*** The Disco Biscuits City Bisco Run in Philly: 2-day Passes For E-Factory and Mann Center Available Here ***

With another City Bisco run one week away, The Disco Biscuits prepare to take Philly by storm once again, with a 3-night run consisting of shows on Thursday (9/25) at The Trocadero, the Electric Factory on Friday (9/26) w/ American Babies, and a grand finale on Saturday (9/27) at The Mann Center w/ Giorgio Moroder, Orchard Lounge and Risky Disko. With Philadelphia being the band’s hometown, there has been a whole lot of Philly Bisco for fans to enjoy over the years.

To honor the band’s return to the City of Brotherly Love, we take a look at some of the most memorable performances over the years. We recognize the fact that any self-respecting tDB fan will have issues with this list, as we are the most ardent and subjective group of fans in the music world, and can very easily come up with our own individual “Best Of” list. But, upon review of setlists over the years, the opinions of some very hardcore Biscuits fans, and commentary heard in some very intense Biscuits discussions, we give you a list of the more memorable Disco Biscuits performances in Philadelphia.

Purchase tickets for the Disco Biscuits City Bisco run here.

Live for Live Music is currently running a contest to win three pairs of tickets for the Disco Biscuits’ performance at The Mann, next Saturday 9/27. To enter, follow this link.

The History of the Disco Biscuits at The Electric Factory (12/31/2002)

You can compare this 15-minutes to Stephen Hawking‘s A Brief History of Time….well, not exactly, but fairly monumental in and of itself. A band that had gone through its up and downs over the years, with Brownie’s brief departure from the band in 2000, the decision to move to Cali and back, and the general growing pains that any young band faces, this show acted as a “homecoming” of sorts, solidifying the fact that the Biscuits were back and taking their craft as seriously as ever (while also poking fun at themselves) – “We’re going to take you all the way back to the beginning, to the roots of this thing we call Bisco….we’re going to take you on a journey through our sordid past, and we’re going to bring you into the current future….”

The story takes us, musically, from “Little Lai>ENDO>Hot Air Balloon>Above the Waves” and quite a few laughs in between. It was quirky, something that very much defined all things Bisco, and deserves its place on this list.

 

Debut of Hot Air Balloon at Silk City Lounge (12/31/1998)

How can you argue with this? Unsuspecting fans arrive to Silk City Lounge for a NYE ’99 show, receive pamphlets containing background information on each of the songs, and get treated to a full Hot Air Balloon? And that was only the first set! This easily makes the list.

 

Jam on the River Set Cut Short by Torrential Downpours Leads Into Epic 3-Set E-Factory Show (5/26/2007)

What was turning out to be a monster Jam on the River set, with a hot “Sweating Bullets” into a ridiculous “Save the Robots,” the rain that we could all see coming had finally arrived….and it was a serious downpour. It wasn’t stopping us from getting down, but as the band decided to take a break after “Munchkin Invasion,” it was clear that this particular part of the evening was over, as the conditions were literally begging for someone to get electrocuted. 

Being “a band of the people,” the Biscuits worked it out so they could go extra late at the Electric Factory and made up for the rain-shortened JotR set with a throwdown that won’t soon be forgotten by anyone in attendance. The 2nd set was insanity; when the band went into “O Fortuna” many faces began to melt, if they hadn’t already by that point. Epic shouldn’t be thrown around often, but this performance is a clear-cut definition of the word. It was certainly one for the books.

Jam on the River portion:

 
Over to the E-Factory for late-night shenanigans:

 The Akira Jam at the TLA 12/31/1999

What has gone down as one of the most unique moments in Biscuits history, the storied “Akira Jam,” which saw the band present their own improvised score to Katsuhiro Otomo’s 1988 Japanese animated film Akira. It was an unforgettable show, which many would agree earns its place on this list. Also received an award for Best Jam at the first Jammy Awards, just to throw in a little added weight to the argument.

Pre-Tweeter Center NYE Show at The Electric Factory 12/30/2006

If you were there, then you know. This show was straight fire. 2nd set “Memphis>Waves>Crickets>Waves>Crickets>Waves”….that is all. Oh, two more things, the “Spraypaint” and “Digital Buddha” left everyone in attendance absolutely floored.

 

Disco Biscuits Live at Trocadero Theater 04/09/1999

This one doesn’t even need an explanation or blurb.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

The Electric Factory 5/28/2006

 The Mann Center 9/28/2013

[thanks to Matt Yates for Mann Center video]

 

– Chris Meyer (@Chris MeyerL4LM)

[Thanks to Archive.org for the incredible work in preserving all of these shows!]

[Cover Photo courtesy of Dave Vann]

 

Â