Mid-Week Musings
6.10.11 (G.Lucas)
After the incredibly successful summer that Phish has already had, we still have a dozen shows to go! In a bit more than a week the circus will travel to the hallowed grounds of the Gorge to kick off the back end of the touring season. And things couldn’t look brighter. When we left the band just a few weeks ago, they had just thrown down the best weekend of music in the modern era amidst a full-blown Phish festival of the sorts we only dreamed about a few short years ago. It is impossible to deny the musical momentum built over the first half of this summer and— more than ever—it certainly feels like the dawning of Phish’s Golden Age.
7.3.11 (G.Lucas)
Full-blown creativity, new improvisational directions, experimental jamming, airtight communication, uncharted territory—all of these facets were part of Phish’s opening month of tour. And if the progress made from leg one to leg two during the past two summer tours is any indication, Phish is going to come back with even sharper jaws and enhanced improvisational adventure. At Super Ball, the band seemed to play with a laid-back patience, understanding that we were all there for three days and there was no reason to rush anything. As a result, almost almost no jams were ended prematurely and the weekend possessed an undeniable flow. Though some sets were better crafted than others, the band left us with a slew of the most innovative music to be played in this era.
Two nights at the Gorge, Hollywood Bowl, Tahoe x 2, Golden Gate Park, then two three-packs—at UIC and Denver…there is heck of a lot of music left to be played this summer! And just like the last two, when all is said and done, my bet is that the second leg will produce the most memorable jams of the tour. Building off a spectacular June that was in a different league than its 2009 and 2010 predecessors, the thoughts of what might come out of August is awe-inducing. Five new venues and a return to two of their most classic haunts will provide us with 24 more sets to take us through a Phishless fall. But something tells me that after a spectacular—and lengthy—summer, that won’t be too much of a problem for anyone.
In 2011, Phish has created a buzz in the community like no time since their Hampton return. Showcasing a completely revitalized improvisational brilliance—built upon the foundation of ’09 and ’10—Phish took people by storm in Bethel and have maintained that quality of play, and improved upon it, right up through Super Ball. It’s an exciting time to be a Phish fan, as the entire comeback has brought us to right now. And heading up to the Gorge in this context, could anything be sweeter?
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Jam of the Day:
“Light > Number Line” 6.19.11 II
Deep in Portsmouth’s second set, Phish got into an intricate and psychedelic take on “Light” in which Trey actually sets up a quasi-transition into “Number Line.” With so much meat in his show, this “Light” jam hasn’t been discussed to much; check it out.
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/phish2011-06-19.d2t08.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/phish2011-06-19.d2t09.mp3] Tags: Summer 2011
obviously I hate the idea of anyone I respect forming judgments about GD official releases based on that one
*shudder*
tela’s, i’m not much of a fisher… if i went it would be a last minute kinda thing, which may or may not be possible. basically count me out and if i have the option to change my mind, maybe i will (though i doubt it)
no, that Frost 82 show from whatsisname’s list is more legit IMO but they’ll never release it b/c its in common circulation
but I didn’t like his list much at all. 3 from the 80s out of 12? please. and “we can pretend there are other ’77 shows as good as cornell” ? blow me, there are a couple better shows and several others at least as good IMO
of course my top 12 would be 1 from 69, 1 from 70, 2 from 77, DP18 and the rest from 72-74 so he and I are just not on the same page at all
much as I love Brent no single show from after 1978 is getting on my top 12, period
top 20, maybe. 30, sure. but 12? really?
Maybe he had in mind some balance, especially coming from the GD organization.
I mean, Crime and Punishment and Brothers Karamazov are probably my two favorite books, but if I’m going to a desert island I’d probably pick one Dostoevsky and then mix it up.
frost ’82? I want to give it a spin. I’m intrigued by that late 70’s early 80’s GD sound. High octane, chemically fueled craziness.
Same with the Allman Brothers – If I had to pick my five favorite shows/recordings, or what I think of as the “best”, they’d all be from 1969-71.
But if I’m making a list for discussion, and I’m bringing the stuff to my hypothetical desert island, I’d want some of the new Derek/Warren lineup in there
@Palmer – your random Fall ’79 rec a week or two ago got me going on a 79-80 kick. Had never paid much attention, aside from the Go to Nassau release
he’s just a contract writer, not any kind of Official GD Person. But yeah maybe that’s it I guess. Or perhaps he is simply picking cherished personal memories, which is valid too.
But if I’m literally picking the stuff I’ll have to listen to over and over again, I want the bombiest bomb-ass shows…
I mean if you were doing this for Phish, wouldn’t the vast bulk of your picks come from 97-99 or 94-95? would you worry about “properly representing” 1990 or 2000 or 2004? Or would you just pick what you really want to hear even if that means all 4 Island Tour shows (for example) end up coming?
For Phish? personally 12 shows would be ’95, 97-’99. Maybe one or 2 from ’03 . As much i’m enjoying 3.0, i think i have to wait a while and digest the shows before placing them in a hypothetical top 12. Too soon? Is that a valid argument? I’m not sure.
I have a pretty slick Fall 1979-Summer 1980 mix playlist gestating. It needs final edits and a showdown between a handful of bonus-jam Terrapins and monster open jams out of Playin’ and it’ll be ready. Killer stuff, really benefits from cherry picking due to wildly uneven performance level.
@palmer http://www.archive.org/details/gd1982-10-10.sbd.tetzeli.ayers.79903.sbeok.flac16
one of the better latter era Crazy Fingers among other things. solid show
that’s what I’m saying Palmer
if you’re picking the best, pick the best, not on a curve
’79 mix playlist production got derailed by phish leg 1 and then sbix
new music always wins over old for me
saw some really great youtube footage from an Anaheim ’87 show. Looked fairly new to youtube as it didn’t have many hits. Her’s a taste. Great video and audio.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nekOzuD4bOs
more hits than i thought, but still good.
that’s view from the vault 4
check out the Cassidy from that show if it’s up…or this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geaZ_lXLIxg
my apologies for terrible video effects but the change at 6:10 is brilliant, an updated version of the oldschool versions
I bet if I spent the whole decade of the ’80’s touring with the Dead (as I kind of assume Blair Jackson did given how involved he is) I’d want some stuff from that era. Music is all about eliciting emotions, right?
But yeah, I take your point on the best is the best. I’d be wary of oversaturation of any one year/period, but I guess it depends on tolerance levels, preference, etc. If we were talking about the Stones I”d say give me the stuff from 1968-1972 and fuck the rest
I mean his list is his list, and he did say he was just doing it to spark discussion and it worked
just a really different kind of deadhead from me I guess
haha. The though crossed my mind that it may be from an official release because the uploader had some Phish material that looked like the official Vimeo stuff. I’ve never seen View from the Vault 4. Looks good.
Ramblin- That Cap Cod show i recommended is a very poplular choice from that era. It wasn’t like i uncovered a hidden gem or anything. Glad you dug it though. Dancin> Franklins is off the hook.
i think 87 is underrated but then I was on tour at the time 😮
hot versions of composed/first set type tunes. band was practicing regularly, Jerry was clean, and the crowd energy was off the hook esp in spring and summer
my spelling is horrible today. I apologize. I’m posting and trying to feed three kids.
San Diego 11-24-79 is a really good lesser known show from that tour
I’ll get back to that 79 mix soon I think
@Mr. P
You’re totally forgiven, unless that was yet another spelling mistake in your post and you meant to say “feel three kids”, in which case…
Ew. Go away.
9 mins into dicks picks 18 fire is the worcester hood