MIKE GORDON JAMS AT BROOKLYN BOWL

Let’s get one thing straight: Mike Gordon is not Phish. Mike Gordon is 1/4th of Phish, and Phish fans might be the target demographic for his music by default, but his solo project is a completely different beast. Phish is known for the pretty vast repertoire of originals and covers but how many times has Phish covered the likes of Fiona Apple? Mike Gordon’s solo band is jam music for hipsters and he brought the show to the hipster world-capital, Brooklyn, on Saturday night for a gig at Brooklyn Steel.

Mike Gordon

Over the course of his two-set performance, Mike frequently reminded us of his signature silly, oddball nature. During a jam in the first set, Gordon and guitarist Scott Murawski had a “good old-fashioned shred-off,” as the Michael Buffer-esque announcer called it when he took the stage. As the LEDs on Murawski’s and Gordon’s guitars lit up, the “contestants” also took the opportunity for the obvious pun by competitively shredding paper onstage. Mike Gordon’s distinct personality has always had its place in Phish lore (yes, they have lore!) but when he’s the star of the show, it takes center-stage and the show-going experience becomes more than just a musical concert.