16 or 17 Reasons To Attend The Buffalo Decency Rally III

The Buffalo Decency Rally III
Saturday 3 November 2012.  6 pm until ????
at Adam Mickiewicz Library and Dramatic Circle .
informally known as "The Polish Library" which is welcoming ethnic club on Buffalo's east side.
located  at 612 Fillmore.  GPS it, nerd---it's very close to the 33/Kensington Expressway Science Center exit.  $5.

                                                                                                               
                                                                  bands perfoming:

Ancients of Earth, 6pm (upstairs)

Real People, 6:30pm (downstairs)

Wreckage, 7pm (upstairs)

Small Axe, 7:30pm (downstairs)

Beardage, 8pm (upstairs)

   Water Torture, 8:30pm (downstairs)

   Total Overcomers, 9pm (upstairs)

Cages, 9:30pm (downstairs)

    Human Touch, 10pm (upstairs)

Plates, 10:30pm (downstairs)

   Gas Chamber, 11pm (upstairs)

   Returners, 11:30pm (downstairs)

      Jack Topht, midnight (upstairs)

         Mallwalkers, 12:30am (downstairs)

      Malarchuk, 1a.m. (upstairs)     

Curated by the dashing Aaron Weese, the man who unearthed the welcoming AMLADC™ as a music venue.  Used mostly for larger shows due to it's proximity to the city and large space, although the upstairs has a small, stage-less, more intimate space where bands will also be performing giving you little time to grab a drink, go outside for a smoke--or a fantastic bite to eat at the mobile AMY'S PLACE FOOD TRUCK (it's not just for veggie heads, either!) in between.  I've been stalking this truck and have been delighted on each occasion.
The Polish Library is an cool, multi room, separated smoky bar offering a wild selecting of Eastern Bloc Beers and a character not found in many places.  The price is right, they will inevitably run out of it and it packs a punch.  and you can enjoy a Poppe Shoppe™ cream soda after to enhance your hangover or replace the booze with altogether, if that's how you roll.   The club was established in 1895 and is named after a national Polish Poet, activist and political writer.  Active in Poland achieving independence, he wrote Lithuanian folk songs.  Yes, I've read up on the man.

Though i won't be breaking down each band and why you should give them 20 or so minutes of your life, i can tell you that this year is more varied than in years passed and that's no slap in the face of the 2 previous rallies.  Both have been high energy, highly populated all you can eat buffet's of Buffalo bands, mostly of the louder/heavy variety.  Last year, the Rally had to reloacate to the Dnipro Ukranian center, an absolutely beautiful structure with an even more cavernous room.   The sound suffered, but the exception to any accusations this mega-show is one-dimensional was the dramatic Cages filling the enormous room with a voice that needs to be heard to be believed.  This is complex, post-something I am not fit to properly describe, filled the room backed with guitar shards and solemn sounds. Maybe the most challenging act on the bill.  The band has releases on labels in other countries and probably should be witnessed by the discriminating Buffalo music fan.  I wouldn't be surprised if Cages were much more well known outside of the city.  Here is a chance to catch something powerful without power chords. 

Water Torture are two fellas who have been a rhythm section for several years now, musically attached at what's left of their brain cells.  This speaks nothing of their intelligence and more of their approach to life and blasting bass and drums purging self decribed grindcore violence.  They have a new 7", too.   WT have wittled things down to just the two of them (some past projects included first year crowd pleasers, Inerds and a quarter ounce of others).

Gas Chamber plays it darker, and their latest 7" is a well put together package that perfectly exposes the bands leaning towards, dark, unpleasant realities.  They are beyond a band at this point-they are a unit; a pack.  They take what they do very seriously--as it should be, and the result may be too much for some to handle, but they wouldn't have it any other way.  And that's a beautiful thing.   Meanwhile, Mallwalkers boast a expanding horn section (but don't get the wrong idea), a second vocalist (Jamie from the crushing Human Touch who are also playing and have a new 7" on Feral Kid, too) alongside the braintrust of Handsome Dan Carosa and are in it for the fun, but have excelled as they have continued and evolved--especially the inventive guitar work of this soulful punk band that leans toward the fun, the dancing, the getting out of the malls and into the goddamn streets.  Several vinyl and tape releases in and some great press last year, if they can keep the gang together, are poised for bigger things. 

Buffalo's Returners  are among the best bands in town at the moment, a post-punk jugernaut that picks up elements of mark's record collection and, along with familiar bandmate Tony F. on bass (the prolific Dr. Stephen Floyd adding essential left guitar and Renee Roberts on drums) creating some of the best indie rock in the city, hands down.  It wouldn't be pandering or a stretch to say they are among Buffalo's top bands and upcoming releases are highly anticipated.  For now, the demo is what we have to work with.

Perhaps the longest running band on the bill are Buffalo natives Small Axe (they live in the capital district now, i think--though thats off the top of my head and it's 5 a.m.).  This band has been at it, in one incarnation or another, playing garagey, heady psych-stoner rock since the earliest days of the 90s when Asbury Alley was a haven for a social miscreant like myself.  Still going strong and more equally relevant well over a decade later, they will be joined by the young but no less heavy Malarchuk , a heavy duty Sabbathy, driving rock band.  Undoubtedly Malarchuk will be labelled 'stoner', 'doom' 'downer' and whatever people who write about music (oh shit...) grab to in a lazy way of describing heavy rock and roll, done well--but not overcooked. They are a young band but boast a healthy pedigree of d00dz who know what the time is, so to speak.

Equal parts buffalo-rochester punk rock blasters Beardage bring it in your face, and keep it straight forward.  Fronted by Kevin M.--a man who will certainly be brought up years from now (as he is already) as among Buffalo's wildest and best frontmen.   But it ain't just antics here, it's adrenalin rush backed by Adam (fun rochester guy with the banter) and mild and wild Foster bringing the intense riffage. Great songs when so many many bands get the sound right and forget they need hooks to back it up.    You'll also get music from yours truly, via Plates.   And the eccentric rapper Jack Topht, who I've admired since his days playing 3 or 4 instruments at a time in Next Syphilis years ago. 

Curater Weese and his powerhouse drummer Steve K (or is it a C.?) in hibernating Sonorous Gale will be playing as The Total Overcomers who I'll be catching for the first time.  The same can be said for Real People and Wreckage  -- a hardcore band featuring ex-members of Get Back Up and Buried Alive. Both bands have new recordings from 2012 available.  Check out their links.  

And let us not forget the mysterious, quietly crushing sounds of Ancients of Earth .  AoE appeared on Warm Bath Label compilation 7" Buffalo Brutality last year but head towards spacey, sparse, quiet and beautiful instrumentals.  An interesting band captured on tape by Mr. Ski Mask at his fabled and always improving Electric Pumpkin Patch Studio.

Hopefully, the preview was helpful--maybe you already know or maybe you're in a band.  There are certainly some great bands milling around town right now who are NOT playing this show, but here's a chance to catch a good lot of them on one special night at one special place.  Do it.  Adam Mickiewicz would have wanted you to.

Good Morning.
                                                                     
 --sleepy anchovies
   11.3.12
   5:38 a.m.

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