The 2018 edition of Summer Camp Music Festival closed out, as always, with host band moe. The band offered fans, new and old, a barn-burning, take-no-prisoners two-set heater mixed with classics and new tunes. While fans were grinning throughout the set, no smile was as broad or as genuine as the one on moe. bassist Rob Derhak’s face all weekend long.

Last fall, Derhak took time off to receive cancer treatment, which had some worried about the band’s future. After his successful battle and moe.’s subsequent return, the band has been displaying a vigor and enthusiasm that has diehard fans scrambling to see the band. The reception moe. got as they took the stage for their Friday stage opening set was tremendous, and clearly, this brush with mortality has given Derhak a new reason to live life to the fullest—that joy has been reflected in his playing and onstage demeanor.

The rest of the band has clearly been feeding off that energy as well. Since their opening return at The Capitol Theatre to the closing moments of Sunday’s Summer Camp encore, moe.’s members have all been in their fiercest modes. The second set opened with a fun drum jam that saw kit master Vinnie Amico and his percussive partner Jim Loughlin get down to business. Though the beat was strong and deadly serious when Derhak and guitarists Al Schnier and Chuck Garvey took the stage, they weren’t armed with their axes but rather powerful super-soaker water guns that they used to drench the front rows… and any hapless photographers in the pit.

After ditching their toys and strapping on guitars, the front line of moe. jumped into “Brent Black”, delivering a blistering but unfinished rendition that segued into the crowd favorite “Bullet.” Garvey showed off his double-threat skills with the impressively aggressive guitar chops and passionate vocals that he is so known and loved for. The “Kyle’s Song” that followed opened with its light-hearted tale of the injuries sustained by the band’s friend after one of their shows, followed by a ripping take on the instrumental section that elevated the energy of the already inspired field of fans. New song “LL3” also managed to up the ante before the groove of “George” inspired a full-on dance party.

The slow-starting and powerful “Four” brought the mayhem down and dark before moe. transitioned back into “Brent Black” to close out the body of the set. That transition featured one of the most impressive moments of the weekend, as all stage lights turned inward to the center of the stage where Derhak took a bass-slapping solo that built in fury to a crescendo, serving as both a song transition and a wordless testimonial to his pure joy to be in that moment. So much was said without words during that solo, and all of it was impossible to misunderstand.

After a short break and their traditional thanking of their amazing crew and Summer Camp’s father-and-son promoter duo, Ian and Jay Goldberg, moe. closed out the weekend with a pair of classics, “New York City” and “Wind It Up”. As always, “Wind It Up” and its cathartic closing sing-a-long chorus call to unity had the audience belting out the words and hugging all within arms reach. We have a lot more to share with you from moe. and the other acts from this year’s edition of Summer Camp Music Festival, but for now, check out the band’s rendition of “Four” from their festival-closing set! Enjoy!

Setlist: moe. | Summer Camp Music Festival | Chillicothe, IL | 5/27/2018

Set: Drums > Brent Black > Bullet > Kyle’s Song > LL3, George, 4 > Brent Black

Encore: New York City, Wind It Up

“Four”