THE DISCO BISCUITS: BACK AT THE CAP
The Disco Biscuits returned to The Capitol Theatre after an anxiety riddled period of postponed shows and uncertainty. Both the band and venue have had an enormous impact on my life and creative output. Upon entering The Cap for the first time in years, I was sucker punched with a haymaker of bittersweet emotion. Once upon a time, I spent a lot of mornings and afternoons in that building. I may or may not have blown a career opportunity there because getting high and partying was more important to me than being a professional in the industry I love. I am grateful that is no longer the case. That was then, this is now; c’est la vie or whatever it is the French say.
With that being said, The Cap means a lot to me. It always has and it always will. So much history. So much soul. It represents everything I hold near and dear to my heart. It is a beacon of authenticity, creativity, and humanity in materialistic world of shallow nonsense. It encapsulates the essence and historic proportions of live music with tasteful pride. Designed by architect Thomas W. Lamb and built in 1926, it is now a full-on immersive experience that stimulates the minds of patrons through audio and visuals. The walls are latent with elegance of the past and ever-moving possibilities of the future. It’s deeper than what the senses are able to capture though. There is a mythic energy that you cannot see or hear, but with the right band, you can always feel it.
After Microcave torched Garcia’s for two nights, it was time for the third and final night of The Disco Biscuits. I was prepped and ready to see Saturday’s offering with an open mind potent with youthful excitement. Right off the bat, the band and the room sounded stellar. Their new FOH engineer Rich Hartfanft deserves major praise for the noticeable improvement. It’s frustrating when a band is playing exceptionally well and the mix sounds like dog shit. Thankfully that is no longer the case. If you see him this year, give him props.
When Harrison Waxenberg aka Horizon Wireless aka The Jewish Long Island Don of Tech-House told me that he was writing the entire show, I knew that it would be a blue flame extravaganza. The band came out of the gate with a steady pace as they treated a lot of fans to Denmark Massive for the very first time. It’s one of the bigger bust-outs in recent years. Originally written by The Join which featured The New Deal’s Jamie Shields and Darren Shearer alongside Marc Brownstein and Aron Magner, it was utilized by the Biscuits a few times in 2008 with great success. Everybody should check out Denmark Massive > Spacebirdmatingcall (end) from 6/9/08 at The NorVa.
It was a unique decision to pair it with their new release, Lake Shore Drive. To be honest, it opened my eyes to the possibilities of the song. It got me excited to see what they’re able to do with it on stage in the future. Barber’s style of pristine pocket playing matched with the tone of a hollow body Gibson fits this song like a glove. The textured minimalism has a lot of promise and as they continue to play it their collective comfort will increase which will lead to more in-depth risk-taking.
There are a lot of things that make The Disco Biscuits standout among their peers and associates in the world of jam bands. Their use of inversions throughout their catalogue is one of them. Some songs have been inverted a lot more than others. Morph Dusseldorf is not one of them. It does not happen a lot. That placement definitely kept fans on their toes after the first two songs.
Then the crowd got treated to a set-ending sandwich: Ladies > Cyclone > Ladies. The jam into Cyclone cranked satchels of shekels. It was money. There is an admirable beauty when it comes to transitioning from one song to the next without totally forecasting your hand or utilizing a rip chord drop segue. The entire Cyclone featured some of Brownstein’s tightest playing of the night. He shared that he’s been taking lessons from the great Oteil Burbridge and anybody who’s been listening can tell. He linked up with Magner and Barber on a strong progression that they sat in and took turns altering. Each of them moved their pieces to the other side of the board with decisive independence while staying rooted in the collaborative vision. They built the energy and slam-dunked the Ladies ending. Some people love sports. They understand the specifics of the game and are thoroughly entertained when their team is working together to score. That’s how diehard Biscuits fans feel when they get to see the Biscuits play the way they did Saturday night.
Okay, so the first set was tight. The second set was something special though. That is why I continue to see the Biscuits after all these years, even when I no longer party. The Vassillios > Orch Theme was quintessential Bisco. They hit the first jam in 6th gear and never looked back. I was moving my dumb white German-Irish body like a salsa dancer after thirteen shots of Jose Cuervo Especial Silver. They were playing with such control: captivating dynamics without losing pulsive energy, cerebral decision making, and constant movement with thematic construction throughout. Each member possessed extreme conviction in their delivery yet respected each others space with every idiosyncratic subtlety they passed back and forth.
What followed though.. appropriate for mature audiences only. The first ever inverted Sweating Bullets was X rated. It clocked in at over twenty-five minutes. It was hot and filthy like a grimy strip club in Tampa with no air conditioning during the first week of August. I saw some people clutching their chest while others ran for cover. I planted my feet and braced for impact, because like many of you, I am a soldier for trance-fusion. Keep that Little Bunny Foo Foo bubblegum shit over there. The Disco Biscuits are still accepting challenges and pushing their brand of unapologetic improvisation after all these years. Sometimes it takes a show like this to remind people. I don’t get FOMO like I used to, but I would’ve been genuinely upset if I missed this.
They were blending so well as they shifted keys and jammed into Tempest. It was just another springboard to keep things fresh and they didn’t miss a step as they dropped into the ending of Vassillios. But it didn’t stop there. They kept everybody guessing with an outro jam into the ending of I Remember When! It capped the second set off like the blissed out cherry on top of an untz sundae.
Peter Shapiro brought out a cake as he prompted the crowd to sing Happy Birthday to Jon “the Barber” Gutwillig in true Cap fashion. There was a lot of love in that room. Take a moment to think about the memories that The Disco Biscuits and Peter Shapiro have catered to the fans since that monumental show at The Wetlands in 1997. They’ve made their dreams a reality and they continue to chase down and seize everything they want in life as a team. That’s the ticket. That’s what I love and respect about The Disco Biscuits and The Capitol Theatre. They have always done it their way and they’re really fucking good at what they do.
I remember when I was lost at sea, fighting the urge to give in and allow myself to drown. It’s easy to sink when there’s an anchor chained around your ankles. The connection that I have with this music and fanbase reeled me in on more than one occasion. I’ve met some of my most loyal friends through the shared love of this band. I had to learn to swim for myself though. It took a few years, and I’m still treading water at times, but this community has supported me through thick and thin. Saturday night proved that to me once again.
Long Live the Disco Biscuits.
Until next time,
Zachary Franck
