The modern jam scene has produced plenty of acts who can improvise but few who can write a song worth remembering. Big Shrimp, the progressive rock quartet out of Bridgeport, Connecticut, appears to be one of the exceptions. NYSMusic characterized their live show as delivering “catchy melodies, impressive solos, complex arrangements, and shifting tempos” — not a description that typically attaches to a band that formed in 2024. They play Funk ‘n Waffles in Syracuse on Friday, October 23.
About the Show
Big Shrimp (Jared Sage Cowen on guitar/vocals, Max Perrotti on bass/vocals, Daniel Cohen on keys/vocals, and Henry Thomas on drums/vocals) brings its 2026 Fall Tour to Syracuse as one of three New York stops on a 34-date run covering the Midwest, Northeast, Colorado, and Southeast through December 12. Buffalo follows on October 24; Albany closes out the state run on October 30.
The band has covered considerable ground since forming in 2024. Earlier in 2026, they completed “It’s As Shrimple As That Tour,” a 30-plus date run; the summer brought the “We’ve Got It Shrimple” series, three sold-out Phish late-night after-party shows. Grateful Web named Big Shrimp on its “Top 12 Upcoming Jam Bands to Watch in 2026,” and their music has found its way onto Spotify’s Modern Jam Band playlist. Their fanbase, called the Prawn Stars, has grown steadily across the country. The band hosted Camp Scampi, their inaugural music, food, and arts festival, in Addison, New York this past August. Recent releases include the single “Alcaworkholic” (March 2026) and The Prawno Tapes, Vol. 4, a live album featuring Ryan Dempsey of Twiddle. Their debut full-length is due this fall.
Venue & Logistics
Funk ‘n Waffles has history with this act. Their predecessor band, Baked Shrimp, launched an annual Halloween Extravaganza at the Clinton Street venue that Big Shrimp inherited and has kept running, now entering its eighth consecutive year. The 2026 Halloween show has moved to their hometown in Bridgeport; the October 23 date is a straight fall tour stop in Central New York in a room where they clearly feel at home. At 200 capacity, it is the kind of venue that tends not to stay on a touring itinerary once the arc sharpens. The show is 18-and-over; doors open at 7:00 p.m.
Tickets
Tickets start at $23.63. Buy tickets