The Verdict:
The band's second night at UIC keeps the train rolling.
First, there's another fantastically varied and plotted opening set. In addition to rarities like "Dinner and a Movie," "Ha Ha Ha," "Mexican Cousin," and "Let It Loose," there's an extended, tension-filled "CDT" that probably qualifies for Type 1.5 status. Page destroys "Foam." And the plinko jamming shows up in "Limb By Limb" and a first-set "Jim" (!).
The second set isn't wall-to-wall action like the first night's, but minutes after I just published a review calling "Undermind" the jam of the year, I've gotta say that this set-opening "Disease" should be part of that conversation, too. I definitely didn't have the multiple "Holy shit!" moments I had listening to the "Undermind" while listening to the "Disease," but it's longer, arguably more varied, and more exploratory. Obviously, just listen to both.
There are a few mini-jams mid-set in "Twist" and "Golden Age," if you're being generous, but really the "Disease" and the set-ending "YEM" bracket what is otherwise a pretty standard second set.
If you've already used up your "Hood" for a run, encoring with "Slave" is never a bad idea.
In short, the moments of greatness in this show are a bit more concentrated, maybe, but it's definitely a great companion show to 8/15.
The Live Review:
8/16/11: How the hell do you top a show like 8/15/11? We're about to find out.
8/16/11: Well, a Dinner and a Movie opener helps :)
8/16/11: Ha Ha Ha > CDT.
8/15/11: Band building a tension section into CDT jam.
8/16/11: Great, weird CDT. Long break after. Mexican Cousin next.
8/16/11: Seems like a weird place for Walls of the Cave, but okay, here we go.
8/16/11: Jim! This feels like Q4 instead of early Q2.
8/16/11: I don't think it's early to say that this is going to be another fantastic opening set.
8/16/11: Plinko middle jam, as usual lately.
8/16/11: Jim builds up to a huge peak. I don't feel like that's the usual direction for this song these days, but I like it.
8/16/11: Foam!
8/16/11: Page is destroying Foam. In a good way.
8/16/11: I Didn't Know! The (rare) hits just keep on coming!
8/16/11: Ocelot. Well, there had to be *some* slight loss of momentum over the last three sets, I guess :)
8/16/11: Okay, well that was a good Ocelot, at least. And a 90s-peppy Ginseng Sullivan to follow up. Now, The Wedge.
8/16/11: Limb By Limb next.
8/16/11: Page is killing on this Limb By Limb.
8/16/11: Oh boy. Full-on plinko in Limb.
8/16/11: Oh yes. Let It Loose. A fantastic closing choice to another great first set of Phish.
8/16/11: I can't get over how good the last three sets have been.
8/16/11: S2 starts with Disease.
8/16/11: Mike is serious about this Disease jam.
8/16/11: Trey signaling an end to the Type I soloing at 7:00 with some dissonant chords. Page follows up with an absolutely eerie organ.
8/16/11: Holy shit, this is instantly so damn good.
8/16/11: Who the fuck is this band, and what did they do with 2009-2011 Phish?
8/16/11: Momentum and spookiness combined.
8/16/11: Jam central...freaking out over here. This is soooo good.
8/16/11: To clarify, I'm not high right now.
8/16/11: Section that reminds a bit of Goodbye Head or Valentine now.
8/16/11: Like most truly great cooperative jams, Trey is hanging back, adding effects and loops. Mike and Fish are leading. Shiiiit so good.
8/16/11: Since I asked, Phish answered: here's how you top a show like 8/15 the night afterward.
8/16/11: Wind-down into a melodic ambient section like the end of 8/15's Undermind now, but Mike is playing the melody.
8/16/11: Slow, Twist-sounding segue coming.
8/16/11: Twist stays pretty mellow in keeping with the transition, up through the first verse.
8/16/11: Building, now.
8/16/11: Solid-but-straight Twist. Nice quick -> Number Line.
8/16/11: Theme next. Number Line was roundly shredded.
8/16/11: Interesting sort of fade-out ending to Theme. Golden Age segues in.
8/16/11: Golden Age fading to a drone.
8/16/11: Little ambient jam winding down.
8/16/11: Page solo outro > A Day In The Life
8/16/11: Whoa! YEM on night two!
8/16/11: A sort of Wilson-jam thing taking shape in YEM jam.
8/16/11: Extended jam after Trey's solo section. Mike leading.
8/16/11: They could totally -> Sally right now.
8/16/11: Encore opens with Heavy Things, of all things.
8/16/11: Quick but fun little version there. > Slave.
8/16/11: Standard Slave + Rocky Top to end the show.
8/16/11: A second great show with a perfect first set, a well-played S2 that didn't quite reach 8/15 levels, BUT THAT DISEASE.
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