"Assembly" brings up-and-coming bands to Buffalo State

Bands like the Talking Heads, REM and the Red Hot Chili Peppers once held free shows for Buffalo State students, back before they became international names.

Micheal Moretti, operations manager for the student union, along with Student Life and WBNY, has set out on a mission to bring the up-and-coming music scene back to campus.

Raccoon Fighter and Joywave, two new indiebands, will be providing a free show to students with Buffalo State IDs at 9 p.m. Friday in the Assembly Hall.

"I want this to be a fun alternative for Friday night and I want kids to brag about Buff State and be like ‘I saw that band at Buff State when I was a sophomore and now they're on mtvU'," Moretti said.

The show, called "Assembly," aims to bring bands to Buffalo State that are on the rise in the hope of restoring the student union to its "earlier state of cool" and incorporate the show with the Year of the Arts, he said.

WBNY's contribution is more promotional, said Terence Harding, general manager for WBNY. Members of the radio station will set up and film the show, but mostly their focus is on getting the word out on the airwaves.

Joywave, from Rochester, will be headlining the show. Raccoon Fighter, a three-part band composed of Sean Gavigan, Gabe Wilhelm and Zac Ciancaglini, will be the main act on Friday night.

Originally from Vineland in Southern New Jersey, Ciancaglini and Gavigan moved to New York City in 2008 and joined up with Wilhelm to later form Raccoon Fighter, Gavigan said.

As for the unique name, the mother of one of their friends had problems with raccoons in her garden and that inspired the name, he said.

Members of the band said their inspiration for songs comes from other music they listen to, including The Kinks, The Stooges, The Rolling Stones and some blues.

"I can't believe I'm quoting Picasso right now, but I think he said ‘Good artists borrow but great artists steal,' and you could take it literally — but what I think he meant was an artist is only as good as his influences," Wilhelm said.

The reason this band was asked to do a show for Buffalo State is that Moretti knew of them since he is originally from Brooklyn.

Since the band members have never been to Buffalo before, they said they're looking forward to the trip and the chance to experience the city through the locals.  They recently released a 7-inch vinyl titled "Butcherette."

The show is being funded through Student Life, with the money being allocated by Gail Wells, Moretti said.

There will be another show taking place as part of the Assembly on Oct. 28th, featuring a 10-piece folk band.

Jennifer Waters can be reached by email at waters.record@live.com.