Join The Herd

If a group makes it to the 25-year mark they must be doing something right, but with Donna the Buffalo you can argue that they are doing a lot of things right. Between having two harmonious and charismatic lead writers and singers — Tara Nevins and Jeb Puryear — a way of writing songs that is simultaneously personal and universal and a knack for combining various elements of the roots music world together, this group is consistently engaging.

With their latest effort, Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday, released in June, the band has given listeners a feast for the ears. If you dig bluegrass, then “All Aboard” will get your attention. “Don’t Know What We’ve Got” has an easygoing country vibe to it, while “Working on That” plods along with a mid-tempo, bluesy zydeco sound, and the lively title track is the sort of rock ‘n’ roll song that is infectious and utterly danceable. The fun country rocker “I Love My Tribe” pays homage to the band’s fan base, The Herd — a family of fans whose home base is a Donna the Buffalo concert. Or, as Puryear recently told the podcast American Music Show, the band’s music creates a “psychological home” for The Herd.

Donna the Buffalo has made a career out of writing earthy tunes in a variety of musical styles with lyrics that are highly relatable with a social justice bent. They have performed with a variety of artists, such as Bela Fleck and Amy Helm, and Nevins herself has performed with Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann’s band BK3. It might be time for you to join The Herd.

Donna the Buffalo play with old-school country outfit The Believers 9 pm Tuesday, July 30, at WOW Hall; $13 adv., $15 door.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!