6-28-00 -- PNC Bank Arts Center - Holmdel, New Jersey

review submisions to me, dan schar at [email protected] or [email protected]

 
Date: Sun, 9 Jul 2000 18:54:54 -0400
From: Doug Rice [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: 
 
PNC Bank Arts Center 6/28, Holmdel, NJ
 
No real thematic groove ever really established, but some strong, yet modest,
versions of the 1999/2000 regulars with the few highlight exceptions.
 
SET I - Somewhat generic run throughs of Chalkdust and Sloth, but the energy
of Taste/Gin/Piper was the set's girth.  Absolute highlight was arguabley the
best Gin played in 2000 thus far. A very uncharacteristic funk section was
laid down right away in the segue section into the Gin jam and produced one of
the most up-tempo'd Gins played since the early 90's yet had a blatantly 2000
signature groove to it.  The MUST hear on tape/cd from this show. Honorable
mentions go to the always delicious Taste jam which saw some great mini-peaks
and Trey's guitar solo to close If I Could - just gorgeous.
 
SET II and Encore - Again, strong but modest versions, this time of
Disease->Hood, Jibboo, Circus, Mike->Alberquerque->Weekapaug.  Alberquerque is
a little bit of a surprise here and sounded real pretty, but only broke up the
energy going from Mike's in an otherwise disjointed feeling show in terms of
overall cohesion.  Nonetheless, each song taken by itself shows some great
performances from each bandmember.  First Tube AND a Loving Cup encore is
blatant energy overload and really provides a surprising punch for a final
touch.
 
Got to hear that GIN.
 
Peace,
G.Rice


Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 13:00:20 EDT From: Adam Schwartzberg [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: review 6/28/00 (first night PNC) My first show of the tour, I had pretty high expectations by seeing what they had already played, and knowing that the NE part of the tour would be VERY high energy. Forthe first night of a 2 show run, I was very happy with a very solid show. nothing too spectacular, but some VERY good moments. Set I: Chalkdust- Sure, they play this all the time, but why shouldn't they? This song always seems to rock. It was a great choice for the first song in the northe-east, as it got everybody out of their seats and dancing. Sloth- this song is always a fun treat. A standard version, well placed in the set to insure that everybody kept their energy levels high. Taste- This may be one of Phish's most underrated songs. The jam is always a introspective masterpeice. I really like this song, and as the first real explorative jam of the show, it was well placed. Bathtub Gin- WOW!!!! There are not enough good things that I can say about this gin. Possibly the best I've ever heard (and I've heard a lot). The jam was just... mesmirizing. Not a dull moment. The band was sooo tight during this, the definate highlight of the show and possibly one of the highlights of the tour. After this song, I knew that this was going to be one of THOSE summers. Piper- A little short, but who am I to complain? Nothing like the marathon Piper from Oswego, but a nice, tight jam. Very enjoyable. If I Could- Wow. I wasn't expecting this. Very well played, and what a treat! The jam reminded me of a waste jam, but thats okay. Great song. But to end the set? They needed a Cavern, or a Char. 0, or something. Even a Slave or a Reba. not that it was a bad ending, it was just a very short set. I was hoping that that would mean a super long second set, but I would have to wait for tommorrow for that. Set II: DWD- Always a great tune. They were definatly jamming on this. The pace seemed kind of fast, like they couldn't wait to get to the jam. A pretty good jam that led to ... Harry Hood- Is anybody else getting sick of people screaming "HOOD!!" when the band sings "Harry"? Don't get me wrong, I like audience participation. In fact, I remember screaming "Hood" on fall tour '96, and having everybody in my section look at me funny. It was fun for a little while, but now I just want to hear the band sing the song the way theyg wrote the song. this version was pretty good (is there ever a bad one?). A good jam that took me to that place that Harry's tend to take me to. I enjoyed this. Jibbo- I know they are playing this every show. Its a great song. I just need a little break from it for a little while so i can appreciate how cool it is again. Circus- Standard version. Mike's- Nice. Always a great song. I've never had a complaint about a Mike's Song before, and I won't start complaining now. Alburqurque- I hope I spelled that right. Actually, I don't care. I haven't heard this in a while, so it was a nice surprise. Good down time before... Weekapaug- (See Mike's Song) Encore: First Tube -> Loving Cup Good encore. Overall, a very solid show. not my best show, not my worst show. I couldn't wait to see what they were going to do the next night.
Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2000 18:31:55 -0700 From: Mike Indgin [email protected] To: 'Daniel W. Schar' [email protected] Subject: 6/28/00 review Playin' Hooky in Holmdel PNC Bank Arts Center, NJ 6/28/2000 Three reasons why this show should win best show of the tour instead of Deer Creek's Dickfest: 1) The impeccable setlist 2) The stupefying shreddiness of the jams 3) The fact that I was there and wasn't supposed to be. There I was on a plane from Minneapolis to New York when it hit me: Gotta Jibboo could mean "gotta play hooky". If I told my client there were flight delays out of Minnesota, I could blow off day one of a three day commercial shoot and be in Holmdel by show time. So I landed, went to the W Court Hotel in the city instead of the shooting stage in Brooklyn. I checked in and got directions on what train to take to Jersey from the concierge. Her name? Teela. Good omen # 1. My day of planes and trains had to include an automobile...the taxi that dropped me off outside the venue. Behind the wheel was Norm, an ex-heroin addict Deadhead who celebrated his honeymoon on Dead tour in '73. Good omen #2. I stood on the off-ramp waving cash violently and running from the moronic Jersey cops until I procured a lawn ticket for $50. I gave the dude a bit of a guilt-trip for scalping, but it was the only extra I saw all night so perhaps I got off easy. I went in early and got rained on for an hour on the lawn. Then I saw him with a pavilion stub in his hand: the infamous Richie the B. A minute later, I was under cover, in an aisle seat next to a cool rabbi. Good omen #3. They came out and ripped into Chalkdust (called Cox Dykes Torture by my clan in honor of our leaders Tim Cox and Big Al Dykes). At this point I got my only bummer of the evening besides the fact that they cut the first set short: the sound of the venue was an echo farm: boomy and cavernous. Oh well, my ears adjusted over time. The Sloth was a rare treat, my first since Red Rocks. Taste was the start of the shredfest. The jam out of Gin was the first set peak. Or was it the jam out of Piper? I toss it to the Tub. Wow, three scorchers in a row. I love If I Could, just not as a set closer. I guess I'm still comparing first set lengths to Shoreline 9/16/99. Not a good thing to do. Set two continued with Trey building on the great song selection of the first set. The Disease jam was long and more ambient than rockin'. Hood was musically marred when Trey tried to bat lightsticks and play at the same time. For the last time: stop throwing them at the band. You'll put an eye out! Gotta Play Hooky was next. I could hear this song every night. If you don't love this catchiest of catchy tunes, take a lightstick and hit yourself in the eye with it. The Circus came and went, then the unique chugga chugga funka funka Mike's. It never peaked, just got into an unstoppable groove. One fun stop/start later, I got Albuquerque, a song that's near and dear to my heart because I love Neil, I love my dad who loves this song and I love 10/29/98, another time they broke out this road trip anthem. Weekapaug got us back to pure shreddiness. First Tube>Loving Cup encore? Why not. A perfect show deserves a perfect encore. The rabbi drove me back to the city, a Peter Tosh bootleg in the deck, grins on our faces and a teriyaki veggie burrito in my stomach. Note to self: I gotta jibboo more often.
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 11:43:52 -0400 From: "[email protected]" [email protected] To: [email protected] Newsgroups: rec.music.phish Subject: REVIEW: 6/28/00 Holmdel, NJ First off, I must say that if you haven't made plans to see Phish 2000, do so immediately! They are TIGHT TIGHT TIGHT!!! This was my 11th show and the first of 4 for me this summer. First show 5/2/93, last show 12/11/99. I think this one goes in the top 5, though it may not stay there for long after tonight and Camden. :) First a personal note: as I was sitting on the off-ramp into PNC, a car pulls up in the other lane and someone pops his head out and calls to me. This was kind of shocking, since I don't know too many people in the "scene" personally. But it was the guys from RANA! Who are RANA? Right now they are probably best known because two of their members, Andrew Southern and Scott Metzger, play in Amfibian with Tom Marshall. But, IMHO, they are the best new band I have heard in quite some time. Catch them now and get to know them because they're gonna be famous in 5 years! After parking in the northernmost lot and handing out Mockingbird Project flyers ("are you that Ellis guy?" someone asked), I walked up toward the venue. I cut through a small, mostly unused lot right next to the venue, and there were the RANA guys again! What a great omen this was. I chatted with Andrew and Ryan Thornton for a while and when it started to rain I headed into the comfort of the pavilion. Enough about me, onto the show review: Chalkdust - Very powerful and well-played. Nothing out of the ordinary other than that Trey used his pedals to make something that sounded like a siren. A nod to the police presence? Who knows. In any case, it was complete bedlam in the crowd, and the incredible energy level would not stop all night. I believe at the end of this (I could be wrong, it might have been another song in the set), Fish tapped his wood block as if to do the opening of Hood, but instead they stopped and we got... Sloth - This was MUCH better than last year at this venue. Airtight, with the correct tempo. Trey continued to rip shit up. This would be a trend for the whole night. Taste - not one of my personal favorites, but we got a strong piano solo by Page and a jam that started off a bit noodly but righted itself for a satisfying climax. Gin - We are now officially in an old-school set, and this was as old-school a jam as you're ever going to hear nowadays. After Fish dragged out the opening beats (it almost seemed like Page wasn't ready), Page ripped up the piano and then the band locked into a tight march. It just kept building and building and building, getting faster and faster and faster, climaxing in an exhilarating series of runs by Trey. At one point Trey did an extended tease that I think was "Spill the Wine" by Eric Burdon and War. Anyway, this was no funk, no loop nonsense, just four guys doing the tension-and-release thing and playing as hard as they can with no trickery. I liked this better than almost every Gin I heard in '99, with the possible exceptions of 12/2, 12/7 and BC. Piper - Attention Piper fans! You MUST hear this! You know how sometimes (8/13/93 Gin, 7/6/98 Piper) this burst of insane intensity just seems to come out of nowhere? That's what happened here. Fish quickened the pace real fast, kind of like on the album version, but not as abruptly. Then it just kept getting faster and faster and noisier and noisier. Toward the end they got the closest I've ever heard to them doing speed metal. And then after that Trey added a few effects and the band sounded like Santana on the "Lotus" live album (1974) - that is, like a video game. This was simply mindblowing. I was present for the incredible 8/8/98 version. This was better. I think this should be the template for all the post-Farmhouse Pipers. If I Could - we know how much Trey and Page love to play at this venue, which they frequented while teenagers. We also know how much they appreciate raucous, enthusiastic crowds like this one. So I figured we would get something special, and so it was, the first If I Could in about 120 shows. Sure it was a little ragged, but who cares? It's been 120 shows! By the way, this is the second straight show I've attended where they've brought back a Hoist song after an extended absence (Scent, 12/11/99). So look for a Demand tonight :) It was a bit of the shocker that they left the stage after If I Could, after being on for only about an hour. But sometimes the band needs to do short sets for shows with relentless intensity like this one. The Gin and the Piper are must-haves, the first three songs were tight and hard rocking, and If I Could was a nice surprise. They gave us quite a lot in such a short time. After a 40 min. or so setbreak (during which I met my sometime tape-trading partner Daniel Van Nierop and his sister Emily, who hooked up my friend with and extra for 7/3 - thanks guys!), they came back out and Trey began with a huge burst of feedback, almost as if he were going to do "Star-Spangled Banner" Hendrix-style. But as soon as Mike began fiddling with his bass I knew we were going to get... Down with Disease - this began as a typical Shredding Trey DWD but then veered into space (pretty interesting but nothing exceptional) before Shredding Trey re-emerged for the ending. As the others wind down, Trey emits feedback and raises his arm in the air as if to count off something. Then Fish hits the wood block and off we go into... Hood - Simply amazing, this Hood. Fluid, tight, everything a Hood should be. There seems to be a renewed energy in this piece. There was a particularly intense glowstick/glowring war, and a few ended up in Trey's direction. Then more came that way and he tried to catch them. He didn't succeed but picked one off the stage floor and threw it back into the crowd! So when you hear this huge roar on your tapes for apparently no reason, that's why. After a raging climax, they started up... Gotta Jibboo - Three jammers in a row! Mike and Fish got the groove just right and Trey continued to rip shit up. There was a guy in the aisle right in front of me that had this device that displayed the words "Gotta Jiboo" (sic) when twirled. That, like the band's jamming, was mesmerizing. When the Circus Comes - after that 3-song run we were due for a breather. As at 12/11/99 I think Trey chose this to comment on the "circus" atmosphere in the crowd. I think he flubbed the guitar part at one point but who cares. Mike's Song - I have never heard a Mike's like this one before. The jam was very groove-oriented. It was as if they had grafted Mike's on top of Sand or something of that ilk. They were really pounding it here, all locked in together with a sense of purpose. And then they started doing tension-and-release exercises with it! A fusion of the new style with the old! Then they ground it to a halt and played with our minds by pausing for about a minute before starting it up again. This version may or may not move you but from a musical-theory perspective I think it is unprecedented. Mr. Dirksen? After a second stop they started up the chords to... Albuquerque - those of you who know me may remember that I am a HUGE Neil Young fan, and this is the first Neil cover I have seen them do in person. To have it be the middle of Mike's Groove was even more mind-blowing for me. I'm getting all verklempt, talk amongst yourselves... Weekapaug - this had a very strange opening, much slower and more countryish than usual. At first I thought it was the intro to Antelope. But it morphed into the Weekapaug chords and off we went. This was your typical ass-kicking Weekapaug with plenty of Shredding Trey moments. Then they left the stage, making this set about 70 minutes. They took the tightness of the first set and added some funk and some of the strange ingredients that cropped up in '99, making for a truly impressive event. After a few minutes they came back out. I figured we could get a long encore since the two sets were short and they obliged with... First Tube - A very raw version, with Trey producing some abrasive notes and doing his Townshend windmills. But as with Jibboo, Mike and Fish got the groove just right and Page provided some nice fills on piano and organ. As feedback drenched from Trey's guitar, Page began the piano chords to... Loving Cup - Absolutely nailed, just like last year here. Quite a blast to go out on. I can't believe how tight they are already. In particular I have never heard Trey and Fish play better. After retreating into the murk for much of last year Trey appears ready to be the instrumental leader of the band again, and his riffs and solos were always intense and nearly flawless. Fish is driving the band like the great drummers do. Mike is always in sync with them, and while Page at times gets overwhelmed in the mix, he made his share of strong contributions, especially on Taste, Gin, Mike's and Loving Cup. Everyone matched the crowd's energy, making for a great time. As awesome as this show was, I would not be surprised if it ends up being the least of the four NJ shows. They're really on a roll right now and it is not out of the question that they could get better with every show. See you all tonight. For anyone who cares I'll be in Sec. 303, Row V, seat 111. Erik Swain
Date: Fri, 30 Jun 2000 03:03:01 EDT From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: Review - 6/28/2000 PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ PHISH review - 6/28/2000 PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ The first review I've ever written, and I also haven't been to many shows, so excuse anything you don't like :) If you have any comments or constructive criticism, though, I'd love to hear from you at [email protected] MY RANDOM NOTES: ================ SOUND CHECK: I caught the tail end of Heavy Things and all of Funky Bitch. VENUE: Usually I don't like to see companies' names on venues, but i wanted to thank PNC Bank for giving us such a rockin' venue. The place was small, and there was no such thing as a bad seat, even in lawn where my friends and I were. food was $$$, though. PHANS: The traditional Phish community spirit was in good form as usual. On our way into the lot we had a sign on our car that said "Who is Phish and why are they following me?" A phan with a sticker bearing the same words saw it, said "Hey, wait a minute!" and proceeded to give us the sticker through the window. And a couple in front of me noticed that I was having a tough time seeing the stage past them and moved of their own volition. Everyone went out of their way as usual to make everyone's day a little nicer, and I did my best to help out. Phish community, I love you. one sour note, but not at the show: to the guy who told people to stop writing reviews if they haven't been to at least 50 shows: hush, let us have our fun. it's all about having a good time, at least to me. WEATHER: Drizzled a little before they came out, stopped right around when they entered. Dunno if they intentionally came out then. Didn't rain again til the very end of the second set, and none of us cared by then. GENERAL: A rockin' show. I thought the last one I was at was good (12/10/99, Spectrum, Philly, PA -- also my birthday, and nowhere I'd rather have been!), but this one raised the bar a whole new level. They were so on I was still wired from the goodness at 3AM on my way home. Thanks guys! I seem to have Punch-You-In-The-Eye Syndrome, because on three separate occasions I mistook the beginnings of songs for the beginning of PYITE. Also, my favorite shirt of the night: probably the TreyStation shirt (takeoff on PlayStation, with 'TS' logo). Treyola Jams (Crayola Crayons) and those Bathtub Gin (Distilled, et al -- I think it might have been a takeoff on Absolut Vodka, but I wouldn't swear to it) shirts were good too. Was it just me, or did Trey have his guitar off his shoulder, with the head pointed at the ground at a weird angle? Oh, and i danced the whole show =) all righty then, on to the actual show. SET I ===== CHALKDUST TORTURE: Excellent version, got the crowd moving right away from the first little pickup note. Really got my groove on. Lots of people sang along to this, I was glad to see everyone having a good time. Mike was INSANE during this one. Not too much more to say here, but don't let that fool you into thinking it wasn't a good version. SLOTH: A friend I was with said before they came out that if they'd just play one Gamehendge song it would make his night. They did, it was cool. Again, not much more to say, but good. The first two songs seemed short to me, not that much in the way of jamming, but they still rocked. And the rest more than compensated =) TASTE: This is the favorite song of another friend of mine who was there (who came up separately and we unfortunately couldn't find during the show). Not one of my favorites, but I do like it, and it was an exceptional version. Good stuff on this one. BATHTUB GIN: AMAZING!!! Words cannot express the greatness of this jam. Really rockin' Bathtub Gin. I've always liked it a lot, but it rose about 10,000 points on my Groove Meter. I dunno how long this was, but it was LONG, and I loved every minute of it. crazy crazy good. The lights deserve some special attention too -- big white lights spun around a lot and it psyched us all up. PIPER > IF I COULD: Piper was basically a big jam. It grooved pretty well. If I Could is an old standby favorite of mine, and they played a slow, groovy version of it that was cool. Kind of strange to end the set with, though. Did kind of wind down the crowd, which I guess is good for the setbreak. During setbreak here, I went to get a drink. Just as my friends and I were getting back, they went into . . . SET II ====== DOWN WITH DISEASE: Really fast version, got the crowd (me included) all psyched up again. I was doing my best to groove with the song even while I was walking back. The phans were really good about letting us back through to our spot even while they were dancing. HARRY HOOD: Not a favorite of mine, but it was still cool, and my first glowstick war. I've heard (strictly on rumor level, so don't bite my head off if it's not true) that Trey doesn't like the actual stick kind of glowstick because they're heavy and they can hurt people when they come down. I dunno if that was why, but I saw almost entirely the ring kind. I know they don't hurt, because one of them hit me =) Also, although I don't like the song that much, I was glad to see lots of other people having a great time with it. Another nifty thing was Trey actually grabbing a few off the stage and tossing them back into the crowd. GOTTA JIBBOO: This is one of my favorites, and they had a great tight jam to it too. The whole crowd was singing this one (all four lines of it =D). WHEN THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN: This wasn't the best thing they played all night, but it was pretty good. Solid slow groove. I'm told it's a cover of a Los Lobos song. I know nothing about them, so I'm not sure. MIKE'S SONG: Rockin'. The whole crowd started to move around again after they wound down from When The Circus Comes To Town. (me? I never stopped :) ) Tight jamming, and it was cool. At one point they just STOPPED on a dime -- then Trey counted ("One, two, one two three four") and they came back in, which was also cool. ALBUQUERQUE: I'm told this was a Neil Young cover. I've never heard of it, but then again Neil Young isn't really my thing. Not bad, a slow song that was pretty fun. WEEKAPAUG GROOVE: Close to being as heavenly for me as Bathtub Gin was. It instilled new love for this song in me. I was rockin' out the whole time, and from the looks of things, so was everyone else. A fitting second set closer to a rockin' show. They took a break here before the encore, I think somewhere between 45 and 60 minutes. ENCORE ====== A double encore. Trey was clearly excited -- he RAN back out on stage with his guitar in one hand, and he jumped up and down during First Tube. First off, FIRST TUBE: A neat jam. I quite like this song, studio and otherwise. I believe it was this song that Trey did the windmill thing, but I can't recall for sure. Then they went into LOVING CUP: This closer was perfection for me. A friend who I was there with absolutely LOVES this song, and he hugged another friend of ours there when he realized they were playing it. We were all ecstatic, because we all love it. Incidentally, it was raining pretty hard at this point and we didn't care. Most of the crowd sang along, at least for the "Gimme a little drink" bit. And the Beautiful Buzz thing was pretty participatory too. They were ON the whole time. They were OH SO ON. Wish I could go back for the next night, but alas I have neither ticket nor lodging -- but Phish and phans alike, thanks for a great show! - Rob
Date: Sat, 1 Jul 2000 12:53:43 EDT From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: 6/28/00 Review Hey, I was the kid holding up the yellow Buried Alive sign, to no avail. My friends told me that me and my sign were featured on the lawn T.V. Screen!! YAY YAY!! Salvo was briefly famous! They said everyone started screaming when they saw the sign! Now, there was a lot of good and a little bit of bad last night, and it all rests on the same thing- which is why i'm so damn confused. The good: it is wonderful to see trey so into his playing, jumping around, smiling, grooving along with my fingers during gin (explanation later). I've never heard him play so well. He really has become Rock Star Trey. The bad: Rock Star Trey. I danced my ass off during the show and only had happy thoughts during the show, but after the show, i was left with a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth. I mean, as much as I love seeing Rock Star Trey, Phish was the Trey Anastasio Band last night. You know what? I didn't like the other members being in the background all the time. He stepped up to the front of the stage on just about every song leaving the other 3 submissively behind. As much as I loved his solos during the show after the show i was sractching my head a little bit. So I'm a little confused...I loved the show while I was there. Here's the show: oh, and by the way, Trey will you stop making the sets so damn short. Thank god they're well played because, Jesus christ, if there's anything that pisses me off it's a 58 minute set. CDT: Raging opener as usual. It was not a bunch of noise like last year's PNC CDT, and it featured Trey making feedback noises on his gee-tar as well as a lenghty solo. SLOTH: Finally some Gamehenge (even though i wanted to hear a song that i hadn't heard before). They actually played it without making distinguishable fuckups, so I give them an A for that. TASTE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE LOVE LOVE this song! I was in heaven when I heard this. Great Leo stuff, and Trey climaxed so beautifully. I like having a spiritual moment so early in the show. GIN: HELLO HI! HOW YA DOIN?????? THis was sick sick sick! As soon as Fish swung the beat early in the jam, it started to rage and never stopped. Everyone was in synch. Trey was noodling around a little bit and then started to look in our direction. He started playin chords (C and F), and I swear, he was looking right at me playing the chords in time with my fingers, which were moving with the rythym. He smiled at me, laughed, and I could have sworn he was making a musical connection with me. y'all probably dont believe me and think i'm being some egotistical shmuck (which i like to be every now and then), but it made me happy. PIPER: Finally first of the tour. This was a wall of noise. Unbelieveable. THat is all. > IF I COULD: First one in awhile. First time I had ever heard this song due to my stubborness to refuse to listen to Hoist. I loved it, but to close the set???? Shall I kill you NOW Trey? One more song and it woulda been fine !!! Still a welllllllllll played set. Wow, were they tight. DWD: Sigh, another one? 4 in 10 shows. Still, it always rages. after the soloing, it mellowed out a little bit for a short while before climaxing to the ending rift in a short 10 minutes and > into > HOOD!!! YAY YAY! Who can go wrong with this (WE KNOW WHICH SONGS THE BAND LIKES REPEATING, HUH???). It featured idiots throwing glowsticks at the band during a full-fledged glowstick war, but Trey enjoyed himself catching them, so I enjoyed myself watching him enjoy himself. You Enjoy Myself??? JIBOO: second in 2 nights, but they never stop playing this song well. Fun, danceable toon, and I wasn'tcomplaining since it was my first show of the tour. CIRCUS: We needed a breather, but I don't like it in the second set. Arrrrrrghhh, give me Horse>Silent please!!! as soon as it was over i called Mike's and the people in front of me turned around and gave me high 5 when the riff started. MIKE'S: Finally Mr. Mike gets to do his thing and give Trey a rest. The jam was funkalicious and lenghty too! Stop start jamming. Pause was for a minute. Started up again, next pause > > ALBEQUERQUE: This is a pretty song, but if you're gonna give me sentimental stuff in the end of the 2nd set and in the middle of MIke's Song, give me a damn Horse>Silent. WHERE IS THAT SONG??? HARTFORD??? >WEEKAPAUG: ROck STar Trey again, MIke is hot. I love when he belts out the SHARIN IN THE GROOVE! line. I love when he slaps the night away throughout the song too. i like MIke. Mike is good, mmmmK??? E: More rock star Trey doing windmill during 1stTube-my first. Excellent though. I jumped up and down, sweated and danced. First Loving CUp of tour ended the night in dramatic fashion. Muscially, I give this show a 9/10. Overall, I give it a 7/10. Not my favorite, certainly not my least favorite. In the middle of 10 shows overall. Not as good as last year Night 1 PNC. WOULDN'T BURIED ALIVE BE PERFECT FOR ROCK STAR TREY????? HE CAN SHOW OFF DURING IT!!!! Watch them play it in Hartford when I'm not there. Rat batards. Peace, Salvo
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 13:54:40 -0400 From: patrickd [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: 7.28.00. Holmdel, NJ. PNC Bank Arts Center. OK so I'm finally in a sane enough mindframe to write a review. We caught the end of the soundcheck, just Funky Bitch. Pretty cool. If I just may comment-- I heard that there was like double security and an on-site prosecutor, so the lot fucking sucked. And it was odd because before the show, no one could find anything. Like there weren't many people even vending anything except beer. And after the show, everyone was trying to unload shit on everyone else. Heh, I traded nugs for grilled cheese sandwiches. Pretty damn nice... =c) We had lawn seats... not too bad... we were close to the front of the lawn Trey-side. HEY!!!! Did anyone see me holding up my "IT'S ICE" sign? I had a big sign that I was holding up and tried getting chants going for "It's Ice." I guess the boys never picked up on it. Anyway, to the show... Chalkdust-- Oh yeah! I wasn't expecting it for an opener, just because they seem to have been sticking with a certain set of openers for Japan and summer hence far. But still, it rocked hard, and the whole place was hopping. Sloth-- I'd never heard this song before, and it was pretty cool. Definitley had a cool rolling vibe to it, if lacking in much jammage. Still when the music stopped and Trey shouted "They call me the sloth" everyone moved. It was cool. Taste-- Wow... I had no idea this one was coming. Really great live. There was a small dispute with a friend during this song which kinda damaged my experience of it, but the music was flowing and moving in and out of the crowd and it was a very emotional jam. Bathtub Gin-- Holy shit!!!!! I needed something to pick me up, and Bathtub Gin did it. I went absolutely nuts when I heard them starting this. The INCREDIBLE jam in this song was easily the highlight of the night. We thought we picked up some Type II in there. And Kuroda-- oh my god... Kuroda was absolutely incredible during this song. The revolving ferris wheel effect he had behind the stage had everyone standing there with their jaws dropped open. Anyway the jams in this song were phenomenal. Piper-- Wow... Never seen it live, always ignored it on live tapes, but it blew me away. Trey started the riff on this song solo, and the band later came in. Excellent fucking version, just a beautiful, well-written song. Some people say "sloppy" and I tend to agree, but that's the nature of this song. Anyway, this smoothly lapsed into... If I Could-- Definitley unexpected. I think everyone in the whole place was taken aback by that song. Never heard a live version of this before and it was actually quite mesmerising live. Never thought it would be the closer though!! 55 minutes?? Wow... short as hell. This was followed by a comparably lengthed setbreak [40 minutes] which pissed me off a lot. But that's OK, because they came out [whilst I was screaming "IT'S ICE"] and started into... Down With Disease-- Yeah! I mean it's typical fare, and everyone's heard it more times than they can count, but man did it fucking rock. They did this weird intro into Mike's bass groove, which was interesting, and there were some really cool jams all in all in this 14 minute masterpiece. The second set had started nicely, and then... Harry Hood-- OH MY GOD!!! I will never get tired of Hood, I will never not love Hood. I saw it in Philly 12/11/99, however I was way too inebriated to notice any kind of glowwar. But the glowwar last nite was... eternal. It was singly one of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen in my entire life. Did some very cool jams in the context of their traditional jams, and when those glowsicks started flying, I thought I was in heaven. I'm reading here that Hood was only 15 minutes, but I can't believe that. It seemed to stretch into eternity [in a very positive way]. For me, the glowwar and Trey throwing sticks back at the crowd was truly a highlight of the show. This kinda half-seuged into... Gotta Jibboo-- And the crowd goes nuts... This was actually very cool. I'd never seen it live, and always thought it would be hokey and trite, but it rocked. There was definitley cool jammage, and the whole crowd was bouncing and singing along. Kuroda's lights were also very cool in this song. When the Circus Comes to Town-- I almost cried. This song is so fucking gorgeous. It's just... indescribable how much this song means to me. Hearing it at that very point in the show, after three rocking songs... I was mesmerized. The second I started writing this review, I popped in a tape with it, and can't stop listening to it. This, for me personally, was a highlight of the show, also a very cool chill-out song. Mike's Song-- What?? After a killer set like this I figured on a few covers or rarities, but a Mike's?? Here?? Now?? wow... This was a very cool Mike's. Pretty standard, and it actually lacked a bit of energy, which some people said the whole show did, but fuck that. This show had TONS of energy, it's just mike's that lacked a bit. It was still cool though. And then they stopped completely and paused. Waited for like a whole minute [the whole time of which i'm screaming "IT'S ICE!!!!!!!!!"], and then went BACK into Mike's, which kinda freaked me out. Then... Albuquerque-- they went into a cover which I'd never heard before which subsequently turned out to be a Neil Young song. It was cool, but not something I would've stuck into a Mike's Groove during a show like this. Way too mellow for this show, but still it was pretty cool.... this kinda meandered into a very weird beginning of... Weekapaug Groove-- OK, so first we heard DEFINITE teases of Antelope, anyone else pick up on it? I figured it had to be Antelope just because they rarely seperate a mike's with just one song from a weekapaug. But after a weird beginning, they went into a VERY VERY VERY ROCKING Weekapaug. The whole place was grooving and the boys were rocking out on this song, very cool way to end an excellent second set. OK So i was screaming my ass off for an "It's Ice" encore... didn't get it, but instead I got..... First Tube-- oh yeah.... =c) Excellent encore, I love this song. The time changes in it just bug me out, and the whole thing just rocks a lot. I love driving around cranking it, and I think this song is much better live. It rocked so much... Trey was hamming it up for the crowd and cameras during this song. Loving Cup-- A Stones' cover to finish it all off. Very interesting way to end a very cool show, and I enjoyed this almost giddy version of Loving Cup. Very cool. So overall, it's quite obvious from even glancing at the setlist that the second set was superior to the first, and being there would qualify that statement. The first set defintley had some highlights; in particular would be Bathtub and Piper. The second set was just incredible, just because of Hood, Circus, and Weekapaug. DWD was good, as was Jibboo. Encore was a nice capper. Show was a little short, but that's OK. Anyway I was going to skip work to go tonite, but I really can't do that. So I'll see everyone the 3rd in Camden!!! -pat donnelly P.S. I WANT IT'S ICE IN CAMDEN, BABY!!!
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 09:52:05 -0400 From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: 6.28.2000 PNC REVIEW Just got into work 8 am and since the show is still fresh in my mind, thought I'd give my .02 cents on the show last night. First of all, I just wanted to say that if you live in NJ, do not buy another goddamn Asbury Park Press newspaper again. They promoted too much hype over nothing and made us heads look like deadbeats. The lot scene was real chill and mellow, I didn't see any incidents whatsoever. This is Phish people, not Marilyn Manson.... Another side note, this was my 32nd show and I had very high expectations since all I could hit this tour was last nite and tonite. Of course tonite better be the bomb. Onto the review: Chalkdust - Man this song follows me around as an opener quite frequently, got me going though, Trey was raging. Reminded me of Cleveland opener (ala Fall '98). Was hoping for a My Friend opener (maybe tonite). Sloth - Ok, guess we're not gonna get a full gamehenge (part of my expectations), but nice placement and kept the flow going after a blistering Chalkdust. Fishman was laying down the grooves and was ON all night. Definitely a nice early treat Taste - I'm not a big taste fan but everyone was included in the mix real nice. Page came through clearer than ever. This went on for awhile and goes nicely right into... Bathtub Gin - Here we go, definite highlight of this set. All I can say is get the tapes, did anyone hear a little Franklin's Tower tease in this??? Piper - Very interesting, I'd also say a very rare first set piper. Had lots of energy, piper, piper the red, red worm......... If I Could - YES!!! A first timer on this one for me...very melodic and once again the sound was crystal clear. That's IT?????!!! A freaking 55 minute set, what the hell's going on here?? I definitely did not expect them to close the set with If I Could. Overall, we were very shocked it was cut short and nothing out of the ordinary. I thought for sure they were saving their guns for the 2nd set and they did but they didn't bring out ALL their guns.... DWD - Trey teasing us for a minute or two then all hell goes loose. Opening chords to DWD comes emerging from Mike's bass and we were all on our way. A very good DWD which explored some nice terrority and tremendous grooves. I didn't want it to stop and before we knew it, the opening chords to.... Hood! - Yeah baby...Hood is hood....Almost up there with the Went Hood but didn't top it. All in all this song follows me everywhere. Very Tight and awesome intro... Gotta Jibboo - Alright this set is turning out very nice and this Jibboo rocked through the roof. AWESOME if you're a jibboo fan. Circus - Whew, we all needed a breather and nothing better than Circus, which brought back memories from the encore Circus at the Great Went. Trey always pours his heart out for this song. Mike's - We all knew this was coming, seems like they love playing this song at this venue, Lots of start/stop jamming, instead of Simple I'd say.... Albuquerque - Was hoping for a Hydrogen but they can't repeat that from last year...This was very nice to hear, been awhile hasn't it? Weekapaug - Nothing too spectactular out of this one, it's your average full blown weekapaug to close out the set. Encore: 1st Tube - Yeah baby, was this the first time for an encore?? Definitely rocked, Trey was jumping and all smiles, he even ran out before everyone came out to start it off... Loving Cup - OH yeah, this was probably hands down the best version I've heard. Put smiles on everyone's faces. At this point, I was like where the hell are the rarities and covers? Since it was #32 for me and they played every song I'm so used to hearing everyday, I was kinda dissapointed. Where's the CAMEL WALK? SNEAKING SALLY? LLAMA? FREE?? REBA??? CITIES?? GUMBO??? MEAT?? FLUFFHEAD?? A %SKY would do too. Or would the lord grant me a GLIDE?? OVerall I thought it was your basic average ordinary show and nothing new to me except for If I Could. Tonite will definitely blow last nite's out of the water and hopefully we'll get some of those tunes I listed. All in all they sounded very very tight and close knit. Everyone came in real clear through the mix, wasn't like last year with Mike standing out in front of everyone. They finally got Page in louder and Fish, oh baby Fishman was soooooo on, he's the man leading the grooves. By the way, for those who saw Conan, what's up with him wearing an Abercrombie & Fitch shirt???? He ain't selling out on us is he??? SEE YOU ALL TONITE!!!! Steve [email protected]
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 10:17:30 EDT From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: 6/28 review Set II: Down with Disease -> Harry Hood* -> Gotta Jibboo, When the Circus Comes, Mike's Song**, Albuquerque > Weekapaug Groove Encore: First Tube, Loving Cup Set I: opened a littleshaky, but people found ways to groove. sloth was a nice bit to hear, and performed quite nicely i might add. Bathtub Gin. The highlight of the set, it had all the element. That's it. short set. Intermission: longer than the first set-literally. Set II: it seem like the band is overcompensating for a weak first set (aside from the amazing Bathtub bit) by stretching out the songs longer than they can come up with anything solid. Harry Hood-amazing. PNC brings a nice crowd, everyone there for a fun time, this tune brought out the best in everyone, lots of cheers and laughter. I'm not sure i'm a huge fan of Albequeque between the intense Mike's and Weekapaug, but the band pulled some freezing antics which added flare. Encore: First Tube was fairly comparable to what's on the new disc, but LOVING CUP!!!!!!!!! much fun when this sound came through the speakers. in general, the second act toppled the first act, but the long intermission didn't sit too well. I brought three friends for their first show and the general impression wasn't the greatest-especially with PNC cracking out the lot parties. Oh well, much luck tonight.
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 11:11:54 -0400 From: John Tringle [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: 6/28/00 6/28/00 PNC Last night was high-packed energy. The band was tight and happy. If anyone believes that these guys are not on the same page and happy with each other, this night proved you wrong. The Chalkdust seemed to almost be a statement of this. But the Gin->Piper was incredible. This set packed in so much that it just didn't seem like 55 minutes, and when I found out it was I just didn't care. IF just brought some sanity back to this show. DWD and Hood provided the same frenzy that picked up right where the Gin->Piper left off. They were very good, very tight versions. At this point my son was ready to crash and then he heard Jiboo and we were right back in it. Since that wiped him out we had to leave and of course missed what appeared to be a fabulous encore. How about the cool weather last night! I would sit in 110 degree heat in a full suit of armor if you would just give me an ESTHER. But remember, this band needs to evolve and do their own thing. Whatever they play is simply their vehicle for magic. The new album is outstanding. I listen to Dead tapes when they started playing the Workingman's stuff and people yell out "St. Steven" and such. I'm sure in the 80's we would have loved to hear Alligator->Cosmic Charlie->St. Steven->The Eleven but the band changes and evolves. Sure I want a Reba, Stash, Suzy, Sky, etc. but I guess they're becoming classics, if not even rarities. It's ok. It's all good. And then when you do get that gem it's even that much better. Looking forward to tonight. Easy on the drinking, besides....$7?!?!? That's 1/3 of another show people and it just puts you in the bathroom (not the nearest tree you can find but the BATHROOM.) I guess my best predictions for tonight would be Ghost and YEM. much peace jt
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 10:25:05 EDT From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: Phish - Wednesday, June 28, 2000 PNC review Phish - Wednesday, June 28, 2000 PNC Bank Arts Center Holmdel, NJ Just the highlights. We received a good, higly energetic show tonight, not everything was a classic, but the high energetic mood made it a very fun evening. Scene was fine, didn't seem as 'bad' as last year, crowd more in control, just milling around. Inside the place was filled with energy! The Star Spangled Banner that gets played over the PA prior to the show always gets the crowd going. The band also came on bursting with energy especially Trey. CDT is full of fire, with Trey hitting the wah-wah pedal instead of the single high note to start the jam. Trey on the pedal a lot tonight. Good jam, went in many different directions, all out force. Trey was experimenting a lot tonight, and never settled on one thing, which led to some fantastic improvs and also some moments of confusion. CDT was a highlight! Taste was also nice. Page had a nice piano solo in the beginning of the jam segment, and the improv consisted of Trey picking away at the guitar, similar to the 11/27/98 "R2D2" jam in Weekapaug, but a lot lower in tone. He just picked off one note or chord at a time, pointing his guitar at the audience and picking away, with the band maintaining the Taste rhythm behind him. I think some people will not like this, and may think it was boring, but I thought it was fantastic, he just kept plugging away, nice jam. Bathtub Gin was good but here was a place where they just didn't settle into any one (or two) type of groove, and sort of meandered (too strong of a word) through the jam sequence, until the very end where they finally hit on a fast upbeat Gin tempo to bring the song home. Bathtub Gin also began with a very HEAVY piano cascade from Page more so than I have seen in the past. Then Trey allowed the band to establish a groove while he piped around on the guitar, the band wasn't too eager to establish anything good enough to roll along with or play around, so then Trey joins in on it and all four kept searching until they begin to build up into a nice big finish. Well done, and not as bad as I am portraying it, 2nd highlight of set 1, Taste was the first, for me. Piper had no build up intro jam, they must've started the singing at about 45 seconds into it, nothing major in the jam, then they came back to the lyrics, sang it a couple more times, and really mellowed it down to a close. From which emerged (but not really a segue) If I Could, a rusty version but well received, I liked it! Short first set (even the usher lady said "that was quick, I thought they said the break would be a 9:15"...it was 9:00) but overall a nice one! And a quick 40-45 min set break. Dw/D contained the spookiest, screechiest longest distortion, with evil red lights intro I have ever seen. Then Trey loops a guitar segment and solos around it for the jam. Harry Hood had glowsticks flying around in the beginning of the jam. Trey is trying to catch them as they fly onto the stage (similar to when he lets the band groove while he pops balloons on NYEve), he catches two and throws them back into the crowd. The jam is another example of them trying to establish some type of groove or theme, but they just couldn't come up with anything substantial, not even the nice Trey 1997 melody which he seems to have recently stopped playing for this solo. Page has a nice solo on the organ directly behind him, but most of the jam is Trey just picking away. Jibbo was standard, or should I use cookie cutter in homage to Dave P (Dave's the man!)! This song has not much going for it at the moment. Circus and Albuquerque were very well done, both had nice vocals, and the solo in Circus was the best I have seen him play, lots of 'ooomph' in it! I'm sure Mr. Swain :) liked this version of Albuquerque (but would've probably wanted more from the Tonight's the Night album). Mike's was good, Mike himself sounded good! And the jam was very rough and pounding with the band (and then Trey soloing) something very similar to Doobie's "Takin' It to the Streets" at the very beginning, but quickly abandoning it for a "Bip Bap Bap Bip Bap" jam which as the Taste jam just kept going over and over. It was well done, but over and over, until wham, a stop on a dime! Silent Jam, no movement (except for Mike a little) and then continued the repetitive sequence again, then finally stops. After Albuquerque Trey begins to play what sounded like an Antelope jam tease for the first few seconds, but that quickly becomes Weekapaug Groove. Now talk about a cookie cutter version of a song, I think they were casting the cookie cutter mold with this version. Nothing to it, very standard. Long break between the set and encore, maybe they were trying to get Tom Marshall up since from where I was I could see he was watching the show from the stage right entrance, with many others. I was on the extreme right hand side of the arena, Trey side in the 100's. After the long break Fish and Trey come running back onto the stage and are followed by the rest of the band. Good high energy, windmilling, version of First Tube with some different low note playing, otherwise I would be able label the version as standard. Lovin' Cup was good, nothing as compared to last year's or even Radio City. But in the middle of the song during the jam, Trey is concentrating on playing the guitar and a stage jumper I think carrying a beach ball, approaches him and just stands there to the side of him looking at him. Trey looks up from his guitar and is really startled, the guy asks to shake Trey's hand, Trey gives him a Roman handshake and FINALLY the security grab the guy off stage. The guy snuck up on the right side of the stage, the jock head new security kid who was sitting there all night, not doing a thing, not even knowing where people's seats are should be fired!!!!! I saw him all night, it was his job to guard that side of the stage by the stacks just for this reason and he blew it!!!!!!!! The song lost all momentum from that moment on! I think Trey really got freaked out, since he looked up from his guitar and there was this guy just standing there. That's it, sorry for the late night typos and poor grammer: 1st star: tied Taste and Mike's Song 2nd star: tied Bathtub Gin and CDT Peace, Kaz [email protected]
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 12:53:11 -0400 From: Jason Miller [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: Holmdel 6/28/00 Oh, what a night! I had high expectations for this show since it was my first since NYE, and my 44th overall. Needless to say, I was not let down. The lot seen was very chill, but how could it not be, with what seemed like the entire NJ State Police patrolling the parking lots. We got to the lot early because my friend went to NC and saw a lot of ticketless kids hogging up all the spaces, and to our dismay we were parked on the remote lots right next to the police barracks! But Phish made up for it with a very rocked out, Trey-led night of solid grooving! Chalkdust: Nice opener with Trey laying down some nice licks from the get-go Sloth: Always a treat to be taken to Gamehenge so early in the show Taste: Usually not one of my favorite songs to hear, but this version showed that Phish is sounding very tight this tour, and it was a sweet version indeed Bathtub Gin: Definitely the highlight of the set! Pure, raw adreneline in this song, one of the best versions I've heard live. Get the tapes of this show just for this tune and you'll be happy! Piper: Pretty standard version here, but always a pleasure If I Could: Never thought I'd hear this one live, but I'm glad I did, it sounded very nice. However, they could have thrown in something more upbeat to close the set. Oh well, can't win em all Setbreak: While I went off to answer Nature's call, or should I say scream, my buddy got into a little pool for the second set opener. I had not seen this before, but it's kind of cool, since we normally just guess, and the only prize is to gloat for a couple of days( I predicted the openers to both Hampton shows in 98, not to brag or anything!) Most of the obvious choices had been made by the time my buddy got to choose, but DWD was a good longshot. Down With Disease: Well, allit took was tose opening bass lines from Mike, and Billy proceeded to collect his purse-$26 not bad to get paid to hear a great song like this, and tonite was no exception Harry Hood: It just doesn't get any better than this! The boys always seem to take this song beyond the boundaries of it's structured jams and into the dizzying heights of Phishtacy Gotta Jiboo: One of my favorites from last year's crop of songs, it just gets better every time they play it Circus: Thanx for the breather, they always seem to play this song right when we need it- after some solid jams and right before... Mike's Song: We knew it was going to come eventually, and I'm glad it was tonight! Very solid version, nothing out of the ordinary, just sick jamming, and a little of their stop and go jamming Albuquerque: A nice breather, but I was hoping Trey was going to stop for some cheesecake with his country ham Weekapaug: Always a great show closer, this one did not let me down, with the band taking some chances and just letting it all out First Tube: Another one of my fav's from last year, this tune is ON! Very nice way to end the show... Loving Cup: Gotta be one of my favorite covers, they always know when I really want to hear it the most! What other band today can play a 30 yr old cover song and still make it sound so fresh as if it were their own new release? All in all, this was a great show, and it tells me that the rest of the tour is gonna be just like the weather-HOT!
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 10:36:30 PDT From: Mike Lancaster [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: 6-28-00 Review LOTS - Very chill. Cops weren't that bad. It's all hype, and keeps giving the east coast a bad name. Set I: A buddy and I had great seats about 13 rows from the stage, off to the left side. Chalkdust - Raged. Machine Gun Trey re-appears from 95. Sloth - They played this the first nite last year too. Standard. Taste - Was OK, Page had a nice solo. Gin - OK, this is were it gets interesting. This Gin could give ANY Gin a run for it's money. Page strong on the keys to start. A few minutes in it was still a pretty normal Gin. Until, Fishman (who had a great nite) kicked in this funky disco beat that really took the Gin into a different level. Get the cd's if only for this!!!! Piper - This one was like a sonic wall of noise. But it was good noise. Trey was just wailing away, jumping up and down..TONS of energy If I Could - Very nice to hear.. Never heard it live. and to my surprise and to many others, the set ended... DWD - I was kind of disappointed to hear this. I hear it at every show. It was solid though. Hood - This was a decent Hood. But was really fun when Trey starting catching glowsticks and throwing them back out in the crowd...it was a fun time. Jibboo - I could listen to that bass line for hours. Circus - I love this song. Perfect placement. Mike's - This Mike's was good, but it was so close to just blowing through the roof, but really never got there. Really funky, with start stops...loved it. Albuquerque - I love Neil Young, and I love this song. Perfect placement again. Glad to hear they changed up the Mike's Groove a little for us tonite. Week - Solid Week...Trey was wailing away again. E: First Tube - This version was AWESOME! Trey was about to jump out of his skin. Again, TONS of energy. Loving Cup - Great way to close a show, no matter how many times I've heard it. Trey was rocking away again...he must have been happy to be back in Jersey. Great show!
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 14:31:54 -0400 From: Philip Dombrowski [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: PNC 1st night review HELLo EVRYbody! My first show since cypress and i was very worried about being let down but the boys definitely did not disappoint. First set started off solidly and quickly with a rockin chalkdust that they all seemed to be havin a lotta fun with.This lasted for the standard time and then came the choppy chord start to SLOTH!!Hell yeah!!I was definitely pysched at this point with them busting out such a great,rare tune so early in the show.They did slow down after either with a gorgeous taste that grew and grew with no flubs at all.Everyone was really on last night.then came my highlight of the entire show....THE GIN! Started off slow and funky in the intro but once they hit the jam part this one just took off.Trey was still playin the licks of the bathtub riff but mike just started layin down a thick upbeat funky bassline that got em goin real fast.The jam is something that every phan has to hear.The only way i can describe it is that it was to like an upbeat version of the jam out of the epic jam out of cities from creek 97' but with many more twists and turns along the way. well this ended and piper started....are you kiddin me?great version nothing too drawn out but again very tight.If i could was nice treat to close and from the short but extremely solid first set i was wonderin what would come from the 2nd. BOOM!crazy intro right smack into the spotlight on mr gordon for the start of what would again be a classic Phish2000 version of disease.not as drawn out as some have been recently but very great middle jam that smoothly went right back into the opening licks.2nd song.....HOOD!!YEAHHHHH.Intro was the best i have ever seen on this one and what i liked was all the glowstix came out during the intro and not a one was seen during what could be my favorite phish jam....the minor jam ahhhhhhhhhhh.this was great and jiboo took the stage next.great version which was followed by a mellow but well placed circus(they had to take break after the three monsters to open!).then a great Mike's that we were all waitin for.This one was only about nine minutes but get the tapes for this as well as the amazing gin.extremely tight jam section with communication at a great high.Start/stops all over the place and no segue to albuquerque and then weekapaug with definitely an antelope tease at the beginning. The encore was crazy as well with the first first tube encore and great lovin cup to send everyone home smilin ear to ear!I cant wait till tomorrow many classics to come.Please send Sally with me through the alley!!!!! peace and smiles to everyone.see ya on tour. -Nate Anderson(naterama) Also,if you have any comments on this review please dont hesitate to email me at [email protected]
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 13:03:07 EDT From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: 6-28-00 PNC review Just a couple quick comments about last nights show. In general, it was a great show. Unfortunately, I still have Nashville on my brain. That show was unreal. Lord knows they can do it again, though. Maybe tonight? Anyway, I was a little disappointed to have heard so many repeats already. As much as I disliked that first night in Atlanta, I was glad that they had gotten so many of those songs out of the way. I never expected to be hearing half of them again already. Chalkdust was great but I liked the set closer in Atlanta better. Gin was top-notch... but where's my Tube? DWD? Jiboo? Hood? Not that I'm complaining about these songs (at all)... but with so many to choose from, why do repeats? And then came Mike's. This made the whole damn show for me. They totally funked out the jam section. Trey changed up that whole power chord sequence. It was hot. The start-stop jamming always gets me even more amped up. Albuquerque.... one of my favorite songs. I couldn't have been happier at this point. Page didn't quite match up to his Big Cypress performance on his little solo but it was absolutely beautiful, none the less. Weekapaug was hard-core.... a great way to end a show. I'm holding my breath for a Ghost or Reba tonight. I'll see you there. Dave Nazarian
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 08:39:35 -0400 From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: 7.28.2000 PNC Review Just got into work 8 am and since the show is still fresh in my mind, thought I'd give my .02 cents on the show last night. First of all, I just wanted to say that if you live in NJ, do not buy another goddamn Asbury Park Press newspaper again. They promoted too much hype over nothing and made us heads look like deadbeats. The lot scene was real chill and mellow, I didn't see any incidents whatsoever. This is Phish people, not Marilyn Manson.... Another side note, this was my 32nd show and I had very high expectations since all I could hit this tour was last nite and tonite. Of course tonite better be the bomb. Onto the review: Chalkdust - Man this song follows me around as an opener quite frequently, got me going though, Trey was raging. Reminded me of Cleveland opener (ala Fall '98). Was hoping for a My Friend opener (maybe tonite). Sloth - Ok, guess we're not gonna get a full gamehenge (part of my expectations), but nice placement and kept the flow going after a blistering Chalkdust. Fishman was laying down the grooves and was ON all night. Taste - I'm not a big taste fan but everyone was included in the mix real nice. Page came through clearer than ever. Bathtub Gin - Here we go, definite highlight of this set. All I can say is get the tapes, did anyone hear a little Franklin's Tower tease in this??? Piper - Very interesting, I'd also say a very rare first set piper. Had lots of energy, piper, piper the red, red worm......... If I Could - YES!!! A first timer on this one for me...very melodic and once again the sound was crystal clear. That's IT?????!!! A freaking 55 minute set, what the hell's going on here?? I definitely did not expect them to close the set with If I Could. Overall, we were very shocked it was cut short and nothing out of the ordinary. I thought for sure they were saving their guns for the 2nd set and they did but they didn't bring out ALL their guns.... DWD - Trey teasing us for a minute or two then all hell goes loose. Opening chords to DWD comes emerging from Mike's bass and we were all on our way. A very good DWD which explored some nice terrority and tremendous grooves. I didn't want it to stop and before we knew it, the opening chords to.... Hood! - Yeah baby...Hood is hood.... Gotta Jibboo - Alright this set is turning out very nice and this Jibboo rocked through the roof. Circus - Whew, we all needed a breather and nothing better than Circus, which brought back memories from the encore Circus at the Great Went. Trey always pours his heart out for this song. Mike's - We all knew this was coming, seems like they love playing this song at this venue, I'd say.... Albuquerque - Was hoping for a Hydrogen but they can't repeat that from last year...This was very nice to hear, been awhile hasn't it? Weekapaug - Nothing too spectactular out of this one, it's your average full blown weekapaug to close out the set. At this point, I was like where the hell are the rarities and covers? Since it was #32 for me and they played every song I'm so used to hearing everyday, I was kinda dissapointed. Where's the CAMEL WALK? SNEAKING SALLY? LLAMA? FREE?? REBA??? CITIES?? GUMBO??? MEAT?? FLUFFHEAD?? A %SKY would do too. Or would the lord grant me a GLIDE?? OVerall I thought it was your basic average ordinary show and nothing new to me except for If I Could. Tonite will definitely blow last nite's out of the water and hopefully we'll get some of those tunes I listed.
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 17:19:48 -0400 From: Scott Hunter [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: Sabotease Am I the only person at Homiedel to hear a Sabotage tease both before and after the pause between Mike's and Albuequerque? I thought the pause was all about helping Mike remember the rap. Scotto
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 09:22:39 -0400 From: cp [email protected] To: [email protected] My first show since NYE2K, and, I must say, what a show to start things up again. PNC has to be one of the finest sheds (at least on the East Coast). Was hoping for a few gems, and was certainly not disappointed. First set had a rockin' Chalkdust opener, sublime Taste, fast and furious Piper (wasting little time in bringing it to a fevered pace), and my first If I Could. But it truly was all about the Gin. Now, I must say that I have always been a little apprehensive about a live Gin myself. I don't know, something about the tempo, or beat, or something, that has made me almost hope that I would not find Gin a centerpiece for a set. Well, I will gladly eat those thoughts and words, because last night brought out the believer in me (as the boys have always done!) That Gin just took off........ and of it went, for fifteen minutes or so, into some of the most incredible realms of jamdom I have been fortunate enough to witness firsthand. Thank you, Phish. Bummer that the set was so short, but you could feel that they knew as well, and that they would make up for it in the second. And that they did. DWD? Hood?? Jibboo??? What a one, two, three punch to start. Disease had become on of my favorites again after Big Cypress, and this one will continue to reinforce my affinity with it. All three tunes had monster, monster jams... to have them open up a single set was more than I could hope for. I knew I would hear a Mike's one of these two PNC nights, but was suprised to hear the opening notes after the power-packed opening trio. But there it was, Mike's...... and what a slice of thick Mud Funk it was. Beautiful quick stop / silent jam / restart, too. Albuquerque was certainly an odd placement, but a Neil Young tune is always welcome. Thought I heard an Antelope brewing after, but alas it was Weekapaug. Certainly no need to cry, though... Great way to end the set. First Tube was phenomenal...... Loving Cup a great capper to a welcome return to the NYC metro area. (So, I wonder what Trey was being filmed for - he surely was hamming it up for the camera all night) So glad to be able to be back for another go-round today. chris .
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 08:34:07 -0400 From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Alltogether an excellent show...not the best I've ever seen in my 25 plus shows, but nonetheless a very nice treat. Some highlights..since breaking down the whole show would take for ever. First set...the Taste - Bathtub was just insane. Nice flow from one to the other...very, very tight. This may have been one of the better Tastes I 've ever seen!!! And that goes along way...in 10 plus Tastes I've caught. Always a treat, but tonite it was a little more special - the way it fit in with Bathtub was just perfect. And....Bathtub...of course. By far my most enjoyable Phish song. This one was right on...not quite as good as Radio City, but still excellent...again very tight...all around an excellent version. Second set...I'm kinda torn as to my highlight....at firrst I would've said Hood to be the absolute show stopper, but as i glance back at the setlist - it's difficult to overlook Weekapoug!!! Wow - very tight second set. I will have to go back to my initial thought - as Hood as the highlight. Amazing is the only word for the intro to Hood. By far most intriguing and profound opening. It's difficult to top the Hood form The Went, but this one was right on. To top it, it followed a perfet DWD, which was a sweet back-to-back punch. All-in-all - great show...first set was a bit short, but they made up for it in the second set an encore...oh yeah the encore...!!!! Excellent!!! First Tube - was right on - and you can ask for much more with a Loving Cup closer!!! Left us wanting more - which they usually do very well... See you in Hartford Peace Todd North Jersey
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 12:29:46 EDT From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: 6/28 review I never reviewed before but I figured after this show I had to. I've only been seeing shows since last year, but I've got over 150 shows on cd so I guess I've got an idea bout what's good and what's not. Anyways, we grabbed a chill spot on the lawn, kind of in the middle and sat back to watch Chalkdust: I caught this at two shows last year and when I heard it I didnt exactly flip out. However, I was during the jam. Trey is playing incredible I think, better than all of last year or the year before. This was jammed the way an openening chalkdust should be played Sloth: One of those once-a-tour-songs you never expect to hear, at least I didn't. Very happy with this Taste: Thought it was free at first, but I was happier to hear it was taste. Page went pretty crazy, then Trey played a blistering solo. I could not get over how well he they were all playing. This taste could've been one of the best non-segueing tastes I ever heard, and was hoping they would play a phat something after this to keep it going GIN: As everybody else said, clearly the highlight of the set. This I felt left the typical Gin jam, but I prolly wouldnt know because I was never the biggest Gin fan, until now. This jam had a phat groove to it, then just exploded, I couldn't believe it. They just kept building and peaking and building and peaking. GOD it was insane. Piper: One of my favorite songs but I didnt enjoy this one as much. I thought the intro was pretty tight and the jam was powerful. However I thought it was hard to hear Page and I felt Trey at least during the second jam could've stepped out from behind his electronics, but I think it was the most I ever enjoyed a solo with that type of effect on it. Phat ending, thought it was going to segues into something but then If I Could: This was decent, about as good as it can be. Nice guitar work in it, but I was so dissapointed it ended the set. However not too dissapointed because that was an incredible set for its amount of time During setbreak my friend got back his row 12 tic, I went down got us a stub and we went down. MAD PROPS to the girl that hooked us up with the stub n the herb, you are the shit more people should be like you. Anyways, looking back on the first set, the Gin was obviously the highlight, but I felt the taste was overlooked. Incredible power on it. Anyways I was figuring for a Mike's to open but Disease: We all kind of knew it was disease once the started doing the electronic thing. However we waited to go crazy until the spotlight shined on Mike. Anyways, god I love those seats. It's such a different experience being close like that. This disease I felt was very, very good. They went into a really funky groove after they peaked a little with the typical disease jam. This groove was tight as hell and I was figuring on a segues when BAM they went straight back into the rock jam. What a set opener, really set the stage for this incredible set. During the end, I saw Trey mouth Harry Hood to fishman and saw him sit up so that he'd be ready to hit those hi toms. So i was screaming Hood! at the top of my lungs, everyone thought I was crazy then they got a big fuck you when they went into Hood: haha told y'all. Ah well everyone around us was cool so it was all good and then we got a pretty phat hood. LOL Trey needs to work on catching, haha. That was funny, he was just all over the place tonight. I don't think he stopped smiling the whole night except when he was REALLY concentrating on what was going on around him. This Hood was good, maybe not enough build though, but I was still enjoying my ass off. I felt good Jibboo: Yea, this song is tight. I was defintely surprised to hear it though because they just played it but oh well never argue with em. Nice jam, I felt it was almost cut short but oh well. Circus: Christ I knew this was coming. I've heard at almost every show I've been to. Ah well I'm not saying that it's bad. You gotta love the part right at the beginning of the guitar solo. Mike's: Jesus I was flipping, I figured they were saving this for the next night. Really funked out. Fish was playing really well the whole show and I thought this Mike's really showed off his ability to groove. Cool digital delay stuff from Trey, Page went over to the clav a little which I was very happy with. Then, BAM they all froze (except for Mike, lol). The crowd went crazy, then BAM back into it christ they have the best sense of timing. BAM froze again. Jesus, I almost expected some Kung action a la some other Mike's where they did this and Kung appeared, I forget the date though, but they started up Albuquerque: Both me and my friend thought it was Wish you were here. But then they started singing. Anyways, I always liked this song ever since I heard it from sessions so i was happy with it, probably moreso than anyone else. Afterward Trey seemed to chord out Antelope but Weekapaug: Either one it doesn't matter. It would've been crazy if they did play Antelope just because the paug woulda been there afterwards but no one was complaining. Trey started the chords, then dropped out as it went in full force. Mike was on fire. He was really slapping this solo out well, almost thought he was doing the double slap a la Wooten but I dont think anyone's really capable of doing that well except for Victor. Anyways, this paug was great. Peaked maybe 5 times, that was how they jammed, build peak, build peak, it was incredible. The ending was phat too with trey holding his guitar and everything. WHAT A PHAT ASS SET First Tube: Dissapointed at first, but not as they got into it. Enjoyed this more probably because I was there. Trey didn't stand still the whole time, I think the rest of the band was having fun just watching him. Loving Cup: Aight page I see you, he put all of it into his verse I felt. Solid Cup Ok, what was phat: Taste, GIN, Mike's and the paug, Disease, Hood, Piper, Jiboo, Chalkdust, 1st Tube Every other song just contributed to the mood. THe only dissapointment of the whole night was the If I could set closer. They've played Gin, Mike's Groove, Disease, Hood, and Taste in one show only one other time according to phish stats. Jesus, this tour will go down as a great one. Personally, I feel like Trey hasn't played as well as he did last night since the 94-95 era which was arguably his personal peak performance years. Last night he played up to par with that era. I defnitely felt this was his show. Also, did anyone notice Fishman playing incredible as well. Both of these two were so much more active than in any show they played last year. Turn Fish up, especially when he plays the way he did last night. Jesus, I'm still in shock of how well they played last night, the way they communicate without even talking to eachother is incredible. The pinnacle of rock band improvisation. DISCLAIMER: All references and comments on last year do not include BC. I felt last year was sub-par phish personally, being that some shows were pretty good and other shows weren't as good at all. The main difference is the playing of Fish and Trey. Last year I think it was noticable how much Trey hid behind his electronics. Fish would just lay on his ride and not really do anything too amazing. I know they are exceptions but I think 99 by all is considered a weaker year. However it was so important. Trey has learned the balance to use with his effects, doing some incredible things with his guitar last night. Fish also grooves incredible but then tears it up as well now too. 2000 is obiviously going to be a great year. ANyways, sorry for the length but I'm bored and waiting for tonight when i can see it all over again Tim
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 03:09:05 EDT From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: holmdel 2000; night 1 after seeing the band at Lakewood, I wasn't sure what to expect here in Holmdel. I thought the shows in Atlanta were fairly strong, but nothing that would qualify as mind-melting per se. Tonight in Holmdel certainly had plenty of mind-melting moments, from the now very rare Sloth to the incredible show-closing Loving Cup. The band certainly appeared to much more "on a mission" as they say than in Atlanta. Simply put, this was the hottest Phish show I personally have seen since Philly '96, but then again, I've only seen a handful since then. Even so, this show rocked and it rocked hard. Bathtub Gin in the first set was long and well-played. The "If I Could" that ended the first set was certainly unexpected. They definitely don't play this song as often as they used to. This show was really about the second set, however, as the first set was rather short. Amazing DWD to begin and then SURPRISE!!!, 2nd song HOOD!!!! killer Hood with glowsticks a blazing, though not that many compared with other shows I've been at. Gotta Giboo was fine if you're into the Giboo. Personally, a few times is more than enough for me. Into nice Circus and then the real fireworks begin with incredible Mike's into long jam with time-stop bandmates frozen on stage, Fishman with his head turned to the side, Page with his hands just above the keyboard. AWESOME!!!! back into the jam, and then bandmates frozen again back into jam immediately into Albuquerque. I had never seen this great Neil Young song and never thought I would. it was definitely sweet. into powerful Weekapaug. right here this show was damn good. the encore, though, put it over the top and into my top ten all-time. Unbelievable First Tube with Trey dancing and smiling and going off. they could have ended right here and i don't think many people would have gone home dissapointed. Trey would have none of it as he whipped the band straight into without a doubt the best version of Loving Cup Phish has ever done. Simply put. It doesn't get any better than this. PNC was on fire and so was Phish. A hot band blowing through a classic cover in awe-inspiring fashion. incredible!!!!!!!! a mind-blowing moment from a band that can produce them at will when they want to. At PNC tonight they wanted to. from thomas late wednesday night/ thursday morning
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 02:18:03 EDT From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: 2-28-00 Hey.... was Trey having fun tonight or what? I thought last years shows at PNC were two of the best shows I have seen at the same venue back to back in a long while.... Well, if tomorrow is anything like tonight then we are in for a real treat. I came in late, but heard Chalkdust as I was walking up the stairs... Can't tell you how it was because I spent the entire song on line for the potty. Then just as I am coming up from the bathroom I hear the opening to Sloth... yeah baby!! Quality song... In my mind nothing to write home about....except for the fact that it isn't a regular...What came next was definitely the highlight of the show for me... Taste....Gin....Pipper....>If I could.... I can't say enough about those 4 songs...especially the Taste...Gin.... Both the best version of either song I have heard live. You know the second set wasn't too bad either... DWD...Hood. ..Gotta Jiboo...Circus....Mikes.....Albequreque....Weekapog/////// First Tubb....Luvin' Cup.... Weekapog....First Tubb....Luvin' Cup was definitely the highlight of the second set and the encore.... can't wait for tomorrow night See ya there
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 11:21:17 -0400 From: Glenn Kistler [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: 6.28.2000 PNC DAMN! This was my second phish show, and the first one i saw was the first night last year at Philadelphia(12-10-99) Dogs Stole Things,Bouncin (Very weak) This was a vast improvement and was more than enough to make up for that show. Trey was bouncin around a lot last night and having a lot of fun. The first set opened up with a rockin Chalkdust, and mellowed out with a smooth If I Could. The second set was a very good energetic complement to the first set and had the crowd groovin' and dancin'. Now to the songs Chalkdust - IT was rockin. When Trey hit the first chords, I felt a huge amount of energy rush through me. Wasn't a very long jam, but it was still great. Sloth - I'm not a big sloth fan, but this song was still good, every once in a while, i'd see a few hands all go up at the same time after Trey says, "They call me the sloth!" It's all good. Taste - I'm a huge taste fan. When Trey started playing the guitar riff to this, i was jumpin up and down and freakin out. Page was on for that song. It was one of the few songs in the show were Page was able to show off his abilities and play and major role. Very nice, mellow jam that had me groovin all the time. Bathtub Gin - Highlight of the first set. Page had it all going with his crazy piano shit in the beginning. The jam was really cool. Trey and Mike were playin a really cool riff, and Fish was playin around it with some really weird bluegrass beat. Fish Rules! Piper - My legs hurt after this song. This song got so fast at the end i was sweating from groovin so hard. Definitely an awesome song. If I could - I was definitely surprised by this song. It was kinda cool comin out of piper, but i really wasn't in the mood for it. Trey was doing a real fast thing over and over again. It was pretty cool, but it kinda got a little old. Still good though. Intermission already!? Hot damn, that was quick, it felt like 5 minutes had just gone by. OH well, during intermission, it would rain on and off. I didn't bother anybody much though. A pretty short intermission caught some people by surprise. It was like, 40 minutes. Not bad. Down With Disease - OH MAN!! I love this song. It's so rockin and pumpin. It was really fun and a great way to open the second set after the If i Could. Really neat jam. It kinda got pretty slow, and a little psychadelic. Then they built up the tempo and hit the last few choruses and... Harry Hood - Two of my favorite songs in a row. Hot damn!! This was awesome. I couldn't stop smiling. What can i say about this song. IT RULES! Awesome jam. Definitely chris kuroda's best lighting i thought. I got to throw a glowstick too. I was very happy. Gotta Jibboo - This caught me by surprise cause they played it at the other show. IT was still fun though, and it kept me groovin. When the Circus Comes to Town - What better way to cool down the crowd and give the groovers a break. What a great song. Trey really gets into it and sings great. Mike's Song - This had to have come some time or another. Albuquerque- This was different. After they stopped the second, i was hoping they were going to go into Hydrogen or Simple, but this was a good replacement. Weekapaugh Groove - It was weird how they went into this, everyone around me thought it was antelope. I was hoping for that, but then Mike went into his bass groove. They didn't start it by the traditional snare shot. instead, they all started off with a real quiet riff that sounded like weekapaugh and antelope. Then the light went on Mike and we all knew what it was. That ended the set, and it was a great way to end the set. I was so happy i got all these awesome songs. I can't wait to hear what they do tonight. Encore First Tube - I believe that this is the highlight of the show. It was awesome. Trey was creating his own dance, and he got caught up in it and lost time and messed up the last guitar verse before the jam. It was pretty funny. This was the most i've ever seen trey hop around all night. Lovin Cup - I'm not a big stones fan, so i wish they had just ended it with First Tube, but it was pretty cool. Overall - Great show, it's gonna be hard to top, but i believe that tonight, the guys are gonna push it to the max, so to speak.
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 13:15:34 EDT From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: what a F$#$#ing great show!!!!! what is up guys!!!! none of these reviews have done the show justice so far. what a great show. The entire tour has been comprised of different set lists, often containing the good and the great. this show did not stop except long enough for me to catch my breath during the pause in mikes song. Going to the show I had noticed they did not play once so far, mikes song, or weekapaug groove, or simple, And I definatly thought they would bust one of those out for us at least.... ...... and bust out they did. honestly, one of the most incredible Grooves I have ever heard!!!! Mike was simply beating the fuck out of his bass, slapping it with reckless abandon as he propelled the groove to heights I have never experienced!!! another favorite was the Down with Disease to start the second set which left me pounding the ground with my feet, literally twirling in mid air before I would land back in dance mode for the song. The intro was amazing with a long downward scratch of the guitar strings while the surrounding band members toiled with their own instruments in a conglomeration of confusion before the opening the song and ending the anticipation with the first two notes of Disease. The Bathtub Gin was simply out of this world. I have never heard such a version. It was never so much the songs at the show, but the jams inbetween. Trey was picking jam rifs as if they were contained in bubbles floating through the air as effortlessly as his fingertips skimmed over the frets of his guitar. He was without fault last night and so was the band. He really does affect the mood of Phish, when he aint so good, neither is the rest of the band. They often wallow in uncertainty. But, as we witnessed, when Trey is solid, The rest of the band, Fishman, Page, and Mike play like their language is the music which they make. Just an incredible show with some of the best music I have ever heard ------- EVER. love and peace, Pan
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 02:04:57 EDT From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: 6/28- Pretty Crazy Some quick notes on my 40th show. Short but sweet first set. Lots of U.S. Summer Tour firsts. Chalkdust and the rare The Sloth got everyone going. The Taste/ Bathtub Gin combo was the clear highlight. Taste had a nice chaotic groove going with Page driving the whole thing. Tonight's Bathtub was definitely the best one I have seen and one of the coolest jams I have seen Phish do. This raged and had what I thought to be a Rolling Stones tease by Trey. That song, "You're the one...that girl". Or something. I agree with a previous post stating that the Piper was kind of a mess. But many '99 and later Pipers have sounded like this. If I Could was a bust-out and a nice and different way to end the set. When was the last If I Could? The 2nd set rocked. DWD and Hood follow me around everywhere. but I am not complaining. Jibboo grooved hard. Circus Comes let everyone catch their breath before an amazing Mike's>Albuquerque>Weekapaug. The Mike's had the stop/start thing going. Happy not to hear the usual Simple and instead the beautiful Neil Young song Albuquerque. I too heard Antelope before the Weekapaug. First Tube was a great choice as an encore. Has it ever been an encore? Little bit longer than usual. Loving Cup was my call as lock for the night and it came out rocking late. I have never seen Trey as animated and happy as he was tonight. Jumping all over the place, getting down on one knee during jams. He sprinted out for the encore and was jumping up and down ready to start First Tube before Page and Mike were even out there. Great show. See everyone in Polaris. Brian
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