It’s a sunny Friday and Bristol is buzzing. On stepping inside the 02 Academy it’s relatively serene, with a crowd eagerly waiting for Jake Smith, a.k.a The White Buffalo.
Everyone is paying attention as he starts his 9pm set, his baritone and hypotonic storytelling making it impossible not to listen, love it and want to know more. You can even hear ‘shh’ noises next to the lull of chatter; it’s that quiet in the room. In contrast, that’s not to say things aren’t getting boisterous at times, as the crowd match the whispered hush of a ballad or unfeigned growls when things get rocked up.
Jake, along with Matt Lynott on drums and Christopher Hoffee on bass, are masters of ‘the build-up’, catching you off-guard with sudden smacks of bass drum that turn almost tribal, and are like a kick in the back of the leg with a steel toe-cap boot, creating a second heartbeat that draws you in and speaks to you from the inside.
Playing songs from his Sons of Anarchy days with Come join the Murder plus Avalon and Robberyfrom the new album Darkest Darks, Lightest Lights, whether toe tapping or gentle swaying was required, each song is commanding attention.
Jake describes himself as unable to categorise, by blending country, blues, rock and folk-aggression to create his own sound. On witnessing him do his thing live, you see genuine pleasure as he bounds around, hair flying, taking time to give equal kudos to each band brother. They have more passion in one fingernail than some bands put together and this goes to show that great things come in simple form.
This gig feels intimate but has the potential to be so big. Like Springsteen, Jake just wants to tell you his stories of small-town life, love and loss and his music comes to life on stage, so unless you go (to see a live show) you’ll never know.
Even if you’re not a fan, you will be on leaving a show. There’s no pressure to do anything or be anyone, just turn up and be you. Do your thing. That’s what he does and it’s working out just fine.
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