By Brandon Andersen

Vince Maratano looked up at the stage, and immediately felt a sense of deja vu.

“I felt 30 years younger,” said Maratano, as he watched his childhood idol, singer Roger McGuinn, perform at Buffalo State College last Friday night. “It was great to see.”

McGuinn, the lead singer and guitarist for the 1960s band The Byrds, who broke into the music scene with number one singles “ Turn, Turn, Turn” and “Mister Tambourine Man”. He performed in front of about 500 people at Rockwell Hall, entertaining fans with the mellow, folk rock sound that made the Byrds an American staple.

“I always enjoy these quiet, mellow settings where I can be, in a way, ‘one’ with the audience,” said MaGuinn after the show. “Buffalo fans are great.”

In addition to the music, McGuinn shared stories with the audience behind many of the Byrds songs, and shed some insight on life as a Byrd.

“It was always a fun time, just a couple of guys going around playing music,” said McGuinn. “Now, 30 years later, I guess its time to kind of enjoy the fruits of that labor, in seeing all these fans, young and old, that like our music.”

Fans at the show said McGuinn hasn’t lost his edge or musical ability.

“My dad sat next to me, and said McGuinn hasn’t lost anything, performance wise, in 30 years,” said 24-year-old Max Jensen, himself an aspiring musician. “I hope I sound that good 30 years from now.”

Links:
Buffalostate.edu
TheByrds.com
RogerMcGuinn.com

Brandon Andersen can be reached at Andebe89@buffalostate.edu