Thursday's Square Bluegrass

Buffalo has this great summer concert series called "Thursday in the Square" where each Thursday evening, M&T bank sponsors a free outdoor concert at Lafayette Square in downtown Buffalo.

This is one of the most popular things to do in Buffalo during the summer. Each week the square is packed with people hanging out drinking and generally having a good time. They line the square with a border of Labatt beer trucks that supply you with all the merriment you can handle. Tickets for beer are reasonably priced at $3 too so its not a huge ripoff like other outdoor concerts. (I just went to see Dave Matthews play at Darien Lake last Tuesday, a single beer was $7)

Dave Playing at Darien Lake

The bands are generally B level bands. The biggest names I have seen there are Pat Benatar, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Soul Asylum, Violent Femmes and Spin Doctors. Being that this is a free concert, the big name bands do not normally show up. But you get some good eclectic bands that you normally wouldn't ever see... such as all the names I just mentioned.

Last Thursday I went to see the Yonder Mountain String Band. The can best be described as a bluegrass jam band. Pretty interesting and I actually liked them. Although it is generally hard to hear the bands if you are in the back of the crowds. Everyone is talking in the back of the square, that mixed with the trees absorbing most of the music, if you want to really listen to the band you have to wedge your way into the front.

Also, because of the free aspect of these concerts, you get a whole mess of Buffalo's finest wackos to venture out into the crowds. Last week when I was there, there was one guy who was clearly messed up on some sort of drugs just staring off into space and performing his best 'beat box'.

However, he wasn't just beat boxing, he was also rapping and having conversations with himself. Most of the conversations were about how other countries don't beat box, which he concluded was the root of all their problems. My favorite line was "middle east has war cause' they don't got no beat box."

Clearly he was right.

After the square the crowds filter out into the surrounding districts in the city, hitting up the bars. Myself and my group followed suit and ended up at Allen Street Hardware (which is actually a bar).

That night, they had a live band as well. I forgot the name now, but it too was a bluegrass band. Apparently Buffalo had an infestation of banjos on this particular night. We hungout there for a while jamming to the band, drinking Brazilian beer and feasting on appetizers. The band was actually really good too and I just remembered the name... "Down to The Roots." I think I will try to see if I can get them to play at Riley's. They were really good.

We were also hanging out with my cousin's cousin who happens to be a lesbian. Hanging out with lesbians is always a fun time because they generally travel in groups. So where one lesbian is, you'll find more. This was the case on this particular night as well, and who doesn't enjoy hanging out with a group of lesbians?

Can't think of anyone can you? Or maybe you can, but either way, they're fun people.

All in all a good night, and tonight actually will be another Thursday in the Square which I again will be venturing to. David Sanborn in the artist, I know nothing about him, but it will still be a good time regardless, I just hope the rain holds off.