PHISH TRIBUTE BAND REPRISE TO PLAY BROOKLYN BOWL SATURDAY MARCH 8
[Phish cover band Reprise is playing Brooklyn Bowl for the first time on Saturday, March 8, reprising 12/30/97, and I wanted to "interview" Reprise's co-manager, RJ Bee, for the first time as well. RJ not only volunteers to help run this blog, but also co-founded Osiris Media in 2018 with Tom Marshall and the Helping Friendly Podcast in 2013 with Brian Brinkman, Megan Glionna and Jonathan Hart. -Charlie]
CD: When was your first show?
RJ: The Palace, 10/28/95!
CD: Noob. No seriously when was your first show?
RJ: Hey man, I was born in the 70s! Doesn't that make me a vet? But seriously I was 16 and wish I had seen them earlier, so as not to have perma-noob status.
CD: When did you first hear about Reprise? Who are they and when did they begin playing? Is there a list online of what shows they've performed to date?
RJ: Tom and I asked Cal Kehoe (guitarist for Reprise) to bring together a group of musicians to create a set of Phish Fall '97 music for our Undermine Fall '97 live event. This was at Ardmore Music Hall, a few minutes from my house, and Cal brought Chris DeAngelis (bass), Adrian Tramontano (drums), and Kiran Edwards (keys) to play. Keyboardist Scott Chasolen, our vocalist / keys player now, sat in on that gig.
REMEMBERING HARRIS WITTELS
Legendary comedian, writer, producer, actor and Phish fan Harris Wittels died ten years ago today.
An In Memoriam piece about Harris written by Nathan Rabin was published on this blog ten years ago, and we encourage you to read it. Much love to Harris's friends and family members.
MEXICO4 RECAP: WHEN THE STARS ALIGN
[We would like to thank Matt Schrag aka @kipmat for recapping last night's show, and for doing so well in the Phish Trivia event at the lobby bar on Frday. -Ed.]
Backstory: on Wednesday, Charlie Dirksen sent an email to the recap mailing list, saying there was still a need for someone to volunteer to recap Saturday’s show for the phish.net blog. I responded to Charlie’s email the following afternoon, letting him know that I was in Mexico for the run, and would be available to write the recap for Saturday’s show. I carried on with our getaway vacation for two days; then I happened to check my email before I entered the venue for Saturday’s show, and saw a response from Charlie which essentially said, “You’re on, thank you!” And then midway through the first set, my lower legs and feet decided they’d had enough of dancing on sand that’s been pounded flat from three nights of raging. So there I was, at a Phish show, in a tropical paradise far away from home, and all I felt like doing is sitting down on the ground and typing into my phone. What a n00b.
That’s why I’m your late sub recapper for Mexico N4. Caveat emptor: please disregard anything in this recap that might sound less than enthusiastic. Believe me when I say that I’m happy and feel lucky to have been here for this show.
Phish took the stage shortly before sunset, and there are few songs that evoke the warmth of a daytime show like "Bathtub Gin." This version was patient and pleasant, not too adventurous, but a happy acknowledgment that we really were all here, together. The celebratory vibe continued with "Soul Shakedown Party," not played since the beach shows at Atlantic City in 2021, and a complete surprise to anyone who had not caught Tuesday’s soundcheck. This version managed to stretch into a nice jam, with Trey and Mike showing off their various effects, although not in a dub reggae style, just messing around.
MEXICO3 RECAP: WORST VACATION EVER: A VERMONT COLLEGE PARTY CULT TAKE OVER DURING MY TRIP TO CANCUN. 1/5 STARS - TRIPADVISOR.COM
[We would like to thank Tim Davis, Pinnacle Ventures - Room 2296 for recapping last night's show. -Ed.]
I don’t ever do this- but my stay at the Moon Palace Resort this weekend was one of the WORST experiences of my life. My idea of a relaxing vacation does not include dreadlocks, drugs or 5000 dissociating hippies dancing outside of my hotel room until 4 in the morning. Here’s how the perfect week can be completely destroyed by a band from Vermont, and their cult-like followers.
MEXICO2 RECAP: WE CAN FEEL GOOD ABOUT RED WORMS
While last night might have been Phish’s first January 30th performance in their career, this is Phish’s 8th year playing Mexico and their 5th at the Moon Palace, playing here every year since 2020 other than the 2021 Covid break. Perhaps due to that repetition, this year’s attendance has felt lighter.
The Moon Palace is divided into 3 areas: Sunrise, Nizuc, and the more exclusive Grand that is walled off from the rest of the resort. While past years have had so much interest that Phish have had overflow attendees staying in the other local Palace resorts (Beach Palace, Sun Palace) and shuttled in, this year didn’t have that. Not only that, but there have been reports both anecdotal and via observation that people who had Nizuc reservations have been largely moved to Sunrise. Between my morning runs around the property where the balcony decorations drop off dramatically once you dip south of Sunrise, the massive increase of people without the Phish wristbands, and the direct report of at least one person to me that they’ve been moved, there does seem to be truth to this. The crowd does feels smaller this year and that has pros and cons.
MEXICO1 RECAP: GROOVE WITH A TWIST
[This recap is courtesy of user @KellyNicu, thank you Kelly! -Ed.]
Trey welcomed us to another beautiful first night in Mexico with a simple hello and a modest nod to the crowd before launching into the appropriately chosen “Sand," which was certainly as tight as ever. They continued with a couple more beachy songs, “Theme From the Bottom” and and “Free."
GOING TO MEXICO?
[We'd like to thank user @PaulJ (Paul Jakus) for this post. —Ed.]
While going through the raw show ratings data file a few weeks ago, I noticed an interesting pattern: fewer .Netters rate shows in Mexico than they do shows in the U.S.
I’d aggregated the number of ratings by week, and then graphed these totals over time:
THE 9 & 30 CLUB?
Nine days ago, the all-volunteer Mockingbird Foundation announced its 30th set of unsolicited Tour Grants.
Nine days from now, initial funding inquiries close for Mockingbird's 30th round of competitive grants.
Nine months from now, Mockingbird begins its 30th year, having started in October 1996 discussions.
And, if you round up (to include the 4/20 Fuego), there were nine Phish jams in 2024 that were 30 minutes or longer. It's as if.. they knew today was coming!
2024 MSG4 RECAP: EVOLUTION: THE ULTIMATE PHISH REMIX
[We would like to thank Megan Glionna (@meganglionna) aka @the_megan_dance (X/twitter) for recapping last night's show. -Ed.]
Achievement means accomplishing something successfully using effort, skill or courage. Artistic achievement on a large scale for a long time requires so much, but more than anything it requires courage. The courage to try something new even when you have found what works. On the Helping Friendly Podcast this year we analyzed and ranked the Top 25 Phish Tours of all time and the recurring theme was the relentless pursuit of evolution, even in moments of wild, peaking success. This year’s New Year’s Eve gag was just that. Another push towards the future. Another courageous swing at-bat after a winning season. The pursuit of evolution is the defining feature of the Phish from Vermont. And why last night’s show was a triumph.
2024 MSG3 RECAP: THE THIRTIETH AT THIRTY
[We would like to thank @Jeremy8698 for writing this recap. -Ed.]
The 12/30 slot of a YEMSG run annually begs an interesting hypothesis: Will the band meet the exalted expectations of its demanding phans? The question is one asked at every show but, on this night, where the band has usually stretched its legs for jam-chartered versions of epic songs, odd bust-outs, and extra spicy playing, it takes on a heightened level of giddiness.
2024 MSG2 RECAP: A GARDEN OF LOVE
[We would like to thank Max Alter (@SplitOpenAndMalt) aka @MaltsandShakes for recapping last night's show. -Ed.]
Talk about a year, huh?
41 years into their history, this band continues to surprise by pushing their limits. To me, it certainly feels like their 35+ minute jams in consecutive nights in Mexico fell further than one year ago. Add in Phish’s debut at the state-of-the-art Sphere in April, multiple 40+ minute jams across their Summer Tour, their first successful festival since Magnaball, their illustrious return to MVP Arena in Albany, and that the boys covered quite some ground in this year of touring. Of course, the only proper way to top it off was (and is) cumulating the accrued energy into their annual New Years’ Eve run at the World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden. After a night of mixed reviews, I think we can confidently say that the band stepped up to the plate.
2024 MSG1 RECAP: WE’VE BEEN GOING TO THE SAME PARTY FOR 30 YEARS AND IN NO WAY IS THAT PATHETIC
[We would like to thank @slewfoot of The Mockingbird Foundation for recapping last night's show. -Ed.]
It seems like many of us are in the midst of big anniversaries for Phish. The growth of the 1993 - 1995 era from theaters to arenas allowed a large number of us to begin our decades long journey around that time. As I ponder that, the Anchorman-inspired quote above both makes me chuckle, yet also feels relevant. Last night marked the 30th Anniversary of when I first saw our favorite band. Back in 1994, I wasn’t sure what to expect on that cold December night in Philadelphia. I was a sophomore in high school and was in the midst of getting deep into the rabbit hole known as The Grateful Dead. Since I arrived to Phish via the Dead world, I had one eyebrow raised in skepticism (because obviously I knew everything at that age). But deep down I was hoping I’d really like the show as an excuse to have another great band to start seeing live. I can’t say I fully “got it” that night but, a few shows later, I certainly did.
SURRENDER TO THE FLOW ISSUE 87: NYE RUN 2024
[This post is courtesy of Christy Articola, thank you, Christy! -Ed.]
Surrender to the Flow's NYE Run 2024-2025 issue is available for download now at this link right here. We think you're really going to love this issue!
CROSSING CONTINENTS AND FINDING PHISH: A EUROPEAN PHAN’S TALE
[Thanks to Filip van der Pol aka Tora Tapes of KGLW.net for this guest blog post.]
Character Zero
I would have been just four years old when Phish played what was supposed to be their last concert in Europe in 1998. Like most Europeans, my parents had never heard of them. Phish wasn't big in Europe, nor was jam music as a genre. My dad did see the Grateful Dead play live in Germany once during a trip with friends, but calling him a "wook" would be a serious stretch.
Up until March of this year, I'd never even heard of Phish. In fact, my only exposure to the band was through the Ben & Jerry’s "Phish Food" flavour… which had already been discontinued in Europe by the time I learned of Phish. The name alone was a mystery to me. "Fish?" I thought. "No, it’s Phish. With a PH." Oh…
FROM THE FORUM: 'TWAS THE WEEK BEFORE NEW YEAR'S
[13 years and one day ago, when the Phish.net Forum was still an upstart community on our corner of the internet, siteteam contributor @TheEmu made has become one of the most highly upvoted posts of all time on the forum to celebrate that very special time of year... when Phish returns to MSG.
Now that Version 6 of Phish.net is alive and well (thanks be to the Phish.net Techteam!!!), the impending MSG run is certainly all we can think about, with fingers crossed that Louis the tube-nosed bat keeps his gnashing teeth away from the wires, so it is only fitting that we recognize the holiday properly and celebrate with this true "From the Forum" classic. Thank you Tim for sharing! -- Ed.]
'Twas the week before New Year’s, when all through .net,
Every Phish Phan was stirring, both n00bie and vet.
The tickets acquired by trades foul and fair,
In hopes that St. Icculus soon would be there.
Phish.net
The Mockingbird Foundation