Hear Brownstein Family Band Featuring Eggy & Disco Biscuits Members Make Triumphant Debut At Nectar’s

The Disco Biscuits bassist Marc Brownstein formed the Brownstein Family Band with his son, drummer Zach Brownstein, as well as Eggy guitarist Jake Brownstein (no relation) and keyboardist Dani Battat. The quartet took the stage in public for the first time this past Friday (January 20) to perform in front of a capacity crowd at the iconic Burlington, Vermont club Nectar’s.

The idea for the Brownstein Family Band was dreamed up by a tDB fan last June who tweeted the concept at Marc Brownstein. “Next time I saw Jake I mentioned it to him and here we are,” the bassist noted just before the band’s debut. The four-piece mixed classic covers with Bisco and Eggy songs over two sets and an encore in Burlington.

The choice batch of covers played by the Brownstein Family Band at Nectar’s included several songs from the Jerry Garcia Band live repertoire including the take on Chuck Berry’s “Let It Rock” and +20-minute version of Hunter/Garcia’s “Cats Under The Stars” that bookended the first set. Marc, Zach, Jake and Dani stuck to other artists material for their opening frame which also featured performances of “Feelin’ Alright” (Traffic), “That’s What Love Will Make You Do” (Little Milton) and “Wind Up” (Keith Jarrett).

Marc Brownstein started the second set by talking about how happy he was to play a full show with his son for the first time. “And my father, Jake,” he jokingly added. The bassist previously jammed with Zach at a Disco Biscuits show held at nearby Higher Ground last February. Zach is currently studying jazz at the University of Vermont and held his own all night long.

The Brownstein Family Band lit into The Band gem “Chest Fever” to kick off their second set on Friday. Jake Brownstein and Dani “Battat-stein” then led the four-piece through Eggy original “All Wheels Turnin'” before Marc Brownstein fronted the group on a nearly 20-minute pairing of tDB’s “Portal To An Empty Head” and “Home Again.” The quartet went on to fit a “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” jam within Eggy live staple “Golden Gate Dancer” to end the closing stanza.

The quartet returned to the Jerry Garcia Band live repertoire for an encore of Eric Clapton’s “Lay Down Sally.” The Brownstein Family Band found their way into a “Home Again” reprise during the encore. Listen to a crispy soundboard matrix recording of Friday’s show taped by Mark Van Blunk below:

Setlist

Set One: Tuning, Let It Rock, Feelin’ Alright, That’s What Love Will Make You Do > Wind Up, Cats Under The Stars

Set Two: Chest Fever, All Wheels Turnin’, Portal To An Empty Head > Home Again > Portal To An Empty Head, Golden Gate Dancer

Encore: Lay Down Sally