The Rise of Fall: Arena Phish Returns

Since ending their five year breakup with three shows at Hampton Coliseum in March, Phish has only played 3 indoor venues, 2 of them arenas (Asheville’s Civic Center and Knoxville’s Thompson Boling Arena). And as much as Phish fans enjoy the thrills and fun of summer tour, their’s a majesty and encapsulating feeling to the band’s performances indoors, especially as the weather turns cooler and the proverbial Freezer door is left open to enter.

Detroit, Wednesday 11/18

In many ways, the first week of tour was just that: an open door. In both Detroit and Cincinnati tickets were easy to find for $20, $10, or even for free on your way into the venue, although the shows were all sold out, or nearly sold out (Detroit).  And while tickets were an easy find, but no means were the shows sparsely attended.  The tour’s first three shows filled in nicely by showtime, with a good 13,000 in attendance in Detroit, and easily 16K in Cincy both nights.

It was clear from the opening chords of AC/DC Bag that the band meant business, especially Trey.  He has reeled his tone back in, eliminating the somewhat overbearing highs and dull lows to find a more “rounded” tone somewhere in the middle.  It sounds more natural and familiar to the Trey tone of old.  It also seemed to empower him to hit notes that might fall out of his grasp during the outdoor shows of the summer.

Cobo Arena in Detroit was an interesting venue.  On its last legs (Megadeath has the only remaining show before the building closes its doors), Cobo seemed like a cozy venue not so much unlike Hampton Coliseum where the band has played many important shows.  The sound was pretty good as well, loud and reverberating, swirling around the arena at times, but in a surprisingly positive way.  It often felt like the chaotic swirl of tunes such as It’s Ice and Down With Disease were reinforced by the pinging of each instrument off the rounded walls on all sides.

Speaking of DWD, it was certainly a highlight from the evening.  Fifteen years in, Phish has proven that it can take this song any direction it wants on a given night, and it has held up as one of the best jam vehicles of 3.0.  Trey really stepped up, providing some focused shredding, peaking the jam and then pushing it forward into some new space. Give it a listen and enjoy the Arabian style the jam takes over the last few minutes before nicely transitioning into Free.

One of the best moments of the evening came late in the first set, as the band pushed 46 Days to some new territory, ambient funk emanating while Chris Kuroda used the unique layout of the venue to open up some lights we have not seen since the band played Knoxville on June 10.  Check TBR’s video for a good idea of what went down.

Cobo 46 Days from The Butter Room

Having been to all of this year’s tour openers (Hampton, Fenway, Red Rocks and F8), it was apparent that the band was sharper and more prepared for Detroit than it had been earlier in the year.

Cincinnati, Friday 11/20

After driving back to Chicago Wednesday night, we regrouped and left the Windy City to head down to Cincinnati on Friday morning. Phish always seems to enjoy playing in the ‘Nati, most recently on their first full arena tour back in 2003. That year saw a variety of gems, including a much beloved incarnation of Bathtub Gin. We got our bearings on the south side of the Ohio in Covington, where many other fans were staying as well. A quick cab ride brought us to the venue, where the lot resembled a scene from Blade Runner. Thousands wandering through the makeshift lot underneath the highway, as well as inside downtown parking garages on both sides of the venue.

The band came on at 8 sharp Friday night, dropping a tight and focused Chalkdust Torture on us before blazing through equally impressive versions of Moma Dance and a particularly rousing take on Divided Sky. The crowd was loving it, and the pause in Sky lasted over 2 minutes, the longest in years.  Next up was Alaska, played for the first time since Merriweather (8.15.09).  The new tune didn’t disappoint as the band opened up and hit on some interesting new territory, led by an invigorated Anastasio. Fast Enough For You followed and started a trend for shows to follow: well placed breathers.  Unlike on past tours, Phish seemed to implement some older classics for those down moments before breaking into something big.  Everyone in our section (page side, rage side) was loving FEFY, and the outro solo was soaring!

Unfortunately, most fans don’t seem to dig Time Turns Elastic, which came next. Many believed this would end the set, and left to get to the rest room or grab another beer. However, having seen so many shows this year, I got the feeling that this was by no means the end of the set, and I stuck around. While I have mixed feelings about this tune, I felt it was stronger than usual in Cincy, especially the last few minutes where they opened it up a bit more than usual and seemed to bring some newfound intensity to this one.

I was even more glad I stuck around when Gotta Jibboo delivered the goods.  I think this song has been overlooked as a great jam vehicle in 3.0.  Red Rocks and Chicago were solid takes, but this one is a must hear. The jam wound down back into the main theme and then BAM, we were treated to a set closing Fluffhead.  Once a rarity, Fluff has found his way into the regular rotation this year and with good cause. It’s symbolic of the band’s efforts to return to their roots, to compositional play, and just pleasing the crowd. Energy was sky high inside U.S. Bank Arena, complemented by Kuroda’s lighting magic and glowsticks flying from all directions.

Setbreak gave us a chance to regain our senses before one of the best sets I’ve seen this year. Set two is where any Phish lover should concentrate their listening efforts. Opening with PYITE (albeit not perfectly executed), the energy was sky high as Tweezer welcomed us to some of the most “in the moment” improvisation of the year. While not as inventive as the Red Rocks version, or as rocking as the Camden take, this Tweezer got dark and dirty and seemed to be truly inspired as all four members locked in. It’s worth noting the dark and dirty combination of Page and Trey later in the jam before the darkness drew to a close and Light moved in.  Not as long or as exploratory as some other versions (see: Bonnaroo, The Gorge, or F8), this one served as a good go between, keeping the level of improv high before flowing into a unique GBOTT (which felt like it was sped up and super funky).  Possum came out of GBOTT, although it felt slightly forced.  In the end though, this Possum found Trey leading some of the best tension and release Phish I’ve seen. The peak was strong and well fanned.

Slave followed, and how can you complain after a segue fest ends up at the Traffic Light? I thought this version was rather standard until the end, but that might have just been my state of mind. More interesting however, was the YEM that followed. For whatever reason the jam went a completely different direction than usual, perhaps first out of error, but it never felt like the band was going down the wrong road, more over just a different road. Give it a listen, Gordo’s solo at the end is worth hearing.

A three song encore followed, with a somewhat surprising Golgi that ended in what has become a rather regular occurence: Tweeprise closers. I won’t complain, but at the same time it was nice to see in Philly that the band ended the set with Tweeprise rather than closing the show with it again.

Cincinnati, Saturday 11/21

While Friday had some very large high points, Saturday had a more consistent feel from start to finish even if I felt it was a little predictable. However, it was my 29th show of 2009, and predictability is all relative to your experiences.  I called the Wilson opener, which was well played and flowed nicely into NICU, a song I’m always game for. Wolfman’s Brother followed, and although it was only around 10 minutes long, it found a very nice groove led by Trey.

I took my bathroom break during Ocelot, which I’ve seen all but one version of.  I rather enjoy this tune, but it was a good time to step out. I returned for Torn and Frayed, the song from Exile on Main Street that I’ve been hoping would enter the song rotation. What might be equally important to note here is that Phish had played zero covers in their first two shows of the fall.  This opened the floodgates as Ginseng Sullivan was played to cheers for the first time since Vegas ‘04, and I finally saw my first Albuquerque!  It was a great moment for hardcore fans around the building, as the Neil Young tune had not been played in 115 shows (9.14.00 Darien Lake).  The most interesting take on Split Open and Melt of the year followed, along with another great slow song, Dirt.  Standard, but fun versions of Limb by Limb and Antelope followed to close out the first set.

Set two brought the goods as Rock and Roll opened with a lengthy and inspired 11 minute jam that spiraled into Ghost, which also featured some funky improv before rolling into only the 2nd “If I Could” since 2000. If I Could sounded great and had a melodic jam that seemed to be the ! on a great start to the second set.  # Line > Caspian came next, but was quickly outdone by an even better string of songs: Suzy > 2001 > Squirming Coil.

The variety and quality of song flow during the two Cincy shows separate it from many other 2009 shows in which either a given set or part of a set may have stood out, but finding a cohesive show was often a struggle.  Loose yet tight, focused yet fun, the band seemed to be showing that with patience comes pay off. In arenas there is almost a cover put on a boiling pot of water, with Phish working to blow the roof off time and time again.

Following Sleeping Monkey in the encore, Trey said the band would honor a sign for Axilla, while hinting that Zappa’s Peaches en Regalia will see the light of day on this tour as well.  The playful spirit and growing confidence in Anastasio seems infectious right now. Fishman is finding his chops, and Mike and Page are as consistent - if not mind blowing - as ever. While some would probably like fewer songs and more extended jams, the band is executing on their current style with great success. It’s a good time to be a fan, that’s for sure!