Buffalo Tom is a great band out of Boston that had a pretty nice run in the early 90's when grunge and alt-rock took off, even though they don't really fit into either of those categories.
They had a couple of hit albums and some singles and videos that made a splash or two (and a song featured in the ABC series "My So-Called Life"), but they never really took off like they should have.
They are a truly GREAT rock band that deserved much more success than they received at that time (they were so much better than 90% of the bands that sold millions of records during that period, it's not even funny).
Buffalo Tom is also my favorite band of all time.
I discovered them because of my love of a band called Dinosaur Jr., whose leader J. Mascis, produced BT's first album, which sounded a lot like Dinosaur Jr.
I liked the first album quite a bit, but it was their second album, the magnificent "Birdbrain" (which Mascis assisted with producing along with the great Sean Slade) that really got my attention.
The songs were brilliant, and the sound was rough and unique. It was when they toured to support this record in 1991 that I first experienced Buffalo Tom live, and it was kind of life-changing.
By the time their third album, a true desert-island-disc called "Let Me Come Over," was released in 1992, I was fully on-board, obsessed, and completely in love with the band. I never looked back.
So, in the time since I discovered the band those many years ago, I have become close friends with lead singer/songwriter and guitarist Bill Janovitz (who actually composed original music for a play that I co-wrote, directed and appeared in in 2003, called "Here Comes a Regular), and with the other members bassist/vocalist Chris Colbourn, and drummer Tom Maginnis.
They don't do the music thing full time anymore (they are all in their late 50s), but they continue to record music and release albums periodically, and their latest, "Jump Rope"(their 10th full length studio album) is absolutely terrific.
The band decided to do a short tour to just a few cities outside of Boston, and one of those cities is, of course, Chicago, where we love us some Buffalo Tom!
The show was at the Metro, the legendary club in Lake View (I refuse to call the area Wrigleyville, because it isn't real....it is a made-up neighborhood) which is probably the best place to see a concert in the city of Chicago.
Bill set me up with a ticket and an all-access backstage pass (which is obviously awesome, and he is kind enough to do that for me for every show). I arrived around forty minutes before the show, hung out with the guys, and went out to the floor to see the show.
What a show it was.
BT was is incredible form, and the setlist was incredible, filled with classic cuts from the past and a couple of new one as well.
They also played the most beloved songs like "Summer" (which they opened with), "Mineral," "Sodajerk" (the song from "My So-Called Life'), "Larry," "Birdbrain," "I'm Allowed," and of course, "Taillights Fade," which is actually my favorite song of all time.
Also, they dedicated "Taillights" to WXRT radio personality Lin Brehmer who recently passed away, and was one of the most beloved broadcasters in the history of the business. It was lovely gesture, and an incredibly powerful version of an already incredibly powerful song.
The set was energetic, lively, loud, and performed with vigor by the three guys, who you could have sworn were in their 20's. The concert was stellar, and yet another example of why BT is considered one of the best live bands you will ever see.
It was lovely to catch up with Bill and the guys, and see some other friends backstage, including Dag Juhlin from Poi Dog Pondering (among other bands), the great Joe Shanahan (owner of Metro and GMan Tavern), and a few more wonderful folks.
We caught up, chatted, drank some seltzer water, and I was out of there before 11pm...it's amazing how different it is being backstage after a rock concert when everyone is in their 50's.
Overall, it was an incredible night of music and socializing that I will remember for a long time to come.
If you are unfamiliar with Buffalo Tom, you should familiarize yourself with them immediately. As I said before, they have ten studio albums, and they are all terrific records. They have a terrific website, and they appear live pretty regularly in Boston.
Bill Janovitz has gone onto write a few incredible music related books, including an outstanding biography of musician Leon Russell called "Leon Russell: The Master of Space and Time's Journey Through Rock & Roll History." He is currently working on a book about another fantastic band out of Boston: The Cars. That book should be out in early 2025.
That talent on display is pretty incredible, and the night August 8, 2024 at the Metro, was truly one for the books.
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