I saw State Radio years ago at Milestones, playing to a modest crowd that dug the band without having too much background, exposure, or access to the lyrics. Now on its "Lefty Rides Again" tour, the Sherborn, Massachusetts, trio has road worrior'd itself a following. I guessing 500 people (including me) showed up at Water Street Music Hall to hear the band last week. I'm also guessing 499 of them (not including me) knew all the words. The band is politically conscious and socially aware, and the songs take on the air of a battle cry amidst the rootsy, frequently reggae-tinged, and always spirited grooves. Musically there's a whole lot of air between the notes, with guitarist Chad Stokes Urmston frequently sustaining sonic washes and feedback above the rhythm section's comfy shag. Things are only gonna get bigger for these guys.

The Buddhahood and countless musicians piled into Water Street Music Hall this past Saturday to celebrate what would have been the late Tony Cavagnaro's birthday Saturday night as the Ice Age Part II raged on outside. It was a non-stop rhythm-driven frenzy that both included and surpassed a multitude of styles. Whether it was guitarists Nate Coffee or Overhand Sam (you gotta see the way this kid plays), percussionists like The Goods' Jeff Woodruff, or soul-scorching vocalist fatales like Suzi Willpower or Kristen Maxfield, what really struck me was the legacy Cavagnaro's music has left. This is about as close to living forever as a person can get. Cavagnaro throbbed in every beat and twinkled in the eyes of his little boy, Calvin, who sang "Happy Birthday" to his dad while brandishing a light saber.

Despite the steady parade of musicians hitting the stage, the show ran smoothly for more than three hours, with the large crowd hanging on every twist and interpretation as the musicians blasted through funky, jazzy, world beats. The Buddhahood is the band you reach for when you're stuck between not knowing what you want and wanting a little bit of everything. The vibe was beautiful and perhaps even a bit magical as the musicians dug down deep to find something they might have thought was gone. I left the joint content, spent, and laughing.