In the early months of this off-season from time to time, I will be working on other projects and just post a Jam and Download of the Day. Today is one of those days. Happy Thursday!
Here is the opening night to Lakewood’s Fourth of July weekend. While overshadowed by the fireworks of the next night, this show has quite a but to offer. The second-song “Gumbo” set a funky theme for the opening frame in which they debuted the actual song, “Meatstick,” rather than the lyrical or melodic teases in Lille, FR and Champaign, IL respectively. From this point on, “Meatstick” swept the nation, culminating in its Cypress bookends. The second set featured not-stop action, starting with the oft-combined, “Twist > Piper.” Following a thick second-set “Moma,” Trey brought “Mountains in the Mist” from his solo band to Phish for the first time. A big-time “Antelope” punctuated the second set.
I. Chalk Dust Torture, Gumbo, Sparkle > Cavern, Taste, When the Circus Comes, Tube, Funky Bitch, NICU, Waste, Meatstick*
II. Twist > Piper, The Moma Dance, Mountains in the Mist*, Run Like an Antelope, Contact > The Little Drummer Boy
E: The Little Drummer Boy, Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home?**
E2: Harry Hood
*Debut, ** w/ Page’s dad, Dr. Jack McConnell
Source: Unknown
In the early months of this off-season from time to time, I will be working on other projects and just post a Jam and Download of the Day. Today is one of those days. Happy Thursday! ===== Jam of the Day: “Maze” 10.18.96 II One of the the more interesting “Mazes” ever played. ===== DOWNLOAD …
Now that we are a year into Phish’s third term, and looking into the future, here are ten things, in no particular order, that would be great to see in the upcoming year of Phish.
10. Get “A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing” into rotation! One of the band’s most potent songs has lay in waiting for most all of ’09. Despite one standard version and one standout version, it is time to hear more from this brewing psychedelic tsunami.
9. Pull “Time Turns Elastic” out of the rock concert!In all seriousness, “Time Turns Elastic” is a beautiful piece of music – with an orchestra! When performed properly, the piece possesses a certain power and emotional quality, no doubt. But when translated into Phish, it has proven to be a set- killing bust. Some fans have rationalized a late first-set placement; I say ditch it all together.
8. Return to Indio! How could they not? After the sunniest, most hassle-free festival in Phish history, the band and their management should make sure to stage a sequel. While Limestone was certainly the hallmark of the weekends past, Indio should be the future of Phish festivals. But with its Southern California locale, far away from Phish’s home turf, we shall see what develops. My guess is that we shall meet on the Polo Fields again before the year is out.
7. Develop “Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan.”After an entire year of waiting for this song to explode, the time is ripe for some bombastic exploration. Ever since its debut at Jones Beach, this growling tiger cub has begged to be let out of its cage, but it has yet to see the light of the jungle. Well, it’s about time to come out and play.
The Fox (B.Kisida)
6. Continue playing interesting venues.The diverse locales for Phish shows last year proved to be one of 2009′s most enticing qualities. From Fenway Park, to Asheville Civic Center, and The Fox, to Red Rocks, The Gorge, and Indio, Phish played more than a few unique gigs in ’09. Always welcome to break up the monotony of the amphitheatre circuit, here’s to hoping the band schedules some more special shows in 2010.
5. How ’bout jamming “Halley’s Comet or “Tube?” Enough with the four minute versions, let’s hear some improv! Sure, Phish played one extended “Halley’s” at The Fox during the linear jamming phase of June, but come on now. These are two of the staples that ballooned during the groove era of the late ’90s; have we seen permanent returns to their earlier forms? Let’s hope not.
2.17.97 (Unknown)
4. Lose the blazer, Trey! Since the start of Phish’s “mature” phase of their career, Trey has acquired a black show blazer that he sports quite often. While it is always funny to look up at Red in a sport coat as opposed to Martin the Martian or Pepe Le Pew, when the show heats up, more often than not, the blazer comes off. Why don’t we just start with the T-shit, potentially churning up some first set jamming!
3. Blow up “Mike’s” already! Come now, fellas! This one-time, gargantuan jam vehicle has morphed into a standard eight-minute climax every time out. My harsh reaction to this development stems from my undying love for the sinister pastures of “Mike’s Song,” fields we haven’t grazed in the modern era. All versions of the song remained similar throughout the year, with even the most aggressive outings falling far short of the depths the song once plunged.
“Exile” Phishbill
2. Continue the “Exile” covers!“Shine a Light” seems to have found a spot in the band’s updated rotation, and but after Cincinnati’s “Torn and Frayed,” we are still waiting its return as a jam vehicle with huge potential. Along with “Loving Cup,” it would be great to see Phish infuse “Let It Loose,” among others into sets as well. With one post-Halloween appearance of “Sweet Virginia, the band’s phenomenal Halloween set still contains plenty of songs that would be great to hear.
1.Turn “Golden Age” into a permanent piece of the rotation. Out of nowhere, Phish covered TV on the Radio’s pop-tronica single during the first night of Albany. Going over incredibly well, with a Phish jam seamlessly woven into the song, this performance seemed like the debut of a song we’d certainly hear again. But no dice. Hard to believe that the band would learn and arrange such a tune for a one-time performance, I think we’ll hear some developed renditions this summer.
I: Water in the Sky, Drowned, Frankie Says, Stash, Brian and Robert, Foam, Bittersweet Motel, Ghost, Colonel Forbin’s Ascent > Fly Famous Mockingbird
II: Chalk Dust Torture > Mike’s Song > Simple > Albuquerque, Limb By Limb, Wading in the Velvet Sea, Weekapaug Groove
E: Funky Bitch
Source: Unknown
Now that we are a year into Phish’s third term, and looking into the future, here are ten things, in no particular order, that would be great to see in the upcoming year of Phish. 10. Get “A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing” into rotation! One of the band’s most potent songs has lay …
Phish blazed quite the comeback trail in 2009. Beginning in early March and finishing on New Year’s Eve, the band played 50 shows as they marched their way back to prominence. As the months passed, Phish grew more and more comfortable with each other, enhancing their precision and improvisational chops along the way. Despite a few setbacks, 2009 represented a steep upwards curve for Phish 3.0, and will provide a solid musical foundation as they step into the future of Summer 2010. But before getting ahead of ourselves, let’s take a look back at the Phish’s comeback of 2009.
*****
Hampton: 3.6-3.8
3.8.09 – Hampton (Unknown)
The Reunion – one of the most dreamlike Phish experiences anyone there has ever had. Out of five years of silence, the band stepped onstage with the magical notes of “Fluffhead.” Sending a message of musical dedication right away, the band started this era with the complex composition that eluded their post-hiatus years. In a marathon weekend of music, The Mothership overflowed with energy for over three hours every night. These shows carried the feel of a recital; a welcome back to the world of Phish as they ran through 84 songs in six sets. Culminating the three-nights with their first earnest jam of the new era, Hampton’s “Down With Disease” still holds up on tape when listening back to this magical weekend.
Shows: 3
Can’t Miss Jams: “Down With Disease”
*****
Summer Tour – Leg I: 5.31 – 6.21
Jones Beach (W.Rogell)
Spanning 15 shows over three weeks, Phish hit the road for the first time in over five years. Moving from the northeast, through the mid-south, and up the Midwest, the band stayed out for three full weeks . Kicking off their touring season with Fenway Park’s stadium spectacle, things began to slide into full swing again. After some spotty performances at Jones Beach and Great Woods, the band finally clicked in Camden on June 7, for their first great show of the modern era, and, perhaps, the most outstanding night of tour. Taking this momentum on the road south, the band played solid stops in Asheville and Knoxville before stepping onto the biggest stage of the year at Bonnaroo. Over the course of two shows, Phish introduced the mainstream masses to their style, and with one of the strongest shows of the summer on June 14, Phish left no doubt who ruled the weekend in Manchester, TN.
After a much-hyped, but underwhelming show at St. Louis’ Fox Theatre, Phish finished up their first leg of summer by visiting their old haunts of Star Lake, Deer Creek, and Alpine Valley. The gem of these nights became the start-to finish, lightening-interrupted escapade in the cornfields of Indiana. Juxtaposed to the the all-too-common, linear rock jamming that characterized this tour, Deer Creek felt like a revelation with far more musical adventure. The final set at Alpine also provided a glimpse of some enhanced improvisation.
Shows: 15
Standouts: 6.7 Camden, 6.14 Bonnaroo, 6.19 Deer Creek, 6.21 Alpine Valley
Can’t Miss Jams: 6.2 “Hood,” 6.4 “Ghost,” 6.7 “Fee,” “Sand,” Tweezer,” 6.9 “Ghost,” 6.12 “Kill Devil Falls,” 6.14 “Rock and Roll > Light,” 6.19 “A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing > Drowned > Twist,” “Tweezer > 2001,” 6.21 “Crosseyed > Disease,” “Piper”
*****
Summer Tour – Leg II: 7.30 – 8.16
Red Rocks (G.Lucas)
Phish showed up at Red Rocks as a completely different band than we left in Alpine Valley. Perhaps due to their surroundings, or perhaps due to a transformative five weeks off, Phish played far more confidently and relaxed, quickly trumping anything from June with their June 31 performance. Over these four nights, Phish reinvented themselves from early-summer, taking musical risks and daring excursions all over the place. As fun as any four nights in memory, Red Rocks ’09 will live on forever; if for nothing else but its immortal “Tweezer.”
Stopping for one show at Shoreline, Phish headed up to the Gorge for their most impressive two shows of the summer. Inspired by the vast natural landscape, Phish engaged in frequent and successful open jamming over these nights, crafting some of the year’s most indelible moments. Taking things eastward, the band’s improvisation seemed tone down and tail off. Usually kicking down one or two jams per show, this east coast shows didn’t hold the same wide-open feel as those out west, and people could tell. The high point of this east coast swing became the Phishy night at Hartford, strewn with bust-outs, whole-band improv, and an homage to “Icculus.” The spirit lived on!
Shows: 12
Standouts: 7.31 Red Rocks, 8.1 Red Rocks, 8.7 Gorge, 8.8 Gorge, 8.14 Hartford
Can’t Miss Jams: Red Rocks: “Ghost > Wolfmans,” 7.31 “Split Open and Melt” and all of Set II, 8.1 “Rock and Roll > Disease,” 8.5 “Disease,” 8.7 “Sneakin Sally,” “Light,” “Bathtub Gin > Hood,” 8.8 “Rock and Roll,” 8.11 “Number Line > Carini > Jibboo,” 8.13 “Drowned,” 8.14 “Disease > Wilson > Slave,” “Ghost > Psycho Killer,” 8.15 “46 Days,” 8.16 “Number Line”
*****
Festival 8, Indio, CA 10.30 – 11.1
Festival 8 Pollock
Combining two of their most hallowed traditions, Phish threw a laid-back, hassle free, three-day Halloween festival. The diametric opposite of those magical cluster-fucks of lore, everyone had easy access to the Polo Grounds and the lavish resorts of Palm Springs. The stunning “Exile” set highlighted three blissful days of the sunshine, while Phish’s noontime acoustic set met with rave reviews. Indio brought so much joy to all, that rumors are already circulating about the band’s return to the west coast site this fall
Shows: 3
Can’t Miss Jams: 10.30 “Wolfman’s > Piper,” 10.31 The Exile Set, “Ghost,” “YEM,” “Suzie,”11.1 The Acoustic Set, “Tweezer > Maze,” “Mike’s > 2001 > Light > Slave”
*****
Fall Tour: 11.18 – 12.5
MSG (G.Lucas)MSG (G.Lucas)
Stepping inside for their first fall tour since 2000, and their first all-indoor arena tour since February 2003, the band took a little while to get things going. Playing incredibly high-energy shows that featured only one or two legitimate pieces of improv per night, some began to wonder if Phish was satisfied putting on well-polished arena rock shows. Then Albany happened. On November 28, the band’s rediscovered their exploratory spirit, dropping 50 minutes of straight improv, riding their magic carpet far above any any previous heights of 2009 with “Seven Below > Ghost.”
Taking this momentum through the end of the tour, more risk-taking continued in spurts through Maine, MSG and Charlottesville, highlighted by three interstellar quests stemming from “Light,” two of which are no-brainer tour highlights. “Piper” finished off a standout regular season with particularly strong outings in New York and Virginia. Over the second half of fall, Phish had gained a musical head of steam, and Miami looked to be a blowout.
What more can be said? Phish capped their comeback with their most impressive and spirited shows of the year. For detailed accounts, check out last week’s posts!
Shows: 4
Can’t Miss Jams: 12.28 “Stash,” “Hood,” 12.29 all of Set II, 12.30 “Get Back On the Train,” 12.31 “Rock and Roll > Piper,” “Ghost > NO2″
*****
2009 Regular Season Awards
Type II Jam Vehicles – First Team: “Down With Disease,” “Piper,” “Rock and Roll,” “Tweezer,” “Ghost”
Type II Sixth Man of the Year: “Drowned”
Type I Jam Vehicles – First Team: “Wolfman’s,” “Harry Hood,” “Jibboo,” “Stash,” “Slave”
Let’s start rolling out the readers’ requests! This one hails from the Pacific Northwest on the home stretch of an all-important fall tour.
I: Chalk Dust Torture, Guelah Papyrus, Cars Trucks Buses, The Divided Sky, Punch You In the Eye, Midnight on the Highway*, Split Open and Melt, Rift, Funky Bitch
II. The Curtain > Mike’s Song > Simple > Makisupa Policeman** > Axilla > Weekapaug Groove > Catapult, Waste, Amazing Grace, Harry Hood
E: Good Times Bad Times
*debut, cover
**“Woke up this morning, border guard in my bunk, turned the fucking dog on the bus, and found my dank.”
Notes: This show included the first Phish performance of “Midnight on the Highway,” which was learned while the band was stopped at the American/Canadian border.
Phish blazed quite the comeback trail in 2009. Beginning in early March and finishing on New Year’s Eve, the band played 50 shows as they marched their way back to prominence. As the months passed, Phish grew more and more comfortable with each other, enhancing their precision and improvisational chops along the way. Despite a …
Phish’s greatness emerges when the musical spotlight shines not on one band member, but the group as a whole. When Phish engages in top-notch improv, as in Miami, the notion of naming an “MVP” of the run seems absurd. Any musical heights reached directly results from the virtuoso mixture of four, rather than one all-star performer. The old adage that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts has never rang more true than with Phish. That being said, Mike Gordon annihilated Miami like a like a bass-driven assassin, owning his instrument in a display likening a musical Harlem Globetrotter. While leading most jams of the weekend, Mike cast down bass line after mind-expanding bass line, defined by his one-of-a-kind phrasing and unparalleled fluidity. From nuanced effects to ludicrous runs up and down the fretboard, Mike’s mastery jumped from the stage in Miami, and continues to surface with every shows’ re-listen.
12.28.09 (S.Williams)
When Phish decided to reunite, Mike returned to the band in the best musical shape of all. Hot off two acclaimed tours with The Mike Gordon Band, and having just scribed his first solo rock album, The Green Sparrow, Gordon came back to Phish already thumping. (His only other solo project was 2003′s Inside In, the soundtrack to his film “Outside Out,” with a host of guest musicians.) Gordon dedicated himself to his solo project, becoming a band leader for the first time, while playing his originals as well as an eclectic array of covers. Far more active than Trey, Page or Fish in 2oo8, Mike didn’t need the same adjustment period as the rest of the band.
12.30.09 (S.Williams)
But over the year of playing together, not only did Phish regain their band-wide communication skills, but Gordon grew from a beast into a musician that now has his way with his instrument like Michael Jordan crossing over Craig Ehlo. His playing steadily improved from summer to fall, and peaked over New Year’s Run in a superlative bass expose. Forging transcendent pathways in “Tweezer,” “Back on the Train,” Ghost,” and “Piper,” Mike left his mark on each of the weekends most successful jams. But not only did he guide the band through the astral plane, he also peppered their compositions and simpler songs with unique, ever-changing phrases in a non-stop display of creativity. Hell, he even improvised bass fills during “Auld Lang Syne!” All weekend long, Mike launched a personal, bass-led jihad on Vice City, romping around the neon-purple jungle as if a musical King Kong.
Throughout the run, Mike and Fish seemed very much on the same page, and when Phish is in the pocket, things begin to happen. Anchoring arena-sized grooves with a flair for the dramatic, Mike joined Fishman with diverse playing, ranging from chunky and buttery grooves to driving, jazzy and melodic patterns; always hitting that least-expected note to push the band exactly where they needed to go. While all four band members brought their A-game to Florida, Gordon shone with supreme originality and subconscious determination. Mike once described his ideal on-stage mind state, in quintessential Gordeaux fashion, as “half awake and half dreaming.” One can only assume he stood in between worlds for the duration of Miami’s four nights.
12.30.09 (S.WIlliams)
The greatest side effect of Mike’s passionate playing is how it pushes Trey’s imagination. Intertwining ideas in intricate musical passages throughout the run, the duo’s interplay provided the foundation for much of the band’s holiday improv. The greatest Phish jams tend to arise when Trey and Mike are locked in, perfectly complementing each other every step of the way, and this happened more than a few times in Miami. Beyond the weekend’s open-ended excursions, check out “Reba,” “Stash,” “Hood,” “Bowie,” “Slave,” or “Ocelot” for top-notch examples of two minds working as one.
Owning Miami like Tony Montana at the peak of his empire, Mike sat atop Little Cuba in a plush musical throne. With the band also atop of their game, the most engaging nights of the year seemed to materialize with relative ease and a whole lot of fun. But spinning these shows over and over again, new bass lines continue to emerge; the idiosyncratic building blocks of an unforgettable weekend.
…Will return tomorrow. Drop any requests that are not already in the audio archive into today’s comment thread or in an email to mrmminer@phishthoughts.com. In addition, the fall and New Year’s shows, as well as some ’03 and ’04 – graciously uploaded by reader, Jon Gollatz – will be added to the archive within the next little bit. Cheers. Miner
*****
12.30.03 (Photo: Wendy Rogell)
Phish’s greatness emerges when the musical spotlight shines not on one band member, but the group as a whole. When Phish engages in top-notch improv, as in Miami, the notion of naming an “MVP” of the run seems absurd. Any musical heights reached directly results from the virtuoso mixture of four, rather than one all-star …
***** “Swept Away > Steep > jam” 12.31 I (HD) ***** “Tela” 12.30 I (HD) ***** “Ocelot” jam 12.29 I (HD) ***** “Reba” jam 12.29 I ***** “The Curtain (With)” jam 12.30 II
