The Verdict:
So, the Walnut Creek show is in an unenviable spot, sitting as it does between the Mann run and the MPP run. But it shouldn't be overlooked: it's certainly not one of the better shows of the year, but there's a lot here to enjoy nonetheless.
Note: I'm pasting in audio-only "videos" for this show because for some reason it's missing from phishtracks, and there are almost no quality videos from the show.
The first set starts off with the awesome slow "Llama." I really enjoyed this retooling of a classic and am hoping that we might see more of this done with other S1 mainstays next year. There aren't really any more surprises in the opening frame, but the playing is strong and kinetic up until "Maze"...but then things just sort of sputter out. It's not that the playing is bad or anything, but there are just too many "sit down" songs in a row, and then when the band ramps back up, they do so with a tepid version of "Wolfman's," a song that's been revived to the point where a monster S1 jam is a given...usually.
The weirdness continues when S2 opens with "The Wedge," which stays completely in the lines. Luckily, next is "Golden Age," and like the 8/4 and 9/4 versions, it gets pretty far Out There. This guy goes after the echo-funk jam first, before eventually segueing into a "Split"-soundalike space that carries through for a few minutes. Ultimately, we get a fadeout into "Reba." The rare second-set "Reba" is choppy through the composed section, but Trey leads the band through the jam to a typically strong 2015 version.
The "Mike's" that follows sort of sums up the rest of the show: incredible energy, but no big jam. The second "Mike's" jam is apparently a thing of the past already, but this version is a powerful, guitar-led ride nonetheless. The "Ghost" goes the way of the Bend "Simple," with evil echoes and loops filling most of its running time until a great segue into "No Quarter." This is the hardest-rocking and cleanest version of the band's cover of the Led Zeppelin song yet, and the "Groove" that closes off the Mike's sandwich returns to the guitar pyrotechnics that started this sequence. Especially compared to Mann 2, there's nothing here that jams on that level, but this closing sequence is fantastic anyway, and that "Golden Age" ain't too shabby either. Don't write this one off.
The Live Review:
8/14/15: Slow Llama to start. Awesome.
8/14/15: Dear @phish, please play Llama like this more often.
8/14/15: Great opener. Chalkdust next.
8/14/15: Re-envisioning some of the classic S1 songs might be a way to keep opening sets fresh.
8/14/15: I imagine it's not terribly hard for consummate musicians to say 'Let's just play a funk version of Llama tonight.'
8/14/15: Moma Dance third. Trey MuTroning it up during the intro.
8/14/15: Trey trying to do something different with the outro solo. It's not really working.
8/14/15: On the other hand, this is one of those days when it's just really fun to be listening to Phish while I work.
8/14/15: Yarmouth Road! Nobody will ever stop me from loving this song. It is GOOD.
8/14/15: This one keeps the little jam before the bridge lyrics, like the version in Bend.
8/14/15: Tuuuuuuuube.
8/14/15: Bouncin'. They've been playing this a lot this year. Kind of neat.
8/14/15: Bouncin' > Maze.
8/14/15: Another day, another great Maze.
8/14/15: Waiting All Night next. Setlist flow is a little herky-jerky now, but loving the song choices.
8/14/15: Lawn Boy.
8/14/15: Devotion is next. Considering how this set started, this is starting to feel a little saggy.
8/14/15: Wolfman's now. This set seems long.
8/14/15: Rather than going the funk direction with this one, the guys take it in a more straight-up rock direction.
8/14/15: Compact but peaky version there.
8/14/15: Suzy Greenberg next. This set refuses to end!
8/14/15: Pretty sure Fish just screamed 'Forgotten my name, huh?! My name is MAX!!!'
8/14/15: So, S2 starts with The Wedge. It's a little weird to me how often they've been throwing this in early in S2s.
8/14/15: There's never really any pretense toward jamming it, either. It just sits there.
8/14/15: Setlist weirdness aside, that was a great Wedge solo from Trey.
8/14/15: Golden Age!
8/14/15: Trey has the ability to either play the guitar correctly or get the lyrics right.
8/14/15: He keeps alternating between each approach.
8/14/15: This tune is responsible for a few of the more interesting jams of the tour. I wish they'd practiced it more.
8/14/15: Page over to the organ right away to start the jam.
8/14/15: That was fucking slick.
8/14/15: I think I like Golden Age jams almost all the time because the basic Type I beat Fish plays is just awesome.
8/14/15: Time for some echo-funk jamming!
8/14/15: Mike is laying down a hell of a bassline for this jam.
8/14/15: SOAM-like jam emerging now.
8/14/15: Page keeping the descending chord jam going while Trey solos over it.
8/14/15: Creepy echo-y fadeout.
8/14/15: > Reba.
8/14/15: That moment when Trey leads the segue into the next song and then can't start the song correctly.
8/14/15: Like the S2 Reba call, though.
8/14/15: Okay, Trey just played the end of the song during the beginning of the chase sequence.
8/14/15: Maybe there's just too many songs in there. Maybe the break before MSG will knock the GD songs out and make room.
8/14/15: Well, gripes about the composed part aside, Trey is laying down a great 2015-style Reba jam.
8/14/15: This song has been consistently great this year.
8/14/15: Mike's Song jam starts off with some chunky Trey chording. Now seamless move into a rock solo.
8/14/15: I think they're playing it a little faster than usual. Feels really kinetic.
8/14/15: Trey's doing some really wild stuff during this Mike's jam.
8/14/15: No second jam in Mike's. Loopy ending leads to Ghost instead.
8/14/15: Stop-start, weird opening to Ghost. I like it.
8/14/15: Last two Ghosts have had beginnings that are more playful, like Bowie or Hood. It's cool.
8/14/15: Totally evil Ghost jam. Reminiscent of Bend Simple.
8/14/15: Rock solo emerging from the fuzz, now.
8/14/15: Serious blues rock happening now.
8/14/15: Trey picking the outro riff up, but Page moving to the organ.
8/14/15: Angry chords mixing with a gorgeous Page melody now.
8/14/15: NO QUARTER
8/14/15: My favorite Zeppelin song, and will never forget screaming my damn head off when Page started it at Dick's '14.
8/14/15: I could not believe it. Thought for sure the 'N' was going to be 'Nothing.'
8/14/15: That was probably the hardest-rocking and 'best' (whatever that means) No Quarter yet.
8/14/15: > Groove.
8/14/15: Groove is a bit uptempo.
8/14/15: Trey laying down a hell of a little solo already.
8/14/15: Trey is teasing something and I'm going to fucking freak out if I can't figure out what.
8/14/15: Oh, duh. No Quarter. It's been a long day, folks.
8/14/15: Well, that was fun. A huge Mike's Groove powered almost entirely by Trey's insane rock and roll guitar.
8/14/15: For as great as the whole band has been playing lately, that sort of guitar domination doesn't happen very often post-2010 or so.
8/14/15: Frist Tbue!
8/14/15: Just checking to see if you were paying attention.
8/14/15: First Tube was super hot. Farmhouse encore, though? Weird.
(Sorry, forgot to review the encore last night)
8/14/15: Page piano solo in Farmhouse!
8/14/15: No offense to Trey, but this immediately became one of the prettiest Farmhouses I've heard in a long time.
8/14/15: Fire! Well, that's an interesting pair of songs for an encore.
8/14/15: Some drill there at the end of Fire.
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