The second show at DCU has more...subtle charms than the first night, but there's still a lot to like here.
The first set is both more interesting and more dull than the previous night's. For the most part, the setlist is more predictable, but the playing overall features a lot more energy and creativity from everyone and it leaks out around the edges (by accident) twice, in a jam that unfolds from the typically-brief "Roses Are Free" and the big '15-'16-style take on "Gin" that closes the set.
Though the second set doesn't have as many Type II goodies as the first night, it achieves its own fluidity and energy and if you like Phish playing well and listening to each other even if it doesn't lead to a single monster jam, you'll enjoy this. "Disease" kicks things off, and features a few minutes of interesting full-band space-funk jamming, but only after a long, arduous progression through rote Type I land.
Unfortunately, that's about all the Type II you get tonight. Fortunately, the rest is great anyway. There's a really interesting take on "Sand" next that segues unexpectedly and perfectly into "Nellie Kane," which is followed by a great "Mike's Groove" sandwich. "Mike's" is pretty standard unto itself, but the "Makisupa Policeman" that follows features some fun lyrics, a wobbly Mike-led rhythm jam, and then a spacey, pitch-shifted outro solo from Trey before the most explosive "Groove" I've heard in awhile hits. After the "Wading" breather, the band continues to slaughter "2001," "Zero," and the encore "Suzy" in incredible, red-line-levels-of-energy style. It's worth a listen, even with the dearth of jamming.
The Live Review:
6/8/12: Here we go! Free opener.
6/8/12: Little struggle with the harmonies, but otherwise a solid opener.
6/8/12: KDF in the two-slot.
6/8/12: Trey going to town on the end of this KDF. Wow.
6/8/12: Roses!
6/8/12: Oh, yeah! THIS version of Roses...going into a high-energy jam based off of the outro to the song now.
6/8/12: Some great use of the whale pedal (seriously) at the tail end of that jam.
6/8/12: After that surprise jam, we've been getting pretty standard first-set fare: Theme, Axila I, now Julius.
6/8/12: Interestingly, Julius is getting broken down, though, with some great interplay between Trey and Mike. Drums and Page almost absent.
6/8/12: Here's the Roses jam, by the way. https://t.co/z0xZPvKbjH
6/8/12: Julius wraps back around to the usual energetic finish.
6/8/12: Bouncin' next. I'm not sure what this says about me, but early 3.0 S1 setlists are boring to me these days.
6/8/12: I honestly miss the Fuego and Thrilling, Chilling, and Big Boat songs (that haven't been invented yet).
6/8/12: An energetic Maze is sitting nicely near the end of this set.
6/8/12: Gin to close out the first set.
6/8/12: Slow-tempo Gin, but Trey's laying down some interesting melodic licks.
6/8/12: Gin hitting a great build-up now.
6/8/12: End set. S2 kicks off with ol' reliable Down With Disease.
6/8/12: Long, Type I outro jam phasing into a light bit of space funk now.
6/8/12: Bass-led jam now. Interesting beat from Fish.
6/8/12: Almost bluesy now. With the beat Fish is using, could easily go -> Ghost.
6/8/12: Fades instead. Lurching little melody section before a full fade out. > Sand.
6/8/12: GREAT groove in Sand. Almost plinko-like jamming from Page and Trey.
6/8/12: Trey switches modes for a bit, and suddenly we aren't in funk land, we're in prog-rock land. Back to funk now.
6/8/12: -> Nellie Kane! That was awesome.
6/8/12: That was a neat pair of tunes. Mike's Song next.
6/8/12: > Makisupa Policeman.
6/8/12: Some fun voice echo 'effects' from Trey, then a grumbly bass solo from Mike. Now Trey taking a HIGH pitch-shifted solo.
6/8/12: Weird wind-up/wind-down ending from Trey. He continues to slide around on the guitar while Groove starts around him.
6/8/12: Huge build and energy in this Groove.
6/8/12: Wading to cool us down a bit.
6/8/12: Better-than-usual solo from Trey in Wading. 2001 next.
6/8/12: Page with some nice flourishes on the electric piano early on.
6/8/12: Nice funk chording from Trey now. Definitely an atypically loose and extended 2001.
6/8/12: Huge Zero to close out the set.
6/8/12: Encore is Oh Kee Pa > Suzy. Page going bonkers on Suzy.
6/8/12: Huge Suzy to end the show.
6/8/12: Interesting, but this show actually reminds me a bit of '16 Phish. Lots of smaller-picture improvisation that's ultimately...
6/8/12: ....more satisfying than a rote show built around one unique, long jam.
6/8/12: S1 is pretty standard except for the Roses jam and Gin closer, but S2 had great moments throughout.
6/8/12: Disease was fun, and Sand, Makisupa, Groove, 2001, Zero, and Suzy were all interesting despite staying Type I.
6/8/12: Loved the Sand -> Nellie Kane bit the most.
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