That Time Lotus Played at The Big E

Write Lotus looks back at the shortest of Lotus shows

Welcome to The Big E! where, for 17 days each and every year, the scent of livestock and other animals mixes with that of corn dogs and fried dough in West Springfield, Massachusetts. We’re talking about “New England’s Great State Fair” here, folks, a Shangri-la for kids with games, rides, and the daily running of the Swifty Swine Racing Pigs. Grandparents pushing strollers or guarding them, parents holding oversized cups of lemonade or clouds of cotton candy on paper cones. It's a scene. Not like standing outside Union Transfer before a New Year’s Eve show, but still, seeing a llama on my way to seeing Lotus was cool, and I’m pretty sure that’ll never happen in Philly.

With traffic and a bathroom break, the drive from North Jersey to that part of the Commonwealth takes three hours. Doesn’t matter the route: The layers of green, the multicolored leaves, or the deciduous trees tell a story beyond the season. Having spent years in Boston along with ski trips up north in my youth, the environment on the ride to the state I did a lot of learning and life in is familiarly serene.

I ended up with a sweet parking spot close to a bank of porta-potties. Didn’t have to take a picture of my section of the lot because, from my Forester, it was a straight shot to the gateway of the largest agricultural event on the eastern seaboard. With time to kill, I soaked up farming history as well as wafts of grease. I should’ve treated myself to a gyro or fried Oreos, or both, but I fought the urge. And once the gate slid open at The Big E Arena, a temporary venue toward the rear of the fairgrounds, the enriching conversation between friends and friends of friends ensued prior to the real action beginning.

On this vast stage in Hampden County, Lotus tore through “Middle Road” with a gusto propelled by breezes and then, during the jam after the song was “complete,” guitarist Tim Palmieri’s ever-ascending solo. “Can You Hear The Sound” came next, a slower track with deep electronica roots that’s a prime vehicle for twins Luke (keyboards/guitar) and Jesse (bass/modular synth) Miller. That bled into the bridge of the set, as “Shimmer And Out” raised the energy in a sea of summery faces. The rest of the party was an “Electric Orange” sandwich with “You Should Be Dancing” by the Bee Gees in between, fueled by four-on-the-floor drumming from Mike Greenfield.

Five tracks in an hour. Done. Shortest Lotus gig I’ve ever attended by about 15 minutes. “Can You Hear The Sound” and “Electric Orange” were live debuts for me, and that’s always nice. Plus: Any Lotus is better than no Lotus at all regardless of how many miles you log on your car—nothing profound, just a lot of love. And that love shone as, having made the decision to skip Umphrey’s McGee, I hugged and high-fived my friends before walking back through the grounds to the lot. After which, on my way home through the Sunday night darkness, I listened to their latest album, How To Dream In Color, on repeat while dreaming of the first full weekend of fall tour.

Lotus 09/15/2024 Setlist

Middle Road, Can You Hear The Sound > Shimmer And Out, Electric Orange > You Should Be Dancing* > Electric Orange

*Bee Gees