Buds’ Buzz

The Kind Bud’s perform at Plattsburgh State University College

Story by Tiffany Richards
Photos courtesy of Kitty Johnson

Imagine sitting on the front steps of your porch with a soft breeze blowing by. The sun is setting just over the horizon, and you’re having that warm, fuzzy feeling inside that makes you feel right at home.           

The Kind Buds evoked that warm feeling during their performance at Plattsburgh State University College on September 7 at the World of Wings café. Despite the warm feeling the Bud's sound gave, the café was quite chilly. The restaurant did have dim lighting and spicy colored furniture that put a little fun in the scene.     

The restaurant had only a few people watching at the beginning of the performance. Many were missing out on the folksy, foot-tapping style that the Buds brought. Two guitarists, brothers Budd and Bud, played their acoustic guitars with a lot of energy injected into their music. Every song had about a two minute guitar solo. Many of their songs were about love; they had song titles like "How Lucky," "In Love With You," "Echoes," and "Baby Locomotive." One song they played, "Dear Prudence," had that teen drama sound to it that you would hear during those "special moments." This song, like others played that night, was a dedication to the Beatles. Their music was comforting to the soul.  

"They played well together. They matched each other’s sound."

Unfortunately, the majority of the crowd didn’t seem into the music. People walked in and out at different times of the performance. Some people looked like they were more engaged in their food than the actual performance. You can’t really blame them since WOW was the only eating facility open at the time and college kids do get hungry at night. However, some people actually seemed quite interested in the Bud’s acoustic sound. The duo did have their loyal fans who were entertained enough to stay for the entire performance.                  

"They played well together. They matched each other’s sound," said Alexandra Hardacre, a sophomore film and media student at PSUC. Still, many of the college students didn’t seem to enjoy it much. Many people left after intermission. Maybe folk music is just not the type of music most college students are looking for. At least they got to listen to some good ol’ folk music, even if it was just for a short time.                        

Personally, I believe the Buds had an enthralling performance. The folksy sound of their music put me in a relaxed mood. A warm, fuzzy feeling was evoked from my soul that night. The only disadvantage I found to their music was that it just wasn't the flavor that most college students look for. They shouldn’t feel bad though; they still have their loyal fans.

The duo is from Randolph, Vermont, where they have lived for twenty-three years. Early in their careers, Bud and Budd were both in an electric guitar band, but they found their sound through acoustic guitar. They decided to band together knowing there aren’t many duos these days.

"I think that’s what makes us unique: We’re a two piece act." Bud said. The Kind Buds like to play music about people who have inspired them in the past, like the Beatles. The duo tries to create a raucous acoustic guitar sound, post-folk meets new folk. This past summer, they played in a lot of big music festivals. The brothers have played with famous musicians, such as, Buddy Guy and Bob Weir. At the 12th annual "Gathering of The Vibes" festival, they played for 30,000 people. There were around fifty bands playing. Whenever Kind Buds perform, they say they don’t think about what their doing. Their energy just transfers between the stage and the crowd.

Bud added, "You can almost throw your head back and let the music play."

Have you seen the Kind Buds live? Tell us about it!