Oysterhead at the Utica Auditorium, what a euphoric experience. Lake Trout
opened with some hypnotic sounds, which got a good reception from us dancing
hippies. The PA music between Lake Trout and Oysterhead was Led Zeppelin,
It set the perfect mood for the forthcoming show.

Trey and Les opened up the gig to a roar of screams and claps with a mellow "Oz is Ever Floating,"
and then tore straight into the chaotic "Rubberneck Lions" during which trey
pointed out a "Les is Evil" sign in the crowd. After this came a slow psychedelic
version of Little Faces, very meditative. The next song, "Army’s on Ecstasy," got everyone on the floor
groovin, juxtaposed by the more relaxed Radon Balloon. Next came "Pseudo Suicide,"
and the first riff where trey and Les just wail, made the hair on my neck
stand up- you could feel there vibe cover the crowd like a burial shroud.
They jammed "Pseudo" straight into their other most powerful song, "Shadow of A Man." Les
had some contraption on his head with lights that looked like eyes, and he seemed to
have a cloak on as well. All of the bands strengths were exposed in this extended version of
Shadow of A Man, they definitely evoked the feelings associated with Vietnam. Les and the gang cooled it down after
the hat-trick of "Pseudo", "Shadow", and the dark fantasy of "Wield" with Birthday Boys, then
pulled out all the stops for their closer, the infamous Mr. Oysterhead. The souls around me were
jumping straight up and down this was our climax of the show the peak of this almost religious
experience. When the song ended everyone was shouting in glee and stomping their feet to
the majesty of the lighter salute. You know you’ve seen something satisfying
when the crowd gives the lighter salute.

Les and the boys ran back out
and ripped a highly enthusiastic version of "Immigrant Song," a perfect end to
a perfect evening with all my brothers and sisters and Les Trey and Stu. Overall I
left the show inspired. I look forward to seeing them again and exploring their new art as it comes out.