Center your soul and align your breathing with Surrender to the Flow Phish Yoga this Sunday, July 27th, before the second MPP show that evening. Sign up at www.surrendertotheflowyoga.org/register, then join Michael Levin and Kerry Contini at the Columbia Yoga Center from 2-3:30. Registration is only $20, and all proceeds benefit the Mockingbird Foundation and Street Yoga.

And in case you can't catch this one, check Surrender to the Flow's schedule for other upcoming events, including 8/31 with Tracy Stonaker and Brooke.

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There’s a reason Phish’s Summer trek only takes the band as far west as Commerce City, CO (where Phish will wrap things up with a trio of Labor Day weekend shows). The band will kick off a 12-date Fall tour that will take them to seven cities in the west beginning October 17 with its first-ever show at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, OR. Phish will play two consecutive nights at Santa Barbara Bowl (October 21 & 22), a venue Phish first played as openers for Santana in 1992, and its first show at Los Angeles’ Forum since Valentine’s Day 2003. The tour will conclude with Phish’s first shows at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The three-night stand begins on Halloween night.

An online ticket request period for the Fall Tour is currently underway at http://tickets.phish.com/ and will end Sunday, August 3 at midnight ET. Tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning August 7. For complete ticketing details, please visit phish.com/tours.

PHISH 2014 FALL TOUR

10/17 Matthew Knight Arena, Eugene, OR
10/18 Key Arena, Seattle, WA
10/21 Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara, CA
10/22 Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara, CA
10/24 The Forum, Los Angeles, CA
10/25 Sleep Train Amphitheatre, San Diego, CA
10/27 Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA
10/28 Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA
10/29 Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA
10/31 MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV
11/01 MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV
11/02 MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV

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Welcome to Phish.Net's Mystery Jam Monday, episode 180. The winner will receive an MP3 download courtesy of our friends at LivePhish.com / Nugs.Net. To win, be the first person to identify the song and date of the mystery jam clip. Each person gets one guess per day, with the second “day” starting after I post the hint. A hint will be posted on Tuesday if necessary, with the answer to follow on Wednesday. Now, bust out those Q-tips, open those ears wide, and get to work...

Hint (Posted 2014-07-22 11:06 am): To date, this is one of only two times that Phish has ever played this song.

Answer: This week's clip is taken from the 9/25/00 Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me & My Monkey, which was Phish's first -- and as of today, only -- post-White Album performance of the tune. Within less than 20 minutes of the hint being posted, @mcgrupp81 is now one win shy of becoming the fourth person to achieve emeritus status. After how quickly the past two hint-aided MJMs have been solved, could a move back to the hugely popular, absolutely indecipherable clues be in the cards? You'll have to check back here on Monday for MJM #181 to find out!

[This recap was a collaborative effort by some of the Mockingbird Foundation / phish.net staff, a.k.a. The Lawyers in Soccer Jerseys: @drewphish, @chrisbertolet, @cglush, @beverage_cart, @bestedog, @lumpblockclod and @pzerbo]

Phish is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re gonna get. The first two days of the weekend run at Chicago’s Northerly Island contained the usual assortment of hits and misses, peaks and valleys. Sometimes you could tell from the shape of the chocolates what you were likely to get, and that they would melt in your mouth – Friday’s “Reba,” “Golden Age” and “Piper,” or Saturday’s “Light” and “Hood.” Then there were the totally unexpected surprises – that funky pink chocolate that nobody knows what it is supposed to be, but turns out amazing, i.e. Friday’s out-of-nowhere type-II “Wombat.” We’re told to “never miss a Sunday show,” so let’s get to the action from the field.

Photo © Phish – Phish From the Road

“Gumbo” kicked off the festivities, the first “Gumbo” show opener since the only other instance on 11/28/98 Worcester. Trey took to the echoplex during Page’s solo, offering a more interesting "Gumbo" than usual. “Runaway Jim” was next, a solid version; you have to love in “Jim” pre-jam when Fishman is so good at laying off the cymbals to create space.

The first “Tela” since 7/31/13 Tahoe (39 shows) was next, though it seems like much longer for those who attended that Tahoe gig, as during that performance we were all re-assembling our brains after they had been pulverized by the Tahoe “Tweezer” that preceded it. Apparently the Randall's Island crew gets their wish a week later, as the chants that sounded like “Reba” were actually for “Tela.” Phish, a band that plays requests… as long as it is a song they want to play, when they want to play it.

Photo © Phish

A short soap box; skip a few paragraphs to return to the music. For those trying to enjoy the show at home, “Tela” also suffered the first of many drop-outs where the LivePhish stream crapped out. Let’s face it: LivePhish and their partner, nugs.net, are out of their element; they do not possess the core competencies in the tasks to which they’ve been assigned. Drop-outs during Phish webcasts are now routine, it’s part of the package… for Phish. Yet, other bands have figured this out, other service providers offer state-of-the-art quality.

Why is this? When it comes to technology of providing live and recorded music to fans online, Phish used to lead; now, they follow, and from way behind. At some point it becomes impossible to understand how such incompetence goes unaddressed. On Saturday the big dropout came at the high point of the show, the fantastic “Hood” jam. Sure, we can replay it later, but the core value add is the immediacy of the moment. Nugs was great at the internet... in the late 90s. It’s 2014. Further, the communication about the issues has been poor, at best, and cluelessly aloof and dismissive at worst. Let’s not even get started about the LivePhish app, last updated in 2010. 2010! It is like the bad boyfriend / crazy girlfriend that you know is going to go bad in the end, but you just can’t quit them. They know we love The Phish, they know we’re going to keep coming back and buying their products; our demand is de facto inelastic.

We have a great thing going here: the fans love Phish, and Phish loves their fans. So why not address this lingering point of friction so we can get back to the love-making? The offering isn’t cheap – it wasn’t that long ago when $20 was the price of a ticket to the actual show. So, what do we need to do to make this a priority in the Phish org? It sure would be nice to put these issues behind us. We humbly request more attention to these matters by those in charge.

Photo by Robert Henriksen

Back to the action, we were happy to have the stream back… even for “The Line.” “The Line” is our favorite Lumineers cover (j/k!) that they do, Phish’s “One Shining Moment” of IT. Fishman keeps finding extra gears in this version, the rest of the band seemingly wanted to be done, but he took them on a couple bonus laps. “Scent of a Mule” started with Trey having trouble finding, whaddaya call them, “notes.” Fishman just doesn't want to lay out, he's kicking so much ass and knows it. This is like '93 Fishman, when Trey finally gave him permission to change the tempo. This turned into a very spirited and deliberately weird “Mule” duel. Page walked over to Fish’s Marimba Lumina and held candles over Fish. But as we all know, you can't hold a candle to Fishman. Trey joined in on drums, Mike added cowbell and cymbals, the whole affair had a ceremonial feel. A drum circle, Phish-style! This “Mule” was a real treat, showcasing a band that can still get weird and have fun.

“Bathtub Gin” brought us back down to earth a bit, following the soaring performances at SPAC and Randall’s Island. Other than Fishman, Page has grabbed our attention the most this tour. He is playing better than we've ever heard him play, as evidenced in this “Gin.” At least on this night, the hope of “Gin” opening up to its brilliant flowering plumage would have to wait, but a solid version nonetheless. “Silent in the Morning” was next in its now-ensconced "Horse"-less incarnation.

“Maze” is one of the few hard/fast songs that seems to be played better in 3.0. This “Maze” featured “Mission: Impossible” teasing and was well-played overall with exceptional rhythm playing by both Trey and Page, and Fish is, again, killing it. This “Maze” broke no new ground whatsoever, but how much does that matter? Not much.

“Ocelot” is so obviously “Tennessee Jed,” how can you not love it? It's probably the best or at least second-best jam in many of the sets in which it is played. The only “problem” with “Ocelot” is that they haven't done more with it, it has so much potential – keeping with the Dead analogy, “Ocelot” has a huge upside, like a ‘73 “Playin’ in the Band,” or even a poor-man’s/first set “Dark Star.” There was a stretch in 2012 where “Ocelot” got better and more intense with every version to the point where a breakthrough type II version seemed like an inevitability. Then that stopped happening. A spirited “Walls of the Cave” closed out this solid and entertaining set.

Setlist pictograms by Joseeen (available at Etsy)

“Down with Disease” stepped back into the role it knows best, launching the second set festivities. The opening of the jam contained some very “Gin”-like phrase from Trey. The Echoplex is definitely the new Whammy, in that it can sometimes offer a crutch when Trey is struggling for direction, as he did during the early phases of this jam. Finally there was something to build on with Page taking rhythmic control. While not reaching the peaks of earlier offerings during this tour, this fourteen-minute “Disease” offered high hopes for the rest of the set.

“Winterqueen” followed – a tune that has already demonstrated a much higher ceiling than many gave it credit for upon it’s arrival on the Phish scene. This version however serves more of a breather and bridge role. It also included an odd missed pedal by Trey that resulted in an abrupt and jarring modem screech. “Hello! You’ve got mail!” “Theme from the Bottom” extended this mellow interlude with a similarly placid yet flowing vibe, gradually building and blooming while staying true to the song’s foundation.

“Mike’s Song” stuck to it’s type-I power guns (odds of the much sought-after “Mike’s” ‘second jam’ were taking action at 85-1 against). This is said as a compliment: this offering was more or less by the books, but infused some much needed energy into the proceedings.

When they opted for “The Wedge” there was an audible deflation in the crowd. Were we in for a rare Sunday edition of the Saturday Night Special? Sure, we love “The Wedge.” It’s a great tune, but one that hardly ever strays from the confines of structure – it’s a classic first set song – and this set was frankly primed for some explosive release. But, Phish is like a box of chocolates.

The dreaded “box” was smashed into a million pieces, propelling the band to hitherto unexplored space from it’s familiar “Wedge” retreat. This was so unexpected and great that it left many of us speechless. There were several almost-teases and jams including “Roll with the Changes” (REO Speedwagon) – "keep on rollin'" = "we keep it rollin'?" Think about it – and “Paradise City” (Guns N' Roses). Page absolutely made the “Wedge” jam, always offering an idea. He listens so well, it's astonishing. At 11:00 Fish drops back into the “Wedge” beat. But Trey won't let it go, and starts with the ascending butter riff. All four guys are contributing strongly to this jam that is indisputably the most creative take on the song to date. Much like the 7/18/14 “Wombat” or 11/2/13’s “Theme” it was the element of surprise that sent this killer jam over the top. You never know what you’re gonna get.

@ Scott Harris Photography

The now comfortable position of “Ghost” in the middle of Mike’s Groove fed off the vibrant energy of “The Wedge.” What a turnaround! It was amazing how this band can go from sounding tired to sounding revitalized in just one song; they seemingly have “the switch” at their disposal. The intensity of this “Ghost” is like playoff hockey or the best World Cup match, the latter parts of the jam were frenetic in build and excitement, total hose. “Ghost-a-paug” is a real thing, and it isn’t taking prisoners. “Weekapaug” keeps it rolling with what is on first blush one of the best versions of 3.0.

Before the conclusion of “Weekapaug” – that included “Stash” and, sigh, “San Ho Zay” teases – the band returned to the “Ghost” theme for a full band… something. Is it a “tease?” A “jam?” A “reprise?” Is it “Ghost” > ”Weekapaug” -> “Ghost” -> “Weekapaug?” Reasonable cases can be made for any of these, resulting in a bunch of overeducated and hyper-obsessive Phish dorks throwing their hands up. What was it? Hell if we know for sure – our crack team will figure that out at their earliest opportunity – but it was sure awesome! We’re going with “Ghost jam” for now, hope that’s cool with you.

The gig rounded out with a fiery “First Tube” and an added-time “Character Zero” for good measure. What a stretch they just played! Fan-fucking-tastic. After the inaugural visit to this venue last year that was marred by force majeure, the weather mercifully cooperated and the venue seemed by all accounts to work well for Phish fans. The band had set the bar incredibly high – perhaps unreasonably high for this early in the tour – at Randall's Island, a set of shows that arguably represent the Crown Jewels of Phish runs since their 2009 return to the stage. They didn’t always reach those highs in Chicago, but these shows were each excellent in their own right, showcasing Phish at the peak of their game where even the “average” shows are rather great.

Finally, we’d like to drop a once-in-a-blue-moon reminder that the all-volunteer efforts of the staff here at phish.net are offered in support of our charity, The Mockingbird Foundation, that raises funds for music education for kids. If what we do is valuable to you, we’d like to encourage you to consider a small donation to support our work, which seeks to “pay it forward” to the next generation of music performers and appreciators. We’d also like to thank everyone who organized and participated in the events that benefited the foundation this past weekend in Chicago, including Surrender to the Flow Yoga, Screens ’n’ Suds, The Mothership Art Collective, PhanArt, as well as our friends at Rock Bottom Brewery. It is a humble privilege and distinct honor to join with Phish and their fans in charitable endeavors, on top of all the fun we have enjoying the band.

We’ll see you back here after the break, reporting from Charlotte.

Photo © Phish – Phish From the Road

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[For this recap we'd like to welcome guest blogger Craig Hillwig) -PZ]

FADE IN

EXT: WAREHOUSE, CHICAGO MEATPACKING DISTRICT

AL “CORAN” CAPONE: “Red, I got a job for you.”

ERNEST “RED” ANASTASIO: “Yeah Boss, you name it.”

CAPONE: “We’re takin’ out Wilson tonight and I need you to handle it.”

ANASTASIO: “Sure thing Boss, same deal as Tessio?” Anastasio pulls out a Tommy Gun.

CAPONE: “No, no, no you goombah.” Capone hands Anastasio a small pistol.

ANASTASIO (incredulous): With dis?

CAPONE: It’s called a Saturday Night Special. It’s a compact, inexpensive, small-caliber handgun with perceived low quality, according to Wikipedia. Just get in, pop him cleanly, and get out. When you’ve finished him off, dump it in Lake Michigan up on the North Side.

Photo © Phish – Phish From the Road

ANASTASIO: Wouldn’t you prefer something more creative? I’ve brought my Echoplex and Ross Compressor.

CAPONE: I just want you to get the job done. I am just a businessman, giving the people what they want. All I do is satisfy a public demand. These are some quotes attributed to me by Wikipedia.

ANASTASIO: O.K., boss. Can I still use my effects?

CAPONE: Sure kid, whatever.

ANASTASIO: Anything else, boss?

CAPONE: Yeah, I want this to go down in the history books as the Christmas Massacre.

ANASTASIO: But Boss, it’s the middle of July!

CAPONE: I said Christmas!! And one more thing.

ANASTASIO: Yeah, Boss?

CAPONE: I’m changing your nickname to “Ripcord.”

END SCENE

Photo © Phish – Phish From the Road

Phish dumped a classic Saturday Night Special into Lake Michigan for its second of three shows at Chicago’s First Merit Pavilion at Northerly Island. True to form, Saturday night’s offering featured compact, inexpensive, small caliber offerings of perceived low quality, while giving (some plurality of) the people what they want – a largely upbeat, danceable rock and funk show with little down time.

Set the First featured songs heavy in the rotation. Each of the first five: “Moma Dance,” “Wolfman’s Brother,” “Devotion to a Dream,” “46 Days” and “Yarmouth Road” were played two shows earlier at the-shed-formerly-known-as-Pine-Knob, and none of them strayed from its standard first set formulation.

“Devotion to a Dream” showcased Phish’s reinvigorated ensemble vocals, perhaps attributable in part to the direction and encouragement of Fuego producer Bob Ezrin. Trey wins the most-improved award for his seemingly expanded range and more mature stylings. As a song, “Devotion” is continuing to develop, particularly the highly danceable outro jam which draws from the same boogie woogie back beat and Trey guitar phrasings that we have come to love in favorites like “Back on the Train.”

Setlist pictograms by Joseeen (available at Etsy)

Stepping back, the performance quality up to this point has been terrific – crisp and assertive, but not rushed or perfunctory. This is a night where the perceived low quality of the Saturday Night Special is misleading, because when deployed correctly, the Special is efficient but effective.

“Brian and Robert” brought the first “bust out” of the night, after a 38-show gap since Tahoe ‘13. While well-received, this version seemed to suffer from a lack of practice, demonstrating how even Phish’s seemingly more simple numbers have complexities that need to be mastered.

Photo © Phish – Phish From the Road

Rote first-set versions of “Wingsuit,” “Tube” and “Free” came next with a gap chart average of four. The six versions of “Wingsuit” this tour have been distributed evenly between the first and second set. It’s too early to tell whether “Wingsuit” is still trying to pick a team, or is merely comfortable going both ways.

“Roggae” followed as the second gap-buster (11) of the set. We love “Roggae” and so should you, but this version was a tad flubby and did not have much to distinguish itself. A solid “Heavy Things” set up another strong “Run Like an Antelope” to close the set. Antelope featured a tease that started off sounding like a botched “Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple until the intended victim – They Might Be Giants’ “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” – was confirmed with some vocal accompaniment from Fishman.

As a setbreak aside, I want to offer plaudits, kudos, and Clif Bars to LivePhish director Eli Tishberg for the outstanding video production this tour (I was not present at the show and am reporting via couch tour). The choices of camera angles and tasteful special effects like double exposures and artistic transitions have given the webcasts a more polished feel that enhances the at-home experience.

Set two continued the theme with a great-on-paper-totally-so-fun-to-be-there setlist of songs that – with one exception – failed to realize the improvisational potential that fans have come to associate with them. “Carini” and “Waves” reprised their combination from SPAC3 with fairly standard versions. “Waves” came to a stop before the band kept Oprah’s promise alive with the seventh “Fuego” of the tour. This version featured several inexplicable “Little Drummer Boy” quotes from Trey. Because Christmas in July.

Setlist pictograms by Joseeen (available at Etsy)

“Fuego” continued to dominate the set for another 40 or so minutes. Along the way, the band teased complete versions of “Twist,” “Light” (extended, with some of the only type II jamming of the night), “Twenty Years Later,” “Harry Hood,” and “Cavern.” “Harry Hood” featured a fun hard rock jam that strayed from form just enough to qualify for a type II asterisk before getting marred by excessive video buffering.

Phish continued the theme through the encore, packing three tunes into fifteen minutes with time running out. First-of-tour versions of “Grind” and “Bug” set up “Suzy Greenberg” for a raucous, “Fuego”-inflected send-off.

Big hopes for Sunday night, amirite?

© Scott Harris Photography

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[For this recap we'd like to welcome guest blogger Jake Cohen (@smoothatonalsnd)) -PZ]

The one thing Phish has proven to us after half of summer tour is that we have no idea what to expect. Which is, generally, a good state of affairs in the Phish world. At every turn they’ve surprised us: they threw down a paradigm-shifting “Hood” at the first show of tour, they turned “Fuego” into a jam powerhouse, they’ve been trying the new material in almost every possible set position, they teased us with no covers before dropping two in one set. Once we thought there was a formula – song-heavy first sets coupled with six- or seven-song jammy second sets – they gave us the Pine Knob show with its eleven-song second set and no song longer than ten minutes.

Sitting on my couch, watching the wide-angle shots as the setting sun illuminated the Chicago skyline, I was excited to see what surprises Friday’s show might bring.

Sunset during Reba #phish – Photo by Jesse McMahan

The “555” opener was totally unexpected, and shows that Phish is still experimenting with setlist placement for all their Fuego material. I think this works better mid-first set than as an opener, but after hearing both “Sand” and “Moma” open shows at Randall’s, a little funk to start things off is nice. The rock opener, “Kill Devil Falls,” was a short, sweet version that seemed to ignite a good bit of energy, with Trey on point and direct in his soloing. “Bouncing Around the Room” continues to appear more often than it has in recent years. Say what you will about “Bouncing,” but it’s a quintessentially Phishy song, containing one of their signature sounds: three-part vocal polyphony along with a guitar riff.

The set really got fiery when Trey dropped into the second early first set “Reba” in a week. Since my crew is personally responsible for the Randall’s version (that was us who Trey thanked “for the suggestion,” even though we were chanting “Tela!” and not “Reba!”), I’d like to think we reminded the band that “Reba” works so well early in the first set. It changes the entire character of a set to hear such an iconic song, with such a powerful jam, this early in a show. This version didn’t depart much from the norm, with Trey and Page setting down some textural playing during the quiet part of the jam before starting to build to the peak. Trey got into some heavy trilling before busting out into a huge peak that pushed past the point where I thought Fish might signal its end.

Photo © Phish – Phish From the Road

At this point in the set, I was hoping to hear some of the many first set tunes that have been missing or underplayed this tour: perhaps a “Fee,” “Billy Breathes,” “Guelah,” or something rare like “Esther.” Instead, Phish finished out the set with well-played but relatively standard versions of material that have become quite common in first sets this tour: “Waiting All Night,” “Birds of a Feather,” “Halfway to the Moon,” “Sparkle,” and “Sample.” Even the once rare “A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing” received a cursory, standard treatment. Still, there was a good flow within this section, and the set never felt like it was dragging. Phish is becoming more and more comfortable with “Halfway to the Moon” and “Waiting All Night” in heavy rotation: both featured assertive solos from Trey, whereas previous versions felt like he was more reserved in his playing. As has been the case all tour, Fishman continues to push rhythms forward, which seemed to energize the sometimes plaintive “Halfway.”

The other major opportunity for improvisation, the apparent closer “Stash,” was a generally textbook version, but is still one of my favorite songs to hear at a show. This was something of a slow build “Stash,” without the tension/release fireworks or brief type II excursions of the Great Woods or Randall’s versions. But the set wasn’t done, as “The Squirming Coil” appeared to send us off. Mike seems to relish the idea of singing the falsetto “scream” on the last chorus (as in the album version). I can’t say I agree with his choice, but hey, Trey cracked up and it shows they’re having fun. The “walk-off” Coil is one of my favorite ways to end a set, and here the webcast was perfect, starting with a tight close-up on Page and panning out ever so slowly to the entire Chicago skyline. As Page was the one to announce the cancellation last summer, it was fitting that he thanked the crowd and exclaimed “no rain!”

Set one seemed to follow the pattern that’s been established so far this tour: a strong set of shorter songs but with good flow and variety of tempos and moods. With set two, they seemed to throw all setlist convention out the door a deliver one of the quirkier sets I’ve ever seen, with a surprisingly gorgeous type II jam where we least expected it.

Setlist pictograms by Joseeen (available at Etsy)

One song I was particularly hoping wouldn’t get ignored due to the fewer covers tendency is “Golden Age,” and I was really pleased to see it occupy the set two opener role, practically guaranteeing an excursion into the unknown. Phish didn’t disappoint here, with Trey introducing a slightly altered new riff partway into the highly percussive jam. Fish kept pushing the jam onward, not letting it fall into the spacey, mellow trap to which this sort of quiet groove can fall victim. Trey offered some rhythmically punctuating strumming while Page took a nice solo on the Lil Punkin organ. This jam eventually became all about Page, as Trey focused more on rhythm and timbre while Page switched over to his Clav.

Eventually, Fishman reeled in the rollicking drums and switched to a more straightforward hi-hat beat, and I thought they might spin this into a new jam segment. Instead, Fish obviated the meter and entered into some very chaotic playing. Trey matched this with lots of digital delay noise and echoplex effects, many of which weren’t synced up with the just-abandoned meter, and Page too offered synth noise. The result was very trippy and weird in the best possible way, recalling the landmark versions of “Golden Age” from Hampton and Hartford last Fall.

As the dark psychedelia subsided, Trey started up the riff to “Mango Song.” On paper it seems like an odd choice, but following the strangeness of the preceding jam it was a perfect call. Played relatively cleanly, this was a welcome but standard version of an all-too-rare tune.

Photo © Phish – Phish From the Road

Things got back into a second set mood with the drop into “Sand,” which seemed to be moving at a pretty fast tempo compared to second set versions. When the jam segment started, Trey launched full-bore into a blues-rock jam with an especially aggressive intro lick, an anomaly since “Sand” jams often begin with texturally sparse and percussive soloing from Trey. The fast tempo and unusual soloing seemed to signal that this might be an atypical “Sand,” and just as Trey was beginning to hint at a modulation to a major key for a new jam segment, he aborted “Sand” and opted for “Piper.”

Appearing in back-to-back shows, this “Piper” seemed like it might be the other big improv vehicle for this second set. Unfortunately, I think we all have to acknowledge that the slow build “Piper” died in 2000 – this one got right into the lyrics and quickly moved to that good, fast jam space that “Piper” often goes into. Page took a big organ solo, and then Trey moved to his echoplex, creating a very trippy and noisy space. Fishman eventually dropped the drums down to almost nothing, but then out of nowhere came back with a new funky beat, over which Trey started playing a new set of major key chords. Here’s where things got really weird.

The feel of this jam was something in the fast rock/funk category, almost like a poppier version of “Sneakin’ Sally” or “2001.” As I was wondering whether this would turn into a song or continue into a jam, Trey signaled to Page that they were, in fact, playing “Halley’s Comet!” This was a totally oddball segue, as it wasn’t clear when they began this jam that they were actually playing “Halley’s” (Trey had to tell Page they were doing that!), having come straight from the trippy halted part of the “Piper” jam and skipping the song’s usual a cappella introduction.

After the lyrics, the band “stayed on F” just as they did during the landmark 11/22/97 “Halley’s,” and I thought (as did everyone, I’m sure) that we might be in for the long-awaited jammed-out set two “Halley’s.” Alas, the band used that brief harmonic plateau to just slow things down a bit before perfectly dropping into “Wombat.” Another call out of left field, and while it was a true “->” segue, it still felt a little choppy. But oh my, this “Wombat.”

@ Scott Harris Photography

During the jam, Trey began exploring a few modal regions of melody quite early, which signals to me that he’s thinking about more extensive improvisation. Fishman matched this by amazingly changing his rhythms almost every eight measures, giving variety to the stable “Wombat” jam with new feels each hypermeasure. As things began to fall apart rhythmically and melodically, Mike switched on the envelope filter and I thought we might be headed for the first “Boogie On” of tour. Instead, Mike’s active upper-register deep space bass provided an accompaniment to Trey’s trilling, which he pushed perfectly into the relative major key for a mellow bliss jam.

Now clearly in the first type II “Wombat” ever, Trey continued to layer delicate soloing and hinting at a build, while Fishman kept the tempo and feel very similar to a “Fee” outro jam. Trey eventually began strumming and pushing the tempo faster with an almost bluegrass feel, not unlike the last jam segment from the monster Randall’s “Chalk Dust,” and when the rest of the band joined it suggested shades of the quiet, mellow interlude of “Runaway Jim.” I was hoping this would build and turn into something totally mind-blowing, but after seven or eight minutes of this glorious jam, Trey launched into “Chalk Dust.”

Back at its normal fast tempo, this “Chalk Dust” was a standard version that gave way to the set closer, a majestic “Slave” whose “See the city” lyric was especially apt with the twinkling Chicago skyline in the backdrop. I do wish they’d dig a little deeper for encores (as they did with the “2001” in Michigan), as it’s become almost farcical to hear “Julius” or “Character Zero” encore practically every other night this tour. But this was a really nice “Julius” that saw Page lead off with a killer solo.

The “Golden Age” might have been the improvisational centerpiece, but the surprise jam on “Wombat” was probably the improvisational highlight, coming from a completely unexpected and surprising place. Phish has shown us that they’re having fun and equally willing to push things when they feel it’s right, or willing to ripcord a jam when Trey wants something else. It’s exciting to think of what surprises the rest of this weekend holds.

@ Scott Harris Photography

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Screens ’n’ Suds, The Mothership Art Collective and PhanArt will host two poster events this Saturday, July 19 and Sunday, July 20 in Chicago to coincide with the three day Phish Chicago run.

On Saturday from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m., Screens ’n’ Suds' event will take place at TRIS3CT, 130 South Jefferson Street, 5th Floor in Chicago. Admission is free. Jim Pollock and Plastic Flame Press have created brand new prints specifically for the event (see illustration below). These prints will go on sale to VIP ticketed early admission guests first and then to the public at 1 p.m., if any are left. One print per person please. Previous Screens 'n' Suds prints will be available for purchase at the event as well. Tickets to the early admission VIP event are on sale now through tomorrow for $20.00 plus service charges at Eventbrite.

Suds will include Revolution "Citra Hero" IPA (Illinois), Cigar City Brewing / The Answer Brewpub "Good Morning Mekong" imperial coffee porter w/ kopi luewak beans (Florida/Virginia), Brewery Vivant "Tart Side of the Moon" sour ale (Michigan) and Hardywood Park Brewing "Bourbon Barrel Barleywine" (Virginia). There will be a gluten-free option and likely some other special beers. In true Screens 'n' Suds fashion there will also be a raffle for some great art and beer and a silent auction with a 2012 Screens 'n' Suds Pollock and a 2013 Not Pollock Northerly Island, plus a lot more.

On Sunday, the PhanArt Poster and Pin Exhibition will be held from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the historic Congress Plaza Hotel, 520 South Michigan Ave, Chicago, located near Grant Park. This one of a kind art show, also presented by The Mothership Art Collective and created and produced by Pete Mason, is sponsored by Poster Scene, Philly Philms, The Barn Presents, Freedom Flask, and The Helping Friendly Podcast.

The final lineup announced for the PhanArt Poster and Pin Exhibition: Chicago represents a wide array of artists from among the Phish art community, including longtime Phish artists Ryan Kerrigan, TRiPP, Isadora Bullock, Michael Boyer, Ryan Jerzy and Jeff Nesbit are all familiar names with fans from past shows. Each will have a large portfolio of current and past concert poster art to exhibit from a wide range of musical acts.

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Phish Yoga with Tracy Stonaker

Phish shows and yoga can create a similar state of heightened consciousness. Through unparalleled improvisational communication the band profoundly unifies body, mind and spirit. This is yoga. Join us for an aligned vinyasa yoga practice set to the sonic spectrum of live Phish. Open to all levels of yogis and Phish fans.

Saturday, July 19, 2014 – 2:00 - 3:30pm – $20

All proceeds benefit The Mockingbird Foundation and Street Yoga. Sign up at surrendertotheflowyoga.org/register or email [email protected]

Chicago Yoga Center – 3047 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, IL 60657 – (312) 330-1413

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[For this recap we'd like to welcome guest blogger Ben Hatley) -PZ]

For the first time in a year, Phish has returned to the Midwest. When tour dates were announced, many were hoping for a more extensive run through this region, after just getting the rain soaked Chicago run last year. Alas, that did not happen, but many, myself included, put a big fat circle on their calendar when they announced they would be returning to Pine Knob.

I was anxious for this show, in large part, because I am still a little bummed to have missed the monster show here back in 2011. When they didn't play here again in 2012 or 2013, I was thinking my opportunity to visit this fantastic venue had passed. While Midwesterners will not be getting to visit a lot of their favorite sheds this summer, I do not think there were many complaints about this being the one.

Photo © Phish – Phish From the Road

Pine Knob just may be as perfect of a place to see a Phish show as you are going to find. The inside of the venue is heavily wooded and absolutely gorgeous. Not to mention, after the brutal weather that we endured the last two years, whether it be rain or extreme heat, going to a show with the sun shining and temperatures in the 70's was a treat in and of itself. The stage was set for a great day.

After partaking in a few cold ones, it was time to hit the show. We got to our seats right as “Wolfman's Brother” started. Opening with the same song they opened with here back in 2011 raised a few eyebrows. Many took it as a sign that they were trying to conjure up some of the magic they drummed up here three years ago. Last night's version seemed to follow this songs typically funky path. Along with the “Devotion to a Dream” that followed, these first two tunes served as a good means of getting the guys warmed up.

Now that they felt a little settled in, Trey cranked up “Wilson.” As always, this immediately got the crowd good and gassed up. As they stormed through the raucous that is the back end, Trey shifted shifted gears and pulled everyone into a sharp version of “Poor Heart.”

Photo © Phish – Phish From the Road

The next few songs did not deliver much in the highlight department, but the set maintained good flow and we got a decent sampling of Phish's stylistic versatility, ranging from funk to rock to reggae to lounge. The first set highlight came in the form of “It's Ice.” The middle section opened up to a wildly funky jam with terrific playing from Page. This is one one of my favorite Phish songs, and I feel like it has just kept getting better over the last few years. As “It's Ice” wrapped up, Trey cranked up what would be a rousing set closing “46 Days.” While it did not break any new ground, it was enough to send everyone into set break pretty pleased.

After wandering around a bit at set break, we returned to our seats right as the lights were going out. “Mike's Song” may not be the jam Goliath that we came to know and love in the 90's, but when you are seeing this song in person, it is still fantastic. Few songs can simply suck you in faster. The lights start flying, Trey starts ripping it up, and suddenly, you are in gravy town. This version did seem to have a little extra something to it. They let it have more of an organic ending than some of the screeching halts we have seen put on this song the last few years. As it wrapped up, Mike and Trey push into “Ghost,” which appears to be the new favorite to be sandwiched in before “Weekapaug.”

Photo by J. Maehoffer

This “Ghost” jumped out into some pretty cosmic places right out of the gate. Trey had some great playing on this jam, and he navigated everyone through some mesmerizing passages. As it wound down, he dropped right into “Caspian.” Now, a “Caspian” > “Number Line” pairing is something that I would pretty much actively root against, but last night, it seemed to work alright. “Number Line,” in particular, had some strong playing that led nicely into “Weekapaug.”

“Weekapaug” jumped right out there and may be my pick for highlight of the show. Yes, it was short, but it sure felt longer. Page, Fishman, and Mike all were shining on this one. They put together a nice segue into “Cavern,” but I feel like this created a bit of a fork in the road. Having “Cavern” in the middle of the set was a nice change of pace, but where do you go from here?

Well, they weren't quite ready to pack it in just yet. “Piper,” as always, provided another opportunity to jump out into some type two jamming. Fishman held this one down like a champ while Trey, Mike, and Page came in over the top and offered up some pretty hot jamming. They moved at breakneck speed before settling this into a slow ending. As “Piper” faded into the night, Mike started “Waiting All Night.” This was a standard take, but it fit well here.

After that, I was thinking we'd move in the direction of a standard closing pairing. Trey had other ideas. Let me tell you, this pavilion went bonkers when he cranked up “Tweezer.” No one saw this coming. They laid a nice foundation for what could have been a big dark funky “Tweezer” jam, but instead, they moved this to “Fuego” instead. While “Tweezer” didn't go out as far as many would've liked, this made for a nice deep set pairing. Not to mention, Phish is clearly loving “Fuego.” It's now been played at every venue this tour. They didn't have enough time to give “Fuego” the special treatment they gave it at the MANN and SPAC, but it was played well. It was my first time seeing it, so it was nice to get another new tune under my belt. “Tweezer Reprise,” as always, brought the raucous and allowed everyone yet another chance to rock out before calling it a set.

Setlist pictograms by Joseeen (available at Etsy)

Once again, I think many expected something standard out of them when they came back out for the encore. It was almost a feeling of bewilderment when Fishman dropped the intro to “2001,” the first time it has ever appeared as an encore. We got one more dance party before calling it a night. There are a lot of “Possum” haters out there but I'm not one. I love it in the last song of the encore spot. How can you not leave the building with a smile after that?

Unlike almost every other show from this tour, they didn't offer up one marquee jam or hands down highlight. What they did do is create a consistently good second set with excellent playing throughout. In lieu of one 20+ minute jam, they offered up a fair amount of exploration in three or four different songs. I don't know exactly how this show will hold up over time after numerous re-listens, but I can assure you, it was a blast to attend!

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“…truly to enjoy bodily warmth, some small part of you must be cold, for there is no quality in this world that is not what it is merely by contrast. Nothing exists in itself. If you flatter yourself that you are all over comfortable, and have been so a long time, then you cannot be said to be comfortable any more.”
- Herman Melville, Moby Dick

Tuesday night in Canandaigua, NY was, for me, Phish at its best. We took our one chance to see the band this year and went to visit dear friends and fellow .netters Captain Pookie and Memmers, avail ourselves of their hospitality and general awesomeness, and (in Ivy’s case) boogie. Watkins Glen is a 20 minute walk from Pookie’s Place, and you can read about his experience having Super Ball in his back yard here. Pookie basically lives in paradise, surrounded by his amazing wife, impish daughter, four cats, and extended family. And, since he is Captain Pookie, he is surrounded by art.

Painting by Christopher Pike (a.k.a. Captain Pookie)

Adjust my opinions for having been raised in the heart of flat, but I found the Finger Lakes to be overwhelmingly, almost impossibly gorgeous. Scenes of natural awe are everywhere. Waterfalls race leisurely down to Lake Seneca, which conceals ice from the glaciers that hewed this gallery from rock two and a half million years ago. Green towers everywhere around you, and it seems like art is seeping in to the ground and erupting back in the forms of wildlife and wind and beauty. In Pookie’s home, art adorns every wall, in some places with idle joy and in others with focus and brilliance. It is inspiring, and is exactly the kind of place you’d find yourself saying, “I would love to see Phish play. Right. Here.”

So, the show.

A “Buried Alive” opener, and it comes alive, “Twisting” and lifting arms and legs and all those “Heavy Things” up from the soil. Being born isn’t something to do every day, so it may be best to make an escape before an asteroid crashes and we find ourselves returned without passing Go. Once we’re settled on the train, though, we can have a drink, and I know just the concoction. A “Bathtub Gin” with an invigorating kick on the back end that will rev that rusty engine and shake it clean; that’s the cheese. Now we’re almost ready.

But first, let’s look at the sky, take in the cool breeze, linger for a while there like the gulls, and warm our wings on the day’s last golden breaths. And let’s take a moment to watch the sunset, to watch the light and clouds and wind and water collaborate to paint the ceiling in vibrant silver and azure. “Divided Sky” is written for skies of all kinds, but a sunset over Lake Canandaigua as the morning’s rain is waved aside is the most stunning incarnation I’ve seen. Achingly, deeply beautiful.

Photo © Phish – Phish From the Road

OK, we’ve stopped to smell the sunset. Let’s dance. Let’s figure out if we’re gonna go forward or leave it behind. Let’s ask the “Wombat.” “Wombat” is good and “Wombat“ is wise and “Wombat” will lead you to funkalicious love. All you have to do is let him move you. And I wish you would, because while each day needs some of the peace of the Buddha, it also needs the boogie of the “’Bat.” This critter gets a little dark and mean, a little “Melty,” and a lot dirty. He’s the perfect set-up man for mean Mr. “Bowie” to make things just a little bit scary before we move on to the night gallery.

Photo © Phish – Phish From the Road

The centerpiece for this trip is “Disease,” and it’s an adequate theme. The show dug itself up from the dirt, and we’re destined to come back to it eventually. In the time we’ve got, let’s explore. Let’s ride the train and sing off-key and do what we all gotta do, “Jibboo.” And then, and I know it’s a dark “Theme,” we’ve got to face the fact that we’re all just “Meatsticks,” and subject to time, and someday it will be time to bury the meatstick. Or, if burial isn’t your thing, you may go out En “Fuego.” Either way, no energy gained, but no energy lost, we remain in the art that’s around us. And all you have to do to remind yourself is, every once in a while, stop and look around, maybe at the beautiful things nature has carved out with a “Wedge” of glacial ice, and at the life going on around you.

And, where we started the set with “Disease,” we finish again with the essence of vitality, the Runing of the “Fuegolope.” Much more than just a climactic medley of teases, this “’Lope” runs with a ferocious love of the chase and peaks with the Power of “Fuego.” “’Lopes” in general are amazing to watch live, bounding and leaping and crashing into bicyclists, and the “Fuegolope” is a prime specimen. I personally have seen 15 “’Lopes” in various locales and I can highly recommend this Finger Lakes fauna.

I’ve probably mixed enough metaphors by this point, but just to remind you, the “Zero” sum game is much of the fun. It’s never truly lost, but it’s never fully won.

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Rock Bottom Brewery in Chicago is once again fundraising for The Mockingbird Foundation!

If you're planning to attend one or more of the shows this weekend, or even if you're not, we hope you're able to support this fundraiser by visiting Rock Bottom and drinking some fine ales. They will be serving a strong, hoppy red ale, called "Sample in a Jar," throughout this weekend, and a portion of the proceeds from each sale will benefit Mockingbird. This ale has a "pungent heady hop aroma from loads of Citra and Simcoe hops," and it will be sold in mason jars with the Foundation's logo (as well as Rock Bottom's logo) on them.

Here are the details:

Thursday, July 17th: Summer Honey Tapping Party beginning at 6pm. $1.00 from every "Sample in a Jar" that is sold will benefit The Mockingbird Foundation! There will be live music from Whiskey Jezebel.

Friday, July 18th through Sunday, July 20th: The party at Rock Bottom continues... $0.50 from every jar of "Sample in a Jar" sold goes to The Mockingbird Foundation.

You can purchase the mason jar for just $2.00 from your bartender, server or host! Feel free to stop by to pick up your jar after the show as well for the same price.

The brewery's hours are 11 am until 2 am, and all ages are welcome. There are two main bars, as well as a rooftop beer garden. Please hit them pre and post show, if you can, and support this effort. They are right off the Grand stop - CTA Red Line, at One West Grand. From the venue, you walk about twenty minutes to the Red line at Roosevelt (the closest stop to the venue) and then head towards Howard. They're 5 stops away (7 or 8 minutes).

Phish.Net and The Mockingbird Foundation cannot thank Rock Bottom Brewery - Chicago enough for their generosity. This is the second year that they have hosted this fundraiser, and we are blown away. We hope you all support this effort. Thank you!

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