After a weird and sobering week, I was so fortunate to spend Thursday night under the relaxing and slightly absurd world of Leo Kottke and Mike Gordon at the Wall Street Theater in Norwalk, CT.
I've seen Leo Kottke solo three times and seen a handful of Phish shows, but this was the first time I've watched this duo perform together even though I've listened to their work for twenty years.
Circle back to the early 2000s, I was in high school, in a jam band during Phish's first big hiatus. During that time, its members released a bunch of side projects with the Kottke/Gordon duo being my favorite. Compounded with the fact that the father of the guitarist of my band was a big Kottke fan and owned a few of his vinyls, that legacy interested me into learned more about Kottke's large discography throughout high school and college.
When this show was first announced in the fall, I immediately nabbed a front row balcony seat and I am so glad I did. The show was 100% acoustic with most of the songs w/ Mike on bass and Leo on guitar/vocals, but there were a few Leo solo ballads and Mike sang two songs solo on guitar too.
Leo's voice ages so well. He's 76, but his deep, garbling baritone fits the music greatly. He's a renown finger-picker, so seeing him a half-step slower is an adjustment, but their sludgier songs sounded awesome. I was also impressed with Mike's improved singing ability, who is arguably now the most gifted vocalist in Phish (though the standards are low).
If anyone has ever seen Kottke live, his epic digressions are part of the set, so much so that it makes Gordon seem like the "normal" one, but it's all in good fun.
My buddy's father passed two years ago from brain cancer, so I was thinking about him a lot during this show. Overall, very grateful I attended this concert and I can't remember how long it's been since I felt so nourished after a show.
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