QUINTIN JAMES
Assistant Sports Editor
Before going to EBC last Saturday night, I was wondering what I got myself into seeing a rock band perform. As an avid fan of hip-hop, R&B and jazz, a rock concert isn’t my taste of music.
I never truly enjoy shows in Fredonia, whether it’s at a bar or a house party, because the music played normally doesn’t match what I like to listen to. That being said, when I ended up at EBC at 10:30 p.m., I didn’t have any expectations. As I got there, the band Mosswalk were setting up their set.
The band consisted of four people: the keyboardist Ryan Cass, Jamie Sunshine on drums, Daniel Heuskin on bass, and Shaun McNamara on the guitar. Mosswalk is a Buffalo-based groove rock/jam band that “focuses on dynamic songwriting, sonic exploration and an immersive live experience.”
When I saw this one their Facebook group page, it caught my eye, but I wasn’t too sure what to make of it. With four people playing different instruments, I was intrigued by the band because of their variety.
As Heuskin introduced the band, he explained that it was their first time performing in Fredonia, as they are a fairly new band. As they started performing, I enjoyed it from the first song. I love jazz music and Mosswalk’s groovy, upbeat style drew me in instantly.
They performed two sets, the first including nine songs: “Hero Town” (Vulfpeck cover), “Sunday Drive,” “Play,” “Fat Cat,” “Montreal,” “Peaches,” “Ship on the Shining Sea,” “The Wind Cries Mary” (Jimi Hendrix cover) and “Without Eyes.”
The venue was perfect for this type of band and the music reminded me of a café. The infusion of the bass and keyboard stood out. My favorite song from the set was “Ship on the Shining Sea” because it was relaxing, uplifting and the melodies were calming.
Before performing that song, the band explained that it was a new song, and the fact that it was so good live was a sign that Mosswalk really put a lot into this show. Their song “Montreal” also was a favorite of mine. My roommate, who is a Montreal Canadiens fan, agreed. Their Jimi Hendrix cover is also worth mentioning, as it was groovy and funky.
After performing “Without Eyes,” the band members had their first intermission, giving me the chance to talk to both McNamara and Heuskin. They heard about EBC and Fredonia from driving in the area, but this was their first time performing here.
Three songs were performed during the second set: “Jelly Jam,” “The Newt” and “Elation.” The crowd enjoyed those songs as much as the first set of songs. All and all, the show was a definite success and I enjoyed going to the performance.
Supporting local bands and artists is good for the community, and after a long week, it was nice to jam out to some groovy tunes and let loose. I doubt this will be the last time we hear about Mosswalk, and I hope more people get to listen to this band.