Disco Biscuits Debut New Material, Revive “Electric Avenue” in Philadelphia

Photo by Tara Gracer Foto via Disco Biscuits’ Facebook page

The Disco Biscuits returned to Philadelphia’s Franklin Music Hall, the venue formerly known as the Electric Factory, for a three-set New Year’s Eve show last night. Though it was their first New Year’s Eve appearance at the space under its current name, the group has performed at the Electric Factory a record number of times.

The show opened with Marc Brownstein’s narrative epic, “Nughuffer” and unfolded into a seamlessly segued first set that included “Voices Insane,” an inverted “Crickets,” “Photograph” and the rest of “Nughuffer.” The Disco Biscuits’ second set led up to midnight; Things kicked off with a take on “Reactor” that included a bit of the “Macarena” and then led into their first and only other cover of the location-appropriate “Electric Avenue” since February 22, 2014. (That take also took place at the Electric Factory.) The segues continued as the tune bled into “Shocked” and “The Deal,” which included a New Year’s Eve countdown. Then, the band slid into their traditional New Year’s song “Helicopters,” which featured some “happy New Year’s lyrics,” to close the frame.  

For their first full set in 2024, the Disco Biscuits pulled off their third completely segued set in a row. Things commenced with their classic “Basis For A Day” and then the quartet debuted their third new original in as many shows, “Fire Will Exchange.” (According to Disco Biscuits.net, the new tune is based on some improv that unfolded during a segue from “Basis For a Day” into “Time Square” on August 13, 2023.) “We Like To Party” and the end of “Basis For A Day” closed the third set.

As an encore, the Disco Biscuits closed some loops, moving from “The Wormhole” into the rest of “Reactor.” For more on the Disco Biscuits, please read our recent Relix interview.

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

Sunday, December 31, Franklin Music Hall,  Philadelphia, PA

I: Nughuffer > Voices Insane > Crickets 1 > Photograph > Nughuffer

II: Reactor 2 > Electric Avenue 3 > Shocked > The Deal 4 > Helicopters 5

III: Basis For A Day > Fire Will Exchange 6 > We Like To Party > Basis For A Day

E:  The Wormhole > Reactor

1 Inverted

2 with ‘’Macarena’ vocals

3 LTP 2/22/2014 (342 shows)

4 with NYE countdown

5 with Happy New Years Lyrics

6 FTP (tDB original); based on 8/13/23 Basis -> Times Square