Recap
Newbie Phish Phan here. This was my ninth show and second outdoor show. I am fairly versed in Phish lore thanks to my aunt and uncle. I was excited for my ninth and subsequently tenth show.
Happy Birthday was played for longtime artist, Jim Pollack. Simple was a great way to set the tone for the show. It was a tight jam to open Set I. Camel Walk delivered as the second song of the night. It gets the crowd up and grooving. The Jibboo didn’t hit quite as well as in an indoor arena, but still a crowd pleaser nonetheless. Steam enters as the 3.0 song of Set I. I personally enjoy the Trey led 3.0 and 4.0 songs and Steam is one of my favorites. Poor Heart is short and sweeeet. Cavern is a top ten for me and always fun to hear live. Divided Sky, I’m sorry, I know it’s a favorite more most, but I can leave it. The end jam delivered and was to my liking.
Then…
The proverbial right turn off a cliff.
Gordon busts out a Casual Enlightenment. Before I go any further, I try to keep a positive attitude when I’m at a Phish song. I don’t want to disparage what they put out. I enjoyed the funk to it and can be explored. Shade I personally enjoy but I know the masses don’t care for it. Drift ended Set I. I’ll admit it makes me cry and think of my cat. It’s an odd choice to end the set.
Set II started off with Timber, a great crowd involvement song. Great energy and great little jam leading into the song of the night: A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing. Holy mackerel what a near 20 minute ride. Multiple breakdowns and heady jams. Definitely a must hear. Then came Christian rock Phish (that’s what my aunt describes the songs as). Light is not my “jam” and I feel like it went on too long. mercy debuted which is a nice slow filler. Twenty Years Later and Backwards Down The Number Line are similar songs to me, but I still enjoyed it. Bug was oddly placed but did what it was intended to do, get the crown more involved in this less than optimal show. S.A.N.T.O.S. works great as a set closer and I don’t think it is over saturated.
The encore was the best encore of my nine shows. I love seeing Trey and the rest of the band get a kick out of The Howling. It’s a fun song which will be jammed out in the future. Suzy Greenberg got us ready for N2 with intense energy and a ripping solo by Page Side Rage Side.
The way I look at Phish is the same way I look at my father’s cooking. I love my Father’s cooking, but not everything he makes. I love the band Phish, but I don’t love everything the band creates. And that’s okay. They are still the greatest band of all time and will continue to be blessed that I am alive the same time as Trey, Jon, Mike, and Page.