Last night, four-member jam band Eggy made its debut at lauded music venue Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY. Billed as The Midnight Scramble, the show featured both an acoustic and an electric set from Eggy, as well as an opening set from pianist Brad Goodall, who has previously collaborated with Eggy on stage.
Considering the room has previously hosted shows from the likes of Phil Lesh, David Crosby, Taj Mahal, and of course the late Levon himself along with his extended musical family, performing here to a room full of dedicated fans was no slight accomplishment for a band of twenty-something-year-old kids like Eggy.
In a show filled with praiseworthy moments, an easy highlight was when the band invited founding Rusted Root member Michael Glabicki on stage to perform his band’s hit song “Send Me On My Way”. With Goose drummer Ben Atkind sitting in on percussion as well, the ’90s chart-topper went off at the apex of the night with joyous energy and enthusiasm from both the crowd and band.
Eggy’s acoustic set brought a little bit of everything that comprises their personality as a band: musical interplay, brilliant vocal work, and lighthearted stage antics. The set combined professional musicianship with an atmosphere of jocularity, and it reassured both longtime and brand new Eggy fans that even in the most prestigious places and the most seminal moments, having a good time is always a part of the plan. If anything reached out to the spirit of Levon Helm and The Band lingering about the room, that would be it.
Related: New Levon Helm Book Chronicles Legendary Midnight Ramble Concerts
An adventurous acoustic version of “Finding and Losing” showcased tasteful soloing from guitarist Jake Brownstein. His tenacious picking helped to lead the band through dramatic, tension-filled spots of improvisation that blended light with dark, loud with quiet, and even included a little teaser jam on The Beatles‘ “Eleanor Rigby”. The set rounded out with a resplendent, stripped-down version of “Watercolor Days”, one of Eggy’s oldest originals dedicated to the namesake of the band. The harmonies emanating off the stage from all four members kept the audience in a spellbound state.
Eggy keyboardist Dani Battat introduced the electric side of the night in cool fashion with a set-opening performance of “The Genetic Method”. His warbly, deep organ then led into, as it usually does, The Band’s steady rocking number “Chest Fever”. Eggy propelled the cover into their own hefty rendition, jamming the song through two distinct sections that contrasted four-on-the-floor disco beats with swing rhythms.
Setting the stage for their exciting collaboration with Glabicki and Atkind were a few more originals like the soulful, Americana-tinged “Backyard Bear” and the uplifting “Shadow”. Eggy finished their electric set with what was undoubtedly a top-shelf performance of the band’s power-riffed, hard-grooving song “Twelve Pounds of Pain”. Before closing out The Midnight Scramble with a benignly beautiful major chord jam, “Twelve Pounds” weaved through an instrumental reprise version of “Send Me On My Way” that had the audience in Levon’s barn reeling.
For the encore, the band invited Brad Goodall and his trio along with Ben Atkind to hammer out a great take on the Marvin Gaye tune made famous by The Band, “Don’t Do It”. Rodney Elkins, the drummer from Goodall’s band, handled drums and vocals here, making the kit his own and channeling Helm with aplomb.
Eggy follows up their commendable performance at Levon Helm Studios immediately with another anticipated performance today, a pair of pre-party shows ahead of Phish in Atlantic City. Fans can also catch them later this year performing at Resonance Music Festival, Suwanee Hulaween, and more. Visit the band’s website for a full list of upcoming shows.
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