About Evan

Some days, he’s fronting a rock or folk band. Other days, he’s a bluegrass fiddler. But on any given day, Evan Anstey is probably working on a new song or two. Born and raised north of Buffalo, New York, Anstey’s alternative-folk sound draws inspiration from bluegrass pioneers like Flatt & Scruggs, progressive groups like Nickel Creek and the modern folk stylings of artists such as Aoife O’Donovan, John Paul White and Declan O’Rourke.

As a child, Evan started his musical journey with the violin, later picking up guitar, mandolin and electric bass. Songwriting has long been a hobby of his and eventually, a number of those compositions made their way onto his 2016 debut EP, “Recent Time.”

Since then, he has released 2018's "We Will Be At Peace,” 2020’s collaboration with friend James Robert Kibby — "The Weekend Preacher,” 2023’s “Things Changed” and two entries in his “Alternates” EP series (2021, 2024).

A new solo album is anticipated for release in early 2026.

Involvement in WNY Music

Since he was 17, Evan has played in a number of Buffalo and Rochester-based bands, both as a guest and a member. Additionally, he’s shared the stage with legends such as Billy Sheehan and Kansas, and traveled as far as Phoenix to perform.

In his folk and bluegrass band, Evan Anstey & the Old Ways, he is joined by Kibby (banjo, 12-string guitar), Ben Jones (bass) and Ryan Printup (mandolin/guitar).

Anstey also serves as a guitarist and co-lead vocalist of progressive alt-rock outfit Meat Raffle. In 2025, he began performing as a violinist with Buffalo Bound, led by two-time Buffalo Music Hall of Famer Bobby Lebel, as well as another group of Hall of Fame inductees — Celtic rockers McCarthyizm.

Between 2019 and 2024, Evan was a sideman for Americana songsmith Darryl Tonemah, playing violin and mandolin. He also played those instruments, and sang co-lead vocals with Acoustic Jelly, from 2015 until the band’s dissolution in 2022.

In years past, Anstey also co-founded, played guitar and sang with 716-based rock bands Arrowdrive and The Moon Hunters.

Life And Such

Evan Anstey graduated from Houghton University in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in communication and a minor in music. He continues to call Western New York his home alongside his wife and son, and their two cats.

Band Membership History

— Current —

  • Evan Anstey & the Old Ways | lead vocals, guitar, violin (2022-present), mandolin (2022-2024)

  • Meat Raffle | guitar, vocals (2019-present)

  • McCarthyizm | violin (2025-present)

  • Buffalo Bound | violin (2025-present)

— Inactive —

  • Finding Sodus | vocals, guitar, bass (2022-present)

  • The Seven Skilled Brewmasters | violin, electric guitar (2023-present)

  • Russlett & the Rogues | violin, mandolin (2023-present)

— Former —

  • Tonemah | violin, mandolin (2019-2024)

  • Alex Feig & Friends/Bunch of Bloody Guts | guitar (2023), bass (2021-2023), backing vocals (2021-2023)

  • Acoustic Jelly | violin, mandolin, vocals (2015-2022)

  • Arrowdrive/Community Property | guitar, vocals (2011-2012, 2019-2020)

  • Trailer Park Barbies | guitar, vocals (2018-2019)

  • The Moon Hunters | guitar, vocals (2012-2019)

  • Thirty Mile | guitar, mandolin, violin, vocals (2016-2017)

  • Fake News/Faces for Radio | guitar, vocals (2015-2016)

  • Evan Anstey & the Unsupervised | guitar, vocals (2015-2016)

— Guest Appearances —

  • The Twang Gang | violin, guitar, vocals

  • Garden Party | violin

  • Yellow Jack | mandolin

  • MOB: Musicians of Buffalo | violin

  • ‘A’ Blues Band | bass, guitar

  • Mystery Machine | bass

  • 3D Trio | violin, vocals

Photo by Mark Vosburgh