I have always heard about the mystique surrounding the Iron Horse especially the legendary breakfast shows that have gone down there..... Before last night I was at the two previous Iron Horse shows and though the shows were a great time, I failed to see what the big deal was..... Well last night it was easy to see what the deal is with this band at this venue from the moment I walked towards the door....
We arrived at 10 and there was a line about 25-30 people deep awaiting enterance.... All I could hear as we stood freezing and waiting from the gathering line was, "have you ever seen these guys before?", "this is my first show", and stuff like "yeah i have seen them once or twice and they rocked".... There was something in the air last night....
Once in the Horse and saw that the balcony was open because it needed to be in order to handle the size crowd, i knew that the night would not be quite like the past 2 shows I have been to....
I hit the bathroom downstairs right as the band was coming on and when I recognized the opening chords to Eppy 3 I strapped myself in for the ride, and thank god i did, because what was to follow was a perfect blend of setlist writing and first set throw down.....
The Ep. 3 sandwich was a tasty treat with the band precisely disecting their most anticipated tune with a surgeons touch, transplanting solid versions of Great Big and Drunk Monk into the mix creating a monster of a jam.
This is also not the first time that I have felt the jam in the jam>No Regret has more to it than just a "jam".
Not to be outdone by the Awakening, Gladys Pimp popped up and she came hard and funky as the best Gladys that I have heard. The haunted organ intro into The Chase was sheer beauty exercised by the hands of Jordan.
Setbreak found me running outside for a quick breath and a quick breath. A perfect set up for the amazing Honey Butter set 2 opener. I have loved this song from the first time I have heard the barest of bones of the tune. This song will grow and grow and probably consume entire sets of music before its all said and done....
I dont hate the VT Song, as it consistantly can get any crowd of any size up and dancing like nobody is watching. And it kept the Iron Horse crowd thirsting for more.
Phaddy Boom came and went as a solid version, but this song is no fun unless you can spark up a jib or a bowl and pollute the band with a haze of heady pot smoke....after losing 2 pieces to this tune over the years, i have learned that there are places for such puffing and places not.....the Iron Horse was not that place.....
When Rufus started I left the front of the stage to step out for a sweaty cigarette hoping to catch pneumonia. I didnt get sick, but by the time my smoke was done I was full out spinning in the doorway chomping on my cheek to get back to the stage and finish the tune dancing my ass off with the crowd and the band....Animal was on fire out of Rufus and into a mindbending drum solo....
Hot For Teacher was the best version of the new cover I have heard and think its a great cover for this band to keep in their repetoir. It was also an amazing 2nd set closer amidst second set that could barely hold a candle to what happened earlier in the night......
The minute I saw the band depart the stage after the VH classic, I knew they had to return and give us one more chance to loose our minds along with them. When I heard the bass solo begin, I wasnt sure what was going to happen, but it wasn\'t to long after the band joined in with Save, that I knew we were getting an Attraction encore. I am pretty sure I have never seen one of those and was drooling and jumping out of control.....
Out of breath but not energy, I was hoping for the band to walk off after leaving everything on the stage with the Attraction.....However it appeared that they were going to do one more....Could it be Puppetry? nah...way to long.... I was hoping for a Son of Simpleton, Wake Up In A Coma, Funky Bill\'s, or even an Uncle Freddy....what we ended up getting was a great way to ruin an amazing and maybe unprecidented Attraction encore. The Bugs, a seeming fan favorite, sucked the air out of the encore balloon for me.... But even the deflating last song of the night couldnt ruin the amazing energy that was shared by all at the Iron Horse last night....
The band was tight and on all night. There were many moments throughout the night where I was tickled, blown away, and even downright owned by each member of the band (including Dobs and Ellis)......
Jordan was throwing in tasty morsels of spacey funk all night...
Tim proved yet again that he is a god amongst mortal guitarists
Adrian was on all night, per usual, and had one particular fill or "riff" that caught me and caused me to almost mess myself (I will hopefully pinpoint it upon relistening to the show)
Ronnie was my MVP last night, throwing it down hard and funky. You could hear him and his influence all night. I especially loved when he went down down to rip the bass riffs in Hot For Teacher
Dobson owned my brain with the sound engineering...from the mix to his selective use of echo effects and whathaveyou had me spinning in circles all night....
and last but not least...Johnny Upstate painted the ceiling and bandmembers with a tapestry of color and coordination.....
Thanks to everyone at the Iron Horse for providing the necessary energy for the band to chew up and spit out all over us for a few hours.....
It was great to meet some new people, and hope to meet those that I missed........
Till the next time....
"See you on the other side"
Gencs
