Photo Credit: Jesse Faatz

Over the weekend, Guster continued their spring tour with a series of east coast dates that took the Boston-bred rock group to The Paramount in Huntington, N.Y., on Friday night and Columbus Theatre in Providence, R.I., on Saturday, April 1. The evening’s opener, Karina Rykman, joined her hosts on stage for a sit-in during both shows. The bassist shredded alongside the members of Guster on “Simple Machine” on night one, followed by last night’s collaborative take on “Hard Times.”

Guster’s Friday, March 31 concert in The Empire State was a full sweep through the band’s expansive discography. After kicking off the night with a tune plucked from Evermotion, the group cascaded into songs from Keep It Together, Lost and Gone Forever, Look Alive and Ganging Up on the Sun. In time, the night’s synergetic moment arrived, as Rykman made herself known on stage during a rendition of Guster’s “Simple Machine,” a number that initially appeared on the band’s 2015 release, Evermotion. 

After Ryman’s sit-in, Guster continued their Friday night frame with “Ramona,” “Satellite,” “Airport Song,” and “Diane.” They ran through “The New Underground” and capped their set with “Fa Fa.” Then, the group delivered a trio of songs during the evening’s encore, with “Barrel of a Gun” serving as the final number of their Huntington, N.Y. performance. In continuation of Guster’s spring tour, the band arrived in Providence, R.I., on Saturday, April 1, for a gig at the Columbus Theatre.

Guster’s April 1 stand began much like Friday night’s concert, as the band moved through a selection of numbers across their nearly three-decade history. After more songs and material from 1997’s Goldfly, Guster welcomed Rykman to the stage. This time, the joint group of rockers landed on “Hard Times” from the host band’s 2019 LP, Look Alive.  

Last night’s collaborative moment occurred during the tail end of Saturday’s set, prior to the band’s independent take on “Doin’ It By Myself,” “Ruby Falls,” “This Is How It Feels to Have a Broken Heart” and a frame-closing retention of “This Could All Be Yours.” For the night’s encore, Guster set into motion “Mona Lisa,” followed by “Terrified” and “Do You Love Me.” Then, with a little more energy in their tanks, the band decided to reappear for a second encore, which took shape as an acoustic, single song delivery of “Jesus on the Radio.”

After last night’s show, the band will continue their spring tour with a stop at the Lebanon Opera House in Lebanon, N.H., tonight, April 2. Tickets remain on sale and can be purchased here. 

Scroll down to view the complete setlist from Guster’s stands on Friday and Saturday’s shows.

Guster

The Paramount – Huntington, N.Y.

March 31, 2023

Set: Long Night, Careful, Center of Attention, Don’t Go, One Man Wrecking Machine, Hercules, Doin’ It By Myself, Amsterdam, Two Points of Honesty, Con Downstairs and Say Hello, Do You Love Me, Lightning Rod, Terrified, Simple Machine+, Ramona, Airport Song, Diane, The New Underground, Fa Fa 

Enc.: Window, Hello Mister Sun, Barrel of a Gun

Notes:

+ With Karina Rykman 

Guster

Columbus Theatre – Providence, R.I. 

April 1, 2023

Set: Ramona, The Captain, Don’t Go, Demons, When You Go Quiet, I Spy, Satellite, Red Oyster Cult, Kid Dreams, Come Downstairs and Say Hello, Happier, Never Coming Down, Lazy Love, Barrel of a Gun, Hard Times+, Doin’ It By Myself, Ruby Falls, This Is How It Feels to Have a Broken Heart, This Could All Be Yours  

Enc. I: Mona Lisa, Terrified, Do You Love Me

Enc. II: Jesus on the Radio (acoustic) 

Notes:

+ With Karina Rykman