Legendary local hardcore band plays the Outer Harbor on Friday

So you eat chicken wings, drink Labatt Blue, pledge your allegiance to the Bills and Sabres, but don’t know who Snapcase is? How can you call yourself a true Buffalonian without ever hearing one of the Queen City’s most original and influential bands? Their sound has left an impact on the scene that you can still hear echoing throughout today.

Since their inception over 20 years ago, they have always been a little different, incorporating lyrics that were intellectually challenging with a relentless, dissonant sound. Daryl Taberski, lead singer of Snapcase, is an awesome guy who really cares about his music, the fans, and the entire scene. I could tell just by talking to him that he still puts everything into this, even though he doesn’t do it full-time anymore. I’d advise you to grab a ticket while you still can; the band officially broke up in 2004 and shows are few and far between these days.

This Friday, September 14, Snapcase is set to rock the Buffalo Outer Harbor for their first show in over a year with headliners the Dropkick Murphys. The Dropkick Murphys will have to try and match Snapcase’s beyond-energetic stage show that will be on display for their hometown fans.

We had a chance to talk to Taberski this week about their upcoming show and how things have been coming along for the band.

AV: Have you guys been ramping up and practicing a lot lately with the show right around the corner?

Taberski: Yeah, we’ve been rehearsing quite a bit. We’re not an active band in the sense that we don’t have a regular rehearsal schedule. So when we get the opportunity to play, we’re a little bit rusty.

AV: Do you have an actual practice space that you guys still use or do you just practice at someone’s house?

Taberski: Yeah, we have a rehearsal space in Frank’s basement. Obviously when we started we were much younger, so we would practice at one of our parent’s houses. So whenever I leave Frank’s house now, I always say, “Frank, tell your parents thanks for letting us practice at their house.” It’s an ongoing joke that’s funny because we’ve actually stayed in a band long enough to the point where we all own our own houses now.

AV: What made you guys jump on this show with Dropkick Murphys?

Taberski: The idea was brought up to us earlier in the year to play at one of the new outdoor sites on the waterfront. They had an idea of putting one event together and it sort of fell through. Then they came back and asked if we would be interested in playing with the Dropkick Murphys instead. We played on a few tours in the past with them, like the Warped Tour, so it was an easy decision to do the show.

AV: Are you going to continue to play these one-off shows, or are you guys going to eventually call it quits for good?

Taberski: You know, we still love it, but we’re also realistic. We just can’t be an active band who tours and records anymore. When the right opportunities come up though and it makes sense for us to do, we’re definitely up for it. If it wasn’t something we loved and didn’t have fun doing, we would absolutely call it quits. We all still get along really well though and have a lot of fun together at band practice and playing shows. We even talk sometimes about playing some new material. Not necessarily releasing a new album, but writing some new songs, releasing them online, and maybe playing a few shows.

AV: What is a favorite memory of yours with Snapcase?

Taberski: We’ve had a lot of fun shows over the years, and if you asked each band member the same question, you would probably get a different answer each time. I always liked playing smaller clubs, where it was over-sold, really dark and sweaty. Places where it was too hot, too crowded, and too loud. I love that, and that’s what I’ve always loved about playing this kind of music. That’s what it’s all about for me.

Snapcase will perform in support of the Dropkick Murphys this Friday, September 14 at the Outer Harbor (325 Fuhrmann Blvd). Tickets are $27 advance from Ticketmaster or $35 day of show.