Category: Capital Region

  • Candlebox Acoustic will Rock The Egg on February 2

    Rock band Candlebox made its mark in the 1990s with a self-titled debut featuring multiple singles, including “Far Behind,” “You,” and “Cover Me,” and follow ups Lucy and Happy Pills. Touring throughout the decade and selling over 8 million albums brought the band to a hiatus in 2000, but the reformed band reunited in 2006 for two more albums, Into the Sun and Love Stories & Other Musings. 

    An acoustic performance, featuring Kevin Martin and Adam Kury, will take center stage in Albany on Tuesday, February 2 at The Egg Performing Arts Center in the Swyer Theater at 8pm with Frank Palangi opening. Tickets are available at The Egg box office or online. Candlebox are currently hard at work on their new album, which is set for release on March 11, 2016. Preorder Disappearing in Airports.

    Check out upcoming Tour dates  and visit their Facebook  and Twitter accounts to stay up to date on all things Candlebox.

  • Rick Nelson & Friends – A Priceless Free Show

    By way of a suggestion I stopped at my friend’s restaurant, Nanola, to see Rick Nelson & Friends on my way home from the North Country Thursday, January 28.  The key catch was Rick Nelson from the High Peaks Band.  I’ve always known him to be a talented, well balanced guitarist, so stopping on my way home seemed like a less than daunting task.

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    When I arrived, they were just breaking into their first set with a fan favorite and something I’m never sad to hear, “Up on Cripple Creek,” by The Band.  Rick & Friends moved through the first set as though they had been playing for years, although this was only their second show together.  The sets were completely comprised of covers, but if you closed your eyes during “The Weight” it didn’t matter who you thought you were listening to, your mind and soul were singing along.  The only thing that made my mind jump higher after that was the Ween cover “Roses Are Free.”  From there, the first set moved with smooth measure through the Stones’ “Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley” and finished with a solid and welcome “I Know You Rider.”

    Rick, Bob McKeon (Garcia Project), Mike Cassels (Stone Revival Band), and Joe Bodden (Antelope), joined the crowd enjoying a free show put on by Shane Spillenger (Sugar Productions) at Nanola, in Malta, NY, between the sets.  They were greeted by a group of people thanking them for such a solid first set.  Their overwhelming response: make sure you stick around for the second set.  They were not wrong.

    They started off with an ever recognizable theme song of the popular show, “Shaft.”  From there they grooved into “Shakedown Street,” which caused even the most skeptical of attendees to start shaking their butts.  Towards the end of the Dead favorite you could start to hear that resounding chord progression of “2001.”  And then it started.

    Suddenly my toes were dug back in the sand in Mexico.  “2001” led back into the hip-wiggling “Shakedown” before the beach came back into full view with “Shine a Light.”  The Friends orchestrated “The Shape I’m In” and “Psycho Killer” before melding “Chalkdust Toruture,” into “Gotta Jibboo,” which led to “Eyes of the World,” and back into “Jibboo.”

    These brazen cover artists finished off their sets with a rendition of “Suzy Greenberg,” which almost made people beg for them to not stop.  By the end of that song there was a full feeling of satisfaction; a feeling always desired at the end of a show.  There is nothing more that can be said other than that the next time these guys play, do not miss them.

  • New York Attorney General Issues Scathing Report on Concert Ticketing Industry

    Many of us have been there. Ticketmaster queued up, ready to click “buy tickets” as soon as sales begin. You’re sure you’re going to get quality seats for the show; after all, you clicked on that “buy” button the second the clock struck 10. Alas, you discover you’re in the nosebleeds once the purchase is complete.

    New York Attorney General Ticketing IndustryHow does this happen so regularly to concert goers? New York State Attorney General Eric Shneiderman had the same question, and his office conducted a three-year investigation into the ticketing industry and Thursday issued a report on the findings.

    The report details results of his office’s investigation into online ticketing and the practices of third-party ticket resale sites such as StubHub and TicketsNow.

    The 44-page report cited numerous complaints the AG’s office has fielded concerning “price gouging,” “scalping,” “outrageous fees” and “immediate sell outs.” One consumer quoted in the report stated, “The average fan has no chance to buy tickets at face value…this is a disgrace.”

    The AG confirmed this concerned consumer’s remarks, finding:

    The majority of tickets for the most popular concerts are not reserved
    for the general public at least in the first instance. Rather, before a member of the public can buy
    a single ticket for a major entertainment event, over half of the available tickets are either put on
    “hold” and reserved for a variety of industry insiders including the venues, artists or promoters,
    or are reserved for “pre-sale” events and made available to non-public groups, such as those
    who carry particular credit cards.

    The figure below illustrates New York-area shows between 2012-2013 for which tickets were held from general sale for pre-sale insiders. An “insider” can be classified as a holder of a sponsoring credit card, a member of a fan club, members of social media sites or shopping sites. The consumer who is not a member of any of the above mentioned groups is immediately at a disadvantage once tickets are officially on sale to the general public.

    In addition to tickets being held in advance of an on-sale date, brokers use bot software to purchase hundreds of tickets at a time using a four-step process. In December of 2014, ticket sales for a June U2 show at Madison Square Garden saw one broker, using ticket bot software, purchase 1,102 tickets within the first minute of sale. The report defines a ticket bot as:

    Software that automates ticket-buying on platforms such as ticketmaster.com. Automation lets the Bot (1) perform each transaction at lightning speed, and (2) perform hundreds or thousands of transactions simultaneously. As a result, in the first moments after tickets to a top show go on sale, Bots crowd out human purchasers and can snap up most of the good seats.

    Bot programs allow brokers access to hundreds of tickets which are then immediately placed for sale on third-party sites. Frustrated consumers still wishing to attend a concert or sporting event are then left with only the ticket resellers as an option to buy, and at a markup anywhere from 15 percent to 118 percent of face value.

    As illustrated in the figure above, brokers using bot programs are able circumvent any prevention methods instituted by ticket sellers such as Ticketmaster and Live Nation.

    Several startups, such as Cash or Trade, are becoming more popular among savvy ticket buyers. Cash or Trade touts itself as the “World’s first social ticketing platform.” There, members have the ability to sell tickets at face value or in trade among themselves [Cash or Trade is a partner of NYS Music].

    While bots and pre-sale events comprised the majority of the AG’s report, one complaint that has been fielded repeatedly for years is that of “convenience” or “handling” fees on the part of the ticket agency. One complaint stated, “I purchased a 30 dollar ticket to see A View From A Bridge. During the transaction I saw that a ten dollar fee would be added for handling. Handling what? I am using my own printer to print my own ticket!”

    Ticketmaster often takes blame for many of the added charges, but the report states that some of the blame can also be given to the venues as well.

    In its final recommendation, the report calls for the state legislature to conduct hearings challenging the key players to level the field for everyday fans to be able to get their hands on tickets to even the most high-profile events. The call for ticket resale platforms to comply with the law, greater transparency in regards to allocations and limits, and addressing what the AG termed the “Bot Epidemic” are steps the state legislature needs to take. “A longer-term solution must include improvements in Bot detection and prevention methods. While the industry works on long-term technological solutions, steps can be taken to reduce Bot use in the near term,” the report states.

    In the meantime, keep your mouse finger at the ready for the next big show you hope to attend.

  • Hearing Aide: Sly Fox and The Hustlers “American Gypsy”

    Sly Fox and The Hustlers released their new, full-length CD, American Gypsy at The Hollow in Albany on January 9th. Well known in the Capital District and beyond, they’ve found a place opening for touring Nationals around the region and doing incendiary shows, large and small, since 2010. The band consists of Sly Fox: guitar/vocals, Dylan Storm: bass/vocals and Sean Ireland on drums. Collectively they’re a three-piece blues-rock outfit, individually, they’re highly accomplished at their craft, sharing a passion for live performance. This is the domain of blues-rock, its strength lies in presence along with the music, the more difficult part is translating that to recording.

    sly fox american gypsyThe opener and title source, “American Gypsy” skips the formality of introduction and goes straight to the point. It has a defiant, swampy feel of movement and searching that echoes Steppenwolf with its drive and instrumentation. It’s a tribute to the hit tv show “Sons of Anarchy” and the video illustrates it well. “Home By Morning” speaks to the blues leanings Sly obviously lives by. The guitar is down and dirty, the harp accentuates and the organ fills are well-placed. Then there’s the rhythm section, make no mistake, a soloist is a soloist, but blues-rock lives on the drive underneath and these cats are tight. It reminds me a bit of Foghat when they jam and just about any other 70s era outfit from their cut, like J. Geils.

    “Forever Young” is a tribute to the memory of a friend shortly before his passing. It’s soulful and spiritual with a reading that moves from Hendrix to Martha Davis in its gut-wrenching emotion. It’s blues with a spiritual longing, raved-up into expression. Followed by “Smooth”, contrasting the prior with a cock-sure upbeat rock tune. The mandatory clap and response section is a pitfall of trying to studio record a live action. “Angels Can Fly” strikes on another aspect of Sly’s musical personality and voicing. It’s softer, emotive and wanting, the guitar solo is crisp and clean, the string-feel adds that heavenly lift to the lyric.

    “Revolutions 2012” is a straight-up rocker spitting against the overwhelming injustices and practices of our times. It’s a rallying cry to the masses for revolution, it’s heavy on all counts and may well hold the best guitar work of this release. Sly flips another switch and turns on a Texas-Blues feel on “Let Me Down Easy”, his influences flying freely from Hendrix to S.R.V., a twist of Morrison in the vocal and the simplicity of ZZ Top in the roll. This is another road song, there are many here, but this one excels, highly.

    sly fox american gypsy
    Photo by Bryan Lasky

    “My Name Is Jimmy” tries to reach into the punk attitude jar, but gets its hands slapped with over-zealous imagery. It has its moments, but is disconnected and over-stated. “Jessica’s Song” is an acoustic guitar song, strumming out a Page-like melody. It’s just slightly dissonant, short and bittersweet, leading back to his and their strength with the closer, “Heart & Soul”. It’s got all of the pieces shining brightly, the organ holds such importance and is easily under-mixed, but not here. Sly meters out his thoughts, rips a few licks and rides on the driving rhythm, reaching into his basket of tricks for the soul aspect. “Got ta, got ta, feel it!”

    Sly has put together a solid release, exhibiting the many facets of his musical personality and life-experiences. It’s well done with maximum energies applied, at moments forced, but it’s damn hard to translate this style to the studio. Get out and catch these cats live, there’s plenty of evidence here that they’ll rip it up. Check them out on their website and on Facebook for news and upcoming tour dates.

    Key tracks: American Gypsy, Home By Morning, Smooth

  • SPAC Jazz Fest Announces Lineup, Tickets On Sale

    As of 10 a.m. today, tickets for the 39th annual Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival are on sale to the public. The two-day weekend event is scheduled for June 25 and 26 at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC).

    spac jazz fest ticketsThe festival’s 2016 lineup will feature Motown miracle Smokey Robinson and jazz fusion pioneer Chick Corea headlining the SPAC mainstage on Sunday, while Saturday’s headliner is still to be announced.

    Several acts performing this year will make their SPAC and jazz festival debut, including drummer and vocalist Jamison Ross, blues guitarist Eric Lindell, 12-year-old Indonesian jazz pianist Joey Alexander Trio, New Orleans funk ensemble, Jon Cleary and The Absolute Monster Gentlemen, and jazz-soul vocalist Alicia Olatuja, who performed at the 2013 presidential inauguration. Last year’s showcase included Sheila E., Erykah Badu and Snarky Puppy, among others, and since the festival was founded in 1978, jazz greats like Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, B.B. King and Ray Charles have headlined the event.

    Celebrating 50 years, the 25,000-capacity venue sits in the historic Saratoga Spa State Park. Camping is not permitted on the grounds (free parking opens two hours before the event), but the town of Saratoga offers many options for nearby lodging. The typical concert rules apply for SPAC — no drugs, open water bottles, guns or pets — but for the jazz festival, the venue does allow food, alcohol, coolers and the use of small personal cameras.

    Festival goers can also shop fine arts and crafts on premise, bring home autographed CDs and fill up on Southern-style barbecue, plus other amenities. Stay tuned for jazz fest to announce the June 25 headliner.

  • NYS Music in Motion: Mister F at The Hollow

    Presenting NYS Music in Motion, a video series from NYS Music and Videographer Schuyler Warrenchak. This series will highlight performances by a variety of bands throughout New York State and bring the experience of being at a show to our ever-widening audience.

    Our first installment is aptly from the January 1, 2016 performance of Mister F at The Hollow in Albany. Mister F performed with Particle after moe.’s show at The Palace Theater just two blocks up North Pearl Street. This was a bittersweet show as it was guitarist Andrew Chamberlaine’s final performance with the band. Watch the band tear through the proggy “Do it Again,” and stay tuned for more NYS Music in Motion in the near future.

  • Hearing Aide: Last Conspirators ‘Hold That Thought Forever’

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    The Last Conspirators just released fourth album Hold That Thought Forever moves the band into new territory. While past releases’ lyrics have dealt with politics and the feelings towards how things have been moving along in the country, this album showcases a more personal side of the band. To go along with the lyric change, the music has also been toned down at times from the punk rock aesthetic known by their fans. The changes are welcomed and it is great to hear the band try something different and succeed in Hold That Thought Forever.

    “Addiction” is one of the darkest songs on the record and the funk bass line that it follows goes right along with the subject material, taking the listener into the depths of what addiction can be. “1302” is the first track on the album to have the band start to rock behind Tim Livingston’s lyrics and constantly builds until the end when a fury of music takes over the proceedings and joins the voice in bringing the song to a fiery end.

    “Two Days in May” is one of the tracks on the album that finds The Last Conspirators trying something new. The chorus almost comes out of an early Bruce Springsteen song when you could hear him and Steven Van Zandt harmonize with one another. The fact that The Last Conspirators have gone for a more eclectic sound on this record shows how many bands truly influence them as a unit and brings the history of music to the fore front as they continue to push on wish new tunes.

    The song “Tracks” bring the punk attitude back, with Tim spitting the lyrics and Nick Bisanz laying down some dirty grungy guitar licks that would fit right in on an old Patti Smith record. “Alright” is great rocker with Mike Grundy and Al Kash constantly moving the song along with their fantastic bass and drum playing on what is sure to a great song to see live.

    While most of the record isn’t political, “Truth and a Gun” hits the mark perfectly, especially with how crazy gun violence is gotten in the past year. The song easily makes clear which side of the argument the band is on and ends in a blaze of guitar work by Bisanz. Being a local Albany band, they may not get out of the state to play, but if you’re close enough they definitely are worth checking out. In the live setting their songs get you moving and thinking and this record does the same. Hopefully the band can keep the creative juices flowing and give us another collection of music soon.

    Key Tracks: Addiciton, Tracks, Truth and a Gun

    [embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS3pMUJk2Ow[/embedyt]

  • Second Annual Winter Warm Up at The Linda Announced

    Four regional bands will play the second annual Winter Warm Up at The Linda in Albany to benefit WAMC, Northeast Public Radio, on Saturday, Jan. 16.

    Bryan Thomas, KoriSoron, SubSlab and The North & South Dakotas are contributing their performances to benefit the area’s non-profit NPR affiliate, at WAMC’s performing arts studio, The Linda. Beer, wine and pub fare will be available for purchase at the benefit.

    Albany’s own Bryan Thomas will bring his self-described soul rock that promises to get everyone dancing. Schenectady’s acoustic trio KoriSoron will enchant the audience with their global tradition-influenced rock and progressive music. SubSlab will supply their female-led rock-n-roll. And The North & South Dakotas bring their old-timey Appalachian-style music, with elements of bluegrass, folk and honky-tonk.

    WAMC/Northeast Public Radio is a regional non-profit radio network that serves parts of New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It is affiliated with National Public Radio and Public Radio International. The Linda is a multipurpose performance space run by WAMC that hosts concerts, lectures, debates and films among other events, many of which are broadcast over WAMC’s radio stations.

    The Jan. 16 show will take place at 8 p.m. with doors opening at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 with all proceeds supporting WAMC.

    [embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hJRAd_0mtY[/embedyt]

  • moe. Reprises Star Wars Theme for New Year’s Day

    File this under: moe.wars – A New Hope. moe. promised its fans a heavy dose of Star Wars for New Year’s Day and didn’t disappoint.

    Opening with the “Star Wars Overture” while images of Imperial Walkers, X-Wing Fighters, Darth Vader and Stormtroopers flashed across the video screen, those in attendance who regretted not hitting up the Philadelphia Halloween show were given a treat.

    moe star wars
    A nice, relaxing version of “Recreational Chemistry” followed. The accompanying light show enhanced the cool vibe of the song, inducing shouts of approval from the crowd, many donning Star Wars apparel. The 30-ish minute jam was enhanced by the stellar light show, provided by Preston Hoffman and Justin Casey of Pulse Lighting. Guitarist Al Schnier shone throughout this version of “Rec Chem,” shredding only as Schnier does.

    The brilliance in moe.’s work is the diverse styles it employs. In any given song, the band can meander among spacey jams, reggae themes and straight-up riff rock. The fact that each band member writes and sings invites the diversity as they incorporate their own likes into the repertoire.

    A true example of this diversity was exhibited as the spacey funk of “Recreational Chemistry” began to fade out and the Calexico-styled Chuck Garvey song “Shoot First” began. Each song is well-loved in the moe. canon yet they could not be more different. However, each still contains a distinct moe. vibe. Speaking of vibes, Jim Loughlin’s mallets add a terrific vibe to this Garvey classic.

    moe star warsA quick return to Star Wars brought the lively “Cantina Theme” Garvey employed some dexterous finger-picking, while Derkak employed some effects pedals to mimic the familiar theme from Star Wars – A New Hope. Loughlin’s malletkat added to the feel of the song, giving the feel of being in the cantina itself.

    The percussive “Spine of a Dog” segued into that song about a pig, “Buster,” keeping feet moving in the aisles and stage front. Schnier broke out his double-neck for the first set closer, “Buster” and abused it justly.

    A quick look at the early New Year’s Day setlist showed a high prevalence towards tracks from the “Smash Hits” release from a few years ago, not that anyone was complaining. But first, a quick step back into the Imperial realm.

    Long used as introduction music to the most badass of sports teams, “The Imperial March” from Star Wars is one of those themes known to almost all. moe. introduced the second set, stepping over to the dark side with a version of the march that would have made the Dark Lord himself proud. Again, the laser show and video images encapsulated the night’s theme to a tee and Loughlin’s mallets proved to be the game winner in this take.

    A calm run through of “Captain America” followed, with Garvey lighting up the Palace with his fretwork skills on his solo yet again. The man was on point the entire run.

    moe star warsSchnier’s coming-of-age song, “Mexico” came next. The teases into it from “Captain America” had the crowd warming up its vocal chords, ready to join in at the first word. This one turned into a chill-inducing, whole-crowd sing along. Garvey’s solo take during this song had Rob Derhak sitting back smiling with pride in his bandmates. While “Mexico” isn’t one of the big jam vehicles die-hards yearn for, as witnessed Friday night at the Palace, it is certainly a crowd-pleaser, and one that deserves a spot among the great narrative songs.

    “So Long” slowed things down with a tribal, almost “The End” meets “Three Days” feel to great effect. The entire run had been so high-energy that the slowed down vibe here was a welcome relief for the audience to just sit back and sway.

    The bass influenced What Happened to the LA LAs track, “Paper Dragon,” picked up the pace again with wah-wah pedals wailing and Derhak, Garvey and Schnier riffing away.

    Another smooth take on Garvey’s “Bullet” (familiarly known to moe.rons as “Assfinger”) moved smoothly into a solid Derhak bass solo, that thundered along for nearly five minutes before segueing into a particularly ferocious finale of the unfinished “Meat” from the previous night.

    The final set of the first show of moe.’s 26th year came to an end with a rousing disco version of the Meco classic entitled “Disco Wars.” Schnier took a spot on his keyboard for this one, teasing a little bit of Van Halen’s “Jump” before going full disco. Check out the video below:

    A round of Al.nouncements was followed by an encore of “Letter Home” and “Okayalright,” both tributes to their roots in this area and fitting for the place the band has called home for the past two New Years.

    moe. has done something rare in the music industry. It has survived over 25 years with much of the original lineup in tact and continuing to push boundaries. This New Year’s run and the entire year have shown that this is a band that isn’t resting on past successes and is willing to push to the next level. This run of shows is sure to be one talked about by fans for years to come and for good reason.

    Setlist:

    Set 1: Star Wars Overture> Recreational Chemistry, Shoot First, Cantina Band, Spine Of A Dog> Buster
    Set 2: The Imperial March, Captain America> Mexico, So Long, Paper Dragon, Bullet> Meat*, Disco Wars
    Encore: Letter Home, Okayalright
    *finished from 12/31 moe star wars

  • New Year’s Eve at the Palace: moe. Closes Out Year 25 with Rarities

    moe. kicked off the end of its 25th anniversary year with a New Year’s run at the Palace Theatre in Albany. The New Year’s Eve show proved memorable in many ways, with several old songs making a return; the debut of a brand new Al Schnier-penned instrumental and an acoustic take on Talking Heads’ “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody).”

    New Year's Eve moe PalaceThe band has been celebrating its 25th anniversary throughout 2015 and sound as cohesive as they ever have. A relationship this long, no matter what the scenario, is difficult to maintain at any level, yet it seems as if moe. has found new life in this trip around the sun. Onstage smiles were continuous during this run; it’s obvious that this is a band still having fun playing together.

    The crowd arrived at the picturesque Palace Theatre for the New Year’s Eve fete dressed the part. Many came in formal attire, while others simply donned the traditional New Year’s headgear and gaudy glasses—all were geared up for a solid performance.

    Busting out with a rare “Defrost” (last played Aug. 8, 2008), bassist Rob Derhak smacked everyone in the face with some of his trademark slapping.

    The energy remained high throughout the first set both onstage and off as moe. dusted off a few more oldies in the form of “Canned Pastries” and “Po’ Sadie” (last played Dec. 30, 1998) with each drawing knowing glances among long-time fans and cheers from the newer ones.

    Though there are distinct differences in Schnier’s and Chuck Garvey’s guitar styles, there is not a more complementary duo in the game today. Evidence of this shone during the instrumental “Pastries.” While Derhak, percussionist Jim Loughlin and drummer Vinnie Amico laid down a smooth funky beat, Schnier and Garvey traded licks back and forth on opposite sides of the stage surely causing slight whiplash among some onlookers.

    The lounge jazz intro to “Don’t Fuck With Flo” segued perfectly out of a lengthy run-through of a jazzier than usual “Timmy Tucker,” creating a huge build-up to the sing-along chorus of who not to mess around with. Garvey made heavy use of his effects pedals, combining with the spectacular light show to create a true rock-star experience to cap off the first set.

    New Year's Eve moe PalaceFollowing a half-hour break, the band opened the second set with a tribute to the Saranac Brewery for the Hoppy Hour Hero brew many in the house were imbibing in on this night. Naturally, “Happy Hour Hero” followed. Garvey used his talkbox to wish everyone a “Happy New Year.” A long and sweet segue out of “HHH” into the reggae “Seat of My Pants” held the crowd’s attention until Schnier’s opening notes led the way into the moe. classic. The heavy break down part of “Seat” had Schnier in full-on rock god mode. Schnier threw in barre chords, finger tapping, the trademark facial expressions and an on-his-knees serenade to those in the front row.

    The brand new and sweeping Schnier instrumental “Montego” was well-received and should prove to be a nice jam vehicle in shows to come. “Four” closed out the second set. Garvey was on fire during this one. Those riding the rail Chuck side were treated to a guitar clinic from the maestro as midnight loomed.

    Set three began with what has now become a moe. NYE tradition—the playing of Pink Floyd’s “Time/Breathe” during the countdown to midnight. Once the confetti cannons blew their payload, Derhak broke into an a capella “Auld Lang Syne,” a song that, like most people, Derhak had issues remembering the lyrics to.

    New Year's Eve moe PalaceThis led to the surprise of the night as Loughlin left the confines of his kit at the back of the stage to drop some mad rhymes to House of Pain’sJump Around.” The stage soon filled with band and crew family members jumping around as Loughlin had instructed.

    moe. continued the set into the wee hours of 2016, dropping in a newer fan favorite “Billy Goat” followed by an intense “Meat” that proved to be unfinished. Garvey again displayed why he’s one of the premier guitarists in the genre throughout the spacey, funky, jam; at times using his microphone stand as a slide for his guitar.

    A solid run-through of “Brent Black” featured a stellar jazz-informed solo from Amico and a roaring bass solo from Derhak. “Wind it Up” wrapped up the set, leaving the exhausted audience breathing a sigh of relief.

    New Year's Eve moe PalaceAs the band members took a brief break, microphone stands were brought to the front of the stage for the encore. Schnier played his acoustic, while Garvey plucked on his electric. Amico played the tambourine and Loughlin the maraca, as Derhak, with the assistance of a lyric sheet, sang the Talking Heads’ “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)” with help from the crowd on such lyrics as “Home is where I want to be.” As moe.’s adopted hometown, the collaboration was a fitting end to the show capping off the band’s silver anniversary year.

    Setlist
    Set 1: Defrost> Akimbo, Y.O.Y., Canned Pastries, Po’ Sadie, Timmy Tucker> Don’t Fuck With Flo
    Set 2: Happy Hour Hero> Seat Of My Pants, Montego, Four
    Set 3: Time> Breathe> Countdown/Happy New Year> Auld Lang Syne, Jump Around*> Auld Lang Syne, Billy Goat> Meat#> Brent Black, Wind it up
    Encore: This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)
    *Jim on vocals
    #unfinished