It was a steamy summer evening interspersed with rain in Columbus, Ohio for The Disco Biscuits‘ fourth show in as many days at The Bluestone. The skies parted though just before the doors to the old church turned-concert venue-opened for eager attendees to make their way toward the altar of sound and lighting equipment that would keep them transfixed for the next 3 hours.

The Disco Biscuits, celebrating 30 years as pioneers of livetronica, were back in Columbus and their congregation had come to dance, lose time, and find themselves in the swirl. Never having seen Bisco, as their fans often lovingly refer to them as before, I jumped at the opportunity to fill the role of band photographer. I was there to document the experience, not only for those in attendance and those unable to make the show, but also for myself.

With a stage setup that looked more like a portal than a performance rig, the Biscuits dove headfirst into a multi-set journey that defied linear description. Time signatures melted, motifs returned like dreams half-remembered, and the line between song and jam was deliberately and deliriously blurred. They opened — or maybe dissolved — into a segment that stretched over 20 minutes, weaving old-school trance-fusion with newer, synth-heavy textures that pulsed like heartbeat monitors. That energy continued for another hour before the band took a short break, perhaps to allow the undulating crowd to come up for air and prepare for another nearly 2 hours of magic.

Throughout the night guitarist Jon Gutwillig’s cerebral, often sneaky leads and keyboardist Aron Magner’s synth layers bounced between eerie and euphoric making it hard to tell what was composed and what was conjured in the moment. The rhythm section, comprised of Allen Aucoin on drums and Marc “Brownie” Brownstein on bass kept things grounded, barely, as at times it felt like holding onto a kite in a windstorm.

But what makes the Biscuits unique isn’t just their blend of jam-band ethos and electronic execution — it’s their refusal to stay in one genre for more than a breath. As I bobbed around the venue capturing images, I picked up on musical styles coming from the stage that stretched across Prog rock, psychedelia, house, glitch, and breakbeat. It was clear the band had sharpened all of these tools, and more, in their spontaneous toolkit.

And then there were the lights. The Bluestone’s arched ceiling lit up like a planetarium on ecstasy and bathed the pulsing crowd in colored laser-light bliss. I’m sure the most rabid of fans would agree that light designer Alex Herm is every bit a fifth member of the band, syncing visual cues not to songs, but to themes, energies, and shifts in the sonic playground coming from the stage. When the bass dropped, so did the strobes. When the music took a melodic detour, a wave of lavender engulfed the building’s stained-glass windows. It was truly something to behold.

Fans of The Disco Biscuits, known as Bisco Kids or the Bisco Fam, are a vibrant, devoted tribe blurring the line between jam band culture and electronic rave energy. I spoke with several fans about their devotion to the band, what drew them to the scene, and what the music and experience means to them. What struck me was that of all those I connected with, very few were actually from Columbus. For instance, Eric traveled from Seattle for the show. Having been a fan since 2010 he made the pilgrimage cross country to reconnect with friends and lose himself in the vibe. Ryan had been to the previous 4 shows and was headed to Pittsburg the following day. His first show was on December 30, 2011 at the Chicago Auditorium and he’s logged in 23 shows along the way. Nachelle is a newer fan, having only discovered the band 3 years ago but now attending her 6th thanks to her love of the band’s album Wet. Danni and Brendan were attending their 13th show having connected with friends from Kentucky two nights prior for the show in Louisville. They were beaming as they told me of friends they’ve met as far away as Colorado with whom they still spend time. I encountered fans at the show from age 6 to 76, all excited to be there, whether it was the first time or the 80th.

It was apparent to me during the course of the evening that the band itself lives and breathes the music they bring to their fans. From noodling on keyboards in the green room before the show, to discussion about tweaking the setlist on the break, they seemed engrossed in the moment and committed to delivering something special for those in attendance.

If you’ve not seen The Biscuits, I encourage you to give them a try. They have a host of shows remaining on their 30th Anniversary tour as they head East through mid-July. This new fan plans to catch them again not too far down the road. In the meantime, I’ll revisit the divine service of Thursday’s show at The Bluestone courtesy of the freshly downloaded recording from Nugs! See you at the next Bisco!

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