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Originally Published in The Buffalo News
October 31, 2018
By Mac McGuire

Ian Sweet, 7 p.m. Nov. 2, Mohawk Place (47 E. Mohawk St.), $12.

Brooklyn up-and-comer Ian Sweet will help usher Buffalo into a post-Halloween world on Friday night at the downtown music hot spot.

The nervy indie-pop act will be passing through town to play selections off its just-released sophomore record “Crush Crusher.” The album’s cascading lead single “Hiding” has been getting a fare share of blog love from the likes of Pitchfork, Fader and Stereogum. Fans of Speedy Ortiz, Japanese Breakfast and Waxahatchee would be best to give Ian Sweet a spin.

Chicago emo turned post-rock outfit Young Jesus will open up the show. The band’s latest record, the sprawling “The Whole Thing Is Just There,” was shared last month via influential Omaha label Sadie Creek Records and continues to see Young Jesus distance itself from its former bar-rock sounds while embracing Mogwai, Slint and Mount Eerie-esque musical landscapes

Local support will be provided by the raucous garage-punk act Ugly Sun.

Roger Bryan & the Orphans, 9 p.m. Nov. 3, Stamps (98 Main St., Tonawanda), $5.

Crunchy roots rockers Roger Bryan & the Orphans will be emerging from its annual slumber to play a northtowns gig at Stamps.

Performing for the first time since May, the band will be rewarding patient Orphans’ fans with new material when taking the Tonawanda stage. Bryan and crew have been busy recording “Keep You in Mind,” the group’s first collection of new music since last year’s “9er EP” and first full-length record since dropping the excellent “37” way back in 2011. The 10-track LP was recorded at Black Rock’s Sessions Recording Studios and will be shared this coming spring.

In the meantime, now is as good of a time as any to catch up on Bryan’s material. He has been gradually uploading the entire Orphans’ back catalog to Spotify, with a collection of B-sides and rarities soon to follow. In addition, “In Regards to Your Affair,” the debut album from his beloved former band the Old Sweethearts, will soon join the act’s classic sophomore release “Arms of the Town” on the streaming service, so stay tuned.

Opening the show will be a band that is so new and fresh, it doesn’t even have a name as of this posting. Comprised of members of Lazlo Hollyfeld, Johnny Nobody and On Beta, the Orphans’ buddies and scene vets will be making their live debut performance.

Ty Segall with William Tyler, 7 p.m. Nov. 4, Buffalo Iron Works (49 Illinois St.), $25.

Indie rock’s hardest working man will be paying a visit to Buffalo’s Cobblestone District to cap off the weekend.

Even by Segall standards, 2018 has been a rather prolific year for lo-fi garage rocker’s ever-growing catalog. The California-born musician began the year with a double offering of original material in January’s “Freedom Goblin,” and then proceeded to share a co-release with former collaborator White Fence, a record with backing band the GØGGS and a covers album featuring takes on Neil Young, John Lennon and the Grateful Dead, all before the end of September. And because four releases just isn’t enough, last week he dropped an extremely limited-edition cassette titled “Orange Rainbow.”

Normally known for a rather raucous live show, Segall will be riding solo for his assumingly subdued Iron Works gig this weekend as part of a month-long acoustic tour that promises to dig up some deep cuts and rarities from his endless collection of songs.

Joining Segall will be country-folk guitarist and composer William Tyler. Previously seen opening for Real Estate back in 2015 at the Tralf Music Hall, the former Lambchop and Silver Jews member’s most recent acclaimed release, 2016’s expansive “Modern Country,” features contributions Wilco’s Glenn Kotche and Megafaun’s Phil Cook.