Concert Review
America
Seneca Allegany Events Center
@ Seneca Allegany Casino
Salamanca, NY
Saturday July 7, 2018
Review/Photos: Joseph Suto
This year marks the 48th anniversary of rock band America. That is 48-years of playing an average of nearly 100 shows per year. These guys had no idea when they first formed the band in 1970 that they were really in it for the long haul. There is rarely a summer that doesn’t go by that these cats aren’t playing somewhere in the western New York region. Saturday evening, they pulled into the Seneca Allegany Events Center and delivered their set of “gold”.
Hitting the stage for an 80-minute, 21-song set, singer, guitarists Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley showed no signs of slowing down anytime soon. The show began with their traditional opener, the Bunnell penned gem “Tin Man”. There is not an oldies radio station anywhere that does not play this song. It is simply a requirement. From there the band mixed in concert favorites like “Don’t Cross The River” and “Daisy Jane”.
At this point of the show they dipped into the first album with a fine trio of songs that seemed to get overlooked by radio then and now in “Riverside”, “I Need You” and “Here”. Only “I Need You” was released as a single and while it did reach #9 on the Billboard singles charts an America concert is one of few places you will hear it these days.
They also dug deep into the old catalog with “Monster” and “Greenhouse”, both had been rarely played live until 2017 when the band resurrected them.The band concluded the show with some more of their greatest hits in “Lonely People” and “Sandman” before finishing out with their two chart toppers in closer Beckley’s “Sister Golden Hair” followed by the encore of Bunnell’s “A Horse With No Name”.
America is an institution, plain and simple. Perhaps with their accessibility and always seemingly playing somewhere in the area, we tend to take them for granted. Like Beckley stated “as long as you keep coming, we will keep playing.” Enjoy this band while they are still around putting on great sets of music every time out. Take the bait and catch the perfect prize that waits while its still here because sadly, it won’t be here forever.
Set List
Tin Man
You Can Do Magic
Don’t Cross the River
Daisy Jane
Riverside
I Need You
Here
Ventura Highway
Driving
Monster
Eleanor Rigby (Beatles Cover)
Cornwall Blank / Hollywood
The Border
Greenhouse
Woman Tonight
Only In Your Heart
California Dreamin’ (Mama’s & Papa’s Cover)
Lonely People
Sandman
Sister Golden Hair
Encore
A Horse With No Name
