An Interview with The White Buffalo on the New 805 Beer Film, Until The Lights Go Out

Once again, beer and music come together from Firestone Walker Brewing’s 805 Beer. Over the past few years, the beer brand has worked with indie-country musicians such as Nikki Lane, Paul Cauthen and Jade Jackson to name a few. On its latest collaboration, 805 Beer has teamed up with The White Buffalo on the new short film, Until The Lights Go Out.

Jake Smith, better known as The White Buffalo, has been releasing music for over two decades when the album Hogtied Like a Rodeo made its debut in 2002. Since that time, The White Buffalo has been bringing his baritone voice of prolific storytelling to venues across America and to both the small and big screen.

His music has seen prominent song and soundtrack placements in the worlds of TV and Film including the TV series Sons Of Anarchy, This Is Us, Californication, The Punisher, The Terminal List, and the films Shelter, Safe Haven and West of Memphis. Circling back to Sons Of Anarchy, the last song in the series finale, Come Join The Murder, earned The White Buffalo an Emmy Award Nomination.

Fast forward to 2024, The White Buffalo released its first live album, A Freight Train Through The Night. It was with the release of this album that 805 Beer joined the band on the road to document the life as a traveling singer-songwriter on Until The Lights Go Out.

Recorded at the famous Belly-Up in San Diego from March 1 – 2, 2024, A Freight Train Through The Night, brought together The White Buffalo with his band that includes Christopher Hoffee (bass/keys/guitars), and Matt Lynott (drums). To record the live album, the band recruited Mike Butler (The Rolling Stones, Reba McEntire, Phoebe Bridgers) to perform these duties in addition to mixing the album.

“You can feel the energy of the audience, that circular push and pull, between crowd and stage,” stated Smith in a press release. “It’s unique every night, every show. It’s that love and flow that feeds all of us. We are in it together and you can really feel it in these recordings. We have a long history with the Belly-Up and brought in Mike Butler to capture the audio and mix, so this album sounds like you are in the room.”

We recently sat down with The White Buffalo to learn more about his music and his connection to beer and what let him to work with 805 Beer. Here’s our interview.

So we have been told that you are from Oregon, where our website is based. Where did you grow up and when did you depart the Beaver State?

I was born in Eugene and lived there until when I was maybe one and a half. Then moved to Southern California. So I’m rooted in those Pacific Northwest morals.

My parents have also relocated, it’s been over 20 years now, back to Central Oregon to Sisters. I frequently go back there. I still have family in Portland that I always visit when I’m in Portland and love the Pacific Northwest.

With your Sisters, Oregon connection, have you performed at the Sisters Folk Festival?

We we’ve done it maybe twice. I did it solo, and we did it as a band, but it’s been a while.

You began working with Firestone Walker’s 805 Beer earlier this year. The beer brand has worked with a few others such as Nikki Lane, Paul Cauthen and Jade Jackson to name a few. How were you approached to work with 805 Beer?

Yeah. It’s a pretty new relationship with them, it’s been really sweet! The best thing I did with them is their big beer fest (Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest) earlier this year. That was the first time I really got to connect with the brewers and employees.

It felt less as a marketing thing and more as a family thing. Which I needed that connection kind of for my own peace of mind.

When we played, it was really hot and bright and sun right in your face, it was pretty extreme. But it was actually really fun. It was a fun show. And you never know with those things that aren’t really music centric things.

Beer and music go together well, and they’ve always had some good entertainment during the festival each year. And it’s I’m glad that they are continuing that partnership. 

Seems like beer and alcohol make it make their way into some of my songwriting as well. So it’s not it’s not that huge of a stretch.

How was it working with the 805 team on Until The Lights Go Out film?

Conceptually, it went a lot of ways and then it got reduced to a one day shoot with a two-man crew to capture life on the road, the ethos of the band and me as a troubadour or traveling musician. 

They did a great job and was impressive for a less than 24 hour shoot to really come across as that. They had filmed a few things, so he had some cutaways at a different show in Orange County. 

That day was an emotional day too, One of the band member’s father had passed away right before he went on stage. He spoke to his mom and his sister for the first time. He was expecting it, and he had lived a very long, fruitful life, but it there was a which I don’t think anyone was aware from the filming side. It was an emotional thing and we kind of let it spill out so that it kind of heightened our own performance emotions.

What are some of your favorite beers?

I’ve been a beer drinker pretty much my whole life or my whole drinking life, which started really early. I’m a good 35 years into drinking beer and I’ve kind of done all the things. When I was in college, the craft beer started happening, but it was still not that well known. It wasn’t probably till the 2000s where it really started to explode with so much amazing beer.

Every little town you stop at on tour or anywhere on vacation, anywhere has a brewery and is making quality products. But yeah, I’ve gone through loving the IPAs to and now I’m almost, like, just dad beer. So 805 is actually pretty perfect for me because it’s light, crisp, and good for the long haul.

What does the new year have in store for you?

We’re heading to South America for the first time ever, which is exciting and kind of daunting.

It’s been a career long push for me to go to Brazil, at least fan based wise and social media wise of every other comment being come to Brazil.

Initially it was going to be these really tiny venues, and it was just like, well, let’s just get down there and dip our toe in the pool and see what happens. Then those venues sold out really fast, and then they went to another bigger venues and bigger venues. So now we’re playing some sizable rooms and get to perform for the Brazilian people! We’re also going to Chile, Argentina, and Mexico, which we’ve never been to. It’s exciting!

For fans of The White Buffalo, Firestone Walker has just released a cool t-shirt featuring both 805 Beer and the band that can be purchased by clicking here. To learn more about 805 Beer and The White Buffalo visit the website at 805beer.com or follow along on social media at @805beer; @buffaloco; and @firestonewalker.