moe. Tear It Up at The Wilbur in Boston – 11/21/25

Al Schneir | moe. | The Wilbur | November 21st, 2025 – photos by Scott Kepnes

Hot on the celebration of thirty-five years as a band, jam-rockers moe. rolled into Boston, Massachusetts, and absolutely tore it up at the historic Wilbur Theatre on Friday evening, November 21st. Guitarist/vocalist Al Schneir, bassist/vocalist Rob Derhak, guitarist/vocalist Chuck Garvey, drummer Vinnie Amico, percussionist/vibraphonist Jim Loughlin, and keyboardist/flutist Nate Wilson delivered two powerful, jam-packed sets to a full house of welcoming fans.

As part of a three-night Boston run, this was the band’s second of two consecutive shows at the 1,093-capacity venue. The third show was held the following night at Arts at the Armory, Somerville, Massachusetts.

Located in Boston’s theater district, The Wilbur Theatre is easily accessible using public transportation. Garage parking was plentiful within a few minutes’ walk. Nightlife in the area was buzzing. Eager fans lined up, ready for the 8pm showtime. The venue was fast and easy to walk into. The mood was relaxed and happy in front of the stage, with lots of smiles. The moe. crew was now behind the scenes aside from the final tuning of guitars. Tapers had their equipment set up to capture the audio, to be later uploaded to archive.org. Shortly after 8pm came a sincere yet humorous introduction of each band member, introducing moe. as “the most resilient band on the planet.” The audience was ignited and ready for a musical ride.

Opening set one with “Jazz Wank,” the band wasted no time building a non-stop musical energy that would continue throughout both sets, flowing through elements of rock, funk, jazz, psychedelic, world rhythms, and country. Fans were instantly captivated, grooving to the vibe — the theater became a dancing, moving community. Lighting designer Preston Hoffman of Pulse Lighting matched the band’s musical explorations and moods, creating a soundscape that spanned from bright and colorful to dark and mystical. With no song breaks during the first set, moe. segued into “Buster” from their third studio release No Doy (1996), following up with “Californ IA.” Nate Wilson took to the mic for the bass-driven, deep-in-the-pocket groove-rocker “Yellow Tigers” from their most recent studio release Circle of Giants (2025). They then transitioned into “Bring You Down,” in which Al Schneir’s guitar shredding took flight and soared, eventually coming gracefully crashing down into “Spaz Medicine.” A return to “Buster” closed the first set.

A stellar set two opened with “Bearsong,” transitioning into “Big World” from their fourth studio album Tin Cans and Car Tires (1998). The percussive “Rickey Martin” featured drummer Vinnie and percussionist Jim driving the rhythmic groove. Al’s guitar playing explored the space, passing the solo to Chuck. Following the first song break of the show, Rob took to the mic for “Paper Dragon” from their tenth studio album What Happened to the La Las (2012). With Rob playing slap bass and Al on vocals, the band funked it up high-speed with the country-twang-laced “32 Things.” The jam featured a back-and-forth solo of Nate on keys with Jim on marimba. Al’s guitar solo wound around, descended into a deep-pocket train-whistle groove, rose back up, let loose into a psychedelic scream, and descended into the final chorus:

“Every time I think about Rob — think about Al — think about you —
Every time I think about you — I think about you.”

The next song was “Bullet” from their seventh studio album Wormwood (2003), which eased into longtime fan favorite “Timmy Tucker” from their second studio release Headseed (1994). Returning for the encore, moe. wrapped up the evening with “Wind It Up” from their eighth studio album The Conch (2007), ending with the lyrics “Be on my side, I’ll be on your side — Be on my side, I’ll be on your side…” — fittingly summing up the night.

The acoustics in The Wilbur are a treat for the ears. All instruments could be heard clearly. From the highest row in the balcony, the sound and visuals were phenomenal.

Before leaving the stage, Al, Rob, Chuck, Jim, Vinnie, and Nate graciously thanked the very appreciative audience. Truly, moe. is a band that connects with its fans.

I have had the pleasure of seeing moe. a handful of times, the first being in 1995 opening for The Dude of Life at the Paradise Rock Club, Boston. It feels good to have followed a band this long — masters of improvisation, continuing to develop their musical relationship with each other and their connection with the people who appreciate and love their music.