12/29 Irish Times Update: $5 Cover Added to Afterparty
I did all I could to throw a free afterparty in New York City, but after negotiations with the owner of the bar, there will need to be a $5 cover charge in order to staff the event—specifically to have someone to run the “book check” so that anyone who purchases a book at the signing can enjoy the show without worrying about its safety. I can assure you that I am not making cent with the afterparty and this is a simple issue of the owner changing his mind after the fact. Nonetheless, $5 in New York City will hardly buy you a dog and a soda on the corner, so come across the street after the 29th show and celebrate a fantastic year of Phish with friends. Music all night long will be provided by provided by Coltrane and friends. The details are below for the sake of repetition:
12/29/2011 @ The Irish Times
254 W 31st St. (b/w 7th and 8th Ave)
Less than 1 block from MSG!
The Book Signing: 4 pm – 6 pm
The Afterparty: Post-show – 3 am – $5 cover charge
Come one, come all!
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(Around) Ten Tunes for Friday: 11/18 in Phish History
November 18th has been a prolific date in Phish history, as the band performed on this day in the powerhouse years of ’94, ’95, ’96, and ’98. In addition, Phish also kicked of their first fall tour of the modern era in 2009 on this date, but though the “46 Days” and “Disease” were noteworthy, this playlist will consist of the other four shows. In 1994, Phish sat smack dab in the middle of one of the peak months of the mid ’90s, and on the 18th, they took their blistering chops up to Michigan State University in East Lansing for a smoking affair. The following year, Phish was on the second half of a marathon Fall tour when the passed through North Charleston Coliseum for a solid Fall ’95 show with some unreal peaks in. In 1996, November 18th brought the band to Memphis, Tennessee, where they played a phenomenal second set on their at the tail end the end of their Midwestern leg of the tour. And in 1998, the band played one of the first-ever shows at Greenville, South Carolina’s Bi-Lo center, a dark horse mid-week affair that is barely talked about though contains several great jams. When plucking the highlights from this quartet of shows, we are left with quite the Friday playlist! Let’s get right to it.
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“Split Open and Melt” 11.18.94 I
This jam vividly illustrates the band’s ferocious jamming of November ’94. Communicating as well as ever, they ridiculously shred this version to pieces.
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One of the first jammed out “2001s” leads into a sublime “Simple” led by Trey’s cathartic lead playing.
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“Reba” 11.18.95 I
This soaring rendition flies way under the radar in terms of ’95 “Rebas,” but can hold its own against the best of them.
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“Tweezer > Contact” 11.18.94 II
A quintessential Fall ’94 “Tweezer” starts with some snarling textures before the band hits a hard-edged “Wedge” tease, then settles into a groove and moves far beyond it into totally original places.
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“Wolfman’s > Lizards” 11.18.98 II
The band moves from the funk into an extended and groovy take on their ’98 melodic ambient style before merging with “Lizards.”
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“David Bowie” 11.18.98 I
This extended first set closer lit a fire under the band for the second half.
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“You Enjoy Myself” 11.18.95 II
This experimental 30-minute beast is best known for its “Brick House” jam, but offers a whole lot more.
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“Slave to the Traffic Light” 11.18.98 II
One of my personal favorites, much of this jam’s beauty lies in its initial section of delicate interaction. Flowing from start to finish, Trey shines throughout, bringing the jam to a massive peak.
