‘Evil’ Neighbor Offers Cover Debuts & Welcomes Guests For Halloween Concert At Higher Ground

Boston-based jam quartet Neighbor showed off their dark side on Saturday with an “Evil Neighbor” Halloween celebration at Higher Ground in South Burlington, Vermont. The show saw the band tackle songs by Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper for the first time and debut a Louvin Brothers cover with help from guests Ryan Montbleau and Hayley Jane.

Neighbor took the stage wearing costumes with keyboardist Richard James sporting a skeleton mask, guitarist Lyle Brewer dressed as Elmo, Dean Johnston playing drums in a chicken suit and bassist Dan Kelly appearing as a priest. The four-piece kicked off their first of two sets by performing the recently debuted original “Rosalia.”

Saturday’s opening frame featured a pair of inventive song suites. “Trippin’ In A Van” encapsulated “Under The Moon,” while “Mighty Apple Tree” came within “Thunder Island.” It was during “Under The Moon” that a couple in the front row got engaged. James took a moment to acknowledge and congratulate the couple after completing “Trippin’ In A Van.” Later, Little Feat’s “Spanish Moon” was the set’s lone cover and was followed by “Shitstorm” to close the stanza.

The quartet kicked off the second set at Higher Ground with a 16-minute “Terror For Free.” Ryan Montbleau and Hayley Jane then emerged dressed as a bishop and nun respectively for the Neighbor debut of “Satan Is Real.” Both guests handled lead vocals on the song originally released by The Louvin Brothers in 1959. Montbleau gave a sermon and Hayley Jane came back transformed into satan.

Neighbor moved forward sans guests by linking “Crashing Down” and “High Five Gauntlet.” Next, the band premiered their version of the Black Sabbath classic “Electric Funeral” and worked a tease of the song into the ensuing “Steel,” which led into and out of “Yo-Ya Ma.” More “Electric Funeral” teases and hints of Led Zeppelin’s “No Quarter” were fit into “The Unknown” that followed the “Steel” song sandwich. Next, the band unveiled a take on Alice Cooper’s 1976 cut “Go To Hell.” Neighbor ended the second set and show with a “The Longest Day” featuring a final “Electric Funeral” tease.

Listen to an audience recording of Neighbor’s Halloween celebration captured by Taper Chris below:

Setlist & Photos