Holy Winterqueen!

The Mule really got things moving (Page on candles), while the Gin had a nice ring to it as well. Can't tell by the set list but The Wedge CRUSHED. Comparable to the Light jam the night before and with an awesome Paradise City feel (Takin Care of Business anyone?).

To see Trey move back and forth between Ghost and Weekapaug was very cool. He wasn't even smiling about it. Straight Jedi.

MUST GO TO SUNDAY SHOWS. See ya in Merriweather.

https://medium.com @solargarlicband/the-closer-review-7-20-14-5983ff23aed4

The Closer: Review 7/20/14
A Spectacular End to a Three Night Run

Like Saturday night, Phish saved the highlights for the fourth quarter. But, unlike Saturday night (a) the first three quarters had enough substance to not overly pressure the fourth and (b) the fourth quarter highlights were even more spectacular and unexpected. When Phish busted into “Wedge” out of Mike’s, I won’t lie — I was utterly unenthused with the song selection. Not only was it the fourth “Wedge” of tour, but it came on the heels of an interesting but short lived and one dimensional DWD and yet another (fiery) in the box “Mike’s.” Of course, no one would have expected Phish to play a 15 minute jam on Wedge. But that jam brings up another interesting question — do we evaluate jams on their pure musical merits, or does the context or unexpectedness of their “song” attachment matter? After the show last night, all the talk was about “The Wedge,” but for sheer musical inventiveness, in my view, the “Ghost” was the highlight. But, how many extra points does the “Wedge” jam get for simply being unexpected? I don’t really have a good answer, but my main point is: don’t forget this “Ghost.” This song has been the undisputed (well, in my opinion anyway) MVP of Summer 2014, but this version is like none of the others.

It’s amazing how a simple rare opening song — “Gumbo” (first since 1998) — and a bustout in the third slot — the wonderful, “Tela” (damn you @LivePhish…damn you to hell) — can quickly reinvigorate the stale and repetitive first set juices. The “Gumbo” not only included the funk breakdown that it has had since Fall ’13, but also featured the standard (and recently abandoned) “ragtimey” (don’t look that up) piano outro. “Runaway Jim” is my favorite opener and the two slot is great too — this version was quiet and patient. A good sign for the night ahead (even if it didn’t build to a particularly raging peak). “Tela” was well played, even if Trey kind of flubbed the final melodic line of the song (of course that was the exact moment my stream kicked back on). “Scent of a Mule” was just weird — the three band members congregated around the drums while Fish played his Marimba Lumina. Page inexplicably held out candles at one point, as if to provide mood lighting for the ongoing insanity. I don’t expect this one has much replay value. The “Bathtub Gin” marks the second-in-a-row in the box set 1 version. As usual, this one featured a glorious peak, and a “Scent” tease taboot. A horseless “Silent in the Morning” and a standard rip-roaring “Maze” followed — a nice Rift combo. I will defend “Ocelot” to the end — once again this slow blues drone jam featured dynamic interplay between the members. This one was more “peaky” than usual; and was the first song where I began to notice that Trey was employing a particularly fierce rock tone this night (for the guitarists, a lot of ‘bridge’ pickup, snarling blues licks, and power chords). “Wall of the Cave” has really developed into an amazing closer. The jam just explodes with the combination of Trey shredding and the use of his loops (and echo-plex) to create a raging texture of sound. All and all, an enjoyable if imperfect first set (but definitely the best one since Cmac).

The ‘history’ written about the 2014 Chicago run hinged on what happened in set 2. And, it got off to an inauspicious start. While certainly not as frustrating as the rip corded “Carini” on Saturday, the opening DWD jam simply lacked “oomph.” Much like the “Light” Saturday, it sort of meandered along through different rhythmic grooves. To be sure it was enjoyable, but never really “went” anywhere that could build to anything substantial. The segue into “Winterqueen” was effective and you should all enjoy it while this song is still fresh. The outro jam felt longer and more spacious and interesting than normal. Next came “Mike’s Song” and, given its inability to ‘open up’ lately (meaning the last decade at least), I had the distinct feeling this set was headed in the similar underwhelming direction of CMAC, Pine Knob, and Chicago 2. No second jam again, but this was a fiery Mike’s. Again, Trey’s rock tone was really working to create really nasty licks and runs. When “Wedge” kicked in I was ready to hang it up on the set. Boy was I wrong. I commented in an earlier review about how the “Wedge” is really a dynamic groove based in Fish’s very complicated drumming pattern. Phish has been playing it looser in my view this tour — so maybe we should’ve seen this coming. All it took was Trey repeating a note over and over again to create a hypnotic space that forces the rest of the band “out” of the Wedge chords. Page picked up on it immediately and blast off. The first half of this jam was more rhythm-groove based ala the DWD. Once again, the settled on a two beat hit pattern that created a structured groove. Page seemed to be toying with some “Crosseyed” teases on the clav (to my ear anyway) and Trey was stabbing along on the rhythm guitar. Then Trey found that chord progression. It sounded like “Paradise City” (maybe if the Grateful Dead played it — to really be a tease I think Trey had to switch on the distortion and go all Slash up in it with anthemic strums), or some other classic rock song, but I’m pretty sure it was just a nice progression Trey came up with on the spot with no “tease” in mind. The progression built to the point where Trey finally erupted in melodic soloing over the changes (finding a chord progression on rhythm guitar and building it toward a melodic peak solo was a great tactic in 2013 jams). Maybe the coolest part was as the jam petered out, Trey kicked back into the “Wedge” ending without missing a beat. Not only a type ii “Wedge” but a finished version.

Everyone was clearly blown away by that, but what came next was even better. “Ghost” has been amazing this tour, but it has also been relatively formulaic. Funk/rock vamps->bliss major key jam peak->abstract fizzle->next song. It was the demonic circus funk outro jam that set apart the Randalls version (even if the previous part of the jam had the same formula). This one was altogether different, and (perhaps an overreaction but…) to my ear the most musically inventive and interesting jam since the 10/20/13 “Tweezer.” At first Trey found some more anthemic rock chords he was strumming along (these sounded more “G’n’R” than the Paradise City progression!), but he started punching one chord in odd rhythmic moments. This allowed the rest of the band to create a more abstract and dissonant sound around Trey’s repetitive one chord drone. Eventually he developed an evil and almost ska-like rhythm pattern with this one single chord. As Trey layered loops around this chord, Mike, Fish, and especially Page on the piano filled in this dark, dissonant groove with amazingly thick textures. This one chord jam just thickened deeper and deeper until, out of nowhere, we found ourselves in “Weeakpaug Groove” (the same segue as Mansfield). This was a particularly playful version. The Weekapaug jam often vacillates between soaring melodic D mixolydian and thick, high-tempo funk. When they were transitioning to the funk last night, Trey thought, why not just “call back” the Am Dorian funk groove of “Ghost”? A perfect ploy as D mixo and A dorian are in the same key family of G major. The jam quickly went back to the D melodic jam and even threw in an odd “Stash” tease (odd because the show did not include “Stash” — I would have expected “Fuego”). “First Tube” played the same role as 7/4/14 — a rocking exclamation point on a monumental set. The only glitch was the overplayed encore choice of “Character 0” — I guess there was no time for “YEM” (Is Trey scared to play this after the SPAC debacle?), but something else interesting would have been more welcome.

We shouldn’t declare a show to be good if its only redeeming quality is the “fourth quarter” (which is oddly what people seemed to say about Saturday). This night featured a wonderful bustout of “Tela” and epic Gin to anchor the First Set and a deep groove DWD to open set 2. That kept me (at least) satiated for the massive and totally unexpected finish. Again, everyone will talk about the “Wedge,” but the diversion of “Ghost” from its formula to create a truly unique improvisation was the musical highlight for me.

This is my first review for PhishNet, and as a writer (who teaches English to pay the bills), any objective or constructive feedback is always appreciated. Let me also state that I will try to remain objective as well. I will briefly mention that I am not crazy about NI as a venue, and strongly feel that the only reason ticket sales dipped at Deer Creek and Alpine in 2012 is because of LiveNation's stupid oversaturation of the Great Lakes region, thus leading to the current, growing movement to bring Phish back to the Creek and the Valley - I am confident that if LiveNation simply did the proper market research and the band returned to one or both of those venues for 1 or 2 nights, the sales would be there. The oversaturation occurs when LiveNation books Blossom, Riverbend, DTE, 2 nights at Klipsch, and 2 nights at Alpine - just trim it back a bit and spread the dates a little - am I alone in thinking this way? And I am somewhat bothered by the band's apparent willingness to acquiesce to the demands of the insidious LiveNation, especially with the history and affection that they have for the Creek and Alpine. But I digress.....

Floor or Grandstand is a must for NI - I feel very strongly that Phish and LiveNation are really screwing the fans in the so-called "lawn" - I was in it for the 3-setter last year, and it was the single worst "lawn" experience I have ever had, given that you could not even SEE THE STAGE! So I was essentially there LISTENING to a show, which I could have done from home. While I know the chances of the band seeing this review are remote, I do hope that fans are bringing these issues related to the last couple summer tours to their attention. So, like the night of the evacuation last year, I insisted on Floor seats and secured a solid spot Pageside about 45 minutes before they took the stage.

Given the complaints about the rotation this year, I wasn't sure what to expect and was pleasantly surprised to hear "Gumbo" open the show - solid, funky version with the old-school piano outro. "Runaway Jim" has never been my favorite so I was glad that they kept it pretty standard. When it was followed by "Tela" I was a bit confused - it seemed an odd choice for early in a show when the crowd wants to get the energy going. Why not "Lizards" instead? "The Line" is not my favorite cut off the new album by any means, but I was impressed with the live version - it has more punch than the studio recording, rocking just ever-so-slightly harder as it plugged along. While "Scent" had some quirky moments of band interplay (Page and the mood lighting), it fails to compare to the "Scent" from 1st night in Chicago last year. I was also a bit surprised that Fish did not explore the Marimba Lumina a bit more. "Gin" was fun, as always, and pretty standard, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one caught off guard by "Silent in the Morning," due to the conspicuous absence of "The Horse." However, it segued into a decent "Maze," making for a nice Rift couplet. The 1st set was rounded out by a very solid "Ocelot" that featured some pretty inspired playing from Trey during the climax. "Walls" was a nice choice to close it out, making for a very solid first set with a nice smattering of song variety.

I knew DWD would open the 2nd set; in some ways the band has become much more predictable the last couple years (I also called the "Zero" encore). Just as it began to aimlessly wander (Mike began playing in the higher registers and the groove was lost), Trey dropped in with the dreaded "ripchord" (new buzzword of Phish tours) to begin a terribly-placed "Winterqueen." I say terrible not because it (like "The Line") is not my favorite new song, but because, as with "Tela", why would you immediately dial back the energy as the 2nd set is just getting started? As confounding as this was, I didn't have long to consider it as "Theme from the Bottom" was played with an energy that indicated the band was getting down to business. At this point the crowd should have been warned to buckle their seat belts.

"Mike's" may have been "standard" in its structure, but this "Mike's" means business; it's a serious "Mike's", hitting hard during the climax and bringing the energy level right back up. "The Wedge" began innocently enough, but this "Wedge" would be taken for a ride. Unusual for a "Wedge"? Yes - but so what? This wasn't noodling, meandering, or aimless wandering. This "Wedge" explored some very bouncy landscapes, toying with "Type II" territory throughout, including a very joyful chord progression from Trey that evoked, to the ears of many, the chords of "Paradise City" - or "Steal My Kisses," depending on your ear. After bringing the jam back around to finish "The Wedge," the band went into "Ghost," which keeps getting better and more interesting since the weak version from early tour. This "Ghost" jammed into almost disco-territory, and I'm not ashamed to admit that, as I boogied, I couldn't help thinking of Giorgio Moroder, or John Travolta dancing to "You Should Be Dancing" (oh how I wish they would cover that song). The Disco Ghost found its way back to a more typical "Ghost" groove, and then "Weekapaug" completed the set and the Mike's Groove suite. Toward the end of this fun "Groove," the band stumbled onto the Disco Ghost himself, acknowledging his presence out there in the wind and rain, before finishing the song and set.

While the "Character Zero" encore may have been predictable, what's not to like about a rocking "Zero" encore? Too many people are way too picky about way too much when it comes to this rotation, repeat, and "bust-out" business. I often wonder if these people aren't sniping away from a comfortable spot on the "couch tour," which in the realm of Phish shows has become a bit of an Ivory Tower. What made the encore unique was Page's sincere, heartfelt gesture to the crowd - speaking on behalf of the band, Page thanked the fans for not only a wonderful 3 nights, but also for allowing them (the band) to do what they love for a living. It was unexpected, thoughtful, and completely genuine, and the Cheshire grin on Trey's face indicated that they all concurred with Page's gratitude.

To conclude, this show is very solid overall, with many moments in the 2nd set ("Wedge" and "Ghost" in particular) that should be labeled as "highly recommended." From a subjective standpoint, it will fall into my rather large "good show" category (towards the top end of that heap), with the 2nd set being right up there with the best moments of this tour (and of 3.0) so far - to give context, pretty much every show I've seen since they reunited has been "good" or better, though I still feel that the best show, opener-to-encore, that I've attended in the 3.0 era remains Blossom from 2011. That said, last night's show in Chicago demonstrates that Phish continues to be one of the best live acts in music.

Allow me to start by saying this show is why I make it out to shows and why this band remains so beloved in my heart. Advanced apologies for this personal ramble...

The band reminds me it's never too late to get your shit together. I mean this in a sense of being someone who had some measurable personal achievement young and went to a dark place in that time with loss and just letting some of it go to my head and partially from being young and thinking I was invincible. Maybe a touch arrogant and certainly not grateful enough for how things worked out. Then it all fell apart for a few years.

When Phish came back in 3.0 I was coming out of a tailspin myself. This Sunday show like their UIC 3 night run touched me in such a genuine heartfelt way that it reminded me with some years added on to my life that I was lucky for what I had, foolish for how I behaved at times, learned a lot from taking a dip in my life, and that no matter how badly things fall apart... It's NEVER EVER TOO LATE to get it back together.

The sense of happiness and joy I saw pouring out of this band who is clearly sound in mind, spirit, and body was a vibe you can't reproduce going through the motions. These guys mean it and they are playing with real love for what they do and it translates into how they are playing this kind of show today.

They nailed this show top to bottom. I mean to where Trey and the band knew they lit Chicago up something fierce and their body language and expression showed that joy, appreciation, and groove. It isn't often you see Trey playing and looking up then pumping his fist and laughing because of how damn on point he the boys from Vermont were playing.

Here's my review... Look at the setlist... Then download this show and listen to it. Those songs are just titles. The show is music that sets itself apart from the mere title of a song and became music without braces we call song titles. They made live jam music inside these things we call set lists with songs. (I hope that makes sense).

They also did this with an old school lengthy jam that had the mid 90's spacing to it with the 3.0 sharpness and precision. Add the great weather and much improved vocals with a band that means it. I mean is clearly happy to be there and so much so that it was so honestly contagious...

I couldn't help jumping for joy witnessing it. They really put a show together that my words can't quite capture so I won't get into the song by song beyond what I've expressed so far. What I can tell you is if you want to hear something that basically says, "Wisdom, time, appreciation, and pulling it all back together (with a realization of how lucky you are), and expressed thanks to their fanbase...

GET THIS SHOW. They express all of that in this one. I put this one up there with Alpine 98 and UIC 2011 Monday Night...

The double encore says it all. The audience which you should be able to hear says it all again. What a fun energetic and genuine show this was. That's all I can get into. I know it lacked specifics and spoke in terms of other emotives... You know what? I don't care because all I can say is this show made me jump for joy and can't be captured in the words I'd try to describe it with beyond it inspired me in many ways as a person and was fun.

THANK YOU PHISH! I'm glad you stuck it out and I'm glad many of your fans did too. I for one am happy I got to see this day happen for you because it started helping me feel like I could make a comeback in my lifetime too. Since that 2011 UIC run... I have.

HAPPY HAPPY PHAN!!!

Couch view...

Awesome show all around. The Wedge was brilliant! Love how Ghostapaug got all Ghosty in Weekapaug, what a cool thing this Ghostapauging has become. Did you hear how hard they were GHOSTAPAUGING?

I'm really against giving Mike's Song a > into The Wedge. It's really a segue for segue's sake kind of thing. Mike's kind of segued in Mansfield, that gets a pass for old time's sake, and also kind of in Clarkston. The Mike's in Philly and Chicago, definite no on both. I mean they stopped, the song ends there. No segue necessary.

"Segues used to mean something man."

And when you saw a set almost completely segued together it mean some real experimental shit, not a half-second break between songs.

Also, I loved Mike's Groove. I still love Mike's Groove. I'm not a huge fan of stopping the Groove until the Groove is over. If I were in Phish a rule would be: If you start Mike's Song, you're starting a Mike's Groove (even if there is no H20)- no stopping the grooving until we're all sharing in the Weekapaug grooving. The WEEKAPAUG GROOVING. MIKE STARTED A SUITE GROOVE MAN NOT A CIRCUS.

This show was ridiculous. Flat out ridiculous. As good as anyone can ask from the boys these days. One of those rare shows that started out great and just kept getting better and better throughout the night. The first set's song selection was pristine. Even songs in the second set like Winterqueen and Theme, which may look standard on paper, were played flawlessly and with gusto.

The Wedge through the end was tremendous, inspired jamming at its finest. Paradise City jam? Yep, got dat. Seamless, rocking Ghost and Stash teases? Yep, got dos. Trey was a man possessed during the Weekapaug and First Tube.

So jealous I could only watch it on webcast. The crowd seemed super into it. Show of the tour thus far? I haven't heard them all yet, but if anything tops it I need to hear it. Download this show and put it on repeat. You won't be disappointed.

Set 1: One of the better first sets of the tour, nicely balanced between big rockers (the set-ending WOTC, a fierce-as-usual Maze) and relaxed tunes (Ocelot, which is Ocelot, and a never-unwelcome Tela). The set peaks in the middle, first with a crazed Mule that combines the wacky Marimba Lumina antics of the 7/14/13 version with the rhythmic goofiness of the 8/5/13 version before giving way to the band bellowing away into their mics and a fine finish, then a Type I "Classic Gin" Gin that verrrrrry nearly goes Type II when Page drops into a minor key near the end, only to be sadly ignored (still a fine version, though). Certainly worth a listen before the main event.

Set 2: A pearl of a second set, easily a contender for the best of the tour (which has had some really nifty second sets even *outside* the 7/13 mega-set). Mike Hamad on Twitter (aka the man behind those Phish maps that are insanely cool to look at even if you don't have the slightest idea how musical notation works) noted that the set-opening Disease made a move from the key of A to G, which it usually doesn't; that makes sense when you consider the direction this DWD goes, heading for bright spaces not unlike, well, Gin and bursting into a really pretty groove, Trey busting out some sharp chords, Fish holding things down fantastically well. I *guess* you could argue it "goes nowhere", although I'm never really sure why that's a bad thing, as though something this beautiful absolutely needs to dissolve into space or dive into darkness or reprise DWD 12/29/13 style to be worth listening to. I could have sworn I heard a Linus and Lucy tease in there, as well, which is all the more reason to like this Disease.

Winterqueen (in its now-usual jam landing pad spot) and Theme come next (more on that in a second), then things really take a turn. The band fires up Mike's, and it's a typical nice 3.0 Mike's (I mean, yeah, second jam, sure, but have you ever been listening to a 3.0 Mike's and been like "man, I sure am sad I'm listening to Mike's Song?"), then in comes The Wedge, and it's every bit as good as you've heard, dancing from a light Page-driven melodic jam to something sharper and funkier (always a good sign when the woodblock comes into play) to a more muscular driving jam (as Mike goes to the meatball effect) to the already-famous Paradise City/Roll With The Changes clavinet-and-guitar-god hose segment with head-shaking ease. It's not as purely adventurous as some of the other big-time 2014 jams, but it's ridiculous ass-shaking fun from start to finish, the modern equivalent of the 12/3/97 Drowned, and all the better for opening up a previously "closed" song.

And then, rather than take a break from jamming before going into Paug, the band launches into one of 3.0's best Ghosts. I wrote about it in the jam chart entry, so I won't go into it here; suffice to say that it condenses the best of 2.0's jamming style without indulging in the worst of 2.0's jamming style, making for a unique and exciting jam. Weekapaug enters out of the jam's end in yet another great Ghost -> Paug segue, and this time we get one more very nice piece of business as the band slides into a Ghost jam just as neat as you please (I still think it's Ghost -> Paug -> Ghost Jam -> Paug, darn it!), makes way for a surprising Stash tease, and nicely closes a tremendous set. First Tube and Zero (I mean, c'mon, people, it's Zero) end the show with energy to spare.

So, a quick thought here. Now, my personal feeling is that there's nothing wrong with where Winterqueen and Theme were placed - it's not the first time two non-jam songs have been placed together, nor will it be the last, and they established a more relaxed mood before bringing things up with Mike's (taking an audience down and bringing them up is a move every rock band does in a show, y'know). But here's how show perception (often) works - I bet that if they just went into Mike's after Disease and moved the WQ/Theme segment to after Paug, then closed out with First Tube, this show would be a good deal higher rated, at least another tenth of a point (which is a big deal with such a tight rating scale). You know why I think that? Because there's a very similar show to this one that also features great jamming in a strong Mike's Groove, and that show is 6/23/12, which slaps a Bouncin/Julius/Slave combo platter at the end of a fabulous Groove that segued into an equally fabulous Seven Below. Perception's a funny thing, isn't it?

Anyway, final thoughts here: a super show from a very interesting tour so far. This one'll be earning multiple relistens.

Got home from the windy city a few hours ago. About to finish listening to last nights show again. I'm not musically trained so I can't make comments about what chords were used or how the transitions were made but I will say this: I have goose bumps. It is just as good as I remember from being there if not better. I think this one will stand the test of time. Great playing from a great band. I was there all weekend and last night was easily the best of the three. Do yourself a favor and at a minimum listen to Mike's through First Tube.

I finally feel as though I can "honestly" review a show from this tour. Although I wasn't at the performance, my wife and I bought the HD webcast and enjoyed both sets and encore over dinner and drinks.

Set one was fun, uplifting and a definite premonition as to what was to come later in the evening. A Gumbo opener featured great interplay between page and rest of the band, a nicely crafted Tela, one of the most entertaining (visually and musically) Mule's I've seen in quite awhile, a deep Ocelot and a rockin' Type I Walls of the Cave.

Set two featured interesting song selections coupled with great jamming (my favorite cocktail for a great set). DWD raised the energy and imparted some nice jamming. The rest of the set, however, is some of the best playing this tour and should be noted in the history books of 3.0 era Phish. Winterqueen>Theme>Mike's were executed perfectly and displayed great improvisation between the band. As I now have the luxury of hindsight, the set up to this point was merely a 'heating of the proverbial pot' that would reach boiling point to yield: The Wedge, Ghost->Weekapaug, First Tube. I will humbly decline from trying to put this segment into text as I lack a mastery of the English language to do the music justice. I will say this, go an get it now.

Great show, the band is producing great music and is having fun doing it. I can't wit to see what's in store next. See you all on Fall Tour 2014!!

A few notes:
The chord progression in The Wedge that others are calling Paradise City I hear more as "Steal My Kisses" by Ben Harper, at least for the first minute or so. Listen starting at 11:04.

Also, around the 4:00 mark of Ghost, the band slips into a groovy vamp rather like "Show Biz Kids" by Steely Dan.

Although some will want for more ambitious and hall-of-fame versions of Bathtub and DwD, this is a showcase concert with material from all over their career fitting into 2 harmonious sets. I love the extended treatment for Mule this year. And yes, The Wedge and Ghost deserve nominations for jam of the summer. So long as I don't start hearing playing mistakes from when the stream cut out (as it did to excess last night), this is a classic show.

This is the show of the tour so far. Scent was awesome; seeing the who band on Fish's kit was fun and Page bringing the candles was awesome. A very upbeat and jam-heavy show. First Gumbo opener since 98, first Tela of the tour, wedge went to unrivaled heights, weekapaug had a full on ghost jam. What else do you need to know? This show brought it in a huge way! We're halfway through the tour, folks, and we're getting extremely cohesive playing. One thing is for certain: NEVER MISS A SUNDAY SHOW!!!!!

I've learned not to give every show I really enjoyed 5 stars. But this one earned it. One of the finest 1st sets I've ever heard. SOAM and Gin were simply perfectly performed. And WOTC was exemplary as well. Trey was feeling it from the first note, and last night was his..he moved the needle in so many great directions.

Second set started a little slow with a wel played but very short DWD The segue into Winterqueen was seamless. Wedge was a monster. I had goose bumps on my goose bumps..Ghost was short but very sweet, and then they took off again with Paug. Maybe my favorite in the last couple years.

Not much else to say except this one will be in my rotation for a long, long time.

There seems to be quite a bit of excitement about this show and I can certainly understand some of that excitement, having been personally overjoyed with the show by the time setbreak rolled around. Gumbo opener? Excellent. High-energy Runaway Jim in the number-two spot? Also excellent. Tela (my first!) was quite a moment. And that Mule? Wow. Just... wow. The energy on the lawn had been steadily rising and the energetic-yet-varied remainder of the set maintained the momentum built during the first quarter, leading me to declare to my friends at the end of Ocelot that it might be the best first set I have seen this summer. An absolutely wonderful Walls of the Cave rounded it out, confirming my post-Ocelot thought, so I had high hopes heading into the second half.

Unfortunately, unlike most of those watching the webcast, I felt the second set left something to be desired out there on the lawn. Sure, we got that amazingly unconventional version of The Wedge, complete with a wild type II jam, and that incredibly smooth "Ghostapaug" mash-up. That was all great. The issue, though, is that I (as well as at least a large minority of those around me) seemed to lose steam during a reliable-but-rote Disease opener, and the fact that the jam proceeded to fizzle out into nothingness before a slight ripcord into a beautiful-but-misplaced Winterqueen and a sleepy Theme From the Bottom didn't help. With this portion of the second set typically reserved for major jam vehicles, it felt like these songs completely sapped the energy from the crowd, which was especially disheartening in light of such a strong first set and the stellar Mike's Grove segment that followed. I am sure that those you who watched the webcast enjoyed the intricacies of the band's playing, which seemed especially tight, and thoroughly enjoyed the curve balls being thrown in a tour that, save for Randall's Island, has featured mostly over-the-plate fast balls; however, having been at the show, I felt differently. Maybe it's because seeing the band in a live setting hinges so much on energy and crowd feedback, so details like set continuity are a little more important. Or maybe it's because the previous Sunday's show at Randall's was one of the best shows I have ever seen from this band. Either way, I'm afraid my personal experience is in the minority on this one.

That being said, I think we can all agree that these Character Zero encores are getting pretty annoying. After such an unorthodox three-song encore the night before, this by-the-book Character -- the fifth(!) this summer -- seemed a little too contrived to cap off a three-day run. But, hey, at least we'll always have that Wedge jam!

I cannot fully review this show as I did not attend. Although I did webcast and lets just say it may be the best $20 I've spent. I've been using the Randalls 7/13 show as a benchmark for this 2014 summer tour. I'm not one for dick measuring when it comes to live performances because this is phish ppl and they're gonna bring it night after night. They brought it last night.

Love the gumbo opener with a strong start from page. SOaM was your standard goofball Phunky phish with fishman on that wild keyboard/xylophone thingy and the rest of the band on drums. I mean the boys really constructed a fine looking first set.

I really dig one fuego song per set, after the onslaught of fuego songs (4-5 a night) we are familiar enough to just hear one or two a night and really enjoy it. Although I'm not a big #line guy, winterqueen waltzed in at the perfect time. The Wedge hit me so hard I passed out during ghost and woke up mid-jam and was very con-paug-fused. Re-listened this morning and whoa.

As Moonfacebrb said "MUST GO TO SUNDAY SHOWS" and I will also be attending merriweather on sunday. Cheers!

SET 1:

Gumbo: interesting and rare opening choice, not my ideal energy level for an opener in theory but their execution on this one is great. Check out Page during the funk breakdown - that clav is murderous. Risk paid off, I’d say. >

Runaway Jim: this placement after Gumbo tells you right away that this isn’t gonna be your usual 2014 show. Standard.

Tela: WOAH! This is a white whale right here, first time in 2014. Bet people were going crazy in the crowd for this - who doesn’t love a Tela? Doesn’t quite hold a candle to 1.0 versions but it’s played pretty well.

The Line: they earned it but this would’ve been better later in the set. Fully maintain that this song wouldn’t be so hated without that awful falsetto vocal, because the solo section here and in other versions is quite pretty.

Scent of a Mule: here we go! Picking the energy back up for sure! Jam section starts with aggressive Page klezmer-type soloing on the piano, then this one goes totally off the rails in the best possible way. A bizarre atonal ambient section starts up with Fish on marimba lumina just shredding everyone with THX synth sounds, really bizarre section that sounds straight out of a ‘94 Tweezer. There’s a short passage with Trey on drums that briefly turns into Bisco-like synth jamming, awesome stuff. Only then does this go into the klezmer section and the conclusion. Is there a better Mule in 3.0? If there is I certainly don’t know it. Big big highlight and would recommend for those who like this song (I know it can be divisive.) Immediately goes into >

Bathtub Gin: some Mule teases at the start of the jam. Nice lick at 7:30, otherwise standard Gin bliss jamming. Really surprising transition into >

Silent in the Morning: damn! How many Horse-less SITMs have there been? Not many I imagine. Interesting that this doesn’t really feel like a cooldown tune when not attached to The Horse. >

Maze: very old-school so far outside of The Line. Trey forgets some lyrics in the early going. Longer-than-average Page solo and shorter-than-average Trey solo here, pretty whatever version. >

Ocelot: like this placement and pretty well played. >

Walls of the Cave: not bad at all to end a solid set.

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SET 2:

Down With Disease: solid if predictable opener choice. Well played composed section, Trey’s voice sounds good. The early going of the jam is quite nice with some euphoric Trey-Page interplay. There’s a fair bit of treading water from that point onwards, especially from Trey who doesn’t take the reigns and leaves it mostly to Page (who to his credit holds his own). Around 8 minutes in they start some more jazzy play and Page switches to electric piano which culminates in a krautrock-ish section that constitutes the rest of the jam. It’s not to be though, Trey starts looking for an escape hatch around 13 minutes in and they transition out. Page does his absolute best on this short-ish version so if it’s worth a relisten it’s because of him, but Trey doesn’t offer much at all. >

Winterqueen: honestly a really pleasant Trey solo comes out of this one with tasteful whale call. You’re not especially excited for this when it starts but quickly you forget all your preconceptions. Decent enough for sure.

Theme From the Bottom: not especially what this set needed at this point. Standard, jam is about as short as it could be. >

Mike’s Song: good reset! Fourth quarter has begun. Mike’s vocals sound off in the verses. Short fiery jam - are those Mission Impossible teases early on? VERY abrupt transition into >

The Wedge: from the start you are thinking - hm, interesting spot for this. Composed section and type 1 solo is totally as normal. Then at 5:30 something is clearly awry - this is getting jammed, baby! The early jam is a VERY cool dark groove with tribal drumming, just top notch full band work. Gets kicked up a notch once Page goes to the clav and suddenly this is a dance party. SERIOUS psychedelic goodness at 9:00 and some of Page’s best funk work ever at 9:30, crowd is roaring in approval. Breaks back towards the light at 10:30 ish and Fish offers an out with the Wedge beat, but Page has other ideas and utterly destroys the audience’s auricles with clav soloing. Only then do they return to the Wedge beat and end the song traditionally. This is a seriously impressive jam for this point in 3.0, calling it one of the best of the era does not seem like an exaggeration. Undeniably the best Wedge if you mostly care about the jams and has a serious argument for being the best if you look at the song from any era - thanks Page! Band basks in the applause for a bit and then Trey, clearly feeling funky, starts up…

Ghost: good stuff though honestly going into Weekapaug straight away might’ve been even better – on paper. Jam immediately goes into a really interesting four on the floor disco feel that almost sounds ripe for a transition into 2001. For the era Fish’s playing here is quite rare. Halfway through Trey fires out some interesting chordal licks that remind me of Keith Richards. Then Trey starts up his delay around 6 minutes in and an awesome spacey disco section starts up, seriously amazingly unique stuff. Listen to the band at 8:00 onwards – total four-headed beast, Mike riding out one note til the bitter end. Seagull effects at 10:30 – WOW! Fantastic jam, awesome Ghost, and unbelievable stuff coming out of The Wedge. One of the coolest versions of this song from any era I would say. Buttery smooth transition into ->

Weekapaug Groove: that transition is pure old school genius, so good that I have to assume it was planned – Fish starts up the beat and the rest of the band immediately dissolves away. Just like Ghost this jam immediately gets interesting and unique, they really are on fire here. I like Weekapaugs type 1 and raging usually but this one explores some decent mellow space before turning up the heat a bit. VERY briefly goes back into a Ghost jam in a deft little manoeuvre, then Trey aborts mission and takes things back into a peak. We get a small Stash tease, then the refrain and out. Not a highlight but perfect for keeping the energy high.

First Tube: One more surprise to end a set that just keeps turning the heat up and up and up.

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ENCORE:

Character Zero: standard victory lap.

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Overall: believe the hype. This is pretty much a strong show front to back with only the start of Set 2 to speak of as a notable weakness. You’d rather a slow start into a blitzing finish rather than vice versa, and the band clearly understands that sentiment given this Set 2. The Wedge is obviously one of the most legendary 3.0 jams ever and for good reason, but that Ghost might be even better – in the pantheon of great Ghosts in any era and that’s one hell of a busy field. Scent of a Mule is quite the same, one of the absolute best versions of a song that was usually at its best in 1.0. Three all-time-quality jams – what more could you want?

Giving this a 4.3, very very good show.