Mr. Miner's Phish Thoughts

Picking up right where we left off yesterday, here are my top five shows of the year.

****

5. 10.31.2010 Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey

Phish’s second Halloween cover set since they’ve comeback turned into one of their best. Transforming Atlantic City’s historic Boardwalk Hall into a retro-’70s dance party, Phish nailed Little Feat’s Waiting For Columbus, in a selection that few saw coming. For the first time ever, Phish interpreted a live album, a choice that provided a more upbeat and engaging feel to the Halloween set than some of the former studio albums. With a guest horn section and virtuoso percussionist, Giovanni Hidalgo, Phish recreated the music of a Little Feat, one of the band’s primary influences with blues-based funk grooves and quick-witted musical exchanges. One of the experiential highlights of 2010 for almost all who were there, this set could land this show on this list by itself, but there was more! The most impressive “Stash” of 2010 and a holiday-themed combo of “Ghost > Spooky” highlighted the first set, while a celebratory third frame centered on a smoking “Jibboo” that segued into “Camel Walk,” and included several Phish anthems. All in all, this three-set fall finale delivered in full.

I: Frankenstein, Big Black Furry Creature from Mars, Ghost > Spooky, The Divided Sky, Roses Are Free, Funky Bitch, Boogie On Reggae Woman, Stash, Character Zero

II: Fat Man in the Bathtub, All That You Dream, Oh Atlanta, Old Folks Boogie, Time Loves a Hero > Day or Night, Mercenary Territory, Spanish Moon, Dixie Chicken > Tripe Face Boogie, Rocket in My Pocket, Willin’, Don’t Bogart That Joint, A Apolitical Blues, Sailin’ Shoes, Feats Don’t Fail Me Now

III: Down with Disease > Back on the Train, Gotta Jibboo > Camel Walk, Suzy Greenberg, Wilson > Harry Hood, The Horse > Silent in the Morning, You Enjoy Myself

E: Julius

****

4. 8.14.2010 Alpine Valley, East Troy, Wisconsin

This flowing two-setter featured sharp whole band jamming, blistering work by Trey, and one of the jams of the year in “Disease > What’s The Use?” In this show that never stopped, Phish brought huge doses of fire-laced playing, particularly in the second set, while also including a swank mid-”Mike’s Groove” stop in “Sneakin’ Sally.” The entire band clicked from the get go on this night, and never stumbled en route a classic Alpine show that brought summer tour to a final peak. “Tube” opened up and strong versions of “Reba”‘ and “Antelope” popped within a first frame with no real lulls. Transformed to DVD in record time, Phish, themselves, have already given a nod to this night as one of their favorites.

I: Tube, The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony > Suzy Greenberg, Funky Bitch, Reba >Fuck Your Face, Alaska, Back on the Train, Taste, When the Circus Comes, Lawn Boy, Sparkle, Gumbo, Run Like an Antelope

II: The Sloth, Down with Disease > What’s the Use?,  Scent of a Mule, Mike’s Song > Dirt, Sneakin’ Sally through the Alley, Weekapaug Groove, Bug

E: Quinn the Eskimo

****

3. 8.7.2010 The Greek Theatre, Berkeley, California

If the Alpine’s summer showcase represented a top-shelf Phish rock concert, The Greek’s third night was akin to a symphony. Peaking their three-show stand with delicate and inspired creativity, Phish capped the run with, in my opinion, the best set of summer. Kicking off with “Wilson” and fusing into my pick for jam of the summer–an exploratory “Light” that found pure gold—the band then came back from the stratosphere via “Twenty Years Later.” Phish showcased an impeccable mid-set “Harry Hood” and closed the show with the combination of “2001,” a rendition of “Suzy” that actually packed a punch with a smoking reprise jam, and a patiently sculpted “Slave” that fit congruently with its surroundings. Playing more fluidly than they had all summer, this show was underlined by the band’s ego-less interplay. Daytime high-points came in soaring versions of “Jibboo” and “Reba,” and a “46 Days > Tube” combo that lit up the end of the first set.

I: AC/DC Bag, Foam, Gotta Jibboo, Reba > Sleep Again, Army of One, Poor Heart, 46 Days > Tube, Character Zero

II: Wilson > Light > Twenty Years Later, Harry Hood, Theme From the Bottom, Also Sprach Zarathustra > Suzy Greenberg*,  Slave to the Traffic Light

E: The Lizards, First Tube     (*w/ reprise jam)

****

2. 10.26.2010 Verizon Wireless, Manchester, New Hampshire

Right before Phish’s three-night Halloween weekend in Atlantic City, they dropped a mid-week bomb in New Hampshire that trumped any one of them. Comprising the first set entirely of songs unplayed on fall tour (other than “Curtain (With)” and “It’s Ice”), Phish brought out “After Midnight” for the first time since Big Cypress, “Alumni Blues,” “A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing,” and “Walls of the Cave,” among others. And after setbreak, the band played one of their most impressive top-to-bottom stanzas of the year. After a bizarrely-placed “Possum” opened up, Phish dove into one of the elite “Lights” of fall. Illustrating the late-year, groove-based direction of the song, this tightly-woven excursion found its way back through “Alumni’s” funk patterns en route to one of fall’s brightest highlights. And as soon as “Light’s” psychedelic roller coaster ended, perhaps, the “Mike’s Groove” of the year began. With the reggae stylings of “Makisupa > Night Nurse > Makisupa” sliding out of “Simple,” and the best “Ghost” of fall dripping artistically into “Mango Song,” this musical sequence had a little bit of everything. Bringing the set to a head in a wild “Weekapaug” that included a staple jam on The Rolling Stones’ “Can’t You Hear Me Knockin,” Trey lyrically reprised several of the set’s songs over the break-neck music. Almost bursting at the seams, Phish flew from “Weekapaug” into a “Llama Reprise” to end the set in shredding and energetic fashion.

I: After Midnight, The Sloth, Alumni Blues > Letter to Jimmy Page > Alumni Blues, Mellow Mood, Access Me, Llama, All of These Dreams, The Curtain (With), Scent of a Mule, A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing, It’s Ice, Walls of the Cave

II: Possum, Light, Mike’s Song > Simple > Makisupa Policeman > Night Nurse* > Makisupa Policeman, The Wedge, Ghost > The Mango Song, Weekapaug Groove > Llama Reprise

E: Show of Life    (*debut, Gregory Isaacs)

****

1. 10.20.2010 Memorial Auditorium, Utica, New York

On October 20, in Utica, New York, Phish played their best two set show of this era—plain and simple. In recent times, a show with one outstanding set can be a tour highlight, and Phish’s mid-week stop in Utica featured two jaw-dropping halves of music. Fusing their improvisational playfulness of old with their musicianship of now, Phish twisted and turned through two frames of musical adventure. After taking part in a rite firmly planted in the moment, while looking towards both the past and the future, when the lights came on after this one, everyone stood wide-eyed and disoriented as if waking from a dream. You could tell from the looks on people’s faces that Phish had just played the show of the year.

As soon as the band tore apart a third-song “Vultures,” the dial was set for eleven and was never turned down. “Wolfman’s > Cities,” “David Bowie,” “McGrupp,” “Saw It Again,” and the best “Anetlope” in eons—all laced with the theme of “Guyute”—quickly turned into a face-melting first set. The energy in the building was abuzz, and everyone seemed to be aware that we sat amidst a retro-throw down like none other. Everything the band touched turned to gold on this night, and the second set peaked with one of the most sublime sequences of 2010—”Split > Have Mercy > Piper > Split—with a “Birds” reprise in “Piper.” Flowing organically and with top-shelf communication, Phish darted and dashed their way around a show laced with their signature wizardry. Throw in one of the most blissful open jams of the year out of “Have Mercy” and you’ve got the recipe for the best Phish show of 2010.

I: My Soul, Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan, Vultures, Wolfman’s Brother > Cities, Guyute, David Bowie, Wilson, McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters > Saw It Again > Run Like an Antelope

II: Drowned > Sand > Theme From the Bottom, Axilla, Birds of a Feather, Tela, Split Open and Melt > Have Mercy > Piper > Split Open and Melt, Slave to the Traffic Light

E: Good Times Bad Times

****

Honorable Mention (in no particular order):

10.19, Augusta, ME: Though boasting two of fall tour’s top-tier jams in “Light” and an off-the-charts “Reba” for the ages, the entire show didn’t have enough consistency or flow to make the top ten.

8.6, The Greek: Though each set featured two outstanding in jams (“Bathtub Gin” / “Cities” and “Rock and Roll” / “Simple”) the band had yet to put it all together like the did the following night.

10.22, Providence, RI: A strong second set kicked off with one of fall’s best jam sequences in “Rock and Roll > Carini,” but there wasn’t much to speak of in the first.

6.25, Camden, NJ: A legitimate June contender for the number ten position, the second set alone brings the heat with “Chalkdust > Caspian” and the Michael Jackson-inspired “2001 > Light.”

10.30 Atlantic City, NJ: I’m only putting this here because I’ll get too much flak if I don’t. “Tweezer > Led Zeppelin > Whatever.” But “2001 > Bowie” contains some of the most scintillating playing of the season. Tack on a strong first set and a fun-filled rock show emerges.

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Jam of the Day:

“Jibboo” 7.4.10 II

A taste of the just-released Kevorkian remasters courtesy of Live Phish.

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DOWNLOAD OF THE DAY: Will be back tomorrow!

Everyone has their own favorites, but here are my Top Ten shows of 2010 in a two-part series. To craft the list, I looked at shows as two-set entities, favoring full nights with quality playing throughout, rather than ones with only one great set or one to-die-for jam. A list of the best single sets of 2010 might look quite different, but for this exercise, I looked at shows holistically. Today, I unveil at the top half of the bracket.

****

10. 6.11.2010 Toyota Park, Bridgeview, Illinois

Fresh off of their practice sessions at UIC pavilion, Phish came out well-oiled and demolished their opening show of 2010. Blazing through two sets packed with improvisation, Phish brought the heat in ungodly temperatures back in June in Chicago. “Light > Maze, Ghost > Limb” provided the opening sequence of the second set and the meat of the show. Each piece featured a unique jam, and “Ghost” would hold up as a tour highlight. The band never lost momentum throughout the night, crafting an entire show of high powered music to kick off the year. Capping a fluid second set with “Antelope” and the debut of “Show of Life,” things were blissful in Phishville after the first show of the summer.

I: Down with Disease, Wolfman’s Brother, Possum, Boogie On Reggae Woman,Reba, Jesus Just Left Chicago, The Divided Sky, Golgi Apparatus, David Bowie

II: Light > Maze, Ghost > Limb By Limb > Prince Caspian > The Horse > Silent in the Morning, Run Like an Antelope, Show of Life*

E: Cavern, Julius   *debut

****

9. 6.27.2010 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland

Merriweather’s second show represented the peak of Phish’s most impressive weekend of Leg I. Completing a four-night stand that started in Camden, the band punctuated their Mid-Atlantic run with a thematic second set. Responding to a sign for “Saw It Again,” Trey chopped into the song amidst the liquid funk of “Meatstick,” and initiated a wild second set in which the band wove lyrical teases of “Saw It Again” in each subsequent song, capping the night with the the unforgettable—”Boy. Man. I Saw It Again!” And smack dab in the middle of this musical trickery was a centerpiece of “Piper,” one of the outstanding excursions of June. Throw in a rocking jaunt of “Ghost > Jumping Jack Flash” and solid first set, and you’ve got yourself a nice little Phish show.

I: Walfredo, Mellow Mood, Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan, The Divided Sky, Tela, My Soul, Ginseng Sullivan, Sample in a Jar, Bathtub Gin, Brian and Robert, Run Like an Antelope

II: Wilson, Meatstick > Saw It Again > Piper > Ghost > Jumpin’ Jack Flash > Saw It Again, Contact, You Enjoy Myself

E: Fire

****

8. 8.17.2010 Jones Beach, Wantagh, New York

This show is a dark-horse of 2010. It’s never talked about much but it musically delivered. Coming off Alpine Valley’s summer showcase, the first night in Jones Beach carried the same energy, precision, and exploratory jamming as the previous two in the Midwest. Following a hit—and improv-filled—opening frame, Phish came out and blew down the house with a combination of musical theatrics in the second. Oozing into things with the retro combination of “Lengthwise > Maze,” the band set the table for a non-stop run through the rest of the set. Launching from “Halley’s” into “Mike’s,” this typical summer ’10 “Groove” was packed with action. Following a quasi-ambient outro of “Simple,” the band sculpted the one of the jams of the season in a pioneering “Backwards Down the Number Line.” Impressive versions of “Caspian” and “Rock and Roll” came wrapped in the monster-sandwich before a smoking “Weekapaug” topped things off. You may not recall this show as one of the best of the year, but go back, check it out, and think again.

I: Fluffhead, Kill Devil Falls, Cities, Funky Bitch, Wilson, Reba, Walk Away,Wolfman’s Brother, Possum

II: Lengthwise > Maze, Halley’s Comet > Mike’s Song > Simple > Backwards Down the Number Line > Prince Caspian > Rock and Roll > Weekapaug Groove,Loving Cup

E: Show of Life, Golgi Apparatus

****

7. 12.31.2010 Madison Square Garden, New York City

The second set of New Year’s Eve is the musical treasure of this three-set show, and the central reason that it broke the top ten. Nobody can’t deny one of the year’s most scintillating frames of music on the biggest night of the year. And the entire stanza was centered around a sublime “Ghost” that quickly transformed into one of the defining jams of this era. Considering Phish shows as full experiences, the third-set Meatstick Extravaganza was as grand as any. With over fifty choreographed dancers on stage representing countries from around the world, Phish sailed through Madison Square Garden on their Hot Dog of lore, bringing back several New Year’s traditions at once, while ringing in the new year. A ripping “After Midnight” and a gorgeous “Slave” provided celebratory bookends to the succinct third set.

I: Punch You In the Eye, AC/DC Bag, The Moma Dance, Scent of a Mule, Burn That Bridge*, Weigh, Ocelot, Beauty of My Dreams, Gone, Rock and Roll

II: Wilson, 46 Days, Sand, NICU, Down with Disease > Ghost, You Enjoy Myself > Manteca > You Enjoy Myself

III: Meatstick, Auld Lang Syne, After Midnight, Backwards Down the Number Line, Piper > Free, Waste, Slave to the Traffic Light, Grind

E: First Tube

****

6. 10.16.2010 North Charleston Coliseum, South Carolina

This show kicked Phish into overdrive for fall tour and they never looked back. Featuring an entire night of top-notch playing, one can point to the  first set “Sand” as the turning point of the tour. The band stacked the opening frame with the first “Curtain (With)” of the year, “Sneakin’ Sally,” “Pebbles and Marbles” and “David Bowie,” building a considerable head of steam by setbreak. Taking this momentum into a flawless and flowing second set that began with a multi-dimensional “Crosseyed and Painless,” and ended with the eye-popping sequence of “2001 > Tweezer > Show of Life > YEM,” Phish scripted a seamless tale of wizardry in South Carolina.

I: Kill Devil Falls, Guelah Papyrus, The Curtain (With), The Mango Song, Sand,Limb By Limb, Sneakin’ Sally through the Alley, Uncle Pen, Pebbles and Marbles, Cavern, David Bowie

II: Crosseyed and Painless, Dirt, Fluffhead, Also Sprach Zarathustra > Tweezer > Show of Life, You Enjoy Myself

E: I Been Around, Quinn the Eskimo, Tweezer Reprise

Stay tuned tomorrow for my top five shows of 2010…

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Jam of the Day:

“Crosseyed and Painless” 10.16.2010 II

A selection from the number six show on the list.

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DOWNLOAD OF THE DAY:

9.9.2000 “The Knick,” Albany, New York

FLAC Torrent (via etree), Mp3 Torrent, Megaupload < Links

This reader request goes out to “Big” Nate who “witnessed the best version of Maze [he] ever saw in Albany” that night. Also recognizing that “this show is probably best known for Michael Ray’s guest appearing in the second set, but the whole show is quite solid.” I’m with you on that assessment Nate, so here you go.

I: Possum, My Friend, My Friend > Jam > Gumbo, Maze, Boogie On Reggae Woman, Roggae, Guyute, Run Like an Antelope

II: Gotta Jibboo, The Curtain > Sand*, Makisupa Policeman*, Cars Trucks Buses*, Funky Bitch*, Cavern

E: Harry Hood*

* w/ Michael Ray on trumpet

Source: B&K 4011 > Lunatec v2 > Apogee AD-500 > DA-P1

*****

“Harry Hood” 12.28.2010 II

*****

“Seven Below > What’s the Use?” 12.27 2010 II

*****

“Stash” 12.28.2010 I

All Videos by mkdevo

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Jams of the Weekend:

“Pigtail” 12.28 I

Without many noticing, Phish debuted the newest Anastasio/Marshall effort, and their most impressive new song of the year.

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***

“Wolfman’s Brother” 12.28.I

2010′s final version was a keeper.

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Phish delivered the most explosive set of the Holiday Run right in the wheelhouse of Madison Square Garden’s three-night stand. While January 1st may have boasted a more complete overall show, no frame matched the big city setting better than the monstrous music of New Year’s Eve centerpiece. On, arguably, the nations biggest stage on the most celebrated night of the year, Phish used their middle frame to throw down an iconic holiday set of music that featured some of the band’s most exemplary playing of their five-night run.

Reigning in the entire audience with the Gamehendge, call-and-response anthem, “Wilson,” and then lighting The Garden aflame with the over-sized arena rock of “46 Days,” the pot was already boiling when Trey strummed the opening chords to “Sand.” A song that transformed from a platform for guitar bravado into an earnest whole-band conversation this fall, “Sand’s” final version of the year flooded the room with adrenaline. As Phish completed the brief lyrical section, they took a swan dive into some of their most dynamic improv of the night. The entire band played off Trey’s staccato licks –  echoing, altering, and responding to his signature patterns. And within no time at all, the band engaged in a rhythmic boxing match, bobbing and weaving like Ali and Frazier in the same building 39 years earlier. With melodies dancing around each other like prize-fighters, Trey, Mike, and Page threw down several rounds of scorching interplay within a ten minute journey, all contained by Fishman’s squared-circle. Drawing raucous mid-jam roars from the juiced onlookers, Phish took this jam to the top in the, difficult-to-dispute, version of the year.

After a mid-set interlude of “NICU,” Phish got right back to business with the defining sequence of the set, and the night. The adventure began with the opening bass rumbling of “Down With Disease,” and continued right through the song’s high-speed rock and roll into a slowed down, menacing segment of music. As Phish slid smoothly into “Ghost,” one could feel The Garden inflate with excitement and energy. And following the path of an inspiring and uplifting jam, “Ghost” drove these initial emotions into the heavens. Playing the defining rendition of the song for the modern era, Phish sculpted a start-to-finish masterpiece that peaked with seething catharsis. Mike handed the lead to Trey amidst an uber-slick groove that never hiccuped for a second while bringing the show to its undeniable peak. After passing through minutes of smooth dance music, the band hit a collective harmony and ran for the sunset, rejoicing in a final segment of guitar-led, soul-tugging victory. Taking the jam to mountaintop and bringing 20,000 participants along, Phish molded the communal energy like Play-Doh in a frozen moment that will live forever in the MSG history.

And at the highest point of the evening, the band dropped into the opening arpeggios of their seminal piece, “You Enjoy Myself.” Precisely nailing the opening half of a piece that always shines at The Garden, when Phish dropped into the funk, the room became an aquarium of liquid grooves. Tickling the initial jam with what seemed like another “Manteca” tease — a playful theme of the fall, if not the entire year — the band, instead, broke into the full-on Dizzy Guillespe groove, with lyrics, for the first time of 2010. Segueing back into “YEM,” they continuously toyed with “Manteca,” singing “Crab in My Shoemouth,” within musical breaks for the duration of the jam, further amping the crowd with a display of musical Phishiness. Punctuating the set with series of sharp and styling grooves while drenching the building with unparalleled spirit, Phish had just dropped a masterpiece, and midnight was yet to come.

Though other sets brought different qualities to the table, New Year’s Eve’s second set blew up in a white-hot showcase of arena Phish that was dotted with some of Trey’s most impressive playing of the run. With Madison Square Garden in the palm of their hand once again, the band delivered another chapter of New Year’s lore than will find its rightful place in our eternal picture book of holiday memories.

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Jam of the Day:

“Simple” 1.1.11 II

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DOWNLOAD OF THE DAY:

1.1.2011 Madison Square Garden

FLAC Torrent (via etree), Mp3 Torrent, Megaupload < Links

I: My Soul, Tube, Runaway Jim, Foam, Guelah Papyrus, The Divided Sky, Round Room, Walk Away, Gotta Jibboo, Reba > Walls of the Cave

II: Crosseyed and Painless, Twist, Simple, Sneakin’ Sally through the Alley, Makisupa Policeman > David Bowie

E: Fee, Frankenstein

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Source: Schoeps mk41> KC5> M222> NT222> Aeta PSP-3> SD 744t (@24bit/96kHz)

While the rumors have already started to roll in about 2011′s summer schedule, let’s pause for a moment to reflect on Phish’s transformational year of 2010. The band rung in the year with four significant shows in Miami that represented a huge step forward in their improvisational cohesion. Blowing away the unexpectedly contained playing of Fall ’09, Miami brought Phish into the new year with a bang. And though the future seemed much brighter after Miami’s holiday run, it remained to be seen how six months off would treat Phish’s newly re-discovered chops.

*****

After practicing for several days at UIC Pavilion in Chicago, the band kicked off Leg I of Summer Tour on June 11, with a two-set juggernaut at Toyota Park that inaugurated Phish into 2010. On a tour that will forever be remembered for Trey’s prominent use of his whammy pedal — better known as “the whale” — Mike began to gain more prominence in Phish’s music as Trey slid back with his minimalist offerings. This welcome trend continued throughout June, and by the time the tour ended in Alpharetta, Georgia, Mike had become as much of a leader of Phish’s jams as Trey. This two-headed musical leadership would mature throughout the year, as both guitar players worked symbiotically through most all of the band’s improvisation. In addition, June’s leg featured a wide array of bust-outs and one-time covers, spicing up setlists with the unexpected night in and night out.

Phish carried their momentum of their top-notch tour opener to Blossom (where they played, perhaps, the jam of June in “Number Line”) and Hershey, starting the tour on a tear. But over their stretch in upstate New York and New England, their consistency dipped before coming back with a vengeance over the tour’s peak weekend in Camden and Merriweather. The band broke through to the other side with Camden’s “Chalk Dust” and then “Light,” while Merriweather took things to the next level with a spectaular “Rock and Roll” and the seamless “I Saw It Again”-themed second set on 6.27 that was centered around a sprawling “Piper.” Much to the dismay of many fans, Phish’s Southern run never reached the heights of their Mid-Atantic showcase, though the band’s July 4th stand in Alpharetta provided a fine consolation prize.

*****

But the second leg of summer tour is when modern-era Phish took off in earnest. August began a next-generation transformation that would conclude during a universally-loved fall tour and an outstanding Holiday Run. Starting out  on a hilltop in Berkeley, California, Phish played three of their most creative shows of the entire year at The University of California’s Greek Theatre. With pristine acoustics in the classic stone setting, Phish threw down many open-ended jams that met with smashing success, highlighted by of one summer’s defining pieces in a sublime and exploratory “Light.” Focused more squarely on open jamming than at any other time in the year, Phish also wove tales of wonder out of “Disease,” “Rock and Roll,” and “Simple,” while embarking on top-shelf versions of “Cities,” “Bathtub Gin,” “Tweezer,” “Harry Hood,” “Suzy (plus Reprise)” and “Slave.” But more significant than any of these individual jams was the introduction of Trey’s brand-new, “magical” guitar — “The Ocedoc.” Revolutionizing his tone and modern style of play, his new guitar facilitated the red-headed Jedi’s return to prominence — a process that would be solidified during August’s second high-water mark at Alpine Valley.

Peaking the summer with four scintillating sets of music, Phish threw down a near-perfect show on August 14, and a raucous affair that matched musical might with the Goliath-sized venue on night two. In addition to hosting another of summer’s defining jams — a ripping-turned-psychedelic “Disease > What’s the Use?” — Alpine also turned into a weekend-long guitar showcase in which Trey fully found his mojo again, leading jams with power and creativity. As illustrated through his play in “Reba,” Antelope,” “Bowie,” and “Ghost,” Trey’s skills had caught up to his classmates’ and Phish morphed into the four-headed monster of lore. Taking this new found confidence to Jones Beach, Phish finalized the summer with two top-to-bottom efforts that included another jam of summer in a transcendent “Number Line.”

In between these two peaks of August, Phish traveled deep into the Rockies for one of the most special weekends of the year in Telluride, Colorado. With everyone you knew within a few town blocks, a veritable Phish festival at the end of the street, and a to-die-for natural setting, Telluride became a communal experience that transcended the shows. But there was some great music as well, including the most impressive “Piper” of summer and a supernatural “Carini.” Deer Creek, though one of the more hallowed venues in Phish history, proved to be somewhat of an exhale after the high-key west coast shows and before the Alpine shows-turned-DVD-release. But when summer ended, Phish had made another step forward in their playing and their jamming with fall tour yet to unfold.

*****

While Fall 2009 wound up bringing some stagnation to the Phish’s play, a notably downsized Fall 2010 would have the opposite effect, catapulting the band into their current golden age with the best playing since their return. On a retro-tour that caught fire in earnest on the second night of South Carolina, Phish reinvented themselves in a week of musical adventure that tore through Augusta, Maine — featuring a sacred “Reba,” Utica, New York, and Providence, Rhode Island. In the veritable ghost-town of Utica, New York, in the middle of the week, Phish threw down, arguably, the show of the year, fusing an old-school playfulness with a powerful display of new-school musicianship. Phish dropped another mid-week bomb in Manchester, New Hampshire — highlighting “Light” and “Ghost” — that set up Atlantic City’s Halloween trifecta.

Three-nights on the Jersey shore proved to be just what the doctor ordered, as Phish punctuated fall with three stellar nights of music. Carrying a full head of steam into fall’s final weekend, Phish did not disappoint anyone who traveled to the tourist Mecca, playing three universally-loved shows with all sorts of highlights. But the defining moment of the weekend came in Phish’s sixth musical costume, Little Feat’s Waiting For Columbus. Bringing one of rock and roll’s most acclaimed live albums to life in Boardwalk Hall, Phish emulated some of their heroes while throwing down an groove-based, ’70′s style dance-party for the ages. When fall tour concluded, the entire community — young and old — seemed to have fallen back in love with the band that once courted their heart.

*****

Taking things back to their geographic roots, Phish played an unprecedented five-night New Year’s Run in Worcester and New York City that contained some of the year’s most memorable jams in “Seven Below > What’s The Use?,” “Harry Hood,” “Tweezer.” “Ghost,” and “Simple.” And finally — out of “You Enjoy Myself” — the band culminated a year of musical hints and teases by breaking into a long-awaited “Manteca.” Beyond the music, Phish orchestrated a global “Meatstick” convention, kicking in 2011 with their hot d0g of legend and a choreographed parade of Broadway performers who helped Phish pull off their grandest midnight moment of all-time. Without going too deep into topics freshly discussed, Phish concluded the year with musical exclamation point in New Year’s Eve second set, and opened 2011 with 1.1.11′s equally potent second half. Finishing the year by rocking the The Garden, a round room that has become their de facto New York residence, it looked like smooth waters ahead as the band embarked on the their third year of chapter three.

Hampton for Memorial Day? The game rolls on…

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2010 Post-Season Awards

Type II Jam Vehicles – First Team: “Light,” “Rock and Roll,” “Simple,” “Piper,” “Ghost”

Type II Sixth Man of the Year: “Carini”

Type I Jam Vehicles – First Team: “Sand,” “Bathtub Gin,” “Tweezer,” “David Bowie,” “Stash”

Type I Sixth Man of the Year: “Slave to the Traffic Light”

2010 Improvisational MVP: “Light”

Show of the Year: 10.20.2010 – Memorial Auditorium, Utica, New York

Comeback Player(s) of the Year: (tie) – “David Bowie” and “Sand”

Most Improved Player of the Year: “Twenty Years Later”

All-Rookie Team: “Halfway to the Moon, “Show of Life,” “Summer of ’89,” “My Problem Right There,” “Pigtail”

Bust Out of the Year: “Fuck Your Face” – 7.1 Charlotte, NC (4.29.1987 – 1,413 shows)

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Jam of the Day:

“Ghost” 12.31.2010 II

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DOWNLOAD OF THE DAY:

12.31.2010 Madison Square Garden, New York City

FLAC Torrent (via etree), Mp3 Torrent, Megaupload < Links

I: Punch You In the Eye, AC/DC Bag, The Moma Dance, Scent of a Mule, Burn that Bridge*, Weigh, Ocelot**, Beauty of My Dreams, Gone, Rock and Roll

II: Wilson, 46 Days, Sand, NICU**, Down with Disease > Ghost, You Enjoy Myself > Manteca > You Enjoy Myself

III: Meatstick^, Auld Lang Syne, After Midnight, Backwards Down the Number Line, Piper > Free, Waste, Slave to the Traffic Light, Grind

E: First Tube

*debut, **w/ Auld Lang Syne teases, ^International Meatstick Extravaganza

Source: Schoeps mk41> KC5> M222> NT222> EAA PSP-2> SD 744t (@24bit/96kHz) (taper – taylorc)

I spent a good deal of yesterday re-spinning the highlights from the New Year’s Run, and — man — the top-notch jams are as good as anything the band has thrown down since their return. Combining an ego-less improvisational ethos with well-polished, end-of-the-year chops, Phish crafted several eternal excursions that will forever bring us back to the first juncture of decades in the 21st century.

“Harry Hood,” “Ghost,” “Seven Below > What’s the Use?,” “Simple,” “Tweezer,” “Sand,” and “Twist” — all vintage Phish jams, and — interestingly — they all explored different musical territory. Illustrating the diversity of Phish’s current skill set — and their improvisational marksmanship when diving deep — these jams gave us a legitimate signpost along the road of modern Phish. Gone is rock-star Trey (though his part of “Ghost’s” peak almost crumbled the walls of The Garden), and what has emerged in Phish’s most successful endeavors is a collaborative jamming in which all members build directly off each others’ phrases in a sublime, subconscious spiral. In each of the aforementioned pieces, leads were traded at times, but the most triumphant passages occurred when the band merged into a selfless musical orb. Instead of layering independent ideas atop each other, the band continuously reached points of effortless cooperation as if controlled by a single mind.

Perhaps the most immaculate example of this subliminal musical mastery came in Worcester’s “Harry Hood,” in which the band echoed and finished each others’ thoughts and phrases as naturally as a river flows through the woods. Playing with an ego-less virtuosity, the band scribed a new-school symphony for life, itself. “Ghost” — the unquestionable jam of The Garden — combined smooth and collaborative interplay with a phenomenal, whole-band peak that Trey laced with top-level, guitar catharsis. “Simple” drifted into an enchanted, so-connected-it-sounded-composed segment, in which Trey picked up a subtle offering by Page and — together — they transformed the phrase into the heart-melting theme of the full-band conversation. Other examples of this transcendent cross-talk came in “Sand’s” opening staccato-crack and deep into “Tweezer,” where the band’s most successful sequence featured all members lending only partial phrases to an overall, experimental, whole. “Seven Below” tapped into this collaborative jamming immediately, as Trey comped the band’s patterns with subtle brushstrokes that eased him into the overall mixture. And before long, the entire band found themselves in a musical chase through some of the most patient and tightest jamming of the year, coming to an unprecedented peak in a mash-up with “What’s the Use?” “Phish stretched the boundaries of “Twist’s” jam structure while exploring meticulous textures using the same fluid communication featured throughout the week.

Within the context of these next-generation jams, Phish bid adieu to 2010 and welcomed 2011 to the world. Though the sets were not all perfectly written, and the New Year’s Run, at times, seemed a bit pre-packaged, when the band chose to take musical risks, they came up with nuggets of gold every single time. And a handful of elite jams played over the final days of the year represent legitimate high points of the modern era. For me, transportive improvisation has always defined the magic of Phish shows, and when peering through the portals provided over the holidays, the state of the band could not look brighter as we move into the next decade.

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Jam of the Day:

“Tweezer” 12.30.2010 II

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DOWNLOAD OF THE DAY:

12.30.2010 Madison Square Garden, NYC

FLAC Torrent (via etree), Mp3 Torrent, Megaupload < Links

I: Cities, Chalk Dust Torture, Gumbo, Quinn the Eskimo, Halley’s Comet > Camel Walk*, Maze, Driver, Bathtub Gin, Fat Man in the Bathtub, Timber Ho, Golgi Apparatus, Character Zero

II: Tweezer > Light > Theme From the Bottom > My Friend, My Friend, Axilla, Fluffhead, Boogie On Reggae Woman > Also Sprach Zarathustra > Suzy Greenberg

E: Run Like an Antelope, Tweezer Reprise

* w/ PA issues

Source: Schoeps mk41> KC5> M222> NT222> EAA PSP-2> SD 744t (@24bit/96kHz) – (taper: taylorc)

“Sand” 12.31.10 II – All videos by HarpusaFSB

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“Ghost” 12.31.2010 II

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“YEM > Manteca > YEM” 12.31.10 II

When digesting a Holiday Run, one must step back and take in the whole ride rather than look at each show in a vacuum. This year, Phish sculpted an artistic musical contour over five nights that possessed a natural flow from Worcester’s kick-off through Madison Square Garden’s finale. Highlighting divergent styles on different nights, and peaking the run with two of the most successful sets of the “year,” Phish not only played four out of five outstanding, individual shows, they crafted an unparallelled five-night adventure to ring in 2011.

Amidst outlandish blizzard conditions, fans fought their way to the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts for an early start to 2010′s New Year’s Run on December 27th. After braving treacherous traffic and road conditions, and navigating clogged-up, east coast airports, the initial show felt like a reward for the efforts expended by all fans to reach the promise land. Worcester’s first set started off more fully invigorated than most opening sets, featuring surprise, jammed-out versions of “Cool It Down” and “Roggae,” as well as a string of inspired singles. The second set initiated the run with a smoking “Mike’s Groove” that favored a heavily-improvised “Weekapaug.” An emotive “Farmhouse” set the table for one of the pieces of the entire run — an enchanting sleigh ride through a sublime “Seven Below.” As patiently glowing, open interplay led into a mind-numbing mash-up with “What’s the Use?” this excursion quickly jumped onto the top-shelf of 2010 Phish jams. The band eased out of this defining piece into “Twenty Years Later” and an elegant rendition of “Velvet Sea,” before finishing with a triumvirate of classics — including the run’s first “Bowie.” Kicking off their their holiday celebration with a well-rounded shot of musical adrenaline, Phish welcomed everyone to the end of the year showcase.

The following night in Worcester was the tale of two sets — the first was strewn with upbeat improvisation and spurts of shining psychedelia, while the second became a coherent frame of delicate introspection. The opening set carried the energy from the first night in dynamic explorations of “Wolfman’s” and “Stash,” while also featuring “She Caught the Katy” and the catchy debut of Anastasio and Marshall’s newest effort, “Pigtail.” After “Carini” opened the second set with a surprisingly contained jaunt, the band ventured into more meticulous jamming around mellower, emotionally-driven selections for most of the set. In “Back On the Train > Limb,” Phish wove together two sharp, contained pieces with a seamless segue and a sense of understated eloquence. Following a notably well-played “Frankie Says > Albuquerque,” in which individual notes and the space between them were given equally attentive care, Phish dropped into — in my opinion — the jam of the entire run in “Harry Hood.” United by a selfless ethos, Phish fused precise rhythmic interplay into a blissful and futuristic collaborative canvas, resulting in a life-affirming tale of experimental triumph. Using this masterpiece to peak the set’s stylistic theme with perfection, the band then came down from the stratosphere with a scorching and extended version of “Bug.” Highlighting intricate and quiet interplay all set long, Phish created a beautiful calm before the oncoming, big-city storm.

Madison Square Garden provided a stark change of scenery from snow-covered New England landscape, and Phish responded to the high-key environs by playing a largely energy-based show that also featured some, classic, 30th-style exploration in “Tweezer > Light.” Taking two of the year’s most successful songs, Phish went for it, first coming up with a fierce peak in “Tweezer” before drifting into engaging (if not totally locked-in) bass-led, atmospheric jamming during the piece’s second half. “Light,” a song that hadn’t delivered a lackluster version all year long, notched its first with an aimless exploration that never gained liftoff. On a night that traditionally enters darker realms before an upbeat party on New Year’s Eve, Phish certainly followed that vibe on the 30th, but for whatever reason, didn’t play with the same fire and fury that displayed throughout the following two nights. When “Tweezer > Light” didn’t necessarily reach the places it might have, the band took the course of energy anthems for the rest of the night in the only underwhelming show of the run. Sandwiched in the first set, however, was the show’s certain high-point in a smashing “Bathtub Gin,” followed by Little Feat’s “Fat Man In a Bathtub,” and “Timber Ho!” Thus, while the overall musical achievement didn’t reach the level of the four surrounding shows, the 30th, nonetheless, provided the darker, exploratory experience to fit the overall, five-night contour.

When Phish came out on New Year’s Eve, they immediately sounded more dialed in than the night before. Even through a relatively uneventful first set, their playing was clean, crisp and refreshing. But when they came out for the second set, the New Year’s party got quite serious. Launching off the arena rock vigor of “Wilson” and “46 Days,” Phish dropped a peak version of “Sand,” and an all-time version of “Ghost” that has become an instant classic. With Trey at the top of his game for the final set of the 2010, the band showcased how far their improvisational skills have come within two years as they annihilated the peak of the show — “Disease > Ghost, YEMTeca.” Combining assassin-like precision, Phishy humor laced with musicianship, and a “Ghost” that will bring a grown man to tears, Phish peaked the entire four nights with this holiday sequence. (But the fifth was yet to come!)

The third set of New Year’s Eve brought the well-documented, feel-good event of the year in the Global Meatstick Extravaganza. Following the theatrics with with a series of succinct rock songs that kept the party moving, Phish chilled briefly in a serene “Waste” before climaxing the night with”Slave.” Traditionally, this celebratory evening capped the Holiday Run with noisemakers, silly glasses and relatively innocuous third sets. But this time, we had another show! And one didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to sense that it would be the most complete effort of the run.

Building off New Year’s celebration, Phish doused their audience with two frames of musical focus, including a second, airtight set of creative interplay that went unrivaled by any other of the run. After a linear “Crosseyed” jam got the blood coursing through people’s veins, the rest of the set was chock full of original musical exchanges. “Twist” brought a meticulous conversation between all four band members that pushed the limits of “contained” jamming, while “Simple” broke into the transcendent realm, melting hearts with original improv drenched in spirIT. Never letting up within this entire set of adventure, Phish kept the pedal to the metal with a swanky “Sneakin’ Sally,” a dubbed-out “Makisupa,” and one final, magnificent “David Bowie” to end a season that featured so many incredible versions. Taking this Holiday Tour to another level with a fifth night, Phish peaked the run with its most cohesive show by a long shot, ending — and starting — the year on an incredibly high note.

But January 1st’s peak was but one part of a five-night ride that started in a winter wonderland and ended in a concrete jungle. And along the way, Phish sculpted their shows and jams with parallel direction. Starting with a spark, the band turned to the emotional and intricate side before greeting New York with energy and exploratory intent on opening night. Then, blowing out The Garden with their two finest efforts of the week, the last two nights peaked the run with notably different shows. I’m sure everyone has their favorite night and favorite jam, but when looking at 2010′s Holiday Run from a macro-perspective, it contained an organic path from beginning to end — and plenty of great music in between.

Here are some recommendations:

12/27: Must Hear: Seven Below > What’s the Use, Weekapaug // Other Highlights: Cool It Down, Roggae, Mike’s, David Bowie

12/28: Must Hear: Harry Hood, Stash, Wolfman’s // Other Highlights: Kill Devil Falls, Pigtail, Back on the Train > Limb, Bug

12/30: Must Hear: Bathtub Gin, Tweezer // Other Highlights: Maze, Fat Man In a Bathtub, Timber, Boogie > 2001

12/31: Must Hear: Sand, Disease > Ghost > YemTeca // Other Highlights: Ocelot, 46 Days, Slave

1/1: Must Hear: Twist > Simple, Sally // Other Highlights: Tube, Walk Away, Jibboo, Reba, Crosseyed, Makisupa, Bowie

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Jam of the Day:

“Seven Below > What’s the Use?” 12.27 II

The central sequence in Worcester’s opening night, and one of the most impressive jams of the year.

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DOWNLOAD OF THE DAY:

12.27.2010 DCU Center, Worcester, Massachusetts

FLAC (via etree), Mp3 Torrent, Megaupload < Links

I: Sample in a Jar, Funky Bitch, Cool it Down, Roggae, Heavy Things, What Things Seem, Roses are Free, It’s Ice, Mountains in the Mist, Julius

II: Mike’s Song > Mound, Weekapaug, Farmhouse, Seven Below > What’s the Use > Twenty Years Later, Wading in the Velvet Sea, Possum, Cavern, David Bowie

E: Loving Cup

Source: (FOB) Schoeps mk5> KC5> M222> NT222> Aeta PSP-3> SD 744t (@24bit/96kHz) – (taper: taylorc)

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Phish and New Year’s Eve has always been a highly combustible combination. Throughout the band’s career, this night of revelry has provided Phish the grandest of stages to play soundtracks for the passing of time. Regardless of where these new beginnings took place — from Boston Garden to Big Cypress — a special electricity always filled the air on the final night of the year. But when the band took their high holiday to New York’s Madison Square Garden, first in 1995, and then in 1997, 1998, and 2002, it became quite obvious that the venue was a perfect match for the party of the year. Matching the grandiosity of the music and the moment, MSG became the ultimate room for Phish’s larger-than-life holiday show. Thus, when the band announced New Year’s Eve would return to The Garden in 2010, they sent shock waves through the community, as everyone knew we were in for a special night; another magical convergence of time, place and Phish. And when the last piece of confetti hit the ground last Friday night, Phish had — as expected — added another chapter to their legendary legacy.

Setting an upbeat tone early on, and bringing back memories of 12.31.95, Phish kicked off New Year’s Eve with ‘Punch You in the Eye.” Delivering a message of enthusiasm, Phish tore though the adrenalizing opener, getting everyone in The Garden on the same rocking page immediately. Continuing the high-energy vibe, the band followed with a crisp “AC/DC Bag” and a gooey “Moma Dance” — each of which hold a significant link to MSG via 12.30.97. The only conceivable lull in the show came next with the combination of “Scent of a Mule” and the debut of the mid-tempo, bluesy “Burn That Bridge,” a collaboration between Trey and Broadway songwriter and performer, Amanda Green. But the first improvisational dip of the night came next, in a dreamy mid-set “Ocelot.” Mike stepped out front, pacing the methodical jam as Trey favored early whales which gradually turned into swankier, sustained licks. The whole band tapped into each others’ playing, creating a cohesive whole. Page’s and Trey joined forces bringing the jam to a peak in which Trey unleashed a perfectly-fitting “Auld Lang Syne” tease, capping the version with extra excitement. “Beauty of My Dreams” and the second-ever performance of “Gone” set the stage for a closing “Rock and Roll.” As the band tore through a contained version of the usually open-ended vehicle, something in their communication clicked and caught fire. Revving up a thrashing rock jam that catapulted them into the rest of the night, Phish never looked back as they finished a year of phenomenal versions of Velvet Underground’s cover with a scorching exclamation point to the first set. Trey stepped forward and completely annihilated a never-ending solo that also got him warmed up in full for one of his most impressive sets of the run that sat around the corner.

Traditionally, the first set of New Year’s Eve is reserved for songs and compositions, the third is saved for celebrations, and middle set contains the evening’s most serious music endeavors. Following this pattern to a tee, Phish transformed the second set of New Year’s Eve into the night’s unquestionable highlight, providing stylistic diversity while crushing everything in their path. Opening with the hard-edged stylings of “Wilson” and “46 Days,” the latter piece turned into a tidal wave of face-melting arena rock as the entire band just about blew the roof off The Garden with airtight fury. Continuing his spectacular night, Trey’s comically-intense playing took center stage in an animated guitar blowout.

Taking no time to rest, Phish launched into one of their central jam vehicles of fall tour — “Sand.” Placed under the white-hot spotlight of New Year’s second set in New York City, the gritty rhythmic juggernaut seemed destined to blow up. And over the course of ten ludicrous minutes, that destiny would be fulfilled. Trey leaped into the jam with his crack-like staccato-funk, while Mike and Page echoed and altered the same patterns, transforming the piece into an hyper-dynamic exercise in groove. Fishman laid down slick dance beats as all three members formed some of the most collaborative music to ever stem from the song. As Trey moved out of his staccato playing and smoothly into laid-back solo, the band’s communication translated into this second section as the piece turned into a more flowing build. The gritty and aggressive interplay fit congruently with MSG’s big-city surroundings as Phish put a shimmering close one of fall’s most indelible songs.

The band took respite with the ska-pop of “NICU,” before diving into the defining musical sequence of the evening. When Phish bucked convention and brought out “Down With Disease” in an unorthodox, mid-set slot, it seemed like the beginning of an adventure. Always holding potential for open-ended action, “Disease” proved to be the first piece of the show that departed from structure. Following a raucous composed jam, highlighted by more ferocious guitar work, the band took the music into the abstract, shifting gears quickly but not abruptly. Oozing into a mystical, ambient realm, Trey emerged from this sonic sludge with the smooth opening licks of “Ghost.” As the band dropped into a “Ghost” jam on New Year’s Eve in The Garden, one could feel an oncoming journey. Beginning on traditional ground, Mike stepped out to lead the early jam as Page hopped onto his clavinet. Trey slowly joined in the fray with sparse licks, deferring to Mike’s leadership early on. Building his own part gradually, Trey subtly infused himself into the piece. But when he hit a gorgeous harmony with Mike and Page, the groove transformed into a tidal wave of bliss. While the rest of the band came together in emotional exchanges with a full head of steam, Trey rewrote the universe atop it all. Somersaulting into some of his most cathartic playing of the year, Trey transformed the jam into a showcase of his soul, spewing melodies that could save the world with subconscious mastery. A never-ending peak sent chills down the spine of anyone with a pulse, as Phish, led by their Jedi master, clicked in the type of musical treasure we travel the country questing for.

Resolving this emotional masterpiece and to close the set, Phish dropped into “You Enjoy Myself.” A song that is virtually synonymous with The Garden, itself, a history of climactic versions wafted in the rafters of the famous venue. And on this night Phish added one more stellar version to the “YEMSG” collection. Harnessing the energy of 20,000 rabid fans, a smoking set, and a year’s worth of musical playfulness, Phish embarked on a thick jam that Trey soon transformed into “Manteca.” After dancing around “Manteca’s” rhythms and melody for much of the year, the band finally bust into the song, in earnest, on New Year’s Eve. Crashing back into “YEM,” the band periodically hit breaks where Trey, in rhythm, sang “Crab in my shoemouth!” in a display of Phishiness that brought the venue to the brink of implosion. As the band finalized their vocal jam and walked off stage, they left behind them a trail of musical vapor, and a set that any Phish fan had to love.

A distinctly short setbreak ended as the lights dropped at 11:40 pm, far earlier than usual for New Year’s Eve. The band must of had something in store, but when they started up “Meatstick,” nobody’s wildest dreams could have imagined what was coming. As the band finished the Japanese lyrics and vamped over the funk, four African warriors emerged on stage and bust into a translated “Meatstick” chant with a powerful delivery! Then a Mexican mariachi band came up from the other side of the stage, playing a rhythmically coherent Spanish version of “Meatstick!” Then out came Hasidic Jews, and Swedish women, German couples, and before anyone knew what was happening the stage was filled with dancers in costume, representing ethnicities from all over the globe — all singing and dancing the “Meatstick!” And in one sublime moment, the entire troupe switched into a choreographed routine over “Meatstick’s” liquid funk in an unmatched display of theatrics. In a world divided by bullshit and politics, here was Phish, albeit symbolically, uniting the world with the “Meatstick;” and it was spectacle to behold. The dancers were so colorful and entrancing that it took quite a while to notice that the band had actually left the stage while their music was left looped throughout the arena.

As the dancers summoned “The Meatstick,” out came Phish from the back of the venue aboard their famous hot dog from New Year’s Eve 1994 and Big Cypress. The band rode over the crowd while pelting them with toy meatsticks, meatstick-shaped balloons fell from the ceiling, and faux hot dog stands emerged on stage. Climbing out of the vehicle, the band surrounded the hot dog stands, continuing to throw meatsticks at their adoring fan base while mayhem ensued! The band slowly got back on their instruments and the countdown on MSG’s scoreboard began at 15..14..13… When 2011 hit, Phish, in a classy act, backed off and allowed their guest performers take center stage for the New Year’s anthem “Auld Lang Syne.” Trumping any previous midnight “stunt” in history with a monumental affair, many jaws were left hanging as Phish tore into “After Midnight.”

The “Meatstick” / “After Midnight” combo had Cypress allusions all over it, as Phish rang in the New Year with a song few saw coming. While balloons filled the room, the band tore through a high-speed rendition that was followed by tight versions of “Number Line,” “Piper,” and “Free.” In a frozen moment of dripping wah-funk, it felt like Trey might finally let “Free” out of its 3.0 cage, but before long he turned towards the song’s final chorus. After “Waste,” that continued to illustrate Trey’s passionate playing, the final set of 2010 came to peak with “Slave to the Traffic Light.” A delicate version floated in a beat-less space before setting sail for the sunset, and “Slave” put poignant punctuation on another year of Phish, and an unforgettable New Year’s Eve show that will go down in history. Favoring melodic themes we’ve heard throughout fall’s monster versions, Trey led the troops through a massive musical climax.

After “First Tube” finalized a cathartic evening of music, Phish took a well-deserved bow; not only for an amazing show, but for the transformative year of 2010 that saw the band migrate into the newest golden era of their career. And the best part of saying “Happy New Year!” to everyone while leaving the building, was that for the first time in history, the next sentence was, “See you tomorrow!” Phish was coming back the next day to follow up a New Year’s show that plastered smiles onto the faces of just about everyone in the building. After a celebratory evening, we still had one more night to celebrate. But thinking back on the entire run, that second set shimmers like a gem and the International Meatstick Extravaganza will live on forever in another truly memorable New Year’s Eve with the Phish from Vermont.

I: Punch You In the Eye, AC/DC Bag, The Moma Dance, Scent of a Mule, Burn that Bridge*, Weigh, Ocelot**, Beauty of My Dreams, Gone, Rock and Roll

II: Wilson, 46 Days, Sand, NICU**, Down with Disease > Ghost, You Enjoy Myself > Manteca > You Enjoy Myself

III: Meatstick^, Auld Lang Syne, After Midnight, Backwards Down the Number Line, Piper > Free, Waste, Slave to the Traffic Light, Grind

E: First Tube

*debut, **w/ Auld Lang Syne teases, ^International Meatstick Extravaganza

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