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Ryan Adams and The Cardinals - Stellar in Columbia
Ryan Adams and The Cardinals
03.12.2009 Township Auditorium, Columbia, SC
Let me preface by saying, I jumped on the RA & the Cards bandwagon way too late. I had listened lightly to Jacksonville City Nights, Cold Roses and 29 lightly, but didn’t really “get it” until Easy Tiger. ”Everybody Knows” is probably the song that pulled me in by my feet. I was paying zero attention during the Whiskeytown years. I started listening to shows on a regular basis on Live Music Archive about a year ago. Ryan’s reputation over the years has been less than admirable due to his little mid-show tantrums, and this is probably the main reason why I would never travel to see one of his shows…you never knew which RA you were gonna get. I have completely wiped that slate clean simply because of his taping policy. Soundboard recordings are abundant and easily accessible. Enough blabbering, on to the review.
Let me start off by saying this was a very unique show for me. I have been seeing shows by a plethora of bands for 20 years, and this was one of three shows I have seen completely sober (no nothing). The first was my first (Madonna/Beastie Boys 5/30/85 at the Mothership) and some random Dead show in ‘91. So my focus was sharp…I had a pre-game of diet cokes and red bull with the gang pre-game at a nearby bar. As it got closer to showtime, the whole crew of about 14 deep saddled up for the 5 block move to The Township. For those of you that aren’t familiar with Township Auditorium, it’s a 75 year old theater that hosts a ton of different types of acts from music, to plays and comedy shows. It seats around 3,200 people and I would venture to say there isn’t a bad seat in the house. Ryan would announce later how jacked the Cardinals were to play there. It was their largest room of the tour and a sell out. I always look forward to seeing shows there. The sound is great, and that place can get loud, as proven by WSP. Outside by the fountain, I just watched people. I never realized how cross-genre his music is. Within a span of 10 minutes, I talked to a bunch of my “head” friends, a couple of “emo tats and piercings” I knew from the restaurant business and art shows, one of the top real estate guys in town, and Columbia’s head Public Defender and his attorney wife. I was expecting to be in the minority, surrounded by black clad, sad, pierced people. I was very, very wrong.
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you know two things about this RA tour. 1. This is the last tour. Ryan has decided to go into “retirement” and write books. and 2. Ryan married Mandy Moore in Savannah two days before this show. We talked do to friends outside while we were waiting that had been to the Charleston show the previous night and they weren’t too enthusiastic. It seems the wedding night might have taken a little toll (purely speculation) on Ryan and led to a short uninspired show. Basically the setlists have been pretty similar this tour. The truth would be in the jam. I really didn’t know what to expect, but I expected a lot. My theory is this drugs and alcohol equal great RA writing, sex and sobriety equal great RA playing. The lights blinked three times in theater fashion to let us know we had about five minutes to get to our seats, and then the lights went down, letting onto a basically dark stage. As the Cards took the stage, two neon blue roses burned lightly in the background, and the symbol from Adams’ latest album, Cardinology, loomed largely behind the drums. The stage would very rarely be lit anymore than this the whole night. Just a blue glow, which would sent a warm feeling around the room all night. No on stage theatrics to distract us, just a focus on great music.
The band took the stage rather quietly and then launched into my first pick of the evening, Beautiful Sorta. Don’t be that impressed, this has been the go-to opener this tour and gets the crowd in quick. I was pulling for six songs all night (I see Monsters, Beautiful Sorta, Easy Plateau, Come Pick Me Up for my boy, Randy, one of the largest incognito RA fans I know, Let It Ride, and Everybody Knows).The Cardinals would gracefully flow through songs from most of the albums, not becoming fixed on their freshest effort, Cardinology. The most surprising tune to me all night was Wonderwall. I remember my friend Brooke turning to me and saying “better than the original” and I had to agree. Adams’ voice was sweet and crisp and his falsettos in that song gave me chills. Same with Stars Go Blue. Goodnight rose has been the big jam song of the tour and this one didn’t disappoint. The jam lilted into a Grateful Dead-esque feel. The dueling leads stacked on each other over and over for about 15-20 minutes, backed by Jon Graboff’s georgeous pedal steel riffs and color, and then quietly smoldered out. Jon really gives the band an alt country feel, which is my genre of choice right now. After this the band did a little birthday song for Chris Feinstein, the bass player. The band joked with us all night. There was tons of banter from everybody in the band. Ryan babbles a lot like he writes his books, in poetic streams of consciousness. In the case on this night, it was about the suit shoulder pads in the ’80s Cameo videos, and other randominities. The band was jovial and just did not want to leave the stage. I was a little worried about how the crowd would react to the Neal Casal songs, but they took it all in stride.
The Monsters>Let It Ride was unquestionably the highlight of the show for me. The place absolutely fell apart during the mini Let It Ride jams. This has certainly become a crowd favorite over the years. Magick was the perfect 3 minute rocker to finish off the set. We still felt pretty good that we’d get a Sweet Carolina. Every crowd does a little applause overcompensation when their geography is mentioned in a lyric at a live show. This would be no different when Ryan serenaded us with “Oh my sweet carolina, what compels me to go?, oh my sweet disposition, may you one day carry me home.” The crowd went nuts. Then bang, into a sweet sullen Easy Plateau. I found myself looking for somebody to hold.
For those of you that are going to the tour closer in Atlanta at The Fox, I’m a little jealous. I may just have to scare up a ticket.
Setlist (for the statisticians)
Beautiful Sorta
Born Into a Light
Cold Roses
Come Pick Me Up
Everybody Knows
Wonderwall
Freeway to the Canyon
**weird banter about a cameo video
Fix it
When the Stars go Blue
Grand Island
Shakedown on 9th Street
A Kiss before I go
Goodnight Rose
**band intro and a birthday song for Chris
Monsters
Let it Ride
Lost Satelite?
Two
Rescue Blues
Oh my God, whatever, etc
Evergreen
Magick
Encore
Oh my sweet Carolina
Easy Plateaup.s. No Mandy Moore-Adams sighting at the Township.
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The Dead @ John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville VA - 4/15/09
15,000 fans packed the John Paul Jones Arena on the campus of the University of Virginia last Wednesday to see the former members of the Grateful Dead along with Warren Haynes and Jeff Chimenti navigate their way through the Dead’s (almost) 45 year collection. Like most of the post-Jerry shows, the set list was fantastic.
Set 1
New Speedway Boogie, Bertha, High Time, Mason’s Children, Big Boss Man, Doin’ That Rag, SOTM
Set 2
Playin’ > Crazy Fingers > Drumz > Space > St. Stephen > The Eleven, Half Step > Playin’ Reprise, Foolish Heart
Encore
Gloria
Imagine seeing that set list twenty years ago? But, I’m not here to write about the past. My partner in crime for the night and so many other Dead shows in the early 90s, was the Butter Room’s own Sparky. We had planned to buy tickets off scalpers. With over 60 shows between us, we just didn’t feel like forking over the big bucks. But then, we scored second row tickets last week thanks to a late-breaking ticket release and I became awfully excited the days leading up to the show.We pre-gamed with the co-founders of SHREDHED at a fine local establishment, and crammed 6 big dudes into one tiny taxi cab. After another cramped experience waiting to get in line, which closely resembled Phish @ Hampton, we rushed to get some beers and to our seats since it was already past show time. We settled in during “New Speedway”, and started to soak it all in.
First set was really unlike any other first set I’ve seen before by the Grateful Dead, the Dead, Ratdog, or Phil and Friends. With the exception of the SOTM set closer, all songs played were written before the year I was born - 1971! Bobby took lead vocals on “New Speedway”, “Big Boss Man”, and “SOTM”. Warren sang lead on “High Time” and “Doin’ That Rag”. “Bertha” and “Mason’s Children” were shared. My favorites from the first set? “Bertha”, “Doin’ That Rag”, and “Mason’s Children”. Don’t take my word for it though. Here is a video we shot of “Doin’ That Rag”.
TheButterRoom.com: Doin’ That Rag - The Dead [4/15/09] from The Butter Room on Vimeo.Overall, I thought set one was a little disjointed and ended on a low note. I never felt that the Dead got into a groove, and “SOTM” is just one of those songs I would prefer they not play. It’s one of those sacred Jerry songs in my opinion. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t horrible. I just didn’t get that warm fuzzy feeling during set one.
Set two got off to a solid start with “Playin’ > Crazy Fingers”. Sparky and I called “Playin’” only because we both used to get “Playin’” all the damn time back in the day. “Crazy Fingers > Drums > Space > St. Stephen” was the highlight of the night. I’ve never been a huge “Crazy Fingers” fan, but tonight it was the shiznit and was worthy of my loudest hoots and hollers of the evening. Phil’s bombs along with Warren’s licks were in perfect synch. It was pure enjoyment. Another surprise for me was the Drumz/Space segment. Typically a point in time I use for a piss break, it came early - real early in the set (25 minutes in). The sound was crystal clear where we stood, and that made the Rhythm Devils a special treat. Coming out of Space was “St. Stephen”. Of course, like many other Deadheads, I always wanted to see this live back in the day. The closest I ever got was the RFK ‘95 soundcheck. I thought they delivered the goods during “St. Stephen” with a nice jam in between verses, teasing “The Eleven” so much that I prematurely twittered that as part of the set list before they actually did break into the song. “The Eleven” is one of my all-time favorite Dead tunes, but I just can’t get into these late 90’s/2000’s versions. I will always be stuck in the past on that tune. Live / Dead
had too big of an impression, I guess.
The remainder of the set and show was filled with great selections. Everyone in the stands was singing along the loudest during “Half-Step”. I did like the “Foolish Heart”, and thought it was a bit ironic that this was the set 2 closer considering it was the first song I ever saw the Grateful Dead play live. Finally, “Gloria” was fun to see. Beats the usual “Lovelight”, “NFA”, “Good Lovin”, “Saturday Night” or “Sugar Magnolia” closers for me. Based on Bobby’s facial expressions, I think they butchered it a bit. My ears couldn’t tell at this point. It was almost midnight and my senses were not at their sharpest. Guess I will have listen to the tapes.Whether you are an old vet or were too young to see the Grateful Dead back in the day, I recommend you check this tour out. The crowd and the band are much more more energized than in 1995, and that’s special to see in person. I’m sure as the tour moves along, any remaining rust will wear off and the performances will get even better.
You can check our pics from the show on flickr.
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Fenway Park: Tour Happens
In the world of Phish, you never know how the tour is going to materialize, especially its start, until you’re at the membrane of it all, ready to burst with the energy that comes with renewed hope in 2009. And so, it was fitting that one became two, and two became four, and then there was a fifth… before you know it, we knew dozens of people who were in from all parts of the country.
Our voyage to Boston began out of Chicago with me (Matt), Butter Roomer Eugene, and our friends David and Logan. Our other Chicago resident, Joel, decided on Thursday morning that he too would join the fun and caught a ride out to Boston. We arrived in Rochester, NY (home of the delicious 12.11.97 variety) late Friday night, and were back on the road Saturday afternoon to Boston.
Saturday night we enjoyed some great seafood in Cambridge, and met up with friends of friends for a large pre-show brunch Sunday morning. For many in the group it would be their first 3.0 experience, or a spur of the moment commitment rooted in the possibilities of what Phish can and has been. Whatever the case, Boston was buzzing - surprisingly more for Phish than Dave Matthews Band who occupied the stadium Friday and Saturday.
In typical Phish fandom, guesses for the tour opener were rampant, as were rumors of DMB sit-ins. However, as we walked up the stairs of the Kenmore ‘T’ stop, it became apparent that four guys from Vermont were all that really mattered. Major sidewalks swelled with fans from one block to the next, vendors and tour rats interacting where normally the spectacle would be of the sporting variety.
We ducked off into a private bar party hosted by Shannon, whose crew was gracious enough to invite us in. It was very nice to meet up with some of the community pre-show and get a drink when you wanted it. Walking into Fenway with a nice buzz, we found ourselves face to face with the Green Monster. The stadium filled as rain once again appeared with the sun tucked behind thick clouds, and Phish came out at 6:40 PM… to the mound where they sang the Star Spangled Banner (video below)
Phish - Star Spangled Banner @ Fenway from The Butter Room on Vimeo.
About ten minutes later, Phish emerged on-stage to a rowdy welcome from the Boston crowd and launched into Sample In a Jar, playing a fairly standard version with
Anastasio firing off some quick, dirty solos. Moma Dance followed, getting super funky with some extra Gordo bombs before heading into the jam. Moma was
contained to about 7 minutes, and quickly segued into Chalkdust Torture which wa
s again - in what’s becoming typical 3.0 style - to the point. Perhaps the coolest part of the Chalkdust was the rainbow that emerged over the park, bringing smiles to the faces of almost 35,000 fans!
Following Chalkdust, Phish played their second new tune since returning and their first of the summer tour, Ocelot. This song has a lot of potential, although I’m on the fence about the Dear Prudence refrain of “wont you come out to play.” The jam gave Trey an opportunity to open up and fire up the machine gun before landing and kicking into Stash (a fairly forgettable version).
With such a large crowd and playing such a historic and high profile venue, it was reasonable to expect some of Phish’s more accessible songs, such as Bouncing Around The Room. This version was the standard fare, which I’m rather indifferent to. Luckily, the rest of the set just started to pour out of the band. I was
able to catch my first Poor Heart, last played 12.29.03 (a show I had a ticket to but couldn’t attend), and a solid Limb by Limb started to loosen the band up before another slower, yet equally meaningful song, Wading In The Velvet Sea, dropped.
What came next though gave hope to the summer and meaning to being a Phish fan. Down With Disease was the first time I really felt the band was BACK, that Trey Anastasio was back. As he peaked the jam, I finally felt one of those collective moments where we were all riding the energy straight off Trey’s back. It was bliss, and that euphoria carried over for me as Destiny Unbound started to echo off the walls of Fenway. Character Zero brought an end to the first set of the summer, albeit in a slightly different arrangement than in the past. It’s worth checking out if you are a fan of the song.
Set two was one of those Phish sets that took you from one end of the spectrum to the other, and did so in just two songs! Tweezer kicked off the set, with a dark, twisted
funk to it, spiraling deeper into the darkness that had descended upon the crowd, and finally allowing Kuroda to break free from the confines of a setting sun. Perhaps in response, the band moved into Light, a new tune that also was heavily led by Anastasio. Crowd favorites Bathtub Gin and David Bowie were then played back to back, with solid but concise jams, focusing on the power of the songs rather than how far away from their original structures they could be taken. In a way this style is refreshing. It brings emphasis back to the material itself, the beauty and originality that went into their creation, and really kept the set flowing.Time Turns Elastic made its debut, although at this point it seems most fans aren’t too comfortable with the meandering 13+ minute composition in the rotation. The ending of the jam was very solid though, and brought everyone back onto the same page as the band got ready to lay down the gauntlet with a Cactus-driven Free. Then, out of the middle of nowhere, Skynard’s Curtis Loew emerged, fully dusted off and played to perfection after almost 16 years on the shelf. A bust-out of very large proportions for Phish fans! How do you follow that up? Drop your biggest song on the crowd to end the set: YEM!!! Trey hit the solo, there were no distracting flubs, and Gordo had one of his longest and funkiest bass solos to bring it on home. The encore didn’t disappoint either, with Cavern (a song I had been waiting for since 3.6.09), Zeppelin’s Good Times, Bad Times (you know we’ve had our share), and the obligatory but much needed Tweeprise release.
Overall I would give Set 1 a B- and Set 2 a B+, for an overall B show. Phish has always been a band that thrives on practicing, playing, and getting their groove on the road from playing show after show. For the tour opener, they brought more precision, energy, and attention to detail than I (and probably most phans) were expecting. It was a show to drop the curtain on what is bound to be an extremely memorable tour, and a new chapter in one of rock and roll’s most storied live acts.
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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…
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Review: #Phish Jones Beach Nights 1 and 2
All the shows I’ve seen in the great state of New York have been at the top of my list. There is only 3, but I don’t think you will disagree that Clifford Ball and Vernon Downs were fine shows. I didn’t come into Jones Beach expecting the same level of goodness, but I am leaving with confidence that Phish is rebuilding into a form similar to what I loved in the 90s.
We’ve picked up a lot of new visitors over this past week, and all of us who contribute to the site are very thankful and appreciative of your support. I thought it would be helpful to give you my Phish background, so you can keep that in mind while reading my review. Tuesday and Thursday nights were shows #28 and #29. My first show(s) was the Clifford Ball. I saw Halloween ‘96 and ‘98, along with the Dark Side of the Moon show, the Great Went, and Lemonwheel. I have never seen more than 3 shows in a row, but I caught most of my shows (18) from Summer ‘96 through Fall ‘98. I’m also a bit older than the average fan. I did not start seeing Phish until I was 26, so that would make me … (you can figure it out). I’ve seen 3 of the first 6 shows this year, and only caught 4 shows in 2003 and 2004. These will be the last shows I see this summer, maybe this year (unless they come to my hometown of Charlottesville in the fall).
Tuesday
Tuesday night got off to an ominous start. We were a bit concerned about the public transportation out to the venue, only because we were not familiar with it, but it was a breeze on the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) out to Freeport. After waiting for a bus that didn’t show and no one knew would show, we split a $22 cab ride out to the venue with a nice couple of peeps, and then the skies opened. We were not prepared, but luckily the Jones Beach parking lot, which is right next to the beach has a concessions stand. It was 5:00. Show started at 7:30. We ducked under an awning in front of the concession stand, and noticed that they sold beer. Bonus since we did not bring any. There was also a sign that read all beer sales stop 2 hours prior to show time. Then we ordered two beers and were told that beer sales have stopped. WTF? The powers that be had told them to stop selling 3 hours prior. Whatever - we were staying dry, and then we noticed that the beach side of the concession stand was completely covered with plenty of room. We made the dash to the backside, and ordered some chicken fingers and waters so that we weren’t loitering (fearing that they would kick us out). As time went on and the skies continued to pour buckets of rain, more people gathered in the area for cover. We ran into the couple that we shared a cab with, and bummed a PBR tall boy from them (thanks again). Then, a few bad apples ruined it for everyone as a couple obnoxious jackasses got us kicked out of the stand. They closed their doors and we were back out in the rain. Luckily there was more cover in the Jones Beach “Comfort Room”, aka the public restrooms.
The rain finally stopped and we ventured out into the lot. We meandered over to a village of tents, and saw a few heads get busted. After that scene died down, the village of tents was clearly shakedown, and it was a good one. Lots of good smells and vendors. It brought back some good memories since Hampton really did not have a lot scene this year. We met up with Butter Room Chicago and eventually headed toward the gates. For me, the lot scene on Tuesday was perfect - I give it an A.
Inside, we discovered a few surprises. First, no beer sales. Second, bottled water cost $6.50! That’s the most I’ve ever spent on water. Third, there were no covered seats at all. With a rainy forecast for both Thursday and Friday, we were not too fired up about the prospect of being soaked. I guess that’s what happens when you become an old fart like me. :) Fourth, the Jones Beach “orchestra pit” seats are not an orchestra pit. We were in Section H in the “orchestra pit” and about 50 rows from the stage. Still though, none of this dampened our spirits. It was nice to finally meet Scotty Bernstein from Hidden Track in Section H. He does absolutely great work, and I appreciate the content that Hidden Track puts out every day.
If you have read any of my posts, then you know that I am not a musician, and thus really only focus on highlights or low lights. I’m not going to give you a blow by blow account of each song. To start, the sound was a bit muddy at first. It got better about 4 songs in, and then seemed to increase in volume during second set. I got a laugh out of “Foam” because I never caught it in 22 shows pre-hiatus. Since then, I’ve caught “Foam” 4 times in 6 shows. I can now cross “Timber” off my list of songs I’ve never seen live. While it was nothing out of this world, nor would I expect it to be at this point in the comeback, it was a highlight of the show for me. A nasty “Cities” followed, which brought a lot of smiles. “Cities” and “Possum”, later in the set, were the musical highlights of the set for me. Bouncing back in the set, the technical portion of “Reba” was absolutely on target, but the jam never really took me to that special place. The set closer, “If I Could” was a nice surprise. They jammed it out a bit more than expected, and it was a nice mellow and unique way to end the set. Overall, I was pretty darn satisfied with what I had just heard. It wasn’t epic, but it was better than the Hampton Sunday show, which was the last show I caught.
Cities - Phish (6.2.09) from The Butter Room on Vimeo.
Second set had several peaks and valleys. Clearly, the band has some work to do on transitions, which is not a knock. I think it’s expected, and probably why these incredible set lists are quite void of transitions. The “Mike’s” into “Simple” transition was forced. A lyric flub in “Simple” got a laugh from Trey and the crowd, but the jam out of “Simple” was right on. It slowed down enough to transition nicely into “Wolfman’s Brother”, which I thought was the highlight of the four song string. There wasn’t anything unique about the jam, but it was tight, on target, with a nice peak. For the three shows I’ve caught since the comeback, that has been the focus of my ears. I do not expect any Type II jamming, not for a long time anyways. The awkward moment of the night was Fishman pushing ahead with “Weekapaug” when it appeared Trey, Page, and Mike were not there yet. It was another forced transition. After “When the Circus Comes”, Phish played “Kill Devil Falls” for the first time ever. The jam at the end was eerily similar to “Chalkdust”. How can you not enjoy that? “Harry Hood” was the highlight of the second set. Out of all the songs played on Tuesday and Thursday, this is where the boys really ventured outside the norm. As Trey stared up into the upper deck for several minutes, he took the jam to some interesting places and the foursome melded it nicely with the Hood climax. “Lovin’ Cup” was rocking as usual, and we left the venue during “Suzie”. Seen enough in my lifetime and I wanted to get back to the city.
Thursday
We decided ahead of time that we were going to cab it again from the LIRR, so we took the train all the way to Wantagh. This time around there were no cabs to be found! We ducked into a great local pub and had a couple of beers and some wings, caught that cab finally and hit Shakedown. The wook count was a bit higher than Tuesday. Clearly we were getting closer to the weekend.
The bad weather held off. We got a few raindrops here and there, but nothing that even this old man can complain about. After “Grind” (my apologies to our Twitter followers as I texted “Glide” on accident), “Divided Sky” put the first ear to ear grin on my face. This ear did not notice any flubs. I looked over at Graham and said that tonight is going to be better. They nailed “Sky” and it was only the second song of the night. Good sign. The remainder of the set was really well played. And that is all that I am looking for, scratch that, hoping for, at this point. I want Phish to show me they can still play the technical sections of songs like “Sky”, “Fluffhead”, “Guyute”, “Reba”, etc without issue night after night, and then construct tight jams that lead to a climax in a natural and unforced manner. They did that on Thursday, better than Tuesday. The “Antelope” closer fell a little short, but that’s one of those songs that might take a while to get back to epic status. Being a Red Sox fan, I loved Hidden Track’s Luke Sacks quote about “Antelope” from his review, “Perhaps it is the David Ortiz of the Phish catalog – always respected and revered even if unable to reach quite the same heights.”.
Squirming Coil > PYITE - Phish (6.4.09) from The Butter Room on Vimeo.
I was managing the stairs of the out of control aisles in section 11 as the slow version of “Water in the Sky” opened the second set. An unusual set opener, almost as unusual as an “If I Could” set closer. I’m not a “Birds of a Feather” fan, but once again, the boys nailed it last night. Then the surprises came out. “Drowned” into “Meatstick” was the set list highlight of the night. I thought Mike’s vocals were a bit too low during “Drowned”, but that’s my only complaint. It was great to see this cover again, and the transition into “Meatstick” was not that bad. Much better than the transitions on Tuesday. There was some chatter about “Fire in the Mountain” as they made their way into “Meatstick”, which created a brief period of mild hysteria, but most people knew what was coming. What I didn’t expect was a Japanese verse. While I, along with many other Phish fans, got tired of “Meatstick” rather quickly in 1999, it’s return last night was fantastic. It put a huge smile on my face to see the boys having fun during this one.
The only low light of the night was “Time Turns Elastic”. I respect those opinions that like this new one, but I just think there are too many turns and changes in the song to keep the audience engaged. In addition, I don’t like the second set placement. “Kill Devil Falls” was placed in this portion of the show on Tuesday and it was received better than TTE. It really sucked the energy out of the crowd after the “Drowned > Meatstick”. I dug the “Waste”, and then they surprised us again with “YEM” to end the set. It was a fantastic “YEM” to boot. Of the four band members, Trey made the biggest leap forward from Hampton to Jones Beach. While he is not taking the same risks he would often take in the 90s, his playing was more aggressive. He was the focus on Tuesday and Thursday night. Another reason for this was the song selection. Graham and I found it extremely odd and rare that the first Page song played of the run was the “Rock N Roll” encore on Thursday night. You can’t complain about the set lists though. They are incredible. The set lists played thus far are set lists we used to get at the Maine festivals. They are so much better than the set lists that took shape beginning in 1999. It is so refreshing to see the boys playing everything and anything in their catalog. Well, I take that back. Where is Round Room in all this? And Undermind? Even Farmhouse? It’s interesting to see the boys shying away from this material. I’m not complaining. Just making an observation.
Ghost - Phish (6.4.09) from The Butter Room on Vimeo.
As Graham and I took the LIRR back on both Tuesday and Thursday nights, I left with two different impressions. Tuesday night I felt a bit empty about what I had just seen. By no means was I disappointed. It was solid and enjoyable, but I still did not get the feeling that the boys could return to pre-hiatus form (and I’m not referring to 1994 or 1997 - I’m just hoping for 1999-2000). Thursday night changed all of that. I know they will get there, if they didn’t get there last night. It was the best Phish show I’ve seen in 10 years, and it’s only going to get better.
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Knoxville: For The Listeners
Phish - 6.10.09, Thomson-Boling Arena, Knoxville, TN
I. Jim, PYITE, Ocelot, Foam, Train Song, Undermind, Mike’s Song > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove, Squirming Coil, Character Zero
II. Get Back On The Train, Waves > A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing > David Bowie, Army Of One > Reba, Hellow My Baby (acapella), Julius > Cavern > Harry Hood
Encore: FrankensteinTonight will be a show people talk about because they’ve listened to it and understand it for what it is. E
ugene and I were on the floor which had very little energy compared to last night, but that was mostly due to the security (there the entire show every 20 feet) and assigned seating. But they wanted to play, and they nailed all of the heavy hitters (Jim, PYITE, Mike’s Groove, Bowie, Reba, Hood. the set was supposed to end at julius. Trey went to lift off his guitar and page motioned with a hand across his throat that the set wasn’t ending. He got into it though, and called for the cavern, which we all thought was the end; then HE was the one who called for the Hood to close it. The band recognized not to cut such a great set short and it was worth it. we got a lot of music tonight.In the first set, I’m almost certain Mike’s was not supposed to happen in set one, that another song was supposed to come followed by Zero. However, Mike was bombastic
during the funky, extended Undermind which I think shifted the tone of that set. Things are happening spontaneously, and if people think the band is playing a shit ton of repeats, I can only feel bad for you not understanding the tone of this tour. They are playing what they want to, and they’re definitely digging their older material as well as the new stuff. Mike’s Groove was the most cohesive and fundamental since pre-hiatus Phish, and the Hydrogen was absolutely nailed by Trey, something that hasn’t happened often since the early to mid-90’s! It was impressive to say the least.it was wonderful to hear the post-hiatus material dusted off tonight (Waves -> ASIHTOS). I figured the Waves was headed to Bowie territory, but i didn’t expect to get the nice sandwich. Kuroda lit up the crowd behind the stage during the ambient section of Waves, and was just toying with us all!
Reba was another song I thought was set aside for Bonnaroo, but wasn’t!!! They nailed it, with an exceptionally soft section of the jam that just built until it exploded. I had them all up in my head at that point, eyes closed just soaking it in. Best Reba I’ve heard in a long time!
Like I said, it was an introspective show in many regards, but a very well played
performance. Last night was meant to tear faces off and own a small arena, but tonight was meant to play to a larger crowd and offer something special for those in attendance who could appreciate it. They knew the smaller crowd, hard to get ticket would bring out the people they are always going after. Tonight they knew there would be tickets on the ground, and they played to capture the attention of the hardcore fan. I don’t know how this transfers on tape, but it hit the spot for me personally. Set two started at 10:08 and the show ended at 11:40 PM, so you do the math on how much we got considering the size of the first set.Trey defeated Mr. Miner tonight for the first time in 2009 with a very good Hood, and the Frankenstein was the perfect encore. Hello My Baby was played acapella for the first
time since 1999, right before a mind blowing Julius that raged harder than any version I’ve seen in 27 shows! Page came out front and center for Frankenstein with the Keytar just like in Hampton. However, Mike sported his new tricked out bass that Page gave him at his birthday party last week. It was a classic tongue-in-cheek nod from Mike to Page (or vice versa?!). Check out the video of the full Frankenstein encore beneath. Kuroda brings the heat with the lights.Phish - Frankenstein 6.10.09 Knoxville from The Butter Room on Vimeo.
While Asheville was the “Fishman Show,” he didn’t relent tonight and is my MVP. Fishman is really rounding into shape (well maybe not physically), but he’s pushing and challenging the rest of the band, lock step with Trey, and just enjoying it. He may be the least vocal of the four guys, but I found myself deeply interested in listening to him and letting the others catch my ear outside of his rhythms. Perhaps this is how Phish is best listened to at most times (Trey has said as much), but I really was able to leverage tonight to feel the show in my head rather than just hear it. I firmly believe that element directly comes back to Fish.Knoxville sets the stage for Bonnaroo in several aspects. The Cavern seemed l
ike Trey’s personal nod to the potentially shitty weather (take care of your shoes, people!), while the size of the sets and spontaneous nature of tonight almost makes anything possible in manchester. Likewise, the lot was out of control. The four-story parking garage gave way to anything and everything, with no police presence as of 1 AM. It was the best lot scene I’ve been a part of, and just relaxing for once. You could do your thing, whether it be eating some burritos/grilled cheese/french bread pizza, drinking heady brews, or you know… phishing out. We were generally welcomed in Knoxville, evident by “visual-only” security checks at the insistence of local law enforcement.
Follow the lines pointing south, fans! Friday night is going to be a special show, and Sunday will be the icing on the cake. Where next week takes us? Your guess is as good as mine, but the wheels are spinning in the right direction. Stay tuned to our From The Road section and Twitter page for updates from Bonnaroo for Phish and all the other goodness emanating from Tennessee!
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Review: Phish - Camden, NJ 6/7/09
This post was written by our good friend, Dave Donohue, who we hope will be writing a few more reviews in the future.
I lucked into a ticket to this show. The previous Wednesday, a good friend in DC emailed me letting me know there was an extra with my name on it, and that it was time for a spontaneous (at 36, it takes me almost a week to be “spontaneous”) Phish road trip. Having attended all three Hampton shows but no others since, I was eager to hear how Phish 3.0 continues to shape up and jumped at the opportunity.
I left Charlottesville just after 8 AM Sunday morning, drove to DC, and met Rob and Tom, the brothers Fortier. After a long search for parking, it was back in the car for the 3 hour drive to Philadelphia. The pain of Tom’s car’s non-operational A/C was offset by the chance to listen to Jones Beach night 2 uninterrupted. In a stroke of luck, another extra materialized on the way and I called an old friend from UVM who lives in NYC to see if he wanted to come down. I think he ran to Penn Station :)
We pulled into our hotel on schedule, had some fun with the front desk staff (the poor hotel had three weddings being held that day, so the lobby crowd was half formally dressed guests, half Phish fans), and promptly left for Dave & Buster’s for beers and a meetup with some more old touring friends. A short five minute ferry ride later, and we were on the New Jersey side of the river. Another five minute walk and we were at Camden, NJ’s own Susquehanna Bank Center. So far, so good.The evening’s first lowlight - all of the lowlights were venue-related - was at the ticket gates. I have seen Phish 150+ times, and I have never, EVER been subjected to such an intrusive search. Given the way I was manhandled by my own personal security goon, the guy could’ve at least bought me dinner first. Gropey the Security Guard seemed genuinely angry that he wasn’t finding contraband on anyone. The dude had issues. Other friends reported similar experiences.
Things quickly looked up when we got up to the lawn. I haven’t had lawn tickets for a Phish show in an amphitheater in at least 10 years, and it was nice to enjoy the setting sun, the Philadelphia skyline, and the company of others nearby who were as psyched as we were.
The lights went down, and the band kicked into Chalkdust Torture, which got everyone dancing. Next up was Fee, the evening’s first oldie that hadn’t yet been played since the reunion - in fact, hadn’t been played since July 29, 2003. While most Fees sound more or less the same, this stood out because Trey forgot the lyrics at one point, saying “you’ve gotta sing…I really knew this backstage” which was the first but not the last time that Trey and the audience were sharing a laugh. The good kind :) It also actually had a jam for the last couple of minutes, which was unusual.
After Wolfman’s Brother, the “bustouts” set continued, with Guyute, My Sweet One, 46 Days, The Lizards, The Wedge, and Strange Design. None of these had been played since at least Coventry, and all were a lot of fun (with the exception of 46 Days, which is never fun, IMO). I enjoyed these not just because they were tight versions, but because it gave me the feeling I got in 1993-94 when every show was fantastic, band and audience were having a great time together, and most if not all was right with the world. Guyute, Lizards and Wedge were really, really strong. After equally strong versions of Tube, a little banter from Trey (“We might as well play this one now”, and then First Tube, set one was history. I like Phish’s First Tube much more than TAB. It was the kind of first set I like - lots of songs, very little jamming, with only Lizards and Guyute clocking in at 10+ minutes. It’s part of the reason I’m such a fan of Phish 3.0.
Set break was when I learned what solidifies Camden’s position atop the list of America’s Worst Concert Venues. The lawn holds 18,000 people. Guess how many bathrooms there are for those on the lawn? Two. One for men, one for women. People didn’t even go through the charade of waiting in line - they just started going everywhere. For the sake of decorum, I won’t elaborate, but it was really bad. Also, note to the 22-year old wookie who asked me what my favorite song was and then yelled “Check out the noob”: I have been seeing Phish since you were in preschool. Please spill your heady Sammy Smith’s on someone else, and consider showering. Moron.
I did get to catch up with Sara Golier and Doug Schneider, two UVM classmates who also missed our 15th reunion that same weekend. Getting to see Phish with them just like it was 1990 again was a nice consolation. Both truly nice people.
The second set kicked off with a 22 minute Sand, continuing in the groove that First Tube left us with. It was followed by Suzy Greenberg, which has always been one of my favorites. This one really reminded me of years past, with Fishman screaming and ad-libbing throughout (“Neurologist? I like that…yow!” and “Forgot my name, did ya? That’s OK. I do that all the time. Ack!”). So much fun. Mike was dropping bombs at the end, too.
It was followed by more favorites: Limb By Limb, The Horse, and Silent in the Morning. “I think that this exact thing happened to me, just last year” is a lot more emotional coming from a band that just five years ago was never going to play again. People were going nuts. If anyone saw me tear up, I’m sure I just had dust in a contact lens.
Next up was Sugar Shack, a new Mike song making its debut. It was…bluesy. I am not good at describing new songs, and since I’m not a musician I can’t describe it further. I thought it was OK. I never like new songs the first few times I hear them (exception below). After Character Zero, which is always rocking but pretty formulaic, they decided to END the set with Tweezer. That was a new one on me. I usually don’t like Tweezer, but this one was 17 minutes of fun fun fun. Talk about going out with a bang.
The encore brought yet more surprises. The band had to be coming close to breaking the venue curfew, but they walked out and Trey said “You guys in a rush to go anywhere? [audience response: apeshit screaming] Got some place to be? [more screams] ‘Cause we were just talking back there and it’s been a really fun little Northeast swing we’ve been on, and we’re going…South tonight. And we want to stay in the Northeast as long as we can. We love the South too…we’re not dissing the South…we’re just…love Philadelphia. Flyers fan, lifetime Flyers fan…next year is the year, I know that, I have personal knowledge of that, next year. So we’re gonna play a couple, a few songs. I also want to thank everybody…we’ve been playing a lot of new stuff in the last kind of week, the one we just played was Sugar Shack by Mike, and we’re gonna do another new one right now, and then keep going. This song is called ‘Joy’.”
I should note here that this is not the rambling, I Took Too Many Drugs Trey speech. This was a happy, happy man who was clearly having a great time with his bandmates and it was totally contagious. Joy is a pretty song. I won’t describe it correctly so I won’t even try. My guess is most people will think it’s cheesy. I really liked it. It was followed by Bouncing Around The Room. That must be it, right? Wrong. They immediately launched into Antelope, which ROCKED, complete with Trey saying “been you to have any MIKE, mon?” right before the great part. And then, just when I was sure they were done, the band finally closed with Tweezer Reprise.
It’s hard for me to judge whether you’ll like this show. I loved it for nostalgic reasons - there were times when it was a 1993-era setlist and I felt like a teenager again. It also had the best qualities of Phish 3.0: a really happy band playing uber-tightly. Judging from the crowd’s reaction, those in attendance liked it too. I encourage you to check it out for yourself via etree or LivePhish.
It totally whet my appetite for Bonnaroo :) Writing this from the Nashville airport. The folks at the Butter Room tell me that they’ll let me provide some updates on-site, so I may have more to say over the weekend. BTW, the photos I embedded from Phish.com were taken by a guy named Dave Vann - a nice guy and great photographer.
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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!
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My Concert Stats from the 00s
I saw 95 concerts in the 00s. Not too shabby for a married guy with two kids living in a small college town. In the spirit of ZZYZZ, I’ve put together my concert stats from the decade that is almost done.
The first show I caught in the 00s was Everything (puke) in March of 2000 at the State Theater in Falls Church, Virginia and the last show was Phish at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville in December of 2009. Coincidentally, Phish was also the last concert I caught in the 1990s.
Location
Most of my shows were in Virginia, specifically Charlottesville where I live. Other states that I caught live music include Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The furthest I traveled for a show was on a boat to see the moe. cruise, which also was the first time I saw shows outside the U.S.
Repeats
I saw several artists more than once in the 00s. Here are my top 5:
1. moe. - 14 times
2. Phish - 9 times
3. Widespread Panic - 6 times
T4. Wilco, Dave Matthews Band - 4 timesFirst-Timers
I saw a lot of artists for the first time in the 00s, which is my most satisfying live music accomplishment of the decade. The Iist:
1. Everything (‘00)
2. Dark Star Orchestra (‘00)
3. String Cheese Incident (‘00)
4. B.B. King (‘00)
5. Acoustic Syndicate (‘02)
6. Soulive (‘02)
7. Robert Randolph & the Family Band (‘02)
8. Les Claypool & the Fearless Flying Frog Brigade (‘02)
9. Galactic (‘02)
10. Trey Anastasio Band (‘02)
11. Derek Trucks Band (‘02)
12. David Grisman Quintet (‘03)
13. North Mississippi All-Stars (‘04)
14. Kenny Chesney (‘05)
15. Aimee Mann (‘05)
16. Leo Kottke and Mike Gordon (‘05)
17. Ween (‘06)
18. Marshall Tucker Band (‘06)
19. Toad the Wet Sprocket (‘06)
20. Cowboy Mouth (‘07)
21. Indecision (‘07)
22. John Mayer (‘07)
23. Kings of Leon (‘07)
24. The Police (‘07)
25. The Whigs (‘08)
26. Tea Leaf Green (‘08)
27. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band (‘08)
28. Van Halen (‘08)
29. Radiohead (‘08)
30. Modest Mouse (‘08)
31. Phil Lesh & Friends (‘08)
32. Spoon (‘08)
33. The Raconteurs (‘08)
34. My Morning Jacket (‘08)
35. The Avett Brothers (‘08)
36. Drive By Truckers (‘08)
37. Elvis Perkins in Dearland (‘09)
38. David Byrne (‘09)
39. U2 (‘09)
40. Dr. Dog (‘09)Longest Gaps
The Rolling Stones - 16 years (first time seen 1989, next time seen 2005)
Wilco - 9 years (first time seen 1997, next time seen 2006)Worst Shows
3. Cowboy Mouth in 2007 was pretty damn obnoxious.
2. The Police comeback was a huge disappointment - nothing like I imagined when I used to dream of seeing them live.
1. The worst show of the decade for me is a tie between a show I attended and one I was supposed to - both from my favorite band. Phish @ Hampton on 8/9/04 was the worst show I saw this decade. My expectations were sky high, which didn’t help, but I’ve listened to it since and still don’t like it. I was supposed to go to Coventry, Phish’s last shows (before their return this year), but got stuck in traffic and was turned away. That trip was a real bitter ending for my crew who had followed Phish cross country and been to several festivals together. Phish would never be the same until December 5th, 2009.Best Shows
5. Phish - 12/05/09: Putting this one in my top 5 was a tough call. Musically, I’ve seen a lot better through the years, but it was a solid 2009 Phish show. The best thing about this show was the crew and the location. Friends from Chicago, South Carolina, Richmond, Virginia Beach, and many from Charlottesville were here for my first hometown show in 10 years. It was a ton of fun and left me believing in my favorite band once again.
4. moe. cruise - 03/07-13/04: Six shows in seven nights on the high seas with one of my favorite bands. It doesn’t get much better.
3. My Morning Jacket - 09/04/08: I probably saw more shows at the Charlottesville Pavilion in the 00s than any other venue, and this one was the best. My buzz was big, but the energy was even bigger. Must see these guys again.
2. Widespread Panic - 08/06/05: I’ve seen Panic 20 times over 17 years and this could be the best one. For several years in the middle of the decade, my wife and I would spend a weekend with our good friends in Virginia Beach and typically we would catch a show. In 2005, it was Panic at Portsmouth. Since then, I’ve listened to this show at least 100 times and it never gets old from start to finish.
1. Radiohead - 05/11/08: Hands down, this is one of the top three concerts I have ever seen. I was stone cold sober, but up front in the orchestra pit as the lawn was getting soaked during a torrential rain storm. Everything was perfect - the sound, the lights, the crowd.
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Tea Leaf Green @ The Jefferson, Charlottesville VA - 02.02.10
Setlist
Set I: Red Ribbons, Emma Lee > Baseball Jam > Make A Connection, Don’t Curse The Night > This Is Real > New Shoes, John Brown > Let Us Go
Set II: Taught To Be Proud, Lil Hood, I’ve Got A Truck > Ride Together > Country Seduction > Precious Stone > Can You Guess It?, Stick To The Shallows, Germinatin’ Seed
E: Asphalt FunkComplete Photo Gallery on Flickr
I caught Tea Leaf Green last night at the new venue in town, The Jefferson. It’s been open for about 2 months now and the capacity is 750. Last night it wasn’t even half full, but that probably had to do with the snow we had once again last night. Even though we’ve been dumped on this winter, us southerners still hibernate at the mention of a winter storm warning.
The music was solid. It was the second time I’d seen TLG, and I gotta admit the first time was better. Maybe it was due to the fact that I didn’t know what to expect the first time out.
Here is a so-so video I took last night from the first balcony. It’s the end of “Taught to Be Proud” and then the beginning of “Lil Hood”, which opened the second set. My battery ran out during “Lil Hood”. Better get that fixed before Trey on Monday!
Tea Leaf Green - 02/02/10 @ The Jefferson, Charlottesville VA from The Butter Room on Vimeo.
Check out our complete coverage of Tea Leaf Green at The Jefferson Theater on February 2, 2010. These guys just started a ginormous tour. Check them out if you can!
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Trey Anastasio Band @ The Jefferson, Charlottesville VA - 02.08.10
Setlist
Set I: Shine, Cayman Review, Tuesday, Liquid Time*, Drifting, Let Me Lie, All That Almost Was*, Alaska, Mozambique, A Case of Ice And Snow, Last Tube
Set II: Curlew’s Call, Sand, Valentine, Goodbye Head, Mr. Completely, Windora Bug, Night Speaks to a Woman, Push On Til The Day
E1: Small Axe, Birdwatcher*, Show Of Life*
E2: At The Gazebo, First Tube
* First Time PlayedComplete Photo Album on Flickr
I was one of 750 lucky individuals to catch the TAB winter tour opener at the brand new Jefferson Theater in Charlottesville, Virginia on Monday. The venue re-opened the week that Trey’s main gig, Phish, played John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville last December. The Jefferson opened in 1912 as a venue for vaudeville acts and silent movies. It’s hosted such acts as Harry Houdini and The Three Stooges. But, before last November, the Jefferson had been closed for awhile. I moved here in 2001, and don’t believe it has been open the whole time I’ve been living in Charlottesville.
The venue inside is tall. There are 4 levels. You enter on the main level, which has a bar and tables on a raised floor in the back and then the main floor up front that actually slopes downward to the stage. This is a great subtle feature that enables all fans on the floor to have a good view of the stage. Below the main floor is another bar with tables, kind of a little hideaway from the main action. Then, there are two more floors above the stage. The floor above the stage is all seats, and the floor above that is standing room only. All in all, it’s a pretty sweet venue that sits right on Charlottesville’s downtown mall, which is also the location of the Charlottesville Pavilion, the main outdoor venue in town that holds about 3500.
It was no surprise to me that Trey played the Jefferson since his management’s offices are about 2 blocks down from the venue. Supposedly, I had lunch at the same place he did on Monday, but missed him by an hour. Grrr.
The show was fantastic. I’ve listened to it yesterday, and my opinion hasn’t changed. For a tour opener, the band really did impress me. While I’ve seen Phish a lot over the years, this was only the second time I have seen TAB live and the first time in almost 8 years. Shine was a great opener to introduce the horn section and new trombone player Natalie Cressman, who was a crowd favorite all night. The show moved along nicely in the beginning, but I didn’t think it really picked up until Alaska and Mozambique. Last Tube delivered as a solid set one closer as well, leaving everyone wanting more of the same in set two.
The second set matched the performance and energy of the end of the first with crowd favorites, Sand, Windora Bug, Night Speaks To A Woman, and Push On Til The Day. Valentine and Mr. Completely were my favorites from the second set.
The show consisted of two encores. The first encore ended with my favorite new song of the night, Show Of Life. It really has a JGB feel to it. In general, all of the new songs were unique sounding, which made them really stand out. I look forward to seeing them evolve this tour and beyond.
The second encore began with Trey saying a few words about his sister, Kristine, who would have turned 47 on Monday. The show was a benefit concert for the Kristine Anastasio Manning Memorial Fund, and Trey’s family was in attendance to witness the event. After At The Gazebo, which was dedicated to Kristine and anyone who has had to deal with cancer, TAB ended the show predictably with a rocking First Tube.
Overall, it was clear the band had put in a lot of practice for the opener. It was also evident that they were having a good time. I’m not sure I would have enjoyed the show as much if it wasn’t for the small venue. The last time I saw TAB was in a basketball arena with the horns and it just didn’t have the same vibe. I hope he can continue to play small clubs and theaters so all fans can experience the band up close. If you have a chance to see TAB on this tour, I encourage you to check it out. You won’t be disappointed.
Finally, we did take some video from the evening, but our batteries ran out of juice. Thus, all we ended up with were small clips from several points during the show. I figure something is better than nothing, so the result is below.
Trey Anastasio Band @ The Jefferson, 2/8/2010 from The Butter Room on Vimeo.
Check out all of our coverage of the TAB show from The Jefferson Theater on February 8, 2010.
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Furthur @ Hampton Coliseum, Hampton VA - 02.12.10
Setlist
Set I: Shakedown Street > Miracle > Til The Morning Comes, Stuck Inside of Mobile, Dire Wolf, Picasso Moon, Big Railroad Blues, Two Dijinn
Set II: Scarlet > West L.A., Mason’s Children > Dark Star > Dear Mr. Fantasy > King Solomon’s Marbles > Days Between > Viola Lee Blues > Dark Star > GDRTFB
E: We Bid You GoodnightComplete Photo Gallery on Flickr
Graham and I made the short trip from Richmond and Charlottesville on Friday to catch Furthur play Hampton Coliseum. Of course, Hampton is a legendary venue, especially for the Grateful Dead. While Graham and I (combined) have been to every Phish run in Hampton since 1997, neither of us took in a Dead show at the Mothership.
We checked in to the Embassy Suites fairly early on Friday, which is the best place to stay on Coliseum Drive. The rooms are suites (if you couldn’t tell from the name of the joint), it sits right on top of the parking lot, and you get a free hot breakfast. After a few hours, pitchers, wings, and fried pickles at Hooters, we made our way into the venue to meet up with some friends. We waited in a long line for some adult beverages and missed most of the Shakedown Street. The floor was packed, so we made our way up to some seats on the side of the stage, Phil’s side, in time for Miracle.
The first highlight of the night was Til The Morning Comes. It was one of two songs this night that I never thought I would hear. After Bobby butchered the lyrics to Stuck Inside of Mobile (Memphis Blues), the rest of the set was rather non-eventful. John Kadlecik (fake Jerry) delivered some solid chops during Big Railroad Blues, but the set ended with a thud when the boys decided to play Ratdog’s Two Dijinn.
Opening the second set with Scarlet made up for the first set closer. John really began to shine here, and that would continue thru the rest of the night. No Fire though as the boys moved into West L.A. Fadeaway. Bobby sung the Jerry tune, but would begin the lyrics of each verse about a second after everyone in the audience expected. I don’t think this was by accident, and for me this was rather annoying. We hopped out to the concourse during Mason’s Children. I have actually seen Mason’s Children the last two times I’ve seen Bobby and Phil play together (‘09 and ‘03), so the third time was no charm. After sneaking into a beer line that was closing, we moved to the floor right next to the tapers section. We missed most of the Dark Star, but throughly enjoyed the next two selections: Dear Mr. Fantasy and King Solomon’s Marbles. The latter was the second tune I never thought I would ever hear live. I thought the boys might be going into Drums at the beginning as Joe Russo and Jay Lane hammered away, but when the rest of the band didn’t leave the stage, I was excited to hear the opening notes to the instrumental from Blues for Allah.
At this point, the crowd was at its highest, and it was time for another Bobby tune. Unfortunately, the bottom dropped out again as the boys chose Days Between. Vocals were shared on this one, but I never liked it back in 1993-1995, so I definitely wasn’t going to dig it now. Viola Lee Blues picked things back up, especially the climatic jam at the end. A return to the second verse of Dark Star followed, and then GDTRFB, although I swear they were going into The Other One, which would have been a better closer.
I loved the Bid You Goodnight closer. I’m sure we all would have enjoyed the boys strapping on their instruments one more time, but here was another tune I never got to see back in the day so I was satisfied.
Overall, I got what I expected - good, but not great. I think it would have reached greatness if the song selection, specifically the Bob songs, were better. Insert an Estimated, Looks Like Rain, Lazy Lightning > Supplication, or even Brother Esau instead of Picasso Moon, Two Dijinn, and Days Between and I would have been thrilled. Thus, the show contained too many peaks and valleys, which never really enabled me to get into a steady, blissful groove.
Everything else was fantastic. I’ve seen most of the post-Jerry groupings, and this is the closest to the real deal. While I don’t expect it, I would love to see this band tour for as long as Bobby and Phil can keep things going. I think we just got a poor choice of Bobby tunes on this night, which happens sometimes when you follow the Dead around.
Check out all of our Furthur Hampton coverage from the road.
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Trey Anastasio Band At The Riviera Theater, Chicago, IL
Friday, February 19, 2010Set 1: Shine, Cayman Review, Push On Til The Day, Sweet Dreams Melinda, Mozambique, Alive Again, Gotta Jibboo, Small Axe, All That Almost Was, Alaska, Valentine, Tuesday, Brian and Robert^, Driver^, Sample^, Wilson^,
Set 2: Dragonfly, Night Speaks to a Woman, Sand, Let Me Lie, Mr. Completely, Plasma, The Birdwatcher, The Way I Feel, Last Tube, Black Dog
Encore: Sultans of Swing, First Tube^ Acoustic
It’s been awhile since I last saw Trey - relatively speaking, of course. My last show was Phish’s fall tour closer in Charlottesville last December. During 2009 it was obvious that Trey was working to get his tour legs underneath him again, often caught up a little too much in playing every single note perfectly rather than just unleashing with the improvisational fire fans have come to expect from him over the years. But as the year progressed, Trey became more comfortable playing in a band again full time, while finding the confidence that took him, Phish, and fans to incredible places over the past two decades.
After Friday night’s show at The Riv, it’s obvious that Trey is back in a major way, and 2009 was only the beginning. Over the course of the evening, fans were given a taste of everything in his solo cannon. The best of his solo work was greeted with tight new treatments, while splashing in some tasteful Phish and even bringing a little something new to the table.
The show opened with Shine, the title track to Anastasio’s first post-Coventry album in 2005. It set a nice tone, but was quickly followed up with TAB staples Cayman Review and Push On Til The Day. The former’s lyrics seemed quite appropriate for a late winter/early spring tour: “Summer’s coming and I’d like a review.” However, it was Push On that set the tone for the rest of the set, as the horn section set up the jam nicely before leaving the four-piece classic ensemble to get down to the dirty. Trey unleashed - on his guitar and physically with a series of jumps and leg kicks - which really brought the crowd into it. I was taking photos between the rail and stage at the time (special thanks to Red Light Management for the photo pass!) and shared a few words with Trey, who saw me dancing in front of him at the end of Push On.
Other first set highlights included the Mozambique - Alive Again - Gotta Jibboo segment, peaking with a dark, yet danceable Jibboo that was noticeably different than the Phish versions from fall ‘09. Perhaps the peak of the first set came with a surprisingly dirty version of Alaska. Then again I’ve caught all but a handful of versions of this since Trey debuted it at Rothbury in 2008, and it’s quickly become a favorite among the Joy tunes.
The first set culminated in a strong Tuesday jam that found the rest of the band exiting the stage in favor of Trey playing Phish songs on his acoustic. Sample In A Jar seemed to be the highlight for most of the crowd, although for me Wilson was a nice trip back to the sandy grass of Sunday’s acoustic set at Festival 8.
(video via Jmollico21)
Set two seemed very reminiscent of Anastasio’s setlists from Phish, with an emphasis on getting down to business quickly and focusing on dark, complex improv with well placed breaks (such as “Let Me Lie”). Night Speaks gave both Jen and newcomer Natalie Cressman a chance to shine, while Mr. Completely saw Trey tossing signals to the band, leaving room for others to push the direction, and opening up space for him to solo with ease.
Another TAB-turned-Phish tune stole the spotlight in the second set: Sand. While Phish treated fans with one of the song’s finest versions in Camden last summer, it saw little action elsewhere (only coming out in Miami). However, Sand is a Trey song that works best with a bigger band with more moving parts to shape and shift its jam. It’s a great example of how this group has been able to gel quickly and with purpose this time around. It’s also a good look at the new Trey Anastasio.
Since coming back to the spotlight Trey has shown patience, proven that one of his best skills as a musician is still his ear, and carefully chosen when he’s just another member of the group and when he’s leading the direction of the jams. This more versatile and group-oriented Trey has not only been more enjoyable to watch, but you can tell he’s into the music much more than a few years back. The result on Friday was an overly sold out crowd that left not just blown away, but almost exiting with a certain swagger and confidence that is simply a contagious side effect of Big Red’s renewed love for his craft.
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