TAB Night 2 @ The Cap; “Everything’s Right!”

2020/1/11 Trey Anastasio Band @ Capitol Theatre

I’m going to get this out of the way right up front, so those of you who prefer me not to speak in platitudes can either tune out or skip ahead. Last night’s TAB show was my favorite show that I have ever seen in The Capitol Theatre. Note that I’ve chosen my words carefully… I didn’t say best ever in this room or Trey’s best show or TAB’s best show or anything along those lines. Based upon my personal history and all the incredible shows that I’ve seen in this room, this one was my favorite. Not only is it a wholly subjective comment, but it compares not just apples and oranges but filet mignon and bagels and thinly sliced Nova and gooey, buttery fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. So many different types of goodness and so many different palates to appreciate them all. But I felt it and I danced it and I said it and I stand behind it. So let’s move on.

I’ve also spent my Cap Theatre career on the GA floor. I enjoy the party and the community and the ease of putting large groups together and … fuck it…the loge rules! I’ve never sat up there before and when a buddy asked me to join them, I figured why not. Oh. My. God. Everything is better from the center aisle of the front row of the loge. The sound, the view, the dancing room, all of it. Consider me a convert, and no doubt this new vantage point with defined space that was actually mine contributed to my good time. But, oh, that poor security guard who spent the show thinking I’d launch myself right over the rail – we laughed about it at set break and after the show but I think she suffered a little in a mom kind of way. #sorrynotsorry

Okay, the show. While night one was awesome with it’s first set theme and second set energy, this one was straight fire from start to finish. If the weekend were a race, then first set night one began with some static and, eventually, dynamic stretching as you start to loosen up and get warm; set two was the let’s check my biorhythms ok I feel good gonna push this a little lap. Last night was the I still feel really good and seem to have unlimited energy so let’s go for a PR and burn this motherfucker to the ground. And I kind of knew tonight would be different with Trey’s choice of footwear as last night’s stuffy black oxfords had been replaced with stylish sneakers, paired, of course, with an unstructured blazer and white pants that just screamed “let’s party.” Jennifer Hartswick and Natalie Cressman were, as always, dressed to the nines, tonight in a white lace short tank dress and a long-sleeved, flowing, ankle length orange dress, respectively. They’re beautiful women, and noticeable, and I love that they dress up to show up. 

Goosebumps hit instantly, within seconds of the opening notes of “Everything’s Right” as Ray made an early statement with some choice funk oozing from the left-hand-clav-right-hand-B3 that is the bread and butter of his awesome career. This was very much a band in mid-stride opener, warm and loose and not just going for it but finding success at every turn. “Cayman Review” gave the horns a chance to shine while Ray continued his assault on the clav and Trey took some signature solos, so good in fact that they warranted a bow — and we were only up to Derek Jeter’s  turn in the batting order. “Acting the Devil” was Natalie’s first center stage moment on the trombone, Trey strutting gleefully behind her as he did his eye-contact-and-a-wave up and down the rail thing, while Ray continued his MVP quality play on the keys. “Alive Again” got off to a highly energized start with upbeat horn play and more B3 wizardry. Cyro found his whistle for the first time in two nights, always a good sign, and Big Red punctuated the ending with a rock star hop and a jump.

 “Sometime After Sunset” preceded the debut of “Silver Light,” a song with strong lyrics and great backing vocals. As they finished, Trey took the opportunity to say “thank you…greatest audience ever…let’s us play brand new songs… enthusiastically. Thank you. It’s the first time we ever played that song. It’s called ‘Silver Light.’ We hope you enjoyed it. We did! Now here’s one that’s not new. This one features the incredible Natalie ‘Chainsaw’ Cressman,” and, with that, “Mozambique” was off to the races. Ray introduced “Ocelot” with the clav before an absolutely rambunctious “Curlew’s Call,” complete with a yell from Cyro, “AHHHHH,” and a bow from Trey. A hair raising “Rise/Come Together” closed the seventy minute set, sweat dripping goodness that epitomized everything I love about both the individuality and the collective of this insanely talented group of musicians.

Typical set break shenanigans ensued, these of the upstairs variety, before TAB took the stage again thirty minutes later and Big Tony Markellis laid down a signature bass line to open the second frame with “Burlap Sack and Pumps.” “46 Days” with many exclamation points in my notes saw Trey break a string, something that surprisingly doesn’t happen somewhat more often, but belies the intensity of his play. The swing tune “Magilla” followed, justifying my best wedding band ever comment from the previous night, as the crowd danced hard while bathed in the glow of bright yellow room lights. Somuchfuckingfun. As Magilla ended, my new friend Rick turned to me and said, “we’re due for a ‘Sand.’” Couldn’t have been more than half a minute later that the opening notes of said prophecy rang out, Ray again highlighting one of the key differences between Phish and Trey’s eponymous band. No disrespect to Page, who I love and has so many different looks and sounds with his rig, but I’m a huge fan of Ray’s straight funk diet. As the bright yellow room glow was all but a memory, sinister red and green lights foreshadowed the fact that this jam was gonna get out there. Sure enough, “Sand” found its footing and entered Type II space, if that’s even a thing with TAB. As actual sweat poured from my brow during this I forgot what song they’re playing rager, I welcomed the GotF tune “A Life Beyond the Dream” with open arms as I caught my breath and allowed my heart rate to settle out of the 160s. Don’t misinterpret me here, I love this song in a not so physically exerting way.

The next trio of songs, “Liquid Time,” “Heavy Things,” and “Traveler” gave way to the night’s first musical segue and an insane version of “Mr. Completely” in which Casey took the first solo on sax, then Natalie on trombone as I thought is Jen going to be next?, she better be next! Jen’s solos always have extra oomph, or at least if feels that way, and an emphatic trumpet solo later, my unspoken query was answered with gusto. Save for Tony on bass, every member of the band took a solo in counterclockwise stage order, making its way to Ray on keys, Cyro on percussion, Russ on drums, then Russ and Cyro on drums and percussion together while I bugged out dancing and Trey’s smile nearly split his head. Trey’s solo was the exclamation point as the jam found its structure again before finding ”Dark Down,” another song from Trey’s darker period of the late 2000’s, complete with vintage guitar shred. Musically speaking, this song would be very much at home in the Ghosts of the Forest. 

The moment I had been waiting two days for was finally here…“First Tube”… BOOM! All my hard work and training are in preparation for moments like these and not only was I fully prepared, but thankfully I just added some Fartlek runs to my training regimen so I attacked this motherfucker head on. My heart rate may or may not have peaked at 170 (that may have actually happened on my morning run) during this raucous rocker, as I jumped and threw my arms about deliriously. My favorite security guard was again fearing for my safety as we made eye contact several times and she offered a nervous smile and I soothed her with a point and a wink.

After a short and well deserved encore break (for all of us), Trey took the stage with his horn section, sans instruments, for a tear-inducing a cappella version of “Brief Time” that was just stunningly gorgeous. By the way, Trey really can sing. I somehow rallied another thousand or so steps for “Push On ‘Til the Day,” the final rager in a night full of them, as Trey danced and played and jumped around as enthusiastically as the rest of us. Kudos to the folks on the rail between Trey and the horn section who properly raged all night (but not the territorial assholes who disrespected my friend Tracy). I can fairly say I did my part, too. And then I watched my good buddy Alex, who was down on the rail, hand Trey a canvas with his hand drawn live art, a gift that Trey humbly accepted. I love Alex’ art and I’m so happy that I was able to witness and share in this moment. 

On the way out, some dude grabbed me to say, “hey man, you killed it in there! We’re all proud of you.” Seconds later, another ran out of his way to flag me down, “Great show!” I raged hard and I guess some people noticed (#sorrynotsorry) inspired by the very best music played by the very best wedding band  fronted my favorite living guitarist. Yep, it was my favorite Cap show ever.

17,064 sweat-soaked steps. I worked my fucking ass off and loved every second of it.

SET 1: Everything’s Right, Cayman Review, Acting the Devil, Alive Again, Sometime After Sunset, Silver Light [1], Mozambique, Ocelot, Curlew’s Call, Rise/Come Together

SET 2: Burlap Sack and Pumps, 46 Days, Magilla, Sand, A Life Beyond The Dream, Liquid Time, Heavy Things, Traveler > Mr. Completely > Dark and Down, First Tube

ENCORE: Brief Time, Push On ‘Til the Day

[1] Debut.