Friday Full Show Double Feature: Bela Fleck & The Flecktones In New York

This month saw the return of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones to the stage for the first time since the beloved ensemble’s talented banjo playing leader put the ensemble on an indefinite hiatus in 2012. For this week’s installment of Full Show Friday, below is a special double feature edition of two recent Flecktones concerts held in New York state.

First up is the fourth show from this reunion tour featuring the original lineup of Bela Fleck on banjo, Victor Wooten on bass, Roy “Futureman” Wooten on percussion and Howard Levy on piano and harmonica, which was held at the renowned Capitol Theatre in Port Chester. The June 4 concert was the first of the tour to start with opener “Frontiers” after selecting “Gravity Lane” for the prior reunion shows.

While the quartet stuck to much the same setlist four nights later at Hart Theatre at The Egg Center For The Performing Arts in Albany, they did offer “Kayto” at the June 8 concert instead of “The Longing” which was played in the first set on Saturday at The Cap. One of the bands who rarely plays the same song the same way twice, the identical second sets each showcase varied takes on such Flecktones classics as “Hole In The Wall,” “Flight of The Cosmic Hippo,” “True North,” the main set closing “Stomping Grounds” and the encore “The Sinister Minister.”

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones play tonight at Cain Park in Cleveland, Ohio followed by an appearance on Saturday at the Blue Ox Festival in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Taper Keith Antaya shared his recording from the June 4 concert at The Capitol Theatre and taper Brian Goldstein shared his recording from the June 8 concert at the Hart Theatre. Listen to both full show audience recordings below:

Saturday, June 4 – The Capitol Theatre

Wednesday, June 8 – Hart Theatre