"Who starts a tour at Madison Square Garden?"

So the concert originally billed as "the release party of Big Whiskey and the Groo Grux King" didn't go off as planned. However, the band did release the new single Funny the Way it is that day, and officially set the track listings and album artwork (which is sick, but more on that in the upcoming weeks). However, no one going to the show was disappointed in the effort the band put out and the set they played.

For the show, we sat in section 95 (great seats courtesy of Jordan), but really, there is no bad seat in the house at MSG. The Roots opened and played a fun show, not really ever stopping for a break, but instead, filling the space with little interludes of famous songs, such as Iron Man and Lollipop. Then the interlude music filled the arena and we all mingled around until 8:45, when shadows emerged from behind this giant curtain on the stage. The music stopped, the lights went out, and the guitar part started.

The band launched into the always pleasing Don't Drink the Water. After the 2007 hit Cornbread, which didn't make the final cut on the new album, the band debuted that new single, Funny the Way it is, with Timmy ripping a sweet electric guitar solo near the end. After a hiatus since 2006, Raven made its way off the backburner and on to the setlist, followed by You Might Die Trying. The band then debuted another song off their upcoming record, Spaceman, which is a slower song in comparison to Funny. Dancing Nancies and Pig followed suit, which was nice to see Pig on the set, which was originally suppose to be Granny (always good though).

About midway through the night and countless "who starts a tour as MSG?" quotes, Dave introduced a friend of his who "just happened" to be in town for the show. That's when Gregg Allman jumped up on staged and swapped verses of the Allman Brother Band song, Melissa. Also making its return was Recently, yet no longer truncated, but instead with its original full ending. So Damn Lucky and #27 paved the way for yet another new song, Why I Am, which is an upbeat song of "singing and dancing witht he Gro Grux King", a tribute to Leroi Moore, the band's fallen saxaphone player. Then the snare drum hits came, leading into an epic Ants Marching with Boyd tearing a new asshole on his solo. Then new saxaphonist Jeff Coffin, of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, made his presence known, stealing the spotlight on a magnaimous #41, which included an interlude of the Flecktones Sojourn of Arjuna. Two Step closed out the set with Carter and Timmy tearing solos on the song. The encore was Sister followed by Tripping Billies, which is no complant in my book, though i was hoping for a Halloween->Watchtower->Best of What's Around (or any of those three).

Overall it was a solid set from a solid band. Looking foward to the next time I see them.