NOTE: All photos are copyright of Howard Shiau Photography 2025
After touring for much of the year, Toronto band The Beaches surprised Buffalo by announcing a one off show in December. On the heels of winning the 2022 Juno Award for best rock album and an extensive tour, we were happy that the band was able to find the time to stop by Buffalo Iron works on Saturday night to party!
Opening for the Beaches were a relatively new band, The Thing, out of Brooklyn, New York. Trying to find out anything about this band via Google search was an impossibility, especially because somehow there are two other bands with the same name!! This particular band comes straight out of old school rock and roll with bassist/vocalist Zane Acord leading the charge. Together with Jack Bradley and Michael Carter on guitar and Sam Pace on drums, The Thing cranked up the energy as soon as their instrumental intro completed. They played a very satisfying 45 minute set and were perfect for getting the crowd amped for the Beaches. Sign up on their website (https://www.thingthething.com) for any updates!
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The Beaches kicked off their set with the title track off their 2017 studio record “Late Show”. Always the fashionable group, lead vocalist/bassist Jordan Miller had a green jumpsuit with pleats that could have come straight out of an Issey Miyake collection. Keyboardist/guitarist Leandra Earl also had on some too cool for school aviators! The fashion is fine but this band was out there to kick ass and they sure did! With every song seemingly an anthem, the music was center stage from the get go, with many fans singing along to every song! A fan favorite was “Want What You Got” and Jordan encouraged as much participation as possible. Eliza Enman-McDaniel, hiding in the dark at the back of the stage, could not hide the ferociousness of her drumming. Jordan’s sister/guitarist Kylie Miller and Earl were constantly moving about the stage during the high energy set and showed why the Beaches are a must see band. Listening to their records does not do justice to the power of their live shows. Jordan’s bass (thanks to Nancy Enman for the correction!) must have been so stressed that the head cracked as it was being placed on the guitar stand. That’s the first time I’ve ever seen an “accidental” guitar smashing!! Anyway, if you haven’t had a chance to see this band live, keep your ears to the ground for future shows!
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