The White Buffalo @ The Hotel Utah Saloon

This was not the best White Buffalo show that I have witnessed, but it really wasn't the performer's fault. The crowd was uncharacteristically noisy, constantly buzzing with conversation, even during the quiet ballads. I am perhaps more annoyed by this form of disrespect than most, and a glance around the room at the other patrons suggested that many of the people attending were there more for the bar scene and less for the concert itself. The music, as always, was excellent, although the bass could have benefited from not being turned up to 11, because the whole stage vibrated from Jake Smith's baritone. The Hotel Utah is a tiny, saloon-like venue that can only hold so many people and so much sound, and this was evidence that The White Buffalo needs to book a bigger venue next stop in San Francisco. Still one of my favorites, but a little disappointing this time around.

The opener, Don McCloskey, was an entertainingly humorous surprise. Never heard of the guy before the night, but I was an instant fan upon his introductory song. With track titles like "[Big D] Up In This [Motherfucker]," "My Focken Glockenspeil," "King of Discount Hos" it is evident that The Big D focuses as much on entertainment through humor as music. No complaints there. Some of his songs remind me of G. Love, some of Bob Dylan, while others take on more of a (dare I say) Mickey Avalon tone. And, yes, he is as wild as those comparisons sound, transitioning smoothly from hip-hop, to folk, to hard rock. Good times, check it.