The Disco Biscuits don’t play many shows these days, but when they do, they always seem to find time for Colorado. The band stepped up a notch from their normal winter stints at the Ogden Theater this weekend, upgrading to the expansive Fillmore Auditorium in Denver for a two-night headlining run for the first time. Friday’s show followed a Thursday night fan appreciation gig in Boulder that pushed the tight quarters of the Fox Theatre to its limit. The Fillmore allowed much more breathing room for a wild fanbase as dedicated as any on the scene.
The Biscuits have been true pioneers of the jamtronica genre for over twenty years, and their work has been an inspiration to a new generation of bands that splice the drive of electronic trance music into a rock and roll backdrop. The band takes continuous chances, at their best when they lock into a four-to-the-floor house beat and see where it goes—sometimes for a minute, often for twenty. While this endless improv sometimes end in sloppier moments, without fail, the end result is one hell of a dance party that few other acts can match in intensity. The backbone of the Biscuits is undoubtedly drummer Allen Aucoin, a cerebral machine behind the kit. His chops and well-placed electronic accents are impressive, but more so is his efficient endurance to play for hours on end upwards of 150 BPM. His steady precision is the foundation that the loose, creative playing of keyboardist Aron Magner and guitarist Jon “Barber” Gutwillig build upon.
Spafford Welcomes The Disco Biscuits’ Aron Magner For Mad World Cover At Hulaween [Video]
Friday’s show was heavy on the techno, complemented by an excessive sea of lasers and strobes that have become synonymous with the band in recent years. It was an apt visual setting for the opening tempo changes of “Strobelights & Martinis,” the highlight of a four-song first set that included the crowd-favorite sing-a-long “Truckers Choice.” The second set was equally extended, covering just three songs that included a monster “Magellan” jam that took Magner away from his normal ambient synths and into a classical piano solo. “Tricycle” offered a welcomed drop in intensity with a brief reggae section, before bassist Marc “Brownie” Brownstein took the low-end up a notch for a booming “Caterpillar” encore.
The band closes out their Colorado run tonight for round two at the Fillmore. You can check out select photos from the Disco Biscuits’ Friday show in Denver below, courtesy of Dave Vann.
Setlist: The Disco Biscuits | Fillmore Auditorium | Denver, CO | 11/17/2017
Set One: Strobelights & Martinis > The Overture (Inverted) > Truckers Choice > Aceetobee
Set Two: Helicopters > Magellan > Tricycle > Helicopters
Encore: Caterpillar
