The Disco Biscuits Hit A Grand Slam: Monumental Concert At Citizens Bank Park Raises $75,000 For Charity
Written by Zachary Franck
Between the COVID-19 pandemic and the turmoil that spilled into the streets of cities across the nation after the murder of George Floyd, fear and uncertainty have plagued the hearts and minds of many as of late. During times like this, a lot of people count on music as a momentary escape from the darkness, and even that has been crippled by the current state of affairs. The live music industry has been brought to its knees like never before. Fortunately for artists and fans alike, it’s 2020 and technology has offered up a temporary solution until things (hopefully) get back to normal. Bands of all shapes and sizes have utilized the live streaming capabilities available to them over the past few months, being creative and making the best out of a terrible situation.
When band members live in different states, from Pennsylvania to California, it can make things a little bit more difficult. When it comes to the Disco Biscuits, that is exactly what they’ve had to deal with. While bassist Marc “Brownie” Brownstein and keyboardist Aron Magner live in the suburbs of Philadelphia, guitarist Jon “Barber” Gutwillig lives in Los Angeles, and drummer Allen Aucoin lives in Colorado. The four haven’t seen each other since their Philadelphia run at The Fillmore got cancelled in mid-March, hours before they were scheduled to take the stage. Once things died down in regards to COVID-19, they used their connection to Live Nation to put a plan into action. Somehow, their team was able to lock down Citizens Bank Park, where the Philadelphia Phillies play, for a 75 minute set that was broadcasted across the internet from the infield. In true Bisco fashion, it was go big or go home.
Partnered with Live Nation and the Philadelphia Phillies, the Biscuits decided it would be free on multiple platforms but encouraged donations; all proceeds went directly to Plus1 for Black Lives. Viewers were able to donate through multiple channels, making it easy for people to contribute to a good cause. Once 7:45 hit, the Biscuits, decked out in custom Phillies jerseys, hit the diamond. One by one, the stadium’s announcer brought each member onto the field. Once the first notes of Home Again came over the stream, the donations started pouring in.
You’d imagine that the band might have some rust on the compositions or the jams wouldn’t be as dialed in, but neither were the case. Not only did each member sound great individually, they picked up right where they left off and were jelling from the jump. After a standalone Home Again, they cranked things up a notch and dropped into Digital Buddha, ripping into a nasty four-on-the-floor jam with Allen’s e drums cemented into the foundation. The looks on their faces were priceless. All four of them were basking in the moment, playing with the youthful energy that has brought them to this point of their careers. From Buddha, they flew into new fan-favorite, Anthem. Once they dropped into it, Barber led the charge. ‘Moneybag’, his green Fender Stratocaster sounded phenomenal, his guitar tech has its tone sounding pristine. It wasn’t hard to tell that he’s been playing a good amount of guitar during quarantine, because he didn’t miss a beat. Him and Brownie were linked as they jammed out of it and made their way into the ending of Digital Buddha.
Next came a beautiful standalone rendition of Hope. The song was a very fitting choice for this set. At this point in time, I think everyone can agree that it’s most definitely essential. They nailed the composition, and it is by no means what is considered to be an easy song. Barber danced all over it and they slammed into the ending with ferocity, hitting the final notes on a dime. It didn’t stop there though. They were visibly ecstatic as they played the opening notes of Spraypaint. They paraded through the composition with ease, then Barber and Magner immediately landed in the jam with interconnected melodies . Last night, there were moments where they couldn’t miss. After not seeing each other for months (let alone playing together), it was something special. From there, they made their way into another new song, Running Into The Night. It was cool to see them sandwich two of their newer songs in between two classics. The highlight of the segment was the ‘Spraypaint’ ending, just flat out flawless execution. Barber’s playing was drenched with confidence, and there were smiles all around.
Once they wrapped that segment, they had time for one more song. After some brief deliberation, they landed on Crickets - a decision that every single Biscuits fan was grateful for. To be frank, there’s just something about that song, it’s liquid and takes the shape of many different styles. It usually has two huge jams, and sometimes even three. Well, they leveled an empty MLB stadium with two lethal jams, which showcased their range impeccably. The first jam was straight rocket fuel, but the second one… the second one was phat and filled with swagger. They carved out a canyon-sized pocket and sat in it, no, they straight up lounged in it. Another instance where they just could not miss, while Allen provided the backbone, the front three volleyed the groove around to each other effortlessly. They slid back into the ending and knew they had just thrown down a fantastic set of music for a righteous cause. The Philadelphia four-piece came to make a statement in their hometown, while making sure to have some fun, and they did just that.
The Disco Biscuits stepped up to the plate, with the bases loaded, and knocked it out of the park - a grand slam across the board. Individually, I think they all reaped the benefits of giving lessons throughout quarantine, and falling in love with the fundamentals of their respective instruments all over again. After watching them successfully execute such a monumental concert, everyone is beyond proud to be a fan of the Biscuits today. Not only was it a monumental concert for the band, fans, and landscape of live music as a whole, they raised $75,000 dollars for Plus1 for Black Lives. The event was a remarkable way for the band to put their money where their mouth is. Honestly, it’s just flat out awesome to see them this engaged after all these years. When shows start back up again, whenever that may be, they are going to bring their A game. Here’s to many more - Long Live the Disco Biscuits.
