On this date in 2017, many worlds collided at Red Rocks Amphitheatre when Vulfpeck performed the opening slot for Trey Anastasio Band. The fanbase overlap had been seeping into each other since Vulfpeck started playing more festival gigs, though they are most definitely not a jam band. With both bands having such devoted fanbases, that either agree or agree to disagree, the double bill stirred the pot for those trying to make a connection.

Vulfpeck is a funk quartet. Trey Anastasio is a jam hero. The overlap isn’t as much musical as it is of attention to detail. While Vulfpeck focuses primarily on tight composition, quick changes, and comedic relief, Trey Anastasio and his respective bands rely on looser atmospheres, extended jams, and improvisational scenarios. Both approaches take heavy concentration, but their outcomes are significantly different (except perhaps in the lyrics—they both are known to incorporate silly semantics in their songwriting).

In an interview, Trey Anastasio called Joe Dart out for a potential jam session. Clearly, he’d been turned on to the musician and his beastly bass lines. So going into Wednesday night’s show, fingers were definitely crossed by the hybrid fans of Trey Anastasio and Vulfpeck.

Toward the end of Vulfpeck’s set, the dream became a reality. Anastasio joined Vulfpeck, along with guitarist Cory Wong and keyboardist Joey Dosik, for a ripping version of “Rango” that led into an impromptu jam on Michael Jackson‘s “Will You Be There” (famously from the movie Free Willy). You can tell that everyone had a great deal of fun in the video below:

Vulfpeck, Trey Anastasio – “Rango”

[Video: carashel]

[photo by @danni_lanni on Instagram]