Photo via moe.’s Facebook page

moe. revived their beloved moe.down festival for the first time since 2019 over the weekend, bringing the veteran event to a new location, Gilbert, PA’s West End Fairgrounds. This year’s festivities were a true family affair, with moe. performing each day and the band’s members appearing with side-project offerings like the Bob Dylan tribute band bob., longtime moe. offshoot Ha Ha the Moose, Nate Wilson’s Ghosts of Jupiter and moe.organ Fairchuld, where moe.’s Al Schnier and Vinnie Amico joined Organ Fairchild and Ominous Seapods’ Tom Pirozzi for a set of music from the Grateful Dead repertoire. Likewise, moe. bassist Rob Derhak’s daughter Emma performed with her project The Chops, and several bands closely associated with moe. over the years, including the beforementioned Ominous Seapods, current tour companions Umphrey’s McGee and fellow old friends Moon Boot Lover, Conehead Buddha and Yolk, added to the expanded family vibe. Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country, Cabinet, Neighbor, Mike Dillon Band, Kanika Moore and a handful of other marquee acts rounded out the lineup.  

Though severe weather threatened the festival throughout the weekend and a few performances were moved to an indoor space, all the acts on the bill were able to take the stage and cherished moe.down traditions like the race for Mayor of moe.down returned. Fans were also able to sing along to moe. tunes in an official capacity thanks to Karamoe.ke.

As expected, moe. invited several different acts to join them on stage throughout the weekend as well. During their show on Thursday, July 16, moe. brought out Cabinet’s Pappy Biondo to sing and add guitar to J.J. Cale’s “Cajun Moon,” and at the end of the group’s first set on Friday, July 17, Moore showcased her powerful voice on Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song,” which arrived right after another cover, Genesis’ “Pappy Biondo,” a newer addition to the moe. catalog. Meanwhile, moe.’s second set on Friday closed with “Mar De Ma” and “Water,” before the members of outfit returned for one of their signature numbers, “Rebubula.” moe.’s final, single-set offering on Saturday leaned even more into their collaborative spirit, with Dillon joining in on vibraphone for “Meat,” Donato adding guitar to “Mexico” and Moore, Umphrey’s McGee’s Brendan Bayliss and Hayley Jane all taking the stage for a sing-along version of The Band classic “The Weight.” moe then brought their concert to a close with another favorite, “Plane Crash” and a single encore consisting of “Wind It Up.” (Earlier in the day, as the members of moe. awarded Miko The Dog the official title of Mayor of moe.down, Bayliss also popped on stage to join the group for a bit of Mötley Crüe’s fitting “Home Sweet Home,” which Wilson took the lead on.)  

Collaborations abounded elsewhere as well. Guitarist Shawn Eckels, who recently parted ways with Andy Frasco & The U.N. and appeared at moe.down as a solo artist in the Vibe Barn, emerged during Donato’s show for both “Call Me the Breeze” and a cover of Little Milton’s “That’s What Love Will Make You Do” while moe. percussionist Jim Loughlin reunited with his former band Yolk for “Cataracts” and Schnier was ever the affable host by sitting in with the Seapods on “Blackberry Brandy” and Cabinet for “Silver Sun.” Meanwhile, Umphrey’s McGee welcomed Neighbor guitarist Rob Compa for “Birdgeless” and both Moore—who first gained traction playing with Umphrey’s McGee’s Ryan Stasik in Doom Flamingo—and Schnier for a take on AC/DC’s ”It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll),” a song they recently debuted at New Hampshire’s Northlands Festival. (Compa’s cameo was a reunion of sorts as well, since Umphrey’s McGee drummer Scotty Zwang played with the guitarist in Dopapod.) Moreover, Dillon rounded out his band with Loughlin and members of lespecial.  

Up next, moe. will host their moe.down Underground event at Pelham, TN’s The Caverns on July 31 and August 1. Shadowgrass and lespecial will provide support duties on night’s one and two, respectively.