Buckcherry / Bad Marriage – Buffalo, NY
Buckcherry returned to Buffalo with the same passion and intensity that has kept them on the road for twenty seven years. Everything about a Buckcherry show feels genuine and real. Fueled by wall to wall riffs, relentless energy, and a setlist that mixed classics with songs from Roar Like Thunder. Tuesday night’s stop at Town Ballroom was a reminder that straightforward rock and roll is still alive and well.
Buckcherry returned to Buffalo on Tuesday night for a stop at Town Ballroom with Boston rockers Bad Marriage opening the evening. While Buckcherry have long earned the reputation of being road dogs, that label only tells part of the story. They are also one of rock’s most disciplined and dependable live bands. Night after night, they continue to prove that experience and passion can be just as important as youth.
Opening the evening was Boston hard rock outfit Bad Marriage, who unfortunately had just twenty five minutes to make their mark. Even with the abbreviated set, the band made every minute count and and proved to be a fitting opener for Buckcherry. Currently touring behind their fourth release, Match Made in Hell, the quintet wasted little time getting down to business with a set that featured “Gateway Drug,” “Bad Blood,” “Rock n’ Roll MOFO,” “Match Made in Hell,” “Head Trip,” and “Old School Stereo.”
Singer Jonny Paquin, guitarists Tommy Skeoch and Mike Fitz, bassist Todd Boisvert, and drummer Michael Delaney played with the confidence of a band that knows exactly who they are. The set closed with a spirited version of “Lil’ Suzi,” (the Ph.D song later made famous by Tesla) making it an apt choice given Skeoch’s years as Tesla’s guitarist. Although their time on stage was over almost as quickly as it began, Bad Marriage once again showed they are a band worth catching whenever the opportunity comes around.
Without wasting a second, Buckcherry exploded into “Lit Up,” immediately setting the tone for what would become nearly ninety minutes of loud, gritty, and completely authentic rock and roll. There was nothing elaborate about the production because there did not need to be. Buckcherry relied on the strength of the songs, the chemistry between the five musicians, and a stage presence that never lost momentum.
Singer Josh Todd, guitarists Stevie D. and Billy Rowe, bassist Kelly LeMieux, and drummer Francis Ruiz ripped through the set with relentless intensity. Todd never seemed to slow down, constantly moving across the stage with the kind of energy that would be impressive from a band half their age. It was the sort of performance that can only come from musicians who genuinely enjoy what they do. From beginning to end, the pace never faltered as wall to wall guitar riffs, Todd’s unmistakable raspy vocals, and years of confidence filled every corner of Town Ballroom. These guys played with nothing but attitude, energy, and adrenaline, making every song feel as urgent as the one before it.
Between songs, Todd kept the audience engaged with plenty of humor, casual conversation, and Buckcherry’s unmistakable swagger. At one point he offered a message that perfectly summed up the band’s outlook.
“I want y’all to live with passion in your life. What does that mean? It means only do what you fucking love. Don’t take no shit!”
Buckcherry is currently touring in support of Roar Like Thunder, their eleventh studio album, further reinforcing their standing as one of the hardest working bands still carrying the torch for rock and roll. The sixteen song set balanced newer material with fan favorites, including “Whiskey in the Morning,” “Let It Burn,” “Too Drunk,” and “Out of Line.” Classics such as “Ridin’,” “Sorry,” and “Gluttony” were greeted just as enthusiastically, showing the depth of a catalog that now spans nearly three decades.
The finale was anything but ordinary. “Crazy Bitch” stretched well beyond its studio version into a thirteen minute celebration that became part jam session and part victory lap. The song shifted effortlessly through snippets of James Brown’s “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine,” Donna Summer’s “Bad Girls,” and Prince’s “Irresistible Bitch,” while also giving each member of the band a chance to shine during extended introductions and solo spots. It was loose, spontaneous, and the kind of ending that kept a song they have played countless times over the years from feeling repetitive.
Before leaving the stage, Todd took one final moment to thank the Buffalo crowd.
“Twenty seven years, eleven fucking albums. We could not do this shit without you. Thank you so fucking much. I LOVE YOU! “
That appreciation has always been part of what makes a Buckcherry show feel genuine. After nearly three decades, they continue to approach every night with the same urgency and enthusiasm that built their reputation in the first place. Buffalo did not see a band going through the motions or simply dusting off old material. It saw five musicians who still feed off the exchange between stage and crowd, keeping pure, unfiltered rock and roll as immediate and alive as ever.
Buckcherry setlist :
- Lit Up
- Roar Like Thunder
- So Hott
- Somebody Fucked With Me
- Whiskey in the Morning
- Ridin’
- Let It Burn
- Too Drunk…
- Say Fuck It
- Out of Line
- Come On
- Gluttony
- Sorry
- Tight Pants
- Blackout
- Crazy Bitch / Sex Machine / Bad Girls / Irresistible Bitch / Proud Mary / Crazy Bitch
Bad Marriage setlist :
- Gateway Drug
- Bad Blood
- Rock n’ Roll MOFO
- Match Made in Hell
- Head Trip
- Old School Stereo
- Lil’ Suzi {Ph.D cover}