Phish | Alpharetta | Review | Pics

Words by: Billy Jack Sinkovic | Images by: Dave Vann

Phish :: 06.14.11-06.15.11 :: Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park :: Alpharetta, GA

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Phish :: 06.14.11 :: Alpharetta, GA Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

The last week of May, the band called Phish launched their most ambitious summer tour since the Nineties [33 dates in 20 cities]. After visiting all the old haunts – as well as a few new ones, such as the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts – across the Northeast and Midwest, the band and its fans followed the lines going South for a five-night run across Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia to culminate the first leg of tour. First stop: Alpharetta.

The newish and rather nice but homogenously-handled Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park broke its Phish cherry last summer with a one-two punch in the eye to celebrate our country’s independence, culminating in a righteous rebellion in the form of a Rage Against the Machine cover – “the only band, other than Phish, that won’t bullshit you.” High expectations abounded for 2011’s double feature, particularly because the shows were also being transmitted live via the interwebs to living rooms, dorm rooms and parents’ basements worldwide. An official live stream was a blessing to all the fans on couch tour that were growing weary of tinny audio and herky-jerky images from cell phones at the shows. And there was a bit of a consensus that, if they’re recording it, they’ll probably do something extra-special [“backwards Gamehenge, brah!”]. Instead, the band delivered two nights of aptly-delivered greatest hits punctuated with a few moments of wit and brilliance.

Phish :: Page McConnell :: 06.14.11 :: Alpharetta, GA Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Night one started with a perusal of fans’ signs and stuffed animals – Mike got himself a new pet possum – before deciding on the rare, slightly ridiculous “Dinner and a Movie,” followed by the well-received quagmire groove of “The Moma Dance” and the fulfilled request for “Possum,” which wasn’t bad but wasn’t really all that special either, especially considering it was the sixth one played in a little over two weeks. A jam-free “Cities” with a shout out to Mary Johnson of Memphis preceded a particularly paradisiacal “Fluffhead” and a rowdy romp with “Ocelot.” The band saluted the South with a bit of bluegrass by way of “Ginseng Sullivan” before injecting a bit of heat to the set via the band’s latest driving rock jam vehicle, “Kill Devil Falls.” After an extended “Bathtub Gin” with a lofty peak, the VIP of the weekend, Mr. Page McConnell, began to emerge amidst a rare cover of Traffic’s “Light Up or Leave Me Alone.” The meandering organ ministrations added both texture and direction to a tight and focused jam, and his vocals were PRIME. Page continued to shine throughout the two nights, leaving more than a few fans wondering: Is it the glasses?

After a “Cavern” closer and “fifteen minute” setbreak, the band came out thrashing with “Carini,” which has found a home in the second set opener slot. A couple minutes into a muscular jam, Trey tried a little too delicately to lead his mates into “Sand,” but they seemed to miss the signals and the segue was about as subtle as a dynamite blast. Thankfully, this dance party of a song has a lot of fans, and the train wreck of a transition was quickly overshadowed by a boundless build through Type I territory that landed into a monster of a “Down With Disease.” The Disease jam could have been divided into chapters of a book or pages of an almanac, with Captain Anastasio navigating landscapes ranging from soaring peaks to funky valleys and then off into space. And just before that point where space could have gotten TOO spacey, the ticking time-bomb intro to “Maze” emerged, and the South got a little bit hotter. Page was the clear champion, fanning the frenetic flames with incendiary organ and reckless abandon.

After this trio of blockbusters, the band seemed to have little left in their jars of jam. Both “Meatstick” and “2001” were free of exploration, and the set closing “Antelope” was as unadventurous as a studio track, without the benefit of editing and tightening. Thankfully, the set was filled out nicely by a “Bug” with a beautiful piano outro that segued into “A Day in the Life,” where Page once again nailing the vocal duties. And the “Mighty Quinn” encore was pumped full of energy, reminding us that we were far from done.

Tuesday Setlist
Set 1: Dinner and a Movie, The Moma Dance > Possum, Cities > Fluffhead, Ocelot, Ginseng Sullivan, Kill Devil Falls > Bathtub Gin, Light Up Light Up Or Leave Me Alone > Cavern
Set 2: Carini > Sand > Down with Disease[1] -> Maze, Meatstick > 2001Also Sprach Zarathustra > Bug > A Day in the Life > Run Like an Antelope
Encore: Quinn the Eskimo

[1] Unfinished

Continue reading for coverage of Wednesday night in Alpharetta…

Words by: Billy Jack Sinkovic | Images by: Dave Vann

Phish :: 06.15.11 :: Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park :: Alpharetta, GA

Phish :: 06.15.11 :: Alpharetta, GA Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Some like it hot and wet, and if Tuesday night was hot, Wednesday night was definitely wet. About two hours before showtime, the winds were eager to beat fans back as the clouds grew huge and deathly black. As lot revelers traded their sunscreen for ponchos and the gypsies stashed their scores of feather earrings, Trey coozies, and grilled cheeses, the sky went from charcoal grey to an evil green color, ushering in the first of many storm cells that knocked down trees, caused power outages, and set the tone for a soggy show.

Despite the storms, the band started on time [which, for them, is about 45 minutes after the ticket says], and kept things wet and wild with rare bluegrass cover “Paul & Silas” (“Lighting crashed and thunder rolled all night long”), “Back on the Train” (“See me standing in the station in the rain”), and “Water in the Sky” (pick a lyric, any lyric). A tightly-knit “Foam” floated amidst the precipitation, as well as a fun and full “Runaway Jim” and the post-hiatus ballad “Army of One. “ A sadly jam-less “Roses Are Free” was rectified by transitioning into the jam highlight of the first set, “Timber [Jerry].” Although Trey clearly led the charge, Fishman sounded like a trio of drummers with tight and textured rumblings that made the thunder blush as Chris Kuroda obscured the lighting with his own layers of color, flash and flare.

Phish :: 06.15.11 :: Alpharetta, GA Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

OK, stats geeks – hold onto your butts. When the claps and beats that signify the start of Mike’s polyrhythmic “Mound” kicked in for only the fourth time since the break-up (and only the fifth post-hiatus), the rarity that’s never been a set closer and has only once opened a set ended up doing both. After yet another poignant Page solo to follow the first verse, robust gusts of wind brought the rains into the pavilion and tarps began to cover the equipment. Trey thanked his longtime guitar tech Brian Brown before reluctantly sharing that they had to cut the set short: “I don’t wanna leave! But they’re making me leave!” The song faded in and out amidst Trey’s banter, and there was almost a moment when it felt like “Mound” could get finished then and there, but a fierce crack of thunder sent the band running. And as the house lights came up and the warnings to seek shelter were announced, the rain fell sideways, the lawn emptied, and the pit flooded. The venue continued to make announcements in a positive light, and after what could have been a regular set break, the roar of approval to acknowledge the tarps being removed was as hearty as a lights-down approbation. And when the pavilion finally did go dark, “Mound” picked up right where it left off.

The opening riff of “Tweezer” yielded another detonation of cheers, launching into the “best-of” meat in a second set sandwich. “Tweezer,” “Julius,” “Slave,” “Bowie,” “Suzy,” “Jibboo” and “Hood” hold a seemingly infinite amount of jam potential, and although there wasn’t anything particularly bad about any of that run of songs – save the abrupt abolishment of “Tweezer” in favor of” Julius” – there was seemingly not enough that was really stellar.

“Slave to the Traffic Light” and “Suzy Greenberg” were definitely highlights. The band showed a lot of patience in the former, allowing the build to eloquently find its way to a magnificent peak. “Suzy” was driven by yet another smokin’ solo from Page’s piano. It got so hot that Page had to stand, and when Trey tried to start the final verse, Page said, “NO.” All it took was a few more blistering lines for the band to declare, “This is Page’s house!” before finishing the tune. “Jibboo” and “Hood” were efficiently executed, the latter with some fine but nowhere near epic moments, and after what could’ve been the perfunctory “Character Zero” closer, the band convened at the front of the stage for an a cappella farewell. Performed for only its second time, “The Birdwatcher” definitely did not display the band’s best vocal efforts, but it dissolved into the rare runaway golfcart marathon of “Kung.” Throw in a short but sweet “Funky Bitch” encore capped with the customary “Tweezer Reprise,” and the fans who stuck it out wandered from the venue soggy but smiling and satiated. On to North Carolina, where nothing could be finer…

Wednesday Setlist
Set 1: Paul and Silas > Back on the Train, Foam, Water in the Sky, Runaway Jim, Army of One, Roses Are Free > Timber (Jerry) > Mound [1]
Set 2: Mound [2] > Tweezer [3] > Julius > Slave to the Traffic Light, David Bowie, Suzy Greenberg > Gotta Jibboo > Harry Hood > Character Zero, The Birdwatcher > Kung [4]
Encore: Funky Bitch [5] > Tweezer Reprise

[1] Unfinished; song (and set) had to be stopped mid-stream due to a strong incoming thunderstorm.
[2] Started mid-song after the rain delay (set break).
[3] Lyrics changed to reference the weather.
[4] A cappella.
[5] Birdwatcher teases.

Thanks to ZZYZX for the stats info.

Continue reading for more pics from Tuesday at Alpharetta…

06.14.11

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Continue reading for more pics from Wednesday at Alpharetta…

06.15.11

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

Photo by Dave Vann © Phish 2011

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