Mayday Buffalo
Mick Wolcott – Lead Vocals, Electric & Acoustic Guitar
Loren Kelley – Vocals & Lead Electric Guitar
Jay Crowe – Vocals & Bass
Joseph Thomas – Drums & Percussion
What is the name of your group and what led to the naming?
Mayday Buffalo: We picked out the name Mayday over 10 years ago. We recently added Buffalo as a way to make our original music easier to find. It’s also a great way to brand ourselves as a Buffalo band, which is exactly what we are.
When did it form?
Mayday Buffalo: Mayday Buffalo formed over ten years ago, but our album Dive! is our first serious foray into the world of original music.
Who writes the music?
Mayday Buffalo: The writing of our music is truly a collaborative effort. Mick writes almost all of the lyrics, but we all chip in when it comes to melodies and riffs. A song usually starts with one person, but ultimately we all put our stamp on it.
How would you describe the sound?
Mick: Our sound can broadly be defined as rock, but our album Dive! is wide in scope. The album spans everything from ballads to party anthems. At our core, Mayday Buffalo is a melodic, guitar-driven rock band with pop sensibilities. Our emphasis on melody is probably why people tell us that our songs get stuck in their head.
Loren: We all have diverse musical backgrounds, and we combine those influences in our songs to create an interesting stew.
Where are you from originally? If not from Buffalo, why are you here?
Mick, Jay, Loren: The three of us grew up in Buffalo, NY. We graduated high school together and have been friends for over 20 years.
Joe: I am originally from Warren, PA, near Erie. I moved here for undergrad and stayed for medical school and then residency. I joined the band shortly after undergrad. After two years, medical school became too demanding and I had to leave the band, but after things slowed down, Mayday Buffalo was gracious enough to welcome me back.
What are some of the band’s influences?
Mayday Buffalo: Our band is a melting pot of different musical influences but most heavily influenced by 90s alternative rock. We combine that sound with our other musical influences to create something uniquely our own. These influences include everything from 60s pop, to classic rock, to hair metal, to new alternative.
Where is your favorite place to play/sing in Buffalo?
Mayday Buffalo: The Tralf, Ironworks, and Mr. Goodbar are some of our favorite venues in the city. Check out our show on 7/27 at Mr. Goodbar, it is always a raucous crowd there!
What was the last live music performance that you caught?
Mick: Dave Matthews Band at Darien Lake.
Loren: Steel Panther in Las Vegas.
Jay: Guns N Roses. Absolutely blew my mind!
Joe: I went to see the Decemberists in early June, and Kerfuffle was a lot of fun!
Do you play/sing covers or all originals? Or a combination of both?
Mayday Buffalo: We were strictly a cover band for a decade. Over that time frame, we played seemingly every venue in the Greater Buffalo area. We’ve covered every band from Weezer, to the Black Keys, to the Beatles, to Snoop Dogg. As we said before, Dive! Is our first serious foray into the world of original music. People are responding very positively to Dive! so we’ll continue to play a combination of originals and covers at our shows.
Where did you record Dive!?
Jay: Dive! was recorded at GCR Studios which is owned by Robbie Takac of the Goo Goo Dolls. It’s masterfully engineered by our friend, Jay Zubricky, and sounds incredible.
Please talk about your music video for “Sorry for Partying”.
Loren: “Sorry for Partying” was recorded at Mick’s house and we had a riot recording it! The crazy old man is a friend’s father. The angry neighbor is his friend. They couldn’t have been more humorous. The video has collected over 126,000 views on Facebook thanks to 400 shares! For a band like us without a label, this has been a tremendous way to spread our music around. Check out the video if you want to see my beautiful 100 pound Newfoundland!
If you would like your band featured on Buffalo Rising, please send an email to newell@buffalorising.com. The only caveat is that you must have an upcoming live performance scheduled in a public venue.