Connecticut jam band Eggy is riding as high as ever as their commitment to demolishing the musical path ahead of them is starting to pay giant dividends. The band, currently crossing performing on Jam Cruise off their bucket list, will cross another two items off in the next few months. In June, they’ll play their first Bonnaroo festival. On July 4th, the quartet will open for Blues Traveler at Red Rocks Amphitheater. A major bucket list item for any musician. That’s the tip of the iceberg for what seems to lie ahead for Eggy… Jake Brownstein, Dani Battat, Mike Goodman, and Alex Bailey.
Before setting sail on the Jam Cruise, the band had a successful headlining winter run including their first shows in Little Rock AR and Oxford MS. Eggy generously allowed Slide&Banjo access to both shows where their growth since a December stop in nearby Memphis was as clear as the unique relationships the band members have with one another.
The anticipation of a growing crowd permeated the air throughout Stickyz Rock N’ Roll Chicken Shack in Little Rock as they waited for their initial opportunity to catch the rapidly rising jam band in person. After a couple of days off to recharge, it didn’t take long to light a spark in the Chicken Shack. Any audience questions about if Eggy was the real deal were answered by the end of a massive set one closing Carry On.
Keyboardist Battat kicked off set two with a solo version of The Band’s Genetic Method. The rest of the band joined for Chest Fever. There was no slowing down the rest of the night as the band seamlessly ventured off into multiple genres. Funk, Disco, Rock or whatever the moment had built up to.
A younger crowd awaited the band after they headed across the Mississippi River for their Oxford debut. The legendary Proud Larry’s was packed with Ole Miss college students wise enough to appreciate the opportunity to catch Eggy before they move into much larger venues. The band did not disappoint one bit, turning in one of the most well-received shows in their recent history. The highlights were constant as the band glided through what’s becoming an “Eggy-esque” set list. Moments Passed returned for the first time in 230 shows. That was followed by a set closing debut of David Bowie’s Let’s Dance. The second set was one that will live on in Eggy lore for ages. An extended Sweat Equity moved into a free-flowing cover of Little Feat’s Skin It Back and Spanish Moon. The band continually weaved back and forth between the two while somehow squeezing a Northern Lights into the sandwich before they were done.
The rest of the night saw the band dust off Fay for the first time in over 260 shows followed by southern staple Proud Mary which they conveniently changed to Proud Larry for the night. A 30 minute encore included a Hush sandwich that wrapped up Sweat Equity and included Ricky Gervais along with another top notch Boom or Bust.
Stay tuned for a lot more with Eggy as Slide&Banjo had the opportunity for an in depth chat with Brownstein. He covers the history of the band through their large but achievable goals for the future. Here’s Brownstein’s take on the current state of Eggy.
“We’re just trying to do our thing. I’m always trying to write music and get together with the guys to create something that feels good. Everything is a byproduct of a good team and crew. We have hopes and dreams. I’ve said it before and will say it again. The dream comes true every single day we get together. Everything after that is gravy.”
More to come. Stay tuned.
