A local blog from New York State, Bands That Jam, is claiming that Watkins Glen is official, contracts have been signed, and that the festival will be an 8-set, Phish-only affair from June 30-July 3rd! Let’s hope this report is correct. I’m not doubting anyone’s journalistic integrity, but one can’t believe anything until it’s on Phish.com.
=====
7.31.09 (Wendy Rogell)
VIDEO OF THE WEEKEND: Summer 2010 Pro-Shot Compilation -Summer Tour Promo -Alumni Blues > Letter to Jimmy Page > Alumni Blues – 6.25.10 Camden -46 Days > Tube – 8.7.10 Berkeley -Backwards Down the Number Line – 6.12.10 Cuyahoga Falls -Show of Life – 6.19.10 Saratoga Springs -Chalk Dust Torture – 6.25.10 Camden -Wolfman’s Brother …
After some weeks away from tour and plenty of time to listen to August through and through, it has come time to unveil “Miner’s Pick’s” for Leg II of Summer 2010. In a tour with many eye-popping jams, many fans could have compiled a similar list. However, I allowed myself only one version of each song, leaving several legitimate highlights absent from this compilation. What you will find inside is an aural trek down memory lane of Phish’s most accomplished tour this era. With tracks assembled to create a natural flow over the the six and a half hour highlight reel, download “Miner’s Pick’s: Leg II,” kick back with loud volume, and enjoy an afternoon of the best Phish jams we’ve heard since their return.
1,2. “Cities > Moma”8.5 Greek: The funk that awakened the band and audience alike during The Greek’s second night.
3. “Light”8.7 Greek: This transcendent journey gets my vote for jam of the tour. Easily.
4. “Caspian”8.9 Telluride: Trey spouts gorgeous and original leads in this dark-horse highlight from Telluride onto which Phish tacked a Mind Left Body-laced outro.
5. “Tweezer”8.5 Greek: This version drips with laid-back, west coast energy. Mike runs shop throughout this thunderous piece and Trey unleashes some of his pimpiest leads of tour.
9,10. “Disease > What the Use?”8.14 Alpine: Phish pushed boundaries in this top-notch piece, finding some of the most sublime moments of summer and a transition that defies words.
11. “Harry Hood”8.7 Greek: In a tour that went a perfect 3 for 3 in outstanding “Hoods,” this centerpiece from The Greek’s final set stands head and shoulders above the rest.
12-14. “Drowned > Jibboo > Bathtub Gin”8.12 Deer Creek: This three-song sequence that opened Deer Creek’s second set showcased three different styles of improvisation. This standout run to start the second half set the tone for a set that never stopped. “Drowned” is my pick for the most-underrated dose of psychedelia from Phish’s fortnight in August.
8.13.10 (M.Stein)
15-17. “Ghost > Theme > BBFCFM” 8.15 Alpine: This one-two punch demonstrates the full-on guitar acrobatics that Trey showcased at Alpine Valley. The always-elusive old-school antics of “Big Black Furry” capped the smoking segment.
18,19. “Carini > Free”8.10 Telluride: This alien encounter highlighted a fun, but improvisationally-thin, second night in The Rockies.
20. “Rock and Roll”8.6 Greek: A jam that gets unrightfully buried in the avalanche of standout music from The Greek, it’s one of the most sublime examples of the band’s newest, rhythmically-driven “urgent ambient” style.
21. “Antelope”8.14 Alpine: While never moving outside the box, this version crushed harder than any other in August.
8.7.10 (W.Rogell)
24. “Reba” 8.14 Alpine: This is the pick ’em song of tour, as the band simply slayed all three versions. I, actually, prefer The Greek, but the unmatchable peak in Alpine’s version and the already Greek-heavy highlight reel pushed this version onto the compilation.
25-27. “2001 > Suzy > Slave”8.7 Greek : Complete with a scintillating “Suzy Reprise” jam that surprised me on listen back, this trio provided a powerful sequence to conclude an ornate, top-notch set of Phish music.
28,29. “Lengthwise > Maze”8.17 Jones Beach: A nod to the early-90s, Phish also acknowledged the resurgenmce of “Maze” in 2010 with Jones Beach’s final version of summer.
30. “Sand”8.9 Telluride: A scorching opener to Telluride’s most impressive set; and only the fifth “Sand” since 2000.
8.5.06 (W.Rogell)
31. “Timber Ho!”8.18 Jones Beach: A thrilling entry into the summer’s final set.
32. “Mikes Song”8.14 Alpine: I keep coming back to this “Mike’s” with Trey’s flowing and creative leads, thus it kick’s off our August 2010 “Mike’s Combination Groove.”
33. “Simple” 8.6 Greek: One of the most original and exploratory pieces of summer, this was the first full-blown, mind-expander of tour.
34. “Number Line” 8.17 Jones Beach: One of August’s upper-echelon jams, Jones’ Beach’s “Number Line” appeared within “Mike’s Groove and produced the band’s final improvisational peak of the summer.
8.10.10 (G.Lucas)
35. ” Sneakin’ Sally” 8.14 Alpine: Popping up late in the set as a surprise link in Alpine’s “Dirty Sally Groove,” this version brought some dance grooves to an otherwise dark-themed frame of Phish.
36. “Weekapaug” 8.17 Jones Beach: Perhaps Phish’s most original take on “Weekapaug” this summer, the band’s lightening quick percussive work morphed with their melodic sensibility in a stellar version that capped a summer “Weekapaug” return to significance. Trey absolutely went to town in this one, punctuating a phenomenal suite on the water in Long Island.
37. “YEM”8.10 Telluride: In an anthem-laced show, Phish broke out a super-charged rendition of their seminal piece to cap tw0 unforgettable nights in the paradise of Telluride’s Town Park.
======
Jams of the Day:Near Misses
Were it not for other versions, these pieces could have wound up above.
“Light” – 8.18 Jones Beach
“Harry Hood” – 8.12 Deer Creek
“Reba” – 8.7 Greek
“Disease > Free”– 8.5 Greek
After some weeks away from tour and plenty of time to listen to August through and through, it has come time to unveil “Miner’s Pick’s” for Leg II of Summer 2010. In a tour with many eye-popping jams, many fans could have compiled a similar list. However, I allowed myself only one version of each …
When Phish returned to the stage in 2009, they reeled in “Mike’s Groove” from its days as an improvisational centerpiece to its old-school format of “Mike’s > H2 > Weekapaug.” Barely extending each piece beyond eight minutes run-thrus, the routine of the modern era “Mike’s Groove” grew quickly tiresome. The opening riff of “Mike’s Song” – once a jolt of adrenaline to the heart – now signified 20 stagnant minutes of music while Phish churned out generic version after generic version of each bookend. Rarely adding meat to the simplistic sandwich, for over a year “Mike’s Grooves” provided little investigation into the unknown. But throughout this summer, Phish bolstered their musical suite in unexpected ways. Though “Mike’s Song” remained a structured descent into darkness, the feats that the band accomplished after the song’s closing power chords brought the adventure back into the “Groove.”
8.10.10 (G.Lucas)
Beginning in Canandaigua, New York at the end of June, Phish began to switch things up. Segueing into “Simple” and then into “I Am the Walrus” before bursting into “Weekapaug,” this entire “Mike’s Groove” had gained liftoff, forming a half-set escapade that departed from its played-out pattern. Fast forwarding to July 4th’s tour closer in Atlanta, the band lit the fuse of a late-set “Groove,” and the spark led to an array of Phishy fireworks. In a slot where the band had placed so many cliched versions, this holiday “Mike’s Groove” turned out to be anything but usual. Segueing surprisingly into “Tela,” and then eve more dramatically into “Harpua,” Phish packed significant bust-out action into this patriotic tale. But when Trey’s story led to the cover of Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing In the Name,” this tour-ending “Mike’s Sandwich” resembled a monstrosity from from New York’s Carnegie Deli.
When the second leg rolled around, Phish molded larger musical suites, using “Mike’s” and “Weekapaug” to bookend adventurous pieces of improvisation. During The Greek’s second night, Trey abruptly bust into “Ghost’s” jam with the opening of August’s first “Mike’s Groove.” Any memories of the ugly transition dissipated in the vapor trail of Trey and Mike’s fury, and when the band stepped into “Simple,” nobody expected a tour-defining jam to emerge. But to the surprise of most, that is exactly what happened as Phish transformed the anthem into an abstract and melodic experiment. Popping with sonic originality, “Simple” grew into the first breakthrough jam of tour; a jam that blossomed in between “Mike’s” and “Weekapaug.” Phish also squeezed in succinct versions of “Number Line” and “Seven Below” into this super-sized “Groove.”
8.10.10 (G.Lucas)
In Telluride, Phish beefed up an early-set “Mike’s Groove” by inserting the run’s only “Crosseyed and Painless” before merging with their traditional path of “Hydrogen > Weekapaug.” After ripping the universe wide open with “Disease > What’s the Use?” on Alpine’s first night, Phish laid back into a swanky “Dirty Sally Groove.” Using”Dirt” as an introspective comedown from a particularly sharp “Mike’s Song,” the band wasn’t done with this second-half “Groove” just yet. Feeling the flow, the band dropped into the slithering funk rhythms of “Sneakin’ Sally” and absolutely annihilated the cover. Guided by Mike’s laser bass lines, Trey bounced a lively solo over an ocean of liquid grooves. Bringing this late-set treat to a head and through a vocal jam, Phish set up a blistering “Weekapaug” to punctuate this dynamic musical paragraph.
Only two shows later in Jones Beach, however, the band pieced together the most eventful “Mike’s Groove of the season. Providing the meat and potatoes of the second set, Phish combined a standout “Simple” and a defining “Number Line” with a creatively placed “Rock and Roll” to form the most flowing and vituosic “Mike’s Groove” of summer. Finishing this suite with a spunky “Weekapaug,” the band cranked up the feel-good anthem as they did all summer long. While “Mike’s” certainly took on added life in August, “Weekapaug” saw far more attention as several versions turned into high-flying highlights. Blasting off into lands of melodic percussion, the band magnified the suite-closer with creative jaunts that infused shows with ending momentum rather than methodical motion.
8.9.10 Telluride (G. Lucas)
In a season of revitalization, “Mike’s Groove” fell in line with the larger trend of summer. Finding original pathways to creativity, the band breathed new energy into a stagnant part of their catalog. Not long after many fans called for its shelving, “Mike’s Groove” bounced back resiliently, providing highlights to every Leg Two show in which it appeared. Snowballing with Phish’s over-arching head of steam in 2010, the band’s classic musical combo came into focus during a significant second leg of summer. While the spotlight shifted away from “Mike’s” and onto the rest of the “Groove,” craftsmanship and improvisation came back to Phish’s hallowed sequence during a summer that held nothing but future promise.
One of three stellar “Rebas” along the trail of August; this one from The Greek.
=====
DOWNLOAD OF THE DAY:
This is Phish’s second, and last, visit to North Charleston Coliseum, another venue that will host a two-night stand next month.
I: Runaway Jim, Punch You In the Eye, AC/DC Bag, Fee, Scent of a Mule > Catapult*> Scent of a Mule, Split Open and Melt, Talk, Taste, Suzy Greenberg
II: Chalk Dust Torture, Bathtub Gin, Rift, Prince Caspian, Ya Mar, Tweezer, Fluffhead, Life on Mars?, Tweezer Reprise
E: Possum, Carolina
*performed twice during the Mule Duel; first by Mike, and then by Page solo on the theremin
Source: Sennheiser ME-67’s
When Phish returned to the stage in 2009, they reeled in “Mike’s Groove” from its days as an improvisational centerpiece to its old-school format of “Mike’s > H2 > Weekapaug.” Barely extending each piece beyond eight minutes run-thrus, the routine of the modern era “Mike’s Groove” grew quickly tiresome. The opening riff of “Mike’s Song” …
Though “Piper” has been one of Phish’s central jam vehicles since their return with several stellar versions, the excursions that stem from the song don’t always ooze cohesion. Often likening a sawed-off shotgun spraying musical shrapnel in many directions at once, “Piper” jams usually click or meander, with little middle ground. Always representing a leap into uncharted territory, “Piper’s” most successful recent renditions have carried an enhanced sense of direction. And this summer, while tucked in the mountains of Telluride, Phish took “Piper” for a high-speed chase through a space-aged vortex in the song’s most impressive outing of the year.
8.9.10 (W.Rogell)
Launching from the lyrical refrain, Trey kicked things into warp-speed by unleashing seething leads while Mike stuck with him, matching his creativity step for step. In no time, Phish shot into space like a musical rocket breaking through the stratosphere with a trail of blazing textures. Connecting his leads into intricate melodies, Trey stepped out front with Page, who sprinted up and down the piano as if running suicides. Fishman kept crazy-quick tempos like a metronome on speed, forming angular, driving beats.
Shifting gears, the band flew smoothly into series of fast percussive grooves with Page killing lead organ patterns. Trey adjusted with sparser rhythmic stabs as Mike moved a mile a minute in a section of lead bass. The two guitarists locked in, speed-racing through a nearby galaxy in a cosmic chase that reached an absurd intensity. Trey broke into some snarling melodies while his band mates were super-glued in collaborative musical mayhem. Page and Trey played as if on fast-forward bringing another colossal peak to this zooming show-stopper.
8.9.10 (W.Rogell)
At this juncture, the band locked into a section of warp-speed annihilation where each member crushed IT harder than the next. Morphing into mind-bending landscapes that never lost cohesion, the four-headed beast transformed into a musical wrecking ball, demolishing anything in its path. This peak journey moved with complete fluidity into a second sequence of sparse rhythms as Fishman earned his paycheck behind the kit. Trey, Mike, and Page offered fiery melodies that combined into a psychotic brew so tight and directed it felt as though Phish knew exactly what notes to play before they started.
8.9.10 (W.Rogell)
Trey initiated a pattern that Page and Mike echoed during the final stages of this cosmic blast off. The band never tapped the brakes for a second, shooting full-speed into the outer realms of consciousness. As the band collectively reached a final peak, they calmed the music through an extended and appropriate ambient outro comprised of the residual sonic energy lingering in the air. Patiently passing through this futuristic cleanse, the band emerged with “Mountains in the Mist.” The perfectly-placed ballad gained a greater poignancy with the jagged peaks of the Rockies looming overhead. The reflective piece provided a much-needed cool down from the intense voyage that had just concluded.
Over this week, we have looked at five peak jams from Leg Two which all differ in musical direction: The Greek “Light,” Alpine’s “Disease > What’s the Use?,” Jones Beach’s “Number Line,” The Greek “Simple,” and Telluride’s “Piper.” All of these are top-shelf pieces of improvisation, and their stylistic diversity speaks volumes on Phish’s renewed ability – and willingness – to explore any musical fabric. When the band took risks throughout August, more often than not, they met with astounding success – a factor that the band surely all noticed whether they talked about their shows or not. And these are but five pieces of music among the many experimental jams that dotted Phish’s brief, yet most significant tour of this era. With individual proficiency and musical communication no longer an issue, come fall, as Dr. Seuss once wrote, “Oh the places [they]’ll go!”
Here is Summer 2010’s finale at Jones Beach, ending a two-pronged attack that saw the band progress by leaps and bounds. Featuring a non-stop second set with top-level playing from start to finish, every major song of Phish’s last set is a highlight. The first half also had peaks in “Ocelot” and “Bathtub Gin.” All in all, a fitting end to a transformative summer tour for the Phish from Vermont.
I: Down with Disease, Sample in a Jar, Guelah Papyrus, Poor Heart, Ocelot, Chalk Dust Torture, Bathtub Gin, Tube, Destiny Unbound, Joy, Run Like an Antelope
II: Axilla, Timber Ho > Light> 46 Days > My Friend, My Friend, Harry Hood > Tweezer > The Horse > Silent in the Morning, You Enjoy Myself
Though “Piper” has been one of Phish’s central jam vehicles since their return with several stellar versions, the excursions that stem from the song don’t always ooze cohesion. Often likening a sawed-off shotgun spraying musical shrapnel in many directions at once, “Piper” jams usually click or meander, with little middle ground. Always representing a leap …
The first jam of tour that lifted the entire audience into a galaxy far, far away sprouted from the unlikeliest of places. Kick-starting The Greek’s second night’s second set, Phish strung together three heavy-hitting jam vehicles – “Rock and Roll,” “Ghost,” and “Mike’s Song.” Building a legitimate tour highlight in “Rock and Roll” and a solid version of “Ghost,” one figured when the band doused the fire of “Mike’s,” a mellow interlude was inevitable. Sidestepping “Hydrogen” for “Simple” for only the second time this year, Gordon’s anthem seemed quite appropriate for the summer night. “Simple’s” only previous appearance within a “Mike’s Groove” this summer came on June 29 in Canandaigua, New York, was a version that brought creativity back to the often one-dimensional piece, featuring a shimmering ambient jam that landed in “I Am the Walrus.”
8.6.10 Pollock
Phish moved through the Greek’s mid-set rendition with a notably relaxed energy that characterized much of their playing out west. Fluidly migrating out of the lyrics, Trey and Mike took co-solos, cooperatively sculpting a double helix of melody that pointed in a singular musical direction. A dynamic opening carried an idyllic pace, allowing individual phrases to breathe while complementing each other perfectly. And just when it sounded like “Simple” was winding down and heading for another song, Phish dipped into their satchel of wizardry and pulled out a hypnotic spell.
Page took initiative with delicate piano leads, coaxing his band mates to keep their heads in the game rather than bailing for another song. The jam took a distinct turn for the mellow as Page led a gradual descent onto a gentle musical pillow. Once arriving there, Trey, Mike and Page immediately circulated in a three-piece melodic pattern while Fishman framed the abstraction with dainty cymbal work.
Page began to alter this musical orb with effected notes as Trey flicked astral pennies into the ether, blending their aural trajectories perfectly with the band’s floating experiment. As Page pushed the piece into a quasi-digital realm, Mike held down the lead with rolling bass notes. Entering an elevated state of blissful reverie, this futuristic groove took on a life of its own, moving mechanically within a sparse, psychedelic tapestry.
8.5.10 (W.Rogell)
Deep into the jam, Trey added a rhythmic delay to his notes, pushing Fishman into a more earnest groove. Together, they lured Mike and Page into this spontaneous build. Laced with a bit of attitude, Trey added distorted layers atop the musical play-land and Mike hopped freely in this rhythmic romper room. This final segment brought the once placid jam into an intricate excursion in ambient-groove. Locked into a musical sequence that burst with nuanced tonal color, Phish crafted a bumping, space-aged dreamscape that piqued the interest of fans young and old. Providing the post-show buzz of The Greek’s second night, this “Simple” jam awakened all to Phish’s renewed improvisational capabilities as the band embarked on their second leg of summer tour.
Phish broke down this unorthodox “Split” into “Dog-Faced Boy” before capping the sequence with a magnificent “Hood” that has unduly lived in the shadows of The Greek and Jones Beach’s versions.
A two-set, start-to finish barnburner, this show stands among the strongest of tour. Trey’s Alpine annihilation carried over to Jones Beach’s opener – another night where his torrid playing stood out. “Reba,” “Wolfman’s,” and “Possum” brighten the opening frame, while the second set is comprised of non-stop, highlight-quality improvisation.
II: Lengthwise > Maze, Halley’s Comet > Mike’s Song > Simple > Backwards Down the Number Line > Prince Caspian > Rock and Roll > Weekapaug Groove, Loving Cup
The first jam of tour that lifted the entire audience into a galaxy far, far away sprouted from the unlikeliest of places. Kick-starting The Greek’s second night’s second set, Phish strung together three heavy-hitting jam vehicles – “Rock and Roll,” “Ghost,” and “Mike’s Song.” Building a legitimate tour highlight in “Rock and Roll” and a …
