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02.15.03 | VEGAS
I was at the New Years/Hampton run, and I had an absolutely fabulous time. Beyond some miraculous musical moments it was just so damn fun to be at a Phish show again. In retrospect, the holiday run was clearly not the "best" Phish I've ever seen, but it was certainly good enough, or even great enough to warrant breaking my piggy bank and heading into the desert for some mayhem in Sin City. But this time around I had the initial Phish jitters out of my body and was ready to dig into the music with a slightly more critical eye.
Photo by J. Crouch |
That being said, I feel it is important to sort of preface my dissection of the first night of Vegas with this: There is no other band in the world that can do what these four men do. This is not easy to pull off. Now this doesn't mean they are the best band in the world - but that is certainly up for debate. What it means is that they are the best at this. They wrote the book on it and will go down as the masters. No other band writes music like this, and no other band is willing to get in front of countless critical fans and attempt such difficult music without a net. They possess a certain ability to converse with their instruments in such a delicate and intimate manner that they hold an entire 18,000 person venue captivated for more than three hours every time they play.
Now that I've gotten that out of the way, here is what I thought of Phish's show at the Thomas and Mack Center on Saturday night, February the 15th.
The tension was mounting on the floor, I could hardly stand still and was somewhat patiently awaiting that moment when the lights drop down and the roar blows up. I was looking around the upper sections wondering where the hell everybody was and before I knew it I was caught in a sea of movement and confusion as the crowd was sucked toward the stage and the room turned dark.
Photo by Earhart |
Trey looked ready, I know I was ready, and BANG "Llama." Gas! Right out of the gate they had the pedal to the metal and were raging it. You gotta love a "Llama" opener, it always lets me know that the shit is gonna get hot and heavy. Did it ever. Out of the punchy hard-hitting opener came "Wolfman's Brother." Second song, "Wolfman's?" I was shocked, bewildered, and happy as hell. A long fifteen minute plus "Wolfman's" and that's when I took another look around the stadium. As the lights panned over the now capacity crowd it was clear, I was not the only one floating up near the rafters. A nice weird "Wolfman's" and it seemed Phish had settled right into Vegas.
Photo by Goody |
As things were wrapping up with "Wolfman's Brother," I was already in; staring at the stage letting it all bounce off my ears and as I was drifting my head almost popped when I opened my eyes only to realize that I was not hallucinating, and yes they were playing "Reba." Are you kidding me, "Llama, Wolfman's, Reba," HOLY SHIT! I mean that's definitely a ridiculous way to start any show. I came back down to where my feet were for a moment because I was very curious to see if they could execute the extremely difficult compositional section of this classic. As they weaved in and out of each other and managed to get out of the way long enough to allow each sound to rise I found myself back up near the Running Rebels score board eyes closed dancing in a surreal sea of bliss.
They nailed it! From the vocal bobbing to the instrumental dance, from the build up to the release, it was all there and nothing fell off the side. By the time Trey was casting his spell during the second half of the song I was in outer space, and I wasn't coming back for quite some time.
Photo by J. Crouch |
Speaking of space, what comes after the very strong "Reba?" "Life On Mars." The four minute David Bowie cover was absolutely perfect. Perfectly placed and perfectly played. I was smiling from ear to ear as I heard a few people turn to their significant others and say, "What song is this?" I always love a little confusion. And damn straight, it really is "the freakiest show." As you read the lyrics it seems that perhaps the song was not only perfect for the Thomas and Mack Center that evening, but for all of Amerika as we embark on a very painful path. Phish commenting on the world? I guess we're all growing up.
"46 Days" off Round Room followed and was impressive, sounding more cohesive than the good Hampton version on January 2nd. I have to say I am very pleased with the manner in which most of these "new songs" are developing. I was more than skeptical after hearing Round Room and negating the slower stuff like "Friday," "Anything But Me," and "Mexican Cousin," the new material harkens back to older Phish. Most of the material they were writing post 1997 on Ghost and Farmhouse never really impressed me. It rarely made me feel "Phishy." Now I do say most because of course there are songs I dig on those albums, but for the most part the band seemed to veering off trying new ideas that didn't resonate with me. But songs like "Walls of The Cave," "Seven Below," "Pebbles and Marbles," and "Waves" are proving to contain the epic, freaky, mind spinning Phish quality that grabbed hold of me so many years ago.
Photo by Robert Down |
"It's Ice" and "Frankie Says" were clearly the weak part of a great first set. I love "It's Ice," but it was botched. This is not to say I didn't enjoy it, but every turn and tricky transition was rough. "Frankie Says," eh...it was ok, I like to keep the pedal pressed, and rarely enjoy a moment to breathe.
What I did like about "Frankie Says" was that "Run Like an Antelope" came out of it. Now if you're going to play something slow, follow it with something big! (This is where I would like to quickly draw attention to encores. If you're gonna play one of those weak-ass slow songs, help a brother out and allow something gnarly and rip roaring to come out the back end. It's a good thing all of these shows I've seen were strong, because more often than not, the band seems content to play slow, uninteresting encores that leave a very bad taste in my mouth.)
Photo by Earhart |
"Antelope" was hot. Not the craziest ever, but soooo good to hear. The build up had people screaming and I saw a few scared eyes as I looked at my cohorts. That's Phish. People freaking out, losing it, screaming, dancing, running and jumping. The part were Trey says, "Set the gear shift for the high gear of your soul, you've got to run like an antelope out of control" was not the most inspired I'd ever heard. I like that '94, '95 era stuff where he would scream it and maybe follow it up circa Live Phish from Sugarbush 1994 where he continues to yell, "SPIKE" throughout the entire song. But ahhhhh, days gone past. Finishing an incredible set one with "Antelope" was very appropriate and very pleasing, so I won't harp on the past, I will only look to the future.
Set break was tough. Long and arduous, and things were growing more and more confusing. You'd think they would make more bathrooms, those are not fun places!
Photo by Earhart |
Five songs. That's all they played in set two. And take my word, it wasn't a short set. "Waves" built slowly, gathering momentum and harnessing the energy of the crowd. Again some of these newer songs really make me feel good about the direction the bands song writing is going. Coming out of a beautiful, clean, Trey guitar journey was a piece of amazing vocal layering that left my head spinning. As Trey and Mike were blending their voices in "Waves," I was lost, surrendering, allowing it to simply take me.
"Bug" was decent, not my favorite, but Trey certainly handles the back end of this song with style, and as always his guitar tone is unparalleled. During the "Ghost," "Free," "Harry Hood" that followed, I was completely wrapped up in it and was beyond conscious thought. I must have been dancing because by the end of the set I was a sweaty mess.
Photo by Earhart |
I remember yelling, "Rip it down!" to the sign reading "871 Days Since Last Ghost." And as I was yelling up at the rafters, Phish was breaking it down. This was without question the nastiest, dirtiest, freakiest "Ghost" I've ever seen. It was more than eighteen minutes long and full of so much juice that I had the hippie shuffle turned up to "Full Tilt Boogie." I (and just about everyone else) was letting it hang way out. Page was tripping me out with some twisted up funky key licks, Mike was banging the low end, Fishman was the machine he is, and Trey, well, y'all know about him. Throughout the night, specifically during "Antelope" and "Ghost," Trey was busting out his "David Gilmore-scare-the-shit-out-of-me" guitar lasers and I couldn't have been happier. I am actually listening to the "Ghost" right now (thanks to the new LivePhish download option) and hot damn, it's every bit as good as I remember it being.
Photo by Languid |
"Free" was almost as ridiculous and left me feeling, well, Free. Again, perfect placement and perfect execution, very well done. Mike's Corner must have been freaking as their hero let out some ridiculous solos during this one. Out of the wide-open "Free" the band closed a marvelous show with perhaps the quintessential Phish song, "Harry Hood."
At this point it's almost like splitting hairs. Was it "the sickest Hood ever?" No. Does it really matter? Not really. There I was surrounded by some of the best friends I've ever had, reunited for a party with one of (if not the) greatest bands we'll ever see getting down to one of (again, if not the) best songs they ever wrote. And I really could Feel good about Hood.
Photo by Jose Iudice |
The "Sample in a Jar" encore was good, especially when taken in light of the other encores I'd seen up to this point. And the Thomas and Mack was certainly that; a sample caught inside a giant jar. I enjoyed the song, more for nostalgia than anything else and took it for what it was worth. Again, after the performance they just unleashed simply being there with my good friends was all I needed. And I suppose after the holiday encores I stopped getting my hopes up for the "Good Times Bad Times," "Mikes" or "Slave." I really don't know why the band is content ending great shows with mediocre encores, but I can't let it ruin my night, not any more.
Slowly leaving the venue it was clear to me and mine that we had just seen a really good Phish show. The question seems to keep coming up, "Are they back?" Clearly. They were back after three songs on New Years Eve. Are they back to full bore, all cylinders cranking Phish? No. But as I said before, this is very difficult music to play, and you can't expect them to draw extensively from their extremely deep and dangerous repertoire right away. It's coming along, and each show, tour and season will find them gaining more confidence. Perhaps the best thing we can all realize is that they are having fun again, and so are we, what more can you really ask for?
The Kayceman
JamBase | HeadQuarters
Go See Live Music!
02.16.03 | VEGAS
Waking up Sunday morning in Vegas I had that intense feeling I’d forgot existed. The night before had shook loose any lingering doubt about the band's decision to return and my own doubt about buying into the hype of Vegas. I knew that there was one more show to go before I retreated to San Francisco to wait until the next "mandatory attendance" shows surfaced. Unlike Saturday's long drive and late arrival at the venue, I was not going to be denied a respectable vantage point for the evenings festivities. About four o’clock this utopian vision had all but disappeared as I mixed yet another "Royal Tea" and fielded calls from members of the team scattered all over the city, not to mention upside-down on roller coasters and a few delusional gamblers lost in their own twisted versions of fear and loathing.
Photo by J. Crouch |
Stepping foot in the venue at 6:30 I thought there was more than a good chance to secure the seven or so seats I needed, wrong. To the upper deck we went encouraged by the constant sightings of vaguely familiar friends also holding onto their friend's shirttails, as they were led away to the mysterious land called "The 200’s." Having made it and only offending a handful of people along the way, I got comfortable in time for the lights to fall and the band that is “The Phish,” to come out and get it done.
Photo by Earhart |
Go! "Bowie." Yeah right, don’t bring it if you aren’t gonna deliver. OK, deliver then. Done, the "Bowie" was tight and to the point. There was none of the messing around that came to define the ending years of what I call “Set 1." I was raised on a band who simply shredded and that's what I still find myself most attracted to at any given show. You can throw in a 30 minute "Rock and Roll" and it may be good, but an incendiary
seven-minute "Chalkdust" will still have my vote as top dog any day. This is the beginning of a new era and this one has concise and tight written all over it. If you want it, you got it. They’ll present the whole thing on a friggin platter and you can take what you want. I bet you’ll take it all, and then beg for more. Ok I begged, I got a "Horn" then I went to the bathroom and they followed. "Guyute" can be sent to the "Round Room" that is the butcher shop for all I care and then cry his "Poor Heart" out as he awaits his fate. I was amused but not enthralled by the end of this set until the "Golden Lady" decided to hike up her skirt and do a dance for the first time since 1994. That’s a long time to be sitting on the side of the dance floor looking at all the talent go skipping by.
Photo by J. Crouch |
Trying to get it together before the lights came on and the brutal reality that there were in fact other people in the venue with us, "Pebbles and Marbles" peaked its fresh face out from behind the ugly shadow. I (like everyone else) can’t help but think that this is a song with infinite possibilities. Like "Waves" the night before and the "Seven Below" in our future, the new batch of songs are mere shells that have yet to be filled. Unlike previous albums these songs have not been played live for years before they are recorded. They are fresh and light and can go to the dark side at any moment, god willing.
Ladies and gentleman from Las Vegas, NV weighing in at 50 minutes...set break!!! I for one do not mind the set break marathons that have come to be the norm. It gives you time to wander and not really need to worry about the line at the bathroom, the kids from high school you want to avoid in the hall, and the endless banter by your friend who can’t get over the "Guyute." No, it wasn’t sick... next.
Photo by Goody |
The second set started with the familiar space that usually precedes "Down with Disease." Well that hasn’t changed in the past two years. "DWD" began the set complete with the happy and warm "This has all been wonderful" chorus to get us going. When I first heard the ending section at New Years in '93 out of "Auld Lang Syne," I knew it was destined to be huge, really I did. This song speaks volumes about what the band is capable of as far as tight and explosive jams are concerned. They pop the top then lock into the groove that can lead you to just about anyplace in Gamehenge. Where we went from here was into the surreal and dreamlike "Seven Below." Played only once before at a bigger show somewhere in New York sometime at the end of last year, this song stole the night then and was poised to do it again. It has the bass line you can't get out of your head and don’t want to. It has lyrics that flow like the soft snow they symbolize and an extended jam that makes you never want to he song to end. This night it didn’t.
Photo by Earhart |
While they played a sweet and honest "Anything but Me," I took a walk. "Piper" grew out of the abyss to lend some energy to a deflated crowd. "Piper" tends to do that, though. It can revive a crowd and then send them down in the same cruel way as "ABM" or sustain the vibe and replenish the energy that was lost. While waiting for this to happen, or not, I heard it, it was "Seven Below" again, and yes it was really there. I heard the bass line and could feel that special feeling it arouses. As they meandered through "Piper," Mike and Jon laid down "Seven Below" while Trey layered his own brand of shred on top and Page continued to pull out the MVP moves he has been displaying since New Years. Back and forth they went, into "Seven Below" while continually jamming "Piper," this to me is the future of second sets. More interplay, a set with a theme. "Lucky Seven’s" we’ll call this one. I could only wish though that the set had ended on a more positive note. While they did pull off a nice return to "DWD" which only reiterates the point of a “themed” set, the "Makisupa" was unenthusiastic and almost a footnote. "Character Zero" has been played more than "Freebird" on a 70s rock station and the "Friday" encore, while symbolic and touching, really doesn’t send me out of the venue with my fist in the air.
Sunday nights are generally for movies and a half bottle of wine, sweet and familiar while skewing reality just enough to get through the rest of the weekend. This was a night of sweet and sour. While they almost got you to bed with a smile on your face, instead they decide to break the tape right before the movie defining kissing scene. For me, Vegas 2003 was a real test to see if the time and money invested to see the band was still worth it. After ten years of loyalty could I still convince myself it was the thing to do? The answer to that is yes, they are worth it. My mind is not faded and the band is definitely not overrated. Well, I guess you don’t have to go to bed though, it is Vega$ after all.
Andrew J Warren
JamBase | HeadQuarters
Go See Live Music!
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