Leg Two All-Stars
8.29.2012 – Oklahoma City, OK (Ryan MacNeill)
During Leg Two, Phish stuck to a very tight second set rotation. When looking to compile a second leg All-Star team, a few songs—“Light,” “Chalk Dust,” and “Tweezer”—jumped right out. But the 4th and 5th spots on the first team (using the NBA model) weren’t shoo-in selections. After a bit of thought, however, here are my picks.
“Chalk Dust Torture” — Already discussed in an article last week, “Chalk Dust” leapt onto this squad with three outstanding versions in its last three outings of summer, including an all-timer in Colorado. Bursting out of nowhere following two relatively standard versions, “Chalk Dust” broke form in Atlanta in a big way, going unfinished into “What’s the Use?.” The next two versions, in St. Louis and Colorado, went in totally different directions, culminating with Dick’s masterpiece.
“Tweezer” — Also seen in an article of its own, “Tweezer” not only made the all-star team, but also took home the comeback player of the tour. Going 4-for-4 on the tour, “Tweezer” rolled out only great jams this tour, a welcome change from recent runs. From the darkness of Bill Graham’s to the bliss of Kansas City and Charlotte, “Tweezer” covered a lot of territory over Leg Two, and it is great to see the old dog gain this honor in 2012.
“Light” — If Phish had only played the Dick’s “Light” this tour, the modern jam vehicle would have a legitimate place on this squad. But in addition to this version of instant legend, “Light” also produced the moment of the summer, and arguably, the tour’s second best jam in Bill Graham finale. The other two times out, in Atlanta and Oklahoma City, “Light” had its least potent outings of the entire summer, but with Dick’s and BGCA’s versions, “Light” has captured another first-team All-Star selection, and is in the conversation for MVP.
“Rock and Roll” — “Rock and Roll” got the Leg Two party started in the LBC with one of the jams of the tour—a 25 minute, multi-thematic leviathan that showed Bieber his maker. Phish followed up the tour-opening standout with one of their most coherent and transcendent jams of Leg Two in Oak Mountains second-set opener. “Rock and Roll” only came out one more time in Leg Two—an innocuous mid-second-set rendition in Oklahoma City. But in such short tour, two top shelf excursions equals an All-Star berth.
“Golden Age” — The fifth spot on this team could go to any one of three different songs. “Golden Age,” however, gets the nod on the strength of two great jams, in Atlanta and in Colorado. Atlanta’s version is one of the dark horses of Leg Two, and Dick’s versions has gone incredibly underrated due to the monstrosity of the “Light” that followed.
Honorable Mention:
“Sand” — Despite Denver’s all-timer, Phish infused far less creativity in the three other versions of tour, falling back on Trey solos each time. Losing quite a bit of bite from Leg One, “Sand” still had what it takes to claim an easy second team berth.
“Ghost” — Long Beach saw, arguably, the “Ghost” of the year, and Dick’s version closed tour with a scorcher. But there was a lot of time in between.
“Piper” — Phish never truly let loose on a “Piper” during Leg Two, with its most pronounced version taking place in the tour closer. Another strong, but underdeveloped version came in Kansas City.
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AUBURN HILLS ’97 GIVEAWAY!
12-6-97 The Palace
Thanks to Phish’s home offices, I have five download codes for Phish’s brand new release of a legendary show—December 6, 1997, at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Michigan. This is a top fiver for me, and one of the best shows of 1997. This show has been begging for Fred Kevorkian’s remaster treatment for quite some time, and I’d like to thank archivist, Kevin Shapiro, for finally gracing us with this treasured nugget of Phish history!
To win one of these five download codes (mp3 only, sorry), Tweet me (@mrminer) a one-Tweet description of the second-set opening sequence, “Tweezer > Izabella.” Please use the hashtag #palacegold. I will RT the six winners at 12 noon PST and Direct Message you your winning codes!
Thanks for playing!
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Jam of the Day:
“Rock and Roll > Ghost” 8.15 II, LBC
The astronomic start to Leg Two in Southern California.
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/ph2012-08-15t12.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/ph2012-08-15t13.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/ph2012-08-15t14.mp3]Tags: 2012, Summer 2012
Little Umbrella’s = Great Zappa track.
Dancing Fool = Worst Zappa track.–MiA
Yeah but it’s the first FZ track he downloaded illegally, so it’s a sentimental thing. 😉
As the other SEA fluffer, only thing I’ll say is that without the replacement refs in the game that play never happens. Respottting the Rodgers run to get a first down, and a BS 3rd down PI call for starters would have made a FG sufficient.
Also bad calls that hurt GB too. Just badly officiated as we know. But take away the last call means you have to take some others.
12:30 in the 11/2/94 Tweezer is just a complete kinetic breakdown. Just all over the place. Everyone went to their own corner and just started pounding on it. Like they are kinda listening to each other, but each one is just free-forming it.
Didn’t realize how much Trey’s guitar had “stereo” effects in it. Great sounding stuff.
To go from that to Japan Tweezer is pretty amazing transformation.
Highwater brewing out of Redding, CA….Hop Riot. If you like orangy citrus front IPA’s…this is a winner.
We’ve got foxes, coyotes, fishers back there…and cats go missing all the time.
14 years old, smart little bastard. Stays close to the property and heads in as soon as it gets dark.
wrt Neil acoustic…@poop and @lil umb – you might enjoy this…crowd noise is bad at times, but it settles down…
http://dropcanvas.com/99jzh
had the cassette for Live at the Roxy…must explore YouTube tracks tonight. (BFFCFM always reminds me of Cheepnis – certainly not a coincidence…)
guess 11-2-94 II is it… hope my copy comes with auto IO
later kids
Let the record show, we have a large dog, too.
Either way.
nice jersey. I actually sat next to Trey and his wife on that tour at Rosemont Theater in Chicago 4/30
saw TAB in Wisco the next week 5/8 and Trey tells the story of meeting Neil backstage and him giving him the advice of playing a song on piano cuz the crowd likes to see you squirm
trey tried a song or two on piano and it was terrible. funny shit.
5/8/99 Oscar Mayer Theatre
Madison, WI May 8, 1999 08:00 PM
Set One:
Back On The Train
Inlaw Josie Wales
Farmhouse
Snowflakes In The Sand
Alumni Blues^
Billy Breathes^^
Mountains In The Mist
Chalk Dust Torture
When The Circus Comes
Kissed By Mist
Fluffhead^^^
Brian And Robert
Set Two:
First Tube >
Will It Go ‘Round In Circles
Gotta Jibboo
Further On Up The Road
Mozambique
Ooh Child
Somantin
Aqui Como Alla
Sand >
Drums
Come On (Part 1)
Bug*
Heavy Things
Encore:
Windora Bug
Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
Show Notes:
First set was performed by Trey solo acoustic; second set was performed electric with Russ Lawton (drums) and Tony Markellis (bass)
^dedicated to Madison students who skipped finals to see the show.
^^with story about Neil Young.
^^^did not include “Fluff’s Travels” or “Clod.”
*First time played
I think I’ve heard Trey play Billy Breathes on Piano. I don’t remember it being terrible though.
—
IMO, they need to change the “review of possession” rule or whatever it’s called.
The whole idea that it was basically up to the guy on the ground (and unreviewable other than possession and inbounds) is ridiculous.
Possession should be a reviewable call, even in the end zone.
I think pass interference should be a reviewable call also. As well as personal fouls.
That may just be my Dogfish 120 from lunch talking though.
That (bad) call, could easily have been made by scab refs and non-scab refs.
And that’s all I have to say about that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ_yQ02xwsM
Feel it is a good sign for the music that the “in”/scalular shred or “type 1” jams has been reaching more dissonance and darker intense realms since the beginning of 3.0. Feel like the none funk or space jams are reaching highs more remenessant of days past. Trey’s major and dominant lines slowly weave up into minor and diminished shit and he is not afraid to take that turn.
he restarts it 3 times. maybe it got better.
– just got my home audio dialed in and have been looking for something to test it with. In the middle of the 11/2/94 Tweezer, thanks. Stero guitar indeed!! –
forgot how much there is to the Bethel Tech Waves
Go Tech!
Jim- village of the sun>echidna’s Arf>don’t you ever wash that thing … Off of live at the Roxy is just ridiculous, seems to me to be an all time moment.
ya umbrella. we’ve often discussed Troy losing the more complex jazz influenced lead stuff of 93-95 as he got more effects driven and psych rocky in the later years but is slowly getting some of that back.
more of his more complex guitar stuff just fell out for so long. was pretty much non existent in 3.0.
def gaining some of that swagger back. slowly but surely.
there is jawdropping stuff all over that 11/2/94 tweezer. I just love his old school fusion stylings as a guitar player.
Maybe wasn’t that Billy B. Finally learned the song or something. Wasn’t really disagreeing.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-09-26/how-bank-america-destroyed-football
Hilarious. Guess the terrible Ref is a like a VP at a Bank of America Bank.
The GB cheerleader ain’t bad either.
While My Guitar Gently Weeps at Pelham. Excellent!!!
what is joy if its not taking delight at others misfortune
just saw a segway rider run into a stop sign
Getting sooo pumped for neil & crazy horse late this fall
Was lucky to catch neil playing ambulance blues acoustic too, 3-4 tours ago (when he played first set solo & second electric, boston orpheum theatre)
Psyched to hear the forthcoming neil album too. americana, the last, is kinda cool, but this newest sounds even more promising
live music, that’s my guilty pleasure
live music isn’t a guilty pleasure
Try watching your Dad ram head first into a tree while zooming down a zipline
that was the not highlight of my last weekend
Massive concussion, dad is still in hospital, will likely regain all his marbles
sorry, weird non sequiter. The events from sunday afternoon at Sugarloaf ski mtn keep returning
Damn that was an amazing Tweezer!!!! good ear Mia
I know, df. just popped out