Perpetual Groove performed their final show with longtime drummer Albert Suttle, who has been with the group since 2001, on New Year’s Eve at the Georgia Theatre in Athens, Ga. 

As a passing of the torch, his replacement Darren Stanley has been guesting with the group during the pandemic, playing double drums for portions of their shows. 

The Friday, Dec. 31 performance at the group’s longtime home venue featured Suttle on drums during the first set, with Stanley only joining in for an “Atlantis” closer.

Set two picked up with “Cairo” off the 2010 LP Honey Cuts with Suttle on drums. Next, Stanley joined Suttle for “Crapshoot” and “Spirit Bear” before taking over drums on “Mayday” and “Save 41.” The two drummers joined forces to cover The Rolling Stones’ “Sway” before Suttle closed out the set with “Three Weeks.” 

The final set of the night began with “Teakwood Betz” off their 2003 LP Sweet Oblivious Antidote with Suttle on drums, followed by a series of covers, including The Talking Head’s “This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)” to kick-off 2022. The band closed it out with “Sun Dog,” with Suttle on drums. 

The encore featured Stanley and his predecessor performing “Space Paranoids” off the 2016 LP Echoes From The Caves and 2004’s “Only Way,” featuring Ashley Stewart vocals.  

Perpetual Groove

Georgia Theatre – Athens, Ga. 

Dec. 31, 2021 

Set I: All This Evening Pt. 1 > All This Evening Pt. 2, Long Past Settled In, So Much > Mario Bro > So Much As Goodbye, Crockett, Atlantis# 

Set II: Cairo@, Crapshoot#, Spirit Bear#, Mayday& > Save 41&, Sway#^%, Three Weeks@ 

Set III: Teakwood Betz@ > Auld Lang Syne# > Naive Melody#, T.T.F.P.J.#, Do Your Thing#, Sun Dog@

Enc.: Space Paranoids#, Only Always#^ 

Notes:

% debut 

# two drummers 

@ Albert Suttle on drums 

& Darren Stanley on drums 

^ Ashley Stewart vocals