Saratoga’s The Garcia Project has been regarded as an authority on the re-creation of the sounds of the Jerry Garcia Band. On Oct. 24, the band continued to celebrate their fifth anniversary at Paramount Hudson Valley in Peekskill, nearing the end of their fall tour.
Nestled close to the front of the stage rather than claiming a stake of real estate, The Garcia Project got cozy with the theater, easing into the set with “I’ll Take A Melody.” The efforts the band has put in to re-creating the performance of the Jerry Garcia Band was clear at the first note, particularly from the intonation and timbre of Mik Bondy’s guitar. To geek out on the band’s gear, check out a detailed rundown of their setups. The band’s presence was cohesive with an agility to build the performance of the songs in the same embodiment as Jerry’s band. Solos were traded between Greg Marshall (keys) and Bondy as if a conversation rather than it just being the next guy’s turn to play. Overall, the first set whetted the audience’s Garcia appetite despite being on the tame side.
On the contrary, the second set took the prize. The setbreak met a mix of conversation and praise for the authenticity of the performance, mostly from first-timers to The Garcia Project. Perhaps that was enough to re-charge the audience as plenty more were on their feet finding their own grooves during the set; although sometimes Jerry Garcia Band shows are a bit more mellow in the first set. Bondy’s guitar work was more noodley, and it was hard to tell that it wasn’t Jerry signing on “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” Throughout both sets, Kat Walkerson’s backing vocals and blithe stage presence enriched the songs as a compliment to Bondy’s vocals.
Like most of The Garcia Project’s shows, this one was a re-recreation of Dec. 3, 1977 at Hartwick College. At the start of the second set, it was announced that the performance was a re-creation of a complete show but which show wouldn’t be revealed until the encore. Hinting at clues about the era of the Jerry Garcia Band based on the stage setup, it turned into a fun, curious guessing game for the audience.
The Garcia Project gave a thoroughly enjoyable performance and experience for the crowd. Though there were a few minor differences between them and the Jerry Garcia Band, inherent to any tribute band, The Garcia Project’s attention to detail on intonation and performance structure does set them apart as an authority on Jerry Garcia.
Setlist:
Set 1: I’ll Take A Melody, Mystery Train, Mission In The Rain, Lonesome And A Long Way From Home, Catfish John, The Way You Do The Things You Do
Set 2: Let It Rock, Harder They Come, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Don’t Let Go, Tore Up Over You
Encore: (not part of the 1977 JGB set): Ramble On Rose, Cats Under the Stars, Talking About You
Though entertaining, perhaps silly to many, band members Max Flansburg (guitar/vocals), Jamie Knittel (bass/vocals), Steve Graff (drums) and Erik Hoffman (keys) take Uncle Stremnf’s existence very seriously. They harbor as much affection for their equine affiliate as they do for eccentrically accessorizing. Knittel dapperly sported a pair of vintage 100% acrylic grey plaid trousers he’d purchased at a thrift shop for a mere six dollars. Though a bit baggy, he paired the look with an equally loose-fitting grey beanie that would periodically either fall over his left eye or slide off the back of his head depending on the trajectory of head thrashing. Hoffman opted to rock a gold medallion imprinted with a cheesy smiley face. The bling nicely complemented his thick mustache that might at any moment take on a life of its own and flutter right off his face.
The Massry Center has a true orchestral feel complete with ushers clad in black directing people to their seats and 10 minute intermissions between sets. The stage was sparsely furnished with only a Steinway & Sons piano, an old fashioned reading lamp, microphone, and iPad on which Bowling used to read her music.
The first set also saw the first jam transcription arranged for piano. A local pick, she chose “Twist” from October 23, 2013 at the Glens Falls Civic Center. This song displayed Bowling’s range from her slower tempo into a funky jam that had the audience shouting out “Woo!” amidst giggles of laughter.
At some points during the performance Bowling would roll her body back and forth like she was in a trance. Between songs Bowling would speak, injecting her bubbly personality into her act. She dedicated several songs to her friends, one for a friends’ anniversary (“Waste”) another for a friend who had just lost someone (“Dirt”).
Though it wasn’t the typical Phish crowd at Bowling’s performance, it was certainly the length of a typical jam band show. Her performance consisted of three sets and an encore, the last set being a transcription of the infamous “Tahoe Tweezer.”
Set 1: The Curtain With, Talk, The Horse > Silent in the Morning, Glens Falls Twist, Tela, Wingsuit > Randall’s Chalkdust jam > Wingsuit, Waste*
It was a misty cool mid-Autumn Tuesday evening, in a quiet revitalized corner of Buffa-vento at the 
sic has grown to be wholly unique and more than a little difficult to describe. It borrows from rock, jazz, funk, classical, pop, techno etc., without ever residing within any one of those. Most impressively, a Benevento song can be a singalong with lyrics or without.