Seeing Phish perform live may be a thing of the past, but its musical influence lives on with the band Phaderus.
The band performed at the Cell Theatre on Friday, and the crowd was completely absorbed in the music. Its performance was much like a theatrical experience with a seated audience and colorful stage lights that flowed to the rhythm of the music.
Drummer Branden White, guitarist Jeff Morgan and bassist Dan Mascus III began performing their style of progressive instrumental music three years ago at local venues. The band's tunes are psychedelically fluid and mellow, exploring a musical space often neglected by mainstream musicians.
"(Our music) is kind of like life because you hear pop bands, and it's all happy go lucky, and it runs out," Morgan said. "People don't feel like that all of the time. You want something that interprets moods. We have ups and downs in our music just like life."
While there are no vocals in Phaderus' tunes, the wide range of sounds express an array of emotions words can't always articulate. The group creates music that allows listeners to close their eyes and drift off into their own world. Phaderus challenges the mind to enter a new sonic landscape made up of classical, jazz and rock music.
Band members said their collective influences are Frank Zappa and Phish, but the individual lists go on. Phaderus most resembles a jam band, but the musicians bring together too many styles to give it one label.
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"It's one of those things where you have to see it to categorize it," White said. "It sparks creativity within people who experience it."
Phaderus has a following of mostly young people, but anyone who lived through the '60s will appreciate the band's psychedelic sound and reminisce about free love and fields of tie-dye colored daisies.
The way the band members begin a song does not always determine how they end it. It's hard to predict what types of tripped-out jazzy sounds they'll reel out next, and they don't always know themselves.
It's almost impossible to discern that 70 percent of Phaderus' shows are improvised. Band members said the music they create at shows just depends on the mood they're in.
"There's a lot of free-form moments," Mascus said. "We listen to each other and have open space to explore."
The audience is invited to share that musical discovery at the concerts and is promised a different show every time.
"For us, the most honest thing we can do is be true to our artistic vision and be most honest with our audience," Mascus said. "We don't have a set vision. It's very fluid."
COMING ATTRACTION
Phaderus
Club Rhythm and Blues
3523 Central Ave.
Thursday at 8.30 p.m.
$3
