Pro-Shot Video: Spafford Weaves Together ‘After Midnight’ & ‘Minds Unchained’ In Milwaukee

Just two shows in 2018, Spafford was firing on all cylinders during a standout show at the Miramar Theatre in Milwaukee on January 12. The band has shared professionally-shot video featuring one of the highlights from their recent visit to Brew City.

Spafford opened the concert with their cover of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers’ “Breakdown” that was debuted the night after Petty passed away. The Arizona jam quartet blew through the normal structure of the song for a jam that led into an equally as adventurous “My Road (My Road).” Another highlight of the first set was an “Electric Taco Stand” sequence that included “Dis Go In 5?” within. Spafford closed out the first frame in Milwaukee with a cover of Johnny Russell’s “Catfish John.”

The foursome kicked off the closing stanza with “Lovesick Melody” > “Soil” and then threw “Palisades” into “Weasel.” Spafford concluded the set with a 20-minute “All In” and encored with Van Morrison’s “Into The Mystic” and their own “Galisteo Way.” Ahead of “All In” was a pairing of “After Midnight” and “Mind’s Unchained” which can be viewed below.

Guitarist Brian Moss and Andrew “Red” Johnson led their mates from the bluesy territory of the JJ Cale cover to a gorgeous and transcendent major key jam. The band explored the pretty jam space for a few minutes before making a move towards “Mind’s Unchained.” After Spafford worked through the verses and chorus, they dived right back into the improvisation. The airy “Mind’s Unchained” jam was given room to breathe by the rhythm section of drummer Cameron Laforest and bassist Jordan Fairless and then Moss led a build to a massive peak.

Watch “After Midnight” > “Minds Unchained” from January 12:

Spafford returns to the road on February 28 to begin a West Coast tour that includes stops in Solana Beach, Santa Barbara, Crystal Bay and San Rafael before the quartet heads to the Pacific Northwest and Colorado.

Setlist (via Spaffnerds)

Set One: Breakdown > My Road (My Road), Shake You Loose, Electric Taco Stand > Dis Go In 5?, Electric Taco Stand, Catfish John

Set Two: Lovesick Melody > Soil, Weasel > Palisades > Weasel, After Midnight, Mind’s Unchained, All In

Encore: Into The Mystic > Galisteo Way