Bourbon & Beyond - 2026 - Line 10 (Buffalo Traffic Jam, The Return of Jackie & Judy, Our Lady Peace, Sons of Legion)

I am going to run through the Bourbon and Beyond lineup slightly differently than my normal ACL lineup reviews, mainly to save space and time.  Instead of individual reviews for every band (lots of which I have already reviewed before and are ancient so a whole new review is likely not needed) I will go by rows on the poster.  I am way too psyched about this poster.  90's me mixed with today me all in one happy wrapper.

Buffalo Traffic Jam

One Liner: Stomping folky bluegrass 
Wikipedia Genre: Folk
Home: Bozeman, Montana
Day: ... 

Thoughts:  Their first song sounds like this is CAAMP.  Which is a good thing in my book.  Frankie Cassidy and Nathan Ross met as students at Montana State University and started making some roots Americana tunes together.  The lead singer's voice also sort of reminds me of the guy in Briscoe, in that he seems to have a strain lodged in his voice that never leaves, no matter what note he is singing.  But I could see this being a very fun little band to hoot and holler along with.

Top Song, by a lot, is "Fool's Gold" with 35.3 million streams.

I know there is no way my fingers would ever cooperate, but the idea of being able to jam a mandolin - truly would be amazing.  These two dudes spent college learning how to jam and make money.  I spent mine catching unidentifiable skin conditions from the rotting couch in front of a fraternity house.  They win.  

First available music is a 2024 eponymous EP.  None of those songs appear to have gained much traction, but their next couple singles started doing 6 million, 8 million, 19 million in streams, so they are on the radar now.  No actual album yet, just a 2025 EP that includes that "Fool's Gold" tune.

I'd check this out.

The Return of Jackie & Judy

One Liner: Fred Armisen and Sleater-Kinney playing Ramones covers.

Wikipedia Genre: No Wikipedia, but The Ramones
Home: We'll just say Portland.
Day: ... 

Thoughts: I saw The Ramones in the mid-90s because they opened for Pearl Jam at Southpark Meadows in Austin.  My main memory of that trip was my friend Strick hanging out the window of my car while we were hauling ass up I-35 so that he could bum a cigarette from the outstretched hand of a cute girl in a car next to us.  My only real memory of The Ramones was how funny we thought it was that they still counted off before every single song.  So, this isn't The Ramones, but it is named after a 1980 Ramones song, which seems like a terrible band name if you want recognition.  But luckily for these folks, they don't need recognition because they are already very famous.  This is Fred Armisen on drums and Sleater-Kinney on guitar/vocals.  Haha - it's like a Portlandia skit come to life.  That is awesome.  Fred Armisen's hair looks terrifying.  Is that a wig?  He's probably supposed to look like someone who was in the Ramones and I just don't know that schtick.

They have no songs on Spotify.  They have no real YouTube videos.  All you get are these crappy clips from some tiny show.  Probably in Portland.

Raw and sort of goofy, but what the hell.  I bet that would be a fun show.  Shocking revelation down here on the poster...

Our Lady Peace

One Liner: MTV buzz bin kings for a hot minute

Wikipedia Genre: Alternative rock, post grunge
Home: Toronto (I would not have pegged them as Canadian)
Day: ... 

Thoughts: Before you read anything, are you able to remember their biggest hit?  This is another one of the 90's redux bands on this poster, and I have to sheepishly admit that I got a little jolt of excitement when I saw them on the poster.  Around the time college was coming to a close, their album Clumsy came out with the very large hit "Superman's Dead."  Boasts 53.2 million streams on Spotify, despite not feeling (to me at least) like the kind of song I still hear on the classic rock/alternative rock stations.  Come on, sing along!

Oh that video is some good ass 90's buzz bin look-at-how-deep-we-are stuff.  Wait, is Silverchair on this poster?  Silverchair should be on this poster.  Fun to go back through this album.  "Clumsy" was another hit you may recall, "4am" popped right back into my head with every lyric like it had been in my disc changer yesterday.  The whole disc trips a memory switch for me that I am enjoying.  Looks like they kept making music, including a 1999 album with the very unfortunate title of Happiness...Is Not a Fish That You Can Catch.  And even though re-listening to Clumsy has been fun, I don't think I was missing much by allowing them to disappear into the musical brain backburner for the last 30 years.  

But you know what?  I don't have a single MuchMusic Video Award to my name, and they have TEN!  That is the "most MMVAs ever awarded to a band (tied with Billy Talent)" according to Wikipedia.  I really like that entry - here is a definitive statement, with a paren that entirely debunks that definitive statement.  Good work.  Also, congrats to whatever Billy Talent is.  Ten studio albums!  Also, their Wikipedia entry is massive - like a really deep dive into their history.  More than a lot of actually great bands would have.  Looks like the band is pretty much now just the initial lead singer, and then a bunch of new dudes who have joined since then.

I tried out the live album from 2003 - I guess the height of their powers.  I think the cock-rock heavy Creed/Live-style instrumentation is still pretty solid (although who knows what they have 20 years later), but it is the lead singer's voice that throws a wrench into it all.  If the schedule allows me to drop by the stage for the last song, then I'm in.  Otherwise, I think this little trip down memory lane was probably enough.

Sons of Legion

One Liner: Nashville duo trying hard and sounding like it

Wikipedia Genre: No Wikipedia, but bluesy rock with a little soul tinge
Home: Nashville
Day: ... 

Thoughts: I'd like to go on record that "In The Air Tonight" is a terrible pump up song.  I don't understand at all why that became a thing for sports players to get pumped up to.  It's use in The Hangover was genius, and that drum fill is one of one, but the song overall is plodding and about the guy who was boning Phil Collins' wife on the side.  Anyway, this band's top streamer is a mediocre cover of that song.  I apologize in advance for sharing the names of the two guys in this band, but they are Adam McInnis and Daddy Jack.  I'm sorry you had to read that.  One truly fascinating note about the band is that Adam is tone deaf.  I have no clue how you would be able to make music or sing with that condition, but that is wild.  I have to say, I was sort of digging this for a few songs, and then it started to wear me out a little.  Too overwrought, like I am listening to someone trying to write a song that will get picked up by the NFL to play as a game goes to commercial.  That is probably rude, but I just don't want to keep this playing anymore.  

No album, just a handful of singles stretching back to 2020.  The top single, after the Phil Collins thing, is called "Fire Starter" and has 13.8 million streams.

Sort of an Imagine Dragons thing going in there as they plod their way into the chorus.  I think my favorite tune is "Carolina," but I don't think I will go out of my way to catch this show.