Show Review: Rev Tor 30th Anniversary Jam at the Colonial Theatre

Rev Tor 30th Anniversary Jam at the Colonial Theatre on September 25, 2026

Since 1996, The Rev Tor Band (named for guitarist and bandleader Tor Krautter, known throughout the Northeast as Rev Tor) has been a consistent presence on the East Coast club, concert, and festival circuit, performing from Maine to Key West. Tor Krautter and his band have shared the concert stage with members of The Grateful Dead, Dead & Co., Phish, The Allman Brothers Band, and New Riders of the Purple Sage, and have performed at festivals alongside Leon Russell, Los Lobos, String Cheese Incident, among many others. Across countless bands, venues, towns, festivals, and productions, music remains the common thread, creating lasting relationships among musicians and their audiences who support them, and on Friday September 25, thirty years of those connections came together on one stage for one unforgettable night at the historic Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

The three-hour concert extravaganza, billed as “A one-night musical family reunion celebrating three decades of music and community,” was more than just a mere retrospective, the evening’s event celebrated the interconnected music community that has grown around Krautter’s extensive work bringing musicians together for unique concert experiences over the past three decades. While the band played, a succession of endless posters, playbills, and newspaper advertisements of various venues (La Cocina, Woody’s Roadhouse, Bucksteep Manor), music festivals (Wormtown, StrangeCreek), and tribute shows (Jerry Garcia Jam, The Last Waltz, Watkins Glen Summer Jam) reminded patrons of Krautter’s extensive contribution to the music scene. The joyful collective vibe could be felt in the air from the opening song “Against the Wall” (from Krautter’s 1996 album In Search of Ecstasy) to the final encore of The Band’s soulful “I Shall Be Released” (from Music from Big Pink, one of a number of Band songs during the night). It was a veritable who’s who of regional musicians joining core players, Krautter (as emcee and curator) on guitar and vocals, drummer Jeff Prescott, and keyboardist Parker McQueeney, who (along with longtime Rev Tor bassist Brian O’Connell) were the stalwarts on the stage, while a well-structured and choreographed revolving door of guest players, with Krautter pointing, nodding, motioning, and directing them to make sure everyone knew certain cues and transitions. The humble Krautter acknowledged his road manager Tistrya Houghtling, who he stated “put in countless hours helping to organize this event, taking care of all the details, and making sure everything was in place.”

It is difficult to pick highlights, since so many great performances and jams occurred throughout the show, including: seeing renown and respected drummers Conor Meehan, Dan Teichert, Derrick Rodgers, and Dave Lincoln Jr. all in one stage performance, and watching them each shake Prescott’s hand after their respective dual percussion performances in a gesture of mutual regard and gratitude; Krautter and Jason “Webby” Webster trading solos on “Never Cry When the Wolf Comes,” with Webster providing a tasty bluesy Clapton-esque solo and Krautter responding with his trademark style – part Jerry Garcia, part Carlos Santana; the funky “Got to Get Close” (with Dan Esko and Tom Doherty joining in) had people dancing in the aisles and at the front of the stage; Jiggle the Handle guitarist Gary Backstrom’s guitar duel with Krautter as each donned their rival team hats (Backstrom in his Boston Red Sox beanie, and Krautter in his Yankees cap); Brett Connors and Glen Nelson (from Flipper Dave) playing lively solos and getting everyone to sing the joyous “Say I” refrain in “I Knew”; an impressive rendition of Paul Simon’s “Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes,” which was a showcase for longtime Rev Tor bassist Brian O’Connell with his rhythmic fretless sound and fury; founding Rev Tor bassist Dan Broad (Moondance) dropping some cheeky one-liners, “Give it up for this guy over here [motioning to Krautter], my friend for many, many years and many, many beers. We used to take acid, now all we take is antacids” before singing a few Rev Tor songs and a stunning version of The Band’s “It Makes No Difference” (which also featured a stellar soaring saxophone solo by woodwind specialist Aaron Dean, who also played clarinet later on); and dexterous keyboardist Benny “Fingers” Kohn, who momentarily took over as bandleader, asserting, “Slow it down a bit, boys. Yeah, there it is!” when he felt it was just the right tempo as he performed Dr. John’s New Orleans swampy “Such a Night” with soul and swagger, even adding a vocal horn solo before instructing, “Hit me with that four chord, boys!” to end the first set with some flare.

After a short intermission, the band returned, joined by actor/performer/singer Mike Wartella (who was a key figure in Krautter’s productions of Pink Floyd’s The Wall: A Theatrical Experience and Rhapsody: The Music of Queen), who sang Krautter’s own theatrical piece “The Medicine Show.” Afterward, Krautter had the house lights come up and asked that any veterans in the venue stand up and be recognized for their service, as the audience applauded with praise before he dedicated “Till Valhalla,” to “all our fallen heroes” for one of the more poignant moments of the night. Portions from proceeds from the event and commemorative 30^th Anniversary T-shirts, went to support The Jake Galliher Foundation, which was established to commemorate the life of United States Air Force Staff Sergeant Jacob “Jake” M. Galliher (Krautter’s step-son), who tragically lost his life on November 29, 2023 while serving our nation abroad, one of eight crew members killed when the Osprey aircraft they were in went down off the coast of Japan. The foundation provides scholarships and awards to deserving individuals, ensuring that Jake’s legacy of bravery, dedication, and kindness lives on.

Jen Durkin and Fuzz Sangiovanni from Deep Banana Blackout joined the band next, with Fuzz singing “Cousin’s Cabaret,” a song Krautter confessed was heavily influenced by Fuzz’s band Caravan Of Thieves, and that it was a joy “hearing my friends, mentors, and heroes singing some of my songs.” Their set of songs included what was a tour-de-force centerpiece of the night, Durkin belting out a powerful rendition of “Free Your Mind,” (a hit song originally released by Pop R&B singers En Vogue, but later, The Band recorded a bluesy, groove-heavy cover of it on their 1996 album, High on the Hog) with Al Lucas laying down a meaty bass to ground the groove. When Krautter announced Elder statesman and Max Creek keyboardist Mark Mercier to the stage to rousing applause, Mercier took a moment to shine praise on Krautter, asserting “This guy is responsible for more good music in this area than anyone I know. He has such a generous spirit – if you notice, it is always Rev Tor & Friends…You have such real treasure in the Berkshires in this guy.” Mercier dazzled the crowd as his fingers danced over the ivories during “Sea Sick,” “Hey Porky Way,” “Charlie’s Obsession” (which Krautter explained, “Some of you in the audience may think this about you, but it isn’t. It is about Charlie Brown”), and a string of songs from Rev Tor’s 2007 album Mystic Wolf, of which Mercier was a collaborator. The band had swelled to be a twelve-piece duodecet, including six guitarists(!) by the time they pulled out a cover of The Rolling Stones “Sympathy of the Devil,” with Krautter announcing it as “Guitar-mageddon.” Audience members began singing the familiar “Woo-Woo” part before Durkin even started the first verse. During the guitar solo section, Krautter pointed to players to take their turn. After the extended jam, he humorously announced, “Well, that was stupid… and fun!” Although the song seemed like a proper closer, Krautter invited the entire ensemble out for one more finale encore of The Band’s “I Shall be Released.”

As Rev Tor exclaimed at the end of the night, “I am blown away and honored by the opportunity to perform with this amazing lineup of musicians. This concert wasn’t just about celebrating 30 years of music, it was about celebrating the people, friendships, memories, and music community that have made those 30 years possible. It’s hard to believe it’s been 30 years. What a journey. What a gift.”

More information at: https://tkentertainment.live/our-roster/rev-tor-band/ or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RevTorBand/

SETLIST:

SET 1:

Against the Wall

Never Cry When the Wolf Comes

Got to Get Close

All Over Now (The Rolling Stones cover)

I Knew (Flipper Dave cover)

Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes (Paul Simon cover)

Snakes & Bones (Bil Krauss cover)

She Knew My Name

Up on Cripple Creek (The Band cover)