A Perfect Game

At the setbreak, I texted my buddy, “I hope they hop over the baseline on the way to the dugout. Their pitching a perfect game.”

From the get go, Llama in its slow funk half speed rendition woke the crowd. If this is where we are starting. Where the fuck are we gonna end.

The elasticized Tube didn’t stray from it’s frame but continued the faith and focus of this set. Destiny carried the momentum and, again, while staying within the confines of its boundaries, brought more forward progress.

The clear headed play of YaMar escalated to 46 days which peaked numerous times to a cataclysmic release before resonating into Reba.

Passionate play coupled with precision engulfed this Reba, it’s composed section and and chase scene eclipsed the previous version from this tour. Trey’s famed note, calling the beginning to the improvised section was crisp and clear. Culminating in the highest peak of the set, Reba struck its final chord and, sans whistling, soul shakedown party rung through the crowd, throwing everyone off guard.

The beach party funk vibe that had been building throughout the first set exploded in a cathartic epiphany that stretched this gem beyond its typical length. Smiles seemed to abound as the reggae classic was brought to its end.

Split Open and Melt appeared from the abyss and quickly gave way to the improvised section. The turn to a downward spiral though anticipated was still a shock and the deliberate craggy demise was reduced to dust and ash. Set one in the books????! Not quite.

Squirming Coil commences to the delight of the crowd and my buddy (who made the he early call to coil) had been made whole. An inspired ending to and inspired set came as Page regaled the crowd in a slow crawl to coil’s elegant end.

We are on uncharted territory my last perfect game was 2/28/03. There had been some close calls. 6/7/09 for one. But I had not been nervous like this since Who knows when.

I’d been calling Drowned for so many shows I’d been dismissed. So INNULTB was a perfect pump fake. Having caught this gem on Jimmy Fallon a while back, I knew this one could set sail and deliver us from evil.

Though it felt focused for the breakwater, it gave way to DROWNED and Drowned did not disappoint. Patience! Virtue! Control! Dynamic peaks. Drowned delivered the goods. Dark dingy, fearful and full of dread. Drowned did its job. Then Ghost took this show, this set, this tour to epic levels. Decibels, heart rates, pulsations, cryptic messages, they all came tumbling in.

Ghost frightened even the most seasoned spooktacular ghouls. Straying from its body, the eerie mysticism shrouded the crowd in a bright hued funk. Good night governor we shall see you on the Morrow. Ghost delivered Like Whoopi and Demi.

Satisfied that Phish could urinate into my ears and I would happily lap it up, SASS arrived with personal vengeance. Guinness book of world record winner for shorted SASS ever disappeared into the strongest portion of a final frame all tour. CDT/No Quarter/Slave felt like another lifetime from the start of the set.

No Quarter teases abounded in SOAM. So when it appears my wife woke from her stupor to recount that she had called it. Blazing away at the frittering of my mind, No Quarter oozed into Slave which would have closed the final set in some audacious wax…but…NO.

Suzy rings out completing the AC references and Page steps into Mario’s basement to collect an infinite amount of coins. Suzy plays best in the beach walking the edge of the shoreline.

A life beyond a dream is a blessing from the heavens and this humble narrator called it a night until Tweeprise resounded to punctuate an already winning hand.

Thank you very much.

Mahalo Nui,
Matthew