The Scene is BTPM The Bridge’s regional music show hosted by Chelsea O of Stress Dolls. It features all artists who are currently based in Western New York and Southern Ontario and airs from 10-11 am every Sunday. Check out this week’s playlist below, and click the song links to learn more about these artists and their music!
1. “In Your Mind” - Talking Violet // Windsor, ON
The brand new single from a band who have coined themselves as “dreamo,” AKA a combination of shoegaze, grunge, and dream pop.
2. “Green” - Bebe and Oona // Toronto, ON
Bebe and Oona have been making waves in the Toronto music scene since playing NXNE this past Spring. I had the opportunity to chat with them this week about their debut album, Keep a Secret, what it’s like to play with your sibling in a band, and more (you can check that out here).
3. “on my way home” - akloh. // Buffalo, NY
If you live in Buffalo and are in tune with the music scene, but have yet to hear of akloh., I can only assume you’ve been under a rock. He’s been grinding seemingly non-stop since 2024, playing solo shows and releasing several catchy singles that you’d be hard-pressed to dislodge from your brain. He’s making his debut with a full band (akloh. and co.) this upcoming Friday, Sept. 12, at Buffalo Iron Works at 8 pm.
4. “Flaw in the System” - Elephants and Stars // Toronto, ON
Self described as having a sound “somewhere between the raw energy of Foo Fighters and Jimmy Eat World,” Elephants and Stars play nostalgic rock that still manages to stay fresh. If you’re in the GTA and free tonight, you can catch the band live when they open for Richard Lloyd of Television at Mills Hardware in Toronto at 8 pm.
5. “Tangerines & shiny things” - TylerB ft. Ali Wick // Toronto, ON
TylerB is a producer who has worked with artists spanning from Toronto to Vancouver. This particular collaboration features Ali Wick on vocals, a Toronto pop artist who has been on The Scene in the recent past.
6. “Best Things” - Alison Pipitone Band // Buffalo, NY
Alison Pipitone has been a staple of the Buffalo music scene for decades. I’ve told this story often, but I still remember being an intern as WBFO’s “Blues Music Librarian” (basically sitting in a tiny room and sorting through CDs all day) and coming across her album Me and Miss Grimes, thinking to myself, “wow, she looks super cool.” That assumption was accurate. Catch Alison and her band live at Penny Lane’s in Clarence, NY, on Sept. 11 at 7 pm.
7. “talk is cheap” - ray hollow // Toronto, ON
ray (stylized lowercase) is described as “offering an outsider’s perspective to anyone who’s ever felt a little out of place.” Relatable! If you’re in Toronto you can catch them Sunday, Sept. 7 at their Breaking Sound showcase at Handlebar at 7 pm.
8. “Ya Shoulda Been Mine” - Chris Glyde // Rochester, NY
Chris says that he’s inspired by the likes of Hozier, The Civil Wars, and Jack Johnson, which I can definitely hear throughout this song. When he’s not doing music, he runs Buffalo’s School of Guitar.
9. “One Day I’ll Be Lying Dead” - Matches Laces // Buffalo, NY
Matches Laces is the project of Mike Santillo, who some may recognize from his work with The Tins. The artist says that he likes to “write and record as he goes,” versus starting with a full-fledged song prior to putting it in tangible form.
10. “Nvr Rlly Hnst” - The Meringues // Kingston, ON
It’s never fun, but occasionally we have tech difficulties on The Scene. Unfortunately this song was a victim a couple of weeks ago, so we thought we’d try again! The Meringues are said to be known for their “explosive live shows and captivating stage presence.”
11. “Here and Now” - FAR // Buffalo, NY
It’s been a minute since we’ve heard from Buffalo’s FAR, so it was nice receiving an email that they were planning on releasing their new single, “Here and Now,” on Sept. 10. The airing on today’s program was an exclusive first listen!
12. “Remember” - ackzz // Toronto, ON
ackzz’s output is honestly kind of astounding. The artist is seemingly endlessly churning out new songs, on a monthly, or even biweekly, basis. Case in point: I went to grab a file that had been submitted a few weeks ago, and it had already been replaced with this song, uploaded only a couple of hours before. Touché, ackzz.
13. “The Alchemist” - The Urnfields // Brantford, ON
The Urnfields create music that “explores grief, love, and the complexity of adult life” - I can only imagine that those complexities provide an endless well of inspiration. This track is both ethereal and unexpectedly poppy, I can imagine it fitting in perfectly on the soundtrack for the latest popular streaming dramedy.
14. “Empty Barrooms” - Dan Young // Toronto, ON
A song that is sure to be relatable to any independent artist - is there an experience more common among us than playing to an empty room where only the staff of the establishment is listening (well, them at the “tables and chairs”)? The least we can do is write a song about it, and that’s exactly what Dan Young found fit to do.
15. “Teeth” - Maya LaMacchia // Buffalo, NY
It’s been a minute since Maya released music, but I hope to hear more from her. Listening to this song inevitably brings to mind hints of Elliott Smith, but that will never not be a compliment.
A Spotify playlist is available to stream here, but we encourage you to purchase these artists’ downloads, CDs, or vinyl; buy their merch; or go see a show.
If you’re an artist who is currently based in Western New York or Southern Ontario and are interested in submitting your music for consideration, fill out our submission form here.