On Monday, December 30, 2024, the eve of New Year’s Eve, Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs absolutely exploded with musical talent. If you were there, you know. This wasn’t just a show—it was a moment. On night three of Dogs in a Pile’s four-night New Year’s run, these guys were operating at full throttle.
Every song felt like a perfect wave, building and crashing toward something huge. The whole night had this electric tension, like you were waiting for the next thing to make your brain go overboard—and it kept happening.
Often compared to their contemporaries, Phish, New Jersey-based Dogs in a Pile are also known for epic jams that emerge from fusing jazz, funk, rock, and psychedelia. Brian Murray (guitar/vocals), Jimmy Law (guitar/vocals), Sam Lucid (bass guitar), Jeremy Kaplan (keyboards), and Joey Babick (drums) joined us in the Spa City from the Jersey shore town of Asbury Park.
Hilltop, Albany locals, kicked things off and got the room right where it needed to be. They came out swinging with that perfect mix of swagger and groove. From the first bass lick to the synced-up kicks, you could tell these guys were ready to rock. The energy was contagious, the crowd was already hooked, and they still had another band to bring it home. Hilltop absolutely laid down the foundation for the madness that was about to unfold.
After a short gear change and break—boom—Dogs in a Pile hit the stage. They walked out to Huey Lewis and the News, and that was it – the crowd was immediately in. It was a declaration: “We’re here to party. Get ready.” And before you even had time to process that, they opened the evening with “Apeman” by The Kinks.
The first chord hit, and it was clear this wasn’t going to be your average show. Brian, Jimmy, and the crew weren’t here to just play; they were here to melt your face off, in a small and intimate venue.
The first set was a straight-up rollercoaster ride. “Frosty” hit the crowd with those smooth, funky grooves, and you could see the whole room vibing together. The energy in the room was like a tidal wave, and the place was swimming in adrenaline. By the first set closer, “Way to Be,” the entire place had locked into one shared experience.
Just when you thought it was a safe time to catch your breath, they immediately kicked down the door to the second set with “Appleseed,” “Bubble,” and “Charlie/Charlie Reprise.”
The band dug deep and just let go with the transition into “Charlie Reprise” mind-bending – you could feel that unspoken connection between the band and the crowd with every twist and turn in the jam locking the crowd in. This was one of those moments where it felt like the band could do anything, and the crowd would follow – it was electric and it was real.
Then for the encore, “Power Trip,” a Mad Kings cover, was a beast, raw and intense. Dogs in a Pile didn’t hold back, nor would the crowd expect them to; they are from the Jersey Shore after all.
Guitarist Jimmy Law and this photographer share the same hometown of Point Pleasant, NJ, and much like New Yorkers here in the Capital Region (or anywhere in NY), we speak our minds, whether it’s good, bad, or ugly. It just so happens these guys choose not to mince their words with their instruments.
What made it even more special? The band’s families. Some of their parents and loved ones were there, in the crowd, taking it all in. That extra layer of love and support in the room was palpable. You could tell this run of shows meant more than just music to the band—it was about sharing something special with the people who had been with them from the start. It was the kind of night that felt personal, like you were witnessing something bigger than just the music in the final 48 hours of 2024.
Set 1: 1. Apeman (The Kinks cover) (>) 2. Rinky Dink Rag 3. Nicolette 4. Frosty 5. The Ballad of Ms. Pepper and Ms. Paige 6. Green Earrings (Steely Dan cover) (>) 7. Lucia’s Secret (>) 8. Way to Be
Set 2: 9. Appleseed 10. Bubble 11. Charlie (> Jam > Charlie reprise)
Encore: 12. Power Trip (Mad Kings cover) (>13. Tookin’ Around (with Kieran Tooker on vocals)
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