Nashville Pussy / Buckcherry

No Gimmicks, Just Grit: Nashville Pussy and Buckcherry in Albany, NY

***Nashville Pussy – Empire Live, Albany, NY***

Two bands. One wild night. Nashville Pussy stepped in last minute for Michael Monroe and turned a Wednesday in Albany into a full blown rock and roll revival. Buckcherry followed with unfiltered grit and volume cranked to eleven. Chaos, sweat, and persistence ; this wasn’t just another tour stop. It was proof that real rock never dies.

Nashville Pussy lit up Empire Live in Albany New York on a Wednesday night, stepping in to open for Buckcherry after Michael Monroe had to leave the tour due to a medical issue. What could have felt like a last minute shuffle instead turned out to be a blessing in disguise. From the moment they stepped on stage, Nashville Pussy made it clear they were not just filling a slot. They were taking over.

The band launched into their set with Pussy’s Not a Dirty Word, immediately grabbing the crowd’s attention and holding it without mercy. The energy was raw and unrelenting. Curls flying, cowboy boots stomping, and Converse sneakers never still. Guitarist Ruyter Suys, bassist Bonnie Buitrago, and drummer Dusty Watson flanked lead singer Blaine Cartwright in a lineup that oozed experience and confidence.

Their sound was pure chaos in the best way. A gritty blend of southern rock, punk, rockabilly, and blues, all filtered through a lens of wild abandon. Their lyrics stick to what they know best: sex, drugs, drinking, fighting, and rock and roll. But it never feels tired. It feels lived in. After more than 25 years, Nashville Pussy has not only survived. They have thrived in their own loud and dirty corner of rock music.

As the set rolled on through songs like Come On Come On and High as Hell, the crowd stayed with them every step of the way. When they tore into Everyone’s Fault But Mine, it was instantly clear the wait to see them again was more than worth it. Cartwright’s gravel coated vocals have not lost a thing. He can still growl, howl, and scream with the best of them.

While the infamous scandalous stage antics of their early years may have mellowed a bit, the music has not. The sound is still solid and fearless. Bonnie Buitrago’s heavy bass lines made the venue walls shake and Dusty Watson’s drumming was relentless and razor sharp. Ruyter Suys played like she was channeling something otherworldly. Her guitar work was fast, ferocious, and unstoppable. Hair flying and head down, she delivered every riff like it was her last.

The band reached into all corners of their discography, offering up a set that paid respect to their long career while staying immediate and exciting. One standout moment came with Speed Machine. It opened with a slow burn of a drum intro before Cartwright pointed to his right and they launched into a thunderous bass line that hit like a freight train.

They closed with Go Motherfucker Go, a full throttle sprint of a song that leaves you breathless and wanting more. It was the perfect ending to a set that proved Nashville Pussy is still one of the fiercest live bands around. There is no doubt they are still a force to be reckoned with.

***Buckcherry – Empire Live, Albany, NY***

Then came Buckcherry, bringing their own brand of unpolished emotion tangled in the mayhem. You can tell these guys have seen every dive bar and half lit motel room on the circuit. They wear that mileage like a badge. That is something younger bands sometimes miss. You cannot fake road grime. Just five guys who still believe in the power of noise and nerve. No gimmicks, just guts.

Between Nashville Pussy and Buckcherry, it was a hell of a run. Two bands that refuse to die quietly, each with their own brand of chaos. Maybe that is the secret to rock and roll’s survival. It is not about reinvention. It is about persistence. Showing up, plugging in, and meaning it.