the groovement

By Mike Bangert-Drowns | March 30, 2024
📸: shot by Taylor Weinberg

“We all like to say I was at this show, I was at that show…. Well, look around you. Because in 10 years, we’ll all be saying ‘I was at that Eggy show on March 23rd!’”

Those were the words of Peter Shapiro, owner of the Brooklyn Bowl. As he stood on stage at the end of the show, the crowd roared in deafening agreement. The increasingly raucous chant of “One more song!” pulled Eggy back to the stage like a magnet for a rip-roaring, face-melting, barn-door smashing encore.

So who is Eggy? Some say they’re the next Phish. Others say they’re the next Goose. In our opinion, they’re all wrong. Eggy is 100% their own experience, putting a fresh stamp on the scene with a unique sound and a virtuosic questing jams that rival the best in the business.

For those who have been following Eggy for a while (hello to the Yolk Folk out there!), this show will likely mark a threshold in their memories for the band. Already this year, the group has been on a tear that is turning heads and pulling others into “the carton.” But this evening saw the band ascend to a new level that left more than a few of us brimming with excitement for their future.

Branded Reelin’ in the Years, the March 23rd set was a celebration of the Jewish holiday Purim. The band invited folks to dress in costume, and the crowd delivered with gusto. We saw some human sized tacos, a unicorn, some Mario and Luigi’s, and a lot of great colorful outfits that lent an especially festive feeling to the night from the start.

Eggy hit the ground running, delivering a top notch first set of original tunes. Jake Brownstein (guitar) showed off his chops early with a fist-bump inducing solo on “Apology.” The chemistry between Brownstein, Michael Goodman (bass), Alex Bailey (drums), and Daniel Battat (keys) was apparent from the start. Vocals rotated throughout the ensemble, and each member shined throughout the run of “Zugzwang,” “Atomic Age,” and “Rosetta Stone.” Already, this was turning into an Eggy-at-their-best show.

When the band returned to stage for their second set it became clear that we were about to start reelin’ in the years. Each member of the group was dressed in the style of a different decade from the 60’s to the 00’s, and feeling themselves. Their smiles as they took to the stage made it evident they were looking forward to the second set as much as we were.

Opening with a time-bending aural soundscape, the band set the stage for what was about to be a decade-spanning journey of epic covers and guest collaborators. The transition into “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” was seamless, and it was off to the races from that point on. Battat could have lit those keys on fire with his solo, and it was clear the energy in the room had just lept up a rung.

“Tomorrow Never Knows” was up next, followed by “Mr. Blue Sky.” The crowd went nuts at those opening chords in a way that’s rare to achieve at a show. Brownstein intelligently stayed close to the original guitar solo, knowing when to add his own touches and when to honor the nostalgia of a well-known guitar solo. The way the band harnessed the crowds’ energy through the first three songs of this set was masterly.

At this point they paused to bring on the Funky Dawgz Horns (from the Funky Dawgz Brass Band), adding two saxophones and a trumpet to the stage. The addition was perfect for the band’s original “Sweaters for Strawmen,” adding a depth of sound and additional funk that once again ratcheted things up a notch. Sammi Garrett of Cool Cool Cool and Turkuaz then joined the stage to deliver lead vocals on I’m Coming Out which also featured a nasty saxophone solo from Tommy Weeks (Funky Dawgz).

By this point we all had goofy grins plastered across our faces. Alex Bailey (drums) led vocals on Laurel, a pleasingly indie rock Eggy original, demonstrating yet again the balanced skill across the band. The Funky Dawgz added another splendid flurry of solos from each of the three guests.

Another pause, followed by a pair of descending guitar notes unmistakable to many in the crowd – Eggy was about to cover Radiohead. The band launched into their first ever rendition of Subterranean Homesick Alien, bringing the Funky Dawgz along for what was the undeniable peak of the entire show. For a glorious seven minutes, the musicians delivered on the incredibly difficult task of paying tribute to the rich tapestry of a studio produced Radiohead song in a live setting while still sounding undeniably like Eggy. Brownstein’s guitar solo blasted us to a new dimension with an incredibly dark and gritty solo.

The set closed with Eggy’s most popular original song, “Golden Gate Dancer,” pulling the crowd out of their Radiohead induced face-melt coma with the most danceable song of the night. At the close of the song, Battat shared that it was the first time they had played the song with horns since him and Brownstein had performed it at their highschool talent show. It was clearly a special night for the band, and it showed.

After Shapiro’s brief speech, the band returned for an encore that finally delivered on the show’s title as they covered “Reelin’ In The Years” with all of their guests back on stage. They ended the night with their original “Smile.”

It may not be 2034 yet, but we can’t help but agree with Pete Shapiro: we sure were lucky to be at that Eggy show on March 23rd.

The full show can be found here, on YouTube.