2010-08-05 Greek Theater I

The Verdict:
I don't know what it is about west coast shows, but this is probably my favorite show of the year so far. I've had some trouble finding things to like in many of the Fall '09 and Summer I '10 shows, but this sounds more like the Summer II '09 and Miami NYE Phish that was so fun to listen to last year.

S1 is absolutely pure energy, especially from Trey. This is one of those Trey-dominated shows where he's so on fire that it actually makes the show better that he's running everyone else off the stage. The whole first set is good, but the easy highlights are Wolfman's and KDF.

S2 continues the uninterrupted shredding (even Joy has a bit of a serious outro, that's how intense the energy is here). But there are a few legit jams here in case just having your face melted off isn't enough for you. The "Disease" > "Free" segment that starts the set is one of the best pieces of Phish music of the year so far (which might not sound like I'm saying much, but I am, because this is awesome). Then the "Tweezer" follows up on the early 3.0s tradition of great late-set "Tweezers."

So, yes. Check this show out at all costs. Can't wait for the rest of the run.

Live Review:
8/5/10: Well, Summer II just got kicked off with a pitch-perfect Possum.

8/5/10: Funky as all get-out Wolfman's in the two spot. Clav action, vocal-scat harmonies, and now a slinky Type I solo.

8/5/10: This Wolfman's is going on the highlight reel for Summer II. First entry. Just filthy.

8/5/10: And we roll right into DSky from there...I love where this is going so far.

8/5/10: Great solo after DSky, too. The guys really sound reinvigorated. Whether that leads to actual jams remains to be seen.

8/5/10: Right after DSky on the SBD, someone (Page?) says 'Bitch?' in this really weird tone of voice. Then, Funky Bitch.

8/5/10: I like to imagine he was trying to start a fight with Fish.

8/5/10: And we just didn't hear the 'You really wanna step to this' part of the sentence.

8/5/10: Funky Bitch keeps the energy-ball rolling. Trey is really playing way better than his was during leg 1, at least tonight.

8/5/10: Very intentionally melodic solo in KDF, too. High energy, but with direction at the same time. Looking good.

8/5/10: Long pause after KDF. Maybe they're refueling MegaTrey with jet fuel?

8/5/10: Nah, they were just firing up Mike's 'Boo-bop' Machine. Halley's!

8/5/10: Trey just slam-banged the shortest, most concise-yet-effective Halley's solo ever into Sample. Pretty cool, actually.

8/5/10: The rest of the band just fucking flying past him when he slammed the brakes on was funny, too.

8/5/10: This would be your usual well-constructed, by-the-numbers Summer '10 S1, but Trey is a goddamn hurricane. It is amazing.

8/5/10: NICU, Bouncin' is a nice breather BUT I DON'T NEED A BREATHER I'M SITTING IN AN OFFICE CHAIR

8/5/10: Antelope polishes off the set in style. That's, what, the trillionth Antelope S1 closer since Hampton?

8/5/10: Trey noodling around Call To the Post to start the second set, Mike kicks up DWD feedback during.

8/5/10: We're about halfway through the DWD opener here and it's all just gorgeous, intentional Type I jamming so far.

8/5/10: Heading in an almost blues-rock direction now.

8/5/10: Sort-of Talking Heads section following. This is the real deal, here.

8/5/10: Great outro jamlet, with some syncopation from Fish and space-piano from Page. Space Everything!

8/5/10: Top it all off with a GREAT segue into Free. Why is west coast tour always so much better than east coast/midwest?

8/5/10: This sounds like a totally different band from Summer I.

8/5/10: As Trey starts up Alaska, I'm pretty sure you can hear a fan on SBD yell 'Oh, GODDAMMIT!' If so, it's hilarious.

8/5/10: Though I pick on Alaska, this version is better than most, thanks to yet more precise Trey shredding.

8/5/10: Trey is killing this BOTT, too. Wowzers.

8/5/10: Late-set Maze is a surprise choice.

8/5/10: Well, that Maze definitely didn't suffer energy-wise for being late in the show. The intensity of this show is ridiculous.

8/5/10: And right after I tweet that: Joy. INTENSITY

8/5/10: Oh dear. Trey is even trying to shred Joy. And it's sort of working. CAN HE BE STOPPED NO RUN

8/5/10: Oh boy. Late S2 Tweezers have been pretty much all amazing so far in 3.0. High hopes for this maybe-monster.

8/5/10: Mike taking the early lead in the jam. Trey staying back. Page adding flavor.

8/5/10: Trey building a nice riff now. The whole thing is really minimalist so far. Very cool.

8/5/10: This is seriously good. Trey's solo is one of those that sounds composed, sort of like 12/31/95 Reba.

8/5/10: Not saying it's AS GOOD AS the Reba, just reminds me of it in that way.

8/5/10: Now Trey closing the jam with a weird mutation of the Tweezer riff. One of my favorite all-Type I jams in a long time.

8/5/10: Page shifting over to the No Quarter organ. Brief space section -> Fluffhead.

8/5/10: Fluffhead is a pretty great S2 closer, I must say.


8/5/10: Trey explaining the origins of the Ocedoc. This is apparently the first show with it. Explains Trey's shredding possession tonight.

8/5/10: Finishes up with a fiery Loving Cup, Tweeprise. Great show.

2010-07-04 Alpharetta II

Verdict:
S1 is another very oldies-centric affair, and it's just as effective as 7/3's S1 for that reason. "PYITE," "Colonel Forbin's," and "Mockingbird" are all early highlights. "Camel Walk" shows up, too. "Bowie" > "Jibboo" might be a legitimate pick for the highlight reel.


Phish - 7/4/10 "Gotta Jibboo" from Phish on Vimeo.

S2 is one of the best second sets of tour. Depends on your enthusiasm for Phish gimmickry, I guess. The "DWD" > "Piper" > "Ghost" combo isn't as awesome as it sounds on paper, but it's a quality run of songs by early 2010, Type II-less standards. There's a quick breather before a roundhouse of a "Mike's" followed by "Tela," and the infamous "Killing in the Name" sandwich with "Harpua" for the bread. The set proper ends with a "Groove" that's as fiery as the "Mike's," and "First Tube" ends the leg in its entirety.

Live Review:
7/4/10: Alright, and we're back in the recent past. 7/4 a capella Star-Spangled Banner opener. Nice.

7/4/10: PYITE is one of my favorite openers. Even in my office, over headphones, it gets me bouncing.

7/4/10: Colonel Forbin's! Maybe this is going to follow 7/3's footsteps as an oldies-based first set?

7/4/10: That PYITE was extra-punchy, if you don't mind me saying.

7/4/10: Famous Mockingbird was a bit rough around the edges (as per usual in 3.0), but is always a joy anyway.

7/4/10: Also, the more older, composed songs played the less possibility of whale-jamming!

7/4/10: Camel Walk is next up.

7/4/10: Next is OCELOT. You all know how I feel about OCELOT. Actually, this version is a little meatier than your usual version.

7/4/10: Page is a monster in Heavy Things. Short but definitely sweet piano break there.

7/4/10: MFMF after Heavy Things. Setlist choices getting a little more random, but I'm still having fun.

7/4/10: High-tempo Bowie to polish off S1.

7/4/10: Trey putting the whale to GOOD use here in this Bowie.

7/4/10: Now that was just a feel-good Bowie all the way around. Trey liked it so much that he just started up Jibboo.

7/4/10: Everyone else sounded surprised. I think they were planning on setbreak right there.

7/4/10: This Jibboo is pretty Mike-heavy. Or at least it's pretty pocket-heavy. Page and Trey are both minimalizing.

7/4/10: Trey's slowly shouldering his way up to the front of the jam here.

7/4/10: Extended ending here that definitely goes beyond the call of shredding-duty.

7/4/10: DWD S2 opener.

7/4/10: The first nine minutes of this DWD are just totally joyful, whale-less Type I rock, then there's a smooth switch to space-funk.

7/4/10: Space-funk is breaking up as Trey is chording arrhythmically with a super-weird distorted tone. Mike with syncopated bass.

7/4/10: That section lasts for about a minute until Trey lays the opening riff to Piper over it. Mike seems reluctant to end the bass-runs.

7/4/10: Piper gets good around 5:30, making an effortless transition back into space-funk.

7/4/10: No funk-filler here, though. Mike's leading the way and Page and Trey are adding spacey effects.

7/4/10: Now Trey adding melody in an Oysterhead-type tone in a high register.

7/4/10: Trey pulls the opening to Ghost out of a loop jam. Can't tell if I should be mad b/c of ripcording or happy b/c lots of mini-jams.

7/4/10: Trey's latched on to a riff in this Ghost that sounds a bit like a slowed-down Manteca.

7/4/10: Sometimes 2010 Summer I sounds like an alternate-future #phish where they never started Type II jamming, but got really good anyway.

7/4/10: Fish drives this all the way to the end, and then we get a neat wind-down ending courtesy of Page.

7/4/10: Trey with a hilariously nasty lyrical biff at the beginning of Waste. Finally: 'Don't wanna be...somethin'.'

7/4/10: It's cheesy as hell, but I love that signature Waste bass riff from Gordo.

7/4/10: 'This set is so good, what can we play that'll piss Ben off? Oh, that's right! Julius!!'

7/4/10: Okay, gotta admit that was a hot Julius. Could probably work to end the set there, but no! > Mike's!

7/4/09: This Mike's is hotter than an elephant ear at the fair. Whatever the hell that means.

7/4/09: Bang-up Mike's > TELA

7/4/09: Harpua (!) follows Tela. Hilariously confusing story from Trey about an ancient American who hates modern society.

7/4/09: Which of course leads into the Killing in the Name cover. Which is awesome.

7/4/09: I love Fish on the vocals for Killing in the Name. Great follow-up Harpua > Groove.

7/4/10: Whoops, last few tweets should be '10, not '09, obviously.

7/4/10: Summer I going out on a strong note. Sort of like a show with a great opening song and a great
encore.

7/4/10: But everything in the middle was pretty boring, honestly. Almost everything. Looking forward to Summer II though. THE GREEK

7/4/10: Mike's and Groove have both been pretty notable Trey Shreds moments in a summer full of 'em.

7/4/10: Fan on SBD screaming 'Play an encore, PLEASE!!! Just one more!' First show, maybe? I think he'll get his wish...


7/4/10: I like First Tube as a tour closer. Provided that there's a lot of feedback and they open next tour with Last Tube.