Conversations about favorite songs and years of listening brought strangers together outside the Town Ballroom in Downtown Buffalo on Oct. 17, as fans gathered to see country-rock band The Jayhawks perform.
The Minneapolis-based band brought its blend of country, folk and rock to Buffalo while celebrating their latest album, “Sanctuary Park,” that was released on Aug. 28. The show highlighted the band’s musical legacy while giving local audiences an opportunity to experience their music live.
Scott Sadler, a fan of The Jayhawks for 10 years, saw the band live for the first time at Town Ballroom. Unable to see The Jayhawks when they performed in New Jersey as tickets sold out, so he was happy the band came to Buffalo.
Lindsay Ferry, who was both a first-time fan and a first-time concertgoer for the band, said she wanted to “have a good time” and discover her new favorite song.
Formed in Minneapolis in 1985, The Jayhawks established themselves in the alternative country scene by blending country influences with folk and rock. Their albums such as “Hollywood Town Hall” and “Tomorrow the Green Grass” helped build the band’s reputation. In his review for online music database AllMusic, Mark Deming wrote that the band “reached for a broader and more eclectic approach” on “Tomorrow the Green Grass,” while the harmonies of Mark Olson and Gary Louris remained central to its sound.
The Jayhawks reunited with producer Bob Ezrin — who previously worked with the band on their 2000 album “Smile” — for "Sanctuary Park.” In an interview with Rolling Stone, frontman Gary Louris explained that the album draws on personal memories, growing older and his relationship with his wife.
Louris described much of the record as “an ode to my wife, Stephanie,” giving the album a personal focus alongside the band’s signature vocal harmonies and country-rock sound.
Before The Jayhawks took the stage, fellow Minneapolis act The Cactus Blossoms opened the night. The alternative country and indie folk duo, made up of brothers Jack Torrey and Page Burkum, played a set that complemented the country and folk influences The Jayhawks are known for, setting the tone for an evening rooted in those traditions.
The Jayhawks kicked off their set with “Keeping Our Heads Above the Water,” the opening track from “Sanctuary Park.” The choice introduced the band’s latest material at the start of the set while connecting the evening to their newest release.
The band sounded impressive live, with the audience connecting to the songs by tapping their feet and clapping enthusiastically after each song. The crowd’s response reflected the energy of the performance.
By the end of the night, the strangers who had traded favorite songs in line were clapping together as one crowd.
The Jayhawks gave the longtime listeners and the first-timers in the Town Ballroom a reason to connect.
Alejandro Henry-Jackson is the assistant arts editor and can be reached at alejandro.jackson@ubspectrum.com.
Photo: Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
