Phish MSG Night Two Setlist

Review to come.

PHISH - 12.29.16 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

SET I (1 hour, 18 minutes) -
Sweet Adeline / Peaches en Regalia > Mike's Song > Secret Smile > Weekapaug Groove / Roses Are Free / Poor Heart / 46 Days / Brian & Robert / Beauty of a Broken Heart / Theme from the Bottom > Split Open & Melt

SET II (1 hour, 14 minutes) -
Down with Disease > What's the Use? > Fuego > Meatstick / Twenty Years Later > Kung > Twenty Years Later > Makisupa Policeman / Harry Hood

ENCORE (8 minutes) -
Julius

Phish MSG Night One Setlist

Review to come.

PHISH - 12.28.16 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

SET I (1 hour, 20 minutes) -

The Star-Spangled Banner / Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan / Lonesome Cowboy Bill > Free / Train Song / Prince Caspian / Roggae / Funky Bitch / Halfway to the Moon / Corinna / Stash / Cavern

SET II (1 hour, 19 minutes) -

Wolfman's Brother / Golden Age > Simple > Chalk Dust Torture / Martian Monster > Tweezer Reprise > Martian Monster / Wingsuit / Possum

ENCORE (7 minutes) -

Good Times Bad Times

Phish 12/30 Review: The One Where I Surrendered to the Flow

Just a few days ago, I still didn't have tickets for the 12/30 Phish show.  Thanks to CashOrTrade.org, I was able to trade two of my 12/29 extras for a pair of 30ths... behind the stage.  I was slightly worried that it'd be too frustrating a position to really enjoy the concert, but now it pains me to think of not being there for last night's second set.

Phish began the night with "Kill Devil Falls."  It's not my favorite song, and the sound was reverberating a tad off the back wall.  I was also experiencing a certain sort of disconnect.  I'm tall, so I typically don't have a lot of trouble seeing at concerts.  My eyes are usually on the musicians: their faces and their hands on their instruments.  And I couldn't really do that from my vantage point.  In fact, I could see Mike Gordon only when his left hand ventured close enough to the headstock to hit the lowest notes.  It did, however, offer me a better view of Jon Fishman, who is usually fairly hidden behind his cymbals.  Now over his shoulder, the complexity of what my ears were hearing didn't match the simplicity of what I was seeing.  A total sensorial trick that could only be pulled off by such a talented drummer.  "Bathtub Gin" was a fun follow-up, especially the "shave and a haircut" tag at the end.  Having been stuck in my head for the whole run, "Wombat" finally reared its funky head next.  Personal desire withstanding, it was the most inspired performance in a predominantly straightforward set.  The reggae of "Yarmouth Road" was a refreshing genre change before the rocking "46 Days," which got the floor quaking beneath my sneakers.  "Lawn Boy" saw Page visiting Mike on stage left (Weirdly, also my left.), and Fishman even came out from behind his kit to join them.

When Phish returned to the stage after that song-focused first set, Mike had a yellow scarf wrapped around his neck.  I was secretly hoping it was there to keep his head from floating away in the middle of a particularly spacey trip.  Anastasio revved up the rollicking "Chalk Dust Torture," and an arsenal of cow-patterned balloons exploded from the center of the crowd.  Trey's guitar evolved into a humpback whale, searching for mates across a swirling sea.  Then Mike dropped "the brown noise," clearing the air for a short, gentle section prior to the final uptempo groove.  By this point, I had accepted my view of the stage.  I was listening to the music.  Surrendering to the flow.  "Mike's Song" developed into a funk rock piece that just begged to be made into a "Frankenstein" monster.  But they resisted, and a clunky transition into "Devotion to a Dream" kept the no-covers streak going.  I like the Wingsuit ditty, but as the newcomer, it was the obvious weakest link.  "Ghost" followed, and it was incredible to hear the arena fully singing along to a song, not just a single line or wooing in unison.  Once it reached the breakout, you could call this one Casper, because this was a friendly "Ghost."  The radiant jam took on more and more positive vibes until it couldn't contain them anymore, and ruptured into the fat bass intro of "Weekapaug Groove."  The song continued along the established sunny path until it too had to burst, this time into "Simple."  After the silly lyrical part, the band pushed forth, eventually taking the song inward.  The hive mind of these guys just astounds me; the way they rarely even look at each other (generally only for the endings of songs), but are so telepathically aligned, they can improvise a song that constantly evolves.  Bouncing along on Mike's trampoline bassline, Page and Trey twinkled on until the whole thing sounded like blissed out electronica.  Scraping some of the resin leftover from "Yarmouth," they dropped into "Harry Hood."  I think I preferred last year's version, but then again, last year I wasn't right in front of a girl screaming like Miss Piggy right before a karate chop.  Eventually it wound down to a feedback-y denouement, which most assumed would be the set's finish (My brother even left to go to the bathroom.), but Fishman crashed right into "Cavern."  "They faked me out!" yelled my brother once he returned for the singalong.  Then they faked everyone out again by descending into "First Tube" for a victory lap.  The guys took a bow, and Trey collected what appeared to be books and a framed photograph from the front row.

At that point, Page could've returned, played only the fart sound he finished last night's "Gumbo" with, and I would've been happy.  Instead they chose "Slave to the Traffic Light."  After such a euphoric second set, it seemed even more relaxed than usual.  It was the satisfied exhale, the cigarette after sex.  And it was my favorite Phish show.

PHISH - 12.30.13 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

SET ONE -

Kill Devil Falls / Bathtub Gin / Wombat / Yarmouth Road / 46 Days / Lawn Boy / Heavy Things / Punch You in the Eye > Sample in a Jar / Gotta Jibboo

SET TWO -

Chalk Dust Torture > Mike's Song > Devotion to a Dream / Ghost > Weekapaug Groove > Simple > Harry Hood > Cavern > First Tube

ENCORE -

Slave to the Traffic Light

Phish 12/29 Review: Stepping Up Their Game

After a scattered first night, which found the band struggling to find setlist slots for their new Wingsuit tunes, Phish turned in a much more cohesive second show at the Garden.  "The Moma Dance" kicked things off, and the middle-aged woman next to me began the mommy dance.  Phish never got too funky with it, taking a laid-back approach that they extended well into the set.  "Roggae" had its moments, and the band found the perfect spot for possible radio single "The Line," tucked snugly between "Sparkle" and "Stash."  The latter served as the framework for the first true jam of the night, a major-key journey signaled by a CK5 projection behind the stage that resembled maybe snow, maybe not, as my brother swore it looked like "maggots and bacteria."  The Gordon-led "555" followed nicely.  Trey's guitar and Page's organ both got a little too shrill by the end of the improvised section, but the transition back into the vocal was on point.  Then they busted out the dankest funk since the previous night's "Wolfman" with "It's Ice."  Gordon made meatballs while McConnell poured on the clavinet sauce.  With the arena pre-heated, it was time for the cooks to serve up some steaming "Gumbo."  Page simmered on the organ for a bit, but he really brought things to a boil once he returned to the clav.  Sous-chef Gordon snuck in some well-timed notes, but he dropped back and let Page continue his ride, all the way to the final farty flourish: a single staccato note to end the song with a laugh.  Closer "Walls of the Cave" suffered from a little too much guitar grandiosity from Anastasio, but it wasn't a total misfire.

Set two began with a tiny bit of ambient experimentation.  Trey mumbled something incoherent into the mic, and then Gordon's flange bass triggered "Down with Disease."  The band oozed confidence on the lyric start to the song, and then it came time for the jam.  Last year's 12/30 "DWD" was my favorite performance of the entire year from any band, so my hopes were probably too high.  Though it was never dull, it jumped around a little too much, Trey steering it from a gentle guitar melody to crunchy riff rock to an uptempo blues.  Emerging on the other side, Anastasio finished out the chorus center stage, and then charged into "Carini."  Unlike the sinister cave creature they uncovered last year, this version let in more light, sonically represented by simultaneous death ray whooshes by all members.  The spaceflight continued, and then Page let loose some keyboard noises that sounded like the sweetest dial-up modem.  It was enough to cement his status as the night's MVP.  "Waves" flowed into a "Twist" that at times recalled Bill Withers' "Use Me."  They closed out the set with well-executed, well-lit renditions of "Golgi Apparatus" and "David Bowie."  As they came forward to take a bow, someone in the crowd threw a bouquet of roses at Trey.  He tossed the flowers to Fish, who held them for a photo op before flinging them over the drums to Mike.  Sadly, Mike's cross-stage pass to Page went wild, and landed on top of the piano.

When they emerged for the encore, Page was holding the bouquet.  Hell, he earned it.  "Possum" was a pleasant last dance, albeit a tad overlong.  "Thanks, everybody.  We'll see you tomorrow night," offered Trey.  Tonight's show is Phish's 30th at MSG, in their 30th year, so expectations are colossal.  Should they continue on this trajectory, though, there's going to be an arena's worth of satisfied Phans pouring out of MSG at 11:40.

PHISH - 12.29.13 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

SET ONE -

The Moma Dance > Rift / Roggae / Sparkle / The Line / Stash / 555 / It's Ice / Gumbo / Walls of the Cave

SET TWO -

Jam / Down with Disease > Carini / Waves > Twist / Golgi Apparatus / David Bowie

ENCORE -

Possum

Phish 12/28 Review: When Shall I Don My Wingsuit?

In what has been a historic thirtieth year for Phish, the band decided to cap it off with their fourth consecutive New Year's run at Madison Square Garden.  After a summer tour chock full of jams, the band has most recently been at work crafting their next album, Wingsuit.  Would their time in the studio rein in the jams, or would the new songs breathe even more life into the sets?  More importantly, where would they go in the rotation?

The Phab Four emerged at 8:16, greeted by applause and an inflatable sheep that was tossed onto the stage.  Trey Anastasio placed the sheep beside his amps, where it would remain for the entire set.  As Jon Fishman kicked into "The Wedge," a lot of first song bets were lost.  The sound mix left more to be desired, with clipping from Mike Gordon's bass and flat vocals all around.  I'll blame the Chase Bridges for disrupting the room's acoustics, though it is interesting to think that over these past four years, Phish have played the Garden during each phase of its transformation.  As this was my first Phishing trip of the year, I was also taking in Chris Kuroda's new lighting rig, the band's modified stage positions, and what I assume was a fresh addition: a small podium next to Trey that offered him hand control of his effects.  A shining "Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan" brought some much needed energy into the building, but a sloppy "Mound" failed to continue the upward climb.  "Axilla" segued into "Birds of a Feather," which featured a small jam, a funky hint of what was to come next.  "Wolfman's Brother" was my first-set highlight exactly one year ago, when they dropped a perfectly timed "Little Drummer Boy" in its midst.  While they didn't delve into any Christmas carols this go-round, the boys took the tune to Funkytown, with Page McConnell as mayor.  While the return to the song's theme could've been smoother, the jam was at least proof that the show wasn't going to be a Saturday Night Special.  Trey began the chunky first chords of "Wilson," and immediately aborted the idea.  Moments later, they started up the Wingsuit number "Monica."  Choosing an unreleased song over their one with the most crowd participation unsettled the audience a bit, and Phish didn't fully regain everyone's attention until the arena-tailored "Free."  "Julius" ended the uneven set on a dancey high note.

Jam vehicle "Sand" was an even more surprising set opener than "Wedge."  Unfortunately, right when the trip was at its tastiest, the purple and blue lights shifted to red, red for "Piper."  I've always found "Piper" to be a bit too fast, but the boys handled the breakneck tempo well.  Trey hacking at his guitar wasn't necessarily the most seamless transition into "Back on the Train," but the crowd cheered appreciatively.  Then Phish barreled into "Tweezer," and the energy in the room exploded in a shower of glowsticks.  Last year's 12/28 "Tweezer" was quite the competition, however, especially considering last night's jam dropped off just as it reached its most dark and alien section... into "Backwards Down the Number Line?"  Thankfully it was the best rendition I've heard, culminating with some excellent guitar work by Anastasio.  "Steam" followed, revived for its first MSG appearance since two years ago's NYE stunt, which saw crowd members floating towards the venue's famous ceiling.  While the smoke machines in the rear of the stage couldn't contend with the stunt's aerial theatrics, the band were determined to best it musically, and did.  In an already expansive set, "Steam" was the "jampion," Trey huddling with Page to create some far-out layers.  A "Horse"-less "Silent in the Morning" was trailed by "Waiting All Night."  It's one of my favorite Wingsuit tunes, but it was sadly relegated to that cool-down recovery slot, before an extended "Run Like an Antelope" finished out the set.

"Thank you guys so much.  We are so happy to be back here," gushed McConnell.  "We're here for a few more minutes," he added, and revved up "Suzy Greenberg."  As Page took a ride on the piano, Trey and Mike pretended to swordfight with their guitars.  They proceeded to mirror each other's moves and twirl their instruments as if they were in a color guard before turning their headstocks towards the crowd like applause-locating divining sticks.  That would've been a fine conclusion, but a "Tweeprise" was due.  Confetti cannons in the front row rocketed shiny streamers onto the band, and Trey danced around giddily.  It's too bad it took until the encore for the band to visibly have so much fun.  Perhaps they were just relaxed after having the first show in the bank, but I hope their enthusiasm picks up right there for tonight's festivities.

PHISH - 12.28.13 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

SET ONE -

The Wedge / Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan / Mound / Axilla > Birds of a Feather / Wolfman's Brother / Wilson (tease) / Monica / Seven Below > Tube > Free / Julius

SET TWO -

Sand > Piper > Back on the Train > Tweezer > Backwards Down the Number Line / Steam > Silent in the Morning / Waiting All Night / Run Like an Antelope

ENCORE -

Suzy Greenberg / Tweezer Reprise

Metric & Hellogoodbye Make a Great Case for Openers

I hope you got to Madison Square Garden for the Paramore show early enough to see the opening acts.  It's hard to believe that just three months ago, I was within a few yards of Hellogoodbye in the backyard of an eyeglasses store, and last night I was hundreds of feet away in the nosebleeds of MSG.  (Tangent: The venue's new flying bridges are terrible.  The beachball-esque ceiling, which droops to the scoreboard in the center, is without a doubt, the Garden's most iconic feature, and now it's obscured by two monstrosities.  It's absolutely shocking to me that the architects would sacrifice that view to the tune of 430 more seats.)  While I'm sure the bridges also disrupt the room's acoustics, the sound mix for "...And Everything Becomes a Blur" was the muddiest I've heard in the building.  But perhaps there wasn't enough time to soundcheck properly, as it seemed every member in the band also had a keyboard in front of them.  "This is a kind-of old song," said Forrest Kline, gearing up "When We First Met" and the directing the audience to clap along for the pre-chorus.  They followed with "Swear You're in Love," which set up a pattern of injecting more sounds into the second verses of the tunes.  "This is an old song," explained Kline before "Here (in Your Arms)."  After so much avoidance, it was nice to see Forrest embracing his electro-pop past, employing a vocoder and deviating little from its recorded version, save for some sweet guitar licks in the second verse.  He shared vocal duties with the arena on the final chorus, the line "whispers, 'Hello, I've missed you quite terribly'" anything but a whisper.  For "Just Don't Let Go Just Don't," he grabbed his microphone, which was attached to a cable of blinking lights, and showed off some nerdy dance moves at the edge of the stage.  They finished the short set with their most recent album's title cut, "(Everything is) Debatable."  "I wish we could sit and chat all night," Kline remarked sincerely, and retreated backstage.

With an ebullient tide of distortion, Metric powered into "Black Sheep."  They may have been the middle act, but the band obviously set out to prove (and did) that they were capable of headlining the historic venue.  Emily Haines was an effervescent vision in her sparkly outfit, which gave way to a pair of shapely legs.  It's no secret how she stays in such fantastic shape.  The stage is her gym.  Never content just to stand still, she spent the entire concert hopping from foot to foot in an aerobic dance.  She was an absolute delight to watch, especially little things like pulling her microphone away to extend each "miiiiind" in "Youth Without Youth," or the tambourine theatrics to emphasize the crescendoes in "Help I'm Alive."  "Synthetica" was probably my favorite performance of the night, with Jimmy Shaw's clean guitar lines shining brightly until the dense layers all forged into a dizzying climax under the strobe lights.  I didn't want it to stop, but as it does on the album, the tune ended abruptly.  "Breathing Underwater" saw Emily jabbing her tambourine triumphantly into the sky to punctuate each "Is this my life?"  Haines strapped on a six-string to play rhythm on "Gold Guns Girls," and Shaw came center stage to rip into a soaring solo.  Metric finished their set by giving the hallowed arena some "Stadium Love."  "Thank you, Hayley!  Thank you, New York City!" shouted Emily as she left the stage, Jimmy's guitar still feeding back to mix with the cheers.  Yes, thank you, Hayley Williams, for picking such talented bands to open for you.

HELLOGOODBYE - 11.13.13 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN (26 minutes, 11 seconds)

SET - 

...And Everything Becomes a Blur / When We First Met / Swear You're in Love / Here (in Your Arms) / Just Don't Let Go Just Don't / (Everything is) Debatable

METRIC - 11.13.13 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN (38 minutes, 23 seconds)

SET -

Black Sheep / Youth Without Youth / Help I'm Alive / Synthetica / Breathing Underwater / Sick Muse / Gold Guns Girls / Stadium Love

Garden of Laughs Brings the House Down

On Saturday night, a collection of some of the finest talents in the stand-up comedy world gathered in the Theater at Madison Square Garden for Garden of Laughs.  Adam Ferrara, Darrell Hammond, Robert Klein, Brian Regan, Wanda Sykes, and Ray Romano each performed a 15-20 minute set.  Hosted by Bob Costas, the show was a benefit for the Garden of Dreams Foundation, a non-profit charity that works to make dreams come true for misfortunate children, be it from illness, poverty, homelessness, foster care issues, or tragedy.  It was a night of laughs for the kids, but not exactly "for the kids," as Wanda Sykes so eloquently put it, "Kids don't have money.  I'm making you rich people laugh.  Now let's get back to this shit."

When the lights dimmed, a screen descended over the backdrop to play a video clip of David Letterman, the first of many special guests to make an appearance.  Dave provided the Top Ten Failed Acts at MSG, with the list including the Whom, Maroon 4, and the Knicks 2002-2011.

As the night progressed, several other presenters dropped by, including Billy Crudup, Brooke Shields, Ben Stiller, and Garden of Dreams board members Whoopi Goldberg and Darryl McDaniels.  Goldberg and DMC gave this year's Hero Award to Rory Rosegarten, the show's producer, who tearfully thanked his wife.  "That is a smart man.  He may get lucky tonight," remarked Al Trautwig in his trademark baritone.

Adam Ferrara started things off with some cliché drug humor, but found his way with the story of picking out his large-handed wife's engagement ring.  Darrell Hammond shared a few tales about using his Clinton impression, but he may have shared too much by admitting to having used crack in a crackhouse.

Dick Cavett flubbed Robert Klein's intro, citing him as a cast member in How to LOVE a Guy in 10 Days.  He quickly corrected his mistake, adding, "I like my version better."  A pianist accompanied Klein on a love song to colonoscopies, where the 70-year-old showed off his impressive singing skills.  After more jokes about aging, Klein picked up a harmonica for a blues romp about a restless leg.  He totally killed the crowd, and I'm excited to finally spin my New Teeth LP.

The surviving members of Beastie Boys, Mike D and Ad-Rock, had some fun reading Brian Regan's introduction off the monitor at their feet.  Despite a small misstep with a sexist joke, Regan tore the audience up with his observations: "I saw a truck with a company's name painted on it: Feedler Roofing Company.  How did you not call your business Feedler on the Roof?  My name's Feedler, and I'm gonna be on the roof.  Feedler Roofing Company!"  He topped it all off with a hilarious bit about checking into hotels under different names.

A pair of Johns, Leguizamo and McEnroe, brought out the night's sole comedienne, Wanda Sykes.  Wanda talked about the difficulties of raising two white children, and ordering wine for her French wife.  While some parts worked, notably one about her son having a head so huge that it wobbles ("I want to take him to a jazz club, so he can just sit there, and people'd be like, 'That baby likes jazz.  That's a cool-ass baby."), her set would've felt more at home in a hour special than a featured spot.

The time we'd all been waiting for had finally come.  Ray Romano, who has spent more of the last 15 years in TV studios than in comedy clubs, took the stage to thunderous applause.  "When Rory was out here and thanked his wife, he scored major points.  He cried; that's like a three-pointer!"  Romano proved what a masterful stand-up he is, taking an incident that happened earlier in the night and folding it into his set seamlessly.  "But no matter what the score is, the men are always behind.  When Obama was re-elected, in his speech, he said, 'Michelle, I have never loved you more than tonight.'  Even the president!"  Over the course of 18 minutes, Ray joked about his wife's irritation at the way he types, taking a knee during sex, and how growing older has affected his testicles: "It's like the world's slowest race to the ground."

The audience in the theatre leapt to their feet as Bob Costas had all the comics out for a final bow.  It felt good to know that the ticket cost is going to make kids' dreams come true, and also that mine came true when I got to see Brian Regan and Ray Romano.

Phish 12/31 Review: Garden Party

Last night at Madison Square Garden, Phish completed their 2012 New Year's run, ringing in 2013 with a show low on sonic exploration, but high on joy.  Upon my arrival, the stage was now blanketed with AstroTurf, accented by small trees and shrubs like the sidewalks of the Flower District a few blocks south.  While it was a sight to behold from section 116, I can imagine phans who had to look through fucking tree branches for the entire show were peeved.

The lights dimmed a little after 8:30, and Phish took their places amongst the foliage.  They started things off with Rick Nelson's "Garden Party," a first for the band, and a fun little welcome to the fans.  "You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself," went the lyrics, and this was the mentality that Phish applied to the three-set show.  Nelson actually wrote the song about being booed offstage at MSG for playing country music instead of his bread-and-butter '50s rock, but no one would be booing Phish offstage this night.  Using the nature scene around them as inspiration, they kept the organic sound going with "Possum" and "Roses Are Free," when fans hurled loads of rose petals onto the stage.  "Rift," "Sample in a Jar," and "Alaska" followed.  While one might normally accuse them of playing it too safe with this setlist, the precision and energy was excellent.  At this point, I wasn't thinking of Phish as the purveyors of hallucinatory jams, but as Phish, the terrific rock band.  You could've taken your parents to the first set and they'd have been into it.  It was as if you'd hired them to play your "garden party" and all the guests would say, "These guys are really good."  "Mike's Song" busted open that trunk of funk they packed for their trip to New York, segueing directly into the James Gang's "Walk Away" instead of the standard "Hydrogen."  One nastily funky "Weekapaug" came next.  I couldn't help but dance, even if the legroom between the seats was inexplicably less than I had the past two nights in 106.  Glowsticks rocketed through the air, and the band carried that swell of adrenaline into a cheer-inducing "Character Zero" to close the fun first set.

 

A golf cart rolled up the ramp in front of the stage, and a caddy and group of golfers stepped out.  They teed up some soft golf balls and hit some into the crowd.  Eventually they made their way to the platform behind the stage, dumped out a bucketful, and took to it driving range-style.  I was glad to have some set-break entertainment because I've been jealous hearing that people watching the stream get little video vignettes.

 

Phish returned to a crowd anxious to hear more of the mind-expanding improvisation demonstrated in 12/30's "Down with Disease" and "Carini."  "Birds of a Feather" started things off okay, but really served as a séance for "Ghost."  Wait!  Now?  A lot of people thought Phish would be saving this one for the NYE stunt, spelling out "MSG" over the course of three years.  Balloons with skulls and vampires had been floating around the Garden already, and I assumed they had escaped from the gigantic bags of inflatables above.  Oh, well.  "Ghost" gave way to "Piper," but the tempo seemed rushed.  "Light" could've been its savior, but Trey found some bad notes.  It seemed like there was no way out, but it was New Year's, so he teased "Auld Lang Syne," and the crowd roared.  Smart move, Trey.  As the song finished, Mike and Trey nodded to each other, and in unison, stepped to their pedal boards.  With "Light" swirling around underneath, they transitioned into "2001," and what a funkfest it was.  As Mike's bass rumbled below, Trey sent whale-like squelches into the stratosphere, and the gyrating crowd accepted loudly.  "The Horse" and "Silent in the Morning" finished out the continuous song flow that began with "Ghost," but what would be next?  YEMSG.  I'm a fairly casual Phish fan, so don't bust my balls if you've seen seven better versions, but last night's felt pretty sensational, with on-point trampoline choreography, Trey dancing during Mike's stanky solo, and a pitch-perfect vocal jam with the crowd clapping in time.  "2001" and "You Enjoy Myself" saved the second set in my opinion.

 

Two guys dressed as landscapers pruned a few of the bushes onstage as the techs made sure everything was tuned for set three.  What would the stunt be with "Ghost" now off the table?  "Gumbo?"  "Guyute?"  Certainly not "Gone."

 

The lights went down and another golf cart went up the ramp.  Trey, Mike, and Page got out, each carrying clubs.  But where was Fishman?  A second golf cart arrived, and Fish got out, wearing a donut-patterned golfer's outfit.  They sliced some balls into the crowd, and retreated to their instruments.  "Party Time" befittingly opened the set, and served as the theme for the remainder of the show.  At its end, two golf carts went up the ramps and paused, facing each other.  As smoke billowed from their undercarriages, Phish began the "Kung" chant.  "We can stage a runaway golf cart marathon!"  And then it literally happened.  As the band revved up "Chalk Dust," the one golf cart pushed the other down the hill.  They rolled back around from behind the stage, and it became apparent there weren't just two.  As several golf carts zoomed past, golfers exited and commenced a choreographed dance.  A tiny golf cart driven by a little person appeared by Page's setup.  The dancers hit golf balls into the crowd, and another little person made her way to the front of the stage.  (With so much going on, it was hard to pay attention to the music, but I didn't hear any messiness despite the craziness.)  Although my phone said it was only 11:58, the little woman began the countdown, and the balloons unloaded from the ceiling.  Phish had played another joke on us: The "G" was for golf.  The token "Auld Lang Syne" switched gears into "Tweezer Reprise" and things got insane.  Balls showered out of cannons, the golf clubs glowed red, and a group of backup singers underneath umbrellas sang along.  Then one woman took the forefront and pierced ears with some high-octave screams that I'm sure led to an incredible number of buzzkills among the audience.  The stunt now complete, the dancers dissipated as the band got groovy with "Sand."  I've never heard a bad "Sand," so I don't know how this one compares, but it was super-danceable and a relief after that bitch destroyed my eardrums.  They segued into "The Wedge," but the big surprise was a bust-out of Steve Miller Band's "Fly Like an Eagle," which featured some tasty licks.  At the song's end, the jumbo screens on the center scoreboard activated, showing an image of grass.  Flying towards the camera, a golf ball, emblazoned, "Wilson."  The screens switched to a Phish ticket stub and the words, "Stay tuned," suggesting that more would be shown on the screens later, but that was also a joke.  "Wilson" was a little clunky, but it's always fun.  The bright stage lights came on again, and Phish made their way stage-right to the a cappella mic rig.  I guessed they'd be doing "Lawn Boy" for the encore.  But they did it then.  A cappella.  Page squeaked a few sour notes, but the novelty of it excused them.

 

What would they do for an encore?  "Punch You in the Eye" had yet to be played in the run.  Maybe that?  With so many surprises, it was best to stop guessing and just let them have fun.  And that was the best part.  It wasn't about melting our minds.  It was about them having fun.  Mike Gordon keeps time by nodding his head, so when you see him looking around during songs and smiling, it's pretty special.

 

When they came back, they started "Driver" and Trey flubbed it in the first few bars.  "Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  We wrote that song," he said with a laugh.  Fumbling a second time, he chuckled, and admitted, "Got it."  After "Driver," a roadie brought Page a wardrobe change of a cap and jacket.  McConnell walked out from behind his piano and said, "Happy New Year, everybody.  Whoa, how about that, huh?  We hope everybody has a wonderful 2013.  Is that where we're at?  We are about to begin the 30th year of Phish."  Thunderous applause.  He added, genuinely, "My 50th year's about to start too."  Looking back at his bandmate, he remarked, "How about a hand for Fish?  He's been killing it tonight, huh?"  More applause.  And then... a cover of "Iron Man" with Page on vocals.  It was weird.  It was New Year's.  It was Phish.

Previous nights' reviews:

12/28: Wolfman's Drummer

12/29: Getting Phunky

12/30: Digging Up Demons

PHISH - 12.31.12 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

SET ONE (1 hour, 10 minutes) - 
Garden Party / Possum / Roses Are Free / Rift / Sample in a Jar / Alaska / Mike's Song > Walk Away / Weekapaug Groove / Character Zero

SET TWO (1 hour, 8 minutes) -
Birds of a Feather / Ghost > Piper > Light > Auld Lang Syne (tease) > Light > Also Sprach Zarathustra > The Horse > Silent in the Morning / You Enjoy Myself > Birds of a Feather (tease) > You Enjoy Myself

SET THREE (55 minutes) -
Party Time / Kung > Chalk Dust Torture > Auld Lang Syne > Tweezer Reprise > Sand > The Wedge > Fly Like an Eagle / Wilson / Lawn Boy

ENCORE (14 minutes) -
Driver / Iron Man

Phish 12/30 Review: Digging Up Demons

Those disappointed in Saturday's straight-playing shouldn't have much to complain about now.  When the four members of Phish took the stage tonight, they had a mission: Start excavating some jams so in this banner year for your band, you'll be ready to attempt to make 2012 surpass '95 as the ultimate NYE MSG show.

With a crowd already riled up from having just navigated a confusing new maze of barricades directly inside the entrance (not to mention having the escalator turn into stairs while you're still on it), the energy was crackling as Phish catapulted into "Runaway Jim."  When the song ended with nary a jam, many were caught off-guard.  Following with Talking Heads' "Cities," smiles erupted on faces expectant of funky exploration.  When that too passed without a jam, puzzlement.  By now, Phish had moved into "The Divided Sky," a crowd-pleaser, but with a sloppy palindrome section.  Where would they go from here?  What was going to get them grooving?  As they started "Back on the Train," you could see the crowd shift off.  Phones came out.  People tapped you so they could make their way out to the restrooms.  Even the guy next to me who'd been dancing with his arms like he was fucking Anthony Kiedis stopped.  But I'm a Farmhouse fan, so I kept wiggling.  As the song continued, I noticed more and more people getting into it, and then Trey hit on a Chuck Berry-inspired solo that had people screaming.  The band attempted to capitalize on the mood with a rendition of Blues Image's "Ride Captain Ride," but it didn't really go anywhere.  Okay, so let's try... "Ocelot?"  Those returning from the restrooms traded places with those who were saving their seats.  And then it developed into a nice full-band jam.  "Ya Mar" threw some more gas on the combustible crowd, culminating in a wonderful melodic bass solo from Gordon.  During the pounding end of "My Friend, My Friend," Kuroda left the band in the shadows, hitting the cheering crowd with strobing red lights as Trey's screeching guitar crescendoed into "Run Like an Antelope," which would finish the batch.  Who would have thought that in a set with "Jim," "Cities," and "Divided Sky," that the jamming highlights would come from "Back on the Train" and "Ocelot?"

After fighting with Anthony Kiedis over my own jacket, I went for a pee and some lobsterless mac 'n' cheese.  Returning right before the second set to find my row arm-dancer-free, I smiled.  Disarmed by the first set, we were all ready for Phish to drop the real jams on us.  Kicking things off with "Down with Disease," the boys made it through the main part, and then unearthed a subterranean monster toward its end.  Knowing glances around the room as we lapped up the amazingly funked-out puzzle where all the pieces fit properly.  A not-so-smooth transition into "Twenty Years Later" was a little off-putting, but we were basking in the DWD glow too much to notice.  The "Kashmir" rip-off of a riff that starts "Carini" bugged me a little, but the arena was so full of joy, that I accepted it as part of the journey.  Having found the beast below the crust the first time, the boys went digging deeper.  Unfortunately, most of what was heard was the sound of the drill.  They almost snuck up on the monster again from this drone-angle, but Trey scared him away with an out-of-place lick, so they decided on... "Backwards Down the Number Line????"  A literal step backwards, it was the only set two misfire, because at its conclusion, Phish boogie-woogied into "Julius" to get the whole arena dancing again.  Transitioning into frequent closer, "Slave to the Traffic Light," they sealed their second night in a row with a no-breaks second set.  Oh, and just so things could be even more awesome, Page teased "Little Drummer Boy" from night one as the song wound down.

With two delicious courses consumed, it was time for dessert.  As the reggae intro to "Harry Hood" slinked out, we knew it was a hot fudge sundae.  And then they threw the cherry on top with "Show of Life."  This year's 12/30 has replaced last year's as my favorite Phish show so far.

With only one show left in the so far, so good run, talk has officially turned to New Year's Eve.  What will the stunt be?  Speculations are mounting that 2010's "Meatstick" and last year's "Steam" are starting to spell out "MSG."  Will the arena be overrun with ghosts?  Are the "Drummer Boy" teases hinting at something bigger?  Even though it would be a letdown (and they've already played it), wouldn't it be funny if they did "Grind" and then the countdown happened before the total, and they'd have to do it again to account for the additional day?  See you all tonight for the exciting conclusion.

PHISH - 12.30.12 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

SET ONE -
Runaway Jim / Cities > The Divided Sky / Back on the Train / Ride Captain Ride / Ocelot / Ya Mar / Horn / My Friend, My Friend > Run Like an Antelope

SET TWO -
Down with Disease > Twenty Years Later > Carini > Backwards Down the Number Line > Julius > Slave to the Traffic Light > The Little Drummer Boy (tease) > Slave to the Traffic Light

ENCORE -
Harry Hood > Show of Life

Phish 12/29 Review: Getting Phunky

Off to a spirited start with Friday's show, Phish continued what is shaping up to be a good run last night.  The band started things off a minute earlier than 12/28, this time with "Crowd Control."  A relative rarity, and not exactly a rager, it wasn't the ideal opener for the concert that would follow.  Next was "Mound," which has found new life during this era of Phish, and my brother lost his shit, having never seen it in his 50-odd shows.  "AC/DC Bag" was its crowd-pleasing self, leading into an extended take on "Rock & Roll."  "Reba" was a nice jammy centerpiece, especially because it was my first one.  This time, watching the show from the 100 level, Fishman-side, I was more in the thick of it, and discovered the marvel of MSG's second-phase of renovations during "Wading in the Velvet Sea," where trippy lights danced over an ocean of people, only broken up by one tan border between the Madison Suites and the 200 level.  "That first set was like a second set," my brother remarked, though he said the same thing last year on 12/29, and then was let down by set two.  Hopefully they would top it this time.

After a pee break and some lobster mac 'n' cheese, we returned to our seats just as the boys ripped into it with TV on the Radio's "Golden Age."  The glow snakes made their first appearance of the run, breaking into regenerative segments as they squirmed across the arena.  While I prefer TVOTR's original version, I still love the song, and they stretched it out to new lengths last night.  Gordon tacked on what I thought was going to be a funky back end, but then the song spaced in a new direction, which seemed to be the theme of the second set.  There was no break between songs, but the set seemed oddly disjointed to me, switching from hard funk to heady balladry.  The best parts were when they kept with a style between songs to build momentum, from a supremely meaty "Boogie on Reggae Woman" to a Page tour de force on "Suzy Greenberg."  To go to "Bug" after such a high proved less of a relief than a step backwards.  It took the slap bass of "Cavern" into a energized "46 Days" to mend everything back together, but then the set was over.

They returned to the stage for an encore that kept everyone guessing.  After "The Squirming Coil," the guys stood up, leading us to believe that was the end.  When they started walking in the opposite direction of the backstage steps, we breathed a collective sigh of relief as the roadies set up the mics for a barbershop "Grind," with their combined age now over 70,000 days.  That had to be it, right?  Cheers as they returned to their instruments for "First Tube," which could've been funkier given the night, but I won't bitch.  Another solid show, though I preferred 12/28.

PHISH - 12.29.12 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

SET ONE -
Crowd Control / Mound / AC/DC Bag > Rock & Roll / Sugar Shack / Reba / Halley's Comet > Limb by Limb / Wading in the Velvet Sea / Bathtub Gin

SET TWO -
Golden Age > Waves > Prince Caspian > Boogie on Reggae Woman > Suzy Greenberg > Bug > Cavern > 46 Days

ENCORE -
The Squirming Coil / Grind / First Tube

Phish 12/28 Review: Wolfman's Drummer

Phish dove into the jams early for their third consecutive New Year's run at MSG last night.  Before I go any further, I'd like to advise the reader that I am not a tie-dyed in the wool Phan.  Last night was my fifth time seeing Phish, and every time has been at the Garden.  That being said, I do review concerts, so I'm going to every show in the run and will be chronicling them here.  Basically, don't jump down my throat if I was impressed by what you considered a ho-hum version of a song you've seen them play 50 times.  Discussion is welcome in the comments, however.

I was fortunate enough to have seats in the highest suite, directly opposite the stage, so I got a great bird's eye view of everything.  I felt like an emperor... or at least Evita.  At 8:20, when Phish took the stage, the Garden still wasn't full.  If you had GA West tickets, you could feasibly approach the fourth row from the stage.  I think they surprised most people who took opener bets when they launched into "Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan," which I never would have banked on.  Thirty seconds in, MSG was filled to capacity.  Having not performed together since September's incredible Dick's run, the boys literally got off to a faulty start, not reaching some high notes in the next few songs or necessarily meshing like they can.  The sound could have just been different at the venue's apex, but Paige's organ was too shrill, and Trey's guitar was too hot.

Five songs in, they found their way with "Tube," segueing into a jammed-out "Stash," which really opened things up for the set.  The second part of "Kill Devil Falls" was urged along by Chris Kuroda's excellent lighting design, and "Free" brought the house down.  The show's shining moment came next, with a funky "Wolfman's Brother" delving into "The Little Drummer Boy."  Three days removed from Christmas, the holiday classic was still fresh in our minds, and everyone had to smile as they brought it into the mix and returned to "Wolfman" at the perfect time before it got cheesy.

One set down, and it got increasingly better.  What would they have in store for us next? We popped down into the concourse in a lower level, but returned to the suite once we saw all the lines.  The private bathroom and beer delivered in a bucket are definite perks to the suite life.  At 10:18, Phish regrouped and started the second set with "Tweezer," sending the guy with the TWEEZER sign behind the stage into a frenzy.  When Kuroda switched on the brights to illuminate the crowd, puffs of pot smoke shot up like geysers all around the arena.  The jammy "Tweezer" eventually ran into a "Maze," and when they finally got to its end, they found not cheese, but another "Little Drummer Boy."  Fishman hadn't gotten a chance to solo in its prior appearance, so he got to run with it a little before they oozed into "Twist."  They revisited "Drummer Boy" at the songs finale before slinking into "Theme from the Bottom," which seemed a slightly odd choice.  Two jam odysseys "Fluffhead" and "David Bowie" closed out the second set by 11:37.

Three minutes later, they returned for an encore of "Bouncing Around the Room," a happy memory for all, but essentially a pop song.  Led Zeppelin's "Good Times Bad Times" followed, somewhat disappointingly for me, who was hoping for "Tweezer Reprise" with another "Drummer Boy" tease to wrap things up with a Christmas bow.

I went the 29th-31st last year, but missed the 28th, which several have claimed was the only good show in a shitty run.  Hopefully history doesn't repeat itself this year.  I'm gonna go check out Mr. Miner to find out how I did, and I'll see you tonight.

PHISH - 12.28.12 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

SET ONE -
Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan / The Moma Dance / Funky Bitch / Army of One / Tube > Stash / Nellie Kane / Kill Devil Falls / Free / Wolfman's Brother > The Little Drummer Boy > Wolfman's Brother

SET TWO -
Tweezer > Maze / The Little Drummer Boy (tease) > Twist > The Little Drummer Boy (tease) > Theme from the Bottom > Fluffhead / David Bowie

ENCORE -
Bouncing Around the Room / Good Times Bad Times

Phish Announces MSG NYE Run

For the third year in a row, Phish will be playing Madison Square Garden on New Year's Eve.  Like 2011, the jam band will be playing the 28th through the 31st.  I've seen them the past two years for NYE (including the 29th and 30th last year), and this time I'll be attempting to go to all four nights.

My Morning Jacket Returns to MSG

Taking the MSG stage for the second time in their career after 2008's New Year's Eve performance, My Morning Jacket had a lot to live up to. I'm glad to say they did it. Though at first their set seemed somewhat front-loaded, as the show went on, I kept hearing more and more songs that I would've been devastated not to hear them play. I did however, find it highly suspicious that they didn't play "Highly Suspicious."

An early treat in the set was "Wonderful" as a duet with opener Band of Horses' frontman Ben Bridwell, he and Yim Yames seamlessly trading verses and harmonizing on the refrain. The fact that Bridwell excitedly hugged each member of the band directly after the song made it all the more poignant. Yames was definitely on his A-game for the show, leading the crowd in wordless choruses and shaking off leg spasms as he shredded his guitar. Brian Jackson sat in on flute for an extended "Dondante" jam and later on a cover of his and Gil Scott-Heron's "The Bottle." "Holdin on to Black Metal" made the best use of the stage design during the show, with cartoon demon sperm appearing on the screens to belt out the hook. The joyous evening came to a seasonal close in "I'll Be Home for Christmas" with Band of Horses singing backup.

BAND OF HORSES – 12.14.11 – MADISON SQUARE GARDEN (1 hour)

SET –

Cigarettes, Wedding Bands / The Great Salt Lake / Is There a Ghost / The General Specific / For Annabelle / The First Song / Islands on the Coast / Older / No One’s Gonna Love You / Infinite Arms / Ode to LRC / The Funeral / Am I a Good Man

MY MORNING JACKET – 12.14.11 – MADISON SQUARE GARDEN (2 hours, 28 minutes)

SET –

Victory Dance / Circuital / It Beats 4 U / First Light / I’m Amazed / Wonderful (The Way I Feel) (feat. Ben Bridwell) / Steam Engine / Outta My System / Dancefloors / Golden / Mahgeetah / Dondante (feat. Brian Jackson) / Smokin from Shootin / Run Thru / Touch Me I’m Going to Scream pt. 2 / Off the Record / Gideon

ENCORE –

Bermuda Highway / Wordless Chorus / The Day is Coming / The Bottle (feat. Brian Jackson) / Holdin on to Black Metal / One Big Holiday / I’ll Be Home for Christmas (feat. Band of Horses)