WRAPS, a new tradeshow and art exhibition dedicated specifically to rock posters is coming to the Bearsville Center in Woodstock on May 14-15.
The popular San Francisco event, The Rock Poster Show (TRPS) is the model for WRAPS, which stands for Woodstock Rock Art and Poster Show. The event will feature exhibitors displaying their work, multi-media productions, art and design workshops, and live music.
The musical acts include Stella Blue’s Band, Soule Monde (members of the Trey Anastasio Band), and Woodstock’s own Misty Mountain Ramblers.
A poster for the Trey Anastasio Band designed by Zeb Love
Since the 1990s interest in rock posters has increased. Vintage posters from the classic rock era are considered collectibles. While more recently it has become an art form in its own right, with artists and designers dedicating their talents to creating original works. The event is open to both collectors and artists who would like to display their work.
Mike DuBois, one of the pioneers of rock poster art and Syracuse native, will produce WRAPS. His surrealist, psychedelic art has become a staple of rock music. More than likely, you’ve seen his work without knowing you have. In the past, high profile bands including the Grateful Dead, The Rolling Stones, and Pink Floyd have commissioned his work. Currently, he runs HappyLife Productions a design firm in Woodstock.
Artwork by Mike DuBois.
The Bearsville Theater was the brainchild of the famed music manager, Albert Grossman. He had the idea to build a creative oasis for his clients—which included Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, and the Band—in the Catskills. Unfortunately, due to his untimely death in 1986 Grossman never saw the theater open in 1989. The Bearsville Theater is considered “acoustically perfect”. It was designed by music producer Todd Lundgren along with the Utopia Sound Stage.
With all the rock history at Bearsville Theater it would make a fitting location for a tradeshow meant to celebrate rock music’s legacy.
Tickets and registration information are on the WRAPS website.
Serving the community through the arts, Proctors Collaborative has announced their next block of upcoming shows at the historic Proctors in Schenectady. Since 1926, this unique theatre and educational program has presented the very best in entertainment for the Capital Region.
Proctors Collaborative is an association of arts organizations located in three venues: Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga, Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, and Proctors in Schenectady. Overall, being one of the most expansive arts education programs in Upstate New York with programming in Albany, Schenectady Saratoga, and in schools throughout the Capital Region.
Over the past few decade, Proctors has expanded their venues. Doing so made it possible to accommodate large Broadway productions, giant screen films, local performers, and ever-growing audiences from around the country. Today, Proctors Collaborative is known for being the Capital Region’s destination for upcoming major Broadway shows, cutting-edge film festivals, exciting special events, and everything in between.
April Shows at Proctors
Alton Brown Live: Beyond the Eats
7:30 p.m. Friday, April 8. MainStage at Proctors
Alton Brown is hitting the road with a new culinary variety show. Expect comedy, music, and potentially dangerous science. Prepare for an evening unlike any other and if Brown calls for volunteers… think twice.
Shen Yun 2022
7:30 p.m. Friday, April 15-16. 2 p.m. Saturday, April 16. MainStage at Proctors
Through breathtaking dance and music, Shen Yun’s artists tell of a time when divine beings walked upon the earth, leaving behind a culture that inspired generations.
GNA Secret Star
7 p.m. Wednesday, April 20. MainStage at Proctors
GNA’s Secret Star features four of country music’s biggest stars, on stage at the same time sharing their songs and stories. The lineup is not revealed until the show.
Gospel Jubilee
6 p.m. Saturday, April 23. MainStage at Proctors
Gospel Jubilee returns to the MainStage at Proctors with a special musical tribute in dedication to the Capital Region’s beloved, the late Regina “Gina” Parsons, and Antonia “Toni” Brown.
Suede with Fred Boyle, Piano & Rich Hill, Bass
7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 23. GE Theatre at Proctors
From astounding a cappella, incredibly intimate ballads and smoking trumpet solos to “bring down the house” belting blues, Suede delivers it all with her own unique blend of warmth, high energy, wit, and pure musical artistry.
Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Awards – “The Eddies”
6 p.m. Sunday, April 24. MainStage at Proctors
This year, we honor 210 finalists in 36 categories for their work during 2021. Nominations and voting are determined by a group of judges representing the local music community. The musical line-up for the 4th annual Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Awards will be Buggy Jive, Nite Train w/ Thomasina Winslow, Hot Club of Saratoga, Rich Ortiz, the Erin Harkes Band and Super 400 with returning emcee Erin Harkes.
An Evening with Neil Gaiman
7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 28. MainStage at Proctors
Neil Gaiman is the bestselling author of Neverwhere, Anansi Boys, Good Omens (with Terry Pratchett), Smoke and Mirrors, Fragile Things, and so many more. Today, as one of the most celebrated writers of our time, his popular and critically acclaimed works bend genres while reaching audiences of all ages.
Golden Oldies Spectacular
7 p.m. Saturday, April 20. MainStage at Proctors
Headlining the show is The Brooklyn Bridge, highlighted by a tribute to the memory of their incredible lead singer Johnny Maestro who passed ten years ago. Hits include “The Worst That Could Happen,” “Blessed is the Rain,” “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” and “Welcome Me Love.”
Tickets are available online here, in person at the Box Office, or via phone at 518-346-6204 Monday-Friday 10am-6pm.
Pop-punk mainstays The Maine celebrated their 15th anniversary as a band this past Monday, April 4th at Webster Hall. The band last played in NYC back in August 2021 as part of the Sad Summer Festival, but the show at Webster Hall was The Maine’s first NYC headline in over four years. Overjoyed to be playing a club in the city again, singer John O’Callaghan thanked the fans for their longstanding support and treated them to a career spanning setlist.
The Maine at Webster Hall, 4/4/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
As the house lights went down, archetypal party song “Sweet Caroline” played over the PA as The Maine filed onto the Webster Hall stage. The song provides a perfect segway into the opening track from their 2021 LP XOXO: From Love & Anxiety In Real Time, “Sticky,” which references the Neil Diamond anthem. Staying true to their Southwest roots, light-up cowboy hats were on sale at the merch table, and have been a crucial part of the band’s merch package for many years. Looking around Webster Hall you found dozens of these hats as well as fan-made versions lighting up the room. Going along with the passion of The Maine’s fan community known as “8123,” the crowd exploded with energy as the band played the first notes of “We All Roll Along” from their debut Can’t Stop Won’t Stop.
The Maine at Webster Hall, 4/4/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
The Maine’s latest record was released last summer, and the band spent the second half of 2021 on tour supporting All Time Low; a tour that stopped at NYC’s Pier 17 for the Sad Summer Fest back in August. The current headlining tour (which began in January) is the first time the band is able to fully flesh out the new songs and mix them into their classics. Mixing nostalgia and with the reality of today, John told an anecdote of losing his wallet at The Knitting Factory while asking the audience to pay tribute to his baby who was in attendance clad in earmuffs at the sound table.
The Maine at Webster Hall, 4/4/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
The band cruised through a 16-song setlist that touched on all of their albums and various singles. In the last leg of the show, The Maine introduced Taking Back Sunday frontman Adam Lazzara as well as opening artist Charlotte Sands onto stage to perform their latest collaborative single “Loved You A Little.” Released back in January the song is a classic emo/pop-punk anthem featuring vocals from the three singers. Adam, Charlotte, and John from The Maine are all individually powerful vocalists that command a room, but on “Loved You A Little” the three are mixed so well and create a unified sound as if they were all in the same band.
The Maine with Adam Lazzara and Charlotte Sands at Webster Hall, 4/4/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
“Loved You A Little” by The Maine, Taking Back Sunday, and Charlotte Sands. Via YouTube
The Maine maintain a busy tour schedule through the month of April and ending on a somewhat hometown show in Prescott, AZ on April 30th. The band also has two festival appearances at SO WHAT!? as well as the meme-famous When We Were Young Festival in Las Vegas. Head over to The Maine’s website for the full itinerary and check out NYS Music’s photo gallery from the Webster Hall show below.
The Outlaw Music Festival returns for its 2022 tour, with a number of great artists and three NY stops. Festival goers will have the chance to see artists like Willie Nelson & Family, The Avett Brothers and Billy Strings, along with many others at the Bethel Woods Center, Darien Lake Amphitheater and SPAC.
Headed by Willie Nelson, the festival celebrates togetherness and provides a place for friends and family to come together. Starting 6/24, fans will have the opportunity to see performances from a different mix of artists every night including big names like Chris Stapleton and rising stars like Brittney Spencer.
Fans can expect more than just stellar performances, as there are also unique vendor villages where local foods and drinks can be bought. Mike’s Hard Lemonade Seltzer will join the festival tour as the “Official Hard Seltzer”, hosting pop up experiences, giveaways and more.
Outlaw Music Fest 2019
After originally debuting in Scranton, PA in 2016, Outlaw Music Festival has expanded into the national event that it is today. The festival has gained prestige due to the previous award winning acts that have performed such as Robert Plant, Neil Young and Bob Dylan.
Tickets, as well as the lineups for each date can be found here.
June 24, 2022 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
June 25, 2022 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena
June 26, 2022 – Indianapolis, IN – Ruoff Music Center
July 1, 2022 – Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP
July 2, 2022 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion
July 29, 2022 – Cleveland, OH – Blossom Music Center
July 30, 2022 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
July 31, 2022 – Pittsburgh, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake
August 12, 2022 – Gilford, NH – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
August 13, 2022 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center
August 14, 2022 – Darien, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater
September 9, 2022 – Atlanta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
September 10, 2022 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
September 11, 2022 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veteran’s United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach
September 13, 2022 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
September 16, 2022 – Boston, MA – Xfinity Center
September 17, 2022 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion
September 18, 2022 – Saratoga Springs, NY – SPAC
September 23, 2022 – Philadelphia, PA – Waterfront Music Pavilion
A new day-long celebration of Hip-Hop culture founded by LL Cool J called Rock The Bells Festival will be happening at Forest Hills Stadium in LL’s hometown of Queens on August 6.
The festival will feature live performances, art exhibits, food, fashion, interactive experiences, and more. Each performer was hand-picked for their culture-defining careers, undeniable talents, and contributions to Hip-Hop culture.
LL Cool J said in a statement that he is excited to bring all these artists together to celebrate Hip-Hop culture.
This festival is my way of showing love to the community of Hip-Hop and celebrating the incredible journey this culture has taken, going from DJ Kool Herc’s Sedgwick Avenue rec room, to the global phenomenon we all cherish today. Getting to bring some of the most iconic and influential Hip-Hop artists to the same stage, in my hometown and the city that started it all, is an honor and I can’t wait for everyone to see what we have in store for them.
For fans that cannot make it to the festival, they can tune into LL Cool J’s Rock The Bells Radio on SiriusXM (Ch. 43) for exclusive live coverage. Tickets go onsale April 4 for pre-sale, and April 8 for general sale, and tickets can be found here. For each ticket sale, Rock The Bells will be donating partial proceeds to the Universal Hip-Hop Museum in the Bronx.
Forever Honey, a Brooklyn-based Indie Rock group is once again expanding their discography with the release of their newest single “Number One Fan.”
Forever Honey is composed of Liv Price (lead vocals, guitar), Aida Mekonnen (lead guitar, vocals), Steve Vannelli (drums, keys), and Jack McLoughlin (bass, production). They are known to blend different sounds, stories and emotions to relate to their fans.
Their newest song came to be from personal experiences and the title of it is meant to be literal. Forever Honey created a song that expresses the point of view of social media users scrolling through the various platform. The group focused on the everyday thoughts, anxieties, and pressures from using social media.
“Number One Fan,” in particular, is our least abstract/most literal song, lyrically. The entire thing is about scrolling through instagram and seeing the highlights reel from everyone’s life. You know people, deeply, in the least meaningful ways; you fall in love with the least accurate version of someone.
Forever Honey
The group also discussed, during the beginning of the pandemic everyone was focused on TikTok and Instagram, which is where the lyrics from “Number One Fan” originated from.
Despite enduring obstacles, as a result of the pandemic during the debut of their first EP Pre-Mortem High, Forever Honey still managed to grasp an audience and make a name for themselves within the music industry. Their first live show took place in the Summer of 2021, following the release of their single “Satellite” and ever since Forever Honey has continuously elevated their skill set.
To learn more about the band and their upcoming work visit their official website.
The spirit of the Grateful Dead was alive and well this past weekend as veteran improv rockers Dark Star Orchestra finally played their annual New Year’s Eve celebration in Albany. Held on April 1st and 2nd at the storied Palace Theatre and re-dubbed “Fool Year’s Eve,” the joke was on you if you missed this gratuitous good-time jubilee. Couldn’t make it to the show? No need to worry, our man on the scene, NYS Music photojournalist Zak Radick was there and has a full recap of all the sights and sounds from the memorable occasion.
It all started around 7pm when suddenly out of nowhere, they came out from everywhere. Funneling into the base of Clinton Ave and North Pearl, an apparent make-shift flash mob of “Dead Head’s” made the sidewalk near McGeary’s Irish Pub the weekend’s designated ‘Shakedown Street’ for this trip to Albany. A traveling do-it-yourself marketplace for fans to commerce and socialize with our like-minded folks, these pop-up flea markets AKA Shakedown Street’s, have been a longstanding fixture for fans of the original Grateful Dead community going on decades now and are just one of the many traditions fans still regularly practice. It was a nice thing to see in a town that’s been through so much, yet never lost heart. Vibrant and friendly, chatty and colorful, the pre-game hustle was in full swing outside the historic venue just prior to showtime. Having already been there and done that, the older ‘heads’ soon began filing inside, not wanting to miss a moment of the opening acoustic set from DSO guitar player Jeff Mattson. And they were sure glad they did, as they were serenaded by a delightful opening combo of “Dire Wolfe” and “Deep Elem Blues” while finding their seats. Soon word had reached the street that the show “was on” and before long the lower level of the gorgeous room was packed with people and yes, an overwhelming smell of patchouli, body odor and pot.
The Palace looking as lovely as ever, a simple glance around the theatre revealed a fan base the spanned all ages and backgrounds, but most skewing older. Many wearing tie dye, some with dreadlocks to their knees and flowers in their hair, others covering up in cowboy hats and trucker caps, while other came dressed in their New Year’s best, sporting their finest sparkling dancing pants and glamorous glittering jackets. Still, there were the other ones. The fans who looked like regular Joes you’d pass in a grocery store aisle and never expect they’d know every single word to every single song written by Jerry Garcia and company. The brief but beautiful acoustic set from Mattson also featured Lisa Mackey on harmonica and concluded with a sentimental rendition of “Ripple,” sending fans buzzing to intermission debating if that was a recreation from a Dead set, or a standalone, original set of select Dead covers.
With balloons hanging high over the Palace, the Dark Star Orchestra causally took the stage around 8:30 to a rowdy ovation from eager and attentive fans. Comprised of members Rob Eaton and Jeff Mattson on guitars and vocals, Rob Barraco on keys, Rob Koritz and Dino English on drums and percussion, Skip Vangelas on bass and Lisa Mackey on backing vocals and harmonica, DSO has been a fixture in the jam scene for more than 20 years and have over 3,000 shows under their belts. Bringing the essence of a live Grateful Dead show back to reality for a whole new generation, the band is often seen as one of the top acts of their kind, and now popular enough to fill a place like the Palace. An impressive testament to their consistency and quality of performances.
Perhaps with acknowledgement to GD history, or perhaps in acknowledgement of the heady pre-show Shakedown scene earlier, it seemed fitting when Dark Star Orchestra opened the second set of the night with a rambunctious rendition of the beloved classic “Shakedown Street”. The appreciative audience already spilling out into the aisleways and concession overflow area in full ‘dance-party boogie’ mode. By this point, you just had that old familiar feeling that it was fixing to be a fun night! From there, the band went into a “Me and My Uncle >Mexicali Blues” segment, followed by a lively “Cold Rain and Snow” that saw the crowd showcasing their collective ‘singalong’ voices one of the loudest times of the night. A “blues” heavy set, we also caught “CC Rider,” “It Must Have Been the Roses,” “Beat It On Down The Line,” and a lengthy “Big Boss Man>New Minglewood Blues>Don’t Ease Me In” to send fans to their second set break of the evening.
There was a special moment just prior to the start of the third set when the DSO crew invited legendary Albany promoter Greg Bell of Guthrie Bell Productions out to the stage. Marking thirty years to the day since holding his first show, Bell made a brief but candid toast, thanking the dedicated music fans of the Capital Region for all the support over the years. A mutual moment respect and acknowledgement for a man who’s meant so much to the local music community for the last three decades.
When everyone returned, the rocking second set kicked off with “Iko Iko” and then in one of the musical peaks of the night, a fantastic high energy take on a “Playing in the Band”> “Terrapin Station” > “Playing in the Band” sandwich before things got a little weird with the obligatory “Drums/space”. Things started cooking again with the slow and building crescendo of “The Other One” that seamlessness faded into “Not Fade Away” and “Going Down the Road Feeling Bad.” “Morning Dew” would round out the set with just enough time for another quick break before the midnight shenanigans would ensue.
Honoring the spirit of the original Grateful Dead, the band played well into the evening giving fans exactly what they were hoping for. As the clock now approached midnight, the balloons that had been hanging over head all night finally released and DTO began the famililar chords of the song they took their name from, “Dark Star.” Loving every second of it, fans were quick to bat the balloons around like beach balls, and seemingly keep them afloat for the remainder of the show. A pair of fan favorite “Bertha” and “Good Lovin’” brought the show to an end and the audience to their feet, howling in approval and for just one more. Happy to oblige, DTO returned with Lisa Mackey taking center stage during an encore of “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” before cluing the audience this performance was an originally inspired by the Grateful Dead’s December 311st, 1981 show in Oakland, California.
A great performance made even better by the great crowd, Dark Star Orchestra surpassed expectations. They sounded fantastic, musically tight and with singing voices strong and full of vigor. It was an evening drenched in familiarity and comfort and the result was a near perfect atmosphere for the audience to let themselves get lost in. That indescribable feeling only the live music experience can deliver and on this first night in April, the Palace Theatre in Albany was truly a fool’s paradise.
Dark Star Orchestra | 4.1.2022 | Albany, NY | Palace Theatre
Set 1: (Jeff Mattson Acoustic) Dire Wolf, Deep Elem Blues, Ripple
Set 2: Shakedown Street ; Me And My Uncle > Mexicali Blues ; Cold Rain And Snow ; C.C. Rider* ; It Must Have Been The Roses** ; Beat It On Down The Line ; Big Boss Man* > New Minglewood Blues* > Don’t Ease Me In
Set 3: Iko Iko ; Playing In The Band > Terrapin Station > Playing In The Band > drums > space > The Other One > Not Fade Away > Going Down The Road Feeling Bad > Morning Dew
Set 4: Dark Star > Bertha > Good Lovin’
Encore: It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue**
Filler: My Sisters And Brothers
* with Lisa on harmonica – original had Matt Kelly ** with Lisa on vocals – original had Joan Baez
Dark Star Orchestra | 4.2.2022 | Albany, NY | Palace Theatre
Set 1: Hell In A Bucket > Let It Rock ; When I Paint My Masterpiece ; Loser ; Cumberland Blues ; I’ll Take A Melody > Deal ; Masters of War ; Box Of Rain > One More Saturday Night
Set 2: Here Comes Sunshine > Greatest Story Ever Told ; Revolution > Feel Like A Stranger > drums > space > Corrina > Help On The Way > Slipknot! > Throwing Stones > Days Between > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower
Bob Mould, former member of Hüsker Dü, has announced his 2022 World tour with stops in Pawling, Albany and Woodstock. Mould will be joined by openers H.C McEntire, Vic Bondi and J. Robbins.
PC : James Richard IV
The Malone, NY native will spend a total of four months touring the world, from California all the way to the UK and Ireland. His journey will end back in the States, in North Carolina, on 10/23. His three NY dates include Daryl’s House in Pawling, Lark Hall in Albany and Levon Helm Studio in Woodstock.
Mould has recently announced the opening acts that would be joining him on different sections of the tour. H.C McEntire will join the California and Southern shows, Vic Bondi will join the Pacific Northwest shows and J. Robbins will join the Northeast shows.
Fans will be able to enjoy performances of Mould’s latest work, including songs from recent release The Ocean, as well as Hüsker Dü throwbacks and much more. The Ocean features special acoustic versions of songs from Mould’s 2020 album Blue Hearts and a rendition of Hüsker Dü’s, ‘Divide and Conquer’.
Juno Award-winning band VOIVOD announces their tour dates for this coming June, “Synchro Anarchy” Tour for North American shows. The tour will stop in NY on June 14th in Buffalo at the Rec Room, June 17th in Brooklyn at the Market Hotel, and June 18th in Liverpool at Sharkey’s.
The tour is in support of the band’s new album, “Synchro Anarchy” that hit the charts in multiple countries like #2 on Billboard Canada’s Hard Music Albums chart, #6 Current Hard Albums in the USA, #7 on the UK’s Rock & Metal chart and #7 in Germany along with others.
At last! After more than two years without touring, we are finally hitting the road in June 2022 in North America. We are thrilled to play the Decibel Magazine Metal & Beer Fest, It will also be exciting for us to play songs from Synchro Anarchy for the first time live! We can’t wait to see our old Voïvodian friends again and meet some new ones. See you then!
-Michel “Away” Langevin (drums)
VOIVOD now has 15 studio album’s and continue with their creative freedom for nearly 40 years. During the early 80’s even as the thrash metal scene was on the rise, VOIVOD kept their distinct character as a band throughout.
Not many bands are able to survive for four decades after achieving legendary status, but VOIVOD continues the uphill climb as one of the most creative and passionate bands on the planet. VOIVOD consist of Daniel “Chewy” Mongrain (guitar), Denis “Snake” Belanger (vocals), Michel “Away” Langevin (drums), and Dominic “Rocky” Laroche (bass).
This past weekend, the Disco Biscuits joined the Double Digit Club at the legendary Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, performing three nights at the hallowed venue, bringing their total to eleven shows in all here. The whirlwind three nights of music featured some of the band’s most beloved songs meshed with some bustouts and first timers that all led to an incredible weekend of music at The Cap.
photo by Em Walis
The Biscuits came shooting out of the gate on Thursday night, thanks to a dusted off “Chemical Warfare Brigade,” the first one in more than six years. Another opening set highlight was a “House Dog Party Favor” that went delightfully dark and deep at times, surpassing the 20-minute mark. The set came to an end in vintage Disco Biscuits fashion with a “Story Of The World” > “Munchkin Invasion” > “Story Of The World” sequence, although “Munchkin” went unfinished and would surprisingly remain that way the entire run.
The band kept the old school hits coming with a “Hot Air Balloon” second set opener that also went unfinished, and instead morphed right into a thunderous “Shem-Rah Boo.” Emerging from “Shem,” drummer Allen Aucoin put on a drumming masterclass with the rare inverted approach to “Portal To An Empty Head.” It would be the first of many memorable song inversions this run, where a song’s ending is played immediately before its beginning.
Friday night brought with it a calendar page turn into April and all the potential for mayhem that comes along with April Fool’s Day. To that degree, a “Nughuffer” opener came as somewhat of a surprise, even admitted so by bassist Marc Brownstein in his traditional mid-song banter. But after a quick trip to Zex Sea, the Biscuits were off and running with another monster trance-fueled jam to start the show. An unfinished “Spaga” then later bled right into one of the band’s newer efforts, “Running Into The Night.”
The second set began with a mesmerizing drawn out jam that served as the runway for the intro to “Run Like Hell,” one of the band’s singature cover selections. This gave way to a parade of song inversions, starting with a very common one in “Confrontation.” A couple of inverted animals then followed suit in standout takes of “Crickets” and “Aquatic Ape” before “Basis For A Day” closed out the set in grand fashion. As an encore, the Disco Biscuits trotted out “Friend Like Steve” one more, a recently-penned birthday song for a friend of the band. Doubling down on the “FLS” songs, the band then unleashed a surprising first time ever cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Feel Like A Stranger.”
photo by Em Walis
After two nights of barn-burners, Saturday took the Biscuits legacy at the Cap to a new level. With a fan written setlist once again guiding the band, tonight’s show was a true hallmark of the weekend and raised an already elevated bar even higher.
The band came out swinging in Set 1 with “Denmark Massive,” a song not played since 2008, and originally written by The Join (Marc Brownstein, Aron Magner, and The New Deal’s Jamie Shields and Darren Shearer), as noted by Zachary Franck. The Biscuits first studio single in a decade, “Lake Shore Drive” segued cleanly from “Denmark Massive” and into an inverted “Morph Dusseldorf.” The moment the audience heard the shift into the “Morph” ending, the room lit up with energy and peaked as the band and crowd sang in unison “Morph, morph from Dusseldorf, changing all the time, and if you stay the same one day, that night will be sublime.” The moment built on that peak by segueing into the beginning of “Morph,” a none-too often occurance.
A combination of “And the Ladies Were the Rest of the Night” with a potent “Cyclone” sandwiched inside would follow, a dream setlist and nothing short of creative and challenging for the Disco Biscuits.
photo by Em Walis
“Vassillios” kicked off the second set, with neither the band nor crowd losing steam during setbreak. The eventual shift into the foreboding and evil vibe of “Orch Theme” took no prisoners and laid the groundwork for a Club Bisco vibe that reigned through the rest of the night. With the doors swung open, an inverted “Sweating Bullets,” the first ever such version, burst through for 25 minutes of peaks upon peaks that built with each successive ascent. Barber and Brownstein were found hopping around and getting down on stage, pairing well with the audience, creating a pure rock and roll moment, in the Original Rock Palace, naturally.
An equally dominant “Tempest” arrived out of “Sweating Bullets” and back into the second half of “Vassillios,” bringing the set nearly full circle. Shifting into the ending of “I Remember When,” the audience was elated in unison, singing along, a reflection on the 3 years (with two cancellations) that it has taken the Disco Biscuits to return to the Capitol Theatre stage.
Prior to the encore, Peter Shapiro, owner of the Cap, came out to reflect on hearing the Disco Biscuits for the first time in 1997 at The Wetlands, and led the crowd in singing Happy Birthday to Jon “The Barber” Gutwillig. Marc Brownstein then gave recognition to faithful longtime Tour Manager, Ryan Noel, who was spending his last run with the band this weekend, bidding him a farewell with the crowd pouring out love.
Perhaps reflecting on those sentiments, the band returned to the beginning of “I Remember When” to start the encore before shifting into Walter Murphy’s “A Fifth of Beethoven,” a final dose of disco for the night, one etched into Disco Biscuits and Capitol Theatre lore.
Disco Biscuits Capitol Theatre 2022 Setlists
Thursday, March 31
Set 1: Chemical Warfare Brigade* > Once the Fiddler Paid, House Dog Party Favor, Story of the World > Munchkin Invasion* > Story of the World Set 2: Hot Air Balloon* > Shem-Rah Boo > Portal to an Empty Head^ > The Great Abyss > Shem-Rah Boo Encore: Home Again * unfinished ^ inverted
Friday, April 1
Set 1: Nughuffer > Spaga* > Running Into the Night > Aceetobee* > Rock Candy Set 2: Run Like Hell* > Confrontation^ > Crickets^ > Aquatic Ape^ > Basis for a Day Encore: Friend Like Steve, Feel Like a Stranger& * unfinished ^ inverted & debut
Saturday, April 2
Set 1: Denmark Massive* > Lake Shore Drive > Morph Dusseldorf^ > And the Ladies Were the Rest of the Night > Cyclone > And the Ladies Were the Rest of the Night
Set 2: Vassillios > Orch Theme > Sweating Bullets% > Tempest > Vassillios > I Remember When&
Encore: I Remember When&, A Fifth of Beethoven$
* last played 6/9/08 (548 shows) ^ inverted % last played 1/31/19 (103 shows); first ever inverted version & dyslexic $ last played 11/3/18 (119 shows)
