This weekend, moe. returns to Utica, NY for another glorious two-night stay at Saranac Brewery and prepare to bring Hoppy Hour Hero to the masses. The Utica staple will welcome Ryan Montbleau supporting on Friday, July 29 and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong opening on Saturday, July 30.
As fans already know, Saranac will be serving up some of their moe.st special brew, Hoppy Hour Hero, for the double event along with many other summer favorites. Fans can also stay tuned for a special taping of “Vinnie’s Kitchen” featuring a recipe that includes the band’s namesake beer, which will be taped at the Brewery with some lucky contest winners. Gates open at 5 p.m. both days.
The Buffalo-based jammers have been taking a short break to prep for this weekend as well as select Summer appearances and their Fall tour which includes a Red Rocks performance paired with Gov’t Mule, a Pink Floyd theme late-night set at The Peach Fest, and another 2-night run at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo.
Summer Camp Music Festival has developed into a time-suspended Bonnaroo, c. 2002-2005. Big names and small alike are found at the annual festival in Chillicothe, IL, and while the size of the festival grounds have grown only as needed to accommodate growth, attendance reached a reported 30,000 in 2016, the festival’s largest year. But Summer Camp seems to know when to stop, unlike Bonnaroo; the number of stages has been mostly consistent for a number of years, and the propensity to add-on the big names is reserved for acts that fans may only get one chance to see this year, like Jason Isbell or Mudcrutch, and not reverting to bringing in an LCD Soundsystem or 2015 Outkast when they can be found at many festivals.
photos by Dave Decrescente
What makes Summer Camp standout is that it sticks to a lineup that works; start with moe., Umphrey’s McGee, a handful of Chicago and Midwest bands, the best funk and jam bands touring today, some new names, some DJs and a couple of random acts (Big Grizmatic, George Clinton and P-Funk) and you have a functional recipe that doesn’t need to be reevaluated each year to bolster the bottom line or appeal to a newer fanbase. Summer Camp remains an annual tradition for thousands, and the familiar yet diverse lineup with must-see acts from around the country is the origin of this tradition. Collaboration and a constant flowing party with the Midwest’s finest soundtrack is the focus of the weekend at Summer Camp, with a little rain mixed in for good measure.
Now when it comes to attending a large festival, or really any festival for that matter, it becomes impossible to see everything, and sacrifices need to be made. If you’ll see Turkuaz in two weeks, do you skip them and go see Future Rock, a band you might not see outside the Midwest? Or pass up a little Sunday night moe. for March Fourth? (Answers may vary.) That being said, when your RV blows a tire on the way out to Summer Camp, you can cross a few artists off your Thursday list and pray the tire repair gods smile kindly upon you. And with that, we begin at Summer Camp, in the Vibe Tent on Thursday night, with Wyllys.
Creating a bookend for NYS Music’s Summer Camp as he performed late night in the VIP tent until dawn on Sunday, Wyllys threw down a powerhouse set in the Vibe Tent, dropping nu disco on the unsuspecting crowd, followed by Break Science, who was joined the next evening by the Shady Horns on the Starshine Stage. After getting warmed up in the Vibe Tent, we headed to the Camping Stage and happened upon The Waydown Wanderers who come across as the next Railroad Earth and more than a string band with ardent fans packing the hill. Sun Stereo was a pleasant and energetic surprise, filling in for the delayed London Souls, while in the Red Barn, all guests were welcomed to join the Werks, Louis the Saint and Lettuce for the Thursday night pre-party.
Friday morning got hoppin’ with a dose of the Nth Power’s high-intensity soul, which transferred over nicely to Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds who woke the crowd on the Sunshine Stage with a healthy serving of funk and a cover of Paul Simon’s “Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes.” Down at the Moonshine Stage, moe. dropped their first set of the weekend, featuring a monster “Haze,” and later played an acoustic “Not Coming Down” > “Wormwood” > “Okayalright” for the VIP crowd that evening.
At the Camping Stage, Aqueous tore into their second set of the weekend with “Origami” and “Kitty Chaser,” with Rob Houk behind the kit, a potentially great fit for a band that has been searching for a permanent drummer for the past six months. On Thursday night, Rob handed off the sticks to Vinnie Amico from moe., who sat in for Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs.” Jimkata followed with a lively set, highlighted by “In the Moment,” an indie-pop number that didn’t stray far from improvisational roots and showed the trio in great form.
On the Moonshine Stage, Greensky Bluegrass invited Al from moe. to join them for the Wood Brothers’ “Luckiest Man,” followed by bringing Keller Williams up for “For Sure, Uh Huh” and covering the Band’s version of Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City” for good measure. Back up at Sunshine Stage, Umphrey’s rained down on the crowd with a ridiculous “Plunger” > “Wife Soup,” hit fans with a one-two punch of “Syncopated Strangers” and “Divisions” to close their first set of the weekend. A monster second set began with the recent arrival “Stinko’s Ascension” and “Ocean Billy,” which seemingly turned the spigot in the sky off for the rest of the night. A “2×2” sandwich with “Speak Up” and “In the Kitchen” > “Hurt Bird Bath.”
Between moe. and Umphrey’s sets, Future Rock’s livetronica hit the Starshine Stage, a Second City complement that kept the energy rolling from the two fire sets of Umphrey’s. Over at the Campfire Stage was one of the largest crowds of the weekend, where a few thousand filled in for Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. For non-stop late night funk, this four piece from Baltimore was the perfect pre-Sunrise Kickball music you could ask for. Performing songs off their 2015 album Psychology, as well as covers of the “Cantina Jam” from Star Wars and “Psycho Killer,” and a second time ever played “We Put the Fun in Funk,” made for one of the most enjoyable and exhausting sets of the weekend.
After getting some post-Sunrise Kickball rest, Saturday began with Field Day activities. From 3 to 6 p.m., the music from Starshine Stage and Vibe Tent were the soundtrack to the games this year, and what a soundtrack it was. Unlike Pluto got things started during Dodgeball and Tug of War, treating us to trap and progressive house beats, perfect to warm things up on the field. Michael Menert and the Pretty Fantastics were pretty damn incredible, bringing a dose of soul to electronic music honed under Pretty Lights Music, aiding in an epic Capture the Flag that ended with the Yellow Team winning the event. When it was time for the Twister competition, Gibbz provided the perfect beats for the extended yoga session on a makeshift Twister board. Given that this Brooklyn DJ burst onto the scene only recently, having him as the beats to the last hour of Field Day was perfection in scheduling. (Oh, and the Red Team won Field Day, in case anyone was keeping score.)
Dopapod served as outro music as the weary legs of sweaty Scampers departed Field Day for some rest before another raging night of Umphrey’s and moe. A brief storm featuring a double rainbow cooled the festival down a bit before Umphrey’s, the timing of which is always welcome to keep dust down and chill the grounds slightly after a long hot day. Umphrey’s two sets were a hard rock lovers dream, with “Miss Tinkle’s Overture,” “Puppet String,” “Wizard Burial Ground,” “1348,” and “Nothing Too Fancy.” The encore of Mark Ronson’s “Daffodils” was perfectly executed before segueing back into “All in Time,” capping off an old-school set, perfect if you were celebrating your 200th Umphrey’s show that evening.
Heading back down to the Moonshine Stage, moe. gave a nod to two of the major music losses of 2016, David Bowie, with a cover of “Fame,” and Prince, with “Purple Rain.” The string of covered continued in the second set with Kyle Hollingsworth joining for “Shine on You Crazy Diamond,” “Opium” and “Making Flippy Floppy,” the former and latter being usual Umphrey’s covers. “George,” “Wind it Up” and “Lazarus” closed out the set and fans moved onto campsites or late-night stages. Strolling back to the late-night music, Turbo Suit with Ryan Stasik performed a funked-out rendition of Nirvana’s Nevermind, and festival dark horse Sunsquabi threw down at the Camping Stage with serious drive behind his electro-funk.
Relaxing with a keg of Goose Island Green Line and the Field Day crew started the day off just right, with Tom Hamilton’s American Babies playing on Starshine Stage. Heading over for Umphrey’s day set, the “early” risers (1 p.m.) were treated to a “Cemetery Walk” > “Bad Friday” and some acoustic tunes as well, including “Gone for Good,” “No Diablo” and the Pixies’ “Where is My Mind?”before wrapping up the day with “Sociable Jimmy” > “JaJunk.”
Catching Twiddle in the Midwest made me curious if the Vermont group had the same response they did in the Northeast, and indeed they did. The largest audience of the weekend at Starshine was a captive one for a five-song set, including an energetic opener in “Apples” and an emotional “Hattie’s Jam” > “When it Rains it Poors,” featuring Chris Houser from the Werks on guitar.
Following Twiddle’s set, the Werks invited up Ryan and Mihali to join them on a shredtastic “G Funk” and closed their set with a cover of Edgar Winter’s “Frankenstein.” Heading over quickly to the Red Barn for Make a Difference’s Everyone Orchestra set, guest bandleader Derek Chamberlain led a group including Al Schnier, Marc Brownstein, Jeremy Salken, Kyle Hollingsworth, Jennifer Hartswick, Tom Hamilton, Mimi Naja, Daniel Lamb, Nicholas Gerlach and Chris Gelbuda through his own funky creation, while Matt Butler handled conducting duties for an hour’s worth of on-the-spot all-star compositions.
Rushing back over to the Starshine Stage for Here Come the Mummies was worth it—this is one of the best festival acts, period. Award-winning studio musicians from Nashville, who are under contract and thus, cannot perform under their own names, keep their identity under-wraps by performing as mummies. But all the while, they put on the funkiest of shows, one honed in Nashville studios and elsewhere around the country, performing suggestive songs that will keep you smiling, while your feet and hips do the rest.
Tom Petty and Mike Campbell’s pre-Heartbreakers group Mudcrutch got their highly anticipated set off to a rousing start with the classic “Shady Grove,” selections from their first album, “Orphan on the Storm,” “Scare Easy,” “Crystal River,” and the Byrds’ “Lords of the Bayou.” The set had a handful of tracks off their latest release 2 that fit neatly into the middle of the set, including the outlaw cowboy tune and Benmont Trench penned “Welcome to Hell,” “Dreams of Flying,” “Beautiful World” and “Hope.” For those who don’t get to see Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers sell out sheds when they do tour, seeing Mudcrutch allows you to catch a slightly different Petty/Campbell outfit that is a resounding late-career success.
moe. finished the Moonshine Stage off with “Baba O’Reilly,” where they were joined by Yonder Mountain’s Allie Kral on fiddle, following up with “Spine of a Dog” > “Buster,” “Jazz Wank” > “Rebubula” with the benefit of quadrophonic sound emitted from speakers across the bowl. As an added tongue-in-cheek bonus, the Who’s Quadrophenia served as set-break music.
Set two began with a bittersweet moment for Summer Camp; Mike Armintrout bid farewell to the festival he had a hand in booking and marketing for 16 years, bringing a large number of Summer Camp staff to the stage as Al Schnier and festival promoter Ian Goldberg gave credit where credit was due to Armintrout, before an emotional on-stage audience.
moe. dropped a five-song set for the last notes of the Moonshine Stage, starting with a 30-minute “Recreational Chemistry” followed by “Kids,” and between both Rob was on top of his game on bass, a highlight of moe.’s sets this weekend for sure. A Floyd-ish “Silversun” and rockin’ “Timmy Tucker” all brought out Rob’s bass, something that Big Grizmatic’s crowd missed out on. An encore of Cream’s “White Room” featured a Rob on near-perfect vocals and a disco ball lighting up the entire crowd—the perfect ending to the weekend of the host band. Props to the guy behind me shouting out “Chicken rigis,” “Utica Club” and “Saranac” during lulls between songs, for a delicious reminder of home while the hometown band closed out their Midwest festival.
One last stop of the night was to catch Crosseyed and Phishless, a unique idea for a Phish cover band in that they only cover Phish covers and jam them out quite well. The five-piece group notably includes the sounds of a Languedoc guitar and Modulus bass, making the performance uncanny to what you might find at Wrigley Field in a few weeks. Covers of “Sneakin Sally Through the Alley,” “Roses are Free,” “Drowned” and even “When the Circus Comes to Town” were crowd pleasers, hinting at Phish but never fully crossing the line into being a Phish cover band.
As the RVs rolled out Monday morning and Scampers cleaned up their campsites to head home across the country, another year of Summer Camp was in the books. There are few festivals like Summer Camp, and many that can take a page from the successful chapter Jay Goldberg Presents writes each year.
And we’re back! Music Festival season hits hard around the country in May, with Summer Camp Music Festival being a destination event for fans of all things jam and funk, Umphrey’s McGee and moe., and more at Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe, IL. NYS Music heads west this weekend, as many do when bands like Aqueous, Jimkata, Break Science, moe., Lettuce, Dopapod, Turkuaz, among others, perform at the same four-day festival, now in its 16th year.
Summer Camp has a lot going on, making it tough to see it all, but far from overwhelming like mega-festivals. Check out the full schedule here, or create your own on the Summer Camp app (recommended). To break down the music, camping and activities, here’s a sampling of the live performances for each day of Summer Camp:
Thursday
There is a lot of Chicago love on Thursday, and the Second City takes center stage with Chicago Funk Mafia (3:30-4:30 p.m.), Family Groove Company (6:30-7:30 p.m.) and Future Rock (8-9 p.m.), all at the Starshine Stage.
Make your way to the nearby Camping Stage for Buffalo’s Aqueous (8:30-9:30 p.m.), where they typically have quite the crowd of AQuaintences, one that should merit Starshine Stage in future years.
Heading into the late night of Summer Camp Day One, you’ll want to hit the Vibe Tent at 11 p.m. for Adam Dietch’s Break Science and stick around after for a nu-disco DJ set from Wyllys. Down at the Campfire Stage, the London Souls rock from 1:30-3 a.m., winding down the day with ease, before the heavy hitters arrive on Friday with the majority of the crowd.
Friday
It’s a given that you’ll probably see moe. (2:30-4 p.m., Moonshine) and Umphrey’s (7:45-11:15 p.m., Sunshine), but there are many other bands to discover at Summer Camp, even those that might be the next moe. and Umphrey’s — just venture through the festival grounds and find some new music to explore.
Two highly talented acts can be found at Starshine Stage on Friday afternoon. Soul never sounded so smooth coming from the Nth Power (1-2 p.m.) and experimental prog-rock from Tauk (5-6 p.m.) is a sound you need to experience firsthand, despite having some incredible albums under their belt. One band I have been eagerly waiting to see live is prog-funk band Earphunk, performing at the Campfire Stage (4:30-5:30 p.m.)
There will be a trio of New York bands to check out on the Camping Stage, starting with Aqueous at 3:30 p.m., followed by Jimkata at 5 p.m. and Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad at 6:30 p.m. After Umphrey’s, late night is looking prime at Campfire Stage with Turkuaz (11 p.m.-12 a.m.), Mike Dillon’s New Orleans Percussion Consortium (12:30-1:30 p.m.) and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong closing out the stage (2-4 a.m.). And then return to the Sunshine Stage field (if you still have the energy) for sunrise kickball—the best unofficial activity at Summer Camp.
Saturday
Have you ever wanted to combine a carnival, circus and funk band all at the same time? Then Marchfourth! is your wake-up remedy today. Head over to Sunshine Stage at 1 p.m. to see one of Portland, Oregon’s heavy hitters blow you away. You can’t go wrong with Steve Kimock and Friends who grace the Moonshine Stage at 2 p.m., bringing keyboardist Jeff Chimenti, bassist Bobby Vega, drummer Jay Lane and guitarist/vocalist Leslie Mendelson together for a set of blues, Grateful Dead and classics. Check out a recent setlist for a taste of what’s to come.
At this point, you should be heading over to the Vibe Tent for Field Day. More details on this day below, but while you’re taking part in the always eventful activities surrounding Field Day, Gibbz will surprise you with his voice and musicianship at 5 p.m. in the Vibe Tent. Then, you can turn around and walk over to Starshine Stage for Dopapod, another of the heavy hitters on a stacked stage.
One of the next great supergroups, Hardworking Americans, featuring Todd Snider and bassist Dave Schools from Widespread Panic, hit the Sunshine Stage at 6:45 p.m., followed by two more sets of Umphrey’s (9 p.m.-1 a.m.) and of course, late night moe. (10 p.m.-2 a.m.), which will make you feel like you’re at moe.down, but with a few thousand extra people clamoring to the hillside. And after moe., if you still have the energy, late night includes Slow Magic, Shiba San and Grandtheft in the Vibe Tent until 4 a.m.
Sunday
Exhausted yet? If not, Sunday will do the trick. You’ll have the heavy hitters and a lot of decisions to make today in order to drain all the life you can out of Summer Camp 2016. Start the day at Starshine with American Babies at noon, Main Squeeze at 2 p.m., Twiddle at 4 p.m., The Werks at 6 p.m. and Here Come the Mummies at 8 p.m. Or head to Moonshine for the New Mastersounds, the Motet, George Clinton and P-Funk, Lotus and more moe.
Sunshine Stage hosts Umphreys McGee (1-2:30 p.m.), Ani DiFranco (3:15-4:15 p.m.), Yonder Mountain String Band (5-6 p.m.), Jason Isbell (6:45-8:15 p.m.), Mudcrutch (9-10:30 p.m.) and Big Grizmatik (11:45-1 a.m.). Have you ever wanted to be in more than one place at a time? The Sunday lineup alone will make you support cloning. Top your weekend off at Campfire stage with Kung Fu at 10:30 p.m., Horseshoes and Hand Grenades at midnight and Dopapod playing from 2-4 a.m.
Check out the full lineup below—but there’s more…
Counselor and Camping Options
You should listen to your counselors. Seriously, these are the pros who know Summer Camp inside and out. They’re the best resource for Scampers of all ages and experience levels (myself included). Read the handbook, which covers virtually every detail and question about the festival, and if you still have questions, join the Facebook group where you can find answers to virtually any question that may arise over the weekend.
When it comes to camping, unless you’re in an RV, I recommend the field between Sunshine and Camping (Area D in the map above). Why? Because you are proximate to five stages—Sunshine, Starshine, Vibe Tent, Camping and Soulshine Tent (very underrated, even late at night)—and although there is no shade, you’ll love being able to catch a set of music while chilling between sets of music. The Woods are a solid option as well if you have a smaller set up, but fear not—the sprawling area in the woods is one of the coolest areas to walk through at any festival, night or day.
And while you are at Summer Camp, Make a Difference! there are so many ways to leave Three Sisters Park better than how you found it; clean up trash, cigarette butts, bring a reusable water bottle, recycle your waste and check out the Soulshine Tent to find ways to bring some of that positive energy from Summer Camp back home with you.
Then, of course, what do you do when you want to relive a little bit of Summer Camp from your youth? You participate in Field Day! Yes, Field Day is an annual tradition at Summer Camp, one that has a rightful place in the history of the festival. Started in 2011, the annual event takes the cake as the most unique and most fun non-musical component of Summer Camp. Sign up online, and the first 100 get a free team bandana on Friday from noon–1 p.m. at the Vibe Tent. Come back Saturday at 3 p.m. and participate in capture the flag, arm wrestling, spelling bee, banana eating contest and much more, with a Champions ceremony at noon Sunday. Field Day is open to all, the smack talk is free and it has become a growing event everyone should check out, whether as spectator or participant.
The Field Day staff shared a little insight into why you should take part in Field Day:
The number-one reason why people should sign up is because of the amount of awesome people you’ll meet doing so, especially myself Ashley Pardy. What keeps me coming back is all of the memories, and the Red Team wins. I mean would you leave a team that has won almost every year?” – Ashley Pardy
“You will meet amazing people, laugh your ass off and drink free beer. Participating in one of the many cool activities at Summer Camp will make your festival experience unique beyond just seeing shows.”
– Jessica Coughlin
“Bragging rights.” – Elizabeth Cox
What memories of past years keep these wonderful staff keep coming back, year after year?
I come back year after year because the people are so amazing. Favorite memory is Sheppy nearly getting arrested by some serious looking state troopers for defacing an American flag, while simultaneously being hoisted on our shoulders raising the red flag after yet another contested victory.” – Anthony Piccirilli (Shep talked his way out of it and the cop came to our keg party.)
“Every time kids will tell me it was their favorite part of Summer Camp. Knowing that we can make people so happy just by being silly is so rewarding. I have seen Field Day bring together lifelong friends who would have never otherwise met. And it is a chance to make a difference like with our ‘big butt challenge’; we picked up 3,500 cigarettes last year! Field Day feels like ‘Revenge of the Nerds: the Grownup Hippie Edition.’ We are all just a bunch of kids, best friends who get to run around our own personal playground at Summer Camp year after year.” – Jessica Coughlin
“Mud Tug-o-War, Drunken Spelling Bees, Sheppy drunken walks with the cup.” – Elizabeth Cox
“Drunken Spelling Bees.” – Anthony Piccirilli
The Palmer kids showing up to Field Day when they were middle schoolers, joining our staff and literally growing up in front of us at Field Day becoming the coolest kids at Summer Camp, aka, ‘the front row family.’” – Jessica Coughlin
And while sunrise kickball isn’t an official activity, it has been the unofficial opening ceremony of the games for six years now. This is one of the highlights of Summer Camp; at 5:30 a.m. come to the Sunshine Stage for a game of kickball with 200 Wookiees led by Ryan Stasik. There will be trampolines, bacon at second base and no apparent rules; it is the most beautiful and absurd shit-show ever witnessed, and one worth staying up for!
There you have it; NYS Music gives you the ins and outs of Summer Camp 2016. Make sure to follow us all weekend on Twitter and Instagram to live vicariously if you can’t make the trip to the Midwest.
moe. drummer Vinnie Amico took some time out before a recent show at the Hollow in Albany with Floodwood and Gratefully Yours for an interview with NYS Music’s Neil Benjamin Jr.
Vin gave some answers about the future of moe.down (spoiler alert: It’s not dead!). He also discussed moe.’s just-announced Jam Cruise appearance, the Floodwood lineup change, his history of playing the Grateful Dead, his many sit-ins, his degree in economics, and plenty more!
The weekend started off St. Paddy’s Thursday with an intimate show at a smaller venue, Stage 48. The concert hall opened three years ago and has a capacity of about 1,100, with a horseshoe-shaped balcony area around the top, multiple bars and plenty of room for dancing.
The boys didn’t waste any time getting into it, launching into a nearly half-hour-long “McBain” to start the show, which then slid into “Down Boy.”
When guitar player Chuck Garvey took to his talk box in “Happy Hour Hero,” he sang into it a holiday wish for the crowd: “Happy St. Patrick’s Day you guys,” “I hope you have a very nice St. Patrick’s day. I hope you get real fucked up.”
The band then played “Downward Facing Dog,” but they didn’t finish it; instead they transitioned into “Deep This Time” to end the set. DFD is broken into two distinct parts, so it’s perfect to break up within a show, but it doesn’t happen often, if ever.
At the end of the set, bassist Rob Derhak, who had been coughing here and there throughout, made it pretty clear how he was feeling: “Thanks folks, I’m going to have to go get a blood transfusion, because that was like a four-hour first set.”
The second set didn’t let up, though. It was a festive ride from the opening notes of “Billy Goat” all the way through the set to the apropos “New York City.” The set only stopped once, after going “all the way down to the bottom” with “The Pit” then finishing up “Downward Facing Dog” with the part that gets dark and guitarist Al Schnier nearly growls out the lyrics.
After taking a quick breath, the band dove into the creepy-yet-whimsical “Bearsong,” which transitioned into Pink Floyd’s “Interstellar Overdrive.” Then the whole thing became a “The Pit” > “Tubing the River Styx” sandwich before going into “Farmer Ben.” Percussionist Jim Loughlin didn’t venture out from behind his setup as he often does when he’s singing a song, but it didn’t take any energy out of the crowd favorite that’s on the rarer side. The song always breaks down into a few covers, and this Ben had some very appropriate treats: “If I Should Fall From Grace With God” by the Pogues, “Shipping Up to Boston” by the Dropkick Murphy’s, and moe.’s own traditional Irish-sounding tune, “Raise a Glass.” The band played the full RAG and didn’t finish Ben before going into “New York City.”
The encore featured some neat play with lyrics. moe. started with Neil Young’s “Down By the River,” which they hadn’t played since 2002, then played their own “Wind It Up.” “River” begins with the phrase, “Be on my side. I’ll be on your side,” and WIU both starts with similar lyrics and ends with a repetition of that phrase.
3/17/16 Stage 48 setlist:
I: McBain > Down Boy, It >(nh) Smoke, Rise > Happy Hour Hero, Downward Facing Dog > Deep This Time
II: Billy Goat > Tubing The River Styx > The Pit > Downward Facing Dog, Bearsong > Interstellar Overdrive > The Pit > Tubing The River Styx > Farmer Ben > Raise A Glass > New York City
E: Down By The River > Wind It Up
Farmer Ben jam section: Ben> If I Should Fall From Grace With God > Ben > Shipping Up to Boston > Ben > Raise a Glass
On Friday, the fun moved to PlayStation Theater in Times Square. The band played the same venue in March 2015, but it was called the Best Buy Theater back then. This show kicked off right with “Yodalittle,” and the first set also featured a great “Puebla.”
The second set began with the band’s second time ever playing “Cosmik Debris,” a Zappa cover that moe. debuted at their Halloween show in Philly. That gave way to a string of songs lasting nearly or more than 15 minutes each, the highlight of which was “She.” The set ended with “Suck a Lemon,” which the band hasn’t performed since 2014, and they encored with “Bodhisattva,” a Steely Dan tune moe. hasn’t played since 2003.
3/18/2016 PlayStation Theater setlist:
I: Yodelittle > Blue Jeans Pizza, Puebla > Bullet, Calyphornya, Gone, Queen Of Everything
II: Cosmik Debris, Silver Sun >(nh) Kyle’s Song > Opium, She, Suck A Lemon
E: Bodhisattva, Mexico
Returning to the Playstation Theater on Saturday for the final night of the run, the revived audience welcomed moe. back to the stage with cheers and hands-full of beers. With a quick entrance and a 4-count, the evening blasted off with a rocking, short but sweet “The Ghost of Ralph’s Mom.” The highlight of the first set was the tasty “Brent Black” sandwich that included two fan-favorite covers from last year, House of Pains‘ “Jump Around” and “The Imperial March” from Star Wars. As the intermission approached, some fans filtered outside into the streets of Times Square and some took to the media center of the theater lobby to play the few select Playstation console games mounted to walls.
Set two came in easy with “The House of the Rising Sun,” which set a mellow mood for the “Lazarus” that followed. Special guest Suke Cerulo, from NY bands Lynch and Conehead Buddha, joined the group for a jammed out “Moth,” allowing Suke to explore the fretboard of his six-string guitar for the better part of ten minutes. That song is what the crowd needed to be picked up into full dance-mode again and Cerulo delivered with class. As the song ended, Suke waved to the grateful moe.rons and exited the dimly lit stage as Chuck melodically picked his way into “Rebubula.” It seemed as though the setlist for the evening was hand picked by Rob, since most of the songs were either written/sang by him or rhythmically driven by the bass guitar.
Before the encore, Al came out to sound off a few of the Al.nouncements for the night. Since some of the songs ran a tad over length and the “Hard” curfew was only a few minutes away, Rob hilariously slapped the scribbled on pieces of notebook paper out of Al’s hands and apologized to the audience saying, “Sorry. Blame me, blame me,” The crowd took it in stride and cheered as moe. executed an emotional “Ziggy Stardust” by the late David Bowie. A song which has become increasingly popular amongst the crew and community since Bowie passed away.
3/19/2016 PlayStation Theater setlist:
I: T.G.O.R.M., George, Blond Hair and Blue Eyes, Brent Black > Jump Around > Brent Black > The Imperial March > Brent Black
II: The House of the Rising Sun, Lazarus > Ricky Marten > Time Ed, Moth, Rebubula > Four > Rebubula
moe. threw an amazing party Jan. 11-14 in Jamaica. This year’s Throe.down was combined with Little Feat’s annual destination festival called Feat Camp, and it was held at Jewel Paradise Cove in Runaway Bay, Jamaica.
Now that we’ve had a little time to ruminate on the amazing experience (yeah, yeah, we know, it’s been a long time), here are our top 10 favorite things about moe.’s Tropical Throe.down 2016.
1. Rob playing an entire song laying down
It was pretty epic. During the final moe. show of the festival, bassist Rob Derhak sat down in a chair for a few moments earlier in the show, but later on, someone switched the upright chair out with a lounge chair. Rob took the bait and sat down, laying back and kicking his feet up in front of him as he picked away at the laid-back new tune “Montego,” an instrumental debuted at the band’s New Year’s run in Albany.
Toward the end of the song, guitarist Al Schnier grabbed an inflatable whale that had been making its way around the resort pools for the last few days and the stage that night. He threw it on the ground near Rob and sat down straddling it as the two jammed with Rob slapping the shit out of a nasty bass solo.
The song transitioned into “Billy Goat,” a song that Rob sings, meaning he had to stand up. It was pretty entertaining to watch him try to haul himself out of the chair while playing the lead-in to the song without stopping. After some bad attempts with his legs flailing awkwardly, he finally took a second from playing so he could get up. Then he launched into a badass “Billy Goat” to end the set.
2. Sweet Billy Payne sit-ins
Little Feat’s keyboard player Bill Payne sat in with moe. on a handful of songs throughout the festival: “Sensory Deprivation Bank”>”Happy Hour Hero” on the second night and the Jimmy Cliff classic “The Harder They Come” and “Bring You Down” on the final night. moe. has had plenty of keyboard players sit in over the years, but Payne may be one of the best — he meshes well with the band’s sound while filling it out in strategic places. And the guys definitely seem to have fun playing with him.
It’s not the first time that Payne has sat in with moe. He joined the guys for their Halloween 2014 show in Las Vegas. The show was “The Big Lebowski”-themed, and Payne dressed as the Stranger, the movie’s narrator.
3. 85 and sun
We all know it hasn’t been the coldest winter in the Northeast, but it was still a huge relief to be in a place where it’s 85 degrees and sunny nonstop. And the resort where Throe.down was held, the Jewel Paradise Cove Beach Resort & Spa, was great — three swim-up bars, great food, the hot tubs were hot and the pools were refreshing, and you were never far from anything. Plus the service was usually super helpful, you could go on a free glass-bottom boat tour or snorkeling expedition or try their kayaks or other boats, and there was even a super-fast waterslide in the middle of the resort.
And Jamaica is an amazing place. Many of the people there seem to be friendly and positive people. We had several people tell us, “In Jamaica, there are no problems, only situations,” and we heard the refrain “No problem” each time we asked for anything.
4. “Ziggy Stardust” in honor of Bowie, “Donkey Show,” and other amazing music
Memorable musical moments at Throe.down were abundant. But the most poignant was probably when the band played “Ziggy Stardust.” David Bowie had died the day before, but it wasn’t until Jan. 11 that the news started to spread, and that night, moe. payed tribute to the rock icon with one of his most well-known songs. It was the third time moe. played it — they debuted it in 1999, and they brought it back out again for their Star Wars-themed Halloween 2015 show.
The least poignant moment — but still a super entertaining one — was when the band finished out Throe.down with “Tijuana Donkey Show,” the first time they had played it since 2007. Originally a song from side project Ha Ha the Moose, moe. played “Donkey Show” a handful of times between 2004 and ’07 before giving it up. Until the crowd insisted that it be the Throe.down 2016 encore. Percussionist Jim Loughlin, who drums for Ha Ha the Moose as “Sludge,” took over the drums while drummer Vinny Amico covered percussion.
The band also broke out “Defrost” again, which they played on New Year’s Eve for the first time in eight years. It was in heavy rotation in the mid ‘90s, but the band stopped playing it for an 11-year gap, pulling it out once in 2008, then again New Year’s Eve.
Other notable moments:
– moe. occasionally played a great version of Little Feat’s “Spanish Moon,” but with Little Feat co-hosting the festival with moe., they decided not to play what has become a popular cover among fans. But that didn’t stop moe. from teasing it a bit. During their Jan. 11 show, moe. played an extended jam featuring melodies from “Spanish Moon” in the middle of their “Cissy Strut” encore, getting close but never quite getting into the full song.
– They also teased ZZ Top’s “Waitin’ For the Bus” during the second set opener, “Puebla,” on Jan. 11.
– It was their frst time playing “Cantina Band” from Star Wars in a show that wasn’t billed a being “Star Wars” themed (third time overall).
5. If you like pina coladas…
And besides the regular shows, the daytime acoustic set was a whole other mess of fun. The guys played the set at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville in Ocho Rios, but before the show, most of the band members joined fans on a catamaran ride and lunch with a company called Cool Runnings. The boat launched from Mahogany Beach in Ocho Rios and everyone was given a chance to snorkel, then there was a lot of rum punch, loud music and dancing. Some of the band members may have learned how to twerk.
Then, after lovely outdoor buffet lunch, everyone was bussed to Margaritaville, where moe. played a super fun acoustic set in the sun. They played some great covers including “Escape” — the “if you like pina coladas” song — the Violent Femmes’ “Blister in the Sun,” “Cajun Moon” by J.J. Cale, and the Talking Heads’ “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody),” first played this New Year’s Eve. The song had the staff swaying to the tune by the end.
The set also included “Blue Eyed Son,” “That Country Tune” and “Johnny Lineup,” along with a few other tunes the band plays more regularly.
There’s something amazing about sitting on a deck, sipping margaritas and basking in the sun while listening to one of your favorite bands play a few dozen feet away. Even if the sound wasn’t perfect, it was still super entertaining. Jimmy Buffet would be proud.
6. Medeski Martin & Wood
The instrumental trio was billed as a special guest, and special they were. They refer to their music as an “amalgam of jazz, funk, ‘avant-noise’ and a million other musical currents and impulses,” and that pretty accurately described what it was like to see them play three days. The band swings from one influence to the next in a way that’s very fun and engaging, if sometime a little hard to follow. Their cover game was on point (or on fleek? Is that how you use that term?), ranging from Duke Ellington to David Bowie. MMW’s “avant-noise” bit seemed too much for a few of the fans to take, but for the most part, the crowd bobbed their heads and danced along as the creative trio brought them on an enjoyable musical journey.
And fans who stayed on for an extra day at the end of the festival were lucky enough to see both John Scofield and Warren Haynes sit in with MMW for a few songs. Both musicians were arriving for Government Mule’s Island Exodus 7, which began at the same resort the following day.
And with a band full of guys who are so cool and down to earth, that’s awesome. You’ll have plenty of opportunity to ask them all the moe. questions that have been keeping you up at night, like why did they stop playing “Disembodied Head,” or what on earth is going on with “Lazarus” these days, or what’s up with moe.down? But you might just find yourself cutting them a break and shooting the shit about the weather when you run into them, cuz hey, they’re on vacation too.
10. The drum stick trick
Watch this, paying special attention to Jim right around 1:01:45.
Jim and Vin are freakin’ ninjas. Apparently they’ve done this before. It’s amazing.
We appreciate so many fans reaching out to tell us how much they miss moe.down music festival, and we know there have been many questions on whether or not we have plans to bring it back this year. At present, we do not have any plans for moe.down 2016. The moe.down discussion on bringing it back in the future is very much alive between all those involved. In the meantime, we will be announcing a few other special summer shows in addition to Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre – we hope to see you there!
Here’s hoping that 2017 will see the return of the festival that many moe.rons refer to as, “My home, my heart, my best friend.”
David Bowie is arguably one of the most influential artists of multiple generations. He infused his music with fantasy and fashion to create a style all his own—and that style was always changing. His legacy was felt years before his passing, and his influence spans genres, generations and location, including several artists deep-rooted in New York State.
David Bowie performs during a concert celebrating his 50th birthday, on Jan. 9, 1997, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
NYS Music takes a moment to not only honor the iconic musician, but to also revisit artists who have paid tribute to David Bowie with these covers.
Umphrey’s McGee with STS9 – “Let’s Dance”
During their encore from Northerly Island in Chicago on Aug. 17, 2013, Umphrey’s McGee invited STS9 on stage for this knock out rendition of Bowie’s most successful hit to date:
Beck – “Sound and Vision”
With a little help from his father, legendary arranger David Campbell, folk artist Beck went big on this 1977 Bowie tune. The evening was sponsored by Lincoln Motor Company and was part of their “Hello, Again” campaign, which used Beck’s version of “Sound and Vision” for its campaign theme song:
Starset – “Space Oddity”
Alternative rockers Starset showed up big in December 2014 at WQLZ’s aQustic Christmas Jam. The Columbus, OH, natives turned out a stunning rendition of Bowie’s “Space Oddity”:
moe. – “Ziggy Stardust”
What could be better than Halloween and Star Wars? Halloween, Star Wars and Bowie! Jam rockers moe. treated the crowd at their 2015 Halloween show to a little Bowie. Makes you wonder what a Bowie song sung by C-3PO would really sound like:
Buffalo groove rockers Aqueous cover highly produced, multi-layered tracks with amazing accuracy. In this rendition of “Fame” at the 2014 Gathering at Chaffee’s, they surprise the crowd as they flow into the classic Bowie tune. They hit the mark at about three minutes, but enjoy the jam before they get there. You won’t be disappointed:
The Cure – “Young Americans”
The Cure carry their own legacy in the world of rock, but the Bowie influence is deep with these fellow Brits. They contributed their version of Bowie’s song “Young Americans” for a 1993 compilation for London’s 104.9XFM. The song later reappeared on their 2004 release Join the Dots: B-Sides & Rarities 1978-2001:
Placebo – “Five Years”
Slightly known fact: David Bowie was a big fan of alternative rock band Placebo; he even performed with them on several occasions. In this clip, Brian Molko of Placebo quickens the pace on this acoustic version of “Five Years” to create a slightly altered but beautiful version of the Bowie tune from The Fall and Rise of Ziggy Stardust and the Spider from Mars:
Def Leppard – “Ziggy Stardust”
Def Leppard turned up for an acoustic set in a Sheffield England pub back in 1996. They encored with an incredible version of “Ziggy Stardust”:
Dr. Dre – “Fame”
Bowie’s influence isn’t limited to genres: famed producer and headphone guru Dr. Dre put his own twist on a Bowie tune. This version was featured on the 1996 album Dr. Dre Presents: The Aftermath and features Jheryl Lockhart, King Tee and RC along with Dr. Dre and Chris “The Glove” Taylor. Youtuber Mychael Helmz edited some fashion video footage and credited a piece good enough to have been the song’s official video:
Natalie Merchant – “Space Oddity”
The former lead singer for the 10,000 Maniacs enjoyed a solo career she probably never dreamed of growing up in the small town of Jamestown, NY. Her unique vocal style adds drama to this haunting rendition of Bowie’s “Space Oddity” during a performance on June 12, 1999:
Lucero -“Modern Love”
Hailing from Memphis, TN, Lucero is a five-piece band that mixes punk rock and country, creating a sound that is distinctly all their own. They showed up to the AV Club and banged out their own version of this Bowie pop classic with the addition of a saxophone solo:
James – “China Girl”
A lot of artists show up to their BBC Sessions with covers in hand. Manchester, England, natives James were no different; they rocked out their version of one of the three top 10 singles from Bowie’s 1983 album Let’s Dance:
Nirvana – “The Man that Sold the World”
Nirvana brought new life to this song during their 1993 performance on MTV Unplugged. They also exposed Bowie’s music to a host of new listeners. The song would garner major market radio play, as well as be featured on both the released album and video of the performance:
Foo Fighters – “Under Pressure”
When the Foo Fighters showed up in Mendig, Germany, during June 2015 to play the “Rock am Ring,” they played a set list infused with music they felt was the most influential to their journey as musicians. On the list was this David Bowie/Queen collaboration:
Smashing Pumpkins “Space Oddity”
Smashing Pumpkin’s frontman Billy Corgan says in this video for San Diego’s ROCK 105.3 that he appreciates the song more as an artist covering it, than he ever did as a fan listening to it. The Pumpkins put their own brand of alt-rock styling on this version recorded on June 19, 2012:
Fall Out Boy – “Life on Mars?”
FOB guitarist and singer Patrick Stump cites Bowie as his favorite musician of all time. In April 2013, he sat down to record an acoustic session for BBC One. He shows off his vocal range and passion for his idol in this lovely version of “Life on Mars?”:
Warpaint – “Ashes to Ashes”
Los Angeles-based indie-rock band Warpaint has been known for their dream-pop sound since they formed in 2004. The all-female quartet set a mellow groove at the BBC Music Tepee in 2014 with their ethereal version of this Bowie classic:
German metal band Atrocity brings a whole different level to Bowie’s No. 1 hit, and the song was featured as part of the Hard Rock Covers album series:
Duran Duran – “Fame”
British ’80s pop icons Duran Duran followed Bowie’s model of fashion, reinvention and style better than almost anyone. Bassist John Taylor has even cited Ziggy Stardust as the “perfect album.” Their version of “Fame” was a beloved B-side before landing on their 2003 box set Singles 1981-1985:
Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts – “The Jean Genie”
Scott Weiland was never quiet about his fanboy obsession with Bowie. Shortly before Weiland’s death, he and the Wildabouts stopped at the Strombo Show where they did an acoustic performance of “The Jean Genie”:
Second Child – “Young Americans”
The future folk band based out of NYC and Philly, Second Child does a mixture of electric and acoustic jams. This version of “Young Americans” is so groovy that even some neighborhood kids get in on the dancing action:
Commander Chris Hadfield – “Space Oddity”
In May of 2013, Canadian astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield made musical history when he made this video on the International Space Station, making it the first video ever created in space. The video is nearing 30 million views on YouTube:
The Get Up Kids – “Suffragette City”
The Get Up Kids were major players in the ’90s emo-rock scene. They paid tribute to Bowie with a fairly non-emo version of Bowie’s “Suffragette City”:
Phish – “Life on Mars?”
Shortly after debuting their version of “Life on Mars?” in 1995, Phish would later play the song at the Clifford Ball. The seven-disc box set celebrating the festival was more than a decade old in March of 2009:
Seu Jorge – “Rebel Rebel”
Brazilian musician Seu Jorge’s Bowie covers came to prominence when they were featured on the soundtrack to Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Jorge translated the Bowie tunes into Portuguese. His version of “Rebel Rebel” from Diamond Dogs sounds romantic and whimsical in Jorge’s hands:
If you love watching your favorite musicians become a band of late night time traveling trash talkers donning capes and Mexican wrestling masks, you may have already seen Ha Ha the Moose. For those unfamiliar with the genre, the band consists of moe.’s Rob Derhak – Dr Guano (bass, vox), Jim Loughlin – Sludge (drums, vox), and Chuck Garvey – Jeff VonKickass (guitar, vox) and prides itself on being anything but a great show.
Ha Ha the Moose
However, it always is and the joke was not lost on fans when last Saturday Ha Ha the Moose performed at Irving Plaza following moe.’s New Years Eve in Albany and offered up as a late night option during Phish’s 4 night run in NYC.
As with most HHTM shows they begin with booing from the crowd and insults tossed from the stage and in this instance went right into a ripping’ “Awesome Gary” to start the show followed by a longer than normal “Mr. Her,” a song about a transvestite that they dedicated to Caitlyn Jenner, for whom 2015 truly was her year. The boys also debuted two new songs this year: “Courtesy Flush,” a ripper about coming back through time to warn mankind the dangers when one does not have the courtesy to flush. Chuck’s sweet guitar arrangement alongside Rob’s powerful message has turned this tune into a beautiful reminder to always be considerate of others.
Ha Ha the Moose
With no setbreak the boys kept it going with “The 10 Things Vin’s Most Likely to Say,” “(Ha Ha the) Moose Theme,” and “Thirsty Carbunkle,” an instrumental that gives a nod to garage rock and makes you feel like you’re on nothing less than a heavy metal surf adventure. The second new song of the year, “F*** me, F*** you,” was dedicated to the fans and is probably the most exciting new tune from HHTM. This song featured not only hilarious lyrics, but some very heavy bass lines not recognized by the normal moe. trained ear. This song is a rager and while HHTM sticks to similar setlists each show, they are making time to introduce new material showing they like what they’re doing and hopefully continue to do it!
Ha Ha the Moose
The Moose proved there isn’t much one wouldn’t do at 3 am in NYC in the name of freedom, closing out the show with, “20lbs.,” “Devil Toad,” and “Redneck Trilogy.” There’s a saying when a Ha Ha show is announced that “the moose is loose”. Seeing Jim, Chuck, and Rob explore their musical boundaries all while keeping a casual atmosphere of belligerent antics, one can see the definition gets left open to their interpretation and for the fans, all for their benefit!
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.
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.
A 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.
Schnier’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
As fans already know, Saranac will be serving up some of their moe.st special brew, Hoppy Hour Hero, for the double event along with many other summer favorites. Fans can also stay tuned for a special taping of “Vinnie’s Kitchen” featuring a recipe that includes the band’s namesake beer, which will be taped at the Brewery with some lucky contest winners. Gates open at 5 p.m. both days.
Before the encore, Al came out to sound off a few of the Al.nouncements for the night. Since some of the songs ran a tad over length and the “Hard” curfew was only a few minutes away, Rob hilariously slapped the scribbled on pieces of notebook paper out of Al’s hands and apologized to the audience saying, “Sorry. Blame me, blame me,” The crowd took it in stride and cheered as moe. executed an emotional “Ziggy Stardust” by the late 
5. If you like pina coladas…
A 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.
Schnier’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.