moe. brought their winter tour to an end with a sunny outdoor show that doubled as the SweetWater Brewing Company‘s 20th birthday bash. The brewery opened their gates to welcome well wishers and music fans alike for a day of cold beer and hot tunes. The five guys named moe. rolled into Atlanta, GA, eager to prove the twin adages “Never miss a Sunday show” and “Never miss a tour closer” correct.
Luckily for moe., they have a crew of dedicated team members who are ready to go the extra mile to make each night run smooth. If the team does their job properly, the people who build the stages and make the magic happen are only glimpsed, if seen at all. The crew broke down the stage and loaded out by three a.m. that morning before rallying to get the whole thing back up and ready for sound check eight hours later.
Finding men and women capable of accomplishing such a task is difficult but doable. Finding the right combination of personalities to form a true team is something different entirely. A surprise visit from long time tour manager Skip, and the misty eyes it entailed, highlighted the continuity and unity this team exudes.
While the new lighting director worked to hone his skills, veteran hands tuned guitars and set levels with the same level of dedication. Their faces may occasionally be seen during a show, but their efforts allow the musicians to do what they do without fear.
With moe.’s stage set, all that was left for them to do was come out and rock the house. Starting off with “Happy Hour Hero,” the most obvious choice for a show opener in the history of the band, the energy and humor was clear on the band’s faces. Guitarists Chuck Garvey and Al Schnier, alongside bassist Rob Derhak, braved the sun drenched stage front while the shadows moved across the back line percussionists Jim Loughlin and Vinnie Amico.
This isn’t moe.’s first, or even fiftieth rodeo and their choice of songs for the birthday party definitely showed it. Up-tempo songs like “Stranger Than Fiction” and “St. Augustine” are well suited to a sunny day, and provided Garvey a pair of chances to showcase his glass slide skills.
The western tinged menace of “Shoot First” benefited from the high noon feel of the unseasonably warm day. Set closer “32 Things” seemed more manic than usual. The closing sing-around whipping from vocalist to vocalist with a mad cap and merry acceleration that had the crowd in a tizzy upon completion.
The second set was introduced by the founders and family behind the beloved regional brew. Though founder Freddy Bensch‘s heartfelt thanks for support drew much love from the audience, his last minute request for moe. to play a “three song second set” fell on deaf ears. No visit to Atlanta would be complete without seeing Blondie, The Clermont Lounge‘s legendary queen of can crushing, who obliged the chants and cheers with her signature finishing move.
After retaking the stage, Derhak wondered how they were to possibly follow the spectacle everyone had just witnessed. The opening notes of “Plane Crash” and the wild response was proof that he shouldn’t have worried. After an expansive and metal edged ten minute opener, the band cranked out a tense and terse “Annihilation Blues” that was darker than any song yet performed. Check out exclusive video of it below:
Now that the floodgates were opened, it seemed like all bets were off, as moe. quickly delivered a trio of tunes in seamless transition. With “Not Coming Down” practically exploding from their fingertips the melancholy pace of the subsequent instrumental “Wormwood” seemed to lull listeners into a haze. That sense clouding fog coalesced into the fan favorite “Opium,” a song whose topic of addiction is sadly once again proving timely. Check out the three song run below.
Launching quickly into “Spine Of A Dog,” the silly sing-song lyrics brought the mood back up instantly. You can just feel the returning smiles spread in the clip below.
To close the set, moe. brought out “Rebubula,” the epic tale of love and devotion that many consider moe.’s finest unfurled to a deliriously dancing throng. After catching their breath from the knock down drag out finish of their set close, the band retook the stage one last time to thank their hosts and their fans for the love they received.
“Downward Facing Dog” gets the distinction of closing out an impressive run for moe. With fresh songs, fresh crew faces, and fresh shows ahead of them, this pause in the schedule should allow them to catch their breath and rest up for the future. moe.’s winter tour has shown that, thanks to the love and support that surrounds them on and off the stage, their best days are clearly yet to come!
Setlist: moe. | SweetWater Brewing Company | Atlanta, GA | 2/19/17
Set 1: Happy Hour Hero >Stranger Than Fiction, The Road >St. Augustine, Puebla > Shoot First > 32 Things
Set 2: SweetWater Brewery 20th Birthday Toast, Plane Crash, Annihilation Blues, Not Coming Down>Wormwood>Opium, Spine of a Dog>Rebubula
Encore: al.nouncements, Downward Facing Dog
The post moe. Closes Tour With A Sweet Performance At The SweetWater Brewing Company’s 20th Birthday Bash appeared first on L4LM.
