As the crescent moon descended over the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, Bob Weir & Wolf Bros delivered a compelling evening of music, marking the third show of their extended December 2023 residency.
Emerging from the rear of center stage, Bob Weir opened the evening solo with his rendition of “Peggy O.” A solitary figure with his guitar, Weir exuded a contemplative aura. Every note plucked and every word sung captivated theaudience, drawing them into the profound depths of his soul.
The five-night series harmoniously coincided with the festive season, capturing the joyous spirit of the holidays. With a twinkle in Weir’s eye and his beard all aglow, this musical Kris Kringle bestowed a plethora of gifts upon all the good boys and girls attending the sold-out show.
Enhancing the magical ambiance was a cadre of Santa’s musical helpers, featuring Don Was, Jay Lane, and Jeff Chimenti, as well as The Wolfpack (Alex Kelly, Brian Switzer, Adam Theis, Mads Tolling, Sheldon Brown, Barry Sless), who graced the stage alongside Weir at different junctures throughout the evening, intensifying the magic.
The musical choices for the evening spanned a diverse range of origins, featuring both Weir’s original compositions and beloved Grateful Dead classics. Each song’s energy seamlessly flowed into the next, creating a dynamic musical journey.
Both sets featured compelling covers, including Kris Kristofferson’s “Me and Bobby McGee” and Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” broadening the musical scope of the evening. The band’s portrayal of Eddie Cooley’s “The Fever” transcended into a profound and soulful masterpiece. Bringing the night to a memorable conclusion, the band encored with the timeless classic, “Going Down the Road Feeling Bad.”
As the band bid farewell, the capacity crowd journeyed out into the darkness of the night. If anyone among them cast their gaze skyward, they might have captured the sound of a celestial symphony. Voices from above exalting ‘On Dead, on Ratdog, on Kingfish, on Company; Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Rock’n Night!’
Bob Weir and Wolf Bros., – Capitol Theatre, Port Chester – December 15, 2023
Set 1: Peggy-O, The Winners, Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo, Tennessee Jed, Odessa, Ramble On Rose, I Need a Miracle, Fever, U.S. Blues
Set 2: Me and Bobby McGee, Man Smart; Woman Smarter, Bertha, Cassidy, The Wheel, Eyes of the World, What’s Going On, Stella Blue, Not Fade Away
A music and emotion-filled weekend at The Capitol Theatre wrapped up on Sunday, November 26, as Twiddle, a band whose near two-decade tenure as a dominant Northeast jam band, came to a close. Using the annual ‘Frendsgiving‘ celebration to begin their indefinite hiatus, the group’s dedicated final performances (for now) matched the love and affection Twiddle fans poured out over three days and nights in Port Chester.
Frendsgiving has been a Twiddle tradition since at least 2017, a celebration around Thanksgiving that brings the Twiddle faithful together for a two or three night run at The Capitol Theatre. The fans who have made Twiddle a brand that goes well beyond the band are the core of this community, taking the music and lyrics, embracing them and incorporating them into their lives, as well as their artwork and inspired creations.
Celebrated Frend Art events have brought fans together in great numbers, showing the inspiration the band imparts on their fans. On Saturday, November 25 and Sunday, November 26, Coda Davidson once again brought Frend Art together for two shows, full of live music, workshops, live painting, and a chance to meet the artists and creators of these galvanized creators, for the first, or potentially, last time. Events like these are the reason Twiddle was head and shoulders above many of their brethren in the jam scene, creating a scene that was truly organic, mirroring the jams the band bring to the stage each night.
That was something that always stuck out about Twiddle – the band offered a fresh perspective of an organic fanbase and movement, one that was seen over the decades, bringing along comparisons to Phish, given their Vermont roots and tendency to jam off of oddly named songs. But Twiddle was not Phish, nor the ‘next Phish’; if anything, Twiddle was indicative of a generational swing for (primarily) millennials who sought to carve their own niche in the jam scene, being far more than a photostat of the ‘other’ four guys from Vermont. The comparisons between the two bands began and ended with ‘’well, they’re from Vermont and there are four guys in the band” simply because there was no reason for a ‘next Phish,’ which holds true even today with other bands from the Northeast.
One aspect of Twiddle’s legacy that may be overlooked is how effectively the band made sure to uplift bands in the jam scene that were just starting out, giving these artists with small followings a big stage by opening up for Twiddle at various points in the first half of the 2010s. Former Twiddle manager Kevin Rondeau was instrumental in this, seeing the promise of bands like Mister F, Wild Adriatic, and Strange Machines, offering them opening slots or late night at festivals across the Northeast. There were countless bands you could see at Frendly Gathering or Tumbledown who you might be able to see at some point at a club, but this elevation to festival billing or direct support at a show was a game changer for those bands lucky enough to have the opportunity, particularly for those who knew how to use this boost to their long term advantage.
So as Twiddle entered this final stretch of shows, I found myself nostalgic, wondering how many Twiddle shows I had seen since The Big Up 2010 – I ballparked the number to be around 30 but it could be higher still – and what the legacy of the band will be following this final run at The Cap. I recalled attending the band’s first Capitol Theatre show, seeing the joy from Rondeau and keyboardist Ryan Dempsey when they learned the show was officially sold out, a mere three hours before doors. The fans were alive with energy the entire night, knowing they were witness to the start of the band’s next step.
That energy was still seen outside the Capitol Theatre for Frendsgiving, with Twiddle fans lined up for early entry, aiming to ride the rail one final time, or displaying pin boards and their wares for advance arrivals who sought out the abundance of Hispanic food found throughout Port Chester (don’t sleep on El Rinconcito Salvadoreno, right behind the Capitol Theatre). Fans likewise lined up all through the venue to pick up the final run of merchandise, including three incredible prints from Vinny Naro, and even had a wide selection of prints and merch from the Twiddle archives for sale in Garcia’s.
And then there was the music.
The Kitchen Dwellers provided a great opening set, and sit-ins, on Friday, November 24 and Saturday, November 25, a connection going back over a decade that has seen Kitchen Dwellers making it to the east coast usually twice a year and finding a healthy audience wherever they play.
Friday night of Twiddle began with instrumental “Stroganoff” and “Syncopated Healing,” the latter echoing the phrase/advice “Heal your life,” something not lost on the faithful in attendance and streaming at home on Fans.Live, following with a big jam out of “Daydream Farmer” and inviting up Torrin from Kitchen Dwellers for “Cabbage Face.”
Set two’s “Brick of Barley” welcomed a familiar face in Scott Hannay, AKA ‘stage daddy’. Hannay’s musical journey has included stints with Capital Zen and later with Mister F, as well as his own 8-bit musical creations, and currently serves as keyboardist for Mihali’s band, which has a rosy future paved out for it. “Brick of Barley” also gave drummer Adrian Tramontano a worthy drums segment that made this one of the jams of the weekend. “River Drift” had Mihali coming out to the front of the stage, pouring emotion out of his DGN guitar as he fell to his knees during the peak, fans raising their hands up with requited love. A tease of “Hedwig’s Theme” from Harry Potter was found in “Amydst the Myst,” and sunflowers found space on the walls of The Cap during “Hattis Jam” > “When it Rains it Poors,” the latter an anthem for Twiddle if there ever was one.
The encore on Friday would have Twiddle bring up Kitchen Dwellers quickly, none leaving the stage, as they tuned up all nine musicians for “Glycerine Medley,” which had bits of “No Woman No Cry,” “Wagon Wheel” and “Farmhouse,” framing the first night perfectly with post-show music “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.”
Saturday night’s sets would feature songs that encapsulated Twiddle’s storytelling chops, including fan favorites in the first set, “Nicodemus Portulay,” “Fantastic Tale of Ricky Snickle,” “Mamunes the Faun,” “Beethoven & Greene.” Set two saw a cover of ALO’s “BBQ” inside of “White Light” (which gave its name to the band’s official charity) and the Beatles “Rocky Raccoon” with Torrin and Swain from Kitchen Dwellers joining in. Torrin would stick around for “Subconscious Prelude” and the entire band joining Twiddle for a raucous cover of “Burning Down the House” in the encore slot. Ryan Dempsey took the opportunity to crowd surf, with success, during the encore as Hannay took over on key, the stage lit up with smiles and excitement from the bands in this, their final live collaboration.
photo by Phil Hernandez
Sunday night featured three sets, each one piling on the classic Twiddle songs fans clamored to hear, as well as some rarities in the mix. The first set featured two of those bust-outs, “Bronze Fingers” and “Five,” with a set ending “Earth Mama.” Over the next two sets, the biggest jam vehicles took the crowd for a spin one last time – “Latin Tang” had a jam on Vulfpeck’s “Dean Town,” with Mihali ascending to the Stage Left box seats for an incredible solo; “Apples” made way for “Doinkenbonk,” one of the silliest song titles in the Twiddle catalog, but with a groove and jam that make up for it, and Primus’ “Too Many Puppies” sung perfectly by Zdenek Gubb, slapping the bass with precision to close the middle set.
Set 3 began with “Orlando’s,” a song that has given birth to a music venue of the same name in Burlington. “Jamflowman,” a song that became one of the most identifiable Twiddle songs, thanks to the line “Jamflowman don’t give a damn” found “Frankenfoote” to follow, Frankies projected all across the walls of the Capitol Theatre. “Gatsby the Great” was yet another song that lent itself to becoming Twiddle parlance and art (“Luva Duck“) and closed with an always mesmerizing “The Box.”
Before returning for an encore, Capitol Theatre owner and promoter Peter Shapiro came out to thank the fans, give Twiddle due credit for their longevity, and surprised the band with medals for each of them. After hugs and smiles, the band returned to a song played on Friday night, “When It Rains It Poors,” Mihali calling an audible and returning to their most streamed song, and with appropriate lyrics as they hit pause after 20 years:
Now listen to the words I’m Saying in this line that your life will be just fine and Troubles do not stay they Get replaced with good times Now you got a great life Smile as you walk by Thinking about the Day
Fare thee well Twiddle, we’ll meet again someday.
Twiddle “Frendsgiving”- Capitol Theatre, Port Chester – Friday, November 24, 2023
Set 1: Stroganoff, Syncopated Healing, Daydream Farmer, Cabbage Face (1), The Mission, Brown Chicken Brown Cow# Set 2: Collective Pulse, Brick of Barley (2), The Devil, River Drift, Amydst The Myst$, Mushrooms of the Sea> Dr Remidis Melodium, Hattis Jam > When It Rains It Poors Encore: Glycerine Medley (3) (1) – w/ Torrin Daniels (Kitchen Dwellers) (2) – w/ Scott Hannay (3) – w/ Kitchen Dwellers (no stage break before encore) $ – contained Hedwigs Theme
Twiddle “Frendsgiving”- Capitol Theatre, Port Chester – Saturday, November 25, 2023
Set 1: Nicodemus Portulay> Indigo Trigger, Fantastic Tale of Ricky Snickle, Every Soul> Mamunes the Faun> Every Soul, Beethoven & Greene Set 2: White Light> BBQ [1] > White Light, Rocky Raccoon [2], Subconscious Prelude [3], Polluted Beauty [4], Lost in the Cold [4], Slippin in the Kitchen Encore: Burning Down The House [5] [1] – ALO [2] – The Beatles w/Torrin & Swain [3] – w/Torrin Daniels [4] – Mike on Saxophone [5] – Talking Heads superjam w/Torrin, Swain, Joe Funk, Scott Hannay & Mike on Sax
Twiddle “Frendsgiving”- Capitol Theatre, Port Chester – Sunday, November 26, 2023
Set 1: Be There, Moments, Bronze Fingers, Fighting For, Hattibagen McRat, Five, Earth Mama Set 2: Frends Theme, Latin Tang#, Apples > Doinkenbonk > Too Many Puppies* Set 3: Orlando’s, Jamflowman> Frankenfoote > Gatsby the Great, The Box Encore: When It Rains It Pours > Over the Rainbow > When It Rains It Pours > Every Last Leaf II
# with Scott Hannay * “I Will Always Love You” tease
Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros featuring The Wolfpack have announced a five-night residency at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester this December. The group is currently on a fall tour alongside Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival, and made their joint performance debut at Indiana’s Farm Aid festival.
Led by Bobby Weir, the group includes Don Was, Jay Lane, Jeff Chimenti and Barry Sless. The group has released two live albums Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros: Live in Colorado and Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros: Live in Colorado Vol. 2, to critical praise. This tour is not the group’s first residency at The Capitol Theatre, with a four-night run last winter.
Bobby Weir, a founding member of the legendary Grateful Dead, is one of rock music’s most celebrated and distinctive guitarists. The Grateful Dead is still one of the highest grossing performers in the United States, and holds a world record 2,318 total concerts. Bobby Weir has received the Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, a Goodwill Ambassadorship for the UN Development Program, as well as many other achievements.
Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros featuring The Wolfpack will perform at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY on December 12, 13, 15, 16, and 17. Artist presale begins Thursday, September 28 at 10AM ET, with local presale beginning the same day at 12PM ET. Register for presale here.
General onsale begins Friday, September 29 at 10AM ET. More information and tickets are available here.
The Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros Enhanced Experience includes early venue entrance and merchandise shopping, access to watch a portion of soundcheck, a complimentary cocktail and exclusive merchandise! Packages from 100X Hospitality will go on sale September 28 at 10AM ET.
TOUR DATES
September 26—Mershon Auditorium—Columbus, OH
September 27—The Met Philadelphia—Philadelphia, PA
September 28—Pier Six Pavilion—Baltimore, MD
October 29—Frost Amphitheatre—Stanford, CA
December 12, 13, 15, 16 + 17—The Capitol Theatre—Port Chester, NY
December 29-31—Broward Center for the Performing Arts—Fort Lauderdale, FL
January 12-15, 2024—Playa Luna Presents Dead Ahead —Riviera Cancun, MX
On the heels of a performance on the Rooftop at Pier 17, Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann will bring a mob of musicians, Billy and the Kids to the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester this October.
photo by Filip Zalewski
The pair of shows will take place on October 20 and 21, the only dates on the calendar for this talented group of musicians.
The announcement arrived in a late-Thursday tweet from Billy and the Kids’ official account:
So… we went pier to pier. Up next, we’re thinking of maybe pulling into a port and kicking up our feet for two nights…. But what port?
Then on Friday, the announcement was official as Bill Kreutzmann said “I had so much fun going ‘Pier to Pier’ with the Kids last month, but now it’s time to pull into port – Port Chester, NY, that is – and drop anchor for two nights at Peter Shapiro’s Deadhead Palace.”
Kreutzmann added “So I’m inviting all of you to my East Coast ‘Daze of the Dead’ parties. Please dress in costume (if the spirit moves). Billy and The Kids will be joined for both of these shows by some very special guests – I’ll keep you guessing for now, but I’m just over the moon about them.”
Later that afternoon, it was revealed that the Capitol Theatre run will include frequent lineup contributors Tom Hamilton, Aron Magner, Reed Mathis, and unnamed guests, although as Jambands.com points out, most recently on the road, Kreutzmann invited Kanika Moore and Daniel Donato to join as special guests.
Kreutzmann ended his message with a hint at future shows out west, saying “When we dance, we are all together, we are all one, and we are all very much alive. This ‘Daze of the Dead’ trick is for New York but don’t you worry California – stay tuned for a special treat.”
Presale for Billy & The Kids at the Capitol Theatre is now underway.
The Indigo Girls will perform at the “Raising the Bar Benefit Concert” at Capitol Theatre on Nov. 3. The Pace Women’s Justice Center (PWJC) hosts the event each October as it commemorates Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Amy Ray and Emily Saliers
Consisting of Emily Sailers and Amy Ray, the Indigo Girls are one of the most iconic acts in folk music. The pair has released 16 studio albums and sold over 15 million records. In 1990 the duo earned a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album with their self-titled project Indigo Girls. The opening track on the album, “Closer to Fine” has gone on to solidify itself as one of the most popular songs in folk music.
Along with their successful music career, the Indigo Girls are widely recognized for their social and political activism. Champions of LGBTQ+ rights and protecting the environment, the group has incorporated their advocacy into both their music and shows.
We are thrilled and honored to have the Indigo Girls perform for our benefit concert to raise awareness about domestic violence.
Cindy Kanusher, Executive Director for PWJC.
The Pace Women’s Justice Center is a non-profit legal center located at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law. The organization provides free legal services to over 3,500 victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and elder abuse. PWJC also hosts and participates in hundreds of training and outreach events.
Capitol Theatre
Each October, the nonprofit honors an individual who has dedicated themselves to supporting the PWJC mission and its clients with the Making a Difference Award. This year PWJC selected Daniel Seymour, President of Cannae Advisors LLC.
The Raising the Bar Benefit Concert is a nod to PWJC’s mission to increase access to justice and to provide free legal services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. The funds raised will allow PWJC to continue helping their clients on their journeys toward empowerment and healing.Click here for information on individual tickets and sponsorships.
The Capitol Theatre has spent 2023 providing audiences with top entertainment by impressive musical and comedic talent from all over, and there is no end in sight as the venue has over twenty more performances planned before the year ends. The Port Chester stage will be welcoming everyone from ZZ Top to Kevin James with all performances beginning at 8:00 PM and doors opening at 6:30 PM.
Peter Frampton – Never Say Never Tour – July 23 & July 25
Being one of the most celebrated artists and guitarists in rock history, Grammy-winner Peter Frampton will be performing at the theatre this July. His success has lasted decades as at the early age of 16, he was lead singer and guitarist for British band the Herd and by 18 he co-founded one of the first super groups, seminal rock act Humble Pie. His collaborations range from such legendary artists as George Harrison, Harry Nilsson, David Bowie, Dion, and many others.
Nickel Creek – July 26
Nickel Creek is the platinum-selling, internationally renowned roots trio consisting of mandolinist Chris Thile, violinist Sara Watkins, and guitarist Sean Watkins. The Grammy-winning band has revolutionized folk and roots music since first performing together as children in 1989.
Jason Isbell is largely known not only for his solo career but also for his work with the country band, The 400 Unit. The group will be performing together once again celebrating their newest album Weathervanes which dropped on June 9.
Diana Krall – August 5
Also making an appearance at Capitol Theatre is Grammy and Juno award-winning jazz singer, Diana Krall. Krall is the only jazz singer to have eight albums debut at the top of the Billboard Jazz Albums chart and has also earned nine gold, three platinum, and seven multi-platinum albums.
Ilana Glazer Live! – August 17
The Long Island native, llana Glazer, is a creator and comedian who co-created and co-starred in the critically acclaimed series BROAD CITY and is going on the road with her live show all summer long!
Parliament Funkadelic featuring George Clinton – August 18
The American music collective, Parliament Funkadelic will be taking the Port Chester stage in August with leader George Clinton by their side. Being active since the 1960s, the group consists of a collective of rotating musicians bringing funk to everyone they meet.
Shakti: 50th Anniversary Tour featuring Zakir Hussain & John McLaughlin – August 19
Following word of the Summer 2023 release of This Moment – their first new studio album in 46 years – world music ensemble Shakti will continue to discover and explore the musical common ground bridging East and West on an extensive U.S. tour, beginning August 17.
Tusk: Fleetwood Mac Tribute with Tom Petty Project – August 24
Tusk has been performing across the country since 2008 as The Ultimate Fleetwood Mac Tribute. The band consists of more than five skilled professionals turned masters through decades of individual musical study, live performance, creative risk, and devotion to the art which make them a must-see this August.
Straight out of a pair of shows at Mulcahey’s on Long Island, the Disco Biscuits have their sights set on Fall Tour, with shows in Texas and the Midwest culminating with a five-show run in the Northeast. Over October 27+28, they’ll be celebrating Halloween weekend at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester.
Joining Disco Biscuits this fall will be TAUK Moore (featuring Kanika Moore of Doom Flamingo) and SunSquabi on select dates.
Tickets are available via an Artist Pre-Sale on Wednesday, June 21 at 10am Local time, Venue Pre-Sale(s) on Thursday, June 22 at 10am Local time, and a general On-Sale on Friday, June 23 at 10am Local time.
VIP Packages are available, and will include early entry to each venue + early access to merch, pre-show soundcheck, a group photo with the band, limited edition show poster, and a commemorative laminate & lanyard.
Disco Biscuits Summer and Fall Tour Dates July 6 – Rexford, MT – Abayance Bay July 7 – Livingston, MT – Pine Creek Lodge July 8 – Livingston, MT – Pine Creek Lodge July 9 – Livingston, MT – Pine Creek Lodge July 11 – Boise, ID – Revolution Concert House July 12 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory July 13 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox July 14 – Bend, OR – Midtown Ballroom July 15 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater July 18 – Blue Lake, CA – Blue Lake Casino July 19 – Stateline, NV – Harrah’s South Lake Tahoe July 20 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore July 21 – Los Angeles, CA – The Roxy Theatre July 22 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up Tavern [SOLD OUT] August 10 – East Hampton, NY – The Clubhouse August 10-12 – East Durham, NY – Catskill Mountain Jubilee August 13 – Dewey Beach, DE – Bottle and Cork September 15 – Austin, TX – Far Out Lounge and Stage * w/ TAUK Moore (TAUK ft. Kanika Moore) September 16 – Austin, TX – Far Out Lounge and Stage ^w/ Sunsquabi September 20 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue September 21 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre ^w/ Sunsquabi September 22 – Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theater September 23 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue Theatre September 24 – St. Louis, MO – Delmar Hall October 24 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground October 25 – Hartford, CT – Infinity Hall October 26 – Portland, ME – State Theatre October 27 – Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre October 28 – Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre
American Soul band St. Paul & The Broken Bones have announced their newest tour. The run of dates finds the southern octet playing SummerStage in Central Park, Port Chester’s Capitol Theatre, Saratoga Performing Arts Center and more.
The upcoming performances celebrate St. Paul & The Broken Bones’ acclaimed album Angels In Science Fiction, out now on ATO Records. Produced by Matt Ross-Spang (Jason Isbell, John Prine, Elvis Presley) and recorded at Sam Phillips Recording Studio in Memphis, Angels In Science Fiction was written in the span of a few weeks after bandleader Paul Janeway learned that his wife was pregnant with their daughter, Marigold. Following the examples set by greats like Aristotle, William James and John Steinbeck, Janeway penned the album as a series of letters to his then-unborn daughter.
Founded in Birmingham, Alabama in 2011, St. Paul & The Broken Bones consists of Paul Janeway (vocals), Jesse Phillips (bass), Browan Lollar (guitar), Kevin Leon (drums), Al Gamble (keyboards), Allen Branstetter (trumpet), Chad Fisher (trombone) and Amari Ansari (saxophone). The eight-piece ensemble burst into the world with their 2014 debutHalf the City, establishing a sound that quickly became a calling card and landing the band a slew of major festivals including Lollapalooza, Coachella and Glastonbury. Critical praise from The New York Times, Rolling Stone, SPIN and NPR followed, leading to shared stages with some of the world’s biggest artists—Elton John and The Rolling Stones among them—and launching an impressive run of headlining tours behind what Esquire touted as a “potent live show that knocks audiences on their ass.”
The group has continued to expand their sound with every record, branching out well beyond old-school soul into sleek summertime funk and classic disco on albums like 2018’s Young Sick Camellia. Their latest LP, Angels In Science Fiction, stretches their limbs further afield, building on the shadowy psychedelia and intricate, experimental R&B of 2022’s The Alien Coast. The new record finds Janeway at his very best. With Angels In Science Fiction, St. Paul & The Broken Bones have crafted their most moving, comprehensive work—spanning their entire sonic and emotional scope.
TOUR DATES
May 20-21—Knoxville, TN—Southern Skies Festival May 21—Greenville, SC—Peace Center Concert Hall May 23—Augusta, GA—Miller Theatre May 25—Wilmington, NC—Greenfield Lake Amphitheater May 25-28—Cumberland, MD—DelFest May 25-28—Martinsville, VA—Rooster Walk 13 June 10—New York, NY—SummerStage in Central Park June 17-18—Los Angeles, CA—Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival June 18—Napa, CA—Blue Note Summer Sessions June 23—Greenfield, MA—Green River Festival June 25—Saratoga Springs, NY—Saratoga Performing Arts Center July 8—Saskatoon, Canada—Sasktek Saskatchewan Jazz Festival July 9—Calgary, AB—Calgary Stampede July 23—Stuttgart, Germany—Jazz Open Stuttgart August 11—Telluride, CO—Telluride Jazz Festival 2023 August 17—Minneapolis, MN— Bauhaus Brew Labs August 25—Tisbury, MA—Beach Road Weekend September 23—Louisville, KY—Old Forester’s Paristown Hall September 24—Bloomington, IL—Castle Theatre September 26—Indianapolis, IN—Murat Theater September 27—Kalamazoo, MI—State Theater September 29—Chicago, IL—Riviera Theater September 30—Milwaukee, WI—Pabst Theater October 1—Detroit, MI—Royal Oak Music Theatre October 3—Toronto, ON—Queen Elizabeth Theatre October 5—Boston, MA—Emerson Colonial Theatre October 6—Montclair, NJ—Wellmont Theater October 7—Port Chester, NY—Capitol Theatre October 9—Huntington, NY—The Paramount October 10—Washington, D.C.—Warner Theatre October 11—Durham, NC—Carolina Theatre October 13—Charlotte, NC—Knight Theater October 14—Charleston, SC—Charleston Music Hall October 29—Pelham, TN—The Caverns October 30—Memphis, TN—Minglewood Hall October 31—Wichita, KS—Wave November 2—Dallas, TX—Majestic Theatre November 3—Austin, TX—Paramount Theatre November 4—Austin, TX—Paramount Theatre November 6—Tuscon, AZ—Fox Theatre November 8—San Diego, CA—The Magnolia November 10—San Luis Obispo, CA—Fremont Theater November 13—Portland, OR—Crystal Ballroom November 14—Vancouver, BC—Vogue Theatre November 15—Seattle, WA—Moore Theatre November 17—Salt Lake City, UT—Capitol Theater November 18—Denver, CO—Ellie Caulkens Opera House November 19—Aspen, CO—Belly Up Aspen November 20—Cheyenne, WY—Cheyenne Civic Center
Kicking off the spring with a tour in support of their twelfth studio album (Cruel Country, dBpm Records) released in May 2022, recorded live at their studio known as The Loft, Wilco played three consecutive sold-out performances this past weekend at The Capitol Theatre located in the center of downtown Port Chester. As one of 1,800 lucky participants to attend the Chicagoans residency finale on Saturday night (April Fool’s Day) and witness their multi-genre talents, all were treated to an eclectic blend of experimental rock, indie art rock and alternative country.
Dubbed the “American Radiohead” due to their stylistically diverse catalog, Wilco’s career-spanning trio of shows at the iconic concert hall constructed nearly a century ago boasted no repeat songs. Their setlists from Thursday, Friday and Saturday night included a whopping total of sixty-nine different offerings, making for the perfect recipe of deep cuts and crowd favorites that were presented to their adoring fans.
Promptly at 7:30 pm, fellow Chicago natives Horsegirl unassumingly strolled onto the stage. Formed a little more than three years ago when they bonded over their shared love for acts like Sonic Youth, Stereolab and Pavement, the punk-infused trio of indie-rockers comprised of Nora Cheng (guitar, vocals), Penelope Lowenstein (guitar, vocals) and Gigi Reece (drums) have been providing support each night of Wilco’s residency at The Cap, including Wilco’s three night residency a couple of weeks back at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago.
Speaking of Pavement, I first witnessed the immense talent of these young women back in October 2022 when they also opened for said band at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn. Although it was merely six months ago, their growth as a live act has blossomed since then, and they are surely on the right path to a bright future in the music business.
With a palpable, undeniable chemistry, Horsegirl performed a 28-minute set filled with guitar feedback and hypnotic melodies during a collection of songs taken from their debut album (Versions of Modern Performance, Matador Records) released in June 2022, including Homage to “Birdnoculars,” “World of Pots and Pans,” “Option 8” and “Anti-glory.”
As I stood in the photo pit talking with fans along the steel barricade, all of whom were waiting with eager anticipation for the roadies to finish preparing the stage and Wilco’s instruments, I reminisced about the very first time I witnessed the greatness of Wilco. It was here at The Cap, way back on October 30, 2014, when Wilco were celebrating their 20 year anniversary as a rock ‘n’ roll outfit. The night I was in attendance, like tonight, was also the third consecutive sold-out evening of a residency stint that has hosted legendary artists the likes of Janis Joplin, Traffic, Pink Floyd and the Grateful Dead.
At 8:30 pm sharp, when the house lights suddenly went dark, I raised my trusted Nikon “Kamera” to my eye as the sextet of frontman and guitarist Jeff Tweedy, guitarist Nels Cline, bassist John Stirratt, drummer Glenn Kotche, multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone and keyboardist Mikael Jorgensen took the stage to thunderous applause. Tonight’s two-hour, 23-song set that would bridge nine studio albums altogether – only offerings from 1995’s debut album (A.M.), 2015’s Star Wars and 2016’s Schmilco would be absent – commenced with two tunes from their fifth studio album (A Ghost Is Born, 2004), including “At Least That’s What You Said,” followed by “Spiders (Kidsmoke).”
As I remained in the photo pit for the third song of the night (“The Universe”), taken from the newest addition to their discography Cruel Country, I reminded myself to unglue my eyes from the band in front of me and occasionally glance at the thousands of fan faces behind me. The expressions I witnessed included sheer joy and complete awe, and even one guy headbanging incessantly as he clutched the rail in front of him with both hands. Then, with the song nearing its end, Cline’s guitar tech quickly emerged from the dark shadows at stage right and began working on what appeared to be the pedal board.
While the technical snafu lasted for several minutes until it was successfully resolved by either a repair or a complete change-out of the rig, it resulted in an impromptu setlist change as “Jesus, Etc.” (Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, 2001) moved up to the fourth song slot – it was originally slated to be the last song before the encore. Tweedy, taking advantage of the rare down time, also executed a “Tight Five Comedy Set” where he explained the rules behind winning the “Best Behaved” trophy awarded to only one lucky audience member each night. He also enlightened us that even Horsegirl claimed the top prize back at one of Wilco’s recent Chicago gigs.
The bulk of the main set, which included one musical treasure after another, had Wilco fans dancing with each other, as well as in the aisles. Whereas queues of fans had inundated the venue’s bars and merch tables earlier in the night, they were non-existent now that Wilco was playing. With too many incredible tracks to dive into for this concert review, a few highlights (to name but a few) included the title track from 2011’s The Whole Love, two more songs from Cruel Country (“Mystery Binds” and “Tired of Taking It Out on You”), “Impossible Germany” from 2007’s Sky Blue Sky (there were six total tracks performed tonight from this formative LP) and “Laminated Cat,” a cover song dating back to 2003 by the indie rock supergroup of Tweedy and Kotche, along with multi-instrumentalist Jim O’Rourke of Sonic Youth.
After nearly 100 minutes on a non-stop musical journey, Tweedy and his bandmates, in prime form all night long, collected their breath backstage. After a short recess, our heroes reappeared onstage with Tweedy exclaiming, “I hope you all had as much fun as we have,” before launching into “The Late Greats” (A Ghost Is Born). The gifts kept on coming in the four song encore with “Heavy Metal Drummer” (Yankee Hotel Foxtrot), “A Shot in the Arm” (from 1999’s third studio album Summerteeth) and the final number, “On and On and On” (Sky Blue Sky).
From the box office to the security personnel to the bartenders to the ushers and of course, to the fans, it’s always a memorable time at The Cap, and Saturday night’s closing show was certainly no exception. One of America’s most critically acclaimed acts, Wilco’s rich history of music for nearly the past three decades has made them a beloved band on a generational scale. My NYS Music colleague Chris McShane, a diehard fan since 2007 who attended all three residency shows at The Cap and has seen them perform live more than forty times, proclaimed “What’s amazing is that Wilco is still getting better and better over time, and their three-night run at The Cap had all of their incredible skills on full display. If and when they return to the venue, you’ll want to grab a ticket, whether you’ve never seen them before or are a seasoned veteran of a Wilco show.”
Next up for Wilco is a trip to Reykjavik, Iceland for another three night, sold-out residency on April 6-8. The spring tour continues back in the United States with a stopover at the High Water Festival in North Charleston, South Carolina (April 16), followed by eleven more dates culminating in Athens, Ohio on April 30. Additionally, Tweedy will be performing solo at the Vic Theatre in Chicago, Illinois for a pair of dates on May 19 and 20.
Wilco are also set to release an alternate version to their seminal album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot for Record Store Day on April 22, dubbed Crosseyed Strangers: An Alternate Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Only 4,500 copies of the vinyl will be available to purchase through participating record stores, so you’ll have to act fast!
Wilco Setlist: At Least That’s What You Said > Spiders (Kidsmoke) > The Universe > Jesus, Etc. > You Are My Face > Whole Love > Mystery Binds > I’ll Fight > Side With the Seeds > One and a Half Stars > Tired of Taking It Out on You > Everyone Hides > Impossible Germany > Sunken Treasure > Laminated Cat (Loose Fur cover) > Reservations > Either Way > Hate It Here > Dawned on Me > Encore: The Late Greats > Heavy Metal Drummer > A Shot in the Arm > On and On and On
Fresh off live scoring The Fifth Element at The Caverns in Tennessee, The Disco Biscuits marched north to Port Chester for three nights at The Capitol Theatre over March 23-25, quite possibly their strongest run at the ‘Original Rock Palace,’ dating back to 2016.
Few bands display the consistency the Disco Biscuits have displayed as of late, going back nearly a year to their last Capitol Theatre run, which has been followed by more than a dozen original song debuts that have quickly become part of the rotation.
From the crowd, the band looks like they’re having a blast on stage, rocking out to the music they’re creating, feeding off their own creation just as the fans are, creating a live camaraderie that is rarely seen. From the stage, one can see the band is getting down while watching the fans do the same, all while creating live electronic music to an unmatched degree of quality, making it look like just another day at the office.
Typically, Thursday of a three-night Cap run has been more of a ‘‘warm up night,’ as the band gets comfortable in the room. The shows have been great, but have been overshadowed by stellar Friday and Saturday shows. This was not the case this weekend, given the way the band has been playing, as there was no warm up needed and Thursday was on par if not stronger than the next two nights.
Starting the run with a jam that evolved into an almost 20-minute “Gangster,” a “Spacebirdmatingcall” sandwiched “Cyclone” that found Jon “Barber” Gutwillig hitting next level peaks as the industrial techno beat took over. As the set reached the second half, two rarely played songs, “Trooper McCue” and “Floes” appeared, a double dose of early Biscuits, with the more recent “Lake Shore Drive” fitting in nicely in between.
A rarely played “Park Ave” made its third appearance since 2011, and second this year, opening up the second set, then dipping into an inverted “Shelby Rose” which was last performed inverted style at the Capitol Theatre in 2019. The flowing set continued with an inverted “Reactor” which found Barber taking a section for “a couple of laps” as bassist Marc Brownstein put it. The set would close with ”Evolve,” a 2021 composition that gives off a late 90s Eurodance vibe, segueing into a 20-minute set closing “Caterpillar.” With a short encore slot leftover, “Portal To An Empty Head” put a exclamation point on a night that to some was the highlight of the run, but if anything, simply foreshadowed the greatness of the next two nights that followed.
The Disco Biscuits – Thursday, March 23 – The Capitol Theatre – Port Chester
Set 1: Jam > Gangster > Spacebirdmatingcall > Cyclone > Spacebirdmatingcall, Trooper McCue, Lake Shore Drive > Floes Set 2: Park Ave > Shelby Rose 1 > Reactor 1 > Evolve > Caterpillar Encore: Portal To An Empty Head 1 inverted
Friday night featured opener Dogs in a Pile, a New Jersey band that was making waves prior to the pandemic and who have not looked back in that time, touring across the country and building a ‘Dog Pound’ fanbase in the meantime. The full set is worth a listen, especially the final tune, “Time Stands Still,” with Ben Pinnola on saxophone.
When it comes to the Disco Biscuits, anything can be a jam vehicle, nearly everything is in play – new songs, old songs, fan favorites, rare covers – and that is what makes the band so enjoyable to see show after show, no matter if you last saw them a week ago or five years ago.
Cracking open the first set was “Shocked,” which stands to be the first song from the band’s forthcoming “Space Rock Opera,” and had fans shouting “Shocked” as if the tune was a longtime part of the repertoire. A stand alone “Digital Buddha” followed, with the pace accelerated by Barber and drummer Allen Aucoin to a furious froth, giving unparalleled energy as the song reached its peak.
Among all new debuted songs, a clear fan favorite is “Twisted in the Road,” which would proceed to sandwich three songs in between a “Twisted” 22 minute jawn, with lyrics “Let it run and let it roll” becoming a mantra for Biscuits fans in the process. “Bombs” made a return appearance at The Capitol Theatre (played in 2017 and 2019) after being brought off the shelf by fan request at a Drive-In show in May 2021. “Orch Theme,” the ever-welcome dark electronic Conspirator song arrived out of “Bombs,” bringing the rare “Rainbow Song” from the ashes of “Orch Theme,” before winding back into “Twisted in the Road” to close the set and reach the halfway point of the run.
Set 2 began with the fresh “Freeze” that ran for nearly 25 minutes and exemplified one of the best elements of the Disco Biscuits – you can easily forget what song you’re dancing to, and happily so. In the moment, it doesn’t matter what song it is when they’re jamming at this level of consistency, making song chasing secondary to enjoying these jams more than ever before. Anything is in play with improvisation opportunities found at all turns.
The middle section of “Crickets” gave way to “Another Plan of Attack” and “Space Train,” and then an inverted “Above The Waves” that clocked in at a raging 20 minutes. “One Chance To Save The World” closed the set with “King of the World” celebrating this powerful set in the encore slot.
The Disco Biscuits – Friday, March 24 – The Capitol Theatre – Port Chester
Set 1: Shocked, Digital Buddha, Twisted in the Road > Bombs > Orch Theme > Rainbow Song > Twisted in the Road Set 2: Freeze > Crickets 1 > Another Plan of Attack > Space Train > Above The Waves 2 > One Chance To Save The World Encore: King of the World 1 middle only 2 Inverted
Opening Saturday night was Eggy, who has been on the rise as of late and had recently opened for Twiddle at The Capitol Theatre in November 2022. This remarkable Connecticut band has excellent stage presence and precision jamming, with Jerry Garcia Band’s “Gomorrah” a fitting cover for the room.
The Biscuits’ first set opened up with stand alone versions of “Story of the World” and “Astronaut,” a departure from the sandwiching of other tunes inside segments of these compositions. A classic “Little Shimmy In A Conga Line” had a percussion segment that was unique and fit the jam well, and may have been exploring a shift into “O Fortuna” (a cantata by Carl Orff), from the Biscuits’ catalog of classical covers. Shortly after, “Shimmy” started to give off “Digital Buddha,” but having already played “Buddha” the night before, this meant the audio doppleganger for “Buddha” – “Tricycle” – was on the horizon.
The last two minutes of “Shimmy” made it seem as though the band would be dipping into one of their most high energy songs for a segue. Then out of left field came a short, sweet and nasty “Tempest” that provided a bridge to the full on “Tricycle,” which had the crowd singing along in unison like no other in recent memory, the four fully dialed in for this fusion of sound and bringing the audience along with them for the ride. The newer “Vibes” hit the spot out of “Tricycle” and found its way into the ending of “Svenghali” to close the set on a high mark.
The first set had so much energy and hit all the right spots, contending quickly for ‘Set of the Weekend.’ The general consensus at setbreak gave no notes, no criticisms and no hot takes other than ‘these guys are on fire.”
Sorry if that sounds like hyperbole, but the dedicated fan base is in agreement that the band is as dialed in and consistent as they’ve ever been. So when it came time for Set 2, the crowd was abuzz as the setlist was confirmed to be written by longtime Biscuits audio engineer Rich Steele, celebrating his 300th show this evening. The set unfolded as a dissection of one of the Biscuits’ earliest songs, “Basis For a Day” spread out over the 90 minute set with four of the newer ‘Space Opera’ songs woven in between, leading fans to coin the fluid set “Spaces for a Day.“
If you hadn’t heard “Basis For a Day” in a minute, you were in for a treat. The band opened up with “Basis,” segueing into “The Wormhole” before finding their way back to “Basis.” Despite only debuting nine months ago, “Who’s In Charge” has found its home in regular rotation and followed the second “Basis,” with a driving beat behind Barber’s repeated query “Who’s in charge….. of this place right here?” From there, it was back into “Basis” for round 3, followed by “The Deal,” a song so new it had only been played three times prior to this evening. Back into “Basis” and then “To Be Continued,” with a new wave/techno riff from Aron Magner, seeming to be a song towards the end of the Space Opera. By the time they went back into “Basis” for a final time, nearly 90 minutes had passed but fans didn’t notice as they were far too busy getting down.
You couldn’t find a stronger way to cap the run with a set of this nature, where knowledge of the band’s collective level of consistency in performance and songwriting was put high on a pedestal for all to see. Weaving the band’s unnamed/unreleased “Space Opera” in and out of one of their most performed songs was a master stroke and paid dividends for everyone in attendance. A fitting encore of “We Like To Party” framed the three night run, with the band and fans in unison proclaiming enthusiastically, loudly and proudly, “We like to dance, sorry if you don’t.”
Don’t sleep on the Disco Biscuits – they’re in Colorado this coming weekend for four shows, head down south for four more in May before heading to Iceland for their first international jaunt in well over a decade. Tour dates for the summer have just been announced, which find the band touring up the east coast in June for eight shows, starting in South Carolina on June 7 and closing out with two nights at Mulcahey’s in Wantagh. Here’s hoping for more details on the upcoming “Space Opera” as the year progresses.
The Disco Biscuits – Saturday, March 25 – The Capitol Theatre – Port Chester
Set 1: Story of the World, Astronaut, Little Shimmy In A Conga Line > Tempest > Tricycle > Vibes > Svenghali 1 Set 2: Basis For A Day > The Wormhole > Basis For A Day > Who’s in Charge > Basis For A Day > The Deal > Basis For A Day > To Be Continued > Basis For A Day Encore: We Like To Party 1 end only
