Benevento/Russo Duo Play Guest-Filled Show At Higher Ground On This Date In 2006

This month marks the 20th anniversary of Higher Ground opening its doors in Winooski, Vermont. Higher Ground moved to South Burlington in 2004 and has hosted a who’s who of musicians from many genres over the past two decades. On this date in 2006, the Benevento/Russo Duo played a guest-filled concert at the venue. A crispy audience recording is available via Archive.org and can be streamed below as this week’s Full Show Friday selection.

Keyboardist Marco Benevento and drummer Joe Russo were prepping a new album that would be released a few months later entitled Play Pause Stop when they pulled into Higher Ground on April 6, 2006. The pair played a number of songs off the LP in South Burlington including the “Best Reason To Buy The Sun” opener and “Echo Park” that followed. Joe and Marco then performed “Welcome Red” and fan-favorite “Becky.”

The first guest of the evening was The Slip guitarist Brad Barr. Brad added to “Sunny’s Song” and “Memphisto” early in the marathon set. “Soba” and “Something For Rockets” came next before the Benevento/Russo Duo welcomed Phish drummer Jon Fishman to the stage. Fish added to a wild and noisy “The Three Question Marks.” After the nearly 20-minute long jam was completed, Benevento exclaimed “We’ve successfully played with all four of them now” in regards to the members of Phish. “Those guys who I speak of are wonderful amazing musicians,” Marco added.

Later in the night, Brad Barr returned to augment The Duo on a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “What Is & What Should Never Be.” Marco and Joe went on to close out the set with “Walking Running Viking,” “Hate Frame,” “Memphis” and “Play Pause Stop.” The encore started with Benevento and Russo calling upon Phish bassist Mike Gordon as well as Fishman and Barr for an instrumental “Mike’s Song.” Phish was broken up at the time and the audience sang the vocals on Gordon’s beloved tune. More jamming followed with not only Gordon, Fishman and Barr but with Jamie Masefield and Mike Mavridoglou of Jazz Mandolin Project.

Listen to a recording of the show captured by Chris Moore and mastered by Clinton Vadnais:

Setlist

Set: Best Reason To Buy The Sun, Echo Park, Welcome Red, Becky, Sunny’s Song*, Mephisto*, Soba, Something For Rockets, The Three Question Marks#, 9 X 9, What Is & What Should Never Be*, Walking Running Viking, Hate Frame, Memphis, Play Pause Stop

Encore: Mike’s Song*#%, Jam*#%$@

• * with Brad Barr (The Slip) on guitar
• # with Jon Fishman (Phish) on drums
• % with Mike Gordon (Phish) on bass
• $ with Jamie Masefield (Jazz Mandolin Project) on cymbal
• @ with Mike Mavridoglou (Jazz Mandolin Project) on trumpet

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