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
=====
J
am 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: 2012, Jams, The Moment
telling you kids. markets have been looking past Aapl lately
it’s a industrials, crap stocks that are cheap, and financials market
shit apple earnings were priced in. that stock has done everything to call the top except issue a press release stating “SELL OUR STOCK IT IS TOPPING OUT”
zero rates and helicopter ben to the rescue. this market is still bullitproof
this entire earnings cycle has sucked.
people are buying into the 2H2013 and 2014 strong Euro, Asian recovery
apple sucked but a lot of bad numbers are getting their stocks marched right up.
peeps are bulled up. we need government to get in the way or a war to start to knock this zero rates central bank currency war BS down.
What up BB?
AAPL getting burned, eh? time to make apple sauce?
I kept hearing Phish at the Gorge was a lock for first weekend of august.
These people think something different:
http://www.watershedfest.com/
I’m in cash too. been sellin into recent strength.
that’s the problem. markets will go up but the tail risk is massive and probably underpriced.
that’s why I like puts here. the VIX is so cheap. buy some SP puts 4 months out as a flyer. if the markets crater I’m sure you can get 10×1 style payouts
VIX is fuckin 13 or some shit. COMPLACENT as all fuck.
No worries kaya. I got panicky yesterday night and this morning called broker and I sold 510 covered calls as coverage (I typed puts earlier, but meant the opposite.)
Get a little premium but probably out of Apple now.
I’m more worried about the 401(k) getting sucked in the downdraft. Can’t short that.
Did RL go deep in the short for Apple?
I still think they are a great operational company, but they are definitely getting pounded for not meeting unrealistic expectations.
I’m still 90% cash. VIX is low but I don’t believe we aren’t on the precipe of more volatility coming. My industry is really slowing down.
Makes me very nervous.
nice work, mia. 458 now.
I don’t see it either MIA but I’m pretty dumb. too much money and central bank support for a real crash.
plunge protection and all that
I just think some cheap out of the money SPY puts could be a good flier to pay for summer tour if shit gets dicey.
who knows major flash crash or some shit
not that gundlach or whatever the fuck his porno puffin ass needs more shit to pad his ego
he called Apple $450 in an interview about 6 months ago on CNBC
cat is a psycho
feel the pinch in my neck. turned to the herradura reposado.
rad ghost today on lawnmemo. Albany ’99. i tend to fluff every Albany show- i have a very soft spot in my heart for the knick. last dead show i saw was there and i saw seven phish shows there- i think it is everyone from ’97-’00. for some reason, i always made it to Albany.
Ah yes, Albany ’99. Drunk white hats attempting to pee in the row behind us, rednecks vs. hippies at the bar after, good times.
HarryHood just texted a pic of his dash thermometer…-7.
I really should have sold the Apple back in August. Felt/knew it was overvalued but didn’t want to sell something I’ve owned for so long.
Oh well. I can rear view mirror my financials with the best of them. I’ve held that stock for 15 years (mostly). It’ll be weird not having it in my portfolio.
Zappa plays Zappa on Saturday.
Does anyone have an ESPN Insider username and password they’re willing to share.
Inside the Cap. What a great little venue.
Rumor has it Troy brought the jams. 🙂
bootleg stream of the trey show anyone?
Tey saw you on your phone. He put the jams back in his pocket. 😉
Palmer. Song by song updates till they jam your phone back in your pocket.
I would put out minimal effort as an artist to a crowd full of phone holders.
reading back, “Trombone Sally” cracked me up.
I only caught 3 shows in 2012, but 2/3 of the hot Carinis. good percentage.
Palmers in the front row?! I think I just saw him
Black t-shirt
Work sucked today. Hopefully some live music will make it better.
Play by play MiA.