Percussionist and long-time Frank Zappa band member Ed Mann joined a funk-filled tribute to his late bandleader last night at the Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs, alongside keyboardist Todd Stoops (RAQ), guitarist Marcus Rezak (Digital Tape Machine), drummer Scotty Zwang (Dopapod), bassist Dan Lotito and special guest guitarist Gabriel Marin (Consider the Source). Billed as “Cosmik Playground,” the all-star jam tribute welcomed all Phish fans to a late night dance party that upped the weird until the odd hours of the night. With ShwizZ kicking things off with their spontaneously funky tunes, the night was a non-stop-shop for musical complexity and technical prowess. Shwizz’s Frankie Coda and Ryan Liatsis joined Cosmik Playground for the majority of the set, assisting on both vocals and guitar, respectively, and helping to round out the stellar tribute to Zappa.
The evening’s catalogue sifted through some Zappa favorites, “Peaches En Regalla,” “Cosmik Debris,” “My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama,” and a spaced out, jammy rendition of The Doors‘ “Roadhouse Blues.” The tribute was an incredible success, and the house rocked hard as ever. If the energy from the stage was any indication, we’ll keep our fingers crossed for this group of musicians to join together again in celebration of the life of Frank Zappa.
Enjoy the full gallery below, courtesy of Chad Anderson!
Cosmik Playground @ The Putnam Den 7/3/16 Setlist:
Chungas Revenge>
Peaches en Regalia
Keep it Greasy>
Cosmic Debris
Pygmy Twilight
City of Tiny Lights *
Treacherous Cretins
Willy the Pimp *
My guitar wants to kill your mama *
Andy *
Encore: Roadhouse Blues
* with Gabriel
