Phish Honors Hendrix In Seattle | Setlist & The Skinny

On Saturday night, Phish played the second show of Fall Tour 2014 at Seattle’s Key Arena. This was the band’s first trip to the former home of the Seattle SuperSonics since November 27, 1996. Coming off the heels of a strong tour opener on Friday night in Eugene, Oregon; Phish sounded less sure of themselves in Seattle, but still managed to reach some powerful peaks before the night was through.

The first set opened with “Cavern,” a tune that had only opened one other show in the previous 20 years. Next up was “Wilson” -a safe bet, given the song’s association with Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. After a “Rift” which came with its characteristic high energy and one or two of its characteristic flubs, “Moma Dance” provided an early highlight, with some excellent playing by Page McConnell. The set’s energy took a dip with “The Line,” followed by “Sugar Shack” and “Lawn Boy,” before a slight boost with “Kill Devil Falls.” A plinko’ed-out “Wolfman’s Brother” seemed poised to be the set’s highlight, but following a run through “Sparkle,” the “Wolfman’s” was overshadowed by the tour’s first “Bathtub Gin.” This version was not as majestic as this summer’s version from Randall’s Island, but it featured some strong work from the rhythm section en route to a satisfying peak. In all, though, many fans felt that this set’s playing did not rise to the level of the previous night’s.

But as usual, the spotlight was on the second set. Hopes were high with a “Down with Disease” opener. Though the band settled into a mellow, major-key groove, the jam quickly gave way to TV on the Radio’s “Golden Age.” Early in this version’s jam section, the band faded out under a jazzy piano solo which led into the tour’s first “Fuego.” At just under 13 minutes, this was the longest song of the set, featuring a multi-part jam, culminating with eerie interlocking loops reminiscent of 2011’s Storage Jam. “Light” followed, and though its jam was not long, it featured a flawless segue into “Cities,” the second Talking Heads song in as many nights. A quick trip through “46 Days” was followed by “Sand,” which was arguably the highlight of the show. A patient full-band groove was followed by a buttery major-key jam, which eventually morphed into “Backwards Down the Number Line.”The set was wrapped up with a nod to Seattle’s own Jimi Hendrix in the form of “Bold As Love.” For the second time in as many nights, the band came back for a multi-song encore, closing out the show with “Meatstick” and “Character Zero.”

Phish has the next two nights off, as they make their way down the coast to Santa Barbara, where they will play at the Santa Barbara Bowl on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Setlist…

[via Phish.net]

• Venue Type: Indoor Arena / 17,459
• Previous Shows at Venue: 1 Show -11/27/1996
• Number Of Songs / Length – First Set: 11 / 74 minutes
• Number Of Songs / Length – Second Set & Encore: 11 / 89 minutes
• Total Number of Songs / Covers / Originals: 22 / 3 / 19
• Biggest Bustout: Sugar Shack (LTP: 7/9/14)
• Average Song Vintage: 1998
• Debuts: None
• 2014 Debuts: None
• Weather: 65 degrees and Partly Cloudy at show time
• Average Song Gap: 4.91
• The Spread: Lawn Boy -2, A Picture of Nectar -1, Rift -2, Hoist -2, Billy Breathes -1, The Story of the Ghost -1, Farmhouse -1, Round Room -1, Joy -4, Fuego -2, Misc -2, Covers -3
• Longest LivePhish Track / Shortest LivePhish Track: Bathtub Gin 12:44 / Lawn Boy 3:35
• Audio: Live Phish

Phish From The Road Photos…