Unknown Mortal Orchestra Lay Claim to Webster Hall With Four Show Run

Unknown Mortal Orchestra continued their four show run at New York City’s Webster Hall this past Friday night, April 14. Continuing through Sunday to complete their New York stop on The V Tour.

 Webster Hall
Unknown Mortal Orchestra, 2023 Photo by Parker Alexander

Throughout the night, the group led by Ruban Nielson, blasted through songs from all of their albums, self-titled to the recently released V.

The show slowly ramped up with only a solo keyboardist playing a minimal piano track, leading into the rest of the band coming out on stage to perform the newest album’s opener, The Garden. Some songs seamlessly transitioned between one another, leading to a perpetual sense of musical cohesion.

 Webster Hall
Unknown Mortal Orchestra, 2023 Photo by Parker Alexander

The whole night felt like a family get together. From the familial themes sung about on V to Ruban’s brother Kody on drums, even their Dad regularly emerging to play saxophone, among a variety of other brass instruments.

Alongside their original material, two memorable covers joined the setlist. The group played The Grateful Dead’s “Shakedown Street” and Billy Joel’s “Movin’ Out,” the latter being a first. The band’s unique melding of psychedelia, rock, and funk blended astonishingly well with these two songs.

 Webster Hall unknown mortal orchestra
Unknown Mortal Orchestra, 2023 Photo by Parker Alexander

Several times over the course of the night, the crowd accompanied Ruban’s singing, but not as much as during “So Good At Being In Trouble.”

 Webster Hall unknown mortal orchestra
Unknown Mortal Orchestra, 2023 Photo by Parker Alexander

The V tour continues on in North America this week, concluding in Boston, before traveling overseas for the remainder of the summer.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra | Webster Hall | New York, NY | April 15, 2023

Setlist: The Garden, From the Sun / Secret Xtians, Swim and Sleep (Like a Shark), Weekend Run, The Opposite of Afternoon, Thought Ballune / Little Blu House, Necessary Evil / Monki, Ministry of Alienation, In the Rear View, Nadja, So Good at Being in Trouble / Waves of Confidence, Layla, Multi-Love

Encore: Meshuggah, Shakedown Street (Grateful Dead cover), Like Acid Rain, Movin’ Out (Billy Joel cover), That Life, Hunnybee, Can’t Keep Checking My Phone

(Note: The tour had a film-only policy for photographers)

 Webster Hall unknown mortal orchestra
 Webster Hall unknown mortal orchestra

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