Chuck Ragan and The White Buffalo team up to help push you over the midweek hump.
Years and years ago, you would find Chuck Ragan traveling around the country with his band, Hot Water Music. The Gainesville, FL act made a name for themselves with their relentless touring and anthemic songs. Across the country on its other coast, you’d find Jake Smith—an Oregon born, Southern Californian raised in the influential West Coast punk scene. Fast forward to 2014 and the two are now touring together. Tonight they come to South Street for a show at the TLA.
While they have not lost their punk roots, both Chuck Ragan and Jake Smith have ventured past it. For almost a decade now, when Ragan is not singing and playing guitar in Hot Water Music, he’s crafting his own songs as a singer-songwriter. Focusing more on storytelling has allowed Ragan to reveal his emotions within a different creative outlet. His strong sense of traditional Americana has shaped his solo material into honest, straightforward tunes.
In March Ragan released his latest album, Til Midnight on SideOne Dummy Records. Since then he has taken to the road in support of it. Aside from a new record, Ragan is also debuting his star-studded backing band The Camaraderie. The line-up is made up of members from Lucero, Social Distortion, and Glossary.
Splitting the bill with Ragan is Jake Smith aka The White Buffalo. Like Ragan, Smith is also touring behind a new album. Last September he released Shadows, Greys and Evil Ways, a concept album revolving around the fictional story of the wild west’s version of Odysseus, Joseph White. It’s a concept album with a backbone and Smith’s edgy, hold-nothing-back style brings the story to life.
With Chuck Ragan and The White Buffalo you get a double dose of rootsy, folk music with a heavy punk influence. While it may not be your dad’s style of songwriting, the lyrics and stories within the songs are just as good.
So grab your dad, a friend, or fly solo and get down to the TLA tonight and make the most of your hump day!
