2020/11/8 Summerfeet @ Rye Grill
Until a few days ago, this has potentially been the worst year in the history of the world and in spite of the following article, Forty-Five still has a few months left to fuck it up.
AP Reuters: VP Mike Pence to be sworn in as acting president. White House officials say President Trump to resign Sunday night in protest. Source: Reuters Via PBS
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Thus, amidst a global pandemic magnified tenfold by the most divisive and nefarious era of American politics that my lifetime has seen, an era that has infiltrated every aspect of society and culture on a global scale, Summerfeet has risen with singularity of purpose. Through all the ups and downs, several bands and musicians have been omnipresent, providing good vibes through great music and allowing friends a chance to gather without bearing the weight of the world for a few moments. This past weekend put two of those bands front and center as a weekend spent enjoying friendship and nature at Camp Green Dog while seeing Goose at South Farms teed up a perfect Sunday afternoon at Rye Grill with Summerfeet. With the election of Joe Biden becoming unofficially official, it’s only fitting that these same two bands, both of which have been at the center of all that has been good and right in 2020, were also at the center of this weekend’s electoral celebrations.
An unseasonably warm Sunday afternoon at Rye Grill felt more like an outdoor cocktail party with a handcrafted guest list and a band than a courtyard lunch date in Westchester next to a train station. This highly lovable quintet, nee quartet, was the first band to bring us all together for a backyard concert back in June and they’ve been consistently kicking ass and taking names (though not requests, lol) ever since. Okay, I fibbed a little there but after spending the weekend with Dennis laughing about all the text requests that get lost in a puff of zeros and ones, the truth is that Sunday’s show honored a request made just hours prior in the friendly confines of Camp Green Dog. And so it was that Dennis Bolger channeled his inner EdVed and Summerfeet doubled their Pearl Jam output in one fell swoop with a cover of “Black”. {The only prior PJ cover was a legendary performance of “Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town” at the original installment of Marckomitoville several months back). CACAW!
With three hours of killer covers that ran the gamut from Mount Rushmore’s jamband greats like The Allman Brothers, Grateful Dead, Phish, and Widespread Panic to yacht rock classics from Seals & Croft, Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show, and America, Summerfeet has perfected the art of a feel-good setlist. Since I’ll never outdo the “yacht rock for hippies” line that I came up with in an earlier review, I’ll just repeat it for posterity. Having now seen this band of brothers five times this year — and isn’t that one of 2020’s greatest gifts! — this particular day was all about gathering with friends and celebrating what hopefully is a new beginning in America, one marked by kindness and respect, with liberty and justice for all. Bringing it full circle, the set closing “Blaze On” featured a lyrical ad lib, “You got your nice shades on, and the Trump days are gone!” along with the dance party that we were all waiting for. The encore sent us home with a message of love and hope, a write-in ballot honored by request ((wink, nod)), and the perfect end to a perfect day, The Avett Brothers’ “I And Love And You”.
Summerfeet has created something special here, and we have, too. As the love that was so prevalent in that courtyard has been carrying us all since June, let’s raise a glass to Dennis and Todd and Joe and Miles and Ken. Here’s to hoping that we never stop supporting our friends, backyard concerts never go away, and maybe, just maybe, future Summerfeet gigs will be Phish afterparties at Nublu.
9,802 steps, every one of which had Rye Grill management on edge. #sorrynotsorry
