A rare siting of an exploratory, second set “Runaway Jim” in the modern era. This one is kind of aimless for a while but comes together in the second half. Some might rank this higher, but it just doesn’t hit me very hard at all. It’s kind of messy and all over the place.
The mac daddy highlight from Phish’s years at Dick’s. It’s just so good.
Here are my selections for the top 10 jams in Dick’s history. 10. “Carini” 8.31.12 I This surprise jam, early in the first frame, set the tone for the FYF show. *** 9. “Runaway Jim” 8.31.12 II A rare siting of an exploratory, second set “Runaway Jim” in the modern era. This one is kind …
Four years ago, the Phish community descended on Denver, Colorado for the Labor Day weekend. The band had booked a new venue—a soccer stadium just outside the city—for a summer-closing three-pack. Even before anyone stepped inside the venue, the idea seemed like a sound one—a free-for-all throwdown with a massive GA field where everyone could congregate in a hassle free environment. Tickets wouldn’t be a problem with such a large venue, and everyone could come out for the three-night run over Labor Day Weekend to enjoy the last shows of summer. And the stadium was named Dick’s. It didn’t matter that its moniker was taken from a nationwide sporting goods store, the community—and the band—ran with the inherent humor. Phish loves Dick’s. We love Dick’s. Everyone loves Dick’s.
In just a week, we will all head to the Rockies once again, for the fourth consecutive Labor Day fiesta. Like two of the three previous stands, this one will be a stand-alone trifecta that will seal the deal on another summer of Phish. But before we get there, let’s take a quick trip through the history of a venue that has become a modern legend.
Dick’s 2011 Official (LandLand!)
2011
Dick’s 2011 was the culmination of a huge summer of growth for Phish. They had played a two-legged tour beginning on May 27, with Superball in between. After trudging through 2009 and 2010 on a far slower learning curve than most anticipated, Phish made a huge leap forward during Summer 2011. High points came right out of the gate at Bethel and the “Rust Belt” run through Detroit, Cleveland and Cincinnati, in July at Superball, and later that summer at the Gorge and UIC Pavilion. The band took just under two weeks off before coming into their first Dick’s stand firing on all cylinders.
A tradition was born in Phish’s first show at Dick’s—the “S” Show. Throughout two sets and an encore, the band played twenty-six songs that began with the letter “S.” This stunt set a precedent of setlist trickery that now occurs on the first night of each end-of-summer weekend. Though fun, this show was somewhat light on jams, sprouting minor highlights in “Sneakin Sally -> Sparks” and “Seven Below.” Things changed over the following two nights, however, as Phish got down to business with jams aplenty.
Saturday and Sunday’s second sets were packed to the gills with improvisation, and an unforgettable “Tweezer” lead the charge. This jam departed from the darker grooves the song is known for and launched into the most heavenly jam of the year. But while “Tweezer” was most definitely the jam of the weekend, the set of the transpired on the stand’s final night, centered on a smoking sequence of “Twist -> Piper > Hood.” Needless to say, after three nights of top level Phish to close the season, folks couldn’t wait to return to the industrial park in Commerce City the following year
2012 Official (Stout)
2012
Dicks 2012 was a whole different story. This three-night stand was a pivot point in the overall narrative of the 3.0 era, thus holding importance in the context of Phish’s career. In short, this stand was an absolute breakthrough. The bad had rediscovered the art of long form jamming over leg two of summer tour in 2012. Before Long Beach, Phish’s improvisational passages had grown quite dense, but usually maxed out between 12 and 15 minutes, feeling more like appetizers than main courses. Though they had dropped a handful of extended jams in 2011, they had reeled things back over summer’s opening leg, one would suspect as a calculated move in order to make this jump over leg two. But when tour wound its way to Dick’s—he finale of summer’s second leg—things transformed once again.
A confluence of elements combined to make this weekend magic. The band was coming from six consecutive one-off shows through the South and Midwest and now had a chance to settle in for three nights in a familiar and well-loved environment. And Phish had—at long last—gained their sea legs again, playing with an enhanced sense of freedom over the previous fortnight. This was a recipe for the perfect storm, and as if that wasn’t enough, Phish helped out further by forcing their own hand on night one.
8.31.12 (G.Lucas)
The band chose to spell “FUCK YOUR FACE” as their prank on this run’s opening night, a decision that allowed them to play only twelve songs over two sets. They had to jam their faces off to make this show happen, and that they did, setting fire to the soccer stadium with one of the modern era’s finest performances. Jams fell out of the sky on this night, including an all-timer in the first set in “Undermind” and an extended “Carini” to back it up. The second set is well known at this point, featuring a multi-tiered take on “Runaway Jim” and another all-timer in “Chalk Dust.” This was one of those nights where everyone walked out with eyes wide and sparkling.
And the next night the magic kept flowing as the band dropped a monumental version of “Light. This excursion traversed copious musical ground, as the band seamlessly rolled through several themes and segments, complete with a blues rock coda that left everyone’s jaws on the floor. This jam hit so hard that it was mere weeks before fans made pins, stickers and t shirts to commemorate it’s occurrence. It was that big of a deal—a true heavy hitter in a time when they didn’t come around too often. But all of a sudden, these monster jams were rolling of the presses at Dick’s in 2012! And they were played with the sense of effortless that made Phish famous. They were in the zone all weekend long, and we have the tapes to prove it. The rest of Saturday’s show was rock solid as well, a but a few years removed with a more macro perspective, this show is truly about the “Light.”
8.31.12 (G.Lucas)
Just as the year before, the tightest set of Dick’s 2012 three-night run was its last. This set was centered on monstrous version of “Sand” that Phish opened up like never before. The minutes of music that took place before the band headed out the other side and into a harder rock outro are among the best of the year. Seamless segues from “Sand” to “Ghost” and then into “Piper” provided a non-stop 50 minutes of improvisational fireworks. “Twenty Years Later” and “Lizards” provided a poignant juxtaposition before a powerful “Hood” brought things home. Dick’s 2012 was truly a portal through which Phish stepped and has never looked back. Their playing from 2009 had all led up to this, and their playing since has been more consistently creative and inspired. This stand transformed the band’s confidence, and it became apparent that things were just really now heating up for this third go-round. The long wait of 3.0 had paid off, and Dick’s was the new Promised Land.
2013
8.30.13 Official (K.Taylor)
Phish had just under a month off between summer tour and Dick’s in 2013, and this time the band didn’t come in with such fire. Just as they had forced themselves to jam with a 12-letter setlist in 2012, this year they all but eliminated any possibility of large excursions in spelling out “Most Shows Spell Something” in reverse. “Sand” popped off to start the second set, but after that it was a pretty straightforward show, as the band crunched in 23 songs to pull off their setlist pun.
The second night, however, was an 180-degree turnaround. Phish played one of their best start-to-finish shows of the season on Saturday night, featuring one of summer’s most significant improvisations in “Chalk Dust Torture.” This “Chalk Dust” would immediately be added to the laundry list of filthy jams dropped throughout Dick’s history, as this end-of-summer piece featured a blissed out beginning, a dark drum and bass section, a sequence of groove laced with a calypso vibe, and some stop-start theatrics. Once again, the rest of the show was quite good, but with a macro view, this show was all about “Chalk Dust.”
Sunday night of 2013 didn’t follow the pattern of previous years and, quite honestly, fell rather flat. I’m not sure why this stand took a left where the others turned right, but sometimes, that’s just the way it goes.
2014?
This year is an interesting case. Phish is coming into Dick’s on the heels of a summer tour that peaked early and coasted to a finish, and with the same amount of downtime’s as last year. Trey has been uncharacteristically laid back this summer, with varying degrees of success, and it is hard to predict what guitarist will show up in Denver. The band, however, has been playing well as a unit, and in a comfortable environment away from the east coast, anything is certainly possible. Answers in one week!
Four years ago, the Phish community descended on Denver, Colorado for the Labor Day weekend. The band had booked a new venue—a soccer stadium just outside the city—for a summer-closing three-pack. Even before anyone stepped inside the venue, the idea seemed like a sound one—a free-for-all throwdown with a massive GA field where everyone could …
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…
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?
The first and only “Coil” that came to mind when making this list.
***
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 …
“Rock and Roll”—With several top-shelf versions last year, “Rock and Roll” is the unquestionable choice for MVP of 2011. When the band wasn’t crafting timeless pieces of music out of the jam—a la Gorge, Mansfield, or Charlotte—they were usually pushing the envelope with experimental playing—a la Merriweather and MSG. Hands down, the launchpad of the year.
“Light”—For the duration of its short life as a Phish song, “Light” has been a vehicle for cosmic improvisation. First the jam brought mostly ambient experiments, and then in Fall 2010, the band began to take the piece into the realm of quickened groove. This year, the band used their modern era jam to explore futuristic soundscapes that often showcased Mike’s lead bass playing. Phish focused more on this song as the year progressed, coming to life in Portsmouth and Super Ball before breaking sonic barriers in Lake Tahoe and UIC. Capping its year with Denver’s “Light -> Disease” Reprise” and a New Year’s Eve Theremin jam, “Light” remained in the upper echelon of jam vehicles.
“Down With Disease”—Between Clarkston’s “A Disease Supreme,” UIC’s extended jaunt, and many other versions in between, “Disease” has become “Old Reliable” for modern day Phish. Almost always moving into original ground and pushing the band far outside the box, “Disease” had yet another standout year in 2011.
“Piper”—A staple jam vehicle of post-hiatus and the modern era, “Piper” starred, once again, in 2011, taking the band into uncharted territory time and time again. Highlighted by Denver and MSG’s versions, “Piper” also had strong outings at the Hollywood Bowl, Super Ball, Raleigh and Merriweather, as the band created a diverse spectrum of jams.
“Waves”—A song that was a staple of the post-hiatus era came back in 2011 with a vengeance. After being played only three times in 2009, the song skipped 2010 altogether, and came back with strong last year. Although the band only played the song four times, three of them were incredibly memorable. Between its outings at Bethel, Super Ball, and UIC—all summer highlights—“Waves” got back on the train with some profound renditions in 2011.
*****
All “Type I” First Team
“Sand”—Just about ever time Phish played “Sand” last year, it ballooned into a show highlight. Having transformed into a whole-band jam during the fall of 2010, the song exemplified this paradigm shift last summer with intricate four-part conversations. If there was a Type I MVP, “Sand” would no doubt take home the trophy. Every time one heard those opening chords, a furious dance session was sure to follow
“Harry Hood”—The final “Harry Hood” of 2010—Worcester’s instant classic—set the bar high for the band’s classic song in 2011. And while the guys didn’t replicate such a monumental version in 2011, they played more than a few above-average versions. Trey began to integrate the stacatto stylings of Worcester’s version into several “Hoods” this year, including a standout renditions at UIC and the version of the year in Denver. But every time played, “Hood” seemed to carry a little something extra in 2011, beginning with its very first performance of the year in Bethel, NY.
“Chalk Dust Torture”—From Clarkston’s first-set-ending version to Tahoe’s mid-second-set shredder and from UIC’s aggressive jam to MSG’s surreal dissolve into “Hydrogen,” Phish actually used “Chalk Dust” creatively last year rather than treating it as a straightforward single. This old-school staple produced more than a few well-played surprises throughout the year, earning a place on this list.
“Crosseyed and Painless”—Though Phish hasn’t taken “Crosseyed” off the map since Red Rock’s in ’09, Phish has consistently crushed the Taking Heads’ cover. Annihilating the song’s infectious composed jam on many occasions this year, “Crosseyed” became a regular part of the bands’ rotation and a reliable piece of high octane rock and roll every time out of the gate.
“Bathtub Gin”—Including highlight versions to start the year in Bethel and to end the year in Denver, “Bathtub Gin” brought plenty of fire throughout 2011. Consistently cathartic jams stemmed from “Bathtub,” and though most stayed within structure, almost every version provided a jolt of energy to its show. Often coming at the beginning shows in 2011, “Gin” never failed to get things started and feet moving during first sets last year. Other standout versions include Super Ball’s, from the festivals opening set, and The Gorge’s, which sparked the second leg of summer.
All “Type II” First Team “Rock and Roll”—With several top-shelf versions last year, “Rock and Roll” is the unquestionable choice for MVP of 2011. When the band wasn’t crafting timeless pieces of music out of the jam—a la Gorge, Mansfield, or Charlotte—they were usually pushing the envelope with experimental playing—a la Merriweather and MSG. Hands …
Another monster “Disease” from last year, this one from Camden, New Jersey.
“Tweezer” 12.28 II (HarpuaFSB) ***** “Piper -> Twist” 12.30.11 (mkdevo) ===== Jam of the Weekend: “Down With Disease > Free” 6.10.11 II Another monster “Disease” from last year, this one from Camden, New Jersey.
