Weekend Nuggets: The Other Night In Albany
DOWNLOAD OF THE WEEKEND:
11.27.09 Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, NY < Megaupload
11.28.09 Albany (Peek)
With all of the due praise that 11.28 has garnered for its improvisational odyssey, the night beforehand has slid under the radar. In one of the most unique shows of tour, Phish molded an original second set featuring two debuts, a couple bust-outs, and a hefty portion on-point jamming. “My Friend, My Friend,” an aural omen of the fire to come, kicked off the frame, setting the table for the out-0f-left-field cover, “Golden Age.” An experience likening the debut of “Roses Are Free,” twelve years earlier in Rochester, no one had any idea what song Phish had busted out. The entire set passed and we walked out of the venue having no idea the song was even a cover. With a triumphant Phish jam and lyrics referencing “an age of miracles,” I thought the band had just debuted their best-kept secret, written specifically for this go-round. Only later in the evening did I find out the song’s indie pop-tronica roots, download the song, and become mesmerized by its transformation. Phish fed off the energy born from “Golden Age” for the entire set, killing “On Your Way Down,” “Piper > Tommorrow’s Song” and “Harry Hood.” And the first set ain’t too shabby either!
I: AC/DC Bag, Maze, Driver, My Mind’s Got a Mind of its Own, Gumbo, Bouncing Around the Room, It’s Ice, Two Versions of Me, Timber, Limb By Limb, Cavern, Light
II: My Friend, My Friend > Golden Age*, On Your Way Down, Fluffhead, Piper > Tomorrow’s Song*, Prince Caspian, Harry Hood, Suzy Greenberg, The Squirming Coil, I Been Around
E: Fire
*Debut
Source: Sennheiser MD441U > Edirol R4Pro @ 24/88.2
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Jams of the Weekend: 11.27.09
“Piper > Tomorrow’s Song“
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/ph2009-11-27s2t05.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/ph2009-11-27s2t06.mp3]=====
VIDEOS OF THE WEEKEND:
“Golden Age” 11.27.09
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“On Your Way Down” 11.27.09
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11.28.09 - Albany (Peek Photography)
I had a blast at this show! When I came back for the 2nd night you just knew they’d build off this tight ass show and they sure did. It was a strange feeling not knowing what they were playing though. I pride myself on being able to rattle off the songs. During Golden Age I was lost and very happily!
when did the baby grand go away?
^??
I have a question:
I want to put my cover of Driver up on youtube, but it’s only audio, and I’m not sure how to put it up as just audio with like a picture or something. I’ve looked online for help, but I haven’t found anything, and I think this board will be the most help. I have a mac, with imovie, so thanks.
Great work, Brendan.
The Thanksgiving Run Supplemental.
To me, what really makes Trey, well, Trey, is the same thing that made Jerry, Jerry:
Their uncanny dexterity on the strings. Unique to the world of guitar players. Trey has his back. He sounds so strong and confident and fluid.
I realized after MSG 3 that the band is not playing for my pleasure. They are not playing so I can pad my stats or cross favorites off my must see list, or so I can be the one to say I was at the Albany show with the 45 minutes of improv.
They’re playing for US, the Collective conscience, the collective soul. They’re doing it for us to share the love. I’m thankful to be on board.
Ghostface, I listened to ‘My Friend’ off of the soundboard. I agree it was not the smoothest rendition. It’s always been a favorite of mine, saw it at my first show, where Trey played the intro on his acoustic guitar. Always loved it.
That said, I disagree wholeheartedly with the rest of your post.
Jah Bless!
good morning all. Love the write up miner. this was a great show.
trying to keep it together for one more night. Completed 2 out of 3 shows. One more tonight in the home town. Should make up for the complete lack of energy from the crowd last night.
To be more specific, I think the vocals have improved from past tours. Like they are paying attention to their voices like a singer, not just a musician that sings.
Trey seems to have regained control of his tone, his rig, his pedals, and all. If he is playing a bunch of stuff out of key, I’d say he’s fooling me. Missing changes? Hardly, IMO. And the biggest difference I see when there are mistakes:
Smiles on stage, push on through, crush the next section. As opposed to the past where the mistakes brought out this uncomfortable self-consciousness on stage.
Have a great weekend all!
seems to me both trey and page have lost a bit of range, and many of their older songs were written in a higher register than a lot of the newer stuff.
Phish has never been about good vocals though, and I think overall they do better now with what they’ve got, but I just don’t think they can hit those high notes like they once did. What they’ve lost in range they’ve gained in soul though and they are singing ballads like circus or army of one better than ever..
re:mistakes – the sheer number of complex songs these guys are trying to keep alive means mistakes are inevitable. But as you say Rob, the Next section always comes back with a vengeance and trey isn’t losing his place now as much as just misfiring here and there..
mistakes happen. its how you recover. There used to be a point when they couldnt get it back together after a flub. Now they just press on
this.band.does.not.suck.
have you ever tried listening to Phish….ON WEED?!?!?
@Mr. C – Food cart meetup next week?
FWIW the word of the day is “cavitate”
acceptable usages include:
“fuss and quake and cavitate”
or
“high pitched cavitation of propellers from afar”
plz to work these into daily conversation
thx
@PBS: absolutely. name the day. weather might suck less later in the week, looks like
one flub comes straight to mind…but it makes me happy (is that wierd). At Camden when Trey forgot Fee. youd think the crowd would be restless, but to me what made it more than ok is that i believe he was so into the song that the words just slipped his mind. after many loud cheers and a giggly apology we got one of the best Fees and type I in quite some time (IMO). That day and any day the band seems that focused and on their A game i could care less if they have a flub or two.
@ Mr. C – Well, I’m lookin’ pretty good next week…Finally able to see light at the end of my work tunnel. Maybe we should retreat to the safety of the indoors? Might help us avoid any unfriendly weather trends – or any unexpected cavitation…Let’s shoot for Tuesday…
every time phish flubs a note, a kitten dies
a really cute one
C, that was one heck of a cold snaP!
Several neighbors lost plumbing to the deadly icy calm.
My kid even had a school day called yesterday.
mr.c
somewhat took your advice and playes a 15 min plight that went to the depths of nowhere and we didnt even recieve so much as a sideways glance of disgust. It was like nothing ive seen before. we may as well been the animatronic band from chucky cheese
@PBS, at the 10th and Alder food carts you can take food inside the building next door and eat inside…I’m also fine with picking an indoor place if it comes to that…we exchanged emails didn’t we?
@lycan I read your posts from last night this AM actually
that’s so lame it actually sounds really really funny
kudos for having the balls to try that!
Shit crowd last night Lycan?
alright, family time kicking in to full effect…laters y’all…remember to fuss and quake and cavitate!
ha yeah we had a good time nonetheless. it was just a little weird.
anyway, so it goes. one more..