Bruce promptly took the stage at eight - and, breaking from tradition - performed two new tracks from Levitate featuring him solo on the piano playing stark songs with startling storytelling. For the third song, The Noisemakers took the stage and for almost three hours including a short break Bruce Hornsby and The Noisemakers explored a range of musical styles. The band are seasoned players and aptly handled the varied printed, e-mailed and hand-written requests that Bruce sifted through to determine the night's set list.

Bruce presented one other new song entitled "Prairie Dog Town", which had a folksy front porch feel but well played by professional musicians. The song featured Bruce on dulcimer. A number of requests were for songs from Bruce's days with the Grateful Dead. Hornsby reminisced how The Dead would often forget songs -- or at least his songs.

"Twenty years ago we played a shuffle version of this next song with the Grateful Dead," Hornsby remarked about his own song "Valley Road" which traveled exploratory and expansive instrumental paths. Also played was the song "Standing On The Moon" from the psychedelic pioneer's last studio album.

As Bruce picked up the accordion he mentioned the next song was the B-side of his biggest hit which would be followed by this breakthrough. The band proceeded to play the sporadically spunky "Wild Frontiers" from the 45 which segued into the hit - "The Way It Is" - which was expanded with extra instrumentation including a playful exchange between Bruce and drummer Sonny Emory before the rest of the band joined in the jam.

The instrumentals of the evening were interesting and innovative exploring different musical styles and songs. At one point the band was playing a haunting harrowing piece that magically moved into Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb". The song circled back to the plaintive lyrics that called to angels and no one comes. There was some banter between Bruce and the fans during the show. Someone shouted out "play something funny" and Hornsby responded with "The Don of Dons" a witty ditty about Donald Trump.

Other high moments of the night included "The Road Not Taken", The Paper Boy: and "Standing Alone". The energized encore was "Cruise Control". Bruce Hornsby and The Noisemakers made plenty of nifty and nimble noise for the attentive and appreciate audience at New Jersey's BergenPAC - at times levitating many off of their seats.

The Band
Bobby Read - Sax
Bruce Hornsby - accordion, keys, vocals
Doug Derryberry - Guitar
John "J.T." Thomas - Keyboard/Organ
JV Collier - Bass
Sonny Emory - Drums

Related Links: For more information on BRUCE HORNSBY and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links -- BruceHornsby.com | BergenPAC.org | Buy Levitate

Originally Published: 08/01/2009 on Kweevak.com