Show Review - Brownstein Family Band 6/27/24 Ardmore, PA
The Brownstein Family Band is a supergroup featuring Marc Brownstein (The Disco Biscuits) and his son Zach along with Jake Brownstein and Dani Battat (Eggy) that exists for one reason only – to give friends (and family) an opportunity to play music together and just have an absolute blast on stage.
The idea for the band came about in early 2023 when Zach sat in with the Disco Biscuits – a fan made the suggestion that it would be cool for the father/son duo to team with Jake. Though it took close to a year after that – and the addition of Dani, lovingly dubbed “Battatstein” by Marc – the quartet made their debut at the legendary Nectar’s in Burlington, Vermont this past January.
Coming in the midst of a late June run through the Northeast that took advantage of time off for both Eggy and the Biscuits, last night’s show at Ardmore Music Hall was a hometown throwdown for Marc and Zach, the latter of whom used to work at the venue as a barback.
Performing a perfect mix of Disco Biscuits and Eggy songs along with a cover rotation heavily influenced by Jerry Garcia Band, the two-set concert did not feel like just their third show ever.
Biscuits classic “Home Again” opened the night with a fiery bliss jam thanks to Jake’s incredible guitar soloing. After the conclusion of the song, Marc beamed at his son and noted that he had been playing the tune for 27 years and could not be happier that Zach was absolutely crushing it and that he got to be the bassist.
An expansive take on Eggy’s “Sweat Equity” came in next as the quartet embarked on their first extended jam of the night. Jake and Dani faced each other for some great interplay, the latter working his Moog and Virus synthesizers as Marc and Zach stayed in perfect lockstep.
A slower and groovier take on “Take The Money and Run” led into the JGB seal being broken with “That’s What Love Will Make You Do,” which also contained a return to the “Home Again” theme in the form of a huge blissed-out peak. Coming down from the peak, a brief bout of funk modulated into a set-closing “One Stop Shop,” blazing through another rocking and synth-infused peak to send us into the break.
The second set began with a bouncy “The Harder They Come,” propelled by Zach’s excellent drumming and a ripping organ solo from Dani. “All Wheels Turning” showcased the keyboardist once again as the quartet dove into a Moog-heavy jam that got into some of the best improv of the night.
Being in Philadelphia, there was bound to be a special guest at last night’s show, and Marc welcomed Disco Biscuits guitarist Jon “Barber” Gutwillig to the stage for the next few songs. The now-quintet locked in and nailed “Portal To An Empty Head,” which saw Jake and Barber shredding against each other for a sustained blast of energy as Dani laid down thick beds of synthesizer worthy of Aron Magner.
“Confrontation” led back into JGB land with Barber sticking around for a peppy “After Midnight” that let the two guitarists engage in some more great back-and-forth through the lengthy rendition.
Eggy opus “Golden Gate Dancer” closed out the set as Marc thanked the hometown crowd once again for an amazing night.
Brownstein Family Band tour continues tonight in Albany and wraps up with a hometown show for Jake and Dani in Bridgeport, CT tomorrow night. I have no doubt in my mind that this band will be back on the road at their earliest opportunity – the sheer amount of fun that each musician was having through the entire show was evident. If you have the opportunity to catch them live, DO IT!
Love the Eleanor Rigby tease at 7m mark of All Wheels Turnin’