BY APRIL S. ENGRAM

There are audiences who gather to have some music with their drinks, others who come to see "that musician they've heard about," and then there are the avid fans who salivate for their favorite group to tour their city. The majority of the crowd that filled every inch of floor before the stage in Buffalo's Tralf Music Hall was indeed the latter. I was part of the middle demographic, and ultimately left Tralf with a newfound admiration for M. Ward's talent.

After a 20 minute wait for the venue to mend their broken speaker, M. Ward and his band finally walked across the stage. The audience roared, and Ward wasted no time, leaping into new material from his sixth album Hold Time. Ward's music pays homage to classic Americana folk and blends country, blues and rock. And his audience was just as diverse as his musical inspirations: a silver haired gentleman stood not far from a young lady with deep red, spiky hair, and all were happily taking in the sounds of M. Ward.

After a few songs Ward addressed the audience, admitting that it was his first time in Buffalo. "Come back again," someone shouted as Ward smiled and tuned his guitar. "Sorry for the wait," Ward continued, "some of us are having some few issues tuning... mainly me," he joked; but who would've known, as Ward pleased everyone with the hollowing sounds that poured from his instrument.

Ward's mellow voice was often accompanied by the audience on old favorites from 2003'sTransfiguration of Vincent such as "Vincent O'Brien," and 2006's Post War's "To Go Home." Though Brooklyn folk band Oakley Hall did not open for Ward this night, three members of the sextet joined M. Ward on stage and sang the backing vocals on "Home." The upbeat track appeared to be the song everyone was waiting to hear, because for the first time the audience started dancing and jumping around. After one more song M. Ward bid farewell to everyone; yet, the Buffalo fans were not ready for Ward to walk away.

The crowd cheered and applauded for Ward to return. Eventually he and the band did, playing three more tracks, then thanking Buffalo for the warm reception and again leaving the stage. Once again the audience did not relent. Some people began walking away, obviously believing that Ward would not return for a second encore. Yet he did, and now he and the band were really enjoying the moment, leaping into Chuck Berry's "Roll Over Beethoven." Quite comically one fan attempted to create a "mosh" moment and proceeded to jump around, colliding into the calmer spectators. Although after a few moments of blank stares he stopped, and everyone else resumed rocking along with Ward.

[Photos Credit: April S. Engram]