Longtime Frank Zappa vocalist/guitarist Ike Willis was Twiddle‘s special guest at The Roxy in West Hollywood, California on Wednesday. Willis joined the quartet at the end of their first set for a debut Frank Zappa cover and Twiddle original.
Twiddle started their Fall Tour 2021 on Tuesday in Phoenix after canceling the first leg due to COVID-19 concerns. Wednesday was the second stop of the excursion and began with fan favorites “Beethoven And Greene,” “Daydream Farmer” and “Hattibagen McRat.” The four-piece then unveiled new original “Mildew Man.”
“Mildew Man” was the first of three songs in a row featuring “man” within the title. The premiere gave way to the beloved “Jamflowman” before Twiddle brought out Ike Willis. Ike sang and played guitar on “Muffin Man,” a song Frank Zappa originally released on his 1975 album, Bongo Fury. The Roxy holds a special place in FZ lore as the venue hosted a series of legendary 1973 performances documented in part on the 1974 live album Roxy & Elsewhere and in full on 2018’s The Roxy Performances. Ike Willis was not a member of Zappa’s band at the time.
Willis revealed he was “almost dead from prostate cancer” one year prior and had been laid up in bed until Twiddle asked him to sit-in. “I haven’t picked up a guitar in a fucking year,” Ike told the crowd and added, “I’m so honored to be playing with these guys.” The guitarist also added to Twiddle’s own “Syncopated Healing” to close last night’s first set.
Twiddle got last night’s second set underway with “Orlando’s.” Bassist Zdenek Gubb then starred on “Brown Chicken Brown Cow” before the quartet lit into “Frankenfoote.” The band paired “Every Soul” and “Indigo Trigger” to conclude the frame. A “Hatti’s Jam” bled into live staple “When It Rains It Pours” as Wednesday’s encore.
Watch pro-shot video of last night’s “Muffin Man” below:
Setlist (via Setlist.FM)
Set One: Beethoven And Greene, Daydream Farmer, Hattibagen McRat, Mildew Man* > Jamflowman > Muffin Man**, Syncopated Healing***
Set Two: Orlando’s, Brown Chicken Brown Cow, Frankenfoote, Every Soul, Indigo Trigger
Encore: Hatti’s Jam > When It Rains It Pours
- * – First Time Played (Original)
- ** – w/ Ike Willis on guitar and vocals, First Time Played (Frank Zappa)
- *** – w/ Ike Willis on guitar
