NYS Music 202​0

Category: Show Reviews

  • Aqueous celebrates the ’70s and ’80s over New Years Run at Town Ballroom

    For the second year in a row, Queen City prog-rockers Aqueous performed at The Town Ballroom for the final two nights of the year, selling out both December 30 and 31 with musical themes for each night. The 30th had an “Almost Dazed and Confused” theme, while New Year’s Eve was “Fast Times at The BreAQfast Club.” Fans dressed with the themes for the nights, adding to the festive feel of the end of the year run that celebrated the music of the ’70s and ’80s.

    The first night featured covers from 1970’s bands Led Zeppelin, Stillwater (from Almost Famous) Black Sabbath and the Bee Gees and a first set closing “Random Company.” An encore of “Eon Don” > “Tiny Gantzer” brought the house down, with David Loss singing Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” as “Tiny Gantzer.” Earlier in the night, a VIP set found Aqueous performing five songs acoustically that had previously never been performed in that style. The overall debut of “Spirit and Soul” was found among new arrangments for “Say it Again,” “They’re Calling For Ya” and “On the Edge.”

    For New Year’s Eve, a theme of “Fast Times at The BreAQfast Club” combined the music of two great 80s films, Fast Times at Ridgemont High and The Breakfast Club with some Aqueous thrown in for good measure. Songs by The Cars, Prince, Duran Duran, Simple Minds and Flock of Seagulls were performed near-flawlessly by the band, who wore outfits from their recent music video “Come and Go.” An up-tempo/ska version of “Marty” stood out among the mang covers in the first set, which ended with “Strange Times.”

    Appropriately, Aqueous performed “20/20” to ring in 2020, following the traditional “Auld Lang Syne,” and closed the set with fan favorite “Origami.” The encore held one last surprise for the night though as drummer Rob Houk took a wireless microphone and sang the closing song from The Breakfast Club, “Don’t You Forget About Me.” During the song, the lights were kept low and before the fans could realize it, Houk was on the bar behind the crowd and walked up to the rail through the crowd singing. If this is how the ’20s begin for Aqueous, this might be their best year yet.

    Setlists via Aquaintances

    12/30/19 Setlist

    Set 1 (VIP): Say It Again (1,2) > They’re Calling For Ya (1,2), America (1,4), Spirit and Soul (1,3), On the Edge (1,2)

    Set 2: Fever Dog (3,5) > Paranoid (3,6), Burn It Down, The Median, Gordon’s Mule, Slow Ride (3,7,8) > Misty Mountain Hop (3,8) Random Company

    Set 3: Dave’s Song > Sweet Emotion (9,10), Little Something To Me, You Should Be Dancing (3,11) > Don’t Do It, All In > Do You Feel Like We Do (3,12) > All In

    Encore: Eon Don (13) > Tiny Gantzer (14)

    1- AQoustic Debut
    2- New arrangement
    3- Debut
    4- Simon & Garfunkel
    5- Stillwater
    6- Black Sabbath
    7- Foghat
    8- ft. Travis Gray (Wild Adriatic) on vocals
    9- ft. Ryan John Nogle (Funktional Flow) on triangle
    10- Mega Bustout, LTP: 11/24/10 (870 shows)
    11- Bee Gees
    12- Peter Frampton
    13- Neon Don
    14- Mega Bustout, LTP: 9/21/13 (632 shows)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNWGpdwt_tE&fbclid=IwAR0ss3lnbHxih5uhhF43ganqUZQzif40Kr2d3237HF-Soi0cMmiWm1A93EM&app=desktop

    12/31/19 Setlist

    Set 1: Come and Go¹, I Ran (So Far Away)² ³ > Warren in the Window, Moving In Stereo⁴ ² > Second Sight > Marty⁵, Hungry Like The Wolf² ⁶ > Strange Times⁷

    Set 2: Let’s Go Crazy² ⁸, Skyway, I Melt With You² ⁹, On The Edge, Don’t You Want Me² @@ > Be The Same > Auld Lang Syne, 20/20 > Origami

    Encore: Don’t You Forget About Me² @@@
    Notes:

    ¹ Band came out dressed in their outfits from the music video.
    ² Debut
    ³ Flock of Seagulls cover
    ⁴ Cars cover, Included Spicoli pizza delivery skit from Fast Times at Ridgemont High (By The Cars)
    ⁵ Ska
    ⁶ Duran Duran cover
    ⁷ Life in the Fast Lane (Eagles) tease
    ⁸ Prince cover
    ⁹ Modern English cover
    @@ Human League cover
    @@@ Simple Minds cover, Rob on lead vocals, Ryan Nogle on drums, sang end of song in the crowd

  • Phish rings in 2020 with Clones and the Rescue Squad at Madison Square Garden

    Jam rockers Phish executed their annual New Years Eve show and gag, albeit with unexpected turns and clones. The show took place at Madison Square Garden to a sold-out crowd. The gag is an annual tradition where the band attempts to fool the audience during the third set. Over the years, the gags have become more theatrical, but this one included an unplanned element of surprise.

    The first set included a notably-funky jam “Halley’s Comet,” and the setlist delight, “Fluffhead.” Additionally, after “Axilla,” the band continued a story that was started on 12/30, and eventually referenced a pan flute player named Zamfir. Fishman was able to conjure up Zamfir, played by Richard Glasgow their tour manager, by saying his name.

    The second set was a non-stop jam that prepared the fans for the gag to come. Notable songs included “Punch You In the Eye” and “Mercury.” As the set ended, the crew removed all instruments from the stage, and left eight large covered cubes.

    Set three began with the band talking behind stage without realizing the audience was listening. Guitarist Trey Anastasio mentions that the band will finally give the people what they want, and play an entire set of jazz ballads, a cappella, for new years eve. That is of course, until Zamfir made another appearance, unleashed his pan on the band, and effectively started the annual gag.

    The band appeared wearing wacky colorful jumpsuits during a piano solo for “Send in the Clowns.” Fishman wore a pink inverted version of his usual donut muumuu. The band then changed the lyrics from “Clowns” to “Clones,” and by the end of the song, Anastasio proclaimed “Send in the clones,” and with that, an entire dance troupe dressed in the same outfits as the band, complete with wigs, paraded onto the stage. The band members blended in and were soon cast into the air above the stage, with color-coded platforms suspended above the stage with their respective instruments.

    To end 2019, Phish launched into a rocking “First Tube” from the air, with their clones performing choreographed dance sequences on the ground and on color coordinated risers. At midnight, the band played the traditional “Auld Lang Syne,” followed by “Sand,” reminiscent of the incredible “Sand” played twenty years ago at Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation in Florida. The band members were toggled up and down in the air on their platforms, as the clones dance beneath them.

    At the end of “Sand,” Anastasio was noticeably still suspended in the air, while the other three band members were on the stage. Anastasio tried to ease the audience with quipps like “Well, I guess if I’m about to fall to my death, I might as well tell you guys all how much I love you.” A long pause followed, where he found out that the crew was unable to move his broken platform to the ground. The show must go on, and Anastasio played from his hobbled platform for the rest of the set. The audience stood in near silence watching Anastasio’s platform swaying ever so slightly, as the pops of thousands of balloons echoed in Madison Square Garden, with the clones laying down on the platforms, waiting patiently for the next song to begin.

    Trey Anastasio is lowered to safety via the Rescue Squad

    Despite being stuck, the show continued with Page, Jon and Mike moving up and down on their platforms, with Anastasio’s static, 30 feet above the stage. During the quintessential “You Enjoy Myself,” the clones participated in an exceptional vocal jam. At the end, Anastasio awkwardly declared that the encore was starting, because there was no way for him to exit his platform, and asked the audience to pretend that they had gone off stage and come back on. The band gave the fans one final song of the night, “Tweezer Reprise,” and all left the stage, except Anastasio, who remained on his hobbled platform, and sang an impromptu ode to the “Rescue Squad” of crew who safely brought the Bad Lieutenant down. Using Fishman’s platform to safely bridge Anastasio to safety, Anastasio continued the “Rescue Squad” jam on his way down, utilizing Fishman’s drumkit for a final thank you to the Rescue Squad.

    Trey Anastasio

    Was it all part of the gag? Was this part of the plan? Fans continue to debate this days later, all the while reveling in one of Phish’s most impressive New Year’s Eve stunts to date.

    Setlist courtesy of Phish.net

    Set One: Martian Monster, Buried Alive, AC/DC Bag, Halley’s Comet > Prince Caspian > Sparkle > Axilla, Maze, Fluffhead > Rise/Come Together

    Set Two: Punch You in the Eye, Wolfman’s Brother > Light > Twist > Soul Planet > Mercury > Possum

    Set Three: Send in the Clowns[1], First Tube, Auld Lang Syne, Sand, Drift While You’re Sleeping, What’s the Use?, You Enjoy Myself

    Encore: Tweezer Reprise, Rescue Squad[2]

    [1] Phish debut, with lyrics changed to Send in the Clones; a cappella
    [2] Debut; only Trey.

  • moe. Comes Home to Utica for New Year’s Eve

    moe. has played dozens of area shows through the years at moe.down in both nearby Turin, New York and at Beardslee Castle in Little Falls, as well as at Saranac Brewery. But it had been twenty-one years since they had played the iconic, venerable Stanley Theater in Utica, New York. With the majority of the band having roots in the area, this pair of New Year’s Eve shows was a much-anticipated homecoming.

    moe Utica New Year's Eve
    Happy New Year!

    Night One, on December 30, saw both a marriage proposal and a mayoral proclamation by Utica’s Robert Palmieri declaring the date as moe. Day in the city, before the show even began. The band set the tone by opening with a scorching version of “Meat,” with percussionist Jim Loughlin displaying his astounding skills with two mallets in each hand on vibraphone. There’s no question that Chuck Garvey and Al Schnier are guitar gods, Rob Derhak is a creative bass player whose frequent onstage grin helps make him so likable, and Vin Amico keeps things chugging like a freight train, playing drums while chomping on gum and blowing enormous bubbles like he’s endorsed by Bazooka. But to this listener, Loughlin makes a distinct difference. He plays stuff that you just don’t hear anywhere else in a band of such renown and longevity.

    moe Utica New Year's Eve
    Jim Loughlin

    The band transitioned through seven additional songs totaling nearly ninety minutes of music to conclude the first set. Throughout both nights, the band indeed played several favorite songs, but there was an enormous dose of rarely, or lesser played, tunes that seemed to surprise and delight hardcore fans of moe.

    Before the second set, Al introduced the ubiquitous Utica legend, Rainbow Young, who had the crowd singing along to what was purported to be “God Bless America,” though the key, melody, and meter may have been more than a bit different. The second set began with a “Downward Facing Dog,” “Brittle End,” “Downward Facing Dog” sandwich before concluding with a string of tunes ending where they began the night, getting back to “Meat.” The bar was set high, as a goal to surpass on Night Two.

    Night Two saw moe. pull out all the stops and cut loose in so many interesting ways. On New Year’s Eve, as we all headed into 2020, the band and their fans paid tribute to the Roaring ‘20s in both attire and some of the musical selections. Moe took the stage in suits, ties, suspenders and fedoras, reminiscent of when men dressed as such to go to work one hundred years ago. Many male fans dressed similarly, with dozens of female fans sporting frilly or sequined flapper dresses, long gloves, boas, and headpieces. The theater itself was a perfect setting, as it opened in that decade, and matched the fanciful dress with elaborate baroque design, including ornate twisted columns, a mind-boggling enormous chandelier, and gargoyles, lions, and cherubs adorning the walls and opera seats.

    moe Utica New Year's Eve

    The first set saw Chuck and Al on acoustic guitars, with Al switching out to mandolin for a bit. Jim Loughlin showed his versatility throughout the evening, playing vibraphone, acoustic guitar, congas, and washboard. The three first time played songs included two from 1928, the year the Stanley Theater opened. The set opened with “It,” included a stunning version of “Statesboro Blues,” and ended with Rob Derhak’s “Tambourine.”

    Set two saw the band plug in and take things even higher. It included an explosive version of “Don’t Fuck With Flo,” a return to the twenties for a cover of “East St. Louis Toodle-oo,” and ended with a nice rendition of the predictable “New Hope for the New Year.”

    moe Utica New Year's Eve

    The third set had everyone on their feet, singing and dancing, with smiles and good wishes from many fans to others as midnight approached. Starting with a fairly new song, “Along for the Ride,” it included a nice execution of “Mack the Knife,” leading into “Silver Sun” just before the New Year’s countdown. At the stroke of midnight, air cannons showered the crowd with a colossal amount of confetti. The band and their significant others toasted and hugged each other, and moe. soon returned to their instruments. 2020 began with a joyous, infectious “Rebubula,” enhanced by a top-notch lighting presentation. This was followed by “Four,” and “Farmer Ben” segueing into a fervent “Timmy Tucker” to end the set. With a time deadline approaching, the band blazed through “Spine of a Dog” as the encore. Two nights of great music, great memories, and proof that moe. have established themselves as a premier touring band, world-class musicians, and individuals proud of their hometown.

    Setlist – December 30, 2019

    Set 1: Meat > Not Coming Down > Wormwood > Fearless~ > Deep This Time > Who You Calling Scared? > Akimbo > Brent Black

    Set 2: Downward Facing Dog > Brittle End > Downward Facing Dog, Skrunk > Lazarus > Down Boy > Bring You Down > Meat

    Encore: Letter Home, Wind It Up

    ~ Pink Floyd cover

    Setlist – December 31, 2019

    Set 1: It*, Time Again**, Shoot First**, Statesboro Blues*#, Where Does The Time Go?*, Tambourine*

    Set 2: Tailspin > Puebla > Don’t Fuck With Flo > Tubing The River Styx > The Pit, East St. Louis Toodle-oo##, Opium, New Hope For The New Year

    Set 3: Along For The Ride, Nebraska, Mack The Knife^, Silver Sun%, Rebubula, Four, Farmer Ben > Timmy Tucker

    Encore: Spine Of A Dog

    * w/ Al & Chuck on acoustic guitar
    ** w/ Al on mandolin, Chuck on acoustic guitar
    # FTP – (Blind Willie McTell cover)
    ## FTP – (Duke Ellington & Bubber Miley cover –)
    % NYE Countdown
    ^ FTP – (Kurt Weill & Bertolt Brecht cover)

    • moe Utica New Year's Eve
    • moe Utica New Year's Eve
    • moe Utica New Year's Eve
    • moe Utica New Year's Eve
    • moe Utica New Year's Eve
    • moe Utica New Year's Eve
      moe. returns to the Stanley Theater
    • moe Utica New Year's Eve