Cycles | 2018-01-24 | Hodi’s Half Note, Ft. Collins, CO [SBD/AUD Matrix]

My favorite way to recover after three nights of awesome music? Mixing recordings and sharing them with you! Enjoy my pull from Cycles headlining Hodi’s Half Note!

Making their triumphant Colorado return after a three month tour, Cycles treated the Half Note to a hefty two hour set of originals, covers, sit-ins and improvisation to a Ft. Collins crowd anxious for another Cycles fix. After a hazy “Jade” to start the set, the band launched into the Marcus Miller song “Blast”. The band was incredibly patient and focused throughout the song, completely locked in with each other as they built the jam on the back of Michael Wood’s incredibly solid drum work. Next up, Tucker invited Carlton Pride to sing “Lovely Day”. With him, he brought his service dog which obediently laid on stage while he led the band through the Bill Withers classic. After a ripping version of “Wait” the band launched into what would be one of the improvisational highlights of the evening “Figure It Out”. The jam had a few moments where it seemed it may not take off; at times it seemed the band didn’t know which way to take the song – but like any good improv, the patient are virtuous and by the 6:15 mark the band is going full speed ahead. While the “Figure It Out” jam definitely had it’s moments, the real monster is the second improvisational highlight of the evening which happened during the encore’s “Vacation”. From the start you could tell this was destined for greatness. From Tucker’s especially emphatic vocals to Patrick’s solid pedal work during the verses, it was clear the band was bursting at the seems to unleash something huge. From the 5:00 mark the true Type II jam starts slow and dark. By the 6:00 mark the band is completely locked into this dark theme and syncopated with their attack. Once again the band shows off a newfound patience in their playing and communication; by the time Tucker comes back in with the vocal refrain “You’ll still be on vacation!” it feels completely natural and helps peak the improvisational moment in a way usually reserved for a guitar solo. Rather than ending, the band uses this as a pivot to get into a different space. A more frantic, building segment which eventually shifts into the ending of what may be my favorite version of “Vacation” I’ve ever heard/seen…so far. Fantastic show through and through.

Cycles | 2018-01-24 | Hodi’s Half Note, Ft. Collins, CO

One Set: Jade, Blast (Marcus Miller), Lovely Day (Bill Withers)[1], Wait, Figure It Out, It’s About That Time > I Am You, The Lone Stranger > Pending > The Call, I’ve Got A Secret > Million Miles Away, The Ruminator, Soulfuckah

Encore: The Aloe Parade, Vacation

Show Notes: The Workshy and Lespecial opened the show.
[1] “Lovely Day” featured Carlton Pride on vocals.

Taper Notes: Setup in front of stage right stack, mics raised around 7′ PAS (stage right and overhead). Patrick’s guitar was almost non-existent in the board feed so the matrix is a 50/50 mix.

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