Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Wales has always managed to hold onto its musical secrets until the right time comes along to unleash them upon the world in a blaze of Welsh pride, especially its rock groups. The Alarm, Manic Street Preachers, The Reasoning and The Stereophonics all have become household names over the decades not just in their home country but across the River Severn and through the mountains and hills of the North and invaded the collective music thought of the neighbours in England.

Add to the very long list of fantastic bands that call Wales their home the superb Buffalo Summer who entertained and thrilled the jam packed o2 Academy 2 room in Liverpool as support to Heaven’s Basement. Support they may have been but as the group made their way through seven top notch tracks, it was easy to see that they would not stay support for too long.

Whether it was Andrew Hunt’s strong presence on vocals, Johnny Williams sublime guitar, Gareth Hunt’s near avenging style on drums or Darren King’s stalking bass, each member of Buffalo Summer grew in stature as their evening set progressed, the natural reserve soon abandoned as they came out of their hide and dominated the time on stage with some blistering tracks from their 2011 eponymous album which included the opener She’s All Natural, A Horse Called Freedom, the excellent Truth From Fable, Down To The River and the outstanding Typhoid Mary.

Andrew Hunt typified the kind of rock vocalist that can drive audiences crazy just by standing on stage and giving his all down the microphone. Nothing else seems to matter when a vocalist is so in synch with those around him, the musicians who give him the extra impetuous to be outlandish and the audience who feed of his energy, their voice resonates around whatever venue they are in and Andrew Hunt, his pursuit of that type of performance was preyed upon with vigour.

Buffalo Summer should enjoy their time roaming round the country with Heaven’s Basement but it won’t be long before they are headlining their own major tour.

Ian D. Hall