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moe. Suits Up, Welcomes Multiple Guests in NYC

David Sanborn joins moe. – photo by David Piacitelli

moe. kicked off its 20th Anniversary Tour with two shows in New York City over the weekend. On Friday night moe. performed a benefit for World Hunger Year as the band and its crew donated their time to the cause. The group brought out multiple guests over the course of the night which also directed funds to earthquake relief in Haiti. After performing “Timmy Tucker” and “Bearsong” as a quintet, the group welcomed Marco Benevento on keys and Danny Barnes on banjo for “Captain America,” followed by Barnes’ “Caveman,” on which Jeff Austin contributed mandolin as well. David Sanborn then stepped out along with Butch Trucks, adding sax and drums to “Happy Hour Hero,” and a version of the Allman Brothers Band’s “Whipping Post” on which Austin sang lead.

The second set opened with an extended take on the ABB’s “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” with Benevento and Trucks, followed by “Shoot First” and “Waiting For the Punchline,” which also featured Barnes and Austin. The group then performed Benevento’s “The Real Morning Party,” followed by “Shake Your Hips,” which saw Barnes and Austin return to the stage. A version of “East Nashville Easter” (written by Austin and Todd Snider) came next, with Austin on lead vocals. Benevento remained for moe.‘s “Blue Jeans Pizza,” while Trucks came back out for a set-closing “Mexico.” The encore was “The Weight,” with Danny Barnes and Jeff Austin all singing verses along with the members of moe.

On Saturday, moe returned to Roseland all gussied up. The band took the stage in suits to further celebrate its two decades as a band. moe. had a bit of help that evening as well, with “The Fuze,” Dave Fiuczynski, adding guitar to “Big World” and “Meat” at the close of set one.

On Wednesday, moe. will appear at the Sherman Theater in Stroudsburg, PA