Buffalo has a host of concert options this week. From up-and-coming rappers to reimagined indie rock outfits, there is something for everyone, no matter the genre.
This week’s highlights include Freddie Gibbs, one of the most prominent rappers on the up from the west coast and EL VY, Matthew Berninger’s newest project.
There are only two weeks of school left. Don’t miss these last chances to get out and enjoy Buffalo before finals week starts.
Wednesday, April 27
SoMo – Town Ballroom
American singer-songwriter Joseph Anthony Somers-Morales, aka SoMo, will be performing in Buffalo on Wednesday. He originally rose to fame through his YouTube videos of him covering popular R&B songs.
In 2013, his videos earned him a record deal with Republic Records and he has released three R&B albums with them since then.
Currently he is touring off of My Life II, his third studio album released Sept. 11, 2015. His music primarily centers on his dynamic vocal range and he is known for his wide range of covers during his live shows.
Freddie Gibbs – Mohawk Place
West Coast-style rapper Fredrick Tipton, better known as Freddie Gibbs, is coming to Buffalo from Gary, Indiana.
The musician has been making rounds since his first official release in ’09, The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs.
Since then, the rapper has been steadily rising in the ranks of the rap world, gaining talent and notoriety with each release. He released his second studio album, Shadow of a Doubt, on Nov. 20 in 2015, where it reached a peak of eighth on the charts.
He will be performing at the Mohawk Place on Wednesday.
Thursday, April 28
Summer Scouts – Mohawk Place
From Allentown, Pennsylvania, Summer Scouts is an indie rock band on the up-and-up. They have been skirting around the edges of the music scene on the eastern seaboard for the last few years.
Their first album The Distance was released two years ago in April 2014. They are celebrating their anniversary by playing a show at the Mohawk Place. Come see the Summer Scouts and their eclectic brand of post-modern indie rock.
Friday, April 29
Steely Dan – Seneca Niagara Events Center
American jazz rock band Steely Dan has become a household name in modern music, after over 30 years of touring. The band first started in the ’70s, called the “perfect musical antiheroes for the Seventies” by Rolling Stone.
The brokeup in ’81 but reunited in ’93 and has been touring ever since. Since their reunion, the band has made two new albums: Two Against Nature and Everything Must Go.
The iconic ’70s rock band will be performing in Buffalo on Friday at Seneca Niagara Casino.
Saturday, April 30
Terravita – Waiting Room
Terravita was in the dubstep scene before dubstep was even called dubstep.
They first started blowing up during the EDM revolution in the 2000s, but have been championing bass-driven dance music for years now.
They have an impressive live resume, from Red Rocks to Safe in Sound Festival. Now they will be bringing their heavy-hitting bass drops to the Waiting Room on Saturday night.
Sunday, April 31
EL VY – The Rapids Theatre
Matthew Berninger, best known for his work with The National, has started another project with Brent Knopf of Menomena to create El VY.
The sound is a lighter, more poppy indie rock than the heavy-hearted, melancholic music of The National, but Berninger’s deep voice still recognizable.
The newfound band has been trying to build itself up as a new act and has been touring for the last year. The band is touring its first album Return to the Moon.
Brian Windschitl is a senior arts editor and can be reached at brian.windschitl@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Ryan Hagen | UB Athletics
