Northeast rockers moe. played the second show of their West Coast tour on Friday night, stopping at the intimate Teragram Ballroom in downtown Los Angeles. The 600-person venue reached maximum capacity as Rob Derhak (Bass/Vocals), Chuck Garvey (Guitar/Vocals), Al Schnier (Guitar/Vocals), Vinnie Amico (Drums), Jim Loughlin (Percussion), and Nate Wilson (Keys) took the stage. The band immediately connected with the Southern California crowd by starting with a cover of the Grateful Dead’s "West L.A. Fadeaway." They then performed “Stranger than Fiction” and the Ghost of Jupiter/Nate Wilson’s “Yellow Tigers,” before launching into the night’s first major jam. It began with a hint of Neil Young’s “Like a Hurricane,” then transitioned into the No Guts, No Glory classic “Silver Sun,” showcasing the signature tight guitar interplay between Chuck and Al. Following “Ups and Downs,” a Rob original, moe. concluded the set with a couple of classics: an unfinished “Moth” and “Lazarus,” the opening track from What Happened to the La Las.
During the set break, the crowd briefly thinned as people visited the restrooms, bars, or stepped outside. However, the venue quickly refilled as moe. returned for the second set, which opened with crowd favorites “Nebraska” and “Shoot First,” the latter featuring Chuck on lead vocals. Despite his reduced singing role following a stroke in 2021, Chuck's guitar prowess remained undiminished. This was evident in the subsequent near 50-minute jam, starting with Al's lead on “Crushing” and “ATL,” and moving into the epic instrumental “Meat.” Notable for its solo rotations and seamless transitions into other songs, “Meat” saw Chuck deliver a vintage distortion-driven solo, followed by Jim on the Vibraphone and Vinnie on the Drums. As Rob began his solo, it morphed into the funky slap-pop rhythm of “Billy Goat.” The band skillfully navigated from this Rob song back into a “Meat” reprise, then seamlessly transitioned into the unfinished portion of “Moth” from the first set.
Following the announcements, moe. concluded with another track from What Happened to the La Las, Al’s “Downward Facing Dog.” The appreciative audience expressed their enjoyment with raucous applause before dispersing into the Southern California night. Be sure to catch moe. as they conclude their West Coast tour with stops in San Francisco, Crystal Bay, Bend, Portland, and Seattle. They are also scheduled for Jamcruise in February, a five-night run in Park City, UT, and multiple performances throughout Colorado in March.
Set I: West L.A. Fadeaway, Stranger Than Fiction, Yellow Tigers, Silver Sun, Ups and Downs, Moth > Lazarus
Set II: Nebraska, Shoot First, Crushing > ATL > Meat > Billy Goat > Meat > Moth
Encore: Downward Facing Dog
