2012’s Type II All-Stars

12.28.12, MSG (Graham Lucas)

And here are 2012’s all-star jams. The ballots please…

FIRST TEAM

“Light”—Overflowing with creativity virtually every time out, “Light” takes home the 2012 MVP trophy in a runaway contest. Beginning with AC’s “Lighteca” and ending with the Dick’s now-household version, “Light’s” improvisational campaign went unmatched by any other jam. Each rendition seemed to build on the one before until the song’s outing in Denver leaped into the conversation of all-time jams. “Light’s” 2012 season was the best by any song in the modern era.

Best Version: 9/1 Dick’s

Most Underrated Version: Alpine Valley 7/1

Other Versions of Note: 6/16 A. City, 6/23 Star Lake, 7/8 SPAC, 8/17 SF

“Tweezer”—Phish’s classic launchpad finally returned to prominence last year, stepping up its game over leg two and finishing with a bang at MSG with the defining version of 3.0. Steeped in feel-good, bliss-laden jams over the second half of summer (aside from Bill Graham’s foray into abstraction) every time “Tweezer” dropped during Leg Two, a treat ensued.

Best Version: 12/28 MSG

Most Underrated : 8/17 Bill Graham

Other Versions of Note:  6/10 Bonnaroo, 6/24 Blossom, 8/22 Kansas City, 8/26 Charlotte, 9/1 Dick’s

“Ghost”—“Ghost” came to play in 2012 and easily lands a spot on the year’s starting five. Following a breakout season debut at Worcester, “Ghost” continued to perform at a high level all year long with its two of its most profound and uplifting performances coming in Long Beach and MSG.

Best Version: 6/7 Worcester

Most Underrated : 8/15 Long Beach

Other Versions of Note:  7/1 Alpine Valley, 7/6 SPAC, 9/2 Dick’s, 12/31 MSG

“Carini”—Phish dropped three monstrous versions of “Carini” last year—Worcester, Dick’s and MSG—that all traveled in different directions illustrating the diversity of the jam. Spanning blissful ambient textures, groove based improv and dark, mindfuck abstraction, “Carini” featured some of the year’s best jamming.

Best Version: 12/30 MSG

Most Underrated: 8/31 Dick’s

Other Versions of Note: 6/7 Worcester, 6/10 Bonnaroo, 6/30 Alpine Valley

“Golden Age”—This new era cover finally broke last year after a largely contained 2011 campaign. Bursting at the seams from early in the year, the band expounded on “Golden Age” throughout both legs of summer tour. Often dipping into hard funk grooves and sometimes moving beyond, there was no shortage of highlight versions for a song that has been begging for this treatment since its Albany debut. Hopefully the band has settled on this type of improvisational role for the appropriately titled 3.0 anthem.

Best Version: 7/3 Jones Beach

Most Underrated: 8/25 Lakewood

Other Versions of Note: 6/24 Blossom, 6/30 Alpine Valley, 9/1 Dick’s

*****          *****          *****          *****

SECOND TEAM

This year’s second team of jam vehicles is quite a formidable squad in its own right, illustrating the increased diversity of launchpads last year. Each of these boast definite consistency and at least one amazing version.

“Down With Disease”—Though “Disease” didn’t hold the same place of prominence as in other recent years, the song still sprouted some quality jams. Two underappreciated versions came in Cincinatti and San Francisco, and the best versions of the year—by far—kicked off the second set of 12/30 at MSG.

Best Version: 12/30 MSG

Most Underrated: 6/22 Cincinnati

Other Versions of Note: 6/29 Deer Creek, 7/7 SPAC, 8/17 SF

“Piper”—“Piper” maintained its rock solid position in the regular rotation, always containing the possibility of a significant jam and most of the time delivering.

Best Version: 6/8 SPAC

Most Underrated Version: 6/30 Alpine Valley

Other Versions of Note: 6/15 Atlantic City, 8/22 KC, 9/2 Dick’s, 12/31 MSG

“Twist”—Phish expounded on “Twist” more in 2012 than in recent years when they primarily used it as a contained jam. This song produced one of the year’s top jams with Cincinatti ominous excursion while the other standouts traveled in a more melodic and ambient directions.

Best Version: 6/22 Cincinnati

Most Underrated : 7/4 Jones Beach

Other Versions of Note: 6/15 Atlantic City, 8/29 OKC, 12/28 MSG

“Rock and Roll”—Though “Rock and Roll” remained in significant rotation, most often producing some sort of exploration, only two versions jumped off the stage—Long Beach and Pelham. Other’s provided solid chunks of jamming though probably won’t make any tour highlight reels.

Best Version: 8/15 Long Beach

Most Underrated : 8/24 Pelham

Other Versions of Note: 6/20 Portsmouth, 6/30 Alpine Valley

“Chalk Dust Torture”—”Chalk Dust” snags the fifth spot on the second team on the strength of its final three outings of summer. Building the jam in magnitude over these three versions, the band crafted one of 2012 indelible jams at Dick’s during the Fuck Your Face show.

Best Version: 8/31 Dick’s

Most Underrated Version: 8/25 Lakewood

Other Versions of Note: 8/28 St. Louis

*****

One-Off Type II Gems:

“Roses Are Free” 6/8 Worcester,” “Birds of a Feather” 6/15 AC, “Back on the Train” 6/28 Deer Creek, “Waves” 6/28, “Fee” 7/1 Alpine Valley, “Sneakin Sally” 7/6 SPAC, “Simple” 8/18 SF, “Crosseyed” 8/19 SF, “Limb by Limb” 8/28 St.Louis, “Undermind” 8/31 Dick’s, “Runaway Jim” 8/31 Dick’s, “Sand” 9/2 Dick’s

=====

Jam of the Day:

Crosseyed > Light -> Sally -> Crosseyed” 8.19

The signature jam sequence of 2012.

[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/2.02-Crosseyed-and-Painless-1.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/2.03-Light-2.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/2.04-Sneakin-Sally-Through-the-Alley.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/2.05-Crosseyed-and-Painless.mp3]

 

Tags: , ,

257 Responses to “2012’s Type II All-Stars”

  1. voopa Says:

    Thanks for mentioning Twist Miner…felt like I was on an island there for a while. Everyone knows Cincy, but it was pretty consistent all year, and MSG’s rocks, LDB antics aside. Seemed to find it’s 3.0 feet at Superball and it’s been (mostly) improving ever since.

  2. Kaveh Says:

    @Al — congrats!

    @Miner — thanks for the writeUp; there is some music that I need to listen to again…mainly Alpine. Thanks.

  3. voopa Says:

    Actually I guess it was Bader when Twist really started to get going. There were a couple notable ones in ’11 tho.

  4. tela'smuff Says:

    i’m stunned to see a “version of note” and “OKC” in the same sentence. I don’t recall any Type II happening when I was there.

    i’d put Rock n Roll first team. Long Beach and Pelham 2 of the biggest and most underrated jams of the summer. throw Sand in on 2nd team. as much type II as Twist was, but better jams. DCU, Cincy, DC, JB, SPAC, Dicks

  5. MiA Says:

    Starlake Simple is really pretty great too.

    Jones Beach Antelope is up there as also…

    Love to see Antelope return to its ball bustin’ ass smackin’ glory.

  6. Mr. Palmer Says:

    Great picks Miner. Nice to see the southern cross get some love. Lakewood CDT -> WTU is a sweet one. Forgot about the georgia Golden Age.

    Congrats on the lil one, Al.

  7. Type III Jamming Personality Disorder Says:

    Congrats, Al!

    Last night, after nearly two years of waiting, my sister and her family welcomed home two new members in the two wonderful boys they adopted from Haiti. Their experience highlights the frustrations that come from bureaucracy in the hands of unmotivated officials but their ending is happy and their joy is now complete. I just wish I could hop on a plane right now to go meet them.

  8. marcoesq Says:

    Wonder if it will be this hard to get Super Bowl accommodations when it’s 10 degrees in East Rutherford, NJ for the game next year

  9. roberto luongo Says:

    just got some of the last rooms at the Lodge

    my lazy ass never gets in. should be pretty fun this year if the dates are correct.

    poor girl said she wished Red Light would give em a heads up. she’s there alone and getting swamped. I told her it hasn’t been announced yet so that made her feel better

    summer ter bitches!!

  10. marcoesq Says:

    Oh man, congrats TIII! That’s great.

  11. BNCB Says:

    Hit me offline if anyone wants the (rumored) Alpine dates.

    Top of the mornin all!

  12. roberto luongo Says:

    BNCB. they’re gone I think. if not only a couple.

  13. Kaveh Says:

    @BNCB: what is your electronic’s? or fire at me: kjrahimi at yahoo dot com

    Thanks.

  14. angryjoggerz Says:

    I too am in the Lodge… so fun. The day of the second show is one of the most fun days of summer, at the pool, acting a fool, obeying not one rule.

  15. MiA Says:

    That’s great T3.

  16. Kaveh Says:

    can someone fire at me, at above email address, the rumored Alpine dates?

  17. voopa Says:

    Wow, awesome of your sis T3, and congrats Al.

    SF Giants third base coach Tim Flannery is on SF sports station KNBR right now playing some of his original tunes…he’s doing a series of shows for Brian Stowe (the Giants fan that was nearly killed at Dodger Stadium in 2011) at Sweetwater, Napa’s Uptown and other spots. He’s played w/Weir, Willie, Jackson Browne, and he sounds damn good!

  18. BNCB Says:

    AJ, bring a DJ set-up to the Lodge.

  19. roberto luongo Says:

    Lodge is close enough to home to bring multiple dab rigs

    it’s on

  20. roberto luongo Says:

    dare to dream that the posted rumors of Toyota Park Friday, Alpine Sat-Sun
    come to fruition.

    serious midwest throwdown weekend right there. fuck.

  21. marcoesq Says:

    Someone send me some rumors…just Alpine though? Never been still, would like to make the trek this summer. Either Alpine>DC or Gorge

  22. voopa Says:

    PT is down!

    http://www.mytinyphone.com/uploads/users/kiveya/150901.gif

  23. marcoesq Says:

    Rocking the 7.30.03 Scents right now…such lovely evil

  24. marcoesq Says:

    D/ling this set II from Blossom ’00…never really listened to this show a bunch, dropped off tour that night until Vegas. Halley’s sounds promising

  25. kayatosh Says:

    oh yes. haven’t read a word yet but this one looks great. thanks, miner. time to get to reading. have been distracted by work for the past 24 hrs. but now it’s business time.

Leave a Reply