I Just Read About That…

[ATTENDED: July 21, 2017] Phish

I have wanted to see a Phish New Year’s Eve show for years.  But one should welcome in the New Year with people you love, so I will never go to a show on New Year’s Eve.  But this year I decided to try for a ticket for the night before New Year’s Eve.  Once I got my ticket I learned that many people feel like the 12/30 show is ultimately better than the 12/31 show–in terms of music, not theatricality naturally.

I was also pretty happy to find out that my friend Armando and his girlfriend were going.  So we wound up making an evening out of it.  They live near the train station, so I drove to their house and we walked to the train.  It was nice meeting his girlfriend (she is famous from his blog) and we all got along very well.  When we got into the City, he told me we were going to a great Peruvian restaurant really close to the arena.   And what a great find it was.  Rather than pizza or a hot dog we were able to eat a yummy (and filling meal) and it was quite fast as well.

Although, perhaps it could have been faster.  When we walked across the street to MSG, the line to get in was massive.  We never found out exactly what was going on, but they were holding everyone back at a barrier while the line thinned out.  We were running very tight to show time.  But the arena must have known that because the band did not go on as early as they usually do.

The only bummer of the night was that the three of us were not sitting together.  We were one section apart.  But we were both behind the stage.  This was Armando’s suggestion and it was a great idea.  I was so much closer to the band than I’d ever be with regular seats.  I was about 15 rows from the stage.  The only downside is that the guys didn’t ever turn around to acknowledge us–except a wave on the way out.  Although Page Mcconnell plays in all directions, so he did face us once in a while.  I could see the back of Fish perfectly and I got to see Trey and Fish and Mike talking about what to play next. A guy near me even read his lips.  Mike was pretty much the only one I didn’t see clearly (or really at all).

This was my sixth Phish show.  I have seen an amazing number of rare gems during these six shows.  I have also only heard 4 songs played 3 times–every other song has been only once or twice.  That’s pretty amazing.  Amusingly, though, I have a list of (in card collectibles terms) song that one would call common that I have never heard.

Chalk Dust Torture
Divided Sky
Golgi Appartus
NICU
Punch You in the Eye
Run Like an Antelope
Stash
Squirming Coil
Bathtub Gin
Harry Hood
The Lizards
Axilla
Maze
and anything from the Colonel Forbin/Mockingbird saga

I figured this was a good opportunity to get a few of these checked off.

Well, it turned out they didn’t play ANY of these songs [amusingly on 12/28 they played Bathtub, Axilla and Maze and on 12/31 they played Chalk, Antelope, Harry and The Lizards, as well as Farmhouse (a song that I love which I think a lot of people don’t) and Ass Handed a great rarity that I hope to hear some day].

And yet, my night was just chock full of rarities.   They opened with “Alumni Blues” which seems to get trotted out every once in a while and which was really fun to sing along to.  He even sang “I’m okay….because it’s National Bacon Day!” (which it was).  It segued into “Letter to Jimmy Page,” a song they’ve only played 22 times. It’s a cool one minute guitar riffing song, one that I assumed I’d never hear and it was such a treat.  They finished up “Alumni Blues” and got on with the rest of the show.

So I don’t know these stats like these about the songs, but everyone around me sure does.  They are like baseball curators with the kind of statistics they throw around.  The guy next to me has seen Phish more than 100 times, so even when they played an incredible rarity he had to log it on his phone or whatever he was doing.

“Mike’s Song” is one of the first Phish songs that I really loved hearing.  So I was happy to hear it again.  “Mike’s” usually segues into “Weekapaug Groove.”  Sometimes there are songs in between.

Last time they played it, I got to see “I am Hydrogen,” which is the standard interstitial, but this time Trey played “Glide II.”  This song was so rare that most people didn’t know what it was.  But the guy next to me knew immediately that they hadn’t played the song since 1991 (apparently he was wrong and it was actually 1995).

They played a funky “Weekapaug Groove.” It was the first jam of the night, pushing over 12 minutes.  And then began a surprise cover of Talking Heads’ “Crosseyed and Painless.”   They seem to play this a couple of time a year and it was awesome to hear.  I never realized it was Fish who sang the verses.  There was a great warped keyboard sound in the middle solo which was very cool.  But there was a nagging feeling like they hadn’t ended “Weekapaug.”

One of the downsides to being behind the stage is that you don’t get to see the amazing Chris Kuroda light show the way it was intended. But a plus side is that you get to see it the way the band sees it, which is pretty cool, and no doubt something that Kuroda takes into account as well.  In fact it’s easy to feel like you are a part of the band because the crowd is looking at you (or in your direction, at least), and when you’re that close you can see some of the indicators that something big is going to happen seconds before everyone else does.  I felt the sound may not have been as crisp back there but it was a pretty chattery room, so that could have been it too.

Also, if you were ever in stage crew, seeing Kuroda’s lighting rig up close like this was a tech nerd dream.

Then came the biggest surprise of all.  Trey switched over to acoustic guitar and played “Bliss.”  It’s a two-minute acoustic guitar instrumental, which isn’t that big of a deal.  Except that this was the first time this song was ever played and it came out in 1996.  So I certainly got a rarity!  And my word the chatter about this song was so loud you almost couldn’t hear it.  On the album, it segues into “Billy Breathes,” which they played along with it.

I somehow imagined that I’d be getting all the weird songs on my list, too.

So it was funny to me that they played “No Men in No Man’s Land” a song I’d heard live twice before.  No doubt it’s a fun song, but it was a bit of a let down after that expectation.  But they came right back with two more songs that I hadn’t heard live before.  They played a great jamming “Tube.”  I was pretty psyched to hear that riff start the song.  Midway through the song, the guy on the other side of me (who had come all the way from Saratoga Springs and didn’t know if he was staying the night or going to tomorrow’s show yet(!)) said, “they haven’t ended ‘Weekapaug’ yet.”  And sure enough, as “Tube” neared the end, they launched back into “Weekapaug” for about two minutes before circling back and finishing up “Tube.”  Woah.

They ended the set with a song from Big Boat called “More.”  It’s the second to last song on the album and not one I expected to hear.  I had forgotten how much I like the song and the really dark chorus, which seemed scarily appropriate as 2018 drew to a close:

I’m vibrating with love and light
Pulsating with love and light
In a world gone mad a world gone mad
There must be something more than this

That ended the set.  I managed to get a shirt and use the restroom before the second set started.

The band was back, opening Set Two with “Cool Amber and Mercury.”  I never expected them to play songs from Kasvot Växt, their Halloween gag (they “covered” a band who they made up).  I had barely listened to the Halloween show, so I didn’t know the song, but it sounded groovy,

Another song that I have heard three times is actually a Trey song. called “Everything’s Right.”   Speaking of rarities, they’ve only played the song 14 times since they started playing in 1997, but I have heard it 3 of those times.  It’s such a positive song and almost seemed to counterbalance the negative attitude from “More”  They jammed this one out for nearly 15 minutes

“Everything’s right.  Just hold tight.”

Up next was another Trey solo song, “Plasma.”  I don’t think then they play two solo songs in a row very often.  And this one has only been done 7 times (I’m turning into one of those stat guys!).

Then came “Light.”  It’s a wonderfully upbeat song with a super catchy chorus.  I wouldn’t think of it as a jamming song but they stretched it our for 20 joyous minutes. It was followed by an amazing rendition of “Wading in the Velvet Sea.”  I have always loved this pretty, meandering song and really never thought they’d ever play it.  It sounded amazing and the lights for this song were spectacular with Kuroda creating an underwater vibe as the lights washed around the audience (from our vantage point anyhow).  I would have though this song was longer because of its tone but it was only 5 minutes.  It was like a chill out sandwich between two big jammers.

This summer when Armando and I saw Phish they played an amazing version of “Split Open and Melt.”   It got really dark and trippy and was a highlight of the two shows for both of us.  This is a great song that I love, so I didn’t mind hearing it for a third time.  It was great watching it from our vantage point and seeing Fish do his fills.  They ended set two with it tonight and this version came a close second, with some great lighting effects as the band took the song to the dark side again.  In addition to the groovy bass, this song lends itself to all kinds of musical exploration.  One of the cooler things during the jams is when Trey decides to hit some high peaks and Kuroda is there with him.  From the front, the lights go bright white and it’s almost blinding.  From behind the stage, you get to see the whole arena lit up, which is even cooler.  They jammed “SOAM” for over 18 minutes to a satisfying encore break.

During the encore break the Saratoga guy leaned over to me and said “We’re seeing something very special here tonight.”  He paused and said “I’m very high right ow, but I know I’m seeing something very special tonight.”  Obviously I’ve seen a lot of pot passed around at Phish shows, but this was insane, I think every other person around me had his own stash that he was sharing with everyone around him.

The band came back for an encore and started the great riff of “Funky Bitch.”  I love the Phish version, but I’d never heard the original.  Boy I did not like the original when I listened to it.  But the Phish version is awesome.

One last shout out to Kuroda’s lights.  I don’t know what you call this, but this was one of the coolest lighting effects I’ve ever seen.

Then came “Wilson.”  “Wilson” is the other song I’ve heard three times.  In fact, it was the first song they played the first time I saw them.  And yet it works so well at any point in a set, even as an encore.  The crowd will just always get into it–and the glow sticks will fly.

I couldn’t believe they gave us two encore songs and this was a fun ending for sure.

And yet they didn’t leave.  They played “Rocky Top”  The statistician next to me said they play this when they think they’ve played a great, memorable show.  That was good to know. It’s a song I love hearing on the live recordings and it was even more satisfying to see it live.

I was sure that that was the end, so I was utterly gobsmacked that they launched into a fourth encore song!

And just to tie up my night perfectly it was “Cavern” from A Picture of Nectar. It was especially notable because as Armando showed me into his house, he showed me their doormat, which has the lyrics “Whatever you do take care of your shoes” from “Cavern.”  Synchronicity, baby!

As the band left the stage, Trey came our way and held up a gifted “Faceplant into rock” T-shirt.

It was a truly exceptional show.  I had it in the back of my head that this might be my last Phish show (six is a lot), but this show was so much fun, that when they announced three shows in Camden I knew I’d try to get to all three.

Our fortuitous evening continued as the train was waiting for us when we got into the station.  We chatted with a guy who was also at the show and made it back to their place in pretty good time.

I met and petted their cats good night, they loaded me up with goodies and I made it home probably by 2:30.  I can’t imagine how late I’d be if I went on NYE.

It was such a fun evening, such a good time.  I’m going to try to convince S. to come to a show this summer just for the fun atmosphere and to meet Armando who I’m sure will be going.

December 30, 2018 Madison Square Garden

SET ONE

Alumni Blues

Letter to Jimmy Page

Mike’s Song (2)

Glide II (first since 1995)

Weekapaug Groove (2)

Crosseyed and Painless

Bliss

Billy Breathes (2)

No Men in No Man’s Land (3)

Tube

More

SET TWO

Cool Amber and Mercury

Everything’s Right [Trey song] (3)

Plasma

Light (2)

Wading in the Velvet Sea

Split Open and Melt (3)

ENCORE

Funky Bitch (2)

Wilson (3)

Rocky Top

Cavern