https://medium.com/the-phish-from-vermont/review-7-30-14-mixing-it-up-fresh-song-selection-and-surprising-jams-66e2cf9d1b04

Review 7/30/14: Mixing it Up: Fresh song selection and surprising jams

I am a real sucker for Phish simply deciding to play rare/unusual songs. When Mike Gordon posted a photo of the band rehearsing yesterday afternoon, I think most of us expected them to play something rare (what a cool look into their daytime routines — who knew they rehearse?!). I mean this is why we love this band right? 99% of all bands out there have either play the same set every night, or have a very tightly circumscribed set of songs they may choose from. This band practices and rehearses old ballads (“Mountains inthe Mist” and “Billy Breathes”) and very difficult composed songs (“Guelah Papyrus”) during the day — just because they know the fanbase thrives on fresh song choices (early in the tour I was worried they were not going to branch out and mix up the setlists at all).

Set 1 had all three of my criteria for first set enjoyment — jams (“Gin” and “It’s Ice” — with another funk breakdown), bustouts (“Guelah”, “Mist” and “Meat”), and classical Phish composed material (“Guelah” and “It’s Ice.”). That being said, the “Gin”, while a really great opener choice, was pretty darn formulaic and in my opinion the weakest of tour so far (Trey’s playing felt halted and uncertain and the peak was fine but unspectacular). “Devotion” and “Yarmouth” is not a great pairing. And, unlike other songs this tour which have branched out, “David Bowie” appears to be in a kind of predictable rut. The jams are always great, but predictably so.

Set 2 opened with “Fuego”. They will play this song in any placement. Early set 1 (Mansfield), late set 1 (MPP2), early set 2 (SPAC, MANN) and late set 2 (CMAC, Randalls). I’m sure they’ll encore with it this weekend. Obviously, the lovers of the “jam” would prefer the early set 2 placement for “Fuego.” This version did not disappoint. While the Chalkdust’s in Charlotte and nTelos1 were a bit “searching” for my tastes, this jam was pretty focused on a groove orientation from the start. About 12 minutes in, it switched the groove to a more ‘major’ key feel, but Page’s clavinet and Mike and Fish’s repetitive and circular rhythms made this a droning, deep, groove attack (reminds me of the underrated Chicago “Golden Age”). Eventually the jam repeated the “2 beat” rhythm that has been so apparent in Phish’s groove jams since 2013 (in minute 13 it is mostly heard in Trey’s deep bass notes — 1-2…….1-2). At 15:45, the jam became more happy and “calypso” oriented, but Page’s clavinet kept the feel dark enough.

“Gotta Jibboo” feels like a song that needs to be taken for a ride. Given what came after, it was fine it was its normal bliss-groove type I self — even if this version was cut off a bit early. I have to admit when I was at CMAC and “Meatstick” came up, I was not thrilled. This really interesting thick groove song that almost never goes anywhere. Well, it finally did something. Instead of the normal happy solo over the V-IV chord changes (same as “Fire on the Mountain” btw), Trey got on his wah and stayed on the V chord (I think). The jam quickly escalated into a deep funk groove, colored by snarling blues-rock licks from Trey. In the 8th minute, the jam started to rise up with tremendous energy and it felt like it was about to build to a rock peak, but once again it kind of seems like Phish is avoiding these “easy” peaks. The jam segued into “Piper” which was by far the best version of the tour if not the last couple years. After it’s normal high-octane rhythm jam (which was well above average), it finally slowed down a bit and explored more spacey bliss territory (around minute 9:00). At 10:45 or so, Trey found some more happy sounding ‘classic rock’ chords (he’s been all about this since at least the 7/20 “Wedge”), Page added some nice colorful melodies underneath and Trey started trilling beautifully. It felt like we were primed for an uber peak, but once again (and probably the low point of the set) the band backed off the groove and let it dissipate into “Billy Breathes.” After a rough start getting going, this was a well played song. It is one of the rare songs/ballads that has a written Trey guitar solo. All things (re) considered, he did a pretty good job finding the notes. This is a beautiful song. Another rarity, “Seven Below” was perhaps not a classic “type II” version — the basic rhythm was maintained by Fish and Mike — but this was a very atypical “Seven Below” jam. Instead of its groove-minor key type jam, this one was major key oriented and blissful. It kind of felt to me like the peak I was waiting for in the “Piper” jam. Nicely done, Phish. “Waste” might have been too much for the ballads, but another rare song for 2014, so its hard to complain (this one got off to an awkward start as well). “Backwards” actually had a really fun playful jam with lots of interplay between Trey and Page (and Trey on rhythm for a lot of it). People hate, but this song really had a happy “Dead” feel to me. “First Tube” has been raging the set 2 closer all tour and “Lizards” is a ‘effin fantastic encore choice. Trey still struggles with the super-fast arpeggios leading us out of Page’s solo (and he actually started them pretty early, not giving much time to Page on the keys — maybe curfew??).

All, in all the mixed up song choice and rare/interesting jams on Fuego, Meatstick, Piper, and Seven Below made this a really great Phish show overall. I’d have to say it wins the nTelos competition for best show of the two. Three more to go. Get ready for a Jerry tribute on Friday. You heard it here first. :-)

Let's just make one thing perfectly clear about Phish shows and these reviews. If you attend a show, it will almost automatically earn at least an extra star than if you just listened to it. We can all agree that Phish shows are special to us not entirely based on the music. Many factors contribute to how we view a show, and there is nothing like being there in person.
I gave this show a 5 star rating for the following reasons..
1. NTELOS Pavilion: Almost the perfect venue for any show really. Great staff, right on the water, tucked away in a small town that seems to double in size when Phish is in town. Plus general admisson! We were in the pit all four sets!
2. It had been almost 2 years since my last show and I was jonesin' hard! This tour had gotten my anticipation level through the roof.
3. I went with a few of my best buds and we were able to party just the right amount
4. Lastly, the music was just THAT magical. Once the opening licks of Gin started, it was on! Page has been on fire as of the past few years and it seems like he has no ceiling to his playing! Not to discredit the other members, but Page in particular has been blowing me away. LOVE IT! Yarmouth was the reggae groove we were looking for. Really every song had an extra spice to it that was just what the doctor ordered. LISTEN TO THE SECOND SET!!! Smoothest flow for a lack of true segues.

All and all, whether you think its a 1 or 5, I could care less. My favorite show so far, and has truly affected me. Thank you PHISH!

My pick for the best non-Sunday show of the tour; you could probably talk me into putting it over 7/20 without too much trouble. The first set is one of the better ones of the tour, thanks to some interesting song choices, fine playing all throughout, and yet another great 2013-14 It's Ice (a tune having a quiet renaissance because it's always a first set tune that doesn't break the 10 minute mark) that gets down and dirty just like the glorious 12/29/13 version (and maybe foreshadows one of the big Set 2 jams a bit...). Song selection isn't the be all end all of a 1st set for me, but song selection plus good playing always helps matters.

Set 2 opens with the last of the Big Jam Fuego Trilogy, and it's my favorite of the bunch, even without 7/4's majesty or 7/8's restlessness; it slides into a dark, churning groove not too far away from the final years of 1.0, with Trey sticking to chords, then Page moves to the clavinet and Mike and Trey link up as Fish goes with the 10/27/13 Light snappy rhythms. The jam just slithers forward with a relentless momentum, Trey firing off tasty licks as Page and Mike take center stage, then goes upbeat and tropical (shades of the Randall's Chalk Dust) as Fish gently suggests Golden Age with his beat and Page switches to electric piano before coming to a slightly off-beat close. This is probably the most pure fun of the Big Fuegos, and very much worth your time.

Jibboo comes next, then Meatstick, and then things really take a turn. They sing the Japanese lyrics, then the band break into a really solid groove, not far from the usual song, but with some really nice wah-wah out of Trey. Mike plays some great basslines and Page returns to his trusty clavinet, and they really start leaning into the groove a la the Reading 20YL as Mike hits on a repeating pattern and Trey cycles through his effects. Fish moves to a different beat and the jam goes dark and muscular (Mike really kills this jam - so much easier to tell when you're listening on headphones), and it peters out and Piper drifts in. And this is a very fine Piper, a match for the 7/5 version, sliding from a quicksilver Page-driven groove to a darker and more alien-sounding jam space (it sounds like something from 2.0, only without that guitar tone) and then building to a great anthemic finish and dropping beautifully into Billy a Breathes. Both of these jams are damn nice (especially Meatstick, which I usually dislike), and the rest of the set closes in fine energetic fashion. Hard to be bothered with a Number Line that's longer than a -7 if the Number Line is played that well, I say. A really fine Lizards closes out a heck of a set.

Final verdict - nice first set plus well-constructed second set packed with exciting jams equals a show you should seek out. Summer 2014 has had some real winners, and this is one of them for sure.

I love all hometown shows (except Hampton 04!!!), and this year in P-Town was no exception. Took the kid to the rock and roll/greatest hits fest night one, then took my brother and sister in-laws to their first shows night two. All walked away impressed.

7/30 was the winner between them. The odd kick down songs in the first set didn't create much flow but were great to hear (we got that "Ice" jam!!!, my first "Meat", and--I'm really going to say this--a hot "Alaska"). The second set, for me, was pure Phish. Big wall of sound, with Fishman and Page trading back and forth in long, staccato, psychedelic jams. The Billy Breathes>Waste was the perfect down note after the 50 minute session to start the set. And then Lizards.

Tired but happy for my trip down to Oak Mt and Alpharetta.

Lizards Up!

I usually don't review, but here goes....Very happy with this show. First time in the Pit and I'm glad we were there!

1st Set
Bathtub was GREAT! Page on FIRE.
Guelah was a special treat. Was my second and a put a smile on my face.
Alaska was smoking! Really powerful version.
ICE was FIRE! Page ripped up the clav over and over.
Poor Heart was on fire as well. Page just kept slamming the piano keys like there was no tomorrow or end to the song. I noticed Trey look over at him, because he extended the solo section and didn't even blink and eye. No hiccup because of this either. Kept on rockin’!
Enjoyed hearing Mountains, as it was my first and most people's first, no doubt.
Awesome Meat - as usual when played.
Stealing Time is always a favorite of mine and into Bowie, even better....
Bowie was dark and rich and full over ups and downs. Really was a different jam than I was expecting.

2nd Set
Fuego (i know, again)...B/S! This was a 19 minute jam and a half. Quickly becoming a favorite and this version really helped. Had seen the one at Charlotte as well, but liked this one a whole lot more. Had a lot of turns and jams and was really filled with great playing.
Jibboo was fun. Not one of my favorite tunes, but quick little jam and fun.
Meatstick Only my 2nd time and it was ripping. 10 mins of high energy Trey and brain shocking!
Piper was fun. Nice jam and nice segue into Billy Breathes.
Seven Below kept the easy flow from BB and worked its way nicely into Waste. This was my 2nd Waste and it really special. Really had everyone into it and was a touching moment, for me at least.
Number Line is great. I always love hearing this song. I really enjoy the lyrics and the feeling that it gives me. Trey hit the wrong last chord and got a look from Page, but he walked back to Fish and got it going to fix the chord and end the song right.
NOW.....NOW HERE IS TREY! I can't speak for anyone else, but this might be my all time favorite FIRST TUBE! Trey was on FIRE! He was AMAZING. The talent that he displayed was great. Every note and every power chord played, played through me. I actually was a little confused at what he was doing with his guitar at the end of the song. I felt kind of....is he being cocky and saying "Hey look at what I just did". And then I realized, YES YOU DID! You deserve every bit of praise from every person that was in that 6500 capacity (NOT SOLD OUT???) venue! You are a king! You just ripped the place apart. Hold that guitar high above your head. Bow and let us praise you!

Encore
Lizards Apparently, Virginia is for LIZARDS!

The band's magnificent range was so on display at this show. I think an additional marker of a truly extraordinary show is whether the setlists showcase the band's range with a variety of moods, tempos, and sonic palettes with original sequences of songs that fit nicely next to one another. This show is a standout in this regard even though the Fuego to open set II was unsurprising. This consideration is hard to break down. At some level, you know it when you hear it, but it doesn't hurt if some of your personal favorites were inserted at the right time, and played well. For this show, Billy Breathes, despite a little tentative sound to Trey at the beginning of his scriped solo part, really hit the spot, as did the beautiful rendition of Mountains in the Mist, the Seven Below, and the Lizards. This is perhaps one of the more subjective parts of a review, so be it.

About the Seven Below, it is a great example of a 3.0 jam getting where it is going fairly quick, but wow, I love the uplifting melodic groove developed after the 4 minute mark, after which Trey puts some sweet licks on top and lets Mike and Jon create more drive before switching to a gorgeous set of arpeggios peaking at 7:30 and then winding up quickly thereafter. Had those 4 minutes topped off 15 minutes of meandering and inconsistent exploration in a late 1.0 jam vehicle, it would have ended up on the jam chart. When they are truly in the zone, they don't need several minutes to get their bearings and lock in and they aren't choosing the jam arising from the primordial muck sort of sound as much as they once did, which I more or less prefer. Some people like to wallow around for a while and so don't like the arc of many 8-10 minute performances. I say get on with it, bring the ideas, let it flow. Yeah, I'm loving 3.0

Of course I agree with the general praise for the Meatstick, which I'd call more of a type 1.5 sort of deviation that stayed meatsticky with Mike popping the Meatstick bass theme for much of the middle section with a quick tease of Moma Dance around 5:50 before getting even more pop-tastic when he goes back to the Meatstick riff at 6:18. I wonder if Mike wanted the band to hear his Moma tease and start a segue, only either they didn't notice in time or didn't feel like following that lead?

The upshot of all this is that I think 7/30 is equal or better than 7.5, 7.11, 7.12 and maybe 7.26. The only complete shows on this most excellent tour I'm ready to declare more worth collecting are 7/4, 7/13, 7/20 and 7/27.

This show is a good example of the 3.0 qualities that I appreciate along with enough improvisational goodness in the Fuego and Piper to put it in the top third of the live catalog overall.

Portsmouth is a true gem, the sort of show I could see the band releasing even though there are bigger fireworks on other dates, sort of like Live Phish 5 (7/8/00) and 17 (7/15/98). Don't miss it.

After a pretty mellow (dare I say tired) performance on night one I was expecting a nice finale to my 2014 Phish viewing, particularly in light of the barn-burners they threw my way at MPP.

We settled into the spacious lawn (versus the chaos of the pit), which was just perfection.

On to the show!

Bathtub Gin gets us going in style. Truth be told, this is one of the weaker versions I have seen. That said, it hit a decent if well-worn peak and was a really fun way to kick off the show.

Devotion To a Dream gave us a poppy Fuego tune. I remember the playing in the jam to be pretty solid though.

Yarmouth was another dose of 3.0. It's ok on a breezy summer day.

Guelah was a nice old school call. They don'y play it often and this was a fun one.

Alaska is kind of weak. By the time it gets going though everyone is usually grooving and smiling. Eh, ok I guess.

It's Ice was fantastic with a really good funky jam section. Loved this. Definite highlight.

Poor Heart was a good pick me up, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Mountains of the Mist was absolutely gorgeous. I'd been hoping to catch it (much to the chagrin of fans who might not like this slower tune). This one was beautiful. Personal highlight.

Meat up next was great! (as usual). This was a welcome addition to the set (and any set, am I right?).

STFTFP was pretty rocking, but not too unique.

David Bowie went the way of most 3.0 Bowies. It was good, but just so predictable. Anyways, fun end to the set.

OveralSet I: Fun set, some pretty good song choices (Meat, Mountains, Guelah, Ice). Jamming, aside from It's Ice, was not so present, but Gin and Bowie gave us some nice climaxes.

On to set II:
Fuego led off in a summer that gave us some big versions. This one did not disappoint. It went into a nice dark groove, which had some good repetitive playing. After a bit we found ourselves in a nice funky space. This fellow clocked in around 19 minutes or so, so plenty of tidbits to uncover in this version. Well worth a listen.

After that nice opener they queued up Jibboo, which was nice a peppy. It didn't break new ground, but was a nice danceable version with some good interplay.

Meatstick was one of those turning point moments where you felt like they needed to do something to make sure this one didn't veer towards jukebox territory. This version really went there with a nice funky jam after the song proper and culminating in Trey giving us a dose of wah'd out blues rock over the top. This puppy was screaming before winding down into Piper.

Piper was perhaps the version of the summer. They gave it a nice long workout. Kind of had that summer '14 classic rock vamp feel to it. It grew nicely, hit a couple of interesting spaces, and eventually found a nice melodic final groove. Not a massive peak, but this one flew around to new spaces with ease. Before bleeding in Billy Breathes.

Billy Breathes is a beautiful song and in the ballad slot was a nice fit. Sure they didn't completely nail it, but Trey managed to grab a lot of the right notes in the solo and it felt like a nice cool down.

Seven Below usually carries a nice jam, even when it's by the book. This one was really nifty to my ears. Page was the all-star, with Trey coloring around him and contributing to a really beautiful bit of interplay. They peaked it nicely, but the whole jam felt very democratic, and it was cool to hear Page playing out front the way he did.

Waste was ok, didn't really want another breather here, but it was pretty.

Backwards Down the Number line was good. Another good page and trey showcase. They were really playing well off of each other through, but the -7 below and the #line were the best examples. This was a good version if you like this tune.

First Tube capped off a pretty darn strong set. Tons of good jamming and a pretty unique setlist made this one a high point for sure.

Encore: Lizards! Nice. There was some "Virginia is for Lizards" gear floating around, so this one fit the bill nicely. Always a treat. Fan favorite.

Overall set II: Well that sure was fun. Lots of good jamming and the Fuego stands as a top version for sure. Best Piper of the summer and an atypical Meatsick gave us some more Type II. Add in some interesting type I stuff in Seven Below, #Line, and Jibboo and this set's a winner.
Highlights: Fuego through Piper -7 Below and #Line

Overall this show hit some good highs. I think the first set was a bit lacking and I suppose I could gripe about Billy Breathes and Waste on the back nine. But to be honest, just a good solid above average show.
3.2/5

So I've been putting this review off for a very long time, but I suppose it's time in honor of the 10th anniversary.

This show was life changing for me. Words can't describe how influential it was on my musical journey. It's not exactly comparable to the pyrotechnic display of 8/22/15, or the eternal 7/13/14 Randall's Island Chalkdust, one of the greatest pieces of improvised music by any band, but it was the perfect show for me, and really carried on a 99/00 era vibe.
I had been a fan since the summer of 2006 and had several of the albums, and a very small sliver of live music (I mostly liked 2.0). Although I came from a fairly musical family, and my dad and brother had experience with live music, it was not a way of life. A concert was only a few times a year kind of thing if you were lucky. And the idea of seeing the same band more than once in a year, let alone on consecutive nights, was an unthinkable premise. The last show I caught was Walnut Creek 6/18/11, my first rock concert ever, which will also hold a special place in my heart. The setlist was more similar to the early 90s, showcasing all the songs you could possibly want, and pretty clean execution.

The spring before this summer tour was the first time I really gotten back into the band since Walnut Creek, and I listened to Round Room a lot, as well as tried to get caught up on what had been going on in 3.0 up to that point, trying to find all the songs that they only play live as opposed to those that appear on albums. I wasn't able to listen to any of the tour up until the show, so I had no idea what to expect, and I didn't care and it was great. It was a beautiful sunny day in Portsmouth, VA that day, right next to the water and all the docks, and we were all waiting right outside the gates for a few hours. I remember this big guy losing his shit when my dad told him he saw Jimi Hendrix live when he was a little kid, and the guy shouted out to his friends to come over.
We got inside to the concession area, and at some point, presumably, one of the band members walked by everyone in line to get under the pavilion, not sure if it was Page or not. It was a beautiful venue on the smaller side making for a more intimate outdoor show experience. We got in and picked out front center GA seats right behind the pit. Now, not to go into detail, but a horrible situation with "seat tarpers" (there were 3 of them trying to save approx. 50 seats), pushed us away to the 2nd row of seats on Mike side. The lady who was the most animated about it all ended up feeling bad and sought me out to give me a summer 2014 shirt, which I still wear regularly to this day!

The show kicked off with Gin, which I had just discovered only a couple months prior, and I was already very hyped. Decent slow build to a fairly raging finish. Next comes the tongue in cheek *new songs* for a chill 1st quarter you'd find in any other summer show. Then Guelah! I wasn't familiar with Nectar at this point so this was a fresh experience, and set the tone for the rest of the night. As rare as this song is these days, I have caught 3 of them. Alaska was very fitting, as the previous fall and winter I became obsessed with the place, and wanted to even move there. Granted, this 1st quarter is very slow and is even a slight bit of a slog whenever its time for my annual relisten.
It's Ice!!! I finally get to see the masterpiece track from the first studio album of theirs I ever heard. Well executed enough, with a dank funky detour from Page. Poor Heart got the crowd up in quite a frenzy, and still to this day is my favorite bluegrass number.
Then we get the first instance of life changing moments, with the 4 year bust out of Mountain in the Mist, a song I didn't know existed. Ever since, it has been my favorite ballad by any band, with its sentimental Grateful Dead quality, describing the struggle we experience as individuals of trying to move beyond the things that anchor us from past life experiences, by simply wandering off and running away from them, and learning how to face them and transform that into truly being ourselves and reach self actualization. It became my anthem for whenever I go camping, in those mist veiled mountains, and specifically always recalls one life changing hike I did in Glacier National Park the following summer after this.
Meat, Faulty Plan, and Bowie continue on with the clunky broken up theme of this set, but are all enjoyable in their own right.

Now time for the 3rd quarter that showed me what experiencing live Phish is all about. I had listened to Live in Brooklyn a hundred times before this show, which has some of the gnarliest jams ever played, but I had yet to experience that in person, and didn't know they were still capable of that kind of thing. Fuego through Billy Breathes was a thing to behold. Fuego is played for the 10th time this summer, yes, but only the 3rd jammed out version at this point. This one I prefer over 7/4 and 7/8. Much slower than any other version, though it seems to hint that it's going to jam, then goes into a dark serious late night groove reminiscent of a chill Melt jam. Then Fish and Trey hook up and the band proceeds to deliver a purely percussive space funk jam that gets the crowd going quite a bit, then it pivots into a bouncy upbeat groove similar to Randall's Chalkdust. Next is a > into Jibboo which I always loved for its type 1 (especially 7/4/00), THEN the phenomenal funked out Meatstick. An iconic performance of the song (albeit Mike was 100% relying on echoing Trey to remember the lyrics), one that has gained over 400k views on Youtube, and dives absolutely straight into one of the best short and sweet funk jams they've played since 1.0. Mike means business with his creative basslines, not to mention a perfect Fuego tease. It intensifies with Fish slamming into the cymbals to give it a Hendrix-y type of feel, then Piper - Solid, not outstanding, but it's the best option to "keep it rollin', (rollin') rollin' (rollin') rollin' (rollin') DUN-DUN.." sorry. It ends with Mike bass bombs and some more upbeat chords calling back to the Fuego jam, then a two year Billy Breathes bustout. The 4th quarter is definitely questionable but they already won the night, so we get a nice -7, another ballad with Waste which is weird placement, then Numberline and First Tube which are just outright happy songs to end the set.
The last thing I was expecting was for the stars to align and get what was played for the encore. From the day I got back into them that year leading up to the show, my favorite song was The Lizards, and I spun the 10/21/95 version countless times. I think if I remember correctly, I almost set it as my alarm for the day of the show, but decided not to in fear of jinxing it. Low and behold, they come out and Trey starts strumming those notes in the key of C, and my jaw hits the floor.

This wasn't a perfect show/THE MOSTEST ULTIMATE SUPER AMAZING INTENSELY SHOW OAT in the context of my whole live-music-attending-career, but what makes it so unforgettable and why I haven't shut up about the date ever since then, is that it was the perfect show for that point in my life. A good handful of songs I hadn't heard before became special to me, and I finally *got* the magic of multi-song jam movements like Fuego through Piper, and that some Phish shows, you just know this is a special point in time that will never happen again and can't be recreated. It was totally a laid back show in the best way. They didn't opt for formula or anything, but played what songs they wanted, jammed without structure and/or trying to lead up to something, and it just, worked. And ended up being one of the better shows of the summer. And The Lizards encore was the biggest cherry on top I could've hoped for.

I saw a few shows this tour. I'm really happy for the BDTNL recognition. I've always loved this song and both versions I attended from nTelos in '11 and '14 were great.
These two shows are really special because of IF I Could, Mountains in the Mist and Billy Breathes...all incredibly rare tunes.
This was the cap-off to a great summer tour which included the Randall's Island run.