Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD) brought their three-night run at Brooklyn Bowl to an end on March 10. JRAD filled the Williamsburg venue with deep jams and surprises from start to finish, from opening with a JRAD debut cover of The Rolling Stones’ “The Last Time,” to finishing the second set with a “Throwing Stones” that went into two other debut covers, Led Zepplin’s “Good Times Bad Times” and The Band’s “Chest Fever,” before coming to an end.
They mixed in some fun teases of songs like Radiohead’s “Myxomatosis,” WOLF!’s “Fastso’s Last Stand” and there may have been a few “Terrapin Station” riffs tossed around at points as well. Topping the whole Brooklyn run off was a “One More Saturday Night” encore that left a capacity crowd calling for more. It’s official, Brooklyn Bowl no longer has a roof. Marco Benevento, Tom Hamilton, Scott Metzger, Dave Dreiwitz and Joe Russo have blown it clean off. Again.
Set List
Set 1: The Last Time> Shakedown Street> The Other One> Mission in the Rain> Crazy Fingers> Truckin’
Set 2: Slipknot!> Foolish Heart> Help on the Way> Slipknot!> I Need A Miracle> Franklin’s Tower> Throwing Stones> Good Times, Bad Times> Throwing Stones> Chest Fever> Throwing Stones Reprise
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead hit Brooklyn Bowl March 9 for the second of a three-night run. The sold-out crowd was treated to three JRAD debuts: The Grateful Dead’s “Peggy-O,” Junior Parker’s “The Next Time You See Me,” and The Rolling Stone’s “It’s All Over Now.” The show was full of teases as well. JRAD found ways to slip in “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye, “Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel, “Borderline” by Madonna, and “Becky” by The Benevento Russo Duo just to name a few. The band has one more night in Brooklyn before heading upstate to play two more sold-out shows in Syracuse and Albany.
Setlist
Set 1: Eyes of the World, Dancin’ in the Streets, The Music Never Stopped, Tennessee Jed, Next Time You See Me
Set 2: Iko Iko, Black-Throated Wind, Bertha, Feel Like a Stranger, Peggy-O, Playing in the Band
On March 8 Brooklyn Bowl’s begotten sons returned to the venue of their conception for the first night of three. Joe Russo’s Almost Dead had fans lined up around the block and packed in on the floor. The couches on the bowling allies were pushed back to make room for the freaks in the vip section. With the room ready to burst at the seems, Marco Benevento, Dave Dreiwitz, Tom Hamilton, Scott Metzger, and Joe Russo took to the stage. With them, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead brought their approach to the music of the Grateful Dead.
Setlist:
Set 1: Alligator, St. Stephen, Dupree’s Dimond, King Solomon’s Marbles, Touch of Grey
Set 2: The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion), Jack Straw, Hell In A Bucket, Scarlet Begonias, I know you Rider, Stella Blue
Funktional Flow has been a staple in the Western New York area for years. The band has gone through many changes, and because of this they are always evolving and growing as a group. Known for being able to make any show a dance party, they have solidified their place in the scene. The band consists of Jeff Kuebler (guitar & vocals). Ben Whelan (bass), Joey Lewis (guitar & vocals), Ryan James Acanfora (drums), and Matthew Lester (keys, sax, and vocals), all of which contribute to the show and the sound in their own, critical way. After Funk (out of Toronto) started the night off strong, loosening up the audience for the spectacle to follow.
Funktional Flow decided to try out a new formula for the show, and it was a success. They have a collection of songs usually reserved for opening sets, as they consider them not to be their “heavy hitters,” but that night they changed it up. This mix-up breathed new energy into their usual first-set staples such as “Baby Song,” Black T,” “Gone,” and “Seems to Feel.”
The highlight of the night was when After Funk’s Yanick Allwood joined Funktional Flow for “What a Fool Believes” and “Eminence Front.” Their synergy was palpable.
Funktional Flow will be returning to Buffalo Iron Works on March 24, bring your dancing shoes.
Setlist: Mulligans > Baby Song, Black T, TomTom Part 1 > China Town > TomTom Part 2 , What a Fool Believes*, Gone, Seems to Feel, Trouble, Eminence Front*
*with Yanick Allwood on After Funk
Even after all these years, members of The Grateful Dead are still finding a way to push the envelope and explore new things. Beginning tonight at Radio City Music Hall, Bob Weir and Phil Lesh will embark on their first ever set of shows as a duo. Clearly, something must have clicked when the two founding members of The Dead reunited last summer for an entire Phil & Friends set at Lockn’ Music Festival.
Thankfully, for those not able to attend any of the 6 shows on this abbreviated tour, the fine folks over at nugs.net will be making each one available via webcast and, thus, couch tour a reality. After a two night stay at Radio City, the Duo Tour rolls on to Boston for shows March 7-8 and then Chicago for a final set of two show on March 10-11. Rumors are running rampant as to possible guests and sit-ins for what’s sure to be a memorable tour for these two long time friends so go here to get all the information and order the shows.
But first, enjoy this vintage clip of a younger Bob Weir and Phil Lesh duo performing with the rest of The Grateful Dead during their legendary 1980 run at Radio City Music Hall.
Call on Music, an organization recently launched by Omni Arts Group, will hold its inaugural event, “Get Wet for Chauncey” on Friday, April 14 at Nectar’s in Burlington, VT. Omni Arts Group founder Matt Kolinski and partner Will Ralston with the help of the arts and entertainment community have launched Call On Music and intend to promote events that will raise funds and awareness on behalf of other charitable organizations through live music and other platforms.
The first event, to be held on Saturday, April 14 at Nectar’s in Burlington, is “Get Wet For Chauncey”, which will raise money for the Lake Champlain Committee and the Vermont Clean Water Network. Headlining the event will be The Get Wet All-Stars featuring Michelangelo Carubba (Turkuaz), Craig Brodhead (Turkuaz), Rob Compa (Dopapod), Josh Myers (Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds), and Josh Dobbs (Dead Set). Patrons will enjoy opening act Doctor Rick as well as a raffle that will include items from various local Burlington establishments. Tickets are $10, doors at 8, show at 9.
On February 28, 2003, Phish performed the penultimate show of their Winter Tour at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, Long Island, their first since returning from a two year hiatus. The result was one of the best Phish performances of the ‘2.0’ era that spanned from December 31, 2002 through August 15, 2004.
poster by Louis Arzonico
The first set of the show kicks off with “Birds of a Feather” and while this is a solid starter to a 2003 Phish show, the “Destiny Unbound” that followed is the song that fans skip to, for this was the first version of the song since 1991, and one that fans had been clamoring for since the mid-90s. At first, few in the crowd knew what it was, but as the lyrics started, you can hear the crowd erupt, and even more so when the refrain “We gotta get on the road, Destiny Unbound” is sung.
poster design by Troy Alexander
Shock and awe swept through the crowd and continued into “Horn,” for the biggest bust out of them all was finally here. A 20+ minute “Bathtub Gin” is full of peaks and jam sections, never letting up and only resting when followed by “Sleep.” An extended “Back on the Train” and “Walls of the Cave” sandwich “Bouncing Around the Room” to wrap up the firepowered first set, and set two would prove to be equally incredible.
One of the best versions of “Tweezer” this century kicked off a five-song second set, stretching more than 27 minutes and finding ebbs and flows throughout, never noodling or fading out, just pure improvisation start to finish. The segue into a then-rare cover of Bob Marley’s “Soul Shakedown Party” lit up the room once again, as did a dark 19 minute “David Bowie.”
The only time to catch a breath this set was “Round Room,” but being the title track off the band’s recently released album, fans were rapt with attention to the new tune. Closing the set was a slow building “Harry Hood” that capped the show with a bang.
shirt design by chris mcmurray
A three song encore starting with “Contact,” “Mexican Cousin” gave the fans a couple of sing-alongs before the energetic close of “Tweezer Reprise.” You would be hard pressed to find a Phish show in 2003 or 2004 that had as much firepower as February 28, 2003 did.
Phish, Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, Long Island, NY February 28, 2003
Speculation has become fact. Phish is returning to Watkins Glen International for its 11th festival Aug. 17-19. Ticket sale begins March 2 at noon.
Phish last performed at “The Glen” for Magnaball in 2015. You can read NYS Music’s coverage of that sold-out festival here, here and here. Pete Mason re-lived the legendary Drive-In set from Magnaball here.
Ticketing packages include a general admission weekend pass for $250 plus fees. These tickets allow weekend access to the festival grounds and GA campground. Those bringing a vehicle must also purchase a vehicle camping pass.
There is also a Glen Close package, which includes one Glen Close vehicle camping pass (choose car or RV) and two Glen Close weekend passes with the option to purchase an additional Glen Close weekend pass during the purchase process. Pricing for this option begins at $910 plus fees. For more information, visit the festival page.
Phish’s first festival was the groundbreaking Clifford Ball in 1996. Curveball marks the third festival the band has held at Watkins Glen International, following Magnaball and 2011’s Super Ball IX. The rolling hills and central location of this Finger Lakes venue allows for easy travel from many major cities in the northeast.
Tickets are available beginning at noon on Friday, March 2.
At moe.’s final show of their February tour, the city of Albany had something special on tap to honor the group who called Albany a second home during the 1990s. Mayor Kathy Sheehan was welcomed to the stage by promoter Greg Bell where she recalled seeing moe. at Valentine’s, and issued a Mayoral Proclamation declaring February 24 as moe.day. With band on stage, the audience erupted in delight at the honor bestowed on them by a town ripe with bands following in moe.’s footsteps.
After being handed a ‘Rob. Strong’ banner, moe. dove into the first of two firey sets with a “Rebubula” intro fakeout that dove into “Buster” on a dime, and followed with back to back ~12 minute versions of heavy hitters “Haze” and “Y.O.Y.” and the second version of “Who You Calling Scared?” which debuted in Portland a week earlier. “Akimbo” and “Rise” sustained the energy of the set ahead of the only cover of the weekend run, “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed,” with Chuck and Al trading off throughout.
“Stranger Than Fiction” led the way in Set 2 with a hefty and fluid “Faker” and “CalifornIA” that followed. Jim Loughlin then dove into “Farmer Ben” and a rage rocker “Don’t Fuck with Flo” kept Loughlin in the spotlight on vibraphone, as well as in “McBain,” the ninth of ten 10+ minute songs played this evening alone (there were 7 the night prior). After a potential segue towards “George,” moe. opted to wrap up the show the way they started and swung for the fences with “Rebubula” to the intense delight of the crowd. Returning to the stage following a balloon drop, Al Schnier thanked the crowd and the city of Albany and led the band in “Letter Home,” wrapping up the run on a heartfelt note and giving time for the kids to keep dancing long after the show on South Pearl Street.
Setlist
Soundcheck: Johnny Lineup, Who You Calling Scared? – Listen here.
Set 1: Rebubula > Buster > Haze > Y.O.Y. > Who You Calling Scared?, Akimbo > Rise > In Memory of Elizabeth Reed*
Set 2: Stranger Than Fiction, Faker > CalifornIA > Farmer Ben > Don’t Fuck With Flo > Faker, McBain, Rebubula
moe. returned to The Palace Theatre in Albany on Feb. 23 for the first time since New Years Eve 2015 and brought along Buffalo’s Aqueous, giving fans a look at the past, present and future of the New York State jam scene.
Looking to the future of the scene, look no further than Aqueous, one of the success stories coming out of Western New York. The versatile foursome set a standard for touring bands who are just getting their start or waiting for their big break out of the clubs and into the national scene. They kicked off the night shortly after doors and proceeded to give the Albany audience a five-song set. Guitarist Mike Gantzer noted they only had 15 minutes left, and that meant there was time for one more song, and with that dove into the proggy “Triangle,” which had hints of Umphrey’s McGee but still the classic Aqueous tightness throughout.
moe. stepped out with bright lights shining behind creating a silhouette during the accelerating instrumental “Jazz Wank” and instead of the usual “Buster,” “Skrunk” followed and bled into “Down Boy” with Chuck and Rob creating a vocal segue over the end of “Skrunk” with the first verse of lyrics. 15 minutes of a Chuck-led jam later, “Down Boy” moved into a high energy “Tailspin.” The new “I Can Never Remember” was the only breather in a firey first set, with “Blue Jeans Pizza” jumping the tempo back up and giving the crowd chills when Rob hit the high note. The highlight among a packed first set was Mike Gantzer of Aqueous coming out for “Waiting for the Punchline,” with Al taking the lead on the jam before turning Mike loose on the audience who greeted his moment in the spotlight with intense cheers to end the set.
Set 2 began with the Sticks and Stones era “Deep This Time” and “New York City,” followed by a break for tuning that led to Al and Rob riffing on an ‘Albany Song’ made up on the spot. “What Can I Say” was a lighthearted break in the action but from here the jamming went deep. “Hi and Lo” built the foundation for the next hour that built with a Latin-tinged “Montego,” a marvelous “Captain America,” and a 26 minute version of “She” that was at times loose and spacey and somehow found its way into “Happy Hour Hero.” The encore of “Downward Dog” closed the night at nearly 1 in the morning, with one more night in store on Saturday. Tickets are available here.
Aqueous setlist: Aldehyde > Skyway, Strange Times > Marty, Triangle
moe. Setlist: Set One: Jazz Wank > Skrunk > Down Boy > Tailspin, I Can Never Remember > Blue Jeans Pizza > Waiting For The Punchline* Set Two: Deep This Time > New York City, Albany Song^, What Can I Say, Hi & Lo > Montego, Captain America > She > Happy Hour Hero Encore: Downward Facing Dog
* with Mike Gantzer of Aqueous on guitar
^ ‘debut’, made up on spot
Thankfully, for those not able to attend any of the 6 shows on this abbreviated tour, the fine folks over at 
Phish last performed at “The Glen” for Magnaball in 2015. You can read NYS Music’s coverage of that sold-out festival 
