Mid-Tour Awards
7.20.14 (Graham Lucas)
Best Show: 7/13 Randall’s Island
Runner up: 7/4 SPAC
Best Set: 7/13 Randall’s Island Set II
Runner Up: 7/12 Randall’s Island Set II
Best First Set: 7/13 Randall’s Island
Runner Up: 7/11 Randall’s Island
Best Stand: Randall’s Island
Runner Up: SPAC
MVP of Tour: Jon Fishman
Runner Up: Page McConnell
Jam Vehicle of Tour: “Harry Hood”
Runners Up: “Chalk Dust,” “Light” and “Down with Disease”
Best Segue: “Piper -> Halley’s” 7/18, Northerly Island
Runner Up: “Ghost -> Weekapaug” 7/20 Northerly Island
Top Jams of Tour
(In chronological order after 1 and 2)
1. “Chalk Dust Torture” 7/13
2. “Fuego” 7/8
“Harry Hood” 7/1, “Bathtub Gin > Limb” 7/3, “Fuego” 7/4, “Piper” 7/5, “Chalk Dust” 7/9, “Bathtub Gin” 7/11, “Down With Disease” 7/11, “Ghost” 7/12, “Harry Hood” 7/12, “Light” 7/13, “Tweezer” 7/13, “Down With Disease” 7/15, “Wombat” 7/18, “Light” 7/19, “Harry Hood” 7/19, “The Wedge” 7/20, “Ghost” 7/20
7.16.14, Detroit (Jesse Herzog)
Gdad, can you post a similar list of hipster brands. After yesterday I thought I was in line for an upgrade after last night, then I searched a coyote of those and puffy down is not me.
Ingeeesh?
Searched a couple…
The post ‘we play bee bop in the band’ lick from simple on Sunday is fiery
Miner, it’s time to write something! We need phresh phood.
Coyote searchers made more sense to me…
Mask a pretty hopper’s foot with squeeze cheese
Dangle some grape apple pies
Tranquil and serene until he runs out of supplies
I searched a coyote …
Is this a coffee reference?
Watched MPP2 last night. Fun show, wish I was there.
Tweezer part deuce was a nice little jam. Digging when Toby busts out some melodic chord action during jams.
so, yes, there is a show today and, yes, typically I’d be busy throwing “fragile” packages on stoops right now but that tornado up here yesterday has everyone all a flutter. not to mention those people who done got stranded overnight on a whale watch off the coast when their boat got caught on a lobster pot. that had to make for a wicked cold night.
but I digress.
today is a day full of the kind of phish we love to relish, so why not talk it up a bit considering the cacophony of conversations regarding a certain seguefest in Maryland have died down to a quiet murmur by now – not that there really was much question of whether that was a show to remember or not considering all that transpired there. I mean, how many tweezers does it take for you to get the point?
again, with the digressions.
back to the date at hand. here we are on the 29th day of July, a day popular with Chunnel enthusiasts, royal wedding watchers (including Prince Charles/Lady Di and Mary Queen of Scots way way back), a whole host of birthdays you don’t care about, and more. Cass Elliot died on this date (and no, there was no ham sandwich involved) so maybe go spin those old Mamas and Papas original pressing vinyls you’ve been holding onto if that helps you get through the day.
ok, I suppose we should talk some phish then. this will be lengthy (as if it wasn’t already).
1988 found the boys at the Roma in Telluride for the second show of that famed run that would get memorialized in the Colorado ’88 release, geez, eight years ago now. damn, we are getting old. anyway, this one is banterful and loose with fish on trombone for IDK, teases all over the place, a nod to AC/DC before and in Bold as Love, and just an overall fun snapshot of the band as they were first getting their true touring legs under them.
Five years later in 1993 the band was in full swing in Knoxville, TN and well, quite honestly this is a pretty ho-hum Thursday night affair. There’s the high quality playing that typifies the time, of course, but this one doesn’t really have that extra oomph to take it to the next level. there’s some trey jedi speak in the maze intro, YEM gets a big tease that I really cannot place (about 10 minutes in or so) that drives the jam from there – it could just be a series of power chords that seem really thematic, and definitely listen to the GTBT for a nod to a band from down under.
And now we are starting to get to the really good stuff. 1997 would be out west in Arizona and I should only have to say “Desert Sky Antelope” to get you to go to this one. but don’t start there! no no. the first set of this gem contains two notable jams in Gumbo – one of the first truly spicy versions – and a fine fine version of Ghost which hints at the Went Gin to come later that summer. And then after you are floored by the Antelope, push on through because you still have a wonderful Twist->Taste to absorb, my friend. This is not the major key uplifting jamming of 3.0, kids. hide the wooks and chitlins.
Oh boy oh boy oh boy. NOW we are warmed up, eh? Do I even need to spell this out for you? If I say 07.29.98 you say _______ Correct! (I’m just going to go ahead and assume you all had “Riverport Gin” in ink up there because it is indelibly marked in your phish psyche. I do not need to spend time to tell you of this one because you already know of its majesty. But that is just the show opener! From there you get a Dog Log (91 show gap), the “new” Vultures arrangement (basically, adding the potato lines), quite simply the biggest baddest Buried Alive of them all, the debut of a thrice played Del tune (If You Need a Fool), and a wonderful Tube>Kung>Antelope capper to it all. So just to recap, each set of this one starts off with a big jam, both which go in entirely different directions. Points to how strong the band was at this point to see the breadth of playing stylistically on display over the course of this show. That’s just showing off.
And we have one more gem to cover here that is as notable for the quite sizable jam in the second set which we will get to as the bevy of bustouts that burst through on that evening in the Burgh in 2003. Not that you care about such things but the average show gap for this one is 64.1 which is just ridiculous in the grand scheme if you follow such things (most shows are easily under 5.0). So the tale of the tape. They kick it off with Daniel (285 show gap), drop into Camel Walk (37), keep the crowd amped with a fiery Jibboo (24), Cool It Down (42) a bit, take the Mule (22) for a Wouldn’t It Be Lovely spin, visit with Fee (28) before heading straight into a very strong and not-quite-but-almost-why-didn’t-they-just-keep-going Timber (38), catch their breath while watching the Circus Come to Town (37), hang with the fleet hound called McGrupp (46), and then finish the set off with a Golgi (3) that ends the bustout parade. So THEN we get the second set that opens with a massive C&P (49) that covers a whole lotta ground before dropping artfully into a lovely landing pad in Thunderhead. Brother (40) brings the energy back up next before one the more self-referential takes on Harpua (171) that dove into the life of Jimmy and his “non-show” goings on where he found love in the foolish way while searching for IT (don’t forget this was only the Camden shows away from the festival). Bowie caps this off in fine form before we get Farmhouse’d (21) out of the venue in the encore.
And now we sit and wait for tonight to see how history will be added to. Go get em, boys!
Nice one Cliff. Riverport Gin sounds like a great way to start the day.
I cannot for the life of me figure out why anyone would talk shit about MPP2. That is at very least, a really interesting set. Very entertaining and must’ve been a gas live.
Out to fish for the day after dropping the junior at daycare. Peace out y’all. Keep it real.
Thanx C.C.Ball!
…who even knows what tonight holds in store for us ?
So i put on the video rip of MPP set2 last night while making dinner for my love… She wants to go take a shower while our puppy is sleeping but i convince to sit & relax & watch the beginning of the set…. After the 3rd Tweezer she yells to me to grab the precious & another beer! What about your shower i ask? Fuck it i want to know how this show ends… Oh the power of Phish from VT !
You’re a lucky man Buddy. My wife would have asked me why they kept playing the same song over and over again, rolled her eyes and then gone and taken a really long shower.
My girl woke up during the Fishman HYHY/JD thing last night.
She ain’t got no time for that. Went to the bedroom to sleep!
What a time this weekend. Never could’ve imagined loving a run that didn’t feature multiple centerpiece jams as much as I do but both nights were straight musical heaven. Sunday was coolest show I’ve seen since DC Moby Dick fest 2000. Lots of other shows have obv featured more top notch exploration but Sun showed us the maniacal side of these boys which can light up any venue. Things are looking good for 2014.
Did up MPP lawn for the first time since ’09 with Rooster and Calpain and loved it. Think they must’ve added some speaker stacks because sound was great were we were.
Dorn – I was just poking fun at the velour tracksuit brands. (Most of which were sported by lot kids in 2.0)
Who didn’t rock tracksuits in the early aughts. None of mine made it to lot though, that sounds warm.
@Ricks… Yes i m… #NothingbutGoodProblems
My wife saw “her favorite show” on Sunday. Said she was glad I got my Tweezer and Curtain but she hit about 6 songs she was looking for.
Nice post C.C.!
Mrs. Bearito was fully engaged for MPP 2, laughing her ass off at Fishman’s crowd fluffing and full band strut around the stage. “That was a really fun show”, she said. She’s only seen 6 shows but get’s “IT” for the most part.
Riverport Gin morning spin commencing!
“Dorn – I was just poking fun at the velour tracksuit brands. (Most of which were sported by lot kids in 2.0)”
And very very dirty and covered in dust and grime.
Thanks for the reminder Clavin. 16 years ago was my first show. Crazy to think about. Still remember waiting in our seats with anticipation. Then they drop that Gin.
MPP 1 funky wolfman’s — $$+
my friend has thrown out his back pretty bad. torso at a 45 degree angle to pelvis. left hip jacked up. any suggestions besides indica and heating pad?
sel J. that vinyl mix looks excellent. u got a lossless version?
Still rolling through that GD May 77 box
5/13-15- just great playing all around. Laying by the pool in the other day in a nice headspace and that Other One>Stella Blue melted my noodle.