On Twitter yesterday, while groveling for post ideas, @KevinMSpence and @david_artis each suggested “remaking” studio albums with live selections; forming a playlist that would look like the album, but contained all live music. For today, I took that exercise and twisted it a bit. When Phish dropped A Live One in 1995, it was their first-ever official live release. The double-album was filled with cuts from 1994, and released to give mainstream audiences a taste of what the band’s heralded concerts sounded like. Since 1995, the band and technology have come a long way, and now every live show is released within hours, making the concept of a “live album” totally obsolete. But what would A Live One look like if it were re-conceived today in order to showcase the past two years? Maybe a little something like this…
DISC ONE
“Bouncing Around the Room” 6.17.11, Charlotte, NC
This was a “pick ’em.”
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“Stash” 10.31.10 I, Atlantic City, NJ
My favorite “Stash from this era.
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“Gumbo” 5.28.11 I, Bethel, NY
Packed in the middle of a monster set.
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“Nevada“
A Live One had “Montana,” a 2 minute and 4 second excerpt from an exploratory “Tweezer” played in Bozeman, MT. Well, this is 3.0, and “Tweezer” ain’t what she used to be, so I took a 2 minute and 4 second excerpt from one of Phish’s most exploratory jaunts this era. Can you tell what it is?
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“You Enjoy Myself” 6.13.10 II, Hershey, PA
The Hershey “YEM”—it’s whaley, but it’s good.
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“Chalk Dust Torture” 8.16.11 I, Chicago, IL
A furious first set version.
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“Slave to the Traffic Light” 6.19.11 II, Portsmouth, VA
A gorgeous, mid-set masterpiece.
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DISC TWO
“Wilson” 7.3.11 I, Watkins Glen, NY
One of the top performances of this song ever.
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“Tweezer” 9.3.11 II, Denver, CO
One of the defining jams of this go-round.
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“Simple” 8.6.10 II, Berkeley, CA
An all-time version of “Simple” from The Greek.
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“Harry Hood” 12.28.10 II, Worcester, MA
One of everyone’s favorite tracks on the original album was “Harry Hood,” and this time it’s back with a vengeance.
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“The Squirming Coil” 8.19.11 E, Lake Tahoe, CA
The first and only “Coil” that came to mind when making this list.
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