When the dust settled at the end of 2016, Eggy had the pieces they wanted in place to blaze forward on their road into the music world. Amity high school pals Jake Brownstein and Dani Battat welcomed fellow alum and bassist Mike Goodman to the band in February. Goodman’s Berklee classmate Alex Bailey joined in December and the time to make dreams a reality was afoot.
For Brownstein, reconnecting with his high school pal Goodman was another sign, his predestined journey with Eggy was meant to be. “Mike was a year older. Mike and I have always been very close. In high school, I played the most amount of music with him. We weren’t officially in a band together. We spent a lot of time together. Hung out and went to a lot of shows. We always knew we’d be in a band together. We did our own thing in college and knew we’d eventually find our way back.”
It was time for Eggy to make their move. How were they going to differentiate themselves from the hundreds of other bands trying to be the next Goose, moe., Umphrey’s McGee and on and on. The Connecticut four had several advantages. With Bailey on board, they had four very legitimate vocalists. The range of songs in their wheelhouse was practically unlimited. Something the band would take full advantage of. The harmonies they could create allowed them to tackle some of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s greatest vocalists… Paul Simon, Crosby Stills and Nash, Elton John, etc.
Slide & Banjo- You guys are either fearless or oblivious to the challenge of paying homage to some of the bands you cover. It takes some stones to go after Crosby, Stills, and Nash.
Brownstein – They’re one of many bands that have been a big influence on us. While we put a lot of those older songs in our setlists, we also cover current musicians like Fleet Foxes and Kacey Musgraves.
About two hours after Brownstein uttered those words in the back of Little Rock’s Stickyz Rock ‘N’ Roll Chicken Shack, he and Eggy unleashed a version of CSN’s Carry On which would exemplify the band’s growth since 2017, while showcasing the vast potential ahead of them. The vocals and harmonies were on point. That was more than enough to gain the attention of the Little Rock crowd. It was only the start of what Eggy would bring to the table on that Arkansas winter night.
Musically, the band is way ahead of the curve, especially live. They create such a seamless flow from their vocals to the jams you don’t realize you’re caught up in the groove until you’re completely sucked in. It’s that unique groove the longtime friends routinely create that also sets them apart from their peers. And they’re just getting going.
Standing in the audience watching the instant click between the band and crowd, you can only wonder what lies ahead for Eggy and their voracious appetite to digest multiple genres of music. What if Brownstein did a deep dive into Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell, or Albert King? Or Bailey into Stewart Copeland, Art Blakely, or Levon Helm? What new roads will Battat travel with a greater understanding of McCoy Tyner, Keith Jarrett and Thelonious Monk? What can’t the band tackle when Goodman’s range is Charles Mingus to Les Claypool?
Eggy would spend 2017 and ‘18 happily doing the grunt work. Building their brand. Making the rounds in Connecticut at The Pacific Standard Tavern, BRYAC, or Toad’s. They’d branch out to nearby Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. Whenever and whatever it took to gain more eyes and ears, all four were willing to do. If there was a jam band performing in the area, it was a safe bet Eggy would be playing at an after party.
The setlists during these years were filled with the Eggy-only wide range of covers. Blind Melon to Bennie and the Jets. Phish to Pink Floyd. The band was also polishing and recording the songs for 2019’s debut Watercolor Days. Finally, a reference point for setlists staples In It for the Ride, BubbaGum, Hux, Upside Down, etc.
The band was creating traction and leveling up. They’d open for Twiddle, Pink Talking Fish, and Andy Frasco and the U.N. They’d need all the momentum they could create heading into the next two make or break years for everyone involved.
“I was 26 or 27. Alex was finishing school. We realized if we’re going to do this, it won’t work if any of us had other full-time jobs. Even a significant part time job. We needed to be ready to channel all our efforts into something. We knew it’s gonna be a struggle and challenge. Through that we were met with the same energy we put into that decision. We connected with a booking agency. We got our own business together. We committed a lot more time and energy to this project. Without it there’s no way we can excel. We had to give 100 percent of ourselves.” – Dani Battat
With their debut album behind them and everyone living together as a family, 2020 was filled with promise for Eggy. Their diligent hard work was paying off. The finish line was way off, but it was becoming clear Eggy could get there. And then Covid hit. The world shut down. Touring stopped. Almost everything stopped. Brownstein has a unique perspective on why Eggy didn’t stop at this pivotal time.
“We were on the right side of the coin where emotionally it was a year that never happened. 2020 was supposed to be our biggest year touring. We had Peach Fest booked and that type of stuff. The things that got canceled for us; we had never experienced. I think we were on the side of the coin where we were fighting for things, we hadn’t experienced versus feeling like something was taken away. We weren’t making so much money we had to tour to survive. We were building to do those things, but it’s nothing we had been able to do before.”
Brownstein adds, “The reason it didn’t stop us, is we still had so much to experience for the first time. A lot of bands had been out there doing their thing, only to have everything taken away. They were going from 100 shows a year to none. I can see how difficult that was for them. It was difficult for us, but we had so much to discover. The only thing taken from us was time, not opportunity.”
Battat also offers his thoughts on “the covid years.” “The thing that was unchanging before and after the pandemic was the love and commitment, we have for one another. We decided in 2019 to move in together. That helped us during covid. Everyone made a deep commitment to come together and be focused in the same way. When we went through that experience it didn’t slow us down.”
As the world stagnated waiting for the covid vaccine, Eggy was hard at work. They were living together in “The Egg Crate.” With a studio, all their gear and the ability to livestream, Eggy continuously put out new content directly to their fans. The extended couch tour allowed people to choose their own Eggventure while allowing the band to stay front and center to their increasing their fan base.
Eggy’s use of technology is another area where they stand out from their peers. You Tube, Spotify, Nugs, and numerous other musical outlets are filled with loads of Eggy songs, sets, and shows. According to Battat, it’s all hands-on deck getting their music to the masses. “There’s a lot of opportunities on the internet for artists to publish themselves and make their art known to other people. Alex is a skilled audio engineer. He mixes all our shows for Nugs releases. I took on the role of being the video guy in the band. Everything is done in house. We can take what we were doing on stage and then broadcast it.”
Surviving the pandemic relatively unscathed, Eggy has continued to level up. They’re playing festivals, jam cruises, and covering lots of new territory on the road. With their debut gigs at Bonnaroo and Red Rocks on the books, Brownstein reflects on Eggy’s dreams becoming a reality. “Those area bucket list items for sure. We’ve never seen a concert at Red Rocks. We went there two years ago when we were on a Colorado run. During the day, the guys walked to the stage. They said Jake, why aren’t you coming. I said when I go to that stage, I’m going to be playing on it. We put a note inside the rocks calling our shot. It’s cool to see it happen. We’re also really excited about Bonnaroo. There are some good things yet to be announced that I can’t talk about. I’m very excited to share.”
Brownstein’s vision and goals for the future are clear. “All roads lead to Madison Square Garden. It’s about breaking down each goal. We’d love to play Red Rocks as a headliner. How cool is it that now we’re the opening act of three at Red Rocks? Next time, maybe we’re the second of the three and then we’re co-headlining. The sky is the limit. I’d love to play Japan. Have an album out each year. A lot of my goals are achieved through music. I just got married. I want to buy a house, have children, and support my family. Continue to create awesome opportunities for them. Music is my vessel to be able to create bigger personal opportunities.”
As the band happily packed up their gear after a holy grail performance at Proud Larry’s in Oxford MS, there is no doubt their future in the jam band world is secure. The question is how far will they go? How long before they cross MSG off their bucket list? They aren’t related by blood, but Eggy is a family. On and off the stage. Three Amity high school pals led by some mystic force to connect with Alex Bailey. They’ve carved a unique path so far. You can only smile at the possibilities that lie ahead. Brownstein wraps things up.
“The winter tour was a great indicator of places we’ve never headlined before. It was wow, there’s a real thing happening for us. A lot of people are coming out. It’s our first time going at it. So, the more we play the more we realize people are listening in the different corners of the country. Eggy is a big dedication to one another and to everyone’s partners. To really try to be supportive. That’s what we have going for us most is we love each other dearly. It is a family. It’s amazing to embrace the changes of life and new opportunities. All the blessings that have come alongside people you really care about.”
