Buffalo jam stalwarts Organ Fairchild have released the first track off their upcoming album, Songs We Didn’t Write, featuring creative re-arrangements of some favorite music by other artists.
The first single is a breezy instrumental romp through Bob Marley’s “Them Belly Full,” and was released on April 5. The full album will be out on June 7, on 180-gram vinyl, CD and digital formats.
Recorded, mixed and co-produced by Justin Guip (Hot Tuna, Levon Helm) and mastered by Alan Evans (Soulive) – the pair behind Leisure Suit – Songs We Didn’t Write includes instrumental reworkings by Organ Fairchild of Grateful Dead’s “Lost Sailor,” Otis Redding’s “Hard to Handle” with very special guest Jorma Kaukonen, a Harry Styles song, and many more.
It was actually my son who suggested a full album of cover songs! Why not? We love rearranging material in our organ trio format, and our shows always include some choice covers – we had a ball making this!
Organ Fairchild guitarist Dave Ruch
Songs We Didn’t Write will be released on June 7, with album preorders shipping on May 31. Pre-Order here
Songs We Didn’t Write Tracklist Them Belly Full (Bob Marley) Lost Sailor (Grateful Dead) Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen) Canyon Moon (Harry Styles!) Hard to Handle feat. Jorma Kaukonen (Otis Redding) Eleanor Rigby (The Beatles) Lazy River Road (Grateful Dead) I Wish feat. The Brass Machine (Stevie Wonder) Redemption Song (Bob Marley)
Uncle Ebenezer played an incredible set of Phish jams including an unforgettable “Tweezer” featuring a saxophone player. Walrus opened up the night with their psychedelic interpretation of The Beatles, most notably a fully mind melting “Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds”.
The Williams Center is a phenomenal venue in Rutherford, NJ. It is an old theatre renovated into a truly happening venue featuring hidden gems like a record store with some incredible selections.
Uncle Ebenezer opened up the night with my personal favorite Phish song “Golgi Apparatus”. This got the crowd going and ready to dance to “Gotta Jibboo” which followed. The set was filled with Phan favorites like “No Me in No Men’s Land”, “Fluffhead”, “The Lizards”, and even included vocal heavy songs like “My Mind’s Got a Mind of It’s Own” and “Tela”. The epic “Tweezer” with a sax player was truly legendary.
They ended their set with a funky, spacey “2001”. The encore include “Cavern”, “Lonesome Cowboy Bill”, and the return of the sax for an explosive “Tweezer Reprise.”
Setlist: Golgi Apparatus, Gotta Jibboo, Stash, My Mind’s Got a Mind of Its Own, Tweezer, The Lizards, Tela, No Men in No Man’s Land, Split Open and Melt, Fluffhead, 2001
Long Island natives – Steve Vai and Joe Satriani (a.k.a. Satch) – legendary shredders still at the top of their game, joined cosmic forces on the iconic Beacon Theatre stage this past Saturday night (April 6) in a show for the ages. The concert, which was the 11th stop on their 38-date ‘Satch/Vai Tour’ which embarked on March 22 in Orlando, Florida, shook the historic venue nestled on Manhattan’s Upper West Side to its foundation as the long-time friends of more than five decades authored a master class in guitar instrumental compositions.
Steve Vai | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger Photography / Pit Perspectives
Like many of you out there, music became one of my greatest passions as a teenage boy in the throes of puberty. It was the mid-1980s, and bursting onto the scene was Steve Vai with his 1984 debut studio LP Flex-Able. This was an album that I listened to religiously on my Walkman (remember those?) while mowing neighborhood lawns for some spending money – money that I spent on buying more rock music, including the single “Yankee Rose” – an MTV hit recorded by David Lee Roth (DLR) for his first full-length solo LP (Eat ‘Em and Smile, 1986) – featuring the prominent electric guitar of its co-writer, none other than Steve Vai. Around this same time, the movie Crossroads hit theaters. This was an impactful film for my musical exploration, that in the climactic guitar duel, saw Vai play the part of Jack Butler (the villain who sold his soul to the devil for his fiendish guitar skills) against Ralph Macchio’s Eugene Marton (fighting to save his mentor’s soul). Fun fact. Although Macchio was able to paly guitar, both audio parts in the duel were played by Vai, showcasing his immense versatility as an axe-man.
Before Saturday night’s show, I had witnessed Steve Vai play live one other time. I was two weeks shy of my 16th birthday when I attended my second ever concert – DLR’s ‘Skyscraper Tour’ at the Hartford Civic Center (now known as XL Center) on April 8, 1988. Although I do not remember the experience particularly well, maybe because it was the first time I ever smoked weed, I still have the ticket stub to prove it! Vai would go on to part ways with DLR the following year.
Known by fellow guitarist for his intense practice regimen and music theory aptitude, Vai took the stage shortly after 8:00 pm where he unleashed “Avalancha” and “Little Pretty,” both from his tenth studio album (Inviolate, 2022), along with “Building the Church,” a number recorded back in 2005 for the album Real Illusions: Reflections.
Before erupting into “Tender Surrender” from his 1985 EP Alien Love Secrets, Vai introduced his talented touring band of Phillip Bynoe (bass), Jeremy Colson (drums) and Dante Frisielle (guitar/keys), followed by a warm greeting to the nearly 3,000 souls in attendance:
Oh, my goodness! What is going on here tonight in New York City? You look beautiful. It’s so nice to be out on this tour with Joe and it’s so nice to be here in New York City, my home. Well, my home for the first 19 years of my life, [and] I still love this city. Thanks so much for coming to the show, enjoy!
Succeeding “Lights Are On” (Modern Primitive, 2016) came my favorite part of Vai’s set, two more songs collected from Inviolate which saw the master immediately tear into a fiery “Zeus in Chains” and then break out his three-necked Hydra guitar (which he designed in conjunction with Ibanez) for the aptly titled “Teeth of the Hydra.”
Watch Steve Vai perform fan favorite and closing number of his set, “For the Love of God,” lifted from his second studio album (Passion and Warfare, 1990) below:
Satch, the professor and elder statesman to Vai by 4 years, was up next to perform the second co-headlining set and melt the collective faces of the sold-out Beacon Theatre with his instrumental rock mastery of the electric guitar. Similar to Steve Vai’s Flex-Able, I also discovered Satriani around the same time, when he dropped 1987’s Surfing With The Alien, his second studio album and one of the first compact discs I ever owned.
He led off his 90-minute set with “The Extremist,” the title track from his fourth studio album released in 1992, which showcased not only his guitar prowess, but also plays a mean harp too! With his second song of the night, the title track from Surfing With The Alien, I was transported back in time, to my childhood bedroom, as if I were listening to the studio take of this amazing song on headphones, but even better!
Joe Satriani | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger Photography / Pit Perspectives
Preceding the only snafu of the night, Satch tore through a career-spanning trio of numbers from his prolific discography comprised of “Satch Boogie” (Surfing With the Alien), “Sahara” (The Elephants of Mars, 2022), and “Nineteen Eighty” (Shapeshifting, 2020). However, before launching into “Big Bad Moon” (Flying in a Blue Dream, 1989), Satch’s guitar cable broke. As the band carried on without him via an impromptu “theme song,” a team of three techs did their best to resolve the issue, including swapping out his pedal board. Despite their valiant efforts, the song had to be scratched from the set as Satch jibed, “Forget about that other song, we’ll just do [the title track] “Flying Blue Dream” and get on with it.”
As Satch’s 13-song set headed for home, he gifted additional tracks from The Elephants of Mars (“Blue Foot Groovy”), Surfing With the Alien (“Always With Me, Always With You” and “Ice 9”), and 2004’s Is There Love in Space? (“If I Could Fly”). Next, following the introductions of his band – Rai Thistlethwayte (keys), Bryan Beller (bass), and Kenny Aronoff (drums), Satch addressed his loyal followers:
So, not too far from here, but a very, very long time ago, a little kid came to my front door. He had a stringless guitar in one hand, and a pack of strings in the other and was looking for lessons. There was something about him, I thought, this is gonna be fun. I like the look in his eyes. It looks like he’s got that passion and desire, even at 12 years old. I’m telling you the truth, at 12 years old, he had it. We quickly became comrades, with one goal, which was to just keep playing electric guitar as long as we could. And thanks to you, we were able to live that dream, and we’ve stayed best friends ever since. So please help bring out to the stage Mr. Steve Vai.
Joe Satriani & Steve Vai | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger Photography / Pit PerspectivesSteve Vai | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger Photography / Pit Perspectives
His pupil then returned to the stage for an epic encore jam comprised of “The Sea Of Emotion, Pt. 1” – a collaboration between the two buddies, recently released on March 29, that sees the two icons seamlessly trading solo sections – “You Really Got Me” by The Kinks and Metallica’s “Enter Sandman,” the latter two numbers rendered from their axes with a personal flair, of course.
Watch Joe Satriani perform the soaring and uplifting “Always with Me, Always with You” (Surfing With the Alien) here:
After the Satch/Vai Tour wraps on May 12 in Santa Rosa, California, Vai and Tool drummer Danny Carey will be joining the newborn supergroup Beat, additionally comprised of King Crimson’s guitarist/singer Adrian Belew and bassist Tony Levins. The foursome will be setting out on a special fall tour kicking off September 12 in San Jose, CA, culminating November 8 in Las Vegas, Nevada, paying homage along the way to the progressive English rock band’s trio of iconic studio albums from the ‘80s – Discipline, Beat, and Three of a Perfect Pair. If you are like me and cannot get enough of Steve Vai, he is featured on the May 2024 edition cover of Guitar World magazine (already in print on newsstands), along with an in-depth article celebrating the 25th anniversary of Flex-Able.
Up next for Satch is “The Best Of All Worlds 2024 Tour” with Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony and Jason Bonham. The tour, which will feature music from every phase of Hagar’s career (including Van Halen, Chickenfoot, and The Circle), runs from July 13 in West Palm Beach, Florida to August 31 in St. Louis, Missouri.
Steve Vai Setlist: Avalancha > Building the Church > Little Pretty > Tender Surrender > Lights Are On > Zeus in Chains > Teeth of the Hydra > For the Love of God
Joe Satriani Setlist: The Extremist > Surfing With the Alien > Satch Boogie > Sahara > Nineteen Eighty > Flying in a Blue Dream > Blue Foot Groovy > Always With Me, Always With You > If I Could Fly > Ice 9 > Encore: The Sea Of Emotion, Pt. 1 (with Steve Vai) > You Really Got Me (The Kinks cover, with Steve Vai) > Enter Sandman (Metallica cover, with Steve Vai)
UPCOMING TOUR DATES
April 10 – Collingswood, NJ @ Scottish Rite Auditorium
April 11 – Washington, DC @ Warner Theatre DC
April 13 – Northfield, OH @ MGM Northfield Park
April 14 – Rochester, NY @ Kodak Center Theater
April 16 – Detroit, MI @ Fisher Theatre
April 18 – Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
April 19 – Cincinnati, OH @ Andrew J. Brady Icon Music Center
April 20 – Fort Wayne, IN @ Embassy Theatre
April 21 – Indianapolis, IN @ Murat Theatre (Old National Centre)
April 23 – Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theater
April 24 – Minneapolis, MN @ State Theatre
April 25 – Des Moines, IA @ Des Moines Civic Center
April 26 – Springfield, MO @ Gillioz Theatre
April 28 – La Vista, NE @ The Astro
April 29 – Salina, KS @ Stiefel Theatre
April 30 – St. Louis, MO @ The Factory – St. Louis
May 1 – Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater
May 3 – Austin, TX @ ACL Live at The Moody Theater
May 4 – Dallas, TX @ Music Hall at Fair Park
May 5 – Houston, TX @ 713 Music Hall
May 7 – Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre – Denver
May 8 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Delta Hall at Eccles Theater
May 10 – Valley Center, CA @ Harrah’s Resort Southern California – The Events Center
May 11 – Wheatland, CA @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
May 12 – Santa Rosa, CA @ Luther Burbank Center for the Arts
The Irondequoit Concert Band has announced the world premiere performance of “Where the Land and Waters Meet,” a captivating new fanfare for concert band by award-winning composer Stephen Shewan. The premiere performance is at the band’s 50th Anniversary concert on Sunday, April 21, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. in the Irondequoit High School Auditorium.
Commissioned by the band in honor of their golden anniversary, “Where the Land and Waters Meet” is a dynamic and evocative piece inspired by the Irondequoit landscape and the Seneca Nation. Incorporating the traditional Seneca Canoe Song, “Kayowajineh,” Shewan has crafted a musical journey that explores the intersection of land and water, showcasing Irondequoit’s vibrant spirit and rich natural beauty.
The Irondequoit Concert Band is a community concert band that provides high-quality musical performances for audiences in Irondequoit and beyond. This group of talented musicians from diverse backgrounds showcases a wide range of musical styles and repertoire under the direction of David Schantz. Annually, the band performs a winter and spring concert, and an outdoor summer concert series at locations throughout Irondequoit.
Stephen Shewan is a retired music educator from Western New York and a renowned composer of music for ensembles of all types. He is known for modern, evocative pieces that are fun to play and listen to. His music has been performed across North America and Europe, winning numerous awards.
The April 21 concert will feature the talented musicians of the band, under the direction of David Schantz, and their favorite hits through the years such as “Highlights from Les Miserablés” arranged by Warren Barker, a unique composition by former conductor J. Russell Thomas, “A Piece for Didjeridu and Band” and more.
Admission is free for this event. The Irondequoit High School Auditorium is fully wheelchair accessible. For more information or to donate, please visit Irondequoit Concert Band’s website.
On June 29, Phish frontman Trey Anastasio will perform with The Boston Pops at Tanglewood in Lenox, Massachusetts. The performance will feature Anastasio performing solo work and orchestral compositions, amid the atmosphere of the Berkshire Mountains.
Part of the Popular Artist Series, Anastasio will perform with the Boston Pops – conducted by Edwin Outwater – at the Koussevitzky Music Shed, in Lenox, MA on Saturday, June 29, at 7pm.
Anastasio had been set to perform with the Boston Pops in 2020, but the event was one of the many live music performances canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Performing along with a string section, a Rescue Squad or a philharmonic, Anastasio has taken his orchestration talents to a wider audience, melding compositions for rock and guitar along with an orchestra. Since 2000, Anastasio has performed with string groups, and the Tanglewood show is his second of this summer, having announced a July date with the National Symphony Orchestra in Vienna, VA.
photo by Conor McMahon
Tickets for Trey Anastasio and the Boston Pops at Tanglewood will go on sale Wednesday, April 17 at 10am at Trey.com.
MSG Entertainment and The Bowery Presents have announced five additional consecutive nights with award-winning music icon Barry Manilow at Radio City Music Hall from April 9 through April 13, 2025, and another five shows from Oct. 9-13, 2024.
Manilow’s ongoing Radio City Music Hall residency began with five consecutive shows in spring 2023 and continued in 2024 with two five-night runs – one in April and one in October. During his show on April 20, 2024, Manilow set the record for the most lifetime concert performances at the iconic venue with his 42nd lifetime show. The April 2025 shows will mark Manilow’s 49th-53rd lifetime shows at Radio City.
GRAMMY, Tony, and Emmy Award-winning music icon Barry Manilow will perform five nights at Radio City Music Hall this coming spring, his success became a benchmark in the American-pop music scene in the 1970s and has since named one of the world’s all-time best selling recording artists. Some of his top hit songs include “Mandy,” “I Write the Songs,” “Looks Like We Made It,” “Can’t Smile Without You,” and “Copacabana (At the Copa).”
The multi-award-winning musician has had an astonishing 50 Top 40 singles, including 12 number one hits and 27 Top 10 hits. He is ranked as the number one Adult Contemporary artist of all time, according to Billboard and R&R magazines.
Tickets for all five April 2025 shows will go on sale to the general public on Friday, January 17 at 10:00AM via Ticketmaster.com. Tickets will also be available in person beginning on Saturday, January 18 at the Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and Beacon Theatre box offices.
O+ will feature Grammy award-winning American Roots musician Allison Russell with her band at its upcoming “O+ 365” benefit concert on May 24th at the Old Dutch Church in Kingston, NY.
Ticket sales will provide direct support to The O+ Exchange Clinic, O+’s new year-round exchange-based clinic, which provides health and wellness services to O+ artist and musician alumni. Limited seating is available for 600 people. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased here.
Allison Russell, recognized for her soulful vocals, vulnerable lyrics, creative instrumental arrangements, and activism, is an eight-time Grammy nominee with a 2024 Grammy Award win for Best American Roots Performance for her single “Eva Was Black.” Since going solo in 2021, the recognition of her unique style and power has garnered an array of accolades, including the 2022 Americana Music Association’s Album of the Year Award for “Outside Child,” Canadian and International Folk Music Awards, UK Americana Awards, and Juno Awards. Originally from Canada, Russell is on tour throughout North America this year.
Allison Russell
The O+ 365 benefit supports the organization’s efforts to address the extraordinary need for ongoing health care access for artists, many of whom are un/under-insured and don’t have consistent access to care. Last year O+ made a transformative shift: the organization moved from providing 3-days of exchange-based health and wellness services to artists who contributed to its annual festival to now providing 365-days of care for all O+ festival alumni. In addition, the Clinic secured its operating license from the State of New York.
“The shift from 3 to 365 days of care accelerates health care access for more than 6,000 O+ alumni,” said O+ Wellness Director and Primary Care Physician Dr. Lizette (Dre) Edge. “It isn’t hyperbole to say without ongoing care, lives are at stake; it’s real. The status quo marginalizes and harms – rather than heals. O+ shifts the care landscape.”
O+’s short term goal is to provide comprehensive preventative care – with an emphasis on mental health, dental and primary care – to its intersectional alumni community in order to build a sustainable model of exchange that is both scalable and replicable in order to then expand to serve entire communities. In fact, the year-round exchange-based model already has far-reaching implications for the entire community, beyond artists: The expansion now makes it possible to create more opportunities to offer public education and community wellness sessions through O+’s participating health practitioners, artists, and musicians. Upcoming sessions open to the community include education sessions on nutrition and gut health led by practitioners and doctors.
“We are honored to have Allison Russell and her Rainbow Coalition supporting our mission through the O+ benefit this year. Known for her incisive and deeply compassionate work, Allison is a charismatic performer, a survivor, and a joy bomb who sings from a place rooted in values and a desire for connection,” said O+’s Art Director Lindsey Wolkowicz. “Notably, her music is a conduit for radical healing, community building and belonging, which completely align with O+ values. Her participation as the lead artist in support of O+’s benefit concert is exceptionally timely, as we are deeply focused on expanding care through our unprecedented year-round model based in valuing everyone’s contribution to the collective, all while acknowledging the essential, healing power of the arts in our lives and communities,” she added.
Since 2010, O+ Festival’s 3-day exchange-based festival clinic has provided 5,292 clinic treatments and 1,457 dental treatments. “Our 365-day expansion means more care for more people. We appreciate our concert-goers, donors and sponsors who support our mission of exchanging the art of medicine for the medicine of art,” said Dr. Edge.
Event details
Date: May 24th, 2024
Time: Special Access Ticket Holders at 6:00pm, Doors open at 6:30 for general admission. The concert starts at 7:00 pm
Location: Old Dutch Church, 272 Wall Street Kingston
Tickets: $75 for general admission seating and $150 for special access tickets (premiere seating with cocktail hour). Tickets are on sale here
For more information about the event or to schedule interviews with the O+ team or Medical Director Dr. Lizette Edge regarding the vision for The O+ Exchange Clinic, please contact Lindsey Wolkowicz at lindsey@opositivefestival.org.
The Blue Note Jazz Club and Jazz at Lincoln Center are uniting to present the legendary Wynton Marsalis for six nights at Blue Note. June 11-16 sees the 2024 Blue Note Jazz Festival with historic performances.
These performances mark a historic event as Marsalis, Managing and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, headlines the Blue Note for the first time since 1991 as these two iconic cultural centers unite. Marsalis’ historic shows highlight this year’s Blue Note Jazz Festival, marking its 13 anniversary this summer with performances at venues across New York City.
The residency features the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis performing from June 11-13, and Marsalis with Future of Jazz Septet from June 14-16. As part of the Jazz at Lincoln Center residency events, two ensembles from the organization’s High School Jazz Academy will also grace the Blue Note stages. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Youth Big Band, directed by Julius Tolentino perform on June 15, and the award-winning Jazz at Lincoln Center Youth Orchestra, directed by Tatum Greenblatt perform on June 16.
As a composer, Wynton’s work includes over 600 original songs, 11 ballets, four symphonies, eight suites, two chamber pieces, two masses, a string quartet, and a violin and tuba concerto. For more information on Wynton Marsalis, the Blue Note Jazz Festival, and to purchase tickets, click here.
Super Freak: The Rick James Story — the theatrical recounting of the life and times of legendary musician and Buffalo native Rick James — will be coming to Brooklyn‘s Kings Theatre for a limited performance from Friday, April 12 through Sunday, April 14. In light Super Freak: The Rick James Story delves deep into the tumultuous life and extraordinary talent of the legendary musician, exploring the highs and lows of his career against the backdrop of his unforgettable hits. In this case audiences will voyage on a musical extravaganza through the “Super Freak” singer’s groundbreaking music and the compelling narrative of his life, filled with passion, excess, and undeniable talent.
Theatrical Poster for on-stage biography of legendary musician Rick James
Created by renowned playwright and producer Je’Caryous Johnson along with Ty James the executive producer and daughter of the late Rick James, Super Freak makes its way to James’ home state of New York adding a multifaceted musical prodigy in his own right in Mint Condition’s Stokely Williams. In light, the Grammy-nominated vocalist, songwriter, and producer will step into the iconic role of Rick James, bringing to life the legendary singer’s electrifying persona and timeless music.
Additionally, Williams’ talent shone as the lead singer and drummer for R&B group Mint Condition. With his talent as a vocalist, songwriter, and producer making him a fitting addition to portray James in front over 3,000 fans at Kings Theatre, the largest of its kind in Brooklyn. Moreover, Ty James has shown nothing but confidence in Stokely Williams’ ability to carry the role.
I am so excited that we were able to cast such an amazing talented cast. I know playing my dad is stepping into some big shoes, but I am confident Stokley will kill it. My dad would be so proud.
– Ty James
All in all tickets for Super Freak: The Rick James story are on sale on the Kings Theatre’s official website, with tickets ranging from $69 to $112.
Just eleven days after the release of their fifth studio album, Hoist, Phish arrived in Binghamton for a show at Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena, just down the road from the Broome County Forum. The show quickly became known among fans for a funk-filled soundcheck, as well as creative placement of “Little Drummer Boy” throughout the second set.
Students from colleges across the state – Cornell, Syracuse, Albany and Binghamton among them – headed down to Binghamton on this evening, making for a lively lot scene. The marquee reportedly read “Reba McEntire” with “Phish – Sold Out” below it, perhaps the muse for “Reba” showing up in the second set this evening.
The soundcheck of “Makisupa Policeman” was indeed funky, although a full recording has yet to surface. All that we have so far is the clip below.
A reported “really difficult ticket,” Binghamton is no stranger to great Phish shows, with an early show at Campus Pub in 1988 and two shows at Broome County Forum in 1992. This 1994 show would unknowingly be the band’s penultimate show in The Parlor City, with only the notable December 14, 1995 show following, leaving Binghamton Phish-less for nearly 30 years – aside from two Trey Anastasio Band shows in 1999 and 2014.
A venue upgrade, this would be Phish’s first show at Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena, a minor league hockey arena, just down the road from the Forum. Opening up with “Magilla” for the first time, the GA show would hold a few songs that are ‘jamcharts‘ worthy, as well as some fun with “Little Drummer Boy” during the second set.
A pre-chant version of “Wilson” would follow this horns-less “Magilla,” a unique listen now after nearly three decades of fans chanting “Willllll-son” with each intro guitar riff. “Rift” would be met with great cheers in a typical early Set 1 slot, doubling as the title of the band’s prior album to Hoist.
“Bathtub Gin” would feature notable improv, giving way to “Nellie Kane” and the first track of the night off Hoist, a ripping “Julius,” also the first track on Hoist. “Fee” featured a piano outro from Page McConnell that bridged the way into the now ultra rare “All Things Reconsidered,” last played in 1997 and deserving of a return to the Phish rotation. The “Stash” that would follow is not one to sleep on, featuring ‘a gnarly and heavy-duty power rocking jam’ that paved the way for “The Squirming Coil” and set break.
Set two would open with another Hoist track, “Sample in a Jar,” to a brief crowd reaction. A hefty “Reba” that is well executed gives way to the Frank Zappa composition “Peaches en Regalia,” pairing Zappa-esque with a true Zappa tune, with an ending that featured a tease of “Little Drummer Boy” before shifting into the now-retired “Big Ball Jam.”
The debut of “Demand” would follow, and while a “Split Open and Melt” jam akin to the Hoist version was not paired with the short song, it did serve as a perfect bridge to “Mike’s Song.” This version of “Mike’s” finds Trey Anastasio using his pedals to create other-worldly sounds that are at times menacing and metallic, accented by LD Chris Kuroda’s strobes flashing through on-stage fog. A breather would be needed in the “I am Hydrogen” that followed, particularly because “Weekapaug Groove” would be chock full of teases – “Little Drummer Boy,” a latter portion of “Divided Sky” and even “Dave’s Energy Guide.”
Closing out this fun filled set were a calming “Tela,” “Slave to the Traffic Light” which featured a serene build and an outstanding peak, capped off by a well placed “Cavern.” For an encore, the band would start without microphones for an acapella rendition of “Amazing Grace,” followed by “Highway to Hell” – likely not exactly what the fans in the front row were looking for when they were chanting for “AC/DC Bag,” but a heck of a cover to drop on fans just as the show was coming to a close.
Listen to the show from Binghamton here (second set SBD). Phish would head west the next night to perform at Alumni Arena at SUNY Buffalo – stream that show here.
Set 1: Magilla, Wilson > Rift, Bathtub Gin > Nellie Kane > Julius, Fee -> All Things Reconsidered, Stash, The Squirming Coil Set 2: Sample in a Jar, Reba, Peaches en Regalia > Big Ball Jam, Demand[1] > Mike’s Song > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove[2], Tela > Slave to the Traffic Light, Cavern Encore: Amazing Grace, Highway to Hell [1] Debut [2] Vocal jam
