Spafford

We’ve been anticipating a Spafford show in Cleveland for years now, and we’re sure this one will be a real scorcher at the Grog Shop. The Arizona jam band has been blazing up audiences out West for a while now, and the live audio bespeaks a heavy-hitting band that’s honed its chops on arena-sized rock ‘n’ roll and the sort of fan-interaction sensibilities that have supported the liked of Aqueous and Twiddle here on the East Coast. Check out the recent A Taste of Fall 2017 on Spotify for a glimpse into their live action: “Funkadelic” moves through several different phases, with bassist Jordan Fairless leading the charge throughout. “In the Eyes of Thieves” is an uptempo disco freakout jam, complete with rapid-fire percussion from Cameron Laforest. (Eric Sandy)