Mr. Miner's Phish Thoughts

Question: What will happen when a blossoming, new-era Phish collides with the vast scenery and rich history of the Gorge?

Answers:

Wide-Open Improvisation—During June and Super Ball, Phish’s improvisational prowess truly defined their music for the first time this era. This summer has carried the feeling of an arrival; a culmination of the last two years. With the band finally able to visit enchanting music planes regularly, what better place to kick off leg two than the Gorge? A venue that is virtually synonymous with patient, open jamming, the Gorge has brought out the best in Phish throughout their career and will provide an engaging backdrop for the beginning of the summer’s final twelve shows. Ever since the band’s inaugural visit to George, Washington, in 1997, they have played exclusively top-notch shows amidst the amphitheatre’s stunning surroundings. And with Phish coming off a fire-filled festival that was littered with innovative jams, one can only expect Phish to continue pushing new musical frontiers.

“Storage” Jamming—And part in parcel with Super Ball—and many jams of June—was Phish’s abstract sound-sculpting that Phish culminated in a storage shed late one Saturday night. The last two all-improv, late-night festival sets—Lemonwheel’s Ring of Fire jam and IT’s Tower Jam—were showcases for the Phish’s current and/or upcoming improvisational style, honing on a specific element of an era. If The Storage Jam was any indication, the Gorge shows may feature more abstract exploration of the astral plane. The open-air sound of the Gorge has always pushed Phish in a more patient direction, and when throwing this new style into the mix, things could plunge to serious depths.

A Full Head of “Steam” — When Phish’s wonderful weekend at Watkins Glen came to a close without a festival-sized version of their new song, “Steam,” more than a few fans were a bit surprised. Their only debut of the summer, Phish played the piece only twice over June, and “Steam” seemed due for a breakthrough on the open-air system of Super Ball. But after sticking to a fairly old-school vibe in the Northeast, I surmise the “Steam” we’ve been waiting for will go down at the Gorge. Though I’m not one for “calling” songs, the setting and sound of the slow, groove-based jam seem to match perfectly. And as Phish continues to forge a new path this summer, one has to figure their new song will come along. Will other songs come along as well? Were “Scents and Subtle Sounds” and “A Song the Heard the Ocean Sing” just festival bustouts? It would be inspiring to hear either piece next weekend. What else might the band have in store?

Regardless of what we hear at the Gorge, one can be sure the music within the two shows will be some of the most talked about of the summer. It always is. Only one month removed from their most impressive tour-plus-festival of this go-round, I don’t think its far-fetched think that some of the year’s most exploratory and outstanding improv may stem the two-night stand. And after a year off, the return to the hallowed grounds feels that much more exciting. T-minus 4 days…

=====

Jams of the Day:

“Piper” 6.11.2011 II

The improvisational highlight of Merriweather’s opening night. The jams from June just keep on flowing.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“Sneakin’ Sally” 8.7.09 I

And one from the Gorge.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

=====

With the Gorge exactly one week away, let’s take the final Friday before tour to review a few seminal jams that have gone down at both the Gorge and leg two’s closing locale, UIC Pavilion. Though some of these tracks have been posted before, they have the type of timeless staying power to warrant hearing again. A five-five split between the Gorge and UIC brings the last week before tour to an end. Enjoy the music…leg two awaits!

***

“Seven Below” 7.13.2003 II

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“Wolfman’s > Sand” 9.11.99 II

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“2001 > Mike’s” 7.17.98 II

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“AC/DC Bag > Ghost” 11.7.98 II

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“Tweezer > Lifeboy” 6.18.94 II

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“Bathtub Gin” 11.9.98 II

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

I’ve always said that Phish both plays and sounds different at The Gorge. With nothing containing their sound, the tempo of their music slows down as the notes take time to boom over the crowd; and this dynamic creates a unique tempo and sound for Phish music. The results are patient, wide-open jams whose sound is simply not replicated anywhere on the planet. As we are heading back to this stunning locale in August for two more shows, let’s look at some jams from Phish’s first era that define their “Gorge Sound.”

***

“Disease -> Tweezer -> Disease” 8.2.97 II

The funk-laced and bass-led “Diseezer” highlighted Phish’s first show ever at The Gorge.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“Reba > Fast Enough” 7.16.98 I

A funked-out, laid back rendition of “Reba” was played to the sunset and fused the Summer ’98 sound with The Gorge sound.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“Tube” 7.16.98 II

This wide-open version from late in the second set typifies the open-air Gorge sound.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“Gumbo” 7.17.98 I

This slowed down version on a hot afternoon matched The Gorge’s vast surroundings.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“2001 > Mike’s” 7.17.98 II

A quintessential nugget of Gorge history.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“Wolfman’s -> Sand” 9.11.99 II

Wolfman’s molasses funk morphed into the first-ever Phish version of “Sand;” a big-time experience.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“Harry Hood” 9.11.99 II

A beautiful version from ’99 in a long lineage of gorgeous Gorge “Hoods.”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

-

“Mind Left Bowie” 6.18.94 II

One of the most classic pieces ever dropped at UIC.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“Bathtub Gin” 11.9.98 II

And this “Gin” is not far behind.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“Tweezer > Lifeboy” 6.18.94 II

Nor is this “Tweezer,” with a massive “Mind Left Body” peak.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

“Free” 11.9.98 I

A crunchy first half “Free” that gets forgotten due to the monstrosity of the second set; a reminder of what the jam once was.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“Mike’s” 11.7.98 I

Funk into bliss; a great way to start a show.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“Disease > Piper” 11.8.98 II

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

A classic pairing in high-octane, Fall ’98 fashion.

***

“Stash” 11.8.98 I

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Another first set beast that gets lost in the six sets of 1998.

***

“Reba” 11.25.94 I

The sole track on this playlist reppin’ Fall ’94′s UIC offering.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

As summer tour rumors and sets of fake dates continue to swirl around cyberspace, let’s look at a few venues that, in my opinion, Phish should and should not return to thru the lens of the dancing fan’s experience.

****

Let’s Go Back!…

Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Alpharetta, GA

This smaller amphitheater, new to the Phish circuit last year, replaced Lakewood as the hot spot in—or in this case—outside Atlanta. With a massive. seat-less, GA “floor,” Verizon Wireless provided ample dance space and flat ground, two things that are always at a premium on summer tour. Though the security could have managed the the over-crowding of the floor more effectively, everyone still found their spot for the July 4th stand last year. Removed from Lakewood’s seedy environs and placed in suburbia with all hotels and restaurants within miles of the venue, Alpharetta is the perfect place for Phish fans to take over for another weekend. And rumor has it that we will return come June.

****

nTelos Pavilion, Portsmouth, VA

Set up with a large cement dance floor in front of the stage, much like Alpharetta, Portsmouth’s intimate 6,500-person nTelos Pavilion one ups its southern counterpart with a total GA policy. Set right on the water in southeastern Virginia, the freedom to roam this undersized venue provided wonderful respite from the yellow-clad, security guards who plague summer tour.

****

Hershey Park Stadium, Hershey, PA

Overhauled with a bumping sound system and rubberized dance floor since Phish’s last visit in 2000, Hershey Park—once scorned by fans— provided, arguably, the best concert-experience of 2010. With a total GA policy and ample room for groups of twenty or more to throw down together in prime real estate, dance pits popped up all over. The powerful, open-air sound and endless personal space make Hershey high on any list of venues Phish should play again.

=======

Venues That Should Jump Off Tour:

Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD

Despite the fact that Merriweather Post is a historic venue that Phish tears apart, it is at the bottom of the barrel in terms of fan-experience. The lower pavilion is patrolled by teen-aged girls who are backed by inner city bouncers, ready to kick people out of the pavilion (or the show) as if they have a quota to fulfill. Treating their paying customers with utmost disrespect, the security staff at the venue should, honestly, all be fired. A venue where crossing a painted lines is cause for banishment or ejection, there is barely room for enjoyment at Merriweather. The side sections of the pavilion are removed visually and acoustically from the stage, and the lawn may as well be in another county. If I had to pick my least favorite venue on summer tour, Merriweather would take home the first, second, and third place trophies. There is not a single part of the Merriweather experience I find enjoyable, and the staff is there to ensure it stays that way. If I had one tour-based request to be granted by Red Light, it would definitely be to get Phish (the #&@!) out of Merriweather forever.

****

Jones Beach Amphitheatre, Wantagh, NY

After a fourteen-year absence from the Long Island venue on the water, Phish has played a two multi-night stands at Jones Beach this era, totalling five shows. But if they care  about their fans’ experiences, they should not return. Run more strictly than a military academy, anyone in the lower pavilion is another zone where one is reprimanded if they cross painted lines, and are implored—sometimes physically—to get back in their row. Moving into the stadium seating, the audience becomes so far removed from the band once in the second deck, I can only imagine the ants on stage from the upper deck perspective. With no space anywhere in the venue, fans are forced to stand side by side while watching music meant to move your body. When leaving Jones Beach ’09′s three-night stand, it felt like being freed from a cage and let out to prowl on summer tour. There are plenty of locales for Phish to play in the New York metro area, so let’s leave this one behind.

****

The Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA

Though Phish played some of their most impressive shows of the year at this Bay Area icon, the experience, itself, was far from ideal. With a total GA policy, very few fans went to the steep lawn that is hardly in the concert, causing an incredibly overcrowded situation in the free-for all amphitheatre. Thankfully, The Greek has the best acoustics on the planet, because any real dancing was all but impossible. As people flooded the venue in the early afternoon to hold down space, it created an unnecessarily annoying situation. A beautiful place to visit, I see no need for Phish return to a venue in which people are packed together like sardines and any official attempts to ameliorate the situation are non-existent. With proper strategy and aggressive territoriality, one can make The Greek happen to some extent, but for those of us who need more than a square foot of room, it just doesn’t cut it. The next time Phish visits the Bay Area, they should finally get with the program and play a stand at Oakland’s Oracle Arena, formerly named Oakland-Alameda Coliseum when it was the stomping ground of The Grateful Dead.

=====

Jam of the Day:

“Reba” 10.18.94 I

A re-post of a classic version.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

=====

DOWNLOAD OF THE DAY:

11.26.1994 Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis, MN

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

This beast from Fall ’94 boasts, likely, my favorite “Bowie” of all-time and “Slave” made famous by A Live One. A classic night through and through, this show goes out via reader request to Dan A! Enjoy this one of a kind adventure.

I: My Friend, My Friend, Possum, Guyute, If I Could, Foam, The Horse > Silent in the Morning, Poor Heart, Cavern

II: Halley’s Comet > David Bowie, Sweet Adeline, The Lizards, Sample in a Jar, Slave to the Traffic Light

E: Rocky Top

Source: DAUD/OTS AKG SE 10′s > Marantz PMD-700@48kHz

Last Friday we looked at the top moments in Worcester New Year’s Run history, and this Friday our focus turns to Madison Square Garden. Selecting the ten best moments in MSG Holiday Run history proved to be quite the task, thus I decided not to rank my selections. Rather than claim a “top ten,” these are, rather, My Favorite Moments From MSG Holiday Runs — in no qualitative order. Instead of ranking them, I chose to craft a “set” out of these top-shelf highlights. Phish has played eleven shows at the end of December at the World’s Most Famous Arena, from their debut in 1994 to their first comeback in 2002. And as we prepare for numbers twelve, thirteen and fourteen, here’s a look back at some of Phish’s greatest moments ever at 7th Ave and 32nd St.

***

“Tube” 12.29.97 II

This best-ever “Tube” came amidst of one of the hottest sets ever dropped at MSG.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“Carini > Wolfman’s” 12.28.98 II

Just as MSG housed “Tube’s” peak rendition, it did the same for “Carini” on 12.28.98. Taking the song for the interstellar jaunt of its lifetime, the band sculpted a ferocious and psychedelic masterpiece that fused “Wolfman’s” based in ambient space-groove. A straight monster.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“Harry Hood” 12.30.95 II

My personal favorite version of Phish’s seminal piece; a cathartic journey that changed my life forever.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“Tweezer > Cities” 12.31.98 II

The centerpiece of a smoking second set on New Year’s Eve. The “Tweezer” spotlights the band’s place  at the end of ’98, straddling ambient soundscapes and thick grooves.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“Antelope” 12.29.97 II

One of the best versions of the late-’90s came in the first set of one the band’s greatest nights at MSG.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“Reba” 12.31.95 I

This famous first-setter from New Year’s ’95 is a staple of any best versions list.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“Mike’s Song” 12.31.95 II

The final rendition of “Mike’s Song” in, perhaps, its greatest year ever, brought one of its most impressive jams of the year.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“Disease > Bowie > Possum” 12.29.97 II

We’re covering most of this epic second set here.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“You Enjoy Myself” 12.29.98 II

A version so good I wrote an entire piece on it.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“AC/DC Bag > McGrupp” 12.30.97 II

A smashing segment of improv that kicked off a marathon second set.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“Tweezer” 12.30.94 II

Gotta’ give a nod to the biggest jam of the band’s first-ever show at The Garden.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

***

“Auld Lang Syne > Weekapaug > Sea and Sand” 12.31.95 III

The best post-midnight jam in MSG history. Easily.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

DOWNLOADS OF THE WEEKEND:

These weekend’s shows from Amherst were split down the middle. Phish brought a legitimate smoker on Saturday night and a  bona fide snoozefest on Sunday. Coming off three special shows in Augusta, Utica, and Providence, however, these shows just didn’t elevate in the same way. The first night has plenty of engaging jamming in “Tweezer,” Disease > My Friend > Caspian > Halfway to the Moon > Boogie On,” and  set-ending sequence – “Piper > Hood, YEM.” But aside from the first-set “Stash,” Sunday never really got off the ground. The  old-school first set would have been fine had there been any action in the second. But there wasn’t. When a second set’s highlight is “Roggae > Taste” you know something strange is afoot at the Circle K. Another smoking “Bowie” could do nothing to salvage this long-lost second half. But the band popped right back in Manchester like nothing had happened.

10.23.2010 Mullins Center, Amherst, Massachusetts

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

I: Meatstick, Party Time, Golgi Apparatus, Kill Devil Falls, Tweezer, Lawn Boy, Sparkle, Big Black Furry Creature from Mars, Hold Your Head Up > Love You > Hold Your Head Up, Possum, Tweezer Reprise

II: Down with Disease > My Friend, My Friend > Prince Caspian > Halfway to the Moon > Boogie On Reggae Woman > Maze, Wading in the Velvet Sea,  Piper > Harry Hood, You Enjoy Myself

E: Shine a Light

Source: Schoeps mk4v> KCY> Schoeps VMS02IB + Schoeps mk41> KC5> M222> NT222> Aeta PSP-3> SD 744t

****

10.24.2010 Mullins Center, Amherst, Massachusetts

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

I: AC/DC Bag, Camel Walk, The Divided Sky, Ride Captain Ride, Stash, Fee > Time Turns Elastic, Cavern, Run Like an Antelope

II: Seven Below, Wolfman’s Brother, Backwards Down the Number Line, Alaska, Free, The Lizards, Brother, Roggae > Taste, Waste, David Bowie

E: Quinn the Eskimo, Chalk Dust Torture

Source: Schoeps mk5> KCY> Schoeps VMS02IB + Schoeps mk41> KC5> M222> NT222> EAA PSP-2> SD 744t

-

=====

Jam of the Weekend:

“Piper > Hood” 10.23 II

A standout, late second-set segment of Saturday night’s UMass show.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

=====

VIDEOS OF THE WEEKEND:

“Tweezer” 10.23.10 II – Amherst, MA (MKDevo)

***

.10″Camel Walk” 10.24.10 I – Amherst, MA (MKDevo)

Using no Flash video and little fanfare, Phish announced an unprecedented five-night New Years Run with a low-key addition to their website yesterday. Comprised of two nights at “The Centrum” in Worcester, Massachusetts, and a 3-night grand finale at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Phish will not only close 2010 in style, they will open 2011 with their first-ever January 1st show! Ever since Phish began their tradition of New Year’s Runs, their shows have taken place on the last four nights of the year: December 28, 29, 30, and 31st. The band will veer from this pattern this year, playing December 27 and 28 in Worcester and then taking a day off before rocking MSG on December 30, 31, and January – 1/1/11. New Year’s Eve will still consist of three sets to ring in 2011, but Phish will also kick start the calendar with two more sets the on the first day of the year.

Left out of this New Year’s extravaganza, however, is one of the most sacred nights of the Phish calendar – December 29th. Career highlights on the 29th have become iconic in Phish lore – “The Providence Bowie” in’ 94, “The Real Gin” in ’95, a rotated “Bathtub Gin and an Oasis-laced “Harpua” in ’96, one of the defining shows of the late ’90s with a second set of “Disease >Bowie > Possum, Tube, YEM” in ’97, an immaculate MSG “YEM” in ’98, and flowing, jam-laden segue-fest in Miami highlighted by “Ghost > Free” in ’03. With this well-known and illustrious history, Phish continued their unspoken tradition last year by blowing out 12/29 in Miami with the most creative show of the run that was underlined by, perhaps, the jam of 2009 in a stunning “Tweezer.” But likely due to a desire to play on the binary date, 1/1/11, Phish will skip their magical December night this year. Despite this glaring omission, however, we’ve got five more shows on the horizon!

As the community had just about readied itself for Phish’s upcoming Fall Tour of mid-size venues, this New Year’s announcement confirmed of a rumor that had circulated for a couple of weeks. There was no surprise about New Year’s Eve at MSG, but the when the buzz began about a January 1st show, the rumor seemed hard to believe. With the new sober, family-based Phish, however, the band members likely won’t battle heavy hangovers as they retake the stage on the national holiday. So this year, the 1st is the new 29th…don’t miss it!

Continuing to saturate the Northeast with shows, the band won’t stray far from home during the holiday season, getting back to basics in two arenas that have seen many New Year’s Run epics. MSG has hosted 11 New Years Run shows and The Centrum has hosted three, and the two buildings have each housed a New Year’s Eve show to be reckoned with. Generally accepeted as the two best 12/31s (excluding Cypress), 1993 in Worcester and 1995 at MSG represent peak points in Phish’s developmental arc. So with plenty of history on their side, the band will take it back to the frigid winter of the Northeast in late-December, leaving the sunshine and beaches of Florida as distant memories.

Hitting fans’ wallets just before Fall Tour kicks off, ticket requests are open now until October 2, and then public onsales will go down on October 9th for MSG, and October 10th for Worcester – the day of the first show in Broomfield! With the announcement of the year’s final shows, Phish has 19 more before the year is up, and exactly one slated for 2011. There’s nothing quite like New Year’s Run at MSG and aside from 2002′s mediocre comeback show, it’s been 12 years since Phish made New York’s Midtown Mecca their lair for end-of-year excursions. But as 2010 continues to bring retro-trends into play, we are heading back to The Garden for New Year’s, shifting another piece back into place again in the universe of the Phish.

=====

Type II Trivia Update: As of 12 am pacific time, I’ve received 12 entries for yesterday’s ‘type II’ identification contest. Though everyone has until 7 pm tonight, they will have a hard team taking down the leader who has 26 out of 30 possible points! Pretty… pretty… pretty… impressive! Get your entries to prove your Jedi-level Phish mastery. The winner and the answers will be posted as part of “Weekend Nuggets” tomorrow.

=====

Jam of the Day:

“Tweezer” 11.23.94 II

A heart and face-melting version from St. Louis’ Fox Theatre during November ’94 winds up our week full of “Tweezers.” This classic nugget was recently upgraded in everyone’s collection to SBD as part of archivist, Kevin Shapiro’s radio show at Bonnaroo.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

=====

DOWNLOAD OF THE DAY:

4.13.1994 The Beacon Theatre, NYC, NY < Torrent

4.13.1994 The Beacon Theatre, NYC, NY < Megaupload

This show at New York’s famed Beacon Thatre was part of the first month of Phish’s Spring/Summer tour that would run through mid-July.

I: Buried Alive > Poor Heart, Stash, The Lizards, Julius, Ginseng Sullivan, The Divided Sky, Golgi Apparatus

II: Faht, The Curtain, Sample in a Jar, Reba, Big Ball Jam, Fee, Take the ‘A’ Train, David Bowie, Purple Rain > Hold Your Head Up, AC/DC Bag

E: Sweet Adeline, Good Times Bad Times

Source: (FOB) Schoeps CMC5/Mk4 (ORTF)-> Sonosax SX-M2-> Apogee AD-500E-> Sony D-10 @ 48KHz; Row 9

DOWNLOAD OF THE WEEKEND:

8.5.10 The Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA < Torrent

8.5.10 The Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA < Megaupload

Our audio recap of Leg II starts with the tour opener in Berkeley, California. Kicking off the run with one of their most impressive multi-night stands since their return, Phish’s shows at The Greek provided some of the most memorable jams from the entire summer. The band’s playing grew more cohesive over each of the three nights, and here is the night one.

I: Possum, Wolfman’s Brother, The Divided Sky, Funky Bitch, Kill Devil Falls, Halley’s Comet > Sample in a Jar, NICU, Bouncing Around the Room, Run Like an Antelope

II: Down with Disease > Free, Alaska, Back on the Train, Maze, Joy, Tweezer > Fluffhead

E: Loving Cup, Tweezer Reprise

Source: Schoeps mk4v> KC5> M222> NT222> EAA PSP-2 + Schoeps mk5> KCY> Schoeps VMS02IB> SD 744t (@24bit/48kHz) (Taper – taylorc)

=====

Jam of the Weekend:

“Down With Disease > Free” 8.5.10 II

This “Disease” jam gave us a sneak-preview of an improvisational style that blossomed through Leg Two – fast-paced, yet self-less and patient,  jamming in which Fishman threw down intricate, changing beats while other band members painted layers of texture and ambient sound and melody. The first significant jam of tour brought us into some truly new-school Phish.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

-

=====

VIDEO OF THE WEEKEND:

“Tweezer” 8.5.10 - The Greek

=====

With a nationwide, carpet-bombing of mail order tickets yesterday, the final countdown to the Greek Theatre has officially begun. Energy, anticipation, and anxiety has already flooded the scene, as the hype for Berkeley’s three-night stand has come to a head in recent weeks. While people finalize plans, scour the Internet for extra tickets, and prepare to head west, the appearance of second-leg stubs at doorsteps across the country yesterday, upped the adrenaline for all fans trying to focus through one more week.

The tickets for Leg II sport venue-specific designs, the Greeks decorated with a graphic take of the theatre’s backdrop. With “Phish” written in lightening bolts on the tickets, the band gave a subtle nod to the Grateful Dead as they prepare to set up shop on their forefathers’ home turf. The excitement is peaking for many, but others are still trying to get their hands on that last ticket to complete their three-pack. By not releasing multi-night packages, Phish and Ticketmaster left a lot of fans to face the worlds of ticket trading and brokering. With Saturday night stubs being the scarcest, prices in the secondary market have climbed over $300 a pop for the intimate GA shows. Since these are the only west coast dates scheduled, the migration to the Bay will come from far and wide, as this is the closer to home Phish will come for thousands of left coast fans. All of these factors have converged to create quite the pre-show hubbub for the upcoming nights in Northern California.

Phish’s only previous visit to Berkeley’s famed amphitheatre came on August 28, 1993, as the finale of Summer ’93. Concluding one of the most prolific months in their history, Phish capped August with a start-to-finish smoker that provides a quintessential portrait of the band in that era of history. “Maze” and “Stash” stood out in the first set, while highlight versions of “Antelope” and “YEM” sparkled in the second. The Dead had just finished a summer run at Shoreline the day before this show, and many first-timers crossed the Bay to check out an up and coming Phish. But since that night, relived countless times through the soundboard tape that became a staple any collector’s stash, Phish has never been back to the Greek.

Ever since 1995, Phish has made Shoreline their routine Bay Area tour stop. With a capacity of 22,000 (almost triple The Greek’s 8000), it simply made more economic sense to play the larger venue. But those days are gone and in this modern era, Phish plays where they want, when they want. With the ability to sell 44,000 tickets over two-nights at Shoreline, Phish, instead, chose the less profitable route of selling 24,000 tickets over three nights in Berkeley – but the experience will be incomparable. Despite being Bill Graham’s baby, Shoreline’s design likens most amphitheatres across the country. But when one steps into the Greek Theatre, it becomes quite apparent they have arrived somewhere special. And when Phish looks out onto the classic stone amphitheatre, they will also feel the mystique of he Greek, and their music will likely reflect their surroundings.

These upcoming Berkeley shows represent the Red Rocks of 2010 – a multi-night party in one of music’s hallowed venues to kick off the second leg of summer. Last year, the band’s improvement between Leg I and Leg II grew so significant, it became virtually inexplicable. The five-weeks between tours – whether used for practice, sorcery, Oh Kee Pah Ceremonies or family time – produced a far more evolved band in August then we’d left in June. I’m not sure we can expect such a colossal leap of progress over this month-long break, but if a musical shift brings any semblance of congruity to 2009′s giant steps, we are in for some good times. Having established a new sound and style for 2010, Phish looks to further their exploits of the early summer…next week!

=====

Jam of the Day:

“Run Like An Antelope” 8.28 II

The last time Phish visited The Greek…

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

=====

DOWNLOAD OF THE DAY: Greek History

8.28.1993 The Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA < Megaupload

Phish’s last visit to The Greek – seventeen years ago in August ’93; a completely different animal altogether.

I: Llama, Bouncing Around the Room, Foam, Ginseng Sullivan, Maze, Fluffhead, Stash, The Squirming Coil, Crimes of the Mind*

II: Also Sprach Zarathustra > Rift, Run Like an Antelope, The Horse > Silent in the Morning, Sparkle, It’s Ice > Big Ball Jam, Purple Rain > Hold Your Head Up, You Enjoy Myself > Oye Como Va Jam > You Enjoy Myself > Contact**, Chalk Dust Torture

E: Daniel Saw the Stone, Amazing Grace

* w/ Dude of Life on Vocals, **out vocal jam, JJ Cale opened

Source: SBD