Jeremy Buck and the Bang

Who: Jeremy Buck & The Bang
What: In Concert - thrice
Where: Bennion Student Union Building, Idaho Falls - map
First National Bar, Pocatello - map
Benton Street Bar & Grill, Pocatello - map
When: April 10, 11, 12 2009

It’s another Jeremy Buck & the Bang weekend in Southeast Idaho with three area shows. On Friday, April 10, the band plays at the Bennion Student Union Building on the ISU campus in Idaho Falls: all ages, music starts at 7 p.m. On Saturday find them at the First National Bar, in Pocatello: 21+, music starts at 9:30 p.m. And on Easter Sunday an 18+ show at the Benton Street Bar & Grill: music starts at 6 p.m.

In case you’ve missed Jeremy Buck & the Bang before, here’s your chance to repair that oversight. Jeremy Buck is, well, Jeremy Buck. He’s vocalist, drummer, keyboardist, songwriter with signature mohawk extraordinaire and front man for the Bang: Joel Geist on bass and guitarists Chris Hanna and Jeff George. The front man is a drummer? Yup.

We in Idaho first met Jeremy Buck & the Bang when they opened for Blues Traveler at Holt Arena two years ago. Within just a few songs of their set, they had four thousand people standing up, arms in the air, singing along, clapping, whooping and hollering. Not a single person was left unaffected by their performance, including me.

The music fits smack dab in the center of rock, swerving sometimes to pop, sometimes to retro, sometimes to blues and sometimes to experimental - all with panache and style geared towards entertainment. Each member of the band is incredibly talented at their chosen instrument - I could watch Hanna play guitar all day. Yes, they're all good looking and talented, easy on the ears and easy on the eyes. Don't think that's not important! It is.

I hadn’t had much faith in this band when I first researched them. So I stood some 20 feet from the stage, determined not to like them. Instead I saw how they win over a crowd – pure energy and charisma with a bit of comedic acting that can only come from pure talent. I’d forgotten that rock n roll is about having fun, and these guys entertain 100%.

John Popper, of Blues Traveler, said a curious thing to me after that show. “It’s not often I have to show up an opening band.” Right.

Expect a few covers, perhaps The Rolling Stones or a rousing cover of Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall Part 2.” Expect to see Buck’s playing keyboards with his drum sticks, drum rolls on the helmeted heads of his guitar players and if you’re very lucky, he’ll channel the spirit of Bob Dylan. Also expect to hear some of the band’s originals from “Fools Gold,” released in 2007, or their most recent self-titled EP, released in January of this year.

Readers, I have seen a lot of shows - a lot of professionals and even more newbie indie bands. And I can honestly say I wish they'd all have a chance to see Jeremy Buck & the Bang. I get so frustrated when guitar players hide behind vocalists or when vocalists seemingly sing to themselves. There's an audience out here guys! And we want you to include us in your performance. There is no wall at the foot of that stage, ya know.

Well, Jeremy knows that. And so do his guitar players. See ya soon, boys!

Click here to see the video "Take Me Away"
Click here to see the video "Outside My Window" - which happens to be my favorite Buck tune.

To preview the music and the band, visit www.jeremybuck.com.

Jeremy Buck & the Bang