Category: Features

Show Number One: Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire at SPAC, August 29
After years of radio play and later, jam band covers from the extensive catalog of both bands, I was finally able to see Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire. Performing together and separately at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on Saturday, August 29.

I am still surprised that I hadn’t seen either of them in the past, but a co-bill for the two bands that presented the bands in a ‘Don’t worry, you won’t miss a moment’ manner was as ideal as you can get for a late summer show at SPAC. The audience filled nearly every inch of the SPAC lawn with chairs for an incredible night of ’70s and ’80s funk and soul. Here’s my take on my first time seeing Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire.
- Both bands came out at the start of the night together singing “Got to Get You Out of My Mind” by The Beatles.
- Incredibly, and despite having 20+ musicians on stage, you can hear the sound clear as day. Great mix.
- Bassist Verdine White from Earth, Wind & Fire asked “Is there a Chicago/Earth, Wind & Fire dance party in the house?” and it was too cheesy to not laugh.
- Heavy ’70s soul groove with these two bands on the stage. You figure they had to share bills together back in the Nixon/Ford/Carter years.
- The stage is symmetrical with pianos, drums and horns spread out evenly – not a bad angle in the house.
- When Robert Lamm said “We had no idea we would be around this long,” I nodded my head in agreement. It’s even more surprisingly the band has toured every single year since they first formed.
- “Boogie Wonderland” – people were dancing or sitting – they couldn’t figure out what to do. Regardless, Earth, Wind & Fire was the set to dance to.
- After a few tunes, and knowing they had to be saving “Shining Star” and “September” for the encore, I realized I do not know much Earth, Wind & Fire and need to go through the full catalog soon.
- A solid mix of live footage and photos from the past were seen on the video screen throughout the set.
- The SPAC lawn was not that bad. Phish fans, myself included, complain about the sound on the lawn. Definitely not an issue tonight. I regretted not bringing earplugs.
- Band intros went on for a while, then they introduced the three original members of the band, Philip Bailey, Maurice White and Ralph Johnson.
- I know these songs, but not the titles, the result of years of casual radio play.
- Maurice can hit some HIGH notes!
- “Let’s Groove” was a perfect closer
- After a short set break, I realized I hadn’t been to SPAC with both my parents, ever. Last time I was here with my mom, I saw Huey Lewis and the News in 1989.
- “I’m so happy that you love me.” Sometimes, the song titles just write themselves.
- I’d estimate that half of this crowd had Chicago and/or Earth, Wind & Fire songs as their wedding reception music.
- Hell, half of this crowd had to make out/get laid to any of these songs. This is baby-making music for Boomers.
- “You’re the Inspiration” is such a dad rock song, if dad is serenading mom.
- Chicago covers “I’m a Man” by Spencer Davis Group. One of my favorite all time rock songs and it has had a second life this whole time. This is awesome. If I wasn’t a Chicago fan before.
- The drums section in “I’m a Man” was unexpected and impressive. This provided a perfect counterbalance to the overly mellow “Inspiration.”
- I have my mom’s copy of Chicago Transit Authority and she’s not getting it back.
- “Street Player” is a damn fine and energetic disco era song. Someone start covering this, please.
- Some of these songs do sound the same when played in succession. “Hard to Say I’m Sorry” is the spring from which all others grow.
- People are snuggling. This is cute.
- “Saturday Night in the Park,” was pretty spot on for being in Saratoga Spa State Park on a Saturday night. It’s like they were waiting all week to sing it here.
- Random pockets of dancing popped up throughout the crowd intermittently for Chicago, a band best enjoyed from a seat.
- No matter the song, someone in the crowd knew it and sang along. We all sang along at some point.
- “September” and “Sing a Song” started the final songs of the night, getting everyone back up again.
- “Does Anybody Really Know What Time it is?” was sweet and preceded “Shining Star”, leaving enough time for…
- “25 or 6 to 4” – I have loved this song since first listen when I was maybe 12 or so. It might be the first time I ever heard it played live, outside of a high school holiday concert in 2005. Beyond that, only teases from jam bands. Hearing this live was a treat.
- I need to get Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire back into my life – two fantastic bands crossed off the list.
September 2, 2015
Phish to host three-day Mexico romp in January

The Phish from Vermont will head to Mexico in January and take those fans who can afford it with them.

The all-inclusive vacation/concert experience will take place from Jan. 15 to 17, 2016, in Mexico’s Riviera Maya at the recently renovated, five-star Barceló Maya Beach Resort. It’s “on one of the most amazing beaches in the Mexican Caribbean. It stretches 1.2 miles where you will find white sand, crystal clear waters, and a coral reef,” according to the resort’s website. It boasts three restaurants, a nightclub, a pool and a hot tub. Attendees will be allowed to stay at other hotels and still join the music festivities, though.

The vacation includes three nights of Phish shows with a beachfront stage just a few feet away from the Caribbean.

Prices range from $1,640 per person if you book a room for four to $2,056.50 if you book a room for two.

The trip is being billed as family friendly, and packages can be added with tickets for children at a few hundred dollars, depending on the child’s age.

Tickets go on sale at 11 a.m. Sept. 10.

For more information, check out phishrivieramaya.com.

September 2, 2015
Van Halen Kicks Off Second Leg Of Tour At Darien Lake

When news broke Sunday, August 23, that Van Halen had canceled their show at Hershey Park in Hershey, PA, fans must have been thinking to themselves “not again.” The official kick off to the second leg of Van Halen’s massive North American tour had been canceled due to singer, David Lee Roth, having the flu. With doctors orders canceling the show at Hershey Park, fans took to social media to express their concerns about the rest of the upcoming shows.

To the delight of everyone who was planning on going to any of the shows afterwards, Van Halen said the tour would be going on as planned and no other shows would be canceled. With that great news from the band, fans at Darien Lake prepared to welcome Van Halen for their new official start to the second half of their tour.

On Tuesday August 25, fans lined up early in front of the gates at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center with much excitement. While some fans waited in line on the chilly August day, others took to the park to help ease the excitement. Throughout the park, families could be seen wearing their favorite Van Halen memorabilia such as shirts and shoes. Concert goers inside the theme park seemed to cover many generations. Walking through the theme park, there were young children ready to see guitar icon, Eddie Van Halen, take the stage for what would probably be their first time. Teenagers were all around the park in their own groups sporting their classic VH shirts. Most of all, the parents who grew up listening to classic Van Halen albums such as Van Halen, Van Halen II, 1984, etc. were ready to see Van Halen for what would probably be their last time at Darien Lake.

The show started out just prior to 7:30 with the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band. Most of the crowd seemed to be well aware of who Kenny Wayne Shepherd was. This blues guitar icon certainly came to impress and show off his guitar skills. Teaching himself guitar from the early age of 7, Kenny Wayne Shepherd could definitely give Eddie a run for his money. Backing up Kenny, was an all-star lineup of musicians who have played with some of the best in the world. Vocals duties for the band were handled by Noah Hunt, who had an outstanding voice to say the least. Bass player Tony Franklin was introduced to the crowd as a guy who had played with a band called, The Firm. For those who aren’t aware, The Firm consisted of Paul Rodgers of Bad Company and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin. If that wasn’t enough, the drummer for the Kenny Wayne Shepherd band, Chris Layton, played with Stevie Ray Vaughan. Finishing off the lineup was keyboard player Riley Osborun, who had played alongside Willie Nelson. Together, these guys put on an incredible opening show. The set was ended with a stellar cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child,” that left the crowd standing on their feet cheering.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band

After Kenny Wayne Shepherd exited the stage, every seat that was once empty inside had a new face standing in front of it. By this time of the night, everyone knew they were finally going to see Van Halen and there would be no cancellations. Alex Van Halen kicked off the show standing up at his drum kit welcoming fans, while his brother Eddie and Eddie’s son Wolfgang started the night off with “Light Up The Sky” from Van Halen II. Within seconds later, singer David Lee Roth came out on stage with all smiles.

Playing 23 songs from 7 different albums, Van Halen surely had enough to please everyone. From the new material, all the way back to the very beginning, Van Halen made sure to hit the songs everyone was there to hear. Fans got to hear classics such as “Runnin’ With The Devil,” “Everybody Wants Some,” “Dance The Night Away” and more. Alex Van Halen handled the drum kit better than any other 62-year-old probably could. Eddie’s son Wolfgang, who now handles bass duties, was simply amazing. Some people may think that Wolfgang doesn’t deserve to be in Van Halen just because of his dad, but he certainly proved it at Darien Lake. To go along with his excellent playing, Wolfgang handles the harmony backup vocals with ease. There’s no denying that Wolf, who’s only 24-years-old, has incredible amounts of musical talent. For those who don’t know Wolfgang is also the bass player for Mark Tremonti’s solo band when he’s not busy playing alongside dad.

David Lee Roth

Throughout the show, Eddie Van Halen showed why he’s considered one of the greatest guitar players of all time. Watching Eddie play songs from as far back as 1978 with no trouble at all left people mesmerized. Most of the time as bands age, the live show lacks what it once had. Guitar players get sloppy over time and improvise parts of songs they can’t play live anymore. This wasn’t the case for EVH. Eddie cruised through the entire setlist making it look easy. When it was time for Eddie to take the stage for his solo, he chose to toss in some licks from other Van Halen songs before playing “Eruption”. Most guitar solos can get boring quickly, but Eddie Van Halen is one guitar player that will never bore a crowd.

David Lee Roth, who was battling the flu, showed no signs of being ill on Tuesday night. DLR who’s been back with Van Halen since 2007 now, put on an unforgettable performance. While smiling all night and having fun on stage, David made sure the crowd was having just as much fun as him. There aren’t many performers who are as comfortable as Roth is on stage. For instance, not many performers can forget lyrics to a song like Roth can and still go with the flow. Many times throughout the set, David Lee Roth would admit he forgot a line and just laugh it off while giving Eddie and Wolf a head nod who would bail him out. Typically a crowd would be disappointed with such a vocal performance, but the overall show makes up for the mistakes. Many reviews online talk about how DLR lacks the vocal ability now, just like many other singers from his era. It’s true that Roth struggles at times, but Eddie and Wolfgang save the day. Together, the 3 of them take care of business and put on one hell of a performance no one could ever forget.

As expected, Van Halen ended the night with “Panama” and “Jump” leaving the crowd feeling like they just went back in time. Luckily for fans at Darien Lake, they didn’t have the same fate fans at Hershey Park had on Sunday. Van Halen continues their tour of North America throughout the month of September and has its final stop at the Hollywood Bowl, in Hollywood, California on Friday, October 2nd. Fans interested in catching Van Halen again before the tour ends can find all the dates and ticket information here.

Setlist: Light Up The Sky, Runnin’ With The Devil, Romeo Delight, Everybody Wants Some, Drop Dead Legs, Feel Your Love Tonight, Somebody Get Me A Doctor, She’s The Woman, Chinatown, I’ll Wait, Drum Solo, Little Guitars, Dance The Night Away, Beautiful Girls, Women In Love, Hot For Teacher, In A Simple Rhyme (Growth), Dirty Movies, Ice Cream Man, Unchained, Ain’t Talkin About Love, Guitar Solo, You Really Got Me, Panama, Jump

Eddie And Wolfgang Van Halen

September 1, 2015
Photo Gallery: Magnaball – The Circus Is The Place For Me

Magnaball, Phish’s tenth festival, which took place August 21-23, 2015 at Watkins Glen International Speedway.

Phish returned to Watkins Glen International Raceway on Aug 21-23 for their 10th festival, Magnaball. The sold out event gathered more than 40,000 fans to the gorgeous hillsides of the Finger Lakes Region of New York for 3 days of camping, art and the musical jam stylings of the Vermont quartet.

Magnaball was not just some mash-up of two random words, but simply the best way to describe the current state of Phish, a band sounding as fresh as ever, even after 32 years. The first third of that definition was in the books.

Photos by Jake Silco.

September 1, 2015
Photo Gallery: Holly Bowling Across New York State
Holly Bowling performed her piano arrangements and jam transcriptions of Phish songs with five stops in New York this past August. The first was a brief set at Relix, followed by a performance at The Cutting Room that night. She then headed to Syracuse to perform two sets at Funk n Waffles Downtown.

For those lucky enough to be at Magnaball in the RV section, you may have heard her hour long set at 1:30am, late Friday night/Saturday morning. A second under the radar performance was held in the Wetlands camping area after Phish finished performing “You Enjoy Myself” amid a spectacular display of fireworks.

Photos by Andy Hill

Howl at the Moon, Philadelphia, PA
Funk n Waffles, Syracuse
Magnaball, Night 1
Magnaball, Night 3
September 1, 2015
UPDATE: Nas to Replace Snoop Dogg at Canceled NYS Fair Appearance

UPDATE: Master lyricist Nas has been announced as the replacement for Snoop Dogg by New York State Fair officials hours after Snoop’s cancellation announcement.

Nas has been frequently named as one of the best in the game and will no doubt satisfy many fans who were hoping to see Snoop Dogg at Chevy Court on Wednesday.

ORIGINAL CONTENT:

Snoop Dogg’s performance for tomorrow, Sept. 2 at the New York State Fair has been canceled due to illness.

New York State Fair officials were informed late this afternoon by Snoop’s management that he was ill and unable to perform. Fair officials are hopefull of finding a replacement and are for schizzle searching for last minute alternatives to fill the 8 p.m. slot at Chevy Court.

Salt-n-Peppa are set to perform at the matinee show at 2 p.m.

Snoop Dogg’s tour is set to continue at Riot Fest on Sept. 13 in Chicago.

Keep an eye on NYSMusic for all your NYS Fair updates.

September 1, 2015
Hearing Aide: Milking Diamonds ‘Migratorius’

Milking Diamonds is an indie/alternative duo formed in 2007 by husband and wife team: Katherine Scholl, vox/keys, and Sam French Jr., vox/guitar. Their new EP, Migratorius follows up their debut release, 2009’s SAMMY nominated Surface When It’s Clear. Migratorius was recorded at WAAV Studios in Syracuse and mastered by the magic hands and ears of Jocko (Jason Randall) at More Sound Recording Studio, also in Syracuse.

Their Bandcamp page reminded me of a genre-splitting name from the nineties, dream pop. I discounted it at the time because it was always coat-tailed with shoegazer, to me that wasn’t a match. Dream pop works well when you have a duo creating sounds like these. There’s a distinctly atmospheric feel that runs through all of it, counterpoint with guitars, keys, and voices, all leaning on the “echo” modulations and layers.

“Obvious” opens with a staccato guitar line that quickly takes the role of a beating heart in a “new love” song that won’t say the word. Katherine and Sam’s voices fit so well together, it’s almost as if she’s telling the story and he’s following her lead, just slightly behind. It’s wonderful. Katherine’s voice is ethereal and emotive while Sam’s is rich and strong like so many new romantics were. While the couple chooses a “wait and see” attitude against the majority, they’re allowing time to grow and seem quite happy in doing it their own way.

Sam takes the vocal lead on ‘The Sway” setting another clear path, it’s somewhat Bryan Ferry with splashes of New Order or Interpol. The airy space given to the vocals here is amplified by the sustaining guitar lines, each reaching out only slightly, just enough to accent until the build at the end. Very impressive. The keys do a lot of the heavy-lifting overall, providing beats, textures, and some bass, definitely adequate considering the vocal leanings and melodic richness of the songs.

“Scars” may be my favorite track, it’s focused and well mixed, the call/response vocals are almost like Kate Bush with The Edge riffing behind. The keys fill and lift the harmonies in a way that makes the listener question the number of musicians contributing to the whole. Katherine’s voice soars on the orchestral string sounds while Sam counterpoints the melody on the guitar and harmonizes through the swelling close.

The penultimate song, ‘Tracks,” embodies the statements — “Dream pop tends to focus on textures and moods rather than propulsive rock riffs” in the view of Simon Reynolds, dream pop, “celebrates rapturous and transcendent experiences, often using druggy and mystical imagery.” This is anthemic to Milking Diamonds throughout this EP and even their previous release. Especially here with the upbeat drum pattern and Sam’s guitar seamlessly switching moods for Katherine’s poppy reading.

With the flair of The Raveonettes and White Stripes, “Human Cannonball” is relentless in its beat and topic, railing against the norm while establishing their realities. It yearns and strives for more, from here it seems there could be a long way to go for them. You can feel the heart of the songs, while each has a level of familiarity, they also possess individuality while leaving room for listeners to relate.

The many strengths of Milking Diamonds are evident, their style is ear-candy to any lover of 80s and 90s post-punk romantics and more. While the drum programming provided in the keyboards works, it would be remarkable to hear these tracks pushed by a live rhythm section. You can see, hear and buy music from Milking Diamonds on their Facebook page, Twitter, CDBaby, and their aforementioned Bandcamp page. Give ‘em a spin and check ‘em live, my plan is to do the same.

Key Tracks: Obvious, Scars

August 31, 2015
The Apple Jam Welcomed New Venue, National Acts

The Apple Jam festival is in its sixth year, though its first at a new venue set on the beautiful grounds of Camp Moses in Russell, MA.

The Apple Jam festival was last held two years ago. The organizers took a year hiatus to reorganize and plan for a larger festival. The last event was on a much smaller scale, with many of the artists performing being friends and family of the organizers. This years Apple Jam exploded, with a new, spacious venue and the inclusion of performers who play on a much bigger stage, some nationally known. In other words, Apple Jam just stepped up its game and took the festival to a whole new level.

Photo Credit: Jacqueline M. Sidor

Apple Jam is family friendly, with many of the events encouraging interaction by all ages. A kids tent was set up, offering arts and crafts, face painting and a scavenger hunt. An art wall was available inviting attendees to paint and show off their creative flair. A paved basketball court was taken advantage of by many attendees, while several others enjoyed playing, and being part of, the human sized foosball game. Later on in the day, the court was turned into a large work of art with chalk drawings splashed over the black top. With so many activities available for festival goers, the fun kept going all weekend.

The weather held out on Friday, with the threat of rain in the air. The festival eased into the music and featured many Massachusetts’ home-grown acts on the bill, such as Dead Collective, California Widows and Opel. Blue grass wound its way onto the bill with the first performance of the festival by Cricket Tell the Weather. Holy Ghost Tent Revival and Spirit Family Reunion brought Friday’s opening night to a close, as crowds continued to stream their way in throughout the evening.

Saturday not only had a beautiful day in store, but a jam-packed schedule full of high-energy performances as well. The morning started off with some feel good bluegrass Americana jams by Livestock. Sugar Blood Jinx followed with their bluesy southern charm of a sound that featured growling vocals commanding your attention and begging you to put on your dancing shoes. Otis Grove, a band that’s been starting to make waves around the New England festival circuit, gave an energy-packed performance and continued to turn up the heat on stage. Groovy jams and feel good vibes were thrown out as The Sun Parade took the stage. Lucid had a Dave Matthews Band meets Rusted Root with horns tone as they cranked out their intense set. With the double stage setup, the audience didn’t have to wait long between bands as the gorgeous day continued to rotate acts without missing a beat.

The Mutherload, another band from the local Massachusetts area, provided a solid rock and roll groove. Gary Phelps, the man behind the entire Apple Jam organization, cranked out a crunchy guitar sound as his band jammed out to the delight of the crowd. A festival and crowd favorite, Primate Fiasco, did not disappoint as they blew everyone away with their funky Dixie sound. Known for cranking out the grooves down in the field area, this time, they took their funkiness on stage where everyone could hear them throughout the venue. The concert field began to get packed as the sun started to go down and the jams turned up the vibes.

Photo credit: Jacqueline M. Sidor

Fresh off tour, a throwback vintage band, with a hint of the 10,o00 Maniacs sound, took to the stage as The Blind Spots belted out the tunes with powerful female vocals. The evening wrapped up with Parsonsfield, a get on your feet and dance jam band that filled the air with mandolin and banjos.

The first big headliner of the three-day run took the stage after the sun went down. Amy Helm and the Handsome Strangers wowed the audience. With Helm’s smokey and sultry blues tone, the set was off to a steamy start. Sprinklings of the steel guitar added depth and it was nonstop dancing during their set. Helm, the daughter of the famous Levon Helm, of The Band fame, is currently on tour promoting her debut album. Her set did not disappoint. Apple Jam was also the debut appearance for Ryan Scott, the guitarist with the Handsome Strangers. He was noticeably having a blast during the performance as his excitement shined through. Here’s a clip from their set:

The final performance of the evening was Anders Osborne. Everyone was waiting for him to take the stage. Wow. His energy was addictive. Osborne’s raw performance was no holds barred. The soulful, bluesy guitar work tapped into his New Orleans roots and he did not hold back as they eased into their set. The attendees were thrilled to be able to catch him perform at the newly expanded festival, and felt it a true honor to have him be a part of the bill this year. Osborne performed for a solid two hours as he kept the party going to a concert field full of dancing fans. As the last notes dropped, cheers could be heard throughout the venue, to include campers that were set up in the forest area behind the stage. It was an incredible end to a fantastic day at Apple Jam.

Photo credit: Jacqueline M. Sidor

Sunday’s performances were more relaxed and cooled down as bluegrass filled the air at the Stone Temple stage, located near the lake on the edge of the venue. Acoustic Brew, The Rambling Kind, and a second performance by Cricket Tell the Weather closed out the festival. Overall, if you haven’t been to Apple Jam, put this on your must see festival list next year. With beautiful, spacious grounds and plenty of activities for all ages, this is one not to be missed. The music is nonstop and attendees will walk away on Sunday refreshed and recharged with a pair of worn out dancing shoes as a souvenir of the amazing experience.

August 30, 2015
Darius Rucker Brings Southern Style to Metropolitan Buffalo

Not many bands are worth fighting the traffic to get to the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center. But Friday night was worth the battle when Darius Rucker performed to a nearly sold out crowd.

Rucker, on tour promoting his newest CD “Southern Style,” opened his set with “Lighter Up,” Strapping on his guitar, Rucker said, “Let’s go old school,” and played “Time.” Here and there he added “Only Wanna Be With You,” “Hold My Hand” and “Let Her Cry” from his Hootie and the Blowfish days, which the audience loved.

Rucker played covers of Blackstreet’s “No Diggity,” which the set could have done without. A highlight came when Rucker had the Brothers Osborne and Brett Eldredge, his opening acts, join him on stage for a rendition of “Hold My Hand.”

Rucker ended his set with the upbeat “Homegrown Honey,” with shadows of a cornfield projected on the backdrop. For part of his encore, he performed “Wagon Wheel” and had the whole crowd sing the last verse.

The opening act was the Thousand Horses has a country rock vibe to them. They were heating up an already warm night when they sang their rising single “Smoke” to a packed amphitheater.

Brothers Osborne. Their music, while country, has a certain air that gives it a more modern feel thanks to the guitar playing by brother John Osborne — most definitely a talented musician — with brother TJ at the vocals.

Following was Brett Eldredge, another up-and-coming country singer. Performing his “Lose My Mind,” Eldredge had the crowd on their feet and rocking out and, perhaps, making some of the women lose their minds.

This concert brought many genres of people under one roof. That night we all came together as one and enjoyed a night filled with country rock and roll and rising stars that one day will be headlining

[FinalTilesGallery id=’389′]

August 29, 2015
Phish Magnaball Day 3: Your Magna Trip is Short

Many Magnaball attendees were foggy rather groggy Sunday morning after an epic Saturday of music, so it was good that fans had all day to recover and gather their strength for a final night of revelry with Phish.

Sunday’s show started out with a cheer as fans recognized the opening chords to “Punch You in the Eye.” That segued into a rarity, “Buffalo Bill.” The song hasn’t been played since Ohio in June 2012 and the set continued with “A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing,” then “Limb By Limb,” which featured a jam that built to a quick payoff. The melancholy “Waiting All Night” moved into “Theme From the Bottom,” with a beautifully melodic breakdown in the middle. That transitioned into “Maze,” the only song of the night off Rift, the album released on vinyl for the first time the previous day. “Maze” built to a frightening frenzy multiple times before breaking back into the dark, sparse end section.

The mood lightened with the lyric-heavy “The Line” while “Stash” got everyone dancing with a jam that included some great guitar/bass interplay and piano builds. “Reba”’s nonsensical recipe for disaster was super fun, as always.

Band members then sang “I Didn’t Know,” until Trey asked the Little Beast Boy (Fishman) to come forward and play the vacuum and “suck love” at a long list of people Trey read off that the band wanted to thank, ranging from the band’s crew and staff to local officials. The set finished off with a high-energy version of “Character Zero” that left the crowd hungry for more.

A loud appreciative roar from the crowd accompanied the opening audio segment of “Martian Monster” whose words of blasting off on a voyage of discovery undoubtedly rang so true for so many at Magnaball. An energized but fairly standard jam soon followed before the music shifted towards ambient spacey tones and, soon after, the opening bass notes of “Down with Disease.” As they’ve done regularly this summer, Phish stretched out a second set “Disease” jam into a beautiful one that started out with a slow ambient groove that slowly and surely evolved into a raging rock and roll blissed out jam.

After reaching an apex and stagnating for a few minutes, the music shifted seamlessly into a far less common song of late, “Scents and Subtle Sounds.” Although not played with the full intro section as it was in Philadelphia two weeks prior, this newly revived 2.0 gem ushered in a new wave of beautiful improvisational rock with standout fills from Page on piano and Trey repeating some soaring and beautifully dissonant chords on guitar. The short and power packed jam was not even finished yet as the opening chords to another rarity, “What’s the Use?” started up with Fishman still singing along to a petering out “Scents and Subtle Sounds.” This along with “Dirt” that followed seemed to serve as a chance for everyone to conserve some energy for the stretch run and for some to cross some rarer songs off their lists.

The final leg of a magical weekend began with a “Mike’s Song” that was played to perfection with Page again shining on the clavinet and Trey unleashing a relentless attach of high octave shock waves courtesy of the Echoplex. While some held their breath for another go round of the second Mike’s jam, instead, the group launched right into “Fuego” which brought its signature brand of powerhouse rock to the second set. While the composed section was run through perfectly, it was a fairly short version with no jam as the music immediately shifted gears into “Twist.” One of the true MVPs of this summer tour, “Twist” featured some of the more improvisational moments of the second set as a quick run through of the composed section gave way to a nifty guitar and bass breakdown between Trey and Mike. A quick blues based jam with the whole band involved soon followed which escalated into yet another full on rock barrage replete with “Immigrant Song” vocal teases from Trey and Fishman. Although it may not have been as stretched out or as epic as previous summer “Twist’s,” this version served as a clear example of how effortlessly the band can shift from one musical mode to another. The customary “Weekapaug Groove” that followed was also a prime example of this as some light-hearted toying around with the song’s tempo towards the end of the jam gave way to a reemergence of “Martian Monster” and all the audio samples that come along with it. If it was the band’s intention to pack as much different music and madness as they could into a short “Mike’s Groove,” then they succeeded most admirably.

A show and a weekend like this one could only have one fitting encore and the group’s seminal classic “You Enjoy Myself” fit that bill. This final musical sendoff gave Phish one last chance to delight the crowd with its mastery of ambient noise, blissful cohesiveness, trampolines and vocal jamming. At its completion, a majestic fireworks display went off to the right of the stage that left revelers with minds blown and mouths agape. It served as both the final page of a fantastic and memorable Magnaball and the initial call to arms for those fortunate fans ending the summer tour with the annual summer ending party in Colorado in two weeks.

Setlist via Phish.net

Set 1: Punch You in the Eye > Buffalo Bill, A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing > Limb By Limb, Waiting All Night > Theme From the Bottom > Maze, The Line, Stash, Reba, I Didn’t Know[1], Character Zero

Set 2: Martian Monster > Down with Disease[2] -> Scents and Subtle Sounds[3] -> What’s the Use? > Dirt > Mike’s Song > Fuego > Twist -> Weekapaug Groove[2] -> Martian Monster

Encore: You Enjoy Myself

[1] Trey thanked the crew, production staff and local officials.
[2] Unfinished.
[3] No intro.

August 28, 2015