Confessions of an old concert goer

On thursday's every summer my most excellent home town, Buffalo, NY has 'Thursday in the Square'.

For the last 22 years there have been free concerts in one of the city squares downtown.

I haven't gone down to one of these in quite a few years. Firstly, you're likely to stand for the event, which is cool, but you have to get there early if you'd like a place near the bandstand, so you're looking at 5 hours worth or so. I tend to see bands now where I'm sure I can get a seat, I think my 'festival seating' days are over. Secondly, there really haven't had anyone come to the series that I HAD to see.

Now I love to see live bands, always have. I've played in bands since I was 19, and had the good fortune of hooking up with some talented, creative people over the years. I played every bar in this town that hosted bands. (as well as Toronto, Rochester, and NYC)

I was never in a cover or wedding band, always original music which is fun, challenging and really suits me as a player. I was never uber talented, I just worked hard at it, and at the end of the day I think I'm a really good rhythm (I spelled that about 40 times wrong, btw...) guitar player. I can play simple lead stuff, but I will never be a 'shredder', but I digress.

Last night Patti and I made the trip down to see Big Head Todd and the Monsters.

BHTM has never really made it big, but they're a really solid working band. They were on the big list of bands we like that we never got to see and we've been fans since the early '90's. The last time they came to Buffalo, they were part of a street festival thing with a bunch of bands. You know, one of those all day things. Anyhow, we passed on it then, so when we had a chance to see them - for free no less - we did the thing. (based in Colorado, they don't make it east all that much...)

I think it's been 3 - 5 years since we checked out a concert in the square (Amiee Mann or Ben Folds - not sure of the chronology - both AMAZING btw). We got there early and actually found a place along a stone wall to sit!!! (ok, stone wall - not super comfortable, but better than standing). The first thing I noticed was 2 block long beer tents! There have been some changes. They always served beer, but this was mass production beer for the masses. There are also tents selling pizza, beef on weck, etc.

The crowd trended a bit older than I expected, and by the end of it there were a LOT of drunken people there. I was kinda surprised at how many. We had a pretty good fight happen right behind us (over a girl/woman) and a couple of falling down drunks escorted by security. It looked to me that for a good percentage of the attendees that the beer was what brought them downtown. And beer up they did. I don't mind a few cokes myself, but I find the slurring/staggering drunk thing unpleasant, and there were more than a few....

Anyhow...

The crowd was pretty thin up until the end of the opening act (they were given a glowing review in the paper this morning - I expect the reviewer had been in the beer tent). They were a blues outfit, but I didn't think they were anything special. The lead singer/guitar player tuned (audibly) between EVERY SONG!!! (sometimes during!) Drove me up a wall. (Geez man, get a tuner that mutes so we don't have to hear you plinkin' away)

Big Head Todd threw down a really great show. You can tell when a band has been playing together for a long time. Very tight, very good band. They totally deliver. We're fans so we knew nearly every song and they did a great job. Go see these guys if you can - good fun.

I'm draggin' ass a bit today, in a good way....
m.