It’s been five years since we’ve heard their funky grooves, improvisational jamfests, and wacky lyrics, but the wait was well worth it, according to fans of the prolific “jamband” Phish. This most recent hiatus, taken for the creative reasons of the band members, was not their first. They began a two-year stint at the end of 2000 during which the band was also on a break. When they returned to the touring scene on new year’s eve of 2003, many fans were disappointed with the subtle changes that had occurred in the music: the band was not as tight musically, the jams began to run out of control and beyond the interest of the crowd, and the electronic effects became very spacey. Of course, not all fans were disgruntled, and those tours were a huge financial success for the band.
This time around, however, no one is complaining about the music. The first five songs of the weekend were a testament to Trey, Mike, Page, and Fish’s commitment to the band’s 80’s and 90’s roots: they played pillars of the glory years, including Fluffhead, Divided Sky, Chalkdust Torture, Sample in a Jar, and Stash. And they lit up the beach. Tight licks, flawless communication, and confident vocals all revealed that Phish was ready to come back with a vengeance.
The entire first night was a trip down memory lane for nostalgic, dancing fans. They played the staples all night, and all was well until the boys attempted You Enjoy Myself at the end of the second set. When they couldn’t pull it together in the first few bars, I was admittedly concerned they might fall apart when the music became really challenging (which is what made the rolling, finger-stretching arpeggios of YEM so infamous). But, guitarist and lead vocalist Trey Anastasio called off the first take so they could start fresh–and they rocked it out beautifully!
The crowd was, as per routine at Phish shows, wild and crazy. An enormous set of lots was home to an endless collection of cars, trucks, buses, and RVs gathered for the party. The grounds ran over with tye-dye toting neohippies, drum circles, and the inevitable recreational drug abuse that accompanies these events. This particular crowd is special, however, in its undying loyalty to Phish.
The second and third days allowed the atmosphere of elation to continue unabated. The band only dared play a few new songs, mostly in the middle of the last day. The new songs did not tend to be overly improvisational, but were instead remarkably conventional, exemplified by the song “She Thinks I Still Care”, which has the quiet, rhythmic sway of a country blues tune.
All in all, Phish was on stage for almost eleven hours and played 85 songs in the course of the three days. It was exceptional funky, and Trey played like his classic old self: insanely clean speed licks, inhuman control of the strings, and evasion of the electronic effects that dominated his performances in 2004. No doubt able to appreciate that the sentimental value of these shows was certainly greater than the financial one (which was huge), the band decided to release the entire concert for free in MP3 form on their website, www.livephish.com. The recordings were taken from the official soundboard, so it is the best sound quality you can ask of a concert recording. Quite generous of the guys, who could obviously have raked in a fortune from the sales of the recordings alone–which every legitimate Phish fan will undoubtedly download–if they haven’t already!
