Last year I took my family to Phish on New Year’s Eve and we had a great time. The show was fun and being in New York City after midnight was a hoot.
I have gone to at least one show of their New Year’s run for the past few years, but this year I just didn’t feel like it.
Getting to the City is a pain and I was looking forward to relaxing and having no late nights for a while.
So, even though there’s probably going to be an amazing New Year’s spectacle planned, after seeing Gamehendge last year (my 17th Phish show), I ‘m taking some time off.
I have seen many Phish shows (not nearly as many as most Phish fans, but more Phish than any other band). The one show I wanted to go to that I hadn’t yet was New Year’s Eve at Madison Square Garden.
I wasn’t ever going to pay crazy prices for the show, so I always tried to get them in the lottery or through Ticketmaster. And this year I actually did. The key was also that I needed to get 4 tickets so my whole family could go–I wouldn’t spend New Year’s Eve without them. I wasn’t sure how keen the kids would be about seeing a band they didn’t know, but they were all pretty excited about the idea of being in New York, at a concert, as the New Year dawned.
So I was happy to kick back and enjoy the show, with my biggest concern being that the kids weren’t too bored during the long solos. But I promised them that there would be some kind of New Year’s gag to entertain them.
Little did I know that the gag was probably tame for them compared to what I’d described, but it was incredible for me and meaningful in a way I never imagined.
I had noticed that they hadn’t played “Possum” at MSG on this run. It’s their second most played song (and one I hadn’t seen them play in 16 shows) so I thought I’d have a good chance of seeing it. And maybe one or two others on my list.
Little did I know that I would be in for THE FIRST TIME THEY PLAYED THE GAMEHENDGE STORY IN NEARLY 30 YEARS (which includes Possum).
The show started with a lengthy version of “Everything’s Right.” This is a newer song that I have heard five times already. Trey must just sense my presence. They followed it with “Tube.” It’s a weird song with a jerky rhythm that I really like. This version featured a lengthy jam that quoted the Mary Tyler Moore theme song.
Up next was a brand new song (debuted this summer) that I hadn’t heard before. “Ether Edge” shows that Trey is still writing songs, and most of them are uplifting and positive.
It was a lovely song but I was super psyched when the band did a sidestep to play a song from Lawn Boy. I’ve seen “Reba” (a big favorite for me) twice, but this is the first time they played the whole thing (including the whistling ending, which they seem to have been leaving out as of late).
I have a lengthy list of songs I’ve never seen live and which I would like to see. And every once in a while they play a song that I have never seen that I didn’t realize I wanted to see, like “Taste,” a classic rock sounding song from Billy Breathes.
I have never really listened to the Ghosts in the Forest record which is kind of a shame since I’ve heard so much of it live. “Ruby Waves” gets better with each listen. It was followed by one of Trey’s newer, sweeter songs, “A Life Beyond the Dream.” The set ended (rather early I thought) with a rocking and fun “Character Zero.”
I had seen in previous years that the act break was pretty long between the two main parts of the set. We stayed put as everyone had gotten up and we were rewarded because they started set two much earlier than I thought they would.
I was pretty excited that they opened Set two with “Down with Disease,” a fun rocker–I wanted my kids to be into the rockers before the meandering jams started.
And then they started playing “Harpua.” There was ONE song I wanted to hear at this show, and I hoped I’d get “Possum” but instead I got Harpua! It was so rare in my mind, that it wasn’t even on my list. And then Trey started talking. And he mentioned Gamehendge. And soon enough, my mind was blown.
I don’t even know if I have the words.
I’m not a first-gen Phish fan, I got into them around 1998. But they were super easy to get really into because they released a lot of live albums. And you could quickly get sucked into the mythology and realize that you missed out on all the secret languages that they band developed with their fans. Including Gamehendge. Sure, they played Harpua from time to time, but, as was quickly pointed out once the show started Phish never played Gamehendge. Live for Live Music gives some stats:
Prior to 12/31/23, the band had played Gamehendge—referring to the collective group of songs and their complete, accompanying narration—in concert only four times (that we know of): 3/12/88 at Nectar’s, 3/22/93 in Sacramento, CA, 6/26/94 in West Virginia (which also a near-complete performance of Phish’s Hoist album), and 7/8/94 in Mansfield, MA. There was also the 10/13/91 show in Olympia, WA that featured most but not all of the Gamehendge saga/narration, so that one gets an asterisk on most peoples’ list. Phish-nerds gonna Phish-nerd.
Over the nearly three decades since the last Gamehendge show in 1994, Phish seemed content to leave the land of Lizards in the past. The individual songs themselves have never disappeared from the repertoire, but until New Year’s Eve, chasing Gamehendge at a live show amounted to a pipe dream for generations of Phish fans: “What do you want to hear tonight? Gamehendge? Right, cool. Wouldn’t we all. Not gonna happen.”
So even if I’ve only been into Phish for 25 years, it was still an incredible moment. I may not have been to 100 shows (this was my 17th), and I feel incredibly lucky to have been there in person, I still feel like I earned it (unlike my kids who were like, “what’s happening”).
It was pretty amazing to be there on site as it happened. Even if we were behind the stage and couldn’t really see the performance, the place was electric. And yes, I was moved to tears at being there, watching that giant rhimbus take over the stage was something else.
In my experience, I would have typically been at the show the night before (like when we went to see Pearl Jam in Philly on the night BEFORE they played Ten front to back). The fact that I was there was pretty amazing.
And now Phish has released the entire Gamehendge saga on 4K stream on YouTube (you can’t see us behind the stage).
I also never realized that so many of the songs that were on my “gotta hear” list were from this saga. I got “The Lizards” and “Punch You in the Eye.”
And of course I knew that “Fly Famous Mockingbird” was part of the saga but to hear it live WITH a massive drone bird flying around was incredible.
And it ended just as they sang Auld Lang Syne (my kids point out that he did the count down about a minute and a half before it actually turned midnight (and that the the song itself ended at exactly midnight), but who needs exactitude, right?
How do you top that? Can you even top it?
Well, how about with a really jamming Split Open and Melt. And then with a nearly 25 minute You Enjoy Myself (making this a true YEMSG).
And surely that would be the end. But no, how about a ripping cover of The Rolling Stone’s “Loving Cup.” One which the whole crowd could sing along to.
I assumed there would be an encore (but really, after all that?) And actually I assumed it would be a Tweezer Reprise because they had played Tweezer but did not play the Reprise.
But they couldn’t let us leave before 1AM. And so, there was a super fun Cavern a fantastic First Tube (one of my faves) and then a night-ending Tweezer Reprise.
It was an incredible night.
We got some street cart food on the way home (and happened to stop on a street where there was a massive accident and police chase and then a massive line up for the bus. But they threw on an extra bus driver for us and we wound up getting home some time around 4:30 AM
A pretty unforgettable New Year’s Eve.
I’m honestly not sure if I ever need to see Phish again after that. But I feel like I need to go to more shows to show my appreciation.
Thanks guys.
~~~~
A Phish.net site lists every song that Phish has every played and when the last time it was played. So I decided to make my own personal ultimate list of Phish songs I’d like to see.
According to that site, there are about 200 songs I’m likely to hear live [not including one offs and gags and such]. The completist in me would love to hear all of those songs, (some they haven’t played in years, so that’s unlikely). But given that enormous list, I have selected the 25 or so songs that I want to hear live (the ones on the bottom are the rest of the Kasvot Voxt album and it would be cool to get the whole thing, but not essential). These are in order of frequency of play (as of 12/31/23 their most frequently played song is “You Enjoy Myself” 634 times).
Golgi Apparatus (11th of the list) [475] J
Foam (20th) [352] J
Maze (23nd) [338] [Split Open and Melt has been played 344 times and I have seen it 6 times)
Sample in a Jar (32nd) [305] [saw it TREY SOLO]
Fee (35th) [286] J (Slave to the Traffic Light has been played 272 time and I have seen it 4 times)
It’s Ice (40th) [254]
Silent in the Morning (61st) [185]
Prince Caspian (65th) [175]
Twist (66th) [175]
Scent of a Mule (79th)[146]
Big Black Furry Creatures from Mars (81st) [142] (They have covered Loving Cup 146 times and I have seen it 3 times)
Guyute [133]
Heavy Things [98] [TAB played it]
Farmhouse [85] [TREY played it]
Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan [80]
Joy [55]
A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing [46] (Everything’s Right has been played 53 times and I have seen it 5 times)
Weigh [45]
Kung [39]
Pebbles and Marbles [28]
Fuck Your Face [20]
Ass Handed [19]
Mexican Cousin [15]
*We Are Come to Outlive Our Brains [Kasvot Växt] [10]
*Stray Dog [Kasvot Växt] [4]
*Everything is Hollow [Kasvot Växt] [4]
*Play By Play [Kasvot Växt] [3]
And these are the songs I’ve seen the most:
The six, five and four timers club [bold songs were played at this last show]
Mike’s Song [6]
Weekapaug Groove [6]
Split Open and Melt [6]
You Enjoy Myself [6]
Wilson [6]
Suzy Greenberg [5]
46 Days [5]
Everything’s Right [5]
Down with Disease [4]
Roggae [4]
Slave to the Traffic Light [4]
More [4]
Carini [4]
I am Hydrogen [4]
Back on the Train [4]
Blaze On [4]
Walls of the Cave [4]
No Men in No Man’s Land [4]
Chalk Dust Torture [4]
Ruby Waves [4]
Tube [4]
Tweezer Reprise [4]
December 31, 2023 [Madison Square Garden night 4 of 4]
July 25, 2023 [Mann Center night 1 of 2]
SET ONE
SET ONE
Everything’s Right (11:38) [Trey song] (5)
Strawberry Letter 23 [Shuggie Otis] 4:20
Tube (8:09) [4]
Bathtub Gin 14:35 (2)
Ether Edge (4:26) [Trey song]
Back on the Train 8:28 [4]
Reba [with whistle] (12:10) [3]
The Squirming Coil 7:19 [2]
Taste (7:23)
Axilla (Part II) 5:41 [2]
Ruby Waves (9:20) [Ghosts of the Forest] [4]
Ya Mar 7:10 [2]
A Life Beyond the Dream (7:26) [2]
Blaze On 10:16 [4]
Character Zero (5:16) [3]
Waste 5:42 [3]
SET TWO
Walls of the Cave 10:16 [4]
Down with Disease 8:26 [4]
46 Days 6:08 [5]
Harpua (9:01)
SET TWO
Gamehendge
Down with Disease 16:48 [3]
The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday (2:38)
The Well 20:38 [Eighth longest song I’ve seen]
The Lizards (9:50)
No Men in No Man’s Land 6:10 [4]
Punch You in the Eye (6:24) ~
Beneath a Sea of Starts (Part 1) [Ghosts of the Forest] 9:07 [3]
AC/DC Bag (18:57) [2]
Piper 9:10[3]
Tela (7:38) [2]
Crosseyed and Painless 6:53 [Talking Heads] [2]
Llama [fast version] (4:26) [2] ~
Chalk Dust Torture 8:04 [4]
Wilson (4:34) [6]
ENCORE
The Sloth (5:20) [2]
Wading in the Velvet Sea 5:05 [2]
Divided Sky (13:42) [2] ~
Fire [Jimi Hendrix] 4:43 [2]
SET THREE
McGrupp And The Watchful Hosemasters (8:57) ~
Colonel Forbin’s Ascent (5:52)
Fly Famous Mockingbird (7:47)
Auld Lang Syne (1:25)
Split Open and Melt (14:26) [6]
You Enjoy Myself (23:46) [6]
Loving Cup (8:04) [3] (Rolling Stones)
Possum (11:02)
ENCORE
Cavern (4:42) [2]
First Tube (7:46) [3]
Tweezer Reprise (3:41) [4]
August 7, 2022 [Atlantic City night 3 of 3]
August 7, 2022 [Atlantic City night 1 of 3]
SET ONE
SET ONE
Wolfman’s Brother 11:37
Chalk Dust Torture 7:39 [3]
Tube 12:07 [3]
Wilson 4:18 [5]
Mountains in the Mist 6:57
Sand 11:19 [saw TAB play it too]
Ocelot 11:10
Plasma 8:25 [2]
Fluffhead 14:28 [2]
Theme from the Bottom 8:10 [3]
Mercury 7:09 [2]
Back on the Train 7:50 [3]
Gumbo 4:49 [2]
Sigma Oasis 21:29 [Sixth longest song I’ve seen]
Carini 9:53 [4]
Cities 4:43 [Talking Heads] [2]
SET TWO
More 6:00 [4]
Mike’s Song 7:19 [6]
SET TWO
I am Hydrogen 7:01 [4]
Axilla (Part II) 5:54
Weekapaug Groove 8:13 [6]
Soul Planet 14:52 [Trey song] [2]
A Wave of Hope 19:23
Down with Disease 20:51 [2] [Seventh longest song I’ve seen]
You Enjoy Myself 23:46 [5] [Fifth longest song I’ve seen]
Ruby Waves 14:39 [Ghosts of the Forest] [3]
Suzy Greenberg 7:21 [5]
Down with Disease 0:50 [2]
ENCORE
Ghost 12:17 [2 plus 1 slow version]
Wading in the Velvet Sea 5:43 [2]
Harry Hood 14:54 [2]
First Tube 7:21 [2]
ENCORE
Sleeping Monkey 4:13
Free 10:35 [2]
July 20, 2022 [Mann Center night 2 of 2]
July 19, 2022 [Mann Center night 1 of 2]
SET ONE
SET ONE
Steam (8:27) [3]
Space Oddity [David Bowie] (5:27) (a cappella) (first time since 2017)
Runaway Jim (11:50) [2]
Martian Monster (5:50) [2]
Tela (6:46)
Halley’s Comet (17:03) [2] (Richard Wright cover)
Kill Devil Falls (10:59) [2]
Stash (11:57)
Theme from the Bottom (7:51) [2]
The Moma Dance (7:22) [3]
Birds of a Feather (6:16) [3]
Gotta Jibboo (8:09) [2]
I Didn’t Know (4:36) [with vacuum solo] (Richard Wright)
Shade (4:27) [saw Trey perform at Newport]
Funky Bitch (6:48) [3] (Son Seals)
Old Home Place (3:27) (The Dillards)
Split Open and Melt (14:58) [5]
Walls of the Cave (11:49) (3)
SET TWO
SET TWO
AC/DC Bag (10:01)
More (5:37) [3]
Soul Planet (9:51) [Trey song]
Tweezer (15:54) [3]
Simple (14:50) [3]
Cities (5:03) [Talking Heads]
Light (9:28) [3]
Tweezer (4:53) [3]
Party Time (7:34)
Passing Through [Kasvot Växt] (4:34)
Lonely Trip (7:34) [Trey song]
Izabella (4:01) [2] (Jimi Hendrix)
David Bowie (13:10) [2]
Tweezer (4:40) [3]
ENCORE
Mercury (7:30)
Waste (5:29) [2]
Piper (13:59) [2]
Loving Cup (7:41) [2] (Rolling Stones)
Tweezer (1:11) [3]
Also Sprach Zarathustra / 2001 (7:48) [2] (Richard Strauss cover)
Character Zero (7:26) [2]
ENCORE
Drift While You’re Sleeping [Ghosts of the Forest] (11:45)
Tweezer Reprise (3:37) [3]
August 15, 2021 [Atlantic City night 3 of 3]
August 14, 2021 [Atlantic City night 2 of 3]
SET ONE
SET ONE
The Landlady (6:08)
Llama [slow version] (8:03)
Scents and Subtle Sounds (pt. 1) (1:59)
Tube (7:56) [2]
The Moma Dance [slow] (14:06)
Destiny Unbound (7:24)
The Final Hurrah [Kasvot Växt] (8:25) [2]
Ya Mar (6:36)
Mike’s Song (9:30) [5]
46 Days (7:57) [4]
I am Hydrogen (2:56) [3]
Reba [no whistle] (12:03) [2]
Weekapaug Groove (8:09) [5]
Soul Shakedown Party (6:02)
The Sloth (4:32)
Split Open and Melt (15:36) [4]
Roggae (8:18) [4]
The Squirming Coil (9:57)
Back on the Train (5:23) [2]
You Enjoy Myself (20:02) [4]
SET TWO
SET TWO
Carini (15:44) [3]
I Never Needed You Like This Before (5:21)
Set Your Soul Free (10:49) [Trey Song] [2]
Drowned (15:54)
Beneath a Sea of Starts (Part 1) [Ghosts of the Forest] (8:20) [2]
Ghost [slow version] (11:47) [1 first slow version]
Piper (11:57) [a bit more Carini]
Scents and Subtle Sounds (pt 2 only) (4:56)
Waves (6:33)
Chalk Dust Torture (8:30) [2]
Simple (6:42) [2]
No Quarter (8:06)
About to Run [Ghosts of the Forest song] (6:47) [2]
Slave to the Traffic Light (10:15) [4]
First Tube (8:21)
Suzy Greenberg (7:48) [4]
ENCORE
ENCORE
A Life Beyond the Dream (7:46)
Fluffhead (15:01)
Tweezer Reprise (3:38) [2]
Backwards Down the Number Line (8:45) [2]
December 30, 2019 Madison Square Garden [night 3 of 4]
December 29, 2019 Madison Square Garden [night 2 of 4]
SET ONE
Wilson (4:49) (4)
Turtle in the Clouds (7:51) [Kasvot Växt]
The Final Hurrah (7:37) [Kasvot Växt]
The Moma Dance (7:54) (2)
46 Days (8:40) (3)
Kill Devil Falls (8:40)
The Ballad of Curtis Loew (5:02) [Lynyrd Skynyrd cover]
Yarmouth Road (7:12) [Mike song]
Blaze On (17:17) (3)
The Wedge (7:41)
Corinna (5:32) [Taj Mahal cover]
Beauty of a Broken Heart (5:28) [Page song]
Mike’s Song (6:24) (4)
Fuego (9:16) (2)
Contact (6:13)
My Friend, My Friend (5:25) (no Myfe ending)
Weekapaug Groove (4:59) (4)
Birds of a Feather (5:42) (2)
About to Run (7:47) [Ghosts of the Forest song]
While My Guitar Gently Weeps (7:12) [The Beatles cover] (first time since 2013)
More (8:18) (2)
Walls of the Cave (11:07) (2)
SET TWO
SET TWO
Tweezer (36:08) (2) [LONGEST SONG I’VE SEEN]
Carini (13:52) (2)
Pan Story (3:25)
Back on the Train (6:22)
Ruby Waves (13:23) [Ghosts of the Forest] (2)
Bathtub Gin (15:44)
Steam (with Tweezer reprise and Ruby Waves reprise) (11:53) (2)
Golden Age [TV on the Radio] (11:06) (2)
Slave to the Traffic Light (9:28) (3)
Also Sprach Zarathustra / 2001 (8:16) [Richard Strauss cover]
ENCORE
Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley (5:12) [Lee Dorsey cover]
Rock & Roll (7:19) [Velvet Underground cover]
Chalk Dust Torture (5:19)
Harry Hood (18:53)
ENCORE
Show of Life (5:35) [Trey song] (2)
Run Like an Antelope (9:08)
Camden, June 29, 2019
December 30, 2018 Madison Square Garden [night 3 of 4]
SET ONE
SET ONE
Mike’s Song (9:12) (3)
Alumni Blues (5:14)
I Am Hydrogen (3:02) (2)
Letter to Jimmy Page > Alumni Blues (1:53)
Weekapaug Groove (8:01) (3)
Mike’s Song (9:14) (2)
Divided Sky (15:48)
Glide II (4:03) (first since 1995)
Everything’s Right (9:50) [Trey song] (4)
Weekapaug Groove (12:38) (2)
Guelah Papyrus (5:22)
Crosseyed and Painless (8:50)
Sparkle (3:51) (3)
Bliss (1:39)
Roggae (7:59) (3)
Billy Breathes (5:35) (2)
46 Days (10:31) (2)
No Men in No Man’s Land (7:50) (3)
SET TWO
Tube > Weekapaug Groove > Tube (10:02)
Blaze On (9:23) (2)
More (6:23)
NICU (4:57)
SET TWO
Golden Age (8:27) [TV on the Radio]
Cool Amber and Mercury (9:35) [Kasvot Växt]
Ruby Waves (13:38)[Ghosts of the Forest]
Everything’s Right (15:30) [Trey song] (3)
Death Don’t Hurt Very Long (2:57) [Kasvot Växt]
Plasma (9:09)
Rift (6:11) (3)
Light (20:01) (2)
Beneath a Sea of Stars Part 1 (8:10) [Ghosts of the Forest] [debut]
Wading in the Velvet Sea (5:25)
Waiting All Night (4:59)
Split Open and Melt (18:26) (3)
Ghost (8:17)
ENCORE
Say It to Me S.A.N.T.O.S (6:42) [Kasvot Växt]
Funky Bitch (5:33) (2) (Son Seals)
ENCORE
Wilson (4:10) (3)
You Enjoy Myself (19:50) (3)
Rocky Top (2:40)
Grind (1:51) (a capella)
Cavern (4:45)
Camden August 8, 2018
Camden, August 7, 2018
SET ONE
SET ONE
The Moma Dance (9:34)
Crowd Control (5:20)
Free (8:03)
No Men in No Man’s Land (7:34) (2)
Undermind (8:27)
Blaze On (11:22)
Theme From the Bottom (8:23)
Lawn Boy (4:16)
My Sweet One (2:09)
Infinite (9:26)
Steam (8:38)
Wilson (4:08) (2)
Train Song (3:09)
Roggae (9:29) (2)
Halley’s Comet (6:29)
Rift (6:08) (2)
Everything’s Right [Trey song] (16:41) (2)
46 Days (9:41) [with Theme from S.W.A.T. tease]
SET TWO
Sparkle (3:34) (2)
Julius (8:06)
David Bowie (11:27)
Carini (11:49)
SET TWO
Set Your Soul Free (10:52) [Trey song]
Down with Disease (24:28) [3rd LONGEST SONG I’VE SEEN]
Wingsuit (9:05)
Backwards Down the Number Line (8:28)
Scents and Subtle Sounds (12:04)
I Always Wanted It That Way (8:45)
Waste (6:20)
Miss You (6:25)
Split Open and Melt (11:59) (2)
Light (16:30)
Character Zero (8:47)
Mike’s Song (7:32)
ENCORE
I Am Hydrogen (3:08)
Suzy Greenberg (6:33) (3)
Weekapaug Groove (8:46)
ENCORE
Show of Life (Trey song) (6:02)
2017 Bakers Dozen Night 13 [Glazed]
2017 Bakers Dozen Night 1 [Coconut]
SET ONE
SET ONE
Dogs Stole Things (4:57)
Shake Your Coconuts (3:37) [Junior Senior cover]
Rift (6:25)
Martian Monster (6:02)
Ha Ha Ha (1:36)
Timber ho! (8:29) [Josh White cover] (2)
Camel Walk (6:20)
555 (7:30)
Crazy Sometimes (7:38) [Mike song]
Pigtail (8:00) [Trey song]
Saw It Again (6:08)
Halfway to the Moon (8:44)
Sanity (5:32)
Reba (12:53) (no whistling end)
Bouncing Around the Room (4:01)
Moonage Daydream (6:07) [David Bowie cover]
Most Events Aren’t Planned (11:38) [Vida Blue song]
Walls of the Cave (11:45)
Bug (7:05)
SET TWO
I Been Around (3:55)
Tweezer (16:12)
Izabella (6:42) [Jimi Hendrix song]
Seven Below (13:10)
SET TWO
Billy Breathes (5:27)
Simple (25:58) [2nd LONGEST SONG I’VE SEEN]
Sparkle (4:08)
Rise/Come Together (7:28) [Trey song]
Everything’s Right (11:42) [Trey song]
Starman (5:27) [David Bowie song]
Slave to the Traffic Light (9:23) (2)
You Enjoy Myself (24:01) (2) [4th LONGEST SONG I’VE SEEN]
Suzy Greenberg (8:09) (2)
Loving Cup (7:48) [The Rolling Stones song]
Coconut (3:18) (a capella) [Harry Nilsson cover]
ENCORE
ENCORE
On the Road Again (2:32) [Willie Nelson cover]
The Mango Song (7:42)
Lawn Boy Reprise (1:28)
Good Times, Bad Times (5:44) [Led Zeppelin cover]
Bass Solo (0:30)
Tweezer Reprise (3:56)
2016 Mann Center
SET ONE
Wilson (5:09)
Funky Bitch (6:14) [Son Seals cover]
No Men in No Man’s Land (8:16)
Roggae (9:46)
Nellie Kane (2:59) [Hot Rize cover]
Gumbo (6:21)
Birds of a Feather (7:35)
Sleep Again (6:05) [Trey song]
Things People Do (2:49)
Limb By Limb (7:19)
Split Open and Melt (10:18)
The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony (1:43)
Suzy Greenberg (6:40)
SET TWO
Fuego (16:04)
Runaway Jim (7:52)
Gotta Jibboo (8:51)
Breath and Burning (9:34)
Timber ho! (5:36) [Josh White cover]
Slave to the Traffic Light (9:36)
You Enjoy Myself (18:43)
ENCORE
Quinn the Eskimo (4:49) [Bob Dylan cover]
Junta:
Lawn Boy: complete
Picture of Nectar: Eliza*; Poor Heart; Manteca*; Faht*; Catapult*; Glide (have seen glide II)
Rift: Fast Enough for You; Lengthwise*; Maze; Horn; Weigh*; All Things Reconsidered*; Mound; It’s Ice; The Horse*; Silent in the Morning
Hoist: If I Could; Riker’s Mailbox*; Lifeboy; Scent of a Mule; Dog Faced Boy; Demand ; Yerushalayim Shel Zahav
Billy Breathes: Cars Trucks Buses; Talk; Swept Away, Steep; Prince Caspian
The Story of the Ghost: Meat; Guyute; Fikus;
Farmhouse: Twist; Heavy Things; Dirt; Sleep; The Inlaw Josie Wales
Round Room: Pebbles and Marbles; Anything But Me; Round Room; Mexican Cousin; Friday; All of These Dreams; Thunderhead;
Undermind: The Connection; A Song a I Heard The Ocean Sing; Army of One; Maggie’s Revenge; Nothing; Two Versions of Me; Access me; Tomorrow’s Song; Secret Smile
Joy: Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan; Joy; Sugar Shack; Time Turns Elastic; Twenty Years Later
Fuego: The Line; Devotion to a Dream; Winterqueen; Sing Monica; Wombat
Big Boat
Sigma Oasis
I have been to the Phish New Year’s Eve run a few times. I went on Night 3 in 2018 and nights 2 and 3 in 2019. But I’ve never been to New Year’s Eve.
I have reached the point where Madison Square Garden is too much of a hassle for me, so I wasn’t even planning on trying to get tickets for these shows. But I figured I’d give New Year’s Eve a shot and I actually got some!
So I had no desire to go to these shows.
It’s possible that New Year’s Eve will be my last Phish show (that will make 17 shows). I don’t really feel the need to go for 20, but they do keep drawing me back in.
I’m not going to The Sphere, though, as cool as that sounds.
At the end of last year, my wife and daughter went with me to see Måneskin in Philly. It was a great show. Super fun, with a great classic rock n roll swagger that you don’t see much these days (for better and worse).
The songs were catchy, the band was fun and it was a great time.
They announced a new tour although this time they weren’t hitting Philly (which is weird since they sold out two nights in Philly last time), but they were playing Madison Square Garden (the big time).
It’s unlikely that we’d all be going to Madison Square Garden, especially on a school night. But when the tickets were announced they were so damned expensive that I just said no. And the other two didn’t mind.
It looks like they have either sold out or there’s only a few random seats left. So good for them.
[DID NOT ATTEND: September 28, 2022] Pet Shop Boys / New Order / Paul Oakenfield: The Unity Tour [rescheduled from September 12, 2020 and September 22, 2021]
This concert was postponed twice. And now it was finally happening.
I had seen Pet Shop Boys a few years ago and definitely wanted to see them again. I had never seen New Order but new it would be a fun show. I had no real opinion of Paul Oakenfield.
[DID NOT ATTEND: April 20 & 21, 2022] Phish [rescheduled from December 29, 30, 31 2021 and January 1, 2022]
I wasn’t exactly happy that Phish cancelled their New Year’s run at MSG. Well, actually I was because I didn’t feel safe going out.
The rescheduled dates (around 4/20, ha ha) were doable except that it’s a birthday week in our house.
MSG is a pain in the ass to get to, so I wasn’t looking forward to the travel. Then Phish announced more summer shows–in Philly and Atlantic City. Suddenly I had tickets to seven Phish shows in four months. That was too much even by my standards, so I sold these two on Cash or Trade and someone else got to enjoy the shows.
[POSTPONED: September 22, 2021] Pet Shop Boys / New Order: The Unity Tour [rescheduled from September 12, 2020 moved to September 28, 2022]
As a touring band of a certain age (and financial situation), it didn’t surprise me that this tour was postponed one more year–what do they need to put themselves at risk for? I bought these tickets on Feb 26, 2020!
However, I was pleased that this time the show isn’t the day after the My Chemical Romance show,
I saw the Pet Shop Boys in Morristown a few years ago. The show was great. The guys sounded amazing and I had a really good time–except for the crowd around me. They were all loud and talking and tall and pushing. I wished I’d gotten better seats as well. So I told myself if they toured again I would see them if conditions were good.
Well, how about if they toured with New Order? I’ve been a fan of New Order forever but I’ve never seen them live. I’m not even sure I ever really wanted to see them live. But putting them together with New Order was perfect. I didn’t realize that peter Hook had left the band. I did see that he was doing solo shows, but I didn’t realize he had no main band anymore. I also didn’t realized they’d put out any new music since Get Ready. Well, I hope they were just going to play the hits.
I didn’t really want to go to Madison Square Garden, but I’ve had good luck there lately so I picked it over any other large venue.
On June 11, I got the news that PetShop Boys & NewOrder – The Unity Tour was to be postponed until next year. I had pretty good seats, so I’m glad I get to keep them. I’ve waited a while to see them again, what’s one more year?
[POSTPONED: September 12, 2020] Pet Shop Boys / New Order: The Unity Tour [moved September 22, 2021]
I saw the Pet Shop Boys in Morristown a few years ago. The show was great. The guys sounded amazing and I had a really good time–except for the crowd around me. They were all loud and talking and tall and pushing. I wished I’d gotten better seats as well. So I told myself if they toured again I would see them if conditions were good.
Well, how about if they toured with New Order? I’ve been a fan of New Order forever but I’ve never seen them live. I’m not even sure I ever really wanted to see them live. But putting them together with New Order was perfect. I didn’t realize that peter Hook had left the band. I did see that he was doing solo shows, but I didn’t realize he had no main band anymore. I also didn’t realized they’d put out any new music since Get Ready. Well, I hope they were just going to play the hits.
I didn’t really want to go to Madison Square Garden, but I’ve had good luck there lately so I picked it over any other large venue.
On June 11, I got the news that PetShop Boys & NewOrder – The Unity Tour was to be postponed until next year. I had pretty good seats, so I’m glad I get to keep them. I’ve waited a while to see them again, what’s one more year?
After last night’s show, I really didn’t have high hopes for knocking out a bunch of songs. I realize they don’t know what’s on my list, but it sometimes feels like they do and they keep spacing them out to make sure I come back.
For this show I had seats that I bought in the lottery. I never get good seats in the Phish lottery, but the tickets themselves are very cool–colorful and quite lovely. But I was up in the 200s for this show. And once again my row-mates were lame. Or maybe I’m the lame one. Whatever the case, this was my first show where I could see the video screen. The video screen is pretty terrible because the audio and video are out of synch. However, it did allow me to take a few good pictures of the guys.
Tonight’s trip into the city was much better. I’d picked a garage in the village, six blocks from Le Poisson Rouge, and this time I knew I’d be able to make the afterparty (Garcia Peoples, Chris Forsyth, Ryley Walker). I also managed to go into MSG through a different entrance (I really wish I could keep track of which entrances are the best). I managed to get the shirt that I liked (sold out last night) and get to my seat with ample time to spare. Let it be known that there is FAR LESS ROOM in the 200s than in the 100s!
But the lights soon dimmed and Trey played the four opening notes that can only mean one thing–“Wilson!” The very first time I saw Phish, they opened with “Wilson” and it was a wonderful moment. And sure, I’ve seen it four times, but it is such a great, exciting song live–so much crowd interaction–that I knew it would be a fun night. (more…)
I blew off two of the three Phish shows I had tickets to this summer. (I really should have gone to that Sunday show). Camden is such a hassle.
Somehow, I find getting to Madison Square Garden much less of a hassle–which makes literally no sense. These were my fourth and fifth times seeing them at MSG (compared to two in Camden). But this MSG trip involved driving into the city ($15 tunnel toll?) and then getting a garage. And, because I planned to go to an after party at Le Poisson Rouge with Marco Benevento, I decided to park in the village and subway it up. That’s actually a lot of hassle.
But it was worth it.
This was my eighth Phish show (I could be in double digits by now if I didn’t sell those Camden tickets).
The theory is that the Sunday night of the New Year’s Eve run is always great. And boy howdy was it. (more…)
Last year I took my family to Phish on New Year’s Eve and we had a great time. The show was fun and being in New York City after midnight was a hoot.
I saw the Pet Shop Boys in Morristown a few years ago. The show was great. The guys sounded amazing and I had a really good time–except for the crowd around me. They were all loud and talking and tall and pushing. I wished I’d gotten better seats as well. So I told myself if they toured again I would see them if conditions were good.
I Just Read About That... 