What's up Jam Family and welcome to Season 2
of Shecky's Jam Bands. Yes, we're back. Yes,
the ears are refreshed and yes, the holiday break
was used exactly as intended. Standing in theaters,
nodding aggressively to jams and pretending we're
just going to listen to one song at 1 30 a .m.
Over the break, I caught a few really cool bands
that absolutely crushed it. First up, Pigeons
Playing Ping Pong, and actually I saw them twice,
at the legendary Capitol Theater in Port Chester,
New York. Night one was Pigeons with Spafford
opening up. Night two was Pigeons with Great
Blue opening. All three bands absolutely crushed
it. No survivors. If you've listened to season
one, You know I already reviewed Pigeons and
Spafford. And don't worry, Great Blue is getting
their own episode later this season. I promise.
I would never tease a Jam Band review and not
deliver. And quick shout out to Round Trip who
were playing in the bar area at the cap before
Spafford even hit the stage. You know a venue
is special. when you walk to grab a beer and
accidentally stumble into a full -blown jam set.
We'll hit Road Trip later this season too. And
actually at a couple of holiday parties and New
Year's Eve, and actually I attended a wedding
as well, the conversation seems to be all about
jam bands. In fact, when I saw Pigeons one of
the nights, a friend of mine and his daughter
was there as well. We didn't we didn't get to
see each other, but just a coincidence that we
were there at the same time All right Season
two is officially rolling. Let's talk about today's
band Today we're digging into neighbor a band
that somehow manages to be deep thoughtful face
-melting and still Feels like they help you move
a couch neighbor formed in Boston Which tracks?
Because Boston is basically a lab for musicians
who can really play but refuse to brag about
it. The band formed around guitarist and singer
Richard James, goes by R .J., whose songwriting
leans emotional and reflective. And don't worry,
this is not a stare at your shoes for 90 minutes
situation. These songs go places. didn't sit
down and say, let's start a jam band. They said,
let's write songs that we actually care about
and then see what happens if we stretch them
until time stops. And honestly, that was a solid
plan. Alright, let's start with the name Neighbor.
The name Neighbor says a lot without trying too
hard. It's about community, it's about connection,
it's about music that feels welcoming until suddenly
You're 10 minutes into a jam wondering why your
face feels slightly rearranged. Neighbor feels
like the band next door. If the band next door
had incredible dynamic control and the drummer
who can read minds. Some key songs you should
start with if you're not familiar with Neighbor.
Lonely Rider. This one feels like driving at
night with the windows down. even if you're actually
still standing in your kitchen, pretending not
to look at your phone. Strong melody, emotional
pull, and a jam that sneaks up on you instead
of kicking the door down. Classic neighbor move.
Second one is I Saw You, a fan favorite with
real heart. This song lives in that sweet spot
between thoughtful songwriting and jam band liftoff.
Live, it stretches beautifully. one of those
tracks where the crowd leans in first, then loses
its mind later. Lastly, you should check out
Mighty Apple Tree, Ah Yes, The Slow Grower. This
song builds patiently, like it knows exactly
where it's going, and doesn't care if you're
ready yet. When it finally blooms, it's deeply
satisfying, a perfect example of Neighbors' trust
and process philosophy. Okay, where does neighbors
separate themselves. Here's the thing. Neighbor
jams are conversations, not competitions. Nobody's
trying to win most notes played per minute. Nobody's
stepping on each other. Everyone's listening.
What matters is that their jams stand out. Slow
intentional builds, emotional peaks instead of
constant fireworks, master level restraint, which
is rare and beautiful. You'll hear jams where
the groove settles in for minutes before anyone
solos. The band drops down to almost nothing,
then rebuilds together. RJ's guitar lines feel
conversational, like he's telling a story, not
flexing. These are the jams where halfway through
you look around and realize, oh wow, everyone
is locked in right now. Phones down, heads nodding,
and that one guy whispering, This is sick, to
no one in particular. Alright, some fun neighbor
facts that you can casually drop at shows. strong
arcs, and yes, deep second sets. Neighbor is
a band for people who like jams with intention,
appreciate musicians who know when not to play,
want songs and exploration, not one without the
other. They won't blow your mind in the first
30 seconds. They'll do it over the course of
a set, and you'll thank them for it. If you've
seen Neighbor Live, you already know. If you
haven't, Go fix that. This is Shecky's Jam Bands
Season 2. Like, subscribe, tell a friend, and
support live music. We'll catch you next time,
somewhere deep in a patient, beautifully unfolding
jam.