moe. Opens Fall Tour 2018 With ‘Recreational Chemistry’ Sandwich

Veteran jam act moe. opened Fall Tour 2018 on Wednesday night at the Crystal Ballroom in Portland, Oregon. The five-piece band bookended the first set with portions of the beloved “Recreational Chemistry” and put the focus on their ’00s output in the second set last night.

moe. wasted no time getting into mid-tour shape as they filled the evening with improvisation and intriguing segues. The band kicked off the show with the oldie “Recreational Chemistry” but instead of finishing the song they slickly worked the jam into “St. Augustine.” Guitarist Chuck Garvey displayed his slide skills on the Rob Derhak-sung classic. A run of “Rise” > “Chromatic Nightmare” > “Annihilation Blues” followed before the quintet took their first break of the evening. Next up was the bluesy “Opium” and it didn’t take long for moe. to pick up where they had left “Recreational Chemistry” off earlier in the set.

The Buffalo-birthed band pulled from 2003′ Wormwood in opening the second set with a pairing of “Not Coming Down” and “Wormwood.” Garvey then led the group on “Wind It Up” off 2007’s The Conch, an album that would also be represented by “The Road” that closed the frame. Newer material was also fit into the second set in the form of the year’s first “Do Or Die,” percussionist Jim Loughlin’s recently debuted “I Can Never Remember” and Al Schnier’s “ATL.” moe. ended the tour opener with a “Brent Black” closer, which was the only song played in Portland besides “Recreational Chemistry” and “St. Augustine” from the band’s early years.

Setlist (via moe. Facebook)

Set One: Recreational Chemistry > St. Augustine >(nh) Rise > Chromatic Nightmare >(nh) Annihilation Blues, Opium > Recreational Chemistry

Set Two: Not Coming Down > Wormwood > Wind It Up, Do or Die > Deep This Time, I Can Never Remember >(nh) ATL > The Road

Encore: Brent Black