After the Halloween festivities, Phish ripped one of their strongest two-set shows of the year. Much more to come about this one, but both sets contained highlights galore. The night, and weekend, peaked with a second frame filled with thick, festival-sized dance grooves. A write-up will follow next week. The acoustic set – a story all its own – is included in this download.
Acoustic Set: Water In The Sky, Back On The Train, Brian and Robert, Invisible, Strange Design, Mountains in the Mist, The Curtain With, Army of One, Sleep Again, My Sweet One, Let Me Lie, Bouncing Around The Room, Train Song, Wilson, McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters E: Driver, Talk, Secret Smile
II: AC/DC Bag, Rift, Gotta Jiboo, Heavy Things, Reba, The Wedge, Guelah Papyrus, Undermind, Sparkle, Split Open & Melt
III: Tweezer > Maze, Free, Sugar Shack, Limb By Limb, Theme From The Bottom, Mike’s Song > 2001 > Light > Slave To The Traffic Light
Here is the mesmerizing video montage of all 99 albums that was played on Halloween before The Exile Set. Eclectic Method, a trio of video remix artists, created the entertaining mash-up. Attached to this segment was a final Rolling Stones clip that is missing. Check it out!
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DOWNLOAD OF THE WEEKEND: 11.1.09 Festival 8, Indio, CA < Torrent 11.1.09 Festival 8, Indio, CA < Megaupload After the Halloween festivities, Phish ripped one of their strongest two-set shows of the year. Much more to come about this one, but both sets contained highlights galore. The night, and weekend, peaked with a second frame …
After nailing their costume of Exile On Main Street, Phish emerged for their third set of Halloween. Usually reserved for uber-exploratory, dark jamming, the final sets of Halloweens past have featured ’94’s demonic “David Bowie,” ’95’s colossal “You Enjoy Myself,” ’96’s combo of “Maze” and a dark-horse “Simple,” and ’98’s terrorizing masterpiece of “Wolfman’s Brother.” So when the band came out for their final frame, it wasn’t a leap of faith to think that we were in for some heavy psychedelia, ’09 style. But when the dust settled after the triumphant five-song set, many were left wondering where the ghosts and goblins had gone?
10.30.09 (G.Lucas)
Instead of delving into their hallowed haunted experiments, Phish laid down their most upbeat and cheerful Halloween set ever. Many waited for the spooks to arrive, but even when the band launched into a third set “Ghost,” no harrowing darkness emerged. Slightly thrown, waiting to hear a larger and more sinister piece of music, expectations poked at my third set experience.
10.30.09 (W.Rogell)
Opening the set with “Backwards Down the Number Line” seemed like an odd Halloween choice, but remembering the burgeoning versions of late-summer, it seemed Phish would use their favorite new-school vehicle to take us into the abyss. The last times we heard the song, it blossomed into uncharted psychedelia at SPAC and Chicago. But on this night in Indio, the jam barely broke form, and when it did, it spilled right into “Fluffhead.” Featuring the once-elusive opus in almost every big set this year, Phish played a particularly strong version of their revived composition. And when “The Arrival” hit, the tree-sized tiki-torches that surrounded the concert field shot blasts of fire for the first time of the weekend. A triumphant guitar solo had the crowd in the palm of Trey’s hand, and upon the ending of the song, Phish dropped into the “Ghost” we had been waiting for.
10.30.09 (G.Lucas)
“The Indio Ghost” – it sounded nasty before it even started. As Phish darted into the jam, they carried a distinct rock and roll texture with them. Some short clav patterns and rhythm chops would be as funky as this version got, as the band veered away from deep groove or dark psychedelia in favor of a straight forward rock grooves. Minutes into this section, Page initiated a piano pattern that spurned a gradual, band-wide peak into the fields of bliss. Trey decided he would take this one as far from the dark side as possible, doubling as a geyser of spiritual melodies in one of the most energetic peaks of the weekend. A relatively concise jam ended on very high note before winding back down into the song’s ending. A solid version no doubt, but certainly nothing eerie or supernatural.
10.31.09 (G.Lucas)
At this point, it became clear Phish chose a different path for this Halloween set, or perhaps their emotions just brought them there. Having just finished the Exile set, and no doubt hanging with all of their guests during setbreak, the obviously fun energy of their evening may have led them to choose feel-good music to finish off the night. And in the Phish universe there is nary a feel-good song like “You Enjoy Myself.” The ensuing version that followed a “Circus” interlude transformed into an instant show highlight with a series of grooves and continual peaks that showcased the band’s precision and passion on this special night. Phish slaughtered their classic in one of the strongest renditions of the year. An extended bass vamp led into a vocal jam in which Kuroda improvised with the fire of the tiki-torches rather than the stage lights – creating the most entertaining ending segment in memory.
Following the vibe of the show, the encore brought back the horns and singers for a blistering gospel-rock version of “Suzy Greenberg, complete with a “Suzy Reprise” jam once the song ended. It may have been Halloween, but Phish had just thrown down a definitively rejoiceful set with smiles all around. As the band transformed “Suzy” into a climactic show-closer with their entire ensemble, the positive energy oozed off the stage. A celebratory Halloween, this night will be remembered for its grab bag of musical treats rather than any wicked trickery.
I: Party Time, Chalk Dust Torture, The Moma Dance, NICU, Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan, Stash, I Didn’t Know, Poor Heart, Cavern, Beauty of a Broken Heart, Ocelot, Time Turns Elastic
II: Punch You in the Eye, Down With Disease > Prince Caspian > Wolfman’s Brother > Piper > Joy, David Bowie, Harry Hood, Golgi Apparatus
After nailing their costume of Exile On Main Street, Phish emerged for their third set of Halloween. Usually reserved for uber-exploratory, dark jamming, the final sets of Halloweens past have featured ’94’s demonic “David Bowie,” ’95’s colossal “You Enjoy Myself,” ’96’s combo of “Maze” and a dark-horse “Simple,” and ’98’s terrorizing masterpiece of “Wolfman’s Brother.” …
“What Phish is doing tonight is more than covering a record. They are telling, through these songs, their own stories about ecstasy, madness and survival.”
– David Fricke in Festival 8’s Phishbill
The Exile Set (Graham Lucas)
The Rolling Stones’ 1972 masterpiece “Exile On Main Street” chronicles the adventures and experiences of life in a rock n roll band. Via the album’s 18 songs, the Stones’ illustrated both the glamorous and dark sides of life as a touring act; a thematic fit for Phish in 2009. The band has returned to glory after living twenty-plus years of the rock and roll life, with many successes, tribulations, and anecdotes under their belt. By donning the music of Exile, Phish vicariously narrated their own tumultuous path of super-stardom, with each song providing a snippet of the experience. But when looked at as a whole, Exile On Main Street is a definitive cultural record that chronicles both the “beautiful buzz[es]” and “torn and frayed” nature of the rock lifestyle. And beyond its narrative nature, the album, itself, provides a veritable history lesson on the musical influences of rock and roll.
“Loving Cup” (G.Lucas)
While the album’s subject fit congruently for Phish, its music hearkened back to the roots of Americana rock and roll. Colored with blues guitar licks, country rhythms, and soulful lyrics and backed by a sparkling horn section and outstanding singers, Phish threw down one of their most powerful Halloween sets to date. With gospel-esque harmonies and horn arrangements that popped with cleanliness and authority, one could tell that the entire group had rehearsed the album plenty of times before stepping on the stage. Instead of pushing the band in a new musical direction, “Exile” seemed to be reflection of Phish’s current state of music. Joy’s cohesion lies in its blues-rock feel and its narrative, thematic storytelling, both facets that are part and parcel of Exile. Thematically similar – reflecting on darker days and the hope of a brighter future – “Exile” seemed incredibly appropriate as the set got going. And beyond its lyrical themes, Phish absolutely nailed the double-album of music.
If one word could define the feeling of the Exile set, it is “soul.” Combining a virtuoso horn section of David Guy (trumpet), David Smith (trombone), and Tony Jarvis (tenor saxophone) with Sharon Jones of The Dap-Kings and Saundra Williams on vocals, Phish created an ensemble that cooperatively killed the entire set. Sometimes out front and sometimes subtle, the horns provided impeccable accompaniment throughout the album, while the singers gave the set an authentic feel of southern gospel fusion. Collectively, their performances formed a near-religious run-through of the hallowed album.
Phishbill (Jamtopia)
Fans received Phishbills the morning of the show, eliminating any last-minute surprise to the Halloween set, but also giving fans time to re-listen to Exile a couple times during the afternoon. Once Phish took the stage, however, the captivating album sprang to life. With the popular opener “Rocks Off,” Phish and friends were off and running in what became a classic night in the band’s history. After settling in through the first few songs, Phish grew far more relaxed and by “Tumbling Dice” had loosed up to absolute comfort while having the time of their lives.
With eighteen songs on the album, Phish, more or less, played each true to form. But after a poignant version of “Sweet Virginia” with Fishman on vocals, the band let their chops loose on “Torn and Frayed” – a highlight of the set and the top contender to remain in the band’s rotation. Taking the emotional and groovy composition on a Phishy ride, the song seemed like a perfect musical fit for Phish at this stage of their career. Trey took liberty on his solo, lacing the song with his signature licks and crafting a massive high-point of the first part of Exile. Interestingly, Trey switched between two Languedocs during the set – one to mimic Kieth Richards’ metallic, rhythm-like playing and one for searing solos; this time he used the latter.
10.31.09 (G.Lucas)
The Rolling Stones’ ode to civil rights activist, Angela Davis, “Sweet Black Angel,” directly following “Torn and Frayed,” provided one of the most powerful moments of the set with its acoustic, southern-spiritual feel. This felt like the church of rock’s past, and we were all congregants. Goose bumps arose as the band delicately moved through this piece. The vocal harmonies were enough to make your heart melt all by themselves, and when the horns oozed into the mix, they provided a subtle, yet poignant, layer to one of the albums most meaningful songs.
The blow-out version of “Loving Cup” came next, boasting a completely full sound with the horns’ accompaniment. As the mid-point of the record, “Loving Cup” injected the set with a huge dose of energy. The horns and singers added so much to the song; a festive and Phishy moment amidst an album strewn with more somber themes. As expected, the crowd reacted enthusiastically to the suped-up version.
10.31.09 (S.Walters)
As the band turned the corner into the second half of the album, they were firing on all cylinders and carried a distinct musical momentum into the final stanza. The upbeat “Happy” kept the energetic vibe moving forward, as did the country-blues “Turd On the Run.” On these songs, as throughout the set, the horns shone brightly, illustrating flawless chops and a dynamic layer to the overall puzzle. The set took on a more-traditional blues feel with the slow-paced but infectious “Ventilator Blues.” Phish slid from this number into another set highlight – “I Just Want to See His Face.” With a refrain of “Let this music relax your mind,” and a sparse gospel texture, this song transported us into a small church rejoicing in the south. Jones and Williams, while defining the album’s feel, shone like stars on this song. “I Just Want to See His Face” provided a cool and refreshing moment as Trey integrated some Phishy effects into the mix; simply gorgeous.
10.31.09 (S.Walters)
From this point on, the album continued to build to its emotional peak, continuing with “Let It Loose.” Representing one of the Stone’s most prominent forays into gospel, Phish interpreted the piece with indelible accuracy. Page’s lyrical treatment of the piece infused a soulful feel, and combined with Jones and Williams, the band sounded spot-on. The emotional wave of the album began to peak in earnest with this piece. As the horns came in with their backing layers, the song dripped raw emotion onto the crowd, beginning the transformative – and hopeful – ending of the album.
After “All Down the Line” and “Stop Breaking Down,” two catchy blues-rock numbers, the set came to a cathartic peak with “Shine A Light.” Providing a stunning church-like musical experience, this may have been the most powerful cover of any Halloween album in the band’s history. Climaxing the set, both thematically and musically, lyrics have never seemed more appropriate for Trey, Phish, and for all of us at this stage of the game.
May the good Lord shine a light on you,
Make every song you sing your favorite tune.
May the good Lord shine a light on you,
Warm like the evening sun.
Peaking the darker album with a hymn of hope, the band and their guests absolutely crushed this song, creating a warm feel of Phish-gospel.
10.31.09 (S.Walters)
The album’s closer “Soul Survivor” carried a double-entendre, referencing the record’s musical roots and the band’s physical survival through their years of debauchery. A rocking denouement to a masterful set, this song punctuated one of Phish’s greatest Halloween escapades.
More than a simple cover, the Exile set provided a gorgeous glimpse into rock and roll history, bringing the genre’s roots to the forefront of the stage as Phish crafted one of their most memorable cover sets to date. More than any other musical costume, “Exile On Main Street” held a real meaning to the band members – both collectively and individually – a reflection of their own experiences as life-long rock stars. A record that each member fell in love with during their youth, both Trey and Page have dreamed of playing Exile forever. And on Saturday night, their dream came true, translating the classic album into Phish with grace and proficiency in the band’s triumphant return to Halloween.
I. Sample In A Jar, Divided Sky, Lawn Boy, Kill Devil Falls, Bathtub Gin, Squirming Coil, Runaway Jim, Possum, Run Like An Antelope
II. Rocks Off, Rip This Joint, Shake Your Hips, Casino Boogie, Tumblin’ Dice, Sweet Virginia, Torn And Frayed, Sweet Black Angel, Lovin’ Cup, Happy, Turd On The Run, Ventilator Blues > I Just Want To See His Face, Let It Loose, All Down The Line, Stop Breakin’ Down, Shine A Light, Soul Survivor
III. Backwards Down The Number Line > Fluffhead, Ghost, When The Circus Comes To Town, You Enjoy Myself
“What Phish is doing tonight is more than covering a record. They are telling, through these songs, their own stories about ecstasy, madness and survival.” – David Fricke in Festival 8’s Phishbill The Rolling Stones’ 1972 masterpiece “Exile On Main Street” chronicles the adventures and experiences of life in a rock n roll band. Via …
We are T-minus 36 hours and counting from blast off. I, as I imagine many of you did, spent much of the last two days running around town getting last minute things for the biggest Phish party since the millennium. I have just put the final touches on things, packed the car, and am leaving in the morning. In fact, I’m probably on the road right now; gotta get down to SoCal before the World Series kicks off this evening. The waiting is over – the time is now!
Red Rocks and The Gorge are distant memories, and Phish is ready to put their next foot forward into the rest of their career. Phase one of the 3.0 era has ended, with nothing but continued musical evolution ahead. We are sure to hear new songs off Party Time, a release that has conveniently been pushed back beyond Halloween. And we are sure to catch a glimpse of where we might be headed. While all eyes fixate on Indio, fall tour will pop up soon after Festival 8’s final note. If the first half of this year was about getting their feet on the ground, it is now time again to see how high Phish can soar. It’s off to the races, and where we will wind up, nobody knows. But in the end, it’s all about the ride. Safe travels, folks. See you in Indio!
Summer ’95’s finale centered around the colossal “Bowie” in the second set. Jams of this depth were par for the course during a stratospheric summer.
I: My Friend, My Friend[1], Poor Heart, Run Like an Antelope, Loving Cup, Sparkle, It’s Ice, If I Could, Maze, Strange Design, Free, Cavern
II: Timber Ho! > David Bowie > Johnny B. Goode > David Bowie > AC/DC Bag, The Lizards* > Big Black Furry Creature from Mars, A Day in the Life, Possum, The Squirming Coil
We are T-minus 36 hours and counting from blast off. I, as I imagine many of you did, spent much of the last two days running around town getting last minute things for the biggest Phish party since the millennium. I have just put the final touches on things, packed the car, and am leaving …
WARNING! :: This post contains spoilers about the set-up of Festival 8!
As Indio is less than a week away, a leaked copy of an overall schematic for Festival 8 titled “Battle Plan” hit the internet this week, uncovering some potentially revealing details about The Halloween Set. In the festival site, there are eight campgrounds, each named after one of the potential musical costumes. Conventional wisdom would say that these campground names will be the final eight albums left alive. The campground names are:
Exile on Main Street (Rolling Stones)
The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (Genesis)
Hunky Dory (David Bowie)
Electric Ladyland (Jimi Hendrix)
Purple Rain (Prince)
Kid A (Radiohead)
Larks’ Tongues In Aspic (King Crimson)
Oracular Spectacular (MGMT, Rumored, not visible on map)
6.6.09 (G.Lucas)
Now there are multiple ways to interpret this information. The first, and most obvious, way to make sense of these campground names is that Phish will play one of these eight albums. In this scenario, all other albums should be “killed off” by the time we head into Indio. Maybe there will be a process of elimination at the festival to get down to the last album alive, maybe we’ll get “Phishbills” as we walk in on the 31st and maybe the band will just get on stage and begin one of these records – who knows?
The second going theory is that there is a secret 100th album that has been “murdering” all the other records in the gallery. In this hypothesis, the entire elimination process has been a decoy, and Phish will solve the “Who Dun It?” mystery by playing the “murdering” suspect – widely conjectured to be The Rolling Stones’ appropriately named “Let It Bleed.” This scenario would certainly fit Phish’s prankster spirit and provide the “Trick” in the holiday’s “Trick or Treat” tradition.
6.4.09 (W.Rogell)
A third way of looking at the leak of these campground names is to call their bluff; this could be all bunk information to mislead us to the very end. Everyone will listen to these eight albums at their campsites to make sure they are familiar with them, and then Phish will come on stage and play “Thriller” or “Ziggy Stardust,” or something different altogether. I certainly wouldn’t put it past the band to have led us on a month-long wild-goose chase while they sat behind the scenes and laughed while rehearsing something else.
It’s hard to believe that the band will conclude this album elimination game without any twists or turns – this is Phish after all. With the spirit of Halloween trickery in the air, and with a band known to fuck with their fan base, the only thing to expect is the unexpected. I, personally, believe there is a missing piece that has yet to be revealed.
A bit about the potential Final 8. Noticeably absent from the campground titles is many fans’ favorite, “Ziggy Stardust.” Again, these name may have no predictive value whatsoever, but if they do, the band has opted for “Hunky Dory,” a more mellow, lyrically-based Bowie album that wouldn’t seem to fit for a Halloween blowout. “Larks ‘ Tongues” has awesome potential, though I suspect it would lose the interest of many fans not familiar with King Crimson. Radiohead? MGMT? They just don’t seem to fit, but could push the band in completely different directions. If this really is the final eight, it leads me to think they will play “Exile” “Electric Ladyland” or “Purple Rain.” But, again, who knows?! The questions and theories will continue to flow until the answer is revealed, and, in the meantime, all we can do is keep guessing!
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Phish Thoughts Ticket Exchange
The ticket exchange board has been revamped for Fall Tour and ready to facilitate trades. Check it out, post your extras, find the trades you need!
Back in 1994, the band was on the road leading up to Halloween, and this night this night in South Carolina marked their second-to-last show before they debuted The White Album. Along the path of a momentum-building tour, this show was no exception. The second set sequence of “2001 > Bowie > Manteca > Bowie” highlights a well-played show. PS : The Audio Archive is well on its way!
I: I Didn’t Know, Llama, Guelah Papyrus, Scent of a Mule, Stash, Glide, Axilla (Part II), All Things Reconsidered, Sample in a Jar, Carolina
II: Also Sprach Zarathustra > David Bowie -> Manteca -> David Bowie, The Lizards, Peaches en Regalia, Rift, Lifeboy, Chalk Dust Torture, The Old Home Place*, Nellie Kane*, Foreplay/Long Time
WARNING! :: This post contains spoilers about the set-up of Festival 8! As Indio is less than a week away, a leaked copy of an overall schematic for Festival 8 titled “Battle Plan” hit the internet this week, uncovering some potentially revealing details about The Halloween Set. In the festival site, there are eight campgrounds, …
