Once in a while an artist comes along and quickly gains critical and popular acclaim. Gary Clark Jr. is one such artist. Hailing from Austin, TX, Clark has drawn the attention of major artists Eric Clapton, BB King, and the Rolling Stones. With his growling guitar style and smooth voice, Clark plays a rock and soul-flavored style of the blues that draws large crowds wherever he plays. Last Thursday he brought his traveling band to the popular Canalside Concert Series in Buffalo NY. The outdoor venue on Buffalo’s growing waterfront was at near capacity as the good weather, food trucks, and beverage sellers made for an ideal night.
The crowd was there to hear some great music and Clark delivered. From the opening song “Catfish Blues,” Clark took command. His guitar style is not rapid fire picking or string slamming, but more of a gentle cradle of the strings, coaxing his definitive sustained distortion from the instrument in his hands. He plays a finger picking style (ala Jeff Beck or Derek Trucks) which allows for multiple notes at once. This was evident on “Next Door Neighbor Blues” and “Ain’t Messin’ Around.” Notes flowed from his fingers as they slid up and down the neck of his signature Gibson SG. “When My Train Pulls In” was an early highlight that showed Clark’s mastery of the slow, Texas style blues. This song was a particular crowd favorite and brought a standing ovation at the finish. Clark played this tune at the 2013 Crossroads festival and he also made a special cameo appearance in the 2014 Jon Favreau movie “Chef” (coincidentally a movie about food trucks) playing “Train” and “Travis County”.
The hits kept on coming. “Our Love,” “Cold Blooded” and “BYOB” were lively and saw Clark prancing and strutting about the stage. They were followed by a bluesy & slow “Grinder” and “Please Come Home.” Clark then went to church with the gospel-flavored “You Saved Me” and “The Healing,” The crowd was left in a sweaty mass as Clark left the stage for a short break before coming back to encore with “Numb” and “Shake”. It was a perfect ending to a such a musically powerful night. With artists like Gary Clark Jr., the
Canalside Concert Series offers the best value in entertainment in the region. Check the rest of the schedule and make your way downtown. You will not regret it!
Setlist:
Catfish Blues
Next Door Neighbor Blues
Ain’t Messin’ Around
When My Train Comes In
Our Love
Cold Blooded
BYOB
Bright Lights
Travis County
Grinder
Please Come Home
You Saved Me
The Healing
Encore:
Numb
Shake
We would like to thank Erin Marra from Canalside for the credentials to review the show.
