The Verdict:
This might be the very first show since the Greek run where I didn't roll my eyes at any point. In the grand scheme of things, it's not a fantastic show, but it's a welcome return to form in any case and features a few highlights that I'll definitely be listening to again in the near future.
The first set is mostly high-energy, song-based fare, but it sets itself apart from the millions of sets of that type that the boys have laid down lately by featuring a tight-but-exploratory Type II "Gin," and extra-hot "JJLC," and a bombastic "46 Days."
It's really the second set that delivers the goods, and precisely in the way that's been missing in so many shows lately. There's a "Fuck Your Face" opener that gets teased and arguably reprised in the "Mike's" that follows. That sets up a "Light" that's the sinister sister of the 8/7 version, and then a "Twenty Years Later" that features a legitimate darkness jam in the outro, that in turn lands beautifully in "Fast Enough For You." The rest of the set is mostly jukebox stuff, minus a mellow "Hood" that is super mellow and stays that way even for the "peak," which isn't really a peak here, but more of a speed bump. I really liked this version, but you may find it to be a buzzkill.
But. That mid-set sequence is one of the best pieces of music the band has put together in 2010. Granted, there haven't been many entrants on that list as all, compared to other years, but the ones that are on there are serious jams, so you should go listen to the "Light" -> "Twenty Years Later" > "FEFY" immediately.
Oh! And I almost forgot that the encore "Reba" features a dark jam as well. Goddamn.
The Live Review:
10/19/10: Sweet mother of god, please give me something to not complain about in this show.
10/19/10: Ye have appeased me with yon CDT opener.
10/19/10: Uptempo BOTT is next.
10/19/10: That solo was pure, distilled summer-on-the-lawn right there.
10/19/10: Torn and Frayed!
10/19/10: Torn + Frayed is one of those songs the band always seems to struggle with, but I don't really mind b/c it's a top 10 Stones song.
10/19/10: Gin is next. Is it just me, or have they been repeating A LOT of songs very often lately?
10/19/10: Never really felt all the whining over repeats in '14, but could get on board with that complaint here.
10/19/10: Unexpected and neat tension section in Gin. Very cool!
10/19/10: This is an immediate highlight reel inclusion.
10/19/10: Hasn't reached Serious Jam status yet, but is interesting and exciting for a song that doesn't get much variation these days.
10/19/10: Wasn't really that the tension section was amazing, but more the effortless way they dipped into and back out of it.
10/19/10: Seems to have lit a fire under Trey, too. He's shredding for his life, now.
10/19/10: Gumbo > super-fast DSky.
10/19/10: Fishman is drumming like it's 1994.
10/19/10: Pretty standard though fast DSky, followed by JJLC. Great version.
10/19/10: Excellent Page vocals, and Trey's soloing is more straight-up blues than usual.
10/19/10: Nellie Kane next. Losing some setlist flow here, but the playing is a bit more inspired than the usual fall 2010 fare.
10/19/10: 46 Days. Everybody forgot the lyrics.
10/19/10: The lyrical flubs can be forgiven thanks to a few moments of MASSIVE shredding in the middle of the song.
10/19/10: Sudden end to 46 Days, > Possum.
10/19/10: End set.
10/19/10: FYF S2 opener. Okay, then.
10/19/10: FYF > Mike's -> FYF!
10/19/10: Awesome Mike's -> FYF -> Mike's there.
10/19/10: Hahahaha...another -> FYF at the end of Mike's. Then, > Light.
10/19/10: Light starts off as the usual arpeggio-fest, then develops into...a more intense arpeggio-fest.
10/19/10: Trey switching to chords, Page over to the organ.
10/19/10: Fish is driving now, with some seriously weird drumming. Synth effects and loops on top.
10/19/10: Similar space to the 8/7 Light now.
10/19/10: Appropriate, since this is the first legitimate jam the band has played since then.
10/19/10: Arguable -> Twenty Years after that fantastic jam.
10/19/10: Grinding, dark jam coda. Sounds like a ASIHTOS jam, sort of.
10/19/10: Nice sort-of -> FEFY.
10/19/10: So, in case you're keeping score, so far we've got FYF -> Mike's -> FYF -> Mike's -> FYF > Light -> Twenty Years -> FEFY.
10/19/10: In other words: 'Wow, where did this band suddenly come from?'
10/19/10: The solo section of the song is really muted. More Mike than Trey, really. Neat.
10/19/10: Here comes the Groove.
10/19/10: Nice little funk breakdown in a short Weekapaug.
10/19/10: Halley's seems like a weird choice next, but hey, it's still Halley's.
10/19/10: Quick Halley's -B Free.
10/19/10: Free is a totally standard version. Hood next.
10/19/10: Really slow building, delicate beginning to the jam. Really liking this version. Page on electric piano.
10/19/10: If you like mellow Hoods, then that was definitely your jam. Not even a real peak, per se. Just chill the whole time.
10/19/10: Golgi makes a nice contrast.
10/19/10: A Day In The Life is probably the set closer.
10/19/10: Reba encore!
10/19/10: Composed portion plays really well, esp. considering this is the encore of a three-hour show.
10/19/10: Trey is throwing out some pretty great little melodies here.
10/19/10: Page just moved over the piano and things are getting weird.
10/19/10: So here we have a dark, dissonant Reba jam. In an encore.
10/19/10: This kind of shit is the reason that the last 20 or so lackluster shows pissed me off. This is amazing.
10/19/10: In the middle of a completely un-Manteca jam, Fish sings the words to Manteca.
10/19/10: From there, Trey steers everyone back into a standard Reba build, but man, that was cool.
10/19/10: Hell yes. Now they're SLAYING Number Line. I'm so happy to finally be listening to a great show again.
10/19/10: I just spent two minutes drumming on my desk without realizing I was doing it. That's what listening to Phish is normally like.
10/19/10: And I already know 10/20 is a great show because I own the DVD. Two in a row!
10/19/10: I should have reviewed all the 3.0 shows in reverse order and called the blog Backwards Down The Number Line.
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