Phish in Vermont, hmm? Well this was a considerably different vibe than the last time Phish played in their home state. The last time this Canadian (who lives about two hours away) went to see Phish in Vermont it took about 30 hours to get there. The crowds were so big the boys were but a blip on a screen, and the sound left quite a bit to be desired. On this beautiful September afternoon we rolled in to the quaint little lot within two hours of departure time, grabbed a beer, and couldn't believe how intimate this show was going to be.

I had an inkling that setlist-wise the band might pull out a greatest-hits style show for the local crowd, and in some sense that materialized. But as usual with this band, if you judge by the cover you'll likely to miss a few things. So that said, don't miss this:

The Carini>Down with Disease pairing was 25 minutes of off the hook Phish. Towards the end of summer the band pulled out a few jams that likened back to some of their slightly ambient but nevertheless driving millennial grooves, and funky dance action. Mike was on fire all night, and when Trey locked in for the early part of the second set, they were off and running. Hear this pairing, please.

The Bathtub, Wolfman's and yes, the jazzzzzy Julius all had lots to like in the first set as well. Although Gin has seen its jam take a more straight-ahead trajectory in the 3.0 years, this one was no basic tension and release wankfest. It built to some pretty satisfactory peaks and begs re-listens, particularly for its groovy and locked in Mike/Fish foundation. The Wolfmans was built on similar if less incendiary ground, and hinted at what was to come in set two, with Mike and Trey kind of wrestling over the melodic direction of the jam. But it was the Julius, oddly enough, where they found initial resolution. Maybe channeling the late 80s Vermont jazz-quartet days, the band chilled out in the Julius jam instead of going off, and laid down a really slick patient little jam that built back up to the blues finale. No complaints there, either.

The execution of the Slave coming off of the Carini>Disease combo was pretty poignant. Trey put a lot of emotion into the build and the solo and hit some incredibly rewarding notes. One of the better versions in recent memory to be sure. This was the case for most of the night, actually, with extra mustard on a lot of songs. The second set didn't really pick back up post Slave, jam-wise, with the Rock n Roll and Twist both more or less staying in the box. But it didn't matter much at that point. I got my money's worth, and what's more is that it went to a seriously noble cause.

Phish blew off some long-time-coming steam last night in Vermont. We rolled out as smoothly as we rolled in, and I was in my bed in Montreal, limbs well danced, well before 2am. Nothing wrong with that.

Wasnt at this show but was listening to the soundcheck earlier today and its just about unmistakable to hear Fuego after the Peaches and Canonball - so 3 years prior to the album being cut Mike is toying around with this bassline already - any other sightings? Check out 33:09 http://youtu.be/rzpseAli9GQ?t=30m9s

"Character Zero is what it is"

Have to disagree here. One of the skronkiest, atonal, harrowing Zero jams I've ever heard. It was like they were trying to walk a tight-rope to see how far they could push the song's structure without the people who weren't paying attention noticing. While Trey is typically 'on fire' during his Zero solo, this version was more like 'spewing magma into a packed schoolbus'

I get goose bumps when I think of this show....It has me in a state of euphoria to this day....I was listening to it on my train ride home today and reminiscing. I spoke to so many old fans that hadn't seen them in a long time and seemed appreciative that they made it easy to see a show because they had been getting curious about seeing the band again (heard this story at least 3 different groups pre-show)...Moma Dance was so fun and funky..NICU may have been played perfectly by Trey I hear a guy behind me say it and I agree after the relisten...Funky Bitch my show buddy asked for before the show and he got and they ripped it as always...Sample is where it got special for me as this song is typically on my skip list don't really like it that much but I'll never skip this one it was heart felt strong and moved me, didn't know it could be that good...Love Cavern and it was a fun placement for it....Bathtub was sick, amazing jam and I think it's of my favorite of the year (yes i was at bethel)....Alaska, I noticed the amazing vibe of the crowd and had one of the older guys I met before say to me with the biggest smile I've ever seen and said "Damn! They are so much better than when I used to see them" Made me feel good for him and myself I took out my Jameson and swigged it offered him he refused and his wife turned around said I want some! and took a nice swig! Really enjoyed this Alaska it just felt right....Possum was another ripper and Trey really loved doing this possum, at least thats how i saw it, Mike sang with emotion....Wolfmans Brother was amazing, they really are crushing that song this year I was there for charlotte too and that was another, excellent excellent version a must listen imo....Julius, wow energy and love is all I felt during this, that and my feet zappin up the ground as I danced a hole in my spot....

On to the next set...I moved over further rage side and a bit further up and met some new friends who were all raging. Me and my boy were stoked with the energy from the first set but the people I found second set were loving the music and really appreciating the show and generally showing mad love basically including me in their group and I did the same in return of course sharing all the party favors we had...

I loved hearing Treys intro, there's something about the way he presents himself in regular conversation thats like geeky and shy but sincere and grateful and I enjoyed hearing he was looking around for those he remembered from the past and then came Carini to come and lump me in my head, so strong and fun and aggressive....Disease which I called mid Carini so of course that put a smile on my face and I was dancing on a lawn so it was appropriate and always fun I felt really connected with the boys and.......called the Slave on first note and my new group got stoked they were younger newer fans who seemed to be learning the music, Slave was euphoric and well played.....Rock and Roll! right on time after the serene Slave, Trey really started hitting me with some serious big notes and a bit of a whale call sound and a feedback smack too haha fun dance-athon....Twist kept the dancing coming and Trey did some fun effects on the bew! sound...

Backwards Down The Number Line deserves an entire paragraph to itself. The new friends I met really loved this song they joined arms and started singing and I was touched and I think for the first time I really GOT IT. It was a click moment, I've always like this song as I'm a fan of a lot of the cheesier songs but man this song got to me, I get huge goose bumps anytime I give it a relisten or even think about it, just a beautiful song at the right time in the right place sung with real heart and soul.....Needless to say Theme From the Bottom which is a fave of mine was Pages house, he sang it amazingly well especially the first chorus, everyone really got into this around me too never seen people groove so hard to Theme....Character Zero is what it is Trey loves it and he played his heart out....Loving Cup was appropriate lyrically and played very well but I wanted a monster Encore and after Zero it was a bit of a let down finish to be honest...I wanted Antelope or Hood something old school composed and rocking but alas

So I gave the show a 5 out of 5 stars though it may not actually deserve it....but hey it was for charity so I thought I'd give a charitable rating probably more like 3.5 with an asterisk for the environment and mood and emotion making it something really really special to be a part of...

pelswick said, "The only thing that has bugged me this tour was that alot of the shows started the second set with down with diease. Its not a bad song its just needs a change in place."

I agree...Phish should totally open more 1st sets w/ DWD!!!

This show was fantastic. I got to watched the web stream and thought the band was playing from the heart. Funky Bitch had a great groovin going. The highlight from the first set for me was Wolfman's Brother. The jam at the end was killer. The only thing that has bugged me this tour was that alot of the shows started the second set with down with diease. Its not a bad song its just needs a change in place. So what a better way to start the second set with carini > dwd. Overall great show and def worth a download and the money goes to charity

This show was way more than a setlist. It was a pilgrimage where phans got to serve a good cause while getting a bonus Phish show in the beautiful state of Vermont (aka home turf).

The parking lot scene and local roads were very convenient for a small town hosting big-time Phish. With the stage right in the middle of the entire parking lot, everyone had a great spot for the AMAZING soundcheck.

Everyone at this show was extremely kind (except for one a$$hole who insisted on standing between me and my girlfriend because he supposedly got their first, but he really didn't). The governor spoke before the band came on stage and it felt like coach was hyping us up before we proverbially ran onto the field. We were all hyped, including Gordo.

The setlist was almost like a Greatest Hits album and didn't offer anything for interpretation but I feel that they executed the songs on this night better than any other show I can recall. NICU, Possum, Wolfmans, Julius, and Slave to the Traffic Light were my personal highlights and I don't normally say that about these songs.

Last but not least...CARINI! What a moment that was. The first thing I saw when I got into the venue was this awesome CARINI sign, I think of it as art more than a song request. Nonetheless, this place was rockin' for CARINI and that's where I'll end this review.

Almost forgot that the lady at the concession stand gave us three free sodas on the way out because we looked like we really needed some hydration (hmm, i wonder why...). But that was just another compassionate gesture in the chain of kindness that this event brought to the people of VT and the phans.

In the late summer of ’11 Vermont was among the states hit with major flooding, the worst the region had seen in almost a century. Good on the de facto hometown boys Phish to quickly organize a one-off flood benefit show just off the highway one exit north of Burlington on September 14th, 2011.

The showground was a field and not much else, perhaps there were some aluminum bleachers facing the stage but other than that nothing. I grabbed a handful of beers and found lots of standing room, off to stage right (Page side).

While I remain a bit of a poster geek this was early in my geekery stage and lingering in the lot before the show had caused me to miss out on the poster. They had also given copies of the poster to people with VIP tickets, so I took on a strategy of finding a VIP who wasn’t interested in their free poster and would they please sell it to me for $50?

As the beers flowed and the tunes rocked I asked more and more people to sell me their posters. Or so I thought. It turns out I was just basically asking the same dude to sell me his poster over and over again, thinking he was different people. He eventually made himself memorable to me at which point I gave up my poster hunt and turned my attention to the show.

By then it might have been too late for me, except Phish just tore from one rocker to another in a fist-pumping free-for-all with Carini, DWD, Rock and Roll, Slave, Twist, Suzie Greenberg, and more, and with a hands-in-the-air Loving Cup encore, well I was just a little bundle of poster-free rage cage. There was no reggae, no barbershop, no freaky vocal jams, no country twang, just a bunch of three-chord blazers in a straight-up rock and roll show, start to finish. The highlight of the somewhat highlightless show was Character Zero. The band really drove it for the distance and Trey raged.

The wook-stack at the hotel after the show had curious bedfellows. There was a bass tourney going on nearby and the place was packed with fishermen. So some were there for the fish while the rest of us were there for the Phish, though I suppose we were all into the bass. The continental breakfast started at 4am when nobody in the building was asleep (yet or still).

You’re welcome Vermont, for all the help.

http://www.toddmanout.com

When I heard this show was happening in near by Essex Junction and that my friends happened to be making the trip to Burlington to get tickets I had to go. When we finally arrived the Phish in Vermont vibe was unreal. Everyone was genuinely excited for the show! Shumlin gave a nice speech at the beginning of the show and it set the tone for the shows atmosphere. When they came out and those first bends of Chalkdust sounded the place went wild! It was certainly par but the enviornment made it pretty crazy. Momma into NICU was certainly a highlight and the jam of NICU was pretty ridiculous with Trey taking the spotlight. Funky Bitch and Sample were certainly just what I expected, decent with a few jems in the jams. Cavern into Gin was also made much better by the crazy Phans in the crowd and Gins jam was to say the least interesting. Alaska into Possum was more or less a low point with Possum lacking energy from the band and from the crowd. Then came the redeeming Wolfmans into Julius. Wolfmans was just as funky as I remember it and Julius was desimated by Big Red. The crowd was anxious as the first set ended. When Trey came out and introduced Carini the crowd went absolutely bananas! The people next to me had a Carini sign and that song definatly made there night and everyone elses! The light show and spacey jam after this rendition of the infamous Carini were by far the best part of the night. During this song I had a moment of clarity and it came to me that I finally "got" Phish. This was by far the best song I'd ever heard them play. DWD was simply off the hook and took the energy from Carini and kept it going. Slave was a perfect choice for the next song and I noticed a lot of subtle grooving from Mike. Rock n Roll killed my buzz pretty hard and I was relieved when it transitioned into Twist. BDTNL was very fitting for the night and for the atmosphere of the show. There was a sense of being in it together when they played this and that is the magic of music, it brings people together. Theme was nice and Suzy wasn't quite as good as it was at my first show. Character Zero had an interesting jam and solo from Trey. When the encore began the crowd was buzzing with anticipation. When the first vocals came in for Loving Cup the crowd sort of bonded together in similar vibe to BDTNL. It was a fitting end to a night full of comradery and friendship. As my second show and the night where I finally got Phish it stands out in my mind as being one of my best concert expeiriences. Phish should definatly play Vermont more often!

The best thing i remember about this show is the especially intense and jubilant energy from the crowd when they screamed along, and We Love to take a bath!!! so fitting....so phish

Going up to see Phish in Vermont (my first time ever there) was unbelievable. Glad they played a jammed out Carini too.

Nasty soundcheck session yesterday taboot! Glad I got out of the way of Irene...pheelin' for the victims though...big ups to Phish! Always giving back!

Great vibe at this show but I thought the music was somewhat mailed in after Dick's the week before