a proper ripper. song choice nearly flawless. huge MFMF in set 1, which was sick enough for Trey to say “i need to regroup after that one,” and don’t sleep on the No Men’s. fun placements for Cavern and 2001, loved both in those spots. then set 2 contains monster 40+ minute sequence with Tweezer and Pillowjets. the PJ jam was absolute fire, Fishman went insane. Really strong Piper and a perfect choice w Shine a Light, and then a type 2 Chalkdust for good measure. really excellent jamming throughout pretty much all of set 2.

Caught the stream and hunkered down with the discussion thread crew. This was a heater from head to toe. Proper greeting with First Tube (in its rightful position) which led to a series of song choices that just made sense (even if your scratching your head looking at it on paper). Set one highlights are NMINML and MFMF. As mentioned above, the fact that Trey had to do a reset acknowledging that they had three nights to go really set the tone for how much they were feeling it. This set is worth listening in its entirety as you will find yourself saying, “doesn’t this normally close a set, or a show?” Over and over again but be pleasantly surprised with how it all flows and exceeds expectations. And don’t sleep on the 2001 with spacier then normal intro and ladder climbing echo effects.

Set 2 is pure mastery. The Tweezer starts off a little weird with Trey almost tuning his guitar to dial in the sound and then grows patiently. The minor key gets dirty and the major key haunts at mountain jam throughout here and throughout the entire night. Pillow jets jettisons for darker territory early on and the slide back into Tweezer begins to cement the significance of this set. Tweezer Jets or Pillow Tweeze, whatever you want to call it, they fused the style of both jams before deftly slipping into Piper. More Tweezer nods, perfectly placed Shine a Light and a CDT they could have phoned in but instead dialed it up.

The icing is a trips encore, apparently the 100th Jibboo (great way to usher in its centennial) sandwiched in between BBFCFM and More.
While this definitely felt like the Trey show to some extent, you could very easily pinpoint multiple moments where each member made their mark. I am sure there is much more to say about this show but I suck at Phish.

Wowzas!!! Heavy rockers throughout the night tonight! Great venue and setlist flow. Caught my first light and fluffy Pillow Jets only to have Trey pull a 180 and get insanely dark and evil with it (which I absolutely love!!!). That build up to the ending was insanity. That No Men pulls on those heart strings late in the jam with a killer riff in the first set too. Couldn’t help but feel that it was a Trey slay fest tonight. Pure ???????????? show. Thank you Phish!

With the Olympics in Paris captivating the hearts and minds of the world, Phish came to Bethel Woods, the storied grounds of Woodstock, and delivered a gold medal performance.

They came play, starting with an inspired First Tube that set the tone for a night of non-stop action. NMINML was a monster, with speed that would make Sha'Carri Richardson envious. The jams in MFMF hurdled new horizons, jumping in and out of psychedelia. During Bug, Trey teased Norwegian Wood, a homage to the classic rock created on the field in 1969. 2001 delivered beats that let patrons bust out their best breakdancing moves, before closing the set with the crowd pleasing Character Zero, leaving everyone in attendance on the tips of their toes, eagerly anticipating what was in store for the second set.

And what a second set it was. When Phish reaches for the top as a team, they are a dominant force. It was a Tweezerfest, spinning through a fiery spectrum of sights and sounds, which included Mountain Jam teases, creating a jaw-dropping experience that awed all in attendance. Piper was lights out amazing, running at a world-record pace, before a well-placed Shine a Light singalong, creating a sense of joy and comrotery. Closing with CDT made everyone grateful for a night that will not be forgotten, living while they are young.

Bringing BBFCFM back into the rotation displayed the quirky vibes we expect from the band. But it didn’t end there. Gotta Jibbo gave the crowd a third wind, powering through a marathon performance. More had us questioning how it would be possible their could possibly be something more that what we had witnessed.

Phish plays good shows, they play bad shows. 8/9/24 at Bethel was a great show. I couldn’t be more excited for what we are in store for the rest of the weekend.

This is one for the ages. Never underestimate the band on 1) the night of a major storm, and 2) with the venue undersold. This show is all killer, no filler. You cannot go wrong.

If I have to pick highlights? The weird jam in First Tube. No Men in No Man's Land. MY FRIEND MY FRIEND may well be the first set MVP - and if it weren't for the second set, would easily stand above the rest for me. And then that rare first set 2001 into Taste, transporting us back to the Pollock temple.

And then you get to set two. The sessions with Billy Strings clearly invigorated the band, and you hear it here. Tweezer drips with Allman-like vibes; the dual lead interplay between Trey and Page starts there and doesn't stop.

But if you want the shortcut on this show? Start at about nine minutes into Pillow Jets and let it run. Trey dials in his tone from Frankenstein and let's it rip; notes on notes, incredible interplay across the band...and just straight fire until the end. I've never heard the band play this way before.

Thank you Phish. I don't know how you keep raising the bar, but we are here for it, rain or shine.

Now, let's talk about that TWEEZER. This 24-minute monster might not have broken any length records, but it packed more ideas into its runtime than some entire shows. From the get-go, you could feel the Classic Rock influence seeping through every note. Trey's guitar work was particularly noteworthy, channeling that MI Summer Southern rock vibe with a freshness that belied its classic roots.

The jam started with a patient, groovy build. Around the 8-minute mark, Mike locked into a bass line so thick you could cut it with a knife. This gave Trey the foundation to start exploring, and boy did he ever. His playing was fluid and inspired, possibly still riding the high from his recent collaboration with Billy.

At about 12 minutes in, the jam took a decidedly psychedelic turn. Page's keyboard work here was sublime, creating a swirling, cosmic backdrop for Trey's increasingly adventurous soloing. The interplay between all four members was nothing short of telepathic, with each musician seeming to anticipate the others' moves before they happened. But yeah Page and Cactus lockstep!

The peak of this "Tweezer" hit around the 18-minute mark, with Trey unleashing a series of soaring leads that had the entire venue levitating. The way the band built to this moment was masterful - a slow, steady climb that made the payoff all the sweeter.

But the real highlight of the night, in my humble opinion, was that "Pillow Jets" jam. Talk about filthy! This was Phish at their most experimental and daring. The first few minutes were a sonic exploration of bleeps and bloops that would make even the most avant-garde electronic artists jealous. All Jets no Pillow, brah!

Then, just when you thought you had a handle on where this jam was going, they pulled the rug out from under us. Trey started weaving in these Hendrix-esque riffs that somehow perfectly complemented the electronic soundscape they'd created. It was like hearing two completely different musical worlds collide in the most beautiful way possible.

The segue back into "Tweezer" was so smooth you could have missed it if you blinked. This return brought with it a thunderous energy that felt like the logical conclusion to the cosmic journey we'd just been on.

The way themes and motifs were woven throughout the set created a cohesive musical narrative that kept us engaged from start to finish. It was a carefully crafted sonic story with a beginning, middle, and end.

"Piper". This was Phish operating in uncharted territory. The tempo was noticeably slower, almost plodding, creating a tension that kept us all on the edge of our seats. Around the 5-minute mark, Trey started weaving these intricate melodic lines that seemed to dance around the rhythm section. Mike and Fish locked into a groove so deep you could swim in it, providing the perfect foundation for Trey and Page to explore.

What made this PIPER truly special was the sense that the band was discovering new tricks in real-time. Around the 10-minute mark, there was a moment where the jam seemed to lose direction, but instead of falling apart, it morphed into something entirely new. Page's keyboard work here was particularly noteworthy, adding layers of texture that gave the jam an almost otherworldly quality. But the real gem of the night was that "Chalk Dust Torture". Buckle up, phans, because this was a journey for the ages. From the get-go, you could tell this wasn't going to be an ordinary "CDT". The interplay between Trey and Mike was nothing short of telepathic. At around the 8-minute mark, Trey hinted at a melodic theme that Mike immediately latched onto, creating a call-and-response that evolved into a full-blown jam.

And then, out of nowhere, they dropped that Yankee Doodle tease. It was so seamlessly integrated that you might have missed it if you weren't paying attention. This playful nod sent the jam spiraling into type-two territory, with the band collectively exploring soundscapes that were light-years away from the song's original structure. The way they managed to bring it all back home for a rousing finale was a masterclass in improvisational control.

This was a great way to start the weekend. “First Tube” opener is always a promising start, and the band seemed well-connected from the jump. A lot of reviewers point to Trey as the driver behind the band’s punch tonight, and he is front-and-center most of the time, with Mike and Page seizing plenty of spotlight too, but for me, it’s Fish that keeps this many-headed hydra together. The jams in NMiNML and MFMF shine with one sparkle after another, but behind it all is a cohesive ever-changing driving beat that lets the others go apeshit whenever they please. I think this makes the interplay between Page and Trey so natural, and this leads to a beautiful jam before the main theme kicks in again, which becomes yet another launching pad. Just listen to the drums while Trey is going nuts. Nobody in music can drum like Fish. Nobody.

That was so intense that after Trey welcomes us too the party, “Cavern” feels like a breather. This is dark and wonderful, and was fun live. My favorite moment, though, was watching the brilliant sign-language interpreters showing “the flesh from Satan’s dogs will make the rudiments gruel.” I enjoyed that part of the show a lot. They are incredibly creative, conveying intense subtlety with almost fleeting gestures and never-ending enthusiasm. I also enjoyed watching them in “Chalk Dust Torture.” Not courting controversy here, but they do a better job at conveying “All my vasoconstrictors they come slowly undone” than Trey does singing.

As soon as I heard MFMF’s opening, I knew we were going to get smoked. My last one was in Alpharetta last year, which was also a stunning piece of music. Tonight’s version was not nearly ass dark, and this reinforced a theme of positivity that I had experienced since arriving in the venue. Phish are really comfortable in this venue, and the crowd reflects that same energy back to them. The music is brave and exploratory, and it’s funny, at the show, Trey left me spellbound, but listening this morning (and, yeah, I am a happy mess today), Page is who stands out more… As soon as I wrote that, Trey just led this beautiful jam that led to a false end.

After such a start, the rest of the first set (save for the well-placed disco-infused psychedelic ASZ) was jukebox Phish, fun (rocking even) with one soaring lead after another, but safely coloring inside the lines. Trey’s mid-set realization that they could pace themselves with three whole nights seemed like a self-fulfilling prophecy. And, yeah, that’s not to say anything was disappointing—every song is actually crisp and hot—but aside from hints of insanity in 2001, these are different party goals.

It seemed to me the four troubadours from Gamehendge came back early from set break with a singular purpose in mind: We were to be splattered across the boundless domains of sentience. These conjurers of thunder (who look a lot like older versions of guys who inhabited a Time Factory) were going conjuring. “The Wedge” sets up the “Tweezer” that seems to get off to a rocky start but, man, when it hits… well, let’s say it’s a lot and you should really just stop reading this and go listen to it again. “Pillow Jets’ and “Piper”were jam companions of this Tweezer, and voluminous quantities of bodily fluids (sweat, I swear) surged forth from the effusive crowd. This is the epitome of 2024 fearless Phish. They have purpose but are not in a hurry and willing to paint our eyelids with every shade of tone, many times over, layering piece over piece, until we are all in the stew pot together, getting happily cooked. “On Pillow Jets” jam is one of my favorites of the summer.

One more shout out to the incredible placement of “Shine a Light.” That was really nice, and I realized it was actually 12 years since the last time I caught this one live. Too long.

Chalk Dust was another opportunity to get a delicious taste of untrodden terrain, and the band happily complied, but by now it is all gravy.

Thanks for coming to this great venue and showing us a real good time!

The Conjurers of Thunder

The Gods made themselves known yesterday in and around the grounds of the original Woodstock festival—and beyond, for that matter—as Tropical Storm Debby landed in the North East, pummeling the region with heavy rain and wind, and had some speculating about potential cancellations or aborted sets. None of that came to be in the end; Debby did not Do Bethel … but the Gods did Make Love. What kind of Love and Thunder are we talking about here? What went down as Phish kicked off their three-night stand in New York ahead of the Mondegreen festival in Dover? Read on, My Friend, and we’ll dig in.

The rain let up just before show time, the sun even taking a moment to poke out briefly as we rolled into the lot. “A good omen,” I explained to my friend. We had spent the drive down from Montreal reminiscing and speculating on what was in store, as one does. This was the first show we had seen together since a one-off at SPAC in 2016, and the first time we’d actually traveled together for a proper run, by our calculations, since Coventry—20 years ago now almost to the day. In that era, with every festival and numerous summer and holiday tours in the late 90s, we had lots of time to dissect together. Decades later, as dads and with an ocean between us this was more of a rarity, so we relished the opportunity to dig in, revisit recent jams (and some old ones), check out the Billy Strings sit-in (more on that later), and compare notes.

“First Tube” kicks things off as the show opener instead of its more familiar closer or encore spot, as it did back in Mexico on 2/22/24. A sign of things to come? I thought it worked well here as a warmup to get the crowd and the band going alike. It’s a somewhat unique version too, as Trey in the second half takes it into a less familiar non-distortion-laden peak, and instead offers a cleaner tone with a Disease-like jam. Nothing you’d be out of mind about out of the gate, but he strings some impressive notes together very nimbly, running up the finale, in a way that he would continue to do all night, with increasing dexterity. This guy is turning 60 next month, folks!

“No Men In No Man’s Land” follows in the two-slot, one my buddy and I had earlier flagged as likely to appear, “exposed to all the elements, while inside all is clear.” And they take it out for a ride. At this point the show is starting to echo the first set from the first night in Bethel last time they were here in 2022—with a “Golgi Apparatus” that featured a brief hitherto unforeseen mini-jam, before a fabulous fifteen-minute “Sample in Jar” took things even further. (If you’re not familiar with that jam, I highly recommend checking it out. Alright back to 2024..) Trey and his no men friends sound energized and genuinely happy to be here with us in no man’s land—and with each other, for that matter. Three quarters of the way into the No Man’s jam it becomes apparent that they’re listening closely to each other, and that Mike especially is not feeling shy about taking up space, challenging Trey and either keeping him in place or pushing him further afield. (I hear a brief echo here of the “Crosseyed and Painless” from Bethel ‘22, as well, another gem worth seeking out for its own merit, if not to provide further context for this night’s affair.) Trey and Mike lock into the first of many call and response motifs that would serve as anchors and launchpads alike for fantastic jamming all night. This feeds into a finale that sees Trey absolutely shred the shed. Don’t skip out on this 15 minute feast in the shadow of the rest of the night’s gems (which abound), as it’s the first clear sign that “we've broken free, [and] something has changed / A tear in the fabric, some tiles rearranged.”

Trey gives his signature fist pump after the song, a sure sign he’s feeling it and that we’re in for a treat. “Welcome everybody, welcome, thanks for being here, man!” he remarks before firing up “Cavern” to extend the welcome, which works nicely early in the show here. Some astute speculation from my friend that it was also a nod to the fact that Trey had to stop and tie his shoes as they were starting up the previous song (listen for the guitar dropping out briefly at the start of “No Man’s” to confirm, if you like).

The old school vibe continues with “My Friend, My Friend”, but the tone is very 2024 as Trey is clearly keen to extend this one as they have somewhat consistently since 7/14/23 in Alpharetta, and mostly recently at Alpine Valley on 7/26/24. For those keeping time, this 18-minute version looks to be the longest to-date, and I’d argue, the most interesting. The jam starts crunchy as you might expect, down-tempo and gnarly. Trey flirts with a Low Rider riff that quickly morphs into a Fuego quote, but no one lingers long. Fish is stepping in and hooking up with Mike, who continues to shine, and indeed may have earned MVP for me on this night, which is saying something considering how strong everyone’s playing was.

On the drive down I discussed with my friend what kind of impact we might see on these shows as a result of the Billy Strings sit-in, as we listened. I’d argue there were multiple effects on display on this night, but one of them for me had to do with Trey rediscovering his original dueling buddy. My Friend Mike, My Friends. This jam has multiple sections to dig into, one of which is an echo of the “skynet robo funk” (nod to @funkycfunkydo) that first showed so much promise on 4/23/23 in LA. Indeed this show here started to remind me of that 2023 high point, with a spectacular 18 minute jam in the first set (that would be the “Cities” from 4/23), and a very innovative jammy second set that never really lets up. In any case, the robo-funk morphs into a more familiar 98-style cow-funk section and then smoothly to a notably bluegrassier final segment. And given this is 8/9, indulge me for a second and recall if you will Jerry Garcia speaking in an interview in “Long Strange Trip” about his early musical influences—how he speaks about how important bluegrass was to him because it was the first time he realized what it meant for musical voices to be “in conversation.” Whatever you think about Trey bringing Billy up on stage for two nights—much the way Carlos Santana did for him in 92, as he remarks recently on the WTF podcast with Marc Maron—the new life it injected into the band was clearly evident tonight. The final few minutes of this jam, complete with false ending, have come a very long way indeed from the gnarly MFMF and his wife—no “Myfe.” “What the hell was that?!” Trey remarks, appropriately. “I gotta regroup after that one! Hi everybody! That was weird. I know we’re gonna be here for three days… why not?”

Much of the rest of the rest of the first set felt like regrouping, in some ways, but it’s hard to find a complaint with the soulful “Bug,” or the very clean and punchy “Julius,” and the unexpected and rare late first set “Also Sprach Zarathustra”. I thought the “Taste” was the only first set piece that didn’t quite live up to the high quality of playing. And while my friend and I somewhat unfairly malign “Character Zero” as a running gag between us, the band loves playing it, and it brought the set to close with plenty of enthusiasm.

Set break was one of the shortest I think I’ve ever experienced, and many folks were scrambling back to their seats as the band casually strolled back out and fired up “The Wedge.” I had called a “Tweezer” out the gate, but my friend earlier in the day had suggested we might get a “Wedge” tonight. “There’s your Wedge,” I proclaimed, to which he responded “I could see a ‘Wedge>Tweezer,’ actually.” I guess we were both right? In any case, this “Tweezer” starts off incredibly patient, Mike again leading the way as Trey is content to stick to rhythm for a long stretch—something that rarely yields poor results, as it gives the rest of the band time to establish proper groove and texture. If you’re like me and have had mixed feelings about some Trey’s playing and the jamming tropes these past couple years, I recommend giving this show a proper listen for what’s possible when that comfort zone is pushed. Page really starts to step into things with this “Tweezer” and shines throughout. Beautiful melodic patient stuff by around 8 minutes and then some expansion and contraction. Trey finds a riff he wants to repeat that risks becoming a crutch, but instead layers effects and the rest of the band challenges and engages, and they deconstruct it into weird territory. Your mileage may vary with this stretch between 10 and 15 minutes, but everything is used sparingly and it never feels dull. Again we witness a transformation in sound from gnarly effects to jazzier riffs and then onto southern charm, and suddenly we’re in an Allman Brothers’ like jam, with Page echoing Trey’s lines, another recall from the Billy sit-in. The band is in lock-step here as the jam approaches 20 minutes. They bring it back cleanly to the Tweezer to close and then fire up the “Pillow Jets.”

“Pillow Jets” follows a similar trajectory as the “My Friend, My Friend” initially, with an evil, down tempo effects-heavy foundation. They could have just done this for 10 minutes and I would have been satisfied, but at 8 minutes Trey is possessed and pushes the band (with Fish only too happy to oblige), into the fiercest attack-mode I think I’ve heard him in since 25 years ago in Holmdel on 7/15/99 coming out of “Split Open and Melt.” You want a little Summer 99 frenzy to go with your bluegrass? Look no further than this jam folks, which may be the show’s highlight. A thought I had today about Trey, while going for a run and a swim to decompress: It’s one thing to be able to attack that way while you’re partying in your mid-thirties. But you want to be able to play this way when you’re 60? Sobriety is a much better formula. Or at the very least some serious discipline and moderation. I don’t know about the Gods, or Jerry, but it sure felt like the Ghost of Hendrix was present at this point.

A very smooth transition back into “Tweezer” pleases the crowd—this is no gimmicky Tweezerfest—before a funky riff breakdown yields to a buttery full segue into “Piper.” They’re playing with house money at this point. I could go on and try and do justice to the “Piper” jam that I’d argue would stand up confidently next to some of those versions from 20 or 25 years ago in 04 and 99, respectively. Or how poignantly placed and perfect the “Shine a Light” was here, the only breather of the set, if you can call it that. Or how quickly and smoothly the band dropped into more fabulous Type II in the 13 minute set-closing “Chalk Dust Torture.” The fact is I need to eat some lunch, send out this recap, and get ready for Night 2, and you’d be better served by just listening to the whole set front to back. It’s a keeper.

If I had any notes to offer that would have put this show over the top, it might be the somewhat schizophrenic encore. But pairing “Big Black Furry Creatures from Mars” with say, “Sabotage” as a nod to MCA (who also would have turned 60 this year, on August 5th) would have been too much to handle on Night 1. The “Gotta Jibboo,” though odd in the moment, was deeply enjoyable. And “More” promised us we indeed had two more shows on deck.

So with that I’ll sign-off and get myself ready. Wherever you are out there reading, may the Good Lords in the sky shine a light on you. Or better yet, a little Love and Thunder.

wow, that was my 6th show and my first of the summer (and my first time at Bethel Woods)! i had a great time and the band killed it. it had been pouring throughout the day depending on your location, but had more or less stopped by showtime. it drizzled on and off throughout the first set, and rained steadily throughout set 2. First Tube was as always a super energetic start, No Man’s Land had a really great little jam there, CK5 was killing it. Cavern was an interesting but super fun early set 1 choice, always love that ending. MFMF is a song I love, but adding that immense jam at the end was otherworldy, absolute highlight. Bug was the perfect beautiful cooldown as i sat down in my $10 rented lawn chair. Julius got the whole crowd moving and Page and Trey really shredded this one. 2001 is my personal favorite song to see live and this one felt like an all timer. SO funky, with the jam sections in that comfy “Type 1.5” space. at the climax when the lights go bright white, it’s just pure euphoria. indescribable. Taste was awesome and a great way to continue the energy, with some great soloing from the band and Hither-Yon Jon absolutely shredding some fills. Zero was a powerful set closer exclamation mark and everyone had their fist up in the air. well, the set was curiously cohesive, one of those sets that’s full of regular set closers, so the energy is just soaring the entire time. i checked a bunch of significant “most common not seen” songs off my list during that set. at set break i vended some delish funnel cake and got back to my area just as the lights came up and they faded into the Wedge. which was great, Trey killed it and it fit our wet surroundings thematically very well. BOOM tweezer, a song that seems to follow me around recently. they dropped into the jam very well and it’s hard to describe what happened next, i’ll leave that to the pros, but just listen to this one, you won’t regret it. i was absolutely transfixed by CK5’s work, starting here through most of Set 2, so i wasn’t really thinking about what the band was doing, other than “this is awesome”. Pillow Jets was a nice “breather” and a song i liked hearing, but that little pleasant song didn’t last past 4 minutes. it turned into an evil, slimy, snarling beast of a “jam”. eventually, the rhythm was completely gone and it was just a wild heaping goop of noise and synth. reminds me of a modern Melt, but then they picked it up into a fast paced high energy shredder that reminded me of Piper (we’ll get back to that). but all of a sudden Fishman took it to a funky little groove and before we knew it it was Tweezer, again. they gave it a pleasant little micro-jam before Trey started playing the chords to Piper very slowly. i recognized it before the rest of the crew or anyone else. it was as close to a “slow build” Piper as i’ve heard recently, but it took off quickly and started exploring and improving without hesitation. the rain was so refreshing and i didn’t even feel a need to put any gear on. we were all soaked and just letting the beautiful playing and the astounding light show wash over us. Piper jammed nicely, again, harder to describe, but i swear I heard a Let it Grow tease here. and there was a very obvious Mountain Jam tease in Tweez as well. this Piper went back into Tweezer again shortly, which was super fun to get a little Tweezerfest on night 1. then it cooled down and Trey prepared to segue into something, and it was Shine a Light! one of my favorite covers, and the only one of the show, unless you count 2001. it was beautiful to see everyone just basking in the rain letting the light shine on them. what a beautiful song. then Chalkdust burst in and we all gave each that “oh it’s ON” look without a word. the jam on this was wonderful, Trey was just shredding this and the lights were unbelievable. ended the set very well as usual. BBFCFM was completely unexpected but super fun and the lights were wild. Jibboo was also very unexpected but brought the house down for one more funky dance party. nice Type 1 soloing here. then it was More. not only do i love More, but 3 out of my 6 shows have closed with More, and i couldn’t be happier. it’s such a burst of energy, love, and light and everyone in the crowd was in on it. every time i see this band, i’m just blown away by how powerful our altogether communal experience is. talking to people in the lot, making friends at concession, there’s nowhere else in the world where being social is this easy, not to bring myself into it, but it’s just so easy to be happy and free at a phish show. and the boys absolutely crushed it. can’t wait for night 2.

Phish shows are becoming a rarity for me . . . so many things to do in this life! Each one now is a true Event, and perhaps my last. Bethel, on my birthday, for my wife's first show? Hell yeah, let's do this.

She'd never seen Phish live (watched a few NYE shows with me, including 12/31/23) but she knows how to let music move her body. That was helpful outta the gate when they started with an atypical and oddly low-key First Tube. No Men's also started out a bit tentative but my wife was digging the slightly gentler, happier Phish compared to the bit of prep I'd given her and we were having a blast together, which is what really matters! Trey got his feet under him during that No Men's.

They put the Fun in Funk with Cavern and then MFMF devolved into a fab jam, well worth seeking out. It made for a great introduction to live, longer-form improv for her. Not too far-reaching, mostly in the pocket, and highly danceable. That sentence doesn't do justice to it's awesomeness.

I've always wondered how the band can drop an incredible jam and then immediately launch into something massive like DWD. Hearing Trey say they needed to regroup after that MFMF was reassuring - like, these guys are human after all! It did lead to a jukebox run of tunes, most of which I don't like. And yet, I enjoyed. "He can be Taught!" Connecting with other fans as the Norwegian Wood tease emerged . . . my wife knew Julius and sang-along . . . I don't think there's much to revisit in the rest of the first set (that 2001 had a few hot minutes - quote from her "I didn't know they could be a funk band!"), but I had way more fun during the latter half than I would've expected.

I've long since stopped the practice of wishing for certain songs. I played @ProfJibbo's game for MBird and went 0-for-6 on my $49 picks for my 49th birthday (missed Weigh by 1 day!). During set break my wife asked "If there's one thing you could get for your birthday, what would it be?" The answer, always: Tweezer.

We played Wedge as part of our rehearsal night party playlist, so we were making eyes at each other. And then Phish dropped into Tweezer and she and I boogied together SO HARD. It was these two massively important parts of my life coming together in a way that was pure magic. And it was an "easy" Tweezer for her. Some deep dancey grooves, forays into the unknown, soaring lines from Trey, and then return to the groovy zone. The crowd was united, she got IT . . . perfection.

The Pillow Jets that followed was heavy, chaotic, and dark, morphing into some raging Hendrix licks from Trey. They lost my wife during that jam and I let her go - "I'm on my own journey now". This jam was another birthday treat, the kind of Phish I love most. Complex and intense and heretofore unheard of.

WTF. Tweezer, back?? She looked at me and we smiled and were reunited in joy after the darkness of Pillow Jets. For her, it was familiar ground. For me? A miracle that flowed into Piper, which had more complex interplay but was still danceable and wound it's way back into Tweezer and yeah, it's a Tweezerfest for my birthday!!! That 55 minute chunk of Phish is worth stopping what you're doing and listening to. Now.

Shine a Light was a surprise that worked as a breather (and now she's calling me "honey love"). A scattered and super fun type II Chalkdust to close, my first BBFCM . . . I have long felt spoiled by this band, and 08/09/24 was no exception. There must be something More than this, sure, I get that sentiment and I sang and vibrated and pulsated. But at the same time, this life as it is can be experienced so deeply, with such complexity, that there doesn't NEED to be anything More than this. This Life is everything.

How is that a Donovan tease and not an ABB tease? SMDH.

I guess I have to write more to actually be included in the show reviews. Let's see ... the rain was tolerable and I was glad to get the, "Good, not great," trifecta of Taste, Character Zero, and Chalkdust out of the queue for the Saturday and Sunday shows.

Other than that, good times had by all. Plenty of dancing. Decent enough show, for sure. Cheers.