Shonali and Ted Leo & The Pharmacists at Rec Room
- estdenis23
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
On Feb. 27 the Washington DC based American-rock band Ted Leo & the Pharmacists headlined the Rec Room in Buffalo, NY. Indie-rock singer Shonali opened for the band, tying together a fun night of rock and roll in downtown Buffalo.
Rec Room is a live music venue situated in downtown Buffalo. It is very open with a long bar and many booths for patrons to sit at before reaching the stage. Along with the drinks that come with a typical bar, the Rec Room offers an extensive list of specialty nonalcoholic cocktails as well as finger foods to snack on before or throughout the show. Additionally, many LED signs throughout the venue contribute to the edgy ambiance of the place. Rec Room is an impressive smaller sized venue. It offers its patrons more than just a concert, but a fun environment as well.
The first performance of the night came from Atlanta native Shonali. Shonali is an indie-rock artist and attended law school, has worked as a comedian, and has been in multiple bands as well as having a solo career. On this tour, Shonali celebrates her newest solo album “One Machine at a Time”. Shonali’s songs focus on many personal and social issues that everyday people can relate to, including many references to struggles from the 2020 quarantine. The blend of Shonali’s bold vocals and her band’s uplifting energy created a set of groovy indie rock. There was lots of focus on the guitar in her set with multiple being used and occasional solos. She was also accompanied by the drums, bass, and keyboard, and background vocals from the band. At times Shonali and the band would harmonize, dance together, or just be perfectly in sync. They had great musical chemistry which made the set so fun to watch.
One of my favorite parts of Shonali’s set was her infectious energy and engagement with the crowd. Early in the show, she shared her appreciation for being in a space with real people who were not looking at their phones. I thought this was a great way to start the night by bringing everyone together in a moment of gratitude. She prefaced some songs with a brief backstory, tuning the audience into the creative process. During her last couple of songs, Shonali danced around the stage and her energy was contagious. The last song of the set was her new single, “Sunday’s Hum” which was released on Feb. 21. It is a slower song focusing on the acoustic guitar before picking up with the blend of the full band. In many of her songs this slow down then quick buildup happens which was very cool to see live. Shonali had such a fun range of abilities shown off in her set that kept the crowd engaged and energized for the headliner of the night.
The headliner, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, entered with fast electric guitar that kept the energy up after Shonali's set. This band has its roots in early 2000’s rock and are honoring the 20-year anniversary of their fourth album “Shake the Sheets” on this tour. Ted Leo prefaced the show by stating that this album was made as an act of protest against many oppressive systems in our lives. The band used three electric guitars as well as having a skilled drummer and bassist rocking the room. Ted Leo's vocals kept up with the speedy instrumentals to create an electric performance and his stamina throughout the whole set was amazing. About two-thirds into the set, he began performing songs that were never played on the album’s original 2004 tour. They were unique from the typical sound of the album with slower vocals and isolated instrumentals. After finishing the album, the band left and only Ted Leo stayed on stage to sing a few more songs. A new song, “The Clearing of the Land”, he sang acapella. The lyrics came quickly into focus without any background music, and it created a really cool intimate moment. He did a few more solo songs, including a cover of “mid-period Ramones” which he said to be an underrated era of music. I really appreciated this slow set as it showcased Ted Leo’s strong range of abilities as both a solo artist and with his band. Watching this band felt like I was living in the peak of early 2000's rock!
Ted Leo brought a traditional rock sound to the Rec Room while Shonali brought a softer indie-rock sound. These performances blended perfectly to give the crowd a night of energizing music. To learn about upcoming concerts or event at the Rec Room, check out their website.
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