Music N' Other Drugs

“It has to start somewhere, it has to start sometime What better place than here, what better time than now?” When Zack de la Rocha delivered that line near the halfway point of Monday night’s roast of American Exceptionalism by Rage Against the Machine at KeyBank Center, everyone in attendance appeared to be in total … Continue reading Rage Against the Machine unleashes its mass militant poetry on Buffalo’s KeyBank Center

“Music does a lot of things for a lot of people. It’s transporting, for sure. It can take you right back, years back, to the very moment certain things happened in your life. It’s uplifting, it’s encouraging, it’s strengthening.” – Aretha Franklin 54 days have passed since an 18-year-old white supremacist allegedly entered a grocery … Continue reading Willie Nile’s set at Fountain Plaza offers respite during troubled time

So many subgenres of metal have emerged in the past 50 years that it’s almost laughable. Everyone wants to get more technical, more extreme, and more removed from what could be considered the old guard, but I myself am drawn to that classic sound. Angular riffs, soaring vocals, and anthemic choruses that take told of … Continue reading Jack Starr’s Burning Starr returns with “Souls of the Innocent”

Ex-Quiet Riot bassist Chuck Wright didn’t set out to make a solo record, but, after hearing the project in full this week, I can say with total confidence that he made the right call. What we hear throughout these 11 tracks is the sound of an artist tapping into the deepest recesses of his creative … Continue reading Chuck Wright’s creativity takes flight on debut solo album

If you’re reading this, you may be wondering aloud why the world needed yet another touring act dedicated to keeping the music of Pink Floyd alive and your cynicism wouldn’t necessarily be unwarranted. Between Brit Floyd, The Machine, The Australian Pink Floyd Show, and WNY’s own The Floyd Concept, this material has been covered ad … Continue reading The Gilmour Project opts for improvisation over pinpoint accuracy during riveting Riviera set

Envy of None’s debut album dropped earlier this month and the response has been a tale of two eras. In one corner, we have the lifelong Rush Rats disappointed that Alex Lifeson’s new project doesn’t sound like the second coming of “Moving Pictures.” In the other, we have those willing to give the album a … Continue reading Look Inside: Bassist Andy Curran discusses Envy of None’s stirring debut album

In a Music N’ Other Drugs first, Udo Dirkschneider joined me for a video call this week to discuss his upcoming album, “My Way,” as well as what he has planned for the remainder of 2022. “My Way” is set to be released on April 22. See http://www.udo-online.com for details. Continue reading Udo Dirkschneider does it his way on covers album set to drop on April 22

Eric Clapton gets a lot of credit for being an ambassador of the blues, but it’s been at least 50 years since he’s played anything with the kind of fire that Sue Foley brings on her latest album, “Pinky’s Blues.” She exudes a natural confidence and energy in her six-string attack that makes every note … Continue reading Pinky Sings the Blues: Sue Foley rocks Buffalo’s Sportsmen’s Tavern

My initial foray into the world of Tool came as a result of reading Robert Christgau’s dismissal of their 2001 masterpiece, “Lateralus,” in which he referred to them as “meaning-mongering for the fantasy fiction set,” and I knew instantly that they were a band worth exploring. Not because I enjoy fantasy fiction, of course, but because … Continue reading Tool isn’t afraid to go deep at first Buffalo show in 20 years

The history of hard rock and heavy metal is littered with bands that people say should have been huge, but Riot is one that actually had everything in place to do so. Killer songs, feral guitars, and a definitive masterpiece in 1981’s “Fire Down Under” that remains a 10 out of 10 to this day. … Continue reading Former Riot guitarist Rick Ventura is back with a new band and that same scorching Les Paul sound