Buffalo Creek & the Old Crooks

The first week of school is basically one extended weekend, the only drawback being the occasional class early in the morning. Not the threat of rain, nor the dread of school, kept the crowd from filling LaSalle's on a Wednesday night to check out two bands, both relatively new to the bar scene.
Fearing being rained on without the protection of my umbrella that I conveniently left at the Synthesis office, I decided to drive to the show, forcing me to stay sober. However, this didn't keep me from having a great time. The Old Crooks were on first and quickly busted into their Chili Peppers influenced punk rock set. They set themselves apart from most punk bands when vocalist Jeremy Rich pulled out the harmonica. Punk rock with harmonica? They definitely scored points for uniqueness, even though I personally hate the sound of harmonicas. Most everyone I talked to however thought that the harmonica added a cool element to their music. Hoe-down, cow punk. They were relatively tight and played well together, but the vocalists looked a little uncomfortable on stage. Although guitarist Tim LaLonde looked like he was having a blast, the bassist/vocalist for the most part looked at his fret board and the harmonica player/vocalist stared at the floor as he rocked the mic. I'm sure these little hang-ups will quickly disappear as they gain more stage experience.
Buffalo Creek has been playing the Chico party circuit for the last few years, honing their chops, working out harmonies, and biding their time, waiting for the perfect moment to bust into the bar scene. Their time is now. With their new rhythm section in full swing, the band sounded tighter than ever. For those not yet familiar with the Buffalo Creek sound, they blend elements of rock, folk and country into a delicious stew, suitable for listeners who dig on alt-country bands such as Wilco and Uncle Tupelo, as well as classic rockers like Neil Young and Credence Clearwater. They're a band that focuses on good time rock 'n' roll and concise songwriting, instead of flash and furry. Lead singer Bryn Loosley's gravely, yet smooth voice rang like a shot throughout the large room with unmatched beauty and power through their nearly hour and a half set. Seriously, the boy's got some pipes. August Germar's bass and Kevin Byrne's drumming really gave the rock a good backbone. And, Mark Stafford's lead guitar lines intertwined around Joe Reynold's solid rhythm playing providing a nice full sound. Buffalo Creek played mostly original material, including the humorous immediate crowd pleaser, "Axle Rose," as well as several covers, rocking well into the night. In the middle of the set, a few numbers were a bit shaky, not quite as tight as their strong beginning and they also experienced some tuning problems. However, apart from a few bugs in the system, it was a great show. Once they get a little tighter, they're sure to be one of the best bands in town.
This is a new semester and many new bands are coming out of the woodwork to strut their stuff. Give 'em a chance, go see them rock out and support your scene!

- Maurice Spencer Teilmann
- Photos by D.C. Ramirez

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