It’s no secret that Phish has some of the most loyal “phans” this side of The Grateful Dead. Fans that have spent three decades following them from town to town, dancing their way through ambient improvisations and just flat-out funky grooves. Their shows aren’t just concerts, or even an events – they are happenings. Miniature Bonnaroos that pepper the summer concert landscape, setting up in ampitheaters all across the country. Their fans show up in droves (generally multiple times a season) to sell pitas in the parking lot, to share a spliff in the lawn, or go on a “trip” throughout the whole show.
That being said, Phish bassist Mike Gordon is taking to the road through the month of June to do a string of solo gigs, before joining up with the rest of the band toward the end of July to kick-off their annual summer outing. And guess what? Louisville happens to be lucky enough to make the cut for one of the cities Godon is going to hit on his solo run, this Sunday at Mercury Ballroom.
As the humble bass player of one the country’s most beloved bands, Gordon’s prolific solo work often goes unnoticed by fans and critics alike. But the ones that do take notice generally rave about his ability to craft songs outside the confines of Phish. He is on tour supporting his two most recent releases, “Overstep” which was released last year, and this year’s EP “The Last Step” both of which were recorded during the same sessions. That doesn’t mean that Gordon won’t be doing favorites from seven other solo albums or maybe even a cover or two – the one thing I wouldn’t expect is for him to delve much (if at all) into the Phish Catalog.
Mike Gordon will be performing at Mercury Ballroom on Sunday, June 7th – the show starts at 8:00 PM and tickets are available and $27.50.