Aside from all of the significance Miami ’09 posed for the future, it also hailed as the ten year anniversary of Big Cypress, the culmination of Phish’s career at that point, and the most profound night of music in the band’s history. Phish, themselves, have said they didn’t know where to turn when they stepped off that stage – what could possibly top that? December 30, and more specifically, December 31, 1999, represent holy days in the annals of Phish history. The band channeled a greater energy as time turned into 2000, through a night of musical perfection. Y2k madness overtook America, except in the swamps of Florida, where things transformed into an experience of a lifetime.
12.31.99 – Big Cypress (D.Clinch)
Rumors swirled earlier in 2009 about a return to The Everglades for an anniversary weekend, but landing close by in Miami had nobody complaining. Throughout the weekend, Cypress memories flooded our minds and conversations, and I’ve got to imagine the band’s as well. As friends and I sat on the beach listening to the Cypress “Roses” as the sun rose on December 31, an incredible synchronicity existed as morning broke into the spiritual anniversary. Ten years later, who would have predicted we’d be in Florida again with Phish to ring in the next decade? But there we were, recalling the unmatchable majesty of that weekend a decade ago in our lives, while living new memories.
Throughout the four Miami shows, Phish made musical reference to the festival more than a few times, but the following moments seemed to be clear nods to the band’s legendary millennial performance.
*****
“Heavy Things” 12.29 II
12.29.09 (W.Rogell)
Deep into an enchanting Phish set, the band playfully toyed with “Jibboo,” weaving in and out of “Wilson” in a calisthenic groove-a-thon. And when the band settled back into “Jibboo,” they seemed headed for the song’s ending. But instead, Trey kept the band moving, segueing relatively smoothly into “Heavy Things.” At first it seemed completely random, and then upon second thought, completely appropriate. Ten years earlier, ABC featured an awkward guest spot from Big Cypress, the millennium’s largest concert. The song Phish played for the national audience was “Heavy Things,” birthing the entire “Cheesecake” theme of the Cypress and beyond. When the band showcased the song amidst, arguably, the set of the this year’s run, one couldn’t help draw parallels. As the band took their pop single for a scintillating ride, “Heavy Things” never sounded so good, providing a soaring interlude in a non-stop set
*****
“Sand” 12.30 II
12.30.09 (W.Rogell)
Among the many colossal jams of the all-night set, none were more ominous than “Sand’s” forty-minute apocalyptic groove clinic. In the depths of the evening, the band went on a culminating rhythmic trek, bringing the stellar run of late-’99 “Sands” to a outlandish peak. With sinister licks and millennial sheets of sound, Trey let loose over thick layers of groove. Reaching sublime portions of improv and morphing with the ambient-melodic “Quadrophonic Toppling,” the Cypress “Sand” is the consensus best-ever, as far as conversations I’ve ever had. Interestingly, when the band opened the the 30th’s second set with “Sand,” the style of jamming resembled a millennial feel, albeit a bit toned down. Gnarling guitar leads grew more abstract as the piece developed, evoking memories of ’99s dissonant psychedelia. While clearly not in the same ballpark as the Cypress version, Miami’s bust-out of “Sand” likened a collective memory of a night long ago while soaring into the future.
*****
“Corrine, Corrina” 12.30 I
12.30.09 (W.Rogell)
Played out of nowhere on December 30, 1999, in the opening set of of the weekend, Phish broke out the “Corrina” for the first time in ten years at Big Cypress. Though they played the song twice within the “aughts,” the bust out of the traditional cover on the 30th in Miami – ten years to the day – seemed like obvious evidence that Phish had Cypress on their mind. A staggeringly beautiful rendition showcased the band’s enhanced soul and lyrical ability, as well as their nuanced improvisation that characterized the New Year’s Run. At this mature stage of the game, “Corrina” sounded more natural than ever coming from the band.
*****
“Auld Lang Syne > Down With Disease” 12.31.III
12.31.09 (S.Williams)
While Phish may have played “Disease” at midnight one way or another this year, its inclusion in such an allegorical weekend had significance any way it’s sliced. Inserted in the iconic slot after “Auld Lang Syne” – exactly as it was ten years earlier – “Disease” brought in the New Year for the first time since our spiritual sojourn in the swamps. One of the band’s career-defining anthems, “Disease” re-emerged in 2009 as a central launchpad for Phish, and its midnight placement acknowledged its role in 2009 as much as anything. Featuring the band’s first great jam of the era in Hampton, “Disease” has been one of the most consistent pieces of improv last year. As the life-sized disco ball sat center stage, shooting a million beams of light around the arena, and oversized balloons danced to the celebratory rhythms, all had come full circle. We were once again careening into the future with the Phish from Vermont.
A fierce chunk of darkness amidst the first set of the run.
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DOWNLOADS OF THE DAY:
Here is an alternate Schoeps source for the Miami run from taylorc to go along with padlimike’s recordings. Everyone hears things differently, so download both, and take your choice. I find these to be a bit of an upgrade with a thicker bottom end that really pops; some very full-sounding recordings. You can use this week’s “Jams of the Day” to sample this source.
Aside from all of the significance Miami ’09 posed for the future, it also hailed as the ten year anniversary of Big Cypress, the culmination of Phish’s career at that point, and the most profound night of music in the band’s history. Phish, themselves, have said they didn’t know where to turn when they stepped …
Almost a week later, all I can think about is Miami; what a phenomenal run! Over the last three nights of the year, Phish took an impressive step towards permanently regaining top form. Like King Midas, everything the band touched turned to gold throughout the waning nights of the “aughts,” leaving the band’s early-summer growing pains as time-washed memories. The band had IT once again – at least for these nights – and could do no wrong. With all four players at the top of their game, Phish converged in celebration of now, with seven sets of the most encouraging music we’ve heard thus far.
12.30.09 (S.Williams)
Each moment unfolded with a patient luster, each measure given equal attention, in a series of particularly confident performances. With each member fluidly owning their instrument, the band’s collective focus centered on musical conversation. Sure, this is always the goal of improvisational music, but it hasn’t always been so routine this year. In Miami, the proficiency and the subtlely with which Phish exchanged ideas, blew most of the year’s dynamic out of the water. There have been many outstanding nights of music throughout the year, from March through December, but the way the band so clearly listened and responded to each others’ every move created a far enhanced dynamic down in Florida. And lo and behold, several of 2009’s top-shelf jams grew from this final weekend.
12.29.09 (W.Rogell)
More legitimate action and interplay existed within Miami’s music. Unlike many straight-forward, high-energy jaunts of the summer and fall, these multi-dimensional jams had layers, themes, plateaus, and peaks; psychedelic intricacies. Stuff like “Tweezer > Caspian,” “Back On the Train,” “Ghost,” and “Rock and Roll > Piper,” all contained completely unique, superlative improvisation, while most every other launchpad showed up in shining form; not to mention the many bust-outs played impeccably. Going light on their ornate compositions, the band stuck with “Divided Sky,” “Curtain (With),” “Guyute,” and “Fluffhead,” and slayed them all, minus “Fluff.” But, hey, that one’s excusable since they had a different drummer.
Showcasing their full repertoire over four nights, Phish punctuated their comeback year triumphantly, illustrating prodigious growth over 2009. Building off their momentum of late-fall, the band played three consecutive nights of the year’s most exceptional music. Before Miami, these flashes of brilliance came in songs, sets, and, occasionally, whole shows. But for the first time in 2009, Phish brought the absolute fire for three consecutive nights – six sets in a row. And don’t be calling out Red Rocks or MSG – they were certain stepping stones, but this was a whole ‘nother ball game. Miami completely changed the landscape as we turn to 2010.
12.31.09 (W.Rogell)
Having regained their swagger in full force, Phish seems destined to blast into this new decade with renewed creativity and conviction. With a year of touring under their belt, the band has fully regained their sea legs, returning to form as the psychedelic juggernauts we once knew. And the best part about the current situation is that they seem as ecstatic as we are about these developments. With solo tours planned, rumors bubbling about summer and beyond, and “tapes” we can’t put down again, the Phish universe is bursting with energy and moving at full speed once again.
I: Sample in a Jar, NICU, My Soul, Roggae, Undermind, Bouncing Around the Room, Poor Heart, Stash, I Didn’t Know, Beauty of a Broken Heart, Possum
II: Mike’s Song > Light > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove, Alaska, Backwards Down the Number Line, Makisupa Policeman > Harry Hood, Contact, Character Zero
Almost a week later, all I can think about is Miami; what a phenomenal run! Over the last three nights of the year, Phish took an impressive step towards permanently regaining top form. Like King Midas, everything the band touched turned to gold throughout the waning nights of the “aughts,” leaving the band’s early-summer growing …
New Year’s Eve; out with the old and in with the new. As long as anyone could remember, Phish and December 31 went together like peanut butter and jelly. Whether in the cold of Worcester, Boston, and New York, or the warmth of Big Cypress and Miami, Phish and New Year’s Eve were one in the same. On a holiday where the entire point is to have a blast celebrating the year that was, Phish’s New Year’s Eve shows became rites of passage, culminating with 1999’s sacred millennial odyssey in The Everglades. But after this experience of a lifetime, Phish appeared only twice on New Year’s Eve over the next ten years. We hadn’t flipped the calendar with them since 2003 in this very same building on Biscayne Bay, thus New Year’s Eve ’09 took on a renewed feeling of excitement that had been gone for more than half a decade.
12.31.09 (W.Rogell)
Without the grind of their night-long parties of yesteryear, Phish came to bat on the 31st locked and loaded, building off, arguably, their two finest shows of the year. Just as each of the previous nights had a distinct theme, New Year’s Eve was colored by feel-good Phish from beginning to end, ringing in 2010 with songs of joy and upbeat jamming; everything we’ve come to expect from the band in their three-set, year-end parties. And before we knew it, we were off on a musical crash course with a brand new decade.
The ride got started with the energetic one-two punch of “AC/DC Bag” and “46 Days,” but got kicked into high gear by the fourth-song “Bathtub Gin.” A jubilant vibe painted the entire jam which moved from glue-tight structured territory into a heavier dose of groove; the latter segment pushed forward by none other than Michael Gordon, the unquestionable player of the weekend. His driving bass patterns attracted Fish, and, on the spot, they reinvented the pocket of the jam, and Trey and Page followed their lead. A fiery segment of holiday improv resulted from this group conversation, with all members completely in tune. “Gin” became the first taste of the band’s inspiring New Year’s themed playing, characterized by densely packed catharsis.
12.31.09 (Photo: Wendy Rogell)
The chunkier part of the set continued with full-speed runs through “Punch” and “Moma,” keeping the energy high and people moving to the beat. Breaking for a composition, Phish played only the second “Guyute” since summer, and its triumphant nature fit congruently on this night. But the most intriguing first-set sequence came next. Playing through their Billy Breathes segment, “Swept Away > Steep,” at the point where they used to scream, and more recently, just drop into a new song, the band fluidly drifted into a mellow, Beatles-esque psychedelia, led hand in hand by Trey and Page. If this wasn’t composed ahead of time, I’d be surprised, as Page and Trey immediately initiated the same melodic theme. One way or the other, Phish stumbled upon something gorgeous in this piece, and its inward journey served as a reflective interlude for the end of the year.
12.31.09 (W.Rogell)
As this jam settled, Phish broke into the opening of “Demand” for the first time since Ames, Iowa during November ’96, thus trumping “Tela” for the “biggest” bust-out of the weekend. Played like they’d kept it in rotation all along, Phish nailed the two minute piece and hopped right into “Seven Below.” A song that birthed two standout jams of fall stayed closer to its structure this time around, but still provided inspired improv with Fishman maintaining a strapping beat behind a melodic canvas. When listening to Mike on this piece, one will hear some of his most intriguing play of an outlandish weekend, offering up lines most musicians wouldn’t even conceive. Collectively driving this piece to the top, the band played as a four-headed monster flowing with effortless abandon, once again packing a whole lot of action into a very short time. Closing the first set with a rollicking “Julius,” Phish got off to a phenomenal start on their return to a night they once owned.
12.31.09 (W.Rogell)
A particularly short set break had the lights off way before anyone expected, and one of the weekend’s strongest sets kicked off with the 2009 anthem “Rock and Roll.” Sewing this stanza thematically together with a dense, uptempo musical thread, Phish began by tearing the opener into oblivion. As the music entered a potentially deeper plane, Trey elected to keep the set bumpin’ with energy, segueing quickly into “Piper.” Phish filled the subsequent ten minutes with over the top, compact improv at a dizzying pace. As if trying to summarize all the places the jam has reached during its epic year, the band threw down a concentrated, complex gauntlet that moved a mile a minute. Playing with ridiculous cohesion, the band straight annihilated the final “Piper” in a year that featured many magnificent journeys from the song. Combining two of 2009’s defining pieces, the band opened the second set like a musical incarnation of Usain Bolt.
The blissful vibe continued as the band morphed from an ambient landing into “Simple.” A song played only four times in 2009, none were more symbolic than this version on New Year’s Eve. Things had returned to an Edenic state in the Phish universe, and on the cusp of 2010, the lyrics never meant more to everyone, because once again, “…we’ve got a band.” Moving from a melodic jam into a spacier outro, Mike and Trey chased each others’ phrases into nothingness as the band faded into “Theme.” Keeping the fun, yet emotional, night moving, the band infused the song with a soaring energy and musicianship that brought the opening, non-stop segment of the set to a close.
12.31.09 (Photo: Wendy Rogell)
Giving a nod to their unforgettable “Exile” set from Halloween, the band used the album’s emotional peak, “Shine a Light,” as mid-set interlude. Another lyrically appropriate song for a celebration of all that is to come for the Phish community, this version came perfectly placed in an increasingly impressive set. And then came the expedition of the night in a multi-faceted, bass-led safari through “Ghost.” Trey laid way back as the jam began, allowing Mike to take center stage with his bouncing, envelope-filtered leads. Like a space-general, Gordon thumped out futuristic patterns as his band fell in behind him. The pocket grew Grand Canyon-deep, as Mike’s basscrobatics bounced brains like basketballs around D Wade’s building. Crafting one of the weekends most compelling pieces, the band continued their unified jamming that underlined the entire evening.
12.31.09 (Photo: Wendy Rogell)
As “Ghost” built into an dark, abstract realm, Mike took his effects off, allowing Trey to take the lead for the second half of the jam. Flowing with inspired melodies, Trey awed the arena with his path to the mountaintop, where the band slid into a post-peak series of grooves that became increasingly delicate and ambient. Trey wove a stunning “Auld Lang Syne” tease amidst this emotive musical tapestry before Phish swam into a drone soundscape. Just as everyone thought the band would ooze the set to a close, Mike brought us into the dentist chair with “NO2.” Maintaining their shimmering backdrop throughout his narration, the band buzzed into silence before dropping an explosive “Suzie” to close one of the superior sets of the run.
“Midnight” (W.Rogell)
After another abbreviated setbreak, everyone knew what songs the band had left to play. Miami’s final set would inevitably include “Disease,” “Fluffhead,” and “You Enjoy Myself,” but how it would go down would be the story of the final frame. Launching into “Party Time” with about six minutes until midnight, the band funked into the New Year, showering everyone with Phish’s first “Auld Lang Syne” since ’03. An always-emotional moment – one where I always feel so thankful for being in the right place at the right time – this one felt extra sweet after five years of differing midnight festivities.
Everyone knew that “Disease” stood in the on deck circle, but this year, this set wasn’t about surprise – at least not yet. Featuring another theme song of ’09 in the slot where its triumphant jam was born sixteen years earlier, this moment was about simply being there again; seeing those big balloons bounce in front of our favorite band as we spun into a new decade to the soundtrack of our lives. After such a smoking second set, this one brought high octane playing, all in the name of fun. Staying firmly within the box throughout the final frame, the point wasn’t exploration, but explosive celebration, and Phish certainly accomplished their goal to the delight of all.
“Auld Lang Syne” (W.Rogell)
Instead of providing musical twists and turns in their final set, the band chose to mess with our minds with a prank that left everyone disputing what the hell actually had happened long after the show ended. Having laid the groundwork with all of the vacuum shenanigans over the 28th and 30th, and having foreshadowed the gag with the 30th’s cover, “Dixie Cannonball,” the band had the audience right where they wanted them. After ending “Disease,” they brought a life size disco ball to the center of the stage, and Fishman crawled inside. Bringing out a cannon and illuminating a net above the soundboard, Phish created the preposterous illusion that they were about to launch Fishman into the rafters of the arena – and for a split second, it all seemed totally reasonable. Trey got behind the drum set and gave a dramatic roll as the cannon fired loudly. Material hung from the roof as if Fishman shot right through, as a faux helicopter’s search light descended over the crowd with full-on sound effects. But neither Fishman, nor the disco cannonball, was anywhere to be seen.
12.31.09 (W.Rogell)
Much like the previous night, the band called for someone from the audience to replace Fishman – this time on drums. Trey called someone out from the stands to the left side of the stage side, and a dark-haired girl made her way to the drum set. After gushing over Trey in a comic act, when asked her favorite Phish tune, she replied “Fluffhead,” to the roaring approval of the crowd. Trey then announced that the band would play “Fluffhead” with Sarah on drums. As she awkwardly starting the song, Trey looked over and seemed to help Sarah along, and soon she caught the groove and the band launched into the song much to everyone’s shock. What the fuck was going on?! And from the end of “Disease,” that is exactly what Phish wanted us to wonder – and they pulled it of with genius. In an incognito switcheroo, a wigged and costumed Fishman slid onto the drums with hardly anyone noticing, leaving everybody with a different theory as to what happened and how. After the show ended, a friend came up to me and asked, “So, did Sarah play the rest of the set with them?” ‘Nuff said!
12.31.09 (Photo: Wendy Rogell)
Featuring solid versions of “Fluffhead,” “Coil,” and “You Enjoy Myself,” this set, more than anything, brought the spectacle back to New Year’s Eve, while continuing the uplifting theme to the evening. And it worked out quite well. Poignantly fitting “Joy” into their final set as well, the band reminded everyone what this era is all about – our collective happiness. And after some lyrical, heartfelt thanks from Trey, a “Loving Cup” encore brought us home. Capping 2009 with a set defined by their prankster spirit, Phish hit every angle over their four nights in Miami, reclaiming their undisputed title as the musical pimps of the universe. And what a year it was! From March 6 in Hampton to December 31 in Miami, and everything in between, 2009 saw the re-evolution of Phish; a force of nature unto themselves. And side by side, the return of our dreams. It all really happened.
Phish 2010, here we come!
I: AC/DC Bag, 46 Days, Water in the Sky, Bathtub Gin, Punch You in the Eye, The Moma Dance, Guyute, Swept Away > Steep, Demand > Seven Below, Lawn Boy, Julius
II.Rock and Roll > Piper > Simple > Theme from the Bottom, Shine A Light, Ghost> NO2, Suzy Greenberg
III: Party Time > Auld Lang Syne > Down With Disease, NYE Prank, Fluffhead, Joy, The Squirming Coil, You Enjoy Myself
I: AC/DC Bag, 46 Days, Water in the Sky, Bathtub Gin, Punch You in the Eye, The Moma Dance, Guyute, Swept Away > Steep, Demand > Seven Below, Lawn Boy, Julius
II.Rock and Roll > Piper > Simple > Theme from the Bottom, Shine A Light, Ghost> NO2, Suzy Greenberg
III: Party Time > Auld Lang Syne > Down With Disease, NYE Prank, Fluffhead, Joy, The Squirming Coil, You Enjoy Myself
E: Blue Moon*, Loving Cup
*Trey thanks all members of the Phish organization by reading their names off a list “as quickly and lyrically as possible” to the tune of “Blue Moon.”
New Year’s Eve; out with the old and in with the new. As long as anyone could remember, Phish and December 31 went together like peanut butter and jelly. Whether in the cold of Worcester, Boston, and New York, or the warmth of Big Cypress and Miami, Phish and New Year’s Eve were one in …
The diversity of Phish is one of their greatest assets, and a huge reason behind their overwhelming appeal to so many people. Beyond varying their setlists, Phish effortlessly swoops between musical genres, altering the focus of their shows, while composing vastly different orbits each and every night. And when the band plays as well as they did in Miami, any direction usually works just fine. A night after Phish played a show underlined by giant grooves and copious improv, the band returned on December 30th with a song-based show that still held the door open for some quintessential second set psychedelia. Focused on elusive pieces of their catalog for much of the night, the band tore through many seldom played selections with surprising proficiency, while still carving out one of 2009′s elite jams. Though the band’s musicianship stood at the top of their game, this show contained a choppy, yet fun, vibe, with no real flow to either set. Yet, when examining each piece individually, Phish absolutely nailed everything they touched on this night.
12.30.09 (W.Rogell)
If bust-outs tickle one’s fancy, then they were laughing all the way through this first set in which eight of twelve songs appeared for the first time this year, including two debuts. The party got started with the first “Soul Shakedown” of this era, igniting the crowd and setting the tone of the evening right away. Following a short but sweet “Runaway Jim,” and woven around “Stealing Time,” the bust outs just kept rolling – “Jesus Just Left Chicago,” Hank William’s “Dixie Cannonball,” “Corrina,” “What’s the Use?,” Tela,” the debut of “Gone,” and “RockyTop.” In a veritable buffet of Phish rarities, one of the unquestionable highlights of the sequence was “Corrina.” Ten years to the day that they broke out the song in Big Cypress’ opening set, Phish played a highly emotive version evoking memories of the Everglades with graceful solos from both Page and Trey. “Tela” brought the most “significant” bust-out, with eleven years coming between its last performance in New Haven, CT on November 24, 1998. Practiced and polished, Phish gave the integral piece to the Gamehendge saga the full treatment, bringing the composition to a gentle peak. Throughout all of these songs, Phish sounded spot on, both musically and lyrically, making these appearances all the more special. Sure, squeezing “What’s The Use?” between “Corrina” and “Tela” does nothing for context or flow, but the band is clearly now comfortable with the widest array of their material since the mid -’90s. Finally digging deeper into Party Time, Phish debuted “Gone,” a reflective Trey piece with a strong melodic leads and potential for expansion come summertime. “Rocky Top” finished the eccentric part of the set, leaving way for Phish to loosen up their chops in the final segment.
12.30.09 (W.Rogell)
After crushing “Chalkdust,” the musical energy in the room palpably increased, setting the table for the improvisational high point of the first half, “David Bowie.” Through many versions of “Bowie” this year, the band hadn’t often been able to channel the maniacal energy that defined the song’s history. Playing quasi-generic renditions more often than not, few “Bowies” stood out as unique. But Miami’s version jumped off the stage with a creative aggression unseen most of the year, all without moving far outside the box. Possessing that furious, yet precise, energy that characterized “Bowies” of legend, Phish applied their newly-found, effortless bravado the jam, and came out with one of its most successful, densely packed affairs of the year. Peaking with unique, full-band fury, “Bowie” ended the first half with a bang. Having picked up improvisational steam at the end of the set, and following the night before, who knew what to expect in act two?
12.30.09 (W.Rogell)
Opening the second set, Phish continued the Big Cypress allusions by dusting off the second “Sand” of 2009, evoking memories of the forty-plus minute epic in the early hours of the decade. This version followed a more classic contour than Camden’s of early summer, focusing primarily on Trey’s guitar leads over a driving groove, and less on full-band interplay. Trey, however, brought enough fire to carry this version on his own. Starting with sparse phrasings, he soon built into flowing melodies that solely directed the course of the song. Supported by a tightly woven groove, Trey lines surfed atop the musical wave provided by his mates throughout this excursion. Dominating the second half with effect-driven, “retro-milennial” sound-sculpting, Big Red brought the piece to a gnarling peak only a stones throw away from the site of its seminal outing a decade ago.
12.30.09 (W.Rogell)
A fiery beginning to the second half gave way to a cerebral segment of “Curtain (With)” > “Lifeboy.” In complete contrast to the linear dance patterns that opened the frame, Phish entered one of their exquisite compositions with notable precision and energy, and when “With” dropped, the band’s soul took over. Completely at home with the piece that once symbolized the debacle of Coventry, Phish culminated the many versions of the year with one of their best. Played with meticulous passion, “With” felt like a emotional cleansing on the brink of a new decade, while simultaneously, a celebration of 2009 – the year that everything came back together. With undeniable majesty, the band engaged in one of the most alluring passages of the run, featuring interplay both subtle and supreme.
Dripping from the stirring rendition of “With” into the first “Lifeboy” of the year, Phish crafted an elegant combination of introspective hymns. Performed immaculately, the song’s dreamy soundscapes backed its wistful lyrics in the type of delicate display absent from the 2.0 era. But this time around, every note matters, hence the band’s patient and steady progress throughout the year, and “Lifeboy” vividly illustrates this renewed philosophy.
12.30.09 (W.Rogell)
When Phish continued with “Back On the Train” as a centerpiece of the second set, it really seemed as though the 30th would go down as light on musical exploration, but little did anyone know that one of the year’s top jams was about to unfold. Stemming from the back-country funk of “Back On the Train,” Phish would grow one of their most exciting excursions from the least likely of places. Gradually stretching out the song’s form, Mike, once again, led the way out the door, as he was the first to bring unique ideas to the table. As Mike coaxed Trey into some rhythm playing, the band took off on a musical tangent, everyone picking up new on each others’ ideas, and almost instantaneously, transforming the piece into an ambient blanket of shimmering sound.
From there, the band took a multi-dimensional musical expedition, beginning in a quieter, bass-led brew. Latching onto Mike’s patterns, Trey, and Page joined in, forming a sublime, sonic waterfall. Phish had traveled way out there quite quickly – a musical hit of DMT – and soon, the delicate canvas became increasingly dark as the band built the force behind their wall of sound. A kick drum joined Fish’s shimmering cymbal textures, as Trey’s began to scream out over Page’s drone effects and piano patterns. And out of an ambient escapade, Phish built a fierce, all-out high speed musical getaway. A distinct moment transpired where the whole band hit full stride in a galaxy far, far away, and, collectively, took off out of sight. Even Kuroda got in on the act, masterfully speckling the arena with dots of white light to match the musical intensity. In order to return to earth, the band slowed into a polyrhythmic segment, resembling the cadence of a “Limb” jam, as Trey and Page gushed emotion through the final rolling peak. A true journey into the unknown, most didn’t know what had hit them as the band drifted softly into “Velvet Sea.” But we had just witnessed one of the year’s most successful jams; the yin to “Tweezer’s” yang; the other best side of Phish.
“Fish and Rich” (W.Rogell)
“Velvet Sea” provided a lush cushion for the band’s interstellar exploits, a perfect place to descend upon from such gargantuan heights. But once this surreal segment came to a close, Fishman came front and center for his late-second set exploits that are often hard to believe still take place in 2009. This act took a turn for the comical, however, as the band chose “Rich” from the crowd to come up and guest on vacuum since Trey had promised this that Fish’s “I Didn’t Know” solo on the 28th would be his last of the decade. At the time this all seemed innocent enough, but in reality, the band was laying groundwork for their New Year’s prank. (More on that tomorrow.) But “Rich” held his own, and got the arena rocking far more than Fishman could have, in comedic episode that pumped up the audience for the set’s final section.
12.30.09 (W.Rogell)
Following another generic “Free,” a song the band should expand or shelve at this point, they kicked into a late-set “Boogie On,” taking the song-based theme through the very end of the show. But after a short funk groove, Trey slowly integrated the beginning of “Antelope,” blending one song into the other. Throughout the intro – in which the full band joined in, within the full-on jam, and in the outro, Trey precisely and playfully teased the main melody from “Boogie On.” Each time firing up the audience a bit more, by the end of the song, Trey had the arena eating from the palm of his hand as he brought the vicious jam to a close with an combination “Boogie On” / “Antelope” lick. This smoking, high-energy conclusion will forever be remembered as “Boogie Like an Antelope.”
When looking at a New Years Run, one must consider the four-night whole rather than each show on its own. Designed to be a four-night experience, interpreting a New Year’s Run in any other way would be missing the point. This show complemented the 29th’s groove-centric exploration, while the 31st created the feel-good party of the year. People will favor one of these shows over another because of their personal preferences, not because Phish played any better or worse on these three nights. After the 28th’s uncharacteristic warm-up, the band blasted into their best playing of the year, with each show designed for a different purpose. This night provided a showcase of rare songs, and we still managed to get in a jam of the year. Not bad, I’d say. Not bad at all.
I:Soul Shakedown Party, Runaway Jim, Jesus Just Left Chicago, Dixie Cannonball*, Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan, Corrina, What’s the Use?, Tela, Gone*, Rocky Top, Chalkdust Torture, David Bowie
II: Sand, The Curtain With > Lifeboy, Back On The Train > Wading in the Velvet Sea, HYHU > Love You > HYHU, Free, Boogie On Reggae Woman > Run Like An Antelope
I:Soul Shakedown Party, Runaway Jim, Jesus Just Left Chicago, Dixie Cannonball*, Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan, Corrina, What’s the Use?, Tela, Gone*, Rocky Top, Chalkdust Torture, David Bowie
II: Sand, The Curtain With > Lifeboy, Back On The Train > Wading in the Velvet Sea, HYHU > Love You > HYHU, Free, Boogie On Reggae Woman > Run Like An Antelope
The diversity of Phish is one of their greatest assets, and a huge reason behind their overwhelming appeal to so many people. Beyond varying their setlists, Phish effortlessly swoops between musical genres, altering the focus of their shows, while composing vastly different orbits each and every night. And when the band plays as well as …
December 29 – the Phishiest night of the year. Throughout their illustrious career, this date has routinely summoned the best Phish has to offer, year after year after year. From ’94′s psychedelic monstrosity of “David Bowie” to ’95′s “Real Gin;” from ’96′s Harpua-laced, rotation jam adventure to ’97′s crown jewel anchored by “Disease > Bowie > Possum;” from ’98′s picture perfect second set to ’03′s fluid jam sequence, many of the band’s most successful holiday endeavors have gone down on this mystical night. And this year, after a lackluster opening show, an impending sense of something special hung over American Airlines Arena as the building began to fill. Though nobody knew just how special this night would turn out, Phish proceeded to play, perhaps, their greatest start-to-finish show of 2009. Boasting a liquid flow and sub-conscious communication, Phish locked into each others’ musical ideas early on, crafting a consummate night of improvisation. A complete show in every sense, December 29. once again, defined the greatness of Phish, and vibrantly illustrated why we trek all over this world in search of the ultimate. This was IT.
12.29.09 (W.Rogell)
Usually reserving “Golgi” to punctuate sets, the band infused a certain energy into the room by opening with their old-school anthem. And when they followed it up with a ferocious, second-song “Maze,” the message came across loud and clear – the Phish meant business. While first sets have lately been reserved for contained songs and compositions, this night’s opening frame carried an enhanced flow, snaking between standout jams and rarities, forming the most musically engaging first half in recent memory. Following the second-ever performance of Undermind’s “The Connection,” Phish launched into the final “Wolfman’s” of the year. This version represented a culmination of the many tight, first set funkscapes that have emerged from the song all year. Having appeared almost exclusively in the first set song during 2009, Miami’s “Wolfman’s” became a summation of the year’s many versions. Clearly glued together from the get-go, Mike led the way – as he would for much of the night and weekend – into a swanky series of seductive grooves. Playing as one multi-brained entity, Phish launched into crack-like dance rhythms, peaking “Wolfman’s” year with perhaps 2009′s finest rendition. The band hit their stride early on, and were off and running into a set, and a show, that would never let up.
12.29.09 (W.Rogell)
While most ’09 first sets took a distinct turn for the mellow, this one kept motoring along with the year’s culminating “Ocelot.” A playful song that popped onto the scene during the early summer, it never developed past its loafing blues-rock patterns. But on this evening, Phish crafted the most engaging jam to stem from the song all year long. Building on sundry similar versions, the band got more creative this time out, beginning to foment a groove-based ethos for the night. With unique phrasing, Trey led the band on a diverse, melodic path, crafting an welcome diversion from the normally standard piece. Over its past couple ’09 outings, “Ocelot” may have turned a corner for 2010.
12.29.09 (W.Rogell)
Sandwiching their third jam vehicle in a row, Phish confidently plunged into “Reba.” Clearly feeling IT early and often on this evening, they showed no signs of hesitation as they crushed the complex composed section with a true sense of musical drama. Splashing into the crystalline jam, all seemed right in the world as we floated on Mike’s bass balloons through a neon purple Miami sky. Beginning in a quiet milieu, Phish swam atop a sea of groove in reverie, where dynamic full-band interplay continued to emerge with seemingly no effort at all. Trey poured his heart into his solo which wove right into the musical fabric rather that dominating the silky sound. A top shelf ’09 vintage, “Reba” provided a blissful beacon in the middle of the opening frame.
Riding a wave of musical momentum, the band sounded perfectly in sync through the final three songs of the set. Busting out Mike’s Undermind track, “Access Me,” for the second time ever, slaughtering a pristine “Divided Sky,” and closing with “Cavern,” complete with botched lyrics, everything was in the right place as the band stepped off stage for setbreak. Phish had soared through the first half with a hawk-like proficiency, in stark juxtaposition to the night before, setting up what was sure to be a monster second set.
12.29.09 (W.Rogell)
When at their best, Phish can throw down jams that obliterate one’s sense of self and the space-time continuum altogether; music so powerful that it shifts, even slightly, the way we view the world and our place within its web, smashing our ego while pouring inspiration into the deepest recesses of our soul; paradigm-shifting jams. Creating dreams out of thin air, Phish, like a musical Michelangelo, embodies the highest form of art known to man when they attain such levels of transcendence. And “Tweezer” was one of these occasions. In the jam of the year, Phish made a profound statement on the limitless possibilities that, once again, exist every time they take the stage. Letting loose on their classic vehicle, the band launched into an extended section of larger-than-life, mind-eating grooves. With a magical mixture of rhythmic offerings, all four members converged in an eternal dance adventure. Playing off each others’ ideas as well as they’ve ever done, Phish showcased why they are the still the greatest band on the planet. Infusing their infectious patterns with vocal hits, the band used a simple two-note pattern as another layer of rhythmic complexity to fill small moments of space. The entire arena disappeared, notes replaced thoughts, and any line between self and music was smashed into smithereens by the power of the moment. And the jam only got deeper from there.
12.29.09 (W.Rogell)
Morphing into a more ethereal canvas, Phish slowly unwound from their intense dance patterns. Descending into the abyss amidst spaced-out, effect-laden textures, Phish centered this segment around a signature Trey lick played with a repetitive delicacy. Without losing any direction, the band built this section out from groovy ambiance into a full-on, stunning exploration of the source. Delving into heart-wrenching, ambient psychedelia, this soulful segment can speak for itself. as words would come up far too short. This gorgeous passage blended seamlessly into “Prince Caspian,”and, once again, on December 29, 2009, Phish sat atop of the world. With astounding emotion, Phish slayed a cathartic “Caspian” that resolved their journey into the mysteries of life; and it was good. One couldn’t help but feel that everything had finally come full circle; Phish had just proven themselves capable of the highest heights – improv at its most superb level – and brought their cosmic suite to an overwhelming head with a “Caspian” for the ages. It had been quite a while since the band had delved anywhere near these depths with such mastery, and anything that happened after this mind-bending trek would be relative; the proverbial icing on the cake. But on this night, even the icing turned out sweeter than normal.
12.29.09 (W.Rogell)
Using “Jibboo” to celebrate their virtuoso exploration, Phish took off into an extensive session of upbeat candy-grooving. Beginning with minimalist and gentle textures, Page and Trey’s melodies evoked holiday cheer with a distinct feel-good vibe. Trey continued to crank the intensity, quickly pushing it to eleven, with a display of guitar acrobatics. Blowing out a super-charged “Jibboo” beyond its usual confines, the band departed from the song’s structure into a raucous peak. Seemingly setting up transition into “Good Times, Bad Times,” Phish, instead, stumbled for a moment before sliding into “Wilson.” In a fun and creative move, the band peaked the short song, and while sustaining its ending, Trey cut in with “Jibboo’s” rhythm chords and the band melted back into the song with surprising proficiency.
But as Trey introduced the “Jibboo’s” final go-round, he instead called out a change into “Heavy Things,” using a downbeat to hit the song’s opening riff. On the ten-year anniversary of Big Cypress, Phish’s entire Miami run dripped with allusions to their landmark millennial concert. Then featured on ABC’s guest spot in The Everglades, Phish nodded to their epic night by taking “Heavy Things” through a particularly shredding rendition, applying their spirited play of the night to their pop single. And in a show that never stopped, Phish drew out the final note of “Heavy Things” into a spacescape that oozed into the uber-triumphant closing of “2001 > Slave.”
12.29.09 (W.Rogell)
On a night when they let loose on the rhythmic tip, Phish bust into another dancescape late in the set, further igniting the ever-glowing fire of the 29th. In a slamming, bass-led jungle of bombastic creativity, Phish continued to pull out all the stops on this unforgettable evening. Completely together and playing as though they couldn’t screw up if they tried, the band annihilated their short session of space-funk and whispered into the set closer of “Slave.” The ideal end to an evening of lore, the band shaped a meticulous version, punctuating the set with a gorgeous dip into a celestial sea. Underlined by Mike and Trey’s sublime interplay, this version likened an arrow through a Valentine’s Day heart; the finishing touches at the end of a glorious journey. Exultant, tasteful, and well-phrased, Phish put a fantasy-like ending on a evening that seemed like it could have been pulled from a dream. Finishing on the highest note possible, the band left no doubt in anyone’s mind that they felt as fulfilled as we did.
12.29.09 (W.Rogell)
The 29th, as I see it, was a perfect Phish show. With two sets chock full of creative jamming, a rocking second set opener that set the table for a plunge into the depths of consciousness, rarities, playful transitions, dance grooves aplenty, one smoking composition, and an overall contour that that touched on all aspects of the human experience; how could one ask for more? An archetypal psychedelic journey into the center and back again, this show is why I see Phish. Period, end of discussion. When it ended and the lights came on I sat there in disbelief, overwhelmed with emotion, that this had all happened once again. The band had blown my mind like the olden days; they still had it, and were only getting better. Phish had ascended to their thrones again, and we were all winners. And as I floated off into the night, the last thing I could think about was writing a review. Only yesterday did I go back and listen through a couple times, as some experiences must remain sacred in this world of instantaneous gratification. But, damn, does it ever hold up on tape! December 29 touched me like no other night this year, and provided a resounding statement that things are are exactly where they needed to be in the world of Phish as we turned towards 2010.
I: Golgi Apparatus, Maze, Driver, The Connection, Wolfman’s Brother, Ocelot, Reba, Access Me, The Divided Sky, Cavern
II: Kill Devil Falls, Tweezer > Prince Caspian, Gotta Jibboo > Wilson > Gotta Jibboo > Heavy Things > Also Sprach Zarathustra > Slave to the Traffic Light
I: Golgi Apparatus, Maze, Driver, The Connection, Wolfman’s Brother, Ocelot, Reba, Access Me, The Divided Sky, Cavern
II: Kill Devil Falls, Tweezer > Prince Caspian, Gotta Jibboo > Wilson > Gotta Jibboo > Heavy Things > Also Sprach Zarathustra > Slave to the Traffic Light
December 29 – the Phishiest night of the year. Throughout their illustrious career, this date has routinely summoned the best Phish has to offer, year after year after year. From ’94′s psychedelic monstrosity of “David Bowie” to ’95′s “Real Gin;” from ’96′s Harpua-laced, rotation jam adventure to ’97′s crown jewel anchored by “Disease > Bowie …
