The White Buffalo hails from Southern California, but his lyrics, sound and passion are straight out of a Johnny Cash performance circa the early 1960’s. You know the sound. That unique ability to combine sets of steam-rolling guitar and drum beats flawlessly along with songs laced with intimacy, cultural importance, and honestly. It’s rare to find an artist that sings the beer drinking songs with as much rawness and finesse as the love making songs.

Jake Smith, The White Buffalo, was born to write and play music. There’s no doubt about it.

Throw in some songs about life, a song that one fan in the crowd used as his wedding song, Matt Lynott on the drums and Tommy Andrews on the bass and you have the makings of a killer show at the Fox Theater on Saturday night.

With as many big name bands that play at the Fox Theater in Boulder, Colorado, it’s easy to forget what a small place the venue really is. It takes that special artist that truly appreciates music, life on the road, a couple of long-neck bottled beers and the high they get from performing to make a venue intimate. Watching the three unique and excited artists that make up the current White Buffalo road line-up having a total blast sharing their craft and challenging each other to play faster and perform better is even worth the drive from Colorado to California to see these guys play on their native turf.

The White Buffalo sounds like the incredibly talented love child of Johnny Cash and Eddie Vedder with the kind of impeccable yet soft and raw songwriting skills that will strike a chord with everyone from your whiskey drinking brother-in-law, to your sweet and gentle grandma who will be sure to find the soothing tones of Jake Smith’s voice loveable (and probably pretty attractive)—and his love and authenticity when it comes to music unrivaled.

Saturday’s live White Buffalo show at the Fox gave local Boulderites a taste of some of the White Buffalo’s most beloved songs along with a smattering of energetic, foot-stomping, wild west-loving tunes off of the newly released album, Once Upon a Time in the West.

Every pluck of the guitar string, every heart felt high note that surprisingly follows one of the Buffalo’s perfectly pitched low growls, every stomp of the foot, every smile that radiates from the bass player’s mouth and every shard of drumstick that’s sacrificed during the drummer’s remarkable performance made this show amazing. The White Buffalo and his band will continue their tour in Oregon followed by shows in Washington, Idaho and Utah before they make it home to their native Cali.

If you have the chance to see this guy play live—take it—and be sure to make enough noise to bring him out for an encore. You’ll get the chance to hear him cover Jimmy Webb’s, The Highway Man and you’ll see one of the most unforgettable live performances of your life. If you aren’t able to catch one of the White Buffalo’s shows on this tour—then I suggest you purchase one if not all of his albums here. His songs will quickly creep their way onto every playlist you’ve ever created and you’ll be stalking his YouTube channel and Facebook and Twitter pages to stay updated on new music releases and tour dates for your next opportunity to catch him live.

Once upon a time in the west, I fell in love with music again.

Until next time.

The post The Bolder Life: Once Upon a Time in the West appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

A bear walks into a bar and sits down.
He calls the bartender over and says, “I’d like a jack …………… and coke.”
The bartender says, “okay, but why the big pause?”
The bear looks down and says, “I dunno, I was born with them!”

This is the joke that I told my friend on one of the beautiful trails that weaves its way up Pikes Peak just after we’d discovered that we’d been separated from our group and had just spent the last hour hiking two miles in the wrong direction.

The group that we’d lost were participants in one of Love Hope Strength’s fundraising musical pilgrimages in which people get together to conquer massive mountains (literally), listen to some live music and raise awareness for cancer research. (Love Hope Strength is an amazing charity that is based out of Denver. Click here for more info about LHS and ways that you can offer your support).

On this crazy day, halfway to the top of Pikes Peak, I was introduced to one of my favorite musicians whose tunes can be found on pretty much every iPod playlist I’ve ever created.

The White Buffalo captures the essence of everything that is revered about a true musician and songwriter that creates and performs his own lyrics. Years after listening to him perform live for the first time the sound of his voice and his music still gives me the chills. A combination of songs from the heart sung with the perfect amount of power and soul to completely silence an entire venue. The White Buffalo represents a dying breed of musicians with livers of steel that live and die by the road and continuously produce underground music with a cult following of true fans that have had the pleasure of hearing the authentic tunes live.

This Saturday, The White Buffalo will pay a visit to the Fox Theatre in Boulder.

Show kicks off at 9:00 p.m. with some tunes by Danny Shafer and Christopher  Hawley followed by The White Buffalo’s seamless blend of old-school country with a touch of folk and rock n’ roll.

Tickets are $8 in advance and $12 at the door which is a steal for the killer show you’re going to see!

Not convinced yet? Then check out The White Buffalo’s YouTube channel and let his music speak for itself.

The post The Bolder Life: The White Buffalo Plays the Fox appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.