Well before show time the G.A. in front of the stage was packed and fans were steadily filing in. Perhaps some were in on the fact that the opening band Trippin' Balls was actually Guster in disguise. The quartet came out in psychedelic outfits and performed a jam heavy set that sounded like Phish meets Frank Zappa. During a pause in the funky music they mentioned that they had seen Phish at a festival. The story moved in to a strange tale about a talking falafel and matzo balls before moving musically into part of Lou Reed's 'Walk On The Wild side'. The song snaked and revolved around the hook "Trippin' Balls". The jam moved from deep bass lines to funky grooves back to harmonizing vocals and spacey guitars. There were many structural changes in the montage. The drummer went into a solo backed by sound effects that strangely mixed Middle Eastern textures with Star Wars type music. Suddenly a guy with a sword appears on stage and attacks a character that looked like Chewbacca from the famed movie series. The song returns back to the "Trippin' Balls" chant with a weird whah-whah exchange before the drums concluded to bring the entertaining and experimental set to a close.

Willie McGee was a questionable choice for the second act for Saturday's show. Willie was the lone singer/songwriter on stage armed only with an acoustic guitar. McGee's set was a bit subdued but he did add creative chord work and vocal inflections to his storytelling. Overall, Willie McGee was warmly received by the crowd.

By the time the real Guster took the stage the passionate, and often pushy fans, had crammed the floor section and beyond. Guster was enthusiastically greeted by the crowd who were soon singing along. Guster's fans are fervent about the band and their music which so many can relate to. The connection was apparent from the first song and the energy at Saturday's show only increased with the number of songs played.

During Saturday's show both of Guster's guitarists handled keys for some of the tunes. Later in the evening a secondary drummer and a horn section would play on a few songs. The band mentioned that they had just finished their fifth record and said we they would be playing a few new from the new CD. The majority of the set included fan favorites that kept the crowd swaying and singing. Guster's sound is an innovative mix of guitars, imaginative rhythms and occasional effects. They utilize many textures and tempos to their craft their original roots rock sound.

Watching Brian's unique approach to drumming is magical in itself. He plays bongos wearing bells on his hands crafting dynamic beats. At times it appeared that Rosenworcel was playing up and down tempos at the same time. He really adds to the band's mystique.

The dual guitars and harmonies are also an intricate part of the Guster sound, exploring various tones enhanced by the diverse drum work and occasional bass lines and sound effects. The addition of keys to Saturdays show added atmosphere to the music and the horns complimented the harmonies and rhythms.

Midway through the set they played a song about the Biblical story of Noah. The refrain "two at a time" was interspersed with a sort of watery jamming and some guitar chords reminiscent of Jerry Garcia. After that Guster played a song with a rapid, jumpy beat that had the crowd hopping before taking the song into other musical directions. The band and crowd energy kept building until the close of the concert.

We first heard about Guster from our nephew Dan who had many positive things to say about the band. It was our first time seeing Guster live and we were impressed with their musicianship. We were often mesmerized by Brian and his diverse drumming style. Adam and Ryan are also strong, versatile musicians. Guster opened and closed their Broadway show with flare.

Here's the ticket so trip on this! Take the flashy and funky Trippin' Balls; add in a fabulous state of the art venue teeming with anxious and passionate fans; for your final act throw in the multi-layered and lustrous Guster – and you have a production worthy of the great white way!

SETLIST:
Happier
Backyard
You're My Satellite
Red Oyster Cult
Parachute
Come Downstairs and Say Hello
I Spy
Manifest Destiny
Dear Valentine (with horns)
Fa Fa (with horns)
Ramona
Two at a Time
Great Escape
Barrel of a Gun
Two Points for Honesty
Airport Song

Rainy Day
One Man Wrecking Machine
Amsterdam
Demons

Jesus on the Radio

Guster, seen hard at work onstage, are also working on their fifth CD.

Related Links: For more information on Guster and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links -- Guster Live DVD | Guster.com | Trippin' Balls

(Originally Published on November 21, 2005)