This was a great year of enjoying live music for me as I just recently moved to the Elmwood/Allentown area. I was in walking distance of a couple of Buffalo's great venues now and had a chance to be introduced to many good local bands and see some great shows. Almost all of the best of items here are of national acts though as I have only recently gotten into the local scene, but perhaps by next year that will all be different.
Top 3 Shows of the Year:
Rocket to Allentown/
Beautiful Day on Allen at Nietzsches
Originally scheduled to be a night of bands playing U2
songs, the event was changed to include by popular demand a tribute show dome
the previous year in which bands played the music of classic punk rock bands
like The Ramones and The Buzzcocks. I was skeptical of these two different musical
styles being played back and forth in one night together but it came off well. All
the bands were very talented and performed the songs as good as the original
artists. It was great variety of music and it was great seeing some bands come clad
as the musicians they imitated, including the lead singer in Bono sunglasses.
Primus at Rapids Theater
Primus a favorite band of mine to begin with so to see them
at all puts them in my top favorite shows, but to see them playing some of
their rarer songs along with their hits and 3D images behind them makes this
one of my all time favorite shows. A highlight when they played my favorite
song of theirs, Dirty Drowning Man.
Sonic Garden and
Funktional Flow at DBGB
This double header of psychedelic rock bands was enough to
satisfy the biggest fans. The bands played extended jams to a visually stunning
light show creating a great psychedelic atmosphere.
Honorable Mention: It didn’t happen yet, but I’m sure the buffaBLOG holiday party and show this Saturday at DBGB starting at 10 will be the best show of all time.
Top 3 Albums of the Year:
Soundgarden - King Animal
The comeback album of one of the original Grunge Gods
and they came back still rocking as hard as when they left. Their first single
has the line “I’ve been away for too long” and it couldn’t be more true. Hopefully
this is the first of more new albums from them.
The Whigs - Enjoy the Company
While I did not find this album to be good as their last
one, I nevertheless enjoyed the garage rock bands fourth album. Per usual the rhythm
section of John Dorio on drums and Timothy Deaux on bass was stellar.
Jack White -
Blunderbuss
Jack White has been the creative force behind many albums
already, but this is his first solo release. The album featured his signature
blues style and dark lyrics such as “I want love to/ murder my own mother.”
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