Top 15 Most Anticipated Albums of 2013

2013 is shaping up to be a stellar year for new releases, so I put together a list of 15 albums I'm jonesing for.  Hopefully they're all released on vinyl...

15. Charles Bradley - Victim of Love
Release Date: April 2
Why I'm Excited: I saw the "Screaming Eagle of Soul" open up the second day of the Great GoogaMooga Festival, and he was a treasure to behold.  Bradley will be backed by Menahan Street Band again, but this time delving into Temptations psychedelic soul territory.

14. Hellogoodbye - TBA

Release Date: TBA

Why I'm Excited: HGB have started playing some of the new songs live and at Daytrotter, and they're just as catchy as anything they've done before.

13. The Black Keys - TBA

Release Date: TBA

Why I'm Excited: The Keys rushed to get El Camino out into the world, and while it didn't live up to Brothers, it was a pretty good album.  They're taking the same approach here, so not sure what to expect, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to it.

12. Bill Baird - Spring Break of the Soul

Release Date: February

Why I'm Excited: His previous LP made my top ten list last year.  Originally conceived as a musical, Spring Break is a sprawling 17-song double album influenced by Captain Beefheart.  Watch Baird in a dolphin costume in the weird promo video below.

11. Matt Costa - Matt Costa

Release Date: February 12

Why I'm Excited: Matt originally wanted to record a folk album akin to his debut, but if the horn-filled "Good Times" and the T. Rex-inspired "Loving You" from last year's Sacred Hills EP are any indication, there's no telling what it's actually gonna sound like.

10. Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite - Get Up!

Release Date: January 29

Why I'm Excited: No stranger to recording whole projects with different bands and artists, this time Harper teamed up with renowned harmonica bluesman Charlie Musselwhite.  Here's a little taste.

9. The Postelles - ...And It Shook Me

Release Date: April 23

Why I'm Excited: The bouncy pop-rockers introduced a handful of new songs at Cameo Gallery back in September, and they've still got it!

8. Frank Turner - Tape Deck Heart

Release Date: April 23

Why I'm Excited: Turner recorded the album with his touring band, the Sleeping Souls, and he's apparently "pleased as punch" with it.  While "Wherefore Art Thou Gene Simmons" sadly only made it to the deluxe version, those who were awarded the title of Dance Champions of the United States of America will be delighted to know that "Four Simple Words" is track 7.

7. Cookies - TBA

Release Date: TBA

Why I'm Excited: I got an email in December saying Cookies were working on their first album, which was "great but taking forever."  Let's hope forever isn't literal.  Until then, download a bunch of free songs here.

6. Streetlight Manifesto - The Hands That Thieve

Release Date: TBA

Why I'm Excited: Now that the release date has been delayed twice, I'm seriously hoping this record will see the light of day and doesn't go the way of the oft-rumored Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution full-length.

5. Phoenix - Bankrupt!

Release Date: April

Why I'm Excited: Phoenix broke into the mainstream with Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix in 2009, winning the Best New Alternative Music Album Grammy and serving as the soundtrack to several commercials.  But we haven't heard a peep from them since.  Now it's time.

4. Phish - TBA

Release Date: TBA

Why I'm Excited: As the band celebrates its thirtieth year after a spirited 2012 tour and New Year's run, they're planning on heading back to the studio for the third album in their third era.  (I'm counting Party Time, so spare me the arguments.)

3. Jim James - Regions of Light & Sound of God

Release Date: February 5

Why I'm Excited: After fifteen years of fronting My Morning Jacket, James is going solo for more than just a few George Harrison covers.  I've already got my ticket for Music Hall of Williamsburg.

2. David Bowie - The Next Day

Release Date: March 12

Why I'm Excited: I think a lot of people were shocked the other day when Bowie revealed that he'd be unleashing his first album in a decade.  Although leadoff single "Where Are We Now?" is a ballad, producer Tony Visconti claims the album is a rocker.  Visconti produced some of Bowie's most acclaimed works, including The Man Who Sold the World and the Berlin Trilogy, so expect a solid LP.  Even if it's not, Bowie is already prophesying another album starting with four tracks that didn't fit on this one.

1. Broken Anchor - TBA

Release Date: TBA

Why I'm Excited: Who the hell are Broken Anchor, and why are they at the top of this list?  Two days ago, their sampler appeared on NoiseTrade as a free download.  I decided to give it a whirl.  Though they're based out of L.A., the only things Californian about their sound are the Pet Sounds-inspired reverb and vocal harmonies.  The rest owes more to the Northwest, with Austin Hartley-Leonard's vocals recalling Kurt Cobain and lyrics reminiscent of Death Cab for Cutie.  And I can't stop listening.  Download the sampler below.

What releases are you looking forward to?  Share in the comments.

Jimmie's Chicken Shack Celebrates 20th Anniversary at Rams Head Live

I'm still picking the feathers out of my hair from last night's 20th anniversary Jimmie's Chicken Shack show at Rams Head Live, where for over two hours, almost every incarnation of the band, including the original four members, rocked out more than twenty songs spanning their discography.

Pushing the Salmanilla Envelope is one of my favorite albums ever.  The consummate alternative rock record record, it teams tribal drums with searing slap bass, and crunchy guitars with aggressive, yet listless lyrics.  When I heard JCS were playing it in its entirety at Rams Head Live, I bought both a concert ticket and a bus ticket to Maryland.

The venue filled up as HFS DJ Neci introduced the band, with the current lineup of Island Styles, Christian Valiente, Jerome Maffeo, and of course Jimi Haha taking their places on the wide stage.  Now in his mid-forties, sporting a wedding ring and a distended Frank Zappa t-shirt, Haha looked a tad older, but the years evaporated quickly as they launched into a high-energy combo of "Hole" and "School Bus."  Although the show was advertised as a celebration of 20 years of misses, you wouldn't know it from the crowd of diehards, yelling along to all the words.  After the opening salvo, Haha remarked that the show was over and you could find the band at DaveMatthewsBand.com.  "Oh, wait.  We have a couple more songs left," he teased, holding up a setlist.  "I don't always write a setlist, and when I do, it's got 20-fucking-7 songs on it."  They followed with "Sitting with the Dog" and "Outhouse," which may have been played a little prematurely considering the lineup at that point.  The audience felt so too, as things remained fairly tame, most people standing in one place as they called out the lyrics.  Jimi noticed, and said that while he didn't condone moshing, it would be nice if the crowd would collectively bounce, "always up and down, never side to side."

Naturally, this served as an invitation to mosh, and a pit opened up for "Dropping Anchor" that would remain for most of the show.  "This is Not Hell" had Jimi doing his classic tick-tocking back and forth during the melodic guitar intro, and afterwards, he commented that he could feel his heart and brain pounding... but in a good way.  "If I drop dead from an aneurysm, it's gonna be a fucking awesome show," he offered.  "Isn't anybody gonna yell 'Freebird' or 'Play Bliss' or something?  'Bliss' is our 'Freebird' and we haven't played it in like 15 years," he said.  And they played it in true "Freebird" fashion, with three guitars as Matt Jones joined in.  Haha messed up the start of "Mutha Luvas," and put on the "wig of shame," an Afro-puffed hairpiece.  It would be the only track off their most recent album to be performed.  Christian was traded out for bassist Derrick Dorsey to the tune of "Frosty the Snowman" supplied by Matt's guitar.  After a trio of Re.Present ditties, the crowd began to get a little restless, and started hollering out song titles.  Jimi replied, "You got 'Bliss.' We're not playing 'Inside' and we're not gonna do 'Remember' either.  If you wanna make a cover band, call it Jimmie's Lickin' Sack and you can play all the fucking songs we didn't play here."  He opened the blue cooler that sat center stage between the drum kits, procured a bottle of Patrón, and took a generous swig before passing it around.

Mike Sipple and Dave "Double D" Dowling arrived for "Pure" to usher in the Bring Your Own Stereo portion of the set, with Ché Lemon making his first appearance on "Lazy Boy Dash."  It was immediately apparent how much better a drummer Sipple is than Maffeo, and the boys played on through "Spiraling" and "String of Pearls."  Identifying  the scent of weed in the building, Haha asked that joints be thrown onto the stage.  Holding up a cigarette that was tossed, he proclaimed, "This is not a joint.  I will smoke it later, but this is not a joint."  For "Do Right," their one legitimate hit at #12 on Billboard's Top Modern Rock Tracks, Jimi updated the lyric to  "And now you see a ring" to account for his wedding band.  To heighten the drama before the finale, they slowed things down with "30 Days," marking its second performance ever.

"Let's bring out the original recipe in this bitch.  And I'm keepin' my shirt on," Jimi said, as the other founding Jims, McD and Chaney, took their spots with Haha and Ché.  After a brief history of the band's formation, they busted out "Return to Sender."  The band was back!  McD's guitarwork showed hints of the blues that the night's previous axemen did not have, and despite not having all played together in 15 years, they were remarkably tight.  "Spiderweb," as on the album, featured a rap from a beefed-up H1, and although he flubbed a couple stanzas, the energy on the floor was fucking out of control, so it didn't matter in the slightest.  "Another Day," "Blood," and "High," followed, each exceeding the next in energy.  Before the final song, Haha thanked everyone, especially his ten bandmates that made it, which were all aside from two Re.Present-era members, Casey Hean and Kevin Murphy.  He revealed that "Milk" was inspired by the fun of the Baltimore-Washington-Annapolis music scene, specifically local band All Mighty Senators. Unfortunately, AMS frontman Landis Expandis was likely hosting karaoke at Hampden's Hon Bar, but with two drummers, two bassists, and four guitarists powering through the song, as well as another H1 rhymefest, no one was thinking about those who weren't in attendance.  In true JCS fashion, there was no encore, but the band emptied out an envelope of feathers onto the crowd before posing for a few reunion photos.

Rarely do I wish that I was older, but last night was one occasion.  The first time I saw Jimmie's Chicken Shack, the lineup was the originals minus McD, who had been replaced by Double D.  After the Rams Head set, it was staggeringly clear to me that the three Jims and a Ché JCS had a chemistry that was never replicated in the band's 20-year history.

JIMMIE'S CHICKEN SHACK - 01.11.13 - RAMS HEAD LIVE (2 hours, 5 minutes)

SET -
Hole > School Bus / Sitting with the Dog / Outhouse / Dropping Anchor / When You Die You're Dead / This is Not Hell / Bliss / Mutha Luvas / Frosty the Snowman (tease) / Dead Sleep / Living with Ghosts / Jam / Beautiful / Pure / Lazy Boy Dash / Spiraling / String of Pearls / Do Right / Jam / 30 Days / Return to Sender / Spiderweb (feat. H1) / Another Day / Blood / High / Milk (feat. H1)

Bowery Ballroom is the Last Stop on This Steel Train

Steel Train played their last foreseeable show at Bowery Ballroom last night to a sold-out crowd of passionate, if outspoken fans.  Lead singer/guitarist Jack Antonoff is also the guitarist for Fun, a side project that became much more when they hit number one with "We Are Young" and garnered six Grammy nominations.  With Fun's popularity on the rise, Steel Train booked the Bowery gig to give fans another chance to see them, sold it out in a matter of hours, and added a show at Maxwell's the day before.

I first heard of Steel Train when I was at NYU in 2004.  I was shooting a documentary on a dancer, and she recommended them to me as a jam band.  I downloaded some tracks, and even used their cover of "I Want You Back" in the video.  I had that covers EP, the For You My Dear EP, and their debut album Twilight Tales from the Prairies of the Sun, but I have to admit I lost touch with them after college.  When I heard that Jack was joining a band called Fun with Nate Ruess of the Format, I couldn't even fathom what that would sound like, imagining him to still be playing noodling riffs and Santana-inspired solos.  As it turns out, over the past few years, Steel Train had completely revamped their sound to power pop with a generous helping of "oh oh oh" choruses thrown in to get the crowd shouting along.  Antonoff all but abandoned his guitar virtuosity, and even changed his voice, pouring in a little whine.

Jack and the boys kicked things off as they do on their most recent eponymous album, with the one-two punch of "Bullet" and "Turnpike Ghost."  After "Kill Monsters in the Rain" from 2007's Trampoline, some crowdmembers used the break to shout song titles and gibberish.  Antonoff tried to carry a conversation with them, but it proved pointless: "You know what?  Fuck it.  It's too early to speak to each other. We're called Steel Train. This is a song called 'You Are Dangerous.'"  Jack's sister, Rachel, provided additional vocals on "Dakota," which led into "A Magazine," where Jack traded places with keyboardist Justin Huey for the song's middle section.  He took his guitar back to repeatedly strum a chord while he talked to the audience.  After asking who was from NY and NJ, he questioned, "Did anyone fly in?"  There were a surprising number of jetsetters, and they began yelling.  "I assume you're shouting the names of where you're from. Once again, it sounds like nothing," remarked Jack.  Interrupted while attempting to introduce "Road Song," he stopped playing and asked, "Can you shut the fuck up for one second?"  The majority of the song was performed with all five members singing around one mic, as Jack accompanied on his red Gibson.  Unfortunately, I was flanked by people who insisted on singing along loudly, which kept this from being the highlight of the night.  Save that shit for your car.

"Road Song" led into "I Feel Weird," followed by the jumpiest song about OCD ever, "Touch Me Bad."  All the '80s babies rocked out to "Children in the 90s" and then to a song before their time: a faithful rendition of Tom Petty's "American Girl."  "Firecracker" finished out the set, with Jack dictating the crowd's volume of the "no no no no no" singalong, and Jack's dad grabbing a six-string to play and sing backup.  Feedback from Jack's guitar carried over from the set to the encore, so there was never really a break when they gave the crowd a "Black Eye" that had the floor bouncing like a trampoline.  "S.O.G. Burning in Hell" wrapped things up, and despite all the barks from earlier, Jack deemed the crowd "the fucking best ever."

In addition to his OCD, it seems like Jack has developed a need to control a crowd, which was probably the reason why he shifted from folksy jam rock into power pop.  "Firecracker" was hardly the only tune where he motioned for the crowd to pick it up.  To this regard, I think Fun is the best thing for Jack.  Fun will no longer have trouble getting a crowd pumped.  That's not to say I want this to be Steel Train's last show, but I do think if they choose to continue, they need to work on making their songs sound a little different both from each other and other bands'.  Good luck, Jack, in whichever direction you go.  But please don't forget how good of a guitarist you are.

STEEL TRAIN - 01.05.13 - BOWERY BALLROOM (1 hour, 28 minutes)

SET -
Bullet > Turnpike Ghost / Kill Monsters in the Rain / You Are Dangerous > Alone on the Sea / Dakota > A Magazine > Road Song > I Feel Weird > Touch Me Bad / Better Love / Children in the 90s (I'm Not the Same) / American Girl > You & I Undercover / Fall Asleep / Firecracker

ENCORE -
Black Eye > S.O.G. Burning in Hell

Top 20 Live Songs of 2012

20. "Banana Boat (Day-O)" - Good Old War, 04.25, Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
"Do you wanna hear Tim do his best Harry Belafonte?" Keith asked the crowd. Tim sang the opening to "Day-O" perfectly, but no one expected the band to join in and play the whole song. Nice birthday present.

19. "Como Ves" - Ozomatli & the New York Pops, 06.12, Rumsey Playfield, New York, NY
Classic Ozo taken to new heights with the orchestra.

18. "Ashamed" - Deer Tick, 12.19, Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY

Started off slow and built into a frenzy of horn solos and crowd chants.

17. "Spirit Bird" - Xavier Rudd, 12.03, Irving Plaza, New York, NY
Offering the last part to the audience to sing, the fans succeeded with remarkable restraint and pitch control.

16. "Golden Train" - Penguin Prison, 06.24, Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY
Hopping off the stage to perform while walking through the crowd during the first song surprised the shit out of me.

15. "Stars" - Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, 06.14, Irving Plaza, New York, NY
You could see the pain on her face that she felt when she wrote this beautiful ballad.

14. "One Foot Before the Other" - Frank Turner, 09.30, Webster Hall, New York, NY

Frank Turner goes prog.  Lights and bass were amazing.

13. "Excuse Me Mr." - Ben Harper, 10.10, Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
Hard to pick a favorite from the night, but the off-mic singing on this sounded incredible in the hallowed hall.

12. "Digest" - Ben Taylor, 05.17, City Winery, New York, NY
John Forté asked if he could sing it with Ben, and modified the lyrics to "Nothing's been the same since I've been gone," to reference his time in prison.

11. "Rat Race" - Antibalas, 08.18, Williamsburg Park, Brooklyn, NY
Likely the best Marley cover I've seen.

10. "Be Mine" - Alabama Shakes, 10.06, Merriweather Post Pavilion (Virgin Mobile Freefest), Columbia, MD

Brittany Howard just aced it on this one.

9. "We Are Young" - Fun, 06.22, Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
Crowd sang along triumphantly to the single of the year. Great acoustics.

8. "(718)" - 2 Skinnee J's, 08.24, Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
In (718). Haven't jumped in the air at a concert in God knows how long.

7. "What Makes a Good Man?" - The Heavy, 08.30, Irving Plaza, New York, NY
Backup singers sent this one to near heavenly proportions.

6. "Root Down" - Animal Liberation Orchestra, 05.09, Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY
Just days after Adam Yauch's passing, ALO busted out this funky gem, which included "Maria" in its center.

5. "No One's Gonna Love You" - Band of Horses, 09.18, House of Vans, Brooklyn, NY
One of my favorite songs ever in such an intimate venue.  Literally got chills.

4. "Walk Like a Giant" - Neil Young & Crazy Horse, 09.29, Central Park Great Lawn (Global Festival), New York, NY
Crashing footsteps of a giant at the end were so fucking ballsy.

3. "Shake Up the Place" - 10 Ft. Ganja Plant, 04.20, The Middle East, Cambridge, MA
Sublime harmonies.  The smile on Kevin Kinsella's face has been burned into my mind forever.

2. "Try" - Everyone Orchestra, 10.27, Sullivan Hall, New York, NY
Grand Ole Opry-style chorus combined with Zach Gill's hilarious musings on his attic.  Should always be performed this way.

1. "Down with Disease" - Phish, 12.30, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Sweetest jam of the whole NYE run.  Spaced through different movements until it came to a driving funk conclusion.  I'll be listening to this for years.

Top 15 Concerts of 2012

These were the top 15 concerts I attended in 2012.  Feel free to make your own list in the comments.

15. Diamond Rugs - 06.24, Rumsey Playfield, New York, NY
"Totally Lonely" was exponentially better live than recorded, with all the members joining producer Justin Collins on the final refrain. For the set-closing "Christmas in a Chinese Restaurant," the group thinned its ranks to a duo of McCauley and Los Lobos' Steve Berlin. The fact that it was merely days after the summer solstice only amplified the beautiful sadness of the song." (Read full review)

14. Deer Tick - 12.19, Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY

"With a loud "Kick it!" they crunched into "Fight for Your Right." Matt Vasquez of Delta Spirit now had the oft-traded Mustang, but his most memorable contribution to the song was throwing pitcher after pitcher of beer onto the crowd. This insane final display was the ultimate example of why we go to Deer Tick shows: Because anything can happen because it's a goddam party." (Read full review)

13. Alabama Shakes - 10.06, Merriweather Post Pavilion (Virgin Mobile Freefest), Columbia, MD

"While bassist Zac Cockrell still only moved slightly more than a well-timed bobblehead, Brittany Howard was absolutely magnetic.  She was wearing a blue dress with red dots and sporting a straightened hairdo, but you couldn't take your eyes off her face.  If you were a deaf person, you could've learned all the vowel sounds just by the way her mouth moved, soulful howls bursting out of the gaping hole." (Read full review)

12. Mayer Hawthorne - 04.16, Webster Hall, New York, NY
"This isn't a concert; it's a show," Hawthorne announced at the onset.  Backed by his band, the County, MH dazzled fans with a set of soulful originals from both of his albums, and even a few Hall & Oates covers.  For final song "Henny & Gingerale," Hawthorne played bartender and made drinks for those in the front row as he sang.

11. Matt Embree - 09.11, The Acheron, Brooklyn, NY

"The banter became downright ridiculous, Embree claiming he knew half the people in the room, even their "drunken-ass aliases, like when you get so drunk you're another person." While he may have seemed like another person between songs, his drunkenness had no effect on his musicianship. His guitar solo in "Taking Chase as the Serpent Slithers" was absolutely ferocious, and he proved his vocal prowess on a soulful cover of Hendrix's "Castles Made of Sand." (Read full review)

10. 10 Ft. Ganja Plant - 04.20, The Middle East, Cambridge, MA

This was the third ever live performance for the secretive reggae band.  The sweaty night of dub in the basement of the club was a night to remember... though due to obvious reasons, somewhat forgotten. 

9. Phish - 12.30, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

"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." (Read full review)

8. Ben Harper - 10.10, Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
"That was only the start of what would be the 54-minute encore, where Harper reached back into his catalog to revive old favorites like "Not Fire Not Ice," "Power of the Gospel," and "Welcome to the Cruel World."  The show could have bookended with the instrumental "Exhale," but surprisingly, Ben brought his chair downstage, even in front of the suspended stage mic, to play "Suzie Blue" on ukulele." (Read full review)

7. Kishi Bashi - 05.16, Le Poisson Rouge, New York, NY

It's hard to upstage the Barr Brothers, but with a violin, a microphone, and some looping pedals, he did it.  Everyone stared silently in awe as he magically constructed his songs piece by piece.  Best of the three times I saw him.

6. The Heavy - 08.30, Irving Plaza, New York, NY

A live staple for years, "The Big Bad Wolf" followed it like Little Red Riding Hood, but this wasn't the sneaky trickster from the children's tale.  This was a fucking monster.  With the crowd howling and screaming, "What you say!" it was incredible to realize that I was in a room full of adults singing along, "I'm gonna huff and puff, and blow your house down!" (Read full review)

5. Ben Taylor - 05.17, City Winery, New York, NYBen and band unveiled several new songs from his upcoming album Listening in the sonically sweet space.  Audience member John Forté sat in for a few tunes, including the fan-suggested encore "Digest."

4. Animal Liberation Orchestra - 07.23, Rocks Off Boat Cruise, New York, NY
"You guys are yelling out some really old ones," noted Dan.  "Should we do 'Sexo y Drogas?'"  And they did.  For the first time in over a year.  It was like watching 2004-era ALO all over again.  Before launching into the singalong "Walls of Jericho," I heard Lebo tuning a little ghost of "They Love Each Other."  My ears didn't deceive me, the Garcia ditty exhuming itself from the remains of "Walls." (Read full review)

3. Grace Potter & the Nocturnals - 06.14, Irving Plaza, New York, NY

"At 9:37, the band took the stage to the tribal drums of the title track off their newest  album, The Lion the Beast the Beat. Having released the LP on Tuesday, the set was heaped with fresh tunes, and Grace wasn't ashamed of it. "If you don't know it, just fucking pretend you do." (Read full review)

 

2. Band of Horses - 09.18, House of Vans, Brooklyn, NY

"What was evident was that these boys love playing music. Ben sang with such gusto, you could witness the veins bulging in his tattooed neck. Every member had a wide grin for the show's duration; even the typically stoic Ramsey sneaking out a smirk from somewhere in the center of his beard." (Read full review)

 

1. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - 09.29, Central Park Great Lawn (Global Festival), New York, NY

"Neil Young and Crazy Horse played a blistering mix of new songs from the upcoming Psychedelic Pill, and classics like the 15-minute opener "Love & Only Love." Young, Poncho, and Billy Talbot huddled together in the center of the stage, churning out waves of distortion into the crisp night air." (Read full review)

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