Image via @Aqueousband on Instagram, taken by Zachary Todtenhagen

Aqueous rung in the new decade with a two-night run at the Town Ballroom in their hometown of Buffalo, N.Y. After teasing a New Year’s theme of 70s and 80s, the band delivered a 70s themed show on Dec. 30 and an 80s themed show on New Year’s Eve.

Dec. 30’s show began with a VIP-only that featured guitarists Mike Gantzer and Dave Loss on acoustic guitars. The band debuted a new original song called “Spirit and Soul” and covered Simon & Garfunkel’s “America.”

The first set of the show proper began with “Fever Dog,” a song by Stillwater, the fictitious band featured in the 2000 film Almost Famous (which is set in 1973). Next, the band covered Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid” and later covered “Slow Ride. “Misty Mountain Hop” by Led Zeppelin followed the Foghat cover, and “Random Company” closed the set.

The final set began with Aqueous’ own “Dave’s Song,” followed by a massive bust-out of “Sweet Emotion” by Aerosmith, last performed by Aqueous in November of 2010 (a gap of 870 shows). The set closed with a cover of Peter Frampton’s “Do You Feel Like We Do,” with Gantzer providing the song’s signature talk-box section. The encore began with “Eon Don,” followed by another bust-out, Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” (last time played Sept. 2013, a gap of 632 shows).

Aqueous’ New Year’s Eve show was 80s themed, and it began with “Come and Go.” Next, the band debuted a cover of Flock of Seagulls’ “I Ran (So Far Away).” Later in the set, Aqueous treated fans to covers of the Cars’ “Moving in Stereo” and Duran Duran’s “Hungry Like The Wolf.” The first set closed with “Strange Times.”

Set two began with a cover of Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy.” Later, keeping with the 80s theme, the band covered “I Melt With You” (Modern English) and “Don’t You Want Me” (Human League). After ringing in the New Year with “Auld Lang Syne,” Aqueous closed the set with “20/20” and “Origami.” For the encore, the band opted for “Don’t You Forget About Me” by Simple Minds, which featured drummer Rob Houk on vocals and former Aqueous drummer Ryan Nogle on drums. Houk concluded the song by singing the final section amongst the crowd.

Check out complete setlists from both shows below, courtesy of Aqueous.band.

Aqueous
Town Ballroom, Buffalo, N.Y.

Dec. 30, 2019
Set I: Say It Again [1] > They’re Calling For Ya [1], America [1,2], Spirit and Soul [1,3], On the Edge [1]

Set II: Fever Dog [3,4] > Paranoid [3,5], Burn It Down, The Median, Gordon’s Mule, Slow Ride [3,6,7] > Misty Mountain Hop [3,7,8], Random Company

Set III: Dave’s Song > Sweet Emotion* [9], Little Something To Me, You Should Be Dancing^ [3] > Don’t Do It, All In > Do You Feel Like We Do& [3]

Enc: Eon Don > Tiny Dancer$

[1] Acoustic Debut
[2] Simon & Garfunkel
[3] Debut
[4] Stillwater cover
[5] Black Sabbath cover
[6] Foghat
[7] ft. Travis Gray (Wild Adriatic) on vocals
[8] Led Zeppelin cover
[9] ft. Ryan Nogle (Funktional Flow) on triangle
*Mega Bustout, LTP: 11/24/10 (870 shows)
^Bee Gees cover
&Peter Frampton cover
$Mega Bustout, LTP: 9/21/13 (632 shows)

Set one was VIP only w/ Gantzer and Loss on acoustic guitars. Set 2 and 3 were 70’s themed. Do You Feel Like We Do featured on the talk box.

Dec. 31, 2018
Set I: Come and Go [1], I Ran (So Far Away) [2,3] > Warren in the Window, Moving In Stereo [4,2] > Second Sight > Marty [5], Hungry Like The Wolf [2,6] > Strange Times [7]

Set II: Let’s Go Crazy [2,8], Skyway, I Melt With You [2,9], On The Edge, Don’t You Want Me* [2] > Be The Same > Auld Lang Syne, 20/20 > Origami

Enc: Don’t You Forget About Me^ [2]

[1] Band came out dressed in their outfits from the music video.
[2] Debut
[3] Flock of Seagulls cover
[4] Cars cover, Included Spicoli pizza delivery skit from Fast Times at Ridgemont High (By The Cars)
[5] Ska
[6] Duran Duran cover
[7] Life in the Fast Lane (Eagles) tease
[8] Prince cover
[9] Modern English cover
*Human League cover
^Simple Minds cover, Houk on lead vocals, Ryan Nogle on drums, sang end of song in the crowd

This entire show was 80s themed.