Hot Tuna at Beacon Theatre
Photo by Greg Cristman

Hot Tuna played Thanksgiving Eve at Beacon Theatre (pics, setlist)

Like last year, blues rock vets Hot Tuna played NYC on Thanksgiving Eve. But instead of an acoustic set like last year, they were in Electric Hot Tuna mode this year, joined by Justin Guip on drums and Steve Kimock on guitar. This was a softer blues rock set as far as Electric Hot Tuna goes (which sometimes can get pretty heavy), but it was great and included tons of favorites from Tuna’s prime early ’70s era in the first set. They opened right up with the one-two-three punch of classics “True Religion,” “I See the Light,” and “Ode for Billy Dean,” and more came later on like “Living Just for You,” “Sea Child,” and “Hesitation Blues.” The highlights of the second set were two Jefferson Airplane songs (“Trial by Fire” and “Good Shepherd”), “Been So Long,” and another Burgers cut in the encore (“Water Song”). The crowd was into it the whole time, with a lot of people dancing in the aisles and the predictable cries of “Hot Fucking Tuna!”

With Marty Balin and Jefferson Starship leader Paul Kantner having sadly left us, and Grace Slick no longer performing, Hot Tuna are the last active connections to Jefferson Airplane left, and it was a real treat to hear those two Airplane tunes during what was a great set all around. All these years later, Jorma and Jack are still masters.

Pictures are in the gallery above, and you can check out the full setlist below.

Hot Tuna at Beacon Theatre – 11/21/18 Setlist (via)
Set 1:
True Religion
I See the Light
Ode for Billy Dean
I’m Talking About You
Living Just for You
Wolves and Lambs
Sea Child
Hesitation Blues
Bowlegged Woman, Knock Kneed Man

Set 2:
Been So Long

Roads and Roads &

Trial by Fire (Jefferson Airplane song)
Watch the North Wind Rise
Sleep Song
Good Shepherd (Jefferson Airplane song)
Walkin’ Blues
Hit Single #1
Keep On Truckin’
Funky #7

Encore:
Water Song

photos by Greg Cristman