{"id":766,"date":"2019-10-30T21:07:32","date_gmt":"2019-10-30T21:07:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.nysmusic.com\/2019\/2019\/10\/30\/carnegie-hall-crowd-treated-to-acoustic-phish-from-trey-anastasio\/"},"modified":"2019-10-30T21:07:32","modified_gmt":"2019-10-30T21:07:32","slug":"carnegie-hall-crowd-treated-to-acoustic-phish-from-trey-anastasio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.nysmusic.com\/2019\/2019\/10\/30\/carnegie-hall-crowd-treated-to-acoustic-phish-from-trey-anastasio\/","title":{"rendered":"Carnegie Hall crowd treated to acoustic Phish from Trey Anastasio"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

From perhaps the world\u2019s most storied concert hall, Trey Anastasio<\/a>, a storyteller of the highest order, delivered a homecoming performance for the ages. As he mentioned during story time between songs, it was good to be back in New York, in his very own UWS neighborhood no less, \u201clike a hobbit come home\u201d after a national tour, including stops in Minneapolis and Milwaukee among others. Tuesday, October 29 was the penultimate performance of his solo tour, the first of two at Carnegie Hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Carnegie<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After a welcoming roar, the crowd was completely still for the opening \u201cTheme From the Bottom,\u201d actively silent and attentive while offering the occasional whistle and woot. \u201cGhosts of the Forest\u201d played beautifully in the pristine gilded white room, was followed by \u201cSample in a Jar\u201d with the crowd singing along, which seemed to really please Trey who smiled and nodded appreciatively with every nuance of the crowd. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Carnegie<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Trey, so alone and vulnerable (if that\u2019s possible in the face of his adoring phans) has found his stories becoming the best part of these shows. \u201cI want to try this out real quick to establish the rules. Let\u2019s see how ya do,\u201d before he began the opening notes of \u201cLimb By Limb\u201d to a scream, to which he retorted, \u201cI guess you can handle this,\u201d before continuing another of the night\u2019s epic singalongs. Then he recounted a story of playing the same room with the New York Philharmonic<\/a> and explained the difference between a conductor and a concertmaster (the strongest and most confident member of an orchestra who everyone looks to for guidance), and shouted out Sheryl Staples, whom he played with in September 2009, before saying Phish could use a concertmaster at times, someone to snap them back to attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Carnegie<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think my mom likes this song… this one is for you,\u201d and launched into \u201cIf I Could\u201d which he dedicated to her, seated 6th row center, before the incredibly moving \u201cBrian and Robert.\u201d Long a personal favorite, especially this version, and rearranged to fit a solo performance, \u201cWolfman\u2019s Brother\u201d was next, with an acoustic telephone ringing, hysterical solo fills, and a great back and forth with the crowd. \u201cThe Inlaw Josie Wales,” a gorgeous instrumental very suited for the room, was followed by \u201cShade\u201d which preceded \u201cBlaze On,\u201d a song long acknowledged by Trey, and received by the crowd, as a personal favorite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Carnegie<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Another funny story followed, this one at a urinal with Tom Marshall and Steven Wright, coming before a \u201cStrange Design,\u201d \u201cRise\/Come Together,\u201d \u201cBack on the Train,\u201d \u201cAC\/DC Bag\u201d combo that had many dancing in their seats. The beautiful \u201cSnowflakes in the Sand\u201d showed off Trey\u2019s finger picking skills before another story and dedication, this one to his namesake and grandpa. \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m Trey, because we all had the same name and I\u2019m the third, \u2026 I think he\u2019d like this,\u201d as he played \u201cTill We Meet Again\u201d which sounded like a wordless Italian love ballad. The crowd enjoyed \u201cTurtle in the Clouds,\u201d even as its lyrics seemed incongruous with the pristine room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Trey\u2019s playing, his banter, his whole essence, dripped with passion and love and humility all night. The \u201cprince of music\u201d played a gorgeous \u201cWinterqueen,\u201d another choice befitting the great stage upon which he sat. Perhaps the most poignant story of the night, Trey told of his deference for the hall and all the storied greats who came before him. He then mentioned Bach and how he used to write \u201cFor the Grace of God\u201d on his compositions, and his feeling that his role in life is to be a vessel for this music, until he dies, and someone else will come along to do His work. Trey said he wants to play in his 80s, and Phish joked about playing a show in their 90s. \u201cEverything\u2019s Right.\u201d Indeed. The first musical segue of the night saw Trey go right into \u201cThe Wedge\u201d which had some furious acoustic solos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n