A Mile High
7.14.13 (Andrea Nusinov)
This time around, Denver’s summer farewell feels more like a party than a pronouncement. Although we’ve yet to hear a note, this stand-alone weekend already serves as a punctuation mark on a triumphant season of music. This summer, Phish began to carve new sonic pathways again, jamming with intent and efficiency and birthing original music with a magical consistency. Finally adding fluidity and set craftsmanship to their modern repertoire, entire shows—well, mostly entire second sets—elevated like never before in this era. Adding some new songs to the rotation—”Energy” and “Yarmouth Road”—and reviving some old ones—”Steam,” “David Bowie,” and “Split Open and Melt”—the band played their best start to finish tour of 3.0. Now, as we step into our favorite soccer stadium for three shows that will, undoubtedly, contain plenty of action, the only question that remains to be answered is, “Will this weekend top it all?”
In each of the past two years, Phish showcased fireworks in their Rockies swan song. After setlist trickery on both opening nights, one can expect some sort of prank as we approach tonight’s performance. Musically, in 2011, the band played one of their finest jams of the year in 9.3’s “Tweezer,” while dotting the weekend with a stellar second set sequence of “Twist > Piper > Hood” and a rocking “Ghost” taboot. Last year, however, Dick’s opened the gateway to the improvisational glory we have witnessed since that star-crossed weekend. A couple all-star jams over New Year’s bridged the community to this summer tour, when creativity and Phish met at the crossroads of destiny. So many jams, so many sets, so many shows this summer surpassed most of what we have seen over the past few years; a true renaissance of the highest degree. And it all started back at this soccer stadium one year ago with antics and musical triumphs that few saw coming.
First the band came out jamming with a “Fuck You” opening set that featured one of 3.0’s finest moments in “Undermind.” The second half contained another jam of the year in “Chalk Dust” not to mention a long-form “Runaway Jim.” Then came “Light.” Setting a new precedent for modern jamming, Phish unleashed a masterpiece on the second night of Labor Day weekend 2012. Spanning emotive feels, heavy groove and a cathartic blues rock crescendo, Dick’s “Light” immediately stood head to head with the Gorge’s “Rock and Roll” of 2011 for the magnum opus of the modern era, immediately upping the legend of the corporate-named stadium on the outskirts of Denver. A cosmically connected version of “Sand,” yet another timeless gem, cemented the weekend of legend the final night of summer tour.
So what will happen this time around? What jams will we be talking about for the six-week offseason as we get ready for Fall? Though it really matters not what goes down this weekend—for the band has nothing to prove—something tells me it will be one of great memories. What they will be made of we will soon find out…
Oh, they exist alright.
Via fb im Trying to talk David / z into writing the script to acronymize all the shows and search for meaningful word patterns. Wouldn’t be that difficult, really. I’m sure there are cryptography algorithms that would be useful
Next years phrase:
We’re retiring
ThAt would suck
easy to slip!!!!! wow! should have done the dick’s.
What a night
Bb knows how to bring the party
Good morning campers. Hope everyone got theirs last nt. Aft an unfortunate stomach virus caused me to miss my Fri AM flight I’m on the big bird headed to get a Mile High. Was able to xfer tic to a friend so all was not lost. See you all out there 2nt. Hope everyone has a great day in Denver & surrounding areas. Hittin Chautauqua for some hiking straight from the airport .707 Headband awaiting me.
Dicks!
wow, jerome. hope you’re feeling better.
2 sculpins plus half bottle red = snoring through us open and skipping webcast.
going to try and cast tonight.
got the zman aud of last night ready to roll.
big fan of Say Something. last night’s sounds like it built upon the Gorge debut.
First one up in the Tela household, having coffee on his beautiful deck while the psychonauts sleep it out. Deeply within the bubble.
Whoah, psychedelic poster for tonight
Hope you’re feelin’ better, JG. That headband should help, no doubt.
Had a lot of fun watching the webcast with Jtran and our ladies last night.
We thought Sand was the goods from the couch.
we were thinking that the show lost some intentionality, but the more I think about it maybe that was precisely the point.
sounds like everyone had fun (always “precisely the point”)
happy saturday, kids!!!
hey now, silly. good to hear from you, young man.
early morning phish run coffee is the best
cheers, AJ!
Where I was, tracking the message became a lost cause and it was more about dance soup
Cheers, my friend
TKayaO’d last night around WOTC… and i’m an hour behind the show.
i suppose thats what happens after a long week of work and then hitting the west coast IPAs hard and puffing all night.
Sand sounded amazing as did the jet engine roar of walls of the cave
think I might need a nap before the show tonight. we’re brewing beer today.
Going back to bed. Waking up later for brunch.
Sea legs last nite. Visited Multiple zones. Tried to reconcile my expectations against venue and actual show. Lots of high points for me and dancing. Went a little hard yesterday/last nite…will dial it back slightly tonite (seriously too much w33d…comical really).
Fresh oj will work wonders.
good showing, bobby D. i never made it to Ghost.
Well that was fun. sand was Reid damn iccukus
Joggerz, when he wakes up, tell telas to not even bother with his picks for the next two nights. I’ve got this thing. He’ll know what I mean (and probably get pissed)
Marco, no issues I presume?
Funny, T3… He seems ready to collect on that shit already.