7-4-00 -- E Centre - Camden, New Jersey

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

Date: Wed, 19 Jul 2000 09:50:00 -0400
From: "Peeler, Jon" [email protected]
To: "'[email protected]'" [email protected]
Subject: 7-4 review
 
Review: 7/4/00
 
Words for today: "You know what? There is truly no place I'd rather be right
now."
 
Oh Yeah, Happy 4th of July, people!!! The midpoint of tour finds us back in
Camden ("It's only the river...") for the centerpiece show of this tour: the
Fourth of July fest. Traffic getting in this time was no problem, we left
extra early anyway, but cruised right into the lots at 3:30 and parked in the
corporation lot right accross the street from the tunnel (Oh yeah, you gotta
love the tunnels at Camden!) and proceeded to while away the afternoon on
another hot lot (damn, I can't wait for the Sept. shows, Im sick of being hot
as hell BEFORE I see the band) running onto phriends old and new.  It was a
nice, mellow afternoon- I wasn't in Camden for the scenery tho- so at 7:15
its time to boogie on inside for Phish's second annual fireworks of the
mind.  After finding the usual suspects up on the lawn, I actually did
soemthing utterly crazy. I went down to the pavilion and sat in my seat for
the entire first set! See, I got all pavilion on my mailies, but it's just so
much more fun on the lawn that I never go down. Why? You ask. Well, I like to
be able to have an occasional smoke during the show, and Yes, I tend to take
up a little room when Im into my groove, two things you really cannot do in a
pavilion. That and the grass feels so much better on the feet and I prefer to
dance barefoot. BUT...tonight I was blessed by the Mail Order Gods with
fourth freaking row and Hell, I can't pass that up. Haven't been this close
since 94 or so. So I wander down and stub like two people down because I know
the feeling of wanting to be with your friends at a show but it didn't do
much for our cramped quarters. Fuck It, it's all good anyway. Our heroes
arrive onstage at the usual time (Geez, does anyone else remember when they
were on at 7:40 every night?) and launch into Star Spangled, an easy call,
and I'm glad they got it out of the way early, ditto for Crackhouse which
seems to follow me around like an ex lover there was never anything with in
the first place. But when they finished Crackhouse they got serious. Rift was
the real show opener, and it got all of us movin and groovin. I was having a
great time actually checking out the guys all set, good to see them all
smiles and having as good a time as I am. Actually thats one of the reasons I
started loving and following them. They look like they are having as much fun
onstage as we are loving them. When the vibe flows both ways, it is magic! I
think that vibe has been flowing since Big Cypress and I love it:) The same
thing happened when I last thought they were done for, after Fall 96. Anyway,
they finish up Rift, everybody is hyped and they decide on...It's Ice! Oh
Yes!!!  I know a lot of people who were extremely happy to hear this, me
included. The place exploded. When Page missed the verse we filled in for him
nicely and everybody, crowd and band, smiled.  Fish climbed up ontop of his
drum kit during th emiddle section which was looked really cool and had me
wondering if he always did that (hazy memories) Ice was very nice and the
crowd was going nuts, even Bouncin didn't dull the mood and we hopped around
like fools. Stash hadn't been played yet, and I had called it, so I wasn't
that shocked, but very very pleased when they whipped it out next. What the
hell, is this 1994? You gotta love it pholks, and you're going to love this
Stash, very heavy and intense, twisting and turning over itself with Fishman
going absolutely nuts and a SERIOUS Manteca tease, a real highlight, a
setmaker once again, the place turns up up an insanity notch, people are
going nuts when they finish the song and the band counters
with....Lizards??????? Holy Shit, what more can I say I was in absolute
heaven, of course it wasn't perfect, but who cares? They played Lizards. The
whole crowd joined in for a huge sing along on the chorus. Absolutely
beautiful! Trey then favors us with another dip into Gamehenge with TMWSIY
which was a little rough, but hey, you try to play it one time a year in
front of 25,000 howling lunatics and see how well you fare. Avenu and TM...
led another extremely respectable set into a Julius closer that I couldn't
even bitch about. The song selection on this set was exceptional, lots of
tour debuts, and well performed. I was happy as all get out when I left the
pavilion, maybe Ill make it back down there again, but it was time for the
second set, I wanted to see my phriends, smoke a little and watch some
fireworks.  I gathered up some peeps in the concorse and we made our way back
through the big ass lawn to where everybody else was.  Let me take a second
here to thank everybody we met up in Camden for making the shows so special,
it was a really good time and I love meeting new phriends, so Lynette,
Rachael, Jentina, Kate, Mike, Mark, Gretchen, and last but by no means least,
Lindsay (see you in Darien!)  (I think thats everybody) major props to you,
It was great time. Anyway the lights go down, and everyone lights up, and we
move into Jiboo. Geez, my third Jiboo second set opener this tour, but
pholks, this is not an ordinary Jiboo. No nonononono, we have seen the birth
tonight of the Atomic SuperJiboo. They just ran with it, and they ran with
it, and then they ran some more. Ive been waiting for them to break this
puppy open, and tonight they found the hole. Thirty fucking minutes! With
what sounded like Antelope and SOAM jams weaving in and out, it just kept on
going, and most everyone in the crowd stayed with it the whole time we even
had a lawn fireworks display courtesy of probably the same people who treated
us during the HotLanta Rock and Roll. A Jiboo for the ages, if this is what
this song is to become, I think I can live with that. Finally Jiboo comes to
a halt and turns around into I Saw it Again, an odd choice, but what the
hell, I can definately deal with a little heavy grinding tunage, besides, its
usually not that long and frequently leads to other interesting things
like...Magilla??????? OH WOW!!!!! Magilla!!! I wouldn't have called this in a
million years, my 99th show and my second Magilla. I was not just psyched, I
was FUCKIN psyched! We all danced like loons while everyone took a round
(nice work by Mike) Oh man, that was nice! Glad to hear that one. Magilla
ended into a wierd little space transition that yielded a dark spacy Twist
that was nicely done, they seem to be using Twist as a second set spaceout
number now. A lot of Twist jams wander off into that ambiant realm, but it
doesn't bother me like it used to because they aren't spending the entire set
there anymore. Anyway, I think they were saving five minutes of energy to
reach deep down for...Slave. Another call from me earlier and it completely
erased the fiasco from Raliegh from my memory banks. A great big huge
beautiful emotional intense Slave that summed up everything in 12 minutes,
brought a tear to this old eye I tell you. I also found a hidden ability
during Slave that I could give a backrub while still keeping an intense
groove going, very useful. Now I knew that was it and sure enough it was
thank you goodnight time. Encore?  (They should start a double-encore
tradition on 7/4) How about, say Lawnboy. An odd choice, but I was really
with it, I love watching Page hamming it up and he was in rare form tonight,
thanks Page, I hope you had a great time too!  Some fireworks (but not the
expected bonanza, which caused some people who like pyrotechnics more than
music to grouse) led into a GTBT that blew what was left of the roof off of
the joint, sent the crowd into one last feeding frenzy with Mr. McConnell
leading the way wailing the last words as we spent every last energy reserve
going absolutely nuts. Oh MAN what a show. Also want to make note of the drum
circle in the tunnel on the way out, there were about 500 people in the
tunnel on our way back out to the car, and we had ourselves one of the best
drum circle dances ever for about ten minutes until the cops came and
motivated everybody to leave. It was just so cool, like a postshow concert
and the kids were loving it. When the cops busted out the sirens, well then
we danced to the beat of the sirens. They were nicely in time with the
beat:)  It took us forever to get ourselves motivated and out of the lot, but
massages till dawn were worth the wait. Happy Fourth everybody, Im outtie for
a couple days and Ill see y'all at Deer Creek. Its gonna be sick!
 
Greg Peeler

Date: Sun, 16 Jul 2000 22:54:15 EDT From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: July 4th Review Ok, I'm not gonna bore you with lot talk, because it really can't entertain you to any great degree. So, I'll just get right to the show. I had pavilion seats and had a pretty good view from the 200s. My friend got a miracle ten minutes before the show started and it was in the 100s!!! Anyway, it was real bright out when the band came out and they celebrated the mood with an A Capella version of The Star Spangled Banner. Very cool idea, pulled off nicely. Farmhouse: Man, this was real unexpected, but it was cool, because I love hearing this. Last time I heard it was Big Cypress, and unfortunately this version didn't compare. That was because Big Cypress had me in some sort of mood and I swear I almost cried. Anyway, any time is a good time for Farmhouse. Rift: YES!!! Now the show has started. This version was awesome. Barring a few Trey flubs, I was so in the mood to hear this. In the middle of the song, I said to myself "I'd love to hear another song from this album" No sooner had I said that when they started.... It's Ice: Saw this at Roseland. Could see this any time. always cool. Always tight. Now I was starting to feel the groove. I knew already that this was gonna blow the 6/28 PNC show I saw the previous week out of the water. Bouncin': Tight as always. Been a while since I heard this and it was a nice mellow come down after a ragin' "Ice". Stash: AMAZING! They jammed it to hell and then came back beautifully. This set couldn't be getting better, could it? Oh YES it COULD! Lizards: Lost my Shit! My first Lizards and it was a beaut! It had to be downhill from there, right? No, no, no. I think I hear... TMWSIY -> Avenu -> TMWSIY: Just incredible. I'm speechless at this point. Julius: Very nice set closer to end a pefectly beautifully played set. Set break was spent drinking water and talking about what a great set it was. Nothing special. I was just really looking forward to seeing what they had in store for the 2nd set. Jibboo: Ok, now I'd heard Jibboo at the last 2 shows I was at (and wound up hearing it at my next one as well), but this is the greatest version EVER! 30 minutes long and I never stopped dancing. Jibboo jammed itself into.... Saw It Again: Only heard this song once, first time live, I really liked it. Very tight. Into.... Magilla: So cool to see this live. Page was nuts on this INTO....(notice how they haven't stopped yet) Twist: 2nd time I've seen this new version. The jam was so tight on this and it was really sweet. This then went into... Slave: G-d I love this song. That's it. No further comment on this song. It's just perfect. This ended the set. On to the encore.... Encore: Lawn Boy: Very cool. Fireworks were AWESOME! and, right on beat with the fireworks......I hear the drums lead into.... Good Times Bad Times: OH MY LORD!!!! I screamed off the top of my lungs and lost it. It was so incredible. Perfect ending to a fantastic show. Go Camden! Go July 4th! Go Phish!!!!!
Date: Sun, 9 Jul 2000 18:54:54 -0400 From: Doug Rice [email protected] To: [email protected] Blockbuster Pavilion 7/4, Camden, NJ Like the first night of Camden, this show has some crowd treats in the form of several inevitable tour debuts, but the jam of the night (and arguably the tour) was once again surprisingly spawned off the Set II opener.... SET I - From the setlist, it's simple to pick out the choice treats because, well, you haven't seen them on any other setlist from the summer, that's how! Rift's summer cherry was finally popped and was a little sloppy but provided that very unique Rift bluegrass-on-speed energy that you don't get with any of the newer tunes. After it's timely unshelving at Roseland and subsequent Japan appearances, It's Ice was finally introduced to Summer 2000. This version will make anyone realize just why we've been kicking and screaming for the band to bring it back. Then later, Lizards is introduced to Summer and came off like they've been playing it all summer. Pretty tight and sharp. It seemed like after the opening Farmhouse, the band knew they wanted to dive into the oldies and you can literally hear the transformation of the somewhat sloppy Rift, the smoother Ice, on to Bouncin' to all get on the same page vocally, then the Stash to ensure they were all in sync with each other's instrumental paces. It paid off with a gorgeous delivery of TMWSIY with a VERY funky Avenu Malkenu in the middle. This TMWSIY/Avenu Malkenu is the musical highlight of this set. A treat. SET II/Encore: Here's where you can't let the setlist fool you. "Oh, another set opening Jibboo?" WRONG. It started out as a Jibboo, but you can not put into words where the band goes with this one. Like Runaway Jim (in the same slot the night before), this Jibboo is a pure honor and privelege to be a part of just by your listening participation. However, UNlike the night before's Jim experimentation in the best of old school psychedelic Phish, this Jibboo aspires right from the beginning in a journey to the moon and an unashamed showcasing of the band's comtempory "space funk" explorations. Trey's work on keyboards were exceptional and had very haunting sections reminescent of his work on Oysterhead's "Sinking Down." Give this a listen! At 30 minutes long, it never stales or stalls and rewards with some great payoffs. The MUST hear. The groove laid down by the Jibbo jam was so strong that the band never really stopped for the whole set, coming back to earth with I Saw It Again, slipping in another first timer treat, Magilla, a very flowing Twist, and an extremely inspired Slave that turned the arena into Phish Church. Throw in a saucy Lawn Boy from Father Page, some interior fireworks, and a rollicking Good Times, Bad Times and you got yourself a show worth seeking out - if not alone for the soon to be infamous Jibboo jam. Amen, Phish. Peace, G.Rice
Date: Sat, 8 Jul 2000 15:48:49 -0400 From: Mary Carmen Chimato [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: 7-4-00 -- E Centre - Camden, New Jersey review Well, it's been quite awhile since I've publicly reviewed anything Phish related, a four day camp-out at MSG for Holiday '97 tix was my last, I think. I was so pleased with the 4th of July show, I want to share my opinion with everyone. Escaping a head on confrontation with urban blight that not even Star Man's power of urban renewal could undo, Sister Mary, Craig, Zzyzx, and I took the ferry into Camden. I was so overjoyed with not having to deal with traffic, there was little that could bring me down. We chilled in the little park by the aquarium for a while before heading into the venue. Decent seats in the shed made us all the more happy. The boys headed out a little after 8 and sang a nice Star Spangled Banner. Farmhouse was next. This was played very well and though an odd start, nothing to complain about. Rift was a welcome old friend. Now the show had *really* started. I turned to Mary and we both had that smile. I wasn't expecting It's Ice. Played only handful of times in the past few years and taking a year off hasn't helped this tune any. There was a big lyrical flub and it wasn't the tightest I've ever heard but it's really hard to be too negative about it. Due to the poor acoustics of the E-Center's Men's room I can't say much about Bouncin'. Stash... ahhh, like taking a sip of cool refreshing water, Stash pleased and tickled me to no end. Very well played and fairly intense. Not to take away from the others, Page struck me at this point as being the rising star of this show. It was also during Stash that I noticed Mike wasn't all over the mix like the first night. Maybe it was where I was sitting the first night but I thought there was a little too much Mike (I'm not sure if that's such a bad thing or not ;-) ). John from North Carolina, a real chill kid who was sitting next to me, went nuts at the opening strains of Lizards, come to think of it, I went pretty nuts too. Very well played and no Trey flubs! With thoughts of sinking knights and foolish lizards flashing in my minds eye, I was ready for a little break. TMWSIY>AM>TMWSIY gave me that break. I chilled to the beautiful strains of TMWSIY and tried to think back to the last time I had this treat... Worcester '97... as good then as now. AM is so cool, very nice with a some great playing from Mike. This was now a solid, great set. Julius usually doesn't do too much for me and while this wasn't anything out of the ordinary, the energy translated to a very exciting rocking finish to a fun set. Set break sucked. Security was overly zealous. There's rules that need to be followed but when it means some giant thug in a yellow shirt gets to shove a kid to the floor for standing in the wrong place... I don't like it. My energy down a little, I needed something to get me back into it. Gotta Jibboo did it. Get the tapes for the Jibboo, everything else is icing. A wicked half hour of inventive jamming that went to both happy and scary places. Nice transition into Saw It Again. Though it has never been one of my favorites, when the band is on, it's hard not to enjoy whatever they're playing. Very dark and dangerous, this was a cool tune that was going somewhere. As Saw it Again wound down, Page was doing something, going somewhere, Mary leaned over and whispered Esther. I got real excited, I'm in a four year Esther drought and I want one, but no... it was Magilla! A very nice and Page filled version. Twist Around... at one time I hated this song. This new version is more to my liking. A very nice version. The opening strains of Slave signaled the beginning of the end. Though well played I knew this was more than likely the last song of the set so it was time to kick back and relax. Very strong and exciting set. Lots of good jamming, you gotta getta Jibboo it was fantastic.
Date: Sun, 9 Jul 2000 17:46:30 EDT From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: 7-4-00 e center camden, NJ review Alrighty, day 2 in camden.....everyone was ready for an amazing show. thank god no rain! the show the night before had been amazing, but left everyone soaked. Theres 2 things that follow me to shows, thats rain or TMWSIY. Anyway, set 1 began: Star Spangled Banner: done a'cappela. Everyone was expecting this, however i didnt think it would be a opener. Nicely done though. Farmhouse: ever since i first heard this song i liked it, and it this version didnt disappiont me. Rift: alright, i had a feeling this was coming, great exchanges between Page and Trey. It's Ice: I was pretty suprised by this one, again nicely done. Bouncing Around the Room: started out as a standard version, but after Mikes part, Page came in and sounded really good. Stash: yeaaah..stash...totally rocked. Lizards: i couldnt believe my ears! Took me off guard! ALWAYS wanted to hear this live and it was worth the wait! TMWSIY>Avenu Malkenu>TMWSIY: like i said this one follows me around, last time i heard it on 10/3/99 it went into BBFCFM....but i can never get tired of this tune. Julius: not bad, usual version Setbreak: the bathroom was like a steam bath, and i was ready to faint...really dehydrated....when talking bout the 2nd set, some girl was prediciting a 2001>Suzy>Reba>YEM and Boogie encore. Set 2: Gotta Jibboo: Started off standard, but really jammed, get the show just for this song if you will......35 minutes.....with the wicked-ist glow war i have ever taken part in....you could see the fireworks from Philly over the bridge during this song. I Saw it Again: most of the people around me were asking me what the name of this was, heard it a few times before and sounded great. Magilla: Havent heard this song forever.........nice treat Twist Around: came out of a feedback jam from Magilla.....sounded better than usual. Slave: yeahhhh, always a great jam....didnt disappoint. Encore: ok, everyone was ready for the fireworks... Lawn Boy: Page came out from behind the keys to sing this, he was having a blast....he wished everyone a happy 4rth and fireworks went off above them and then... Good Times Bad Times: YEAH!!! the opening riff was drown out by the fireworks, but this is always a treat... all in all a great show, the lots after the show were beyond words, i cant even begin to explain what was happening, but everyone had a blast. Set II (1:10): Gotta Jibboo^ -> I Saw It Again -> Magilla >^^ Twist Around, Slave to the Traffic Light Encore (0:09): Lawn Boy^^^, Good Times Bad Times
Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2000 17:33:47 -0400 (EDT) From: Christopher Rosenbleeth [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: July 4th extravaganza What a better way to spend a 4th of July than with Phish...it was utterly amazing. First, a note about the venue, for all those who couldn't make it. I've been going to concerts of all kinds in Camden for about 6 years. And I can honestly say that I hate it there. First of all, it's Camden...nuff said. Second, the security there is so freakin' concerned about people being in the aisles or smoking cigarettes in the pavillion, it can put a damper on the mood. I lost half of Fluffhead trying to explain to some putz security guard that it was going to be nearly impossible to get down the aisle 14 seats to where my seat was. I ended up staying out on the lawn where it is so much more relaxed. That said... Star Spangled Banner: it was such a pleasant surprise as an opener. I really thought this would close the show, but it was a nice patriotic nod to the US before starting to rip. The crowd loved it, I loved it, it was cool. Farmhouse: not exactly my favorite, and I was looking for something a little more hardcore phunk to start the show off real nice, but it was my first time hearing it live, so it was enjoyable. It also sounded pretty smooth and peaceful. Rift: There's the song I was looking for to start the first set off right. Nice. When I saw that they hadn't played this song before Camden on this tour, I felt like there was a chance. Maybe the best title song out of all of them (maybe Ghost). Trey sounded nice, as did Page. (IN retrospect, this seemed like Page's night to shine). It's ICe: Are you kidding me???? I almost lost my shit. Definitely one of the best set of lyrics in Phish's arsenal (in my top 5 anyway). Page was right on in this one, even if he did flubb the lyrics a bit. Who cares...one of the beautiful things about Phish is that they don't have to get it right every time, and yet it still seems right for the moment. Bouncin': Not my favorite, by far. It's a great song, but I've now heard it half (exactly) of the times I've seen them live. It seemed like a breather, and it didn't last that long at the end. Stash: this completely blew my mind. I didn't think anything was going to beat the first set of the 3rd, especially not so soon, but they came to play tonight. Sounded a little muffled at times, but still awesome. Maybe it was something wrong with the sound system. Lizards: CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS??? Trey sounded awesome in his solo, as did Page. I love this song, and they didn't disappoint at all. By this time, I could hardly breath I was dancing so hard, but it was well worth it. TMWSIY: Nice and relaxing/soothing, but beautiful. Malkenu: Hit it right on. They might have done this better at some point, but not that I've ever heard or seen. I've only seen this couplet (TMWSIY-Malkenu) one other time live, at my first show, and I was so much more able to appreciate it this time around. Julius: This may be one song I think loses something live from its album version. However, this one rocked. Did anyone notice the kid on the side of the stage that kept coming out to dance? (Trey's??) That was cool. The little kid just wanted to get down. Very funky, very grooving, very nice end to a fantastic first set. Jibboo: this was inevitable, but this was cookin' as well. Much like the 3rd, when they jammed out on Jim to start the 2nd set, they went in and out of space on this one. The tight jam in the middle of this made me happy and I could have left after this. Saw it again: very awesome, the first time I'd ever heard of the song at all. Tight melody at the end, in the climax refrain. Magilla: OH MY GOD!!! I don't think it could have gotten any better, but just when I started to doubt, Phish proved me wrong again. Page was ridiculous, and Mike was flat out funky. Twist: nice mellower version, very nice out of Magilla. Slave: perfect ending to the perfect 4th. I love the climax jam at the end. The song never stops building until they bring it home, and they killed it here. Question: does anyone know if Tom MArshall wrote this in reference to the traffic light at the Philadelphia Zoo? If you know the one I'm talking about, you'll see what I mean. Lawnboy: Page is the man! This was my first lounge act, and Page didn't disappoint. And then the fireworks were awesome, too! And just over the bursts of fire, I could faintly hear... GTBT!!!!: What a kick ass way to close the show! I was starving for a rocker after Lawnboy and Waste the night before and this was the perfect satisfaction. Gotta love this band!
Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 20:49:24 -0400 From: Michael Twilley [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: july 4tfh sucked SSIA : )
Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2000 15:08:04 -0400 From: "St.Pierre, Timothy" [email protected] To: "'[email protected]'" [email protected] Subject: 7/4/00 review Since I'm sure no one could care less about my pre show experience or what was coursing through my veins, and I certainly don't care to write about it, I'll just go through the songs Set I Star Spangled Banner - I heard this the first time they played it in 1996. This was much much better, inspiring and musically exceptional. I was very impressed. Farmhouse - While I dig the song, I did not really dig the placement too much. I mean, come on, its the fourth. Rift - Nice surprise, but I'm sorry to say that Trey was not on at all during this. Anyone familiar with the song could listen to the tapes and agree. The crowd was way into it though, which was nice for the overall energy. Its Ice - Great surprise, nice execution, cool SSB tease in jam, but WAY TOO SHORT in the jam. Personally, I was hoping for more of this, what with it being my first Ice in 5 years. Bouncing - At this point, I was getting antsy. It was pretty as usual. Stash - This plain out rocked. The jam got into a sort of gallop, almost double timed. Trey was very excited from the get-go, he was jamming even before the jam started. They played a bit of that jam that they've been playing every night, you know the one, they played it during Jim the night before, with Trey riding that rock-chord progression. But it had a Stash feel to it (of course)... The clear set highlight. Lizards - Another old school song. Perfect for the mood. TMWSIY-- OK, I'm a tough critic of the boys, only because I love them so much. I generally don't dig hearing this song because its usually flubbed. THAT WAS NOT THE CASE AT ALL with this one. I listened extremely carefully, and literally there was nothing wrong. Its such a delicate song that I feel like it loses some integrity when notes are misplayed. And thus I loved this one. ALVEENU was money. Julius - Called this one before the show. Your standard Julius, lots of energy. Set II Jiboo - I could talk for hours about this Jiboo. Its the first one I've ever heard go headfirst into "the dark side". After about fifteen minutes of standard feel-good Jiboo, it flipped over into this dark funk feel and they let the big dance party go. After a little while, it flipped back and Trey started riding some major chords again and it was a happier groove. When it flipped back to the dark side, it pretty much ripped open the cosmos. It scared the crap out of me. To be honest, I saw It again. I Saw It Again - First time I ever even heard this song, anywhere. It had gotten some negative reviews from some phriends of mine in the past, but to be honest, somewhere in the dark recesses of my mind, I liked it. That twisted little descending lick, "melody" if you can call it that, reminds me of something.... Magilla - What?!? This was so dope. I literally felt like I was listening to a jazz band. I guess I was. Twist - In the throws of the pre-Magilla madness, this was nice and dark. Experimental, I guess you can say, and fairly long. Slave - Nice of them to close with a ripping feelgood song. They really did nail this, sans hammer. Encore - Lawn Boy - Sweet, Lawn Boy. The best part was afterwards, Page, in full loungesinger voice, "Happy Fourth Everybody". GTBT - This was so balls, I lost it. Tim St. Pierre
Date: Fri, 7 Jul 2000 00:19:34 EDT From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: Camden.....at least its not Newark! That is what the visitor center should have as its motto..... Well, another twofer of Phish in the Philly area and a mixed bag of emotions for these two shows... I was lucky enough to see the boys last July 3rd and 4th at Lakewood and let me preface my review by saying that last year FAR surpassed this year's performance. Maybe it was a combination of things....the crowd and lot in Atlanta were great compared to this year, the weather cooperated, and many more fireworks made that show very special. Security put up their token resistance to the massive drug presence by feeling my bowl and letting me in the E-Center. As a venue, I'd have to rate it as very average. If you were there, you noticed that the sound was muffled at times and definitely too low on the volume. The lawn had these speaker/subwoofers mounted on tall poles that were supposed to allow everyone to hear the music clearly. If you stood underneath on or near it, it sounded just great....but other than near the stage or one of these monoliths, the sound was shitty. Luckily we had reserved for the 4th and boy were we glad after getting poured on the night before. And now to the music.... SSB - Okay, so this year it opens up! Farmhouse - Beautiful song but WHY WHY WHY put it here?!? Rift and It's Ice - After the third, I was thinking the hadn't played any Rift tunes and was very glad to hear both of these! Weren't the tightest of versions but fun nonetheless... Bouncin' - That's what was played, that's what we did... Stash - FINALLY something to really get it going....a VERY good stash with some interesting work by Trey Lizards - Also wondered yesterday if we would get any gamehenge and a double/triple shot of this masterpiece.....TMWSIY was beautiful but difficult to hear because of the aforementioned shitty sound..... Julius - Fun way to close it out the set.....you could see Trey's family all dancin their asses off during this one..... Overall - I thought the first set of the third blew this one away. Well that's what the second set is for hopefully Jibboo - LONG LONG LONG and really the only great exploratory effort of the night.... I saw it again.....eh Magilla - what a great little tune to jazz it up a bit.....too bad its so short Twist - Not one my favorites of the new batch but was cool to see Slave - A nice set closer with Trey going off Encore Lawn boy, GTBT - Again two vastly different tunes but a cool way to close things out. Overall - I read someone's review a little earlier who mentioned that great "events" are different from great "shows" and I couldn't agree more. Musically this was an average show at best and far short of last years shows which featured excellent musicianship as well as some nice covers. I suppose it would be silly to think that every "special" occasion show will be an epic four hour maelstrom with rare songs, beautiful segues, and crystal clear sound. I hate to sound like this show was a total letdown, but after my last show (12/11/99) it certainly is hard to compare it favorably. Happy Birthday America!
Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 13:18:09 EDT From: Adam Schwartzberg [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: reveiw 7/4/00 Camden Okay, I've read a bunch of the reveiws for this show, and I can't beleive what I am reading. People actually liked this show? What the hell is wrong with you? Just because the date of a show is cool and the band makes T-shirts for it does NOT make the show a good one!!! Maybe the Runaway Jim>Runaway Jam>Runaway Jim and Glide from the third got my expectations for this show to high, but I thought that it was one of the most disapointing nights of music that I have ever witnessed. What kind of band writes an amazing song called Free, plays a show on Independence Day, and doesn't play Free!!???!! I just don't understand that. Furthermore, After the Star-Spangled Banner opener, there was not one reference to the Fourth of July!!! Unless you count those sparklers somebody inside the Pavilion threw up in the air during the encore. Those were the fireworks we saw? Come on, people!! It was a disgrace!! The first set was neat in that it was very old school. But there was not one exciting moment there. Don't get me wrong, I love It's Ice, and when I heard the opening notes to the song, I was psyched! But that had to be the worst It's Ice of all time. Before the jam got going, they went back into the song. I'll admit, the Stash was decent, but that's it. Just decent. What should have been a nice peice of jamming within a set was the highlight of the set. that was a VERY weak highlight. Lizards Was fun to hear, and I know that TMWSIY>Aveenu>TMWSIY is rare, and some people find it beautiful, but I found it boring. When they finally got the energy level going with Julius, they ended the set. okay, I could have taken that set as a good throwback to the good ole' days if the second set was structured correctly, but it wasn't. Admitedly, Jiboo WAS good (overplayed, but good), and the transition into I Saw It Again was very good. I love that song and was very happy to hear it. Also, Magilla was good. The Jibboo>Saw It>Magilla was good, but not good enough. If the set was more fleshed out, the three songs would have been a fun segment of the set. but the entire set? Just not enough. Additionally, Twist>Slave were both subpar versions of the songs. nothing special, nothing exciting! Where was Suzy? Where was Roses Are Free? Where was Free? Where was brother? I could keep going, but I won't. As for the encore, LAWNBOY!?! A LawnBoy encore!?! On the 4th of july? What the hell is that about? It's a great song for the first set, but a 4th of July encore? I don't think so!!!! The energy level for good times bad times was high, but it was just too little too late. I was expecting a second encore consistng of Harpua to make up for such a crappy show, but then the houselights went on. I was half expecting somebody standing at the gates walking out to give me a refund, but that didn't happen either. Then, I read that people loved this show? Hey, everybody is entitled to their own opinion, and if you enjoyed this show, you are lucky. but personally, after the amazing Ghost>Slave from last year, I was thoroughly disapointed. Overall, as the comic book shop guy would say: "Worst Show... EVER!!!!!"
Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2000 12:21:54 -0400 From: "Ballard, Mark" [email protected] To: "'[email protected]'" [email protected] Subject: 7/4/00 review The song by song disection seems to be the standard format for a Phish review, but that's starting to bore me. So here are some impressions and some of the highlights (for me anyway). Tuesday at the e-center was my first forth of July show. It was great, didn't quite reach that spiritual plane, but great nonetheless. It was cool to hear Ice, it had been a while for me. The middle, spacey, jam section (for lack of a better description) seemed very short and I'm always hoping they'll stretch that section way out. There's so much potential there for exploring... I also love that part, that little bounce, when they conclude the jam and jump back into the composed section of Ice. A longer jam might enhance that little moment as well... Stash was phenomenal. They absolutely roared back into it from an incredible jam. Very intense. I also am a huge fan of the man who stepped into yesterday. However, the people in my section talked through the whole TMWSIY section. I was pissed. This song, when played before a quiet crowd, can be so great. It's one of the most delicate things, I think, that Phish has to offer. Did anyone hear a dear prudence-esque melody somewhere in the second set, at the end of Jiboo perhaps? I saw it again is one of those Phish songs that's taken me a while to warm up to, but I loved it Tuesday night. It's weird. The Lawnboy/Pyrotechnics/Good Times encore was great. Page wished the crowd a happy forth at the end of Lawnboy. It was real sincere, and gave me that sense of community. The pyrotechnics/good times bad times followed... "I know what it meeeans to be alooone!!"--how much fun is that line? peace everyone, mark
Date: Thu, 06 Jul 2000 00:46:55 -0400 From: "[email protected]" [email protected] To: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Subject: REVIEW: 7/4/00 Camden, NJ There's been a lot of debate about this one already, and I think there are nuggets of truth in every opinion I have seen so far. In my mind there are two kinds of "great" Phish shows. The first kind are the jaw-dropping musically impressive ones. The second kind are the "fun" or "party" or "wacky" shows. The first have to do with the "concert"; the second with the "event." Example: last year's Holmdel run. 7/15/99 was the better "concert"; 7/16/99 was the better "event." As a "concert" 7/4 is inferior to its three New Jersey brethren from this year (that's all I've seen on this tour). That is not an insult. Those three provided a very high standard to live up to, and 7/4 did have its moments where it matched them, which I will discuss. But I can see how those expecting 7/4 to be the "jewel" of the Northeast Run might be disappointed by this. However, as an "event," it was quite exceptional and surpassed the NJ brethren, with the possible exception of 6/29, in this aspect. It was a BLAST. So those that have reviewed the show enthusiastically are perfectly justified. The caveat is that what comes across most on the tapes is how the show did as a "concert" as opposed to an "event." So the shows that are strong as an "event" but less so as a "concert" are prone to be viewed as overrated by those who weren't there. Indeed this is how I feel about 7/4/99. It sounds like it was a blast, but I wasn't there and there's not much other than Ghost -> Slave that holds my interest on tape. Oh yes, the actual show: This was my 14th show, last of 4 this tour. Not sure what to expect given how bowled over I was by 6/28, 6/29 and 7/3. Left early to beat traffic, and unlike 7/3 experienced virtually none on I-676. Better safe than sorry. Accompanying me was my high school buddy David, whose first show was 10/17/91 while out at Stanford and whose second show was 12/11/99 with me. That amazing show inspired his return trip this night. Anyone out there have a longer gap between shows? This was a night of firsts, and here's another one: David must have been the first person to bring an issue of "The Economist" into a Phish show to read beforehand and at setbreak. The boys emerged around 10 past 8 and milled around, eventually going over to the mikes for... SSB - we knew we would get this at some point, but not expecting it as an opener. Farmhouse - I was expecting something more emphatic to "open", as they had done at the other three NJ shows. Maybe because of my expectations this seemed a little sluggish until Trey kicked in the reverb at the end. Rift - Whoa! Here's a good way to get the crowd going. This was a bit rusty at first - perfectly understandable - but they upped the intensity at the end and drove it home. It's Ice - So happy to hear this. They weren't going to keep this from us much longer, right? Page's lyric flub was funny, and the spooky jam segment was the first evidence of Phish 2000. Definitely not looking like a typical set... Bouncing - except for this. Nothing special but sometimes it pops up as a contrast in some of the crazier shows, so who knows? Stash - About time! This was the hottest jam of the set. It was really a tug of war between Phish 2000 and Classic Phish. Page and Fish were doing jazzy flourishes while Trey and Mike were pumping out chugging rhythms and trying to build a groove. This produced some fascinating moments that I won't really be able to describe until I get the tape because of the distraction in the aisle near me. A security guard went on a power trip and bullied people out of the aisle, and had heated confrontations with a few fans who challenged him. People, when a security figure gets like that, just walk away. You will not win that argument even if you're right, and you could get yourself in trouble, and the ruckus disturbs the rest of us. Okay, soapbox mode off. Lizards - and the oddities keep coming. A nice little groove, and sublime piano work by Page. It's a little late in the set to begin a Gamehendge but I'm sure I wasn't the only one thinking "Tela" when Lizards wound down and a mellow piece started up. Not quite... TMWSIY - oooh, pretty... Avenu - Not as much ass-kicking funk as Phish 2000 is capable of, but very solid. TMWSIY - oooh, pretty... Julius - Blues-Rock Trey in full force. He wailed, the others chugged along with the same intensity, the ending was drawn out a bit longer than normal, and it came to a satisfying end. A fine set closer. At the end of the previous 6 sets I had seen of Phish 2000 I felt mentally and emotionally drained from the musical ass-kicking they had administered. This set did not produce the same feeling. It was lighter, more "fun," but not of the same intensity. A "party" set, as I explained above. Nothing wrong with that, just different. Stash is probably the only thing that will really hold interest on tape, though parts of Ice and Julius might also impress. After a 51 min. setbreak, anticipation in the air was thick, and they came out and started... Jibboo - While this show overall may be lesser as a "concert," this may be the most musically impressive part of the whole NJ run. If 12/9/95 is the UberYEM, 7/23/97 is the UberGhost, and so on, then this is the UberJibboo. A version that goes so far beyond what the song has ever done before that it's almost unfathomable. The first 15 minutes did what a normal Jibboo does, but then things got nuts and we got 15 minutes of musical heaven. The crowd engaged in the biggest glowstick war I have ever seen, and erupted to the sound of the fireworks across the river, and the band seemed to play along to the rhythm of all this. Then it got all spooky, with Trey dropping out (did he go to the mini-keys? Hard to tell from my angle) Page producing Moog madness, and Mike and Fish still pumping the groove. Then Trey went back to guitar and we got this groove-cum-tension-and-release exercise that I'm calling "Groovecore" for lack of a better word. See also 6/28 Mike's, 6/29 Drowned & Birds, 7/3 Gin (maybe a bit in Sand too but that was more of a pure funk). This got tremendously intense and then they popped with a segue into... I Saw It Again - Damn, I LOVE this song! And it was my first! Who else could start a song funk and then take it to heavy metal? Okay, Funkadelic in the Eddie Hazel years, but who else? This was nailed, and then the song went into an uncharacteristic ambient jam before turning into... Magilla - They just won't quit with the setlist surprises! A jazz tune in the middle of jamming madness? Some great solo fills from Fish on this one, and then into... Twist - here's where things got weird. I love Twist, and I love it when it stretches out like 6/20/97 or 4/2/98. And I was excited when they started to do that again. But after a while they just sounded lost, futzing around to no purpose. Lots of neat effects but nothing resembling a coherent beat, which Phish 2000 needs for maximum impact. I dunno, maybe I will like this better when I hear it on tape. These sorts of jams often sound better when you're by yourself listening on headphones than when you're in the midst of an adrenaline-fueled crowd (see 7/10/99 Tweezer). Anyway, eventually Trey hit a few notes and the guy behind me called it right away... SLAVE! - Whatever was lost in emotion and intensity was made up here. Not quite as moving as 8/17/96 and 7/4/99 but few things are. This was the next tier below. A lovely way to end a very unique set. That was one of the more schizophrenic sets you'll hear. It didn't always work but the effort was there and the surprises were there and they produced a moment (2nd half of Jibboo) that will be talked about for years to come. The set is a must-have on tape just for that. I was hoping for a long encore (YEM? Reba? Harpua?) as they left the stage much earlier than they had the previous night. So it was a little surprising to hear... Lawn Boy - my first, believe it or not. Page worked the crowd and Mike took a nice bass solo. Just before the end Page wished us all a happy 4th and then all of the sudden, onstage sparklers! And then fireworks! KISS? No, Led Zeppelin! Good Times Bad Times - Ripped to shreds by Trey, what a great burst of energy to send us off with. This was a great "event" and a darned good (if not great) "concert." IMO the greatest Phish shows score high both in the "concert" and "event" aspects. In the final analysis the one NJ show that matches both criteria is 6/29. But 6/28 and (especially) 7/3 I think achieved greatness as "concerts" and this one as an "event." So you could not have asked for a better four-show run. This last show may not have lived up to its hype, but that is no reason not to have enjoyed it, especially for the rarities and the Jibboo. In five years no one will be talking about the unrealized expectations, whatever those may have been. We will be talking about "the historic 7/4/00 Jibboo." And that by itself will have made this night all worthwhile. I will close my last review of the NJ run with the same comments I made in opening the first one. YOU MUST SEE PHISH 2000. YOU WILL KICK YOURSELF LATER IF YOU DON'T. They are that good right now, and you never know when they will get on a roll like this again. Thank you all for reading. Erik Swain
Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2000 07:42:45 -0700 (PDT) From: Chris Merenda [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: 7/4/00 Review Well, July 4th would unfortunately be my final show of the summer. Summer tour is always my favorite and it^�s been hard for me to accept that I could only see two shows this year, especially after getting out to 7 last summer. Growing up sucks^� We left around the same time as the night before, but I took a different route to ensure that we would park in a lot, not in the garage. Those of you who parked in the garage either night know what a pain in the ass it was to get out of there! We settled into the lot closest to the bridge and had a few beers before checking out Shakedown. If you read my review of the night before, you may remember that I lost my bowl on the way in to the show. I replaced it with a nice red and orange piece of glass, so that made me happy. At around 7:15, we made our way inside. I again put my bowl in my pants, but made sure to wait as long as possible before taking it out of my pocket. Of course, during the way-too-familiar patdown, he patted my midsection and asked, ^�What^� that?^� My natural reply was, ^�My belt.^� But he was on to me ^� my brief ownership of the new bowl was about to end. I should have just given him the $20 I spent for it in the lot. However, he told me that I could keep it if I took it back to my car. I smiled, thanked him, and jumped in another line^� Again, we sat Trey side, a little closer to the speaker. The E-Centre is a great venue, but it sure isn^�t very loud. At 8:12, the lights went down and the boys gathered together in the front of the stage. Everyone knew at this point what was coming, and we all stood in appreciation for the Star Spangled Banner. They do such a good job with this ^� my dad was even full of praise when we saw them perform before a Flyers game a few years ago. After saluting our flag, we were treated to a nice Farmhouse. I like this song, but for some reason, I wasn^�t too excited to hear it. In face, Trey teased it before they started and when they didn^�t pick it right up, I was hoping they would play something else. Oh well, my girlfriend likes it, so that^�s enough to make me happy. Rift was much better and really got the crowd excited. I love any song that has vocal interplay between Trey and Page, like Limb by Limb. It was well-played, especially considering that the song doesn^�t make many appearances anymore. Page took over this song during the middle jam, playing a sweet happy melody. I began to think that he sounded really good on this night, and Trey must have felt the same, since he called for It^�s Ice. This REALLY got me psyched ^� I was thinking before the show that I hadn^�t heard this live in a long time and I was disappointed that it hadn^�t been appearing on the setlists after reappearing at Roseland. Page was again all over this song, tickling the ivories and bringing huge grins to everyone^�s faces. No one even minded when he botched the last verse ^� Page botch a line?? Unheard of! It was funny though ^� I can just see Mike cast a mock-disapproving look at him. Bouncing was Bouncing ^� not much to say here. When Trey dropped into the opening riff for Stash, I began to realize how old-school the set was becoming. This felt like a ^�94 show at the Mann! Trey proved here why this song was voted one of the best guitar solos in Guitar World last year by just going nuts. I^�m usually never excited when this song starts, but I always get into it and wind up grooving my butt off. Lizards kept up the old school feeling and was very well played, with the crowd singing right along and cheering during the poignant ^�The trick is to surrender to the flow^�^� line. What would they do next? I was hoping for something from before 1995, just because I was feeling so sentimental and reflecting back over my life with this band. If they would have played something from Farmhouse, I probably would have headed for the bathroom. But did Phish disappoint? HELL NO! I recognized the first chords of TMWSIY immediately, and I just smiled. This song was too gorgeous to even put into words, so I^�ll just say that about halfway through the song, I grabbed my girlfriend and asked, ^�Are you flying?^� She just smiled and nodded^�such great moments^� Avenu Malkenu was fun, but I was looking forward to them returning to TMWSIY, and they did for about 3 minutes. Now I was in the mood to dance again, and they answered my wishes with a rocking Julius ^� nice and long and a perfect way to close the first set. A little shorter than the night before, but you can expect 90 minute opening sets every night. Plus, besides Farmhouse, there wasn'^� one song written after 1994! After another 50-minute intermission, Phish returned and immediately went new-school with a 30- minute Gotta Jibboo. This was fun, but the 30-minute Jim from the night before blew it away. There was more down points in the jam, but it was still cool to hear them experiment with a relatively new song. About 20 minutes into the song, the fireworks began over the city and while they were off in the distance, they were wonderful and provided great visuals for most of the set. Jibboo segued into I Saw It Again, which was fun and short before sliding nicely into Magilla! WOW! This was my first time hearing it live, which is always cool since it doesn^�t really happen much after seeing the band over 40 times. Again, I think this was a nod to Page having such a good night, and both he and Mike took really nice solos. Twist Around was well-played ^� there was a grooving jam before Trey returned to Twist momentarily, and then they took off on a long spacey section as the fireworks show came to a close. I knew the set was probably going to close with the next song, and while I was hoping for Harpua (weren^�t we all?), Slave was totally the perfect choice. Lyrically, this song doesn^�t have much to it, but I personally think that it is the most ^�majestic^� song in their repertoire. It just builds and builds in beauty and I just basked in its glory for 10 minutes as the music washed over me. OK, now for the encore. Everyone around us was throwing out their guesses. I was hoping for a first-time cover, something like ^�American^� Pie or ^�American^� Woman or ^�American^� Girl. Lawn Boy was definitely a surprise choice, as I can^�t recall this ever being in the encore slot. It provided a nice bit of loungey-cheese before we were treated to a brief pyrotechnics display. I^�ve seen the Metallica ^�Behind the Music^� WAY too many times and became nervous that Trey would step into the flame and we would see Fishman interviewed on VH1 talking about Trey^�s skin bubbling, and so on. Thankfully, that didn^�t happen and instead they RIPPED into Good Times Bad Times! They play this song so well and it capped off the two-night stand with hardcore rock and roll. It would have been cool to see more fireworks, but we wouldn^�t want them to be predictable, would we? So that^�s it for me until September when I head back to Hershey for the first time since 1996 ^� wow, was that really four years ago?? Peace, Merenda
Date: Thu, 06 Jul 2000 15:37:37 -0500 From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: July 4th review it was my 16th show, so I feel experienced enough to make a decent critique, maybe it was because they blew an amplifier (there's? the venue's?) in Holmdel, but Paul really should have reached over to that "Main" knob/slider and given it a serious crank...I was up on the lawn and was often distracted by the less-than-interested-in-the-music people all around who wouldn't stop talking... well I was up on the lawn so I could see all those great fireworks that were on everybody's mind...I mean, what a great backdrop for fireworks (the Ben Franklin Bridge all light up red white and blue, and the philly skyline)... weren't we all surprised: the Penn's Landing fireworks were so low that no one could see them from the show, which was a bit of a letdown because it's such a great spot to see the river, we (meaning all my friends and I and I assume others) figured that we'd get that show and then Phish's (both music and fireworks)...instead, we get some pyrotechnics (those weren't fireworks, mind you, they were the exact same roman candle-type thingys that we saw in Atlanta last year and Big Cypress) and two measly things from behind...then another seemingly random one after it was all over that confused everyone... upon exiting, it was surprising to see a very large fire across the river at Penn's Landing, philly...it looked like a whole deck had gone up! there seemed to be a commonly-felt feeling of dissatisfaction amongst the lawn-people who were leaving around me...I think I heard a few "what happened to the fireworks? like, the REAL fireworks?" and stuff like that...I think that, despite how well they were playing (and it WAS, in fact, a great show), lots of people (me included) were pre-occupied with that "big finale" that is very much inplied for such a holiday...and when it didn't come (not even a second encore), we all were sort of like "that's it, eh?" I guess the party afterward in the lot (reminded me of my Dad's nam stories) was an effort to make up for the anti-climax...until the cops ordered everyone out in no uncertain terms (though I don't blame them, Camden is a hellhole) I can't help but wonder if something technically went wrong...I mean, phish played all these high paced songs and jammed them out forever, as if they were waiting for something to happen and it never came...I couldn't find any news coverage in the local area about the fire... also, the event staff was a bit overzealous at times...during the set break, some guy bolted from them, and so this hulk of a security guard literally stepped on other's heads and bodies and so on to get this dude...I mean, he really tore through the peaceful crowd and hurt a bunch of people like it was no big deal...later, they tackled some dude in front of me for smoking the herb (grabbed him by the neck and tried to take him down hard)... hey, atleast there were no State Troopers! and, we got to take over the overpass for a bit...hehe... my final analysis: Camden's extra-show activities (aka "the scene") was a make-up for what we missed in Holmdel, and Holmdel's music was a make-up for the lack of scene...maybe when I get the tape I will be able to sit and listen without the added distractions and really listen to the music...TMWSIY->Avenue Malkenu and halfhour versions of Runaway Jim and Gotta Jibboo aren't to be sneezed at happy trails, Jesse
Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2000 03:09:08 -0400 From: Brian Rosenberg [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: Review of the 4th First things first, gotta give it up to my buddy Josh for providing me with the miracle for this show. Its my only show for the tour, and boy, did I luck out! Everyone was pumped from the beginning. There was the overwhelming sense that tonight was going to be a great night...and the boys didn't let us down. I snuck up to the reserved seating to sit with two friends. The security was unusually strict, especially for an outdoor venue. During the show, guys in yellow shirts kept telling us to put our butts out. I didn't really understand that, but I wasn't about to let that ruin this experience. Before the show, we thought about songs that we were dying to hear...we thought of It's Ice, Rift, Lizards amoung others... They come out at about 10 after 8 and directly go to the front of the stage for... Star Spangled Banner - just made everyone so happy! 4th of July with Phish...what could be better. They go back to their instruments and Trey plays a quick rift. Farmhouse - not a popular choice amoungst the fans in attendance. The thought was a little something with more power to get things rolling. The song was played well, but pretty standard. Rift - my friends and I were just so happy to hear this. The lights seemed a little off, but that didn't matter. Pretty good version. Page had a number of solos. This really was all Page's night. Its Ice - my first out of 18 shows. I was in heaven that this was being played. It didn't matter that Page forgot one of the verses. The crowd applauded him for his effort. Fishman got up on his stool during the middle of it, which cracked us all up. Bouncin - well, definitely not what was expected. Everyone was waiting for that one huge song. Stash - highlight of the set. Absolutely magnificent. Although, something wasn't right. The jamming was amazing, but during the chorus parts, something didn't seem to flow. Maybe it was just me. Lizards - for me, this set couldn't have been any better. The crowd really was into this one. Trey seemed to sing the "whoa, whoa, whoa" part a little long each time. Again, maybe it was just me. TMWSIY->Avenu->TMWSIY - really took us all by surprise. Its been so long since I've heard it, that I had no idea what they were playing. The Man was as smooth and brilliant as ever. The flow seemed to be back in the boys. Avenu had a lot of power and everyone seemed to really dig it. Julius - Excellent set closer. The jam was great! Lots of old songs which is pretty cool. Since I saw all the songs that I really wanted to see for the show, the set deserved a high score. Since there seemed to be a flow problem, I would give it a 7. Good, but we wanted more! We made our way back to the lawn for the second set because we were expected a fireworks show. The lawn was much more comfortable. The breeze was really nice and no guys in yellow shirts telling us what we could do with our butts! After a 50 minute intermission or so, they returned... Gotta Jiboo - OUTSTANDING! 30 minutes of pure jamming. They were on the money. I was really glad to be in the lawn for this one because the glowstick war was really intense. Fireworks started over the Philadelphia skyline which was pretty cool as well. I Saw It Again - always good to hear. Pretty standard. Awesome finishing touch to Jiboo. Magilla - wow! Hadn't heard this in a real long time! Solos were fantastic. Twist Around - I had heard that this wasn't being played real well since the album came out, but this version was excellent. Long jam was real key. Trey kept leading back into Twist, and then back into a spacey, funk jam. Slave - one of my favorite chill songs. Standard version, but awesome! Gotta Jiboo and Twist were absolutely terrific. Probably made the entire show. GIve the set a 8. The crowd wanted more and we all thought we were about to get a crazy encore with a huge fireworks show... Lawn Boy - Page was great! Took his microphone up to the front of the stage and belted out the lyrics. As he wished us a happy 4th of July, fireworks went off on stage. It looked really cool and we were all in awe, but we were still expecting a huge fireworks display. Good Times, Bad Times - very powerful. Really groovin. But...that was it... I left the show a little disappointed. Not in the performance, the performance was outstanding. But, it just didn't seem to live up to the hype of a July 4th show. As I walked off the lawn, I heard more than one group talk about how the 3rd was a better show. Overall, give it a 7. See yall in Hershey, my next stop. Stay kynd, Brian
Date: Wed, 05 Jul 2000 20:27:02 -0400 From: Matthew A Scaramastra [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: Camden Reveiws! AS i sit here listening to mr. PSU lecture me on the "INTRA-NET" I have no choice but to wander back to The last two nights. MOnday wanted to rain all day long, but the DWD rager is what really initiated the showers. Goolah, I love dancin to rarer bluegrass tunes with a my minds, FOAM was so tight It was the first sign of how concise things were to be. A fat Gin, as most are. I thought HEavy thingys were gonna end the set, I guess ive been reverse spoiled into short sets. But boom Fluff, Swish...Circus and an atomic Antelope ... OK new years had this great jam quality where the jam was let gfo for so long every one was eventually just like oh my gawd!!!! Like a mass Zenful awareness , now the fellas were splashing around in similiar territory. SO good. Runaway has long been a favorite set opener, especially the rare times it lasts like a freaking gobstopper. ....... Gliiiii-iiiii-iiidde... Oh yeah , woo hoo , ANd when thise decending four notes struck before the finalle, I melted to the ground, and everyone thought I was nuts..Saw right Dude sand is like bair-nairna-nair Banair-na-nairna-lairna-lairna- over and over till your in like a sea of purple goo , that is phunkier that frito-feet! A little Meat esque ending and then a Meat kept the funk flowin. Good ending songs too. The encore, The Waste gave my crew of 30 kids a chance to enjow each others company, waste a little time together and look forward to every single moment ever! WHew, what a set, some of the best, great night . Fourth of JoolY! nice way to honour our land, where else but America could this PH-enomina happen? Some folks dont care for Pharm house, I just done condone the Icehouse Tee. Its just plain bad beer , no excuse. Rift and Ice got myfeet stompin. I saw a billboard for SoBe and it was lizardy the day before, and I thought, ooo, that would be nice, and It was. First MWSIY>Avenu...... in 31 shows! Not seein enough I guess . I like Julius. Complete this analagy: Ruaway is to July 3 as blank is to July 4. Doo Doo Doopie doobie doo doo doo>...... Awesome. Then, First I saw it again, then I saw it again! Alright, Page ran the house last night, he was tru;ly the chairman of the boards. Twist around does what PYITE just can't quite, maybe after VH1, but not before...Wooo! A savory Slave to balance out the queer Walnut Creek example. Again so dark and stormy but so light, and delicate. The ending was also precisely excecuted...honestly I thought another song would come but I didn't really care. It seemed like we had a little more time than usual to cheer them out again, and weelll, it was worth it. LEO...is such a lounge lizard, I always crack up at this song, and MIke G. was fundamental. Fun-da-mental. ANd the GTBT was my favorite ever, great ending jam, Trey King reigned as usual. WEll even if the setlist was less heavy the latter night, the jamming was just AS tight, I had so much fun, THe scee was good, drums under the bridge are a good idea, I wonder if the cops knew their sirens fueled the crowd? I dont know, but I like it...Scary MOnster
Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2000 02:29:49 EDT From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: July 4th review Hello to all, ok let me start off this review by qupting the movie ID$ "today we celebrate our independence day!" I think Phish certainly realized that our nations birthday called for a lttle extra, a little more spunk then the average (is phish ever just average?) show. Let me be the first to say that Greyhoud sucks, and that the dirty, stank, decrepit, and woe-be-gotten bus that i had taken out to Camden was only surpassed by the driver's lack of direction and the fact that we left 30 minutes late. It was my 9th show and whata doozie, easily tied for the ebst show i have seen besides ROSELAND ONto the first set: the Rift, It's Ice and Stash were a treat from the boys but the show stopper was the Lizards (a first for me as well as Rift) and the TMSIY with Avenu Malkeinu, which was wonderful considering the fact that i had sung that song in temple for years and to hear phish perform it with such clarity and beauty was so enthralling and gladdening. The setbreak was good, i had a Mrs. Fields cookie (mmmmmmmmm) and some time in front of the mist fan that made my setbreak just that much more special The second set was framed by a monster Jiboo, a really cuthroat and no holds barred Phish jam if i have ever heard one and a monster Slave, with Chris Kudora doing some amazing work as always. The Encore's pyrotechnics got the ball rolling and the dark (dank?) and evil jame in teh second set were soemthing to behold. I noticed that during the first set, there was a lot of spotlighting of different band memebrs while Treyt seemed to take off and lead the dance that was second set. Well i am beat, onto Canada and the Molson Amp. Peace and Love See you on tour Jeremy ([email protected])
Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2000 03:03:52 EDT From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Cc: [email protected], [email protected] Subject: July 4th!!!! Just got back from the show a little bit ago, it was another scorcher, mmmm PHISH2000!@$!% We sat in two or three hours worth of traffic and ended up in a parking garage instead of a lot, but it worked out fine. We sold the rest of our water and then made our way in just before the boys came out a little after 8 and went to center stage to serenade us a capella with Star Spangled Banner ... get it out of the way so we can boogie! Farmhouse: Nice mellow start , pretty much the only break we got this whole set. Rift: Felt like the real opener, nailed right on, got everyone dancin and smilin and then hit with It's Ice: It's like the band woke up a few weeks ago and said "ya know, didn't we do an album called rift a few years back ... those songs were good" Nice to see them dusting off some of these great compositions for us. Tight version, a little page jam in the middle. Good to see this one back. Bouncin: Since this song has become more rare it's more like a treat and everyone seems to enjoy it a lot more. We had fun. Stash: YAY!! One we were hopin for this show, haven't seen it in a while. The jam started out slow and eerie and built up very nicely to a screaming finale that featured fishman totally going off and trey not to be outdone played some machine gun solos and brought it full circle. Tight, high energy standard stash. Lizards: Another one that's become more rare, and still played very solidly. Page's solo was crazy, Trey's solo was perfectly beautiful. They're nailing all the old compositions this summer. TMWSIY:!!!! yet another treat for us, eloquently played, built up into a great Avenu Malkenu: Fun to dance to , gets stuck in your head for a week, offering some prayers up to the Universe Julius: Haven't seen this around in a while ... sort of a trend for this set. Continuing with the rockin high energy trey solos with everyone else backing up perfectly. Overall a solid high energy rockin set with lots of breakouts of old favorites. After farmhouse, this could have easily been a first set from 93 or 94; it's amazing how they can keep old songs fresh with their new outlooks and new ways to jam that they keep discovering. Set 2: Jiboo: This is a jiboo tour .. no arguments here! This one was possibly the best to date, almost certainly the longest. Went through lots of space funk sections, Mike loosened up the bassline for a while, then a revisit to the signature lick and the bassline in the middle, andf back out to never ever land for a good long while of evil alien porno funk before rocking a tight segue into I Saw it Again: Another rarity, great tune, some nice hard rock jamming with aliengunsynthnoises from Mike, fell into space after the lyrics and then segued smoothly into Magilla: Treats aplenty for independance day!! Mike took a great solo (as always) .. always nice to hear the old jazzy tunes! Faded into noisey feedback and out of the ashes rose Twist: I think this song is different every time they play it; this one started out dark and sinister, went through the upbeat lyrics and then quickly descended back into evil jamland. Some great great improv stuff in here, this whole set was one long jam with a couple songs thrown in the middle for good measure with a phatty Slave as an exclamation mark. A fitting anthem for all of the traffic of the day. After the botched ending to the Raleigh Slave, it was great to hear a scorching peak and tight rocking finish. A bow and then later kids!! Lawnboy.. Again we made our way down to the side to escape early to head to grilledcheeseland, so we missed the fireworks, but we had seen plenty onstage already without pyrotechnics. We almost left but then Good Times, Bad Times: brought all the kids running back to dance a little longer. Screaming guitar solo , great closer to a great show.. Another hot hot hot night on summer tour 2000 ... see a show if you can you won't regret it; see ya'll in alpine deer creek and polaris!!! :):):) ~toria&jeremy ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ "all good things in all good time" "people joining hand in hand, while the music plays the band, lord they're settin' us on fire!" ~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~ http://www.homestead.com/torialove/jiboo.html (updated, go look & see!) interested in buying an '84 VW Vanagon? http://www.homestead.com/torialove/VW.html
Date: Thu, 06 Jul 2000 07:15:20 GMT From: g mcg [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: review:7-4-00 Nice crowd, good atmosphere, chill security compared to PNC, overall a nice way to celebrate the 4th of July. 1st set: SSB: Cool to hear the band sing the national anthem acapella pysched for a good show farmhouse: a little bit dissapointing for an opener but the song is alright no real complaint. Rift:This was a lot cooler. I'd have to say that this was done nicely and got everyone moving It's Ice: good choice, crowd was really enjoying, havent heard it in awhile and was impressed with the tightness in the jam Bouncing around the room:Alright, this song is horrible. Sorry I really dont like it especially after hearing another breather to open the night not good for the set Stash:Nice cool to hear, the band was playing hard and the song was played very nicely, around 20minutes with improv jamming so good it sounded like they planned it Lizards: A lot of variety in this set couldnt pick anything out, but this was definitly fun. The audience didnt respond with too much enthusiasm towards stash, but this one had everyone dancing and made the set look better TMWSIY->Avenu Malkenu->TMWSIY: Wow, glad I heard this just because of rarity, the jewish prayer song is fun and upbeat with good jamming, also fun to watch mike sing. TMWSIY was chill and definitly a good tune Julius:The band was really all over the place with song selection. This was a good closer, very tight and groove orientated, very nice. Odd first set, long set break than Set II: Gotta Jibboo: I really like this song, Ive heard it a couple times live and it is always something to make you dance. With a very funky and grooving jam, including a very intense glowstick war which was cool to go with the song. Everyone in the band had a chance to show off their skills. Than the jamming took onto a more slower, warpy effect, exploratory phase. You either love it or hate it. I thought it was getting a little repetitive but than was ended before it got to bad. Seriously between 30-35 minutes. Id give it an A though ->Saw it again: Cool cover. That Jibboo had me totally zoning out and this was a cool way to get back into it. ->Magilla: Took me awhile to get the song but it was fun and very had very nice parts from Trey they had really been jamming hard since the Jibboo but than this song went right into ->Twist: Lot of variety tonight, more farmhouse stuff than most this was also played well I think the audience was really becoming drained. This was definitly fun for those who like it. Going well past the 20 min mark I believe. Slave to the Traffic Light: Calling it for encore but here it was. Cool song, how can you not like it. More basic, less exploratory as the rest of set. Just a solid way to close. E: Lawnboy: cool to see live as always. Page getting up and walking around and wishing everyone a good independence day was nice. Played perfectly quickly stopping than... Good Times, Bad Times: They really picked a good way to close, I think everyone digs this Led Zepplin cover. It was very jamming and fun for the audience to dance to. Great closer for the two days. Overall I was waiting for something to make this show truly exceptional but nothing really happened. The show overall was very good, variety, rarities, and of course the Jibboo was intense. Some say the first night was better, and I agree in some ways. I also thought the other two shows in Jersey at PNC were better, but this was definitly a good show. Its always easy to have a good time at Phish. I would get this show because of the widely varied setlist which was at times shitty (BATR) but also very good at times. And you have to check out the crazy jamming in the second set from opening till end of Twist Around, very good segues. And of course you have to listen to the Gotta Jibboo at least once. See you all at Starlake.
Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2000 01:04:08 -0400 From: Stacy Rieger [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: 7/4/00 Hey kids, two nights of EPIC shows. Lots of fun people and cool vibes. The E-center is a great place to see a show, lawn seats provide a nice view of the band as well as the city sky line of Phila, I had seats inside both nights, tonight 10th row center, yes the gods were with me.By now you have read the setlists, highlights for me were: Rift, always a nice treat, Stash then a Lizards, I called for both, freaky thing. Julius closer, sweet. Gotta Jiboo and Twist were so unbelievable, so streched out, went in many places, each band member taking turn, although I thought Trey was quite the rock star tonight, ripping up Slave, set closer. Encore, Lawnboy, Paige being a lounge singer, stepping out in front, hamming it up, then: Fire works next to the stage and then some INSIDE the venue in the rafters, whoa.......slam, into GTBT, rightous jamming, Thank You Phish and all the cool people I talked to these past few days :)
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