Category: Show Reviews

Buddy Guy: Ambassador of the Chicago Blues

Legend. A term bandied about a lot in today’s pop culture, especially when it comes to the music industry. The term is used so frequently that a lot of times it seems watered down and loses its meaning altogether. Then there are the times when that badge of honor seems small in comparison to the person it is describing. Such is the case for legendary electric Chicago blues icon Buddy Guy. George “Buddy” Guy, born in Lettsworth, Louisiana back in 1936, earned his chops in the 1960s, playing with blues icon Muddy Waters as a house guitarist at Chicago’s famed Chess Records. If that isn’t enough (and it is), Buddy has earned seven Grammy awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005 by none other than Eric Clapton. Guy has influenced multiple generations of great electric blues men including Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards and Stevie Ray Vaughn. Buddy has been instrumental in securing the future of the blues as an American musical art form by fostering the next generation of blues musicians. Such is the case of 17 year old blues prodigy and New Bedford, Massachusetts native Quinn Sullivan.

Sullivan opened at Buddy Guy’s August 15 performance at the Hart Theater at the Empire Performing Arts Center in Albany. He is currently touring in support of his third LP Midnight Highway that was released in January of this year. Discovered by Guy at the tender age of seven, Sullivan in the last ten years has already amassed a career with credits that most musicians would kill for. He has performed at Eric Clapton’s blues showcase Crossroads in 2013 and has had the privilege of playing with the late, great B.B. King. The Damn Right Blues Band played double duty during the night’s performance, backing up both Sullivan and Guy through both their sets. The roster of the band includes Tom Hambridge on drums, Orlando Wright on bass, Ric Hall on guitar and Marty Sammons on keyboards.

Sullivan kicked off his second appearance at The Egg with the radio friendly “Lifting Off” off of Midnight Highway and though still a teenager, Sullivan looked like a seasoned veteran on the stage. Sullivan’s impressive guitar playing abilities were showcased spectacularly with a version of the blues classic “Little Wing” that would have made both Hendrix and Clapton proud. The highlight of the 45 minute set was title track “Midnight Highway” which illustrated an advanced level of song craftsmanship which was completely on point. After a brief intermission, it was Buddy Guy’s turn to take the stage. Guy was greeted by an an extremely enthusiastic and rowdy crowd. Mr. Guy went straight into a ripping version of “Damn Right I Got The Blues” which featured a sublime piano solo by keyboardist Marty Sammons. Buddy set the raucous tone of the night’s performance by commencing a series of pelvic thrusts that hearkened back to the days of Elvis Presley, much to the delight of an appreciative audience. Mr. Guy told the crowd that he was going to “play it so funky you can smell it.” One crowd member chimed back, “We can smell it.”

The high point of the performance came later in the set when Buddy busted out a spirited version of “Someone Else Is Steppin’ In” off of his 1994 release Slippin’ In. The 81 year old Guy took the party off the stage by playing the number while strutting around the excited crowd.

Guy, who is a consummate story teller, went on to tell the audience how he met Sullivan and was so impressed with his ability to play guitar that he wound up taking him to Clapton’s Crossroads festival. Sullivan joined Guy on stage where they proceeded to trade guitar licks back and forth before Sullivan went into a medley of Clapton’s “Strange Brew” and Hendrix’s “Voodoo Chile w/ Slight Return.”

Things got a bit serious when Buddy brought up the tumultuous state of race relations in America, a reference to the recent violence that unfolded at a white supremacy rally held in Charlottesville, Virginia earlier in the month. Mr. Guy went into a stirring version of “Skin Deep” which preaches love and understanding between all people regardless of race or religion, pointing out that our differences are skin deep. The 90 minute set concluded on more of a high note with Guy’s rendition of “Meet Me In Chicago” which left the audience on their feet. Guy will be continuing to play throughout the remainder of the summer with dates scheduled into the fall.

Setlists:

Quinn Sullivan: Lifting Off, Getting There, Little Wing, Cyclone, Midnight Highway, She Gets Me, Going

Buddy Guy: Damn Right I Got The Blues, Hoochie Coochie Man, Fever, Born To Play Guitar, Grits Ain’t Groceries, Whose Making Love To Your Old Lady, Boom Boom, She’s 19 years Old, Sweet 16, Someone Else is Steppin’ In, Ain’t That Peculiar, Well Alright, StrangeBrew/Voodoo Child w/ Slight Return (Medley), Feels Like Rain, Skin Deep, Meet Me In Chicago

August 20, 2017
Luke Bryan and Friends Sell Out the Lakeview Amphitheater

It’s no surprise that Luke Bryan and Friends Huntin’, Fishin’, And Lovin’ Every Day Tour sold out the Lakeview Amphitheater this past Saturday, August 12. After all, the star studded tour featured some of today’s best country music with both Craig Campbell and Brett Eldredge along on the ride.

Up first was Craig Campbell who did an amazing job starting the crowd with his smooth country melodies and high energy boot stomping numbers. With hits like “Outskirts of Heaven” and “Keep Those Kisses Coming” his true country sound was the first to jump start this happy crowd.

Up next was crowd favorite, Brett Eldridge. Hailing from the small town of Paris, Illinois this young man is from my neck of the woods in Southern Illinois. It’s been fun watching his career explode with his first hit, “Raymond” in 2010, and his CMA’s New Artist of the Year award in 2014. Since then, it’s been pedal to the medal with hit after hit for this young man with no end near as his momentum just accelerates with each new album. With a full catalog of music to choose from already for the show, Brett entertained this crowd with his boy next door charm and charisma for days the moment he hit the stage.

With a quick set stage change, in no time flat the crowd was able to see the man of the hour, Luke Bryan. Rising to the center of the stage with flames blazing, Luke came out with his number one hit “Move” and the crowd went wild and the rest is history. There is no doubt why Luke Bryan continuously wins Entertainer of the Year from several sources. His personality and charm made the show not only entraining, but down right fun.

Starting off the show by bringing a young boy named Nicholas on stage right from the start, his kindness and way with kids showed through immediately, and with that cute little smile and moves for days, the girls were melting into their seats the moment he looked their way. But don’t get me wrong, Luke Bryan is a man’s man too. With talk of hunting, and fishing, and having a good ole time with his friends and family, he is down right likable to everyone. Where else can someone sing “Sweet Caroline” in a sea of NY Yankee fans and still be shown the love! The show offered concert goers their money’s worth with a long setlist of hit after hit. If you haven’t seen him live yet, I highly suggest you see his show.

If you weren’t at Saturday’s show, don’t fret as he’ll be joining New Yorkers once again on August 24 at CMAC in Canandaigua, August 25 at Darien Center, August 26 at SPAC in Saratoga, and August 27 at Jones Beach in Wantaugh!

Setlist Brett Eldredge: Superhero, Don’t Ya, Somethin’ I’m Good At, Wanna Be That Song, Beat of the Music / Drops of Jupiter, Love Someone, Drunk On Your Love, Long Way Around, Mean To Me, and Lose My Mind

Setlist Luke Bryan and Friends: Move, That’s My Kind of Night, Kick the Dust Up, Rain Is a Good Thing, This Is How We Roll (Florida Georgia Line cover, orig. ft. Bryan), Crash My Party, Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye, I See You, Fast, Drunk on You, Roller Coaster, All My Friends Say, Country Man, Play It Again, Mountain Music (Alabama cover), Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond cover), Fishin’ in the Dark (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band cover), Strip It Down, Drink a Beer, Huntin’, Fishin’ And Lovin’ Every Day, I Don’t Want This Night to End, Country Girl (Shake It for Me), Paradise City (Guns N’ Roses cover)

August 15, 2017
ARISE Has Risen

ARISE Music Festival was held at Sunrise Ranch in Loveland, Colorado, on a jovial weekend August 4-6, surrounded by rock formations, pleasant lakes, and mysterious meadows. This land was indeed filled with love, so its name holds true to its essence. It was a glorious gathering of all walks of life – an open, family friendly, health conscious like-minded atmosphere where one can simply be whoever they please. Acceptance was a big feature of the time that was had and the energies that flooded the air proved this to be true. People united and rejoiced in ways the whole world could learn from.

The weekend consisted of countless extraordinary artists including performances by Atmosphere, Tipper, Lettuce, Beats Antique, Ani DiFranco, SunSquabi, Rising Appalachia, Brother Ali, Break Science, The Brothers Comatose, Desert Dwellers, and Dopapod, just to name a few. The vibe of these acts included a wide range of eclectic music including electronic, hip-hop, funk, jazz, world fusion, folk, soul, and progressive rock.

Despite the waves of torrential downpour fluctuating all weekend, flooding and destroying the temporary homes of many, everyone at ARISE seemed to shine through the rain and it only made people dance even harder to the grooves of mother earth, especially when a calm, strong, and bright double rainbow appeared at the end of a fierce shower on the third day. This experience was an evolution of mankind, uniting positivity and kindness throughout each moment.

Food vendors provided healthy and nutritional options for all types of eaters, as well as the festival’s own farmer’s market. As you entered from the main camping ground through giant neon totem poles, there was eye candy everywhere; each white tent displayed an extensive collection of interesting goods to be sold, not to mention countless painters, sculptors, and artists of all kinds.

Temptations with zero expectations. Hammocks galore! There were yoga workshops and practices, domes to climb, beaded huts, teepees, and much, much more. This interactive experience gave one the liberty to wander to different areas such as the “Wisdom Village,” “Children’s Village,” and “Solutions Village”, which all co-created a friendly habitat for the weekend in its own worldly bubble. As a good-vibe-only festival, people could be found at any of the stages, including Big Sunrise Dome, StarWater, Scene Magazine, Green Tree, and main headliners at the Eagle stage.

Sound mimicked the rhythm of body movements and the full moon and clear night on the final evening of the journey fabricated unparalleled liveliness. For anyone interested in participating in a relaxing care-free time with no service whatsoever, ARISE should be on the top of your list, where you can freely admire the sun and moon rise and set over this magical land while opening your mind to stellar soundwaves.

August 15, 2017
It was Still Lawnboy: Phish Glazes the Crowd on the Final Night of Baker’s Dozen

It took 13 consecutive shows for Phish to perform 237 songs at Madison Square Garden, with not a single repeat among them. It will take far longer than this Baker’s Dozen of shows to fully grasp the historic nature of this run of shows by Vermont’s famous quartet.

On the final night of Phish’s Baker’s Dozen of shows at The Garden, a Pink Glazed donut was the flavor du jour, tickets were nearly impossible to acquire and fans flocked inside early to get ready for the last night of bustouts, first time covers and extended jams that have been the hallmark of Phish’s residency. While the donut flavor did not directly correlate to anything performed during the show, the audience and band were both glazed with joy, reaching the end of this unprecedented run of shows.

The first set of the evening featured songs phans chase, including “Dogs Stole Things,” “Ha Ha Ha,” “Camel Walk,” and “Sanity,” among others. Vida Blue’s “Most Events Aren’t Planned” was a surprise cover, one of a handful that Phish learned in advance of the run. The long awaited bustout of Hendrix’s “Izabella” left many flat-footed with the original intro preceding the stand alone set closer, but once Trey kicked into familiar riff, the crowd cheers began to arise while some stood in disbelief and others with jaws dropped, as the cover shelved for 19 years finally made an appearance in the 25th set of the run.

Set 2 began with “Simple” which wandered past the 25 minute mark, nearly matching the Northerly Island jam from July 14, kicking off a five song set. The new tune “Rise/Come Together” had a powerful, unifying message tied within the ascending rocker, and was greeted by fans with cheers as the “Rise up…. Come Together” lyrics were matched with Chris Kuroda’s growing light show. Bowie’s “Starman” followed, only the second version since The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars was covered in full last fall in Las Vegas.

“You Enjoy Myself” finally arrived, with all the pent up energy you would expect after nearly 2000 minutes of music, and the release on the lyric “Boy” was as powerful as it’s ever been. Prior to the vocal jam, Mike began to tease the “Izabella” bass line and instead of the usual vocal jam, Trey put his guitar back on and, began to jam back into “Izabella” on more time, one of those ‘Holy shit’ moments that kept happening night after night. The set was capped with The Rolling Stones’ “Loving Cup,” a perfect ending to the high energy, jam filled set.

For the encore, Trey choked back tears as he began Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again,” which was followed by Page leaving his key rig while the band kicked back into a jam on “Lawn Boy” that was last heard on July 25, jam-filled donut night. Page told the crowd “A lot of people have been asking me if this is still ‘Lawn Boy’…. It is,” referencing a fan made shirt that appeared only days after the half hour version of the typically standard three minute lounge singer tune.

The laughs that erupted from the audience were due in part to the band being in on the joke and the audience/band interaction solidified as the run came to a close. Page sang a few bars of “Lawn Boy” and while he retreated to his rig, Mike and Fishman laid down the opening bass and drums to “Weekapaug Groove” to fake out the audience (there would be NO repeats this run) before the final release of “Tweezer Reprise” was finally laid out for the fans.

Phish had done it – 13 consecutive shows, no repeats, over 200,000 tickets sold over the course of the run, and a gleeful crowd embracing the joy of the final night of a piece of music history. But most importantly, it was still ”Lawnboy.”

Setlist from Phish.net

Set 1: Dogs Stole Things, Rift, Ha Ha Ha, Camel Walk, Crazy Sometimes > Saw It Again > Sanity > Bouncing Around the Room,Most Events Aren’t Planned[1], Bug, I Been Around, Izabella
Set 2: Simple > Rise/Come Together > Starman, You Enjoy Myself, Loving Cup
Encore: On the Road Again > Lawn Boy Reprise > Tweezer Reprise
[1] Phish debut

August 10, 2017
American Acoustic Brings Magic to Chautauqua

When you scan your ticket at the gate for admittance to the Chautauqua Amphitheater you don’t immediately enter a concert venue. You first gain admittance to the Chautauqua Institution, a self-contained gated community unlike any other. There is a surreal quality to the surroundings, only amplified on this cool, rain-drenched August evening. A group was gathered in the Chabad House to welcome the Sabbath a few steps from Palestine Street and just around the corner from the Ecumenical Society. Quiet, tree-lined and nearly carless streets led down to a town square where a group of kids were taking advantage of the extended summer evening with a pre-dusk soccer game. It felt like we were extras on a movie set, wandering through a story beyond our immediate grasp. Just past the square, the faint sounds of acoustic guitar emerged from a sunken wooden amphitheater. It was newly rebuilt and restored this past year, a unique space with stunning sound and excellent sight lines. People were gathered inside for the evening’s entertainment, being provided by American Acoustic. The location and entertainment overlapped in some sort of mystical is-this-real-life place, a dense mash of thick color in the middle of a complex Venn diagram.

American Acoustic is a dream-come-true tour for bluegrass and Americana fans. The all-male super-group-in-reverse Punch Brothers (featuring Chris Thile on mandolin, Paul Kowert on bass, Gabe Witcher on fiddle, Noam Pikelny on banjo and Chris Eldridge on guitar), joined forces with the all-female super group I’m With Her (featuring Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz and Aoife O’Donovan) and rogue guitar phenom Julian Lage for an all-out string feast.

Like a scene from The Wizard of Oz, two large wooden doors automatically opened to the side of the stage, and musicians would emerge from the darkness beyond. They ebbed and flowed from the lineup throughout the evening, displaying multitudes of unique combinations, providing moments upon moments of sheer brilliance.

Each was a verse in the poetic epic that comprised the entire show: In a duo with Chris Eldridge on “Things in Life,” off their recent release, Julian Lage snuck masterfully melodic picking in, around and under Eldridge’s vocals / Kowert accompanied the otherwise a capella I’m With Her for their set-closing take on Adele’s “Send My Love,” each of their beautiful voices weaved around each other in a magnificent groove / A perfectly placed dog bark rang out during the Punch Brothers’ performance of Claude Debussy’s “Passepied,” further knotting the connection between the place and performance, much to the delight of the crowd and band alike / In a cover of Josh Ritter’s sea-faring tale “Another New World” the closing improvisation section appropriately contained monster waves of sound, swelling with energy / Jarosz joined the band for an oozing and sparse rendition of Radiohead’s “The Tourist” / The entire ensemble combined for a hair-on-end words-can’t-describe it cover of the Beatles “Julia” / A show closing take on the traditional “Father Adieu” was a true vocal workout, each verse being sung by a different combination of voices, with the last round between the collective male and female voices, simply stunning.

Those extra special moments were wrapped tightly amongst more folk-induced warmth and heat. Julian Lage and Noam Pikelny showcased their individual eye-popping talents with interspersed solo pieces. I’m With Her beefed up their minimal-but-growing catalog of originals like “Overland” and “Little Lies” with covers of Jim Croce’s “Walkin’ Back to Georgia” and John Hiatt’s “Crossing Muddy Waters.” The Punch Brothers took over after a short break, with a set spanning their catalog, hitting on “New York City,” “Julep,” “Familiarity” and the clever pairing of “Hops of Guldenberg” with “Rye Whiskey.” During the closing portion with everyone on stage, Thile presented a new song, ripped from the headlines, titled “Comey’s Waltz,” with lyrics like, “Now someone else has to come and stick it to ya, hallelujah” and “Sir, I’m already gone.”

With a fun romp through Randy Newman’s “Mama Told Me Not to Come” featuring everyone, as their encore, they sent the crowd back on their way. Exiting the gates of the community, like emerging from the corn fields in the “Field of Dreams,” we were mortal again. The real world beckoned, but we’ll always have that magical night with American Acoustic in Chautauqua.

August 8, 2017
Thanks be to God for Alabama Shakes in Albany

Thousands gathered to listen to a preacher give thanks. Her boisterous voice echoed throughout the golden walls, as painted angels peered down from the ceiling. She removed her glasses to wipe the sweat from her brow and then threw her hands to the sky as she sang to the heavens in gratitude and desperation. Brittany Howard is the lead singer and guitarist of the Grammy nominated band, Alabama Shakes. On August 1, 2017 she was a preacher. The Palace Theater in Albany was the church. The sold out crowd of 2,800 ticket holders the congregation.

Throughout the evening, she would pause to give thanks. Thanks to the Emily King, the opening folk act who drummed up the crowd’s excitement. Thanks to the fans for coming out on a Monday to show their support and hear them play. Thanks to her eight other band members for tearing it up. And a reminder to “take this message with you and make others feel good.”

Like a southern preacher, Howard was animated, soulful, serious and powerful. Entering onto the stage with a sample of David McCallum’s “The Edge” playing in the background, a feeling of intensity was shock waved throughout the building. The Shakes began with “Future People,” a song from their 2015 album Sound and Color. As she would do throughout the evening with songs like “I’m Yours” and “Dunes,” she began quietly but then abruptly pounced into action with volume and muscle.

The songs they played from the 2012 album, Boys and Girls, like “I Ain’t the Same,” and “Hang Loose” have a distinctly southern gospel rock to them. They’re playful and dance-inducing, providing opportunities for the band to shine. Every song from Sound and Color seemed to be more Howard focused. Her vocal range is bass to soprano, all with notes she holds. Her voice has an old-timey, soulful sound that pairs nicely with the instrumentals.

Before returning to the stage for a three-song encore, Howard and backup singer Lloyd Buchanan performed a sweet, romantic and somehow heartbreaking duet of “Gemini.” The two were able to convey a sense of unbounded and tender love. The evening ended with a soft “Over My Head,” like a lullaby to say goodnight.

Those lucky enough to witness the raw talent of Alabama Shakes at The Palace Theater went to bed that night feeling pure bliss and of course, gratitude.

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August 6, 2017
Lemon Yellow Fun: Night 11 of the Baker’s Dozen

The final weekend of Phish’s historic Baker’s Dozen, a run of 13 shows at Madison Square Garden, kicked off on Friday to much fanfare and a lot of fingers in the air, with Friday being lemon donut night.

These shows sold out in advance and were a hot and dwindling commodity throughout the week. On Friday, Phish came on stage and performed a cover of Blind Lemon Jefferson’s “See that my Grave is Kept Clean,” before jumping into a standard, but well played take on fan favorite “Punch You in the Eye,” which bled into a fun, short “Party Time.”

“Big Black Furry Creature from Mars,” “Dinner and a Movie,” a rousing and Trey-led “Ocelot,” “Poor Heart,” “Winterqueen” and “Bold as Love” continued what turned out to be a straight rock set without too much in the way of improvisation. Just when it felt that Phish may have laid a clunker set, they dropped into “First Tube,” which had the Garden shaking and crowd going absolutely ballistic heading into setbreak.

To open the second stanza, Phish performed an acapella “Dem Bones,” before leaping into “No Men in No Man’s Land.” A long and spacey jam followed, something Phish has displayed it can do with utmost patience this run. Out of “NMINML” came “Everything in its Right Place,” by Radiohead. There was confusion over what the song was, before word spread that Phish was playing Radiohead. It was well played, if not spectacular.

“What’s the Use?” blended into “Scents and Subtle Sounds,” which featured the most interesting jam of the night, a nearly 17-minute type-II journey that finished when Mike took the lead at the end. A nice and jammed out “Prince Caspian” led directly into “Fluffhead,” and it’s safe to say that the Garden crowd ended the set on the highest of notes. “Frankenstein” served as the encore, which was a fun ending to a rather unspectacular Phish show. But if you place this show in the middle of any typical tour, it will be talked about as a highlight for years to come. That’s how spoiled we have become during these 13 nights.

Setlist via Phish.net

Set 1: See That My Grave Is Kept Clean[1], Punch You In the Eye > Party Time, Big Black Furry Creature from Mars, Dinner and a Movie, Ocelot,Poor Heart, Winterqueen, Bold As Love, First Tube

Set 2: Dem Bones, No Men In No Man’s Land > Everything In Its Right Place[1], What’s the Use? > Scents and Subtle Sounds[2] > Prince Caspian >Fluffhead

Encore: Frankenstein[3]

[1] Phish debut.
[2] No intro.
[3] Page on keytar.

August 6, 2017
Boston Dream Pie: Phish’s Baker’s Dozen hits Night 12

With 11 nights down and only 4 sets left, Phish still had not repeated a song at their Baker’s Dozen run of 13 shows at Madison Square Garden. 198 songs in 11 nights is no small feat but Phish stepped up to the plate for the penultimate show of their residency.

Saturday proved to be an even harder ticket than the night before. The last show with a weekend day following wasn’t going to be easy to get in if you didn’t secure tickets in advance and especially not for this end to the Baker’s run of shows

“Soul Shakedown Party” got the night off to a groovy start, before “Uncle Pen” and “The Sloth” got the rowdy crowd even more fired up.

“Gotta Jibboo” provided the first bout of improv of the night, stretching past 12 minutes of Trey-led bliss. Just when you thought the song would wind down, Trey began hitting new licks and taking the song, while within its typical structure, beyond the scope of its typical role.

“Fuck Your Face” was standard, with Mike having a bit of a lyrical gaffe midway through, before Phish decided to mash up Boston and Cream songs for an epic medley. “Sunshine of Your Feeling” began with Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love,” before the band began dropped suddenly and seamlessly into Boston’s “More Than a Feeling” to which the crowd erupted in shock and awe. “Foreplay/Longtime,” “Tales of Brave Ulysses” and “The White Room” all were woven into the Boston/Cream mashup that the band admitted right after, that they had been waiting 20 years to play, and tongue-in-cheek, the genesis for the Baker’s Dozen concept.

The Trey ballad “Frost” then gave way to a super fun and danceable “Scent of a Mule,” which saw Mike and Page extend the Mule Duel portion longer than usual but without Trey taking to the Marimba Lumina. Jimi Hendrix’s “Fire,” “Alaska” and Trey Anastasio Band tune “Plasma” rounded out the first set, with the closer featuring a slowed down funk jam that built to a nice peak.

“Ghost” opened the second set, and will undeniably go down as a must hear jam from the Baker’s Dozen. After a bliss jam, the band turned the keys to Trey, who brought the song to a soaring peak, complete with one of the more creative light shows Chris Kuroda has put on this run. The feeling was all happiness and smiles.

“Petrichor,” the song Phish rang in 2017 with at MSG, took over, for a straightforward and well executed version. “Light” featured a nice, relaxing jam, before the band started the opening notes of “The Lizards.” Every fan in attendance turned their attention to the stage as Phish ran through one of their most beloved songs, singing in unison.

“The Horse”>”Silent in the Morning” had a fun segue into “Quinn the Eskimo,” before the set closed with the ever energetic “Rocky Top.”

After all that energy, Phish came on and played “Joy” for the encore, which elicited a few groans, but as the band delved deeper, it became apparent that they were thanking the fans for being a part of this unique and intimate part of Phish history.

Let’s see what tonight brings!

Setlist via Phish.net

Set 1: Soul Shakedown Party, Uncle Pen, The Sloth, Gotta Jibboo, Fuck Your Face, Sunshine of Your Feeling[1], Frost, Scent of a Mule, Fire,Alaska, Plasma

Set 2: Ghost, Petrichor, Light > The Lizards, The Horse > Silent in the Morning > Quinn the Eskimo > Rocky Top

Encore: Joy

[1] Debut

August 6, 2017
The Hole-y Word: Night 10 of Phish at the Garden

With the last of the supposed “dark horse” weekday shows taking place on Wednesday, Phish has now completed 10 of its historic 13 show residency at Madison Square Garden. As the last mid-week show, Wednesday escalated the general malaise associated with the relatively mellow Tuesday show from the night before and served as a valid reminder why every show these days falls into “can’t miss” territory when it comes to the legendary Vermont jam outfit. In keeping up with the daily tradition of The Baker’s Dozen, Wednesday’s assigned donut theme was “Holes,” which came in the form of Munchkin-like peanut butter coated donuts handed out before the show and classic, spellbinding Phish tunes during it.

If recent history has been any indication, Phish has not waited long to tip its collective cap towards the daily donut theme and tonight was no different as yet another debut song surfaced as the opener with a cover of Tom Waits’ “Way Down In The Hole,” known to many as the theme song from the popular TV show The Wire. As if it was even possible, an MSG bust out of sorts occurred next with the first “Buried Alive” ever performed by Phish at MSG. A more traditional show opener, this song served its purpose and seemed to finally get everyone up and moving in celebrating a unique “first” at The Garden, regardless of the semi-comical false start necessitated by drummer Jon Fishman. Slotting perfectly into its traditional early first set slot, “Kill Devil Falls” confirmed all in attendance were actively engaged as the entire arena lent its collective vocal support to the wailing lyrics before a long awaited and seemingly forgotten “Guyute” made an appearance for the first time in 50 shows.

Phish then rattled off a stream of typical first set selections with “I Didn’t Know,” which featured the first vacuum performance from Fishman this tour, a straightforward yet lively “NICU” and a nicely jammed out, hearty version of “Meat” that saw some serious extended improv on the back end. Sensing a peak of sorts in the opening set, the band kept the pedal down and then launched into “Maze” complete with its signature standout solos from guitarist Trey Anastasio and keyboardist Page McConnell.

After the two impressive “M” songs and the intensity brought by each, a breather of sorts was instituted in the form of a traditional bluegrass cover of “Ginseng Sullivan” and a mellow, laid back take on “Waiting All Night,” a newer song from the band’s recent album Fuego. “Heavy Things,” replete with its “two holes in my face” lyric then began to pick things back up a little before a raging “Run Like An Antelope,” a much anticipated song that had yet to be played at The Garden this year, closed things out in extremely enjoyable, traditional fashion. For those keeping count, 19 sets of music at MSG were now in the books without a single repeat in sight.

Phish has made its mark this tour with a patient approach to some of its storied jam vehicles and this second set would prove no different, starting with a monstrous “Mike’s Song” that featured the once common but now rare “second jam.” Another popular pre-show guess by fans, this “Mike’s” went above and beyond and thrilled show goers from the 400 level all the way down to the floor.

A spellbinding jam soon made its way into a spacey, ambient section that gave the band a chance to remind everyone of tonight’s theme again, courtesy of a completely unexpected vocal take while ensconced in smoke on the traditional Christmas tune “O Holy Night.” Before everyone could fully comprehend this, McConnell’s signature piano intro to “Taste” began and off the band went again on another improvisational journey that stretched to almost 20 minutes – a staple of Phish in 2017 it seems. This segued almost perfectly into “Wingsuit” which gave the crowd somewhat of a chance to rest and gear up for the high powered closing section of “Sneaking Sally Through the Alley” with its accompanying funk jam and the expected “Weekapaug Groove” set closer that had MSG, once again, bouncing and gyrating in euphoric unison.

The ever clever jam legends then encored with The Beatles’ classic “A Day in the Life,” with a little emphasis on the “4,000 holes in Blackburn Lancashire” line given. Night 10 was now in the books and kept in line with The Baker’s Dozen tradition of mixing long, extended jam sections with well thought out and intelligent song selections. With three nights to go before the residency’s end, it’s clear anything and everything is on the table going into the home stretch. Unless it involves a repeated song.

Setlist courtesy of phish.net

August 2, 2017 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Set 1: Way Down in the Hole*, Buried Alive, Kill Devil Falls, Guyute, I Didn’t Know, NICU, Meat, Maze, Ginseng Sullivan, Waiting All Night, Heavy Things, Run Like an Antelope

Set 2: Mike’s Song > O Holy Night* > Taste > Wingsuit > Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley > Weekapaug Groove

Encore: A Day in the Life

Notes: *Phish debut

August 3, 2017
Syrupy Jams Highlight Night 9 of Baker’s Dozen

On Night 9 of Phish’s Baker’s Dozen residency, Maple was the donut theme of the night and with that came jams that slowly dripped out from Phish’s tap, leaving 4 nights to go and not a single song repeated thus far.

A tribute to our Maple loving neighbors to the north started the show, with a spotlight on the Canadian flag and one on Trey as he tore into ‘O Canada!’ A dozen songs followed through in the set, with nothing overly ambitious or stretched out like the previous 8 nights but the band dove into their catalog for fan favorites and rarer tunes. Highlights included the upbeat “Daniel Saw the Stone” that felt like a church revival as the lights brightened the entire arena; “Guelah Papyrus” which included Page performing Scott Joplin’s ragtime classic “Maple Leaf Rag” in between sections; “McGrupp” and a firey “Walk Away” capped the set of a full Baker’s Dozen of songs.

Set 2 brought out a usual jam vehicle “Golden Age” that stretched for 20 minutes and could have been the jam of the night if it were not for the latter half of “Swept Away” > “Steep” which took a spacey spin for 12 minutes and grew into an improvisational jam that has been a staple of the residency. Growing from “Steep” was a trio of heaters: “46 Days,” the long awaited (but not slow built) “Piper” followed by “Possum” made for 35 minutes of firey rock n roll to cap the show. An encore of Bowie’s “Rock and Roll Suicide” didn’t have the emotional impact that the debut during Halloween in Las Vegas had, but Trey singing the Ziggy Stardust coda still packs an emotional punch.

Holes is the theme for tonight’s 10th show of the Baker’s Dozen. Could Phish pay tribute to the late Chris Cornell with “Black Hole Sun?”

Setlist via Phish.net

Set 1: O Canada[1], Crowd Control, Sugar Shack, When the Circus Comes, Daniel Saw the Stone, Army of One, The Wedge, Guelah Papyrus, Maple Leaf Rag[2], Guelah Papyrus, McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters > Limb By Limb > Walk Away

Set 2: Golden Age, Leaves, Swept Away > Steep > 46 Days > Piper > Possum

Encore: Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide

[1] Phish debut; instrumental.
[2] Phish debut; performed solo by Page

August 2, 2017

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