The third annual Secret Dreams Music and Arts Festival brought together many of the top acts in the EDM and jam scene, including Tipper, the Disco Biscuits, Daily Bread, Detox Unit, Papadosio, Lotus and many more.
Secret Dreams went down in Legend Valley in Thornville, OH from July 18-20 and while the acts on the three main stages drew most of the attention there were workshops and art installations to delight the crowd as they explored to expansive grounds.
Hailing from Ithaca, six-piece funk band NEO Project dazzles audiences with their energetic stage presence and hypnotic fusion music. Their unique, high-energy sound and performances have blown crowds away for the better part of a decade. With an interesting mix of genres and insatiable chemistry, NEO Project is sure to put on an unforgettable performance.
Since 2012, the band has been on a mission to make crowds dance with their stellar improvisation and musicianship. NEO Project is made up of Elly Holiday and Jimbo Scott as lead vocalists, John White on keyboards and backup vocals, Dwight Carroll on electric guitar and vocals, Franklin Henry on electric bass, and Mike McCoy on drums. As well-decorated veterans of the music industry, including past careers as music professors, soul practitioners, and even a former Motown sideman, they each hold a deep love and passion for funk, soul, jazz, and R&B music.
In their many years of touring and making music, NEO Project has worn many hats when it comes to performing. Originally, they began as a funk band, but soon after realized their true potential in becoming an all-out dance band that blends a multitude of genres. Bringing in inspiration from Afro-Caribbean music, as well as soul, jazz, and R&B, NEO Project combines the genres that were truly inspirational to them, with their own improvisational twist.
Eventually, through years of fine-tuning their sound, NEO Project became exemplary of the great diversity within the music industry, proving that genres can absolutely coexist and share the spotlight at the same time. Along with their own original music, NEO Project reinterprets some of the best soul, jazz, and funk music out there with their own unique twist, covering a wide range of artists from Deee-Lite to James Brown. Their unique sound has brought thousands from all over the state to bars, concert halls, and festivals to enjoy some new-age fusion in classic old-fashioned styles.
Throughout the last ten years, the NEO Project family has performed all over New York, bringing the energy to music festivals and concert series alike. On July 11, the band headlined a performance at the Ithaca Summer Concert Series; their most recent surmounting success right from their hometown. Their most recent gig at the Finger Lakes Cider House brought the house down with their incredibly dynamic and original performance.
NEO Project’s funky, charming tunes have brought them widespread critical acclaim, from magazines to newspapers and more. “There’s a new band based in Ithaca, NY that will have you tapping your toes and shakin’ your groove thing to its unique, fun style of Neo Soul, Funk, Jazz, Rock, and Afro-Caribbean world grooves,” says Roger Theies of What’s Hot? magazine. Harry Segal of The Dock calls them “the tightest funk fusion band in the land!”
After a rousing ten-year anniversary, NEO Project’s reign is far from over. Catch NEO Project at The Range, 119 E State St, Ithaca, for a surefire performance that will never make you want to throw away your dancing shoes. The end of a busy season awaits the band as August begins, with headlining performances at the Geneva Lakefront Summer Concert Series on Wednesday, August 14. On September 2, NEO Project will perform for a private member’s exclusive event at the Ithaca Yacht Club, followed by a headlining performance at the Corning Harvest Fest on Saturday, September 21.
For any information on the band, be sure to visit their official Facebook page, linked here.
Bloomington, Indiana’s own Dizgo put out their third official studio LP, Melt on February 2nd. This follows the studio release of 2019’s Deeper, and their 2021 release of The Quarantine Compilation, an official live album.
Since its release, the on-the-rise electro-jam-funk band has been extensively touring in support of the new album, playing 40+ shows so far this year alone across the entire US. Dizgo has also made a name for themselves on the festival circuit, with appearances at major festivals like Peach, Summer Camp and Resonance. They’ve also supported acts such as Goose and Parliament-Funkadelic.
The quartet is made up of Andrew Pickel on guitar and vocals; Kevin Hinnefeld on bass, keys and vocals; Justin Clark on drums; and Jake Evatt on keys and vocals.
One of the band’s strong suits and allures is their live improvisation; their ability to spontaneously communicate with each other in the moment is up there with the greats of the genre. With a melting pot of musical styles at their disposal, you never know what direction they’ll take their songs. Dizgo is effortlessly able to weave between musical styles at the drop of a hat. According to their biography, “Dizgo redefines the live experience by blending jamtronica with funk, deep-groove soul, and psychedelic rock, taking the audience on a musical journey that includes intricate compositions and extended improvisation. The result is something both danceable and introspective: soulful vocals, interweaving analog synths and shredding guitar all of which join forces under the banner of Dizgo.”
Melt does a great job at capturing elements of everyone’s favorite jamband and turning that unique blending of genres into a style and sound completely of their own. These influence’s shine throughout the record. When speaking on the album, the band shares, “When everything goes right, we all ‘melt’ into one collective unit, experiencing time & space together. The special moment where music connects and creates community – melting together a bond between the music, musician, and listener.”
Melt begins with the extremely funky “It’s Alright” right out of the gate. A catchy melody, synthesizer funk, grooving bass and the positive message that “it’s gonna be alright” lead into a tremendous guitar solo that brings the song to its peak.
Melt continues with this trend of up-beat danceable synthesizer funk. “Rainbow Lightning” keeps the energy high, and contains an extremely tight composed middle section. Dizgo composed harmonies in regard to the vocals and instrumentation are well executed and with intention. Even their prog influenced tracks, such as “Liquefaction” keep things spontaneous and danceable, despite its heavy nature at times.
Throughout the multiple genre-bending piece, the band is able to immediately bring us into a world of heavy metal and then at the snap of a finger transition into a buttery funk groove. Eventually this leads into a tranquil bliss that grows into a blistering guitar solo to end the tune. Their songwriting also has pop influences, notably on their tracks “Honey” and “Help Is On the Way”. Both of these songs were released as official singles. The album ends with one final bang, “Whiteout” a slow-building spacey introduction leads us into an ear-worm hook that you don’t want to end.
Dizgo’s studio LP Melt is currently available on all streaming services here.
Tickets and Information about Dizgo’s Tour can be found at dizgoband.com/tour and listen to Dizgo’s Live Shows at dizgomusic.bandcamp.com.
moe. has been performing in Buffalo for over 30 years and the fans are always ready for the group to come back to the band’s birthplace. So on a breezy summer evening, moe. put on a nostalgic homecoming show at Buffalo’s new Outer Harbor venue, Terminal B. It is offically summer now that moe. has paid Buffalo a visit.
Terminal B, an intimate yet festival-like venue, welcomed Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country to start the night, opening with “Broadside Ballad” and “Hangman’s Reel,” which brought the crowd of all ages into rhythmic heartbeats satisfying their musical expectations. An improvisational approach to country carried the whole crowd to groove into finale tune, “Two Hills.” If you missed Daniel Donato and Cosmic Country, they have just been announced for Borderland Music Festival in September.
moe. launched their set with “Spaz Medicine” and followed by moe.’s homecoming song, “Skitchin’ Buffalo,” paying homage to local bass legend Rob Derhak’s memories of Buffalo, including references to lost venues like Broadway Joe’s. Fans were delighted to have heard “Not Coming Down,” “Wormwood” and live favorite “Kids.”
As the sun went down over Terminal B at Outer Harbor, moe. played covers like “Fearless” by Pink Floyd and “In Stride” by Nate Wilson Group, transitioning into “Deep This Time” which included impressive solos and twisted interplay. The fans went ablaze for “Bear Song,” with moe. bringing out Daniel Donato to help finish the show in perfect summer fashion with Jerry Garcia’s “Deal,” leaving the crowd eager for more from moe..
Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country Setlist: Broadside Ballad, Hangman’s Reel, Translation, Got my Mojo Workin’, Gotta Get Southbound, Two Hills.
moe. Setlist: Spaz Medicine, Skitchin’ Buffalo, Not Coming Down, Wormwood, Fearless(Pink Floyd cover), Deep This Time, In Stride (Nate Wilson Group cover), ZOZ (Zed Nought Z), Kids, Time Ed, Kids, Bearsong, ZOZ (Zed Nought Z)
Encore: Deal (Jerry Garcia cover) with Daniel Donato
Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country
moe.
Legendary Vermont jam band Phish released their new album, Evolve, on July 12. This new album – the band’s 16th studio release – is the centerpiece of a busy year for Phish. It comes following a boundary-breaking four-night run at Las Vegas’ Sphere, a tour across the US, their first music festival since 2015, and appearances on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. The ambitious new album finds Phish bringing audiences tons of new material to experience.
In 2020, Phish announced a performance hiatus prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Following this announcement, fans waited four years for a studio follow up to 2020’s Sigma Oasis. That follow-up arrived on July 12, 2024, with Phish’s 16th studio album Evolve. The band, alongside producers Vance Powell and Bryce Goggin recorded the album throughout 2023 in their Vermont studio “the Barn.”
Evolve is truly a testament to Phish’s staying power, showing that even 30 years into their career, the group still retains a mastery of genre-experimentation and fun jams. The album mostly consists of softer-rock tracks that still contain enough instrumental flourishes and lyrical complexities to keep listeners invested. Whether it is the lush strings of “Mercy” or the vocal harmonies of “Ether Edge” these tracks illustrate a musical prowess and maturity like few other bands.
Although much of the album is more subdued, Phish still knows how to turn up the volume. “Wave of Hope” kicks off with an overdriven guitar riff that sounds straight from Deep Purple before evolving into a rock jam. With energetic guitar solos and a bluesy piano part, the song takes staples of classic rock and imbues them with Phish’s loose playfulness. “Life Saving Gun” really illustrated Phish’s genre-bending prowess. It begins as a funk-rock number, but as the song progresses it morphs into a psychedelic passage, featuring affected guitars and space-age sound effects, with spacey instrumentation before returning to its groovy base.
One highlight of the album is the title track “Evolve.” The song builds off catchy instrumental lines with jangly funk-inspired guitars, upbeat percussion and melodic pianos. On top of all this is Trey Anastasio’s lyricism touching on finding peace with the growing complexity of the world around us. “Then came the people with their problems and hope that don’t mean a thing if they just knew the scope.” Like the lyrical themes suggest, this song was born out of the Covid-19 Pandemic, with Anastasio penning it in the early days of the Covid lockdown.
This original version of the song was much more minimalistic than the final release, but still retained its beautiful ambience with whirling guitar lines and chimes. The album-version of “Evolve” is much more musically complex, evolving throughout its run. As the song progresses, it adds additional layers of strings, guitar lines, and energetic solos.
Overall, Evolve shows that Phish is still at the top of their game. The band takes their signature psychedelic jams, and imbues them with a toned-down maturity. Whereas for other groups, this could spell disaster, Phish pull it off especially well. As this album shows, “toned-down” is by no means boring, with each track containing complex instrumentation that keeps listeners going back to discover more. The album additionally retains Phish’s iconic genre-blending, knowing exactly when to splice in a harder track and add new flavor to its sonic palate. Evolve is a great testament to Phish’s experience and a sign of things to come in their future.
To celebrate the release of this new album, Phish made a special guest appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. On top of a performance of “Evolve,” the group took part in the show’s cold open. The skit features Phish, Fallon, and the Roots together in the Elevator of 30 Rock. The group then bursts into a parody of Aerosmith’s “Love In an Elevator,” comedically stopping whenever someone hops on the elevator.
This album release comes as part of a busy year for Phish. They have already sold out four-nights at the Sphere in Las Vegas back in April in the leadup to Evolve’s release. Following inaugural shows by U2, Phish made history as only the second band to play the state-of-the-art venue. The band played extended jams of songs both old and new, all while psychedelic imagery played on a 160,000 square foot screen above the stage. Among the songs performed was “Life Saving Gun” off of Evolve, brought to life by the venues immersive sound equipment.
Now, the band has announced a cross-country tour for the remainder of 2024. Beginning at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, MA, Phish will snake westward to Colorado. This tour includes many shows in and around New York, including two sold-out nights at Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Arena. Additionally, Phish will play three shows at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, at the sight of the historic Woodstock Festival.
JULY
19 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
20 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
21 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
23 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena (SOLD OUT)
24 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena (SOLD OUT)
26 – East Troy, WI – Alpine Music Valley Music Theatre
27 – East Troy, WI – Alpine Music Valley Music Theatre
28 – East Troy, WI – Alpine Music Valley Music Theatre
30 – St. Louis, MO – Chaifetz Arena
31 – St. Louis, MO – Chaifetz Arena
AUGUST
2 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
3 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
4 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
6 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena
7 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena
9 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
10 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
11 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
15 – The Woodlands, Dover, DE – Mondegreen
16 – The Woodlands, Dover, DE – Mondegreen
17 – The Woodlands, Dover, DE – Mondegreen
18 – The Woodlands, Dover, DE – Mondegreen
29 – Commerce City, CO – Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
30 – Commerce City, CO – Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
31 – Commerce City, CO – Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
SEPTEMBER
1 – Commerce City, CO – Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
2025
29 – Quintana Roo, Mexico – Phish: Riviera Maya 2025
30 – Quintana Roo, Mexico – Phish: Riviera Maya 2025
31 – Quintana Roo, Mexico – Phish: Riviera Maya 2025
1 – Quintana Roo, Mexico – Phish: Riviera Maya 2025
For more information on Evolve and Phish’s upcoming tour, visit their website here.
The Peach Music Festival just had their first “Peach at the Beach” at the Showboat Resort in Atlantic City. Although it was not at the usual Montage Mountain venue, this venue also had a waterpark, reminiscent of the festival people have grown to love, with familiar faces and favorite jams filling the air.
The waterpark sets were mainly DJs including DJ Logic, aside from Dogs in a Pile, who played a funky set for all of the waterpark attendants. The Dogs are quickly solidifying their place within the jam band scene. This set included a masterful “Ship of Fools” and even a cover of Phish’s “Tube.”
The main stage opened up with some reggae vibes from Mykal Rose of Black Uhuru. This featured a different, palette cleansing sound, which was quite different from the other music, yet lively and exciting.
Next up for Peach at the Beach was Karina Rykman who played some tracks off her new album Joyride. The set was filled with high peaks, bass bombs, and lots of jams.
Trouble No More played “Eat a Peach”, a great nod to the Allman Brothers roots of this festival. Highlights included “Blue Sky,” “Melissa,” and “Mountain Jam.” Taz’s guitar playing as a frontman just continuing toi get better with age.
Dogs in a Pile took the stage with a memorable set, putting the crowd into party mode. The set included their hit “Trunk Run” which references Atlantic City within the song, encoring with a face melting “Fire.”
After a longer break than expected, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead took the stage at 9:30 as opposed to 9 and played one long set as opposed to the advertised two. This proved to be rather disappointing but the band played an absolutely stellar set filled with genre-bending experimentation and mind-blowing peaks.
JRAD opened up with “Scarlet Begonias,” a Deadhead favorite, but this group makes it clear that they are much more than a Grateful Dead cover band, pushing the music to new heights and making their unique sound prominent. The set also included a masterful “Estimated Prophet” and a jammed out “Playing in the Band”. They finished with “Uncle John’s Band.”
On July 13, 1994, while the Grateful Dead drew a reported 60,000 fans to northern Vermont, Phish performed five hours south at Big Birch Ski Area in Patterson, NY to a much smaller crowd who were treated to the musical risk-taking and on stage antics that Phish was slowly becoming known for, barely into their second decade of existence.
Big Birch Ski Area – now known as Thunder Ridge Ski Area – is located in the rural town of Patterson, NY, close to Connecticut border in the northern reaches of Putnam County. Big Birch would host concerts each summer at the base of the mountain hill, with parking at the top of the unimposing slope. Tickets would be purchased at the Lift Ticket window, only $18.50 for tickets at this time.
With a capacity of 6,000 and chill biker security, Phish had played Big Birch previously in 1992, opening up for Santana, but this day would be a vibe check on the growth of Phish in the greater Northeast, especially when the Grateful Dead are playing 45 minutes north of the band’s home.
Phish had started summer tour out west, similar to the Dead that year. Stretching from Utah to Virginia over the course of June, July was an all-Northeast affair, with shows in Philadelphia, New Jersey, Maine, a pair of shows in Ottawa and Montréal, Great Woods, SPAC, FLPAC in Canandaigua, Jones Beach and finally, Sugarbush in North Fayston, VT.
With such a big show and crowd expected at Highgate, some looked at the show in Patterson as the better option with fewer in attendance and the band rewarding those who made this decision. This small out of the way hill could have easily been overlooked in 1994 for the glitz and glory of all that Dead tour had in store, let alone in such a remote part of Vermont in the middle of the summer. While one band’s star was setting, the other’s was rising, but you might not know this looking subjectively at attendance (despite a capacity of 6,000, there are unconfirmed reports of only 1,000 at this show.) And for Phish, when you snooze on a mid-week show, history shows, you lose.
But for those who attended, they knew to never miss a Wednesday show. A venue that had no permanent seating under the tent did have folding chairs lined up in the front of the venue, zip-tied together. What happened next – well there are two takes on this. First, from Phish.com:
“Fans in the front dissembled the rows of zip-tied folding chairs and stacked them to maximize dancing space.”
or you can take the first hand account of user SoundBoy1 on Phish.net:
“Inside the venue had set up probably 1000 or so folding chairs in the front of the stage. They may have been ziptied together but in no way permanent. As soon as the show started the chairs went flying in every direction including the stage. There were piles of chairs in random spots through out the crowd. They were also being thrown on stage and the band was dodging them. I remember Brad Sands standing a bit offstage and corralling what he could⦠It took awhile for all that to settle down. During It’s Ice you can hear some feedback and Page sounds like he’s fidgeting around a bit. I think that was due to chair chucking. So first set was totally solid but no real hint of what was to go down.”
Either way, Phish fans weren’t going to be seated for this show or have dance space impeded by meager folding chairs. The first set was playful, with a “Buried Alive” right out of the gate and a burst of energy from the “Poor Heart” that followed. Hoist, having been just released in April that year, found “Sample in a Jar” early in the set, followed by two live show staples, “Foam” and “The Mango Song.”
A light jam emerged from the still new “Down with Disease,” Trey sang on megaphone during “Fee” and a pair of Rift songs – “It’s Ice” and “Fast Enough For You” – added to the consistent flow of the show. “I Didn’t Know” would feature Jon Fishman (Greasy Fizeek) on trombone for a change, shifting smoothly into a “Split Open and Melt” that ended the set.
This first set is truly smooth flowing with a big cap ending in the “Melt,” but Set 2 was the treat the fans who followed the lines going south, instead of north. Opening with an unrefined “Possum,” the jam gets weird and stays that way, as the loose jam almost falls apart but is salvaged nicely. “Cavern” started with the typical drum intro, but when the lyrics arose, “Wilson” was sung instead by Trey, leaving the fan (and band?) confused for a moment. A rare mashup for Phish, they weave in and out organically of the two songs, never perfectly but just enough to make this mashup a must listen.
The still new “NICU” bridged the gap to a “Tweezer” that seemed to open up with that part of a “Tweezer” jam right after the lyrics, but moved into the natural progression of the song after that, dialing in after following what could be considered a clumsy entry. Jazzy noodling at the end led into into a slow jam that found its way into an unsuspecting “Julius.” The “Tweezer” jam just seems to keep going if you aren’t watching the time tick from track to track. This isn’t a Bomb Factory “Tweezer” but the slow return would feature a few teases, including “I Know a Little” (Lynyrd Skynyrd) and make way for a country/western version of “Big Black Furry Creature From Mars” that took its time finding the ending of “Tweezer,” eventually.
An ample “Mound” seemed to fit the venue nicely, with “Slave to the Traffic Light” starting very airy with a patient build towards the peak, the “Suzy Greenberg” that followed featuring “Slave” teases from Anastasio. The encore of “My Sweet One” and “Tweezer Reprise” capped the night, maintaining the energy of the first set and the cacophony of the second, a treat for the fans who made the call to see this show in southern New York.
The band would pack up and head west for Finger Lakes Performing Arts Center in Canadaigua (now CMAC), then Jones Beach the night after. Traversing the state for these shows, plus the finale at Sugarbush was prime 1994 Phish, was a treat if you were able to see it in person.
Listen to the show on PhishTracks or download from Etree.
Setlist via Phish.net
Phish – Big Birch Concert Pavilion, Patterson, NY – July 13, 1994
Set 1: Buried Alive > Poor Heart > Sample in a Jar, Foam, The Mango Song, Down with Disease > Fee[1] -> It’s Ice > Fast Enough for You, I Didn’t Know[2], Split Open and Melt
Set 2: Possum, Cavern -> Wilson[3] -> Cavern > NICU -> Tweezer -> Julius -> Tweezer -> Big Black Furry Creature from Mars[4] -> Tweezer -> Mound > Slave to the Traffic Light > Suzy Greenberg
Encore: My Sweet One > Tweezer Reprise
[1] Trey sang verses through megaphone.
[2] Fish on trombone.
[3] Played to the tune of Cavern.
[4] Unfinished; Played bluegrass style to the tune of Scent of a Mule.
It was fun for the whole family as members of The Disco Biscuits and Eggy, along with up-and-coming jammers Dysfunktone, converged at in Albany to bring the party to the people on Friday, June 28. Playing the third gig of the Brownstein Family Band’s first multi-show run, it didn’t take long before the bona fide family reunion escalated into an all-out dance party.
Featuring familiar tunes, choice covers and a whole lot of smiles and sweat, it was the kind of night that made you feel lucky to be alive and that you were in the right place at the right time.
Conceived almost by accident when someone backstage at Biscoland 2023 suggested the idea of getting everyone named ‘Brownstein’ together to form a supergroup, less than a year later, that pipe dream has become a full-fledged reality. Consisting of the Disco Biscuits bassist Marc Brownstein and his son Zach Brownstein on drums, the band also features Eggy bandmates Jake Brownstein on guitar and Dani Battat on keyboards.
Now collectively known as The Brownstein Family Band, the high-profile side project blazed a trail over the Northeast with four shows that will have people talking for years to come.
Opening the night at Lark Hall with an energetic set full of groove-based improv was Long Island rockers Dysfunktone. Commanding your attention from the opening riffs, the impressive young quartet dazzled with proficiency and technicality. Made up of Rob Meza on guitar and keys, Alex Gallina on bass, Brandon Hanna on guitar, and Dakota Henry on drums, the band wasted no time going dank and deep.
After kicking off with a 14-minute rendition of “Strawberry Cough,” Dysfunktone easily won the crowd over with stellar versions of “Medusa’s Myth,” “Circadian Rhythms,” and an epic 18 minute ride through “Feelin’ Time” that contained clear Aqueous teases throughout. A band that is destined to become a force in the Northeast jam scene for years to come, be sure to keep an eye out for them and thank us later. After a brief intermission, the Brownstein Family Band soon assembled on stage around 9:30pm.
Properly paying homage to a mutual musical hero, Jerry Garcia, the Brownstein Family Band opened their set with colorful cover of “Let It Rock.” Setting the tone for the exciting evening to come, Steve Miller Band’s “Take the Money and Run” would give way to the first original song of the set in Eggy’s “One Stop Shop.” Pausing for a moment to address the audience, Marc Brownstein (AKA Brownie) would claim the Lark Hall crowd was the most welcoming and energetic so far on this run. Peering at them through a pair of gnarly green shades, he’d go on to say that because “they were having so much fun, they’re going to ditch the set break and keep the jams flowing.”
Dropping back into the music with the beloved Disco Biscuits original “M.E.M.P.H.I.S.” the band seamlessly dithered into the psychedelic territory of the Beatles classic “Tomorrow Never Know” with vocals courtesy of keyboardist Dani (pronounced Donny) Battat. The crowd got extra excited for its follow up, another cherished Jerry Garcia tune, “Cats Under the Stars.”
Providing a perfect platform for Eggy’s axe-man Jake to show off his incredible chops, the song effortlessly segued into the timeless “Tangled Up in Blue” which had everyone singing along in unison.
Another Eggy original tune was up next in the form of “All Wheel’s Turnin’,” before the Brownstein Family Band surprised us all with a cover of Donovan’s “Barabajagal.” Pausing once again for a few words, Brownie would speak from the heart, commenting how great it was to be playing with these young and hungry lions, while also acknowledging just how great of songwriters Jake and Dani really are.
Like any proud dad, he would also give major props to his son, Zach, for holding it down on the drum kit, watching him not only grow into a great drummer, but a professional one and noting that it’s “a true joy to be sharing the stage with him.” The sappy sentiment continued next with an emotional rendition of the Grateful Dead’s “They Love Each Other” that had all the feels and was perhaps the overall highlight of the night. After “Confrontation” left Lark Hall begging for more, the band would return to the stage for one final tune.
With things going so well, Dani would joke about how their still trying to figure out a way to have some Brownstein family drama. Marc would quickly interject and say, “We’re only 4 show in. It’s coming. Believe me, I’ve been around for a long time. The drama is coming and this song is our redemption.” The Brownstein Family Band would then close the show with an emphatic and euphoric rendition of the Eggy original “Golden Gate Dancer,” bringing another stellar night of music at Lark Hall to a memorable close.
After wrapping up this brief run of shows the following night in Bridgeport, CT, it’s unknown when the Brownstein Family Band will perform their next gig.
With The Disco Biscuits set to host their second annual Biscoland in LaFayette’s Wonderland Forest over the 4th of July holiday and Eggy heading west to make their Red Rocks debut and play a handful of high profile festivals through the month of July, it’s shaping up to be a busy summer ahead for both of these talented and charismatic bands. What we do know for certain is that when this fun loving collaboration happens again, you don’t want to miss it.
Brownstein Family Band | June 6, 2024 | Lark Hall | Albany, NY
Setlist: Let It Rock, Take the Money and Run, One Stop Shop, M.E,M.P.H.I.S. > Tomorrow Never Knows, Cats Under The Stars > Tangled Up In Blue, All Wheels Turning, Barabajagal, They Love Each Other, Confrontation
Encore: Golden Gate Dancer Redemption
Dysfunktone | June 6, 2024 | Lark Hall | Albany, NY
Setlist: Strawberry Cough, Siren’s Song > Medusa’s Myth, Circadian Rhythms, Feelin’ Time.
On a long anticipated day for musicians and fans alike, Trey Anastasio performed for the first time at Tanglewood Music Center, joined by the Boston Pops, conducted by Edwin Outwater.
Initially scheduled to perform in June 2020, Anastasio beamed with joy as he took the stage following the orchestra for this long-awaited evening of music.
For the June 29 crowd, the day was full of gray skies and rain that was tolerable, but not terrible, as fans were well prepared for the misty weather of the Berkshires that accompanies any passing storm system. Newcomers to Tanglewood were amazed by the sprawling grounds, the ability to bring in everything from food and drink to portable chairs and tables, all making for a relaxing pre-show that led into an evening of unforgettable music.
Opening up the night with “First Tube”, this more staid by comparison, yet intricate, version of the classic Phish arena rocker elicited early erupts of cheers from fans, especially the uninitiated to Anastasio’s body of orchestral work. Following Thank You’s to the crowd, Anastasio shifted into the appropriate “Water in Sky” donning his acoustic guitar for the relaxing string-led number that evoked the orchestration of Disney’s early Silly Symphony cartoon series.
Following was “Evolve,” which saw its orchestral debut a few nights earlier in Vienna, VA. The pandemic-era song, turned Phish single, now sits prominently in Anastasio’s arsenal of compositions for orchestras.
A 17-minute “Divided Sky” was the closest to a Phish performance this evening, as the composition itself has been ideally suited for orchestra performance since it was written, and allows Anastasio to shine on guitar more than any other song this evening. The ‘open space’ was divinely orchestrated in the lead up to the ‘moment’, with cheers welcomed by the Bad Lieutenant, and the second half textbook early Phish orchestration, with a tremendous ending lead to roars of cheers from the crowd spread across the lawn and inside the Koussevitzky Music Shed.
After introductions of conductor Edwin Outwater and the Boston Pops, “Mercy,” also a Vienna debut, followed for a soft breather that paired well with “Divided Sky.”
Closing the set was “Stash,” a more complicated song for the orchestra, but offered a samba beat thanks to the horn section, the percussion and clave driving the mellow tempo forward with a ‘cha cha cha’ beat.
Following a short setbreak (and an appreciated heads up given to the audience five minutes prior to showtime), “Harry Hood” saw its second ever performance (following Vienna), with the orchestra joining in to say “Thank You, Mister Minor” and featuring a unique ending compared to the Phish standard.
“Petrichor” was a perfect fit following the excitement prompted by “Hood,” as well as with light sprinkles coming down as the song started.
A short acoustic version of “More” followed, with “What’s The Use?” surprising the audience as it is wont to do at many a Phish show.
Harpist Jessica Zhou was the MVP in the ‘quiet spot’ of “WTU?,” building the strings in gentle, rising to the occasion and giving this meditative song deeper resonance with the audience.
In September 2009, “You Enjoy Myself” saw its debut at Carnegie Hall, and the moment saw the audience sitting in silent awe, with occasional laughs during the ‘vocals.’ On this evening at Tanglewood, for the unenlightened, “You Enjoy Myself” would draw out more than laughs and silence, but also dancers in the aisles of the lawn (yes, there are aisles on the lawn, sort of) and back of the shed.
Trombonists Toby Oft and Stephen Lange, along with the percussion section combined for a memorable ‘vocal jam’ that led into the boisterous ending that Trey Anastasio and Phish have been performing since 1986.
After a performance like this, Anastasio kept the new orchestrations flowing with acoustic guitar in hand for “The Inlaw Josie Wales.” Now a Phish rarity (last played in 2000), “Inlaw” is welcome at any performance from Anastasio and an orchestra moving forward.
And to cap off an incredible day at Tanglewood and evening of music, fan favorite “The Lizards” closed the show, the tale of Rutherford the Brave as seen through the eyes of Colonel Forbin bringing fans to their feet once again.
Trey Anastasio and the Boston Pops – Koussevitzky Music Shed at Tanglewood – Saturday, June 29, 2024 – setlist via Phish.net
Set 1: First Tube, Water in the Sky*, Evolve, Divided Sky, Mercy, Stash
Set 2: Harry Hood, Petrichor, More*, What’s the Use, You Enjoy Myself
Encore: The Inlaw Josie Wales*, The Lizards
* Trey on acoustic guitar
Trey Anastasio at Tanglewood photos by Hilary Scott
It was an exhilarating homecoming jam for Mikaela Davis at Thursday nightâs show at the Colony in Woodstock. The June 27 show was full of high energy, dancing, and an extraordinary show from a group of versatile musicians.
Davis, originally from Rochester and now based out of Catskill, is currently on a tour of headline shows and festivals opening for Amos Lee. This show was even more significant, marking her return to the Hudson Valley before embarking on a West Coast tour in July.Â
Sharing the spotlight with Davis was her band and longtime collaborators, Southern Star. Made up of musicians Shane McCarthy, Cian McCarthy, Alex Coté, and Kurt Johnson, Southern Star collaborated with Davis on their first joint full-length project in 2023 titled And Southern Star. Throughout the show, the band’s psychedelic, bluegrass, and rock sounds consistently complimented Davis’ harp. With such a curious blend of instruments and styles, audiences undoubtedly witnessed a unique show.
The audience got a taste of what they were about to witness when she joined opener Rich Ruth on stage for a harp contribution. Davis’ harp playing was recently featured on Ruth’s latest release Water Still Flows. Ruth along with his band and Davis, treated the audience to a special collaborative performance.
Another highlight of the night with Mikaela Davis at Colony in Woodstock was the remarkable musicianship exhibited by the band. By crossing genres, they exemplified how a variety of musical backgrounds can come together to create new distinctive pieces of art. It’s not every day there’s a harp and a double-neck bass in the same band. The experimentation allowed for making the environment feel like a jam session where everyone in the room was equal to the performers, witnessing genuine virtuosity.
After spending the last few years playing with legends like Bob Weir and Phil Lesh, it’s no surprise that Davis chooses to cover a Grateful Dead song at most of her shows. Characteristically, she ended the show with the Jerry Garcia tune “Bird Song.” This was an extremely successful way of uniting the room even more, by playing a song loved by everyone with such positive energy.
