Mr. Miner's Phish Thoughts

At this point, we’ve had plenty of time to listen, re-listen and process the shows that went down in June.  While I believe that June represented step one in a much larger process of musical redevelopment, Phish left us with quite a few highlights from their first tour in five years.  We’ve looked at some of the more powerful moments that took place during June, and now we will turn our ears to the best and brightest from Summer Tour- Leg One.  Below you’ll find each track with a blurb about why it is included.  The tracks progress chronologically so you can listen to the musical development over the tour.  Without further ado, I present to you eight hours of June 2009 highlights in:

“MINER’S PICKS : JUNE ’09” < Torrent

“MINER’S PICKS : JUNE ’09” < Megaup.

NORTHEAST

1,2.”Tweezer > Light” 5.31 Fenway II

This first real piece of improv of the summer got the tour underway in earnest.  Phish always chooses a jam to welcome everyone back home again, and this year, “Tweezer” was it.  The band segued out of the darkness into “Light,” introducing one of their most exciting new songs.

3. “Timber Ho!” 6.2 Jones Beach I

This bust out got nasty quick, as Phish dove right into a tasty psychedelic jam which peaked and wrapped up in tight fashion.

4. “Reba” 6.2 I

The most divine and blissful version of tour.

5. “Harry Hood” 6.2 II

This ethereal and experimental version of the song left everyone in the crowd with the feeling that something extremely powerful had just happened.  Taking the jam where it has never gone before, Phish showcased their spirit of innovation early in the tour.

6. “Ghost” 6.4 Jones Beach II

This rendition, tucked away in the first set, gets glossed over due to Ashville’s highlight version.  This one may be just as good- a true diamond in the rough.

7,8. “2001 > Slave” 6.5 Jones Beach II

This cathartic climax to the three-show run put an exclamation point on the band’s most poignant 3.0 performance to that point.  The unexpected, late-set drop into “2001” brought the funk in a rainstorm, while the “Slave” was a climactic version to behold.

9,10. “Seven Below,” “Fluffhead” 6.6 Great Woods I

This set-opening combo just about blew the roof off of Great Woods’ pavilion.  With the Phishy energy of New England dominating the show, the band responded with this one-two punch that fed right into the crowd’s enthusiasm.  Both songs deserve attention- “Seven Below” for its searing improv and “Fluffhead” for its adrenalized, near-perfect, precision.

11. “Fee” 6.7 Camden, NJ I

When Phish took the ending of  “Fee” out into a type-II adventure as the second song of the show, you knew this night would be special.  This is another tour highlight that has generally been overlooked due to its set placement, but go back and listen- you’ll be floored.

12. “Sand” 6.7 II

The longest jam from June also is in the running for the most exciting.  Taking their vehicle of groove to a whole new level, the band added melodic themes throughout, taking the piece to unforeseen heights.  The slower funk was left behind for a more driving beat, creating an uptempo highlight that certainly belongs in the upper echelon of June’s improv.  An instant classic, this “Sand” began a second set that was one of the strongest of the tour.

13. “Tweezer” 6.7 II

Right when we least expected it, Phish dropped into this standout “Tweezer.”  Closing a second set for only the second time in history, this version saw the band coherently rip apart one of the jams of June.  The signature of this piece is when Trey loops his “commando” lick and builds the jam atop of it- some truly top-notch Phish.

SOUTH

14. “Ghost > Fast Enough For You” Asheville 6.9 II

This “Ghost” has been talked about quite a bit, and was certainly a June highlight, as well as the high point of this show.  Taking a path less traveled, this version entered a less straight-ahead groove, and climbed to a rolling peak rarely seen from “Ghost.”  Another top-notch version here, and “Fast Enough” couldn’t have come in more perfectly.

15. “Maze”  6.9 II

This second set “Maze” ratcheted up the intensity in the intimate Asheville Civic Center, creating a raucous show highlight.  Trey dug into some twisted territory, crafting a “Maze” that edged beyond its standard incarnations.

16. “Undermind” 6.10 Knoxville I

Mike slaughtered his  part in the second-only rendition of “Undermind.”  This catchy tune is bound to get into some more extensive jams in the future, but this version provides some ear candy in the meantime.

17. “David Bowie” 6.10 II

While this mid-second set “Bowie” remained within the song’s structure, it was certainly the tightest version we’ve heard in a long time.  Kicking off the rest of a set that featured many old-school jam vehicles, this “Bowie” was the version of June without a doubt.

18. “Stash” 6.12 Bonnaroo Late Night

“Stash” was the first jam that the band took outwards at Manchester’s massive festival.  After a string of contained songs, Phish loosened into some eerie music, serving up some southern psychedelia to the masses.  With improvisation that began to reach the dark side, Phish began to uncover their mystical ways with one of their classic vehicles.

19,20. “Kill Devil Falls > Free” 6.12 Late Night

The tour’s first truly exploratory jam came out of Phish’s most straight ahead new song.  Launching into some high-paced improv, the band growled out of the composition and into one of the lasting “type II” memories from the month.  Splashing into “Free” to resolve the madness, the landing point boomed from Bonnaroo’s speaker towers, completing the over-sized excursion.

21-24. “Tweezer > Horse > Slient, Antelope” Bonnaroo 6.14 I

Perhaps the Phishiest nugget played at Bonnaroo, this combo of old school favorites stood out right away.  The “Tweezer” featured extremely cohesive group playing and some of the nastiest phrasing by Trey, creating one of the most enjoyable moments of the weekend.  After the “Horse > Silent interlude, the band picked right back up with a blistering “Antelope” that punctuated the segment.

25-27. “Rock And Roll > Light > 46 Days” 6.14 II

This unlikely combination of songs were spliced together beautifully to open Bonnaroo’s final set.  Getting into some deep ambient space before transitioning into “Light,” “Rock And Roll” was already a highlight in the making.  Taking “Light” far beyond its Fenway debut, Phish used the new song to explore various musical milieus before landing in some funk grooves that decelerated and stumbled into to “46 Days.”  A slowed-down, shredding festi version made this odd song choice far more palatable, and served to end this improvisational sequence quite well.

MIDWEST

28. “Halley’s Comet” 6.16 The Fox II

This extended rock-based version of “Halley’s Comet” kicked off The Fox’s second set in promising fashion.  Though the band remained completely anchored to structure for the majority of the song, Trey went off on an improvisational series of licks that certainly entertained.  The band did slip into an ambient section towards the end of this version, seemingly moving into deeper territory only to be given the kibosh by a seemingly premature “Runaway Jim.”

29. “Tube” Star Lake 6.18 I

The most exciting and extensive “Tube” from June saw Page annihilate his clavinet while the band engaged in accompanying dance rhythms.  This up-tempo version added some spice to a rather bland first set, and while the spotlight was no doubt on Page the entire time, everyone else chimed in with similarly infectious patterns.  This is the best “Tube” we’ve seen spring from Phish 3.0, with many more to follow.

30. “Harry Hood” 6.18 II

In a tour that featured standout “Hoods” throughout, this Star Lake version held a particular poignancy and was the last rendition of June.  Mike, Trey and Page played meticulous, interlaced lines throughout the jam, crafting an inspiring build that definitely stood out among the powerful versions of the month.

31. “YEM” 6.18 II

Phish nailed their signature song as the closing piece of Star Lake’s second set.  While the tour hosted multiple versions of the Phish classic, none were tighter and better executed than this one.  A certain exclamation point on the night, Phish sent everyone away smiling after this final throwdown.

32. “Split Open and Melt” Deer Creek 6.19 I

A supremely twisted and psychedelic tale, Phish unveiled this monster in the middle of Deer Creek’s first set.  Taking a dissonant path outwards, this complex “Spilt” reminded us of versions past, taking the audience on a sonic ride though a dark, alternate space.  “Spilts” are always polarizing due to their overt madness, but you can take this version to the bank.

33-35. “Oceans > Drowned > Twist” 6.19 II

Following an hour-long rain delay, Phish came out and threw down the gauntlet at Deer Creek.

36,37. “Tweezer > 2001” 6.19 II

An unexpected shot of rhythmic adrenaline in the middle of the most exciting set of tour.  It doesn’t get much better than “Tweezer > 2001.”

–

38-40. “Crosseyed > Disease > Bug” 6.21 Alpine Valley II

This opening triumvirate of the June’s last show was one of the most impressive improvisational segments of the tour.  Taking both “Crosseyed” and “Disease” into incredibly purposeful and interesting ambient realms, the results were sublime.  While the “Crosseyed” smokes, I find the most impressive improv to stem from this “Disease.”  “Bug” was the soft-pillow landing pad for this excursion.

41. “Piper” 6.21 II

Some of the more open-ended and exploratory improv of the tour, Phish seemed to hit an improvisational sweet spot during this “Piper.”  Navigating this jam as one, the band quickly responded to and built off of each others’ offerings.  This was the last great improvisational piece before we meet again at Red Rocks- which is now only about two weeks away!

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Jams of the Day:

“Ghost” 6.4.09 Jones Beach I

[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/phish2009-06-04.m260.d1t09.mp3]

Featured in the above compilation.  Check it out!

“If I Could” 6.2 Jones Beach I

[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Phish2009-06-02d1t10.mp3]

I totally forgot to put this on the compilation.  The gorgeous jam out of “If I Could” was one of the the more delicate and poignant moments of summer. Download this and add it on to the mix!

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DOWNLOAD OF THE DAY:

7.15.1994 Jones Beach Wantagh, NY < TORRENT

7.15.1994 Jones Beach Wantagh, NY < MEGAUPLOAD

Fifteen years ago today, Phish played the first solar powered show with power collection, storage, and distribution provided by Greenpeace!  The show was chock full of ’94 goodness setlist with a very unique second set.

I: Rift, Sample in a Jar, Divided Sky, Gumbo, Foam, Fee, Split Open and Melt, Golgi Apparatus

II: Letter to Jimmy Page > David Bowie, Bouncing Around the Room, Reba > It’s Ice > Y-Rushalayim Schel Zahav, Dog Faced Boy, Julius, Setting Sail*, Runaway Jim

E: Sleeping Monkey, Rocky Top

*Fish announces this as a new sing-along written by Tom Marshall; First and only time played

Source: Unknown

Tags: 2009, Miner's Picks, Summer '09

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