Foghat Plays the Palace; Donna the Buffalo at The Rex (Sat., 2/11/17)

1) “Slow Ride” turned 40 in 2015, and to celebrate, Foghat re-recorded the hit for their seventeenth studio album, 2016’s Under the Influence. If you missed the anniversary, you can catch Foghat at the Palace Theatre. The hard rock act had plenty of other hits in the ’70s, such as their cover of “I Just Want To Make Love to You” by Willie Dixon. But it’s “Slow Ride” that’s connected music fans from boomers to Generation Z. Foghat formed in 1971 in London. Although the band continues to record and perform, drummer Roger Earl is the only founding member remaining. Bassist Tony Stevens  departed in 1975, rejoined in 1993, and departed in 2005. Vocalist and rhythm guitarist “Lonesome” Dave Peverett, who wrote the lyrics to “Slow Ride,” died in the ’00s as did Rod Price, who gave the band its trademark slide guitar sound. Earl has assembled a group of talented replacements, including vocalist/guitarist Charlie Huhn, who has played with Ted Nugent and Humble Pie. 8 p.m. 21 West Otterman St. (CM)

2) There are many buffalo references in music—e.g. the former band Grant Lee Buffalo, the song “Buffalo Stance” by Neneh Cherry, and Ted Nugent’s “The Great White Buffalo.” Another interesting buffalo is Donna the Buffalo, a band that plays across the musical genres of folk, rock, country, bluegrass, and zydeco, and hails from the Finger Lakes region of New York. The songwriting heart of the band is composed of Jeb Puryear and Tara Nevins, both of whom perform vocals and are multi-instrumentalists. They even have a “Funky Side.” Donna the Buffalo is one of the founding/host bands for the Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance and additionally the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival. Followers of the band are known collectively as “The Herd.” The band got its name when the musicians mis-heard a friend suggesting the name Dawn of the Buffalo. Bess Greenberg opens. 8 p.m. The Rex Theater, 1602 E. Carson St., South Side.

3) The Pitt men’s basketball team and coach Kevin Stallings take on the Syracuse Orange today in a noon game. The squad has been playing a little better lately helped by big man Rozelle Nix getting some time at center. Next up is a home game Tuesday vs. Virginia Tech. Hail to Pitt! Petersen Events Center, 3719 Terrace St., Oakland.

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