NYS Music 20​16

Tag: The Capitol Theatre

  • Best of NYS Music 2016: Staff and Reader Picks for Best Shows by Region and Best Venue in NYS

    NYS Music is celebrating the end of 2016 by posting staff and reader picks on 10 various categories, and today we are highlighting the winners of the Best Show by Region and the Best Venue in New York State.

    We polled the staff and asked our readers for their input in eight other categories: Best Albums by NYS Artists, Best Albums Overall, Biggest Musical Loss, Best Live Cover or Tribute Performances, Best NYS Festivals, Best Out-of-State Festivals, Best Music Town, and Bands on the Rise.

    Best venue in New York State:

    The number one venue, according to our staff pick, is the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC).

    SPAC is a focal point for music for areas like upstate New York, the Hudson Valley, Vermont, the Berkshires, and Connecticut. Originally instated in the late 1960’s,  the concert venue has held some of the greatest acts of our age, including an iconic performance by the Doors in 1968, and others such as, Santana, Guns N’ Roses, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, KISS, Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd, Phish, Dire Straits and The Grateful Dead, to name just a few. Dave Matthews Band holds the title of the most sold-out performance at the venue.

    This summer, SPAC had a full schedule of not-to-be-missed performances, in celebration of their 50th anniversary summer. NYS Music staff writer, Mike Kohli, wrote a preview to highlight the eventful 2016, that you can read here.

    “…highlights of this season include a three-night run from Phish July 1 to 3 and a double bill of Dave Matthews Band July 15 and 16. Dead and Company pay a visit to SPAC June 21 with John Mayer laying down Jerry’s licks, and Mumford and Sons bring their electric brand of folk to a sold-out show on June 15.”

    We are looking forward to seeing what summer 2017 at the SPAC will bring!

    Our readers picked differently, however, and the winner this year for the Best Venue in NYS was the Brooklyn Bowl. The Brooklyn Bowl was opened in 2009 and has since become one of the more prominent venues in New York State.

    Following closely behind it were The Capitol Theatre, SPAC, The Hollow and The Town Ballroom which all tied for second place.

    Best Show by Region:

    The staff pick for the Best Show by Region was Dead & Co. at the SPAC on June 21.

    Pete Mason wrote the following in his review of the evening:

    “With Dead and Company having started their fall tour in Albany this past October, Capitaland got the first taste of John Mayer in a Jerry Garcia role, one that brought criticism and concern from those who weren’t familiar with Mayer’s guitar prowess but experts in tabloid fodder. But to those in the know, musicians and real fans alike, convivial awe and heightened expectations were the emotions directed toward Mayer, and when the October show ended with “Touch of Grey,” any musical concerns were laid to rest.

    And they were laid to rest over and over, as the tour wrapped around the country, culminating with New Year’s Eve in Inglewood, CA, and now a summer tour that began this month, including a stop at Bonnaroo. Four shows deep and the expectations for the performance at SPAC on June 21 were as high as ever, partially because three members of the original Grateful Dead were back in Saratoga for the first time in more than 20 years, and partially thanks to no repeats in the setlist during the previous four nights.”

    To see a full recap and photo gallery by Jim Gilbert, go here.

    The readers’ picks for the best show were Twiddle, TAUK, Holly Bowling and Matisyahu at Capitol Theater on May 7.

    To read the full review of the event, go here:

    “Take the fastest rising jamband in recent years, add in a hot prog-rock band boiling over with talent, a classically trained pianist performing the music of Phish and The Grateful Dead, and a cross-genre reggae singer and you have the fixings for one of the best nights of live music The Capitol Theatre has seen this year, and that’s saying a lot.”

    NYS Music had a chance to talk to Ryan Dempsey of Twiddle before the show, see the interview below:

  • Twiddle Served Double Dose of Awesome to The Capitol Theatre

    Over the weekend, renowned Port Chester, NY venue The Capitol Theatre featured a double dose of Twiddle with supporting acts both nights. RAQ warmed up the audience as the opener on Friday. Funky, fast beats filled the air as the group busted into their grooves. Keyboardist Todd Stoops laid out thick jams while guitarist Chris Michetti was locked in and drove out crisp notes throughout. Psychedelic undertones meandered around the melodies of their set. RAQ kept things interesting as they took off right out of the gate with a solid, energetic jam before cooling things off with playfully gentle tunes, ensuring that fans coming in from the cold were warmed up properly.

    After a brief break, Twiddle took to the stage, opening with “Daydream Farmer,” a tune that was stacked with jammy goodness. Adrian Tramontano of Kung Fu sat in on percussion for the entire evening. Their first set included everything from quick paced tunes, down and out funky vibes and jazzy melodies. Twiddle had a little something for everyone, keeping the crowd energized by the fluidity of music being thrown at them.

    Second set was nothing but magical. Surprises peaked in and out, with Ryan Dempsey’s lone piano kicking things off as they flowed into “Indigo Trigger.” “Classical Gas” morphed seamlessly into an unexpected “Carol of the Bells” Christmas song. Stoops came out to join on keys during “The FRENDS Theme” which was sandwiched between “Tiberius.”

    The evening closed out with an encore that audiences at any show always jokingly request yet never hear.  “Freebird” brought out the lighters in the air around the venue. Todd Stoops, Chris Michetti and Scotty Zwang of RAQ joined the band on stage for this killer finale on night one. Night two was sure to bring out even more musical treats.

    Encore video courtesy of William Corcoran:

    Saturday night’s show brought Burlington, Vermont based band Madaila to the stage, opening the evening with “Nature.”  Their bright white outfits, lined randomly with pink, gold and black striping, wowed the audience when they stepped on stage. This synth-heavy psych pop band that touched upon an 80’s style era sound, and reminiscent of harmony work that hinted of the Bee Gee’s, spilled out energy from the minute they stepped on stage. Guitarist Mark Daly busted into an intense jam that brought the house down during “Secret,” while keyboardist Eric Maier added the spicy musical flavor throughout the entire set. If you’ve never seen this band live, make sure to catch them as they will not disappoint. They are a band to watch in the coming year.

    After a quick break, Twiddle took to the stage and busted into “Subconscious Prelude,” taking the tune into a trippy jam mid-song while teasing Papadosio’s “Find Your Cloud.” The group took the crowd on a ride around the tones filled with Dempsey’s heavy keys and Mihali Savoulidis’ intense guitar.  A solid backline of in the pocket drums were provided by Brook Jordan, with Tramontano once again supporting on percussion throughout the night.

    A stretched out “Doinkinbonk!!!”  sandwiched “Too Many Puppies” before easing right back into “Doinkinbonk!!!.” Dempsey kicked into high gear, providing a trippy key session during the fast paced tune, rolling the melody right along.The venue roared with cheers from the crowd as driving guitar notes brought the energy to soaring heights. Tasty jams with dancing grooves settled in for the long haul during first set. The crowd was pumped as funky beats flowed in and out during “Latin Tang.” Meanwhile, colorful images splashed around the walls and ceiling of the Capitol, offering visual stimulation that heightened the musical journey during the evening.

    The stage cleared as the drum and percussion section eased into a steamy solo, while Dempsey and bassist Zdenek Grubb literally laid out on the floor, gently adding in bass as the jam progressed. The performance was smoking hot. Guitarist Wiley Griffin, of Teddy Midnight, accompanied the band during a smashing “Complacent Race,” helping to bring set one to a close.

    Second set opened with “Cabbage Face.” Dreamy bass bombs burst mid-song during “Mamunes the Faun,” keeping the audience on their feet.  The double dose of Twiddle encored with “Beethoven and Greene,” ensuring fans danced off every last bit of energy in their core. Simply put, Twiddle gave the audience everything they had during the two-night run and the fans walked away on a high note with most leaving the venue plastered with beaming smiles from ear to ear.

    For more information on Twiddle, please visit their official website.

    Video courtesy of William Corcoran:

    Twiddle 12/16/16,The Capitol Theatre 

    Set 1: Daydream Farmer, Beehop>Dr. Remidi’s Melodium#>Beehop, Jamflowman, Moments, Honeyburste

    Set 2: Indigo Trigger, Classical Gas@, Tiberius > The FRENDS Theme^ > Tiberius

    Encore: Freebird$

    # Teased Primus’ “Southbound Pacaderme”

    @ Included “Carol of the Bells” jam

    ^ Featured Todd Stoops on keys (RAQ)

    $ Featured Chris Michetti on guitar (RAQ), Todd Stoops on keys (RAQ), and Scotty Zwang on drums (RAQ)

    Twiddle 12/17/16, The Capitol Theatre

    Set 1: Subconscious Prelude*, Doinkinbonk!!!>Too Many Puppies>Doinkinbonk!!!, Latin Tang, White Light, Complacent Race%

    Set 2: Cabbage Face, Gatsby The Great, Mamunes The Faun, Every Soul

    Encore: Beethoven and Greene

    * Teased Papadosio’s “Find Your Cloud

    % Featured Wiley Griffin on guitar (Teddy Midnight)

  • Twiddle, Tauk, Holly Bowling and Matisyahu Combine for an Epic Night at The Capitol Theatre

    Take the fastest rising jamband in recent years, add in a hot prog-rock band boiling over with talent, a classically trained pianist performing the music of Phish and The Grateful Dead, and a cross-genre reggae singer and you have the fixings for one of the best nights of live music The Capitol Theatre has seen this year, and that’s saying a lot., with Twiddle, Tauk, Holly Bowling and Matisyahu to credit.

    Twiddle Tauk Holly Bowling

    The night began with Holly Bowling’s performance at Garcia’s, a benefit for The White Light Foundation, Twiddle’s charitable wing. Being that this was Garcia’s, Bowling offered a spirited mashup of “Help on the Way” > “Slipknot” > “Theme from the Bottom” > “Franklins Tower” and a full Terrapin Station suite. Phish’s “Taste”, a newer addition to her repertoire was full of energy, as was the set closing “Harry Hood”, which found Twiddle keyboardist Ryan Dempsey joining for the latter portion of the song, leading to true keyboard cavalry between the two who enjoyed the dual experience immensely as evidenced by their ear to ear grins.

    The remarkable talent of TAUK is something that continues to translate well directly from their studio albums, with an exclamation point placed firmly upon their music in the live setting. Fans gaped in awe at the musicianship performing an opening hour long set. “Eleanor Rigby” -> “In Bloom” capped off their set, a familiar appearance in setlists, and  one that beckons for more variety from this quartet who have immense talent contained within to stretch into unfamiliar territory.

    While a sell out of the Capitol Theatre is a goal for any rising or established band, it’s not like Twiddle hasn’t played to larger audiences. The rally around the band by the fanbase created an electric feel with familiar faces everywhere, even of those who are uninitiated to the music or skeptical of the group. The fans, these ‘Twiddlers’ (among the variety of names they have for each other – Frends, Twiddiots, Twiddlenauts, etc…) are what draws in attention to the band, as much as the band itself does. Like any mass following of a musician, the community that rallies around them is reflective of the music, and the base has the emotive welcoming personality found in Twiddle’s music. There is a syncopation between the music and the fans, something observed last year after attending four Twiddle shows over three months.

    The “Blunderbuss” opener caught many off guard, as it was a debut fresh from the upcoming Plump Chapter 2, and a tight instrumental at that. The “Polluted Beauty” jam was driven by Gubb’s bass and Brooke’s drums, with an impressive funk jam that developed in “Wasabi Eruption” that was a highlight of the first set. Then “The Box” showed up and built off that energy; the build and electronic tone is the reason why “The Box” stands out as one of Twiddle’s strongest jam vehicles.

    The all too familiar reggae sound of Twiddle was front and center in the set closing “Lost in the Cold.” It served as the perfect song for Matisyahu to join on with vocals, an unforced and natural fit, after having expressed admiration for the band. Following his contribution to “Lost in the Cold,” he took off his jacket and upon getting fans on the floor to put their hands up, he unexpectedly stage dove into the crowd. You don’t see this at jamband shows, or really any non-punk/metal show for that matter. It was a headscratcher as we headed into setbreak, but the energy from the set hardly dissipated.

    A five song second set opened with “Grandpa Fox,” a little proggy no nonsense starter. And when there was a need for funk to keep it rolling, there was a driving funk, like in “Apples,” which featured a Michael Jackson medley and a severe dub jam as well. You gotta like this song. “Snycopated Healing” chilled things out with music to sway to, but “Frankenfoote” picked things up. Dempsey played the keys with his toes on this light, traditional Twiddle song, and one that is easily accessible to rookie fans. The encore began with a truly gracious Mihali giving thanks to the moms in attendance as well as the fans who sold out the Capitol Theatre only an hour before doors opened. With that, fans were treated to a bouncy “Zazu’s Flight” > “Hatti’s Jam” and “When it Rains, it Poors.”

    Throughout this truly enjoyable show, the one aspect that I kept returning to was that despite the great deal of talent in the band, both individually and collectively, there are some spots where they play too few notes and could fill in some space, as brief but critical as those spaces may be. A lot of notes isn’t a bad thing.

    This show at The Capitol Theatre was enough to wash away any bias and open eyes to see that Twiddle is a reset button on the jam scene, one in which they are strong advocates for the rising stars of the next wave of live bands. The history, the venue, and the centrality of location right off Interstates 95 and 87 led to their biggest NYC area venue show to date. The Beacon is the new goalpost in the continued domination of the band in Northeast markets.

  • The Disco Biscuits Sell Out Debut Run at the Capitol Theatre

    The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester is a venue that has earned itself a unique spot in the heart of American jam band culture. Being a regular stop for legends such as the Grateful Dead and Frank Zappa in the past, today the Cap continues its tradition of booking the cream of the progressive rock crop. The Disco Biscuits fit that role exquisitely, and it showed this weekend during their back to back maximum capacity shows on March 25th and 26th. With the New Deal opening on both nights, the bill would provide a trance-fusion treat that no fan of the band or the venue could deny.

    There was an anticipatory energy crackling through the Capitol as the New Deal started the evening smoothly. The unique blend of catchy and accessible electronic rock served as an excellent warm up as the crowd settled in; swelling to a size that would worry the fire marshal as the opening act concluded. Giving a salute to one of the many gods to grace the same stage, the Disco Biscuits kicked it off in style with Frank Zappa’s “Pygmy Twylyte.” Zappa can lubricate anyone’s mood, and the song clearly got it going perfectly as the crowd brimmed with positive energy. “Spraypaint” always being a pleaser, the set promised to be an uplifting one as bassist Marc Brownstein had everyone feeling mellow for the transition into “Rainbow Song”. Maintaining the upbeat theme immaculately, “Spectacle” was followed promptly by a thundering “Helicopters” introduction that had everyone singing along. The set concluded with keyboardist Aron Magner’s crushing organ outro for the set-closing end of “Spraypaint”.

    Guitarist Jon Gutwillig greeted us warmly to start the second set, with his fingers even hotter for the incendiary riffs of “Mindless Dribble”. A few people mentioned that the “Crystal Ball” that followed seemed to have a less lively jump than usual, and the set seemed to have changed course from the first. The Biscuits opted for their more contemporary sound when continuing with “Highwire”. Never before heard cover “She’s a Bad Mama Jama”, originally by funk forerunner Carl Carlton, continued to bring the show to a less engaging air. Intertwining back into “Dribble”, drummer Allen Acoin provided a thundering drum solo before the band broke into a haunting “Orch Theme”. The conclusion of “Highwire” would conclude the second set, with encore frequent “Frog Legs” leaving everyone with high hopes for the following evening.

    This wouldn’t just be one more Saturday night in Port Chester, however. Sold out yet again but feeling cooler and more breathable on the floor, the boys started the first set with a “Shem-Rah Boo” fake out which dubiously changed key into “Bernstein and Chasnoff”. The Disco Biscuits were clearly locked and loaded for the evening yet again, breaking out “Bombs” like they had something to prove. The inverted “Shelby Rose” filled us all with delight, and served as a perfect segue vessel into the true gem of the entire weekend, “And the Ladies Were the Rest of the Night”. Bringing it back to “Bernstein” before dismissing us to set break, where glowing faces abound chatted about the wholly satisfying experience we had all shared moments ago.

    They set the bar almost impossibly high with the first set that night of the 26th, and it seemed they would continue to exceed expectations with the beginning of “Hope” swooning us comfortably into the final set of the run. An inverted “Above the Waves” washed over the crowd as the band nailed the immensely technical composition. “Mr. Don” followed suit, leaving the impression that the closing set would be chalk full of Biscuits classics. This was not so, unfortunately, as they surprised us by playing LCD Soundsystem cover “Home.” The choice seemed lazy and out of place that late in the run; the consensus seemed to be that we all would’ve much rather heard a song written by the band themselves this close to the conclusion of their maiden voyage at the Capitol. Ending the fourth and final set of the run, the boys brought the “Helicopters” that was started during the first set of the previous evening in for a landing. The Disco Biscuits waved triumphantly as they returned for the encore “Caves of the East” adding a hip hop twist with a sample from A Tribe Called Quest’s “Check the Rhime” in salute to the late MC of the group, Phife Dawg, who passed earlier this week. Ending lightly with the last measures of “Mr. Don”, Brownstein ended the weekend by hinting that we should expect to see them again soon on the very same stage.

    All things considered, the Biscuits’ inaugural weekend at the legendary Capitol Theatre left the crowd flying high. Returning to our homes and hotels, with sleep came dreams of what may be just around the corner for the new alliance between the band and the theatre.
    03/25/2016 • Capitol Theater • Port Chester, NY

    Set 1: Pygmy Twylyte> Spraypaint> Rainbow Song, Spectacle, Helicopters1> Spraypaint

    Set 2: Mindless Dribble> Crystal Ball, Highwire> She’s A Bad Mama Jama2> Mindless Dribble> Orch Theme> Highwire

    Encore: Frog Legs

    1. Unfinished
    2. First time played

    03/26/2016 • Capitol Theater • Port Chester, NY

    Set 1: Jam1> Bernstein And Chasnoff> Bombs> Shelby Rose2> And The Ladies Were The Rest Of The Night2> Bernstein And Chasnoff

    Set 2: Hope3> Above The Waves2> Mr. Don> Home> Helicopters

    Encore: Caves of the East4> Mr. Don

    1. With ‘Shem-Rah Boo’ teases
    2. Inverted version
    3. Unfinished
    4. With “Check the Rhime” (A Tribe Called Quest) sample

  • Jeff Beck and Buddy Guy Tour Makes 3 New York Stops

    Jeff Beck and Buddy Guy announced that they will be play a short tour together, which will make stops in Port Chester, New York City and Canandaigua.

    Guitarist Jeff Beck and bluesman Buddy Guy will co-headline the tour this summer. It kicks off July 19 at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester and ends Aug. 10 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. The tour includes stops at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City on July 20 and CMAC in Canandaigua on July 29. They also make a couple other stops in the Northeast at the Borgata in Atlantic City, New Jersey on July 23 and the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey.

    Jeff Beck, who replaced Eric Clapton in the Yardbirds in 1965, has been a guitar powerhouse for the past 50 plus years. He credits blues great Buddy Guy as being a major influence on his career. Beck said in a press release, “Sharing the stage and this moment with Buddy is a dream for me. His concerts are legendary, and the music world would be a very boring place without his influence.”

    In addition to the co-headlining dates, Jeff Beck is scheduled for a couple solo shows at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut on July 22 and at the Sands Bethlehem Event Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. More dates for the tour with Buddy Guy are expected to be announced.

    Jeff Beck/Buddy Guy tour dates:
    July 19 – The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY
    July 20 – Theater at Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
    July 22 – Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mashantucket, CT *
    July 23 – Borgata Spa & Resort Event Center, Atlantic City, NJ
    July 24 – Sands Bethlehem Event Center, Bethlehem, PA *
    July 26 – PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ
    July 27 – Wolf Trap for the Performing Arts, Vienna, VA
    July 29 – Constellation Brands Marvin Sands Perf. Arts Center, Canandaigua, NY
    July 30 – Meadow Brook, Rochester Hills, MI
    July 31 – Ravinia Festival, Highland Park, IL
    August 3 – Ascend Amphitheatre, Nashville, TN
    August 10 – Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA

    * Jeff Beck solo show

  • Assembly of Strange Wine Unites Three Classic Bands

    There’s something to be said about bands that continue to perform to throngs of devoted fans who turn out no matter the venue or date. When Assembly of Dust, Strangefolk and God Street Wine perform individually, their well-honed crowds come out in support, even though some shows are less frequent these days. But bringing together these three bands that defined the ’90s jam scene is no small feat, yet a two-night run in Portchester, NY, at the Capitol Theatre and in Boston, MA, at the Paradise Rock Club, led to packed houses, marathon jams and plenty of dancing each night with Assembly of Strange Wine.

    assembly of strange wineAt the Cap, Assembly of Dust started the night with a short set that featured Scott Metzger on guitar, filling in for Adam Terrell who was on assignment in Mexico. The first big jam of the night opened up in “Revelry,” giving Metzger a chance to flex his ax for the crowd. “Whistle Clock” and “All in Time” brought out Jon, Luke and Erik from Strangefolk to join Assembly of Dust for the first of many superjams this weekend, while “Filter” swapped in God Street Wine for the members of Strangefolk and continued the loosely planned, well-executed jam session.

    Assembly of Dust setlist: Bootlegger’s Advice, Man with a Plan, Revelry, Honest Hour, Whistle Clock$, All in Time$, Filter^, Head on Straight*
    $with Strangefolk ^with God Street Wine *Reid solo

    The bands were warmed up and the audience dialed in for Strangefolk, the second act to take to the stage. Opening with “Rather go Fishin,” I felt a light nod to those who opted to head to Mexico for Riviera Maya, but there was no other place I’d rather be than seeing Strangefolk perform this evening. Jason Crosby shone on “In Deep” and added just the right touch of fiddle on “Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad.” All of God Street Wine joined Strangefolk for “Sometimes” and “Westerley,” two songs patiently shared among the nine musicians. From the audience it seemed that taking the stage with friends you’ve played music with for nearly a quarter-century amid a focused and receptive audience has to be nearly utopian in terms of live performance.

    Strangefolk setlist: Rather go Fishin’, Udderly Addled, Furnace, In Deep, Goin Down the Road Feelin’ Bad*, Roads*, Sometimes^, Westerley^, Songbeard*
    *with Assembly of Dust ^with God Street Wine (entire set with Jason Crosby on keys/fiddle)

    God Street Wine took the stage last and made their presence known with “Life on Mars?” in tribute to the late David Bowie. A clean segue into “Molly” kept the energy high and the crowd danced well into the set. An extended “Goodnight Gretchen” > “Goodbye Oklahoma” were just getting things started, but it was during “Borderline” when the line between stage and audience blurred, as the energy spilled over with raucous approval (see video below). There was a chemistry onstage during GSW’s set that built off the sit-ins during the previous sets. Whether the bands had practiced together or planned anything in advance was unimportant; onstage everything meshed together well with only the few hiccups that come with having nine musicians onstage at the same time. A “Golden Years” encore paid tribute to Bowie once again (this was a recurring theme of the weekend to come). Night one was in the books and the bar was raised even higher for the sold-out show at Paradise.

    God Street Wine setlist: Life on Mars? > Molly, Bring Back the News > Goodnight Gretchen > Goodbye Oklahoma, Hellfire > Wall, Borderline*, A Good Dream, Sweet Little Angel, Cheap Utah Blues > Ballroom > 6:15
    Encore: Oh Wonderful One, Golden Years
    *with Strangefolk

    The Paradise Rock Club in Boston is, in stark comparison to the Capitol Theatre, a small music club that holds about half as many people. As the crowd filed into the small room, there was an air of excitement that could be felt from each attendee for the second of what would be two very special nights of music. The room hadn’t quite filled up by the time Assembly of Dust took the stage only 15 minutes after the ticket time. They immediately got the crowd moving when they opened with “Paul Henry.” The lineup featured the noteworthy additions of Scott Metzger on guitar and Jason Crosby on keyboards and organ. As they pushed through the set, they showed that this would not be a simple three-band show; it was truly an Assembly of Strange Wine. As AoD finished their set with “Harrower” and with eight musicians onstage, the audience knew the night was just beginning.

    Assembly of Dust setlist: Paul Henry, All That I Am Now, Cluttered, Lost & Amazed, Whatever, Ophelia, Telling Sue, Harrower

    After a brief set break, God Street Wine took the stage with “Epilog.” After moving through a few of their tunes, Crosby came back onstage and joined them on fiddle for “Chop.” Reid Genauer and Jon Trafton then came out for a handful of songs, including the newly penned “Oh Wonderful One” and Genauer on vocals for “Get on the Train,” into which he infused Strangefolk’s “Rachel” in the middle. GSW moved through the remainder of their set, which included crowd-pleaser “Imogene” and ended with “Into the Sea.” As they left the stage, the now completely packed room was waiting with bated breath for the third act.

    God Street Wine setlist: Epilog, Light My Candles > Stranger > Chop#, Oh Wonderful One*, Driving West*, Get On The Train* -> Rachel* -> Get On The Train*, Lighthouse > Imogene, Waiting For The Tide, Into The Sea
    #with Jason on fiddle * with Reid and Jon (entire set with Dave Diamond on percussion and Jason on keys except Chop and Lighthouse)

    Another short breather allowed the audience to cool down and relax before Strangefolks’s night-ending set. Opening with “Valhalla,” they sent a message that they meant business. They saw a rotating cast of musicians throughout their set, and for “Mama,” there were 10 musicians onstage, including four percussionists, to which Genauer commented, “There will be a lot of notes.” Their energetic set ended with “Burned Down.” As they came back out for the encore, those in the crowd who had heard the GSW cover of “Life on Mars?” from the previous night wondered if there would be another tribute to David Bowie. Sure enough, the notes for “Space Oddity” were played, and as the band moved from that to Strangefolk’s “Speculator,” the entire crowd was repeating “Can you hear me, Major Tom?” along with the band. The encore came to a finale with more repeating of those lyrics at the end. Walking back out to the cold streets of Boston was quite welcome after leaving the heat from the small room and the incredible music.
    Strangefolk setlist: Valhalla, Poland, So Well, Diary, Stout Hearted Man, Mama, Take it Easy > Memory of a Free Festival, Burned Down
    Encore: Space Oddity > Speculator > Space Oddity