After spending the earlier part of the day in Riverside this past Sunday, I ended up at Silo City around 4:30pm to check out the band Paper Hounds (a three-piece folk/blues act featuring Evan Thompson, Jeff Martinez, and Elle Sebastiano) at Duende. The band rocked the house – each of the band members shone in their own distinct ways, with lively instrumentals and distinct voices.
It was the first time that I had seen any live music at Duende, and I can now happily say that I will return as often as possible to catch more bands this winter. There’s truly no restaurant setting like Duende anywhere else in Buffalo. The space lends itself perfectly to live music, partially because of the lighting, the laid back ambiance, the cozy rustic decor, and the sensational music that is curated by bartender Kevin Cain (Silo Sessions).
After Paper Hounds wrapped up their captivating act in front of a nice crowd, Thee New Buffalo Stringers (house band) stepped up to perform. I was unfamiliar with the group, but was immediately taken with their bluegrass sound. Patrick Jackson, William Blanca, and Mikee Strongmen played into the night, and as the appreciative crowd clapped hands and hooted and hollered.
Eventually, the crowd began to dwindle (it was Sunday after all), which is when the trio left “the stage” and headed to the bar, playing and singing along the way. It was quite the scene, as a tight group of about 10 people huddled together in the far corner of the room, toe-to-toe with the band members as they played their last couple of songs (lead image). This was the perfect way to end the evening, with an impromptu intimate performance – and a little heel stomping and beer slinging to boot.
I was so jazzed about last evening’s music scene, that I reached out to Cain to ask him about upcoming performances.
Thee New Buffalo Stringers are playing December 2nd,” he told me. “Sue Kincaid and Doug Yeomans are playing the 9th of December, The Cairns are playing November 25th. DJ Mace and DJ Reazon on Wednesday. Steve Baczkowski and Katie Weissman on December 6th. The Observers on December 20th. Fritz the Kat (solo acoustic guitar, harmonica, kazoo, and slide whistle) plays on Friday. We have many things planned for the winter season – lots of surprises and positive enthusiasm focused on bringing people together in conversation.”
And that’s exactly what went down last evening. Personally, I can’t remember having so much fun listening to live music of this nature. There’s something about Duende that I absolutely love. It’s the combination of the people, the setting, the old world bar, the food, and everything else. The only thing that it’s missing is a fireplace. If there was a roaring fire at Duende, I think I would have to move in.
Be sure to tune into Duende’s Facebook page to keep track of the live music schedule. “Or mostly just trust that something will be happening when you arrive,” said Cain. “Whether it is live music, or a poetry reading, a theater performance, or a comedy showcase. We are going to be showcasing all of what Buffalo has to offer.”
Duende and The Cantina @ Silo City | 85 Silo City Row | Buffalo, New York 14203 | (716) 235-8380 | Facebook