Only an image this fuzzy is appropriate for a post-Phish Sprocket show article…
Brooklyn’s Sprocket played what must have been New York’s craziest Phish after party after the Saturday gig. A packed out Spin in Manhattan was an essential pit stop on the way home from Randall’s Island as the quartet raged through their best set yet.
To those who may not be familiar, Sprocket is a Brooklyn jam band who is highly influenced by the likes of Phish.
We look up to Phish as paving the path that we ultimately want to travel down, so seeing them do what they do so well, and in our own backyard, is always an inspiring,” said bassists Dan Haller.
Phish played three nights at Randall’s Island, so this was a huge opportunity for the band to play to an enthused group of similarly-minded people.
The energy was fantastic. I think one of the best things about Phish is that people leave their shows feeling energized. So when a room full of people who have just been pumped full of positive energy show up for a Sprocket show, it’s going to be a damn good time for everyone,” said Haller.
The band, best known for their face-melting guitars and quirky song-writing, impressed many out-of-towners at the gig. Patrons I spoke with came from Atlanta, Denver and, presumably, everywhere in between.
I think it’s important for Phish-heads to hear Sprocket because we embrace the same principles of music. I think at our core, Sprocket (and Phish) believe in freedom of expression, and find that freedom readily in musical composition and improvisation. It’s what makes each show special, both for those playing and those dancing. We’ve grown up getting those special experiences from Phish and many other bands, and that’s what we’re trying to deliver to those we are lucky enough to call fans of our music.”
While the Phish after-show wasn’t recorded, you can head over to Sprocket’s YouTube account to download some shows and hear some tunes. Their full-length debut, Tropical Bushwick, is also available in iTunes and on YouTube.
The band plays this Saturday at The Rock Shop in Brooklyn.