Buffalo Heard

Photo Cred: Cara Robbins

Starfucker (or STRFKR) played to a sold out crowd at the Waiting Room in Buffalo, NY on Saturday, February 11th. To my surprise, the band had a huge following in Buffalo and they showed up ready to rock out.

One of the many things I like about the venue at the Waiting Room is that you feel like you’re standing in a basement full of your closest friends watching a band that brought you together in the first place. Think high school. Garage band. But we are smashed in the basement.

One of the many things I dislike about the venue at the Waiting Room is that you feel like you’re standing in the basement of your friend’s house when everyone from your class showed up unexpectedly and you can’t see or hear shit. Knowing this, (and tip to our readers) I usually show up just after the opening act walks on stage. Otherwise you’re going to get stuck in the back and don’t get the pure experience of the act(s) you’re about to see.

Well, I got there too late. As I walked in and waited for a beer, “Atlantis” ignited the crowd and set the tone for the rest of the evening. Standing in the back, I just caught sight of the band between a pillar and 6’ 5” tall giant. I’m only 5’3.” Think Billy Crystal and NBA player Ghorghe Muresan in the movie “My Giant.” Despite my impaired view, Starfucker put on a strange and energetic show, which I could enjoy all the way in the back.

The 4-piece band didn’t address the crowd very much. Instead, they let the music, props and electro vibes do much of the speaking for them. As the songs would build, it drew more enthusiasm from the crowd.

Standing there I thought, this is how my younger sixteen-year-old self imagined what a college frat party would be like – dancing astronauts, inflatable dolls, lights and projections, Taylor Swift wigs, confetti guns and a large inflatable rubber duck floating through the crowd. I’ve never seen an astronaut crowd surf with the same intensity of running the 400 meter. We were all rooting for a complete finish when they made it around the bend of the crowd and back to the stage. Amazing.

Even at the back, I felt fulfilled by the engaging guitar rifts, synths, bass and drums. Favorites songs of the night were “Sazed,” “Bury Us Alive,” “Never Ever Build,” “Boy Toy,” “When I’m Alive” and “Golden Light.”

Key Takeaway: One, these boys know how to put on a good (long) show pulling from several of their albums. Two, there were a few songs that sounded as if they had just clicked “play.” Three, if you’re looking for a trippy frat-like experience then this show is made for you!