In late September 2017, Brooklyn Comes Alive returned to Williamsburg for a weekend of unique collaborations, ambitious tribute sets, and one-time-only performances from many of the most inspiring musicians in the live music scene. One of the most highly anticipated sets at this year’s edition of BCA was moe.queous, a combination of jam-scene-upstarts Aqueous and guitarist/vocalist Al Schnier and drummer Vinnie Amico from moe. Aqueous and moe. both hail from Buffalo, NY, so the connection between the bands coming into this performance was strong. It quickly became clear during this set that Aqueous and moe. are cut from the same cloth, and it was one of the most memorable sets of a weekend filled with many highlights.
Schnier and Aqueous guitarists Mike Gantzer and Dave Loss showcased great chemistry together, attacking their guitars both separately and at once like true masters. If you closed your eyes during the set, it often sounded like missing-moe.-guitarist Chuck Garvey was up there harmonizing with Schnier, a key to re-creating moe.’s dual-guitar sound. Without percussionist Jim Loughlin‘s unique multi-instrumental presence, Amico and Aqueous drummer Rob Houk made up for his absence in spades, delivering a thunderous double-drum connection that gave the whole set a super-charged feel. Evan McPhadden was in the pocket throughout, masterfully recreating the bass sound of moe. bassist Rob Derhak, who is currently off the road beating cancer.
moe. Bassist Rob Derhak Has Finished Chemo And Radiation Treatment
As a result of Derhak’s battle with cancer, opportunities to hear moe. songs in a live setting is currently few and far between, so this already had the makings of a special and emotional show. Making the set all the more special was the band’s epic performance of Derhak’s classic anthem “Plane Crash”, which served as the centerpiece of the entire performance. Schnier made sure to take some time to say a few words about Derhak, dedicating the song to his longtime musical compadre, before handing the reins to Gantzer to lead the band through “Plane Crash”. Gantzer was on fire throughout, and clearly had the time of his life up on stage playing alongside some of his musical heroes. The Aqueous guitarist absolutely nailed the emotional vocals and wild guitar solos that are definitive of “Plane Crash”, and it allowed the whole band to lock in for a passionate and impressive version of one of the jam world’s most iconic songs.
See below for a full, multi-cam HD video of moe.queous performing “Plane Crash” at Brooklyn Bowl from Brooklyn Comes Alive 2017!