9-22-99 -- Pan American Center, Las Cruces, New Mexico

Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1999 15:36:07 EDT
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: 9/22/99 Las Cruces Show

This, my friends, is what it's all about.
     Many folks straggled west from the Cali leg of this tour and all who
made it past the dead zone that was the Tucson show were justly rewarded.
Ever since my friends and I drove right past SLCity after Halloween on the
way back home to Montana, I have been kicking myself.  After a handful of
kickass shows evenly divided between indoor and outdoor venues, I was just
beginning to catch on.
     This show reawoke the Huck Finn within, the circus was the place for
me I realized.  It has been a long hot dry summer and it was good to be
back.
     Anticipation was high amongst the phollowing phaithful in the lot
regarding this show.  After picking up willcall tix, I stopped and
realized I could hear the soundcheck through the arena walls.  Trey was
really exploring Dirt and a beautific smile spread like warm butter across
all who heard it. Then there was reports of a spaceship hovering above the
lot.  No doubt twas the mothership communicating with Mike, who was
lounging comfortably on his cart right outside the gate.  A half hour
before the show, he was chilling and talking with like five people.  The
word is intimate, folks.
     Onto the floor I went.  Minimal security, all college kids, I kept
rapping with 'em about the show and most really enjoyed themselves.  When
the boys came out and opened up with 2001, I knew that it all was worth
it, the long road to this show.  Trey was firing sonic lasers into the
crowd from the start, wielding his Languedoc like the light-saber of sound
it is. Literally, he was pointing it into each section and firing riffs.  
Mad craziness.  Then he was goofing with the upper levels on his side as
the spotlight shone solidly in their eyes.  Most of em looked a mite
confused, but on the floor, on the floor my friends all was phlowing.
  Then the mighty chords of Chalkdust shook the half empty arena to the
core.
 There were maybe 8000 pholks there, mainly heads with some random
passerby's sprinkled throughout, recieving the initiation royal treatment.  
The stage was right in the middle of the floor, so a fat half was open,
and as the lights went down, there was no one in the third tier.  
Amazing!!!
   When Trey bent into the opening notes of Papyrus, I knew I was onto
something.  Five years ago I first really started listening to Phish when
they came to the University of Montana and put on an amazing show
(10/8/95, had a geology test the next day :) ) and this song was the theme
for one of our dorm adventures.  As it rolled, I realized that with that
opening and this tune, I was already satisfied with the show.  They could
wave and walk off and I would be ecstatic.  Then I realized that it was
the FIRST SET and I was almost moved to tears.  It's been a long summer.
    The energy level was so much higher and in sync tonight than the
previous Tucson show, illustrated by the emphatic dance kicks Trey and
Mike busted out on Papyrus.  Tucson, everyone was all fucked up and off
beat.  Methinks the boys felt they had to prove to Leftover that they
could still party down with the youngsters and the show suffered.  Not
tonight however.  Trey was in fine spirits and the new tonal sound of
Phish was in the house.  The next three songs were good rockers, Axilla,
MMGMOf its own and Beauty of my Dreams brought the New Mexico Aggies back
to reality and then Bathtub Gin hit.
     This is one of my favorites due to them opening up with it 8/3/97 at
the Gorge, one of my more precious memories.  That place was HOT and
stinky and my friend in the upper rows of NMex said Las Cruces brought the
funk. They really explored some interesting space in this song, which
reflected the whole show.  When the band would play one of their old
favorites, at the jam Trey would just calmly take a left into the
stratosphere and we, guided by the Kuroda lights, would eagerly follow.
     A deep Gin into a seriously mind left jam sequence for myself.  No
comment. Waste brought me back to myself and I began to pick up on the
messagery and theme for the show.  The boys were headed back east and many
of the west coast faithful were making this their last show.  Thanks
y'all.
    Set Break.   Big Smiles, much hubbub. I met a girl attending NMSU from
London, who recommends the British band Gomez to all heads, and these two
dudes from France and Germany.  A Phish show is a magic happening.
    I was trying to decide on sticking with the floor or moving up, as I
saw many doing, to check the lights in the tight space.  When the lights
dropped I was on the second tier and roamed about through Gotta Jiboo,
which is a totally sick new song.  I think this next album is going to be
amazing, based on the versions of the new songs I have heard from this
fall tour.  Man, my phellow phans, we have it good.
   Alas, the tweeters were pointed at the floor and as the loop which
signaled the story of the GHOST began, I slid down three flights to the
floor.   Just in time...
    Tangent:  A tease of Ghost was thrown out at the Tucson show and this
kids up front raised a teepee of sticks with a small white ghost atop.
Very nice pholks.
    After the Las Vegas third set Halloween experience, this is one of my
favorite songs.  This version was not quite that legendary but very very
strong.  There was a brief tease of Mike's in the middle as a few light
sticks bounced on the crowd, but unfortunately everyone must have been out
after Cali.  It smoothly slipped out of hyperdrive into Taste, another
footnote for the departing tour heads.  A beautiful incendiary version
which brought us to land on NMexican soil after a bit.
    Brian and Robert was very nice, along the theme of goodbye's.  A song
for the spun.  Watch yourself out there kids, the aftershocks can be
tough.
    Then the Mike's hit.
  Tangent: Mr. Kuroda was spellbinding both nights and, in fact, almost
singlehandedly saved the night in Tucson with his display during the rough
and tumble Antelope.  Thank you Chris.  In NMex, he brought us into the
realm of Phish and by this point in the show, all was one and the same.  
The room was alive and fully interfaced with the band down to the very
molecules of dust floating in the ambient lights at the end of B+R.  When
Mike's hit, everyone was lifted up by their bootstraps and firmly placed
on Planet Phish.
 Y'all maybe leaving but the show will go on...
   I could not believe they gave us this song too.  Then a Simple
acknowledgement of their good life status smoothly into a beautiful
Trainsong, which drew a roar from the continuing phans.  A beat then into
Weekapaug.  Trey appeared kind of tired but threw himself into it, for the
good of all.
   Much hugging and smiles and a few tears from all after the boys left
the second set.  We knew that by coming this far, we had been justly
rewarded.
   However, much still awaited down the road, because Texas was on the
horizon.  As Mike said, " They got a lotta nice girls down there."
     Good luck all, I'll see you back east in December and onto Big
Cypress!!! "And I turned my back to the sun, and lit out for the
territories..." The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain


Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 03:26:17 -0700
From: Amanda Snider [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: las cruces review

talk about a small show! there couldn't have been more than 4000 inside,
which basically packed the arena since they had only half open. killer
vibes again like tucson due to the small show anticipation (can't hardly
help it after salt lake last year!), and as usual the boys delivered.
where the tucson show visited many untraveled jams (las cruces did also
but not as often...see bathtub, taste, and mikes) this show was straight
funk party 2000 (plus a little bluegrass)!!!

2001-> right off the bat kuroda and the boys turned this little arena
into a big funkfest spaceship...george clinton an bootsie would be
proud! this 2001 lasted a good while, the whole place was shakin' its
collective bootie. tearing into the chalkdust they blew the roof off!
the 2001 built and built and built and then the chalkdust exploded. this
was a great combo to start the party. let me tell you...me and my
friends were about 15 feet straight out from trey, and he had the most
shit-eatinest grin i have ever seen all through the first two tunes. he
was having an absolute blast playing to this small of a crowd. the crowd
was small enough (on our side of the arean anyway) that everyone seemed
to  be feeding off of trey's big ass smile, or vice-versa i guess! you
could see a similar smile on page!! anyway it was nice being that close
and not getting super crammed, ala msg, vegas, etc. guelah switched
gears nicely and was a super tight gem, crowd was still reelin'. axilla,
as always, ripped shit up and kept the energy level way up there. killer
trey solos with giant trey grin still kickin'! another shift of the
phish gears into my mind and beauty...the floor turned into a good old
ho-down, goodtimes! now into more of the real deal with an unexpected
bathtub, similar placement as 11.29.96i but much better results. amazing
jam that went all over but there always seemed to be just a little hint
of bathtub in there somewhere, very cool teamwork by the boys here. mike
begins to take charge like he was in tucson with real solid thumpin'!
treys grin segues into intense concentration. free thought and sand are
both serious keepers. mike and trey continue to tear the little arena
up, page starts to funk it up again (since 2001), and the machine
(fishman!!!!) never lets up. again the whole place was groovin' everyone
was lovin the new stuff! treys grin reappears during free thought...this
song put a serious groovin/tribal vibe in the air. waste was a new one
for a set closer for me and no complaints here although it is not a
personal fav. smokin' first set...

jiboo, ghost-> taste picked up where bathtub, free thought, and sand
left off...but with even more energy and solid groovin'. jiboo is the
shit...i can't get this song out of my mind (and i don't want to!). mike
and fish were laying down the fattest rhythms with mostly trey and some
page just funkin' it up on top. this song has so much potential...page
could hit the clavinet some more here...and its already opening up
second sets, hell yeah!! ghost slithered in with a funky vengence as the
spaceship reappeared...not a real long ghost but packed  full of of mike
funk bombs and finally some page funk work on the clavinet...good shit!
this moved into the best taste i personally have seen, not saying it was
the best ever (could be though!) but it was phenomenal. builds and peaks
and space and then some more building and peaking...amazing all band
team jamming, this is a must hear. brought the crowd to amazing highs of
energy...trey and page grinin' again as the crowd roared at the end of
taste. brain & robert...uhhhh? mikes started up and the crowd and band
regained the energy built in the first three tunes of the set. the funk
returns throughout the strong jam in mikes...overall raging and
powerful...smokin' jam, they just couldn't help flowing into simple, it
just sounds so right...its like scarlet->fire! the crowd/band enjoyment
level was so high!! not a huge jam out of simple (that i can remember?)
but maintaining the tight solid feel. good spot for trainsong (although
i was wanting a cities or sneakin' so so badly!!) that mike definately
earned over the past two nights with his bomb-o-matic bass in high gear.
weekapaug came thundering in after a kind of odd stop after trainsong,
there seemed to be some confusion over whether to play something else or
go ahead into weekapaug. gordo made the decision and started slappin'
happy and weekapaug was off and running. fiery as always and a great
ending to the set (although i was still ready for more!)  la grange was
a great treat i haven't heard since 11.30.96, awesome kick down! another
rockin set that could have used another song before or after weekapaug
and something after a fairly short la grange (how about a little halleys
huh?!) but no complaints though, as i was just happy to be there! not a
legendary show but a great one (2001->chalkdust, guelah, axilla,
bathtub, free thought, sand, JIBOO!, ghost->taste, mikes's simple
groove, la grange!!!!) your gonna want on tape/disk!

gotta jiboo...gotta jiboo...gotta jiboo, buck

ps-> anyone that could possibly accept a b&p for cdr's of this and/or
tucson would be unbelievably greatly appreciated. just got a burner but
nothing to trade yet, lookin for little help from some
friends!

 
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 15:17:26 -0700 (PDT)
From: Ned Lindner [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: 9/22
 
                                                        9/24
        It's been awhile since my last show(NYE '98 @Garden), though I did
catch the Trey Fillmore show last May, so it was really cool to check out
how the new songs are progressing. Anyway, having moved to Taos last
march, The chance to catch them in sunny and beautiful New Mexico was too
much.
        Brought along a super old phan who hasn't seen them since he went
to school with them @ UVM. Gorgeous drive, with spectacular panoramas of
the mountain sides and huge puffy clouds. Super tiny show, there were
almost as many kidz as cops. Heard that Arizona was small too, but easily
the smallest show I've seen. About 2/3 of the arena was blocked off, and
the energy was high.
        Before showtime, we were hanging in front of the venue talking to
Mike, as a breathtaking N.M. sunset took place, and way up in the sky,
there was a large white shiny object hovering over the area. We pointed
this out to Mike, as we all made our guesses as to what it was. Us New
Mexicans are used to seeing all sorts of strange things in the sky, but
this was a sign, and then we got hooked with a super awesome 2001 opener!
        This felt like a night of obscure song choices and placements.
Amazing Gin, truely a major highlight, Free thought and Sand were great. I
've never heard them end a set with such a mellow song, so we knew the
goods were being saved for 2nd set.
        I've heard that the lights are getting even better, but Chris was
blowing our minds all night.
        The Jibbo, Ghost>taste sequence is must hear, Mike's(raged!),
Weekapaug, even La Grange blew my mind! The energy was really flowing, the
venue was kind, and the band was on. Page needs to get turned up though.
        The ski season is about to start, so we knew this was a our last
show for a long time, and the band delivered. The phan who hadn't seen
them in ten years, said it was still Phish, but with everything cranked
out of control, and he's not waiting another ten years to see them again!
Have phun all you eastcoasters, this is your year. This is our year for
the Powder, ha ha ha!
                Peace,
                        Ned

Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 12:52:29 -0600
From: Abduhl 
To: [email protected]
Subject: Las Cruces

Hola,
 Having to borrow someone else's email 'cause my modem got fried last
Santa Fe lightning storm.
 Good to have the boys in New Mexico.  It's been since 1995.  Too bad
the Taos rumour didn't pan out.  I'd save a lot of money if they'd make
a two or three night stop around here every tour. ;)
 Anyway...Las Cruces.  Small venue!  Hadn't seen 'em in this size venue
since the Salem Armory 11/94. Motels convieniently across the street, so
didn't have to drive after the show.  Just a liesurely stroll from the
parking lot.  That shit matters when you're in your thirties.  You just
wait all you 19 year old tour heads.
 2001 is always a fun opener.  Let's you know it's gonna be a boomin'
show.  Dug the Chalkdust, even though the opening chords have sounded a
little "overprocessed" the last few tours.  Too much reverb/delay o
something.  I know, I'm being much too picky here, but maybe Trey will
read this (yeah right) an unmuddy it.  Guelah is always a treat.  I love
watching Trey and Page trade the trippy lines of the fugue section.
:)   Axilla rocked as usual, but without the ending part.  What gives?
I'm usually hanging on (FOR DEAR LIFE) for that part of the song.  Good
Ole My Mind's.  Nothing like knee-high bluegrass dancing after Axilla.
One area of the floor turned into a barn room dance.  I did want to go
somewhere else besides more bluegrass afterwards, but we got Beauty of
My Dreams.  That's a set list no-no in my book.  Oh well.  More knee
slapping.  But then, the treat of the night.  Bathtub Gin.  The jam got
into "anthem-like" highs.  It was really sweet.  The band peaked.  Get
this tape, lie back, and enjoy the ride...  First time I've heard/seen
Free Thought.  It was fun.  Got everyone around me dancing.  Appropriate
latin groove for beautiful New Mexico.  Sand was definitely a gear
change.  Enjoyable.  Funky butt street groove.  I got lost in the jam at
the end.  It made Waste kinda serve as a reality check.  I was hoping
for something a little more etherial, like Billy Breathes, but you take
what you can get in this neck of the woods.

It was such a treat to see them in a small venue, but there are the
drawbacks.  They don't have the bathroom thing down at the Pan Am
Center.  They need to consult with the boys who constructed Deer Creek.
And what's with the water bottles?  You couldn't have the bottle of
water you just bought, you had to walk away with a giant cup spilling
all over yourself.  Not cool when heading back to the floor with
everyone bouncing off the walls.  Or maybe it was just me.

Second set.  What a good time.  Yee-ha!  Gotta Jiboo was a blast.  Keep
'em comming Trey.  Ghost -> Taste was amazing.  Special for me, 'cause
Taste has been elusive for me this past two years.  Hadn't seen it since
12/30/97 MSG.  Brian and Robert is Brian and Robert.  It's one of those
tunes where you stop and notice the security guard standing off to your
right, who's got some kind of airtraffic controller headset on, looking
at you trying to figure out why you danced your ass off during Taste. 
Duh-Oh!  I do dig the tune when I'm driving around the New Mexico Desert
though.  Mike's -> Simple was a lot of fun.  I have these flash memories
of Train Song.  It was nice and soothing.  Then boogied pretty hard with
Weekapaug.  La Grange was a hoot of an encore.  Especially this close to
Texas.

Good time had.  Can you book them here again next year Mr Sands?  And a
few points around Taos (Angel Fire) and Santa Fe.

Lots of good stuff to see nearby the next day.  Went to Dripping
Springs, saw a giant rainbow form over White Sands, went down into
Carlsbad Caverns, and watched a 1/2 million bats fly out of the ground
at sunset with the giant orange "almost full" moon rising behind them.

later,
-abduhl

Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 13:54:01 +0430
From: CFP Front Desk [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: review Las Cruces
 
Arrived late so couldn't really comment on the lot scene.
 
Set 1: 2001 opener!!!!!! You know you're in to something special- as usual
they went into some deep space exploration.
The Chalkdust that followed nearly blew the ceiling off this tiny
gymnasium- it ripped. Guelah Papyrus was a pleasant surprise,
an oldie but goodie. It reminded me of the old theatre days. The Bathtub
Gin a few songs later had one of the most beautifully orchestrated jams
I've heard in a while. It wasn't core rockin and rollin, but just sublime.
I liked the fact that they melted back into
the Gin riff.
 
Set 2: The Ghost>Taste was silky. Ghost was great, although not as long as
I would have liked, but the Taste was the goods,
peak after peak after peak. BOMB!!!! The Mike's sandwich was par, which
means really good. It had some really hot
moments, but the ensuing Simple>Trainsong  slowed things down too much.
Weekapaug lifted the whole place up again and it
seemed like the entire venue was spinning.
 
Encore: La Grange.......kick down. Thanks boys.  First one I've seen since
12/29/95. It wasn't particularly long, but super tight jamming. A huh,
huh,huh,huh
 
See y'all at NYE 2000--------BEYOND 2000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1999 22:09:40 +0000
From: Brigitte Jaenkel [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Las Cruces NM show
 
Disappointed that there are no other reviews for this show , which was
so excellent, beautiful great vibes and music and above all the greatest
Light Show of all times by CK5,
the band seemed very excited being in  a smaller venue and the NM crowd
was very much into the band - a most wonderful experience - especially
with the opener of 2001 destined for NM.....Thank you PHISH - you were
greatly appreciated - one of the best shows....
Roy

From: Temp [email protected]
To: "'[email protected]'" [email protected]
Subject: Las Cruces comments
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1999 14:40:55 -0700

Just wanted to say a few things about the last couple of shows.  I am moving
a little slow after having to drive back to Phoenix after the show and be at
work.  But the two show trip was worth every mile.  Both drives, to Tuscon
and Las Cruces were very sick.  Beautiful skies and lil fluffy clouds.
Tuscon was a great gig(see reviews on size and weather!) till the parking
lot scene after the show which was really weak and put a terrible cloud over
a wonderful venue.  I guess a kid had been laying downing some weak deals at
the last couple of shows and violence seemed to be the only justice in a few
people's mind.  Anyway, the guy was messed up and then came the fuzz.  And
it was intense.  At first it was just some cop cars with their lights.  We
had decided to stay and camp in the lot, which had been pre-approved and ok.
But when this helicopter showed up with the huge spotlight we knew something
else must be going down.  So at about 2 or 3 in the morning we were booted
from the lot by uniformed officers.  All in all a terrible ending to what
almost was a great night.  So with no choice, we hopped on the road and
headed to Las Cruces.  We only made it about 20 miles, none of us had
planned on driving.  So slept in some parking lot. Arrived in Las Cruces
about 1:30, hit the store and then to the lots.  A insignificant highlight
of the two shows was the price for parking.  Free in Tuscon and only 2
bucksin Cruces.  The lot was unbelievably full of heat! Cops were every
where and about 8 feds showed up around 5-5:30!  We couldn't believe the
hype, everyone in the lot was trying to have a good time but cops were
rolling around like everytime you'd turn your head.  They had golf carts,
4-wheelers, motorcyles and a healthy army of squad cars.  We headed inside
expecting to have to go through a gauntlet of police.  But, just like
Tuscon, the event staff at both venues were incredibly friendly and
considerate, and I know the enjoyed the cool vibes.  The concert was at the
New Mexico State campus.  Just imagine phish playing in your highschool gym.
It was so amazing, so small and intimate and the lights were out of this
world!  2001 started the show with great interaction of the band.  They
seemed to really enjoy the size and atmosphere of the venue.  And the energy
from the crowd was absolutely unreal.  The night still seemed to have a
weird vibe that had been brought in from outside by all the police.  This
one kid tried to either rush the floor or the front entrance and got
pummeled by the cops.  Excessive force?  I mean they really beat the sh*t
out of this poor kid, who do not deserve to go to the hospital cause of some
badge and egos. Just a long freakin ride home but so grateful to Jay for the
tix and drew and ange for the good times. Paz, lars


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