ALPINE2 RECAP: SUNDAY GRAVY
Phish’s summer 2015 tour wrapped-up a two-night stand on Sunday at Wisconsin’s massive, sprawling venue on the steepest hill in all of rock and roll, the Alpine Valley Music Theatre. My friend and colleague Parker Harrington did a spectacular job setting the Alpine Valley scene in his recap of Saturday’s show, and there is a lot to cover from this edition of “never miss a Sunday show” so let’s cut right to the action from the bunny hill in the corn fields.
The band kicked off the gig at 7:45 with “The Very Long Fuse” from Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House, the first performance of the song since the 10/31/14 debut in Las Vegas. This was one of the tunes from that set that was seemingly a long-shot to appear again in the repertoire, given the centrality of the theatrics in the first performance with the laser “cutting” a hole in the haunted house set, ultimately revealing the band. Surprising though this may have been, it was but a hint of what was to come. Instead of exposing the haunted house, “The Very Long Fuse” would instead create a huge explosion to reveal… Colonel Forbin!
Photo © @tweeprise
The first “Colonel Forbin’s Ascent” since the MSG “Truck Your Face” set from 12/31/13 (57 shows), this edition would offer one of the more hysterical chapters in the ongoing Gamehendge saga: The Bird Shit Narration. We here at phish.net are rather fond of “Fly Famous Mockingbird” – in addition to it being a delightfully weird and simultaneously beautiful song, it’s eponymous character is the namesake of the non-profit foundation that sponsors this site. The narration is simply too good not to include in its entirety.
Trey: “Thanks everybody. I’m not much of a talker these days, but I used to be when I wouldn’t shut up for fifteen minutes at a time. I will say this, when we stay at Alpine Valley here, some of us, sometimes all four of us, we sleep in the parking lot right back there, I sleep in the parking lot when we play here. I woke up there this morning, it was pretty cool, I got up and put my headphones on, I was listening to a mix tape, and I got to walk around the venue out there. I walked around all morning, we never, the four of us had never really been out there. We always see you guys from this perspective and you always see us from this perspective. It was really fun this morning to walk around, and I walked around and I walked all the way up there, and up where that guy who is waving his arms is, which is like on the peak of that hill, and it is so beautiful from up there, you can see over the top of the venue, and I was also really loving that tree right there, so this is a special shout to the people by the tree, you guys are all waving, thanks, man! The tree is really cool, and then my other favorite spot was that tree, over there, right on the corner is really beautiful. And then the last place I was standing, there was like a piece of wooden platform, that if you’re on the hill, there’s a flat area, you guys right there are on it, and that was one of my favorite spots. And it was there where I was standing when I felt a drop of rain dropping on my head. And I looked up and saw no clouds, and I realized that it was bird shit! And then I thought, maybe tonight is the night to do “Famous Mockingbird!” It’s a sign from the heavens! So I’d like to thank that bird. And then, when I got back, after my little stroll, I started looking up some little factoids that I want to share with you. So thanks to the shitting bird, and by the way, for those of you on the grassy knoll, if you feel bird shit, and you feel a second bird shit, there is obviously a second shitter, on the grassy knoll. Anyway, ba-da-bump! So when I started looking up some facts, I wanted to say that apparently we’ve played here seventeen times, which is pretty cool, man. And tomorrow is apparently the nineteenth anniversary of us first coming to Alpine Valley. So I just want to say, we love it here, and we’ve had such great times, that’s pretty amazing, nineteen years, and we get to share all that with you at this beautiful venue. I’d like to thank the shitting bird, and I’d like to shut up now and play a song, about another bird, the famous mockingbird… as we carry you to Gamehendge.”
As Scott Bernstein aptly noted on Twitter, “the bird that shit on Trey at Alpine wins creativity points over @drewphish but kudos to both for getting Trey to play their requests.”
Photo © @tweeprise
The set then proceeded to include seven more songs – every single one – that was a tour debut, fourteen shows deep into the run. “Brian and Robert” was played for the first time since 10/27/14 at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium (BGCA). “Saw It Again” was played for the first time since 10/31/14 Vegas featuring another episode of Mike and Trey coordinated dancing, and not one but two false endings. “Esther” saw its first live action since 8/30/13 at Dick’s (77 shows), and was notable – given often sloppy performances, especially after sitting on the shelf – for being well-executed, despite the break.
Mike’s lovingly bizarre “Weigh” (first since 8/3/13 BGCA, 80 shows) was a welcome treat, though marred by crowd “woos.” “The Sloth” emerged for the first time since 7/12/13 Jones Beach (94 shows), and “Sanity” took a hard look in the mirror for the first time since 10/28/14 BGCA. While this diverse and surprising set was a treat by any reasonable measure, it was still absent any real jamming; enter “Split Open and Melt,” the first since 1/3/15 Miami. “Melt” has, ironically, been in a bit of a closed shell of late in terms of expansive and exploratory jamming; this edition isn’t going to recall the song’s glory days, but it was certainly more than serviceable and really rather excellent for the era, especially Trey’s machine-gun routine at the end, and ended the set on a high note.
When first sets suck, relative to Phish's ridiculously high standards – and I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but sometimes they do – we note that. This set, to be sure, did not suck! And to be fair, there have been a bunch of first sets this tour that have been pretty awesome, Nashville and Atlanta1 in particular. There was clearly a conscious force at work here to mix up the routine, and it is an effort that fans appreciate in the extreme. The repertoire built over the course of three decades is teeming with riches, so, sometimes go ahead and dig deep, right? They did exactly that, to the fan’s delight. Bravo!
Photo © @tweeprise
Although obviously not a bust-out, “Run Like an Antelope” opened the second set for the first time since 8/11/04 Great Woods (245 shows). While nothing extraordinary took place in the ten-plus minute run time, “Antelope” had the crowd going wild in excitement, as is its role. “Carini” found itself in the two-hole and was a curious bird: there wasn’t a lot happening here early in the jam. Trey went for the Mu-Tron but backed off quickly, and the jam was picking up steam until about six minutes in, when they shifted to a pretty, light, bright jam that was rather delightful, if brief, setting the stage for “Waves.” Or another way to look at it, the “Waves” jam started even before the song proper, in place of a “Carini” jam. The first few minutes of the “Waves” jam were carried by a brisk current, before dissolving to calm, almost flat waters. Trey signals “Tweezer” with about half a minute left in “Waves,” and the segue to “Tweezer” is really odd (and great), with what comes tantalizingly close to but not quite a tease of the signature descending riff of “Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again.”
Photo © @tweeprise
The second “Tweezer” of the weekend following Blossom’s excellent “Cheezer” (“Chalk Dust” -> “Tweezer”) from Friday, Trey launches from the “Memphis Blues” riff into the “Tweezer” theme with the Mu-Tron leading the way, crunching through the corn fields. Early on in the jam it almost seemed like they were going to bail out, with light hints of “Back On the Train” a la 7/27/14 Merriweather, but they hung in with Trey leading brilliantly, chunka, chunka, chunka. Page led the flight to lightness and Mike and Trey followed with Fish calmly driving the tempo. A tap of Mike’s fight bell, a few comet shots from Page, and we’re back into delightfully familiar territory from this tour with bright, sunny, open major key spaces. This segment evoked the lightest hints of “Dear Prudence” and “Franklin’s Tower” while never wavering from the core Phish essence. What an awesome jam!
“Dirt” offered a brief contemplative interlude, offering one a moment to perhaps reflect on the 20th anniversary of Jerry Garcia’s passing. In the humble opinion of this observer, “Dirt” is no less than one of Phish’s best songs, with haunting lyrics tenderly delivered alongside passionate solos from Trey. “Mike’s Song” sure left a mark in Nashville with the long-awaited return of the second jam, and its first appearance since then had fans again on the edge of their seats. Trey and Page rode the thick groove to Funky Town in the first jam – first jams matter – and then at decision time, nobody was throwing up a stop sign, so we’re on to the second jam! Since a number of observers – rightly, if snarkily – noted that the second jam in Nashville wasn’t the second jam, The Right Way, we’ll just call this one “Drew’s Jam,” if that’s OK with you. Page was on fire and let the charge that broke out into some start-stop jamming. And the "woos." Come on, people, what are you, twelve? Shut the fuck up! Seriously. You're at a performance of music, you are not the musician, so your job is to, wait for it... shut up and listen. Killer jam, though.
Photo © @tweeprise
This tour’s anthemic “Blaze On” rained chemtrails on the assembled masses, laying the seeds for the next generation of yearbook quotes. You’ve got one life, Blaze On, it’s kinda like a Dead song! A compact “Weekapaug Groove” (“woo”) sent us around the homestretch, though in one of the only questionable decisions of the entire night, “Weekapaug” actually came to a dead stop rather than offering a launch-pad to bang straight into “Tweezer Reprise.” A mere nit-picky footnote, however, to the best four minutes in rock and roll. While “Tweeprise” has closed sets rather than encored throughout the song’s history, it is notable (and awesome) that it has closed the second set in each of the four instances where “Tweezer” was played on this tour.
The tour debuts kept rolling through the double encore with Mike’s ode to love, “Contact” (first since 10/29/14), and the barn-burning “Frankenstein” (first since 10/31/14) put a wrap on this thrilling performance by The Phish From Vermont. This show had it all, it was the whole Phish package. Get some!
The Road to Magnaball continues on Tuesday at The Mann in Philly. Wit, or Witout? It’s all up to you. We’ll be back with more coverage on Wednesday, enjoy the day off!
Photo © @tweeprise
Phish Summer 2015 – Setlists & Recaps
07/21/15 Setlist – Recap – Bend 1
07/22/15 Setlist – Recap – Bend 2
07/24/15 Setlist – Recap, Recap2 – Shoreline
07/25/15 Setlist – Recap – LA Forum
07/28/15 Setlist – Recap – Austin
07/29/15 Setlist – Recap – Grand Prarie
07/31/15 Setlist – Recap – Atlanta 1
08/01/15 Setlist – Recap – Atlanta 2
08/02/15 Setlist – Recap – Tuscaloosa
08/04/15 Setlist – Recap – Nashville
08/05/15 Setlist – Recap – Kansas City
08/07/15 Setlist – Recap – Blossom
08/08/15 Setlist – Recap – Alpine 1
08/09/15 Setlist – Recap – Apline 2
08/11/15 Setlist – Recap – Mann 1
08/12/15 Setlist – Recap – Mann 2
08/14/15 Setlist – Recap – Raleigh
08/15/15 Setlist – Recap – Merriweather 1
08/16/15 Setlist – Recap – Merriweather 2
08/21/15 Setlist – Recap – Magnaball 1
08/22/15 Setlist – Recap – Magnaball 2
08/23/15 Setlist – Recap – Magnaball 3
09/04/15 Setlist – Recap – Dick's 1
09/05/15 Setlist – Recap – Dick's 2
09/06/15 Setlist – Recap – Dick's 3
Alpine Valley posters by Brad Klausen.
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It's interesting that Trey said he's not "much of a talker these days." I wonder if it'll take him stepping in a pile of dog shit to get another Harpua.
The selfish side of me wishes they would leave some gas (and bustouts) in the tank for The Ball, but it is so fun to watch/stream these shows where the band is so obviously having fun and playing with a newfound energy that it's good either way.
Re: your comment about Weigh being "marred" by wooing: I can't agree more. I thought we had successfully shaken this DMB-type call and response, but apparently news travels slowly to the inland parts. Bottom line - this tour is all good to my ears!
*There is no room for 'woo' in Reba (last year).
I don't particularly like getting pegged with light sticks either.
And, if you want to go way back, I can do without the 'Hood' reply in Hood.
Utter silence at a concert would be weird; so I am down with the music.
Is this the first full set with all Tour Debuts? Need some geekery on that one.
Harpua seems an inevitability at this point in tour....
The real story here has to be the 2nd Mikes Jam in as many weeks. What a thing to behold! I think it's safe to say that most of us had given up on this entirely so to see Phish take another run at the Jam moves the whole series of events past the novelty stage and into legitimate Watch The Fuck Out Mode.
More Mikes Jams loom large on this tour.
We were also treated to the 2nd Tweezer in as many shows which is the bands way of saying that they have A LOT to say within the context of the Tweezer jam and you'll no complaints from anybody on that front. Another smooth jam, if not as challenging as some of the more recent ones.
On to the Mann!
Nice recap of a damned good show, @pzerbo. Not sure I agree about the "woo"s (especially since it pops up like, what, every 9-10 shows now?), but I'm in a pretty distinct minority about that, I'm sure.
Several recaps this tour have noted similarities between Phish's new tunes and Dead songs, and it seems the new songs may indeed have born out of Trey's explorations of the GD catalog. I love this -- rather than cover Dead songs, Phish has found a way to inject their own catalog with the spirit of that music, a very Phish-y strategy indeed. (I still wouldn't mind hearing Scarlet > Fire sandwiched in Mike's Groove, but don't think we should be holding our breath.)
Thanks for another astute and enthusiastic recap!
What was up with Woosconsin?
"And the "woos." Common people, what are you, twelve? Shut the fuck up! Seriously. You're at a performance of music, you are not the musician, so your job is to, wait for it... shut up and listen"
Who says that to ANYONE?? (Except perhaps your racist, homophobic brother-in-law) Really disrespectful and curmudgeonly, with more than a dose of anger and elitism that puts a bad taste in my mouth. Anyone complaining (with such vulgar insults) this much about spontaneous crowd-interaction (that is frequently encouraged by the band, itself, btw) might just be too jaded to be at a Rock concert to begin with.
There's my 2 cents. I'm gonna listen to the show now, and enjoy the moment when the Woo's come up, because BUG! It doesn't matter....
I ask myself when it's going down - or when I catch the tape - if the 'participation' adds anything positive to the playing, or to my experience (the two can be mutually exclusive). Every time* the answer is No.
You break down alligator mouths and 'three-chord' progressions with calibrated precision; can you do the same for wooing?
I'm not trying to harsh @glassio's good times or whatever. (Nor am I trying to put you on the spot; if you like it, you like it, enough said.) And I could be in the minority, which is fine. But what glass dismisses out of hand is that people do talk like we're at a HS reunion.
Moreover, we're getting into apples and oranges.... Singing along - like last night, with Forbin - is different than inserting yourself into the playing; wooing often creating, at best, a distraction.
It just seems amateurish. I haven't been to a DMB show, but I'll take Dust99's word for it.
Amen, brother. It's the loud annoying fucks that would much rather hear their own primal howling rather than music that's going to make me stop going to shows. The self-indulgent assholes are getting worse each year AND I'm getting less tolerant. (Hint: I'm paying to hear them, not you.).
"Hood" yes..."Woo" no, and "solo" does NOT mean "Page/Trey playing with a chorus of assholes yelling along...."
And yes, people talk non-stop, too.
Or at least that's what I hope.
Either way, and I say this NOT being a big fan of wooing, don't come on here and write a review and get all heavy-handed with me about what I should and shouldn't be doing at a rock show, pal. Especially in light of calling out people for being snarky about the Mike's second jam. Sounds like we could all learn how to chill out a little more. AND FINALLY, let's not forget that the band (yes, those four guys) could cut the wooing out immediately, but they are intentionally leaving space for them when they come up. Just like they did last night. Or Trey could say "you know what? Enough with the 'woo'" and everyone would stop right then. Yes, it's annoying, but so is being lectured to by someone who can't figure out his homophones.
Also, this was a really good show. Amazing first set. I agree they could have left some of the sizzle for Magnaball or MPP, but good for everyone who was there on a Sunday in the middle of nowhere. You earned it! Good flow to second set, even if there were no true face melters. Nice to see them nix a long Carini in favor of spacing out the jamz a little more between songs.
I just want to give a sincere and grateful thanks to @tweezer who has somehow managed to single-handedly retrieve one of the most hallowed jams while showing grace and respect for the band. I am still amazed something like this even happened, much less actually WORKED. It is a reflection of both Drew and Phish that such a meaningful interaction took place between the community and the band, where Phish really does care and Drew had the balls to mention it (though in a tactful and respectful way).
This would be a cool story if it were about bringing back some long-forgotten bust out for a single show--it's a mind-blowing story because to me at least, there's nothing I would've wanted to say to more to them than that if I had somehow been given a platform to actually talk to Trey. Just on a personal level, as someone who has the quirky stats of seeing the band in 1.0 but only a couple of shows a year, getting a great Mike's was NOT a foregone conclusion because it's real easy to just barely miss it year after year.
When they got back together in 3.0, THIS is what I was chasing. More than Peaches, Curtain With, Glide, etc. Although I love the song itself, and appreciate just getting it at all (don't get me wrong), the type II Mike's that comes after the closing chords just delivers time after time some of the greatest music I've ever hear them do. It's right on the threshold of going major or back into minor and seems to slam you right into the deepest waters of thematic playing because of both the build to get there and the emphatic end to the closing chords. There's simply no more time to hesitantly try out ideas or fill the musical space with noodle. It's a fulcrum moment that truly launches you into the deepest jam space.
So it appears my favorite moment of Phish has returned. I shredded my vocal chords with a single yell last night that exorcised the demon of a 17 year wait and the joy of knowing that this would not be my last second jam. THAT'S what this show means. As Zerbo mentions above, 'edge of their seats' was (for me and probably a lot of other people) a bit of an understatement. Like a true fulcrum, the moment of the closing chords was the very top of the roller coaster, a breath-holding moment of anticipation like none I have experienced at a Phish show. And then, to get it. Until then, we just didn't know if it was going to be a one-off type of thing, where in a moment of graciousness Phish allowed us a glimpse into the echo of the past and the joyous unknown of the future jams, to feel again the piss and vinegar of an unbridled Mike's, just to show us that they do care.
But it was more than that. It feels safe to assume (though you really never should assume anything with this band), that Mike's is here to stay. I'll leave it to the imagination to think about the setlist possibilities having this back as a major jam vehicle offers, but I'm just happy to get that Mike's.
If someone gave a hypothetical scenario of the events leading up to this moment, I wouldn't have believed them for a second. That this has happened is about the coolest thing that has happened with the community and band that I could possibly imagine. And for me, the most meaningful.
So, thanks @tweezer. Thanks, Drew.
And there have been several occasions where the band plays through the 'woos.'
Also, the band has asked fans to stop firing glow sticks; like our gentle reviewer, the band sort of accosted the crowd, positing that it isn't 97 anymore.
I think you were kidding, though, about Trey making a declaration?
The intent I was trying to get across was more in the "STFU and dance" mode. Spaces "between the notes" are part of the music, I find that people screaming "woo" (or anything else) detracts from the overall experience. I wish people wouldn't do it in the same way I wish people wouldn't talk incessantly while the show is happening; but, I wish a lot of things over which I have no control. To me this falls more in the area of common courtesy, but clearly that sentiment is not universally shared. I don't apologize for the sentiment, though I certainly could have been more tactful in that expression.
I'd go on, but I'm now quite through talking about the "woo". Carry on.
Kuroda doesn't like them; he has had friends injured. And it's on the back of his mind during shows; check it out, he's on the record. If that doesn't 'bother' you, you're totally right: you paid to get in, do your thing. I wasn't trying to be sanctimonious or anything. Just chatting. Glad you had a great time, too.
I never would have given this such time and consideration; but it was whatever o'clock in the morning, and @pzerbo was unfairly accosted (at least I thought so).
Seems to me that the staff is nothing but gracious -
Plus it's kind of fun, posting. Sure it'll wear off. I abstained forever. But I always get that vibe from your writing / that you're having fun.
Keep Calm and Woo On, then, I suppose.
This show is destined to be overrated because of the tour bust-out factor. Esther and Sloth are pretty well botched and the jamming in the 2nd set was not as inspired as many others this tour IMO now that I've listened to the recording. It was nice to hear some rarer tunes and the 3rd quarter was pretty great. 4 stars I guess, considering the strong beginning to the show; I loved hearing The Very Long Fuse, Forbin's, and a halfway clean Mockingbird (Trey doesn't play the hardest section on the first pass... but nor did he play wrong notes, he just didn't play, and then he was able to play it correctly if tentatively from then on.) And I'm sure it was a blast in person. But as a recording and as a performance I wouldn't put it in the top half of the summer so far.
And as for "who the fuck gave [...] the right to ruin [your time]" - Phish did. When they sold--and people consequently bought--the $50+ tickets.
Thank you always Phish.
Besides, where do you draw the line? Are the PYITE "heys" ok for some arbitrary reason? The Mound claps? What about singing along?
Really, I see the "woos" as a populist extension of the Secret Language from days of yore. Let's try not to crap on a big reason we all love the band - the bond between the band and the fans.
nor is singing along.
SL was a means for the band to stay alert: at no point does the audience signal the band. when it becomes interactive, the band was driving the communication.... and then the band tired of that, too...........................
even were one to concede that woos were invited during weigh - they weren't, initially; really: they weren't: and then they were constantly 'mis-wooed' throughout the tune (go back and listen) - one can still argue that the quiet space the band leaves is better left quiet.
i swore i wasn't going to comment anymore re: this.
but 'full measures' were not bestowed to the fans during mike's (listen to 10:42 and on....) this is the only reason i care: i feel the woos marred the tune. it's not the nevada tweezer; let them go dark.
if you like to woo, cool. but that's the extent of it - you like it: the band hasn't been inviting it.
they did for about a week.
Second, i am not a wooer, but there is no one to blame but the band. The egg it on with there playing. They obviously like it for positive or negative reasons.
Great show. Coincidentally, 19 years later i finally got a Forbin> mockingbird. Sanity. And Weigh.
We were leary after seeing Fridays setlist. But, Saturday didn't disappoint and Sunday took the cake.
The last two years away from Alpine made this visit all the more special. Alpine 98 was my first show, and out of the 17 visits Phish graced The Valley with I consider myself lucky enough to have caught 13 of them.
I love that this band loves us back. They LOVE us back. We bathed in it Sunday. There are not many feelings in the world that can compete with the feeling I feel at a show, especially the particularly intimate ones. Not that this show was intimate in the sense a small venue would be. But the band and the crowd spoke heart to heart.
Now, perhaps my experience of intimacy was enhanced by the company of those around me: The quiet, dancing, spinning phanners just sharing in the groove. Nobody spoke! We simply shared a space as we bathed in the pool of sound, feeling the feels and joys. Eye contact was sufficient exchange. Gamehendge, as if we had been carried there.
For a show riddled with highlights, I reflect on my many firsts. Forbin's> Mockingbird had always eluded me until this night. I never anticipated that attached to the end of a Fuse and was blown to a billion pieces. Everthing! Esther! Just like my first show! Weigh! Another first! The Sanity that had come my way until that moment. Mike's Second Jam, Fishman bringing it through, Trey quick to heavily follow guiding us into the sacred space of Type II. Love or hate the woo, woos come when people are feeling it, and when people are feeling it that's not a bad thing. In fact, that's THE thing. Feeling the music. I felt every moment of this show, I felt very much a part of the whole, the interaction, the heart to heart. Although the space was open the distance between us all was small.
(Note: I understand where both philosophies of band/crowd interactions are coming from but I'm choosing to surrender on this. It takes more energy to complain about than to just go with it. So woo away to your heart's desire. Or clap. Whatever. And if I feel it I'll woo and clap right there with the best of you. Also, I suspect the band likes it too)
But of many musical highlights, the one that stands out the most is the way this show made me feel.
Thank you for loving us back Phish!
From the word go, when that fuse was lit, this show was beyond my ever expectations! That first set felt like a dream second set! True, the jams were nowhere to be found. The crispness, the boyish pleasure of a Huck Finn saunter was everpresent.
I loved this show. I loved the story. I love the Phish!
From the word go, when that fuse was lit, this show was beyond my ever expectations! That first set felt like a dream second set! True, the jams were nowhere to be found. The crispness, the boyish pleasure of a Huck Finn saunter was ever present.
I loved this show. I loved the story. I love the Phish!