Pennywise Takes Over Buffalo’s Town Ballroom With Nearly 40 Years of Punk

Pennywise / H2O / Murphy’s Law – Buffalo, NY

***Pennywise – Town Ballroom , Buffalo, NY***

Pennywise has been doing this for nearly 40 years, and Saturday night at Buffalo’s Town Ballroom felt like a reminder of why the band has lasted. Jim Lindberg, Fletcher Dragge, Randy Bradbury and Byron McMackin ran through a set that had the room moving from the opening notes of “Peaceful Day” through a “Bro Hymn” finale that brought Murphy’s Law’s Jimmy Drescher back onstage.

The Town Ballroom turned into a celebration of punk and hardcore on Saturday night as Murphy’s Law, H2O and Pennywise brought several generations of the scene together under one roof. Each band brought something different to the night, but by the time Pennywise took the stage, the packed room was ready to turn the evening into one giant party.

Murphy’s Law got things started with a set that quickly became as much about the fans as the music. Singer Jimmy Drescher spent one song on stage before jumping down and climbing over the barrier into the crowd. With a beer in hand, he spent the next several songs in the middle of the mosh pit, singing alongside the people who came to see the band. Drescher invited a 12 year old fan to join him for a song, then stayed in the crowd for the remainder of the set, joining the circle pits, sharing beers and kissing foreheads as the crowd cheered him on. For some in the room, Murphy’s Law may have been a new experience, but Drescher made it clear that he was there for the fans and enjoying every minute of it.

H2O kept the momentum going with their own brand of hardcore energy. Vocalist Toby Morse was joined by his son Max on drums, while guitarist Rusty Pistachio, 61, continued to play with plenty of intensity. As one of the bands that helped shape melodic hardcore, H2O moved through songs including “Nothing To Prove,” “1995” and “What Happened,” combining heavy riffs with catchy choruses and Morse’s constant connection with the room. Having Max behind the drums and Pistachio still giving it 100 percent made H2O a fitting middle point between the different generations represented on the bill.

Then it was time for Pennywise. The crowd went feral from the opening notes of “Peaceful Day,” with crowd surfers quickly making their way toward the stage as the largest circle pit of the night opened up. Singer Jim Lindberg reminded the room that Pennywise has been a band for nearly 40 years, a history reflected in the mix of longtime fans and younger people experiencing the band for the first time. Lindberg kept the connection with the crowd going throughout the set, while guitarist Fletcher Dragge added his own sharp commentary and stories between songs, including some observations about crossing the Canadian border. Bassist Randy Bradbury and drummer Byron McMackin stayed locked in throughout, giving the performance the tight rhythmic foundation Pennywise has built its reputation on.

***Murphy’s Law & Pennywise – Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY***

Playing in Buffalo also gave the band a chance to acknowledge Andy Williams of Every Time I Die, who had recently passed away. A few songs were dedicated to Williams, with Lindberg telling the crowd, “This goes out to anyone you lost. Sing that shit for them!” Before the night was over, “Fuck Authority” was dedicated to both sides of the political fence. The encore brought the night full circle with “Bro Hymn,” which saw the stage fill with friends, including Drescher from Murphy’s Law.

What started with three different generations and styles of punk and hardcore ended with musicians and fans sharing the same stage. Pennywise brought nearly four decades of punk history to Buffalo, connecting longtime fans with younger people discovering the band for the first time.