Aqueous ended 2019 in their hometown of Buffalo with a two-night New Year’s Run at The Town Ballroom. The quartet utilized a ’70s theme for their performance on December 30 and welcomed 2020 with an ’80s themed show on New Year’s Eve.
Up first for the band was an acoustic performance for VIPs on the 30th. Aqueous delivered a five-song unplugged set filled with tunes the band hadn’t played acoustic in the past including “Say It Again,” “They’re Calling For Ya” and “On The Edge” as well as the debuts of original “Spirit & Soul” and a cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “America.” The group kicked off their second set on the penultimate night of 2019 with a debut cover of “Fever Dog,” a song by fictitious band Stillwater from the film Almost Famous. Another debut cover, Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid,” came next and showed the rest of the evening would indeed be ’70s themed (though the band’s costumes gave it away) before AQ treated fans to a run of originals “Burn It Down,” “The Median” and “Gordon’s Mule.” Next up were Aqueous premieres of Foghat’s “Slow Ride” and Led Zeppelin’s “Misty Mountain Hop” featuring Wild Adriatic vocalist Travis Gray. “Random Company” brought the frame to a close.
The final set on the 30th opened with a “Dave’s Song” that gave way to a cover of Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion,” which was last played by Aqueous way back on November 24, 2010 — a span of 870 shows. “Little Something To Me” was then followed by a debut cover of the Bee Gees’ “You Should Be Dancing” and the original “Don’t Do It.” Aqueous went on to close the set with an “All In” that bled into a debut cover of Peter Frampton’s “Do You Feel Like We Do” featuring guitarist Mike Gantzer on talk box.
On New Year’s Eve, Aqueous dressed for their ’80s tribute as they did for the filming of the “Come & Go” video. Fittingly, “Come & Go” served as the opener and was followed by a debut cover of Flock Of Seagulls’ “I Ran (So Far Away).” The latter gave way to the jam vehicle “Warren In The Window” before AQ worked a debut cover of the Cars’ “Moving In Stereo” into their own “Second Sight.” Tuesday’s “Moving In Stereo” contained a skit referencing a scene from the 1982 film Fast Times At Ridgemont High in which Jeff Spicoli orders pizza to his classroom. A ska version of “Marty” emerged out of “Second Sight” and then Aqueous premiered their take on Duran Duran’s “Hungry Like The Wolf” ahead of a set-closing “Strange Times.”
Aqueous kicked off their second set on New Year’s Eve with a debut cover of Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy.” The set rolled on with “Skyway” before the four-piece unveiled a cover of Modern English’s “I Melt With You.” Next up was “On The Edge” and a debut rendition of Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me.” Aqueous then ended 2019 with “Be The Same” ahead of the traditional “Auld Lang Syne.” A pairing of “20/20” into “Origami” concluded set three and AQ had one cover debut left for the encore as they said farewell with “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” by Simple Minds. Drummer Rob Houk handled vocals as Ryan Nogle was behind the kit for the encore. Houk went into the audience to finish belting Simple Minds’ contribution to The Breakfast Club soundtrack.
Watch fan-shot video captured by Bender of “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” below:
Setlists (via Aqueous.band)
December 30
Set One: Say It Again [1] > They’re Calling For Ya [1], America [1 2], Spirit and Soul [1 3], On the Edge [1]
Set Two: Fever Dog [3 4] > Paranoid [3 5], Burn It Down, The Median, Gordon’s Mule, Slow Ride [3 6 7] > Misty Mountain Hop [3 7 8], Random Company
Set Three: Dave’s Song > Sweet Emotion [9 @@], Little Something To Me, You Should Be Dancing [3 @@@] > Don’t Do It, All In > Do You Feel Like We Do [3 @@@@]
Encore: Eon Don > Tiny Dancer [@@@@@]
- [1] Acoustic Debut
- [2] Simon & Garfunkel
- [3] Debut
- [4] Stillwater cover
- [5] Black Sabbath cover
- [6] Foghat
- [7] ft. Travis Gray (Wild Adriatic) on vocals
- [8] Led Zeppelin cover
- [9] ft. Ryan Nogle (Funktional Flow) on triangle
- @@ Mega Bustout, LTP: 11/24/10 (870 shows)
- @@@ Bee Gees cover
- @@@@ Peter Frampton cover
- @@@@@ Mega Bustout, LTP: 9/21/13 (632 shows)
- Set one was VIP only w/ Mike and Dave on acoustic guitars. Set 2/3 were 70’s themed. Do You Feel had Mike on the talk box.
December 31
Set One: Come and Go [1], I Ran (So Far Away) [2 3] > Warren in the Window, Moving In Stereo [4 2] > Second Sight > Marty [5], Hungry Like The Wolf [2 6] > Strange Times [7]
Set Two: Let’s Go Crazy [2 8], Skyway, I Melt With You [2 9], On The Edge, Don’t You Want Me [2 @@] > Be The Same > Auld Lang Syne, 20/20 > Origami
Encore: Don’t You Forget About Me [2 @@@]
- [1] Band came out dressed in their outfits from the music video.
- [2] Debut
- [3] Flock of Seagulls cover
- [4] Cars cover, Included Spicoli pizza delivery skit from Fast Times at Ridgemont High (By The Cars)
- [5] Ska
- [6] Duran Duran cover
- [7] Life in the Fast Lane (Eagles) tease
- [8] Prince cover
- [9] Modern English cover
- @@ Human League cover
- @@@ Simple Minds cover, Rob on lead vocals, Ryan Nogle on drums, sang end of song in the crowd
- This was a 80’s themed show.
