Tone Clinic: Phish Continues New Year’s Run At Madison Square Garden – Recap, Setlist & The Skinny
By Ben Greenfield Dec 30, 2017 • 6:43 am PST
Words: Ben Greenfield
Phish extended their 2017 streak of high-energy, improv-heavy shows at Madison Square Garden to 15 shows on Friday night, in the second night of their New Year’s run. The first set showcased more recent additions to both the band’s catalogue and their instrument rigs, while the second — anchored by an explosive “Chalk Dust Torture” — went heavy on the jamming.
“Cavern,” usually a set closer, opened tonight’s first set — just its third time in the show-opener slot since 1992. “Blaze On” was slightly stretched out, dipping into a minor-key funk before returning to the final refrain. Page McConnell took the reins next, as “I Always Wanted This Way” made the most of its first-ever appearance in a first set, sliding into a space-funk jam accented by Page’s clavinet and Trey Anastasio’s new effects pedals.
In the song’s closing ambient moments, “Martian Monster” launched, and in it, the band’s looseness led to some excellent improvisatory interplay, even though the song was not especially long. “Heavy Things” was followed by “Destiny Unbound” and a mellow “Ocelot.” The set came to a crashing close with “Walls of the Cave,” which allowed Trey Anastasio to unload on his guitar for the first time of the night.
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He breathed some more fire in the second-set-opening “Sand,” but the “Chalk Dust Torture” that followed was where the jamming got serious. The band waded in mellow bliss, dabbled into space, then kicked into high gear. The driving major-key jam reached a soaring peak, calling to mind the Allman Brothers Band. Phish came back down to Earth, and quickly found a route into “Ghost.” The song’s relatively brief improvisatory segment was a perfect contrast to “Chalk Dust”: psychedelic and spacey, led by McConnell’s synths and Mike Gordon’s bass.
Quick jaunts through “Backwards Down the Number Line” and “Simple” preceded an especially twisted “Split Open and Melt.” The jam found an eerie space that barely held onto any element of the traditional “Melt” sound before winding back to the song’s closing sequence, which brought the set to an end. The encore gave Trey one more chance to show off his chops, and he obliged with a rousing “Julius” to close the evening.
The New Year’s run at MSG continues on Saturday night. A webcast is available at LivePhish.com.
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The Skinny
The Setlist |
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Set 1: Cavern > Blaze On, 555, I Always Wanted It This Way > Martian Monster, Heavy Things, Destiny Unbound, Ocelot, Walls of the Cave Set 2: Sand > Chalk Dust Torture [1] > Ghost > Backwards Down the Number Line > Simple > Split Open and Melt Encore: Julius
Trey teased Streets of Cairo in Martian Monster. Chalk Dust Torture was unfinished. |
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The Venue |
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Madison Square Garden [See upcoming shows] |
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20,789 |
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53 shows |
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The Music |
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9 songs / 8:21 pm to 9:41 pm (80 minutes) |
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7 songs / 10:16 pm to 11:38 pm (82 minutes) |
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16 songs |
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2001 |
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7.25 [Gap chart] |
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N/A |
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N/A |
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I Always Wanted It This Way & Split Open & Melt LTP 07/22/2017 (16 Show Gap) |
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Chalk Dust Torture 21:00 |
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Cavern 5:10 |
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Lawn Boy - 1, A Picture of Nectar - 2, Hoist - 1, The Story of the Ghost - 1, Farmhouse - 2, Round Room - 1, Joy - 2, Fuego - 1, Big Boat - 2, Misc. - 3 |
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The Rest |
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20°F and Clear at showtime |
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Koa 1 |
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Capacity: 20.789 |
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