Category: UpstateLIVE Archives

Phish, an American summer tradition for more than 30 years, celebrated the 4th of July with arguably the high-watermark for Summer 2014, and the tour is only four shows old. The second night of the nearly-annual three night run at SPAC was arguably the strongest of the shows and featured new material from Fuego and not a single cover song – a stretch dating back to December 28th, 2013.

Naturally, the show opened with “The Star Spangled Banner”, on the 200th anniversary of the song’s birth during the War of 1812. “555”, the 2nd in 3 shows, filled in at the typical “Let’s play ‘Moma Dance’ and get the party started” slot, followed by “Kill Devil Falls” and then the first liftoff of the night with “Moma Dance”, later than usual but no complaints could be heard.

Then “Reba” appeared mid-first set, a seemingly rarer placement, but so perfect, as it kept things interesting and gave a chance for earlier than second set ethereal bliss. Speaking of bliss, “Waiting all Night” was a good pair to Reba, but also a good break time for anyone who hadn’t yet taken a minute to collect themselves amid an inspired and active first set. “Runaway Jim > 46 days, Rift” followed for a happy sing along dance time on the lawn.

“Split Open and Melt” – the potential set closer – continued the off and on dance frenzy of the show, flip-flopping back and forth between staples and jam vehicles. Melt’s ending jam was on par with versions from its last era of strong set closers, 2000. But this was not the end – “The Squirming Coil” emerged as the PERFECT first set closer, just as the sun was going down and the last bit of light left the Saratoga skies. Fishman hit the high note during “It got away…” and Trey lost it briefly before recovering. Page’s beautiful outro could have brought a tear to your eye.

When it comes to a seven-song second set, it means you have no complaints. Even with “Backwards Down the Number Line” showing up both expected and unexpected, we had one helluva time in those first five songs. “Fuego” is straight fire. Start to finish, a growing jam with a vibe in the same class as the 12/31/10 “Holy Ghost”, began with Mike’s bass groove and slowly pushed the jam, keeping Trey in check and progressing towards the beautiful jam that developed from the patience. The first must hear jam of the SPAC run, and the first Type II “Fuego” means we have a long and awesome summer ahead of us if this show is any indication.

“Down with Disease” and “Twist” were a nice 1-2 follow-up to “Fuego”, keeping the energy consistent and exhibiting great patience, a trait that Phish Trey does not always put forth. The result was Mike taking the lead on “Disease” with a recurring bass groove that flowed nicely while Page was nowhere to be found for a spell, although the mouth-popping noises were interesting as things eventually descended into “Twist”, full of ‘Woos’ and whatnot, but nothing too spectacular in this version.

“Light” quickly emerged for a solid and progressing jam that built around Trey’s guitar riff, leading to a psychedelic jam straight from the late ’60s and Bob Ezrin’s tutelage on Fuego. Trey’s ‘Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind’-esque repetition comfortably landed “Light” right next to “Theme from the Bottom”, as pleasant and well placed as you could ask for after four powerful jam vehicles. There was hope that this would be a “Theme” ala Atlantic City 2013, but that may have just been a one-off treat.

“Backwards Down the Number Line” served as a breather song for both band and fans, and although we still danced, this song could be in the first set of any given show and receive far less audible groans than it did tonight. But when you follow “BDTNL” with “First Tube”, all is forgiven as we couldn’t have asked for a better closer to this show. And having Jedi Trey slowly rising his guitar into the air to cap it off – Priceless. A “Character Zero” capped the night and did nothing more than increase anticipation towards the final night of the run at SPAC.

Setlist:

Set 1: The Star Spangled Banner, 555, Kill Devil Falls, The Moma Dance > Reba, Waiting All Night, Runaway Jim > 46 Days, Rift, Split Open and Melt, The Squirming Coil

Set 2: Fuego > Down with Disease > Twist > Light > Theme From the Bottom, Backwards Down the Number Line, First Tube

Encore: Character Zero

Maybe it was because the run began on a Thursday night. Or maybe it was because of the delayed gate opening from the round of thunderstorms that rolled through Saratoga just before the venue was to open, but the Latin phrase ‘Non sequitur’ for “that which does not follow” can easily be used to sum up the first night performance from Phish at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on July 3rd, 2014.

Expectations are always high when Phish comes to play at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC). Phans based in the Capital District consider SPAC to be Phish’s summer home venue. Even the band themselves have said as much in media interviews. With one night of summer tour already under their belt, a new album from which to showcase material from and rumors that few covers were to be played this tour, the hard-core phans question was ‘How would the band handle song selection and position?’ The answer: Rather oddly.

The other oddity was drummer Jon Fishman’s scaled back drum kit with fewer cymbals, snare drums and the absence of the wood blocks under his hi-hat. Phish heads were lamenting the elimination of the woodblocks and various cymbals from which Fish draws distinctive sounds for certain songs like “Walls of the Cave”, “It’s Ice”, “Reba” and “Fluffhead”. Summer tour has just begun and already phans are in crisis mode: First, there may be no covers which traditionally serve as launch pads for exploratory jamming (think “Torn & Frayed”, “Cross-Eyed and Painless”, “Boogie on Reggae Woman”) and now the possible elimination of other songs from the repertoire because of the changes to the drum kit. Or perhaps new takes on old favorites from our favorite drummer with a less is more approach? You have to love a band that knocks you out of your comfort zone.

We were certainly knocked out of our comfort zone with the odd selection of “Farmhouse” as the opening tune. First songs lay the vibe for the rest of the set and a slow tempo song about cluster-flies and swatting them on what was turning out to be a damp, cloudy, and foggy night did make for an unusual statement. “Wolfman’s Brother” was funky as usual but delivered at a sleepy relaxed pace as if the band was still warming their hands and fingers up from the lingering drizzle. The band seemed to pick up the tempo with “Maze”. It was jarring enough to get our attention but a little rough around the edges in the interplay between Anastasio and McConnell. Would “Maze” prove to be the launch pad for the rest of the set?, one that flows with synchronized dark nasty jams or would it continue to be a disjointed mishmash of singles? We got our answer with the sleepy reggae of “Yarmouth Road” and another song with lyrics about insects. So this means “Bug” is coming, right? Nope, “Strange Design” was up next. But it is clearly making sense. The set-list is just strangely designed so that is why they are playing “Strange Design”.

Now that we are all feeling strange and sleepy about this set, Trey takes us to REM sleep with “Devotion to a Dream”, the first of four songs to be played tonight from Fuego. We are on a dreamy journey of the band’s 30+ year history. It seems to now be headed in the right, albeit strange direction which is beginning to seem by design . “Ocelot” begins the wake-up call and delivers with its usually jamtastic but too short ending. The alarm clock has sounded “Chalkdust Torture”. “Mound”, the dreamlike but awesome “Roggae” and “Possum” closed out an odd strange first set.

Set Two began with a 15-minute plus “Bathtub Gin” and a 12-minute plus “Limb-by-Limb”, which was by far the highlight of the evening. The almost half hour of music in Set Two’s first two songs makes up for the sleepy weird first set. Everyone is stoked for the energy to continue. But would “2001” make an appearance in the three spot? Nope, that’s a cover. Mon dieu and Merde! Instead, the second song from Fuego, “WinterQueen” bats third and allows those of us who danced and raged silly during the first thirty minutes to dial it down and catch a breath (not that we needed it after set I). My own personal feeling is that “WinterQueen” is a first set song and will hopefully find a home there. “The Line”, the third song from Fuego (for those readers unfamiliar with the story), is about basketball player Darius Washington, Jr., who as a freshman and Conference USA Rookie of the year and a 72% free throw shooter for the University of Memphis missed two of three free throw attempts during a game vs University of Louisville. Had he made all three attempts Memphis would have beaten the then sixth ranked Louisville Cardinals.

“Tweezer”, “Prince Caspian” and the playful and fun “Sparkle” are always fun and frolicking, but a  not-so-special/best all time “Antelope” ended Set II. Phish returned to the stage and performed a two song encore: “Sing Monica”, which has a throw-back 60’s vibe to it ala the Beatles era, and Tweezer Reprise.

A brief recap of night one of Phish at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) would sound like this: Interesting song selection and placement in a definitely weird somnolent first set. The Fuego material is all worthy of being added into the rotation and the songs will find their homes. The show definitely left us with questions about covers, and how Fishman will get the same sounds in songs on his stream-lined drum kit. We definitely have something to talk about and ponder and as always the carrots were dangled that leave us wanting more. Just no clusterflies please.

Phish, Saratoga Performing Arts Center – July 3rd, 2014

Setlist
Set 1: Farmhouse, Wolfman’s Brother, Maze, Yarmouth Road, Strange Design, Devotion to a Dream, Ocelot, Chalkdust, Mound, Roggae, Possum
Set 2: Bathtub Gin > Limb By Limb > Winterqueen, The Line, Tweezer > Caspian > Sparkle, Antelope
Encore: Sing Monica > Tweeprise