Electron Covers Pink Floyd
Live at the Howard Theatre
Oct. 15, 2014 | Washington, DC
By John David Church
If you are a fan of jam bands and are active at all on the major social media networks, you undoubtedly saw the band Electron come across your feed. It’s actually a wonder that there isn’t more being said about this side project that some almost mistake as The Disco Biscuits. But we’ll get into that in a moment. The band’s members form a who’s who in the East Coast Jamtronic scene with Aaron Magner and Marc Brownstein of The Disco Biscuits, Tom Hamilton of American Babies and Brothers Past, and Mike Greenfield of Lotus. The band formed back in 2000 during a time when Brownstein was not with The Disco Biscuits and this became an outlet for him to continue to write and create. The lineup remains mostly unchanged except for the position Greenfield now holds, which was originally held by Joe Russo.
So what exactly does this throwback side project sound like?
If you said it sounds like The Disco Biscuits with a healthy portion of Floyd, you’d be correct. However, it is important to note that while to the common ear it sounds as if Electron is a well oiled Disco Biscuits cover band, the TDB songs that the band plays were originally composed and played as Electron songs only to become part of the Biscuit’s catalogue after Brownstein rejoined the band.
Now you have the back story. And here’s your ticket. Let’s do this.
It was a Wednesday night in our Nation’s capital and the air wasn’t quite as cool or as wet as one might have expected given the sloshy day that had preceded it. Walking up, I was greeted by all too many familiar faces as it became obvious that this was going to be yet another special night with my family. The show was taking place at the recently restoreded, Howard Theatre. If you haven’t gotten a chance to enjoy a show or concert at this magnificent piece of DC history, do yourself a favor and buy yourself a ticket. Too many greats have played on this stage for you not to experience it. The place is elegant and classy but not in a Ritzy way more like a happening new spot that the A-Listers haven’t even discovered yet sort of way. Stepping down from the mezzanine, the lights dimmed and the opening act took the stage. ELM laid it down. This psychedelic rock and roll band continue to impress time after time and show after show. One friend looked at me and said, “They just keep getting better.” To which I told him he had been saying those words to me for a few years now and they haven’t ceased being true.
With set break upon us we had but mere moments to gather our thoughts and grab a frosty beverage or two. Then Electron took their places. Hard hitting right out of the gate with Triumph, they wasted no time gripping our attention and pulsing the room into dance. With a smooth transition into Ladies Were the Rest of the Night it was every Biscuit kid’s dream come true when all of us were taken back a little bit at the unexpected but always welcome Rock Candy. I can always tell this one by the specific synth that Magner pulls out when they drop in but that doesn’t stop me from joining the band to complete the chorus, “And you got, you got I, And I got, I got you.”
That’s how it felt. We all had each other now. I stepped back from the pit and found my choice position on the mezzanine railing just in time to throw my hands in the air for the end of confrontation which, always hits home for me. Tom Hamilton seems to have had enough of playing my favorite band’s tracks and seemed to take the band toward what I can only guess is one of his favorites, Comfortably Numb. Seal the set with a bust out of Therapy which is upbeat and rocky yet drives home deeper meaning than any guitar hook can define, despite best efforts.
Set two began by taking us to a peaceful place with the slow jam heart warmer, Home Again only to melt into a well known crowd singalong, Another Brick in the Wall. They say it’s always greener on the other side but who has time to argue when your standing in Kameole Sands. Taking the next song in stride, Electron hides nothing from the audience with Little Lai and a beautifully played, often requested, Shelby Rose. One more Floyd cover with Fearless to round out the set and the evening. And I believe they call that a night folks.
Setlist:
Triumph ->
Ladies* ->
Rock Candy ->
Confrontation #
Comfortably Numb%
Therapy
—
2
—-
Home Again ->
Another Brick in the Wall% ->
Grass is Green* ->
Kameole Sands #
Little Lai ->
Shelby Rose
Fearless %
* inverted
# ending only
% Pink Floyd Cover