It has been a while since the last Ted Leo + The Pharmacists album, almost two and a half years between 2007’s Living With The Living and March’s The Brutalist Bricks. The gap hasn’t slowed them down, as their interim tour schedule kept them busy (including a couple stops in Buffalo), opening for Pearl Jam six times in 2008 and dropping the EP Rapid Response, later that year. In support of The Brutalist Bricks, the band will be making a stop at Mohawk Place, bringing their politically charged punk-pop to Buffalo once again.
With songwriting that engages the listener on an often political as well as social level, Leo has often been compared to Bruce Springsteen–and not just because he’s from Jersey. The music they play is markedly different in style, but both The Boss and Leo have a message–of varying subtleties in each release–which they believe in, and their commitment to their audience and their own roots shows through each song. Jess Harvell, writing about Living with the Living for Pitchfork hits the nail on the head: “…it’s honorable the way Leo has opted to grow his audience and his songwriting talent organically–and watch both increase exponentially, on his own terms. I like that he’s got ethics and ideals that go beyond lifestyle choices. I like that he sees writing the most compassionate song possible about eating disorders as a political act, because it is. And, with its airtight rhythm section and the crackling energy of its bug-eyed frontman in his Conflict t-shirt, no rock band currently touring puts on a better live show than the Pharmacists.”
None of this has changed with the release of The Brutalist Bricks, despite the gap between the albums, or with Leo’s age (unlike other socially minded rockers who haven’t aged so well)–he turns 40 this year. So, bring the wife, bring the kids, and be prepared to rock. For more information, on Ted Leo + The Pharmacists, including tour dates
and videos, visit: http://www.tedleo.com
Sunday, June 27th, doors at 7:00pm,
16+ with ID, $15 at Ticketmaster
Mohawk Place
47 East Mohawk Street
Buffalo, NY 14203-1706
(716) 855-3931
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Joseph DiDomizio is a local writer, filmmaker, and graphic
artist. He graduated from UB with a BA in Media
Study and English, and has been writing about music, movies,
books and pop-culture for several years. A long-standing contributor to
Buffalo Rising, he has also written a couple full-length screenplays, a
handful of short stories, and been involved with the production of Nickel
City Chef, as well as several short local films. Currently he is a
contributor to The Way Of The Buffalo
podcasts, and is developing a web serial, amongst other media projects.