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Friday, March 29, 2024
The independent student publication of The University at Buffalo, since 1950

Guster Goes Green with Brita

With stretched arms reaching to the ceiling of the Town Ballroom, fans of Guster begged for more tunes, as the band waltzed off stage to end its Buffalo encore for its green-promoting tour.

On May 2, Brita paired with the alternative pop-rock group to include the Queen City on the team's list of stops to search for its first ever Brita FilterForGood College Ambassadors. The pro-green company is currently touring with the band to seek out college students interested in making significant sustainable changes on their campus.

The new program selects students through an application process where they must submit reasons to be chosen to represent their school for the Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 school year. Appointed students must create a year-long plan that will promote the reduction of bottled water waste and will receive an "ambassador kit," a letter of recommendation, a $500 grant to keep their sustainable changes going, and a chance to hang with the members of Guster.

The concert began on an optimistic tone as the Town Ballroom was bursting at its seams, while concert goers flooded the ground floor and left little elbow room everywhere else.

Openers Good Old War were an instant crowd pleaser as the audience hooted for joy at the site of the band's lanky long-haired figures gliding onto stage.

"What's up party people," the band said.

The audience erupted into cheers of approval, and Good Old War commenced to set up its intimate standing formation on stage. The band played its entire set standing in a line facing the crowd, as lead vocalist Keith Goodwin stood far left on keys, Tim Arnold in the center with drums, and Dan Schwartz, with his array of acoustics and electric guitars, on the right.

The band's chemistry was obvious, as each song displayed its mastering of harmonized vocals coupled with its mature folk-inspired instrumental sound.

Schwartz really held the band together with his impressive guitar skills and his strong, high-energy stage presence. His transitions from acoustic to electric guitar mid-song was noteworthy, as he propped an electric onto his mic stand and solo'd with it, as the acoustic remained strapped around his body.

Good Old War's indie-folk style was the perfect opener for an evening of light alternative rock. The crowd ate up the band's sweet harmonizing vocals as it played hit songs "Coney Island," "That's Some Dream," and covered Simon and Garfunkel's, "Cecilia."

A deep rumbling bass signaled the beginning of Guster's anticipated performance, and the crowd roared as members of the band slowly conquered the stage to kick off its, set with "Ramona." The lights splashed across the band were green, complimenting the tour's pro-green Brita mission.

Guitarist and vocalist Adam Gardner sang the first song as lead vocalist Ryan Miller stood center with guitar in hand, and bassist Luke Reynolds rocked stage right. Drummer Brian Rosenworcel stood in the back and delivered an incredible hand percussion performance with the combination of bongos, congas, hand snares, and cymbals that awed the crowd.

Miller cracked jokes all night about Guster member's stripping off clothing, and his performance during "This is How it Feels to Have a Broken Heart" was a moment straight out of Marcella's Showclub and Lounge from across the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority tracks. With his harmonica and strap-on mini keyboard, Miller spun around in dancing circles as someone brought out a sparkly cloak from backstage, draping it across his shoulders. Miller pranced around with the disco-ball cloth hanging from his head, and the crowd hollered with encouragement.

The band pleased Buffalo with its blended set list of older songs such as "Barrel of a Gun" from its 1999 album, Lost and Gone Forever; and with newer tracks like "Stay With Me Jesus" and "On the Ocean" from its latest album, Easy Wonderful. Guster even asked for song requests from the audience and performed "Careful" for the crowd.

Guster played for a solid two hours, ending its set with "Jesus on the Radio," which left diehard fans on cloud nine.

Email: arts@ubspectrum.com


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