The Verdict:
6/1 is the third show in a row that falls into a very 2010-shaped pit. That is to say, it's a show with all the positives and negatives that I pointed out in my reviews of pretty much every 2010 show. Which also means it's mostly not worth a relisten unless for some reason you really enjoy jukebox-style shows with no surprises and very little improv, albeit played with a lot of gusto and technical expertise.
The high point of S1 is probably the "First Tube" opener, just because it's such a rocker. To be fair, much of the rest of the setlist is at least interestingly built, but nothing terribly exciting happens. The low point is probably the "Heavy Things" > "Jibboo," not because there's anything wrong with either song, but when they're played back-to-back it becomes obvious that they're pretty much the same song. Oh, and "Split" gets a bit of a legit jam, building some hope for the second set.
But, yeah...about that second set...it's a weird one. The highlight is really the transition from a Type I "Tweezer" jam into the debut of "No Quarter." If you've heard Phish play "No Quarter" before, there's not much here for you. With a setlist like "Tweezer" > "No Quarter" > "Carini" > "Piper" > "Twist" > "Ghost," on paper this looks like the best set ever from my perspective. Unfortunately, consistently surprising and aggressive ripcords ruin the day. I'm not one to throw that term around lightly (as many fans are); I appreciate Trey's feeling that a jam is done before "we" think it's done, or him hitting on what seems to him to be a segue that can't be passed up when we're hoping for ten more minutes of a jam first...but there are definitely some "What the hell were you thinking?" ripcords from time to time, and they come up multiple times in this set. The only real jam moment here, believe it or not, comes in the "Twist," which actually gets plinko'd out for a few minutes...and that's it.
The Live Review:
6/1/11: Alright, lets see if this show can get the taste of 5/31 out of my mouth. First Tube open is a great start.
6/1/11: It's actually weird when First Tube opens. I think of it so much as a set closing song that now I'm confused that there's more show.
6/1/11: Trey shreds the crap out of Stealing Time, including some interesting scale changes. 6/1/11: Another tight but straightforward first set so far. Camel Walk, Heavy Things, Gotta Jibboo. 6/1/11: Heavy Things and Jibboo seem so much like the same song already that it's weird when they play them together.
6/1/11: Wilson...and then Seven Below!
6/1/11: Seven Below 'jam' is basically just a solo from Trey. A little bit of tacked-on electric piano from Page at the end, though.
6/1/11: Yeah, that was a bit underwhelming. KDF is next.
6/1/11: Axila I, then Split to probably close the set.
6/1/11: Sorry for the lack of commentary on this set, but there's not much to say about it. Very 2010.
6/1/11: Okay, so the Split incorporates some loops and a lot of fake-out tension builds. Nice jam, a bit out of nowhere.
6/1/11: Also, amazing peak.
6/1/11: Fish beating his cymbals to death.
6/1/11: Suzy now. Guess that wasn't the set closer after all.
6/1/11: End set
6/1/11: S2 opens with Tweezer. Can't beat that with a stick.
6/1/11: The interplay of Trey and Mike early on in this Tweezer sounds more like 2011 than 2010. So that's heartening.
6/1/11: Okay, I take it back. We stay in Tweezerland pretty much the entire way through, but Trey's muscling a great Type I jam out of it.
6/1/11: Ambient fade sets up a nice -> to the first No Quarter.
6/1/11: Hearing the crowd freak out when they realize what's happening is great.
6/1/11: This version seems to be jammed out a bit more than later versions.
6/1/11: Carini seems like a natural follow-up.
6/1/11: Standard Carini lands in Piper.
6/1/11: Well, Trey abandoned Carini for Piper a little prematurely...
6/1/11: ...but he absolutely fucking GARROTTED the Piper jam for Twist.
6/1/11: Plinko Twist jam! Trey still laying down some blues riffs overtop.
6/1/11: After a few solid minutes, Twist goes the way of the 2009 ambient washout ending. 6/1/11: Oh man. On this one, Trey himself starts up a neat melodic bit and then ripcords himself > Ghost.
6/1/11: If you would have told me before today that I'd hate a set that went Tweezer > No Quarter > Carini > Piper > Twist > Ghost...
6/1/11: Trey threw a No Quarter tease into Ghost.
6/1/11: Reprising the riff now during the Ghost drop.
6/1/11: Okay, this is officially the ripcord set.
6/1/11: Seven minute Ghost, and literally just as the jam was building, Trey cut it off for a Number Line that he just forgot the words to.
6/1/11: The only thing that could save this set now is a 20 minute No Men, but they haven't written it yet. Non-quantum songwriting'd!
6/1/11: In the ultimate irony of the set, Number Line is being brought to a boil and is set to be the longest jam aside from Tweezer.
6/1/11: Show of Life is the dagger to the heart of this show.
6/1/11: Can you tell I'm not a huge fan of this one? :)
6/1/11: I am still gonna dance to this Tweeprise though. Unless Trey ripcords it for Character Zero.
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