BELLOWS FALLS-A herd of buffalo are coming to Vermont on Friday, March 28; the followers of roots-rock band Donna The Buffalo who will be making their Bellows Falls Opera House debut that night.
The show is the second of the annual four-date series honoring Ray Massucco, a civic-minded attorney, part-time concert promoter and full-time music lover, who died in 2022. A group of Vermont friends who had worked with Massucco on Rockingham's Roots on the River music festival quickly coalesced around the idea of a concert series.
"Ray loved music, he loved Bellows Falls, and I think he'd be thrilled to see what we have done the last three years," said Ezra Veitch, production manager of Ray's the Roof, presenter of the event, in a news release.
Formed in 1989, (a friend was trying to convince them to name themselves "Dawn of the Buffalo," but they misheard), Donna the Buffalo has played thousands of shows and countless festivals including Bonnaroo, Newport Folk Festival, Telluride, Austin City Limits Festival, Merle Fest, and Philadelphia Folk Festival. They've opened for The Grateful Dead and have toured with Peter Rowan, Del McCoury, Los Lobos, and Little Feat, to name but a few.
"There is an element of jam-band vibe to a Donna the Buffalo show, but there is so much more," said organizers in a news release. Elements of string-band music, rock, reggae, folk, and zydeco are in their songs and show.
To make room for dancing, the Opera House is removing two rows of seats on the wings. As well, Wild Goose Players' stage set for Matilda is nearing completion, "so the setting for the concert promises to be as eclectic as the music!" organizers said.
"The fans, they show up to be a part of it. We show up to be a part of it," founding band member Jeb Puryear said. "We don't have an intimidating vibe where we're different than the audience. If a scene is really on, it doesn't matter whether you're watching, listening, dancing, or playing - it's on, everybody knows it's on, and it feels great! I think that's the nature of the connection."
In 1991, the band started the Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival in Trumansburg, New York. The four day festival has become a destination for over 15,000 music lovers every year. Donna the Buffalo has also toured with Ben & Jerry's co-founder Ben Cohen to help raise awareness about increased corporate spending in politics.
The 2025 Ray Massucco series continues with Jorma Kaukonen from Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna on June 19, and concludes with The Vermont Symphony Orchestra "Made In Vermont" series on Nov. 16.
The Bellows Falls Opera House is at 7 Village Square. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; showtime is 7:30 p.m. Tickets and information can be found at BellowsFallsOperaHouse.com.
This Arts item was submitted to The Commons.