moe. took a decades-spanning run through its epic catalog for the lucky fans at The Cabot in Beverly, MA on Saturday and Sunday night. As always, whether raging decades-old classics like “Bear Song”, “George”, and “McBain” or road testing some of the newer jams like “Tomorrow Is Another Day” and “In Stride” on Saturday along with “Bat Country” and the Nate Wilson-penned “Yellow Tigers” on Sunday, moe. gave its all on every note played.
Speaking of Wilson, the newest addition to the lineup brought on during guitarist Chuck Garvey‘s recovery from a stroke, the keyboardist had a wonderful chance to show how seamlessly he’s fit into the nooks and crannies of new and old tunes alike. His longtime friendship and numerous sit-ins with moe. in the past give him the familiarity with the band’s material that, to the uninitiated, could easily be mistaken as being a longtime fixture of the group.
That’s not to say that the rest of the band doesn’t still shine like the polished rockers they are. Bassist Rob Derhak can still slap his bass with astonishing fury and precision and lock tight with percussionist Jim Loughlin and drummer Vinnie Amico while singing his heart out. To say that Loughlin and Amico provide a vast, near-limitless platform for the more melodic players does a severe injustice to the sheer amount of work the percussive partnership provides each night.
Loughlin tours his seemingly endless riser filled with congas, xylophones, washboard, and knicks and knacks for the perfectly timed fills he throws in while adding in the occasional vocal turn for good measure. Meanwhile, Amico works a piece of gum throughout the set while working his wraparound drum kit with a deceiving ease that somehow seems both deft and earth-shatteringly powerful in seamless turn.
Meanwhile, the fully recovered Garvey, alongside his six-string partner and fellow “Guitar Hero” Al Schnier have seen their work as moe.’s dynamic duo of fretboard wizards deepen and expand all at once. The pair spends so much time backing each other’s gambles, trading leads and rhythm duties on the fly so effortlessly that it’s sometimes difficult to find where one begins and the other ends. That’s not to say that the two heads of moe.’s guitar monster sound alike mind you, it’s simply a case of bonded brotherhood that comes from a place of utter respect, appreciation, and mutual love.
Each night had some incredible highlights for the faithful to groove to. Saturday’s second set saw a “Brent Black” > “Bullet” > “Kids” run that hit their collective sweet spot before finishing with a fun take on the Loughlin-penned “Mar De Ma” into the second half of “Brent Black” and closer, the aforementioned “Bearsong”. Sunday saw a fun sit-in from saxophonist Mike Tucker during the first set on “Glad” before affording an even deeper love letter to diehard moe. fans as moe. delivered a non-stop second set of classics new and old with “LL3″ > “New Hope For the New Year” flowing seamlessly into the beloved pairing of “George” and “McBain” to end the second set on notes of fury.
Sadly, Sunday’s installment of encore-opening crowd-addressing “al.nouncements” broke the news that long-time guitar tech Frank Robbins, current “Mayor of moe.ville,” and beloved fixture among the crew, was moving on from the band. Al tried to add some levity to the situation, joking that Robbins had been with the band “Longer than Rob.” Robbins is moving on to work in the same role with the Tedeschi Trucks Band, joining with former moe. tour manager Skip on that stellar team.
In a further nod to the departing Robbins, moe. started their second encore with “Letter Home” the bittersweet ode to friends and famoe.ly with us and sadly departed. Never ones to send the crowd out sad from a weekend of fun, moe. followed “Letter” with a rollicking “Crab Eyes” that gave the crowd one more chance to throw down and full-throatily sing-a-long.
After a short break for travel, moe. is heading to Miami, FL for a headlining run on Jam Cruise‘s epic 20th-anniversary sail. After dropping these two incredible shows on its longtime Northeast fans the band is playing as sharp as ever. If reactions in The Cabot are any indication then the lucky passengers on that epic ride are gonna see just how good moe. can be with its latest lineup, newest tunes, and the spirit that has carried the band for the last 30 years.
For tickets and a full list of moe. tour dates visit the band’s website. Check out full-show audio of Saturday and Sunday night courtesy of taper tgakidis along with photos of Saturday by Joanna Gleason.
moe. – The Cabot – Beverly, MA – 2/17/24 – Full Audio
moe. – The Cabot – Beverly, MA – 2/18/24 – Full Audio
Setlist: moe. | The Cabot | Beverly, MA | 2/17/24
Set One: Not Coming Down > Tomorrow Is Another Day > Haze, In Stride, Gone, Opium > Deal (Grateful Dead)
Set Two: Paper Dragon, Brent Black > Bullet > Kids, Mar De Ma > Brent Black, Bearsong
Encore: al.nouncements, Understand, Interstate Love Song (Stone Temple Pilots)
Setlist: moe. | The Cabot | Beverly, MA | 2/18/24
Set One: The Ghost of Ralph’s Mom, Don’t Wanna Be, Blue Jeans Pizza > Rise, Glad [1], Bat Country, Crushing > ATL
Set Two: Yellow Tigers, Livin’ Again, LL3 > New Hope For the New Year > George > McBain
Encore: al.nouncements, Letter Home, Crab Eyes
[1] w/ Mike Tucker on saxophone
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