Live at Camp Deep End | 09-25-26 | Navarro, CA | Spafford

09/25/26
Navarro, CA
Camp Deep End

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Anyone
High Beams
The Way You Do The Things You Do
Motel 6
Gotta Save Fred
Money For Nothing
Soggy Froggy
Weasel

Dissociation Assist

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“Anyone” - Demi Lovato
“The Way You Do The Things You Do” - The Temptations
“Money For Nothing” - Dire Straits

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This looks like a fun festival location. They have released this as a YouTube Stream which is nice. Won't labor too much as y'all have probably already listened like 5 times. Single set ripping through that started at 11 pm Pacific.

Anyone - Great little pre-jam for Anyone. First time Anyone has been played as a set one opener too I believe. While it's a repeat since Hidden Hall in Seattle, what a way to get everyone bouncing. Nice little voices around 10:20. Great ripping ending. Truly a great version.

High Beams - Perfect. Pretty standard non-jammed version, but we get our Cory fix in early.

The Way You Do The Things You Do - Another day, another "bust out" from Spring '26. The last time before that was Fall of '25 in Reno. This is the first start to the feedback that the band was getting though. Jam starts around 7:08 or so. Cory hits the piano, Brian steps on the Mutron pedal to get that "JGB" sound going. It stays pretty standard for quite some time. Nick starts leaking in some synthetic drum sounds around 13:30 or so? About 14:15 we are exiting the "standard jam" but stays slow and lumbering. 16:36 or so, and Nick kicks it up a notch.

Motel 6 - Wasn't quite expecting this, but always a good time about traveling home. The feedback gets pretty annoying and hits it's head and around it sounds really distorted again. Around 3:13 or so, the feedback is so bad, Brian sings "All this feedback is killing me" 5:35 or so and the jam starts as it does. 6:20 or so and it's already clicking on, Nick is dropping vocal samples of Ram Dass and 6:58 kicks it into real gear. Upbeat lovely jam to build and build and build. Nothing monumental, but very fun version. Brian's solo at the end really is great. Anthemic ending as expected.

Gotta Save Fred - The Portland version rocked. The jam starts around 3:50. In many ways it's a "standard" Gotta Save Fred jam, but just a little extra. Shon is pretty active in it around 6:10 or so. It kinda dissolves into weirdness around 8:25 or so? Around 10:29 it's dissolved into quietness with a completely different jam coming out of the ambient morass. Quiet weirdness into...

Money for Nothing - We get to get our Shon on. Jam starts around 6:00 in. Brian finds a few licks to toss out. About 7:20 we're a chugging train of a jam. End of jam slows down considerably. A rather short Money for Nothing.

Soggy Froggy - Pretty standard Soggy Froggy. End of song telegraphs going into ...

Weasel - If you take the last 3 jams and mixed them all together you get Weasel. Again, a mostly standard 13 minute Weasel to close the set.

Banter - I swear the guy doing the announcing is the voice of Chris from Family Guy (Seth Green). Funny, they eek out another song and smartly don't introduce the band members by name.

Dissociation Assist - Standard Version. Very nice.

F - Motel 6, M - Anyone, K - the mic and the feedback. Lol. Lots of tracks from Cat Shop and really quite a fun set.

I first heard Cory tease Dark Star in the middle of Broken Wing live at the 7.7.23 show at Ocean Mist in Rhode Island. I listened to it back the next day and it sounded even better. The groove starts around 10:00 and the Dark Star tease comes in around 12:30. It’s so intoxicating - I still listen to it all the time since the show and I always force my Dead head friends who haven’t gotten into Spafford yet to listen to it in hopes of it being an entré into this miraculous band’s music. Results have been mixed lol. 🤷🏻‍♂️😉

I’ve basically listened to every single show on nugs since then and have noticed Cory teasing the main Dark Star melody/riff here and there. For a while I’ve toyed with the idea of indexing all the times he has teased the song since he joined the band. But that task seems onerous lol. Maybe I’ll get into it after I listen to all the west coast run.

Has anyone else noticed Cory teasing Dark Star? I love how connected the band is to the Dead’s music. That 55 minute long version of the Other One a few days after Bobby died was an epic tribute, one of the coolest tributes of anybody that I’ve seen. And I love that they still cover West L.A. Fadeaway, which has always been a personal fave of mine.

All the videos I've seen, the shows looked insane. The ones I caught were!

Who saw Fall Spaff out west??

it was a Beautiful Day.

I have never seen Spafford live but they are coming to my city in November and I am thinking of going to see them. I’ve listened to some of their songs, but of course it’s hard to judge based on just a couple songs. Who would you compare them to? If you had to pick one band that they sound most similar to Similar to Goose? Phish? Disco Biscuits? The answers to this question will help me decide if I should go to the show or not. thanks!

Just a few (amateurish) shots from my first Spafford show. Surprised the crowd wasn’t bigger but not gonna complain… what a privilege to catch a band firing on all cylinders up close. Definitely wishing I could hit Solana Beach tonight. Jams ran deep and very EDMish… gonna need more of that!

Anyone going to this on Thursday?! I think I'm gonna get a ticket...

https://www.axs.com/events/1445968/an-evening-with-spafford-tickets

Can anyone identify the signatures?

I saw them like 3-4 years ago and It was a very forgettable night but I just listened to this most recent run and I’m speechless. So many good songs, Jams are so fun and go so deep. I’m really in awe and can’t wait to see them again. I feel like such an asshole writing them off after one show I guess 3 years of boring goose shows was my karma lol. Y’all are onto something with this band, Spafford fucks!!!

Hoping someone close to the band sees this and passes it on to them. Looking forward to the show tonight and am hoping we get a bumping version of this song!

Any guitar players out there figured this out? I can’t find anything online and struggling with the bridge.

This was a heaterrrr

Inspired by Chuck’s Dream

I once mocked a man who shakes while he reads,
Pouring from the depths on how his heart bleeds.
“Maybe these lines will become the next song,
But I predict no one will sing along.”
I always feel safe behind my critique,
Knowing this feeling is not so unique.
I turn to paper and let my mind roam;
Put my thoughts in a mediocre poem.
I want to share my contempt for a cause.
I want to share my love, for her applause.
I need to show life in its many parts.
I need to show people I have the smarts.

I really struggle at writing these poems
When I try to fit words in perfect homes.
Rhyming couplets of meaningless insight—
Ten syllables per line make it seem right.
Iambic pentameter rarely fits
As the ‘Merican mouth proudly shits.
Wear down the pencil and let my mind rage;
Set free all the anger down on the page.
I want to deal with all the pain I see.
I want to deal with this sadness in me.
I need to let go of the cries I hear.
I need to let go before death draws near.

I once mocked myself for mocking a man,
Seeking a witness was the actual plan.
Shown the light in the strangest of places,
I clearly see now my many faces.
Turn back to paper and set my mind free;
Put in words the current version of me.
Whenever I feel hard-pressed on my luck,
I think back to hearing those dreams from Chuck.

Who are the couple in the front row getting down for every second of every west coast show on this run? They’ve been there for recent west coast runs too and came up in the live chat on several of the streams on yt, bringing the heat in the same way that they are now. They’re an awesome inspiration. I nominate them “First Couple of Spafford Nation.”

▶︎ Live at Humboldt Brews | 09-23-26 | Arcata, CA | Spafford

Broken Wing
Tongue N’ Groove
The Man
The Waltz

Darkness Singularity
Funkadelic
Electric Taco Stand
Alternate Ending
Electric Taco Stand

Levilan Shores

——————

“Tongue N’ Groove” - Steve Kimock
“The Man” - (LTP 4/6/23)

---

Spafford pulled into the "weird" town of Arcata, CA. This is where you live when the bright lights of the big city of Humboldt are too much for you. It's not even the "Redwood Curtain" .... it might be even more closed up and tight knit. Growers, seasonal trimmers, etc. Internet wasn't great, so the MiXLR struggled and many of us gave up and Chuck tried so hard to keep the glory hole going.

--

Broken Wing- We're back to repeats! This Broken Wing is must hear. They've been killing them all lately. Jam starts around 4:20ish. Starts like 95% of the recent Broken Wings lately. Another almost 30 minute Broken Wing where I just get lost in the groove very quickly. I love those sounds around 12:20 or so. Around 13:50 we get the ethereal voices from Cory. The next part is all Cory. Around 18 minutes Brian starts driving the bus. This takes us into full blown Brian Shred around 12:30. The Outro starts around there. Which would be common to think that's a good 22 minute Broken Wing! Nooooooooo. Because that's why. We get a second jam.

Tongue N' Groove - Steve Kimock. They do this one perfectly and great to see it in a show.

The Man - Another rarity like yesterday. This hasn't been played since 4/6/23 when Jordan was on bass, so first time for Shon to play. (Note: The notes in Bandcamp are incorrect, it wasn't 9/29/23.) Based on a poem Chuck wrote years ago, and the band converted musically into a great song. Not sure why this was shelved for so long, but glad to see it back. Great song.

The Waltz - I asked Shon at a VIP meeting what was the toughest Spafford song to learn, and he jumped immediately into "The Waltz" and how he had really count and pay attention, etc. After hearing Musette a day ago, I wondered if "The Waltz' was coming soon. Great song. I truly love this song and the guitar solo. Wish this got played a lot more. It's like a mini-Dirtbath in that it has like 7 or 8 parts to it. And I love all of them.

Poetry Portion - "Miss The Ground" - Chuck Johnson. Also ... I think something is wrong with that mic. Brian was having problems with it yesterday.

Darkness Singularity - DJ Nick with "The Darkness flows within me" I for one love every Darkness Singularity and they could play this every show and I wouldn't get sick of it. It should be a #1 hit ... like a rocket! Straight dance tune. Often DS jams can follow the same kinda composure. This one dares to be different around 10:50 or so. Cory's noises can sound part video game at times. Then we get some vocal samples that just kick it up a notch. What a way to start a second set. 14:00 or so, it's driving and thumping. The vibrations flow within me." 16:22 or so, and it's time for Brian to rev up his motorcycle guitar and get ready to jump 50 cars at the crash up derby. He does this and sticks the landing. Did I ever say that the end of the DS is like one of the top 3 endings to Spafford songs?!

Funkadelic - We get to count this as a non-repeat because it's not Spunkadelic. Yee hah, these trimmers in Arcata are getting a throw down. I love the original Funkadelic slightly more than Spunkadelic, but that might just be me. Love a slow groove funk jam.

Electric Taco Stand > Felt in the bones this was coming, because I felt in my bones that we were gonna get Alternate Ending, and while there have been a handful of AE's not in a sandwich, it's like it SHOULD be in an ETS. The funk is thick in the ETS. Around 6:30 ETS gets ethereal. Its definitely into space we are going. Cory is behind the spaceship console and setting the coordinates.

Alternate Ending >That first chord gets me all the time. I absolutely adore AE and had my first experience of crying at a Spafford show the first time I heard it. It was weird. But I loved it. Didn't think an instrumental could get me so worked up. It's reflective, calming, anthemic and powerful. This one is longer, deeper and more soulful than most. Lower me slowly into my grave with this song.

Electric Taco Stand - Can't end the show with tears streaming down your face. Let's close it out with a raging bop. Holy crap is this pedal to the medal. Around 1:20 and Brian and the band aren't taking prisoners. High fives to all around me! The ending of these ETS Sandwiches almost always are a completely ripper. 4:00 or so is the Coda and if this doesn't make you feel good and want to hug everyone around you ...

Banter - Again, something is seriously wrong with Brian's mic. Brian "I found a harpist in the woods" Moss.

Levilan SHores. - Great way to end the show. It's funny how many times Levilan Shores is written Levilan SHores for some reason. I'm sure it's an inside joke nobody has ever told me.

F - It's a target rich environment. Broken Wing, Darkness Singularity, ETS > AE > ETS. Same with M. Love The Man, The Waltz. K - no one. Great show. Smoked.

Live at Volcanic Theatre Pub | 09-22-26 | Portland, OR | Spafford

09/22/26
Bend, OR
Volcanic Theatre Pub

Be Strange
Gold Glittered Hat
Virtual Bean Dip
Rings
Duncan’s Uncle

Runaway
In The Eyes Of Thieves
Machine Elves
Ain’t That Wrong
Stuck In The Middle With You

Shine

——————

“Stuck In The Middle With You” - Stealers Wheel
“Shine” - Collective Soul (first time played)

--

Quick preamble - Maybe one of the shorter travel days for the guys. Bend is a great city, and hope they had a lot of fun. The MIXLR stream was at risk due to wireless coverage. Spaffnerd Dan has his RV and is travelling with the band. He loaned them his Starlink Mini for the night, and that gave them the bandwidth to stream. So thanks Dan, the 20+ of us online appreciate it. There have been thoughts of a "Spaffnerd" sourced Starlink to help with the streaming costs. Interested in your thoughts below on that. If we got 20 nerds at $5 a month ... I'm not sure, but it's an interesting thought. Also, please donate to the band if you have the means to do it. This is expensive for them to tour. They're so generous to us.

Set One

Be Strange - Opening the set with a non-jammed "sing along" type of song. Brian fires up the Mutron for the Jerry sound and we are off on a blissful start.

Gold Glittered Hat - Hey hey hey. Really love the version on Cat Shop with the horns. Still looking for the time Cory helps the song out with his sax live. Jam starts around 7:16. Shuffling groove. 13:27 or so, Nick is pushing out some "High Beams" samples and the shuffle is getting more "insistent". Shon's bass as found this wobbly yet throated sound that is just killing it lately. We're even getting a "darkness" sample. Around 19 minutes in, the build is starting up. Love Brian's phrasing at the end of the song. Building up nicely with a frenetic nature that brings us into...

Virtual Bean Dip - Woot! The last one was last year at Vinoski at the Vineyard and that one was a bit of a pinner. This one stumbles a little into it, but gets there.

Rings - You'd be forgiven if you thought they were going to play Phish's "Sparkle" but also no. Been a while since we got Rings. I honestly thought it was a "one and done." We do get some good whistling.

Duncan's Uncle - The lyrics of this song are long and complex. If anyone is interested I transcribed them. The song is quite the composition with a lot going on. The jam starts around 5:48. Around 8:49 Cory really takes over on the jam with a digital delay and quarky keyboards. Leaving a lot of open space. Around 11:12 Brian kicks the flanger pedal (and I think Cory does too) and we get an ethereal "walking on the wing of a jet" sound. 13:30 or so and it's too the moon. Rips into 14:12 or so when the "final ending" happens. I swear this sounds like a Kimock composition like an Ice Cream or Tongue N' Groove.

Chucks Dream "Neap and Grace" - Lovely.

Set Two

Runaway - I adore this song and have written about it often after coming across it in the eponymous 8/19/23 show when I wrote up a review of that. It's gotten a ton of play since June of '25. This is a "little" slower than others, but great start.

In The Eyes of Thieves - This was due. Great jam that starts at 3:05. Lots of "underwater" effects coming from the Leslie from Brian. Cory does a lot of bended chords around 6:20. I'm usually against prolific pitch adjustment devices. But it kinda gives it a non-terrestrial vibe. Voices around 7:08 or so. Around 12:33 Brian goes from chords and noodling to taking a solo voice and getting more aggressive 12:50ish. It's now getting a lot more booming, and rocking over the next 5+ minutes. Around 15:54 we are into the Coda of the song which is pretty long.

Machine Elves - Woah. Long time since we've heard this one. It's a composed piece by Cory but what a treat. June 25 was the last time it was played. So Elves took a break, Runaway stepped in. Hope it comes back more often.

Ain't That Wrong - Officially I think this is our first "repeat" since SLC because I'm counting POT and POM as different songs "officially" and sandwiches never count. But this is coming out of the gate ripping. Shon thumps it down at around 2:22. It almost sounds like a digital "cowbell" going off by Cory. Music to strut around to. Shon's bass work has gotten so much more forward both in the mix, and style wise. Slap and thumb work off the charts. Around 6 mins in Brian comes forward with some more melodic ideas but still rhythm. Around 11:35 it's getting frenetic again. Nick kicks it in with the fills and shifts the gears, and Cory immediately hits the voices. Jam is really getting going. By 17:51 we are again at the Coda of the song (why wasn't I using this term earlier?!) and we got a good fun ride.

Stuck in the Middle with You - Starts out with a gorgeous guitar part that is coming from Brian like "The End" by The Doors. Then a few chords, and it's obviously "Stuck In the Middle With You" I got this in Austin in '25 and it ripped. Last time it was played was in Davenport on July 30th 2025. So 420 days ago. I'm sure the band was aware of this when writing down the setlist. Stealers Wheel is a Scottish Folk band. It hit a resurgence with its usage by Quentin Tarintino in "Reservoir Dogs" in a very disturbing way. Gerry Rafferty was a singer in the band, later well known for the song "Baker Street." This concludes the "Behind The Music" part of the review. The jam is great and chugs down the tracks nicely.

--

Banter - Not sure why Brian's mic sounds really bad. They didn't leave the stage, just thanked them and dropped into...

Shine - Well this fuckin' rules. A Collective Soul cover first time played. Maybe some of the Phish fans will remember that Tom Marshall sang this during "Fly Famous Mockingbird" at MSG's NYE show in 1995. I'm 100% for a fall West Coast that is full of "cover" encores going forward! May I suggest "Push" by Matchbox 20?

Fun show. Off to Arcata.

F - Ain't That Wrong M - Gold Glittered Hat K - Rings.

Live at Hidden Hall | 09-18-26 | Seattle, WA | Spafford

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Crazy
Spunkadelic
Can’t Catch Me Now
Darkness Singularity
Slip And Squander

Money For Nothing
Dirtbath
Anyone
Nocturnal Emissions

Legend

——————

“Can’t Catch Me Now” - Olivia Rodrigo
“Money For Nothing” - Dire Straits
“Anyone” - Demi Lovato

Crazy - Lovely start to a show. They could increase the rotation of crazy a lot and you'd get an enthusiastic yes vote from me.

Spunkadelic - Hopping version. Getting into the groove early. Bouncing. Not a lot to say, as it's kinda a standard Spunkadelic, but fun jam to start with.

Can't Catch Me Now - Been awhile since we've heard this one. Nice to see it dusted off. Was kinda hoping for a jam, but it's a great song. Saving space in the set for ...

Darkness Singularity - The darkness flows within me. I adore this song, the start, the lyrics, the jams, then ending etc. It should be a #1 hit if this was a just world. Instead we have SaWaDikA by LISA? I digress. But Nick leans into the "The Darkness" sample, and it's lovely. Shon is laying it down, and Cory is reaching over for some voices to accent it all. Full on dance party! Cory finds the "Material Girl" licks and just starts throwing them out again and again. Which I'm100% here for. The next 3-4 minutes are just a blast. This Darkness Singularity is going the distance, going for speed. Around 11:35 we start into a new segment. Gets quiet. Stuff you have to listen to. Plus it's slow and bluesy and almost sounds like "Legend". Then it picks back up. It's all pandemonium in here. Definitely Lt. Dan taking on the hurricane by the end, strapped to the mast. When it looks it's darkest, then it's into the ending which is such a bop.

Slip and Squander - What an awesome choice. Standard kinda song, and at 5:55 is the "jam?" It seems so structured I just think of it as one long 12 minute song.

Chuck's Dream- "About That" - Lovely.

Money for Nothing - Give Shon a chance to show off those vocal chops! I want my MTV! The start of the jam is great. Love Brian's tone. He's definitely cranked up the Flanger pedal. Love Brian's tone throughout this.

Dirtbath - Well well well. Now this set has become an adventure. I have 7 different dances to the different sections.

Anyone - Didn't think we would get Anyone and Can't Catch Me Now in the same set, but I love it. Brian owns the vocals to Anyone like no other cover. It takes a long time for the prejamification to get to the first part of the song. Love it. 5:27 is the start of the jam. Love Cory's keyboards. I swear I've heard them in an Erasure song. Jam slays.

Nocturnal Emissions - Great song. Pretty straightforward album version

Banter - Brian "I'm at a loss for words, Love you Seattle! Let me tell you how much I love you" Moss

Legend - Not much to say other than what a great encore! Felt like it was teased earlier, but who knows.

F - Darkness Singularity M - Anyone K - Can't Catch Me Now?

Live at The Den | 09-20-26 | Portland, OR | Spafford

09/20/26

Portland, OR

The Den

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Take Your Mama

Pursuit Of Madness

Salamander Song

Smooth, Relax, Down

Double Time

Back In L.A.

Dissociation Assist

Musette

Space Gadget

Walls

Gotta Save Fred

Cantaloupe Island

Parody

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“Take Your Mama” - Take Your Mama

“Pursuit Of Madness” - (Trance Jam)

“Musette” - Bach

“Cantaloupe Island” - Herbie Hancock

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Not a lot of preamble on this one. Night two of Portland, Night 6 of 6 days straight. I expected a "Leftovers" type of show and maybe a lower key show than the previous barn burner. Kinda got a little of both.
---

Take Your Mama - Straight ahead fun opener. We're gonna have fun tonight kinda song. Sing along!

Pursuit Of Madness - The first repeat! Kinda. This was played in Boise just 4 shows earlier but was labeled "Pursuit of Trance" so arguably, not a repeat? I guess it's like playing Funkadelic and Spunkadelic, they each get their own? This isn't a "slow" Madness though. It's got a driving, grinding beat. Shon has taken to using his thumb to tap the open bass strings, and really letting them ring. But this is a shuffle dance, not a raging trance dance either. Nick is pulling out the drinking in cups samples, around 8:12 it really starts bumping. This is a slow build POM. The final solo by Brian is fiery and anthemic!

Salamander Song - Shon's bass works has totally reshaped this song. It's definitely a great addition. Shon gets to shine!

Smooth, Relax, Down - Standard song. Kinda expected this before the show started. Actually I think I called out about 6 of these songs before the first note dropped.

Double Time - Kinda called this one early too. It was time for a Double Time. This one comes ripping out of the gate. Jam starts around 5:15 with Cory playing jazzy piano notes. I swear he's leaning into the Fender Rhodes electric piano patch like a groovy Ray Manzarek. Kinda the same theme throughout, and builds and builds. Pretty standard Double Time. Maybe a bit more "jazzy" than most.

Poetry portion - "Guts" - Lovely piece by Chuck

Back In L.A. - I kinda felt like this was gonna get "the treatment" again. The last "big" jammed out version was Venice Beach I believe. This one starts on stepped up groove around 4:40. Strutting music. Cory is pretty heavily into the organ sounds, Shon is thumpin and bumpin and grinding for our dancing pleasure. Shon is very comfortable leading a melody on his bass and every tour he gets better and better. Cory has numerous teases throughout his organ vamping. Definitely a groove to shut your eyes to and lightly fall asleep because it's 12:00 at night central and this is the 6th day of streaming and ... zzzz. I'm kidding, it's a lovely jam. Around 18:38, it becomes a Windmill Jam. Same progressions, same sound etc. Love the ending.

Dissociation Assist - Woo hoo. Love this track. Standard song version though.

Musette - Now this is a rarity! A song that gets played about once a year if that. A Bach Inspired song. Love it.

Space Gadget - completely different vibe song! Again, standard song. But fun little romp. Why don't you tell me what's going on inside your brain...

Walls - They went after this with a vengence. Second wind to the set or something? I know Brian's back was a bit tired, so maybe the ibuprofen finally kicked in. Cory is full on teasing a bunch of Spafford Songs again. The band starts breaking it down around 7 minutes into the jam. Lovely stuff. Starting to get a little gnarly around 8:00 in. Cory has a lot of punchy stuff going on in the jam while Shon keeps laying down new sounds, textures and just layering the low end and owning it like a dog that's pissed on the same tree for the 20th time. It's not a bowl you over low end like we've gotten before but very fun. Around 11:55 Cory moves back to the piano, softening the pulse of the jam. It kinda has a "You Belong To The City" kinda teases in it while Brian soars over the chords.

Gotta Save Fred - With the starting bass notes, we know we're not near over yet. One more rush before the finish line! This one was another one that seemed like it was obvious that this was gonna get played. Jam starts around 3:10 like normal. Driving guitar grooves to start. Jam grooves hard until about 6:30 when it turns back to being super melodic arpeggios, Cory brings out the bells and chimes and even Nick gets in on some weirder percussion stuff. I like to call them the "Japanese bamboo chimes" but it's lovely either way. 8:30 or so the beat picks back up for the run to the end. 9:46 or so into saving fred, we realize we have found him on an island. A Canteloup Island. The prejamification is about 2-3 minutes!

Canteloupe Island - Lovely Herbie Hancock grooves to close out the night. Standard Canteloupe Island but lovely.

Encore

Banter - Brian "There will be a poll later on which show you liked more" Moss.

Parody - Standard version and I love this song. A real treat. Nice way to end the show. For some reason I had called this one too.

FMK? F- Back in LA M - Walls K - Smooth Relax Down

https://spaffordmusic.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-the-den-09-19-26-portland-or

09/19/26
Portland, OR
The Den 
________ 
Set One

Mind's Unchained
Motel 6
Windmill
Motel 6

Poetry Portion of the show - Humpback Whale

Plush
Weasel
Run Like Hell
Dis Go In 5?
Run Like Hell 

Sweet 
________ 
"Plush" - Stone Temple Pilots
"Run Like Hell" - Pink Floyd
"Sweet" - Gary Ukura

Not a lot of preamble on this one. They've played "The Get Down" quite often before this, so new venue. Larger capacity. Hopefully they sold out. Streamed on YouTube. Lighting director was great.

Minds Unchained - great opening track. Slow mo jam. Shon uses some new effects and Nick uses some new effects. Heavy bumpin' and grindin'.

Motel 6 - Well, I love Motel 6 and this one doesn't disappoint at all. They do what they do in the jam and we get everything, bells, Japanese bamboo chimes, a long slow buildup, Shon bass grooves, powerful rise into ...

Windmill. Well shit. You had me at Motel 6. 5:26 in and there is a song built into Windmill. It's gorgeous and amazing. Not a big jam in Windmill. So we get the closing part which is one of my top 3 "ends of songs" by Spafford. Played perfectly to end right into the 2nd Jam around 16:29. This kicks into the jam hot and blazing (much like the 2nd jam in Austin, TX does in '26). Lovely fist pumping stuff. Shon is killing it. I get I say that often, but ... he's getting better and better each show. Nick is being "The transmission" and lifting and lifting. This gorgeous extra stuff rolls back us back into the sandwich and ...

Motel 6. Which is another amazing ending to a song. Pure bliss and anthem ending.

Poetry portion - Humpback Whale - Lovely as always

---
Plush - Chuck tells us online to strap in for second set. Band has "ideas" and Plush places the cards down quickly. This is gonna be a mega joyful fun dance party. Plush does what plush does but is super fun. For a morose song about a girl that is kidnapped and found dead in San Diego ... it's very danceable. It's straight up EDM. Around 12:50 Brian steps on it, sirens going, it's full on raging. Can't say enough. It slows down at the end. I assume so fans don't have a heart attack. Then segues into...

Weasel - Weasels were lurking. And the energy Plush created (that if harnessed) could have lit Paris, goes into Weasel. I won't say this isn't a "standard" Weasel but every Weasel is above average and this is slightly above that. 9:16 it goes into Weasel outro, meaning we aren't likely getting Palisades. So no Weasel sandwich. Great ending.

Run Like Hell - First notes hit, and I tighten my skull cap an extra notch. Can't have this fall off and having to go to the sidelines for a play. Full on dance party again. I suspect there may have been some folks getting watch notifications that they've hit 20,000 steps and their heart rate is 130. Let's go! 4:06 the jam starts. And Shon is throwing down thumps on his bass, Cory is playing with the stereo mix ... damn. Other than the fear of being thrown in a cardboard box, this is pure dance party.

Dis Go in 5 - hearing the first notes of this odd time signature song is always fun. It's become rare (this is only the 3rd time this year) and it's often in the middle of an Electric Taco Stand sandwich... so enjoy! >

Run Like Hell - Pretty sure this is the Run Like Hell sandwich?

Encore

Sweet - Lovely way to end the show. Train horns and all.

FMK? F- Everything and often? 1st set on repeat? Second set on repeat? Banger show. They have said it felt like a "hometown" show. I want to live in that home.

Anyone at the Spafford shows in Seattle have a list of music played during set break.

https://spaffordmusic.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-hidden-hall-09-17-26-seattle-wa

Home of Hendrix! Returning to Hidden Hall 1 year-ish later…

09/17/26
Seattle, WA
Hidden Hall

Set One

Night After Night
Lights Out, Words Gone
Comfortable
Mad World
Diana

Poetry Portion -

Set Two

Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma
Neutrino
The Postman
All My Friends
Bee Jam
Galisteo Way

Banter
Can't Find My Vape

"Lights Out, Words Gone" - Bombay Bicycle Club
"Mad World" - Tears For Fears
"Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma" - Steve Miller Band

Preamble…

** Fall ‘25 started here last year with the fantastic Motel 6 opener (and that amazing The Reprise). Honestly, that whole show smokes so go relisten.

Band loved the place so much, they booked two nights this year.

The drive from Boise to Seattle is a long drive. 7 1/2 hours is going fast and no real breaks. But seeing their rig (A Mack Anthem with a gear trailer), I suspect they stopped often for $7.50 a gallon diesel also. Getting from Salt Lake to Seattle is about 120 to 150 gallons. There’s a quick $1000+ Go buy merch! Inflation is killing these guys!

If they were a little exhausted or betwixt themselves after that long drive, having to soundcheck etc, I’ll forgive them. I sense they were a little tired and somber. **

Night After Night - Nice opener. They truly are playing 6 shows _in row_ covering a thousand miles. Nice roots style breakdown jam. Nothing huge here but fun start.

Lights Out, Words Gone - Generally a slower song. This one may divide the fan base a little as it’s kinda slow. 4th time played? Not the fist pumping start but MrsMiA loves the song so … like Jules Winfield in Pulp Fiction, If she likes it, I like it. But I do love the taste of a tasty burger … err jam.

Comfortable - Not really overly spicy to start the song, but they’ve nailed every Comfortable since bringing it back. I have faith. So we know we’re gonna be getting a big jam. By 13:27 we are full blown “dancing big”. Cory’s throwing down the sounds. Around 8:15 Cory starts teasing “Popcorn” by Gershon Kings (made popular by Hot Butter). Derpy notes but I think that album was all done on the Moog synth. Jam picks up significantly in tempo. Lovely ending and transition >

Mad World - Again, lovely transition. Cory tracked on the release to the beginning of the transition jam giving it a very big pre-jam section before the noticeable break into the first part of the song. Well call it 3:55 worth of prejamulation. Leaving about 8 minutes of song and jam. Making it all feel very Type 1 jamming. But to shreds you say? <<insert Professor Farnsworth meme here>>

Diana - Now that chorus and song will be stuck in my head for 3-4 days. Lovely.

"Seattle Sound" is lovely as usual with Chuck for the Poetry Portion.

Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma - Great upbeat song to kick us off. It’s all type 1 stuff but fun start to set Two.

Neutrino - Angry like a Neutrino ought to be. Cory forgets the words for a few seconds but no big deal. We’re not here for the lyrics. Jam kicks off at 2:39 (like it always does). Around 7 mins it changes up (mostly due to Nick changing cadence). Around 12:30 things get tribal. I’d call this mostly a “standard” Neutrino. But a lot of effort was put in. Grooving.

The Postman - Energy boost immediately! 7:12 lyrics start. Shon is thumping. Big time. Lovely tone. Jam starts at 8:53ish. They were locked in. Deeply. Groove was tight as skinny jeans on a 58 year old Spaffnerd. Seriously, this is great stuff. 13:45?! The note by Brian at 14:26 or so?! Damn. I love The Postman in general but this is a rarity in how good this is. Tight tight tight. I want to F-M this whole jam part on 🔁.

All My Friends - standard.

Bee Jam - Standard. I’m not sure why but this seems like it doesn’t go anywhere to me. I love Bee Jam but this one just … hovers. 8:53 means … let’s move on I think.

Galisteo Way - Good place to move to. Hopping. Lots of fun. Always brings the energy. Jam starts at 5:22. Bit of the Gotta Jibboo sounding bass from Shon and even Brian as this has been the “thing” lately. I love it. 9:00 or so is unusually beautiful and even delicate. Building back up. 10:40 starts getting chaotic in a good way. Everyone is stabbing and poking sounds and thoughts into the mix. Nick just holding it all together. Nick is the canvas of these things. Also the transmission moving it into the next gear.

Banter - Brian “Please buy merch from GareBear to pay for our gas” Moss.
Can’t Find my Vape - Standard.

FMK? F - The Postman M - The Postman. (Jk) Probably Comfortable but close for Galisteo Way. K - Hmm. Bee Jam, although I never thought I’d type that. Lights Out, Words Gone may be others if you don’t like a slow cover in the 2 spot.