August 7, 2008, The Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
I: Alaska*, Gotta Jibboo, Peggy*, Sweet Dreams Melinda, Sand, Cayman Review, Gone**^, Windora Bug, Night Speaks To A Woman
II: Tuesday, Drifting, Backwards Down The Number Line*, Spin, Valentine**^, Greyhound Rising**^, The Way I Feel, Mr. Completely >, Light*^, First Tube
E: Heavy Things, Bug
DOWNLOAD ENTIRE SHOW HERE < link
Phish will be better than before. Sure, they may sound different, but it won’t be any less inspired than your fondest memories. Based on the wide array of new material, sacred guitar confessionals, and spectrum of emotions touched by last nights show; I ensure you, Phish will be better than ever. The new songs, yet to be named, until Trey posts them online, were all monstrous in melody, adventure, and psychedelic potential. One after another they came, highlighted by the “Spin”, “Valentine” sequence; 20+ minutes of straight from the heart monologue from our dearest lost love, Ernest. It was all that and then some. Touching every bit of his legendary repertoire, Big Red tore apart what was, and redefined what could be. In what was so much more than a welcome back show; it was a welcome to the future.
The new material showcased in the second set second set of tonight’s show rendered a first set of “Classic TAB” greatest hits relatively meaningless, and a good reminder of what his intentions were not. It seemed as he tore through exhilarating versions of Jiboo, Sand, Caymen Review, and Night Speaks, he was reminding us of what was. In the second set, it was everything that is yet to become. I said to my closest Phish confidant at set break, “So I guess he’s gonna come out and blow our minds with songs we never heard before.” That turned out to be a massive understatement. Be ready for twenty minute second set openers of “Backwards Down The Number Line” that start in melodic Trey pop territory and ending in multi-layered harmonic climaxes. “Valentine” is a new epic jam vehicle that fuses groove and bliss to spiritual heights; and Trey’s dark self-reflection that came from “Spin’s” ambient jam were truly moments for the soul, and places that Phish will certainly bring deeper.
One thing that can be said for sure, is that it was the most point on and absolutely emotive playing from Trey in ages. After hearing the show again to accurately put names with faces,”Greyhound Rising” was a multi-part compositional song featuring both uplifting melody and a bluesy improvisational section. “Light” is another song that will be a big Phish song, in the truest sense of the word, and was a showcase for Trey’s harder guitar licks defining both the rhythm and the melody ofthe song. A show that truly touched on every spectrum of the rainbow, this was literally the best case scenario for the future- new songs that were clearly created for Phish to blow apart. Introspective lyrics, melodies for the ages, and a new chapter about to be written. Listen to the stream here!! That’s what I’m doing. Honestly, start with set two; chapter three.
