It’s not often you hear a band that has been active for nearly 35 years talk about rebuilding.

But after several years of stops, starts and challenging circumstances, that’s right about where moe. — the popular, stubbornly lowercased New York jam band — finds itself at the moment, said drummer Vinnie Amico.

Let’s let him tell the story, but only after we introduce two other members of the band: bassist/vocalist Rob Derhak and guitarist/vocalist Chuck Garvey, who co-founded moe. in Buffalo, New York, in 1989.

“We’ve been around for a long time, and (in) 2017, Rob got cancer. We took eight months off,” Amico said. “Then, we start playing again. We start cooking. We’re starting another nice upward climb. People are into it. Everything’s cool, and — bang! — COVID hits. Two years sitting on the bench! I mean, we did some stuff, but we’re not doing what we want to be doing, which is out there playing. Then COVID lightens up, people can go out and see shows again and we get back on the road. Same thing: We’re starting to build. It’s happening. And then in 2021, Chuck has a stroke.

“You know, it’s just one thing after another,” he continued. “So now, we’re firing on all cylinders and playing our butts off. We’re back where we want to be.”

That’s good news for moe. and its sizable fan base, built on the back of the band’s vaunted live shows, where its likable blend of progressive rock, psych, funk, improvisation and extended jams really stretches out and shines.

It’s also good news for Central Oregonians, who’ll have a chance to catch moe. Thursday night at the Midtown Ballroom — the band’s first visit in nearly seven years.

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Longtime fans will notice a new member, keyboardist Nate Wilson, as well as a prominent role for Garvey, who rejoined the band in December of 2022 after a year-long hiatus to recover from his stroke. They might also notice a subtle shift in the way moe. approaches its set these days.

“We still don’t like to repeat songs, and we still like to be original in our improvisations and our setlists, so we’re still doing all those things,” Amico said. “But I think it’s a little more like, ‘Let’s go out and play and have fun and not worry about playing this particular song for the first time in six years because that’s what people on the computer want to hear.’”

Do you hear that? That’s the attitude of a band that has been at the top of its game for decades, a band that has earned the right to play the way it wants to play, and a band that knows the importance of not looking forward or looking back, but simply staying present and enjoying the moment.

You never know what tomorrow will bring. Although chances are pretty good that moe. will be there.

“If we ever win an award for something other than music,” Amico said, “maybe it’ll be Most Resilient Jam Band Ever.”

If You Go

What: An evening with moe.

When: 8 p.m. Thursday, doors open 7 p.m.

Cost: $30 in advance, $40 at the door

Where: Midtown Ballroom, 51 NW Greenwood Ave., Bend

Contact: midtownballroom.com.