Watch moe.’s Chuck Garvey Triumphantly Sing Lead For 1st Time Following Stroke

moe. guitarist Chuck Garvey returned to full-time touring earlier this year after surviving a stroke in November 2021. While Garvey supplied some backing vocals upon his return from the stroke, he did not resume singing lead with the band. During moe.’s late-night set on Friday at High Sierra Music Festival, the group played Garvey’s “Shoot First,” marking his first time singing lead with the band since October 2021.

“So shit’s about to get weird,” bassist Rob Derhak said before the band played “Shoot First,” which was not on the band’s printed setlist.

Garvey then led his bandmates – Derhak, guitarist Al Schnier, drummer Vinnie Amico, percussionist Jim Loughlin and newly added keyboardist Nate Wilson – through “Shoot First,” singing the lyrics with confidence and clarity to the delight of those in attendance. The crowd roared after the final notes of “Shoot First,” recognizing the magnitude of the performance.

Prior to the triumphant Garvey showcase, moe. launched their late-night set with a nearly 20-minute “Blue Jeans Pizza.” The prevailing “George” led to another large supply of improvisation. After “Shoot First,” the rest of the set filled in with “Seat Of My Pants” and “Sensory Deprivation Tank” ahead of the 23-minute “Recreational Chemistry” closer. The band capped their HSMF visit with a “Crab Eyes” encore.

Watch video of Garvey singing “Shoot First” posted by moe. and stream official audio via nugs.net below: