Jones Beach 1... Its on!

Tuesday night, on the bank of a river ten miles away from the familiar stomping grounds of Nassau Coliseum, Phish established their sound for the future. This sound, which will most certainly define the band’s return as one of rejuvenation, passion, and creativity (and far from a nostalgic reunion), melds the precise and laser-focused rock of the mid nineties with the unique improvisation of post-hiatus Phish.

Though it stems from seeds which were planted in Hampton three months ago and which sprouted beside the Green Monster this past weekend, the band set the stage for a truly epic tour with an instant classic at Jones Beach.

With the rain having passed earlier in the evening, the roof-free pavilion proved to be a great venue. The sound was full and crisp, a stark change from the echoes and wind-induced static of Fenway Park. The

Runaway Jim - 6.2.09 Jones Beach Opener from The Butter Room on Vimeo.

crowd was amped up for a follow up to the stellar tour opener a few days prior, and were treated with a nearly flawless show that showcased tons of crowd favorites, two incredibly promising new song, a rare bust-out (If I Could), the full specrum of jamming from dark and evil to funky and playful.

Cities - Phish (6.2.09) from The Butter Room on Vimeo.

Starting with old combo of Runaway Jim and Foam, the first set instantly set the stage for a classic. It became clear early on that the band was firing on all cylinders. If a setlist had been written, it seemed to never make an appearance as Trey simply walked around to the others calling the next number.

Simple - 6.2.09 Jones Beach from The Butter Room on Vimeo.

The second set was stellar start to finish. The extended Mike’s Groove packed a punch at every turn. The jamming spanned the spectrum from dirty (Mike’s Song) to playful (Wolfman’s Brother). The Harry Hood jam was went dark and deep, breaking the song down to a slow and spacey jam before bring it back around.

Both new songs were major highlights for the show. “Stealing Time From a Faulty Plan” hinted at signs of a matured “Song I Heard The Ocean Sing”. While short and concise, there is no question this will grow to be a monster vehicle for the band. The other debut, the classic-rock-style Kill Devil Falls, relives Trey’s journey of recent years while exclaiming, “I learned my lesson, I can still remember the last one.“ The song seems to borrow from the ferocious Chalkdust jam from IT in 2003 its the backdrop.

Overall, the show set the stage for a fantastic tour. The boys sounded tighter than they have in a decade.  With only three shows under their belt thus far, the possibilities are limitless. See you on tour…