Standard Fare
Official SPAC 6/20 Pollock
After setting the table for a huge Sunday night closer at SPAC, Phish went the other way, playing a song-based show that contained barely any creativity. After an exciting opening frame with several summer bust-outs, one wasn’t wrong to think the band might come back with one of their most engaging frames of tour. But Phish pulled out of upstate New York after a choppy second set that contained their least engaging playing of tour. While maintaining their energy and tightness, Phish took no risks in a energetic show that was heavy on the setlist, but, at times in the second set, straight up boring.
Opening the weekend’s final stanza with “Carini,” the band seemed to be on the brink of launching into an evil exploration, only to pull up well short, wrapping up the jam at its deepest point for “Mango Song.” A pairing that worked like oil and water, the band aborted a psychedelic mission for some light summer music, and the pairing carried no cohesion whatsoever. And after “Mango Song,” the band sent a signal loud and clear with “Wilson,” that this set would be about fun songs and not about interesting improvisation.
6.12.10 (L.Neuhaus)
The only significant jam in the entire show came in “Drowned,” a song that Phish has beaten to death since their comeback. Here we are in Summer 2010, and the big jams of the last two nights have been “Rock and Roll” and “Drowned.” Wasn’t that last year? Containing jams so similar in contour, why would Phish choose to feature “Drowned” to the exact same audience who watched them shred apart a much more impressive “Rock and Roll” the night before? As the band launched into “Saratoga Jam #2” they entered hackneyed musical territory, revving up a set of generic percussive grooves that paled in comparison to several segments just like it over the past three nights. When Phish actually tried pushing themselves outside their comfort zone, the last few minutes of “Drowned” became magical; but magic would hardly be the theme of the night.
6.11.10 (S.LaBrasca)
The band did moved gracefully from “Drowned” into “Swept > Steep,” playing the same composed jam that was debuted in Miami, before paying homage to the veritable police-state that overtook SPAC this weekend with “Makisupa.” Making lyrical references to the venue within the song, the band magnified the silly spirit of the set. Unfortunately, while the band was busy making jokes amidst uneventful reggae, precious time clicked off their show. When “Makisupa” ended, it was clear that set’s next segment would be its last, and I, for one, expected at least one interesting jam. But instead, Phish spun their greatest-hit singles of “Piper > 2001 > YEM,” all of which were extremely pedestrian versions. While “2001” held up to its current, five-minute standard, and the versions of “Piper” and “YEM” were generic as they come. Maybe this glossy, jam-less set worked for the masses, but not for me. At times I found myself completely bored, wondering when they were gonna’ play “Ghost” again. But hey, you can’t win ’em all, and with the family atmosphere for Father’s Day, the vibe was one of enjoyment, not of musical seriousness. Take it for what it is, I suppose.
6.18.10 (K.Lindner)
The first set provided more earnest excitement than the second, as its outstanding playing seemed to foreshadow something huge. Bust outs of “Brother,” “Back on the Train,” “Undermind,” “Cities,” “Roggae,” and “Sleep Again” speckled the opening stanza with excitement. The highlights of these summer debuts came in the searing “Undermind” jam and the stunning rendition of “Roggae.” A standard “Antelope” capped the set, setting the plate for the big second half that never happened. In one other first set note, Trey invited long-time friend, TAB bassist, and local, Tony Markelis, to the stage to sit-in for “Jibboo,” a song he co-wrote. With Mike on rhythm guitar, this guest spot resulted as most do – decent. Unable to replicate their normal dynamic, the usually high peak of the song fell a bit flat.
All in all, SPAC’s conclusion didn’t hold up to the other shows of tour. Trumped by the jamming in the weekend’s three previous second sets, last night’s final frame served as the Northeast denouement rather than its peak. Sure the band played some big songs, but they did little to nothing with any of them. Let’s stash this one away and move on to Great Woods.
I: Brother*, AC/DC Bag, Back on the Train, Undermind, Cities, Gotta Jibboo**, Roggae, Sleep Again, Lawn Boy, Run Like an Antelope
II: Carini > The Mango Song, Wilson, Drowned > Swept Away > Steep > Makisupa Policeman, Piper > 2001 > You Enjoy Myself
E: Frankenstein
*Band members’ children in a tub on stage. Happy Father’s Day!
**Tony Markellis on bass and Mike on a second guitar
Can’t win miner
You’re the legendary fluffer till you don’t dig one
Then you’re the jaded dick that sees too many shows
Funny shit
^ exactly. At least I didn’t say it 😉
Weird, I was sure that Miner was gonna be loving last night, sounded great on the stream. I thought the Makisupa>Piper>2001 was particularly deep. Oh well, gotta love art, everyone experiences it differently. Good news is that we are all choosing to experience art, period. Have a great Monday, folks!
Hate is not the right word – I got nothing but respect for your dedication, and for what you do here. But to call out the band for being song-oriented NOW, 15 months after the Hampton run . . . and then to call last night’s songs standard . . . I have no choice but to giggle. Seeing every show will make anyone jaded. It was bound to happen. Just bad timing that it happened yesterday, I guess.
Anyhow, purely for your sake, I hope you enjoy the rest of tour….
It’s not the length kids
Its the creativity
See blossom # line
Hartford tweezer
Chicaghost
It was bound to happen. Just bad timing that it happened yesterday, I guess.
^ what happened?
jaded? you’ve got to be kidding me….
also, last nights stream was so awesome, lets hear it for whyflyer on tour! I think we should put a fund together to make sure he/she is at every show.
Me for one. The people who were texting me last night from the show with things like, “Hot show tonight,” and, “”Show of 2010 so far. No doubt!” and, “Officially losing mind. Wow. WOW!”
I guess what bothers me about this review is that what you keep asking for is for Phish to improvise more and when they do, coming up with unique versions of Jibboo, Makisupa, and Piper, your response is, “No, don’t improvise that way, do so a different way.”
Whoa. I must admit a bit of shock reading today’s review. I checked in later last night to read the set list and was rather impressed. Should be fun to hear this show on tape in a day or so once I’m caught up with all the readers loving it and Miner not.
I was very surprised to see they did not bust out Ghost again yet last night. Only one time so far in 2010? Crazy.
Me for one. The people who were texting me last night from the show with things like, “Hot show tonight,” and, “”Show of 2010 so far. No doubt!” and, “Officially losing mind. Wow. WOW!”
^ losing it? i don’t know at any point in that show anyone could be losing it.
I guess what bothers me about this review is that what you keep asking for is for Phish to improvise more and when they do, coming up with unique versions of Jibboo, Makisupa, and Piper, your response is, “No, don’t improvise that way, do so a different way.”
^ what the heck are you talking about?? Dude. Chill out.
Punkmug- you still listen to tapes? Where do you get them?
@JerZ. Ha. I guess I still like the old school terminology.
there was not one jam or any piece of that show that anyone could perceive as the best of 2010. That’s practically objective from someone who has seen everything. But flame away. I find it funny.
Wow, granted I’ve only listened to the stream (it was an exceptionally clear stream), but Miner got this one wrong. 1st set was great. Interesting stuff going on in Roggae and Undermind, and even Bag and GBOTT. And there were indeed relative rarities in Brother, Cities, Roggae, Sleep Again, Cities, Swept Away.
Carini>Mango was a really fun transition (and great to see another rarity in Mango). Drowned jam was great – who cares where the jam started from? At least they didnt open the set with it. Maki/Piper transition was very unique too. Mike and Page were on fire in YEM.
All in all one of the best shows of ’10.
All in all one of the best shows of ’10.
^ absolutely absurd statement
Punkmug- I find it funny because I still find myself saying tape all the time. I guess years of walking around with a Maxell XL 90 in the pocket sticks with ya
Seriously though people. We should not be bitching about if the show was good or not last night. What we should be concerned about is where Ghost went. When will it be back? At this rate, we’re tracking to maybe get 2-4 Ghosts all summer. IF we’re lucky.
I’m not unchill. Disagreeing yes, but not angrily.
Phish played unique versions of songs last night, versions that people will treasure forever, but – yes – they did so by being silly instead of going into a psychedelic jam. For many of us, Phish’s sense of humor is as important of an aspect to the shows as their ability to jam. I get that you’re not one of them, but there’s no way that last night, “contained barely any creativity.” There was tons of that, just rarely expressed in the form of open jamming.
I do not think miner said it was bad, just standard. The setlist looks solid but that doesn’t make for a great show.
What was unique about makisupa and piper other than Trey vocals ?
Miner has an entire post on phish’s sense of humor
@JerZ. I hear you. I still like to bust out my actual real tape cassettes once and a while. The bummer is that a few weeks ago when I tried to fire one up on the ole 3 head tape deck I discovered it had died over months and month of neglect. It seems weird having to go find a new one. Craigslist here I come.
I thought it was awesome. One of the best 1st sets I’ve ever seen and a great flowing 2nd set (despite no Ghost). So much better than Saturday’s second set (there’s no way to recover from Fuckerpants->Joy!).
Big shout out to all my new friends from the BB, too numerous to list right now. More thoughts on how much I enjoyed that later!
Off to Newark shortly…
“What was unique about makisupa and piper other than Trey vocals ?”
Instead of a keyword, improvising verses leading to solos by all 4 band members? That’s pretty unique. Piper also had a weird intro to the vocal section, seguing out of the Makipiper