So the short version of the Forum show: it's another outstanding late '14 first set, and a second set that seems like another great first set except for an astounding "Disease" and a great "Hood" encore.
I'm almost always conflicted about shows like this. Are they great, high-energy shows that eventually ramp up even higher for a few transcendent minutes? Or do the highs underline how much better the rest could have been? I could go either way, really, but here I'm leaning toward the former interpretation over the latter.
I mean, just look at that first set. "It's Ice" and "Tube" both get the funk treatment, "Train Song" and "Divided Sky" are in there, the "Gin" is a perfectly-played teasefest, and the "Ghost" is actually pretty decent for the first set, or any set.
The second set is less cohesive, but the "Bowie" is nothing to sneeze at, the "Hood" upholds a great '14 tradition of expansive versions while staying a bit more in the box than many versions since Hollywood, and the "Disease" really is transcendent.
The Live Review:
10/24/14: Finally get to hear this Forum show I've been hearing so much about. 46 Days opener.
10/24/14: 46 Days > Tube is a great start. Tube's getting a great clav interlude right now.
10/24/14: I love the little funk jams coming out of Tube lately. Of course, I wish that they were big funk jams.
10/24/14: Fuckin' TRAIN SONG! Would love to hear this live someday.
10/24/14: Oh. According to @phishnet I have. BGCA '13. Well, that's nice.
10/24/14: Obviously it made a huge impression at the time :)
10/24/14: First set...Ghost? Okay, I'm paying attention, if I wasn't already.
10/24/14: Love Ghost in the first set because it's not a song like Gin that they can just solo over for 4-5 minutes. Forces some real improv
10/24/14: Jam goes back around to the Ghost ending. When was the last time they actually played the ending? Pretty cool.
10/24/14: Even the Sparkle > Sample is cracking with energy. This is a great set so far.
10/24/14: Holy crap, Divided Sky! Weird how that's become a rarity again.
10/24/14: Great Divided Sky. Next up is The Line.
10/24/14: The Line was actually a bit rough. But now...It's Ice. One of my favorite parts of the 7/16 show this summer.
10/24/14: And just like 7/16, it gets the funk interlude. Nice!
10/24/14: Sort of sounded like they were somehow going to do a -> 20 Years there. But KDF instead.
10/24/14: That was a better-than-average KDF. Now, Gin!
10/24/14: Fucking *Low Rider* tease from Page and Trey in Gin. What the hell? Hilarious.
10/24/14: Pretty thorough Long Tall Glasses tease too. It's like the 90s up in here at the moment.
10/24/14: This is a great, cleverly building Type I Gin. Fish is driving. And that's never a bad thing.
10/24/14: Set break (i.e., I'm biking back up to my office for the next 20 minutes).
10/24/14: Another great S1. Mini-Ghost jam, great Gin w/ teases, song selection is top notch, high energy, a few funk interludes.
10/24/14: S2 starts off with 555. Which reminds of the greatest question in #phish fandom today: Why are there no 20 minute 555s yet?
10/24/14: Number Line next. Weird opening to S2, unless this goes deep.
10/24/14: Standard, chordy '14 Number Line.
10/24/14: > DWD, though!
10/24/14: Page is over to the electric piano right quick.
10/24/14: Trey actually leading with some interesting melodic noodling instead of chording.
10/24/14: He's been getting better at that in fall, as compared to summer when the chording was sometimes a little crutch-y sounding.
10/24/14: STILL BETTER THAN THE WHALE IN '10 THOUGH
10/24/14: Slow, patient build to a circular, tension-y space that reminds me a little of a Stash jam. Dissonant, now.
10/24/14: Getting evil now.
10/24/14: Mike is totally killing it right now. Bliss jam with some really interesting tones from everyone.
10/24/14: Total bliss-rock conclusion. Trey just hit one of those Tahoe Tweezer peak notes that just blows your fucking mind apart.
10/24/14: This is a serious jam, folks. Not just great, but like, 'best of '14' conversation material.
10/24/14: Fantastically cool u-turn into Fuego at the peak of the jam...but then they can't all get on the same page and Page restarts 'em.
10/24/14: That could have been much cooler. But hell, that Disease!
10/24/14: Weird, fuzzy, spacey jam (with loops!) to end Fuego. Then sounded like they were trying to set up a segue again, but sudden Twist.
10/24/14: Oh well. I like Twist.
10/24/14: Standard, swanky '14 Twist. A little short. Bouncin' is next. Great playing here, but could use a bit more legit improv.
10/24/14: Not on the Bouncin', just in general :)
10/24/14: Bowie helps :) A slightly extended intro and come really intentional noodling from Trey helps even more.
10/24/14: Zero'd. Weird second set. Disease was amazing and Bowie was better than most recent takes, but mostly by-the-book otherwise.
10/24/14: Hood encore! Guys playing a LOT with the intro...for 3.0, at least :)
10/24/14: Starts off really noodly and delicate. Fish is picking up the beat now. He's really been more of a motivating force in this show.
10/24/14: Great build to the outro, long held note from Trey to kick it off.
10/24/14: Before '14, this would have been an exemplary version. Now it's just one of many :)
10/24/14: Grind to close. Great show, though a bit less improv-full than other recent offerings.
10/24/14: Lots of band chatter over the a capella mics beforehand. Nothing incriminating, though.
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