Four Wishes For Fall Tour
8.2.13 (Brian Thomas)
Phish played so well this summer, these lists are getting harder and harder to make. But as we go into Fall, there are still a few things I am hoping to see.
1. The First Set: The last remaining weakness of modern Phish shows is undoubtably the first set. Aside from SPAC’s “Split Open and Melt,” there were no open ended jams in the first half of any shows this summer. There is rarely even much contained jamming of note in opening frames, causing these sets to be musically uneventful. At no point in the last few years have I spun any first set from start to finish, and rarely do I dip into first sets at all but for the random “Reba” or “David Bowie.” Why does Phish choose to keep their first sets so mellow? Sure, lots of fans are there to hear their songs, but how about mixing it up? When the band throws down a great second set, I consider it a great show at this point. Imagine if they infused both sets with creativity? I’m not saying it should be like 1997, but just a bit of interesting music, some meat—and not always “Stash,” “Bathtub Gin,” or “Antelope.” An air of unpredictability has returned to Phish’s second sets this year, but their first ones have remained quite routine.
2. “Energy:” We’ve just seen the birth of Phish’s newest jam vehicle—”Energy.” In only three versions after its debut, the band has built an open-ended psychedelic juggernaut. Sprouting a jam in Alpheretta, the cover was soon placed in the hallowed spot of second set opener in Chicago and San Francisco. The band first opened up “Energy’s” jam in Chicago, charting an uplifting course with an ambient outro, while in San Francisco, they took it down a less cathartic, darker path. I believe we will see this song really blow up this Fall, starting right away in Hampton. I also believe we will see the band take “Energy” jams in wildly different directions, making the new Apples In Stereo cover all the more intriguing.
3. Get In Set Two! : There are several songs that have been begging for the second set treatment, though Phish has been quite stubborn in in keeping them as structured, first set jams. They are: “Wolfman’s Brother,” “Bathtub Gin,” “Tube,” “Stash,” “Split Open and Melt,” “Ocelot,” and “A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing.”
4. New Phish Material: Before every tour for the past couple years, this hope has been listed. Let’s be serious, the band hasn’t written a song in ages. “Steam” is the only original that has debuted in this era and stuck around. Joy songs have been played into the ground and then some. A new album has been hinted at all year, though nothing—even a rumor—has materialized. Does this mean another run with no new originals? Most likely. They did great this summer adding “Energy” to the mix. “Say Something” has potential. But how ’bout an actual Phish song? It’s about time.
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Jam of the Day:
“Rock and Roll” 8.3.13 II, BGCA
This monster version provided the centerpiece of Bill Graham’s second show. PS—Thanks for your feedback. I am keeping the links.
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/2.02-Rock-and-Roll.mp3] Tags: 2013, Fall '13
working from home, got some tissues, heading to the TT
welp, the work VPN just bitch slapped that idea. ::carry on::
gonna try this 20 min Sand from 5/27/03
You guys are nice parents. My Dad never went to a Orchestra Concert, Football Game, Tennis match, Art Exhibit, or even walk with me on Halloween.
That is my normal. All these parents making sure they are home for when their kid comes home with a hand turned into a turkey to put it on the fridge blows my mind.
Good though. Not disparaging.
AJ, the pinnacle Zappa mixtapes are already made: the 2 shut up and play your guitar albums.
The right Sand would be 6/7/09 brah. 😉
@hoedown, I can play nice!
the 3 shut up and play yer guitar albums. 😉
Ha, right
many Sand’s my friend, and I can listen to multiple in a row. Dick’s Sand 2012> Dick’s Sand 2013 time
in case you did not want to join the TT revolution….
waste time here:
http://www.fullscreenmario.com/
you are welcome
Self-paddlin’ for emoticon usage, but wanted to be sure tongue in cheekiness was well established.
@ gavins – hope to see you in AC too! totally makes sense to stay with the kids for trick or treating – I’m sure we’ll be doing that in the coming years!
one of my favorite sands is 6/19/11 at Portsmouth – but being only a few rows back at an awesome venue may be influencing that a bit!
Zappa has never been a personal fave tho I have most of his ouput thru the mid 70s
Were only in it for the Money, his first album, remains my fav
I def wouldnt bitch about a Zappa costume as at the least it’d be interesting and likely weird
Ive never heard the Shut Up and Play series, sounds like I need to fix that
(To be clear, a Zappa costume counts as a win in my book)
Kinda like Gaga is ser trollin.
I’ve figured it out. If you like reggae and Treys first dog, be in AC. Boom.
The Dub ending in the Carinis gonna getcha Antelope made that epiphany. When phish wanna dub, they can dub. Shit will be a rasta partay.
I would like to know what Zappa music “sucks” and “nobody really likes.” I am sincerely interested to find out this.
The Oxy Years comp came from our good friends at Coventry Blog.
i like those albums too @DF but they are definitely a tough listen for someone jumping right in. he is a very specific type of player and i dont know why, but he always sounded amazing to me…that bendy wah’d out tone…the straight up bezerk shredding…i’m a Virgo too so Zappa appeals to my “everything just so” nature…his compositions were vast and always precise…his overdubbing an insane tangle but i could never tell…and i think if i had a point it would be to repeat that his catalog is so very vast. i think there is something in there for everyone.
just jump from Peaches on Hot Rats to Suzy Creamcheeze on Freak Out to Camarillo Brillo on Overnite to Watermelon in Easter Hay on Joes Garage to St. Alphonsos Pancake Breakfast on Apostrophe to Inca Roads on One Size Fits all to Trouble Every Day on Zoot Allures and it simply goes on and on. lots and lots of ways to skin the FZ cat.
I only mentioned it in re: Phish cuz they dug that proggy stuff he laid down. i’m sure there are already sick FZ mixes on youtube and soundcloud.
oh yeah, just talked to the wife and looks like i’m grabbing Kaya and heading to the Keswick Theatre to see ZPZ play “Roxy & Elsewhere” tonite.
boom.
and hey…wasn’t trying to flog the dead horse…i just happen to like FZ. no real reason you need to if you dont.
but he’s better than Ozric Tentacles!
Wasn’t trolling. I like Gaga. Brilliant.
Marley for Halloween? Ok by me.
earlier today I mentioned I had a dream that page came out on halloween and announced they were ‘covering’ their Goddard College show from ’88. what I didn’t realize then is that they played TWO shows at Goddard that year, the 5.14.88 show I linked this morning AND this one from 10.29.88… the closest date they played to Halloween. 25 years ago. this. year.
with the exception of Donna Lee, A Train, and Whipping Post all of those songs are (relatively) in the current rotation. It’s a three setter with a costume contest, guest musicians, and much more. Heck, they could even replace a song or two with stuff from the current rotation and still pay homage to this one. I still maintain that my dream state and waking state are a little too entwined for my well being right now. Spooooooookkkkyyyyy
Nobody likes is a real stretch I guess. All it takes is one person and nobody is correct.
I do agree with GDad though that overall tracks off of Thing Fish are (to me) rarely globally called out as being “liked?!”
http://open.spotify.com/track/3RdZVIXL0UX15EZKXbixG9
“oh yeah, just talked to the wife and looks like i’m grabbing Kaya and heading to the Keswick Theatre to see ZPZ play “Roxy & Elsewhere” tonite.”
Boom. Fantastic!
but he’s better than Ozric Tentacles!
^well, that is an incredibly low benchmark.