Appearing Live at Jack of The Wood
“Everybody’s getting a raise!” has become the unofficial tag line of Buffalo Wabs & The Price Hill Hustle, a line screamed out at an early show that somehow stuck. Since the band last set foot in Asheville they’ve played everywhere from “Hannibal, Missouri, to Youngstown, to Milwaukee to Cleveland and from Bloomington to Knoxville and back around again.”
They’ve also recorded and released Revival, a live recording that captures the essence of their stage show, and were nominated for a Best Folk/Americana Cincinnati Entertainment Award. The Ohio based four piece Americana/folk band, whose sound blends “the tradition of heroes like Woody Guthrie and Mississippi John Hurt into a contemporary flavor” is made up of guitarist/vocalist/spokesperson Matt Wabnitz (aka Buffalo Wabs), along with Casey Campbell, Ian Mathieu, and Scott Risner.
The group is deeply rooted in the tradition of Old Time pioneers with an energy that “could burn down the rowdiest honky-tonk in town.”
The four met through the Cincinnati music community at open mics and “began seeing each other at other shows around town. We all had different musical projects of our own but after playing together onstage we realized the chemistry was undeniable.”
Soon after they’d become the musical pride of Cincinnati, with no less a name than former Cincinnati mayor and famed daytime talk show host Jerry Springer joining them on stage. After hitting the road they’ve scarcely had time to look back, playing about 150 shows a year while steadily increasing their geographic fan base.
Cincinnati music writer Dylan Bentley, an early champion of the band, sums it up thusly: “They play Folk-Americana music, and they do it in the kind of hell-blazing, barn-burning, foot-stomping way that rejuvenates, enriches and enlivens the intent and aspirations of that style of song.” Now that’s the sort of praise only a true fan could heap upon any band!
If You Go: Buffalo Wabs & The Price Hill Hustle on Friday, July 10 at Jack of the Wood, 95 Patton Ave. For more information go to www.jackofthewood.com/music-events.
Local and regional musicians! If you want coverage in Rapid River Magazine please email jjcassara@aol.com.