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When they released their first album in 1989, the Boston-based trio Buffalo Tom were written off as Dinosaur Jr. junior. Admittedly, their debut was in debt to J Mascis’ thundering guitar and folk-tinged songs and it didn’t help that Mascis produced the record, either. Over time, Buffalo Tom stripped away their grungier influences and developed into a straight-ahead rock group of the early ’90s, capable of throttling rockers and beautiful ballads. Comprising guitarist/vocalist Bill Janovitz, bassist/vocalist Chris Colbourn, and drummer Tom Maginnis, Buffalo Tom began to develop their own style with their second album, 1990’s Birdbrain, which featured a noticeable improvement in songwriting.
In 1992, Buffalo Tom released Let Me Come Over, a gritty set of driving rock and achingly melancholy ballads; several of its tracks became alternative radio staples, including the gorgeous ballad “Taillights Fade.” Despite an increased amount of critical praise and some radio airplay, the album didn’t sell. The follow-up, 1993’s Big Red Letter Day, featured a more polished, radio-ready production, but the album received only a small push from radio and MTV. “Soda Jerk,” the first single from the album, became a minor alternative radio and MTV hit. After a yearlong tour, the group returned in the summer of 1995 with Sleepy Eyed, a return to the more direct sound of Let Me Come Over. Smitten followed in 1998, and two years later a best-of, Asides from Buffalo Tom, arrived.
Almost a decade of inactivity followed, but things weren’t over for Buffalo Tom; they returned in 2007 with an appearance at SXSW and a new full-length album on the New West label, Three Easy Pieces. Skins, the band’s eighth studio album, arrived in early 2011 through their own Scrawny Records label. From this point onward, Buffalo Tom were for the most part retired, but the band periodically reunited for live shows. In 2017, after Beggars Banquet released an expanded 25th anniversary edition of Let Me Come Over, the trio reconvened for a short run of dates in the United States and Europe. Following the tour, Buffalo Tom went into the studio, returning to material they began recording in 2016. March 2018 saw the release of their ninth album, Quiet and Peace, which included ten original songs as well as a cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Only Living Boy in New York.”
It’s a new venue so they deserve to be cut some slack and time to work out the kinks. The acoustics of the room and sound mix are terrible. Every room has some dead spots where the mix is bad but this was beyond the pale. Other than on the floor the sound was simply terrible.
Great sound in the room, awesome performance, terrific visuals behind the band!
One of the best shows I’ve attended. Love these guys
The band and the venue were great- they sounded amazing!!
Buffalo Tom have put out their best record since Big Red Letter Day and back that effort with a fantastic live show.
Loved seeing BTom again like old times. They rocked. Special guests were also amazing.
Great to hear the new songs. Buffalo Tom always delivers a great, energetic show.
Buffalo Tom--with backing graphics, vocalist guests, and the legendary J. Mascis playing for several songs, including a haunting cover of Mazzy Star's "Fade into You"--brought their A-game to the show. They seemed extra-energized by new songs from their latest album "Quiet and Peace." Packed house, totally into it.
I had been waiting decades to see Buffalo Tom live, and they didn't disappoint. The show was awesome !!!!
Buffalo Tom was awesome and did two encores and the venue was great as usual!
Great show. Buffalo Tom killed it. Wish they would have played Impossible or The Bus. Was J at the show. I thought I saw his twin standing in the front row.
Teragram Ballroom is a very cool venue. It has an attached bar with very good food. Totally recommend.
These guys still bring it big time - amazing energy in the show - so fantastic live still after all these years. And so special in Boston.
Buffalo Tom doesn't tour much these days, hardly at all, just playing a show or two every year or two. This is unfortunate as the stars have to align in order for me to see them. This year I was lucky and could get away for a night and travel 2 hours to Boston to see one of my favorite bands. We saw the Saturday show where they played "Let Me Come Over" front to back in its entirety, plus some additional songs afterwards. Bill, Tom, and Chris were in top form and we saw an incredible show.
These guys don't play nearly often enough, but when they do it's a real treat. It helps that this show was at one of my favorite venues, the magnificent Paradise Rock Club on Commonwealth Ave. The room is perfectly shaped and sounds spectacular, drips with rock history, and is filled with memories for anyone who's been seeing shows in Boston long enough to know who Buffalo Tom is in the first place. This particular evening found B. Tom playing two sets, a long and obscurity-filled show ranging marvelously over their entire career. Catch them next time they play, and every time they play -- it's not something you can enjoy often, but it's something you'll enjoy immensely when you do!
For a bunch of Dooshes, these guys sure do rock. However I thought they'd be taller.
Fine high energy show. The band did two sets. A solid 3 hours of material culled from the past as well as some new material. Good time was had by all. Only objection, turn down the AC - it was cold in there
The band was on amazing. the crowd was amazing. Couldn't ask for a better way to kick off the summer of 2014. I've seen BT over a dozen times. Best show ever!!! Hands down.
Buffalo Tom's annual pilgrimage into Boston is always a great occasion. It's great to hear them recreate the same sound and songs that made them popular in the '90's.
Buffalo Tom's home-town show was two set affair. The first set was consisted on songs from their seminal Let Me Come Over, and a smattering from their other albums. The second set started as a a terrible acoustic affair, with Tom Maginnis (the drummer) attempting to strum some chords along with Bill Janovitz. The reason given was that it was his birthday, "and all he ever wanted to do was play guitar." Fine, but I wanted to see Buffalo Tom at the Paradise, not a dad's show for the children (who where duly brought up on stage). The show then descended into almost farce, with Bill messing up choruses; and then onto some pretty poor cover versions. It had become a sing-alonga-pub-band-karaoke show. A far cry from one of the best (the best?) alternative college radio bands ever. I've been watching Buffalo Tom live since the early 1990s. A Buffalo Tom show was always a main event of the week, month or summer. Their shows are a rare event nowadays and I was excited to see them in their home town. I travelled from the UK for this show, and walked out before the end. Chris asked if we had had a good day. I looked around - for sure, people had had a good day and this was just something to do at the end of it before heading off to a bar. The magic was gone. I'll be travelling to see them in the Netherlands later this year. Hopefully, away from their home crowd, in front on a better audience, they will deliver.
