Best posts made by mccuem

Setlist, Recordings, and Attendance from 9/9/2017 - Canyon Jam @ Mishawaka - Bellvue, CO

The word on Spafford must be out, officially I mean. I spent the better part of Friday and Saturday meeting new nerds who were in town for their first show. It sort of felt like one for me as well as I was seeing the band in a new amazing venue and it had been since April that I was treated to a show. I’ll add my observations to this review but do yourself a favor and listen to it without any distractions, then listen to it again. This was one of those performances where I walked out and thought to myself, Spafford will never get to play this venue again because they killed it and now that the word is out, they will have to start booking bigger venues.

Let me say this right off the bat, the venue was amazing. I came up with some fellow Phoenix Nerds on an early shuttle and was able to take the scenery in the daylight. Temperate climate, a calm stream behind and off to the right of the stage with just a few drops of rain to start the day.

It was while I was handing out stickers, that people were telling me how excited they were for their first Spafford show, I met Nerds from coast to coast and it was really cool to hear how pumped everyone was for the show, with most preparing with Nugs or Archive recordings.

After Midnight by JJ Cale got the party started and I was blown away! (I’ll admit I had look this up because I feel I’m only familiar with the Clapton Version). I feel that they paid their homage to the Clapton version before making it their own.

Walls settled everyone into a comfortable groove and as I stood in the back of the venue I noticed everyone was getting into the show, no chompers. The dance party was just starting and everyone was under the Spell of the Spafford.

All My Friends got the crowd whipped into a dancing groove and it was the first time that I realized that the drums were a little more intense since the last time I heard it, possibly pushing Red on keys, or Brian on guitar or even Jordon on the 5 String Bass to bring it just a little bit harder. ( I did get a look at the amps, all were turned up to 10 and not 11 like I had anticipated).

When the Band launched into Electric Taco Stand, I don’t think there was a stationary body in the venue. I do have to admit that this is one, if not my favorite songs that they do. It was my introduction to them and is still the first song I play anyone who wants to listen to what I would recommend as an introduction to Spafford. ETS was the bread to the peanut butter and JAM Alternate Ending , I was getting ready to jump out of my skin when they led back into ETS. At this point I don’t think there was anyone in the crowd who was not losing their mind, neither new nor existing Nerds.
Sweet, as I was told was one of those songs that they had written back in their Prescott days and I found myself doing a little slow dance with my girlfriend. There were some epic moments from everyone on this track, Brian gave us a nice Solo and Red treated us to some epic keys while Jordan and Cameron kept us (at least me and my girlfriend) in that kind of slow dance that is reminiscent of a Junior High dance. Don’t judge, we’ve all been there.
During Windmill I had ventured to the back of the venue to hang with some newly minted Nerds and it turns out there is a Windmill Dance that I was not aware of, I’ll teach you all next time I see you. Mind you I cannot dance but that is neither here nor there.
The last song I wanted to mention was the closer, Galisteo Way. For me it has always been one of those songs that, like ETS, defines the sound, experience, and vibe that you get when you see Spafford. Be it your first or 20+ show, Galisteo Way has a way of bonding the crowd, everyone is jumping up and down shouting lyrics (some better than others) and embracing the band and the moment.
The experiences with everyone at Spafford for the inaugural Canyon Jam were not enough (is a singular Spafford show ever enough? No). For those of you that were lucky enough to be there, I was super happy to meet all of you and hang for our limited time. Those of you that missed it, there are some stellar recordings out there of this show. Can’t wait to rage again with all of you and I just wanted to say, this was not my favorite Spafford show, the next one will be and the one after that etc. Keep #killingit Nerds can’t wait to see you at the next show.

One last shout out to Live for Live Music for putting this on. Mishawaka for hosting 2 nights of stellar music and all the bands that made the experience memorable. It dawned on me that the people who were having the most fun this weekend were not the fans, rather all the bands seemed to be having a better time than everyone else in the place. Brian, Jordan, Cameron and Red seemed to be smiling brighter and having more fun than anyone in the place when looked out and saw everyone having a fucking blast getting down with their music.

-Martin McCue

Setlist, Attendance, and Recordings for: 2018-05-27 - Red Rocks - Morrison, CO

"If you will it, Dude, it is no Dream."

I’ve been wanting to write that headline for awhile, and I feel pretty confident that it fits after Spafford's debut performance at Red Rocks on Sunday. I’m sure that everyone reading this always thought this was going to eventually happen and that in the future, Spafford will headline this venue.

But on May 27th, 2018, they got to perform as openers for the first time, supporting the Disco Biscuits. Organ Freeman started the party right on time at 5pm and the Los Angeles based duo brought along a killer guitar to help them warm up the crowd before Spafford and tDB. Spafford hit right at 6:15pm sharp for their 75-minute set, nay make that 90 minutes. They walked out to a roar of applause, grinning from ear to ear, ready to jump into their first song of the afternoon …

But before I jump into the show let me talk about the previous couple of hours. It wouldn’t be a Nerd Party or a Red Rocks Party without a pre-show hang and we had perfect conditions. The earliest of the nerds made it to the venue before me and I rolled in right around 3pm, which got me into the second row of the South Upper lot. There was a Spaffnerds Flag hanging from some signage in the parking lot indicating where to met and where the front of the line was to walk up the hill. Spafford was bumping out of the back of a van, coolers were stocked, and people were meeting new and old nerds. @Phokus was on hand to deliver non- Arizona residents shirts that he had designed for those that wanted. (Huge thanks to @Phokus for putting it all together, we were immediately recognizable as Nerds and I’m pretty sure the band noticed as well). It was cool to talk to people that were seeing Spafford for the first time ever or those that showed up for their 3rd set of the weekend, having just flown in from Summer Camp. There were even a few Nerds that were making the trek to Red Rocks for the first time. Remember: get there early and park in the Upper South Lot, not the Lower South Lot-- also don’t let anyone tell you it’s part of the experience to hike from one to the other. Somewhere during the pre-party in the lot we found out that we were getting a 90 minute set thanks to the Disco Biscuits' Marc Brownstein via Twitter. Just before 5 we started up the ramp in time to hear Organ Freeman greet us as we went through security. I really dig Organ and if you haven’t heard them start with "Go by Richard, Not by Dick”.

6:00p I’m anxious, I don’t want to leave my seat for anything. Chatting about what kind of show we will get. ATL afterhours was epic and I was hoping for something like that. Perhaps they would play their new album and jam out a bit where appropriate. Or maybe they would give us an opening Red Rocks Jam and then segue into something else and back into Red Rocks jam giving their first performance a theme sort of like hometown shows in the past. Still sitting on pins and needles, I checked the Facebook feed and there were still people debating what Spafford will open with.

6:10p Ok, everyone is kind of settling into their seats, time to make sure I have enough room to dance, beverages are topped off, shift from side to side in anticipation, ohhh and take some photos commemorating the experience. I'm going to write a review, can’t have a review without pictures.

6:13p From my vantage point somewhere in the 10th row I can see the guys behind the stage grinning from ear to ear waiting to walk out... It’s happening!! I suddenly remember everyone talking about how playing Red Rocks was on their list of goals, people talking about the Sail Inn days and open mics in Prescott to my first show at the Rhythm Room almost 4 years ago and how we all knew they would play Red Rocks soon. It’s been said before and I was thinking it right before they walked on stage: we are going to miss those shows with $10 covers standing in a room with 75-100 people. I am secretly looking forward to when I can say, I saw them way back when.

6:14:43p The boys walk onto the hallowed ground that is the stage of the Red Rocks Amphitheater and the Nerds in attendance loose their collective minds. From where I am sitting it looks like Cam, Jordan, Brian, and Red are doing their best to control themselves.

6:15p This is where I stop keeping track of time because it stands still for the next 90 minutes and I just wanted to soak it all in.

Broken Wing starts us off. Cameron takes the lead as Brian, Jordan, and Red fall into place. A groovy jam to start the show, easing everyone into the set, that I mistakenly thought was a new song. Technically it is a new song, only having made its debut a little over a month ago in Atlanta. I notice tDB fans taking notice that there is something special happening. It’s been said in the forums, and I was told that tDB never have this many people show up for an opener, so they know that Spafford is about to ignite the place.

The Postman follows and just doesn’t stop to give anyone a chance to catch their breath. It seems that Red almost doesn’t want the rest of the band to segue into the vocals of the song but once that is over the jamming starts. And it hits me, they are not going to do a normal opener set, they are not going to do this song like it is on the album, they are not going to do something like the ATL after show. Rather they are going to do it their own way. They are going to jam and jam hard while using every second of the 90 minutes.

Weasel needed no introduction and they segued effortlessly into this. It was at this point that I was reminded of how great of musicians they are and how they will take risks and push themselves musically in any environment. I was so blown away that they just jammed out. I’m starting to think that they are doing this for themselves, we only get to witness it.

In my mind I realize that Spafford had reached another level, during All My Friends > Bee Jam, I’m getting nothing like I ever expected. I am getting a Jam session of original old school songs. The gents looked at what got me hooked and then showed me how much they had grown as a band right in front of me over the last 4 years. I’m not a parent but I imagine showing pictures to unsuspecting family members of children is what I did to my dad after this show, playing him older recordings compared to what they put down at Red Rocks expanding on what got me hooked in the first place.

Speaking of what got me hooked, Leave the Light On was probable the first set of lyrics that I had committed to memory after The Postman. LTLO is always a crowd favorite and one of those songs that even though it has been played live 140+ times it always sounds unique. It’s honestly a perfect song, jams that swing into vocals/sing-alongs back into jams. On the rocks I just sort of closed my eyes and let the jams hang me in the wind that had picked up in intensity before jumping back in to serenade those unfortunate enough to be standing next to me during the vocals.

I know I said I was going to stop looking at the clock but with 17 minutes or so to go we were wondering what we were going to get as a closer. Everyone around me was dancing, losing their minds, and just soaking it in. The boys took what seemed to be their first breather all set when Cam and Red dropped into Slip and Squander. The lyrics “Bet they Dream of Home” (taken out of context for the purpose of this review) got me all in the feels and I imagined all the hard work that these guys had put in to get here. You don’t pick up an instrument and play Red Rocks in a few weeks. You put in work and Spafford has done just that, I’m just glad I have been able to see their rise over the last few years, make some amazing friends and get to see some cool venues in the process. When Brian said ‘Let's go Red Rocks!’ I was sure that they were going to leave me with these goosebumps whilst I wiped a single tear from my eye (strong men also cry), as they jammed the rest of Slip and Squander.

But, wait, is that Brian giving signals? Could it be another song?! Wait, we had at least 7 more minutes (totally not looking at my phone)! We will definitely get another song! And then one of my favorites and longtime show closer spoke from the Raven with everyone driving the vocals!!!!!! Galisteo WAY! “Come on let's hear you RED ROCKS” was Brian's cry and the entire crowd lost their minds! It was something amazing, nerds new and old were singing, dancing and just losing their minds. The band couldn’t contain their happiness any longer, grins from ear to ear and Brian challenging the crowd to ‘move their feet’. Somewhere in this song I saw Brian giving everyone the 3 minute signal... I deflated for a second knowing that I only had 3 more minutes to enjoy this, the first Spaffnerds on the Rocks. But then Brian found the time to Jam about 5 minutes worth of a solo into 2 minutes before he led us on through the OhhhOhhhhhhOhhhhOhhhh’s of Galisteo Way. You know how it goes.

Love you Nerds, thanks for reading. Now go listen to the show. Again if you have already done that.

Setlist, Attendance, and Recordings for: 2017-11-17 - Teragram Ballroom - Los Angeles, CA

Just a disclaimer, I can be long-winded so I broke up the review so you can read what you’re most interested in.

Well, that's just, like, my opinion, man.

Intro-

Spafford in Los Angeles, sounds like a great Friday night, right? Let me tell you it was. I was fortunate to be able to make it, just a short seven hour drive from Phoenix. When Spafford announced their Fall Tour it was this and the next night that I circled on my calendar! For those of you that don’t know me I’m a huge live music fan. My younger years were dominated by punk rock. I can’t define my music taste except for a few dislikes, which include top 40, modern country, and most modern rap. I’ve been a huge Spaffnerd since about 2014 with this being my 24th show, first time I’ve ever streamed, and according to Spaffnerds.com the 7th time I’ve seen them this year in 3 different states. Props to this website for all the stats!

We left Phoenix the morning of the show and made it to Los Angeles before the- as rumor has it- unbearable traffic. Checked in and noticed a familiar tour bus parked next to the hotel and I knew we had arrived! It was early afternoon and I noticed the crew loading into the Teragram (Margaret). Road tripping is always fun, listening to recordings of previous shows on Nugs and Archive always sets the mood for an epic evening.

A few other Nerds from Arizona made it out as well and we all met at the Monty Bar right next to the venue. Cool little spot, craft beer and cocktails with old-school movies playing on the back wall. Really cool staff and just the place to grab pre-show drinks. If you ever go to the Teragram stop by-- it’s stumbling distance! Not going to brag about running into band members before the show at lunch/ early dinner that day or meeting potential sit-in guests, I’ll save that for later. I did, however, try to confirm rumors that there would be sit-ins but I was met with shoulder shrugs from a few members of the band. I also wanted to mention that I got a family member of mine to their first Spafford show. I have a cousin that lives in Los Angeles and mentioned to him that he should check it out-- I don’t think he was disappointed.

I was really excited to check out Shaky Feelin but only caught the last song. I was trying to coordinate with the evening's taper, WarfatJoe and Arizona legend Grout to figure out how to set up a stream for everyone. Here is where I will give huge props to Streamers and Tapers. It is not easy to get all the gear inside (I hade a phone and a mic, so no big deal, also thanks Louis), set things up or get approval from the venue. I thought you just needed approval from the band, alas I was way off. Lots of ins, lots of outs, lots of what have yous.

Venue (Not the one that Marty got for his Cycles, btw.) (But decently close to the In and Out Burger, which has tasty burgers.)

The Teragram Ballroom is a two-level venue with huge ceilings and around 350 person capacity. Acoustics for me were amazing. Efficient and friendly wait staff running not only the attached café (get the Cuban, it's delish), but also the bar in the back. Really large sound and light board in front of the bar and from what I could tell a decent sized stage. Only gripe I had was that I didn’t realize that the balcony was VIP only and wasn’t allowed to check it out.

Music (Not the fucking Eagles man, I hate the fucking Eagles.) (Also wouldn’t hold out any hope for the Credence.)

Set 1-

The Remedy opened the evening, Brian came out and welcomed the crowd before Red and the band jumped into the song. Looking around, those that knew the song immediately dropped into a grove while others tried to figure out if they should talk about the band or follow our lead. I started a dance off with my girlfriend which I would ultimately lose, but that’s neither here nor there. People followed by the highly anticipated Hollywood, I mean we are in Los Angeles after all. Mind's Unchained gave us some funky jams before bringing the roof down in an epic crescendo before serving us with All In. All In knocked my socks off, Jordan threw down on bass, Red was omnipresent, and Cameron seg’d into Brian transporting us to another stratosphere. It was a great back-and-forth between all the band members, just that perfect jammy, happy, high feeling. All In led to Brian bringing out his brother Geoff for Legend. Just to nerd out for a second, I met Geoff at lunch that day. During the show I ended up standing next to him during the first set and even gave him some of my #killing it stickers, not remembering who he was. Geoff serenaded us all the way to the set break with him and Brian exchanging appreciative looks of sibling approval when one or the other would take over the spotlight. It was truly epic to see them share the stage as I don’t think that they have ever done that, at least in recent memory.

Set 2-

Ain’t That Wrong got us started for Set 2. A ten-minute dance party that peaked with the Raven demanding us to dance just a little bit harder. Pretty sure that Brian suffered 3rd degree burns from that fire and Cameron was able to guide him home before the Raven went up in flames. The last few minutes of this were my personal highlights of the evening. I was barely able to catch my breath before Areoplane made it’s Teragram debut. Eyes closed I didn't know if they had Kedis on stage singing with the rest of the Peppers just jamming out. (I really wanted to make a Flea in The Big Lebowski reference here.) Areoplane sequ’d right into the longest Jam of the evening, Leave the Light On. The end of LTLO took us back to one of my favorite Spafford covers, Mad World by Tears for Fears. Mad World is one of those songs that I never thought could have extended jams and here I sit typing this as I’m proved wrong. It was here I realized that I was losing the dance-off to not only everyone around me, but most importantly to my girlfriend which she was quick to remind me of. Salamander Song was next and the band introduced a sit-in by Brock Butler (Perpetual Groove) on guitar confirming my initial question to Brian that afternoon, that was met with shrugs.

Next to Electric Taco Stand, Salamander is the song I recommend to new nerds. It’s also a great measuring stick to see how much a particular crowd knows Spafford. ‘Hey’ needs to be shouted at the correct time in the song while following Brian’s lead. I must say I was impressed with the LA crowd. I will admit that I’m not as well versed in P-Grove as I should be but I did hear that Red had sat in with them in Denver and Brett was wanting to return the favor. This song gave me huge goose bumps when I remembered that tomorrow Spafford would be back in Arizona. Dancing the whole way home!!!!!!

Beautiful Day closed out the second set but not without tugging on some heartstrings. This has been a crowd favorite for some time and I was really impressed with the sing along that those around me gave the band. The band was firing on all cylinders, Red had the lead with keys and heartfelt vocals. Brian, Jordan and Cameron gave him space when needed but were always there to give the punching explanation mark to the song. Days like these are why I love this band so much and they only come around once in a while.

After a quick break the band returned to encore with another crowd favorite, The Postman. This is a song that gives me chills. Every member of the band gets to shine, not only individually, but also together. I’m pretty sure at this point of the show I was just swaying back and forth trying to decide what air instrument I should pretend to play. With the last 4 notes I couldn’t immediately bring up my hands to clap, I just stared at the gentlemen who had transported me to a jam bliss for the last two-and-a-half hours.

Post Show Notes-

I was floating in a haze of jams and good vibes after this show. I consider myself so fortunate to be able to see these shows, meet the fans of the band and be part of this community. I’ve met some really cool people, traveled to a lot of cool places, and seen some epic live music as a Spaffnerd. Please take time to share not only this band but also the community with others. Also check out the recording of the show, I was really fortunate to meet the taper and share stories of the band with him! People, Nerds- I can’t stress enough how cool of a community this is, how much I appreciate you all and how much the Tapers mean to me. Thanks for being such awesome ‘Nerds! See you at the next show.

I really wanted to end on a Big Lebowski quote, but instead I’ll take one from Rufus in Bill and Ted (filmed in AZ) – Be excellent to each other.

Far out, man. (Ha! I did find a TBL quote to use!)

Thanks for reading!

Nerds, we give a lot of love to the tapers for all they do. One thing I think we can improve on in 2018 is leaving loving reviews on their archive recordings. We show a lot of love on this site and FB for all the hard work that tapers put in. Take a second and create a profile on Archive and give a quick review. I'm sure they would appreciate the gesture. Keep killing it and hope to see you all at the next show!

@Lauer-Nation Dude thanks for the killer write up! I was loosing my proverbial shit the entire time. This is why I travel for music. Meeting people and enjoying epic shows. So glad you took the time to type this up and from the read it looks like you enjoyed yourself more than others! See you soon man!

Setlist, Attendance, and Recordings for: 2019-06-21 - Red Rocks - Morrison, CO

Rocks Baby, Red Rocks!

Little over a year has passed since Spafford played their first show at Red Rocks and I was eagerly awaiting their triumphant return. Leading up to the show there were a few questions on my mind like, What are they going to play? Will the headliners crowd be into them? And will they get more time to play like they did last year? Oh, you don’t remember that? Yeah, the Biscuits tweeted that Spafford would get extra stage time allowing them to get a little lengthier Jam in. You can read all about that performance here. Alas, we would not be getting any extra Spafford this time around.

And to the question of what they would play, I was wondering if they would just jam out with some staples, maybe do a Weasel into America and play it safe? Or could they throw out some monster jams and knock the socks off Red Rocks in an hour? Granted an hour slot doesn’t really lend itself to extended jams, but hey who knows… they are opening for Umphreys so their fan base has to be somewhat familiar with Spafford given the number of shows that Spafford has opened for them over the years.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Unlike last year when we had pristine weather, sunny skies and a cool breeze, when we pulled up to the Upper South Lot we were greeted with grey skies and light rain and a chilly breeze, but we were going to make the most of it. We even got as far as setting up lawn chairs before we were chased into our ponchos and ultimately our vehicles, but not for long.

Photo credit Jon Rose, stolen off of Spafford prints on Facebook

Soon we were headed up the hill to score those sweet, sweet Jon Rose posters! I stole the above image from the Spafford Print group of the Summer Vacation poster, alas no show specific poster like we got last year but at least we got our date on the poster! Grab yourself one of these this summer on tour! “To Be The Only One” is killer in person!

Now that posters and spots had been secured, I returned back to the question of what we were going to hear. I had a few nerds standing close by and we chatted about possible songs and wow was I wrong. I was expecting a high energy set of tried and true material with some back and forth segues of the tried and true variety.

Who would have thought that they would bust out not ONE but TWO new songs and drop a straight fire Jam then bring up a Special guest? And they had to fit this all in in under an hour. Strap yourself in, this is going to get intense. My guess of old staples was also wrong. 4/6 songs played debuted this year and one of the older songs just got immortalized on a studio album with an added twist. Can you guess where I’m going with this one yet?

The boys walk out and take their positions, left to right you have Red on keys, Jordon on Bass, Brian on, well, the Raven, and rounded out with Nick on drums.

Some last minute tuning, shouts of pure anticipation and then they drop into….what’s this? Wait are they messing with me? Nope this is new. Has to be a debut. Be Strange is the title and has a strong reggae vibe, to get the feet moving. One of the more lyrically heavy songs in recent memory with enough room for Brian to take the Raven on a little exploration before the closing verse. Great song to get the night rolling and as I write this, I am over looking at the lyrics on Spaffnerds. Thinking about this show a few days removed one of the lyrics stands out to me and how Spafford chose to attack this show full force and not knock out a few tried and true tunes “No time for normal, and it’s not today.” Go back and re-listen to this set and compare it to any opener you’ve ever seen. These Guys kill it.

Next up the boys surely will drop into a tried and true old school tune. Nope, 2 notes into this and @mdjabber leans over and answers my question. Dirtbath. Such a sick Jam, and here I thought I wouldn’t get a Jam. Making its debut in February this year it has been one of the most anticipated songs that people are talking about that they want to see on Summer Vacation. This 20 minute Opus grabs you by the soul and take you for a ride. If you’ve read stuff I have written in the past you’ll remember that I know nothing about music theory. This song, at least for me, invites you to sway dance and just lose control.

Alright 2 songs penned in 2019 so far.

Comfortable was up next, another member of the class of 2019. Catchy tune that lets Red swoon us through out the entire song. Catchy upbeat and a perfect little breather from the heat that was Dirtbath. Since I’m addressing nerds here I don’t think I need to mention it but next listen through go pull up the lyrics and read along. Chuck has a way with words and I really dig how the boys interpreted these.

Brian takes a quick second to let us all know that they are having a blast and lets us know that they would like to welcome Jason Singer (and his Saxophone) to the stage. Ok, now even I know that Electric Taco Stand is coming next (debut 2011, so a member of the old guard). Remember earlier when I was foreshadowing this review and mentioned that they had recently immortalized an older tune on For Amusement Only? Well, unlike on FAO's cut of Ain't That Wrong when there is just a little sax, Jason gets down throughout the song. ETS has been my primary song to introduce people to Spafford. ETS with some brass is absolutely next level. *s the times go by!!!!!!!!!! It doesn’t even seem like Jason is holding anything back, he is jumping right in and leading Jams.

Brian then lets us know that since we already got one new debut, we might as well have another and they jump into Pretty Mama with Jordan on vocals. Pretty Mama has a great rock feel to it and some of the opening notes have a distinct vibe of another band that will be on the stage later that night. But just a few and once the band hits its stride I almost forget that thought and jam on out. I can’t wait to hear how this one grows as they play it at shows without time restrictions.

Looking at my watch I know that we were going only get one more song. ALL IN for the win! I take a brief look around me and see everyone absolutely losing their shit! As I look up the rocks I see that it is nearly full, save for a few rows at the very top. I love how this song builds and then drops into that awesome bass line with drums right in the middle. Speaking of drums, I’m not sure if it was just where I was sitting, but I think they owed Nick money the way he was beating them towards the end of the song.

Then just like that it was over, Brian thanked us and Umphreys and took a quick curtain call before disappearing back into the Rocks. I must say that I was absolutely blown away at this performance. Instead of playing it safe they dropped 2 debuts on us, rocked out a solid 20 minute jam and even brought out a guest artist. I don’t think that you could have packed anything else into that hour.

Hope to see you all soon!

I tried to capture the spirit of the thing. -Dickie Dunn

I tried to get a good nerd Pic and some more show shots but honestly I was stuck in the moment and it was really cold and rainy. So if I saw you and didn't immortalize you in this review I am sorry I'll make it up to you next time around.

For those of you that want to get an early start on your New Years Resolutions, especially those from out of town, I'll lead a hike up Camelback on one of the days. I'll create an event page closer to the New Year, and by that I mean I will have @damian help me with an event. It's a local landmark and a decent 1.5 hour hike with some pretty stunning views. And yes there are breweries a short drive from the trail head for post hike libations, before you ask.

Setlist, Attendance, and Recordings for: 2019-10-29 - Meow Wolf - Santa Fe, NM

Meow Wolf Baby!

Santa Fe what an amazing 24 hours I just spent inside you! Meow Wolf was so much better than I could have hoped for, from the show to the Venue the people this show reminded me of why I fell in love with this band so many years ago. The intimacy of this venue and seeing a lot of familiar faces gave this show a feel of a Spafford show circa 2015 Last Exit Live.

VIP

So, for this show I decided to do VIP. I had seen a lot of pictures on Spafford's Instagram lately and thought that I should do VIP for at least one show this year. Plus poster, sound check, and a brief Q&A and we got first stab at merch. The really cool thing that was rumored was that Meow Wolf would open its Installation Exhibit “House of Eternal Return”. It is an Art Installation that spans a huge warehouse and has a 2 story Victorian House inside and I think I read 70 unique rooms to explore. There is a story line and you can solve the mystery of what happened to the Family that lived there. I only mention this because I had just thought it was a collection of art installations.

Leading up to sound check I got to meet a bunch of local New Mexico nerds. They were happy to be treated to a show since it had been a few years since Spafford had performed in the Land of Enchantment. VIP was an intimate performance of about 25 or so minutes that saw the band dive in and out of songs, shortening them up so that we could get more tracks. Q&A followed and we were asked to write questions on a sheet of paper that the VIP host then posed to the crowd as they sat on the edge of the stage. Turns out the band stated that Grand Rapids was their favorite show so far on tour while Red didn’t want to commit and ended up stating Denver night 1 to be his favorite. Also found out that they don’t have a favorite between red or green sauce almost in unison they answered ‘Christmas’ to the question about their preference. Good call Gents.

Before the doors for GA opened I was able to secure Brian Bojo’s latest work for the band. This is a beauty of a print and one that went really fast.

While we waited for the show to start the venue did open the attraction and wow was I impressed. If you go make sure to arm yourself with 3D glasses for the full experience. It is trippy to say the least and can be a bit overwhelming if you’re not ready for it. The venue is part of the exhibit and I had a great time exploring while the crowd trickled in. The venue holds around 300 people and I would say there was perhaps 200 there. Large contingents of AZ peeps, locals and those who didn’t get stranded in Colorado due to the weather.

Spafford takes the stage and launches right into a 30-minute Bee Jam which welcomes you to gently sway while you are looking pretty much everywhere but the stage. I think it was about now that I went up to the balcony and put on a FB live stream. I think it’s still up on FB if you care to look for it. Mind's Unchained was up next and this tune never fails to amaze me. Perfect jam wrapped up at the beginning and the end with the musings of our own Chuck Johnson.

Plans starts to float out of the Raven and I know that the dance party is just starting. And judging by those around me everybody was feeling this Jam. Again the room was electric and had high energy vibes, little to no chomping and it had a real intimate feeling that you can only get in a small room. I know that I have been saying that we needed to enjoy the smaller rooms because we wouldn’t be getting them for much longer (probably around ’16 or ’17) and now I think the last dozen or so times I have seen them it has been primarily in venues with at least 1000+ capacity.

Comfortable comes next before we get the sole cover of the night, Down Under by Men at Work. Comfortable gets the crowd in the grove then Down Under gets the building shaking. I always feel that Spafford gets people going with this song because I feel that they step up the tempo quite a bit, but what do I know I’m just here to get down.

Thanks Rob for the Photo!

Set 2 started with Lovesick Melody and again Jordan's Bass seems to be taking things to another level. Give this one a spin I really enjoy how the Gents have mastered switching up the tempos on this song which leads right into Soil. Since making its debut almost two years ago it is in heavy rotation making an appearance about once a week when they are on tour.

Windmill to keep the dance party going! ‘A simple song it has no cost, through this riff my trouble's lost' and 'You’ve got me dreaming again’ were probably the two lyrics that I was belting out the most.

Slip and Squander keep the evening rolling. Red serenades us before the band jams out again. The boys take a quick tuning break before the synth intro of America washes over us. Well, I wasn’t exactly sure what it was in the moment but that’s the benefit of writing this post show with an Archive recording to jog the old memory. But just as the band is gently letting us down and catch our collective breath, that funky bass line walks us straight into The Reprise. I need someone to give this a listen for me and compare it to other versions as I thought they threw a new ending at us.

Speaking of funky bass lines, Shake You Loose to close the second set! The evening so far has been absolutely stellar! One cover and a lot of older songs to treat New Mexico to their first show in as I had over heard in the crowd ‘way to F$@&ing long’.

After a quick break Spafford returns to the stage and jumps right into Galisteo Way! Cool to see this song hit the century mark! Now at the Q&A Brian did mention that Jordan now has two songs where he gets to drop and F-bomb and Brian only has one. Wonder if there was some last minute set-list doctoring? Brian is urging us to dance and sing along and there is not a stationary person in the venue. Thank you Spafford for one hell of a show! New Mexico, I will see you soon.

That however was not the end of the evening folks…. Perhaps you had seen posts on Facebook about a pre- and post-show down the street? Pherkad, a quartet from Albuquerque, were set up down the street at Leaf and Hive. These guys also jam. It was a lot of fun to get to see them again as I had missed them the last time they were in AZ. Give them a listen check them out. They have to be pretty legit if everyone from Spafford makes the walk over, right?

Setlist, Attendance, and Recordings for 2019-12-27 - The Roxy - Los Angeles, CA

3rd in the series of LA Slaps. Thanks to @Phokus for the execution.

Los Angels, city of Angels, we meet again. I’m not lying when I say it’s been too long. So I headed out solo from overcast and dark Phoenix and was so happy when I landed in Cali, I stepped off the plane and was greeted by sunny skys and a mellow 65 degrees. If’ you’ve never flown into Burbank, there are no jet ways so you deplane onto the tarmac and feel a little important, I mean its not a PJ but instagram doesn’t have to know. Since I was going to be doing a 4-show/5-night run I checked a bag. Hey, it's free and on SWA you get two, so why not? For the first time ever the airline lost my bag, well didn’t lose it but just decided not to put it on the plane so my bag was chilling in Phoenix. Some frustrations aside, I was informed that the bag was delivered while I was having my face melted. So I’m only slightly annoyed.

But you came here to read about the show, not read about me bellyaching about lost undies and, yes dude, the ringer is full of my dirty laundry, the whites, because the ringer cannot seem empty. Nothing is fucked dude.

Photo credit Jon Rose

Ok, Big Lebowski references for the most part done let's talk about the show. I normally don’t do the VIP meet and greet but this time I got hooked up by a fellow nerd with the promise that I send him the VIP print. Which, can we pause real quick, is absolutely killer. Known Associates pays tribute to the 10 year anniversary of the band and is signed by all 6 members of Spafford. Wait there are only 4 ppl in the band right? Well, we get the man the myth the legend Chuck Johnson’s signature on there as well as Mr. Rose's. Absolutley stunning. But wait, there is more. The great Joey Feldman had a print as well, specific to the 2 nights in Hollywood. “Ballet” is so stunning. Simple, elegant and beautiful. I’ve been a fan of Joey’s ever since his first Spafford print 2 years ago and he was teasing this print on social media all week so when I found out that it was indeed a Spafford print I was over the moon. Check Joey out, this dude is amazing.

Photo stolen from Spafford Instagram

VIP meet an greet is so much fun. I think that there were 7-8 of us at the sound check and we had the run of the place. Met some friends and made some new ones while the band offered us 30 min of fresh new jams to stint our collective 6 weeks of withdrawals. A super intimate performance was followed by some Q&A and despite my best efforts no one wanted to tell me if I would have an Aliens in store for me in a few nights in San Francisco. I think I got personally scolded by Brian for that one, but he had a point, they have never leaked a set list so I don’t see them doing it anytime soon. But hey, it never hurts to ask. Also wanted to give a huge shout out to Jeff and his incredible new ink! He and his special lady friend flew out from Indianapolis to rage and I was super stoked to meet him. If you see this guy at a show give him a high-five he’s definitely killing it.

Before I get into the music just let me say this, the Roxy is AMAZING. Intimate room, I’d guess somewhere around 300 capacity, efficient bartenders and an awesome staff. Their security was so chill nice and friendly that I made like 6 new friends. I never realized how much security can make a show (I take that back, I have been to a certain venue in Phoenix that is kinda rough), these dudes were so nice and accommodating and I don’t think they got annoyed at anyone all night. Plus it’s the Roxy, pretty sure there can be a post made about the history there but that’s for another time. If you get a chance, go. I’d have to say that the Roxy is in my top 5 venues. I’ll let you know about tomorrows show but it’s such a cool place and I defiantly will try and catch a show here again.

Ok, music I got you. Bear with me I started this day after show and have been trying to get to words on paper quicker for you. Now I find myself in a hotel room in cold and rainy San Francisco with a mixlr feed in my ears and a frosty beverage. So lets talk about night one. First off, Jeeeasus Fucking Christ. A God dam heater. Now I’m one for casual cursing but right out the door with All my Friends. Such a great song to get the night rolling. A nice easy segue to get everyone’s feet moving. I may have been more enthusiastic than most but I’m not concerned. As a way to kick off a tour after 6 weeks off, they segue into Bee Jam. All-in-all a solid 20 minutes of Jams to put us in the right mind set for the evening.

A brief pause a lot of shouting and then whats this? “You begin…” floats from Brian and I’m stoked for Be Strange! Having been at its debut a few months prior I’m soooo happy that this is making the permanent rotation. When it debuted it took me a minute to process how epic that Red Rocks show was. Be Strange has started to get a little longer, there are some jams happening and some more room for some more. I think Brian does an amazing job on this one. Gonna give him the gold star for set one based on this one.

After the first break in playing, Brian says what’s up to the crowd and Jordan greets us with the bass line to All In! This song absolutely destroys the place! At this point I’m jumping around and can’t contain myself! I’m pretty sure that I black out at some point due to pure bliss...well, we might as well drive and Spafford is the vehicle that will get us there. This song has the place literally burning to the ground, tempo changes and then the back and forth between Red and Brian with Jordan and Nick keeping everyone on track. Love it Dudes!

Next was a first for me! Tongue N' Groove by Steve Kimock Band is stellar. Only the 4th time that they played this and it’s amazing. I had @finegina tell me about how it was one of her favorites and now I know why. Absolutely beautiful from start to finish and gives us in the crowd a moment to slow down and sway back and forth while collecting out collective breaths. Remember when I mentioned that they hadn’t played a show in 6 weeks. You’d think they would be rusty. I’m here to tell you absolutely not. I can feel an epic run coming on. Put down your phone and go stream this right now. I’ll wait.

Closing out the first set was Shake you Loose! I happened to be standing by Chuck and saw him with a setlist in as he was tweeting the songs and almost asked to see the rest of it. I held back and I think Chuck could read my mind as he promised me a copy post show! Thanks again Chuck for all you do! First set came to a close and I was stoked to be hearing my favorite band again and looking forward to the rest of the night!

After a quick set break the gents jumped right into My Road (My Road) an original that is absolutely fantastic. Slow, fast, jam, improve this song has it all. Great intro to the second set with a solid 15 min jam. And then what is this? Sill haven’t heard a member of the band pronounce this one so I’m still kinda up in the air but Fünkenseven is up next. Still a newer song with only 5 appearances in the rotation, this is an ultimate Jam. Everyone gets to shine while Jordan keeps everyone in line with his steady bass lines. I though that Nick was going to hijack this song a few times but Jordan always brought him back. Little di I know that was this was going to be the start of one of the most epic segues in memory! After the crescendo Nick jumped into the beat for Weasel! Weasel is such a funky jam and it seemed like everyone was feeding off him and just jamming until, wait for it, Palisades! No way I can do the Palisades justice so I need you to go listen to that while I have a post coital smoke, yeah it was that good. Oh and to end the segues and close out set one, lets jump back into Weasel. Just ridiculous. And then it was over. I was informed that Legend was on the list but probably had to get cut due to strict noise curfew. So we waited, almost positive that there would be an encore.

The boys did hit the stage again and thanked us for hanging out and immediately dropped into Ain’t That Wrong! Not sure if the curfew had anything to do with it but this seemed fast hard and loud. Perhaps because of where we were (next door was a statue to Lemme, Guns and Roses lived a block away and Van Morrison lived in a hotel, the one I stayed at btw, just up the street. So perhaps they raged a little faster and harder. I don’t know…

I was absolutely blown away by this show. I’ve seen them a few times and it seemed that they were just itching to get on stage and throw down. I’d like to thank everyone, band, fans and crew for making it such an amazing evening. See you at the next one!

Sorry for the lack of action shots. If I stream I cannot take pictures (I've tried) so please go check out the bands page for some shots. I'm working with the photographer to get you some more imagery for the next reviews.

@SociableJimmy Sean is the artist that does a lot of their merch.

Evan, This is a seriously cool pin. I'll send you my details this week. I didn't want to mention anyone in my review, but you showed me the Windmill dance. Great to meet you this weekend

Awesome 🦖! Thanks for capturing the spirit! Now rest until NYE!

Re: HowTo: Starting A Meetup

Hey Nerds, I know a bunch of us are heading to Red Rocks next week. I'm heading up from the Springs via AZ and wondering what time everyone is getting to the lot? I'm guessing south lot is the best for a meet up. Who wants to fly the flag to let us know where to meet up?

@Johnny-Love thanks for the kind words. I’ll be in seclusion in the west wing until the next show.

Setlist, Attendance, and Recordings for: 2018-11-09 - Belly Up - Solana Beach, CA

Hey Y’all Nerds! Just wanted to preface this with the fact it’s been a few months since I attended this show.

I was talking to the Man, the Myth, nay, the Legend Johnny Love and he had mentioned that a few reviews never took place because ppl didn’t volunteer, backed out, or may have forgotten to submit a review. I love sharing my memories with you all so I wanted to give you my experience from this show and possibly the next night as well. Please enjoy a delayed review.

(Read in a narrator's voice-over voice)

On November 8th, two Nerds set out for San Diego from Phoenix. They were going to see their beloved Spafford in sunny Southern California a mere 350 miles away. Little did they know they were about to be treated to the best Spafford performance that either of them had seen in their entire lives. Now both of these nerds are not exactly light weights. Together they are well over the half century mark in shows seen so they can spot a stellar night when it presents itself. This is the story of the greatest Spafford Show that 2 NERDS from Phoenix have ever witnessed…. Up until this point obviously!

San Diego (city)-Discovered by the Germans in 1904, they named it San Diego which of course in German means whales vagina. (Ron Burgundy, 2004)

We set out from Phoenix for two nights in California to see Spafford, leaving early in the morning, on a Sunny Phoenix November. We had just come off of the first Arizona shows of the year with one in Flagstaff and two in Tucson (first timers for Spafford in Tucson, that might be a review for another time, I digress). Doing our due diligence we decided to stay close to the venue in del Mar on the north side of San Diego. If you get a chance to go there stay at this place! Walk out right to the beach, abundant parking. We arrived late afternoon and treated ourselves to libations and inhalations on the beach. Early November in So Cal does not disappoint. We knew that there would be a fair amount of Nerds there so after a failed late afternoon nap we headed to Pizza Port for further pre-show libations, pizza, and a hang with some other Nerds. Beers consumed, pizza eaten, stories and slaps traded, we left for the venue.

Normally I am not one to get to a venue early when Spafford has an opener as I prefer to catch the tail end of the opener's set and get my head right for the eminent face melting. Holy shit was I glad we did! As we are waiting a car pulls up and a certain touring member of The Rolling Stones jumps out and asks to squeeze beside me to get to the will call window to grab his credentials. Everyone in my group was looking at me as I did my best impression of Will Ferrell in Elf when he hears that Santa is coming. Karl Denson, touring member of the Rolling Stones and leader of Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, just cut me in line and disappeared into the venue with a saxophone in hand. I don’t think I stopped blabbering for the next 10 minutes it took the Belly Up to open its doors.

I do need to say that it is becoming even more important to show up to a Spafford show early, not only to catch the opener if there is one, but also to get in the merch line. I was able to snag a print for me and my fellow road warrior, complete with the numbers that we collect. It wasn’t until the next day that I read the @blockprints post on Instagram and on the Spafford Prints group about the imagery that he was able to deliver. Huge shout out to Jon Rose and all his amazing artwork that adorns my walls reminding me of the shows I have been to.

Midnight North kicked off the evening. If you’re not familiar with them, I highly suggest checking them out. I spent the opening first set mingling and chatting with some Nerds that I knew had traveled to see this and the following night's show. I will apologize and admit that I chomped during their set. Reality set in for me when I saw the legend #diesel get up with the opener. I was shaking in my Spafflanta shirt with anticipation for Spafford's set (the shirt is important for later, tease).

Simon and Lilly started us off for the evening, the jams between lyrics let us know that it would be a night not soon forgotten. The crowd settled in and started to jam out in anticipation of what the night would bring. My second time hearing that particular song live, last being the previous year in Phoenix. Like any Spafford song, I wanted it to go on longer but this was soon over and Brian welcomed the crowd and introduced the evening's surprise…I was sure that we were going to hear Ain’t that Wrong with some Sax and proclaimed to everyone around me that was what was next. I was wrong-- it takes a strong man to admit-- but I was even more blown away by what came next!

Mind's Unchained came next and Karl took his spot next to Brian and accented the opening licks. He even took some of the lead during the opening few bars before the band jumped into the lyrics. It seemed like he had been playing with the gents for years as he segued in and out of the song with ease. It was a slow build while Brian sang the opening lyrics, but everyone took a few bars to step up and let the crowd know that this was going to be a collaboration. Karl led us into a funky soul jam while the boys kept up with him allowing him to explore the stage of the Belly Up. I couldn’t believe that this was the first time that Spafford had him on stage. They sounded well-rehearsed and Karl had a back and forth with everyone, but I think Cam challenged him most during the middle of the song. I wish I was not standing at the soundboard but rather up on the rail to see the face of Cam during that exchange. I really want to fan boy this song, but go listen to it or watch it. I was so excited to see the gents I have had the pleasure of watching over the last four years just get into a jam with this sax player. I’m not a music critic, nor do I understand much about music theory, but it seemed that everyone on stage fed off each other. Playing quietly or louder when needed. Go to the 12 min mark of the Nugs recording and you will be doing pirouettes like I was during this song. Bonus points for those that know what that word is. There are another 8 minutes of me dancing a fool, but I won’t recount that for you. You can thank me that I don’t have a dancing tutorial up on this page.

Eternity allowed me to stop my rotations and just get down. “Let it play straight from the Heavens” is one of my favorite lyrics that has ever been penned, especially during a show. You know that the band is going to bring this hard and the lyric “we are here to say, we all belong now” gets me every time. I took the Yeahs to just dance and embrace the music and the fact that I was among friends and enjoying spectacular music in Sunny Southern California. After the second-to-last chorus, just turn everything off, and dance like a fool and get to higher ground.

Memphis in the Meantime found Brian asking if Karl was still there. I thought he had sneaked out after the last few minutes of Mind's Unchained. He had, but apparently came back to rage with force. This John Hiatt tune definitely benefited from the addition of a Saxophone. According to my Spafnerds.com stats page it was only my second time experiencing this live. I kind of grew up on Hiatt so I was excited to hear this for the second time. Karl took over the solos between choruses and while everyone seemed to want to take those parts over, Karl played a little bit louder and harder and everyone-- from keys to bass to drums-- gave him space. I do want to give Cam props that he seemed to take it up to 11, when Karl took it to 10 and then dropped right back to a 3 when Karl took it to 4. Overall this song was full of jams and it seemed like the boys had found their go-to sit-in artist. Those of you on Jam Cruise this year, I am both jealous and envious of what you will see. (Time elapses while I am writing this review to walk the dog) Sit tight for the last 8 minutes of the Nugs recording as it is some of the finest improvisational material I have ever been privileged to hear. So many teases, so many individual explorations before it comes back together. Pick an instrument and listen to that, then listen to how everyone feeds off each other. This is why we listen to this band. This could be some of the finest improv performance that this lay person has ever heard.

And just when I think it cannot get any better, this show is better than any I have ever heard, they drop into Todd’s Tots. Now those of you that know me, know that this is my favorite Spafford song. Fast, slow, improv, keys, guitar, bass, stellar drums, vocals-- this song has it all. They are closing out their first set with my favorite song! At this point I was bouncing on the ceiling and nothing could contain me. Those of you at the show that I offended with my killer dance moves and interpretive dance, complaints are being received on the threads below. I was ready to charter a plane home and never see a show again as the first set left me changed: nothing could beat this, EVER. I would have been good with this being the last live music that I ever seen. (Spoiler: it gets better). I just jammed the last 5 minutes of this 12 minute Opus, silently wiping tears of joy from my eyes. It’s also how they chose to close their last studio album.

Plans opened up the second set. Jordan on vocals brought us back to the reality of the show. I really like this song. Everyone gets the opportunity to shine. One thing that I really like about this band is that they don’t have a front man. Brian get’s the ‘C’ if they were playing hockey, but everyone gets to shine. There is a selflessness to this band which is why I think people gravitate to them. I remember trying to explain this band to friends and pointing out that since it is a four-piece, the other musicians have to bring up the rear or cover for one another when they go off on a tangent. There is no second guitar to cover for rhythm if Brian goes off on a solo, rather Red, Jordan or Cameron fill in. And if one of the guys gets a theme in their head the others will cover and allow that person to explore their idea and join in. That all being said, Plans gets me swaying in a “I want to dance” kind of way. I just remembered that I was just feeling the love in a ‘you had to be there’ kind of way at the show. Keep listening, this show only gets better.

Virtual Bean Dip was up next. According to Spafford.net I have been present for 7 of these epic Jams. This again highlights the band's ability to play off each other. Clocking in at almost 20 minutes, everyone gets their moment to shine while remaining a cohesive song. It just begs you to get lost in the moment and dance. Just when you think that an individual member is going to run off with a solo, you are immediately brought back to the ensemble.

Galiesto Way brought us right up to the second set closer. This is my second favorite song and my favorite song to introduce people to Spafford. The energy that the gents bring doesn’t allow anyone to have a bad time. By the second chorus you are singing along, even if it is your first show! Rock, reggae, jam-- all is represented. Remember when I said I was dancing on the ceiling earlier, this was an out-of-body experience for me. It was brought down right in the middle to something to sway to, you get to get your head right, be in the moment and appreciate the fact you are in So Cal for this jam. No one is trying to dominate the performance you feel calm collected and at peace. Red swoons you on the keys before everyone picks you up off the floor of your own puddle of appreciation. You find the head space to clear your mind and then, and then, you feel that you are one with the band, you are on your way: the Galiesto Way!

Slip and Squander to round out the second set the boys dropped this. Not to say we had any say in the set list, but look at this pic. Are we not the bookends of the two sets? Red always impresses me when he takes over a song. Again, this is why I love these guys, no ego. Everyone gets to shine. Red has the audience captivated before the band jumps into a jam. Jordan gets us pumped for the chorus, Cam chimes in then in a huge crescendo, and Brian lets us know that it is happening, leading us all to dance our collective behinds off.

I almost missed the encore due to a much needed smoke break, but to finish the night off…Mad World. Played 30 times, I’ve been present for 5 (thanks Spaffnerds!) This song brought me down to a place where I could leave a venue with a full heart. Often when I go to a show I feel that a show left me wanting more or cheated me by not giving me a set or song that I wanted. I was already over the moon with this show but I needed to calm down and get ready for the next night. Nope, Spafford absolutely blew the roof off this Tears for Fears cover. I think I was still dancing in the parking lot to this song as I waited in my rideshare. I could not think of a better way to end the evening than this version of Mad World.

See you at the next show!

Setlist, Attendance, and Recordings for: 2019-10-25 - Ogden Theater - Denver, CO

October 25th, 2019 was finally here! I hadn’t seen Spafford in four months and I was really jonsing for my own dose of the electro funk therapy. My wait was over and I was going to get to see the gents in their home away from home: Denver, Colorado. Beautiful weather greeted me as I stepped off the train from Denver International. I strolled around Union Station and killed time taking in the sites until it was time to check into the Air BnB for the evening. I briefly thought I’d go back through some of the sets of the past few shows and see if I could take a stab at a set list. I quickly realized that would be a waste of time as anytime I’ve tried to guess a set list they've far exceeded my expectations-- see the Red Rocks set from last year, who saw that coming?

If you get a chance the Ogden is an amazing venue! Listed at 1,600 capacity which I thought was a bit generous, but I did not go up to the balcony. Great sound, super efficient staff, and an impressive layout. I found myself just to the left of the soundboard for most of the night and had plenty of room to get down.

Alright, so I took my own advice and got to the show early. Excited to secure my next Jon Rose. And he did not disappoint! Somehow We Make It. Three-color wood block edition of 50. Now I’m not going to get too hung up on it but there was a variant of this print and only a few were produced. I thought I’d be able to get one seeing as I had showed up early. Nope, all gone, next time get VIP.

(Image taken from Spafford FB Page)

Hanging out and chatting with nerds getting really excited for the next two nights of Spafford at the Ogden. Two nights is always a blast be cause you know that they will be bringing that hot fire! Well, as I’m sure you’ve heard by now, Night 1 Set 1 was utter insanity. No vocals, just jams (well there were a few moments I’ll elaborate on later) and possibly some foreshadowing to next week’s holiday and defiantly some reminiscing.

Opening the set was the ominous tones of Halloween Theme before they segued into what Nugs (and by extension the band) called Themes Jam 1. Overall the evening would give us 6 of these seques in the first set. I thought to myself that was interesting, had I heard that before? Yeah, in 2014, the only other time it was ever played. Hmmm, is there something to this?

Next up the Legend of Zelda Theme! What a rarity! Only played once before! Thanks Spaffnerds.com! After the Legend wrapped up the boys took us on another funky 20+ minutes of improv! I’m not going to do any sort of descriptions justice so do yourself a favor and pull up this recording! All I can say is that I danced my ass off in anticipation of another possible dusting off of a rare song.

My questions were answered a short 20-minute jam later when Red started into Celine Dione’s My Heart Will Go On! Last played at my second ever Spafford show in Flagstaff in 2014. Slowly it dawns on me that they boys are taking songs from Halloweens past and tossing them into their Jams! Brian takes over for Red and while I expected one of them to step up to a mic and sing perhaps the chorus, what really happened blew me away! The crowd started singing, and from what I could make out, they nailed the lyrics. I got goosebumps from all the feels. Spafford was connecting with their fans and it’s one of those cool concert experiences when the fans and band share a moment. Never thought I’d be raving about a Celine Dion song but there is a first for everything I guess. (BTW I went back and looked it up for you. 1:20 mark of the Nugs recording you can hear the crowd singing!)

Another Jam brought us to one of my favorites of the night! The Ghostbusters theme from the 2016 Halloween show! Sped up a little it really got the crowd going and asses shaking. I think that Spafford just jammed to let us catch our breath before they threw another cover on us to get us going!

Another Jam and then they segued seamlessly into The Lion Sleeps Tonight, resurrected from The Parish at the House of Blues in NOLA 2 years ago! They alter between Lion Sleeps, a Jam, then back into the Halloween Theme to wrap up the first set for us. Really cool and unique. I can’t state how cool this was, I just need you to go give it a spin on Nugs or here on the show page with the site's built-in media player.

Set one started with that funky bassline announcing My Road (My Road) and I need to ask you all, has anyone else noticed the evolution in Jordan's bass playing? He seems to be ever evolving. From some heavy plucking around NYE to this new silky smooth playing. Again I don’t know much, this was just a side-note by me.

Low followed up next, originally by Cracker. According to Spaffnerds.com this was another song that was last played at a Halloween show in Flagstaff last year. This song had every one around me singing off key and I could tell that everyone around me was having the time of their lives!

Dirtbath! Now if I had to make a list of songs that would make an appearance on a two-night run this would definitely be on that list. Debuted a mere 8 months ago this gem has seen a setlist quite often. This is one that I just can’t describe. Such an epic jam, tempo changes bobbing and then weaving worthy of multiple re-listens! Just when you are getting lost in the cries of the Raven, Jordan and Nick pick things up and the jam turns a corner.

Remember I said that some of us had started to sing off key? Well, for Lonely it was not only off Key but a bunch of us singing LOUDLY off key! An original and one of my current favorites. It think it also really showcases their writing (nice work Chuck). Uptempo and fun to dance to, Lonley had those around me really getting down!

Gold Glittered Hat was one that I had hoped to catch this weekend. Less than a month since its debut I was curious to see if Spafford would take this out for an extended jam as I believe it has the potential to turn into a new staple jam. I say that because it think that they are still holding back on this one, can’t wait to hear what they do with it moving forward.

Ok, this last one was a complete surprise! Under the Bridge by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. If I thought I was loud and off key before, multiply that by 10! When Brian played those opening licks I was floored! The perfect cover to end the night!

Ain’t That Wrong brought the evening to a close. A member of the old guard, this uptempo jam got the last of my energy out. Toward the end of this song I had to touch my face and make sure it was still there and hadn’t melted completely. This song is what I hope Gold Glittered Hat can evolve into, plenty of room for jams and the ability to alternate tempos or in this case whip us into a frenzy before dropping us back into the final chorus, setting us back on solid ground with Brian telling us he will see us tomorrow.

Night 1 in the books. Can’t wait to rage with you everyone Night 2.

One last thing, did you guys see that Jambase released a list of the top 20 fan sites in the last 20 years? In case you haven't, here it is. @damian has done such a great job with this site. Please spread the word if you haven't already. I know that a lot of others do a lot of behind the scenes work on this page so I just wanted to take a second to say thanks for all you do!

Martin McCue

someone was asking about this on Reditt today. Hope they found it.

@603Brett Brett it was such a fun time! I had a blast writing this and thanks to @damian for letting me do it. I commented to him that I thought it was cool that he would allow fan reviews, then he said I could do one. Can't wait for the next show!

I am curious how often you work on the Raven. I did see you doing some touch ups prior to 2016 Halloween LEL show. Excellent Royal Tennenbaums costume btw!