Photo: Bahram Foroughi

Over the weekend, Mike Gordon initiated his March Tour. The first of three concerts took the Phish bassist and his band to Bearsville Theatre in Woodstock, N.Y., on Friday, March 13, where they were joined by a special guest and local favorite, Marco Benevento, and marked the beginning of a trend, debuting first-time material,  which continued during an appearance on Saturday, March 14, at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, N.J. 

Friday’s tour opener consisted of Flying Games’ “Tilting” fused with a first-time covers of The Kinks’ “You Really Got Me” and touring member, Bob Wagner’s “Sand and Lonesome.” After submitting “Connected,” Benevento stepped out to assist on first set renditions of “Peel,” Little Feat’s “Spanish Moon,” and “Mull.”

Set two featured five additional MGB debuts, beginning with “Fling Your Head” [the Gordon original that Phish performed during the group’s late January destination concert event] and guitarist Xavier Lynn’s “Convince Me.” The group tacked in Phish’s “Meat” before a final trio of first-time plays, a cover of The Greyboy Allstars, “Happy Friends,” which nodded at keyboardist Robert Walters’ dual roles supporting Gordon and contributing to the latter, Wagner’s “Universe is Calling,” and Toots & The Maytals’ “Pomp and Pride.” 

The first night on stage brought forth material from each member of Gordon’s five-piece touring group. Similarly, during the band’s follow-up on Saturday, March 14, they debuted Bill Withers’ “Kissing My Love” in set one and Lynn’s “Louisiana Lady” during the second half, continuing the trend initially elicited at Woodstock. 

Ultimately, during last night’s gig at Union Transfer in Philadelphia, they recycled many of the songs that were previously submitted on Friday and Saturday, representing pieces from each member’s musical lineage as well as the bandleader’s own solo material and Phish picks. 

Photographer Bahram Foroughi was on location during Friday’s tour opener and shared his shots from the show.