By William O’Donnell
March 16, at 7 p.m.—KILLINGTON—When it comes to improvisational music, few bands take the art of jamming as seriously—and as fluidly—as Spafford. The Arizona-based quartet, known for their electrifying live shows and seamless musical exploration, is set to bring their signature blend of genre-bending grooves to the Pickle Barrel in Killington on Sunday, March 16.
Spafford has become a staple of the jam band scene with a dedicated fanbase and an ever-expanding tour schedule. Current members Brian Moss (guitar/vocals), Cory Schectman (keys/vocals), Nick Tkachyk (drums/vocals), and Shon Gordon (bass/vocals) fuse their eclectic musical background ranging from ’90s country and alternative-rock hits to jazz, funk, ska and metal into a carefully crafted experience each night that evolves based on the energy in the room.
Ahead of their Killington stop, drummer Tkachyk sat down to talk about their recent tour through Colorado ski towns, the band’s approach to improvisation, and the art of picking the perfect cover song.
Spafford has been crisscrossing the country for years, bringing their expansive jams to intimate venues and major festivals. The band recently wrapped up their SpaffSki Tour—a series of performances in Colorado’s ski towns, including four-night runs in Steamboat Springs and Crested Butte.
“The road is incredible,” Tkachyk said. “We love to be out in the world playing music for people.”
The band is no stranger to the Northeast, frequently making stops across Vermont, Maine, and Massachusetts. Their upcoming tour swings through Connecticut, New York, and Maine before heading to Killington, Buffalo, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh—a demanding schedule for any touring act.
“We’ve got a big tour coming up,” Tkachyk added. “We love the Northeast.”
For a band like Spafford, improvisation isn’t just an aspect of the performance—it’s the foundation of their sound. Tkachyk, who grew up playing jazz in Tucson, Arizona, credits his background in jazz combos for shaping his approach to jamming.
“Jam band music is a musical conversation,” he explained. “If somebody is playing a solo, it’s my job as the drummer to communicate with them throughout their solo and do like a call-and-response thing. I carry that same idea into jamming with Spafford.”
The band’s transitions between songs—sometimes extending into hour-long sets with only a few tracks—are influenced by electronic music, drawing inspiration from drum and bass, and DJ legends Andy C, LTJ Bukem, and Tiësto.
“What I love about Spafford is that I can take that influence from electronic music and bring it into Spafford’s musical exploration,” Tkachyk said. “And it’s so much fun.”
During their recent Colorado run, the band showcased this improvisational approach with a three-song first set that lasted an hour.
“Sometimes that happens, you know?” he laughed. “And then at the end of the four-night run, I think our last set was like eight songs. We don’t really know what’s gonna happen—it’s all based on what we’re feeling when we walk onto that stage and what the audience is feeling.”
Covering the classics: The “Spaffordization” process
Beyond their original compositions, Spafford has developed a reputation for taking well-known songs and giving them a distinctive jam-band twist.
“We’re always just kind of throwing new songs into a hopper,” Tkachyk said. “Some of them work really well, and some of them… not so much. But some of them really work in the sense that they get ‘Spaffordized.’”
One standout example? A breakbeat-style cover of The Cure’s “Love Song”.
“We did that in like a drum and bass style,” he explained.
Other recent additions to their cover repertoire include Stone Temple Pilots’ “Plush,” Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence,” and Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing”, which was cleverly sandwiched between the band’s original song, “Ain’t That Wrong.”
“We also did ‘Swingtown’ by Steve Miller Band and a really great cover of ‘The Way You Do The Things You Do’—the Jerry Garcia Band version,” he added.
While their covers are crowd-pleasers, Spafford isn’t just reinterpreting rock classics for fun. Sometimes, the band uses their setlists to highlight lesser-known artists.
“If there’s an after-effect of an artist gaining some more popularity, then hell yes!” Tkachyk said.
What’s next for Spafford?
Looking ahead, Spafford has a packed schedule that includes festival appearances and more tour dates.
“We’ve got a couple festivals coming up this summer,” Tkachyk said. “We’re doing Dome Fest with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and Jam-Packed Festival in Virginia.”
Additionally, fans should keep an eye out for Northeast and Midwest summer tour announcements later this month.
But before they hit the summer circuit, Spafford is bringing the heat to Killington’s Pickle Barrel on March 16—a must-see stop for jam band lovers, skiers, and anyone looking for a night of musical exploration.
“That’s one of the beautiful things about a Spafford show,” Tkachyk said. “It just kind of takes you away for a little bit. And then we just put you right back.”
For tickets and more information, visit: spafford.net or picklebarrelnightclub.com.
