A little over a week ago, BIG Something descended on Mebane, NC for their annual The BIG What? Festival. The up and coming jam rockers always know how to throw a good time, and this year was no exception. The band not only hosted great musicians like The Werks, Turkuaz, Zach Deputy, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, and more, but they also brought a number of great performances to their own festival. The crowd could not have been happier!
Among the many sets performed was a particularly moving Saturday night performance, where the band took a moment to honor a number of the musicians lost during the last year. The end of 2015 into 2016 has been a tough time for the music community, and BIG Something played the music of Prince, Merl Haggard, Lemmy Kilmister, Phife Dawg, Maurice White, David Bowie, and Bernie Worrell in their first set as a tribute to all of them. All of the covers, except Bowie’s “Fame,” were debuts for BIG Something.
Thanks to taper Marty Loving, we can listen to the full performance below. There’s also a full setlist from the show printed below, provided by BIG Something’s Nick MacDaniels. Enjoy.
Setlist: BIG Something at The BIG What? Festival, Mebane, NC – 7/23/16
Sirens >
Let’s Go Crazy* (Prince)
My Volcano >
I think I’ll Just Stay Here And Drink* (Merle Haggard)
Grey Matter
Ace of Spades* (Motorhead)
Waves
Electric Relaxation* (Tribe Called Quest)
Song for Us
Shining Star* (Earth Wind and Fire)
A Simple Vision
Fame (David Bowie)
Flashlight*^ (Parliament)
In the Middle >
Untitled** >
Love Generator
Vibrations
Al Al Jam***
It Comes Around >
EWI 4000
Passenger >
Tumbleweed
The Curse of Julia Brown
Amanda Lynn^^
E1: What Is Love* (Haddaway) >
Megalodon^^
E2: The Devil Went Down to Georgia^^ (Charlie Daniels Band)
Wake Up (Rage Against The Machine)
Notes:
1st set featured a tribute to musical icons Prince, Merle Haggard, Lemme, Phife Dawg, Maurice White, David Bowie, and Bernie Worrell who all passed away within the last year. Photos of each artist appeared on the visual screen throughout the set
* first time played
^ w/ Spiritual Rez members Quinn Carson (Trombone) & Mohamed Araki (Keytar)
** foundation for a new unfinished song still in progress
*** Improv Jam w/ Al Al Ingram (Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band) on bass
^^ w/ Dani Jaye (Come Back Alice) on violin
[Cover photo via Roger Gupta]