Home Again: The Disco Biscuits Bring Back That Feeling Called Bisco

Home Again: The Disco Biscuits Bring Back That Feeling Called Bisco
– Chris Meyer   (cover photo by Matt Enbar/MenbarPhotos)

It can be widely agreed upon that the fans of the jamband scene are highly fickle individuals when it comes to their bands, comparing show to show, setlist to setlist, song to song, and even a particular jam in one song to how it was jammed on another night.  Bands that rely heavily on jamming, improvisation, segues, and taking their songs through different peaks and valleys each night, as opposed to bands that run through songs in a fairly similar fashion from night to night, open themselves up to the critique of fans that are not only rabid, but relentless in their opinions and reviews of every show that “their” band plays.

Over the years, The Disco Biscuits have become one of the most controversial acts in the scene when it comes to these assessments from their loyal devotees. Like Phish, The Grateful Dead, moe., and Umphrey’s McGee, Biscuits fans are loyal and dedicated in their love for the band, almost to a fault, yet can also be their harshest critics at the same time. Go on PhantasyTour.com and it is like an open market for dissent, disagreement, and a schism between warring factions of fans; all of whom claim to LOVE the band. But….that’s the way love goes, right? It’s like, “What have you done for me lately? I don’t see no ring on this finger!” You don’t bring your A-game on a nightly basis, you flub that one part in “Hot Air Balloon” and you have just opened up Pandora’s Box; you better have some thick skin, because this congregation believes in the Good Note, only when it is played the right way; if not, may the Music Gods be with you (and also with you).

This past weekend at Camp Bisco, you had that loyal following ready, willing, and able, to either get down as hard as possible to that feeling we call “Bisco”, or to jump down the throats of the band for not practicing enough, not touring, not playing any “warm-up” shows, and for simply not giving enough of a shit. What can be agreed upon by all of us in attendance this weekend, or at least from most of us (if you were listening to and watching the reactions of those around you) is that the latter was simply not the case. What we received by our beloved Disco Biscuits was a weekend of energized, inspired, and motivated musicianship.  Marc Brownstein, Aron Magner, Allen Aucoin, and Jon Gutwillig (kudos to some serious shredding on the axe, by the way, Barber) simply brought it. They left it all out on the table, and they succeeded in not only satiating the fans that stick with them through thick and thin, but also reeling back in those disenchanted fans that have been left unfulfilled in recent history and claimed to be giving them a “last chance” at Camp.

It all began on Thursday, which was a bit of a nostalgic evening for not only the fans, but for the musicians from several different bands that have friendships going way back. With Umphrey’s McGee bassist Ryan Stasik unable to make the bands performance, as his wife was giving birth, Dave Murphy of STS9 and Master of Ceremonies Marc Brownstein stepped in to give a little help to their friends.  When Barber came out on stage to receive a warm embrace from Brownie and to perform “Home Again” with Umphrey’s while singing into the same mic, you could both see and hear the crowd get amped at the sight of the two standing side by side and singing “Never had a home like this, and the prophet said be careful what you wish….Never had to think twice, always knew my home was in paradise”; It was the perfect start to a nearly perfect weekend.  STS9 followed Umphrey’s and threw down a typical solid set from a band that always has such incredible energy. Those of us that have been trekking around the country for years following these bands really felt as if this was OUR camp; not one for all of the candy kids that have absolutely no clue what “Bisco” is (which is another topic for another day for us sometimes jaded Camp veterans).

Following STS9, it was finally time for the Biscuits to come out and put the icing on the cake to this already fantastic opening night at Camp Bisco. A 5-song opening set started off with a song that is about as apropos as it gets, that song being “7-11″; with lyrics stating “I’m gonna go out and jam! I’m gonna go out and party! I got a brand new mission, so bring your ass to the party!”, it was clear from the get-go that the Biscuits were all systems go, and we had most definitely brought our asses to the party. An “Abraxas” that was played at hyper-speed was enough to give your heart a run for its money. Segueing into an almost 20-minute “Spaga” of epic proportions, and probably one of the best versions in a long time, it became quite clear that the Biscuits were not messing around. Going from “Spaga>7-11>I-Man” put smiles on everyone’s faces, as we all looked around and gave each other that non-verbal look of satisfaction. The “I-Man” was spacey, jammy, and rocking all-in-one. Clocking in at around the 23-minute mark, it ended the first of six sets in fine fashion and gave us hope that this weekend would be one to remember for a years to come.

Day Two’s first set started off strong with a fun “42″ and segued into an always welcome “Helicopters.” The highlight of the set, however, was the build into “Cyclone” and the song itself. It was a monster version with a long, dark, mysterious intro, with Brownie dropping some atomic bass bombs, Allen laying down some driving beats and absolutely murdering the kit, while Barber picked away at the progression into that epically dirty drop that brings the dance right to your front door. “Portal To An Empty Head,” which has become a fan-favorite in recent years, slowed things down a bit, and honestly didn’t resonate as much as it usually does.  “House Dog Party Favor” followed suit, and left the crowd happy, yet not completely satisfied with the set as a whole. Overall, this was arguably the weakest set of the weekend; though, it wasn’t played poorly, it just didn’t have that oomph that we were looking for.

Opening the next set, there was a bit of confusion as the original plan was for Bassnectar to end his set with Rage Against the Machine‘s “Killing in the Name”, with the Biscuits segueing into it. Something went wrong, whether it was timing, or some other issue, and things didn’t work out as planned. However, they still opened with “Killing in the Name” and that was just fine with everyone anyway. “Pygmy Twylyte” made its first appearance since 2010, and was warmly received by those ready for a nice bust-out. From this point on, the set became one highlight after the next; all that really needs to be said is this –  “Pygmy>Spacebirdmatingcall>The Great Abyss>Hot Air Balloon>Lunar Pursuit>Pilin’ It High (Perfume version)>Reactor (ending only)”….it was solid from front to back. It looks good on paper, and it sounded even better. And the encore of “Highwire>42″ was so choice; it capped off a really well-played second night, second set on Friday night, and left all of us awaiting a now highly anticipated 3-set Saturday.

Day sets on Saturday always get the Bisconauts up and at ’em early, and this year saw even more anxious fans than in recent years, as the night before ended on such a high note. With the set starting a bit later than scheduled, apparently due to the stage sinking because of the mud (though we were very fortunate with the weather, as it never rained much at all), everyone was in the right place at the right time. Opening with “Frog Legs,” a standalone version of “Svenghali” felt like another gift for the fans, as we haven’t received one of these in what has felt like forever. And this was the vibe that we received the whole weekend; as if the Biscuits realized that they haven’t been giving us much to work with lately, with no tours, and only the typical major runs, they gave us what we wanted; and I’ll be damned if it didn’t feel amazing. The composition that is “Magellan” is an appropriate song during the day, with the sun shining and nothing but blue skies and a few big clouds, it has that ability to make you put your head to the sky, close your eyes, and dream of being on an island out on the sea. The sandwich of “Magellan>Strobelights and Martinis>Magellan” was magnificent and even had a tease of Bob Marley’s “Stir It Up,” further solidifying the airy vibe of the day set.

“MEMPHIS” is one of the ultimate Biscuits party songs, and has the ability to bring the energy up rather quickly. Though an unusually short opener, it led into the first “Floes” since 12/31/11. “Rock Candy” is a vehicle for Magner to go nutty on the boards, and nutty he went, in what was a very sexy version. In recent years, Magner has arguably been the leader of the band musically; he has led some of their best jams, and stood out more so than ever as he has truly perfected his craft. “Rock Candy>Tricycle>Orch Theme” was delectable, as can be listened to and watched in the video below. As the band jammed and segued into “Tricycle” and the laser light show going bonkers, the crowd was in definitive elation and utterly, and completely “in HEAVEEEEEEEEENNNN!” though nobody was actually on a tricycle. The lead into “Orch Theme” was some Deep Space Nine meets Aliens meets Dark Skies shit, and then went complete epic-saga style as the drop commenced. It’s a brilliant version that could very easily be used on the soundtrack of some wild sci-fi thriller, as it almost tells a tale within itself, and ended conveniently with “Story of the World.” Which world is anybody’s guess; but it most certainly was fitting, and made it very necessary to take a 30-minute break before the final Biscuits set of the weekend.

As if they couldn’t outdo themselves, as was debated afterwards by many a fan, the third and final set of the day, and of Camp Bisco, was the icing on the proverbial cake. “Run Like Hell>Little Shimmy in a Conga Line (inverted)>Mindless Dribble (dub version)>Munchkin Invasion>Crickets (middle section)>Run Like Hell”….SERIOUSLY?!?!?!  Like, really? It was like the joke was on us. Beginning the set with “RLH” is always a good sign of things to come, and they most certainly did. The dub version of “Mindless Dribble” was so good, and slowed things down in the perfect way, just to build it all back up into the craziness that is “Munchkin Invasion.”  The middle section of “Crickets,” which saw some classic Barber noodling, led back into “RLH” for the set closer, which left everyone just staring at the stage mesmerized, as our minds had been blown into bits and pieces.

The encore of “Jamillia>Tempest>Munchkin Invasion” was just throwing it in our faces. The first “Jamillia” in recent memory was a request honored by the band, and gave us yet another old-school bust-out that had some shit eating grins in the crowd from veteran fans. Then, before we got too comfortable, the party went right back to eleven with a dirty, sweat-inducing “Tempest,” which was highlighted by Allen’s monster drumming. “Munchkin” seemed like the appropriate way to end it all, with band, lights,and crowd going ape shit, as many of us came from the city to indulge ourselves in the jungle that is Camp Bisco.

The weekend was a mix of old-school Biscuits, mixed with the new, and everyone who bore witness to the display they put on left a very happy camper. As far as jamming goes, when these guys are on, it’s about as good as it gets in the scene; they are masters of the segue. They can be patient and let things breathe, and when they go off the wall, it’s enough to make your head spin in absolute delight. There will always be detractors, but when it comes to this weekend, you will all be in the very small minority; as anyone that was in attendance at Camp Bisco this weekend knows exactly what went down. The tapes will be the tapes, and should definitely be listened to, regardless.  However, they will not do justice to the energy and vibe that was experienced at Camp; that is something that simply cannot be recreated. For those that were there, you know what’s up. For those that weren’t, better luck next year.

To purchase any or all of The Disco Biscuits sets from Camp Bisco 12, do yourself a favor and click here!

Side Note:  For any of those that were able to get into “The Animals” set, which was Brownstein, Magner, Tom Hamilton, and Nicos Gun drummer Jeremy Worthington in the VIP tent doing a special set of Pink Floyd covers, GOOD FOR YOU!. This writer was there as well, and couldn’t have witnessed a better end to one of the best Camps I have ever attended (7 total).  Not only was the weather the best it has ever been, but the Biscuits played beyond exceptionally well, and listening to The Animals cover “Have A Cigar” and “Breathe” (w/ Barber) along with “Comfortably Numb”, “Wish You Were Here”, and “Eclipse” among others was flawless. A huge thank you to the band and everyone that worked hard to make this an incredible Camp Bisco experience.

To check out some photos from Day 1 of Camp Bisco, courtesy of Live for Live Music photographer Matt Enbar, click here.

To check out some photos from Day 2 of Camp Bisco, courtesy of Live for Live Music photographer Matt Enbar, click here.

To check out some photos from Day 2 of Camp Bisco, courtesy of Live for Live Music photographer Matt Enbar, click here.

Day 1
Set 1: 7-11 > Abraxas > Spaga > 7-11 > I-Man

Day 2
Set 1: 42 > Helicopters > Cyclone > Portal To An Empty Head, House Dog Party Favor
Set 2: Killing In The Name, Pygmy Twylyte > Spacebirdmatingcall > The Great Abyss > Hot Air Balloon > Lunar Pursuit > Pilin’ It High1 > Reactor2
Encore: Highwire > 42

2ending only
1Perfume version

Day 3
Set 1: Frog Legs, Svenghali, Magellan > Strobelights and Martinis1 > Magellan2, Spy
Set 2: M.E.M.P.H.I.S.1 > Floes > Story Of The World > Rock Candy > Tricycle > Orch Theme > Story Of The World
Set 3: Run Like Hell > Little Shimmy In A Conga Line3 > Mindless Dribble4 > Munchkin Invasion > Crickets5 > Run Like Hell
Encore: Jamillia > Tempest > Munchkin Invasion

2with “Stir It Up” (Bob Marley) jam
1unfinished
3inverted
4dub version
5middle section only

“Rock Candy>Tricycle>Orch Theme” (via Coryec11):

Brownie and Barber w/ Umphrey’s McGee on “Home Again”:

“Cyclone”: