Colin James hits the open road to Buffalo on April 22 at Riverworks

Colin James has 17 studio albums to his credit, but only one Top 10 hit. As someone for whom songs such as “Five Long Years,” “Why’d You Lie,” and “Voodoo Thing” are essential, I’ve always found the lack of chart success surprising despite the obvious explanation being that there are plenty of Canadian artists that … Continue reading Colin James hits the open road to Buffalo on April 22 at Riverworks

U2’s “Songs of Surrender” is a soulful yet self-aggrandizing reminder of the band’s not-dead-yet potential

For years, the guys in U2 have been stuck in a moment that they can’t seem to get out of. Bono and Co. have tried to be everything to everyone for so long that they’ve forgotten how to exist solely as a rock band capable of transcendence when the lights are brightest. They allowed the … Continue reading U2’s “Songs of Surrender” is a soulful yet self-aggrandizing reminder of the band’s not-dead-yet potential

Journey and Toto welcomed with open arms to Buffalo’s KeyBank Center

Hemingway once said that his aim as a writer was to express his feelings in the simplest way possible, which is the same recipe that Journey perfected en route to cementing its Hall-of-Fame resumé. Neal Schon and Co. have churned out so many commercial earworms, in fact, that critics forget just how many stellar musicians … Continue reading Journey and Toto welcomed with open arms to Buffalo’s KeyBank Center

Wrong Side of Paradise: Black Star Riders bassist Robbie Crane discusses the band’s fifth studio release

On Aug. 13, 2003, an unknown singer from Northern Ireland named Ricky Warwick found himself opening for Def Leppard at the Erie County Fairgrounds. He was armed with nothing but an acoustic guitar and a 30-minute window with which to make an impression, but the fact that he’s fronting UK-based hard rock outfit Black Star … Continue reading Wrong Side of Paradise: Black Star Riders bassist Robbie Crane discusses the band’s fifth studio release

The Lords of 52nd Street take The Riviera on a riveting ride through the Billy Joel songbook

Michael Jordan spent six seasons getting pummeled by the Celtics and Pistons before Chicago Bulls General Manager Jerry Krause finally surrounded him with the right pieces to win an NBA Championship. While MJ was always “The Man,” the contributions of Scottie Pippen, John Paxson, Horace Grant, and Bill Cartwright were invaluable en route to creating … Continue reading The Lords of 52nd Street take The Riviera on a riveting ride through the Billy Joel songbook

Resist & Bite: Ex-Tesla guitarist Tommy Skeoch hypes his new band ahead of Niagara Falls date

Building a band from the ground up after playing an integral role in three platinum-selling albums isn’t easy, but that’s what Tommy Skeoch has done with Resist & Bite. The ex-Tesla guitarist joined forces with former Lynch Mob vocalist Nathan Utz, Brian Powell, David Parks, and Steve Stokes to go back to the bars with … Continue reading Resist & Bite: Ex-Tesla guitarist Tommy Skeoch hypes his new band ahead of Niagara Falls date