LIVE REVIEW: THE DISCO BISCUITS

By Benjy Eisen

The Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ has suddenly become hallowed ground for the Disco Biscuits. Ever since a two-night stand there last fall, the venue has taken on added significance to the "Bisco" world. It’s just a fun place to see the Disco Biscuits.

Straight from a hectic and high—very high—three-day Amsterjam festival in Amsterdam, the Disco Biscuits returned to their home turf slightly worn, but spiritually charged. The New Jersey run (Mar. 24-26) kicked off, appropriately, with "Voices Insane," and then segued from the tight, energetic opener into the softer, reflective "Eulogy." The sequence was lifted directly from the Hot Air Balloon rock opera and, contextually, is about the struggle to overcome enormous adversity—to achieve freedom and escape death. It's a convenient metaphor for the current state of Bisco and it foreshadowed additional moments throughout the run.

The Biscuits—singer/guitarist Jon Gutwillig, bassist Marc Brownstein, keyboardist Aron Magner and drummer Sam Altman—elaborated on this theme, musically, with several soaring segments in which the jams were actually able to escape their respective song casings. There were times when the music was freed from its ties to anything but the moment, and then again, times when it transcended even that. The first of these breakthroughs occurred on March 24 in the spaces between "Munchkin Invasion" and the songs on either side of it.

The next night's show will probably go down as the fan favorite, and indeed Friday, March 25 was a solid and creative night of music. Moments of pure jam-rock bliss ("Stone" > "Devil's Waltz") were juxtaposed with the Biscuits' penchant for darker sonic assaults "7-11" > "Astronaut"). The energy was also noticeably more intense and focused than the night before when the band had, literally, just stepped off the plane from Amsterdam. And when the Biscuits closed the night by slamming back into "7-11" the audience left feeling elated.

If Thursday was deliberate and Friday was multi-dimensional, then Saturday's show was nothing but a grand old-fashioned throwdown. It was very likely the last indoor Disco Biscuits show for a while. Rough spots? Who noticed them? Whoever cared missed the point. Numbers like "Caterpillar," "The Big Happy" and a cover of Men Without Hats' "Safety Dance" made it a great night on the dance floor. As with the other nights, the Disco Biscuits were relaxed, even in the midst of precision jamming, and they engaged the audience in friendly, jocular banter throughout the show.

The band changed plans, went off on tangents, and took the willing along with them for the rickety joy ride. Band members exchanged smiles during an impromptu medley that weaved itself around the intro to "Mindless Dribble" and alternate versions of "Pilin' It High" and "Mr. Don." Like Indiana Jones careening through tunnels in a mining cart, the sense of danger added to the rush. For those who were willing to hop on board, this trio of Disco Biscuits shows was nothing less than a great ride.