Tag: ghosts of the forest

Phish Blazes On at Merriweather Post Pavilion 2019

Vermont’s jam loving rock band, Phish, graced the stage of the woodsy meets urban Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD, as they blazed on their 2019 summer tour. The June 22, 2019 show included a debut from Trey Anastasio side project, Ghosts of the Forest. Phish consists of Trey Anastasio (guitar), Mike Gordon (bass), Page McConnell (keyboard, organ) and Jon Fishman (drums).

MPP is located in the heart of Symphony Woods, a woodland preservation designed by famous architects, Frank Gehry and N. David O’Malley in 1967. It was originally built as a summer stage for the National Symphony Orchestra. The venue has won over popular music acts because of its natural surroundings and excellent sound.

Set one kicked off with “Undermind,” from the album with that name. Two funky fan favorites followed, “Tube,” with a delicious jam from McConnell, and the Son Seals’ cover, “Funky Bitch.” The fire-and-ice jam vehicle “Steam” was up next, followed by phish classics “My Sweet One” and “NICU.”

Phish slowed the set down with the debut of “Friend,” from Anastasio’s side project Ghosts of the Forest. This band was created to play songs honoring Anastasio’s long time friend, Chris Cottrell, who lost his battle with cancer in 2018. Meaningful lyrics pierce hearts: “why do we have to wait until it’s gone to know what love is?”

The boys pressed the gas pedal for “No Men in No Man’s Land,” off their album Big Boat. Classics “The Horse” > “Silent in the Morning,” from the album Rift, had the crowd with arms in the air. Jam monster “David Bowie” was played next, and for the first time in 2019. The set closed out with “Squirming Coil,” from Lawnboy as the sun set behind the venue.

The second set was full of segues and jamming, starting with “Ghost,” from Story of the Ghost. “Ghost” transitioned to the a jam sandwich with high energy “Axilla,” then into new tune, “Set Your Soul Free.” The Pink Floyd-esque “What’s the Use?” and finally “Billy Breathes” followed suit.

“Death Don’t Hurt Very Long,” from their new album Kazvot Vox, started the second segue sequence. The next layer in the jam triffle was “Backwards Down the Numberline” from the 2009 release, Joy. The perennial Phish favorite “Harry Hood” was up next, and Anastasio’s on point guitar work had the crowd feeling good. The boys transitioned into “Rise/Come Together,” another new song. The final layer was the classic “Golgi Apparatus,” ironically last played almost one year ago at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Phish sent their fans home happy with “Bug” > “Character Zero,” including an electrified closing jam. Phish fans await what night two has in store for them. Tickets are sold out, but can be obtained through CashorTrade.

Setlist via Phish.net

Set 1: Undermind, Tube, Funky Bitch, Steam > My Sweet One > NICU, Friend[1], No Men In No Man’s Land > The Horse > Silent in the Morning, David Bowie, The Squirming Coil.

Set 2: Ghost > Axilla > Set Your Soul Free > What’s the Use? > Billy Breathes, Death Don’t Hurt Very Long > Backwards Down the Number Line > Harry Hood > Rise/Come Together > Golgi Apparatus.

Encore: Bug > Character Zero.

1 – debut

June 24, 2019
Trey Anastasio Documentary ‘Between Me and My Mind’ to Hit Select Theaters July 17

A Trey Anastasio documentary, Between Me And My Mind is slotted to hit select North American theaters on July 17. The three-year production follows Anastasio through the writing and recording of his recent solo project Ghosts Of The Forest and also features documentation of the tremendous preparations for Phish’s 2017 New Years celebration at Madison Square Garden.

Premiering at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival this past spring, the documentary spans 100 minutes with deeply personal footage of the prolific musician, including conversations with his friends, family and bandmates. Delving into the icon’s songwriting process, the film is an exploration of his methods, a nod to his genuine character and a showcase of one of the most talented and revered artists of our time. Watch the official trailer for Between Me And My Mind below.

May 27, 2019
Trey Anastasio’s Ghosts of the Forest Bestows Intimate Precision On NYC

Last night Trey Anastasio brought his newest project, the emotionally charged Ghosts of the Forest, to New York City for the first of a two night run at the United Palace Theatre. A departure from the improvisational jam routine, GOTF provided a set of incredible honesty and vulnerability. Apart from the music, this project stands-out as beautifully intimate and something uniquely special.

Six shows into their one-off tour, the group of frequent collaborators (members of Phish, TAB and the fresh voice of Celisse Henderson) have played the same setlist every night. Opting for one single set, the sextet unrelentingly weaved through all the highs and lows with precision.

As the crowd funneled in, the ambient house music set the mood, giving everyone time to settle into the wonderfully-detailed 3,000 capacity room. If you’ve been paying attention, by now you know that the music of GOTF has all been derived from the passing of Trey’s childhood friend Chris Cottrell. The 90-year-old opera house provided a perfect setting for this music. The poignant to-the-point lyrics, gorgeous layers of soothing vocal melodies and soaring guitar solos filled air with sentimental, and sublime energy.

The title track “Ghosts of the Forest,” which served as the opening song, is an ethereal walk through an odd-time signature – a reflection of what it’s like trying to understand permanent loss. Going on themes of confusion and searching, there is no nonsense here; “I’m drowning in my own mind, I’m drowning in thoughts, I’m drowning in memories.” These personal revelations continue through “Drift While You’re Sleeping” and “Friend,” a touching gospel ballad expressing the difficulties of making, and losing, friendship.

When new music is released, fans love and look forward to hearing how studio music will translate into the live setting. As the album had not yet been released before the first 5 dates, nobody knew what to expect. Yesterday however, the studio material was revealed and finally gave a taste to the masses. Still, two-plus hours gave plenty of time for extras. The first non-album song, “Sightless Escape,” was fourth up, but the first to feel like a potential jam-vehicle. Featuring a surf-rock tinged riff and a loose mid-section groove, you know things are picking up when Trey lets loose with the whammy pedal. A short, but soulful vocal solo from Celisse was an amazing touch.

Trey and his team, including Stop Making Sense production designer, Abigail Holmes, have done an excellent job of blending various elements of this production to evoke and portray the feelings one might experience when losing someone they love. The stage was fascinating, featuring constantly changing graphics displayed on 10′ vertical LED screens situated between three large panels of swirling three-dimensional triangles. At some points, the backdrop really looked like ghosts in a forest.

The setlist was up-and-down, light and dark, upset yet glad. At times the crowd would sit, during “In Long Lines,” a heartfelt acoustic passage where Trey is clearly singing about real memories he had with his friend. “I lit your cigarette, your hand was touching mine.” As Trey mentioned in a recent Rolling Stone interview, Chris smoked up until the day he passed. In another song, the crowd was bouncing, laughing with the band as they smiled and danced through “The Green Truth,” an uptempo classic rock number featuring vast interplay between guitar and vocals, on the refrain “take it as it comes.”

In a dare-worded curveball moment, Trey sat down his guitar completely for “Mint Siren Dream” and sang over a soft shuffle from Fishman, on top of descending leads from the milkman on keys, Ray Paczkowski. Another obviously special moment, as last year Ray had a brain tumor scare, right around the same time Chris Cottrell was in his final months. Allowing Ray to shine felt like a reminder that these unpredictable episodes in life can be celebrated as much as they are to be mourned in.

Recently Trey commented on Sirius XM that Chris loved it when he ripped on guitar. This was undeniable through the entire set, but spoke most loudly on the racer “Ruby Waves” and “About To Run,” which featured a colorful silhouette on the LED’s during its peaking solo.

It was not painfully obvious, that a man in mourning wrote this music. Though, songs like the all acoustic “Brief Time” point out the inevitable, most of it is uplifting. These songs are an expression of an infinite and all-encompassing love. They are an honor to friendship and experience. The set ended the same way it began, with the piano melody of “Ghosts Of The Forest” as each member walked off stage one by one. It was a surreal call back to the beginning, perfectly encapsulating the circle of life. In his final words, Trey thanked the crowd on behalf of the entire band. It was so heartfelt and really showed that they were there for him as much as he was there for them “dancing beneath a sea of stars.”

Stay tuned with NYS as GOTF is back at United Palace tonight for round two. Download audio of tonights set via LivePhish.

SETLIST: Ghosts of the Forest, Drift While You’re Sleeping, Friend, Sightless Escape, Halfway Home > If Again, In Long Lines, There’s a Path Above, About to Run, The Green Truth, Beneath a Sea of Stars Parts 1 & 2 > Mint Siren Dream, Stumble Into Flight, Ruby Waves,Shadows Thrown By Fire, Wider, A Life Beyond The Dream, In This Bubble > Beneath a Sea of Stars Part 3 (blue).

ENCORE: Brief Time, Pieces in the Machine

April 13, 2019
Albany welcomes Trey Anastasio and his newest project, Ghosts of the Forest, with open arms

In a 2003 interview, Jon Fishman said “Look, Trey shits music.” He would know, having played with Trey since 1983 and observed his obsessive song-writing habits. Fishman joined Trey for the first time in a side project, the brand new Ghosts of the Forest, which debuted this month in Portland, ME. When Trey spoke during the encore at The Palace Theatre in Albany on Tuesday, April 9, he said he hoped to play music for 50 more years, and given Trey’s workload – writing Kazvot Vaxt and Ghosts of the Forest nearly back to back – and his increasingly positive outlook on life, that task is not out of reach.

This is Trey who is the unofficial celebrity spokesman for Light (now, with MORE brightness!). He’s been dropping notes of light in songs for a decade now, and with Ghosts of the Forest, we may have hit a new peak with Trey’s profoundly personal and positive lyrics. Trey spoke about Albany as being his second home, and close to those he loves in Burlington and New York City, and how excited he was to bring this new project to the Palace and a sold out ‘hometown’ crowd.

With a band consisting of Fishman on the kit (sans muumuu, he looks like your neighbor who side-gigs as a session drummer), a healthy Ray Paczkowski behind the keyboards, and Jennifer Hartswick and Celisse Henderson who provided gospel hued vocals that not only backed up Trey, but added a sonic layer to the group’s psychedelic rock. Saratoga Springs’ Tony Markellis took up bass duties, as he has in every side project Trey has had since 8 Foot Fluorescent Tubes debuted in 1998 at Higher Ground. Energy in the room was palpable, as many eschewed listening to the recordings of shows from earlier this month for a first-look experience that is otherwise hard to come by. Even the album won’t be released until April 12, making this a nearly-virgin experience for the majority of fans in attendance.

The production design by Abigail Holmes, who worked on Stop Making Sense and The Wall among many other shows, created a playground for her to color, using LED screens behind thin tapestries affixed with folded white paper in sweeping patterns. The symphony of light accented the music and was choreographed to each song of the night. During “The Green Truth,” a rainbow LED projection of Trey floated behind the band across the stage, while a stratified nighttime rainforest sky filled the stage during “Mint Siren Dream,” bringing the audience to Pandora for a brief moment.

Ghosts of the Forest can be translated as deep memories in our mind, and throughout the songs, themes of loss, love and decade-long friendship were present. Trey lost close friend Chris “CCott” Cottrell to cancer recently, and the experience led to a number of the songs performed by Ghosts of the Forest. Trey spoke to Rolling Stone about playing acoustic guitar while CCott was in his final stages, and would play as he went in and out of consciousness. “Drift While You’re Sleeping” draws from that, while having a mid-1970s psychedelic rock feel – think Derek and the Dominoes with space built in for Trey to stretch.

“Beneath a Sea of Stars Parts 1 & 2” was a fun Beatles-esque rocker, with a third part to close the set. “Stumble into Flight” had direct hints of Phish – “Pigtail” meets “Cool Amber and Mercury” with a dash of Steely Dan mixed in. “Ruby Waves” jumped out as a late 70s Neil Diamond show-stopper on steroids. A highlight among the night was “A Light Beyond the Dream,” with lights cascading as if entering a stained glass window and beaming on the congregation, combined with encouraging lyrics of not giving up hope.

This is prophetic Trey: upbeat, happy, and encouraging, dad-like at times but not playing dad-rock. Ghosts of the Forest is a culmination of Trey’s last decade of writing. Trey said he wants to play for another 50 years. This is just the beginning.

Setlist via livemusicblog.com

Trey Anastasio – Ghosts of the Forest – Palace Theatre, Albany, NY – April 9, 2019

Setlist: Piano intro, Ghosts of the Forest, Drift While You’re Sleeping, Friend, Sightless Escape, Halfway Home, If Again, In Long Lines, There’s a Path Above, About to Run, The Green Truth, Beneath a Sea of Stars Parts 1 & 2, Mint Siren Dream, Stumble Into Flight, Ruby Waves, Shadows Thrown By Fire, Wider, A Light Beyond The Dream, In This Bubble, Beneath a Sea of Stars Part 3 (blue)

Encore: Brief Time, Pieces in the Machine

April 10, 2019

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