. For the tour, few of the members from This Means War will be performing. It has been announced, however, that former singer Caleb Shomo and guitarist Johnny Franck will be featured at some point during the tour, as a farewell to their fans. Buffalo is the second to last show Attack Attack! will be playing before the band is “[laid] to rest”. They will be at The Waiting Room on Monday (May 27).

- jazmine frazier

5:30pm The Waiting Room, 334 Delaware Ave (852-3900 / waitingroombuffalo.com) $13.50 advance, $15 day of show, 16+

Thursday, May 30

The Bottle Rockets

With 18 years of touring under their belt, the Bottle Rockets have never sounded better. Hailing from the Midwest, the Rockets champion for the average Joe, making us all wonder: how can our troubles sound so good? The answer is front-man Brian Henneman’s witty, low-key lyrics. His raw songwriting captures what it is to be a working-class American trying to get by, perhaps in their “1000 Dollar Car,” the name of their hilarious hit about purchasing a money pit on wheels. The Rocket’s influences include Lynyrd Skynyrd and Neil Young & Crazy Horse, but the group is far from a follower—the Rockets are pioneers. For the past two decades the band has fronted the alt-country and roots rock revival movement. Few other bands these days can call themselves authentic blue-collar poets that know how to rock. Come Thursday night, prepare for Sportsmen’s Tavern to be bursting with rock’n’roll soul and twangy tunes that showcase why Allmusic calls the band “one of America’s great unsung rock & roll bands.”

- maddy tiede

7pm Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst St. (874-7734 / sportsmenstavern.com) $35, 21+