Phish.net Blog - Phish.net

Monday 08/17/2015 by pzerbo

REGULAR SEASON FINALE; ON TO THE PLAYOFFS!

Never miss a Sunday show… so “they” say. Or if you must, at least read the recap! Let’s get right to the action from Sunday’s conclusion to the regular season portion of Phish’s summer 2015 tour at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

When Phish took the stage a little after 7:30, a few overzealous (and perhaps over-served) fans in the pit cheered for “Sleeping Monkey,” which was the encore the previous night. They responded with an extended full-band “Sleeping Monkey” tease, that LivePhish actually cut into its own track. But, no, this wouldn’t be a repeat of 6/18 & 6/19/10 when “Tweezer Reprise” closed a show and opened the next. A quick “Charge!” from Page and we were off to the races with “Golgi Apparatus.” “Golgi” has kicked off dozens of shows in its almost thirty-year history, though this was the first opener since 12/29/09 in Miami; “Golgi” was also a tour debut, having last been played last this past New Year’s Eve, also in Miami.

Photo © Merriweather Post Pavilion

“Golgi” yielded to turn-on-a-dime transition to “Undermind” that saw an energetic Page piano solo, followed by Trey taking a more relaxed turn at the helm. The always punchy “Julius” was a perfect energy balance for this spot in the show, and a great way to mix things up for a song that sees most of its action in set-closing or encore roles. Mike’s “555” was a bit of a stumble as the band seemingly couldn’t find the same page, with Trey finally showing at least a little interest for his late-song solo. The delightful Anastasio/Marshall composition “Nothing” was played for the first time since 6/7/12 Worcester (139 shows) and only the sixth time ever. “Nothing” is really a great song; if you don’t know it well, take a second to dig into the lyrics – ensconced! – and check out the original Amfibian version.

Photo by Rene Huemer © Phish From the Road

“No Men In No Man’s Land” continues to jump around in a utility role and found yet another great mid set spot here. It’s funny how soon many fans establish their preferences to how a new song is deployed, as many are already vocally lobbying for more “second set treatment” with the jamming jets open for firing. While “Blaze On” and “Mercury” are both very likely candidates for long-term residency in the Phish repertoire, “NMINML” is all but a lock for Rookie of the Year. “Stash” hasn’t “gone big” this tour, but this was an enjoyable version with an almost swingy and relaxed calm, contrasted with the more traditional big tension and release dynamic. Near the end, though, the “Stash” jam turned delightfully weird in the more classic sense and concluded with a sharp, punctuated peak.

A quick huddle with Mike and Trey resulted in “David Bowie,” with an actual full-fledged if mostly uneventful intro, something that is more often than not skipped these days. The composed section of “Bowie” was a little rough, but the jam more than compensated. The early part of the jam was slow, trippy, almost Floydian, then a shift to a bright major key, which has been very typical of Phish’s jamming approach this tour, though relatively atypical for “Bowie.” This excellent “Bowie” jam also featured a brief but clear flirtation by Trey, and then Page, of the bridge between “China Cat Sunflower” and “I Know You Rider.” A smoking hot “Possum” put a wrap on this very good first set, with the last 40-minutes being especially vibrant and fun.

"David Bowie" – Photo © @tweeprise

Whenever Phish strings together a few great shows fans are quick to proclaim it “the best tour since…” or “the best tour in 3.0.” They’re almost always jumping the gun – they’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealin's done. That said, one thing seems unambiguous, at least to this observer: first sets have made a notable and in many cases substantial improvement this tour. The floor is still pretty low (see Shoreline, Austin, Kansas City etc) but the ceiling has been raised a ton, with truly great first sets including Bend 2, Atlanta 1, Nashville, Alpine 2 and Mann 1. That’s a pretty big deal given where we’ve come from in recent years, so kudos to the band for what seems to be a conscious investment in making first sets matter; it’s working, and appreciated!

Photo by Rene Huemer © Phish From the Road

In a shocking development that sent overnight markets reeling, “Down with Disease” opened a Phish second set! If you just listen to the intro it may seem like a total trainwreck, but it seemed perhaps more likely a case of a little in-band joke, with Trey tweaking the intro line, “trying to stop these demons that are dancing in Mike’s head!” The “Disease” jam itself was solid if uneventful, staying close to the song’s vest in type-I space until the last minute or so when the “Disease” structure melted away with Trey offering hints of “Slave to the Traffic Light,” before they actually shifted into “Slave” proper. “Slave” was a great call in this spot and the unorthodox placement seemed to pump the song up with a little extra vitality, as it was more up-tempo than normal, very bright and bouncy, less lullabye-like, and very reminiscent of the 7/4/99 version in Atlanta.

The set is going well at this point, and those seeking the deep improv were thrilled to see the “Light.” This "Light" jam had a lot going for it, one potentially destined for greatness. Chris Kuroda was unleashing his full arsenal of psychedelic goodies and the band was purring along. Trey threw in a “Little Twelve Toes” (from Schoolhouse Rock) tease near the end, and we’re really going for peak liftoff, when Trey then deployed the fan's least favorite tool: the ripcord. The segue to "Twist" was pretty sweet in its own way, but Fish in particular was visibly pissed and expressed that through the transition (listen for his repeated, emphatic bass drum thumping, as if to say "no!").

"Possum" – Photo © @tweeprise

The last outing for “Twist” at The Mann was a 22-minute monster that many seasoned observers consider the best jam of the tour, so hopes were still riding high. But after a few brief minutes, Trey again shut it down, this time in favor of the Rolling Stones’ classic “Shine a Light” from Exile on Main St., the first Phish performance of the song since 7/20/13 at Chicago’s Northerly Island (91 shows). “Fuego” followed and had “under” bettors cashing their tickets early, as the jam segment of the song was omitted entirely resulting in the shortest performance of the song to date.

“Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley” came along at just the right time to give this set a much-needed lift, a little Hail Mary to evoke the spirit of 8/8/98! This version was odd and kinda cool, slower and funkier than usual, with Trey riding the echoplex and Page getting up (so that you can get… up?) over Fish and Mike’s impenetrable chunky groove. “You Enjoy Myself” would take the set home. This “YEM” was notable for Trey replacing his “boy” scream with, um, “motherfucker”! The post tramps jam featured more Trey and Mike shenanigans with close-up jamming followed by a back-to-back balance jamming routine, before they both climbed up on Fish’s drum riser pre-vocal jam. A “Backwards Down the Number Line” encore still left more than ten minutes before the 11pm curfew, but that was all she wrote.

Photo by Rene Huemer © Phish From the Road

So, Phish fans, that concludes the regular season, and quite the regular season it was! Phish dominated from coast to coast, offering a roster of shows that will – depending on what happens in the playoffs – make a very strong case for best tour of 3.0. This tour contains what is either the best or second best single show of 3.0, Mann2 (better than “FYF”? Tough call), and a roster of heavy hitters that seem to match up well with the cream of fall ‘13: MPP 1, Shoreline, Blossom, Atlanta 1, and Nashville are all solid top tier shows, while Alpine 2, Atlanta 2, Mann 1, The Forum, and even Bend 2 from so early in the tour are all worth your time to explore. We’ve had new songs, great jams, excellence spread across both sets, all the while without any major weather issues or other mishaps.

And now? The playoffs! Playoffs? On to Magnaball! And Dick’s! Be safe, folks… we’ll be back with coverage from Watkins Glen throughout next weekend. Let’s get it on!

-Phillip Zerbo

"You Enjoy Myself" – Photo © @tweeprise

Phish Summer 2015 – Setlists & Recaps
07/21/15 Setlist – Recap – Bend 1
07/22/15 Setlist – Recap – Bend 2
07/24/15 Setlist – Recap, Recap2 – Shoreline
07/25/15 Setlist – Recap – LA Forum
07/28/15 Setlist – Recap – Austin
07/29/15 Setlist – Recap – Grand Prarie
07/31/15 Setlist – Recap – Atlanta 1
08/01/15 Setlist – Recap – Atlanta 2
08/02/15 Setlist – Recap – Tuscaloosa
08/04/15 Setlist – Recap – Nashville
08/05/15 Setlist – Recap – Kansas City
08/07/15 Setlist – Recap – Blossom
08/08/15 Setlist – Recap – Alpine 1
08/09/15 Setlist – Recap – Apline 2
08/11/15 Setlist – Recap – Mann 1
08/12/15 Setlist – Recap – Mann 2
08/14/15 Setlist – Recap – Raleigh
08/15/15 Setlist – Recap – Merriweather 1
08/16/15 Setlist – Recap – Merriweather 2
08/21/15 Setlist – Recap – Magnaball 1
08/22/15 Setlist – Recap – Magnaball 2
08/23/15 Setlist – Recap – Magnaball 3
09/04/15 Setlist – Recap – Dick's 1
09/05/15 Setlist – Recap – Dick's 2
09/06/15 Setlist – Recap – Dick's 3

Sunday 08/16/2015 by bertoletdown

MPP1: PUTTING THE 'ULTIMATE' IN PENULTIMATE

Comparing and ranking Phish shows is depraved. To suggest that one is superior to another is to make the sacred profane and in no way do we here at the Mockingbird back office condone such inhumanity. That said, if a marauding band of ISIS operatives were to seize a bus full of phish.net staffers and force us to name the consensus best show of summer tour so far, I am sad to say that a few heads might roll before we arrived at an answer.

Shoreline boasts the 45-minute electric trifecta of “BlazeTwistLight.” Atlanta 1 lays claim to the best “Kill Devil Falls” ever played and a mighty fourth quarter. Nashville’s second set has zero quit and the triumphant return of the second jam in “Mike’s Song.” Blossom’s outstanding first frame laid the foundation for its quintessential one-two “Cheezer” combination. And then there’s Mann 2, y’all. Scimitar to my throat, that gig stands shoulder to shoulder with Phish’s finest two-set performances of all-time. Don’t want to suggest it’s better than the shows I haven’t named here, like Austin for instance, but these ISIS fellows are very persuasive and have left me no choice.

Photo © Andrea Nusinov

The question is whether Saturday’s performance at Merriweather would make an exercise like this easier or harder on its merits. So, no spoilers. Let’s start from the start.

Phish practically gallops onto the stage and declares its intentions with an unexpected and pretty “Simple” that sets a loose and playful tone for what’s to come. Trey’s soloing features some Garcia-esque triplets, hammer-ons, and fluid phrasing before dissolving, then Fishman moves to the woodblocks to announce “Glide.” It was eleven years to the day after the Coventry “Glide,” but there is no such ignominy today. This version is crisp. This version is clean. This version is something for which to be glad, glad, glad, and the pit people fill the pregnant pause at the end with great rejoicing.

Photo © Jake Silco

Fish keeps the pedal mashed to the floor and plunges the band into a banging “Buried Alive,” and by now it is perfectly apparent that once again this tour, it’s on. Some have noted that setting aside an exception or two (cough, Vegas ‘04, cough), this tune tends to foreshadow relative greatness for the show in which it appears, and if I didn’t know that all Phish shows were equally awesome and weren’t so morally opposed to comparing them to each other, I might tend to agree.

This tasty morsel terminates into a lovely “McGrupp and The Watchful Hosemasters,” which gives me considerable pleasure to type. I tend to disfavor Dungeons & Dragons-style Phish songs but “McGrupp” is an exception and one of my treasured favorites. This version falls something short of sterling, perhaps, but is confidently rendered, with Trey calling some melodic audibles during the composed section. “Roggae” is one of those “anytime, anywhere” songs that seems incapable of poor placement or poor delivery, and tonight’s shimmering version is no exception.

"Big Black Furry Creature from Mars" – Photo © @tweeprise

If you appreciate great rock drumming, do yourself a favor and watch Fishman’s cymbal work in some of the closeups from the “Limb By Limb” in Saturday’s webcast. It’s the coolest part of one of the band’s most underappreciated songs, in my opinion, and this “LxL” is moving and soulful. Less so the “Big Black Furry Creature From Mars” that follows and bookends a quick run through “Your Pet Cat.” It’s a shitstorm of controlled chaos. Mike on his knees. Trey unleashing peals of feedback. Kuroda inducing motion sickness. By this point the show has crossed the goal line and all that’s left is endzone dance.

It doesn’t make much of a difference that “Horn” feels weirdly placed, or that “Blaze On” gets the first set treatment, or that the most interesting part of “Run Like an Antelope” is watching the band bat around a big red balloon during the coda. This is a scintillating first set that promises fireworks in the second. Achievement unlocked.

"Run Like an Antelope" – Photo © @tweeprise

[Hey, while we’re waiting for the second set to start, have I told you guys about the time back in college when I was making out with a girl on the lawn at Merriweather during a Howard Jones concert and she threw up in my mouth? True story. We didn’t date for long after that but... Oh, wait, Phish is back! Lucky for you.]

The second set kicks off with a spirited run at the expected “Halley’s Comet” (sans jam), then an interstellar version of “46 Days” – a song that has developed a tidy little track record at Merriweather. This “46 Days” navigates a spacey interlude before settling into a cozy, lingering, major key vamp – the kind of musical parlor you want to crawl inside to luxuriate for a while. Just gorgeous. “Bug” makes a lot of sense here as it emerges from the dappled sunset of “46 Days,” and comes off nicely.

"46 Days" –Photo © Jake Silco

The ensuing “Steam” -> “What’s The Use?” -> “Steam” sandwich is exquisite, and these two songs marry together in a very organic way, so much so that I hope they perform them together again as often as possible. “WTU?” is especially well played, with the band breathing together, and Page dusting the soundscape with perfect little runs on the Rhodes.

It’s at this point in a lesser Saturday evening Phish show (not that any Phish shows are below average, no sir) that one might expect the band to throttle back and set aside improvisation for a flight of successive, concise rockers... but one would be fucking wrong. Instead, Trey steers the band out of the steam and into the “Piper” intro. “Piper” is another song with a massive on-base percentage at Merriweather, and you can chalk this one up as a double off the corner fence.

"N2O" – Photo © @tweeprise

Page shines alternately on B-3 and piano through the early, straightforward section of the “Piper” jam, which soon veers type-II at Mike’s urging. Fishman experiments with a few different beds of rhythm before settling on one and opening up a can of whoop-ass, propelling the band to a series of glorious peaks. To reward his heroism, the band drops out and gives him the opportunity to play what’s as close to a solo as you’re likely to see Fish play – basically some swaggering fills – before spilling into “Tweezer” and setting the building on fire.

The head section of this “Tweezer” features yet more breakdown jamming around the main riff. This Phish is mad. This Phish is dangerous. This Phish eats segues and craps thunder. This is Sunday Phish on a Saturday, folks. Page is melting his Clav keys, the rhythm section is deep in a filthy pocket, and now Trey reaches for the megaphone. A balloon with “NO2” on it landed on the stage earlier in the show, and the band obliges the request. Trey and Mike run laps around the stage as Page quotes “Martian Monster” on his sampler, and when it’s all said and done the band slides slickly back into “Tweezer.”

"Tweezer Reprise" – Photo © @tweeprise

“Walls of the Cave” makes a rare second set appearance to bring home this special set of music. As he’s done all night, Trey infuses the composition with extra flourishes, and the jam’s dramatic peak is a fitting capstone for what we’ve just witnessed.

The pre-encore banter that introduces “Sleeping Monkey” is hilarious inside baseball, as Trey takes the piss out of Richard Gehr’s ranking of 333 Phish songs and by extension the wicked and indefensible act of ranking Phish in general. [For what it’s worth, I’d definitely rank this stage banter at the top of all summer 2015 stage banter.] And with a predictably heavy “Tweezer Reprise,” this one’s in the books.

It’s hard to ask for more out of this band than we got tonight, but if this tour’s trajectory is any indication, we might get it anyway.

LE Merriweather Post Pavilion poster by Nate Duval. Edition of 875.

Saturday 08/15/2015 by phishnet

RALEIGH: THE HOMESTRETCH VIA TOBACCO ROAD

[Editor's Note: this recap is by phish.net contributor James Kaminsky. –PZ]

The last two weeks of Phish tour have been the stuff of dreams. On the final night of July, The Phish from Vermont threw down a mighty “Kill Devil Falls” in Atlanta. They followed that up the next night with an unbelievable version of “Tweezer” – the longest since Tahoe. We all know about what happened in Nashville, the return of the second jam in “Mike’s Song” and one fantastic “Weekapaug.” Then came another weekend and with it, “Chalk Dust Torture” -> “Tweezer” > “The Lizards” at Blossom. The Sunday show at Alpine Valley was bust-out city. And the Martian Mannster shows were a pair of peaks, highlighted by the unbelievable “Twist.” It is an amazing time to be a Phish fan.

Photo © @tweeprise

Earlier this year, LivePhish released a classic Raleigh show – 12/16/99, an all-timer featuring a stellar “Sand” and a terrific “Tweezer.” So what could we expect after an off day and a trip down south for the first Raleigh show since 2011? The last time we were at Walnut Creek, Phish played “Peaches en Regalia” for just the second time in 3.0 and ”Been Caught Stealing” for just the sixth time ever and first since 1998.

The show started off with the sun setting behind the lawn and a mellow but excited mood in the venue. Trey toyed around with the chords to “Llama,” before ultimately starting up the Gamehendge classic in a slower and funkier rhythm. It was a classic moment, symbolic of what Phish is all about right now – taking risks, trying new things, and just having plain old fun. There are no limits. “Llama” was super slowed-down and super funky, a must listen.

Photo © Jake Silco

The unique opener was followed by a rocking “Chalk Dust Torture” and then the typically funky “Moma Dance.” “Yarmouth Road” came next, the first time being played since Shoreline. The 14-show gap for “Yarmouth” is the longest in the history of the song since the song’s debut at SPAC back in 2013. A lively “Tube” at times seemed to really be the one to pop off and breakthrough for a jam, and while it was nice and enjoyable, it was ultimately classic Phish blue balls.

Next came an oreo of chill and thrill. “Bouncing Around the Room” was short and sweet, before upshifting to a raging “Maze” before the mellow mood returned with “Waiting All Night” began. “Lawn Boy” and another Fuego tune, “Devotion to a Dream” rounded out the heart of this mostly uneventful set. The set’s biggest peak came (as it often does) in “Wolfman’s Brother,” a short but powerful version. “Suzy Greenberg” closed out the 12-song, cover-free set, that didn’t quite have the punch or sizzle that we heard at the Mann, but it still had some great moments, particularly that “Llama.”

Photo by Rene Huemer © Phish From the Road

The second set kicked off with “The Wedge.” This was only the third time “Wedge” had opened a second set, the first since Lemonwheel in 1998. The improvisational highlight of the night came in the first cover of the evening, “Golden Age.” The jam quickly began and delved into Funkytown U.S.A. Trey took command of the jam and it resembled the same groove in Blossom’s “Tweezer,” and was also contained strong hints of “Split Open and Melt.” After the jam died down, “Reba” emerged, to everyone’s delight. “Reba” was performed with near perfection and the jam portion featured moving play from all four guys as they worked together unison.

Photo © Jake Silco

Next came “Mike’s Song.” I can’t speak for others but I immediately wanted to know whether there would be a second jam. The jam never came, and now we must wonder if it is gone forever. If so, what a treat the last two are. Mike’s started to fade out and out of it began an angry “Ghost.” While never truly veering too far away from the norm, “Ghost” was filled with several strong peaks from Trey. Another cover was the other big highlight of the night – Led Zeppelin’s “No Quarter.” This was just what the doc ordered to bridge the gap to “Weekapaug.” A fiery “First Tube” closed out the set with the energy and excitement that stands for everything Phish is about right now.

Photo by Rene Huemer © Phish From the Road

After Page noted that Walnut Creek was one of Phish’s favorite sheds, they closed out this phenomenal night with a two-song encore of “Farmhouse,” and then the first “Fire” since 2013. All in all, a first set with some cool jams and fun songs and a really strong second set with no dull moments. Next up, Merriweather. “Tweezer” looms.

Photo © @tweeprise

Raleigh, NC LE poster by Ryan Lynn

Thursday 08/13/2015 by phishnet

MANN2: ALL JAM IN NO MANN'S LAND

[Editor's Note: this recap is by phish.net contributor Craig Hillwig. –PZ]

Phish concluded their two-night stand at Philadelphia’s Mann Center for the Performing Arts with yet another peak performance in a summer tour that has surpassed nearly all expectations. Let’s not mince words. This show had everything you wanted: late tour debuts, first set jams, and a five-song, second set improvisational tour de force that “type-II” aficionados will be dissecting for years to come.

As last summer’s pair of Mann shows demonstrated, few things have the potential to weigh down a show more than a sweltering northeast shed during the dog days of summer. Mercifully, the atmospheric conditions were nearly perfect for this mid-August evening on Fairmount Park’s Belmont Plateau, setting the stage for fully engaged and energized band and crowd.

Photo © Scott Harris

The tour debut of “AC/DC Bag” – the 300th lifetime performance – had everyone dancing hard right out of the gate. Usually a tour staple, this Gamehendge classic was long overdue after its biggest gap (sixteen) since Vegas 2000. The “Free” that followed kept the crowd rocking. Trey immediately called an audible at the top of the jam, transitioning the band seamlessly into more “Martian Monster” shenanigans before resolving back into “Free.” “Martian Monster” has been a versatile weapon in this summer’s arsenal, but its pairing with the “Free” jam (which also occurred on 11/2/14 in Vegas) seems so natural and obvious given their similar tempos and crunchy power chords on the first and second beats. Spirited versions of “Ya Mar” and “Sample in a Jar” followed, maintaining the high energy level.

Photo © @tweeprise

A couple moments of seeming indecision led to the 2015 debut of the Talking Heads’ cover “Cities” (gap: nineteen). Clocking in at about twelve minutes, this version was like no other in recent memory. Following the final chorus, which typically leads to a short outro jam and soft denouement, the band abruptly pivoted into a staccato funk jam that veered hard into type-II territory before fading into ambiance. A typically (for this tour) solid version of “Stash” followed, with its usually patient build-up leading to its patented explosive ending. Another extended on-stage huddle led to the fourth “Birds of a Feather” of the tour complete with the “They Attack!” sample at the beginning. This “Birds” was of a standard first set variety with Trey’s thematic solos hewing closely to the melody of the song’s chorus. Yet another huddle led to a much needed cool down with a perfectly placed version of “The Line.”

“It’s Ice” was next, unleashing yet another staccato funk jam with Clavinet and Mu-Tron that sounded right at home in any 1970’s cop movie soundtrack. A raucous “Character Zero” brought down the house to finish the set. This was no perfunctory set closer, as Trey abandoned his microphone and turned to face the drum riser, egging Fishman on with highly animated power chord vamping. The song soon reached peak intensity with Trey literally bouncing all over the stage with a look of sheer exuberance on his face.

Photo © Jake Silco

Can we talk? I haven’t seen Trey play with such a consistently high level of enthusiasm, confidence, intensity, virtuosity and joy in quite some time. He is fully present and engaged in the music in a way that is palpable to all in attendance, making it seem effortless even when he’s working hard to find the groove and elevate the jams. It feels like a renaissance of Trey, and I personally feel privileged to witness it in real time.

Last night’s second set was no exception, as Phish delivered a stunning five-song masterwork that wove numerous improvisational themes through an eclectic mix of classics and new material. “Bathtub Gin” (13:07) opened the second set for only the second time since Hampton 1998. This version cruised through a fiery but straightforward “type-I” jam until climaxing with a barrage of machine-gun Mu-Tron that foreshadowed the next song, “No Men In No Man’s Land.” “NMINML” (12:07) still seems to be looking for its proper home in the Phish repertoire, as the band has been kicking the new song’s tires in various locations in both sets. This version cooled down a little bit in the middle before picking up steam again and finishing strong before dissolving into “Twist” (22:42 LP timing, though a shade under 20:00 real-time).

Photo © @Feliciafied

Along with “Chalk Dust Torture,” “Twist” has become one of Phish’s most prominent jam vehicles in recent years, and you never know what you’re going to get when the song pops up deep in the second set. This version of “Twist” quickly went ambient, moody and minimalist, with Trey playing delicate leads through several layers of effects against the backdrop of Page’s soft electronic piano fills, Mike’s envelope filtered bass, and Fishman’s rolling rhythms. This was a patient jam and, while it felt like they were actively searching for a launching point at times, it comes across as effortless and sensual on relisten. At about 14:00 minutes in, Trey switched on the Mu-Tron again and Mike responded with the fight bell, signaling a progression into a much more upbeat, blissful peak before finishing “Twist.”

Yet another cluster of huddles followed. The cheers of anticipation waned, and out of the silence it came: the long awaited “Scents and Subtle Sounds” (15:21), complete with the original introduction that seemed to have been abandoned but for a cameo appearance at SuperBall IX. It seems obvious in hindsight that the band has been wrestling with the “Scents” intro for some time, so it was promising when they began working through the segment during several sound checks this tour (including before the first Mann Center show). The persistence and hard work paid off in spades last night, as they nailed the introduction and took a brief self-congratulatory breath before launching into the meat of the song. Harkening back to the legendary Camden 2003 version, this “Scents” had it all. The jam was gorgeous, a ten minute journey of tension and release that started softly with gentle themes on the chorus, and building slowly with layers of rock riffs before pulling back slightly, only to finish strong and confidently before ending with the final chorus.

Photo © Jake Silco

After a short pause, the only question was what kind of sendoff we would receive. The easy money was on “You Enjoy Myself,” which had not been played since the Starlight Theatre show. But a performance like this one clearly called for the higher peaks that only “Harry Hood” (13:36) can deliver. This classic version had solid and straightforward slow-build jamming that finished strong and capped the night off perfectly.

Before the bows, Trey thanked the audience and admonished us to live in the moment with this year’s favorite catchphrase, “Your trip is short.” A triumphant “Loving Cup” (6:27) sent everyone home smiling after hugging it out with Phish for a solid 76 minutes.

Next up, Raleigh.

Photo © @tweeprise

L-R: Adam Scheinberg, Mockingbird Foundation Vice President and Director of Technology; Artist AJ Masthay; Marco Walsh, Mockingbird Foundation President; Jack Lebowitz, Mockingbird Foundation Secretary & General Counsel at Wednesday's PhanArt Presents: A World Café Live One poster show. Visit The Mockingbird Foundation's site to learn more about our charitable efforts benefiting music education for children, and read more about The Phish Companion print series in support of our upcoming book,The Phish Companion Vol. 3, due out this fall.

AJ Masthay signs his posters created for The Phish Companion Vol. 3 print series at Wednesday's's PhanArt Presents: A World Café Live One poster show.

Wednesday 08/12/2015 by phishnet

MANN1 RECAP: MARTIAN MANNSTER

[Editor's Note: this recap is by musicologist and phish.net contributor Jake Cohen. Jake's blog is at: smoothatonalsound.com. –PZ]

When Phish catches fire, we all win. Whether you’re at the shows, listening at home, or just following along through setlists and recaps, there is a certain energy and excitement that permeates every thought and every discussion we have about this band. Make no mistake, Phish is on fire right now. While it’s far to early to prognosticate, I wouldn’t be surprised if some day in the future we’re talking about August 2015 as one of “those months.” Since Atlanta the band has been on a tear that has been truly impressive, creating legendary moments at almost every show.

Sunday’s oldie/rarity bust-out-fest at Alpine Valley was an altogether different kind of affair, with the band improbably combining as many of their most beloved, oldest, Gamehendge-iest songs into one first set. Often, when the band decides to play that show where they go deep in their catalog, the trend continues for a show or two, with the band plumbing the depths of their repertoire and pulling out a few stops that no one expected, even if they don’t pack the same punch as, say, a “Harpua” or a “Forbin’s” or an “Icculus” or “Sanity” bustout (think 7/30/03 following the bustout-heavy 7/29/03). Tonight’s first set was cut from that mold.

Photo By Rene Huemer © Phish From the Road

Thankfully, the band included plenty of improv in the first set alongside a number of tour debuts and one huge bustout that made this one of the most enjoyable first sets I’ve seen in a long time. And although the show started with the rare – though perhaps not on anyone’s “must-hear” list – “Crowd Control,” it was the second song, “Martian Monster,” that would provide a connective thread throughout the set, making this one of the most fun and enjoyable first sets of tour.

That said, the “Crowd Control” opener with its easy-going groove was a nice way to ease into the madness that was about to unfold. Trey continues to show that his GD50 woodshedding is paying tasty dividends, as he’s acquired more comfort soloing around the melody line. His solo featured the same long lines and smoothness that has characterized a lot of his type 1 soloing on first set songs where he riffs on the melody.

It’s tough for me to remember the crowd reacting to any song the same way we react to the opening of “Martian Monster.” They’ve been starting the song even before Laura Olsher’s voice finishes the narration, and this was an especially thick, swampy groove. Trey immediately started playing a highly percussive bit of riffing and strumming, and turned on his favorite new pedal, the Mu-Tron, for an especially funky, deep, nasty bit of soloing. I think that it’s not only fantastic that they’re playing a song from last Halloween regularly, but that they continue to improve on it. Page has gotten very adept with the samples, and is using them very creatively, becoming much better at playing around with the rhythms to the point that it almost sounds like DJ scratching at points, but also introducing a pitch shifter to some of them, something I haven’t heard him do until last night.

Leonard Fishman and Tom Marshall (soundcheck photos via Tom Marshall)

The band took the energy from the “Monster” and immediately parlayed that into some big head banging rock in “Axilla.” This song is always a great infusion of intensity and excitement into any first set, and coming so early last night it kept the rocketship in blastoff mode. As the next song began, I initially thought it was “555,” but the turnaround was something different….and then. “Skin It Back!” This is probably my favorite Little Feat tune, and although I was there when they busted it out at Jones Beach on 7/3/12, this was still a major deal for me. Right away I noticed how much it sounds like “Martian Monster.” In fact, I joked to my friends that I think Little Feat wrote the entire Haunted House set.

The “Skin in Back” jam immediately started teasing “Martian Monster.” But more than a tease, this was a full-on “Martian Monster” jam. But this wasn’t so much a segue back into “Martian Monster,” since many aspects of “Skin it Back” remained, including Page’s organ work and the signature riff. I’d really call it “Skin it Back” with a full “Martian Monster” jam and lots of “Monster” samples as well, including one well-placed primal scream, with more pitch shifting from Page. Trey responded to the excitement by not just doing a typical pentatonic funk jam, but introducing some Dorian modal flavor to his solo, giving it that especially “jammy,” psychedelic feel. Anytime you hear that kind of jamming, it feels like it’s somehow deeper and more prone to extension into the ether, and to have that in the first set was such a treat.

Photo By Patrick Jordan © Phish From the Road

“Vultures” was another minor bustout so I was very pumped to get this. I’d like to take a brief aside about the “wooing” here, because I think that during “Vultures” I finally made my peace with the “woo”-ers. There’s been a bit of talk recently on Twitter and other avenues about the woos, with people seemingly coming down on either side. I’m pretty firmly in the anti-woo camp, as I think that Phish chooses when to have a moment of silence in their sound and we shouldn’t feel the need to fill every one with a woo. Where it really bugs me is the composed songs that have a moment of silence in them, like “Vultures” or as we found out Sunday, “Weigh.” So last night when the woos started I cringed a little. But then I saw Trey’s face during the woos at the end of the tune, and I realized just how much he’s getting off on it. He loves the woos, he was leaning hard into every one, egging the audience on. And I realized that this is now just part of Phish, and the Phish experience, and who are we to criticize what the band clearly loves doing? So while I won’t start woo-ing during “Vultures” or any start/stop jam any time soon, I’ve made my peace with it. You can have your woo and scream it too.

The delicate “Dog-Faced Boy” may be a song about a breakup, but it’s also a love song, and so on the eve of my 8th wedding anniversary, I put my arm around my wife and we swayed along and enjoyed the gorgeous tune. As the final harmony faded out, and another “spaceship is about to blast off” from Page, into a relatively rare mid-set “David Bowie.” This “Bowie” jam initially found its way into a slightly sunnier area, but otherwise was a mostly standard-amazing “Bowie” jam. Trey seemed to offer a little extra mustard on the final build.

The “Farmhouse” that I thought was coming earlier finally did come, and this version didn’t have any of the nice slow build qualities as the Bend version from earlier this summer. “Scent of a Mule” got everyone bouncing again, Page did another “Martian Monster” sample at the end of his part of the Mule Duel, and Fishman took an extended Marimba Lumina solo as his half of the Mule Duel. It sounds like Fish has been practicing, as he did some really nimble mallet work on chromatic notes that worked really well in the space of the klezmer “Mule” riff. He also utilized a pitch shifter slider to bend around the heavy bass notes that were erupting out of the instrument. Kudos to Fishman for taking this on, it’s been really cool seeing him learn a new instrument.

Photo By Rene Huemer © Phish From the Road

After “Mule,” it was clearly time for the closer, and with “Bowie” already out of the way, the band pulled a huge surprised and closed with…”Ghost”?! Of course, in this set there had to be some alien monsters along with the ghosts, with Page adding a bunch of ghost moaning sounds along with a few other Haunted House sounds. In the space right after “I simply haven’t looked,” the band did another big “Martian Monster” tease, highlighting the connection between all these big first set dark funk grooves. “Ghost” is a wonderfully malleable song – it’s jam seems to always meet the setlist placement needs perfectly. At Dick’s in 2013, the show opening “Ghost” was built like a show opener, with a straight-ahead big energy jam. This “Ghost” was built perfectly as a set closer. After some more “Martian Monster” teases at the start of the jam, Trey sat back and brought everything down to a very quiet and subdued place. Essentially, they were crafting a jam structured very much like an “Antelope” or “Slave” or “Bowie” jam, more typical set one closing fare.

This “Ghost” entered into a nice modal space again, avoiding the usual funky blues jamming and instead giving it that nice psychedelic aura, with Trey again exploring along the Dorian mode. Trey mostly sat back gently noodling and let Mike do a lot of work in here, while Page was highly active on the electric piano. A brief shift to the subdominant kicked Trey’s soloing into a Mixolydian feel, in other words, still modal but now sunnier and bright rather than dark and brooding, but then everything fell back to the tonic and Trey leaned on the Dorian 6th hard, accentuating the modal character of the jam. The jam didn’t so much peak in the conventional sense, but instead Trey returned to a bit of minor blues jamming before going back to the “Ghost” riff and playing it for quite a few bars, getting gritty and chunky. As a cap to the standout first set, the band gave us one more little mini-rarity, the a cappella “Grind.” While not technically accurate, “Ghost” definitely felt like the set closer though.

Photo © Jake Silco

My friend had been calling not only a “Fuego” at this show, but in his words, a “20-minute Fuego!” I was skeptical of this, seeing as that the first night of the Mann last summer was centered around a huge 20+ minute “Fuego,” but when the piano chords of the tune opened set two, my buddy turned to me and mouthed the words “20 minutes!” Despite being three minutes short, he was right; Phish again took “Fuego” deep for the first time since last year’s Portsmouth, Mann, and SPAC blowouts. The audience has really embraced everything about this song, and it’s a legitimate powerhouse in Phish’s catalog these days. The jam went in the usual direction, but rather than coming out of the gates swinging, the band seemed to sit back on it a little, as if to invite the opportunity to spread out. Spread they did, with Trey going to Mu-Tron after a bit of standard “Fuego” jamming. Trey was content to just play single chords with some nice delay effects, giving this section of the jam over entirely to Mike and Page. Fishman quietly kept everything from getting too ambient in the background, and CK5 of course set the psychedelic, spacey mood perfectly. When Trey finally did start playing chords again, he built a beautiful double plagal chord progression (the same one as the outro to “Hey Jude” or “St. Stephen”), which is especially perfect in Phish’s current jamming language because they’ve been all about the I-IV alteration in their big type-II jams, and in this scenario you basically get that twice in one phrase.

Trey switched over to a slightly countrified tone for a second, almost reminding me of an Allman Brothers tune, before falling into gorgeous circular descending riffs while Page and Fish built the overall sound up, Page hammering away on piano. A truly glorious “Fuego” jam. The fast rock strumming faded into ambience but then came back big time with the opening of “Rock and Roll.” This was a relatively short but fiery version of what is often a second set monster jam, but it filled its role nicely coming after the big opening “Fuego.” Trey eventually went for some fast strumming with the wah-wah pedal which was really nice, and the jam felt like it was settling into something more for an extended walkout. But then Page actually started singing the “it was alright!” refrain again, which ended any chance for further improvisation on this tune. Instead, the band went back to the gritty, dark, murky sound that’s been a frequent visitor this summer and took it into the chunky opening chords of “46 Days.” Even though it only clocked in at eight minutes, there was still a bit of something unique in parts of the “Rock and Roll,” a trend that continued in “46 Days.” Don’t judge these jams by their timings, Phish packed a ton of interesting music into these eight-minute segments.

They decided to forego their usual plan of blasting out of the gates of the “46 Days” jam with a big rock and roll solo, and instead Trey went right back to that murky darkness, low-necking the crap out of the early part of the jam with a variety of effects filters turned on to give this a really gritty quality, the same type of sound that’s come to characterize a lot of the dark jams this summer like the Bend “Simple,” the Atlanta “Tweezer” and “Kill Devil Falls,” and the Shoreline “Twist.” It was quiet and low in pitch, so this “46 Days” jam actually had somewhere to go. After a reprise of the lyrics the band led into a very funky, quiet, psychedelic jam, with Trey again taking a back seat to Mike and Fishman. It sounded almost Pink Floyd-y in that combination of psychedelia and funk, sort of like the middle “Echoes” jam or “Breathe.” This jam then turned bright and major key, with lots of great effects from Page. The major key flip turned out to be a nice way to get into the first “Taste” of summer. Totally a beautiful, buttery segue. The “Taste” jam was, like many other tunes in this show, peppered with a high dose of creativity and a modal feel. As he did on parts of the “Fuego” and “46 Days” jams, Trey again sat back playing fast chord strums with the wah effect turned on, while Mike and Page got a minor blues jam going, which is a big contrast to the usual “Taste” sound, before peaking the jam as usual.

Photo © Jake Silco

The opening segment of “Fuego” through “Taste” was fantastic psychedelic rock, with lots of modal type-II jamming in both “Fuego” and “46 Days.” The next segment of the show was just a big dance party. A big meaty “2001” was perfect here, and Trey again sat back just offering chords with a nice bit of delay while Page did his thing on the Rhodes. The drop into “Sand” kept the party going, with Page controlling the early part of the jam on clavinet and Trey going to the Mu-Tron for his longest foray into that sound, giving a nice big envelope-heavy solo that had a sinister sound to it, rather than the bounciness of “No Man’s Land,” for example. This “Sand” jam had a really nice swing to it, and while it didn’t peak with the same force as usual, it was very pleasing nonetheless.

The set closed with a series of Phish pop/rock, as we got the now-rare “Horse” accompaniment to “Silent in the Morning” (and yes, this exact thing did happen just last year: it again rained really hard and the band played a monster “Fuego” on the first night of the Mann). “Cavern” seemed to be the closer, but then Trey opted for an extended “Number Line” to close things out. Again, when Phish wants to jam the hell out of “Number Line,” they really nail it, and anyone who might groan to think of this closing the second set needs to listen to the all-out shredfest that put a cap on this great show. “Julius” kept the poppy rock vibe going into the encore, and with that we were off.

In retrospect, I think last night’s first set may have actually trumped the second! The “Martian Monster” silliness not only provided a fun connection throughout the set, but highlighted the ways that Phish has really taken their influences and put it into their new compositions. Phish is on fire now, last night was just another example of this. See this band on this tour at any cost.

Philadelphia LE poster by David Welker. Edition of 800.

Tuesday 08/11/2015 by phishnet

TUSCALOOSA "SEVEN BELOW"

0 comments - Link: http://phi.sh/b/55c9f1c2

Monday 08/10/2015 by bl002e

MYSTERY JAM MONDAY PART 195

Welcome to the 195th edition of Phish.Net's Mystery Jam Monday. The winner will receive an MP3 download courtesy of our friends at LivePhish.com / Nugs.Net. To win, be the first person to identify the song and date of the mystery jam clip. Each person gets one guess per day, with the second “day” starting after I post the hint. A hint will be posted on Tuesday if necessary, with the answer to follow on Wednesday. Good luck!

Hint (Posted 2015-08-11 12:05 pm): Smoke 'em if you got 'em.

Answer: Congrats to @WayIFeel, who IDed the 11/19/98 Gumbo, played in Winston-Salem.

LivePhish.com

66 comments - Link: http://phi.sh/b/55c8be5c

Monday 08/10/2015 by pzerbo

ALPINE2 RECAP: SUNDAY GRAVY

Phish’s summer 2015 tour wrapped-up a two-night stand on Sunday at Wisconsin’s massive, sprawling venue on the steepest hill in all of rock and roll, the Alpine Valley Music Theatre. My friend and colleague Parker Harrington did a spectacular job setting the Alpine Valley scene in his recap of Saturday’s show, and there is a lot to cover from this edition of “never miss a Sunday show” so let’s cut right to the action from the bunny hill in the corn fields.

The band kicked off the gig at 7:45 with “The Very Long Fuse” from Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House, the first performance of the song since the 10/31/14 debut in Las Vegas. This was one of the tunes from that set that was seemingly a long-shot to appear again in the repertoire, given the centrality of the theatrics in the first performance with the laser “cutting” a hole in the haunted house set, ultimately revealing the band. Surprising though this may have been, it was but a hint of what was to come. Instead of exposing the haunted house, “The Very Long Fuse” would instead create a huge explosion to reveal… Colonel Forbin!

Photo © @tweeprise

The first “Colonel Forbin’s Ascent” since the MSG “Truck Your Face” set from 12/31/13 (57 shows), this edition would offer one of the more hysterical chapters in the ongoing Gamehendge saga: The Bird Shit Narration. We here at phish.net are rather fond of “Fly Famous Mockingbird” – in addition to it being a delightfully weird and simultaneously beautiful song, it’s eponymous character is the namesake of the non-profit foundation that sponsors this site. The narration is simply too good not to include in its entirety.

Trey: “Thanks everybody. I’m not much of a talker these days, but I used to be when I wouldn’t shut up for fifteen minutes at a time. I will say this, when we stay at Alpine Valley here, some of us, sometimes all four of us, we sleep in the parking lot right back there, I sleep in the parking lot when we play here. I woke up there this morning, it was pretty cool, I got up and put my headphones on, I was listening to a mix tape, and I got to walk around the venue out there. I walked around all morning, we never, the four of us had never really been out there. We always see you guys from this perspective and you always see us from this perspective. It was really fun this morning to walk around, and I walked around and I walked all the way up there, and up where that guy who is waving his arms is, which is like on the peak of that hill, and it is so beautiful from up there, you can see over the top of the venue, and I was also really loving that tree right there, so this is a special shout to the people by the tree, you guys are all waving, thanks, man! The tree is really cool, and then my other favorite spot was that tree, over there, right on the corner is really beautiful. And then the last place I was standing, there was like a piece of wooden platform, that if you’re on the hill, there’s a flat area, you guys right there are on it, and that was one of my favorite spots. And it was there where I was standing when I felt a drop of rain dropping on my head. And I looked up and saw no clouds, and I realized that it was bird shit! And then I thought, maybe tonight is the night to do “Famous Mockingbird!” It’s a sign from the heavens! So I’d like to thank that bird. And then, when I got back, after my little stroll, I started looking up some little factoids that I want to share with you. So thanks to the shitting bird, and by the way, for those of you on the grassy knoll, if you feel bird shit, and you feel a second bird shit, there is obviously a second shitter, on the grassy knoll. Anyway, ba-da-bump! So when I started looking up some facts, I wanted to say that apparently we’ve played here seventeen times, which is pretty cool, man. And tomorrow is apparently the nineteenth anniversary of us first coming to Alpine Valley. So I just want to say, we love it here, and we’ve had such great times, that’s pretty amazing, nineteen years, and we get to share all that with you at this beautiful venue. I’d like to thank the shitting bird, and I’d like to shut up now and play a song, about another bird, the famous mockingbird… as we carry you to Gamehendge.”

As Scott Bernstein aptly noted on Twitter, “the bird that shit on Trey at Alpine wins creativity points over @drewphish but kudos to both for getting Trey to play their requests.”

Photo © @tweeprise

The set then proceeded to include seven more songs – every single one – that was a tour debut, fourteen shows deep into the run. “Brian and Robert” was played for the first time since 10/27/14 at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium (BGCA). “Saw It Again” was played for the first time since 10/31/14 Vegas featuring another episode of Mike and Trey coordinated dancing, and not one but two false endings. “Esther” saw its first live action since 8/30/13 at Dick’s (77 shows), and was notable – given often sloppy performances, especially after sitting on the shelf – for being well-executed, despite the break.

Mike’s lovingly bizarre “Weigh” (first since 8/3/13 BGCA, 80 shows) was a welcome treat, though marred by crowd “woos.” “The Sloth” emerged for the first time since 7/12/13 Jones Beach (94 shows), and “Sanity” took a hard look in the mirror for the first time since 10/28/14 BGCA. While this diverse and surprising set was a treat by any reasonable measure, it was still absent any real jamming; enter “Split Open and Melt,” the first since 1/3/15 Miami. “Melt” has, ironically, been in a bit of a closed shell of late in terms of expansive and exploratory jamming; this edition isn’t going to recall the song’s glory days, but it was certainly more than serviceable and really rather excellent for the era, especially Trey’s machine-gun routine at the end, and ended the set on a high note.

When first sets suck, relative to Phish's ridiculously high standards – and I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but sometimes they do – we note that. This set, to be sure, did not suck! And to be fair, there have been a bunch of first sets this tour that have been pretty awesome, Nashville and Atlanta1 in particular. There was clearly a conscious force at work here to mix up the routine, and it is an effort that fans appreciate in the extreme. The repertoire built over the course of three decades is teeming with riches, so, sometimes go ahead and dig deep, right? They did exactly that, to the fan’s delight. Bravo!

Photo © @tweeprise

Although obviously not a bust-out, “Run Like an Antelope” opened the second set for the first time since 8/11/04 Great Woods (245 shows). While nothing extraordinary took place in the ten-plus minute run time, “Antelope” had the crowd going wild in excitement, as is its role. “Carini” found itself in the two-hole and was a curious bird: there wasn’t a lot happening here early in the jam. Trey went for the Mu-Tron but backed off quickly, and the jam was picking up steam until about six minutes in, when they shifted to a pretty, light, bright jam that was rather delightful, if brief, setting the stage for “Waves.” Or another way to look at it, the “Waves” jam started even before the song proper, in place of a “Carini” jam. The first few minutes of the “Waves” jam were carried by a brisk current, before dissolving to calm, almost flat waters. Trey signals “Tweezer” with about half a minute left in “Waves,” and the segue to “Tweezer” is really odd (and great), with what comes tantalizingly close to but not quite a tease of the signature descending riff of “Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again.”

Photo © @tweeprise

The second “Tweezer” of the weekend following Blossom’s excellent “Cheezer” (“Chalk Dust” -> “Tweezer”) from Friday, Trey launches from the “Memphis Blues” riff into the “Tweezer” theme with the Mu-Tron leading the way, crunching through the corn fields. Early on in the jam it almost seemed like they were going to bail out, with light hints of “Back On the Train” a la 7/27/14 Merriweather, but they hung in with Trey leading brilliantly, chunka, chunka, chunka. Page led the flight to lightness and Mike and Trey followed with Fish calmly driving the tempo. A tap of Mike’s fight bell, a few comet shots from Page, and we’re back into delightfully familiar territory from this tour with bright, sunny, open major key spaces. This segment evoked the lightest hints of “Dear Prudence” and “Franklin’s Tower” while never wavering from the core Phish essence. What an awesome jam!

“Dirt” offered a brief contemplative interlude, offering one a moment to perhaps reflect on the 20th anniversary of Jerry Garcia’s passing. In the humble opinion of this observer, “Dirt” is no less than one of Phish’s best songs, with haunting lyrics tenderly delivered alongside passionate solos from Trey. “Mike’s Song” sure left a mark in Nashville with the long-awaited return of the second jam, and its first appearance since then had fans again on the edge of their seats. Trey and Page rode the thick groove to Funky Town in the first jam – first jams matter – and then at decision time, nobody was throwing up a stop sign, so we’re on to the second jam! Since a number of observers – rightly, if snarkily – noted that the second jam in Nashville wasn’t the second jam, The Right Way, we’ll just call this one “Drew’s Jam,” if that’s OK with you. Page was on fire and let the charge that broke out into some start-stop jamming. And the "woos." Come on, people, what are you, twelve? Shut the fuck up! Seriously. You're at a performance of music, you are not the musician, so your job is to, wait for it... shut up and listen. Killer jam, though.

Photo © @tweeprise

This tour’s anthemic “Blaze On” rained chemtrails on the assembled masses, laying the seeds for the next generation of yearbook quotes. You’ve got one life, Blaze On, it’s kinda like a Dead song! A compact “Weekapaug Groove” (“woo”) sent us around the homestretch, though in one of the only questionable decisions of the entire night, “Weekapaug” actually came to a dead stop rather than offering a launch-pad to bang straight into “Tweezer Reprise.” A mere nit-picky footnote, however, to the best four minutes in rock and roll. While “Tweeprise” has closed sets rather than encored throughout the song’s history, it is notable (and awesome) that it has closed the second set in each of the four instances where “Tweezer” was played on this tour.

The tour debuts kept rolling through the double encore with Mike’s ode to love, “Contact” (first since 10/29/14), and the barn-burning “Frankenstein” (first since 10/31/14) put a wrap on this thrilling performance by The Phish From Vermont. This show had it all, it was the whole Phish package. Get some!

The Road to Magnaball continues on Tuesday at The Mann in Philly. Wit, or Witout? It’s all up to you. We’ll be back with more coverage on Wednesday, enjoy the day off!

-Phillip Zerbo

Photo © @tweeprise

Alpine Valley posters by Brad Klausen.

Sunday 08/09/2015 by tmwsiy

ALPINE1 RECAP: SATURDAY NIGHT'S ALRIGHT

The Front. Nectar’s. Hampton. MSG. Unquestionably a handful of the most storied venues in Phish’s long history, and not a coincidence that they all happen to be the most played venues in the band’s history. After this current two-night run, Alpine Valley Music Theater, in the rolling hills of East Troy, Wisconsin, jumps past Hunt’s and into the Top Five of Phish’s most played venues. Though, better watch out Alpine! Dick’s is quickly knocking on your door!

Lots of fans have a love/hate relationship with Alpine. And let’s be honest, many of them skew more towards the hate side of that equation. Yet, despite some of the drawbacks of the venue – heavy handed law enforcement, preposterously steep lawn, nightmarish traffic jams in and out – I for one love Alpine and every single trip I’ve made there.

As it is for Phish, it was a special venue for the Grateful Dead, too, and one of their most played venues as well. There is just something magical about Alpine. There’s character and history dripping from its distinctive wood roof with an elegance and charm simply not found in the cookie-cutter, tin & cement shit that defines the Live Nation era of outdoor sheds.
Photo by Rene Huemer © Phish From the Road

The massive amphitheater, one of the largest in the country, with pavilion seating nearing 8,000 (larger than some venues this summer tour) and overall capacity of 37,000 has now hosted Phish sixteen times. Its breathtaking views, unusually beautiful sunsets, sprawling lawn, and spectacular sound for a venue of this size keeps the crowds returning. I am excited and happy every year that Phish announces summer tour and Alpine is on the list and breathe a sigh of relief knowing that another great chapter will likely be written.

While it is impossible to highlight all the memorable jams, debuts and special moments from Alpine, a handful that come to mind since Phish’s debut almost exactly nineteen years ago on 8/10/96 include:

Their second performance on 8/9/97 with an incendiary set-closing “Weekapaug Groove” that concluded the near set-long “Mike’s Groove” and showcased the magnificent hose of 1997.
Debuts of Zeppelin’s scorching “Ramble On” as well as Jane’s Addiction’s “Been Caught Stealing” on one of the very first webcasts on 8/1/98
The debut and single performance of the quirky track “Happy Whip and Dung Song” from the Siket Disk on 7/24/99. An overall outstanding show with liberal doses of extended jamming (in particular, check out the jam out of “Fluffhead”) and the massive bustout (324 shows) of “Alumni Blues” in the four-song encore.
One of the very first “LivePhish” releases (Number 5) from 7/8/00.
And from the last time they performed here on 7/1/12, a personal all-time favorite in the fantastic “Fee”.

Photo © @tweeprise

Alpine is for sale and many people think the future is tenuous and challenged by its newer, more modern, and more convenient cousin to the south in Northerly Island. I, for one, hope that Phish fits Alpine into the schedule every few years so more and more people will gleefully be able to say, “I saw Phish at Alpine!” Now that the first of the two-show weekend set has concluded – every Phish show here has always been on the weekend – what will they be saying about last night? Was it another show with Good Wood?

The show kicked off with a perfunctory take of “No Men In No Man’s Land” for the first time in the show opener slot and quickly into an energetic “Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan.” Up-tempo bluegrass tunes always seem to fit like a glove in summer shows and “Poor Heart” filled the role well. Another thing that works well is when “Julius” comes early in the first set. I’d much rather it give a good kick of energy early in a show, as it did here, than late in the second set or encore slot.

Photo by Rene Huemer © Phish From the Road

Since 2009, “Frankie Says” only pops up about once a year (or not at all!) and was a great treat. And of course a tour debut. While lyrically interesting, “Frankie Says” is not a very demanding song musically, but great juxtaposed next to one of Phish’s more complex and demanding tunes in “Maze”. This spirited version was nailed pretty good and even featured a fun Mission: Impossible tease by Page.

Is this where the “Wood” really gets good?

After “Mercury” debuted at the second show in Bend, it has been one of the new songs that most fans have most been eager to hear again. They have sound checked it many times, extensively re-worked it during the Nashville soundcheck, and came to Alpine armed and ready to play. Focusing on the breakdown and jam part of the tune (at least in Nashville) seems to have paid dividends. At times light and airy, almost like a Jethro Tull song, “Mercury” also has the “Canterbury sound” of early Floyd with Marimba Lumina sprinkled in. Mercury’s day may indeed be longer than its year (depending how you define year) but it may have been longer than the attention span of much of the crowd at Alpine, too. In time, I’ll hazard a guess that that won’t be the case for most crowds. No fear, though, as the crowd was instantly brought back in by “Reba” and a hot set-closing “Possum” (Phish’s 500th performance) that featured especially bright and prominent keys by Page.

Photo © @tweeprise

“Down with Disease” has already spectacularly opened the second set in Tuscaloosa this summer. Would this set opener bring the same great results? Just after the ten-minute mark it seemed to be ready to really launch into some interesting space, with Fishman kicking out an interesting beat and an overall contemplative pace with just the right amount of Mu-Tron pedal by Trey. No sooner had “Disease” settled into its groove, it segued into “Halley’s Comet”. Extended jams coming out of “Halley’s#x201D; are a rarity these days. Given the placement here in the second set and the way Phish has been playing this tour, hopes were high and fans on the edge of their seats, like they were when “Mike’s Song” started in Nashville. Yet, while fun, the “Halley’s” didn’t deliver terribly much more than it does typically these days. It was a touch longer and did have a nice little jam that many likely heard a bit of Trey’s “Fare Thee Well” influence. It nicely devolved into “Twist” that had been portended a couple times earlier in the set. Again, like the “Halley’s”, “Twist” was enjoyable and a decent, “syrupy” jam but no real legs.

Photo by Rene Huemer © Phish From the Road

In the power clean-up spot in the set, “Light” also had the potential to be the first candidate for a Phish.net Jam Chart addition from the show. The second half of second set has had such monsters this tour, and Trey seemed particularly spirited with his vocals so again, hopes were high. When it seemed as though “Light’s” light was dimming and heading into something different entirely, a nice curve-ball thrown and the elusive, loved and magical “What’s The Use?” enthralled the crowd. Another, Siket Disc tune for the annals of Alpine history and its second helping in “3.0”. This is really one of those songs that always buoys up the song that preceded it. One of the best things about “What’s The Use?” is the impossibility of when to predict it will be turn up. In this case, the first time following “Light” and as always “What’s The Use?” delivered its signature spacey, mind-fucking goodness (albeit a brief fucking).

In the homestretch, “Fuego” segued nicely out of “What’s the Use?” and offered up its normal fire, albeit again without any jamming. The anthematic “Backwards Down The Number Line” had the crowd singing along and the always sublime and enjoyable “Slave to the Traffic Light” closed the set. The double encore pair of “Meatstick” and a raucous “Character Zero” closed the show.

Will this be looked back and remembered as another legendary Alpine show? No, most certainly not, but “Saturday Night Special” shows have their place. Crowd pleasing numbers, rock-show theatrics and boisterous numbers with crowd sing-alongs and engagement pleases many fans. Phish summer 2015 has had some incredibly great moments. And while lots of tonight may not have elevated to the “incredible” level, the crowd was treated to a couple of rarities, a great take on the new “Mercury,” great mini-jams in both “Disease” and “Light” and the almost return of a jammed out “Halley’s.” I think it sets us up perfectly for a great Sunday night show, and another hopefully historic Alpine show. Enjoy the Wood.

Photo © @tweeprise

Alpine Valley posters by Brad Klausen.

Saturday 08/08/2015 by TheEmu

BLOSSOM RECAP: GOOD WOOD

I think it’s largely true that how much fun you have at a Phish show is up to you and your ability to, if you’ll allow, “surrender to the flow.” But it sure helps when you’ve got a pristine summer day and perfect seats in one of the most beautiful venues I’ve ever seen on your side. This was my first trip to Blossom Music Center, the sonic and architectural gem built specifically with the Cleveland Orchestra in mind, and I was floored. Blossom has everything going for it, from the setting in Cuyahoga Valley National Park to the relaxed and welcoming atmosphere (and congrats to the couple that got married in the middle of shakedown), but it’s the sound that knocked me off my feet. I can’t imagine a better spot to allow a person to get good and thoroughly hosed than right in front of Chris Kuroda underneath that wood pavilion last night, so to whatever forces conspired to put me there, thank you.

Photo © Jake Silco

Right from the start, the solo in “A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing,” you can hear how confident and relaxed Trey has been all tour. I can’t imagine what it must have felt like to step up and knock it out of the park for Fare Thee Well, but Mr. Anastasio has been riding that wave since Bend, and we are all fortunate enough to get caught in the spray. “My Sweet One” and “Wilson” have each become something of a rarity, and during the “Wilson” chant I was first struck by the enormity of the sound crafted in part by the amphitheatre. Not only is the music of Phish huge, but the sound of the crowd, and therefore the literal energy of the people is reflected back down on them, and it’s breathtaking. This fierce “Wilson” set up a creative song choice, and third straight 20+ show gap, “Timber (Jerry).” There’s been some deliciously dark Phish lately, and “Timber” fits that mold nicely. To cap off a run of songs not heard since fall 2014, we were treated to “Roses Are Free” as well as a plea – well, less a plea than a statement of fact – that it’s time for Gene and Dean Ween to get the band back together.

Photo © @tweeprise

There were flubs in this show. Quite a few of them. And I saw Trey gesticulating emphatically offstage at several points during both sets, looking frustrated with some technical issue or the other. As a result, there were some rough patches, particularly in songs like “Rift” and “It’s Ice.” I mention this not because these perceived imperfections detract from or alter the experience, but only to point out how even when some things aren’t working, this is a band of supremely talented and professional artists who can lay waste to whole regions of the country with a single jam. And that’s pretty much the experience I had last night, so this will be the last mention I make of “flubs.”

When “Moma” kicked in, I was almost startled by the slow pace, and not in a bad way. It seemed like a deliberate attempt to make things as sticky and funky as possible, and as it turns out, foreshadowed the thick, dark, green, molasses grooves to come. The first “Ginseng Sullivan” in almost two years, the night’s biggest bustout, was next, followed by “Wingsuit” and another powerful Trey solo. Please forgive the focus on Trey, who tends to pull my attention anyway, but the man is seriously on fire right now. It’s also Mu-Tron Madness 2015 right now, which I absolutely love, and which brings the funk oozing into “It’s Ice” while Trey sort-of almost teases “For The Love of Money.” This “Ice” melts into “Bathtub Gin,” the relative newcomer to the first-set closer spot that continues to really thrive in that role. The jam here begins slyly, then gets a jolt from CK5’s effervescent light show, peaks once solidly, and then just blows the lid off the joint. It was a tremendous exclamation point to take us to the break.

Photo by Rene Huemer © Phish From the Road

A second set “Chalk Dust” opener is an exciting thing, isn’t it? Where will it take you? I had to rush back to my sonic sweet spot and made it back in time for the start of the journey. After a bit of exploration and some serene phrasing from Trey, the jam becomes celebratory in the fashion that 3.0 Phish has become known for. From this “Paradise City” peak, the music becomes contemplative again, then begins to pick up pace before executing the most thrilling segue I’ve seen live.

It was “Tweezer” before I knew it was “Tweezer,” on fire the moment it was born. What I can tell you about this “Tweezer” is that the first several minutes of the jam contain some of the nastiest, filthiest, sickest, stickiest Phish I’ve ever experienced, like a high voltage wire coated in psychedelic honey. The slow electrocution of the funk brought us to a dark realm, where the monsters are and where there’s always just a hint of fear that you may not be able to find the exit. But, as always, Phish brings us back again, and as this “Tweezer” took on gentle, lullaby qualities, I was sure were going from the dark to the “Shade,” but no. “The Lizards” is one of those beloved tunes that, even if you’re not the one who has been chasing it, you can’t help but well up with joy for all those who are finally catching one, and it sounded like there were quite a few of those from the tremendous ovation it received.

Photo © @tweeprise

Following this beautiful and emotional Gamehendge tune, time for a little silliness, and Trey has fun in “Makisupa Policeman,” struggling to find the right terminology for vaping. Or maybe “goop in the top part” is the correct nomenclature, I wouldn’t know. What I do know is that this brief humorous interlude was suddenly possessed by an angry sounding “Ghost” that once again saw Trey shred like he was going to turn Blossom into toothpicks. This jam reaches a blistering peak, flirts with “Psycho Killer,” and breaks into a thousand plinko-y pieces from which “Harry Hood” emerges.

The last two years have been historic for “Harry,” so there’s no shame in this not being one of the best versions of the year. It is a perfect cap for an amazing set… unless, of course, you want to go ahead and “Tweeprise” that Bad Larry right now, in which case, that would really be the perfect cap! Once again, the colossal nature of a “Tweezer Reprise” taken in from dead center of a venue like Blossom is difficult to imagine until you’re there with your sternum rattling. And, to give credit where credit is due, my better half called the “Good Times Bad Times” that Trey then used like a flamethrower to melt any faces left intact, an old-school encore on a night that saw only two songs that debuted in this century.

Photo © @tweeprise

Look, this is the part of my recaps where I always say something about how much I love Phish, how great the show was, and how you should go see Phish this tour. All of that is absolutely true, every time I say it. But, seriously. Seriously. Go see Phish, if you possibly can, this tour. The six years of touring they have under their belt since the breakup, the maturity, the benefits of working with their side projects and being able to balance that with family, it’s all coming together right now. I’m in awe. See you at Watkins, be safe!

Photo by Rene Huemer © Phish From the Road

Blossom Music Center poster by Subject Matter Studio. Edition of 675. 18x24.

Thursday 08/06/2015 by Doctor_Smarty

KC RECAP: STARLIGHT STAR BLIGHT

Fresh off their ascension to new peaks in the land of “Rocky Top,” the band and their pillaging H.O.R.D.E. of wooks, rail-riders, and spunions made the “555” mile trip northwest to lay siege to the turreted castle walls of Kansas City’s Starlight Theatre for a second time. Whereas the initial Phish foray (8/22/12) into this historic artisan’s citadel may only be noteworthy for an average great show replete with solid but otherwise unremarkable takes on a number of repertoire favorites, the most recent performance of “Skin It Back,” some Todd Akin mockery and a “Stairway to Heaven” tease in “Suzy Greenberg,” last night’s show in contrast was a monumentally stellar experience which continued the upward trend that has largely defined the summer 2015 campaign.

At least that’s what I wanted to be able to say this morning. But you know, sometimes reality bites and the endeavor takes a few steps back. Don’t get me wrong, this was as always, a Phish show, which is pretty damn awesome all things reconsidered… even if the song selection may be a little repetitive at this stage of the tour and a few of the numbers fell flat. Thankfully there were still a few flashes of brilliance on which I would be happy to ejaculate, so let’s get down (with disease) and wallow in the mire.

Following a THEY ATTACK! quote of “The Birds,” the first set gets underway with a well-spiced serving of “Gumbo” that Page kept bubbling and Trey gave a good stir with his thick wooden spoon. During the tasty but far too brief clavinet outro, Fishman starts playing around with a “Dogs Stole Things” (no wait “Mound”) backbeat but that idea unfortunately drops into a future stream of consciousness and cascades over the ledge into “Kill Devil Falls.” After that Hotlanta monster, there is nothing much to say about this third version of the tour other than it had high energy and a strong groovy beat that one could dance to. “Back on the Train” gave us the second repeat from the first night of Lakewood in as many songs. Like its predecessor it was a typical lively first set rendition travelling through some pleasant but generally familiar scenery. As the train nears the station some of the second set begins to bleed back through the wormhole but it quickly slams shut, leaving us “Bouncing Around the Room.” Just once… I wish the boys would smash this one open and inspect the gooey entrails that lie within… don’t you?

As our star’s light faded from the heavens above the Starlight, it was time to admire our “Divided Sky” in all it’s gloriously peaceful serenity. You know how there are those moments when you gaze upwards and your breath is taken away by what you see? This wasn’t one of those majestic cerulean visions by any means… but it wasn’t hail and brimstone either. That came next. Though certainly interesting and new as far as the music goes, the Phish debut of Mike Gordon’s “The Last Step” suffers the same vocal agony as “Snow” did on 10/31/13. Here again I think the notes being played are pretty outstanding. This would be a great instrumental. Mike’s pipes just don’t do his words justice. The fifth “Blaze On” of summer 2015 follows allowing it to ease in front of “No Men in No Man’s Land” in the race for most played new song. I love both of these songs of course… but what the hell happened to “Mercury” and when will it leave the retrograde phase?

The answer to that question comes immediately and it seems I will be “Waiting All Night” for the winged messenger to return. We will also continue to wait for something ear-popping to happen with this frequently played Fuego track. I really believe it has a lot of potential to go off the deep end into some thickly textured soaring ambience, but has yet to do such a thing. Please take it for a ride some day, guys. The set closes with a short but muscular “46 Days” and thereby seals this one’s fate as nothing special as far as summer 2015 opening frames go. The problem with raising the bar is that sometimes you smash your junk on it the next time you try to jump over.

“Gotta Jibboo” trots out for the second half and shanks a short pooch kick to the up-back on the hands team. No return to be had on this one. The same must be said for the far too concise “Twist” that followed, unfortunately. This version gets dark and sinister for a few minutes, shows flashes of the brilliance it has displayed earlier in the tour (see Shoreline), but then gets ripped from our greedy clutches far too soon. So far this second set is feeling like a second first set. I guess it is all about mass balance. When some shows are so jam heavy, others have to be jam light to keep the galaxy’s spiral arms in place. “The Wedge” follows in the mid-second set slot it occupied most recently during the first night at the Les Schwab Amphitheater in Bend. In keeping with this similar setlist placement, it contains a synonymous “Stash” tease and does little in the way of architectural achievement as far as the show structure is concerned. I’m sure the dude that was throwing down in front of me in Bend was loving it as always!

Starlight’s star blight to the rescue! A blight, you see, is a plant disease, one that is typically caused by fungi such as mildews, rusts, and smuts. This show had ample infestations of rust, mildew, and smut before we came “Down with Disease” if you know what I’m saying. The latest offering in the 20+ minute jams of summer 2015 is another winner. The jam engages as a lush cerebral groove that veers towards “What’s the Use?” space via “Wingsuit” briefly revisits “Piper” asks “How Many People Are You?” then builds patiently toward a steep yet truncated peak that pierces the bulk and allows a glimpse into the infinite quietude of deep space before the drop into “Sand.” Slinky groove, dimensional flanging, gravitational fuzz rock firestorm, give me this sound all day… or at least more than eight minutes… seriously more of that!

You know, if you want me to be happy and full of “Joy” that is. Speaking of, this tune actually is starting to have something for everybody. I noticed during the Shoreline performance that it covers every angle of the Phish experience and often builds to a face melting peak these days. It is my song too… if only for a few seconds. “You Enjoy Myself” brings the set to a close with some time-bending crunchiness a “Groove is in the Heart” dalliance and a largely plaintive vocal jam that is representative of the overall average-great vibe of the show.

I love “Bug” and think it is a great encore. The lyrics are deep if you let them take you there. It pays musical homage to The Velvet Underground and The Marshall Tucker Band simultaneously. It places value on experiences rather than material possessions. It reminds us each and every time it is played that the opinions we have as individuals especially when striving to give a critical assessment of the band’s performance on a given night is just one opinion… and whether we overrate or underrate the music… it just doesn’t matter. What would you rather be doing??? You’re next, Blossom… go get high in the middle and round on both ends!

Kansas City LE poster by @GREGMIKE. Edition of 675.

Wednesday 08/05/2015 by pzerbo

NASHVILLE SKYLINE: GREATEST HITZ

On Tuesday night Phish’s summer tour descended on the brand new, 6,800-capacity Ascend Amphitheater in downtown Nashville, TN. The Nashville Skyline form the backdrop and the gentle arches of the Korean Veteran’s Memorial Bridge spanning the Cumberland River in the background frame this gorgeous spot in Nashville’s West Riverfront Park. This was Phish’s 26th performance in the state of Tennessee, the first since 6/10/12 Bonnaroo; it was Phish’s fourth in Nashville, though the first in almost twenty years since 11/29/95 at the Municipal Auditorium.

Reports from the brand new venue were universally positive. Seats were just folding chairs on grass and were not permanently affixed, and none of the seats were yet numbered barring the first one in row, as if details were still being added. Most of the staff were laid back and accommodating, and the facilities were so fresh that they had "new car smell." The venue acoustics was unusually pristine – crisp and bright – offering the best of both worlds, with wide open and full sound like the best outdoor venues but with the sharp, dialed-in sound of an indoor venue. The extreme heat that has followed the band throughout much of their tour was no exception in Nashville, an unrelenting 90F° at the 7:34 start time.

The gig kicked off with a spirited “Free;” this was the sixth deployment in the kick-off position since the song opened the MSG run on 12/28/11, and the role fits the song like a glove. The tour’s bright, peppy new Anastasio/Marshall funk vehicle “No Men In No Man’s Land” is gaining steam and fans as it rolls across America. While the Mu-tron effect gets a lot of ink, it’s Trey’s playful, engaged, attacking jamming leads, weaving and jutting and sailing over the bedrock of the best rhythm section in rock, that is propelling this song to strong Rookie of the Year contention.

“Wolfman’s Brother” was next – you know the set is shaping up as a winner when “Wolfman’s” is offered this early, when there was no pressing need for an energy boost. Mike and Trey engaged in the first of several adventures in Glen Close jamming – this bromance is no act, the affection (musical and otherwise) for each other is palpable on stage. It borders on redundant to note Mike’s contributions to “Wolfman’s” ongoing excellence, but this is as good a place as any to note that Mike’s playing this summer has been consistently phenomenal in a lead jamming role, brilliant musical ideas rolling off one after another into the Phish stew. This set was kicking so much ass that even “555” was superb, featuring a fiery Trey solo.

Trey was using his Ocedoc guitar for this gig, and in an unusual move switched to the KOA for “Birds of a Feather.” Trey has switched guitars during the tour from one show to the next, but it is exceedingly rare for him to do so mid-gig. While this “BOAF” was brief at six minutes, Trey was super active in the composed section, playing lead fills where he usually just chords. Intentional or otherwise, Page chimed in with a series of scary effects toward the end, like the kitchen sink of screeching animal noises. The whole sequence was weird, but awesome weird. Don’t sleep on this “BOAF” when scanning the timings; it’s a jam-packed six minutes. When “BOAF” ended, Trey switched back to the Ocedoc.

“Funky Bitch” featured Mike showing strong vocals and a fantastic Page solo, and a tender delivery by Trey of “When the Circus Comes” provided what is in the last few years a rare instance of back-to-back cover songs. This version of “Stash” isn’t going to whiff any seasoned observers “best of” lists, but it rounded out the set nicely. After a brief interlude with the Chairman of the Boards in “Lawn Boy” – where Page visited and acknowledged Mike Side (the right side) – a pounding “Walls of the Cave” punctuated this excellent first set. While this set didn't have a tent-pole jam like the Atlanta1 “Ghost” or even a very non-first-set-like opening sequence of “Martian Monster” and “Down with Disease” from the LA Forum, this set had great pace and flow, thoughtful song selection and inspired type-I playing that easily ranks it among the top tier of this tour's first sets.

The first “Golden Age” since the ground-breaking 10/31/14 Vegas gig opened the second set festivities. The “song” part of the song was light on love, heavy on falter; maybe something was amiss with Trey’s prompter? The jam section starts out with real potential, a chunky groove with Page on clav that went type-II, though in an unusual move reverted back to the type-I jam. This wasn’t negative at all it was just unusual, as Trey shifted the band to a major key with an airy, open approach and tone. “Light” brought out the rock star in Trey, almost a 90s style where he was out on the ledge, way out front with more typically hard rock licks, leaving the band a bit behind but in a good way, deep into his art before lots of pedal tweaking and a reduction to a soft spacey wash that set the stage for “Shade.” Another new Anastasio/Marshall composition, “Shade” may not have been liked by all for blocking the “Light,” but the selection could be reasonably excused given that Tom was in attendance.

Many readers know the story of “Mike’s Song” and its long-lost “second jam.” For those catching up, back in the proverbial day (up until the first hiatus in the fall of 2000), “Mike’s Song” would often contain not one but two jams – the first jam after the vocal section, and the second at the end of the descending chord progression that resolves to “Simple,” “I Am Hydrogen,” or any number of other tunes. When Phish returned to the stage after their break and break-up, – in 2002, and then again in 2009, respectively – ”Mike’s” second jam was seemingly a thing of the past. Which was, you know, not that big of a deal. We’re all adults, for the most part; we can accept change, more or less. That said, for fans of a certain age, “Mike’s” second jam was at the very top of lists of things from the good ol’ days that we’d wish might someday return.

Enter my friend and colleague, Drew Hitz. Drew is a professional musician and music business consultant, a world-renowned tubist who has performed with many of the greatest ensembles of our time, a phish.net contributor, and a member of the board of directors of The Mockingbird Foundation. He’s also a pretty big fan of the second jam in “Mike’s Song.” So, on 5/22/13, when Drew had the opportunity of a lifetime to perform tuba with Trey and the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center presenting orchestrations by Don Hart, he had the chance that every Phish fan dreams of: a few private moments with Trey. Drew thanked Trey for being able to perform with him that night, what he described as the highlight of his career. Then he asked if he could be a pain in the ass Phish fan for one minute, and he asked what had happened to “Mike’s” second jam – you know, it’s in “F”! Drew noted how incredibly gracious Trey is, all the time, even with super fans. The “Mike’s Song” discussion didn’t quite take, however, and the “second jam” remained in mothballs.

When Phish announced that they were playing in Nashville, home of Drew and Trey’s common friend and colleague, Don Hart, Drew decided to make the trip. Don arranged for Drew to attend soundcheck, and again Drew had the chance to speak with Trey. This time he left little to chance; he had a recording of the last known instance of “Mike’s” second jam, 7/14/00 Columbus, OH, queued up on his iPhone, which he played for Trey, to remind him how it goes. “So, Trey, do you want to break Twitter tonight?” None of this was a secret – Drew tweeted about it – so when the opening notes of “Mike’s” hit, the suspense was, for many of us, rather thick. The show was also being webcast – it wasn’t quite the whole world that was watching, but for those who follow Phish with passionate regularity, this was the "who shot J.R.?" moment – we were all tuned in.

Now that we’re all on the same page, we had the pesky matter of the first jam in “Mike’s Song,” which was excellent in its own right. If they would have concluded “Mike’s” then and there, well, no big deal, right? But after two false endings… a hint at “Simple” and then... no way! The second jam! This holy shit moment, the all-time couch-tour synchronized desk-flipping moment, instigated by a fan. Pretty cool, huh? And the (second) jam! Much ink will be spilled about this in the coming days and weeks, but for now let’s just say that it was well worth the wait. Trey even capped off the fun by briefly teasing “Eleanor Rigby” near the end of second “Mike’s” jam. Clocking in at 14:27, it was the longest “Mike’s Song” in over twelve years, since 2/21/03 Cincinnati. Wow. Just… wow!

At this point in the show, the “W” is obviously secure. It would have been so easy to take a knee. Park the bus. Call off the dogs. It would take an act of monumental stupidity to fuck this up, so play a few songs straight-up and hit the tunnel, right? Wrong. Good Phish shows get their work done in the third quarter, stick it in cruise control, take a bow, and move on to the next town. Great Phish shows power through the fourth quarter with ferocity and determination... to glory! This was a great Phish show. “Piper” was simply outstanding, pushing the boundaries of sonic space. When “Crosseyed and Painless” hit, there were no more desks left to flip. Fish was so on, all night, and he still had the juice to drive the powertrain and offer a transcendent vocal performance, while Trey was channeling his inner Adrian Belew.

Then, there is the not-so-small matter of the “Weekapaug Groove.” First, a silky smooth segue from the “C+P”. Then the “Weekapaug” intro at first seems a little trainwrecky, but it’s all coming up Millhouse so they work it to their advantage. Then, a funky change in key and tempo, more bromance coordinated dancing to a funky dark groove – that contained strong hints of Black Sabbath’s “Electric Funeral” – before heading back to the concluding chorus. Still Waiting! Using “Crosseyed’s” “still waiting” chorus to smoothe the transition from the dark slow part to the light fast part was absolutely brilliant. “Weekapaug” was like a mini-movie thriller with more twists and turns than a “Mike’s Song” with a second jam! Fifteen-minute “Weekapaug”; 45-minute “Mike’s Groove”... holy shit. Take a few deep breaths, hug the person closest to you, and then sit back and enjoy a sublime “Slave to the Traffic Light” encore.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but sometimes, after all these years and decades, you wonder… why is it that I still spend so much time and energy and money on a rock and roll band? Sometimes, that answer isn’t readily apparent. Sometimes the answer is still waiting. Sometimes the answer never comes at all. Then, Shoreline II. Atlanta1 I & II. Nashville (Or Vegas, or Randall’s Island, or….). When you get whacked in the face with brilliant, powerful, masterful, awe-inspiring shows like that, the answer is simple. It’s the art of four men, it’s right in front of you, it’s undeniable, and when it’s on, it’s totally awesome. That’s why.

We’ll be back here tomorrow with more coverage of Phish's summer tour from Kansas City.

-Phillip Zerbo

Nashville, TN LE poster by Status Serigraph. Edition of 700. 18x24.

Tuesday 08/04/2015 by phishnet

ATLANTA "TWEEZER"

0 comments - Link: http://phi.sh/b/55c10c38

Monday 08/03/2015 by phishnet

TUSCALOOSA RECAP: ALABAMA GETAWAY

[Editor's Note: this recap is by musicologist and phish.net contributor Jake Cohen. Jake's blog is at: smoothatonalsound.com. –PZ]

Trying to predict anything about a certain Phish show is an exercise in futility. All you can ever be sure of is that you will hear lots of songs you love and have an amazing time. That’s the baseline standard, but there are huge variations within all that. Coming off what are in the view of many the two best shows of the summer so far in Atlanta, it was tough to say how the band would respond. On the one hand, they had just blown up Atlanta with heady, deep improvisation in both night’s second sets (and in the first set on Friday), and were about to cap off that three-night run. On the other, they changed venues and cities, which might interrupt the momentum. But of course, #NeverMissASundayShow.

Tuscaloosa Amphitheater is a gorgeous small amphitheater with no lawn. Imagine just the pavilion of a venue like Merriweather or Great Woods, but the entire lower 100-level section was GA. Sight lines were excellent and the venue felt really tiny, with great sound everywhere, and cheap beer! With the sun setting behind the stage and woods all around, and a friendly Southern spirit in the air, the scene was right for a good time.

Photo by Walter Maddox, Tuscaloosa, AL Mayor

“Sample in a Jar” got things started off, and right away the energy was palpable. It was as if everyone was carrying over their excitement and spirit from the Atlanta shows into Alabama. Being in both a college town and also being in the South, away from the main core of the fanbase, the crowd seemed to skew a touch younger than usual, which overall made for a highly enthusiastic opener, and the feel-good rock/pop vibe of “Sample” matched it well. A surprising second slot “Chalk Dust” came along at a slow, thick tempo, immediately hinting at the possibility for some drawn out improv early in the show. This wasn’t a typical first set in-your-face rocker; instead Phish seemed to be taking their time on the build, with Mike and Fish locked into a funkier-than-normal pocket. Instead of going deep in the second song, Trey opted for something more traditional: a classic tension and release peak. Building up dissonant lines over a big dominant harmony, Trey released to the climactic riff like it was ‘92 hose.

The crowd continued to show even more of their excitement and energy during the break after “Chalk Dust,” clearly amped up on both the big release of the “Chalk Dust” jam and still riding the fumes from the mindblowing Atlanta jams the night before. Showing our love for them, the band acknowledged the fevered exhilaration of the crowd, with Trey visibly expressing gratitude. We are all really so, so lucky.

The rare “Train Song” showed up next, likely referencing the train bridge that cut across the river directly behind the venue. Unlike some recent version which have been train wrecks, Phish played Mike’s folksy composition perfectly, delivering what is probably the most accurate version in a while. In fact, throughout the night the band’s playing on compositions, especially Trey, would have a confidence and accuracy that matched the show energy. “Devotion to a Dream” came next, another good version that continues to showcase Trey’s new post-GD50 comfort with country/blues soloing. Page thanked the crowd, saying how happy they were to be back and that they hadn’t played Tuscaloosa since 1993. The first surprise of the night came with a big, fun, laid back “Meat.” This trip through this now-rarity saw some sections extended even longer than usual, and only one fake-out ending. “Maze” continued the theme of big energy and classic tension/release jamming that we got in the “Chalk Dust,” with a serious big Page organ solo.

“The Line” came next, and this is just honestly one of the few songs I don’t care for. Everyone has one or two – for me, it’s “The Line.” But this was a good place for it, where it couldn’t do much damage to the flow or energy in the set. “Roggae” is a song that I will gladly hear anytime at any show, and this version again showed how Trey’s practicing on modal, moderate-tempo Dead tunes has filtered into his Phish playing, with a truly gorgeous, soaring solo. It was funny that I heard “My Friend, My Friend” in back to back sets, but of course a treat, and the end of the song just has so much intensity which brought the crowd’s energy roaring back. A badass “46 Days” seemed to be the closer, but then they surprised everyone with “Cavern.” Trey even thanked the crowd and said they’d be right back, something that he doesn’t really do anymore at the end of first sets, clearly showing that the band’s excitement matched the crowd’s.

Everyone had a feeling set two would lead off with “Down with Disease” and the band delivered with a nice high energy version. Settling into the groove, the band kept chugging away at a relatively moderate tempo and volume, not getting too fast or high energy coming into the jam. Trey sat back at first, offering some excellent chunky strumming and setting up a loop of him playing tremolo on a single note while Page dominated the early part of the jam on piano. Things seemed to be heading for that typical spacey slowdown that 3.0 era “Disease” jams often find themselves in, but instead Fishman kept up the beat as the band turned to more minor key jamming.

About twelve minutes into the jam, Fishman switched up the beat to something with a bit more peppiness to it, shifting Page onto the clav and Trey into a major key area again. Soon Trey found himself in a familiar place, playing the plagal-style jam that has become such a hallmark of 3.0 style. Yet he was doing it all with strumming, as Page swirled around on piano keys. Trey’s strumming pattern resembled “Piper” heavily at this point, and since he was playing two of the chords that make up the “Piper” progression, Fishman responded by going right into the “Piper” drum beat while Mike played a few of the octaves that typically signal the beginning stages of a “Piper” build. But instead of a segue, Trey kept soloing, and gave us a wild, high-energy “Piper” jam during the “Disease.”

I really thought that at any point throughout this whole section of the jam they would slam into “Piper,” but eventually they wound down again, heading for a minor sound with Trey giving some big, wah-infused funk strums. Weird spaciness followed, with really eccentric dissonant notes, and Fishman slowed the beat into something even funkier. Mike played some really eerie circular riffs on his bass and it seemed as though everything might keep getting weirder, but instead Trey surprised everyone with another fun tour debut: “Camel Walk.”

In the post-jam cooldown spot, “Camel Walk” absolutely shined. It was not only an old, rare tune, but it just dripped with funk. It had a playfulness after all of that “Disease” improvisation that it doesn’t always have when it shows up in the first set, as it has the past few years. Trey’s soloing was the perfect combo of melodious lines and funky riffs, and just as with the first set’s compositions, they nailed every change.

The improv potential continued with the tour’s first “Seven Below.” As someone who saw 27 shows in 2003, “Seven Below” has a ton of personal resonance, and this version packed a lot of heat into what felt like much longer than ten minutes. The tempo clicked along at a slightly faster pace than usual, really propelling the jam forward. Right away, Trey eased the jam into another plagal progression jam, clearly wanting to get back to that improvisational launching pad that he’s found so comfortable. All the while Trey had a shimmering electronic sound going on in the background, giving everything a psychedelic sheen, and he played around with some big circular riffs high up on the neck of his guitar with the Mu-tron turned on. Heading for a big ramping up of energy, Trey found his way into some fast strumming with Fishman playing around heavily on the woodblocks. The return of Fish’s love affair with his woodblocks is one of the fun stories of summer 2015 so far. The jam peaked without a flurry of hose, but rather with a increasing amount of action from Page and Mike, with Trey finally erupting into some big chords and, interestingly, returning to the “Seven Below” riff to end the tune.

Sound faded away into the piano opening of “Fuego,” starting a fantastic string of songs that would end the second set with a series of high energy punches. The “Fuego” jam kept the energy flying as the band headed into the first “2001” of the summer. This was a classic version with Page and Trey both offering a variety of jazzy funk licks without trying to peak or build the jam, just keeping it grooving along on the Mike/Fishman pocket. Longer than the four or five-minute versions of a few years ago but not quite up to the ten-plus minute versions of the late 90s, this “2001” was a big crowd pleaser and set everyone up nicely for the “Harry Hood” that dropped in what seemed to be the closer spot.

Unlike the Shoreline and Texas versions, this “Hood” toed the line pretty close to the normal structure, which is to say that it was gorgeous and gentle leading to a big, classic tension and release peak. Like the “Maze” and “Chalk Dust” in the first set, Phish chose to stick to the tried and true improvisational style that characterizes so much of their sound, but they did so with a crispness and ease that we don’t always see in this era. Every mini-peak seemed to be perfectly placed within the overall form of these jams, and the entire band was dialed in to each other’s cues as to where the major structural points of the jam should be.

Letting it all loose on the final “Possum,” the boys delivered one more burst of energy to cap off the blazing night before returning to huge applause and treating us to the always welcome “A Day in the Life” encore.

In the end, Phish followed up what are probably their two jammiest and biggest shows of 2015 not with more of that dark exploratory improv that burst through the seams of Atlanta’s “Kill Devil Falls,” “Tweezer,” and “Carini” jams, but instead by building on the energy of those great shows and delivering a Sunday night full of the same excitement and buzz as Atlanta but a bit shorter on transcendent improvisational moments. Still, the nearly 20-minute “Disease” with its “Piper” jam and the big blowout jam on “Seven Below,” along with a number of bustouts, tour debuts, and a much needed “2001” dance party made for a fun, spirited Sunday night.

Tuscaloosa, AL LE poster by Leslie Herman. Edition of 600. 18x24.

Monday 08/03/2015 by bl002e

MYSTERY JAM MONDAY PART 194

Welcome to the 194th edition of Phish.Net's Mystery Jam Monday. The winner will receive an MP3 download courtesy of our friends at LivePhish.com / Nugs.Net. To win, be the first person to identify the song and date of the mystery jam clip. Each person gets one guess per day, with the second “day” starting after I post the hint. A hint will be posted on Tuesday if necessary, with the answer to follow on Wednesday. Good luck!

Answer: I'm honored to present to you the fourth member of the Mystery Jam Monday Emeritus Club, @PersnicketyJim, who won his seventh by recognizing the 11/24/95 Bathtub Gin. Be in the lookout in the coming weeks for a future MJM edition to be handpicked by our newest esteemed member.

LivePhish.com

12 comments - Link: http://phi.sh/b/55bf97ec