“FRIENDS DON’T LET FRIENDS MISS PHOTON.”
Phil Ross and I were sitting in Dunedin Brewery last night (Friday, December 12), listening to a band we both clearly love: PHOTON. This was the first night of a three-night run at the brewery, and we were comparing notes about the next two nights. We had already talked about attending Saturday, and then he pointed out that the Sunday show had an early start time, which meant he could bring some friends who might not want to be out until midnight (or later).
And immediately I thought of compatriot Pat Williams. We were at Purple Hatter’s Ball one year, and he was rounding up campmates to get to the stage to see Turkuaz (now Cool Cool Cool). “Friends,” he said, “don’t let friends miss Turkuaz.”
He was correct.
Phil and I are of the same mind as Pat as it concerns PHOTON. It is why he is rounding up friends for that Sunday show.
It is why I published a piece titled “What is Photon, and Why Do You Need to See Them?”
It is why Mike Bryant, proprietor of Dunedin Brewery, imports this band from Colorado time and again.
Because we all fervently believe that FRIENDS DON’T LET FRIENDS MISS PHOTON.
The evening began with a fun set from The Family Funk, a great group of gents playing some popular tunes. Led by multi-instrumentalist Sean Fote on drums and vocals, the group also featured four members of one of the area’s most revered bands – Ajeva – with Mike Nivens, guitar; Taylor Gilchrist, bass; Lyndon Thacker, Hammond B3; and Tucker Sody, percussion (especially that banana shaker). They had the crowd moving playing songs such as “So Into You,” “Steppin’,” a Nawlins romp, and “Black Magic Woman > Gypsy Queen” (Santana style).
Then it was time for the main event. Photon features Jimmy Dunstan (Jimmy D) on synths, Neal “Fro” Evans (Dopapod) on drums, and recently Tim Wendel on guitar. Bass player Dan Africano (Thievery Corporation) was not available for this weekend, so local superstar Vinny Svoboda stepped in… and rocked!
So what, exactly, does PHOTON play?
Livetronica. Rock. Funk. Otherworldly, magnificent music.
Bottom line: DANCE MUSIC. PHOTON are a dance band in the very best way.
After a brief soundcheck, Chairman Jimmy D. called the meeting to order, and we were OFF! I am sure there are keyboard players who gets the sounds he does, but at the moment only Jamie Shields of The New Deal comes to mind. He is also the most joyous player I’ve probably ever seen. “Renegade” was the perfect opener (one of eight tunes you can find on Spotify). Wendel was brilliant all night, and none of the locals were surprised that Svoboda absorbed those eight songs and other material Jimmy D sent him and tore the roof off the sucker!
Fro is a monster drummer, always in demand, and once again he put on a clinic. You don’t need a bazillion drums, just skills. Early into “Wake Up and Rage,” Jimmy D called up Nivens (Wendel’s guitar) and Thacker (B3) for an excellent guest slot. They went deep with the Alice in Chains song “Would,” Svoboda out front with badass bass, and they closed with two more great compositions.
Smiles all around as they took a quick break.
Because I am a pest about setlists, when I checked with Jimmy at break about the first set, he let me copy the second as well. Which led to some amusement later.
“Glow Worm” is a lovely tune that has precisely the same vibe as one of Vince Guaraldi’s ‘Charlie Brown Christmas’ tunes, substituting synths for piano. It was lovely. “Day 1” got weird, and “Penguins Pt. 1” got much weirder (VEIRDER?) when Mike Bryant threw his sampler into the mix, first with some odd sounds (penguins fornicating?), human-like voices and other.
Jimmy had the setlist on his phone, and he would pull it out to see what’s next. The moment he said, “What’s next?” I checked my notebook and hollered, “CHICKENS!” “Thanks, Scott,” he grinned. “Chickens in Space Pt. 1” is the best dance song, and there were some folks sincerely vibing to the sounds. So great.
“What’s next, Scott?” he asked. “WOOGS,” I replied, and out spilled the gorgeous, mellow “Stranger Woogs Pt. 1.” Then there was a discussion about the set closer, and, after some debate, “Eye to Eye with the Dragon” won. That one really rocked.
For the encore, they chose another beautiful mellow melody, “Starlight,” and the first of three nights was in the books.
All of this to say, if sounds the least bit intriguing and you are in the vicinity, head to Dunedin Brewery for more PHOTON.
In the Moon Tower adjacent to the pub: Saturday at 8:00–midnight, Sunday at 2:00–5:00
Also, January 3 at The Bluebird Theater in Denver!
[PHOTON 1: ONE: Renegade, Mouse Hunt, Wake Up and Rage, Would (Alice in Chains), Hound Bull Puppy, Glass Light District; TWO: Glow Worm, Day 1, Penguins Pt. 1, Chickens in Space Pt. 1, Stranger Woogs Pt. 1, Eye to Eye with the Dragon; E: Starlight]
[…] played a titanic show Friday with two sets in the pub (read about that here). Saturday they moved to the adjacent Moon Tower for two more magnificent sets of… well, let’s […]