Published 2002-02-06T00:00:00Z”/>

Mark Lore<br>Staff Writer

With the recent retirement of two of Chico’s most beloved bands, Electric Circus and Cowboy, some might say there is a void to be filled in the local rock scene.

Of course, that was being said when The Mother Hips left the green hills of Chico for the Bay Area, and later when Ten Pound Brown followed the saltwater air to San Diego. The fact is, there are bands waiting in the wings that are more than capable of filling the proverbial shoes of such local legends.

Chico’s Buffalo Creek, through non-stop touring, has already made a name for itself. And with the release of its self-titled debut, which was celebrated at last Wednesday’s CD release party at La Salles, it is looking to become one of the premier rock bands of the local scene.

“This is our big night,” said singer/guitarist Bryn Loosley, who disguises his boyish looks behind a reddish beard.

And he couldn’t have been more right. The place filled up, T-shirts sold out and boxes of CDs were emptied. It was a night of celebrating hard work and accomplishment. But more importantly, it was a night of celebrating the mutual admiration between band and audience.

Buffalo Creek took the stage at La Salles as it has numerous times in the past months. The band practically became a Wednesday-night staple at the venue.

With minimal between-song banter, the band, which includes Loosley, Kevin Byrne on drums, August Germar on bass, Joe Reynolds on rhythm guitar and Marc Stafford on lead guitar, fed the musical hunger of the voracious audience.

The band’s sound weaved in and out of the musical fabric of blues, rock and country, in what Loosley simply calls good-time rock ‘n’ roll. With soothing harmonies and a textured three-guitar attack, Buffalo Creek kept the floor moving and the trips to the merch table abundant. The band mixed older songs with newer ones while including some choice covers.

Loosley’s smoky vocals were accompanied by Reynolds’ and Stafford’s Eaglesque harmonies in the comical “Axl Rose,” posing the question, “Axl Rose, where did you go?” And the band’s rendition of Tom Petty’s “It’s Good To Be King,” was a definite crowd pleaser.

Of course, this wasn’t just any crowd. This was Buffalo Creek’s crowd, one that has grown steadily since the band moved to Chico in 1997.

The band got its start in Morgan Hill in early 1997. Loosley, Reynolds and Stafford’s first band, Moonshine, won the “battle of the bands” in the garlic capital of Gilroy that same year.

“We started a band in 12th grade because we wanted to be in a band,” Loosley said. “We’re not looking to sign contracts. Nobody wants to move to L.A.”

After changing their name and musical direction, the members of Buffalo Creek made their debut at the Day on the Green at Chico State University in 1998. The band was soon playing to crowds at local parties and bars. Manager Bryan Fox remembers the early days vividly.

“They were very scared 19 (and) 20-year-olds in a garage band,” Fox said, his voice beaming like a proud father.

A seasoned Buffalo Creek played about 50 gigs in 2001, while also finding time to record the new CD, which was recorded at Chico State in the summer of 2001. Aside from the mastering, the band handled all aspects of the recording process, with Byrne taking on the bulk of the duties. The result is a solid, six-song effort that Loosley said the band is proud of.

“It’s something we feel really good about giving the fans,” Loosley said.

And while some say the Chico music scene may lose a little something when a band leaves for greener pastures, Loosley puts Buffalo Creek’s answer in simple terms.

“We meet some people, have some fun and fuck around,” he said.