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Tough Old Bird

“Tough Old Bird was formed by songwriting brothers Matthew and Nathan Corrigan in a rural corner of Western New York. Since releasing ‘Gambling Days’ in 2016, the duo has taken their singular style of modern folk music to coffee shops, listening rooms, music clubs, dive bars, campgrounds and front porches across the United States. The band’s newly expanded lineup features Ricky Bechard on drums and Brendan O’Shea on bass.” – Tough Old Bird

Must See Shows (9/25/24-10/1/24)

Wednesday, 9/25 @ 7pm Great Lake Swimmers w/ Tough Old Bird & Abe Partridge @ Buffalo Iron Works Indie folk outfit Great Lake Swimmers makes a mid-week stop in Buffalo on Wednesday 9/25. Based out of Toronto, Buffalo might be the easiest gig logistically for the band to reach, so expect the Swim team to be on their A-game. Since forming in the early 2000s, Great Lake Swimmers have received high praise from critics and fans alike with their earnest and homespun Americana sound. If you’re a fan of Iron & Wine, Sufjan Stevens, or Fleet Foxes, plan on heading down to the Cobblestone District. Opening up the night are Buffalo-based indie folk act, Tough Old Bird, and Alabama singer/songwriter Abe Partridge. Tickets are $25. Thursday, 9/26 @ 7pm The Japanese House @ Electric City English pop star The Japanese House will be in town this week at downtown Buffalo’s[...]

Tough Old Bird – “‘The Jaybird Lives!'”

You can almost hear the blowing of a breeze and rustling leaves while gazing at the nature-esque cover art for Buffalo indie folk duo Tough Old Bird’s latest EP, A Mantle for the Lantern. Buffalo brothers Matthew and Nathan Corrigan recorded the entire EP in their home while the rest of the world was shut down due to COVID-19. The intro to the EP, “‘The Jaybird Lives!’,” creates a very delicate, yet safe atmosphere for the audience to float through. With a breezy folk vibe that sways back and forth, A Mantle for the Lantern is akin to a rhythmic river running under the sunset. The only two words needed to sum up the ambience of the EP are peace and harmony. First, preview “‘The Jaybird Lives!'” via YouTube below, but be sure to check their entire (lengthy!) discography on Spotify as well.

Tonight: Stay Gold at the Burchfield Penney Art Center

Art and music intersect brilliantly and beautifully tonight when the Burchfield Penney Art Center hosts their annual Stay Gold party featuring some of Western New York’s hottest artists. Throughout the Burchfield Penney, au courant artists will be displaying site specific installations alongside the museum’s current ongoing exhibitions and performances by a plethora of up to the minute local acts including heave, Carmen & Izzy, The Burkharts, Tough Old Bird, Cooler, TVMTN, Sydney Jeanne, and MEDUSA. Admission is free, there’s a cash bar, and the museum is open to 10pm with music starting at 4pm. East Gallery heave – 4:05pm- 4:50pm Carmen & Lizzy – 6:05pm – 6:40pm Tough Old Bird – 8:45pm – 9:30pm Reception Space The Burkharts – 5:00pm – 5:50pm TVMTN – 6:40pm – 7:25pm Cooler – 8:05pm – 8:40pm Margaret L. Wendt Gallery Sidney Jeanne– 5:15pm – 6:00pm MEDUSA – 8:05pm – 8:40pm ET by MEDUSA

Tonight: Tough Old Bird

The sun is starting to make more of a consistent presence as summer begins in Western New York, the time of year we start to remember just how beautiful the area we live in actually is. Blue skies and warmer temps make the perfect companions to good music, and folk locals Tough Old Bird will be bringing just that to Mohawk Place tonight to celebrate the release of their fifth album, The Old Great Lakes. Almost every piece of writing you’ll come across describing Tough Old Bird – a folk group started in Fillmore, NY by brothers Matthew and Nathan Corrigan in 2013 – mentions the word “landscape” at least once or twice. Tough Old Bird takes its surroundings and transforms them into beautifully crafted, traditionally modern folk music, using sophisticated acoustic guitar, harmonica, and hints of accordion and electric guitar to develop not only a dynamic, comforting shroud of[...]

Tough Old Bird Reveals First Single off Upcoming Album

Late late month, Filmore NY’s Tough Old Bird dropped “Harbor Song,” the first single off their upcoming album The Old Great Lakes. “Harbor Song,” finds them expanding their sound slightly, in a way that highlights their rustic, blues tinged Americana stylings. The track opens up with a soulful trumpet duet, which is soon joined by a gentle beat in the drums. Lead singer Nathan Corrigan’s vocals balance perfectly, with a lilt that carries a certain weariness. The track is extremely evocative, conjuring up images of dusty, yellowed photographs. As the track builds, the layers grow, but at no point overpower Corrigan. Perhaps this is the real beauty of Tough Old Bird; their ability to capture Rust-Belt languor and the weariness of the road without succumbing to it. Aside from their expanding fanbase, this track will also appeal to fans of Buck Meek, The Avett Brothers, and Townes Van Zandt. Tough[...]

Tonight: Tough Old Bird

Single?  Taken?  Looking for a good time post Valentine’s Day?  Tough Old Bird is bringing it tonight at Nietzsche’s! Siblings Matthew and Nathan Corrigan formed Tough Old Bird back in 2013 in their hometown Fillmore, NY.  Since then, they’ve released 4 modern folk albums, the most recent being Where the Great Beasts are Buried in 2017. Tough Old Bird demonstrates how folk music is evolving.  While the influences of classic musicians like Bob Dylan are clear, the genre is maturing.  The tone of the songs is taken from generations; the thoughtful stories carry the same weight as their predecessors.  But the instrumentals are clearer, the twang of the strings is noticeably decreased.  As a result, modern folk bands like Tough Old Bird create a more inviting genre than what it was previously.  In other words, folk music seemed a more niche genre for a select audience. Joining tonight’s lineup is another[...]

Tough Old Bird – Where the Great Beasts Are Buried

Tough Old Bird’s description on Facebook reads, “good folk for good folks.” It is a simple yet effective statement. Their music has a relatable weight to it that reflects back the small town heart of their native Fillmore, NY. Their latest release, Where the Great Beasts Are Buried, is an EP containing 6 tracks recorded at their home throughout late 2016. The duo of Matthew and Nathan Corrigan draw influences from traditional folk music that maps out dusty and sepia-tinted landscapes with its songwriting, as well as the modern context of rust belt melancholia. They achieve a full and rich sound despite this being a home recording, while still maintaining a stripped-down and raw nature at the core of their songs. Matthew’s instrumental work is delicate yet commanding, while Nathan’s vocals have a road-weary heft to them, especially when paired with the rustic poeticism of his lyrics Americana, blues, indie[...]

Tonight: Small Houses

Small Houses’ sound is about as humble as the moniker would suggest. I found it difficult to not be receptive of the warm, smoky folk song stylings of the Austin-based solo project birthed by Jeremy Quentin. With each tune, he figuratively sits you down in a porch chair across from him to tell swelling tales of heartache and summers past. Even from a few seconds worth of listening, it’s undeniable that Quentin projects a voice well seasoned beyond his years — it’s almost like a beautifully fine sandpaper, gruff yet gentle enough to maintain some finesse among the lyrics. Obvious or not, Bob Dylan comes to mind as an influencer, or perhaps at least someone who had similar musings and expression. Seeing Small Houses perform in one of Buffalo’s most intimate venues is going to be a real treat, especially with the folk leanings of the rest of the lineup.[...]