Disco Dead, Live at Nectar's, Burlington VT Aug. 29, 2017

     Hello everyone. I hope you are enjoying these last days of summer before Labor Day weekend. As many of you are aware, I have relocated to the beautiful city of Burlington. A few people have told me August is the most beautiful month up here and I am inclined to believe them. I celebrated the last days of summer checking out some live local music, Zach Nugent’s Disco Dead, Live at Nectar’s, Burlington VT Aug. 29, 2017.

     Zach plays lead guitar, a replica of Jerry’s Tiger, no less, in the JGB with Melvin Seals. The rest of the band includes members of Johnny K’s Band and the Dead Set Allstars. Steve Kimock’s brother was guesting on drums.  Here is as much as I remembered

Set 1. Terrapin Station album

Estimated Prophet, Dancin’ in the Streets, Passenger, Samson and Delilah, Catfish John, Peggy O, Terrapin Station

Set 2 Disco Dead

Brown Eyed Women>Get Lucky> BE Women, Shakedown St.> Funky Town>Shakedown Street, Scarlet

     I didn’t write the setlist down but what I do remember is pretty complete. When they opened with Estimated, I knew what they were going to do. They stretched out everything but did it very well. Zach’s vocals were a bit rough in the beginning but I think it was more a sound issue. He wore out his wah wah pedal on a Tiger replica, which I didn’t know existed. The Dancin was really great, total dance party. The crowd was a lot younger. Some 18 to 21 yo, with giant black x’s on their hands. A few older heads, like myself, and then college kids. But it was very chill and I loved it.

     I was racking my brain trying to remember which Donna Jean song, Heart of Me or Sunrise, was on terrapin. It’s Sunrise but they skipped it in favor of Peggy O and Catfish John, both of which were recorded around that time and appear as outtakes on the reissued copy back in 2004.

     As they began Passenger, some kid ran away from the band. I guess he couldn’t handle the awesomeness. The highlight of the set was definitely Terrapin. The nailed it, with the loud parts powerful and the quiet parts delicate.

     After about a 30 min. setbreak, they came back out, all dressed in all white, similar to the Go to Heaven album cover.

     The Disco part? Most definitely there. Reminded me of dancing our asses of to a disco bus at Lemonwheel after Phish’s set. One of the best times of my life. These guys are all top notch players. The transition in Get Lucky (no vocals) was flawless.  Def the highlight of the second set.

     For those that have never been to Nectar’s, it is not the same stage Phish played on but still really small cozy place. Great pics all over the place. My favorite is the one of John Belushi and Jerry Garcia.

I was even carded. Not too shabby.

Dave Kemp

BA American Studies

PhD Rock and Roll