Vermont-based quartet Twiddle rolled into Maine’s State Theatre for the second night of their Valentine’s Day Weekend run with support from Strange Machines and Wild Adriatic. Hundreds of Twiddle fans flooded Portland’s Congress Street, anxious to get inside the venue after seeing the band’s flawless performance the night before at the Palace Theatre in Albany, NY.
Wild Adriatic was first to take the stage, immediately energizing the packed State Theatre with a robust set containing guitar vs. saxophone solo battles and a cover of Bob Marley‘s “I Shot The Sheriff”, which had the crowd infatuated with widespread anticipation for the sets to follow. The familiar faces of Strange Machines were next to perform. The New England four-piece is no stranger to Maine, and they fired up the Portland crowd with captivating songs that encompassed elements of funk, reggae, and livetronica. Twiddle frontman Mihali Savoulidis joined the group on stage before the band ended the set with a face-melting version of their two-part song “Klepto”. As the stage crew set up, the last wave of Twiddle fans poured into the State as the room filled with excitement.
Opening with “Nicodemus Portulay”, the band wasted no time, mesmerizing the sold-out audience with the song’s familiar lyrics and odd time signatures. Savoulidis, sporting his brand new DGN Kalos guitar, then unleashed a powerful solo that led the group into a wild jam, showcasing Twiddle’s ability to explore fresh improvisational waters. Before the crowd had a chance to process the epic jam, the band switched gears, and keyboardist Ryan Dempsey started his introduction to the fan-favorite tune, “Gatsby The Great”. As the song progressed, Dempsey led his bandmates through the first jam section with a standout solo from his trusty keytar before launching straight into another classic, “Zazu’s Flight”. Savoulidis serenaded the crowd with the iconic lyrics before shredding another guitar solo that led back into a lengthy jam section of “Gatsby The Great” to complete the sandwich.
Twiddle – “Nicodemus Portulay” – 2/15/20
[Video: Michael Liacos]
The group finally paused and took a brief moment to collect themselves before treating the Maine audience to a smokin’ version of “Dr. Remidi’s Melodium”. Bassist Zdenek Gubb stole the spotlight with a mind-blowing solo that showed off his one of a kind playing style and ability to captivate the crowd. The rest of the four-piece joined Gubb for the latter half of the song. Savoulidis ended the wild first set on an emotional note with the inspirational “Lost In The Cold”, featuring a sit-in from Strange Machines Keyboardist Josh Dobbs, as the entire sold-out State Theatre sang along.
The set ended, and Twiddle walked off stage, leaving patrons at the State Theatre satisfied yet begging for more. The short set break gave fans a chance to reconnect with Frends and loved ones as they wondered what the second half of the show had in store for them. Shortly preceding the second set, Mihali returned to the stage with his daughter and gave her a chance to look out over the sea of happy faces in the crowd.
Twiddle took the stage once again and immediately brought the energy up to 11 with an electrifying “Blunderbuss”, giving Demsey another opportunity to shine on his keys while drummer Brook Jordan led his bandmates through the rhythmically dynamic instrumental track. Savoulidis followed up the song with a stellar performance of “River Drift”, delighting the already entranced audience with the beautiful tone of his new Kalos guitar.
The beloved tune “Jamflowman” got the crowd singing along once more before Savoulidis demanded the crowd’s attention again with a spirited solo while dancing around the stage of the State Theatre with an enormous grin on his face. The group then transitioned straight into another fan favorite, “Frankenfoote”, while Mihali led the Portland audience in song. Towards the end of the herculean jam, Demspey picked up the speed of the tune, and the band treated the crowd to a fiery segue into “Slippin In The Kitchen”, which is quickly becoming one of the fans’ most sought after live tracks in 2020. The song was complemented by “Herm” Schneider‘s brilliant lighting, which added another element of intense euphoria for fans.
As the song came to its conclusion, Dempsey proceeded to play the familiar intro to the group’s rendition of Mason Williams‘ “Classical Gas”, which culminated in a jam that went off on several improvisational tangents to end the second set. The song, which Twiddle last played in February of last year, is yet another track that has returned to their live shows recently.
The musicians returned to the stage for a “Syncopated Healing” encore that featured a beautiful duet between Dempsey and Savoulidis before exiting the stage. However, Twiddle had one last trick up their sleeves, returning to the stage for a rare double encore with a climactic “Juggernaut” that shook the State Theatre to its very core. After omitting an encore the previous night in Albany due to the venue’s curfew, Twiddle delighted fans with a monumental end to a standout show filled with fan favorites, superior lighting, and seamless playing that lasted the entire night.
Twiddle – “Slippin’ in the Kitchen” > “Classical Gas”, “Syncopated Healing” – 2/15/20
[Video: Michael Laicos]
Twiddle – “Juggernaut” – 2/15/20
[Video: Michael Laicos]
Twiddle continues their 2020 winter tour with a show at the Roxian Theatre in Pittsburgh, PA on February 20th, ahead of a show at the Madison Theater in Covington, KY (2/21). Head to their website for tickets and more information.
Scroll down for a gallery of images from the event courtesy of photographers Vic Brazen and Chris Ritter.
