By Seamus Gallivan
Color me biased, but I wonder – could it be that in just three years, Live at Larkin has become synonymous with summertime in Buffalo?
As we approach the June 17th kickoff of our fourth annual 14-week free Wednesday concert series presented by First Niagara and sponsored by Independent Health, I’m looking forward to the fun while reflecting on a winter and spring full of inquiries seemingly wherever I went around town, such as:
“How’s the Live at Larkin lineup looking?”
“What’s gonna be new this summer?”
“I hope you have John & Mary back!”
All that anticipation is appreciated, and surely boosted by a long, bitter winter that left Western New Yorkers even more eager to enjoy outdoor events this summer – between that and our biggest lineup yet featuring both annual favorites and intriguing first-timers, plus a cool collection of food carts and trucks each week, it’s bound to be a wild year for Live at Larkin.
The series takes place in Larkin Square (745 Seneca St., 5-8:30pm) every Wednesday from June 17th through September 16th. We’re kicking off our 35-band lineup with one of few bands that can claim to have played Live at Larkin all four years running – John & Mary & the Valkyries, led by the duo known best as longtime members of 10,000 Maniacs. Expect John Lombardo and Mary Ramsey to lead their cast of veteran Buffalo players Patrick Kane, Joe Rozler, Kent Weber and Rob Lynch, to play many of 10KM’s greatest hits along with newer material they’ve written together – and expect to see first couple of Larkinville Leslie & Howard Zemsky to be swaying together throughout to their favorite Buffalo band.
The opening act will be one of my favorite Buffalo acts in Zak Ward – known best in Larkin Square as the frontman of Son of the Sun – who’ll bring his new band of ringers to hit the first notes of this year’s series. Hailing from Niagara Falls, Zak’s dynamic voice and flowing yet tightly-arranged songs could stand out on any indie rock circuit from here to his former home of Los Angeles.
Zak and his band will perform from 5:15-6:15pm, followed by John & Mary from 6:45-8pm. And continuing a tradition we started last summer, each week the headliner will invite at least one member of the opening act back onstage for a collaborative encore – this night will mark the first time that Zak and John & Mary will perform together, though they already share the same first-call bassist in Kent Weber.
These kinds of collaborations represent our signature exclamation point to what’s become Buffalo’s biggest weekly showcase of live, local, original music – each week will bring a fun, fresh look at two or more standouts from our bustling music scene, join us!
Enjoy some raw footage of John & Mary & the Valkyries at Live at Larkin by Paget Films, some of which was used in their acclaimed short film for Visit Buffalo Niagara, “Buffalo: America’s Best Designed City.”
And here’s Zak’s just-released first music video – I think he’ll have a different band for Live at Larkin…
