Taper’s Choice Delights At Relix 50 Concert With Mike Gordon, Mikaela Davis, Tom Constanten & More

Watch the supergroup and friends perform “Possum,” “Dark Star,” “Hook,” “Susskind Hotel,” “Coconut,” “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” and more.

By Scott Bernstein Jan 16, 2025 8:16 am PST

Relix Magazine was started in Brooklyn in 1974 so it was fitting the publication’s 50th anniversary was celebrated in the same borough on Wednesday night at New York City’s Brooklyn Bowl. Jam-loving supergroup Taper’s Choice headlined the festivities and were joined by an impressive array at special guests at various points of their two-set performance including Phish bassist Mike Gordon, Grateful Dead keyboardist Tom Constanten, harpist Mikaela Davis and many others.

A four-piece horn section, keyboardist Robert Walter, bassist Karina Rykman, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead guitarists Scott Metzger and Tom Hamilton, Dr. Dog's Eric Slick, Eggy guitarist Jake Brownstein and Guster frontman Ryan Miller also sat-in with Taper’s Choice at Brooklyn Bowl last night. The setlist featured a mix TC originals and covers of Phish, Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers and Blues Traveler classics. Additionally, Mike Gordon broke out some deep cuts.

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Taper’s Choice went it alone to launch the night with bassist Alex Bleeker (Real Estate) singing “Running From The Rain” and drummer Chris Tomson (Vampire Weekend) helming “Above The Timberline. Bleeker, Tomson and bandmates keyboardist Zach Tenorio Miller (Arc Iris) and guitarist Dave Harrington (DARKSIDE) kept the staples and jams flowing with “Pinot Botticelli,” “Darkness On The Edge Of Midtown” and “The Dave Test.” The latter featured Stuart Bogie and Lynn Ligammari on saxophone, Jordan McLean on trumpet and Dave “Smoota” Smith on trombone.

Jake Brownstein let it rip on the subsequent “Lick The Road” before Rykman took over bass duties and Slick fronted the ensemble on Blues Traveler’s 1994 hit “Hook.” The horns intro’d the set closer by performing an arrangement of “Pachelbel’s Canon.”

Taper’s Choice brought out Scott Metzger to sing the ABB’s “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” at the start of the second set. The horns and Robert Walter also contributed. Metzger then tagged in JRAD bandmate Tom Hamilton for TC original “Close Encounters” and a take on The Band classic “Ophelia.”

Tom Constanten and Mikaela Davis were the next guests to appear. Alex Bleeker spoke about how special it was to perform with Constanten who was a member of the Grateful Dead from 1968 to 1970. Davis led the TCs on GD psychedelic era favorites “Mountains Of The Moon” and “Dark Star.” Will Epstein added soprano sax to “Dark Star.” Taper’s Choice had one more original in store, “Doner Wrap,” ahead of a string of covers.

Mike Gordon took the stage to huge applause and went “raw” after he initially had issues with his processing rig. The Phish bassist captained Taper’s Choice and Robert Walter on “Susskind Hotel” from his GRAB days with Trey Anastasio, Marco Benevento and Joe Russo. “Susskind Hotel” hadn’t been performed by Gordon since a 2016 show with his five-piece solo band. Mike went even deeper in breaking out Inside In (2003) standout “Exit Wound” for the first time since November 12, 2011.

The penultimate song of the second set was a cover of Willie Nelson’s “Darkness On The Face Of The Earth” featuring Gordon and Davis sharing lead vocal duties. Ryan Miller then came out to sing “Coconut” by Harry Nilsson to close the set. Mike Gordon starred on beloved Phish tune “Possum” to start an encore that then ended with Mikaela Davis leading an assemblage of Taper’s Choice and many of their guests on The Manhattans’ “Shining Star.”

Watch official video of the full Relix 50th Anniversary with Taper’s Choice & Casual Acquaintances show thanks to Relix below:

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Setlist (via Phish.net)

Set One: Running From the Rain, Above the Timberline, Pinot Borricelli, Darkness on the Edge of Midtown, The Dave Test [1] > Lick the Toad [2], Hook [3]

Set Two: Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More [4], Close Encounters [5], Ophelia [6], Mountains of the Moon [7] > Dark Star [8], Doner Wrap, Susskind Hotel [9], Exit Wound [10], Darkness on the Face of the Earth [11], Coconut [12]

Encore: Possum[9], Shining Star [13]

  • [1] With horn section
  • [2] With Jake Brownstein on guitar and horn section
  • [3] With Eric Slick on guitar and vocals, Karina Rykman on bass, Robert Walter on keys and Jake Brownstein on guitar
  • [4] With Scott Metzger on guitar and vocals, horn section and Robert Walter on keys
  • [5] With Tom Hamilton on guitar
  • [6] With Tom Hamilton on guitar and vocals, horn section and Robert Walter on keys
  • [7] With Tom Constanten on keys and Mikaela Davis on harp and vocals
  • [8] With Tom Constanten on keys, Will Epstein on soprano sax and Mikaela Davis on harp and vocals
  • [9] With Mike Gordon on bass and vocals, Robert Walter on keys
  • [10] With Mike Gordon on bass and vocals, Robert Walter on keys, Mikaela Davis on harp
  • [11] With Mike Gordon on bass and vocals, Robert Walter on keys, Mikaela Davis on vocals, Eric Slick on maracas
  • [12] With Mike Gordon on bass, Robert Walter on keys, Ryan Miller on vocals, Eric Slick on maracas, horns.
  • [13] With Mike Gordon on bass, Tom Hamilton and Scott Metzger on guitar, Robert Walter on keys, horns, and Ryan Miller, Mikaela Davis, Karina Rykman, and others on vocals.

This performance was in celebration of Relix’s 50th anniversary. Mike sat in on bass and Robert Walter on keys on Susskind Hotel through the end of the show, Exit Wound featured Mikaela Davis on harp and was performed by Mike for the first time since November 12, 2011. Darkness on the Face of the Earth featured Mikaela Davis on vocals and Eric Slick on maracas. Coconut featured Ryan Miller on vocals and Eric Slick on Maracas. Shining Star featured Tom Hamilton and Scott Metzger on guitar, horns, and Ryan Miller, Mikaela Davis, Karina Rykman, and others on vocals.

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