Jam Chart for Cities (32 entries)
| Date | City | Timing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-12-01 | Burlington, VT | 6:15 | Debut at Nectar's in Burlington, VT. |
| 1988-08-05 | Telluride, CO | 4:44 | "Dave's Energy Guide" ("DEG") is played towards the end of the song before a brief return to "Cities." "DEG" would be played within "Cities" again on 8/22/88, 9/8/88, 9/13/88, and 3/1/89 in a similar manner. |
| 1988-08-05 | Telluride, CO | 0:37 | -> in from "DEG." Returns to "Cities" briefly to conclude. |
| 1997-07-01 | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 9:33 | A super slow tempo, groovy straightforward "Cities" -> to an incredible "Jam." |
| 1997-07-30 | Ventura, CA | 5:21 | Fantastic -> in from "David Bowie" and -> back to "David Bowie." |
| 1997-08-10 | Noblesville, IN | 23:00 | Amazing jam that begins in heavy funk mode and transitions to a more quiet vibe before shifting into high gear with some serious rock and roll. The jam then breaks into some beautiful, peaceful and textured playing ("HOSE") before rebuilding into a powerful groove. -> into "GTBT." Must-hear. |
| 1997-08-16 | Limestone, ME | 13:30 | Another SUPER SLOW, funky version from '97. Segues out of "Halley's Comet." The tempo picks up at about 8:40, and the funk comes on even thicker. Gets more rocking and bluesy before -> to "Llama." |
| 1997-11-26 | Hartford, CT | 8:00 | Segues out of "2001." Nice mellow groove tacked onto the outro. -> to "Ya Mar." |
| 1997-12-28 | Landover, MD | 8:21 | Mike and Page add a lot to the richly funky jam that becomes very repetitious, with Trey playing in a staccato manner. |
| 1998-04-05 | Providence, RI | 10:36 | -> in from "Gin." Initially funky, the jam gets a little more rocking before some Mike-led quiet space and a > to "Sparkle." |
| 1998-07-06 | Prague, Czech Republic | 7:18 | Great -> into "Cities" from a roaring "Ghost." Starts VERY uptempo, but there's a cool, smooth tempo downshift mid-first verse. Cool little guitar solo at the end taboot. |
| 1998-07-31 | Columbus, OH | 15:17 | Outstanding, R&B-esque, and quite melodic jam emerges from "Cities" proper that gets more and more rocking before cycling down. This is what the "HOSE" is all about. |
| 1998-12-31 | New York, NY | 8:31 | Segues out of "Tweezer." Good funky version that gets eerie and spacey at the end before transitioning to "Velvet Sea." |
| 2000-06-14 | Chuo-ku, Fukuoka, Japan | 8:54 | Very serene and mellow version from a highly regarded show. |
| 2000-09-24 | Minneapolis, MN | 19:05 | The jam gets way beyond "Cities" into some very deep, quiet, and contemplative space. Regains some energy in the final four minutes and is must-hear for fans of groove-based jams. |
| 2010-08-06 | Berkeley, CA | 11:04 | Some incredible playing by Mike and Page in this extended version that gets into a spell-binding, enchanting groove. A fantastic version that transitions (oddly and arguably abruptly) to "Moma Dance." |
| 2010-10-29 | Atlantic City, NJ | 8:49 | All four team up in the well-played, extended jam that gets somewhat spacey at the very end. |
| 2011-05-28 | Bethel, NY | 8:58 | Nice little extended outro with a good Trey-led peak. |
| 2011-12-28 | New York, NY | 10:09 | The jam soars beyond "Cities" into some rhythmic, exploratory, and gorgeous territory, but seems to fizzle out prematurely. |
| 2014-12-31 | Miami, FL | 10:35 | -> from "Theme", this "Cities" jam starts with some nice staccato work from Trey, passes through a Manteca-like section, and settles into the 3.0 Type II bliss zone. |
| 2015-08-12 | Philadelphia, PA | 10:35 | Trey's Echoplex leads the second straight solid "Cities" to some extended between-verses jamming, before the whole band picks up where he left off and explores a pulsing, minor mode space before the 'plex is left behind for a more straight-ahead jam that eventually fades out. |
| 2015-08-22 | Watkins Glen, NY | 7:22 | Another strong and typically funky "Cities" -> "Mind Left Body Jam" sandwich. |
| 2015-08-22 | Watkins Glen, NY | 0:57 | > in from "Mind Left Body Jam." Concluding section sets up a nice transition to a solid "Light." |
| 2016-01-16 | Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo, Mexico | 13:18 | After a stretch of perfunctory versions, "Cities" has now gone four for its last four. A laid back tropical vibe yields to a stormy, foreboding jam, before the sun peeks through the clouds and the -> Light grows brighter. |
| 2016-07-08 | Mansfield, MA | 13:47 | Early technical issues, a Brian Brown introduction, and a guitar switch do nothing to deter the band from taking "Cities" on a journey across the globe. Some strong but typical jamming leads to more instruments switching and the jam evolves / devolves into highly percussive near free-form jazz. |
| 2019-06-26 | Bangor, ME | 12:50 | -> out of a superb "Fuego". Gets deliciously, almost heavy-metal sludgy dark right out of the gate, Mike and Fish really powering this gruesomeness. Fish snaps into a wickedly danceable beat which the band rides for all it's worth (nearly swerving into "Sand" at one point), before they swing into a new key and pull out a sick -> into "The Final Hurrah". A wonderful jam. |
| 2021-09-01 | Mountain View, CA | 16:23 | The band moves into a more driving version of the usual "Cities" jam, thanks to Fishman, before Trey makes the move into a brief bit of major key bliss, and then takes the jam into smoother and more relaxed waters. A very nice first set jam, with a wonderful -> into "Passing Through". |
| 2023-04-23 | Hollywood, CA | 18:48 | This first set delight comes out the gate with swingin' swagger. Trey locks the band into Bmin to escape the confines of "Cities" proper and the band develops an incredibly cohesive, melodic, effect-drenched boogie down. After the 12 minute mark, the music takes a hazy, cinematic turn towards patient psychedelia. This then develops into a gorgeous, technicolor dreamscape that crescendos towards anthemic territory before > "Tube." |
| 2023-07-28 | New York, NY | 14:16 | Big Red's love affair with The Big Apple, coupled with his renewed interest in jamming "Cities," yields a whole lotta good points. Chill playing ushers in fantastic, truly rhythmic improvisation, Trey's strumming offering a shimmery, warm, almost shoegaze feel - and, most importantly, room for the entire band to breathe. Play pulses until just after the 8:00 mark, when Trey takes a really great lead, which he builds into patterned play that bursts with a celebratory vibe. A nod to Trey's old home place, indeed. |
| 2023-10-07 | Nashville, TN | 16:04 | The "Music City" inspires another big 2023 version of "Cities". Mike's fat synth bass carves out the initial funky path. Trey and Page dial in the murk in response, crossing through some vague "MLB"-isms on the way to a major mode shift. The music turns on a dime toward celebratory fare, but retains some of its spacious-ness, as Trey alternates between clean melodic phrasing and long echoed notes. Play then cools back towards da funk and -> "Llama". |
| 2024-08-29 | Commerce City, CO | 13:39 | Summer '24 Phish truly blurs the line between "average-great" and notable. Perhaps a case in point, here. Precision play from the jump before, come the 6:00 mark, Trey unleashes a series of savage licks. The band truly wakes, each adding "parts" informing this great sum. Play coasts before Trey finds a great melodic (pick a tease) riff, which Page mimics. A true Dick's harbinger. |
| 2025-01-29 | Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico | 17:38 | Things build slowly at first as Trey and Page politely occupy the same tonal space. Mike and Fish, by contrast, are driven and focused throughout. Trey eventually finds firm footing and digs his heels into more rocking and rif laden territory, and with the help of Page, now on piano, they push the improv to a satisfying peak and return. |
Jam chart versions are selected because of improvisational and other characteristics that distinguish these from typical versions of the song.
The jam chart team has highlighted some versions with a yellow background; these are the versions the team believes to be especially improvisational, or otherwise notable.
A purple date indicates that you were in attendance.
The jam chart team has highlighted some versions with a yellow background; these are the versions the team believes to be especially improvisational, or otherwise notable.
A purple date indicates that you were in attendance.
Phish.net
The Mockingbird Foundation