NYS Music 20​17

Tag: Madison Square Garden

  • Phish is in the Midst of an Historic Residency at Madison Square Garden

    Phish is doing something unprecedented at Madison Square Garden. They’re in the midst of a 13 show residency that is more than your average run of shows. This isn’t just a residency: it’s a historic Rock ‘n’ Roll experience that is falling under the radar as Phish often does. But what they’re doing deserves attention from music fans of all ranges.

    phish baker's dozen

    With this ‘Baker’s Dozen‘ residency, Phish will have performed 53 times at The Garden in their career, dating back to 1994. As of Sunday, they will only be behind Elton John and Billy Joel for most times played at MSG. The band has played New York State more than any other state in the country, with a large chunk of their shows now in one building. The national media have been taking notice and giving credit where it is due to the band.

    After 8 nights of shows since July 21, Phish has performed 141 different songs, debuted 11 covers and originals, played 9 20 minute+ jams and have left the audience wanting more. The final 3 nights of the run coming up this weekend have become a ticket as sought after as New Year’s Eve at The Garden, if not more so. The energy at the shows emanates through the bars and music venues that Phish fans populate daily before and after each show, building a beautiful buzz that grows each time Phish takes the stage. In short, Phish is doing something few rock bands can do during a residency of this nature, let alone play 13 shows at one venue, not get the slightest bit rusty and improve as the run progresses.

    Phish baker's dozen
    Credit: Fans.com

    The Themes

    Each night, donuts that are handed out for free, courtesy of Philadelphia’s Federal Donuts, and the donut flavor is reflected in the setlist each night. On Velvet donut night, two Velvet Underground songs were played, “Sunday Morning” and “Sweet Jane.” On Strawberry donut night, “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Strawberry Letter 23” were debuted. On Chocolate donut night, “Chocolate Rain,” and on Powder donut night, Neil Young’s “Powderfinger” debuted, to the laughter (chocolate) and awe (powder) of the crowd. With so many flavors of donuts, fans are anticipating song selections while avoiding the predictability that Phish eschews. With Maple Glazed donuts on Night 9 of the residency, fans wonder if they can expect “Maple Leaf Rag” by Scott Joplin and how that will play into the band’s themed set for the night. Keeping the theme of the run going each night, not just with physical donuts but music to accompany them, the band is giving their fans a treat in more ways than one.

    The Jams

    All time jams have been performed by Phish at MSG before, but during the residency, this has not been your typical jamming. We’re talking hallmark jams that can stand the test of time. The typically 3-4 minute lounge lizard “Lawn Boy” was performed for 30 minutes on July 25, and in the second set that night, Talking Heads “Crosseyed and Painless” hit the 33-minute mark. Upon listening back to these jams, you don’t notice time passing as the jams continue to build and escape the noodly uncertainty that improvisation can lend itself to. Versions of “Chalkdust Torture” (24 minutes), “Down With Disease” (20 minutes), “Fuego” (20 minutes), “Blaze On” (23 minutes), “Drowned” and “A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing” (40 minutes combined) as well as “Tube” (15 minutes) are just a some of the standouts in the first 8 shows. Phish is jamming on typical jam vehicles and non-traditional songs as well, keeping the audience on their toes. Expecting the unexpected is part of the Phish experience, but that has never been truer than during The Baker’s Dozen.

    Debuts

    Phish has debuted originals from side projects, seemingly as part of the effort not to repeat any songs during the run. The Trey Anastasio Band song “Mr. Completely” returned for the second time this year and only third version since 2003, while Mike Gordon Band’s “Waking up Dead” appeared on July 30 to the surprise and delight of fans. The Story of the Ghost closing track “End of Session,” was performed for the first time ever on Jam-filled donut night. Digging into their side projects and giving them the Phish treatment rarely turns out to be less than impressive, as the new twist reintroduces the songs to fans. You can expect more tunes from side projects to appear as the band (unofficially) attempts to deliver on a no-repeat run of shows.

    The Covers

    Name a classic rock artist and Phish has covered them this run. The Beatles. Velvet Underground. David Bowie. Led Zeppelin. Neil Young. The Who. Ween. Talking Heads. Then add in some funk via Prince, Hot Chocolate, and Deodato, with Tay Zonday and Fleet Foxes catching fans off guard on separate nights with acapella renditions of their originals. The list will continue to expand as Phish stretches well out of their comfort zone and surprises fans with a dose of something out of left field.

    No Repeats

    As of Sunday night, Phish has performed more than 140 unique songs with 5 nights to go. The band is on pace for close to 230 total unique songs by the end, without a single song repeated. There is no band performing today with a catalog that deep who could perform at this level for 13 shows over 17 days.

    You may or may not be a Phish fan, but the musical history being written inside Madison Square Garden is worth paying attention to as the run comes to a close this week.

  • Hot Chocolate and Cinnamon Spice Up Nights 6 and 7 of Phish’s Baker’s Dozen

    Chocolate donut night on the sixth night of the Baker’s Dozen MSG residency brought Phish to cover an American Idol contestant’s viral hit, bringing “Chocolate Rain” to life, along with “Ass Handed,” tying the theme to the music once again before letting loose with a set of rarities and surprise jams. “Free” and “Sand’” marked the high points of Set 1’s jamming, with ‘Weigh’ and ‘Destiny Unbound’ garnering the loudest cheers as fans crossed songs off their bucket list for yet another night. During “Divided Sky,” Trey held ‘the note’ for such a long time that Chris Kuroda lit up the arena, with one spotlight shining down on Trey as he slowly looked around the entire arena, in as much awe of his surroundings as the crowd was.

    phish chocolate cinnamon

    The ever rare “Have Mercy” was the bustout to start set 2, opening the way for “Chalkdust Torture” which clocked in at 24 minutes and stood out as the jam of the evening. Ascending jams that rose and rose with full band builds with no let up highlighted “Chalkdust,” creating a jam vehicle that found its way towards Hot Chocolate’s “You Sexy Thing.” Hearing the opening notes of the funk from this 70s classic, the audience erupted in the glee of an out of left field bust out that led to a funk jam for the ages.

    “Mercury,” while fresh and left off Big Boat, bridged the ending of “You Sexy Thing,” a jam the band sought to return to at the first opportunity. By the time the funk ended, the audience welcomed “Backwards Down the Number Line” with as much energy as they could muster and with “Rock and Roll” following, the crowd went into a frenzy listening to that New York Station. An encore of the ever rare “Fee” and “Space Oddity” capped the night as Phish continued to raise the bar during their historic run at Madison Square Garden.

    Setlist via Phish.net
    Set 1: Chocolate Rain[1], Ass Handed, Free, Weigh > Undermind > The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony, The Dogs, Destiny Unbound, Divided Sky, Things People Do, Sand

    Set 2: Have Mercy, Chalk Dust Torture[2], You Sexy Thing[3] > Mercury -> You Sexy Thing > Backwards Down the Number Line > Rock and Roll

    Encore: Fee[4], Space Oddity

    [1] Phish debut; a cappella, with Page on a midi controller keyboard.
    [2] Unfinished.
    [3] Phish debut.
    [4] Lyrics changed to “have a chocolate donut and catch your breath.”

    Phish returned to the comfy confines of Madison Square Garden for Night 7 of the Baker’s Dozen residency on Saturday with a show that had all the Phishy elements fans love, starting off with with the energetic scorcher “Llama,” fastening in the crowd for a memorable, cinnamon flavored night.

    Many fans who didn’t figure out their ticket situation in advance were left with their finger in the air come show time as it seemed many were shut out. Inside the venue, a recording came on urging the crowd to “not eat the brown donuts,” as they are not so good, surely a play on the famous brown acid announcement at the original Woodstock.

    After the straightforward “Llama,” Phish launched into “Wilson” and the crowd was instantly ready, painting the famed venue walls with only the type of energy a Phish crowd can bring. Normally a quick hype song, this “Wilson” stretched beyond the nine-minute mark with an atypical jam out of what normally closes the song, which caught few off guard after the surprises Phish had in the first six shows.

    Standard takes on “Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan” and “Ya Mar” warmed up for the semi-rare, and ultra sought after “Tela.” The band nailed the song and Trey played the closing guitar section masterfully, igniting a rousing applause from the capacity crowd.

    “The Birds”>”The Line” was a nice segue, with the latter containing a bit of full band improvisation. “The Line” takes a lot of heat in the Phish world for being a bathroom break song, but this one was well placed and you can just tell how much Trey and Mike enjoy playing the song based off their mutual grins.

    A brief “Water In The Sky” came as a warm up for the close of the set, which began with a very well played “Vultures,” another song that seemed to add an extra layer of frosting on an already rocking first set. Mike took the lead to sing “Train Song” that led into a segue into “Horn,” in which the entire band played each note almost perfectly. In recent years, Trey has taken some online flak for not playing the composed guitar part of “Horn” perfectly, but he did last night.

    Not many expected what came next. When Page hit the two notes on the clav and Trey played the fuzzy lead line, the crowd nearly exploded with energy as everyone realized Phish was covering The Beatles’ beloved “I Am The Walrus.” As the band and crowd sang in unison and Chris Kuroda turned the Garden into a rainbow light dance party, a guy leaned in to my ear and said, “So dude, I really think they’re not going to repeat a single song.” Me too, kid. Me too.

    After set break, Phish started up with “Blaze On,” a song that debuted two summers ago and quickly found its place as a first set rocker, late set jam vehicle and the coveted second set opener. It was apparent that Phish was going to sink their fins into this one as Trey didn’t waste a second before jumping into a nearly five-minute lead solo that was him wield his Languedoc high, bending notes in his signature rapid fire licks. It was some of his finest playing of the run, which was a bit of foreshadowing for what’s to come.

    “Blaze On” then started to devolve, until Phish reconstructed it into a major key with a mildly funky and ethereal jam that kept everyone’s interest before bringing it back to a swirling crescendo finish that clocked in at nearly 24 minutes and left some speechless. This band is clearly as comfortable as they’ve felt in a really long time.

    After a segue into “20 Years Later,” which seemed to contain some Led Zeppelin type elements in the jam, Phish broke out “Alumni Blues”>”Letter to Jimmy Page”>”Alumni Blues,” two of their oldest songs. While the segment was very textbook, it was very well played and featured Trey and Mike facing each other for a short bluesy segment, after which Trey shouted “it’s alright now, ‘cuz Mike’s playing the bass,” which elicited a crowd roar, before Mike took a short but powerful lead solo.

    Out of the soundscape came fan favorite “Meatstick,” which has a rich history with MSG. In 1994 and 2010, Phish used the song as part of their New Year’s Eve gags. After the dance part, Trey and Page led the band into an atypical and psychedelic jam which landed perfectly on “Dirt.” While “Dirt” is typically a first set song, last night’s placement couldn’t have been any better, giving fans a bit of a break after nearly an hour of some pretty unique music. But, hey, that’s why we follow this band.

    With time winding down in the night, anticipation was high in regard to what they’d close the set with. When Fishman hit the drums, “Harry Hood” made it’s Baker’s Dozen appearance and did more than close the set. Clocking in at 17:20, this “Hood” broke itself down into ambient space before Trey, Page and Mike revved the sing into the highest gear with very Allman Brothers’ “Mountain Jam”-esque teases and quotes. Approaching 17 minutes, “Hood” finished with a peak that only that song can bring. When this is all done and said, “Harry Hood” will go down as a very notable jam from this run.

    Almost forgot that the theme was cinnamon donuts? Well, after a somewhat lengthy encore break, Phish came out and lit into a cover of Neil Young’s “Cinnamon Girl,” which was last played by the band 19 years, 364 days ago. The crowd had anticipated the song all night and Phish delivered with a stellar take on the song that sent 20,000 people flowing onto the streets of midtown Manhattan.

    The stage is set for what we in the Phish world gear up for: A Sunday show. I think the saying goes something like, “never miss a Sunday show!”

    In reality, it should be, “never miss a Phish show!”

    Setlist via phish.net

    Set 1: Llama, Wilson > Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan > Ya Mar, Tela, The Birds > The Line, Water in the Sky, Vultures, Train Song > Horn, I Am the Walrus

    Set 2: Blaze On > Twenty Years Later > Alumni Blues > Letter to Jimmy Page > Alumni Blues > Meatstick > Dirt > Harry Hood

    Encore: Cinnamon Girl

  • Phish Puts the Power in Powder

    On Wednesday July 26 at Madison Square Garden, Phish devised a plan to make hump day a great day.  Keeping in form with the powdered donut theme, the foursome launched into an acappella version of Fleet Foxes’ “White Winter Hymnal” to get the party started.  The “white snow red as strawberries” lyric reprised the Saturday night donut theme to the delight of MSG regulars and set the tone for a cover-filled evening on Night 6 of their Baker’s Dozen.

    Fans entering the Garden after work could relate to the traffic -jammed “Cars Trucks Buses” that took the second spot in the rotation and saw Page McConnell work his magic on the boards.  The always welcomed “My Soul” kept the energy building before a “Roses Are Free” completed the back-to-back cover annihilation.  The Chilling Thrilling Sounds “Very Long Fuse” received some extended love as the powder keg audience realized they wouldn’t be getting another five song first set.

    Rarities like “Pebbles and Marbles” have been filling the donut holes in a magical way throughout this run and it has become so common to hear bust-outs that the audience didn’t even detect how special it was. While speaking about special moments, the almost 15-minute “Tube” was explored by the band as if it was in a 1990’s Discovery Zone.  The bouncy punch initiated by Mike Gordon was only outshined by Page’s dirty synth orgy. Trey found his groove and dissected the jam into what will be known as the “Baker’s Tube” for years to come.

    phish powder

    When second sets begin with hard-rocking machines like “Carini,” Phish followers know they are in for a sweet treat.  The 16-minute lumpiness dug its feet into the ground and setup another rarity in “Mr. Completely.”  The TAB classic has only been played a handful of times by the quartet, yet it made its second appearance this tour to the delight of die-hards.  Trey’s ditty may or may not become a staple in the band’s repertoire, but for now there is still much work to be done with the jam.

    “The World’s Most Famous Arena” experienced a flashback to 1998 as the Vermonters destroyed Price’s “1999.” The second set was familiarly baked with incredible choices but the highlight may have been the jam that ensued.  “Steam” rose out of the stage as a seamless and perfectly placed transition before Led Zepplin’s “No Quarter” shocked and awed an already speechless crowd.  Page’s well-executed vocal takedown mixed with the ferocious Jimmy Page-like guitar antics by Big Red solidified this version as possibly the best one ever played.  An overly ambitious “Character Zero” closed the set and proved that surprises come in all forms during this epic 13-show run.

    Where is the powder?  There’s the powder.  Phish never lets us down in terms of donut symbolism.  The encore debut of Neil Young’s “Powderfinger” closed the night and permanently gave us a new motto to live by: “Never miss a Wednesday show.”

    Setlist via Phish.net

    Set 1: White Winter Hymnal[1], Cars Trucks Buses, My Soul, Roses Are Free > The Very Long Fuse, Gumbo, Yarmouth Road, Pebbles and Marbles, Farmhouse, Tube
    Set 2: Carini -> Mr. Completely > 1999 > Steam > No Quarter, Character Zero
    Encore: Powderfinger[2]

    [1] Phish debut; a cappella
    [2] Phish debut

  • Sunday Velvety Sunday: Night 3 of Phish’s Baker’s Dozen

    After two nights of Phish extending jams amid bustouts and debuts during the Baker’s Dozen, it was clear that these donut themed shows would be filled with jam and not jelly. On Red Velvet donut night, the audience was treated to a pair of Velvet Underground covers bookending the show, as a red hue illuminated the Garden and once again the mantra ‘Never miss a Sunday Show’ held true.

    Opening with Velvet Underground’s “Sunday Morning” with Fishman in a Cardinal’s stole and mitre, he sang a perfect song to fit the day and theme, all while blessing the crowd with the ‘holy water’ that was in his scepter. And with that, the show amped up the energy with “Axilla” driving the crowd into a frenzy, “Your Pet Cat” throwing in a dose of funk, and an 11 minute “Back on the Train” that easily ventured beyond the usual length for the Farmhouse fan favorite. “How Many People Are You” kept the energy flowing, and while “Glide” isn’t an intense song, the oft-chased after song was greeted by all as another example of working through the band’s deep catalog to ensure no repeats throughout the 13 show run.

    After a standard “Theme From the Bottom,” the jam of the evening took off inside “It’s Ice,” with the band stretching this version out past the 15 minute mark with a deeply exploratory jam built on patience from all four members. Setting the tone with jams in non-traditional jam vehicles has been a hallmark of this tour (see: Dayton “Wombat,” Pittsburgh “Mr. Completely”) and “It’s Ice” with its jazzy improvisation follows this trend. Closing the set was “More,” something everyone was asking for after the “Ice” jam.

    After a creamy first set, Phish came out firing with a brief, but punchy “AC/DC Bag,” which a lot of fans were hoping would get lengthy jam treatment. While it clocked in at its typical time, “Bag” still got the Garden dancing as Anastasio brought some youthful playing to one of Phish’s oldest and most played songs.

    Whatever song was up next was sure to get stretched out, as the band has displayed incredible improvisational prowess on this tour throughout each show, but especially in the second sets. So, with the opener providing more of a quick rocker, “Wolfman’s Brother” brought out a very audible cheer from the crowd, as Chris Kuroda followed suit with maybe the most intense lights of the run so far. From behind the stage, it appeared, at times, that the red lights morphed into a reflective orange, which made the crowd appear, at times, on fire. Meanwhile, after Phish got through the song portion of “Wolfman’s Brother,” the band kicked it 50 yards past high gear with a sort of circular feeling ambient jam that saw Mike Gordon lead a layered approach to another old and beloved song, which bled into “Twist.”

    phish sunday baker's

    This “Twist” can really be described by its several distinct sections, and was highlighted by Page McConnell’s stellar use of his new synth toy. It seems that every member of the band has added something new, at it showed in this jam, which gave way to a series of loops from Anastasio. When it all came together, the peak settled back gently into the song’s theme. “Waves” came next, and quickly went dark and deep, but the jam was the only flat part of the entire set. Some around the section were loving it, but others were not sold on the jam. “Miss You” filled in where “2001” seemed to be emerging from the spacey jam out of “Waves.”

    “Boogie On Reggae Woman” and, of course, “Wading In the Velvet Sea” closed out the set in funky and somewhat emotive fashion. Everyone knew “Velvet Sea” was coming, and it was pretty well placed after a set chock full of improvisation, landing well.

    For the first time since Deer Creek 2012, Phish busted out a fan favorite in the Velvet Underground’s “Sweet Jane.” Kuroda brought back the red light theme, and Phish played the song flub free, ending with the crowd in a frenzy as the Anastasio jumped up and down to conclude another stellar show of the Baker’s Dozen.

    Night 4 of Baker’s has been announced as Jam Filled, with mini Raspberry donuts the theme of the night. Few things can get a phan’s heart pumping than to know a night full of jamming is on tap.

    Setlist via Phish.net

    Set 1: Sunday Morning[1], Axilla, Your Pet Cat > Back on the Train, How Many People Are You, Glide, Theme From the Bottom >It’s Ice > More
    Set 2: AC/DC Bag > Wolfman’s Brother[2] > Twist > Waves > Miss You, Boogie On Reggae Woman, Wading in the Velvet Sea
    Encore: Sweet Jane
    [1] Phish debut. Trey on drums.
    [2] Unfinished.

    phish sunday baker's
    phish sunday baker's
    phish sunday baker's
    phish sunday baker's

  • Baker’s Dozen Night Two: The Strawberry Goo

    As the first weekend of Phish’s Madison Square Garden Baker’s Dozen residency rolls on, and with a memorable Friday night show already in the books, Saturday delivered another rousing two sets of music set to the tune of the next donut flavor of choice: Strawberry milkshake glaze. Once announced, speculation ran rampant as to what the band could pull out of its hat in order to comply with tonight’s theme.  Perhaps a rare Strawberry Alarm Clock cover?  An extended “Halley’s Comet” with strawberry jam?  As usual, The Phish from Vermont did not disappoint.

    phish bakers strawberry

    The show began with all four band members at the front of the stage in barbershop quartet formation as they debuted an a cappella version of one of the more popular cover song guesses of the evening, The Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever.”  Those in the “Halley’s Comet” for an opener crowd were then quickly rewarded next with the standout version that followed, replete with thousands of delighted fans singing in unison about the preferred method of their strawberry goo intake.

    Things escalated quickly from there courtesy of a sterling rendition of “The Moma Dance” that was delightfully stretched out, showcasing the steady and patient jamming style the band has featured of late.  The “Breath and Burning” that followed was in the same vein and the normally straightforward reggae infused number took on an entirely different feel this evening with a complex and, at times, dark jam attached to it.  Bassist Mike Gordon took over on lead vocals for the next two songs, a typically energetic and rocking cover of “Funky Bitch” and the old school staple “Mound.”  To the delight of many, the first set continued with another Phish staple of yore, the rarely played “Foam” which is featured on the band’s first major release, Junta.  “Roggae,” always a popular first set selection followed before “The Squirming Coil” with Page McConnell’s signature piano solo capped things off. 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0bdLdTJdKI

    Saturday’s second set kicked off with “Down with Disease” and its typical massive, psychedelic infused jam that seems to get deeper and more epic each time it’s played.  Only true musical nerds could have possibly guessed what was next as Phish brought out their second debut of the night, “Strawberry Letter 23,” a song first written by Shuggie Otis, popularized by a cover from The Brothers Johnson in 1977 and sampled endlessly in popular music ever since.  Before the shock of seeing this out of nowhere cover could wear off, Trey Anastasio’s opening guitar riff to “Birds of a Feather” rang through the Garden and sent the crowd into a frenzy, birds of a feather all singing and dancing in unison.  

    Another somewhat unexpected song selection followed with McConnell once again taking lead on the synthesizer fueled “I Always Wanted It This Way” which is found on the band’s most recent album, Big Boat. As the ensuing jam slowly winded down, a true bust out emerged with the first “All of These Dreams” played in over 250 shows which served as a true “breather” song.  The last segment of the second set was classic Phish in a nutshell.  The rhythm section of Gordon and drummer Jon Fishman initiated a “Split Open and Melt” that featured its typical dark, heavy improv section before eventually morphing back into the main riffs of “Down with Disease,” bringing the set opener full circle and leaving fans with mouths agape.  

    phish bakers strawberry

    To close out the set, Phish played a popular encore-like selection with another cover, this time The Rolling Stones’ sing along “Shine A Light.”  The actual encore was one for the books with “Peaches en Regalia” making an appearance there for the first time since the late 80s.  A fitting high energy but brief cover of The Talking Heads’ “Cities” followed before “My Sweet One” closed out the evening.  One of the highlights of the night was the extended pause at the end of the song that had everyone in attendance roaring in approval with a force so strong that it seemed to bring up the house lights – a fitting end to a most epic Baker’s Dozen ‘Strawberry’ show.

    Setlist via Phish.net

    Baker’s Dozen Night 2 – Strawberry

    Set 1: Strawberry Fields Forever[1], Halley’s Comet > The Moma Dance[2] > Breath and Burning > Funky Bitch, Mound, Foam, Roggae, The Squirming Coil

    Set 2: Down with Disease, Strawberry Letter 23[3] > Birds of a Feather, I Always Wanted It This Way[4] > All of These Dreams, Split Open and Melt > Down with Disease > Shine a Light

    Encore: Peaches en Regalia > Cities, My Sweet One

    [1] Phish debut; a cappella.
    [2] Unfinished.
    [3] Phish debut.
    [4] With Trey on Marimba Lumina.

  • Glazed and Confused: Phish’s Baker’s Dozen Preview

    It’s time to make the donuts.  Whether you like your songs sprinkled with bluegrass or deep-fried in funk, the Baker’s Dozen run is sure to be filled with surprises and innovative decoration.  The colossally ambitious 13 shows in 17 days will bring Phish back to the “World’s Most Famous Arena” for the first time this year.  Soft rock pianists like Billy Joel wouldn’t be able to handle the New York state of mind for this many shows in such a short period of time, but die-hard Phish junkies lucky enough to scoop up the full Baker’s package are foaming at the mouth!

    Hard to believe that Phish had only played Madison Square Garden a total of 13 times prior to the 3.0 era.  The 90’s saw the band transform from small venue jam band to arena-filling rock stars, and their initial visit to MSG in December of 1994 marked a significant new chapter in the band’s trajectory.

    Phish had outgrown their tank by the mid-90’s and iconic Manhattan venues like The Wetlands Preserve were now reserved for bands following in their footsteps.  That same winter night in 1994 saw New York’s own Moe. play the first ever post-Phish Wetlands after party (Moe. plans on reprising their role as keepers of the party for the first night of the Baker’s Dozen run at the Playstation Theater on July 21st).

    The original New Year’s Eve show at The Garden in 1995 is regarded as one of the best performances in Phistory and started the tradition of theatrically pranking the New York City crowd at each of the three 90’s New Year’s Eve gatherings (1995, 1997, and 1998).  In the era where “cowfunk” reigned supreme Phish reintroduced “Sneakin’ Sally” and busted out Eric Clapton’s “Crossroads” to a capacity crowd during their 1997 NYE Run.  On their final MSG show of the 1.0 era, Phish opened up with Prince’s “1999” to close out the year 1998 and the room swung back and forth as the band used “The Hose” to water The Garden in glorious fashion.

    After a dozen epic MSG performances in the 90’s, Phish returned to their home away from Nectar’s for their first show after hiatus on New Year’s Eve, 2002.  The boys surprised followers by only playing one night instead of their usual multi-night Garden run, which created one of the most desperate ticket searches for their dedicated fan base.  The tipsy, groggy and short lived 2.0 era created a buzz reminiscent of their New Year’s Eve festival just three years earlier in South Florida, but they did not live up to the incredible Phish that phans had come to expect and only played one measly show at the Garden before their unfortunate “breakup.”

    Just when everyone thought they would never get to swing from the rafters at an MSG Phish show again, the sky divided and the good Lord shined a light back on the midtown arena in December of 2009. Phish 3.0 was ready to knock three early December shows out of the park and although those years did not produce many jam heavy second sets, the energy in the venue was well worth the ticket price.  Since rising from the dead in 2009, the band has played 26 times at The Garden (that’s two baker’s dozens for those keeping count).  We have seen them ride in on a giant “Meatstick” to ring in 2011 and host a wonderful “Garden Party” on New Year’s Eve 2012.  They created a “Steam” dream in 2011, plunged below the waterline full of cats and dogs in 2016 and jammed an incredible “No Men In No Man’s Land” between beams behind a funnel-shaped screen in 2015.  Throughout each and every performance at the Garden, the band and the crowd give “IT” 110%. The 39 shows have created memories that will last a lifetime, but seeing that they are about to embark on 13 more, it appears that we are just getting started.

    “The city that never sleeps” may or may not be prepared for the amount of Phishery about to take place at the end of July into August, but there are a bunch of venues that are ready.  The official Baker’s Dozen Headquarters, American Beauty NYC, will be hosting unique events for phans on each of the 17 nights, including the nights that Phish has off.  Rest assured that your trip is short from Madison Square Garden to American Beauty, located only one block away on W. 30th Street and 8th Ave.  The venue plans to recreate one of the best parts of Summer Tour, the Phish lot, on the second floor which they have entitled “The Jerry Lounge.”  If you have post or pre-show munchies, American Beauty also offers free personal pizzas with every beer purchased, and their craft list is impeccable. If you want to keep your mind fresh after nights of partying, the bar will be hosting Grateful Dead and Phish trivia nights (Monday 7/24 & 7/31) for out-of-towners and locals alike.  Lastly, check out the venue’s event calendar to stay on top of all the late-night parties, including a birthday celebration for Jerry Garcia on August 1st.  Doors open for all pre-parties at 3pm and at 11:30pm for post-parties.

    American Beauty is the same place that Jon Fishman used dildos as drumsticks during his side-project late night performance with Touchpants a few years back, so you know this place knows how to party.  Phish’s ever-growing artist community, PhanArt, is also coming to your town to help you party down. With the unique blend of artists selling everything from pins and prints to socks and hoodies, they are hoping when you get to your next show, you’ll be better dressed.  PhanArt will be setting up one of their popular art shows at American Beauty on July 29th starting at 3pm with pre-Phish help from Space Carnival.  If you are unable to pick up PhanArt work on the 29th, stop by Hotel Pennsylvania on July 22nd or August 5th, starting at noon.

    If a Baker’s Dozen isn’t enough and you need more Phish in your summer diet, the tour starts this week at Northerly Island in the Chicago and runs through Dayton and Pittsburgh before hitting the Big Apple.  The Vermonters are finally going down to the central part of midtown Manhattan and excitement meters are about to reach 2009 Hampton “Fluffhead” levels.  Jaded tour veterans can sit back and reminisce about wearing their patchwork pants and mushroom cuts to all those insane 90’s shows, but let’s face it folks, there’s a golden age coming around and it begins on Friday, July 21st.  Glaze on.

  • Eric Clapton Keeps the Blues Alive at Madison Square Garden

    With the spirit of Chuck Berry present, church was assembled on Sunday, March 19 at Madison Square Garden, with the legendary Eric Clapton presiding. Over three and a half hours, Clapton performed songs from across his 50 year catalog, particularly the covers he popularized that brought him fame over his career which served as a tribute to legends he has admired, called a friend or, in many cases, both.

    Opening the show was Jimmy Vaughn, brother of Stevie Ray, who performed a 30 minute set that began with Wilson Pickett’s “Midnight Hour” and was capped off by “Tra La La.” Gary Clark, Jr. followed, and shortly after “Travis County” he noted, “That last one would not have been possible without the influence of Chuck Berry,” the founder of rock n roll who passed away a day earlier. Highlights included “Our Love” off Clark Jr.’s The Story of Sonny Boy Slim, which had a painful yearning that only the blues can alleviate, and his signature “Bright Lights Big City.”

    Gary Clark Jr @thegarden. Next up Eric Clapton! #slowhand #msg #nysmusic #legends

    A post shared by pete mason (@phanart) on

    As Eric Clapton arrived to the stage, the room illuminated with projections behind him. “Key to the Highway” and “Badge” kicked off the night with Sharon White and Michelle John on backing vocals. Clapton wore a blue shirt and black vest as he led the band through nearly two hours of surefire rock n’ roll, including “I Shot the Sheriff,” his cover that skyrocketed Bob Marley to fame in 1974.

    eric clapton madison square gardenClapton took a seat for a handful of acoustic songs, including “Driftin’ Blues,” “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out,” “Tears in Heaven” and “Layla,” all the while exhibiting that pained look singing the blues requires you to have. After each song, Clapton gave that short, quick “Thank You” to the audience, a truncated comment that has almost never changed in cadence or elocution and was the extent of his banter with the audience this evening.

    A beautiful “Wonderful Tonight” preceded “Crossroads” and “Queen of Spades,” both tunes by Robert Johnson, the eldest of blues legends, the latter of which found Clapton the most dialed in of the night. Longtime friend and guitarist JJ Cale’s “Cocaine” closed the set with Chris Stainton going to town on the piano. The two song encore featured “Sunshine of Your Love,” the lone Cream song of the night which was as powerful as ever, and “Before You Accuse Me,” with Vaughn and Clark, Jr. each taking solos and rousing the sell out crowd once again.

    Be thankful that bluesmen live long lives, for we have a combined century of living legends in Eric Clapton and Jimmy Vaughn and many more years of Gary Clark, Jr. keeping the tradition of the blues alive.

    Setlist: Key to the Highway, Badge, I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man, I Shot the Sheriff, Driftin’ Blues*, Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out*, Tears in Heaven*, Layla*, Somebody’s Knocking, Wonderful Tonight, Crossroads, Little Queen of Spades, Cocaine
    Encore: Sunshine of Your Love, Before You Accuse Me^
    * acoustic
    ^with Gary Clark, Jr. and Jimmy Vaughn

  • Phish Announces 13-Night Summer Run at MSG

    Rumors of Phish breaking with summer tour tradition and taking an extended stay at Madison Square Garden have been circulating all winter, and today the band announced that they will indeed be taking up residence at MSG for a 13-night run.Phish 13-Night MSG

    The famed New York City venue has played host to Phish 39 times since their sold-out debut there in 1994, while the Baker’s Dozen shows will bring them up to 52 performances at the Garden by summer’s end.

    The run will start on Friday, July 21 and conclude on Sunday, August 6, with scheduled days off on the Mondays and Thursdays between. Tickets will be sold as the whole Baker’s Dozen package (13 shows for the price of 12) or as individual shows. Travel packages are available and pre-sale tickets are available now through Sunday, February 17 at Phish’s website. All floor tickets will be general admission.

    Phish 13-Night MSGAlong with the Baker’s Dozen announcement, came news that Phish will not be touring this fall, so it’s MSG or bust, Phans!

    Phish – The Baker’s Dozen, a 13-night run at MSG

    Friday, July 21
    Saturday, July 22
    Sunday, July 23
    Tuesday, July 25
    Wednesday, July 26
    Friday, July 28
    Saturday, July 29
    Sunday, July 30
    Tuesday, August 1
    Wednesday, August 2
    Friday, August 4
    Saturday, August 5
    Sunday, August 6

    Watch the announcement video below.

  • The Rain Came Down during Phish’s Petrichor New Year’s Eve

    Phish has found a way to utilize the space inside Madison Square Garden for New Years Eve celebrations for more than 20 years. They’ve been scientists in a time lab, made it snow, flew in on a giant hotdog, lifted fans off the floor, held a runaway golfcart marathon, and moved the stage (twice), all as part of their celebration to ring in the new year.

    petrichorSo what do you do when you’ve already done this much with the room? You make it rain in the closing minutes of 2016, after wrapping up one of the strongest sets Phish has ever played at MSG, and in doing so washing away a year many would like to forget.

    The show began as the other three nights did, with an acapella rendition of a rarely played song, in this case, Fraternity of Man’s “Don’t Bogart That Joint,” keeping fans on their feet and crossing a rarity off the list of many fans. “Your Pet Cat” > “Kill Devil Falls” > “Back on the Train” > “My Soul” served to keep energy nice and high for the beginning of the night, when Trey took a minute to opine about the extra 6 feet of stage they had in front of them, and what could they possibly do with it but let The Chairman of the Boards, Page McConnell, take a stroll out on the stage while crooning “Lawn Boy.” Page and Mike Gordon alike took a wander around the enlarged stage, wandering over to Mike Side and Page Side, greeting fans and smiling widely. A well-placed “Divided Sky” followed before the energy kicked back up again with “Ya Mar,” “Character Zero,” and “Walls of the Cave,” all setting the stage for another monster second set.

    The night before in the second set, Phish dropped a “Tweezer” > “Sparks” > “Ghost” > “Light” for the ages, and given the three sets they had tonight, they had set the bar high for themselves and the challenge was accepted. Dropping into “2001” to get things rolling, the Garden dance party was in effect, getting dark upon entry into “Carini” and lighter again with Trey’s ascending jam in the “Twist” that followed. The segue into “Piper” was interrupted by Fishman singing his hilarious yet brief “Ass Handed,” which segued back into the rest of “Piper,” during which Trey played the marimba lumina and Mike joined Page on keys for a yet another full band jam. A filthy “Sand” followed, as did a perfectly placed and executed “Slave to the Traffic Light,” wrapping up the set with “More,” a fan favorite off the recent Big Boat, the line “In a world gone mad, there must be something more than this” resonating with the crowd.

    During the intermission between second and third sets, fans made their final preparations for ringing in the new year while the stage was set for Phish’s NYE stunt, including additional keys for Jeff Tanski, percussion for Andres Forero and mics for a horn trio of Jennifer Hartswick, James Casey and Natalie Cressman. Fans awaited patiently for the lights to dim and musicians to take the stage in the 20 minutes before midnight, which saw a full band performance of “Petrichor” complete with a choreographed performance of faceless umbrella-wielding dancers and artificial rain courtesy of David Gallo Design.

    As the dancers broke into their routine, they used umbrellas for props to block them from the falling ‘rain,’ an incredible sight inside the confines of Madison Square Garden. The dancers then used floating white umbrellas to continue their routine as the song moved through its 22 sections, culminating in the dancers standing at the front of the stage, awaiting Trey’s 2-minute early countdown, to which he jokingly commented “Well, it’s never too soon to say goodbye to 2016” as he began the countdown and the band broke into the traditional “Auld Lang Syne.” And with that, from the ceiling it rained down cats, dogs and foam rain drops, as well as thousands of balloons and confetti, making it hard to find band members on stage amid the decorative chaos.

    Over the next hour, Phish pushed into the new year with horns a blazin’, starting with “Suzy Greenberg” and “No Man’s in No Man’s Land.” Following were lackluster choices that fit well with the horns, and made the first set of 2017 feel like a true Phish first set – “Breath and Burning,” “Tide Turns,” “555” and “Ocelot” were all odd choices after 3.5 nights of powerful sets with little pause or relief, but given the horns and accompaniment onstage, they were apt selections that had audience dancing and laughing into the finale of the high energy “First Tube.” A cover of The Rolling Stones “Loving Cup” ended the run at the Garden and amid a sea of cats, dogs and rain drops, fans hugged, smiled and greeted 2017, having seen one of Phish’s finest New Years runs and NYE stunts to date.

    Setlist courtesy of Phish.net

    Set 1: Don’t Bogart That Joint, Your Pet Cat > Kill Devil Falls > Back on the Train > My Soul, Lawn Boy, Divided Sky, Ya Mar, Character Zero, Walls of the Cave

    Set 2: Also Sprach Zarathustra > Carini -> Twist > Piper -> Ass Handed > Piper[1] > Sand, Slave to the Traffic Light, More

    Set 3: Petrichor[2] > Auld Lang Syne[3] > Suzy Greenberg[2], No Men In No Man’s Land[2], Breath and Burning[2], Tide Turns[2], 555[2], Ocelot[2], First Tube[2]

    Encore: Loving Cup[2]

    [1] Trey on Marimba Lumina. Mike on keys.
    [2] James Casey on saxophone, Natalie Cressman on trombone and vocals, Jennifer Hartswick on trumpet and vocals, Jeff Tanski on keys, and Andres Forero on percussion.
    [3] James Casey on saxophone, Natalie Cressman on trombone, Jennifer Hartswick on trumpet, Jeff Tanski on keys, and Andres Forero on percussion. With recorded cat and dog noises as cat and dog balloons fell from the ceiling.