Review: 9/29/2017, The Foundry - Philladelphia, PA
Leaving the 8x10 on Thursday night in Baltimore after Red & Co’s lovely rendition of Beautiful Day and waking up to a perfect autumn morning really set the tone for what would be a SpaffTastic evening. My excitement had been mounting all week. It was an opportunity to see a sellout show in my home town with many friends old and new.
Everyone had a great time at the pre-show meetup and I got to meet several s’nerds before the show. Around 8pm we headed into the venue and I snagged a bunch of new merch including the Philly print by Brian Bojo, which is so cool!
The stage was set, the house music bumping, and the “I’m Killing It!” stickers were being passed out all around me. It was certainly an amped up crowd eagerly awaiting an Evening with Spafford.
What better way to start off the show but with Dream Jam. The slow melodic buildup with Brian and Red exchanging jams throughout played right into the anticipation of the sell-out crowd. The peak was right on point and Cameron helped carry the smooth transition into Catfish John. Always a crowd pleaser, tonight’s version did not disappoint. As soon as I heard the opening notes of Walls I knew we were in for a special night. The energy level was fantastic and jams were tight with Brian taking the early lead guided by the tight rhythm delivered by Cam. Legend was a delicious change of pace before they unleashed a masterful version of Backdoor Funk. Cam and Jordan handled the song with precision and power that really helped guide several solos by both Red and Brian. A slow and dirty groove ultimately erupted into a Moss solo that had veteran fans and newcomers in awe. As if that wasn’t enough of a first set, they busted out Take Your Mama, the hard rocking cover by the Scissor Sisters that closed things out with bang.
(Photo by Kirsch)
Being just steps away from Independence Hall must have been on their minds as they ripped into the second set opener America. All four members totally in lockstep with each other brought the 500+ Foundry crowd along with them every step of the way. Space Gadget was a very pleasant surprise, the first one of the Cam era, and it had the crowd cheering and singing along before Brian stretched his go go gadget fingers to finish it out. Red’s Jam took center stage. Fast paced yet extremely patient, the jam that ensued was one of the best of the tour. The high octane continued right into a Weasel which gradually calmed into an ambient bliss before building back up to the goose bump inducing peak that you can only get from Weasel.
(Photo by Kirsch)
Philly is officially home to cheesesteaks, Rocky, and monster Postman jams. After the much loved cover Sweet, the band delivered The Postman for the ages and the second one the City of Brotherly Love has witnessed this year (see 01/24/2017).
It was a great night filled with amazing friends and amazing music. I can’t wait to see what more this fall tour will bring for the band as every night they seem to be getting better and better. The community of fans is becoming one of the most dedicated I’ve ever seen with live streams, social media posts, and of course a dedicated fan site. It’s an exciting time to be a fan of music and it’s an exceptionally incredible time to be following Spafford. They are truly great guys with incredible talent and a dedication to delivering great jams night after night. See you all on tour somewhere soon!
(Photo by Kirsch)
