Quite A Picture At Nectar’s: Mike Gordon Joins Maggie Rose For Bee Gees & Allman Brothers Covers

As a Phish fan performing at Nectar’s, Wednesday was going to be a special night for Maggie Rose no matter what happened. However, Rose’s debut concert at the Burlington venue that helped birth Vermont’s greatest musical export was taken to the next level when Phish bassist Mike Gordon sat in.

Maggie Rose was introduced to Phish’s music by her husband Austin Marshall. She has since seen over 25 shows and counts witnessing the band perform Gamehendge at Madison Square Garden among her peak live music experiences as a concertgoer. Rose worked on her new album, No One Gets Out Alive, with conductor and longtime Phish collaborator Don Hart.

For the uninitiated, Nectar’s was pivotal to the development of Phish. The quartet played the room a total of 42 times between December 1, 1984 and March 14, 1989 — a tally that only includes documented shows. “There would be no Phish without Nectar’s,” Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio said in Parke Puterbaugh’s book Phish: The Biography.

Maggie Rose took the stage at Nectar’s amid an extensive tour in support of No One Gets Out Alive. Rose was accompanied by her lock-tight band of keyboardist Kaitlyn Connor, drummer Tim Burkhead, guitarist Kyle Lewis and bassist Judd Fuller.

Mike Gordon emerged towards the middle of the set to hold down the bottom end of on a cover of The Bee Gees’ “You Should Be Dancing.” Rose has performed the 1976 chart-topper several times in the past with special guests. While Phish has never covered The Bee Gees in concert, they worked “Night Fever” into a deliciously weird jam recorded a stone’s throw from Nectar’s at The Little Red House on December 13, 1985 — a recording of which premiered on a Mondegreen episode of “From The Archives.”

The bassist stuck around for a take on “Whipping Post” by The Allman Brothers Band. “The ironic thing is that I played this song on this stage over 90 years ago,” Gordon joked to the crowd. He went on to exagerate his age as he told the story of meeting a college student recently who said, “Oh my god, you’re in Phish? My great great great great great great great great great grandfather loves you guys!”

Mike wasn’t kidding as Phish did cover “Whipping Post” frequently in the ’80s, including five known performances at Nectar’s. Phish last played “Whipping Post” 25 years ago at Indiana's Deer Creek on July 25, 1999. Gordon did a fine job emulating Berry Oakley’s original bass part while still making it his own. Later, Rose fit a tease of Phish’s “Stash” within her own song “Smooth.”

Watch Maggie Rose and Mike Gordon’s “Whipping Post” at Nectar’s via video shared by the venue:

Maggie Rose continues her extensive No One Gets Out Alive Tour tonight near Boston. The run includes a special hometown Halloween show at Nashville’s Eastside Bowl. Find all Maggie Rose tour dates and ticketing info by scrolling below.