Some shows have IT and some shows don’t. And last night’s show never even came close. Aside from standout, but structured, versions of “Stash” in the first set and “Bowie” in the second set, there was no improvisation to speak of in Amherst’s second show, leaving many fans scratching their head trying to figure out what happened Sunday night and why. After a song-driven effort on Saturday evening, Phish came out with zero intent last night, seemingly happy to play a benign list of singles with almost zero creativity. Every tour has a speed bump – a low-point – and without question there won’t be a less engaging show this fall than Amherst’s Sunday night finale.

After what felt like a rocking set-up show on Saturday, Phish’s homecoming to New England never truly came to fruition. After a week of cutting edge playing, starting on Charleston’s second night and ending on Friday in Providence, the band significantly reeled in their improvisation for the college town. And on Sunday, they never allowed themselves to get into any flow, playing a show that fell as flat as a pancake. The night seemed so divergent in music and tone than any this tour, the entire show seemed wholly out of place. Midway through the second set, the show had lost any semblance of momentum, stumbling to an uneventful finish. Phish continued their precise playing, but by choosing to not bring their music anywhere interesting, they sealed the fate of the evening.

Let’s start with what matters most. Amidst an old-school setlist, including the long-time bust-out of “Ride Captain Ride” since Philly ’99, Phish innocently dropped into “Stash” as the first piece of improvisation of the evening. A song that hasn’t received much love in this era finally got a moment to shine last night, albeit still stuffed in the middle of the opening set. Drifting into the jam with delicacy, Trey’s licks began out of the gate with an intricate intention as Page’s piano chased his melodies over a subtle pocket. The band remained in the song until Trey played a repetitive descending lick that launched the band into a blissful plane of harmony. Fishman anchored himself in the rhythms of “Stash,” as the band took off in a three-part convergence. Big Red’s leadership and fire guided the band through this gorgeous segment and back into build of the song. While not incredibly exploratory, this rendition carried something special, possibly signifying big things to come. But they never did.

Following up the highlight of the show, “Fee’s” tranquil ambient jam morphed into “Time Turns Elastic” which crushed any momentum of the set, leaving the closing combination of “Cavern,” “Antelope” detached from the frame altogether. Though “Antelope” featured slick interplay – specifically Trey and Fish –  hopes of revisiting a jam like Utica never materialized, as we settled for a high-octane, though unadventurous, version.

Even when Phish opened the second set – a set that seemed bound to explode – they chose straight forward versions of “Seven Below” and “Wolfman’s” to get things going. And from there the songs just kept rolling – one more out of context than the next. Ironically, “Roggae > Taste” was played quite well, but its mellow vibe seemed like a soporific joke after nothing of note had happened in the set. Although the band did play a hot “David Bowie,” it represented a feeble attempt at salvaging the show after the cause had long been lost. A “Quinn,” “Chalk Dust” encore only brought two more uneventful songs to a ho-hum evening through and through.

Let’s brush this one under the rug and scurry off to New Hampshire.

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

Powered by a second set of with rock anthems, Phish played a song-driven, Saturday night show that succeeded in droves in Amherst, Massachusetts last night. Boasting a definite flow and undeniable energy, the second set featured enough improvisation to carry the show, not to mention a monster “Tweezer” that anchored a choppy opening half. Pulling off the type of show that six months ago wouldn’t have gone over nearly as well, the band’s colossal progress was wholly apparent. Phish can pretty much do what they choose at this point and crush it, it’s just a matter of what type of set they want to put together. Last night they chose a super-charged rock-based show to the delight of Mullins Center weekend crowd. And when the dust settled, it may have not been as exploratory as the past several nights, but the first night at UMASS was undoubtedly filled with high grade Phish.

One night after opening Providence with “Down With Disease,” the band came right back and inserted the crowd favorite as the second set opener. Obviously juiced to explore the song, the band took an extensive excursion, favoring high octane and intricate jamming. Phish quickly digressed from the main theme into a more dissonant and abstract path with Trey and Mike leading the charge playing intertwining lead lines in a ever-expanding piece of psychedelia. Moving into a more earnest experiment, Phish dropped into a sparser realm with Trey continuing to seethe atop the music. Before long, Fishman picked up the beat again, launching the band back into high-speed rock and roll jamming. As Page added more bizarre sounds, the jam took on a heavier feel which the band latched onto. Slowing into a snarling groove, the band wound down the jaunt with a section that would have been best to continuing for a while.

But instead, the Saturday setlist kept moving into “My Friend, My Friend” and “Prince Caspian – not exactly prime placement by Big Red. “Caspian,” however, continued its trend of interesting versions, this time featuring stellar, whole-band interplay and an abstract outro whose course seemed charted for “What’s The Use?” But when Phish finally made their transition, they, instead, stepped into another welcome second-set version of “Halfway To The Moon.” Infusing Page’s dark groove into the rotation this fall, this version built upon Broomfield’s outing as the band proceeded to jam out of the song and into a very slick, bass-led segue with “Boogie On Reggae Woman.” The Stevie Wonder cover stayed wholly contained, completing a non-stop run of songs and segues to kick of the second set.

At a time when the show really could have used a significant jam vehicle, the band chose a retro-route, unveiling the first “Maze” of fall. Tearing into the second-set version with abandon, the song peaked furiously with standout solos from both Page and Trey, but it didn’t quite provide the shot in the arm the show needed. After finding their way our of this “Maze,” Phish cooled off in “Velvet Sea” before taking the show home with its most engaging segment – “Piper > Hood, YEM” – all outstanding versions.

Opening this final sequence, “Piper” continued the electrified rock vibe with a disgusting version that featured a passionate opening segment bordering on the musical embodiment of desperation. Phish finally broke down the full-on sonic surge into a series of scurrying percussive patterns that built into a reprising the “Maze” jam. Revisiting the high speed chase of the set’s centerpiece before dropping into “Harry Hood,” Phish dropped a clear self-reference before moving forward. Coupled with the band’s balls-out playing right now, a delicate piece like “Harry Hood” becomes far more nuanced and multi-dimensional. Not only did the band spice up the intro to the song, the jam transformed into one of the most cohesive and poignant passages of of the entire show. Trey and Mike danced their lines in rolling pasture of melody as Fishman backed the climbing piece with effervescent beats and masterful cymbal work. Patient and tranquil, yet driving and emotive – this version fit the song’s archetype perfectly. And as the band sustained the peak, Trey counted off a set closing “You Enjoy Myself” that everyone could see from a mile away.

Getting into their second full-band “YEM” of tour, Trey has shied from guitar hero in favor of formulating more interesting rhythmic collaborations. Jumping off the trampolines and into a pool of pristine groove, the band dove into a sparse pattern where each band member virtually took turns playing. Morphing into a more conventional build, the jam was chock full of nasty guitar licks and rhythmic dynamics from Mike and Fish.

Capping the night with “Shine A Light,” Phish finished their least exploratory show of the past week with no truly groundbreaking material, but still succeeded in tearing apart the Mullins Center nonetheless. When the band can pull of a song-driven affair with the energy and creativity involved last night, everyone leaves happy.

See ya’ll tomorrow.

***

First Set Notes: The show popped open with “Meatstick” and “Party Time” and an energetic “Kill Devil Falls,” but largely consisted of a string of songs with a massive “Tweezer” in the middle. Everyone felt a “Tweezer” coming last night, but Phish surprised the entire building as they rolled it out as the fifth song of a mellow first set. Regardless, the band played a version that could have been placed in either set, leaping into a multi-tiered journey. Opening the jam with a hefty dose of swanky grooves, the band played with a swagger early on, a vibe that permeated this entire laid-back rendition. Bumping with some earnest dance patterns, the band got super thick for the first part of this show standout. Once rhythmic experiment passed, Phish swam through a brief channel of ambient tonality on the way to a extended pimp ride with the top rolled down. Playing with incredible restraint, all band members offered minimalist phrases that combined to form something far greater. Trey surfaced the seemingly-extinct whale for parts of this section, blending his notes perfectly with the smooth soundscapes. This intricate minimalism continued for quite a while as Mike cut the path through the forest, allowing Trey to emerge from the trees with a gorgeous solo. Bringing this segment into a more traditional “Tweezer” build to cap the run through, Phish went to the retro wind-down ending before continuing a slow set of songs. The band did cap the frame, however, with the ever-elusive first-set “Reprise” bringing the first half to a fierce close. And to throw in some extra fun, Trey layered “Meatstick” lyrics in place of “Step into the freezer,” enthusiastically bridging the set full circle.

PS: Fall photos needed! Hook it up…send contributions to mrminer@phishthoughts.com!

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

* w/ Meatstick lyrics, ** unfinished

Building off an insane night in Utica, it only took one mellow set before Phish blast things right back into the future with a second half of music dripping with free form creativity. After Utica showcased two sets filled with ingenious twists, turns and teases, Phish turned on the fire hose for the second set last night, blasting the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence with stellar open jamming in full-on affair that was underlined by a sky-scraping tour highlight in “Rock and Roll > Carini.” Meanwhile, Phish filled the rest of the set with a furious “Mike’s Groove,” a deep dive into a late-set “Light,” and a surprise closing triumvirate in “Character Zero > 2001 > Loving Cup.” Say what you will about the first set, but Providence’s second half stands up to anything played this tour – the next chapter of Phish music. For the first time in a long time, tour is a place where psychedelic fantasies are realized each and every night, and the band is locked into something magical. The comeback is over and we are firmly planted in the next era – Phish is now.

Kicking off the frame with the first “Rock and Roll” of fall, one knew things would become interesting, and with the level of the band’s playing having completely changed, the meaning of “interesting” has greatly evolved as well. Without stepping on one cliche in a song once filled with them, the band sculpted one of the indelible pieces of improvisation this fall. Even the “composed” jam was filled with originality as Trey’s playing took on a life of its own amidst a band cohesive and shredding. Exiting the upbeat textures and entering a sinister piece of avant-garde jamming, Phish displayed a collective intent to come right back after a stellar show and move right beyond it. Flowing in a full-band journey, Phish took this jam far into cutting edge territory. Trey played eerie, hypnotic leads as Mike navigated abstract bass leads for the duration of this oceanic space groove. With virtuoso beats and fills, Fishman’s offerings, per usual, were integral to this ultimate triumph of this piece. If open-ended psychedelia is your thing, crank this one is your headphones and bask in the bliss that is the razor’s edge of modern Phish jamming.

When Trey dropped the opening chords of “Carini,” he ended the stratospheric excursion and started a second, equally impressive jaunt. Building significantly upon Broomfield’s version, Providence’s “Carini” soared into a cathartic realm that showcased sublime melody over the usually dark groove. Trey wove a melodic theme into this jam which he not only became a significant part of this jam, but would later reprise in “Light.” Moving into a blissful section of legitimate free form improvisation, the band swam in IT, finding their way into a section of final of outright groove that concluded the wild ride. This brand new direction for “Carini” continued the set’s unparalleled creativity, and concluded a serious, top-shelf segment of new school Phish. Listen immediately and at all costs, as this the type of stuff that we’ve been waiting a year and a half for. And to use an overused, but incredibly appropriate quote – “It’s all happening.”

As the band drifted into “My Problem Right There,” it sounded – for a moment – like a segue into “Ghost,” but that would have been pushing the comical. Instead, the band inserted their new Americana piece as a landing pad for the opening sequence of non-stop improvisation. Building each time out, “My Problem Right There” brought a mellow mid-set interlude to a raucous set that took no time getting back there. Without skipping a beat, Trey started up a mid-set “Mike’s” that brought far more engaging play than we’ve heard from the song in quite a while. Tearing the jam to smithereens, the entire band played with a precision and passion that only comes when thinking ceases – something that has clearly happened over the past week of revolutionary music. Taking the always-linear piece into a tangential section, I almost thought we were about to here the ever-elusive second “Mike’s” jam, but instead, the band bridged the “Groove” with an enthusiastic “Sanity” that featured a dissonant, wall-of sound, outro, setting the table for a scintillating run through “Weekapaug.” Littered with nasty licks and percussive breakdowns, this was vintage “Weekapaug” –  what should sound like. Tipping their cap to Rhode Island with the song named after a district in the state, Phish punctuated a mid-set “Mike’s Groove” with its most significant piece.

“Suzy Greenberg” followed “Weekapaug” with a feel-good piece whose jam actually took on a real direction rather than generic funk wankery. Then out of left field, Phish dropped into a late-set “Light.” The band is sticking with the new arrangement, giving the piece a far more open-ended vibe, as the lyrical reprise never comes until the improvisation is over. This breathes life into the intial build, as we no longer know that it is heading for a pre-designated peak, but it is now the opening section of today’s most exploratory Phish jam. Taking last night’s version on an fully-synched and intricate ride through the cosmos, Phish sounded like the band of the future. Floating through gorgeous, mind-numbing soundscapes, the entire band contributed equally to open improv. Gaining an edge during its second half, Trey let himself go in a never-ending melodic lead that underlined the latter portion of the jam. Likening a modern day “Dark Star,” “Light” continues to be Phish’s portal to the outer realms of the universe as all members engaged in a four-part psychedelic symphony. After such musical drama, Phish could have walked off the stage to an ovation after “Light,” but instead dropped into a crunching “Character Zero” that was strewn with the same creativity as the rest of the frame, and would surely act as its closer.

But as the song came to a end, Trey walked over to Page and Mike, signifying that Phish wasn’t done just yet. Sustaining the final note in a faux climax, Fish kicked the band into a shocking “2001.” Tearing through a torrid session of grooves, Phish continued to breath new life back into this piece as well. No longer five minutes of generic funk, Phish followed Charleston’s centerpiece with another impressive run through. After bringing the show to a peak, the band capped the night with a perfectly-placed “Loving Cup.”

A different landscape than only months ago, a Phish show is again a place where skulls are crushed nightly; a place where you don’t know if you will necessarily be the same after the lights come back on. With fascinating musical intrigue unfolding nightly, Phish has regained that unnameable magic to come out every night with something that leaves us floored. The last year and a half has built to this very point. Proficiency is an issue of the past, and creativity is the sole force guiding Phish music again. The future is now.

It’s all happening. Again.

***

First Set Notes: A particularly slow, song-based frame got off to a hot start with “Disease,” “Funky Bitch,” “Fluffhead,” then stagnated for the duration. Phish played everything perfectly fine, but chose a set of songs that didn’t go well together and the entire set kind of fell flat. “Ocelot” provided the high point of improvisation in a mellow opening half. A fine set of singles, nonetheless, the opening frame provided the necessary exhale after Utica to prepare the band to continue their mission after setbreak.

I: Down with Disease, Funky Bitch, Fluffhead, Roses Are Free, Rift, The Moma Dance, Ocelot, NICU, Sample in a Jar, Julius

II: Rock and Roll > Carini > My Problem Right There, Mike’s Song > Sanity > Weekapaug Groove, Suzy Greenberg, Light, Character Zero > Also Sprach Zarathustra > Loving Cup

E: First Tube