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Mike Gordon goes it alone at the Lebanon Opera House
By Brian Patrick
|Mar 28, 2010 10:21 PM
Brian Patrick / Mike Gordon played the Lebanon Opera House on March 14th
Mike Gordon ended his weeklong tour here in the Upper Valley – a stone’s throw from where he resides in Vermont. When I arrived at the Lebanon Opera House there was the family vibe so often felt at Phish shows. The crowd was lingering around the entrance with the occasional person looking for their “miracle” ticket to the nearly sold out show.
Mike and the band played with vigor worthy of applause. The show was filled with thumping bass, long improvisational grooves, and tightly knit jams. Mike rarely offered typical jam-band fare and proved that unlike many other bands on the scene, he is willing to dabble in multiple genres and excel at all of them.
During the song “Jaded” the band was locked into such a deep groove that ending it almost seemed out of the question. It was only appropriate, however, that the band played a few Phish songs. These included the fan favorite “Meat,” and two newer songs, “Middle of the Road” and “Sugar Shack.”
The low part of the evening came when drummer Todd Isler messed up during “Sugar Shack” and Gordon had to correct him, but I’m not even sure the crowd recognized this because the band’s tight grooves had a majority of the crowd gripped in a trance.
On the surface, Gordon might come off as just another bass player for a well-known jam band trying his luck at being a front man, but it was evident that he has what it takes to lead a band.
The current incarnation of Mike Gordon’s band exemplifies the commendable attributes of a group that has something to prove: refreshing, well thought-out, and a genuine connection with one another and their fans.
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Well said, Mr. Patrick! I was at the show in Charlottesville (thanks to Todd & thebutterroom.com for the tix) and the band was ON FIRE. I agree… funky tight-knit grooves, a great mix of songs of various genres, typical wacky Mike Gordon stylings, and hard-hitting bass. I wasn’t sure what to expect, as it was my first time seeing his solo project, but I was very impressed with how tight the band performed as a group and I had a really fun experience. It was well worth the drive and I’d definitely see his band again if I get the chance to. I’m glad you enjoyed the show and thanks for this review.
By Bryan Paul on 03/29/2010 at 12:39am Report Abuse
Great insightful, thoughtful article Brian, thanks for writing. You really captured the scene.
By Deborah Scranton on 03/29/2010 at 09:54am Report Abuse
Thanks for the concert playback!
I was quite bummed that I didn’t get the chance to attend any of his solo shows this go around but your description certainly helped me feel like I didn’t completely miss out on the night! I do wish you could have shared more details though… would have LOVED to hear more since I really did miss it all in person… but I’ll take what I can get and this is the best I’ve seen so far on the last show of his solo tour so… THANK YOU for being there and thank you for sharing it with us!!
By Brandy Collins on 03/29/2010 at 09:55am Report Abuse
Great review and now I wish I had gone!
By J. Shulman on 03/29/2010 at 08:42pm Report Abuse
This is a telling tale of whats to come by this musician as a solo artist. I really wish I could have been there. Thanks to this impressive, yet unknown writer Brian Patrick, I was able to capture this jam session. With only words, im shocked this article has given more detail, retention and expression in such a short-span thematic narrative timeline than a typical youtube clip could posess. I want to read more music reviews from this writer.
This is also a telling tale of whats to come by this writer.
By Aaron Zillner on 03/29/2010 at 10:51pm Report Abuse
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