On the Brink of Fall

Hampton '09 - (J.DiGiuseppe)

Hampton ’09 – (J.DiGiuseppe)

This is not 2009. This is not 2003. As soon as Phish and their audience steps into Hampton Coliseum in exactly one week, this feeling will be palpable. The band has not stepped foot in The Mothership as a dialed in, well-oiled machine in 14 years—since 1999—and even those shows were anti-climactic. With tickets for next weekend’s throwdown inexplicably going for under $20 on StubHub, Phish is set to annihilate Trey’s storied “favorite room” in the land, in a three-day party that will launch Phish’s first fall tour since 2010. Extrapolating on Hampton, Phish hasn’t stepped inside for more than four shows since their 2012 breakthrough—this run is going to be special!

Featuring a number of historic tour stops, including Hampton, Worcester, Hartford, and Rochester, one new tiny venue in Reading, and a return to Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, Fall 2013 is primed to explode. Fresh of their most creative tour of the modern era, Phish is now in a place where they can take things deeper for the first time in three years. And back then they were still getting going. Armed with a couple new springboards in “Energy” and “Say Something” and a child-like enthusiasm, Phish seems on he cusp of some serious music.

Hampton (J.DiGiuseppe)

Hampton (J.DiGiuseppe)

The only fall tours of 3.0 came in the era’s first two years, a time when the band was most certainly still getting their sea legs back. As a result, the psychedelic mind-fuckery that has traditionally been associated with fall shows never totally came to fruition since the 2009 comeback. Perhaps that’s also a development of the band’s age, but perhaps it was also a result of where they were on the road back. Will the music turn like the season this in this Autumn of 2013? We will know the answers soon enough. One way or the other–dark, light or in between—I predict the music will be as good as ever, and having a two-week run through New England during the back half of October—well—that just feels like old times.

We gotta get on the road…

*****

A Playlist of Fall Venues

“Halley’s Comet” 11.22.97 II, Hampton, VA

The best jam ever played in the legendary Mothership—an all-time classic.

[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/11m-Halleys-Comet.mp3]

***

“Stash > Free” 11.30.97 II, Worcester, MA

Trey incorporates his signature Fall ’97 wah grooves into a dark and dirty version of “Stash” whose funk fury blends right into “Free.”

[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/ph_FTA_2011-07-01b_11_stash.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/ph_FTA_2011-07-01b_12_free.mp3]

***

“Down With Disease” 12.11.97 I, Rochester, NY

This jam—right at the beginning of the band’s Rochester’s Fall ’97 debut at the War Memorial—foreshadowed a very special night.

[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/ph1997-12-11d1t02.mp3]

***

“Mike’s Song” 11.22.97 II, Hampton, VA

A ferocious kick off to Phish’s signature Hanpton performance.

[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/ph1997-11-22d1t02.mp3]

***

“Simple” 11.21.98 II, Hampton, VA

In this jam, the band focuses their their Fall ’98 ambient style on an uplifting rendition of “Simple.”

[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/II-03-Simple-.mp3]

***

“Weekapaug > Antelope” 11.27.98 II, Worcester, MA

A beefy “Mike’s Groove” f0llowed all the bust-outs and antics in this classic Worcester show. This is the “Groove’s”—and the set’s—final sequence.

[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/II-13-Weekapaug-Groove-.mp3, http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/II-14-Wipeout-.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/II-15-Weekapaug-Groove-.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/II-16-Run-Like-an-Antelope.mp3]

***

“Ghost” 12.11.97 II Rochester, NY

This “Ghost” came as the funk relief after a notably dark and psychedelic set that anchored by a monster set “Drowned.”

[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/2.04-Ghost.mp3]

***

“Reba” 10.31.94 I, Glens Falls, NY

The only true improvisational keeper from Phish’s only performance at Glens Falls Civic Center, a marathon endeavor featuring their first musical costume, The Beatles’ “White Album.”

[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/1.11-Reba.mp3]

***

“Jennifer Dances” 12.5.99 II, Rochester, NY

The debut of everyone’s favorite song. But, seriously. Bring it back.

[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/II-06-Jennifer-Dances.mp3]

***

“Chalk Dust > Whole Lotta Love > Chalk” 12.30.10 I, AC, NJ

This is the truly fierce Zeppelin sequence from a tongue-in-cheek performance on the night before Halloween 2010.

[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/1.06-Chalkdust-Torture.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/1.07-Whole-Lotta-Love.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/1.08-Chalkdust-Torture.mp3]

***

“Character Zero > 2001 > Cities” 11.26.97 II, Hartford, CT

This is the most dynamic jam in the history of Phish’s performances at Hartford Civic Center—a Hendrix-inspired shredder than blends into a funkier than thou “2001.”

[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Character-Zero.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Also-Sprach-Zarathustra.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Cities.mp3]

***

“Sand > Carini” 10.29.10 I, Atlantic City, NJ

This show gets overshadowed by the next two, and might just be better than both. This sequence is one of the main reasons why.

[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/2.03-Sand.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/2.04-Carini.mp3]

***

“Harry Hood” 12.31.93 III, Worcester, MA

One of the greatest classicly-shaped “Harry Hoods” of all-time.

[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/PH1993-12-31D3T08.mp3]

***

PS: I think I am going to stop providing download links for these jams. Do people still use them? I figure we all have the music. No? Let me know.

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496 Responses to “On the Brink of Fall”

  1. dorn76 Says:

    Dolphins did not lose today.

  2. dorn76 Says:

    Houston fans cheer Schaub injury!
    http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9820198/matt-schaub-houston-texans-leaves-game-ankle-injury-prompting-cheers-fans

    #plentyofnoclasstogoaround

  3. MiA Says:

    If you’re gonna be a dick, booing a player is pretty low offense compared to stealing another fans souvenir.

    #bostonwinsbeingbiggerdicks

  4. MiA Says:

    I did my part and benched him (Schaub) on my FF and took Cam Newton instead.

  5. MiA Says:

    http://deadspin.com/red-sox-fan-rips-home-rub-ball-away-from-woman-who-caug-1444683775

  6. bob dylan Says:

    frankie sent me those videos of banksy

    literally where i ate lunch all the time.. i wouldn’t have believed it. you can download banksy’s stuffy to print yourself. i would have thought it was a bum making money off him.

    freaking awesome tho. would be cool if he follows up with a sale for thousands in a gallery

  7. bob dylan Says:

    i mean the banksy selling art by central park.. you can see my old job in the background.

    my point is banksy lets you download his art and print it. so for that reason i wouldn’t have believed it was legit next to all the people selling art everyday.

  8. HeadyBrosevelt Says:

    @aj- yes, we are trying to make it up there for a night- looking like the 30th now instead of the 28th- very stoked! are there the entire run?

  9. avila Says:

    Big Papi. Wow. Brings back memories of ’04. Cannot believe that was 9 years ago.

  10. jdub Says:

    So I fell asleep before Boston batted in the 8th. Just woke up on the couch and checked the score. Can you believe it? There is a reason my first born looks to Big Papi as his spirit guide. That shit is insane.

  11. Stoney Case Says:

    That shit was insane. Could almost feel it coming. Hunter missed ball by 4″.

    -A Tigers Fan

  12. MiA Says:

    Glad I went to sleep. That’s why there are 9 innings in baseball.

  13. voopa Says:

    The fix is in.

  14. garretcorncob Says:

    Mmmmm, a home RUB ball?

    Now that sounds more exciting than baseball!

    Just kidding, baseball’s aight, although I don’t have the time to follow it much anymore. It’s no soccer…

  15. DaNcInG fOoL Says:

    Question: why is selling tickets for more than face highly frowned upon here but seeking out tickets for less than face is accepted?

    Also, where is the fall live bait?

  16. bob dylan Says:

    DF, because karma.

  17. aj Says:

    My stupid back totally collapsed again last night, this time on the other side. My wife is saying it is the soas muscle, a big one that is deep. At 2 am I got up to hit the john and it was so painful I could not move my right leg or put any weight on it, probably the worst pain I have ever felt.

    In bed, hydrocodone’d up a bit, which is slightly taking the pain away. Waiting to get baby to nap to get some needles in it, hopefully can release the muscle spasm. Fuck back pain, the worst! Thankfully have the day off.

  18. Tba Says:

    please keep adding the links to the tunes, some of us are riots/lazy:<) seriously thank u miner, thanks for any 11/30/97; been thinking save sugarbush, best free ever? one love mighty miner, stoke for m ship

  19. little umbrellas Says:

    oi AJ, since here’s a nice distraction. Sharon Jones and the Dap King’s video for the single off the upcoming album. It’s animation, and psychedelic.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrOYkHjdpdM
    ‘Retreat!’

  20. Kerrie G Says:

    please provide links, i listen when i’m at work, thank you!!!

  21. Rutherford Says:

    Yo Miner, hopefully you read this post amidst the load of BS that people leave on your comment boards….don’t make the mistake assuming that only phish vets read your page, and therefore “have all the music already.” your website was a huge resource for me when i was first accelerating into my phish dorkedom a mere 2 years ago. every day is a first day for somebody. i know this page is a lot of work for you and i’m sure posting those download links is just another tiresome chore, but not everyone knows about “the spreadsheet” or “phish tracks”. in other words, your website was the first resource i ever found for accessible and credible recommendation…. being able to download a single song, and a highly recommended one at that, isn’t something that’s very easy to find in a localized place other than your website. sorry for the verbose reply, but i’d say don’t stop posting the download links. i think your playlists are one of the best aspects of your site overall. you did all that hard work, and are allowing us to reap the benefits. don’t take away that privilege from future phans!
    don’t let the haters bog you down, you are greatly appreciated
    Rutherford

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