Every once in a while I come across performers that truly knock my socks off. You know the feeling; when you leave a show shaking your head and wondering what rock you’ve been hiding under. Today I want to introduce you to my latest ‘where in the world have I been’ band; Mike DelGuidice & Big Shot.
Hailing from the Big Apple, Mike & The Big Shot are not just your every day normal cover band. Oh no. These guys are truly unique. All you need to do is close your eyes, and you would swear you are at a Billy Joel show. They are amazing. How do they do it? Well, maybe because those on stage are the actual Billy Joel band, or perhaps because some of them have been part of the Broadway hit, “Movin’ Out” for years. Their timing, their sound, and their show is spectacular and definitely a must see in my opinion if you are a Billy Joel fan.
This star studded musical group is stacked. Mike DelGuidice is a multi-talented musician who plays numerous instruments and has a voice that will blow your socks off. Mike has been in the music business and covering Billy Joel songs for more than 27 years, and in 2013, after filling in for sound checks with Billy Joel, his dreams came true when he was invited to became the newest member of Billy Joel’s band. In an article from the New York Times, Billy Joel himself …”had a hard time convincing himself it wasn’t him. It’s uncanny” he said.
Mike is surrounded by a star studded band that includes Tommy Byrnes, Billy Joel’s guitarist and musical director now for more than 21 years. Tommy rocks the stage and shreds like no other. He has worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry, including another of my favorites, Brian Setzer. John Scarpulla, Berklee School of Music graduate, joins them on stage playing saxophone and fills the stage with his energy, talent, and charisma. Nick Dimichino, bassist for The Big Shot, lays down the beat for the team with his quiet demeanor and strong bass that is the foundation for the groove. Special guest Wade Preston sat in at keyboards/synthesizer and absolutely rocked Billy Joel’s “Angry Young Man” which resulted in a spectacular jaw dropping piece. Rounding out the band at this performance was Chuck Burgi, Billy Joel’s long time drummer/percussionist who definitely rocked the stage and brought his a game. Together these men are like a well oiled machine.
With a huge catalog of songs to choose from, Mike DelGuidice and Big Shot belted out fan favorites and rocked the crowd from the moment the lights went up. A return act at Turning Stone Casino, I can absolutely see why these guys are a crowd favorite, and I urge you to definitely check these guys out next time they are playing in your area. You can thank me later.
Set List: Miami, Pressure, Say Goodbye to Hollywood, Movin Out, NY State of Mind, Innocent man, This is the Time, Fantasy, My life , Keepin the faith, We Didn’t Start The Fire, Goodnight Saigon, Always a Woman, Zeppelin , Scenes From an Italian Restaurant, Big shot, Still Rock and Roll, Only the Good Die Young, Piano man. Encore: You May Be Right
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A straightforward but near perfect “Rift” and phans were ready to put their wingsuits on. “Wingsuit” allowed both concertgoers and the band to relax if only for a few minutes. Since its release in 2014, the song has solidified itself in their repertoire, beginning with a breezy intro but making its way to an explosive display of instrumental technicality. The pressure from “Wingsuit” subsided with an easy-going “Ocelot.” McConnell the lounge singer stepped up to the mic and delighted fans with “Lawn Boy.” He introduced Gordon who took a few minutes to deliver a bluesy bass solo. “Run Like an Antelope”—an eternally pleasing song—included a scorching solo from Big Red, which hit every single note. “Antelope” returns with teases of “Stash” and “Stealing Time.”
Over three sold out nights in Burlington this New Year’s weekend, Twiddle played into the past, present and future of their musical catalog and continued to prove why they are one of the most talked about bands in the jam scene. The packed crowds at Higher Ground were treated to three very different nights of 
The second set saw a weaving of non-Twiddle moments, including a tease of Phish’s “Divided Sky” as well as a meaty jam of Daft Punk’s “Robot Rock,” in the middle of a nearly 20-minute version of “The Box.” The night ended with a more mellow approach as Twiddle cooled off the crowd with “Beethoven and Greene” before ending with a “Gatsby the Great” Reprise.
While the three day run didn’t include much in the way of catalog rarity, what it lacked in surprise it more than made up for in production value. Twiddle demonstrated a growth in technical skill and creative staging. Their studio polish appears to be rubbing off into their live performance with precision, turn-on-the-dime transitions and unique musical moments. The latest addition of Evan Antal as Lighting Director (Zed’s Dead, Kendrick Lamar) on this three-day run elevated the overall show experience.
The band took a new approach to how fans see and experience a show in Madison Square Garden by utilizing an innovative space in the room for the first time during their New Year’s gag. As the third set started, all four members rose up on a small stage at the back of the house. Once the band was positioned under a funnel shaped screen a curtain suspended fully encapsulating the quartet in a full cone shaped hourglass complete with a full light show. This new, visually aesthetic treat was something that shed a light on why Phish fans come back time and time again. The deeper undertone of the hourglass is open to interpretation, but it looked like that band was literally lost in time and in full control of their musical destiny.
New Year’s Eve is one of the most anticipated nights for live music all year and along with Halloween is one of the toughest tickets to get. Phish delivered three sets and an encore full of musical highlights, stretching many of their songs well beyond their traditional norms and as the band broke into a new stratosphere there was no looking back. The first set saw some serious heat in a nice extended, delay-based jam from Trey in “Wolfman’s Brother,” the sold out crowd singing the outro to “I Didn’t Know” and a smoking “Reba” > “Walls of the Cave” to cap off the first set was just a warm up, though packed full of heat. The second set was where Phish took standard songs and stretched them into something great through some stellar improvisation. The “Kill Devil Falls” -> “Piper” -> “Twist” was some of the most beautiful pieces of improvisation and the most fluid transitions of the entire run. With two sets under their belt, the band was flexing their range and evidently having so much fun on stage.
Being a fan of improvisational jam band music means that you’re open to trying new things and after your ticket gets scanned and you walk into the venue, you’re taking a musical leap of faith and a risk to explore parts unknown. As Phish closed the chapter of 2015 they proved that they’re firing from all cylinders with their foot firmly pressing down on the gas pedal looking into 2016. It seems as if the band is unstoppable of even being slowed down and no matter what they do next, they’ll do it with grace and conviction. There’s simply no better way to ring in the new year than with a garden party and whether the band is flying in on a hot dog, being raised on hydraulic lifts, literally staging a runaway golf cart marathon, playing on top of an equipment truck or fully encapsulating themselves under a psychedelic hourglass, for that brief moment perhaps you can quench that insatiable thirst for more Phish.
This show started off as a Trey lover’s wet dream. “Sample In a Jar” kicked the festivities off in fine fashion, with Anastasio showing the renewed vigor in his fingers had carried over from the summer. His short lead was crisp and fluid, and featured bursts of notes that show he has been practicing a lot. “Free” continued the Trey-led theme, as Anastasio was a rapid-fire genius from about 6 minutes on, up until the song’s closing coda. “Simple”>”Back on the Train” displayed a little full-band interplay, but again it was Anastasio who owned the section, before “Waiting All Night” and “555” slowed things down and funked them back up.
A sublime “Roggae” gently gave way to a story of a child being frightened by a big, scary dog. A rollicking version of 2014 Halloween favorite “The Dogs” gave way to a set-closing “46 Days,” where Anastasio and Page McConnell traded haunting, yet tasty licks, sending the crowd completely amped up heading into set break.
Up next was “Ghost,” and it wouldn’t be a notable version if it didn’t sandwich a brand new song, “Can’t Always listen,” which I honestly thought was “Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad” for a handful of seconds. A line from the chorus, “The stars are sitting pretty/and the world’s just spinning fine,” made for an upbeat and happy vibe of the song that simply made me smile and think that everything will be fine. Sit back, forget about everything else, and enjoy these four nights with four guys on stage and 20,000 of my closest friends.
A segue back to a short “Ghost” jam gave way to a “Waves” that proved inspired, but wasn’t anything to get crazy over. Phish decided that during the 15:17 that followed, the duration of “Bathtub Gin,” that they were going to take us on a sonic journey. There are so many times in my years of seeing this band that I am convinced they read each other’s minds, but this “Gin,” which did not contain a moment of down time or any confusing parts, proved my thoughts right. The last five minutes soar to a level that only Phish can climb to. If the Magnaball “Gin” was a surprising treat that brought the song back to its improvisational roots, then the “MSGin” surpasses that in stature and cohesion alone.