moe. – February 11th – The Boulder Theater

Photos by Sarah Henderson

Scene:  It was a cold, crisp walk from the car to the Boulder Theater this past Saturday as the eclectic crowd for the evening’s moe. show filed in to the magnificent old theater.  Moe.rons and Deadheads were not the only ones shelling out $40+ for an evening of psychedelic, jamtastic, groovin’ on the dance floor.  On the contrary, folks from all walks of life seemed to have come out of the woodwork for an opportunity to dance the night away with some of the best in the business.  With a combination of patchouli and Colorado green grass wafting through the theatre, moe. took the stage for their first set around 8:30.

moe.:   From modest beginnings in a Buffalo basement over two decades ago, to today’s multifaceted success, the members of moe. have never lost sight of the earnest, elemental goals that they aspired to from their very first show: to deliver honest, heartfelt music and to ensure the audience has a good time.  Saturday night at the Boulder Theater would be no exception.

Guitarists/Vocalist Chuck Garvey took the first set head-on, ripping into a go to the classic “Bearsong.”  With the energetic jams flowing, the primary tier of danceable floor space quickly began to feel more and more like a packed can of sardines.  While it may have been a can of moe.dines covered in extra hot kick-out-the-jams sauce, it was still a little too constricting for my liking and I retreated to the bar.  A short wait and a PBR later I was back among the exuberant audience that was dancing in every corner of the theater.

With the lyrics of “32 Things” ringing off the walls, and my air guitar in hand, the energy from the stage sent my head and eyes rolling backward.  I was caught short of breath, for there standing atop the balcony was another airstrumentalist, one superior to even my capabilities.  I spent the next ten minutes watching this magician switch from air guitar, to air drums, to air bass, and right back into air guitar as moe. closed out their initial set of musical offerings.  As the crowd headed for their smoke and bathroom breaks, I already knew where I was headed.  Upstairs, and as close to the magician as possible.

As the people returned from their individual breaks the collective energy and anticipation again began to build until you could feel it throughout the theater.  It was at this moment that moe. graced us for their second set of the evening, tearing right into the brilliant jamfusion of “Gary>CIA>Big World.”  While the second set erupted through the speakers, the magician and I raged on our airstruments and, as it should be at any jam concert, life was blissful.

The night tapered off wonderfully as moe. bounced the beautiful sound that is “Rebubula” off the walls of the stunning Boulder Theater.  Floating like feathers on the high of the night, the crowd wandered back into the cold of the night. While some of us may never see each other again, we will always share this moe.ment.

Setlist
Set 1:  Bearsong>Overlude, One way, Head>Hector>Ass>32 Things

Set 2: Gary>CIA>Big world, Rainshine, Cathedral>Opium, Capt A>Mexico

Encore: Chromomatic>Rebubula

Energy: A-
Sound: B+
Muscianship: B+
Stage Presence: B-
Set/Light Show: A

Overall: A-