On Cloud 9 In Colorado
Denver (Charles Bridwell)
Leaving Colorado, I had been blown away by three days—six sets—of spectacular music; Phish hadn’t put such a run together thus far this summer. While other three-nighters all had one lesser night or at least lulls throughout, Denver had none. Coming to the Rocky Mountains to close a monumental summer, Phish left with three timeless shows under their their belt and a list of highlights that just doesn’t end.
Using their three-night stand as a definitive statement as to where they stand right now, the band sent a message of excellence and exuberance to their fans—things could not be finer in the world of Phish. With authoritative playing all weekend long, the guys sculpted jams of all shapes and sizes, illustrating their diversity of styles in 2011. And as a result, top-shelf highlights poured from the stage from Friday’s first set through Sunday’s last.
Denver (C.Bridwell)
Perhaps the most original and forward-looking excursion of the weekend came in Friday night’s “Seven Below.” Growing into the peak of the “S” set, the band launched into an experiment in quick-paced groove, a path that eventually led them into the storage shed psychedelia that has quickly developed into Phish’s most innovative style of play. Earlier in the set, the band showed off their ambient soundscapes in a gorgeous rendition of “Simple,” and before that, a smashing, bass-led “Sand” capped off a summer of scintillating dance grooves from the song. In a run that featured all-star first sets, taboot, Friday night saw the three-song combination of “Stash,” “Sneakin’ Sally > Sparks” light up the opening set of the run. In “Sally,” Phish took another ride through unconventional groove and into the storage shed, before landing perfectly in a demonstrative cover of “Sparks” for the first time in 15 years.
Amidst their improvisational combo platter of in Denver, Phish dropped their most blissful and uplifting jam in memory— “Tweezer.” While Fishman maintained infectious beats throughout, Trey, Mike and Page combined in awe-inducing mélange of sound that groove that carried massive emotion and spirituality. After all the traveling and shows this summer, “Tweezer” summed up the heightened emotional state of the band and their community with music harnessed from the divine. Bathing in IT for the duration of this stunning version, this transformed into one of those life-affirming moments in which any and every decision that I had ever made that brought me to the place I stood in Colorado was absolutely fated—this “Tweezer” was the reason. A sky-scraping jam that touched the very soul of IT all, “Tweezer” felt like a poignant ode to life’s eternal spirit. This was most definitely the reason.
Denver (Charles Bridwell)
Later in the set, the band jumped off “2001” into a unsuspecting “Light,” a move that would culminate in one of the moments of the weekend. Amidst a passionate jam that Mike owned with rolling, melodic basslines—a divergence from the song’s futuristic soundscapes of summer—Phish migrated into a intricate and percussive section. Trey laced the “Disease” melody—piece by piece—perfectly into this context and the band joined him in an instrumental reprise of the set-opener without ever leaving the rhythmic template of “Light”—a true moment of catharsis in a weekend laced with majesty.
Denver (C.Bridwell)
On Sunday, the centerpiece of the non-stop final set—possibly, the most complete set of all—a low-ride in “Twist” seamlessly segued into a voyage through a red, red wormhole in “Piper” and then Phish led a celestial ascent with a “Hood” for the ages. Employing quickened yet danceable grooves in “Piper,” the band locked into one of the weekends indelible excursions, one in which Page infused the Theremin like never before. This high-speed musical drama ended with another pass through the storage shed of sonic psychedelia in what became the most creative music of the final night. And Phish hasn’t played a “Hood” like the version that followed in ages. Combining the staccato stylings of more modern renditions with the precision and passion that defined “Hoods” of the mid-‘90s, this rendition was a staggering spiritual triumph. And while we are at, throw a first set “Bathtub Gin” into the mix that was one of the most exhilarating dance sessions of the weekend.
Needless to say, Phish had it all working over Denver’s three-day extravaganza. Stamping summer complete with—easily—their most accomplished, top-to-bottom stand of the season, the band likened musical superheroes as they had their way with each and every piece they played. Creative, responsive, and innovative, Phish finished tour on a mile-high note in Denver, leaving their community in a state of bliss. And who would have thought this is where we’d be when September rolled around?
Enjoy “Dick’s Picks” in this installment of Ten Tunes For Friday!
Denver (Charles Bridwell)
*******
TTFF: “Dick’s Picks”
“Bathtub Gin” 9.4 I
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/ph2011-09-04t04.mp3]***
“Seven Below” 9.2 II
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/ph2011-09-02t19.mp3]***
“Sneakin’ Sally > Sparks” 9.2 I
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/ph2011-09-02t08.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/ph2011-09-02t09.mp3]***
“Tweezer” 9.3 II
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/ph2011-09-03t12.mp3]***
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/ph2011-09-02t16.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/ph2011-09-02t17.mp3]***
“Ghost -> Guy Forget -> Ghost” 9.4 II
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/ph2011-09-04t19.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/ph2011-09-04t20.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/ph2011-09-04t21.mp3]***
“Light -> Down with Disease” 9.3 II
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/ph2011-09-03t17.mp3]***
“Twist -> Piper > Hood” 9.4 II
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/ph2011-09-04t15.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/ph2011-09-04t16.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/ph2011-09-04t17.mp3] Tags: 2011, Summer 2011
well miner, our opinions differ here. as complete shows, id take 1/1 over dicks 1, both gorge shows, tahoe1, cinci and charlotte. the rest i’ll agree to.
set 2 didnt let up once, not for a second. set 1 had highlights throughout. i guess i might rate set 1s higher than some other people on here. some people like the set1/set2 difference. I’m into the whole package, give me Reba, Jibboo, Stash, Antelope, Bowie, Fluffhead, Timber, Jim or Curtain with (or without) in set 1 and thats just building into my full-show experience. Give me 3 of those, throw in a Tube, Foam, Walk Away and WOTC and you are staring a dream set 1 right in the eye.
1/1/11 is a winner for this guy.
Charlotte and Cinci would be the only ones I would consider taking off that list. 1/1 was the business.
Off to the car so spin 4/3/98 Mike’s Groove to get me amped for my surf session.
Hurricane Katia’d
I’m with you DryIce, 1/1 is up there with the tops of 2011 for me.
why can’t we just fast forward to the jams?….
mr.miner – would it be possible for you to make the twist > piper > hood downloadable? All the other tunes are, but these three give an error when you try to download them. Thanks a lot!!!