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Category: Alternative

  • Get Ready, Buffalo: T-Pain’s TP20 Tour Hits Outer Harbor Live on October 10!

    Get Ready, Buffalo: T-Pain’s TP20 Tour Hits Outer Harbor Live on October 10!

    Get Ready, Buffalo: T-Pain’s TP20 Tour Hits Outer Harbor Live on October 10!

    Buffalo’s music scene is about to get a massive dose of nostalgia and high-energy vibes as Grammy-winning artist T-Pain rolls into town for a can’t-miss performance at Outer Harbor Live at Terminal B. Mark your calendars for Friday, October 10, 2025—this stop on his TP20 Tour: Celebrating 20 Years of T-Pain promises to be an epic night of hits, auto-tune magic, and unbreakable party spirit. 

    For those who grew up blasting tracks like “Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’)” or “Bartender,” T-Pain needs no introduction. The Florida-born rapper, singer, and producer revolutionized the game in the mid-2000s with his innovative use of auto-tune, turning it from a studio tool into a cultural phenomenon. Over two decades, he’s racked up collaborations with everyone from Kanye West and Lil Wayne to Taylor Swift and Flo Rida, earning two Grammys along the way for smashes like “Blame It” with Jamie Foxx and “Good Life” with Kanye. But T-Pain’s story isn’t just about the charts—it’s about resilience. After facing backlash for his signature sound, he stripped it away on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert in 2014, proving his raw vocal talent and sparking a career renaissance. Now, at 40, he’s hotter than ever, with viral TikToks, a Twitch streaming empire, and fresh music that bridges generations.

    The TP20 Tour is T-Pain’s way of saying thank you to fans who’ve stuck with him through the highs and lows. Announced earlier this year with a heartfelt video message, the tour highlights his evolution from club anthems to introspective bangers, complete with surprise guests and deep cuts.  Expect a setlist packed with classics like “I’m Sprung,” “Chopped ‘N’ Skrewed,” and “Can’t Believe It,” alongside newer gems from his 2023 album On Top of the Covers, where he reimagines hits by artists like Sam Cooke and Journey. And if his recent shows are any indication, T-Pain’s live energy is infectious—he’s known for crowd-surfing, impromptu freestyles, and turning venues into massive sing-alongs.

    Joining T-Pain on stage in Buffalo are rising stars EarthGang and Armani White, adding layers of hip-hop flair and fresh sounds to the lineup.  EarthGang, the Atlanta duo signed to J. Cole’s Dreamville, brings their eclectic mix of soulful rhymes and psychedelic beats, while Armani White’s viral hit “Billie Eilish” promises to get the crowd hyped early.

    The venue couldn’t be more perfect for a fall night out. Outer Harbor Live at Terminal B, nestled along the shores of Lake Erie at 901 Fuhrmann Boulevard, is Buffalo’s go-to spot for outdoor concerts with stunning waterfront views.  Part of the Seneca Casinos Outer Harbor Live Concert Series, this amphitheater-style setup holds thousands and has hosted big names like Wallows this summer. 

    Gates open around 6:30 PM, with the show kicking off at 8 PM—plenty of time to grab drinks, snag merch, and soak in the sunset vibes.  Pro tip: Dress in layers for that crisp October air off the lake.

    Tickets are on sale now, starting at about $55, and they’re moving fast— Whether you’re a longtime fan reliving the glory days or a newcomer discovering his catalog, this concert is set to be a highlight of Buffalo’s 2025 music calendar.

    T-Pain’s ready to turn up; are you?

  • Darius Rucker brings rock-star vibe to his country show (review)

    ORLANDO — Every family has that one oddball uncle. The one no one truly understands because his current ventures come off as weird if you compare them to things of his background.

    You know, the one who only comes around every so often, however when does he is always bearing gifts. The uncle that all the younger cousins wished was their permanent babysitter because he allows them to underage drink, as long as they don’t tell mom. The one who has people hating him for the same exact reasons everyone else loves him.

    Former Hootie & the Blowfish frontman Darius Rucker was that uncle to Orlando, when he brought his “True Believers Tour” to the CFE Arena on Thursday.

    During his one-hour and 45 minutes set, Mr. Rucker’s setlist featured some country, some covers where he crossover genres, and a ton of Hootie magic.

    Mr. Rucker opened up his set with “Radio” and “Heartbreak Road,” two songs from his certified Gold album which he is currently out touring. With the vibe many of the songs created, he left many wondering: If Hootie & the Blowfish were to come out in the recent years, would they be able to find a home in the mainstream country music scene and climb the charts; as many of Mr. Rucker’s songs as a sol-artist contained ballads that wouldn’t have sounded weird if the rock group was to play them in the 90’. In fact, he introduced the Hootie and the Blowfish song “Let Her Cry” as “the first country song I ever wrote.”

    Mr. Rucker was very casual and all about his business, dressed in blue jeans, a Nike ball cap and matching black shirt and vest. He was not one to talk much while onstage, however when he did it would always get a great response from the crowd. He showed support to UCF multiple times. At one point during the show, he displayed the school’s logo across his giant video screens, behind his massive amount of stage lights.

    Aside from singer’s Corey Smith 30-minute opening set, and the Eli Young Band’s hour-long set, which contained all three of their smash hits “Even If It Breaks My Heart,” “Crazy Girl,” and “Drunk Last Night,” both acts would join Mr. Rucker on stage to perform Hank Williams, Jr.’s “Family Tradition.”

    Mr. Rucker would his set with “Wagon Wheel,” a hit of his which has garnered him great success on the charts and at music award shows.

    While Darius Rucker will always be known for his contributions to Hootie and the Blowfish, spending more than 25-years with the group, he has gone on to make a solo career for himself.

  • T. Mills first headlining show in Orlando

    It did not take T. Mills long to strip down to his white sleeveless hoody, and display his tattoos at his “All I Wanna Do Tour” when it played the Social here on Saturday night. In fact, it only took one song to be exact. His audience — 95 percent populated of females in their early-twenties late-teens — ate up every minute of it.

    While the 24-year-old out of California, born Travis Tatum Mills, has played in the city multiple times in the past, this show was extra special to him. It was his first time headlining a show in Orlando.

    Mr. Mills is a hybrid artist, with his sound switching between and mixing mainly three genres: rap, synthpop, and punk rock. While each song contained a different feel from the one previous, all the lyrics were the same, rude and catchy. During his high energy “Loud,” you could see Mr. Mills appreciation for his fans, as they battled back-and-forth with him through the lyrics.

    The charismatic Warped Tour alumnus was all over the stage with his gold microphone, taking the time to perform songs from his earliest projects; new EP “All I Wanna Do”; and even unreleased content, which is most likely to appear on his debut album with Columbia due sometime this year.

    The Social saw two opening acts prior to getting to the man on the poster, the popular Mod Sun was one. Despite taking the stage assisted by a walking cane, the “Hippy Hop” artist did not let his injured knee slow him down. Mr. Mod Sun amped-up his friends in the audience with stoner tunes and feel good lyrics. Backed by his DJ/ guitarist, who was a non-stop work freight, he ran through some fan favorites like “My Hippy,” “Stoner Girl,” “Free Love” and a new record, which will feature drums from Travis Barker on his new album.

    Mr. Mod Sun is a straight hippy and is “Happy As F*ck” about it. If music was to get boring for the artist, a career as the stoner camp counselor all the guys want to smoke with, and all the girls want to hook up with wouldn’t be far fetched.

    On top of opening the show, California artist Blackbear also took the stage with Mr. Mills to help him close the show. After performing the duo’s collaborated record “Coldest Winter,” one of Mr. Mills “sexy songs” (which contained thrusting and dry humping of the air); he would finish the show with the tour’s titled track, handpicking members of the crowd to join him on stage. After successfully blocking all selfie attempts possible, he would inspire those on stage to live in the moment and not behind their phone, as for the moment they were apart of his band.

    A true highlight of the show.

  • To Write Love On Her Arms Makes Orlando Heavy and Light Returns

    Jon Foreman did not let 30 stitches stop him from headlining the seventh annual “Heavy and Light” show presented by To Write Love On Her Arms Sunday night at the House of Blues.

    Foreman, who is the lead singer of Christian rock band Switchfoot, slashed his face during a morning surf last Monday in his hometown Encinitas, Calif. He fully recovered, however with more than 30 stitches — many of which are inside his upper lip — he was not able to sing for a couple of days and was forced to cancel Switchfoot’s album release party. This had the founder of To Write Love On Her Arms’ (TWLOHA) Jamie Tworkowski nervous that he would have to reschedule the yearly event.

    Prior to getting into the first song of his set “The Cure for Pain,” Foreman was given a care package by event attendee Allie Sinclar. The package contained a list of miscellaneous items as well as a small note to go along with it.

    Foreman took the stage backed by a cellist, Keith Tutten, and drummer, Aaron Redfield of Fiction Family and performed music from his solo projects as well as singles from his group projects including “Dare You To Move” which he performed with no microphone in unison with the crowd.  

    Grammy-nominated artist Mary Lambert opened up the musical acts with a combination of spoken word and song. Lambert mixed heavy songs with light commentary to keep the night at ease. The 24-year-old artist sang original pieces, including “She Keeps Me Warm,” which was the basis to Macklemore’s and Ryan Lewis “Same Love” chorus.

    When Lambert was not singing and playing the piano, she would reminisce on her past and the time she wrote her first spoken word piece about being a gay-Christian. She even managed to make her way back onto the stage to help Foreman perform “The World You Want.”

    Lambert was not the only artist on the bill to assist Foreman on stage following their set. Summer Set’s vocalist Brian Dales provided tunes for not one, but two songs during Foreman’s set. Dales and Foreman performed their own rendition of Lorde’s single “Royals,” and “This is Home” which appeared in a Disney film (I guess it’s only right to pay homage to the mouse when your in his home).

    The tour’s name hits the nail right on on the head. While musical sets by Tristan Prettyman and The Summer Set where what brought many out, it was their personal messages in between songs which kept people engaged.

    It was the stories from 20-year-old Kevin Breel, who discussed how the “hardest choice I ever made was staying alive” just hours after leading his high school basketball team to the State Championship in 2011. It was the spoken word pieces from poet Anis Mojgani, who showed listeners that everyone deserved to be loved.

    The event was live streamed for those who could not make it out to the show, and ended with a finale which contained all acts from the night singing “Lean on Me.”

  • Concert Review: Sensual, racy and emotional; The Weeknd seduces sold out Hard Rock

    Concert Review: Sensual, racy and emotional; The Weeknd seduces sold out Hard Rock

    ORLANDO — Sex, drugs and more sex — “Warning this show contains mature content,” guest are advised as they entered the Hard Rock Live, Friday night for the sold out “Kiss Land Fall Tour”.

    From the parking lot to the venue, everything belonged to Abel Tesfaye (who goes by The Weeknd). The music Gods provided a perfect setting for night — hipster chicks dressed in mom shorts, band tees and winter skully hats — natural herbal- substance aroma filled room, while a dark foggy overcast served as a welcoming background outside, mirroring the mood that would take place inside.

    Serving as the perfect composer, Tesfaye added to the ambiance providing free condoms at his merchandise table, along with a video display of two girls fornicating with each other on his stage backdrop.

    “How many of you have heard my new album ‘Kiss Land’?” asked the 23-year old singer out of Toronto Canada to the sold out crowd. “For those who didn’t I wanted you to experience the new songs like this, with the fans singing along and weed smoke being blown in the air.”

    Who is The Weeknd and how did he get so popular? How has a guy who has made it his duty to stay out of the tabloids become such a fan favorite, hosting his second consecutive sold out show in Orlando not even a year apart.

    The human nature of Prince with vocal abilities resembling a paranoid Michael Jackson, The Weeknd and his new age R&B style has taken over Generation Y.

    Performing almost every song of his new “Kiss Land” album, which debuted at No.2 on the Billboard 200 list — The Weeknd transited over the Japanese themes to his performance, quick infomercials of Japanese hotlines and hentai characters served as transition pieces as he moved from one song to another.

    About as mysterious as they come, Tesfaye opened up his set with “Adaptation” behind a sheer curtain, forcing fans to enjoy his singing skills and not dwell on his personal presence (much like how his career has been).

    While it was the “Kiss Land Fall Tour”, The Weeknd made sure to perform “the fucking classics.” Paying homage to his first piece of work, Tesfaye performed songs of off his mixtape “House of Balloons”: “The Zone,”  “The Morning,” “Wicked Games” and a few more. But he did not venture off into his other two projects “Echoes of Silence” and “Thursday” during his sensual 90-minute performance which fans sang along to every time.

    At one point during the show you could tell that Tesfaye was caught off guard that he had such a loyal following, as the crowd managed to overpower him being so loud.

    A good performance can truly increase an artist stock and take an individual song to the next level. During “Pretty” we got to see just how egotistic and heartbroken Tesfaye was. With all eyes on him, the video monitors switched from playing videos to a close up of Tesfaye performing live, where fans were able to see the agony this relationship has put on him.

    Beauty, Banks, opened the show and served as a perfect compliant to The Weeknd. If there were a girl on the other end responding to his lyrics it would be her. Afraid to let her talent show at times, the dark themed artist comes off as the cutie that didn’t realize she was hot until way late. Taking a break from performing songs off her latest EP “London,” Banks true talents were displayed during her cover of Lauryn Hill – “Ex Factor.”