Buffalo Traffic Jam – Tuning Fork, 27 October 2026: Review & Photo Gallery

28th October 2026

Who says you need screaming electric guitars and walls of Marshall amplifiers to rock a crowd? Certainly not Buffalo Traffic Jam, the young American folk-rock outfit from Montana, who transformed Auckland’s sold-out Tuning Fork into a foot-stomping, hand-clapping celebration of great songs and good old-fashioned musicianship on Tuesday night.

With their infectious energy, clever songwriting and an arsenal of traditional instruments, these guys proved that mandolins, banjos and violins can rock just as hard as electric guitars. Think Mumford & Sons with a touch of stadium rock, plenty of Americana and a whole lot of heart.

Before the main event, Australian singer-songwriter Riley Pearce delivered a performance that was worth the price of admission alone.

Riley Pearce — A Huge Sound from Just Two Musicians

Armed with a Maton acoustic guitar, a foot stomper and an impressive collection of beautifully crafted songs, Perth-based Riley Pearce took to the stage alongside his musical accomplice Justin, a youthful-looking, trucker-cap-wearing multi-instrumentalist who alternated between keyboards and electric guitar. Riley jokingly referred to Justin’s keyboard setup as the “spaceship” and it wasn’t difficult to understand why. The atmospheric sounds emanating from it were extraordinary, at times resembling the haunting tones of a pedal steel guitar.

What immediately impressed me was the sheer size of the sound these two musicians produced. Riley’s foot stomper delivered a thunderous kick-drum pulse, while his rhythmic acoustic guitar playing and Justin’s atmospheric accompaniment created the illusion of a much larger band. At one point, Riley even turned his acoustic guitar into a percussion instrument, tapping out rhythms on its body like a pair of bongos.

It’s no easy feat to sing, strum an acoustic guitar and keep a driving beat going with your foot, but Pearce made it look effortless. The second song of the evening, a brand-new composition called The Frame, was an absolute standout. Pearce explained that the song was barely a couple of weeks old, making us some of the first audiences in the world to hear it.

With lyrics about holding on through difficult times and putting a broken picture back into its frame, it was a beautifully constructed piece of songwriting. The combination of Riley’s driving acoustic guitar, booming foot percussion and Justin’s spacious keyboard textures made it one of the highlights of the entire evening.

As a songwriter myself, I found myself taking mental notes. There was plenty to admire in the simplicity and honesty of Pearce’s lyrics. His sense of humour was equally engaging.

Acknowledging that many in the audience probably hadn’t heard of him, Pearce thanked everyone for turning up on a Tuesday night and promised that we were in for a real treat. Then, with perfect comic timing, he clarified that he wasn’t talking about himself, but Buffalo Traffic Jam, who would be appearing after him.

He also revealed that he lives in Perth while Justin lives in Melbourne, meaning the pair had managed only two hours of rehearsal before the tour. If that was the result of two hours’ preparation, I’d love to hear what they could achieve with a week!

One of the funniest moments came when Riley produced a doorbell camera, explaining that he’d forgotten to bring his phone on tour. With only around 30 seconds of recording available, he decided to capture a little footage of himself and the Auckland audience as a souvenir. It was wonderfully spontaneous and endearing.

Pearce’s music has already found its way onto international television programmes, and after witnessing his performance, it’s easy to understand why. His songs are thoughtful, melodic and filled with clever lyrical observations. By the end of his half-hour set, I was genuinely glad I’d arrived early. Riley Pearce is one of those support acts you walk in knowing little about and leave wanting to hear much more.

Buffalo Traffic Jam — Montana Comes to Auckland

After a reasonably lengthy changeover, the five-piece Buffalo Traffic Jam finally took the stage and the atmosphere inside The Tuning Fork shifted into another gear.

The band’s founding duo, Frankie Cassidy and Nathan Ross, met while studying at university in Montana, a story Cassidy shared with the crowd while introducing the band to New Zealand for the very first time. Cassidy, sporting a sleeveless T-shirt and the seemingly compulsory trucker’s cap, was an intriguing frontman.

His speaking voice was surprisingly light and youthful, but the moment he began singing, it transformed into a deep, gravelly, almost whiskey-soaked rasp. The contrast was striking. At first, I found it a little unusual, but the more I listened, the more it seemed to suit the band’s earthy, emotionally charged Americana sound.

And what a sound they had.

The five-piece lineup featured Cassidy on lead vocals and acoustic guitar, Ross moving between electric guitar, mandolin and banjo, supported by a rock-solid rhythm section and a talented young female musician, introduced as Linda, who alternated between violin and keyboards. The combination was wonderfully effective.

By the second song, the mandolin was already making its presence felt, adding a bright, cutting texture that lifted the arrangement and gave the music a distinctive character. This is where Buffalo Traffic Jam really shine. They understand dynamics.

One moment, the music is sparse and atmospheric, with delicate acoustic guitar and violin weaving around Cassidy’s weathered vocals. The next, the drums and bass come crashing in, the mandolin takes flight, and suddenly you’re listening to something that sounds capable of filling a stadium. And yet, somehow, they never lose the intimacy of the songs.

Cassidy proved to be an excellent frontman, repeatedly calling out to the audience “Auckland, are you with us tonight?” The response was deafening. This wasn’t a crowd that needed much encouragement. They were clapping, dancing, singing and hanging on every word.

For a Tuesday night, the atmosphere was remarkable.

Beautiful Songs, Big Dynamics and a Banjo That Rocks

One of the evening’s more delicate highlights was Buying Dirt, featuring beautifully fingerpicked acoustic guitar and some gorgeous violin melodies. It was one of those moments when the band demonstrated that they didn’t need to play loudly to make an impact. The arrangement was spacious, the instrumentation tasteful, and the song was allowed to breathe.

Then came a brand-new song, which Cassidy announced wouldn’t be released until 6 November. With a refrain built around the idea of barely holding on and not letting go, it was an immediate crowd-pleaser. The banjo drove the arrangement with infectious energy, and before long, the audience was dancing, clapping and joining in with the chorus, despite hearing the song for the first time. That’s the sign of a well-written song.

If you can have an audience singing along to something they’ve never heard before, you’re doing something right. The band’s ability to shift effortlessly between introspective acoustic passages and full-throttle folk-rock anthems was one of the defining features of the evening.

Another unexpected highlight came when Cassidy introduced a cover of his grandmother’s favourite song, House of the Rising Sun. It was an inspired choice. The traditional folk classic, famously popularised by The Animals, fitted surprisingly well into Buffalo Traffic Jam’s musical world. For this number, Cassidy swapped his acoustic guitar for an electric, demonstrating another side of his playing.

He returned to the acoustic shortly afterwards, and I couldn’t help feeling that it was where he seemed most comfortable. His rhythmic strumming and fingerpicking are such an integral part of the band’s sound. It was refreshing to see him change things up.

Throughout the performance, the sound and lighting were excellent, complementing the music without overpowering it. The lighting was particularly effective during the quieter passages, helping create an atmosphere that was intimate one moment and almost cinematic the next.

Fool’s Gold — A Folk-Rock Anthem

If there was one song that summed up everything I loved about Buffalo Traffic Jam, it was Fool’s Gold. With Ross back on mandolin, the band launched into a rousing, mandolin-driven anthem, underpinned by pumping drums, solid bass and soaring violin. The crowd erupted. Hands were in the air, voices were raised, and the entire room seemed to be moving as one.

It was a genuine stadium-rock moment, achieved largely with instruments more commonly associated with folk and bluegrass, and I loved it.

As someone who grew up on rock ‘n’ roll and has spent a lifetime playing and writing songs, there’s something enormously reassuring about watching a young band connect with an audience through real instruments, great melodies and honest songwriting. No gimmicks. No unnecessary theatrics. Just five musicians playing their hearts out.

The song was a reminder that the power of rock music isn’t necessarily about distortion pedals and volume. It’s about energy, dynamics, emotion and that magical connection between a band and its audience.

Later in the set, Cassidy introduced Rescue Me, explaining that it was the first song he and Ross had written together. It was a fitting reminder of the friendship and musical partnership at the heart of Buffalo Traffic Jam. What began as two university mates making music together has grown into a formidable touring band capable of commanding a sold-out venue on the other side of the world. Judging by the reaction in Auckland, they’re only getting started.

A Tuesday Night to Remember

There was no encore, but there didn’t need to be. By the time Buffalo Traffic Jam left the stage, the audience had been treated to a thoroughly entertaining evening of beautifully crafted songs, superb musicianship, infectious energy and genuine connection.

From Riley Pearce’s remarkable two-man opening performance to Buffalo Traffic Jam’s full-band folk-rock celebration, the night was a reminder of just how powerful live music can be when the songs are strong and the musicians believe in what they’re playing. The Tuning Fork was the perfect venue for this first Auckland appearance, offering the intimacy of a club show with the energy of something much bigger.