The Disco Biscuits closed 2012 at New York’s Theater at Madison Square Garden. Though the Disco Biscuits have performed at the venue three other times as part of The Jammys, last night was the first time the band headlined the sizable venue on their own. With Phish performing at Madison Square Garden’s arena just an escalator ride upstairs, the Philadelphia-bred outfit kicked things off around 11:30 PM and offered a three-set show that lasted until almost 5 AM. Before their second set, an influx of fans from other shows and parties arrived at the theater, packing the venue until almost dawn.

The group kicked things off with the classic pairings of “Stone” and “The Devil’s Waltz,” two songs the Disco Biscuits have not played since December 29, 2009. From there, the band jumped into “Story of the World” and a segue that eventually took the Disco Biscuits into 2013. After “Story of the World,” the band moved into “Spectacle” and a New Year’s Eve countdown, which was actually a medley of Biscuits songs like “Digital Buddha,” “Munchkin Invasion” and “Above the Waves,” among others. The medley led into a balloon drop, “Basis For A Day,” “And the Ladies Were the Rest of the Night” and another one of the band’s traditional New Year’s Eve songs, “Helicopters.”

The Disco Biscuits’ second set was a nearly seamless suite of music that included extended versions of “Little Shimmy In A Conga Line,” “Tempest,” “Bernstein and Chasnoff,” “M.E.M.P.H.I.S.” and “Story of the World.” “Munchkin Invasion” closed the expansive set. Bassist Marc Brownstein also told the crowd that he attended a Blues Traveler/Chris Whitley/The Hatters show at the Theater at MSG on December 31, 1992.

As they took the stage for their third set around 3:30 AM, the Disco Biscuits launched into a bluesy, free-form jam that emerged as “Above the Waves.” Then, they segued into “Spaga” and “Above The Waves.” “Magellan,” “Down To The Bottom,” “Basis For A Day” and the lone encore of the emotional
“Once The Fiddler Paid” rounded out the band’s show. Before early this morning, the Disco Biscuits had not performed “Down To the Bottom” since December 29, 2010. Last night’s show was likely one of the latest events ever held at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, a venue infamous for its strict curfews.

The Disco Biscuits will kick off their Bisco Inferno event in late January.

Here’s a look at last night’s setlist via Discobiscuits.net

Monday, December 31, 2012, The Theater at MSG, New York, NY

Set 1: Stone > The Devil’s Waltz, Story of the World > Spectacle 1 > Countdown Medley > Basis For A Day > And the Ladies Were the Rest of the Night 2 > Helicopters 3

Set 2: Little Shimmy In A Conga Line 1 > Tempest > Bernstein and Chasnoff 2 > M.E.M.P.H.I.S. > Story of the World, Munchkin Invasion

Set 3: Jam > Above The Waves > Spaga 1 > Above The Waves, Magellan, Down To The Bottom 1 > Basis For A Day

E: Once The Fiddler Paid

1 unfinished 2 Inverted 3 Completes 12/27 version