Jam Chart for Plasma (11 entries)
| Date | City | Timing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-10-17 | Eugene, OR | 6:26 | Debut. |
| 2016-10-19 | Nashville, TN | 8:40 | "Plasma" assumes a fluid, late second-set form. Atmospheric and introspective, with strong elements of "Timber (Jerry)," Mike and Fish create a brooding, cosmic space within which Page provides on-point fills, and Trey works through a number of styles and rhythmic shifts, coloring the jam with really cool and pensive "feedback" intraplay. |
| 2017-08-05 | New York, NY | 10:50 | > from "Alaska," serious, introspective play stands out amidst a series of standout moments. "Plasma," at its finest, often evokes early "Timber" jams, with impassioned improvisation by Fish and Trey. There's much of that on display, here, before Trey, deep in a liquid pocket, rides a watery blast of sustain, the band in tow, working the jam to crest and deliver a sunshine of feeling. |
| 2018-10-28 | Rosemont, IL | 12:45 | Serving as the penultimate song in the second set, "Plasma" features multi-textured improvisation. Mike leads the jam early on, while Trey plays along using heavy effects. The band then locks into a solid groove for a few minutes before Trey Teases "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed," inciting a passage of major key jamming, with a "peak" that sounds straight out of "Blaze On." |
| 2018-12-30 | New York, NY | 9:09 | As a platform for improvisation, "Plasma" continues to impress. Here, > from a huge "Everything's Right," the band does not cool so much as they are cool. Trey lays way back, yet still manages to inform much of the version's signature sound. Fish's play is polyphonic. Page answers. And Mike offers some of the run's most interesting, and varied, runs. An awesome, cerebral, jam. |
| 2019-11-29 | Providence, RI | 13:42 | Better late than never, "Plasma" now seems a Phish (centerpiece) staple. Here, the band drops immediately from the song's signature licks to enter a synth-driven exploration, with major (or minor) "Crosseyed and Painless" undertones. Ever percussive, and, as always, interesting, a full-band psychedelic swirl peels apart as Trey shape shifts, his soloing brightening to inform, with Page's carnival-esque keys, a fun, celebratory vibe. |
| 2022-07-14 | Mansfield, MA | 11:41 | > from "CDT," another exceptional "Plasma," arguably the best recent (2014) addition to the band's massive canon. Trey and Fish play as one, but, if interested in bypassing the (indeed euphoric) peak to lock in on "peak" Phish musicianship, listen four times as a means to follow each musician and his unique contributions. If nothing else, more evidence that Trey loves "Plasma" just as much as we do. |
| 2023-07-28 | New York, NY | 14:06 | > "Ruby Waves," and breaking for "Simple," strong, almost muscular play, informed by righteous riffing, showcases, yet again, the song's promise as a true show stopper. |
| 2024-04-21 | Las Vegas, NV | 15:08 | A supreme version of the song, proper. Early, while chill, everything is ultra crisp, with singular notes, from all, landing like uppercuts. Around 6:40 there is a somewhat familiar shift, patterned play offset by acoustic Page and terrific Fish. A cool sonic surge arrives around 9:50, music just dripping with Mike beneath a series of echoes which, via extended Trey soloing, gels to inform "Plasma's" righteous riff. |
| 2024-08-03 | Noblesville, IN | 14:26 | > from "CDT," the song again assumes, like Nashville '16, a deeper, more fluid and cerebral, late-show form. Fish's signature off-beat play is on full display, while Trey's phrasing, moderate musings, and wild effects, coupled with great Mike (and inventive Page), create a truly intriguing and fresh soundscape, one which showcases Phish at their finest. |
| 2025-04-20 | Portland, OR | 14:34 | -> from a small "Cities," Trey guides the band through a passage of subdued, moody sound, the sort of improv at home deep in some second set. While for some time the tempo remains thoughtfully slow and steady, Trey does augment his tone which, despite Mike adding some wild ideas, ultimately marks a decided shift. After the ten-minute mark there's a push to somewhat patterned and familiar play. This, though, is marked by a strong peak that overshadows a bit of a hiccup as the band drops back into the song's primary riff and return to close the song, proper. |
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.
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