moe. showed the strength of their stylistic flexibility when they delivered a high energy set of music to a crowd of enthusiastic electronic music fans at the Backwoods Music Festival last weekend. When the producers of the EDM-centric event decided they wanted a little rock and roll to bring some sonic diversity to their party, they wisely reached out to New York’s legendary jam kings for ninety minutes of pure electricity. The band answered the call with a wise nod to the overall feel of the festival, reaching into their diverse catalog of tunes and selecting a mix of highly dance-able grooves and crowd favorite classics.
Opening with an extended, deep groove take on the instrumental “McBain” before launching into the vast and expansive reaches of the live only classic “George,” moe. plugged right into the prevailing vibe of the day. Mixing pulsing guitar riffs with a heart rate increasing back beat the band a mixture of ecstatic howls and head down trance dancing that swirled in the wash of stellar light work. Percussionist Jim Loughlin continued his emergence as a front-line melodic force with stellar, rapid fire runs on his xylophones and vibraphones that dazzled and dismayed onlookers who had spent the day seeing music generated by the pressing of buttons and turning of knobs.
After the two song jam finished, guitarist Al Schnier addressed the crowd, warning fans still cheering from the lengthy intro jam to not be afraid, and that what they were playing were, indeed, instruments. As the laughter ros,e he promised that “We’ve be doing this for a while, we know what we’re doing” before the well known opening bass lines to “Buster” throbbed from the speakers. The sing-a-long intro got the crowd in the spirit and the combination of fantastical lyrical imagery and razor sharp musicianship converted any remaining doubters to the inclusion of the band on the bill.
Using the closing chords of the final notes of “Buster” as a launching point for the band’s rendition of the Pink Floyd classic “Another Brick In The Wall (Part II),” the band struck a primal chord in the audience. With its familiar lyrics and intoxicating chorus, the festival lifted its voice as one, decrying the need for education loudly and proudly. Loughlin showed yet another dimension to his skills, singing lead vocals on the Floyd classic before igniting the crowd with his dope mic skills on the 90’s era House Of Pain hit “Jump Around.”
His call to the crowd to “Jump up, jump up, jump around” was answered by his onstage partners, matching his intensity with an enthusiasm that is as infectious as it is fun to witness. The smiles exchanged between band members are more than genuine, they’re gleeful. That camaraderie built by decades of sharing close quarters is reflected in the music, infusing an emotional core to even the lightest of melodies. “Bullet,” a showcase for guitarist Chuck Garvey’s searing leads and impassioned vocals resonated deeply with the rapt audience.
To finish their set in style, moe. whipped out one of their earliest, and still greatest jams, “Brent Black.” Unfamiliar festival goers were caught off guard by the dexterous nature of the tune, as the sections and solos flowed effortlessly from member to member, before the stage was cleared by drummer Vinnie Amico. With all four limbs locked into a precision of force and economy of movement, Amico connected with the crowd on the most base of human levels and was rewarded for his effort with a thunderous roar matched only by the plaintive howls of returning-to-the-stage bassist Rob Derhak’s much abused bass guitar.
As the last notes sounded, a different kind of thunder split the night, as the sharp reports of fireworks sounded, signalling the end to moe.’s Oklahoma adventure. Pleased that they had been able to make such an impact, the band thanked the cheering throngs and wished them well on the rest of their weekend’s festivities. As the crowd went racing off into the night, moe. and crew loaded out with the same smiles they wore while they played, a testament to a tribe living the life they love, and rocking the world while doing it.
Setlist: moe. at Backwoods Music Festival, Stroud, OK – 9/3/16
Set: McBain > George, Buster > Happiest Days > Another Brick In The Wall > Jump Around > Bullet > Brent Black
