Article Contributed by Gratefulweb
Published on 2026-03-07
Photo: Courtesy of Cloud Bobby
Spafford, long recognized as mainstays of the modern jam scene, continued their spring tour with a standout performance at 5 Points Music Sanctuary in Roanoke, Virginia on Wednesday night, delivering a flowing second set that played like one continuous piece of music. Though technically made up of four songs, the set was performed without breaks, as “Fake The Fate” seamlessly segued into “Pursuit Of Madness,” then “Neutrino,” before landing on a cover of The Alan Parsons Project’s “I Wouldn’t Want To Be Like You.”
The uninterrupted sequence unfolded over the course of more than an hour, highlighting Spafford’s hallmark improvisational style. The band leaned heavily into exploratory territory during the opening stretch of the suite, with especially expansive jams emerging out of “Fake The Fate” and “Pursuit Of Madness.” Guitarist Brian Moss steered the band through layered melodic ideas while the rhythm section patiently built momentum, allowing each transition to feel organic as the music evolved from one composition into the next. Drummer Nick Tkachyk continues to experiment with new soundscapes and added percussion curveballs.
By the time the band arrived at “Neutrino,” the jam had taken on a spacey, groove-driven character before resolving into the funk-leaning Alan Parsons Project cover to close the set. The seamless structure gave the entire second set the feel of a single extended composition and drew an enthusiastic response from the Roanoke crowd.
The performance came early in Spafford’s current tour run through the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, which continues with stops in Leesburg, Virginia, State College, Pennsylvania, Brooklyn and Woodstock, New York later this week. Known for stretching their material into expansive improvisational vehicles, Spafford once again demonstrated why their live shows remain a centerpiece of the modern jam band circuit.
For more information on Spafford’s upcoming tour dates, or to listen to Spafford’s live shows, visit spafford.net, Spafford’s YouTube page, or your Nugs.net account.
3.05 — Tally Ho Theater — Leesburg, VA
3.06 — The State Theatre — State College, PA
3.07 — Brooklyn Bowl — Brooklyn, NY
3.08 — Bearsville Theater — Woodstock, NY
3.10 — The Drake — Amherst, MA
3.11 — Ardmore Music Hall — Ardmore, PA
3.12 — The Westcott Theater — Syracuse, NY #
3.13 — The Sinclair — Cambridge, MA
3.14 — afterthoughts — Waitsfield, VT
3.15 — Infinity Music Hall — Hartford, CT
3.22 — Peaks & Beats — Keystone, CO
4.15 — Elevation 27 — Virginia Beach, VA
4.16 — Bowstring — Wilmington, NC $
4.17 — Bowstring Brewyard — Raleigh, NC
4.18 — Pisgah Brewing Company — Black Mountain, NC
4.19 — Charleston Pour House — Charleston, SC
8.6–8 — Domefest — New River Gorge, WV
# w/ Shapes
$ w/ Domocile
