Not many people saw this one coming – a book that is essentially a collection of concert posters from Buffalo punk, new-wave, and alt rock bands that put this city on the map for its progressive music scene. It took the effort of three local music aficionados to spearhead this monumental effort. Robby Takac (Goo Goo Dolls), along with artists Karl Kotas and Don Keller, came together to curate a collection of posters that essentially spell out Buffalo’s punk/new-wave art and music scene from the late ’70’s into the 2000’s. It’s a tribute to the bands, the musicians, the venues, the promoters, and the fans, all in one fell swoop.
The whole idea for the book came about when Takac held an art show at his GCR Audio Studio Gallery this past August, featuring works that were curated by Don Keller, a local illustrator, artist and former nightclub owner. Keller got Kotas to contribute his own work, along with other significant artists and musicians of the era, including David Kane, Mark Freeland, Mark Wisz, Ed Besch, Bud Redding, Candio, as well as other anonymous artists and band members. Combined with some of Keller’s own works, the result is a large-format paperback that is considered “a comprehensive time-capsule of a wild and crazy history of Buffalo’s pop culture.”
According to Keller, the music scene around that time rivaled some of the best music rock music scenes in the country including Seattle, Austin, Chicago… and even gave San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York City a run for the money. This is an era that birthed bands like the Goo Goo Dolls and 10,000 Maniacs, both of which went on to make a name for themselves globally. And then there were the countless acts that helped to put Buffalo on the map for its high energy rock scene – bands such as The Fems, Electroman, Erectronics, Paper Faces, Green Jelly, Famous Blue Raincoat, Funk Monsters & Woman, Trek With Quintronic, The Headhunters, Splatcats, Factor, Full Of Grace, Consorting Angels, The Tails, Jacklords, Homeboy Sacred, ELK, Pluto Gang, David Watts, Dolly Dew & The Weiner, Crawl-space, Asleep In Church, Blaze of Glory, Tension, The Pinheads, and Nullstadt.
Much of the artwork featured in the book, titled Underground Buffalo Rock Posters: The Continental and Beyond, came directly from the artists and the musicians, who held onto the flyers, handbills, posters, and original works of art over the years. What was really considered throwaway art, has somehow circulated back to an artistic team of Buffalo music enthusiasts that have managed to paste it all together for everyone to enjoy.
Underground Buffalo Rock Posters: The Continental and Beyond
Available exclusively at amazon.com
ISBN-13: 978-1717958402 / ISBN-10: 1717958400 Soft Cover / 8” x 10” / 118 Pages
