Aqueous fans that missed out on the band’s sold-out Halloween show this past October won’t be in the dark for much longer. Thanks to Sonic Farm Studios, Aqueous has released Sonic Farm Presents: Aqueous Halloween 2015 – Dark Side of Oz.
The live recording of Aqueous’ Halloween show at Buffalo Iron Works not only includes some of Aqueous’ best original material, but also the band’s stellar performance of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon.
In celebration of the mystic connection between the cinematic classic Wizard of Oz and Pink Floyd’s classic album, Aqueous dressed as the Wizard of Oz cast during the evening’s performance. Less than two months later, staffers at NYS Music named the performance as Best Show in Western New York for 2015.
The first seven tracks are loaded with brilliant examples of what Aqueous does right; “Eon Don,” “King for a Day” and a non-stop “Complex Pt. 1” into “Wandering” into “Complex Pt. 2” that took the crowd on a nearly 30-minute groove-rock ride. The first set also features Aqueous’ tribute to the night’s opening band with an edged-out version of Funktional Flow ‘s song “Mulligans.”
The first set also features a mash-up style version of the “MGM Theme” and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” before fusing into “Kitty Chaser (Explosions in the Sky).” Although the track is one of Aqueous’ more well-known and often-played songs, this version lends itself to a more mellow feel and deeper groove.
In more Oz whimsy, the album also includes Aqueous featuring Matt Harris (saxophone) on a jazzy instrumental version of the film’s classic “If I Only Had a Brain.” The first set of Halloween 2015 closes out with an evocative and beautiful version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”
Gears shift to Dark Side of the Moon at the album’s halfway point. Beyond the sheer technical skill and flawless timing, Aqueous executes pure confidence, while accomplishing a feat that many musicians simply couldn’t execute. The talent and precision it takes to perform Dark Side in its entirety in real time didn’t go unnoticed or unappreciated by anyone in attendance—and it comes through even stronger via the recorded tracks than it did onstage.
The task also highlights that the band shows brilliance in production. A guest appearance from vocalist Sara Jane, who often performs with Pink Talking Phish, delivered both a haunting and flawless performance in “Great Gig in the Sky.” In addition, Harris and Funktional Flow’s Joey Lewis (guitar) returned throughout the second set for various appearances on Dark Side.
What’s most impressive about the Dark Side portion of this release is the band’s attention to detail during the live performance. It’s the small things that add up. The tiny ways they managed to build the layers in a live setting to simulate the studio recordings are so on point that at times you forget that this recording isn’t hours of multiple layer tracking or looping.
Dan Brace from Sonic Farm Studios recorded, produced and engineered the release. As he told NYS Music, getting the stars to align for a releasable recording isn’t an easy task. “With live material we only have one shot at getting a good take,” he said. “We have to be certain every mic and every channel is functioning.”
And in listening to the release (although there is obvious crowd noise and a slight airiness to the vocals) those tend to be the only indication that this is a live recording—a testament to both Brace, who has spent almost two decades mastering this type of audio skill, as well as to the band. Aqueous is so tuned into playing by instinct that they seem to never play live without crystal-clear direction. And although this makes Brace’s job much easier, he mixes the album with studio-quality flare.
In the time since Aqueous released “Cycles” in October 2014, the band has continued to mature and grow as musicians. On the vocal front, lead guitarist and main vocalist Mike Ganzter has gained a smooth, milky richness to his vocal quality; it’s partially vocal maturity but also a nod to vocal exploration and practice. In “Mulligans,” Gantzer handles the vocals as if the song were his own. On guitar, Gantzer continues to be one of the most talked about musicians among his peers. He creates a sound all of his own, as if his guitar is simply weeping with joy.
David Loss not only handles guitar and vocal duties but also keys and synth. In listening to this release, it’s his nuances that bring out the best of the Dark Side recording but also the best of Aqueous’s original material. He seems to always know where he is in regards to complementing his fellow musicians. It’s a mind-numbing skill to have as a musician to be able to understand that sometimes less is more, or that layers are built on levels, but that in order to build a deep sound, the levels can’t all be the same.
Bassist Evan McPhaden works bass lines with an incredibly funky yet steady pace. At the band’s quieter moments, it’s McPhaden’s impish style that often sneaks in sending the music back to an edgier path. A good bass line lays down the grooves that get a crowd moving. Even the most hi-def shred guitar works need solid driving bass behind it to truly make it magical. And in that layer creation, McPhaden always finds a way to keep the music driving forward.
When you talk about Aqueous’ technical skill, it goes beyond musicianship. And their ability to “produce” their music in real-time is most impressive. Even in mid jam, they work out musical nuances that truly reflect the ebb and flow of their moniker. It is in their live show that this technical skill truly shines.
Fans of the band already know that this album is a must-have addition to any music collection. To the casual listener, Sonic Farm Presents: Aqueous Halloween 2015 – Dark Side of Oz is a perfect introduction to the band. Sonic Farm Presents: Aqueous Halloween 2015 – Dark Side of Oz is available for unlimited listener streaming through the Bandcamp app.
Key Tracks: “King for a Day,” “Great Gig in the Sky,” “Mulligans,” “Money”
When I got into MSG around 8:15 P.M., I heard the opening notes to “AC/DC Bag,” and it seemed like the classic opener had returned to blast us off into the night, but having wrapped things up at the 
With Fishman gently brushing his drums, a balancing “Train Song” arose, bringing tears to the eyes of those chasing the soft Billy Breathes tune, a rarity these days, but a beautiful one at that. Julius reinvigorated the crowd to close the set, one that started strong and finished out the same. Fans then awaited the final of nine sets that Phish would play this run, ventured around the concourse one last time and saw friends they may not see until Summer Tour or beyond, or perhaps resting their legs and reflecting on a crazy, music-filled weekend in the 
As the lights dropped and Trey softly played the opening notes to “Tweezer”, the second set jam vehicle of legend, the audience exulted. The jam slowly built and never let up, and had some back and forth between Trey and Page for a bit, but the final two minutes of Tweezer really shone in an accelerated “What’s the Use?” jam that brought the 22 minute tour de force to a close before pouring into “Sand.” Even still, after “Tweezer”, there was no let up on this “Sand,” which garnered cheers from the “Flowing through the hourglass” line, now forever intwined with the ‘Hourglass Jam’ that rang in 2016 two nights prior.
Returning to the stage, the buzz was centered on “Fluffhead,” which hadn’t been played since August 2014. What feels like years of waiting will feel a little longer as Phish opted for a combo of “The Lizards” and “Tweezer Reprise,” one that constitutes a single “Fluffhead,” which is one part rarity (The Lizards) and one part energy builder with a huge payoff (Tweezer Reprise). There were no complaints with this set, let alone the entire show. While January 2, 2016 marked the best show of the run, with the Mayan Riviera shows coming up in a week, the bar for the year is set high with this final performance from the New Years run.
The 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.
Busting out with a rare “
Following a half-hour break, the band opened the second set with a tribute to the 
This 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 
As 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.
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.”