For the last off-night of Phish’s Baker’s Dozen run, friends and phamily gathered at Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk to celebrate The Waterwheel Foundation’s 20th anniversary. Brooklyn’s own Marco Benevento got the night started off with his currently-touring trio, bringing his punchy indie rock to the breezy Brooklyn boardwalk for a short but sweet 45 minute set. Just as fans had hoped and expected, as Marco gave his final bow he announced that he would be joining Greensky Bluegrass momentarily for segments of their headlining set.
Greensky got the show on the road with no time to waste, opening with a monstrous “Windshield” into “Burn Them.” Paul Hoffman and Dave Bruzza’s powerful vocal harmonies rang out loud, while Anders Beck and Michael Arlen Bont traded off fiery solos as the rain pattered on the white-tented amphitheater roof. “Train Junkie” was the highlight of set one, showcasing the band’s versatility and ability to bring their tasteful take on bluegrass to any corner of the country. The band weaved in and out of fan favorites before inviting Benevento up to help close out the first set with a 3-song stretch of “Lose My Way”>”Working on a Building”>”Handle With Care”.
After a 30-minute set break, Greensky came back out for a jam-packed second set, kicking things off with “The Four” into “Big Shot,” which included a Happy Birthday shout-out to B. Moore. Marco came back out midway through the second set for “I’d Probably Kill You,” before going into the deepest jam of the night with “Leap Year”, backed by an unrelenting Mike Devol holding things down on the upright-bass. The addition of Benevento on keys provided the perfect touch for a special night, benefiting a foundation that has given so much back to the Phish community and beyond over the last 20 years.
The remainder of the set included a slew of Grateful Dead teases, including multiple allusions to “Shakedown Street,” as well as “Help On The Way” and “Let It Grow.” “Old Barns” seamlessly segued into “Kerosene” to close out the set, before Benevento came out for a final time to join Greensky as they encored with one of their most popular covers: Bruce Springsteen‘s “Atlantic City” (which as usually hemmed more closely to The Band‘s cover of the tune than The Boss’s original). As the Brooklyn get-down came to an end, everyone headed back to Manhattan for the final three Phish shows of Baker’s Dozen run. If the past ten shows are any indication of what the finale will bring, this last weekend of PH is not one to miss!
For a list of upcoming Greensky Bluegrass tour dates, head to the band’s website. You can also check out Marco Benevento’s upcoming performances on the keyboardist’s site.
[Cover Photo By Dylan Langille © Greensky Bluegrass]
If you’re hanging around the Big Apple (or the Big Donut) for the final shows of Phish’s Baker’s Dozen run this weekend, don’t miss the rest of Live For Live Music’s Baker’s Dozen Late Night series! Tickets are still available for tonight’s Kraz & Taz show featuring Eric Krasno Band and Brandon “Taz” Niederauer Band at The Cutting Room!
Live For Live Music Phish Baker’s Dozen Run Late-Night Shows
Aug 4 – “Kraz & Taz” – Eric Krasno Band w/ Brandon “Taz” Niederauer Band @ The Cutting Room (tix)
Aug 5 – Spafford @ BB King Blues Club (SOLD OUT)
