Blind Owl Band at Winter Carnival, The Waterhole, Saranac Lake on February 9th – Full show video

Blind Owl Band played The Waterhole in Saranac Lake on February 9th as part of Winter Carnival 2013. This was one of the free shows, a post-parade party in the upstairs music lounge, and it was packed shoulder to shoulder. Everybody was jamming to the music, whether it was for the first or 100th time. The Blind Owl Band are local to Saranac Lake and play all over the state, as well as Vermont and several other locations. The band consists of Eric (mandolin), James (banjo), Arthur (guitar) and Christian (bass), and although they do not consider themselves a bluegrass band, they do play an eclectic mix of all music from all the sounds in their heads. While jamming, they brought out several guests to play with them,  such as members of Lucid, local fiddler Addison Bigford and many others. The most notable song of the night was a cover of Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer”

Video by Ryan Stanley

Scenes from Winter Carnival in Saranac Lake, February 8th and 9th

Donna The Buffalo Drinks From The Waterhole at Winter Carnival 2013

After a vibrant opening act with Driftwood to kick off Winter Carnival 2013, the well known and well loved band Donna the Buffalo took stage. They united everyone in the audience at the Waterhole Music Lounge in Saranac Lake Thursday evening, solidifying the energy left over from Driftwood. When you see them live exploring the realm of what it is they offer, you can’t help but feel at home. The folk-infused Americana band offered a common ground for everyone to dance on at a sold out show. Fans from all over the northeast traveled in disregard to warnings of record breaking snowfall to spend the evening with the band.

Once the band was grooving, everyone was moving. They inspire rhythm within the soul and demand movement from the body. The most prevalent thing at a Donna the Buffalo show is the range of ages within the fanbase. With a country and bluegrass feel, they are able to give people what they know and love while still offering unique music that is fresh and new. When Tara Nevins, the lead vocalist, busts out the washboard or accordion, she kicks things up a notch by adding some Cajun zydeco spice to the mix. She is one of the band’s original singers and songwriters, staying true to the band for the past 21 years. The other lead musician in the band, Jeb Puryear, adds a vibrant poetic element to a Donna the Buffalo show. He is always sharing personal ideas and emotions with the audience, expressing ideas from within and subtly explaining the band’s extensive timeline. Having recently put out a new album Silverlined many new songs were played and a refreshed sense of the band was shared by all. The new songs stopped people in their two stepping and made them listen. They are masters at creating a powerful sense of love and positive energy at every show. Anybody who loves good music, genuine song writing, and an energizing rhythm loves this band.

Donna the Buffalo represents a revitalization of an aging sentiment of the love generation. Their music offers a hash of multiple styles, perfect for satisfying the many demands of a mountain town. The sounds of the fiddle, accordion  washboard, tambourine, electric guitar and keyboard all combine to bring the audience satisfying sounds and a combination of truly loved genres. The event demanded the kicking off of boots, swirling of skirts and swilling of suds. Smiles were all around and the warm feeling of a family created was everywhere. To end the show the band finished with one of their well know ditties and what it is they stand for was chanted, “My, my, my, everybody gets high! On love, love, love, everybody gets high! My, my, my, everybody gets by Everybody gets high on love…”!