Allen Aucoin Makes Disco Biscuits Debut On This Date In 2005

By Nate Todd Nov 19, 2020 12:54 pm PST

Fifteen years ago today drummer Allen Aucoin made his debut with The Disco Biscuits during a two-night tDB run on November 18 and 19, 2005 at The Borgata’s Music Box venue in Atlantic City. But he wasn’t in the band just yet. The shows — billed as “The Atlantic City Drum Off” — represented the final round of auditions as Bisco searched for a replacement for previous percussionist and founding member Sam Altman. The “drum off” saw three candidates behind the kit each night.

November 18 featured drummer Danny Carroll on “Floodlights,” “Story Of The World,” “Svenghali” and “Helicopters.” Sean Hennesey then helmed a jam into a pair of debuts in “Two Cigarettes” and “Strawberry Girl.” Finally, Brian Griffin would see the band through the entire second set and encore.

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November 19 got underway with Bisco side-project collaborator (and current Lotus drummer) Mike Greenfield on the kit for “Shem-Rah Boo,” “Astronaut,” “Jigsaw Earth” and “The Very Moon.” Jim Riordan took over for “Rock Candy” and “42” to close out the first set. Then came time for the final contestant of the evening, Allen Aucoin of Skydog.

Aucoin helped the band take flight on “Hot Air Balloon,” which saw the percussionist on a flurry of fills to match the song’s frenetic guitar riff from Jon Gutwillig. Aucoin also showed his stamina (an important trait for a tDB drummer) on the jam which stretched to over 20 minutes. Aucoin then provided proof of his technical prowess with a syncopated beat on “Spy” ahead of another marathon jam for “Save The Robots,” which saw Allen holding down the beat as the band delivered some of their characteristic electronic stylings. “Confrontation” closed out the set with Aucoin reemerging for the encore, “Munchkin Invasion,” which featured Allen on some hissing hi-hat flourishes.

Aucoin would ultimately win out with The Disco Biscuits announcing their new member in December ahead of their New Year’s run which would see Allen taking the tDB throne, where he has remained ever since. Listen to the show that started it all below for this edition of Throwback Thursday:

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Setlist (via Biscuits Internet Project 2.0)

Set One: Shem-Rah Boo[1] > Astronaut[1], Jigsaw Earth[1], The Very Moon [1], Rock Candy[2], 42[2]

Set Two Hot Air Balloon[3], Spy[3], Save The Robots[3], Confrontation[3]

Encore: Munchkin Invasion

Notes:

[1] With Mike Greenfield on drums.

[2] With Jim Riordan on drums.

[3] With Allen Aucoin on drums.

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