moe. Plays Acoustic Set & Digs Deep Into Repertoire On New Year’s Eve In Rochester

moe. celebrated New Year’s Eve with their second of two consecutive nights at the Kodak Center in Rochester, New York. The band delivered an acoustic first set on December 31 and followed with two electric sets, while sprinkling in rarely played songs along the way.

As reported, several people were tragically killed in a car crash near the Kodak Center shortly after the completion of moe.’s New Year’s Eve concert. Multiple pedestrians on a crosswalk near the venue were impacted by the crash and hospitalized with injuries. A GoFundMe for one of the injured pedestrians who attended the concert was established to cover medical expenses.

Prior to the tragic event that unfortunately marred the celebratory concert, moe. began their performance with bassist Rob Derhak singing the 1947 classic “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” while accompanied by keyboardist Nate Wilson. Guitarists Al Schnier and Chuck Garvey, who sat onstage next to an artificial fireplace during the debut opener, then took their proper places and drummer Vinnie Amico and percussionist Jim Loughlin came out before they all kicked into “The Road.”

The rest of the acoustic set was comprised of “Tambourine,” Blind Faith’s “Can’t Find My Way Home” and “Bring You Down,” which segued into the Grateful Dead’s “Bird Song” and then back into “Bring You Down.” moe. last covered “Bird Song” on August 27, 2017.

The electric portion of the evening began with Garvey leading “Shoot First,” at the start of set two. The band then began an uninterrupted progression that began with “Puebla” segueing into “Meat.” The sequence continued with a transition into “Tailspin,” which led into “Captain America,” followed by “Sensory Deprivation Bank” and a return to finish “meat.”

Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” initiated the third and final set of the New Year’s Eve show. Derhak’s “Paper Dragon” was then played for the first time since March 12, 2019. Derhak’s recently debuted original “Bat Country” then made its third setlist appearance after premiering in October.

As the final moments of 2023 approached, “Lazarus” was summoned to lead into the countdown to midnight. Garvey’s fittingly appropriate “New Hope For The New Year” was the first song played in the New Year. “Brent Black” held down the closer slot, brining the third set to an end.

The encore consisted of “Blue Jeans Pizza” and the ending of “Lazarus” that began earlier in the show. Watch audience-captured video of moe.’s New Year’s Eve concert at the Kodak Center in Rochester posted by Ira Heller below:

Setlist (via moe.rons FB Group)

Acoustic Set One: What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? [1], The Road, Tambourine, Can’t Find My Way Home, Bring You Down > Bird Song [2] > Bring You Down

Set Two: Shoot First, Puebla > Meat > Tailspin > Captain America > Sensory Deprivation Bank > Meat

Set Three: Immigrant Song, Paper Dragon [3], Bat Country, Lazarus > [Countdown], New Hope For The New Year [4], Brent Black

Encore: Blue Jeans Pizza > Lazarus

• [1] debut, Frank Loesser
• [2] LTP August 27, 2017
• [3] LTP March 12, 2019
• [4] LTP December 11, 2021