Photo Credit: Paul Citone

On Saturday, Feb. 25, moe. closed out two consecutive nights of music at the Palace Theatre in Albany, N.Y. The jammers went all out for their first in-person run at the venue since 2018. The sextet–Rob Derhak (bass, vocals), Chuck Garvey (guitar, vocals), Al Schnier (guitar, vocals), Vinnie Amico (drums), Jim Loughlin (percussion) and newest addition Nate Wilson (keys)–were joined by Conehead Buddha’s Shannon Lynch early in the show and welcomed special guest Karina Rykman to the stage shortly after. 

moe. brought their first set into motion with “Lazarus.” Next, they tackled “Seat of My Pants” which segued seamlessly into “Sensory Deprivation Tank.” The ensemble brought out some newer material, playing “Jazz Cigarette” off their 2020 album This Is Not, Who We Are, before Lynch took center stage on saxophone with a solo during “Happy Hour Hero.”  Rykman joined on bass for the last song of the opening set, trading licks with Derhak for an energized 11-minute rendition of “Meat.”  

After a half-hour break, the group kicked off their second set with the track, “Waiting For The Punchline.” moe. kept the throwback material going with “Kyle’s Song,” before gliding into the 2012 number “Puebla.” The ensemble finished off their later frame with “Rebubala.” The music didn’t stop there, just minutes later, moe. returned to the stage for a dynamic 12-minute version of “Plane Crash,” keeping the crowd grooving past midnight. 

It is clear that moe.’s return to Palace Theatre was special to the Albany community.  Ahead of the group’s two-night stand, Albany mayor Kathy Sheehan announced that the section of N. Pearl Street, where the venue is located, would be temporarily renamed “moe. street.” This outpouring of love from Sheehan comes as no surprise. Back in 2018, the mayor declared Feb. 24, as “moe. Day,’ an official holiday to celebrate the band’s return to the city following Derhak’s successful cancer treatment. For moe. day 2023, local fans celebrated another reuniting of the band.

moe. is currently back on the road, performing in the Southeast next month, and continuing with dates across the U.S., in April. On May 18 through 20, they will return to New York for a three-night stand at Brooklyn Bowl, before heading to Chillicoth, Ill. to play the Summer Camp Music Festival at Three Sisters Park. Then, on June 16 and 17, they will jam alongside Umphrey’s McGee for two nights at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colo. Click here for tickets to catch moe. live on tour. 

Scroll to view the setlist for moe.’s Feb 26 Palace Theatre performance below. 

moe.

Palace Theatre – Albany, N.Y.

Feb. 26, 202

Set I: Lazarus, Seat Of My Pants >Sensory Deprivation Bank, Jazz Cig, Happy Hour Hero *, Meat ^

Set II: Waiting for the Punchline, Kyle’s Song > Puebla >Rebubula

Enc.: Plane Crash

Notes: 

* With Shannon Lynch of Conehead Buddha on saxophone

^ With Karina Rykman joining on bass. Karina and Rob traded licks during the jam.