Phish slammed the door on their greatest three-night stand of the year last night, again crushing two sets of highlight-ridden music for their Denver audience. In their tour finale, the band unveiled a spectacular final set littered with buttery segues, smoking improv, and the razor-sharp musical marksmanship displayed throughout three glorious nights in the Rocky Mountains.

Once summer’s last set kicked off with “Rock and Roll,” it would be quite some time before the band put their instruments down for a breath of air. Another frame of Phish in which the highlight was “the entire thing,” the band closed tour in high-style with a set teeming with creativity and seamless communication. Moving from “Rock and Roll’s” full-throttle shred fest, the band dropped into half-time—a pit of musical quicksand that slowed things into a swampy realm immediately. As the band was breaking down the music into its next stage, Trey began layering the iconic introductory lick to Abbey’s Road’s “Come Together” into the mix. As the band latched onto the idea and crafted a smooth transition into the song, they dusted off the Beatles’ classic for the first time since Cleveland on December 8, 1995. And just as the band smoothly as they spliced the set’s first two selections, so would they their next two, sculpting fluid transitions into “Twist” and then “Piper.” I know I’ve said this in the previous two reviews, but the band—again—oozed a vigor and confidence unseen even at UIC’s previous trifecta only two weeks ago. Such demonstrative playing would take them  through my favorite “Twist” I’ve heard in some time—an intricate four-part exchange that possessed a laid-back yet directional quality that allowed the piece to breathe while still never losing momentum. All night long, Trey’s lead lines attracted a white-hot spotlight, and within this “Twist,” his playing absolutely shone. Completely within context and without missing a beat, he laid down “Low Rider’s” melody, another idea on which the band smoothed right into as they jammed on War’s ‘70s relic before slipping right back into “Twist.” The seamless transitions continued as Phish morphed, with uber-patience, from “Twist” into its song mate from birth in 1997, “Piper.”

At this juncture, the set had still not stopped for a moment and the band was absolutely on fire. Under such circumstances, there was no better place to launch into than the wide-open musical fields of “Piper.” A piece that takes no time at all to get into deep waters did so especially last night, as Phish locked into a whole-band groove early on and with ease. And from there, the improvisational beast of the night would truly take foot. Moving through infectious dance patterns at a mile a minute—a vibrant illustration of musical density—Phish took hold of the jam by the jugular and never let go. Never meandering and directed like an inanimate assassin, the jam sprang to life as the music coursed through the band from another dimension. Passing through several sections of hard-edged rhythms, including an indiscernible vocal chant over a sublime sequence, the show’s centerpiece culminated in a wide-open, Theramin-laced chase through a psychedelic portal. In, perhaps the most precise and fast-paced uses of his retro-futuristic toy—the magic ingredient to some of the most sublime jams of late-summer, Page led the way deep into the storage shed. And amidst this exploratory monstrosity, Trey wove in mind-melting “Mind Left Body” licks that briefly allured his band mates amidst this primordial soup.

To resolve “Piper’s” journey into the center of the earth, the band brought us to heaven with the most magnificent rendition of “Harry Hood” since Worcester’s modern classic last December. A version that combined a modern staccato soundscape feel with a very old-school, whole-band assault on the song’s theme, when “Hood” is given this kind of treatment, it delivers us to places only known only to the heart and soul. With a mid-‘90s precision and sublime guitar melodies, Trey led the whole-band excursion through the holy piece with phrasing so sublime it sounded like he was narrating a story. Passionate to the core, this “Hood” provided an hugely cathartic exclamation point to the first part of the set and the shows highest high. Regal and life-affirming while also quasi-experimental, this “Hood” is a must hear and taps into the very ethos of the band.

Phish followed up this platinum playing with a dip into the second “Roggae” of the late-summer. It seems that the Gorge’s opening night sunset psychedelia cracked a wall in this song and its potential is now beginning to seep out. This blissful soundscape provided the perfect compliment to the sky-scraping “Hood,” and an ideal late-second set selection whose change of pace doesn’t didn’t alter the improvisational focus of the show. And at the least-expected time of the night, Phish dropped into “Ghost.”

Charging into driving, groove-rock textures, the band was locked in annihilation mode. Trey and Page simply went to town, riding their galloping rhythm section into a highly-danceable version. Well into a highly danceable version, Trey unleashed a bold and familiar lick, but before I had time to process what it was, the band had slid right into their cult-classic “Guy Forget” for the first time since Phoenix 2000, and only the second time ever. Blending right out of the “Ghost” jam, the band finally returned their ever-elusive piece to the live stage after several soundchecks over the past few weeks. A smashing highlight in a set—and weekend—filled to the brim with mind-numbing musicianship, the band crushed the “Ghost -> Guy Forget -> Ghost” combination, and then closed the set with a searing run though “Walls of the Cave” within one week of the ten-year anniversary of 9-11. Bringing the set full circle with a “Rock and Roll” tease within the fiery “Walls” jam, when Phish had finally did put their instruments down, no one could possible have asked for anything more.

The summer tour that once loomed like a never-ending monster has finally been laid to rest. With three shows that represent the crème de la crème of 2011, the band has completed their 33-show path, and—god damn—the Golden Age of Phish has reached a whole new level of excellence! In a perfectly-placed encore, the band concluded its summer of reinvention with the song that represents of the rebirth of Phish, and hearkened back to the unknown, though limitless, possibilities of 2009. Well, two years later, as Trey sang “The only rule is it begins” amidst a triumphant tour-closing jam, the words of promise have never rung truer.

First Set Thoughts: The third outstanding first set of Denver opened with a bang in the form of “Maze”—the first time the song has opened a show since Albany on December 9, 1995. Spirited versions of “Back on the Train” and “Rift” set up the first set gem—and one of the best single jams in the entire show—“Bathtub Gin.” Running an absolute guitar clinic, Trey broke out countless licks in his repertoire in a rare showcase of such focused, six-string acrobatics outside of Trey tour. And with the complimentary support of his band mates, Trey signed his autograph forwards, backwards, and upside-down on a version that immediately jumped out as the most groovalicious in ages. Thought not extending the time of the song very much, Phish has now learned how to make “Tube” into a beast again. Last night’s version was the second consecutive outing that popped with creativity and shining luster. A compact, though incredibly intense “Timber” followed before “Chalk Dust” closed its summer with another creative—though more contained—adventure. With three consecutive first sets of substance, and six straight sets of top-notch Phish, the band flew out to Colorado and wrote their own narrative of How the West Was Won.

I: Maze, Back on the Train, Rift, Bathtub Gin, The Way It Goes*, Halfway to the Moon, Gumbo, Halley’s Comet > Tube, Timber, Roses Are Free, Chalk Dust Torture

II: Rock and Roll -> Come Together -> Twist** -> Piper > Harry Hood > Roggae > Ghost -> Guy Forget -> Ghost, Walls of the Cave

E: Backwards Down the Number Line

*debut, Gillian Welch, ** w/ “”Low Rider” jam

On the middle night of Denver’s summer finale, Phish threw down a show that rivaled any of the season. Without having listened back just yet, because sometimes—well—it’s just better that way, I can, unquestionably, vouch for the two-set powerhouse. In an absolute showcase of why I travel this country far and wide chasing down a dream, the band crafted a second set that underlined the intangible excellence of now in the universe of Phish.

Fusing central jam vehicles “Down with Disease” and “Tweezer” into a half-hour of the most sublime music of the summer, the band finally went deep on “Tweezer” and came up with timeless jam that immediately vaulted itself into my favorite pieces of music I’ve ever experienced. I don’t need to hear it again—I don’t need any listen-back guarantee—it’s that good. Fusing bliss and groove in an improvisational odyssey, the likes of which I thought only lived in the far recesses of my imagination, Phish dropped a jam that will remain in all of our listening rotations for the rest of time.

And how they got there was a great part of the adventure. Taking a set-opening “Disease” into an exploratory realm and then patiently building towards a ridiculous segue into “Tweezer,” the band seemed in the brink of an all-time transition. Having deliberately spent time weaving the song’s together, at the last second the band (or a single member) inexplicably rushed the final entry into “Tweezer,” botching the pure transition. But at the same time, having just jammed a stellar “Disease” into “Tweezer,” rushed by a five seconds or not, shit was on like donkey kong! And instead of my writing about this “Tweezer” right now, do yourself a favor and just go listen. It’s rare that I get back to my hotel without the immediate desire replay what I just lived, but somehow, once I got back home last-night, this soul-cleansing journey wasn’t something I was ready to hear so quickly. In all seriousness, however, if you weren’t there, you should do it now. Check it out…Phish at their absolute finest.

When the opening half-hour of the second set consisted of nothing but “Disease -> Tweezer,” the band could have played “Julius” six times and walked off stage and I’d have been a pig in shit. But, thankfully, they only played it once towards the end of the set when things had already been scribed in the record books by a set of music that never let up for a moment. After a half-hour of exploratory jamming, one would expect such an epic “Tweezer” to bleed into “Prince Caspian,” and certainly not “Golden Age!” But that’s the kind of night it was. Tacking on the first jammed-out version since Super Ball, Phish tied a third open jam onto an unfolding masterpiece. Punctuating the opening run with a spectacular and hard-peaking “Limb by Limb,” for the second night in row, anything the band touched was turning to gold. Thus, when they started up “Kill Devil Falls”—a song I’d never want to hear in the middle of a second set—it didn’t make me flinch. On a night like last, the songs were completely secondary to the in-the-moment jamming that took hold of the band from the onset of the show. And as the band careened through the blistering rock jam, just when song usually winds down, the band hopped right back into the high-speed textures from which they had just descended. And when this bonus segment came to a close, the band seeped into the ambient openings of “2001.”

It felt like a “YEM” might sprout from the peak of “2001,” but when “Light” came out of the song’s peak, the dreamscape just became more vivid. A passionate exploration of “Light”—another highlight of a set made of them—built to a delicate passage where Trey hinted at the “Down With Disease” lick. And as the rest of the band jumped into a percussive hybrid of the two songs—a legitimate “Disease Reprise”—one of the show’s most awe-inducing moments materialized out of the unlikeliest of places. At this stage of the set, the band, the crowd, and the entire universe had experienced a massive triumph, and when the band did finally segue into “Julius” amidst one of their sickest sets of the year, it seemed sardonically appropriate. “Cavern,” the seeming set-closer, set the table for an “Antelope” that punctuated this show complete. And to bring the set full circle, amidst the chaotic jam, Trey wove in calculated “Disease” licks, another sign of a band that is clearly communicating as well if not better than ever.

The classic encore of “Sleeping Monkey,” “Tweezer Reprise” provided a classy signature on a show of immediate lore. I’ll be back after the tour to rehash this whole affair in a far more musically-focused fashion. But for now, the emotions are all that will come through the keys. With one night left of a summer of legend, the band is at the top of their game, and it’s all just a blessing to be a part of.

First Set Thoughts: The opening frame of last night show—though only containing one true jam vehicle in “Wolfman’s Brother,” retained full engagement from the get go. Each and every song in the set got the full treatment, as each piece represented a supercharged version of its normal self. If one song stood out to me in the first set, it was “Llama.” For the past couple years, the song seemed like its old-school energy could never be matched, and that a bust-out would always be fun for the memories. But in the type of performance that underlines the band’s unbridled confidence of the moment, they exploded with a fury brought the audience back to the song’s most gloriest of days. A super smooth “Moma,” an unusually huge “Ocelot” and a slamming “Funky Bitch” also stood out in a frame that featured on-point playing throughout. And to close the set came another creative excursion of “Wolfman’s,” a version that grew into uncharted waters before returning to the song’s conclusion in a massive set closer. Fuck—even “Possum” shredded. It was just one of those nights.

I: Possum, The Moma Dance, The Wedge, Ocelot, The Divided Sky, Funky Bitch, Axilla > Llama, Fast Enough for You, Wolfman’s Brother

II: Down with Disease -> Tweezer > Golden Age > Limb By Limb, Kill Devil Falls > Also Sprach Zarathustra > Light* -> Julius > Cavern, Run Like an Antelope

E: Sleeping Monkey > Tweezer Reprise

*w/ “Disease Reprise” jam

When comparing stands of summer’s second leg, Tahoe hasn’t felt the type of love that the Gorge or UIC has received. And while that analysis is completely justified, and the second night left much to be desired, let’s not sweep Tahoe under the rug just yet. Overshadowed by the bookends of Leg Two, the first night of Tahoe stands humbly in the wings; a dark-horse, two-set effort that can hold its own against the stronger shows of summer. Were it not for the wooked-out cocktail party that was popping off throughout the venue all night long (a result of the casino vibe bleeding right into the show) and an undersized sound system that couldn’t compensate for said wooks, the first night would be getting more props for what it was—another stellar night along summer’s second leg.

While some shows over this last run were defined exclusively by their second set theatrics, Tahoe’s opening frame carried some significant weight. “Party Time” provided a surprise opening and the rare combination of “Oh Kee Pah > Bag” got the party started in earnest. “Mellow Mood” in the mountain sunshine matched perfectly, as everyone began feeling the set before the band had dropped into any jams at all. Stretching out the intro to “Punch” into an infectious series of grooves, the momentum of the set began to grow. And following a bust out of the ’98 relic “Meat,” the band got serious with a mid-set “David Bowie.” Quite the odd placement for the jam made it all the more enticing as Phish dipped their ladle into melodic-infused darkness early on in the show. A blistering “46 Days” brought one of August’s better first sets to a close.

But—as usual—very few people would walk out of Harvey’s glorified parking lot buzzing about the first set. Enthusiastic conversations centered on the colossal, bass-led excursion that grew out of “Light,” and how it traveled through intergalactic wormholes dripping with harrowing textures and futuristic, beat-driven soundscapes. The band locked into another forward-looking adventure out West—one of those jams that rendered the rest of the set gravy. But this gravy was was quite good.

As “Light” meandered into nothing—as so many of its outlandish journeys tend to—Trey slowly wound up the into to “Chalk Dust” in a complete juxtaposition of styles. From the outer rings of Saturn to slamming white lights, the band jumped right back into a rock concert with little buffer zone. But as a dynamic “Chalk Dust” flew through multiple teases, the band all of a sudden had the crowd on its knees with a delicate breakdown of the classic rock anthem, efficiently deconstructing the song with a melodic bridge to a mid-set “Slave.” And per usual, when Phish centers “Slave” in the second set, a highlight rendition was sure to follow. Slowly building through blissful textures to match the mountain locale, the band unfurled a cathartic centerpiece that resolved “Light’s” journey into the center of the Earth.

A concise but cathartic “Jibboo” had opened the set, and after a seemingly random “Free” came out after “Slave,” the show’s delicate feel continued. Apparently spurred on by a legion of fans in some sort of on-going campaign, Phish broke out Elton John’s “Rocket Man: late in the second set, a cover which Page did far more justice than the thousands of bellowing drunkards ever could. And closing upon a similar note, the band dropped into “Harry Hood.” Though “Hood” was tight, it remained a relatively vanilla version. But Phish had one last gasp left—“Walls of the Cave.” And while I can’t say that the song seemed to fit in the set, I can vouch for the fact that Phish tore it to pieces. Ballooning the end jam into a set-closing exclamation point, the guys punctuated a rather delicate show with a bang.

Returning to the mellower feel for the double encore of “Bug, Squirming Coil,” Phish whispered their goodbyes into the cool mountain evening. And though the debauchery would grow from there, Phish left stage with a very mood-matching performance that greeted their fans to the gorgeous locale of Lake Tahoe. And with all the deserved hoopla over UIC and the Gorge, this gem—with a distinct flow from beginning to end—has gotten lost in the mix. Give it a re-spin, you won’t be disappointed.

=====

Jam of the Day:

“Light” 8.9.11 II

One of the standout jams of 2011; a dark trek into progressive bass-led mania.

=====