Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas 11/13/97
Date: Fri, 9 Jul 1999 14:50:52 -0700
From: Mike Indgin [email protected]
Phish Beat the House
Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas 11/13/97
Once again, they've done it. Taken it to the next level. Made me a Phish
Head renewed. Trey is one sick puppy!
No special guests like the Aladdin, unless you include Trey's new
Midi-equipped(?) guitar, the new light show and the facial hair on all
four members faces. Yes, they've ALL got beards now and are entering the
Sgt. Pepper's phase of their career. The light show is now similar to the
Dead's in the 90s with oval and triangle shaped light screens. Chris did a
fantastic job and our view from the risers straight back was one gorgeous
light sculpture after another. The other big news is the return of
Fishman's dress (although he was wearing jeans under the green dress, a
fashion don't.)
Had to work in LA the day of the show and the day after, so I flew out at
4 pm and didn't get to sleep that night till the morning came around. My
pal Frank decided to join me as I was leaving for the airport, giving him
"most spontaneous road trip of the year" honors.
Plenty of tickets still available at showtime. Inside, they had a curtain
backdrop cutting the floor in half and making the big basketball arena
actually feel intimate. By show time the floor was jam-packed as was the
whole joint. And it was jumpin'. The crowd was the loudest I've ever seen
at a Phish show. Of course, I've seen most of my shows on the Left coast.
Chalkdust opener. Loved it. Similiar to the Ventura 97 version in that is
was long and got real "out there". Then a new funk instrumental. This one
started with a Talking Heads feel and then jammed into Medeski Martin and
Wood territory. It had some cool changes written into it and was well
received. Also well received was a well-done Theme from the Bottom. Then
we got Train Song. Nice. Followed by one of the tunes I was most jonesin'
for: Split Aces and Melt! Not the best version of all time but still epic.
Beauty of My Dreams followed, then M-M-M-M-M-M-My Soul. A great version to
close out the first set. What the hell am I talking about? We just thought
the set was over, but they pulled a Shoreline and did YEM!! Only one of
the sweetest versions ever!! Trey had the mojo working all night,
especially on this journey into Happyland. The trampoline act was flawless
as well. And then a rocking Character Zero to close out a 2 hour and five
minute first set!
Ah yes, how do you top a profoundly hot first set(their tour warm-up set
no less)? Well, maybe with one of the finest Stashes to ever grace the
boys amps. That's right, a Stash second set opener. Unconfirmed reports
had it lasting 23 minutes. I can't convey the subtle beauty that Trey
found in the trance he fell into during this song.
All night long, the jams had that "they've cranked it up another notch"
feel to them. PYITE was no exception. The Landlady samba section in
particular was nailed perfectly. Then we were treated to the most unique
solo of the night, a melodious, epic Caspian. After a long midi-filled
journey into the heart of Narnia we were brought back down to earth with a
fine Bouncin. Then, the only possible song that can top YEM...Mike's.
Again I'm without words that can describe the vibe of the jam. Lots of
70's guitar hero teases. A long time later we went into Hydrogen which was
Trey's only folly of the night. He massacred it in true Trey style, going
into the change too early and never getting back on track. I mean he
butchered what is usually the most beautiful of transitions. I think he
even purposely played the last note wrong to seal its fate as the Worst
Hydrogen ever.
Knowing that this version would never end up on a CD, he decided to redeem
himself by doing the wildest Weeks ever. It started out normal enough, but
Trey signaled Fishman to speed it up, then speed it up again, then again
until it became the fastest Weekapaug ever. I'm talking double time.
Really. It was wild. When it was done the roof was nearly blown off the
place by the audience reaction. The encore was, alas, not as historic as
the Primus Harpua Cowgirl Elvis Yodelfest, instead we got Trey referencing
his Hydrogen debacle by playing Loving Cup and emphasing the "You know I
play a bad guitar" line. What a show. I even won 45 bucks at the Hard Rock
blackjack tables afterwards and although our plane was delayed and we
didn't get home till 4:30, I'm so glad I went. Phish is still a band that
must be respected, enjoyed and of course, feared.
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 1997 18:41:30 -0800
From: Nate Mordo [email protected]
Subject: Vegas + Utah review
Las Vegas NV 11-13-97
Thomas & Mack Center,
---------------------------------------------------
Set I:
Chalkdust Torture, Black Eyed Katie*, Theme From The Bottom, Trainsong,
Split Open and Melt,
Beauty Of My Dreams, My Soul, You Enjoy Myself, Character 0
Set II:
Stash, Punch You In The Eye, Prince Caspian, Bouncing Around The Room,
Mike's Song -> I am Hydrogen -> Weekapaug Groove
E:
Loving Cup
* First time played, new funk instrumental
Preshow:
We arrived in Vegas at around 3pm, looking to meet our friend Dave at
the Hard Rock Cafe.
Nobody in the car knew where the HRC was, but we enjoyed driving around
the strip gawking at the
Vegas sights. In truth, I was somewhat let down by Las Vegas. Sure
there were crazy elaborate
buildings, but they weren't quite as close together as I was expecting.
Maybe I would have been
more impressed if I had gotten there at night.
Anyway, as soon as we arrived we noticed a strong Phish-head presence,
but nobody looked twice
as we were in Vegas baby! The vibe was so good that it was palpable.
Everyone was psyched to
be there, and the people who had made the trek were hard-core fans.
The sun started to set...
The Venue:
The Thomas + Mack center is located a few blocks off the strip right
next to the Hard Rock Cafe/Hard
Rock Hotel/Hard Rock Casino. It is an unassuming structure, spartan
actually; a stark contrast to the
rest of the architecture in Vegas. It is the home of the UNLV
basketball team, the Running Rebels.
The lot scene was pretty standard: Vending, Music, Drumming, etc. Beer
was somehat hard to come
by, but the attitude was epitomized by one security guard's comment to
me as I held my bottle of beer:
"Son, there's no alcohol allowed on the premises, so you're going to
have to pour that into a cup."
Vegas baby!
When we went in we discovered that about half of the stadium was
curtained off, creating a sort of
ampitheater. It was cozy, and didn't feel too crowded. Guesses
abounded about what the boys would
open fall tour with
Security:
Ha!
The Show:
Nobody would have guessed that they were going to open the show with
Chalkdust. I'm not complaining,
but all in all it was a fairly standard Chalkdust - energetic, rousing,
and fun.
When they busted into the next tune, Black Eyed Katie, I instantly knew
they were busting out with a new
number. BEK is a FUNKY instrumental piece which will get you out of
your seat. It's definitely the
culmination of the funky style they've been perfecting all summer long.
Awesome.
Solid versions of Theme and Trainsong were followed by an excellent
Split Open and Melt, which I hadn't
heard since Red Rocks. A great call.
After a fun but unremarkable Beauty of my Dreams the boys busted out
with a JAMMING My Soul, which is
easily one of the better versions I have heard of this song. Explosive
and dynamic.
The YEM and Character 0 were good, but I can't seem to remember many
particulars. ;-)
I was happy for the setbreak as this was a LOOOONG set.
Setbreak:
At this point I was wondering why the band had yet to play any of their
new tunes (e.g. Ghost, Limb by Limb,
etc...). I guess My Soul counts, but I was expecting some more funk.
Didn't know what to expect for the second set...
Set II:
The band opened with a LONG, dark, jammed-out Stash. This went on for
at least 15 minutes, and contained
some beautiful moments, yet losing me at times.
A good-but-not-great Punch you in the Eye followed, which got the crowd
whipped up to a fever pace.
The Prince Caspian that followed was long and emotional, with Trey
furiously strumming the ending. They
were into it, I was into it - An awesome Caspian.
When they went into Bouncin I knew that they were setting up to do
something BIG. As they foreshadowed
on the Conan O'Brian show, the boys went into a ripping Mike's song that
needs to be heard by all. I can't
possibly describe what went on except to say that it was spectacular,
and needs to be heard by all.
At the point in Mike's where they often go into Simple, they continued
to jam and slowed down to a melodic,
airy groove. Now I have been wanting to hear Piper again since I
realized that it was one of Phish's most
"feel-good" new songs. I could have *sworn* that they were about to
break into Piper, and I was getting so
excited - I had even emailed the boys a few weeks earlier to request
that they play Mike's-> Piper -> Weekapaug.
(Ted + Erin - you remember me telling you that last week, right?).
Anyway, as it turned out they worked their
way into an extra long, beautful Hydrogen. We all quaked with
anticipation as they got ready to break out
into Weekapaug...
Weekapaug was easily the highlight of the show for me. They kicked it
off with a siiick Mike Gordon bass
groove which is rapidly becoming the norm (see: 7/31/97, 7/22/97). This
'paug was tight, fast, and everything
else that a good weekapaug should be. The best part was after the jam
segment. As they brought it back to the
"Sharing in the weekapaug groove" part they sped the tempo up until they
were playing at least twice
as fast as normal. It was a peaky weekapaug. Get the tapes, see for
yourself...
The encore of Loving cup was a great choice and I thoroughly enjoyed
it. The rendition was only slightly
marred by static in Trey's effect pedal toward the end of the song.
In sum it was a really solid tour-opener and I did not leave the Thomas
and Mack center dissappointed. To be
fair though, I didn't leave there saying that it was one of the best
shows I'd ever seen. It was a great, tight
show with many highlights, but it was not "epic".
Side note: The band said next-to-nothing while on-stage. Trey mumbled
soemthing incoherent at the close
of the first set, his standard "We'll see you in 15 minutes spiel, I
think). Again at the end of the show I think
he said something else incoherently. Kind of weird.
After the show we went to check out Vegas's offerings, and ended up in a
motel room, trying to get into the
hot tub that they insisted we could use *before* we had paid. But
that's another story...
--------------------------
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 1997 18:20:11 -0700
From: Amanda Snider [email protected]
Subject: Vegas and Salt Lake City reviews
Organization: Northern Arizona University
Thomas & Mack Center--11-13-97
Las Vegas, Nevada
Background:
This is my first stab at one of these reviews, but think I gathered my
thoughts fairly well about how i felt about the show. We got into Vegas
wednesday night and camped out at Red Rocks west of town. Got up early
the next morning and I was amazed at the beauty of the area (this is
definatley not what you expect when you go to Vegas!). We planned on
doing a six pitch, tradition climb and then going to the show. It
sounded like a good way to spend the morning and afternoon before the
show, and it was!!! We ended up 730 feet off the ground with the most
undescribable natural. Anyhow, we almost ended up staying the night as
it got dark and started to rain :( Finally, we found a way down and
boogied to the car at about 5:30 or 6. The show started at 7:30 so we
had to haul ass to get to there on time. It was really weird going from
this crazy natural high to getting wacked on goodies for the show :)!!
So, the show.....
We got there at 7:30 and the vibe was FUNKY, security was super-slack,
everyone was puffin' and drinkin'. This was Vegas, the place was getting
packed, and people were gettin' crazy! You could just feel the energy
there and know this was going to be a sick show! None of the folks i was
with were expecting the...
Chaldust opener!! I thought this was good surprise. Right off the bat
they were soundin' really tight and looked as happy and into it on stage
as everyone around me. This opener ended up setting the tone for the
night, as they were just busting out amazing older stuff that was
funky(YEM, SOM, PYITE, Mike's.....). All these older tunes had a little
extra FUNK in Vegas. Everyone in the place was jumpin!
Black-Eyed Katie: Holy Shit!!!!! This is the funkiest grooves i've heard
out of these guys in a while! Everyone in Denver, Champaign, and back
east...you all are in for some funky-ass shows, I hope everyone gets to
hear this sometime this tour. This is a brand new instrumental that just
grooves! You'll know it when you hear it. Everyone was high-steppin' and
movin.
Theme: Tight Theme that a I liked alot. The jam followed with some
funky tones reminisent of the last song.
Trainsong: Not one of my favorite songs, but again was played tight and
sounded good.
Split Open and Melt: Yea!! Wasn't expecting this one either, and loved
it. This is becoming an amazing set! SOM was pretty long and again had
some seriously funky sections. At this point I could barely see across
the arena...mass roasting...I was loving it!
Beauty of my Dreams: Tight. You just gotta love Trey singin the
bluegrass! This was a nice change of pace, but at the same time it
continued the high energy felt by everyone that was around me.
My Soul: I really dig this tune and this one was possibly the best I've
heard. The song has a high energy edge that fit the set perfectly so
far. Trey looked liked he was loving it!
YEM: The FUNK returns!! Right at the climax "BOY!!!!!" part, I looked
around and everyone in the entire place was shakin it sooo hard, I know
i was! The jam wasn't super long but it was the funkiest I can
remember. I don't know if it was just me (the "E") or if this funk
wasn't really there...looked to me like alot of others were feeling it.
YEM ----->
Character 0: Great way to end the set. The crowd was lovin it and
everyone on stage was too! We could only guess what may lay in store for
the second set. This had some of the funkiest moments i can remember. I
hope this style continues for the whole tour.
Set II
Stash: this was a change of pace from the first set and ended up being
another great surprise. This one had to be at least 20 minutes. The jams
went on strong most of the song and let everyone get really spaced out
before hittin with a strong...
PYITE: This was tight and movin!! This got the crowd back to shakin' in
a hurry. The Funk returns in a cool way throughout this one. The energy
level was way back up!
Caspian: This was a great Caspian and Trey was just belting this one
out. They kept the energy going in a positive way.
Bouncin': I don't think i expected to hear much of what they had played
so far...and this was no different. For once, most of the crowd seemed
to really get into the Bouncin'. This was a super-fun Bouncin'.
Mike's>Hydro>Weekapaug: This was unbelievable!!! The Funk was all over
the jams in both Mike's and Weekapaug! The Hydrogen was nice and tight,
really mellow. The Weekapaug was the second Funkiest moment of the
night, behind Black-Eyed Katie. Again the whole crowd was movin and
shakin all over the place!! Everyone needs to get these tapes.
Unbelievable!
Loving Cup: What A Beautiful BUZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't think it could
get any better, this was the best encore they could have played. Trey
and the boys looked like they were having the time of their lives. The
jam in this was again strong, tight, high energy, and crazy funky.
Loving Cup just capped this amazing show perfectly and sent us all into
the Vegas night with such a wonderful buzz! ( and that is a whole
different story !!) You couldn't expect anything less in Vegas.
Everyone is in for some tough Funk for the rest of the tour... ya better
put on a pimpin' outfit for the shows! I hope this new style continues
for a while. My first east coast shows are going the be 12-29,30,31-97
and I hope the funk is heavy!
-------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 23:43:09 GMT
From: Andrew N Hitz
Subject: Fall Tour Review Pt. 1: Las Vegas, Nevada
Hello everyone,
I have had a month for the ages and this Vegas show has been the
highlight of it so far. As always, I must get on with the usual business:
Warning: If you are offended or insulted by someone who gives strong
opinions about Phish and presents them in a head-strong manner, please
stop reading this. If Bouncin' is your favorite song, great! But it is
not mine and I will say so in this review. I've heard through the
grapevine that people have been criticizing reviews which refer to
previously played versions of songs. If that is the case you can:
a. Not read my review b. Crawl into a hole c. Crawl into a hole AND not
read my review
And for some context, I have heard about 600 hours of live Phish and this
was exactly my 80th show since NYE '93. And I'm still deaf and stupid...
On to the craziness which was 11/13/97...
November 13, 1997 Thomas and Mack Center Las Vegas, Nevada
I: Chalkdust Torture, BLACK-EYED KATY!!!!!, Theme from the Bottom!!!,
Trainsong, Split Open and Melt, Beauty of My Dreams, My Soul, You Enjoy
Myself, Character Zero (1:23)
Chalkdust Torture: This has always been one of my favorite openers because
it contains INSTANT energy. As my friend Peter Bothe once proclaimed,
"The best rock guitar riff ever." At least pretty damn close. This
Chalkdust was well jammed out but I thought that it was rather abruptly
ended. After seeing the Tension and Release Masterclass on 7/30/97 I
(otherwise known as the Chalkdust from Ventura) I have very high
expectations for this song. This one didn't quite make it.
BLACK-EYED KATY: Holy shit folks! Everyone should have taken a big deep
breath before this one because the funk quickly got so deep that I could
barely breathe. The band has matured as an ensemble so much it has scared
me. This tune for those who haven't heard it yet, is pure uncut funk with
an occasional rhythmically jarring bar or two by the band which leads
right back into, you guessed it, FUNK. The band sounded both incredibly
tight and inspired during this tune. I don't know who was grinning more,
Trey or myself.
Theme: Wow has this song progressed over the years. One of the first
versions I saw of this tune was 7/1/95 from Great Woods which has still
withstood the test of time as one of the finest. And this was one of few
versions of the 12 I've seen since that have measured up. The jam segment
of this tune has truly become just that, a jam. The chord which Trey
strums right at the beginning of the jam segement was played with such
passion and perfect execution that I almost cried. Really, when a jam
segement is led off with such authority it can't help but be amazing,
which this one truly was. Check it out.
Trainsong: A nice little ditty. I don't dislike this tune as much as some
others but it doesn't really do that much for me either. It was
relatively well sung and Page took a nice solo.
Split Open and Melt: I called this one moments before they started it. I
kind of got that evil Split vibe from the band. This SOAMelt really
reminded me more of 1995 that of 1997, and that is not a good thing in
terms of Melt. I thought that even while seemingly ever other song
blossomed during Fall '95, Melt had a slight personality crisis and never
really went anywhere. This Melt was in the same vain. Very jammed out
and spacey but with no apparent purpose and never really led anywhere.
There was of course some moments of brilliance, this is Phish 2000 we're
talking about here. But they have raised the standards of music higher
than I ever could have imagined and now they must live up to them. Oh how
they would...
Beauty of My Dreams: I really like this tune an awful lot and I feel a
very strong connection to it. Trey really struggled with the singing on
this version but made up for it on a truly beautiful solo. He, as well as
the rest of the band, really have a much firmer grasp on this style of
music that they did even a year ago.
My Soul: This tune is quickly becoming not one of my favorites. Don't get
me wrong, I like it. But I like all but about five Phish songs out of the
450 or so. This version did have a truly great Page solo in the middle.
He seems to have kind of made this tune his own. My mind was wandering
quite a bit during the last four songs. Thinking about things other than
Phish for some reason. I think it was because the Black-Eyed/Theme combo
was so unbelievably smoking that the rest of it seemed a little
lackluster. Again, they've raised the standards. Kind of like when
Michael Jordan scores 25 points with 6 rebounds and 4 assists he has a
"bad game". Sure...
You Enjoy Myself: I truly didn't know what to expect out of the band at
this juncture of the show. Needless to say I was very pleased with both
the selection and the placement. As I declared while stretching my legs
with Saul Wertheimer and two friends from ASU at the Hoover Damn "1st set
YEM's are the key to eternal happiness". Am I a prophet? More like a
lucky windbag. Regardless, this YEM was declared by Charlie Dirksen
(while losing money at Circus Circus at 3 am) as the funkiest YEM ever. It
truly did get down. I wonder if the band is ever going to play the
typical Scream->WUDMTF->Page Solo->Trey Solo->Mike Solo->Vocal Jam
progression ever again. As soon as the tramp segement ends they just
poured on the funk and sat on it with an apparently great deal of
satisfaction. Trey did end up wailing a little bit at the end. YEM has
definitely become much more of a group effort than each of them soloing in
their respective slots. You can't ever be sure what you will get out of
this tune. And the vocal jam, in the vein of this summer, segued out of a
groove rather than on Mike's cue. And it was a very crazy vocal jam with
Chris hitting on all cylinders for sure. I figured the set was over for
sure. But no...
Character Zero: When I first heard this tune on the Third Ball tapes I
thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. I have simply seen
too many of them for my own good at this point. But the most repetitive
aspect of this tune is the placement. How many first sets have I seen end
with Character Zero? Too many to count. But since I thought the set was
over I treated this as 100% bonus Phish.
II: STASH, PYITE, Prince Caspian, Bouncin', MIKE'S SONG!!!!->I am
H2!!->WEEKAPAUG GROOVE!!!!!
STASH: This is the first time I have ever seen Stash open any set and only
the third second set Stash of my Phish career (7/8/94 from A Live One and
7/1/95 both from Great Woods). I thought that this set a very positive
and ambitious tone for this second set. After the Katy, Theme, and YEM
they had their hands full topping it. This Stash was 23 minutes long for
any of those who have not already heard. A *VERY* exploratory Stash.
This one went OUT THERE and they came back around in almost symphonic
style. A true masterpiece although a shadow of the Orlando Stash. If you
consider yourself an educated Stash fan and have not heard the Orlando
version from Fall '95 first get a life and then get the tape;) During
this entire 23 minute Stash I think that Fishman's left leg stopped
beating the high hat for maybe a total of 30 seconds. The man is machine
and not human. Or an alien! I thought that when the Stash chords
reappeared towards the end of this very long jam that they were going to
end it more like 7/8/94. But instead, in an equally satisfying way, they
ended it much more similarly tothe Orlando version. Kind of quiet and
reserved. Probably in respect to the Mike's Groove that they were going
to shortly tear the shit out of. A great Stash and amazing set opener.
PYITE: Every version of this song that I have ever seen has put a big fat
smile on my face. This was not exactly the most inspired version that
have ever run into but it was effective none the less. During the fast
jam at the end I turned to Saul and said "Imagine a Stash, PYITE, Mike's
Song opening to the set". He looked at me as if to say "Get real but you
have a point". Little did I know that they were about to put me on an
emotional roller coaster.
Prince Caspian: When I heard Trey strumming the first chords of this song
I felt my throat tighten, my head pound, and my feet hurt. This song has
been the cause of so many traumatizing Phish-related experiences in just
the last year plus it makes me dizzy. I am a firm believer in the theory
that the third slot tune in the second set is a very important moment in
the show. Can make it or break it. Once I sat down and rested my aching
body I must admit that the jam out of this was truly better than any other
Caspian I have heard. At end of this jam I stood up with just as much
anticipation as at the end of Punch. I saw Trey turn to Fishman and say a
two syllable word that began with a B. At this point I was in complete
disbelief. And then it happened...
Bouncin: I enjoy this song less than having a cold male hand grab my crown
jewels and tell me to cough. Really. It is not just a pop song but a
terrible one at that. If they ever bury it for a whole tour the beers are
on me afterwards. Some thoughts that went through my head during this
three minute gem:
"Is this happening?" "Aren't we in Vegas?" "Is this real?" "Am I real?"
"Am I being infiltrated by the Secret Agenda?" "They'd better play a god
damn Mike's Groove after this!"
MIKE'S SONG: Woo hoo! And there was joy in Mudville! Open basket, insert
biscuit. Now this was the kind of THROWDOWN I had envisioned from the
beginning. If you can all imagine the very ending of Bouncin' (which is
one of my favorite moments in all of Phish for the record), imagine Trey
sticking the Mike's lick right after the final bass note. If that doesn't
put a Phishy smile on your face I'm not sure if anything will. This
Mike's Groove really did live up to expectations. The noodling by Trey at
the beginning was some of the finest pre-tramps segemnt jamming I have
heard. And when the tramps segement did come around did the place GET
DOWN. Phish 2000 in its uncut, pure, and completely in your face way.
The tramps segement was very bad ass and very directed. This Mike's had
the momentum of an 18 wheeler driving 80 down the highway in a blizzard.
And to quote Dirk420 again, the post-tramps segemnt was "exquisite". Some
absolutely breath-takingly beautiful playing by the entire band. It
seemed the band had been waiting to finish what they started on Conan for
an entire week. Similarly to the Raleigh Mike's->H2, this Mike's jam just
gradually became Hydrogen. Very cool.
->I AM H2: This is the wackiest, most fucked up, most disturbing version
of Hydrogen I've ever witnessed or heard of. Very similar to Vegas:
wacky, fucked-up, and disturbing. At first, Trey was really struggling
with some of the melodic lines. In the process of butchering them he
turned to Fishman and got a huge grin on his face. He then proceeded to
absolutely 100% slaughter the rest of the tune on purpose. I'm talking
some parallel tritones, some bitonality, everything. And the very ending
of Hydrogen is one of the funniest moments I've ever experienced at a
Phish show. Not only does Trey miss every single note on his final
ascending line but he finishes it about a full second after the rest of
the band is thinking Weekapaug.
WEEKAPAUG GROOVE: This humorous moment was VIOLENTLY interupted by Fishman
but more importantly Mike. Mike went apeshit. Really. I most impressed
with his articulations during his usually hectic Weekapaug solo. Those
notes which he used to ghost are now deliberately placed "black notes" as
we call them in the business. (And for the musically inept or the
socially sensitive, this refers to the amount of ink used on the page to
write 32nd notes and has NOTHING to do with race or anything else
important at all.) Mike's energy quickly translated into a rocking
Weekapaug chorus. The first 75% of this Weekapaug was only average. That
is, average for Phish 2000. And Phish 2000 will probably never play an
uninspired Weekapaug ever again. But then after maybe 8 minutes or so (I
pulled that number out of my ass for the record), things got real
interesting real fast. And I mean fast. Trey began settling back into
the standard Weekapaug opening/closing chord riff. Those who thought they
could rest their aching feet shortly were sadly mistaken. Trey turned to
Fishman with an incredibly mischievous look in his eyes. After getting
the entire bands attention he then proceeded to begin an accelerando
(started speeding up) which was an
accelerando for the ages. Fishman caught on to this and went right along
with him. With the amount that they sped up (to about double time or well
over quarter note=200) I expected them to sound or at least look like they
were laboring. But no. They are fucking aliens and I often times forget
that. Once they settled into the new double-time groove (which was so
fast I could barely keep up with it and I was only listening) TREY BEGAN
SOLOING SIXTEENTH NOTES! My pathetic brain still can't believe that he can
solo, as in formulating ideas and then exectuing them, sixteenth notes at
more than 200 beats a minute. For the mathematically impaired that is 800
notes a minute!!! The entire band was just hopping and you could tell that
were really enjoying themselves. They had also succeeded in working the
crowd up into a foaming at the mouth frenzy. Just before the end the band
all teased "Can't You Hear Me Knocking" by the Stones which if you didn't
know that have used many times to end rocking jams (example: Seattle DWD
from Fall '96). I was REALLY hoping to hear the ending of Weekapaug at
this assinine tempo and I was not to be disappointed.. They teased
"Can't..." one more time before finally settling back into Weekapaug for
the last time. The singing at the end was great because it was so damn
fast. And they stuck the ending, bowed, and walked off stage leaving me
and thousands of others like confused piles of dog shit. Translation: I
enjoyed this Weekapaug a lot.
E: LOVING CUP!!!: Simply put, the best Loving Cup the band has ever
played. They are a grooving machine that you can not stop. And if you
try, you might just get run over. This one blows even the Red Rocks '96
version (my previous favorite) out of the water. But that is Phish 2000
for you: bigger, badder, faster, funkier, groovier, and just plain better
than anything ever preconceived by this race
Hartford is only 5 days away and I really hope I can make it until then.
To any friends, I'll be around the taper section before and after the
Hartford and Worcester shows. Come say hello. I'll be the one at Will
Call at 6:00 shivering like a true resident of Arizona.
Finally, I'd like to thank fellow netters Saul Wertheimer, Charlie
Dirksen, Eric Burns (who I'm convinced is clinically insane in the best
way possible), and Eric Angel for showing me a great time in the most
bizarre town of them all, Vegas. I beat that town. I saw a Mike's Groove
and only lost $7 before getting the hell out of town.
Until next time...
Drew
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 22 Nov 1997 18:43:30 GMT
From: Shawn Wiley
Subject: Re: *11/13/97 Vegas Review*
Great. Just great.
I was %!*#&^% WRONG. Not to rate the 11/13 Vegas Stash over the 7/2/97
Amsterdam performance (although I may yet regret this as well). I was
wrong because I damned the 7/2/97 Stash with faint praise. I did say I
loved it.
I've listened to it many times, but I didn't *hear* it until tonight.
I really can't tell you why, except that the first 4 to 5 minutes of the
jam are hypnotic as hell. I must have suffered brain lock--the final 12
minutes of this nearly 27 minute (!) performance is some of the most
incredible music I've heard this band produce. Georgeous. Amazing. And
the other 15 minutes certainly don't suck.
The TMWSIY tease/shadings I spoke of are around 15:00 (rough estimate).
Right before that, you hear a faint echo of Timber. There's a sweet
group jam around 12:45. The most amazing section is the groove they get
into around 18 minutes into the song. this sounds like a tease, or a full
jam from another song--anybody identify this? And the nod to floyd during
the final 3 minutes is great. =^)
I don't know if I still won't enjoy the compact expression at Vegas
better, but that really isn't the point. The majesty of this Amsterdam
performance shouldn't be understated.
Penitence is in order. Anyone reading this who does not have the 7/1/97
or 7/2/97 Amsterdam shows, drop me a line. I'll do blanks and postage for
up to ten.
--Shawn
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 22 Nov 1997 05:25:45 GMT From: "DJ Saul T. Nutz"
Subject: Sauldude vs. Vega$
Ladies & gentlemen, tonight, Thursday, November 13th, in the year nineteen
hundred and ninety-seven, we have a battle for the ages. In this corner,
hailing from Funk Central Station, weighing 145 pounds, and wearing a
burnt-orange leisure suit, is sauldude. In that corner, weighing, uh...
Mean and Obscene, is the city of Las Vega$, AKA Los Wages. This bout is
bound to be one that you'll tell your grandkids about!!!
On his way into town, sauldude mentally prepared by taking a gorgeous
drive through Arizona, and stopping at the Hoover Dam to ruminate the vast
implications of PHiSH vs. Conan. That bout was judged a TIE, because
PHiSH chose to start something, and not finish it. Needless to say,
sauldude is looking for some closure in Vega$.
Ariving in Vega$, sauldude pulled into The Frontier parking lot with
travelling compatriots Drew Hitz, Mike, & Liz. Score one for sauldude:
Free parking!
In the hotel, sauldude, Hitz et al, check in with Charlie Dirksen, Eric
Burns, Eric Angel, Rob Boyle, Tiger Tom, Mark & Bill, who help prepare
sauldude for the impending bout. Score two for sauldude: Sahweeet hotel
room, and good people to have on his side, taboot. An agreement is
reached that a Mike's Song could be the pivotal point of the bout.
Sauldude dons his burnt-orange leisure suit, & waits for its nearly
inconceivable powers to kick in. This suit has been used at other bouts,
such as 10/31/95 and 12/31/96. Nothing can help sauldude more than the
suit. It contains powers which are often misunderstood by laymen.
The whole posse makes its way to the Thomas & Mack Center. Seats are
taken in the lower level, Fishman side.
ROUND ONE:
As the lights go down, excitement builds. In The Frontier Casino,
sauldude has put all his money down on the Highway to Hell opener. Alas,
we are not on our way to the Promised Land quite yet. Sauldude is hit
with a fast CHALKDUST, & before he has much time to think about it, PHiSH
hits him right where it counts: The Funk. At the time, the most
appropriate name sauldude can think of for this new song is, KNEE DEEP IN
THE FUNK. And indeed, sauldude is now up to his waist!! Good Gawd, shake
everything you got! Where have you been all my life!?!?!? This tune will
have you questioning your beliefs, especially in a town like Vega$. "You
may say to yourself, How did I get here?" Ladies and gentlemen, if you
cannot handle The Funk, DO NOT attend PHiSH shows. For you will be
thoroughly Funkified.
Score three for sauldude.
THEME FROM THE BOTTOM is a fitting follow up to Knee Deep In The Funk,
because it's jam segment is stunning, probably the best I've heard.
Sauldude's eyes were closed the whole time, hoping that the rest of the
show is this good. Score four for sauldude.
Uh oh! Sauldude is knocked in the chest with a TRAINSONG which
temporarily takes the wind out of him. Although an adequate performance,
it is certainly not a song which will help sauldude win. SPLIT OPEN AND
MELT opens up, and things are looking good, as sauldude is reminded of the
Deer Creek Split from 8/10/97. Unfortunately, sauldude's Leisure Suit
powers begin to melt away, as this performance meanders aimlessly.
BEAUTY OF MY DREAMS is next, & has sauldude grinning. MY SOUL is just an
OK performance, and sauldude is beginning to worry: What has happened to
The Funk? Oh, here it is: YOU ENJOY MYSELF. To quote Andrew Hitz: "First
set YEM's are the key to eternal happiness." Sauldude has suddenly
bounced back up, & is now gettin' down. Bombs are dropped, courtesy of
Cactus Gordon, and, once again, sauldude is in control of Vega$. Score
five for sauldude.
As the vocal jam drifts away, CHARACTER ZERO is fired up, & is a decent
end to the first round of sauldude vs. Vega$.
ROUND TWO:
Aw shit, what an opener! STASH is 23 min long, and contains some very
tight and exploratory jamming. Sauldude is diggin' it, & it looks like
Vega$ could be in for a serious whuppin'. Score six for sauldude.
PUNCH YOU IN THE EYE is a great follow up, although it lacks the energy of
other PYITE's in Phishtory. Nevertheless, things are lookin' good for
sauldude.
Oh shit, a low blow! Score one for Vega$! PRINCE POOPY is not fair in
the second round! Even though the jam segment was better than the average
Prince Poopy, it's still a low blow! Oh dear God, it's not... Oh please
help me, it is :( BOUNCING is like a kick in the groin for sauldude, who
can only mutter the word "Guh?" Score two for Vega$!! Things are looking
grim for sauldude, as his hopes and dreams are slowly being bashed to
pieces with a big ole hammer. Sauldude is down, & receives a standing 8
count. The bout now seems tied: sauldude: 6; Vega$: 6. That Bouncin'
really hurt!!
Oh but he's up as MIKE'S SONG threatens to tear down the house!!! Score
seven for sauldude. Aw shit, now PHiSH has bust out the industrial-size
can of Whup Ass (tm), & proceeds to play some awe-inspiring music. The
Tramps segment is phenomenal, & the post-tramps segment contains some
beautiful HOSE. The band teases Green River by Credence Clearwater (or is
it some other CCR tune, I'm not really sure, they all sound kinda
similar), & this is the best Mike's sauldude has ever seen! Sauldude is
basking in the glory of this gorgeous version, and looks unbeatable. Score
another one for sauldude!! Nothing could stop him now, except maybe a
segue into Simple, or another Bouncing.
I AM HYDROGEN follows, & nearly ensures sauldude of the prototypical
linking of Mike's > Hydrogen > Weekapaug. Sauldude rubs his tummy & says,
"Mmm, Hydrogen." Mike snaps & funks up the intro to WEEKAPAUG GROOVE.
Things are rocking along at an average-for-1997 pace, until Trey looks --
no, glares -- at Fishman, & starts speeding up. Suddenly, Fish catches
on,
as do Mike & Page, and it is almost as if they say, "Oh, I get it ;-)"
This Weekapaug starts to smoke as quickly as a Carlton 100, & before
sauldude knows it, it is SO DAMN FAST, that he's not quite sure what to
do! (!) Weekapaug screeches to a halt, after a Stones "Can't You Hear Me
Knockin'" jam. Score 9 for sauldude.
At the end of Round Two: Sauldude: 9; Vega$: 6.
What better way to follow up that STUPENDOUS set (yes, even with the
Prince Poopy & the Bouncin), than to jam the shit out of LOVING CUP!!!
Score 10 for sauldude. What a beautiful buzz...
One may think that the bout between sauldude & Vega$ is all over now, but
there is one more matter to be seen: Can sauldude get out of Vega$ without
losing all his money. The answer: Of course! (But only because sauldude
can't afford to lose money).
In the end, sauldude won, largely because of a death-defying, high-flying,
Mike's Groove.
Oh, and Las Vega$, don't forget: next time PHiSH is in town, sauldude will
be there!
(Hope you all enjoyed. Please cc me comments at
, or <[email protected]> if responding
afterNov.23rd.)
Saul E. Wertheimer -- [email protected] -- (847)674-1445 "Any
damn fool can make things complicated. It takes a genius to keep it
simple."
- Pete Seeger, paying homage to Woody Guthrie
------------------------------