The Verdict:
I have to say that, generally speaking, I was a little underwhelmed by this show after reading a lot of the rave reviews it received before listening to it. Maybe my expectations were too high?
Anyway, the first half certainly has a pretty-well-put-together setlist, but other than that, I didn't think it was anything to write home about. The two potential standouts, "Stash" and "Walls," were both actually below-average versions by 2015 standards. Everything else stayed firmly in the box, and aside from a nice few minutes of minimalist, almost-plinko-style funk in the "Wolfman's" jam, there's really nothing you haven't heard before.
The "Golden Age" that opens the second set is an interesting version, though I'd have to go with the Dick's take for "Golden Age" of the year. This version moves into a spacey, pitch-shifted area right away, but then makes a smooth transition back into a Type I jam that heads to Bliss Central before landing in "Light." Had "Light" been a standout take, my review might have been a bit different, but really this version is the least interesting one in a long time, leaving a bit of a hole in the middle of the set.
Fortunately, the second-jammed "Mike's" gets things going again. The F jam is appropriately dark and funky, and the "Piper" that follow is compact, but also one of the weirder and more interesting readings I've heard in awhile. "Crosseyed" is short but a nice bit of meat on the Groove sandwich, and then "Weekapaug" hits.
Yeah, yeah, second jam in "Mike's" and all that, but it's really the "Weekapaug" that's the easy highlight of this show. From the double-time segue in from "Crosseyed" to the super-slowdown section to the "No Men" jam to the evil blues and then back to a funk space with "Still waiting!" quotes, this is one of my favorite pieces of music from the year so far. Totally overshadows the "Mike's" jam save for sentimental reasons.
So, on one hand, unless you're a "Golden Age" collector, the only thing really on display in this show is the Mike's Groove. On the other hand, it takes up most of the second set and is pretty much completely awesome. A few standout moments in S1 and a stronger S2 opener and this show might be deserving of its reputation. But I'm also pretty happy with it as it is.
The Live Review:
8/4/15: Go time on the Nashville show. The only thing I know about this show already is that Mike's second jam returns.
8/4/15: You know, just a small, insignificant detail.
8/4/15: Free opener.
8/4/15: Totally standard Free. At this point in my #phish life, I literally cannot think of a single thing to say about it.
8/4/15: No Men!
8/4/15: GOD I LOVE THIS SONG
8/4/15: Every time they play it, I end up doing the Trey Shuffle back and forth in front of my desk instead of working.
8/4/15: That was probably the shortest No Men yet, but it was still great. > Wolfman's.
8/4/15: Super clav-y, funky jam immediately coming your way here.
8/4/15: A little more minimal than the usual Wolfman's jam. Mike is more up front. I like it.
8/4/15: Great concluding solo from Trey after the funk.
8/4/15: Sort of rough version of 555 to follow that great No Men > Wolfman's pairing.
8/4/15: Birds with 'They Attack!' opening sample.
8/4/15: Funky Bitch. Interesting choice.
8/4/15: When the Circus Comes. This set makes no sense, but there are some fun songs.
8/4/15: Nice solo from Trey in Stash, but structurally a standard version.
8/4/15: Lawn Boy after Stash, just to slow things way the hell down for no reason, and now Walls to presumably close.
8/4/15: I've been surprised to find that (so far at least) 2015 S1s aren't really that great.
8/4/15: I mean, the playing is awesome, but there are way less surprises and interesting moments than reviews/comments suggested to me.
8/4/15: This is a well-played, sort-of-jumbled collection of first-setty songs, and that's it. And that's how most S1s have been so far.
8/4/15: Second set kicks off with Golden Age.
8/4/15: Trey hasn't butchered the lyrics this time, but the guitar lines are pretty damn messy.
8/4/15: I seem to recall this song being easy-peasy back in 2011.
8/4/15: Page over to electric piano, Trey on the octave-shifter.
8/4/15: Spacey jam moving toward a bliss-type jam based on the typical Golden Age progression.
8/4/15: Neat transition.
8/4/15: Strong build based on Golden Age chords > Light.
8/4/15: Fish sings 'Tom Marshall is our stepping stone' during Light.
8/4/15: So far, the jam is the usual Trey-peggio fest, albeit with a bit more distortion than usual.
8/4/15: Mike bass bomb puts an end to the typical section. Now heading into darker space.
8/4/15: Extended fade-out (nothing happened beyond the normal solo), but a nice landing in Shade.
8/4/15: Mike's Song. Here we goooooooo
8/4/15: Early in the jam, Trey is riding a neat riff. Let's see how long it lasts.
8/4/15: Not long!
8/4/15: Awkward but AWESOME move into the second jam. Crowd cheering as it slowly occurs to them that we're still going.
8/4/15: Funk chords over top of the F jam.
8/4/15: Moving away from Trey-driven soloing into space. Page on piano still. Trey chording.
8/4/15: Really ominous, awesome riff from Trey now.
8/4/15: Winding down now.
8/4/15: Fuzz resolves into Piper.
8/4/15: Some tasty waves of feedback pouring off of Trey's guitar. Now a super-octave-shifted solo. Sounds pretty weird, guys.
8/4/15: This Piper is short, but incredibly weird and awesome.
8/4/15: > Crosseyed! Fish is having extra fun with the verse vocals.
8/4/15: This version is swingin'.
8/4/15: AWESOME -> Groove. Great segue.
8/4/15: Groove starts way fast because of the segue. After 2 mins., it slows down to a super-slow pace. Trey cracking up.
8/4/15: Funk jam now. I think this counts as an extended No Men's jam. Trey playing the same riff.
8/4/15: Breakdown.
8/4/15: Holy crap evil blues jam guys
8/4/15: Groove riff coming up out of the blues muck. Holy balls. 'Still waiting' vocal quotes.
8/4/15: Slave closer.
8/4/15: By which I mean encore.
8/4/15: Standard Slave for the encore.
8/4/15: Which is code for 'I hope Slave gets the Hood treatment in 2016.'
8/4/15: Surprisingly, the awesomest part of that show was definitely the Groove, not Mike's.
8/4/15: Mike's was good, too, but definitely felt like two different jams. Without the surprise factor it was like 20% less cool.
8/4/15: There were some flashes of brilliance in the Golden Age jam, but really, nothing much to mention outside the Mike's Groove.
8/4/15: But damn, Mike's, Piper, and the Groove were all fantastic.
No comments:
Post a Comment