MANN1 RECAP: EN FUEGO!
[For this recap we'd like to welcome guest bloggers @2chix1fightbell (Kristen and Kate) -PZ]
We had to be here for Phish’s return to The Mann Center for the first time since 1995. There wasn’t another option.
We walked into a breezy, beautiful venue tonight without the knowledge of quite the X factor on the way: storm. Big one headed directly towards us. It was so bad that the crowd on the lawn and terrace were asked to return to their cars in order to protect their own safety. This is a crowd that doesn’t exactly like being told what to do. Or people getting in the way of their Phish experience. But we waited out the storm without choice, comforted by the knowledge that ‘X factors’ have produced great Phish shows plenty of times in this band’s history. Page thanked the fan base early in the first set for riding out the storm and reminded us all that it’s not their fault.
© Photo by Eliot Byron
The storm and crowd shuffling produced a bit of an eerie and uneasy vibe in the crowd. “Axilla” as the opener matched this perfectly and was a welcome release of tension. Followed by “Gumbo,” Phish started simmering a pot of funk that would burble over onto us here and there throughout the first set. The first version of “Taste” since Reading ’13 was welcomed. Fog that surrounds nods to the steam building in the venue. Hey speaking of “Steam”… thought we might get our first of 2014 tonight. Still waiting.
“555,” the third version in first five shows of summer ’14, was dark and dank. It was very appropriate for what was happening at the Mann. While it held true to form, it certainly has potential to go beyond that and be a completely unique jam vehicle. “Tube” – who doesn’t get pumped as soon as this song drops and then wonder if it is going to sizzle out to a three minute set filler these days? While it hasn’t made its return to the golden era, this “Tube” was highlighted by digital age playing, fueled with Trey loops & toys and just enough funk to maintain some integrity.
© Photo by Elliot Byron
“Halfway to the Moon” – although this song is the oldest of all the new album material, fans are still getting used to this deep Page tune. Still finding its place, it fit well with the other songs flow-wise in the set. Skip to the meat though after the lyrics and explore the deep Trey tones more… we want it, know it’s there and ready. You clearly hear a fan yelling, “Camel Walk,” over and over in the space between songs. To that fan's credit, Trey also hears it and obliges the request, saying that this was for him. Solid funky version that didn’t stray. Do we have to talk about “Sparkle?” It’s just that it’s been the third one of 2014. “Halley’s” was played followed by “It’s Ice” that continued little song winks at the evening’s storm, and also birthed a funk jam that we always welcome. Fishman is playing like a man on fire, so no one cares that he had a little mis-start in the midsection of “Walls of the Cave.” This was an energetic set closer as it always is in this spot.
Skipping over the "46 Days" second set opener as we really want to talk about “Fuego” as apparently the band did as well. The second version of this song to break form brought us more highly encouraging jamming. It’s great to see the crowd enthusiasm supporting this song, and Phish took the opportunity to patiently craft a deep space jam out of the initial fiery energy that the song naturally produces. The title track of Phish’s newest album is primed for versions to top themselves over and over for the rest of summer tour and beyond. This “Fuego” channeled everything in the Phish catalogue from “Free” to “Two Versions of Me” to “What’s the Use?” Let’s throw a “Cars, Trucks Buses” tease in there for good measure.
© Photo courtesy Phish From the Road
“The Line” > “Backwards Down the Number Line”... if you hate that kind of thing, you probably really hated that.
Then the the thunder was brought directly inside the venue with a “Tweezer” -> “Ghost” > “2001” > “Hood” > “Tweezer Reprise” setlist that fans dream of. The “Tweezer” was starting to go in its now-a-days, typical direction, lighting the crowd on fire, slow and steady. But it ended up a bit brief (shortest version since 2011) and churning out what became one of our highlights of the show, “Ghost.” After the choppy transition, they let each other get to the meat of the jam pretty quickly, and we soon forgot that they were stepping on each other’s toes for a minute there and they began to dance instead. Then we soared in unison.
“2001” was a nice little pop of more funk… completely unexpected, but very much wanted. When they dropped into “Hood” it we knew we just witnessed a second set with a lot of big players. How could this “Hood” compare to what transpired a few shows before at Great Woods? Instead of breaking form like its predecessor, this was them nailing it. When we reached full saturation point in the evening and couldn’t get sweatier, goosebumps poured all over as they slowed this down to intricate, patient and building that brought tears to our eyes and of course, more sweat. “Hood” > “Tweeprise.” Perfection. A “Possum” encore sent the fans home happy.
© Photo courtesy Phish From the Road
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Phish.net
The Mockingbird Foundation
Excellent writing! Appreciate it!
Or ya know ........... like maybe Camel Walk.
They played it twice between 10/23/10 and 7/31/13
First set was entertaining and very well-played if not consistently spectacular or inventive. Fuego was one of the most impressive jams I've seen the band play and showed how far Phish has come since 2009. In the moment, I thought it had more of a 1994 feel than many recent jams, with quick, semi-jarring stylistic shifts that paid off big but didn't overstay their welcome. Looking forward to seeing if it still feels that way upon playback.
The rest of the set was marred by sloppy playing and awkward transitions, and after the aforementioned mid-set lull, an impressive setlist ended up underachieving its promise.
The lights were outstanding. Subtle and gorgeous. The venue is excellent, and superior to Camden in nearly every way.
Ultimately, I experienced it as an uneven show with one true keeper jam in Fuego and some really great playing in the first set. Can't wait for tonight!
Confirmed: http://phish.net/song/camel-walk/history
and certainly not in the sense that 2001 is a cover.
Also, something else I've been thinking: has anyone noticed the band sings the "Vlad the Impaler" lyrics more quietly every show? I think they want fans to sing those three lines, a la Wilson or Hood (I guess Hood wasn't there idea but still). Let's see if that starts happening.
Camel Walk, Halley's Comet, 2001 and Possum. Arguably....
..were they playing covers? No.
Anyone else agree???
It's a sexy setlist, but yes, Fuego and Ghost are the only stepp'in on out jams.
I thought the Hood was underwhelming. They played it well, but bag it, tag it--sounds like 30 others from 3.0. Maybe GW's stellar version is jading me out here?
@Plicculus I'm kinda inclined to agree. '2001' is easily one of the most Phish-ified 'covers' in the catalog -- more like a reinterpretation of a reworking, rather than a straight cover. I'm not too familiar with the history of 'Halley's Comet,' but it's origins are similar to 'I Didn't Know,' and no one seems to be arguing about that one. It seems to me that these are basically songs written by a band friend and then adopted by Phish. Glad the point has come up, as it suggests that Phish is flirting with a fine 'line,' and/or good-naturedly fucking with us, as they'll do. ;-)
I mean, seriously? Can't remember there ever being any talk about covers when the Dead played Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad or I Know You Rider.
I mean, when you've played the damn thing 500 times in 30 years don't you have artistic license by then?
THE PHISH SONGS. Right on, @factsareuseless !!
I've listened to the OG version of Haileys in a car,on cassette with Fishman.
@90invjcc said:
@smuggs said:
also spracht....... 100 plus years old
star spangled..... 238 or so years old.....
They could play anything right now and sound great..!!
SPAC Wingsuit solo is in top 10 alll time treys finest work...give a few listens
@Fitz2001 said:
More info Mockingbird foundation:
The Nancy Tracks
Limited-edition CD, available only as a Free Bonus with Direct Pre-orders
Download a free, specially-designed CD cover for the disc!
The Mockingbird Foundation is proud to be releasing three tracks written and recorded by Richard Wright, the songwriter widely known as "Nancy Taube". (Richard explains the name as best possible in an interview in The Phish Companion.)
The tracks include the original, pre-Phish versions of two fan favorites, plus a song written by "Nancy" for Phish which they never performed. None of these tracks have been available previously, and the third has rarely even been heard.
Here are liner notes from "Nancy" himself:
"I Didn't Know" (2:59) - Recorded September 1985, Goddard College. I wrote this while I was driving on Jay Street in Montpelier with a couple of friends & a guy who thought he was in direct contact with Darth Vader. This song was later covered by Phish, who got a few of the words wrong.
"Halley's Comet" (5:48) - Recorded September 1985, Goddard College, a few days after the previous session. This song was written as a reaction to the Motown revival in the wake of "The Big Chill" along with the impending passage of said comet through our solar system & the hype thereof. Was originally two songs: "Halley's Comet" had no lyrics other than "Halley's Comet" & was conceived as a parody of Brian Eno (the "Another Green World/Before & After Science" phase); the rest of the song was a satire of Motown called "Goin' Down", which I wrote after getting stoned & listening to "The Blue Mask" by Lou Reed. What's the connection? Fuck if I know. A month after I recorded this song, I met Trey Anastasio who asked me if Phish could cover it. I gave my consent & they debuted the song onstage at Goddard Springfest '86...they got the chords wrong.
"Snootable Snunshine" (12:12) - Recorded May 1986, Jeffrey Caswell's studio, Marshfield, Vermont: Unlike "I Didn't Know" & "Halley's Comet" which Phish had simply heard & decided to cover, I actually wrote this song for Phish, but they wouldn't touch it, though Trey & Jon were laughing their fucking asses off when I played this tape of it for them. The lyrics are bits & pieces of poetry I'd written throughout early 1985 & early 1986.
The Nancy Tracks is available only as a free bonus with pre-orders of The Phish Companion through our publisher, at www.books.mfi.com/phish.html.
And don't forget: All our proceeds are donated to music education for children. Plus, orders directly through the publisher mean no middle men so higher royalties, which means you make a bigger contribution to charity by buying this way. We appreciate your continued support.
If you were to probe the depths of history on all the songs of most other bands you would find similar stories and anecdotes.
Possum, Halley's, I Didn't Know, et al, will never be covers the way that, say, "Sneaking Sally" and "Crosseyed" are (which they played last night), since the latter songs are recognized as being under the artistic license of other artists.
I can't believe I'm contributing to this. I feel as though I've just broken out in hives.
HA! Nailed it!
:-)