The crowd was a blur of nonstop action Friday night at LaSalles as they enjoyed the highly anticipated return of Buffalo Creek.
Chingus warmed the stage with high-energy jam sessions including a guest appearance by vocalist Sloan Tash of Gumboots.
Tash was invited on stage to sing a bluesy rockin' number that kicked the crowd into gear and out onto the dance floor.
Soon the club was filled with swaying bodies and die-hard fans of both Chingus and Buffalo Creek.
Major fans of both of these local bands lined the stage to sing familiar songs and dance all night.
Chingus supplied a groovy Phish-sounding opening act for the long awaited headliners.
At the end of their set the lead singer for Buffalo Creek came on stage to sing with them and warm up the audience for what was to come.
Following the tear down of equipment and short break between bands, Buffalo Creek lead singer Bryn Loosley and drummer Nick Bearden graciously sang a mellow version of their original song "Happy to be Here."
Loosley played an acoustic guitar, while Bearden used an electric hollow-body.
The rest of the band joined them on stage as they proceeded to give the crowd exactly what they came for.
When the band sang its local hit "Angelina," the crowd went wild. Fans were singing every word, showing the band just how faithful they were to the music.
For the next 2 1/2 hours the dance floor was filled with happy fans thrilled with Buffalo Creek's performance.
The love the crowd had for Buffalo Creek was reminiscent of the good old days of Mother Hips' concerts.
The sound was not far from the rock/country/blues sound of the Hips shows. Rich harmony and solid lead guitar gave the band a tight, danceable sound.
Buffalo Creek also welcomed Tash onto the stage for a solid version of The Band's tune "The Weight."
Most of the songs performed on Friday were originals, with an occasional surprise cover like the version of "Love Potion No. 9" made modern with its rock guitar lines and edgy vocals.
Buffalo Creek had the crowd disco-dancing to the Bee-Gees "Stayin' Alive" and singing and fist-pumping to the Rolling Stones' "Dead Flowers."
Fans were excited by the performance of the original Buffalo Creek song "Cry" and equally as thrilled when the band belted out a cover of "Simple Man" by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Buffalo Creek has a knack for transitioning from a rock sound to a country sound without losing their high-energy pace.
The band seemed to be enjoying the audience just as much as the audience was enjoying them.
For a mere $5 cover charge Chingus and Buffalo Creek played a show that was worth corporate ticket prices.
If you missed this show, you'll be happy to know Buffalo Creek will be back in Chico to play again on Nov. 20. The band is hoping to have a new CD out by then.
Coreen Larson can be reached at
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