SOUNDTRACK: PHISH-LivePhish 12.01.95 Hersheypark Arnea, Hershey, PA (2006).
Speaking of 12.01.95 (see yesterday’s post), this show is the proper release from the soundchecks for the 11.14.95 disc set.
In addition to formal live releases and a series of 20 full show LivePhish releases (which were packaged in some horrible goo and have subsequently been ruined), Phish has also released some shows a but more formally as LivePhish archival “releases.” I don’t know if there is any specific reason for the release of any of them, but they seem to out out two or so a year.
There’s a pretty thorough review and essay (with photos) by Kevin Shapiro about the show here. And it provides a lot more context and Phish lore than I can, but I will quote him below.
The set opens with a fast rollicking version of “Buried Alive” (only 3 minutes long) which segues neatly into an intense “Down with Disease.” The seven minute song ends with Fish playing just high hats for a bit before seguing into “Theme form the Bottom” which is from Billy Breathes out the following year.
When that song ends they play into a fun fast version of “Poor Heart” which segues into “Wolfman’s Brother.” The staccato ending sequences nicely into a 7 minute “Chalk Dust Torture.”
Then comes the wonderful surprise of “Colonel Forbin’s Ascent.” As the song segues into “Fly Famous Mockingbird,” Trey takes some time to chat. He tells the audience a brief history of the planet. In the time of the ancient Greeks, philosophy, science and religion were all one thing. Science and religion split off. The Eastern style stated that everything is one. Western style focused on matter vs spirit and gave rise to modern concepts of religion. It seems like he’s getting very serious. Then he talks about how eastern religious led to cows which led to milk which led to milk chocolate. Chocolate. The Mystical Land of Chocolate. Then he says there is only one place where science religion and philosophy are one thing—Gamehendge. And then he talks about the Rhombus which can be found in King of Prussia. Find Wilson Dr. (Although presumably this gives the truth behind the rhombus). There’s parts near the end where the song fades in and out in a very cool way.
Then they play a fairly dark version of “Stash” and a rocking version of “Cavern” to end the set. It’s interesting that “Chalk Dust,” “Stash” and “Cavern” were also on the 11.14.95 set).
Stash followed with a formidable jam that stretched out instrumentally, locking into a dissonant theme that ignited the highest improvisation of the set. The whole band linked up beautifully for this jam, evoking a Dave’s Energy Guide-ish vibe and at points recalling the expectation-smashing heights of the Orlando Stash weeks before. After Stash returned to terra firma, Cavern closed the set, leaving “15 minutes” of recovery and preparation before the even sweeter second set that defined this show.
Set two opens with a chess move from an 11-year-old boy (who is now in his thirties (!!!). They begin the music with an a capella (doo-wop) version of “Halley s Comet.” It ends with a cool segue into “Mike’s Song,” a 20 minute jam with a really long piano solo from Page ans a nice end that rumbles into “Weekapaug Groove.” [Read Shapiro’s eloquent discussion about this transition]. There’s a quiet solo in the middle of the song with a brief clap-along. But it pulls out of that to get noisy and chaotic by the end. Things mellow out with “Mango Song” but the crowd erupts for a short (5 minute) fast version of “Wilson.”
Things get a little silly with Fish singing “Suspicious Minds.” (I just found a video for this—Fish comes out weaving an Elvis Cape and a big glasses. It ends with a fast “Hold Your Head Up” keyboard romp (with Trey on drums).
When things settle down Fish starts playing the high hats for “David Bowie,” but before the song begins, Trey sings “Catapult.” And then before the song can begin again, in the trippy intro Trey starts moaning “Chocolate.” There’s a brief Simpsons riff and a Do’h and then they launch into the song proper (about 2:30 into the song). There is a long middle with lot so solos and then a fast, tidy ending.
The encore is a romping 7 minute “Suzy Greenberg.” It’s another great show.
Even if it is a bit shorter than the previous one–that personalized chocolate section and the Colonel Forbin’s is pretty great.
[READ: November 25, 2016] Eating Fish Alone/Country Cooking from Central France
I really enjoy Lydia Davis’ stories. I always find them a little weird since most of the time they feel more like little diary entries rather than stories. Each narrator seems to be pretty clearly her, and each story seems like a gripe she has about something that happened.
And yet, it is like the best diary entry you’ve ever read. Most of her stories are a couple of paragraphs long. I find I don’t really like the longer ones as much, which is kind of ironic given that the short ones seem so short.
So this is a collection of a few of her stories.
“The Mice” is a page and a half about how the mice in their house never go into their kitchen. Their kitchen is sloppy and full of food–why wouldn’t the mice go there?
“Meat, My Husband” starts with the narrator saying that her husband really loves meat. His favorite chidhood food was corned beef. But she, being a healthy person (and perhaps a bit obsessive) hardly makes meat (or uses butter). But her husband really enjoys a dessert–which he helps to make.
“Happiest Moment” is only one paragraph and is an interesting twist on happiness.
“Kafka Cooks Dinner” is much longer than the others and it gets a little repetitive. It is told from the point of view of a man looking to make a meal for his dear Milena. He puzzles over several different options. He wonders if he should serve the same to her as he did to Felice.
“Eating Fish Alone” is a story all about the neurotic narrator trying to figure out when and what fish she can eat. She says she pretty much only eats it alone because of the smell But she also a has a list of which fish she can eat–some is safe and others are not. She often asks the waiters about the fish, even though they don’t know much about the food. The end sees her eating a marlin steak.
Continuing with the food theme of this book, the other half of the book (flip it) is fully called Country Cooking from Central France Roast Boned Rolled Stuffed Shoulder of Lamb (Farce Double)
This is one of those stories that I never understand why they are written. Lengthy and very detailed all creating something that is possibly funny, but I’m not sure if it is–making a story out of something that is just a goofy recipe.
It is a 24 page recipe for Farce Double–the specialty of La Tour Lambert. It is an elaborate (beyond all reason) recipe that might make no sense to a foreigner.
You must marinade the giant lamb parts–in Paris they might use a bidet, you can use a bathtub. After extensive details you get sentences like: at some previous moment, you will have made the stuffing for the quenelles.
There are clay pots and giant pits and marinating for days and all of that.
The only thing that interrupts the recipe is the song that is sung during a break in the roasting. This song is about a blacksmith’s son who goes in search of his lost mother. He finds several women who take care of him, making him believe that each is his mother until she “does for him what mother a never did for her son.”
The feast of farce double is a moment for friendships to be renewed, for enemies to forgive one another, for lovers to embrace.
Serves thirteen.
Uh huh.
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SOUNDTRACK: PHISH-“The Very Long Fuse” (MGM Grand Garden Arena, Friday 10, 31, 2014).
In honor of Halloween, these Ghost Box stories will be attached to a recent Phish Halloween show [with quoted material from various reviews]. 
I Just Read About That... 