The Verdict:
Like I said in my previous review, 7/10 is sort of of a piece with 7/9. That means we get a S1 with a fantastic mix of songs and a show with no real improvisation meat at any point.
The opening set is just fantastic in terms of song choices. I mean, just look at it. The "Timber" > "Timber (Jerry)" > "Timber" sequence is especially cheeky and fun. The band might not be jamming much, but they're sure having a good time. That's definitely worth something, but it also means that I don't really have any highlights to pull from the first set. There's solid playing throughout, so if you aren't looking for jamming and like the setlist, you'll be in good shape. If you don't, you won't.
In S2, 7/9 at least had the "Disease" > "Sand" sequence. During 7/10, the latent ripcording problem of the last few shows comes to the fore.
Now, you know me. I'm pretty lenient when it comes to supposed ripcords. I'm willing to accept that most of the times, truncated jams happen because the band just can't give the song that next push it needs to get into the stratosphere, and they move on to a new song. I'd guess 95% of "ripcords" are really just Phish avoiding fumbling around looking for a new direction in a jam when they're pretty sure they aren't going to find it. That said, some of the moments in the last few shows, especially during second sets, have been pretty brutal.
Here, it's great to hear "Drowned," and it chugs along in a Type I mode pretty naturally for a few minutes after the lyrics, before a Trey/Page transition to space funk jamming leads to a particularly evil-sounding space...and then a sudden and confusing segue to a standard "Twist." Then, there's "Waste" in the three-spot, which makes no sense. "Piper," similar to "Drowned," is just starting to take off (this time courtesy of a sick electric piano riff from Page) when Trey garrotes it for "Simple." In turn, "Simple" gets abandoned after a few minutes for "Breath and Burning," of all songs.
The one legitimate highlight in this set/show is the very late-set "Martian Monster." Early on, Page uses the song's samples to great effect, and it's complemented brilliantly by some crazy Trey soloing. Then Mike gets on Trey's guitar and completely slays some 80s-sounding rock shit while Trey plays marimba. In the end, the guys completely deconstruct the song in the best way, and it's one of those quintessential short-but-awesome jams: under ten minutes.
So, there's that at least.
Now, back to the Gorge!
The Live Review:
7/10/16: The Landlady opener. Neat to see it back. One of my favorite things about Dick's '15.
7/10/16: Pae killing this version.
7/10/16: > Blaze On.
7/10/16: Jon Fishman special, here: Ha Ha Ha and then Friends. Ah, the days before ASS HANDED.
7/10/16: I like Friends on the album, actually, but it's just one of those songs that just doesn't translate live for some reason.
7/10/16: Holy shit, I really like Trey's tone on Tube. I'm pretty sure I've never heard this guitar tone from him before.
7/10/16: Short Tube, but it's followed by Destiny Unbound. Trey laying down a nice solo now.
7/10/16: MFMF.
7/10/16: Mango Song. Nice song selection so far. Much jukebox.
7/10/16: Timber! If I'm not mistaken, this is the first time it's been played since 10/31/14.
7/10/16: > Timber (Jerry).
7/10/16: > Timber.
7/10/16: So, that was Timber > Timber (Jerry) > Timber, folks.
7/10/16: I see what you did there, @phish.
7/10/16: Takes on Curtis Loew, Stealing Time, and Mound follow in what continues to be a very song-based set.
7/10/16: In a set like this one, Winterqueen is not a good call here.
7/10/16: Placement griping aside, that's a pretty meaty Winterqueen right there.
7/10/16: I've always liked imagining a day where Winterqueen breaks off into a late-90s-Simple-esque jam that's super delicate but extended.
7/10/16: I'm pretty sure Page is currently having a stroke while holding the keytar.
7/10/16: Bold As Love...maybe to close the set?
7/10/16: That was a long set. Some really neat bust-outs in there. But totally weird flow and no replay value.
7/10/16: Like the cheeky 'three Timbers' thing, though.
7/10/16: Drowned opens S2.
7/10/16: Quickly into some dark chording from Trey.
7/10/16: Nice work from Page on the electric piano to propel the jam into a space-funk...umm...location.
7/10/16: Jam turning super-evil now.
7/10/16: Sudden > Twist. Huh. That's a head scratcher. Felt like they were really building steam.
7/10/16: Solid, slow-burning Type I Twist.
7/10/16: Aaaaand...Waste. I like Waste, but the placements in this show are just bizarre.
7/10/16: > Piper.
7/10/16: Jam transitioning into a fast space-funk.
7/10/16: Piper jam axed for Simple.
7/10/16: So weird. Page was literally in the middle of laying down an awesome little keyboard ditty and Trey charged over him.
7/10/16: It was like he didn't even hear it was happening.
7/10/16: Brief Simple jam, fade into Breath and Burning.
7/10/16: Breath and Burning into a totally botched Rocky Top intro. How does that even happen? It's like a three-chord song.
7/10/16: This show is super-weird.
7/10/16: > Martian Monster.
7/10/16: Martian Monster is getting pleasantly murky. Lots of great sample use from Page and playing from Fish.
7/10/16: Now Trey is laying down some awesome 80s-style guitar soloing.
7/10/16: 'Your Trip Is Short' vocal jam now.
7/10/16: Well, THAT was fun.
7/10/16: Golgi > Frankenstein to close S2.
7/10/16: Zero encore. Boom!
7/10/16: That show was really confusing.
7/10/16: I don't know if I've listened to a show yet with a more skewed Quality of Playing/Questionable Setlist Decisions Ratio.
7/10/16: High energy throughout, lots of interesting song choices, but it doesn't hang together AT ALL.
7/10/16: Not to mention the bizarro ripcords in Drowned, Piper, and Simple.
7/10/16: Martian Monster was rad, though.
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