Phish surprised fans today with the announcement of a trio of fall shows at MVP Arena in Albany, slated for Friday, October 25, Saturday, October 26 and Sunday, October 27. The fall weekend shows will benefit The Divided Sky Foundation.
photo by Derek Java
Phish has a storied history in Albany, having played 17 shows in the city since 1989, starting at Pauly’s Hotel, and last having played in the Cradle of the Union in 2018. There are of course a history of shows in Saratoga Springs, both at Skidmore along with shows at SPAC, most recently in 2023 when Derek Trucks showed up, which was also a benefit, in that case for flood victims and recovery in Upstate New York and Vermont.
These October shows, however, will be the first ever three night run for Phish in Albany. Read more in our history of Phish in Albany – Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.
shirt design by Drew Suto
100% of profits from the two shows will benefit the Divided Sky Foundation, which was established in 2020 during the Beacon Jams (held by Trey Anastasio at the Beacon Theatre over eight weeks during quarantine), to build and support a residential recovery program created for people who want recovery. With a non-clinical model, Divided Sky Foundation is designed to motivate and inspire without judgment, recognizing that addiction is a disease and not an absence of willpower.
Housing up to 46 guests, the Divided Sky facility is a newly-remodeled former hotel with a stunning view of nearby Okemo Mountain, offering a non-clinical program anchored in the 12 Steps, emotional sobriety, and mindfulness. The Albany benefit concerts will enable Divided Sky to continue to make its immersive Residential Recovery Program affordable to all, with partial scholarships available to those who demonstrate need.
A limited number of complimentary “Gratitude Tickets” will be made available to recovery professionals, recognizing their essential work helping individuals and families affected by addiction. Anyone who works in recovery or a related mental health field may request tickets at DividedSky.org/benefit. (Priority will be given based on geographic location, with an emphasis on New York State and New England.)
The Phish shows will take place at Albany’s MVP Arena (née Knickerbocker Arena, a.k.a. Pepsi Arena, Times Union Center), in downtown Albany on South Pearl Street. The weekend shows, while just before Halloween, are not implied to suggest any Halloween shenanigans as Phish is known for, but you can never rule out surprises with a pair of fall shows like this.
A ticket request period is open here until Monday, September 16 at 12pm. Tickets go on sale Friday, September 20, at 12pm. Travel packages are available here starting on September 11. A special pre-show reception will be held on Saturday, October 26. Tickets will be available for this event both during the Phish ticket request period and during the public on-sale.
Stay tuned for plenty of pre and post-show events lined up for October 25-27 when Phish returns to Albany.
Labor Day weekend, a noteable bootleg and a weird ramble about women’s rights. What connection do these three things have? They’re all elements of the one and only time Frank Zappa performed at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), on Saturday, September 1, 1984.
Zappa’s lone performance at SPAC was the final show of the first leg of the band’s North American tour before heading to Europe a week later for 28 shows stretching into mid-October. Just over a week after returning home, the band picked back up in the Northeast at Worcester Palladium in Massachusetts, with shows in NYC on Halloween at Felt Forum (now the Theater at Madison Square Garden) and the SUNY Stony Brook gym a few days later.
Snaking through the mid-Atlantic, this tour returned again to New York, with a November 16 show at SUNY Buffalo’s Alumni Arena, a whopping eight shows for Zappa heads across the Empire State, and a monster tour altogether with more than 100 shows in the calendar year.
Starting the tour on July 17, 1984 with six consecutive nights at the Palace Theater in Los Angeles, Zappa and his band would play four more shows in California that month, then head east through Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and the Midwest, arriving in the Eastern Time Zone on August 12 in Cuyahoga Falls, OH. After a day off and show in Toronto at Canadian National Exhibition Grandstand, the band played Jones Beach on August 16.
Now if you were really into Zappa at the time, you could have caught multiple shows in New York this month, starting at Jones Beach, then The Pier in NYC, the NYS Fair in Syracuse and the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, all in a 13-day span, with time to rinse and rest before the tour closer at SPAC on September 1. Not to mention the shows later that fall downstate and in Buffalo.
Among Zappa fans is a bootleg known as Kreega Bondola, which features a recording of Frank Zappa on September 1, 1984 at SPAC is one of the more widely circulated Zappa shows. This is thanks to the supposed soundboard source and first generation copy the recording stemmed from.
The name of the bootleg refers to a call from Tarzan, “kreeg-ah bundolo” which translates to “Beware! Kill!,” which would be the 1984 alternate name of “Let’s Move to Cleveland,” which also had pen names of “Canard du Jour,” and “(So) Young and Monde.” There is also a 14-minute version of “Kreega Bondola” which may explain how it became the title of the bootleg.
Additionally, songs from the SPAC performance, as well as the band’s December 23, 1984 show at Universal Amphitheater in Universal City (Los Angeles), California, were featured on the unofficial bootleg, All You Need is Glove, released in 1985.
With a lineup that was only found in the North America tour of 1984, the band included Frank Zappa (guitar, vocals), Ike Willis (guitar, vocals), Ray White (guitar, vocals), Scott Thunes (bass, vocals), Chad Wackerman (drums), Alan Zavod (keyboards) and Bobby Martin (keyboards, sax). Napoleon Murphy Brock had been on tour with the band from mid July until August 1, but was sidelined with stomach flu and missed the remainder of the US tour.
photo by Steve Schapiro
As a bootleg, Kreega Bondola was an entry level Zappa live performance for many of the day, offering a little something for everyone.
If you’re a casual Zappa fan or looking to wade into the waters, you’ll find “Carolina Hard-Core Ecstasy,” “I’m The Slime,” “Keep It Greasey,” and “Muffin Man” spread throughout the two hour concert. Add in Zappa’s guitar going toe-to-toe-to-toe with Ray White and Ike Willis on a shredding version of “Let’s Move to Cleveland” and you’re waist deep in live Zappa.
For the serious Zappa heads out there, there are 24 songs spread across the show and encore, pulled from no less than 13 Zappa studio albums and records, a wide net cast across an audience that would only see Frank this one time at SPAC.
Opening with “Heavy Duty Judy” and “Carolina Hard-Core Ecstasy” – a pair of Zappa and Captain Beefheart tunes – a seven minute “Advance Romance” followed, along “I’m The Slime” and the anti-MTV message that went along with it. Highlights include a short “What’s New in Baltimore?,” “Lucille,” “Teenage Wind” and “Sharleena,” and the stellar aforementioned version of “Let’s Move to Clevland.”
A pair of songs, “Cocaine Decisions” and “Nig Biz,” which were often played in succession, offered a message that outweighed the music. The first was Frank’s critical take on cocaine use/abuse and the decisions that come from those who use the drug, which also highlighted drummer Chad Wackerman’s use of electronic drums for toms (at Frank’s suggestion) along with standard snare, bass drum and cymbals. The latter is a hot take on the music industry, with the protagonist, a musician under contract with a record company, being made to feel like a slave, turning to drugs in order to be accepted. Both songs were critical of the music industry and factored in Frank’s sharp wit and words as he channeled personal views and experience into the message.
Then there is the encore break. Before closing the night, Frank received a letter on stage from a fan, reading it aloud for what is labeled as “Women’s Movement Rap” on the Kreega Bondola bootleg. The note made light of Frank’s attitudes towards women, to which Frank replied “Let me tell you something about women’s movement, there is only one good women’s movement,” leading to Frank referencing sex as the women’s movement which he is most deeply involved. And it doesn’t get less ‘weird’ by today’s standards as he keeps on going. (listen here)
The “Women’s Movement Rap” has been described by others as “possibly the dumbest thing Frank ever said on stage,” and that is likely true for the outspoken musician, but with songs “He’s So Gay,” “Bobby Brown,” “Crew Slut” and “Be In My Video” all part of this evening’s show, let alone live rotation, it was par for the course in 1984.
Closing the show post-‘rap’ were a smooth segue between “Camarillo Brillo,” “Muffin Man” and “Illinois Enema Bandit,” the latter of which stretches out for more than eight minutes, bringing the only Frank Zappa show at SPAC to a triumphant close. A unique show for sure in a heavy touring year for the workhorse composer and his band. Download the show here or listen below.
Frank Zappa – Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), Saratoga Springs, NY Saturday, September 1, 1984
Setlist: Heavy Duty Judy, Carolina Hard-Core Ecstasy, Advance Romance, I’m The Slime, Be In My Video, What’s New In Baltimore?, Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up, Ride My Face To Chicago, Teenage Wind, Truck Driver Divorce, Cocaine Decisions, Nig Biz, Sharleena, Keep It Greasey, Honey Don’t You Want A Man Like Me?, Carol You Fool, Chana In De Bushwop, Let’s Move To Cleveland, He’s So Gay, Bobby Brown, Crew Slut Encore: (women’s movement rap), Camarillo Brillo, Muffin Man, The Illinois Enema Bandit
Phish has kicked off their eleventh festival, Mondegreen, at The Woodlands in Dover, Delaware, welcoming 40,000 fans for a 4-day musical and visual odyssey. The modern day music festival landscape has evolved from Phish being the progenitor of the 90s festival resurgence, the one with the most success despite only a single band on the lineup, to a landscape where festivals are failing, canceling, being too big, or underattended, and generally going the away after two decades of success. Yet here we are with Phish keeping their success with fests going even as bigger and “better” ones continue to fall by the wayside.
In a concert bowl full of art installations with surprises around each corner and tucked into the woods surrounding the fans, Phish fans find themselves in a real life choose your own adventure book, where every turn and decision leads to even more action and escapades.
Likewise, Phish onstage rose to the occasion, opening the festival with a mondegreen of a song, ‘The Moma Dance’ (the moment ends), dropping a first set that was highlighted by a 19-minute “Wolfman’s Brother” and a 30-minute combined 1-2 punch of a closer with “A Wave of Hope” and “Sand.”
Set 2 opened with the true Phish debut (sans Billy Strings on vocals) of “What’s Going Through Your Mind” that clocked in at a surprising 25 minutes. Energetic versions of “Chalkdust Torture” and “Light” followed, with both jams eclipsed by a mid-set highlight in “Prince Caspian” that featured healthy teases of “Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley” from Mike Gordon with Talking Heads’ “Crosseyed and Painless” later providing a continued burst of energy. A brief “Lonely Trip” was the only respite this set, as a 15-minute “Everything’s Right” closed the set.
A triple encore of the all too infrequent “Saw It Again” had added lyrics referencing the festival, with “Possum” and “Slave to the Traffic Light” closing night 1 on a high note.
Phish – Mondegreen Festival – The Woodlands – Dover, DE 8/15/24
Set 1: The Moma Dance, Back on the Train, Wolfman’s Brother, Funky Bitch, Roggae, NICU, A Wave of Hope, Sand
Set 2: What’s Going Through Your Mind -> Chalk Dust Torture -> Light > Prince Caspian, Crosseyed and Painless, Lonely Trip, Everything’s Right
Encore: Saw It Again > Possum, Slave to the Traffic Light
Night two of Phish’s Mondegreen Festival is now in the books with the band delivering two sets of nearly seamless originals and a brilliant “not-so-secret” third set of musical improvisation that ran the gamut from ambient to explosive psychedelia.
photo by Derek Java
The show began almost promptly at 7 pm this evening with an old school opener in the harmony-laden “Bouncing Around The Room.” This was followed by a “Kill Devil Falls” that set the tone for the rest of the night with an exploratory, groove-intensive jam that technically left the song unfinished. Instead of rounding it back into form, Phish threw out their signature take on Frank Zappa’s “Peaches En Regalia,” the only cover song played all night. “Free” then built on the momentum with an ebullient, free flowing jam before a perfectly placed “Divided Sky” with the sun slowly beginning to set helped create a brilliant aural landscape. The “Tube” that followed elicited another thick jam that had some certifiable meat to it before “Mountains In The Mist” served as a suitable first set “breather” song. “Reba” brought with it all the feels and emotion with a super blissed out jam that further cemented the already immaculate first set vibes. Bypassing the traditional “whistling” ending, Phish instead rounded off the first set with a fun “Twist” > “Character Zero” closing musical salvo.
photo by Derek Java
The second set kicked off with another monstrous “My Friend, My Friend,” a song the band has really stretched out and added some extensive jams to as of late. The traditional “Myfe” ending was skipped over on this one as well with the music instead flowing right into “No Men In No Men’s Land,” a song that typically features some heavy exploratory improvisation on the band end and tonight’s performance was no exception. From here, it was a non-stop runaway train of high end musical improvisation as the band shuffled seamlessly through segues into “Ruby Waves” and “Pillow Jets.” Keyboardist Page McConnell then dove in the sample bin for “Your Pet Cat,” spicing up another intense jam with sounds of cats screeching and screaming, giving a real back alley brawl feel to this rarely played instrumental number. WIthout ever fully stopping, Phish then circled back with ease to revisit both “Ruby Waves” and “No Men” while throwing a hearty “Story Of the Ghost “ right in between them. A flawless “Fluffhead” then closed out the set in grandiose fashion, featuring some amazing drumming and light hearted singing from Jon Fishman.
photo by Derek Java
Prior to the encore, Trey Anastasio facetiously mentioned to “one guy in a white shirt” that there may be a secret set tonight and it may not be wise to head right back to the campground after the show. First, however, was an appearance from “Harry Hood” and its typical powerful, blissful jam before a thunderous and feedback-heavy “First Tube” with Anastasio going full guitar god mode ended things….for now. With many taking heed to Trey’s suggestion and sticking around, a sheer screen descended in front of the stage, turning it into a veritable movie screen. Phish then proceeded to pull a “reverse Sphere,” with the band playing behind the screen as it proceeded to show a series of brilliant images that seemed to grow more intense and vivid as the 50-minute set went on. It was a legitimate question to wonder if the music was dictating the images or the other way around. Either way, it made for one of the more legendary secret sets in the band’s rich festival history as Phish touched on everything from the ambient to thrash metal and seemingly everything in between, dazzling the audience and capping off a special second night at Mondegreen.
Phish – Mondegreen Festival – The Woodlands – Dover, DE 8/16/24
Set 1: Bouncing Around the Room, Kill Devil Falls > Peaches en Regalia, Free, Divided Sky, Tube, Mountains in the Mist, Reba, Twist > Character Zero
Set 2: My Friend, My Friend > No Men In No Man’s Land > Ruby Waves > Pillow Jets -> Your Pet Cat -> Ruby Waves > Ghost -> No Men In No Man’s Land > Fluffhead
Encore: Harry Hood > First Tube
Set 3: Woodlands Jam
photo by Filip Zalewski
The third day of Mondegreen was as hot as any of the previous two, with little in terms of shade or escape from the heat. Phish fans pushed through – we do train for this – and rallied to be inside and take in the art installations, food offerings and stand up comedy that took place in the hours before the music began.
Opening the afternoon with “Mike’s Song” gave Lemonwheel vibes, but the classic combo of “Mike’s > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove” was the fuel and fans needed to get down. A lofty “Theme From the Bottom” followed, along with a Mondegreen of a song, “Blaze On” (Nice Shades/Night Shades) to follow. Perhaps compelled by a sign featuring Paulie Walnuts saying “Gaba Jibbool,” “Gotta Jibboo” ended up being a top jam of the set, stretching for more than 12 minutes. All that followed was setting the table for the second set – the funk rock of “46 Days,” the title track off Phish’s latest album, “Evolve,” Phish fest classic “Meatstick” and “David Bowie” to round it out.
photo by Filip Zalewski
By the time second set rolled around, fans were dialed in and preparing themselves mentally and physically for the unexpected news of Sunday’s show being held earlier in the day, with the field opening at 11am for a 1pm set. While the weather never was a factor on Sunday, the preparation by fans was not just on the day of the show, but also the night before.
An errant beat preceded the opening notes of “2001” which beckoned the crowd for a heavy night to come. And while “Oblivion” has been a road tested song since 2023, the lack of segue here stood out, and could have easily been “Tweezer” or “Life Saving Gun,” but the jam still delivered, working towards “Down with Disease,” which, like the “Tweezer” that did follow, clocked in at over 19 minutes each. “Scents and Subtle Sounds” appeared in full form (not the shortened Magnaball version) for more than 16 minutes, a mid-set-ridge that was an abject success on the collective dance floor. When “Boogie On Reggae Woman” began (one of the limited covers of the weekend by this point) the timing couldn’t have been more perfect, nor could it have been for the “Carini” that followed. With an exclamation point, Day 3 of Mondegreen featured the top set of the weekend, by a wide margin of conventional wisdom.
A trio in the encore began with “Backwards Down the Number Line” and then an always huge “You Enjoy Myself” that closed with “Tweezer Reprise,” putting a bow on Saturday and leaving fans wondering what was in store for Sunday’s weather-rescheduled set(s).
Phish – Mondegreen Festival – The Woodlands – Dover, DE 8/17/24
Set 1: Mike’s Song > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove, Theme From the Bottom > Blaze On, Gotta Jibboo, 46 Days, Evolve, Meatstick > David Bowie
Set 2: Also Sprach Zarathustra > Oblivion, Down with Disease[1] > Tweezer > Scents and Subtle Sounds > Boogie On Reggae Woman, Carini
Encore: Backwards Down the Number Line, You Enjoy Myself, Tweezer Reprise
[1] Unfinished.
This was the third show of the Mondegreen festival. Mike teased Passing Through in David Bowie. DWD was unfinished. Trey teased La Grange and Eleanor Rigby in DWD and Eleanor Rigby in Tweezer.
photo by Filip Zalewski
Phish closed out the final night, or rather day, of Mondegreen with some more explosive jamming that took place a little earlier due to a change in schedule. An announcement was released on Saturday night that music would be starting at 1:00 pm instead of the usual 6:30 pm due to inclement weather that was expected in the local area. Although it never really opened up or downpoured on Sunday, Phish clearly erred on the side of caution instead of letting festival attendees, vendors and workers potentially get stuck in a storm that had the potential for strong winds and lightning.
Both the band and crowd made the most of the situation, and the near two-hour single set started off in joyous fashion with “Party Time” and the sun still shining bright. “Axilla” followed and kept the energy levels high, even after plodding through a “Part 2” ending, before “Maze” kicked things back into high gear with its typical ferocious solos from Page McConnell on organ and Trey Anastasio on guitar. A mid-set “AC/DC Bag” didn’t quite reach the heights of the one featured at Bethel Woods last weekend, but still featured some significant improvisation on its back end. “Sigma Oasis,” another new number from the band’s recent Evolve album followed very much in suit before segueing into the classic Phish tune “Rift.”
photo by Filip Zalewski
“Stash” found the Mondegreen crowd still very much engaged and elicited another probing and expansive jam and the “Ya Mar” that followed served as a perfect daytime set selection. As some cloud coverage slowly began to make an appearance, Phish closed out the jumbo-sized set with one last progression of songs that flowed seamlessly into one another, starting with a “Bathtub GIn” that, like its brethren from this summer tour, produced yet another deep and exploratory jam. At its conclusion, Anastasio started frantically vamping for the intro to the still-rare cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Isabella.” The set could have ended here and few would take issue with that, but instead Phish launched into “Simple” before a rousing cover of TV On The Radio’s “Golden Age” properly closed out the set, as the band definitely seems to be in the midst of one of these.
One last high octane jam that had the whole festival grounds moving took place in “Fuego,” another proper song in both placement and name due to the quality and intensity of music displayed all week long. A brief DJ set afterwards gave those sticking around one last chance to dance and enjoy the venue grounds before skies darkened even further and announcement was made for everyone to return to their campsites, a dour ending to an otherwise memorable and festive Mondegreen.
Phish – Mondegreen Festival – The Woodlands – Dover, DE 8/18/24
Set: Party Time, Axilla->Maze, Steam. Martian Monster, AC/DC Bag, Sigma Oasis->Rift, Stash, Ya Mar, Timber (Jerry the Mule), Bathtub GIn > Izabella > Simple > Golden Age
For the third time in their career, Phish performed at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, opening up a three-night run on Friday, August 9. With the remnants of Tropical Storm Debbie making its way through the Mid-Atlantic region and drenching much of New York State over Thursday and Friday, Phish fans planned for the worst and were rewarded for their efforts, with only lingering sprinkles during the show.
Nearing the end of their Summer Tour with only Bethel, their Mondegreen festival and four nights in Colorado left on their schedule, Phish has been rolling from the Northeast to the Midwest, dropping lengthy jams in unexpected spots, bringing new material to fans off Evolve, and inviting Billy Strings to the stage in Grand Rapids, MI. Now in Bethel, the band has their sites set on building towards their 11th festival, an event always ripe with surprises and leveled up improvisation.
With a pair of ASL interpreters just off stage right, Set 1 began with instrumental (and GRAMMY-nominated) “First Tube,” a rare opener normally found in a late-second set slot, but nevertheless an energetic way to start the show. A lengthy “No Man in No Man’s Land” followed, always a great sign that the band is dialed in and wants to get down to business right away.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QnFL5wdFFg
A spacey and wandering “My Friend, My Friend” was a first set highlight, clocking in at more than 18 minutes and another example of Phish taking more of their catalog down the improv route than in past years. A late first set “2001” was a treat, dipping into an always welcome “Taste” before closing the set with “Character Zero.”
Opening the second set with “The Wedge” could have launched the Rift track to new heights, but it served as a buffer song before the big jam of the night, “Tweezer.” A vehicle for jams in the second set since the 90s, “Tweezer” found a few separate jams (including “There is a Mountain” by Donovan) over the course of 24 minutes, coming full circle before dipping into the Evolve track “Pillow Jets,” which took a dark psychedelic turn mid-way through before returning to “Tweezer,” as one does mid-second set.
Finding its way into “Piper,” this brief “Tweezer” return birthed a top notch “Piper,” found itself turning back into “Tweezer” briefly before the Rolling Stones’ “Shine a Light” provided an exultant breather with the set wrapping up with a thorough “Chalk Dust Torture.” A triple encore featuring songs from across the band’s history was a delightful surprise to the evening, starting with Junta track “Big Black Furry Creature From Mars,” Farmhouse’s “Gotta Jibboo” and Big Boat’s “More.” With two more nights to go, the bar is set for Phish to exceed over this weekend and next.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ORBkMm_9lY
Phish – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel, NY – Friday, August 9, 2024
Soundcheck: My Soul, Dinner and a Movie, Waves, Tequila x2, Jam Set 1: First Tube, No Men In No Man’s Land, Cavern, My Friend, My Friend[1], Bug, Julius, Also Sprach Zarathustra > Taste, Character Zero Set 2: The Wedge, Tweezer, Pillow Jets -> Tweezer -> Piper -> Tweezer > Shine a Light, Chalk Dust Torture Encore: Big Black Furry Creature from Mars, Gotta Jibboo > More [1] No “Myfe” ending.
Saturday, August 10, 2024
Set 1: Back on the Train, Sample in a Jar, Hey Stranger, Dinner and a Movie, Halley’s Comet > Sand, Gumbo > Maze, Weigh, Cities > Run Like an Antelope
Set 2: Wilson > Down with Disease[1] -> Waves > Twist > Kill Devil Falls > Beneath a Sea of Stars Part 1 -> Backwards Down the Number Line > Ghost > Tweezer Reprise
Encore: Wading in the Velvet Sea > Runaway Jim
[1] Unfinished.
Trey teased Call to the Post at the end of Weigh and The Line during Antelope. DWD was unfinished.
Sunday, August 11, 2024
Set 1: I Never Needed You Like This Before, 46 Days, Bathtub Gin, Fikus, Theme From the Bottom > Timber (Jerry the Mule), Human Nature, Limb By Limb, Axilla > Sigma Oasis
Set 2: Buried Alive > AC/DC Bag > Fuego > Golden Age -> Simple, Life Saving Gun, Harry Hood
Encore: A Life Beyond The Dream, Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.
Fikus was performed for the first time since November 7, 1998 (801 show gap). Mike teased Fikus in AC/DC Bag.
On a picture perfect evening in the Southern Adirondacks, genre-blending guitarist Cory Wong held a unique and memorable performance with the Caroga Arts Collective in Caroga Lake, NY.
The venue itself is ungoing quite a transformation over the next few years, shifting into a small amphitheatre, with the shores of Caroga Lake right behind the stage. Located on the grounds of the former Sherman’s Amusement Park, Caroga Lake Music Festival brings a diverse and incredible array of live music events each summer, including an upcoming performance by David Alan Miller of the Albany Symphony Orchestra featuring Gerswhin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” in its centennial year.
This evening’s performance from the Poughkeepsie-born Cory Wong and company, including band members Yohannes Tona (bass), Kevin Gastongua (keys), Armando Lopez (percussion) and Eddie Arbash (saxophone), was illuminated by a small orchestra of 28, better known as the Caroga Arts Ensemble. The group of musicians is primarily strings and woodwinds, with a horn and marimba included for good measure.
During the evening, Wong’s original work was on display, interlacing jazz and rock elements throughout his compositions. A highlight later in the show was a well-polished rendition of the Beatles “Blackbird,” with a guest singer on vocals.
A tremendous highlight though was a performance of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones ‘Stomping Grounds,’ a song that reportedly helped Wong make the shift from college towards his music career.
All of this at a venue that in a few years will transform into a Southern Adirondacks destination for live music.
Caroga, NY is a great location for live music now, and will be an even greater one in the next few years. If you’re anywhere between Albany and Utica or the Southern Adirondacks, you need to put this on your destination list for live music.
As a bonus after the evening was over and the stage was cleaned up, Wong, his band and members of the Caroga Arts Ensemble took a spin on the more than century-old carousel at Sherman’s, jamming out as they went around and around.
Getting a chance to have seen the original Woodstock festival in person, camp on Yasgur’s Farm and brave the elements is a thing of legend. To be camping on those same grounds while enjoying a concert earlier that evening is a legendary experience, one that began this year at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.
Camping configuration at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts – glamping in the foreground
A one of a kind venue in the Catskills, Bethel Woods is a non-profit performance venue that is the first of its kind to bring camping facilities to music lovers in this nature. Going to great lengths, Bethel Woods offers a Woodstock-esque experience, where one can see music and later rest in the same fields that made the August 1969 concert a cultural event.
This also addresses one major aspect of the region – the need for more hotel rooms and camping options in the area. What better place than right AT the rural venue?
With a range of options in camping, ranging from basic campsite (car or tent), glamping experiences and RVs, the venue also presents programming at the Center, as well as in the campgrounds each day prior to showtime. A tram/shuttle will bring campers to the venue ahead of showtime, a nice perk on these expansive Bethel Woods grounds.
Stunning views of the Bethel Woods campus and surrounding landscape of the 1969 Woodstock festival site is included with any camping experience. Campers will be less than half a mile from the award-winning Museum at Bethel Woods, whether in Pavilion Camping or Best Road Camping.
While on the grounds, explore Bethel Woods’ informative museum to learn about music history and the Woodstock Music Festival, as well as various events, including educational programs, classes and more.
Camping has been available starting in May 2024, with big shows coming in up August, including Phish and Pretty Lights, as well as Tedeschi Trucks and Megadeth later this summer.
There will be food trucks for Phish and Pretty Lights concerts in August, as well as breakfast available at the museum, or bring your own food to nosh on.
You’ll find plenty of things to do in the campground before the shows, including yoga, drum circles, sound baths, plus a range of programming including campfire hootenannies.
The limited local hotels and distance needed to drive to affordable overnight digs in the area has a solution found in Bethel Woods’ onsite camping, and a big improvement for the renowned amphitheatre.
Remember, you still need to buy a ticket to each show, as camping is only reserved for those with tickets to a show at Bethel Woods.
Visit here for more info and book campsites (Glamping is sold out for Phish). Rates: Car Camping starts at $107.46; RV prices range from $172-258; Tent only camping begins at $172; Glamping starts at $335. Prices for camping are for four people, per vehicle.
Pretty Lights has detailed additional details for his shows August 23-24. More info here.
Beck’s deep decades-long catalog was on full display to a packed Koussevitzky Music Shed at Tanglewood on Tuesday, July 23.
With Edwin Outwater conducting another installment of Tanglewood’s Popular Artist Series, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer performed songs from albums Sea Change and Morning Phase, two albums designed for performance with a full orchestra, having kicked off with shows in Washington state and California earlier in July.
The show featured not just songs from the two GRAMMY nominated albums – with Morning Phase winning Album of the Year in 2015 – but also deeper cuts from Mutations, Odelay, and more, with fan favorites mixed in, as Beck presented a well-rounded view of his three-decade spanning catalog.
Beginning at 7:21pm with Outwater walking out to join the Boston Pops, Beck followed behind as “Cycle” was played, moving into “Golden Age,” with Beck introducing his ‘new’ band to the crowd. Presenting his rock star cool – shades, an open-button white shirt with french cuffs, black blazer and pants, all despite having his luggage lost by an airline and even borrowing a pair of shoes – Beck strode about the stage, leading the show alongside Outwater’s conducting.
Beck recalled how he had visited Tanglewood once prior, just to see the place, and cited that he was jealous of the picknickers on the lawn. Cheers followed as he introduced “Wave,” off Morning Phase. Showing a versatility of songwriting influences, Beck shifted south to Brazil, playing “Tropicali,” suggesting that one day he might make a full album of Brazilian music.
With an upgraded sound thanks to the 80 or so members of the Boston Pops (making for quite the tour bus, Beck later quipped), a fresh orchestra intro to “New Pollution” stood out in the first radio-friendly song of the night, with Beck’s band taking the lead on guitar and bass for the first time this evening.
Giving a shout out to his mom who was in attendance this evening, the mellow vibe of the show (save “New Pollution”) was discussed as he moved into “Missing” off Guero, with strings arranged by his father, David Chapman. This Mortal Coil’s “Tarantula” was dedicated to the goths in attendance this evening, with Beck saying “I know you’re out there, beyond the trees.”
Beck noted that he sought to perform music that inspired him, including that of Frank Sinatra and Scott Walker, the latter of whom two songs were performed this evening – “It’s Raining Today” and “Montague Terrace (in Blue)” – songs that Beck himself wanted to hear played by an orchestra.
“We Live Again” was dedicated to French singer Françoise Hardy, who passed away earlier this summer. “Phase,” “Morning” and “Waking Light,” rounded out the orchestral performances this evening, with one more surprise in store – Beck’s 1996 hit “Where It’s At” – played with depth and panache from all musicians on stage.
Beck took time to thank the Boston Pops, specifically thanking each individual section of the orchestra – strings, woodwinds, brass and the rest – before they slowly departed the stage.
With a core band remaining, each of whom had been on the recording of Sea Change and Morning Phase – Justin Meldal-Johnsen (bass), Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (keys), Jason Faulkner (guitar), and Joey Waronker (drums) – Beck playfully asked ‘Where’s my orchestra?,’ before wandering the stage to get a perspective from the musicians view, sitting in the harpist’s seat, playing the vibraphone and gong, and finally breaking out a harmonica for a solo number, “One Foot in the Grave,” off Stereopathetic Soulmanure (as well as the title of another Beck album).
The feedback friendly “Devil’s Haircut” followed as energetic as ever, with breakout single “Loser” – a song Beck has now been playing for more than 30 years – closing the night.
While you could look at the setlist and see that some hits (including all of 2017’s Colors) were left unplayed, there were no complaints to be heard as Beck’s catalog runs deep. Given his excitement over the show and praise for Tanglewood and the Boston Pops, it feels we might see him back soon in the future.
Beck with the Boston Pops – Tanglewood, Lenox, MA – Tuesday, July 23, 2024
Setlist: Cycle, The Golden Age, Everybody’s Got to Learn Sometime, Lonesome Tears, It’s Raining Today, Wave, Tropicalia, Blue Moon, Lost Cause, The New Pollution, Missing, Tarantula, Round the Bend, Paper Tiger, We Live Again, Montague Terrace (in Blue), Phase, Morning, Waking Light, Where It’s At
Encore (Beck and his band): One Foot in the Grave, Devils Haircut, Mixed Bizness, Loser
Beck 2024 Tour Dates: 7/25 – Philadelphia, PA – Mann Center (w/ The Philadelphia Orchestra) 7/27 – Vienna, VA – Wolftrap (w/ The National Symphony Orchestra) 7/29-30 – New York, NY – Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall (w/ The Orchestra Of St. Luke’s) 9/19-22 – Louisville, KY – Bourbon & Beyond 9/28 – St. Louis, MO – Evolution Festival 9/29 – Huntsville, AL – South Star Music Festival
On July 13, 1994, while the Grateful Dead drew a reported 60,000 fans to northern Vermont, Phish performed five hours south at Big Birch Ski Area in Patterson, NY to a much smaller crowd who were treated to the musical risk-taking and on stage antics that Phish was slowly becoming known for, barely into their second decade of existence.
Big Birch Ski Area – now known as Thunder Ridge Ski Area – is located in the rural town of Patterson, NY, close to Connecticut border in the northern reaches of Putnam County. Big Birch would host concerts each summer at the base of the mountain hill, with parking at the top of the unimposing slope. Tickets would be purchased at the Lift Ticket window, only $18.50 for tickets at this time.
With a capacity of 6,000 and chill biker security, Phish had played Big Birch previously in 1992, opening up for Santana, but this day would be a vibe check on the growth of Phish in the greater Northeast, especially when the Grateful Dead are playing 45 minutes north of the band’s home.
With such a big show and crowd expected at Highgate, some looked at the show in Patterson as the better option with fewer in attendance and the band rewarding those who made this decision. This small out of the way hill could have easily been overlooked in 1994 for the glitz and glory of all that Dead tour had in store, let alone in such a remote part of Vermont in the middle of the summer. While one band’s star was setting, the other’s was rising, but you might not know this looking subjectively at attendance (despite a capacity of 6,000, there are unconfirmed reports of only 1,000 at this show.) And for Phish, when you snooze on a mid-week show, history shows, you lose.
But for those who attended, they knew to never miss a Wednesday show. A venue that had no permanent seating under the tent did have folding chairs lined up in the front of the venue, zip-tied together. What happened next – well there are two takes on this. First, from Phish.com:
“Fans in the front dissembled the rows of zip-tied folding chairs and stacked them to maximize dancing space.”
or you can take the first hand account of user SoundBoy1 on Phish.net:
“Inside the venue had set up probably 1000 or so folding chairs in the front of the stage. They may have been ziptied together but in no way permanent. As soon as the show started the chairs went flying in every direction including the stage. There were piles of chairs in random spots through out the crowd. They were also being thrown on stage and the band was dodging them. I remember Brad Sands standing a bit offstage and corralling what he could⦠It took awhile for all that to settle down. During It’s Ice you can hear some feedback and Page sounds like he’s fidgeting around a bit. I think that was due to chair chucking. So first set was totally solid but no real hint of what was to go down.”
Either way, Phish fans weren’t going to be seated for this show or have dance space impeded by meager folding chairs. The first set was playful, with a “Buried Alive” right out of the gate and a burst of energy from the “Poor Heart” that followed. Hoist, having been just released in April that year, found “Sample in a Jar” early in the set, followed by two live show staples, “Foam” and “The Mango Song.”
A light jam emerged from the still new “Down with Disease,” Trey sang on megaphone during “Fee” and a pair of Rift songs – “It’s Ice” and “Fast Enough For You” – added to the consistent flow of the show. “I Didn’t Know” would feature Jon Fishman (Greasy Fizeek) on trombone for a change, shifting smoothly into a “Split Open and Melt” that ended the set.
This first set is truly smooth flowing with a big cap ending in the “Melt,” but Set 2 was the treat the fans who followed the lines going south, instead of north. Opening with an unrefined “Possum,” the jam gets weird and stays that way, as the loose jam almost falls apart but is salvaged nicely. “Cavern” started with the typical drum intro, but when the lyrics arose, “Wilson” was sung instead by Trey, leaving the fan (and band?) confused for a moment. A rare mashup for Phish, they weave in and out organically of the two songs, never perfectly but just enough to make this mashup a must listen.
The still new “NICU” bridged the gap to a “Tweezer” that seemed to open up with that part of a “Tweezer” jam right after the lyrics, but moved into the natural progression of the song after that, dialing in after following what could be considered a clumsy entry. Jazzy noodling at the end led into into a slow jam that found its way into an unsuspecting “Julius.” The “Tweezer” jam just seems to keep going if you aren’t watching the time tick from track to track. This isn’t a Bomb Factory “Tweezer” but the slow return would feature a few teases, including “I Know a Little” (Lynyrd Skynyrd) and make way for a country/western version of “Big Black Furry Creature From Mars” that took its time finding the ending of “Tweezer,” eventually.
An ample “Mound” seemed to fit the venue nicely, with “Slave to the Traffic Light” starting very airy with a patient build towards the peak, the “Suzy Greenberg” that followed featuring “Slave” teases from Anastasio. The encore of “My Sweet One” and “Tweezer Reprise” capped the night, maintaining the energy of the first set and the cacophony of the second, a treat for the fans who made the call to see this show in southern New York.
The band would pack up and head west for Finger Lakes Performing Arts Center in Canadaigua (now CMAC), then Jones Beach the night after. Traversing the state for these shows, plus the finale at Sugarbush was prime 1994 Phish, was a treat if you were able to see it in person.
Phish – Big Birch Concert Pavilion, Patterson, NY – July 13, 1994
Set 1: Buried Alive > Poor Heart > Sample in a Jar, Foam, The Mango Song, Down with Disease > Fee[1] -> It’s Ice > Fast Enough for You, I Didn’t Know[2], Split Open and Melt
Set 2: Possum, Cavern -> Wilson[3] -> Cavern > NICU -> Tweezer -> Julius -> Tweezer -> Big Black Furry Creature from Mars[4] -> Tweezer -> Mound > Slave to the Traffic Light > Suzy Greenberg
Encore: My Sweet One > Tweezer Reprise
[1] Trey sang verses through megaphone. [2] Fish on trombone. [3] Played to the tune of Cavern. [4] Unfinished; Played bluegrass style to the tune of Scent of a Mule.
More than two decades of Disco Biscuits music festival memories converged in Central New York over July 4-6. Combining the rocky terrain of Skye Top Festival Grounds in Van Etten, the hills of Hunter Mountain, the prime rural location of Mariaville and the heat and humidity of Montage Mountain, Camp Biscos of years past were recalled throughout the weekend, these elements compacting into a look at a bright spot in the once boisterous Northeast music festival scene.
Even with all music bumped to be an hour or so earlier than announced, the full Camp Bisco Biscoland experience was on tap. New artists to discover, veteran jam and funk acts to catch up with, Tractorbeam, various DJ sets, a Silent Disco for the post-11 pm noise curfew, and adding in the humidity and heat coupled with the threat of rain/storms, and it was like Camp Bisco 2008 all over again.
Wonderland Forest, which has the potential to be the Caverns of the Northeast, makes the experience not just inside the venue, but the location includes a drive into the rural foothills in southern Onondaga County, with a unique and accessible layout found nowhere else in the Northeast. A byproduct of the Covid-pandemic, the venue’s management thinks differently about the events they plan, the fans they cater to, and the experience that everyone has upon arrival and throughout the weekend. With a summer calendar of events lined up that rivals amphitheaters around the state, Wonderland Forest is shaping up to make Central New York a true live music destination.
Thursday arrival was smooth whether you were car camping or bringing the RV along. Staff solved preferred camping shuttle issues quickly to get fans to their sites and out to see the music.
The initial afternoon slate of music featured opening acts from JImkata, a nationally touring electro-rock band with ties to nearby Ithaca, and Kitchen Dwellers a very non-local band from Montana continually growing in popularity and serving up a blend of bluegrass and psychedelic rock.
Day 1 also featured two sets from a pair of renowned DJs, starting with Mark Farina who played an hour’s worth of house music and his signature “mushroom jazz” at the Saloon Stage. Nora En Pure, a deep house producer known for her signature style of downtempo techno, followed on the Main Stage with a set of music that served as a fitting appetizer for the main course that evening.
That would be Tractorbeam, the Disco Biscuits musical alter ego per se, which features a more techno/dance heavy and lyric-less approach to their music mixed along with other electronica inspirations. Tonight leaned heavily on the “other” with a slew of first timers making their way into the two-hour set that never truly stopped at any point until Katy Perry belted out “Firework.”
A first-time cover of Porter Robinson’s “Language” started the set and funneled perfectly into the techno-styled “Confrontation” that the band has mixed into Disco Biscuits sets as of late. The rest of the set followed suit, blending a mix of electronica classics like Fisher’s “Losing It” that segued effortlessly into a rousing “The Great Abyss” with the laser light show now at full strength. The set even featured a cover of Darude’s “Sandstorm,” also played for the first time.
With the band fittingly adorned in blue and red Adidas track suits for the holiday, they continued to effortlessly churn through new additions to the Tractorbeam musical repertoire, like their take on Fred Again & Baby Keem’s “Leavemealone” that featured some incredible work on the e-drums from Allen Aucoin. The following segment of “Monster” > “Uber Glue” > “Photograph” flowed seamlessly and was the only true run of Biscuits originals. And although there would be no professional pyrotechnics set off on the 4th, the Tractorbeam set ended with a proper cover of Katy Perry’s “Firework” that put an end to the first night of music at Biscoland.
Friday warmed up fast and brought along that Camp Bisco humidity of legend and ill repute. Early sets from Dizgo and RAQ brought out those looking to get out of their campsites and hotels. Lespecial kept the crowd engaged, with bassist Luke Bemand poking fun at himself for wearing black jeans on such a hot day, bringing up Cloudchord on guitar during “Enter Sandstorm,” calling back to the Tractorbeam debut of “Sandstorm” the night before. Bemand and Co. flattered the sun-baked crowd throughout the set, reminding those gathered at the main stage “your body is a Wonderland Forest.” Sets from Lettuce and Break Science framed the night ahead, a warm up in the evening daylight for the Biscuits.
For the first proper weekend set of Disco Biscuits, a 14-minute “Vassillios” opened things up with the classic old school tune, something rare to find on this night of fresh/er Biscuits. However, we could not confirm at press time that first set highlight “Dino Baby” was influenced by regional brisket. The smoothly flowing “Dino Baby” stretched itself into an inverted “Crickets,” and once the jam was found, gave a bridge to the first (lyrical) debut of the night, “In the End We Have Forever,” although it had been played fully instrumental at Electric Forest two weeks prior. “No Recollection” closed the set with bassist Marc Brownstein encouraging the crowd (and band) they’d keep the setbreak short at 20 minutes, which they nearly delivered on.
The second set saw the debut of “Another Spin” spanning more than 30 minutes,and based on the March 9, 2024 “No Recollection” jam, per Biscuits Internet Project. Working into the end of “Another Plan of Attack”, the band debuted “Losing It,” again with lyrics, after presenting the instrumental version during Tractorbeam on Thursday night, a rare double-debut for a band that has been unloading fresh new material on fans like an A-list comic hitting the Comedy Cellar night after night for 15-minute sets.
Dipping back into the beginning of “Another Plan of Attack,” the only other old school Biscuits song of the night, “Catalyst” made itself welcome, grinding the end of the set towards “Ring the Doorbell Twice.” You’d be hard-pressed to find a dull moment from these sets, with plenty to unpack from the debuts upon relistens.
The last day of this year’s Biscoland offered a brief respite from some of the humidity and more varied musical acts leading up to two more sets of Disco Biscuits. Saxsquatch, which is exactly what it sounds like, braved the weather and delivered covers on the sax at the Saloon Stage in the early afternoon. Later on the Main Stage, albeit after a bit of a delay, The Breakfast reunited for a set of psychedelic-infused rock that included a spot-on cover of MGMT’s “Time To Pretend.” Afterwards, Space Bacon played to a full and lively crowd back on the Saloon Stage, setting the stage perfectly for the headliners with some Bisco-esque guitar riffs and impressive jamming overall.
The Biscuits continued to mesh the old with the new in their last two sets of the weekend, starting with a true old school number in “Basis For A Day.” The show began with a cohesive instrumental jam that started off fast and never let up for well over 10 minutes until the familiar chorus, with some added orchestral effects from Magner on keys, rang out. The jam out of “Basis” was patiently crafted and segued seamlessly into “Freeze,” from the band’s recent Revolution In Motion release. The extended jam out of “Freeze” led into “Better In Doses,” a completely brand new song debuted, featuring Barber on lead vocals and an infectious beat that seemed like it could have easily fit alongside other “Motion” songs on the album.
The second set began with one last nod to the days of old with a massive “House Dog Party Favor” opener that reached almost 30 minutes in length. From the ashes of the second “House Dog” jam arose yet another new song making its live debut, “Trap Door.” This elicited an intense, slow build of a jam that steamrolled perfectly into a “Cyclone” that continued to build the momentum and even used samples of Outkast’s “So Fresh, So Clean.”
An inverted “Above The Waves’ followed and served as the other massive jam vehicle of the second set. After one last introduction to “Trap Door,” the show came to a close with one last silky smooth transition into “Digital Buddha,” which allotted one last opportunity of samples and true Biscuits rock.
For those that still had a little left in the tank, a Cloudchord silent disco set was the final performance of this year’s Biscoland due to the last minute change in schedule. The Revolution in Motion producer was armed with a guitar and a drum machine and even brought up Barber for a short few minutes on a run through of “Shocked,” giving those in attendees one last chance to soak up the very last remnants of Biscoland 2.
The Disco Biscuits community has rallied to support a fan who was injured by a tree that fell in the night of July 5. A GoFundMe has been set up. Learn more here to help Mary Wallace on her road to recovery.
Disco Biscuits 2024 Tour Dates 7/11 – Selbyville, DE – Freeman Arts Pavilion 7/12 – Atlantic City, NJ – Bourbon Ballroom 7/13 – Richmond, VA – The National 7/14 – Wilmington, NC – Greenfield Lake Amphitheater 7/15 – Isle of Palms, SC – The Windjammer 7/18-19 Thornville, OH – Secret Dreams Festival 7/20 – Patchogue, NY – Great South Bay Music Festival 8/9-11 – Long Pond, PA – Elements Festival 8/29-30 – TBA 8/31-9/1 – Murphysboro, IL – Weekend at the Cave 9/6 – Dillon, CO – Dillon Amphitheater 9/7 – Bellvue, CO – Mishawaka Amphitheatre (SOLD OUT) 9/8 – Bellvue, CO – Mishawaka Amphitheatre (SOLD OUT) 9/11 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot 9/13 – Livingston, MT – Pine Creek Lodge (TRACTORBEAM) 9/14-15 – Livingston, MT – Pine Creek Lodge
On a long anticipated day for musicians and fans alike, Trey Anastasio performed for the first time at Tanglewood Music Center, joined by the Boston Pops, conducted by Edwin Outwater.
photo by Hilary Scott
Initially scheduled to perform in June 2020, Anastasio beamed with joy as he took the stage following the orchestra for this long-awaited evening of music.
For the June 29 crowd, the day was full of gray skies and rain that was tolerable, but not terrible, as fans were well prepared for the misty weather of the Berkshires that accompanies any passing storm system. Newcomers to Tanglewood were amazed by the sprawling grounds, the ability to bring in everything from food and drink to portable chairs and tables, all making for a relaxing pre-show that led into an evening of unforgettable music.
photo by Hilary Scott
Opening up the night with “First Tube”, this more staid by comparison, yet intricate, version of the classic Phish arena rocker elicited early erupts of cheers from fans, especially the uninitiated to Anastasio’s body of orchestral work. Following Thank You’s to the crowd, Anastasio shifted into the appropriate “Water in Sky” donning his acoustic guitar for the relaxing string-led number that evoked the orchestration of Disney’s early Silly Symphony cartoon series.
Following was “Evolve,” which saw its orchestral debut a few nights earlier in Vienna, VA. The pandemic-era song, turned Phish single, now sits prominently in Anastasio’s arsenal of compositions for orchestras.
photo by Hilary Scott
A 17-minute “Divided Sky” was the closest to a Phish performance this evening, as the composition itself has been ideally suited for orchestra performance since it was written, and allows Anastasio to shine on guitar more than any other song this evening. The ‘open space’ was divinely orchestrated in the lead up to the ‘moment’, with cheers welcomed by the Bad Lieutenant, and the second half textbook early Phish orchestration, with a tremendous ending lead to roars of cheers from the crowd spread across the lawn and inside the Koussevitzky Music Shed.
After introductions of conductor Edwin Outwater and the Boston Pops, “Mercy,” also a Vienna debut, followed for a soft breather that paired well with “Divided Sky.”
photo by Hilary Scott
Closing the set was “Stash,” a more complicated song for the orchestra, but offered a samba beat thanks to the horn section, the percussion and clave driving the mellow tempo forward with a ‘cha cha cha’ beat.
Following a short setbreak (and an appreciated heads up given to the audience five minutes prior to showtime), “Harry Hood” saw its second ever performance (following Vienna), with the orchestra joining in to say “Thank You, Mister Minor” and featuring a unique ending compared to the Phish standard.
“Petrichor” was a perfect fit following the excitement prompted by “Hood,” as well as with light sprinkles coming down as the song started.
A short acoustic version of “More” followed, with “What’s The Use?” surprising the audience as it is wont to do at many a Phish show.
Harpist Jessica Zhou was the MVP in the ‘quiet spot’ of “WTU?,” building the strings in gentle, rising to the occasion and giving this meditative song deeper resonance with the audience.
In September 2009, “You Enjoy Myself” saw its debut at Carnegie Hall, and the moment saw the audience sitting in silent awe, with occasional laughs during the ‘vocals.’ On this evening at Tanglewood, for the unenlightened, “You Enjoy Myself” would draw out more than laughs and silence, but also dancers in the aisles of the lawn (yes, there are aisles on the lawn, sort of) and back of the shed.
Trombonists Toby Oft and Stephen Lange, along with the percussion section combined for a memorable ‘vocal jam’ that led into the boisterous ending that Trey Anastasio and Phish have been performing since 1986.
After a performance like this, Anastasio kept the new orchestrations flowing with acoustic guitar in hand for “The Inlaw Josie Wales.” Now a Phish rarity (last played in 2000), “Inlaw” is welcome at any performance from Anastasio and an orchestra moving forward.
And to cap off an incredible day at Tanglewood and evening of music, fan favorite “The Lizards” closed the show, the tale of Rutherford the Brave as seen through the eyes of Colonel Forbin bringing fans to their feet once again.
Trey Anastasio and the Boston Pops – Koussevitzky Music Shed at Tanglewood – Saturday, June 29, 2024 – setlist via Phish.net
Set 1: First Tube, Water in the Sky*, Evolve, Divided Sky, Mercy, Stash Set 2: Harry Hood, Petrichor, More*, What’s the Use, You Enjoy Myself Encore: The Inlaw Josie Wales*, The Lizards * Trey on acoustic guitar
Trey Anastasio at Tanglewood photos by Hilary Scott
photo by Hilary Scottphoto by Hilary Scottphoto by Hilary Scottphoto by Hilary Scottphoto by Hilary Scottphoto by Hilary Scottphoto by Hilary Scott
