Mighty Mighty Bosstones @ Canalside, Buffalo, NY 8-17-18

Wrapping up this year’s concert season at Canalside was that fun band from Boston called the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. The band is out doing dates in support of their 10^th studio effort “While We’re at It,” that was released back in June. Doing dates around vocalist Dicky Barrett’s schedule can be tricky as he is the announcer on the Jimmy Kimmel show. So anytime they do shows, it’s almost a given they play the Buffalo area where they are truly loved. This is the 3^rd time in the last 6 years the Bosstones have graced the stage at Canalside.

The band took the stage around 8:30pm and they went into “Old School” off of 2002’s a “Jacknife to a Swan.” The Bosstones are known for wearing suitcoats and this time was no different. They were all decked out in white on this occasion. Led by their ever-charismatic front man in Barrett, he and the dancing man himself Ben Carr gave the audience constant interaction throughout the set. The Bosstones have an underrated horn section. Led by longtime member Tim “Johnny Vegas” Burton, he is joined by Chris Rhodes and newcomer Leon Silva (who joined back in 2016) are the backbone of the Bosstones and provide backing vocals as well. The band interjected 3 songs off the new disc which were “Green Bay, Wisconsin,” “The Constant” and “Wonderful Day for the Race.” All 3 selections were flavored with their traditional ska punk sound and flowed seamlessly throughout their set. Barrett joked before they played “Let’s Face It” that the song was older than a few of you in the crowd, saying it will be old enough to drink this year. Barrett dedicated “Royal Oil” to the opening band Lowest of The Low. It became very interactive for the younger people in the audience as he called up any small kids to join the band on stage. About 15 joined them on stage to dance during the song “Na, Na, Na, Na, Na.” Barret also tossed out his tie to a lucky fan at the beginning of “The Way Life Goes.” The Bosstones wrapped up their set with probably their most mainstream hit in “The Impression That I Get.”

The band came out an obliged the fans for a 4-song encore. The band kept letting the fans know their admiration for them throughout their set. I would say the biggest crowd of the year for a concert at Canalside showed the love given back to the band tenfold. It was another fun filled night of Bosstones music with a bunch of dancing. It was fitting end to end the 2018 season at Canalside.

Setlist:

The Old School Off the Bright

The Rascal King

Greenbay, Wisconsin

Graffiti Worth Reading

Someday I Suppose

Everybody’s Better

You Left Right?

The Constant

Simmer Down (The Wailers cover)

Sunday Afternoons on Wisdom Avenue

Let’s Face It