We take a decent amount of heat, here at "Ye Olde Phish Blog," for our unbridled honesty when it comes to providing opinions on a night's worth of music. Our detractors usually are most offended by our inability to see the forest for the trees and levy spurs usually beginning and ending with some form of "fuck you jaded vet." But here's the thing. Rarely, if ever, do I feel our opinions venture into the unfair or unwarranted categories. Nearly every criticism you'll read comes from this place of undying love and the hope that someday we'll all have that personal pinnacle of a show experience eclipsed. It's greed, plain and simple. Before the popularity of twitter and blogging, the tapers took all this shit. The most stalworth of reviewers, they saw the most shows and had the greatest of opinions. These days tapers don't even get spoken of (which is a shame...go download an AUD of this show right now) and bloggers take all the heat. Putting your opinion out there for everyone to consume is dangerous and not for the meek.
But a funny thing happened at the beach/water-treatment-plant last night. Phish played the show that everyone who ever made some bullshit claim about how they picked the wrong song or fucked up the composed part has been waiting for. They played a near perfect show. Period.
If you were at the show or watched live from the comfort of your home, you don't need a song by song recap to reaffirm how awesome it was. You certainly (for once) don't need a list of reasons why it actually wasn't. What transpired was an inspired performance that found all of the honey holes that Phish has hidden away in their collective capabilities.
From the opening "Skin It Back," a song that hasn't been played by all four members, together, since 1987. It was the bustout of nearly all bustouts. And the best part is that song sounds remarkably similar to "Spanish Moon", so when the lyrics to that song never started it was as if there was a surprise within the surprise. Couple that with the first rendition of "Happiness Is A Warm Gun" since Halloween of 1994 and the first set shot out of the cannon. The first set was unlikely to top these moments of history, but carried on with a perfect mix of old and new keeping the entire feel fresh and never trite.
While the first set was driven by surprise, the second was fueled by majesty. Beginning the crescendo with "Chalk Dust Torture", Trey led the band into "Sand," a particularly strong song on this tour. Highlighted by some classic teases of Jimi Hendrix's "Izabella" the surprises continued as the jam took shape. Firey and melodic "Sand" gave way to "Golden Age" and a jam that pushed through several distinct segments, and drove through and beyond the typical points where Trey usually pivots into a new song. Ambient and beautiful this jam rivals only the Worcester "Carini" in its success. It was well timed and interesting throughout, proving the theory that in this day and age the band (specifically Trey) is becoming very adept at knowing when to press on and when to pull up.
Not ones to take a break and rest on their laurels tonight, the four pressed into what turned out to be a rather compact version of "Wolfman's Brother," but exploded into a version of "Walk Away" that showcased just how rock and roll they can be and provided the ultimate contrast with the style displayed previously. From TV On The Radio to the James Gang. That takes a special breed. With such a spectacular beginning of the set, I began to recognize just how special this show could potentially be. During the "Walk Away," I tweeted "4th Quarter." This phrase has been volleyed around the back office here at Phish.net with nearly every show. This concept that the band somehow loses steam after a pinnacle moment at mid-way point of Set 2, Trey even commented "we're catching our breath" after "Walk Away." My comment was intended as one of inspiration, playing the role of the imaginary waterboy who wants so badly to feel like he's helped the hero quarterback during the timeout.
As they retook their positions they ground out that "4th quarter" performance that so many felt was sitting right on the edge of reality over the past week. Skipping the litany of jukebox favorites for a run of "Bug", "Fluffhead" and a shockingly placed "Wedge," the songs contained soul and purpose at every step. "Fluffhead," in particular, has a beautiful interlude which cemented in my mind what I would inevitably write about the show. And then, In a "fuck you" gesture aimed at the anyone who's ever written some bullshit criticism of the band, Phish ripped off an absolute killer version of "Run Like An Antelope." Devoid of gimmickry, the version will undoubtedly garner "best of" discussions mainly because it was just so classic. The perfect dismount, if you will, to a show that was already receiving high marks from the toughest of judges.
Regrettably, I watched this all transpire via technology. The technology that has made this band a lightning rod for criticism but also provides opportunity for participation that would have been unimaginable in the previous century. Just over three years since they took the road once more, Phish has produced a show that throwing abject criticism towards should warrant public humiliation. It was, in many ways, the most perfect show they've played since Hampton. But, I wouldn't remain true to myself if I didn't think they could do even better tonight.
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Nice review bud. Sounds like they are building steam for the end of the tour which bodes well. Can't wait to get my dose on the last three.
I hate to be the bubble-burster here but in all likelihood last night's version of 'Antelope' was not in fact part of a conversation with Phish bloggers, who after all number somewhere between 'rounding error' and 'will fit inside a reasonably large bus.'
Odd, because when a sport announcer says something akin to, "And he just hit a grand-slam in the bottom of the ninth despite his recent slump to silence all of his detractors...", I really though the athlete was speaking, metaphorically, directly to me?
I'll have to re-evaluate my importance to my favorite athletes AND band members now.
And let me say what an amazing show last night was. So many highlights. Skin it back, happiness, weekapaug, ya mar, jjlc, and THE ENTIRE SECOND SET! During that antelope the band was being played by the music. Pure magic. I get Goosebumps just recalling the moment. Truly amazing.
Holy smokes that Golden Age was fantastic.
4th QUARTER!
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As for the show, I agree with most of the above points including that the Antelope was absolutly ripping. The Jaded Vet in me still thinks Trey ripcorded the hell out of Gin for Walk Away and the set didn't really recover except for sticking the Antelope dismount. That doesn't mean I don't think that it was a stellar show, for it was certainly that.
After witnessing the disaster that was Toyota Park in 2009, I didn't really hold much hope for 3.0. The Fall 2010 tour and 2010 MSG webcasts changed that, and now I have fantastic shows like Clarkston and Blossom 2011 and Star Lake and Deer Creek of this year under my belt. I'm back to downloading the newest show every day, and finally, finally after so very very long, I have my band back.
Nothing I see can be taken from me, indeed.
IMO, this tour is spectacular. A few duddish shows, but generally super impressed.
I've liked this bands music since 1995 or so, and despite my preferences leaning towards Worcester Jim and the Island Tour, I've somehow never been this into phish. It's like the passion, concision and overload of ideas of 1993 crossed with the patient cohesive interplay of 97 through 2.0. Leading to some constantly mutating improv that seems to live And breathe as its own entity.
Cant wait to hear this show, each new show is an embarrassment of riches these days. Noobs, oldbs, don't take it for granted. Bring your kids, bring your parents, bring a friend.
2012.0 is a hell of a ride
oh and btw - both Jones Beach shows blew my skirt up big time; no more need to complain about anything really; good clean face melting music with a dash of good decision making and veteran patience thrown in...J3rd highlights; SkinItBack and HISAWM (der); good clean Mike's Groove; Ya Mar (personal highlight; average version), and the entire second set. J4th highlights; whole first set honestly and the T> T> T are worth a re-listen. Can't wait to hear what happens at SPAC; bring it home boys!
Jones beach was a good run, but perfect? Like 12/30/03? 7/16/94? 11/16/96? 10/31/96? 11/2/98? 5/7/94? 7/8/94, I mean and so on...
To me these reviews sound like a 17 year old who cannot get laid. Your horny as hell, you want it so bad, but it's just not there. Every weekend that rolls around, you think about getting laid, you try, but it never happens; or least not as often as youd like and cant accept the truth. And you can't stand being honest for what it is: a great show, but not even close to being in the top tier of Phish shows all time and maybe in the top tier of Phish 3.0...
Outside of 4 or 5 unpredictable bust outs, the shows rocked like most of the Summer Tour. Worcester Carini > If I Could still wallops. And Bust outs are big! Good for the attendees and fans! Some good songs. But far from "perfect," in my opinion...
Call me a Jaded Vet if it makes you feel better. But I have hope for you. You'll get laid soon enough. The good news is Tour missed fortunes now, with patience and persistence, will be rewarded down the line. And, all the anticipation will make it feel jut that much more mind blowing when it happens!
I say something nice about the band and I get as much shit as when I ridicule them. Get a clue.
YES.