Okay, I'm going to skip everything and talk about the Harpua, because people seem split about it.

For those who don't know, Trey said he was doing it because someone in the audience was holding a sign which said "Poster Nutbag: Do It Right". Trey brought him and his 'girlfriend' on stage, and they got their whole crew up. They went into some strange rap about a floating Best Western (Best Eastern, according to one of them), a cat and dog fighting, and Al Gore. It was a bit too weird for some people. Some quotes include "cringe-worthy", "terrible", and "this is their way of getting people to stop requesting Harpua".

I personally found it hilarious. Like the movies Titanic II or MegaShark Vs. Crocasourus (the latter is a great way to torture film students, btw), it was so poorly executed, it was hilarious to watch, and probably intentional.

Then, Trey kicked them off stage, said how weird it was, and something in his head must've said "speaking of weird...", and he told Mike to tell the story of Harpua. Mike told a hilarious story about a cat in Chicago.

They then did the end bit (and flubbed the "YOUR CAT DIED!!!!!" line), and as they ended it Trey thanked the cast of the Second City Improv Group for coming on stage.

People are going to hate on this Harpua and say it was the worst, I think it was the funniest.

Been to many, many shows but never reviewed one. Here, however I must try my hand at it because I was there and braved the monsoon with my two best buds; literally not moving one inch...not one lousy inch through it all. We were trees rooted into the lawn. We held up to the rain, the wind, the mud, the mental exhaust of another weather related bummer...and we held firm and the boys delivered. So, while the whole show is worthy of review for this phan, I would like to focus one one thing:

I really don't get the mixed Harpua reviews from the show. If you were there and trucked through that rain storm, you get it: not even a cheesey moment with some"guests" could bring down your high after such a wild weather weekend. This was the crown (or poncho...or $5 trash bag the event staff was selling) for the weekend. And like the silliness or not, it was what we all needed. That said, I found the Harpua to be brilliant! Yes, they botched some parts (did Jimmy's cat ever die?). Yah, sure I get it, the second city thing was a bit manufactured (the rap had its moments). HOWEVER the banter through out was priceless! When do you get to see the band goofing around like that anymore? 95? Certainly not like THIS in 3.0. (Highlight - Mike: "It was odd."). THEN just for good measure, Mike tells the story. That just made it for me as that is one funny man. So sure, bitch about the cheese factor but don't forget what you saw: the boys having fun. Plain and simple, that is worth it for me!

In closing, the silliness for me brought back memories of the "old days" where anything goes, but the tight new band cohesiveness of 3.0 is unmistakable. Night three was a great cap to a wild weekend in Chicago and was worth every second, every drop of rain, every chilly wind gust, every cold like symtom the following morning. The boys delivered for their fans who braved the elements for three days in the windy city. Here's to hoping they are back at this venue next year...and here's to hoping for better weather! Cheers!

P.S. - OH! And really looking forward to catching the soundboard of that Boogie On...it was raining so hard at that point that I couldn't see the stage, but I remember a pounding funk groove just holding the pocket, almost like the boys knew that in order to keep us all warm they had too keep us all moving. God I phucking love this!

If you were there; you know. Such a rate treat. Incredible highs and lows this weekend. It will certainly be a weekend ill never forget

The weather clearly cut up what was going to be a much more legendary show...but I can't complain about what we got. The first set was hot and it's a shame Antelope had to get cut off but it was raining sideways and had been since the end of Gin. I thought the show was definitely over at that point.

The first set had the place buzzing like crazy...I'll have to listen to Boogie On again since that's when it was raining hardest and while me and everyone around me were trying to go twice as nuts to ignore the rain, I don't think I heard the song too clearly. But everything before that was played with the same high energy as the rest of the weekend.

Set break was a mess. Tons of people left. I left and took shelter in my car, decided I would wait a bit and go back in if it stopped pouring.

Those who persisted got rewarded! Energy > Ghost > Lizards had the place going crazy. Harpua was obviously greeted with a huge explosion of energy.

Apparently there are some misunderstandings about the Harpua gag, so let me explain. The Second City people were bad on purpose, so it was like they invited phans on stage who were kinda douchey looking and obnoxious and were trying to tell Phish how to do the story "the right way." Hence everyone booing and Trey telling them to "get the hell off the stage" then having everyone in the band say it was bad after. That made way for Mike's version, which was much better. They didn't have a flashing sign that said "this is all a joke" and they didn't constantly go "haha, we're just kidding brahs," so apparently that threw some people off. Maybe its time for those people to lay off network sitcoms with laugh tracks.

So, all of us at the show loved it. But it's moments like these, when fans are split, that reality has to be checked. I guess a lot of the people who think they are the world's best phish fans because they keep spreadsheets of song frequency and type 1 jam to type 2 jam ratios didn't like it. Well, the joke was on them. Literally. It's those same people that are craving bust-outs like they're the only thing worth catching a Phish show for and critiquing every single transition/jam. And Harpua is the "holy grail" for some reason--lots of historical things have happened within it and other times, it's just a fun little story wrapped in a fun song. I guess when DSOTM isn't in the middle of it, Harpua is poison to them.

If those people have been listening to this band for like 10-20 years straight with no extended time off and that second set looks "bad," maybe it's time for a breather. Nobody is fooled into thinking that hardcore fan anal-retentiveness is a sign of being a "true music fan" or "true phish fan" or anything like that. To me, it's just the opposite...totally missing the point and it's about something other than music--it's more like a collector mentality or maybe an insecurity that causes a need to know every single last thing about a band (and a need to evaluate it too.)

As someone whose first shows since Coventry were this weekend, I've been sharply reminded of how dumb the Timers can get. It's just anal-retentiveness and it makes people sound like they're chasing something that can't ever be fulfilled--all it takes is one ballad or something to "ruin" a set for a lot of these people, which is sad enough. Well, now they've come after Harpua and I have to intervene. The band is still about the moment. They might let you record everything, but they're playing for the moment and not for a year later when you go back to the tapes. Its been that way for 30 years.

Okay, I'll get off my soapbox now.

So, Antelope raged but I really wish the set would've been longer. Considering it was supposed to be at the end of Set 1, they must have had much more for planned for set 2, which got truncated by the rain. Oh well. The rain really tried to ruin this weekend, but the band didn't really slow down. They gave it their all the whole time and peaked constantly...I'm satisfied as hell.

Then the character zero encore happened, like it does sometimes. Oh well...this was the only part of the weekend where I was let down by the band and not the weather. It's never the encore you want, but considering the band tore it up and had great song selection all weekend, I can forgive it easily. My feet were in severe pain at that point anyway.

Another brutal rainstorm, but the reward for persistence was nothing short of spectacular. The Lizards > Harpua was a gift of the highest order.

First I must add that to me, a "Phish show" is something like 7/15/98. Some quality songs, some funk, and banter that puts a smile on your face and makes you part of the show. I am a sucker for Phish stage banter...the more ridiculous the better.

There is also another issue which should be addressed. The whole being there vs listening/webcast. This is one of those shows where being there with the elements put a whole different spin on things. Did it change the music? Yes and no. At one point rain was blowing in on the band, they clearly added a little more slappa da bass, funk, and energy during another storm.

Set I (floor, Mike side closer to VIP bleachers): It was a sunny Sunday with clouds building when the show started. They came out, Trey saw a sign. It confused him and so he played it. Banter from the beginning with a funny "This is for yoooou!". Dinner and a Movie kicks it off. A fun way to start but it seems as if AC/DC Bag got the show on the road. Maze, three deep? Yes please. Great peaks and interplay. Mound is always a treat but this one seemed a little off. They slowed it down partway thru but pace of the lyrics forced them to speed it up which made it seem like it was going two ways. Funky Bitch brought it all back to a dance fest. Gin had some great moves by Page which interrupted Trey providing a good laugh and HOF gif. And, here comes the rain...again. I remember the rain picking up during Wilson as everyone seemed to be screaming at the heavens trying to scare it away. You could start to feel the energy pick up, and so did the rain. By the "can you still have fun?" part the was just POURING. Things just went crazy on stage and in the crowds from this point on. Water in the Sky had everyone laughing and I remember the rain coming sideways. I watched and danced with one eye closed as sheets of pain rain that flew by. Boogie was super funky from "go" and banter was there. Rain was coming in on the band and equipment as crew struggled to cover it only to be met by munchkin banter between Trey and Page to basically close out Boogie. At this point they were fully rolling. The elements had everyone energized but the wind the rain was just too much and they were told to stop. They seemed to be concerned with the lights and speakers swaying at the end of the set and into setbreak.

Setbreak was intense. Water up to your ankles on the floor and nonstop rain from what seemed every direction. Half of the floor left or ran for cover. Our group stayed and just walked up near the stage. It rained and rained and you got fully saturated. It was almost hard to breathe without inhaling water. There was lightning in the area no more than a mile or two away and everyone was hoping they didn't call it like N1...and they didn't. Rain begins to slow and finally stops.

Set II (mike side 20 yards back): They walked on stage and seemed excited to be back and that we stuck it out. Energy was a fun way to kick it up, the last minute and a half really starts going somewhere and melts into Ghost. I wonder how many fans had the 2011 UIC Ghost on their minds...well, it didn't matter cause this one delivered. Under 10 minutes but there's a lot in there. Page takes us beautifully into Lizards. You could feel it (and hear) it coming. Many fans begin to sing along and even if you hate sing-alongs this was one was a pass. Thousands stuck it out a weekend of a canceled show due to a crazy storm Friday, rain on Saturday, and a driving rain that night. The band was having a blast. You could see the relief on Trey's face to know ALL of the weather had passed and they can finally finish the last Chicago show. The "surrender to the flow" part was memorable, you can hear the crowd and Trey's reaction. The silence between Lizards and the next song was a rare moment for me. You could almost feel what was coming, you could see them discuss things on stage, and the whole crowd had it on their minds. HARPUA. It happened and I loved it. It made me uncomfortable at times, mainly because I was so confused and thought everything was derailed, but they trolled us. Troll'd hard. It was hilarious, narration slayed. The whole band was talking and I was cracking up. I know it will be one that will be talked about for some time with the debate revolving around what a poster nutbag "the right way" really is. Antelope brought everything back to reality and reminded us just what we endured. A proper way to close out the second set. I forget what time they stopped but they pushed curfew Saturday and I am sure they did Sunday. A one song encore in Character Zero to close out Sunday and a crazy three nights. It wasn't a long Zero but sure packed a punch and Trey threw a lot of notes in the end.

Overall, a great night and one that will be talked about for some time.

I will agree. If you were there, you'd know. After so so so much rain to get Ghost > Lizards, Harpua was such an incredible feeling!

To quote Mike the band was "So off they were on" so to speak during the Harpua segment... At first I thought it was so cool that Trey brought real fans up onstage to tell there Harpua story... But as it unraveled I realized it was rehearsed(sort of)and although still hilarious, a tad dissapointing it wasn't genuine... Mike can say one word and it makes me laugh... His inflection kills me! Some good points, some bad points, but it all works out...

By Sunday morning, I had my new daily routine down: wake up, shower, dress, dry out shoes on the hotel deck, coffee. We went uptown again for lunch to meet some friends and hang out in the beautiful, SUNNY weather. I couldn’t believe it was our last day in the city. It felt like our first -- we were brand new every day, excited, fully locked and engaged in the flow.

From the onset, it was clear Phish had no plans of slowing down on their last day, either. Dinner and a Movie (played by request) and AC/DC Bag began the show; both were punchy and full of silly energy. Listening back, you can hear their smiles shining through the music. Maze was next, adding a little edge and drama to the atmosphere. Mound seemed to have some timing issues, but it was nothing a little Funky Bitch couldn’t fix – a naturally looser, less structured way to get back in the groove by throwing down some funk! Bathtub Gin had a bit of a lyrical false start as Trey waited for caged Page to let off a little steam (360 Page!). It ambled on at a laidback pace, building every couple of minutes or so before peaking smartly.

Right about this time, the weather turned on us. We were sitting in the non-VIP grandstands watching Chicago’s sparkling skyline fade under heavy cloud cover when it started to rain heavily. Wilson began and we pointed and screamed the opening lyrics at the sky, cursing yet another “son-of-a-bitch” weather moment. The rain intensified with the music - fat cold droplets dashed near-horizontal in the wind, as a great rendition of Water in the Sky began. It was so devilishly beautiful -- the timing was akin to standing in a 120 degree desert listening to a ‘Here Comes the Sun’, haha. We left our seats, and ran behind the grandstands to hide hoping the storm would pass quickly. Boogie On started, and I ran to the dance floor midway through for a little taste to keep me going. The hot licks from Mike were infectious (Mike, starting at 3:05ish, was particularly energetic on his bass/fight bell). Trey made a “munchkin” joke, the band concluded Boogie, started Antelope, and then informed the crowd that they needed to stop the show for a bit. Again, we huddled behind the grandstands, shielded from the wind, wet, chilled, but optimistic and chatty.

Once the weather calmed, we headed back to our seats for the second set. The Energy opener was so sugary and poppy! Around 6:45, they broke away from the song structure and just after 8:30, Page jumps on the baby grand to pound out some much needed blissful waves with Mike, draping layers of serenity over our rain drenched bodies. Trey climbs on board just before the 9 minute mark solidifying the cheery, bright exploration. Afterward, the band settled down into a very mellow Ghost. The Seven Below teases around 7:10 elicited a small response from the crowd, but I guess we felt it wasn’t quite the direction we were headed. The band jammed over the bassline inciting light, bouncy tones until Trey slipped gently into Lizards at ~9:00. Just a few notes in, heavily muddle by a lingering Ghost, cheers of recognition rang out from the crowd. Yes! This is where we wanted to go, this is where we were! The dramatic overtones of the evening continued with Lizards, uplifting in the end, as usual.

After nearly two minutes of conversation on stage, OOM-PA-PA!! HARPUA!! My fiancé and I turned and screamed with glee into each other’s faces, then he bear-hugged me, lifting me off the ground, haha. I told him we had to run to the floor, so we did, dancing, singing and throwing up random high fives to folks along the way. Grinning like kids with ice cream, we settled in for story time focusing quietly with our neighbors. I love antics -- what’s a variety show without a little comedy? It was apparent early on that the Second City cast had a hand in this sideshow, and although I’ve always loved the idea of the band’s music synced to live action, their story was hilariously awful. Yes, Trey, you definitely tell it the right way! “I don’t think they’ve ever SEEN this band before.” Their story was “odd”…”awk” even! Mike took the reins -- “TOTALLY CANINE!” -- and snowballs of laughter rolled from stage to crowd and back in a familial way as the story continued. At the end of the song, Trey let us in on their little joke (thanking the Second City cast) before trotting into an Antelope set closer. As if to bring us back to reality (wait, it’s just a concert?), a Character Zero encore closed out the show arena-rock style. I cannot imagine standing in the rain all weekend and being that happy with anyone else. Thank you, Phish! Thank you, fans!

I feel like Second City got the band/Trey self conscious and they lost the thread of it from there. There were some amazing moments of Harpua despite its awkwardness. Mike really is the funniest guy in the band.

I'm going to try to remain objective on this one. Will be difficult. This show provided one of the most enjoyable times I have had at a show and made me so happy that I was willing to endure torrential rains, cold wind, and no shelter.

Arrived late due to CTA being unbelievably slow. Arrived at the tail end of Mound. Again, a first set that was pretty standard, but got people excited. Funky Bitch ripped and we were dancing it up on the lawn as Boogie On got going...in a DRIVING RAIN.

Hour and some odd minute set break...Rain and wind. Sad times. Very cold and pissed that it was so difficult this weekend to get into a groove as mother nature continued to DAMPEN EVERYTHING. Finally I was completely soaked and cold. The decision to stay or leave was there as I was not having any fun at the time. I stayed. The rain let up and the winds died down. I rung my shirt out and cheered as the boys walked out to start set 2.

Set 2....Nothing bad to be said here. Energy was initially a "bleh" for me, but then the jam got surprisingly good. Ghost is always a favorite and I enjoyed this sped up version quite a bit. Crowd went nuts for Lizards and the dancing and excitement jumped up a notch. Finally..."oom pa pa"! Sooooo....I lost my mind. Grinned ear to ear for the next 23 minutes. Second City was that awkward funny that makes you uncomfortable and enjoyed them, but glad that Mike pulled off a really great story. If it's a statement to jaded fans or persnickety folks, cool. I laughed and enjoyed my good fortune. Antelope closes at breakneck speed...curfews are really not helpful for Phish shows. Trey shreds Character Zero to close out the weekend.

Over all, one FANTASTICALLY fun set for the weekend (Set 2 here) and a lot of nice, tight playing. The rain and weather really wore the crowd and (I'm guessing) the band out. There were a lot of obstacles this weekend to get to see 3 days of Phish. Totally worth it and I thank the boys for doing all that they could to make it an experience for their fans.

Absolutely amazing second set.these guys are phearless

"The RIGHT way!"
For all the jaded ones out there.

Great shows in Chi-town, wish I could have been there. I've had a blast listening though!

The weather has been horrendous in Illinois everytime I have seen music here but that won't stop me from coming back. Trey played more powerfully and confidentally than I have seen all tour, we got a beautiful slave and a stellar hood, plus destiny unbound, and lizards > harpua. I even got to hear mike narrate a whole story! After what transpired in.Chicago this.weekend I cannot.wait.to.hear what the boys throw down on the west coast tour. I only wish o could be there on person.

This show was alot a fun. The rain sucked but it was also fun to see phish in that kind of a downpour...

The first set was awesome, Great Maze and hot Boogie. I really liked this first set.

Set two started off amazing Energy their new cover song was an ok 2nd set opener and fun to hear a new song. Ghost was hot. I dont like alot of 3.0 ghosts but this is diff a good one. The Lizards was a great bust out, some flubs here and there, but an awesome moment.

Then the Harpua. Many people hate on Phish doing this and I will agree that if they could go back they prob wouldnt have done it or made it alot shorter...

Even though it did waste some precious phish time for the 2nd city, it still didnt ruin my show. Phish always trys corky things like the meatstick dance that 1 new years with all the different coutnry's people. this one just blew up, no one thought it was funny. And most people just wanted to hear Harpua.

So still great show but I think they shouldve given 2nd city 2mins tops to do their thing
then boot them

then a hot ending with Run and zero

I was couchtouring with a crapped out stream tonight, even before the weather delay (which I am not about to complain about from the comfort of my living room! I heard the put was ankle deep in water..) so I would almost rate this experience only 2 star, except for the Harpua.. That was so much fucking fun!! The stream finally came back smoothly during Lizards and the shit eating grin on my face just kept getting bigger from there. Trey had me going with the sign talk for a minute, but when he started bringing people on stage I wondered if it was a planned gag.. when the "phans" started rapping, I was certain of it. And then.. MIKE SPEAKS!!! You know how people talking about a raging show are always like, "oh my face !".. yeah, my face literally hurts from laughing right now! Musically it was short and sweet tonight, no best of's necessarily. But that was the most fun I've had on couchtour since the FYF show last year.. If I could give it a 3.5 I would!

The Al Gore rap was awesome. How anyone thinks otherwise is beyond me. The stream cut out during most of the good parts of the show, so that is really my only opinion so far. Contrary to what Page said, I have a feeling they won't be back next year.

This was a show that may not be up there from the sound board, but it was unique and memorable, if nothing else.

Context: Night one they literally evacuated the venue. Never had that happen before. All the sudden we emerged from a mindful DWD and then they're all "so... you are in grave danger if you remain on the peninsula." So we moo-ed to the tunnel and enjoyed an extremely talented sax performer with lightening crashing around.

Then on humid Saturday, we had a tinge of rain which everyone freaked about, and then they played 3-sets. There were a good number of after-parties, and my buddy and I ran the "unofficial phish 5k" to navy pier to catch Orchard Lounge and Dr Fameus. I will never feel that motivated again to run.

So then Sunday happened. The crowd thinned as it does on Sundays at times. It was the right crowd.

They were still running the Disneyland Jungle Cruise ferrys to the venue over the harbor which we opted for this show, which was great. The 20 minute line got a bit stare-y at times, but we all got there okay.

Dinner and a movie was the perfect cloudy sky-phan request. It felt right. Now that I know what happened later, I wonder if it was planned. Dinner and a movie was the right call.

AC/DC was what it was, no one complained because it was a segue into Maze, which was a good Maze, though very slow starting and not big building. Then it is just a generally good time.

Funky Bitch made us want to move to our GA seats, then security took form of buzz-killington. They kept us in the entry shoot for the entire funky, and even into Bathtub Gin. It started to rain during Bathtub, and for whatever reason (not the guy behind me who wanted to rush the gates without a GA ticket), they let us all though. Probably a "whatever guys, we are just here to manage, if you want to be soaked and watch some music than we will let you through."

And we did.

Wilson is when it starts pouring. End the debate, it was heavy, sharp, 45 degree rain daring you to have a good time. Were it not for the Friday cancellation, the Sunday show may have been different. Everyone was ready for this rain. Then it got heavier.

It was painful and aggressive, pools already around the feet. So we are here already and wet, what else? Then they drove Wilson "Can you still have fun????" It was dishearteningly hard rain and at the same time an epic challenge. If we were staying, they were staying. That was it. We were not leaving this time.

Then, hilariously, they play Water in the Sky. We were being pelted by sideways rain, not really rain anymore, sleet. People were sprinting for cover under the bleachers, and they roll through this jam all smiley.

Then they realize people are going to get hypothermic, so they play a super sassy Boogie on Reggae Woman. We are getting soaked so hilariously hard, its unimaginable. You can hear the electricity cracking in the audio. It is still somewhat light outside, we are just soaked to the bone, no solace, no chance anything on you will ever be dry again, and a collective "f***-it" is experienced by the crowed as soon as Mike takes charge in the jam. No one is leaving dry, most of the crowd gets ponchos or goes for cover, a large number of the crowd uses the wetness to dig harder into the ground and doesn't move for the next few hours, crossing their arms to try to save vital heat in a t-shirt to their vital organs.

It got dire. After the dunkin munchkins cleared the stage, there were survivors on the floor, so we just move forward 40 steps to the stage, or didn't move a single inch for 3 hours. One phan asked me for my GA ticket to try to get her friend up in the area, and I reached in my pocket to find literal unrecognizable paper pulp that was at one point a ticket. I gave it to her and wished her luck. I saw a guy in a hoodie try to light a wet cigarette for 45 minutes. My wallet, phone, and anything of material value were meant to be forgotten.

So then the second set started.

Energy was a good song to get us back, and the jam made it. The light show was the highlight of this this jam, with the first squiggles of the weekend. I remember a really spread out, loose crowd by the time Ghost hit because of the storms. I saw more than one phan start stretching their quads, shoulders, and triceps on the floor when the first chords of Ghost hit. And there we went from there.

The transition into Lizards we heard coming, and were hoping would come. We heard it, and were hoping it was what it was. Lizards? Deserved after the monsoon. Beautiful experience in the wet, no longer raining, humid Chicago outdoor venue. Then it got really quiet for a while. There were people screaming for Harpua, more than usual. Collectively, a lot of people felt that they deserved it. They raised their core body temperature high enough not to move 2 inches in a severe whether event with sleet, rain, 40 mph winds, why not Harpua?

Then they played it. It was exactly what we were looking for. It got weird with Second City, but the initial awkwardness was overlooked but the "they got us" vibe. We got that it was a gag not too long into it. So they played it out and it was funny. We just went through the first set, we were locked into the 2nd set, and they just shaked out us out of the grove. It was kind of like bringing a friend to phish and telling them "this is where they are going to tell an 7 minute story about a dog and cat and stuff and its going to be funny." They played the part and then let Mike tell the funny Harpua story to finish the job. It was funny, awkward, and disruptive, which is what made it great. We all thought we were going to dive into some unknown jam tunnel and then they did an Al Gore rap. That is all I have to say about that.

Happy phan for a great, wet, weekend.

Soundcheck was a slow version of Funky Bitch.

I never comment/review shows, however, I'm so sick of all this bitching i keep hearing about the weekend. As someone who has seen them many times, I would say that they did the best they could considering the weather. This first set was fire and had the makings of being one of the best first sets of 3.0. The only reason it was bearable during the storm was because of them. Name another band you would still rock out to in pouring down rain and heavy winds. Also name another band that would have as much fun pleasing the soaking wet rats dancing their asses off. And to treat those who stayed with a Ghost -> lizards, Harpua; it makes it quite hard to bitch like many of you are doing. This isn't '97-98 anymore. Quit living in the past and chasing something you will never get. Just enjoy what you are experiencing now; who knows how much longer we will get it and do you really want to make your last trip a negative one just because of your attitude. The boys are on fire right now and are having a great time with it. I mean, The Cactus finally spoke.

Thanks for a great weekend and forget all these negative people who can't/won't ever be satisfied. Keep it up and ill see y'all in Denver hopefully with sunny skies.

Very cool Harpua. I was on to the gag pretty quickly. As soon as they got on stage I could tell they were not phased at all by being on stage and were probably planted performers. I loved it. Loved mikes narration too. What a treat. And breath of fresh air during a less than spectacular visit to Chicago. Thank god they dropped one memorable worthwhile highlight in this extremely mediocre Chicago run. I love their sense of humor. I love them. Too bad the rain was such a distraction that seemed to keep them from their best this 3 show run. I thought the rest of this how and the previous shows were remarkably unremarkable. Harpua is the only thing worth taking away from 3 nights in the second city. No other highlights or great jams over 3 nights. Yikes. Hope Chicago and Georgia were just aberrations from an otherwise splendidly enjoyable hot 2013 tour.

On July 21st, 2013 I woke up in Chicago ready for night three of Phish at Northerly Island. I walked to the local coffeeshop and brought back a couple of trays of java for the crew. Eventually we all got up and around, consumed sufficient amounts caffeine and started the day.

We all shared a communal barbecue that took up most of the afternoon and finally it was time to head to the show. The crew split up to take a variety of transportation modes into the city-centre, me and a half-dozen others ended up on the subway again.

We had changed over to the Red Line and were getting close to the venue when something odd happened. Just as we were pulling out of Grant Station a guy jumped up and ran to the door, pulling the cord marked “Emergency Door Opener”. The door slid open and the guy jumped out as the train started to pick up momentum. Outside I saw him turn to the car with a smile, pointing to nobody in particular with a laugh. We all looked at each other and remarked that that seemed odd before immediately shrugging it off.

A moment or two later the subway came to a halt and powered down. Hmmm, we thought. Then the PA came on.

“Passengers, passengers!” yelled a panicked voice. “Everyone must evacuate the train!”

Huh?

The doors slid open revealing the dank, dark concrete walls of the subway tunnel. Again the panicked voice:

“Passengers, passengers, we have a medical emergency! Leave the cars and get on the ledge in the tunnel. Hold the handrail tightly and make your way forward to the next station!”

A medical emergency? Wouldn’t it make sense to keep the train moving to the next station so help could be on the way?

Unspoken, it was clear to me that this was a terrorist threat, and I assumed everyone else in my car that saw the guy jump out was thinking the same thing. Out on the ledge it quickly became clear that no one was moving forward or back. Hundreds of us were trapped in the tiny gap between the train and the wall, unable to move. Inside the train dozens of people decided to move through the train cars to the front of the line. They wouldn’t be doing that if they had seen the guy jump the train. I was pretty convinced that the authorities were pretty convinced that he had left something on the train that he shouldn’t have left.

I was pleased to see that we were a bit ahead of our car, and I determined that we were out of range of any projectiles. As the minutes went by I investigated alternate escape routes. My first choice was to get down on the ground, cross through the train to the other side, open the doors (at least now I knew how to do that), and jump out the other side where there was more room to escape (and the dangerous third rail). I also figured it wouldn’t be too hard to get on top of the train, but any smoke or chemicals would make that an unattractive option.

And still we stood. To the people’s credit if anyone was panicking they were doing it quietly, as I was.

Once again, the panicked voice: “Passengers, passengers! (yes, he always said it twice) Prepare to move forward. Remember to hold the rail tightly and KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE WALL.”

Okay, now have you figured out what happened?

“It’s a jumper,” I quietly told my crew. The guy leaving the train was just a coincidence. Someone is lying dead on the tracks and they’re going to make us walk by the mess. One fear melted into another, and still more painful minutes went by as the reality of the situation was left to sink in.

Thankfully a clearer head must have showed up, instructions were given to walk back to the previous station instead (a much farther but significantly less gruesome walk), which occurred almost immediately, and about thirty minutes after the ordeal began we emerged from the tunnel covered in soot and blinking in the stark daylight.

We took stock; we’re all here, we’re all safe, and we’re all pretty much calm and collected. We hailed a couple of cabs and booked it to the show, once again hitting the floor in time for the first note.

Given the handy markings on the floor we easily found the same spot we had been standing for the last two shows, which meant by the third night our crew had grown large.

The first set was interrupted by rain and once again the show was stopped. Trey insisted it wasn’t his idea while Page assured us they would be back, but as we stood there in the cold rain we were left to wonder, “Did he mean we’ll be back when the rain stops or did he mean we’ll be back next year?”

The rains finally abated and the band did indeed come on again, picking up Antelope where they had left off. On the floor it was cold, and I remember one girl in our crew almost convulsing with frantic shivering. We huddled together and hugged her dry.

At the end of the night our crew divided and m’lady and I ended up riding the rails back by ourselves. Fortunately our ride was significantly less eventful than the ride in had been and we made it back to Katie and Kim’s place to find the post-show party well on it’s way. Kim taught me how to tie a nifty new knot, I did some more jamming, and somehow I managed to get to sleep while it was still dark out.

Small but significant victories, I suppose.

http://www.toddmanout.com

I was at this show and I thought that the gag had incredible potential with the fake phans, however the gag did not work out and the band most notably Trey had recognized that the narration was not to the fans liking and had Mike tell a story that exceeded all expectations.

If you weren't there you were probably complaining.

Couch Tour at it again.
Set 1- Dinner and a Movie ( not a fan of this song at all but a good crowd mover). AC/DC Bag ( always welcome a Mr. Palmer ditty). Maze ( very well played, and seemed like the band was on the same page this evening). Mound ( always welcoming Mike on vocals). Funky Bitch ( continued to bring energy to Chi Town). Gin ( love the piano in the beginning, Page was on fire as he has been on tour). Wilson ( Kept the energy level at 100%). Water in the sky ( got to play an ode to the bs weather which was a washout for the past 2 nights). Boogie ( love this version, very fast and well played). Antelope ( nice little jam in this one, good first set).

SET 2- Energy ( it's growing on me), Ghost ( sick sick sick all out jamming for Ghost). Lizards ( another welcoming rare one to perform). Harpua ( a little strange, or "odd" as Mike said. Trey got a bunch of people up on stage to perform a freestyle Al Gore rap). Antelope ( yup the closer).

ENCORE- Zero ( sort of basic, seemed rushed but never the less a good closer).

Awesome three shows. If you think otherwise, you're a jaded fuck that is undeserving of a single note from these guys. No other band today is on the same level as Phish, period. And to boot, this band is willing to make up for disappointing uncontrollable circumstances such as weather when they could've said "Fuck all you, we're here to get this over with." As much as I despised the rain every night, I finally have a three setter (and a good one) in my stats. It boggles my mind that someone can listen to this band and stand there with his/her arms crossed in disappointment. For those who are obsessed with every little note and chord change, you're missing the fucking point. As Trey said in Bittersweet, "It's about the energy" and their energy is top notch at this point. It's their "Golden Age," and this is a very special weekend in Phishstory, rain and all. Appreciate or bounce.

I find it amazing for each of us at what point a show/weekend can become magical and for me it was from the Energy jam and on through Antelope.

Just FYI to go with the Harpua reviews - the night of the early show, some of the band members (including Mike) went to a comedy club and apparently performed. Hence, local comedians on stage for Harpua.

And I dig the Boogie.

This was brutal. I stood up on crushed beer cans to keep my feet out of the pond near the stage. The Boogie On is worth remembering as they purposely tried not to end the song. It was great how they got louder and louder and played on.

Soaked and freezing, lower back pain kicking in, I started walking mid-set break toward the exit through the crowd when a petite, gorgeous, sequins-clad brunette mistook me for someone she'd met in Carolina and started half drunkenly talking to me. Not to sound jaded, but the conversation was better than the second set.

Notable as my worst Phish experience, my low point.

And by the way, if they weren't such a bunch of over the hill, burn out, sell out pussies, they'd open the Gorge with Peaches>Watermelons in Easter Hay instead of the same four tunes they have been playing over and over again this summer!!

If you are trying to decide whether to purchase this one on Live Phish, my vote is a resounding no and you can skip the rest.

First ever Phish.net post. I haven't played an instrument since junior high band drums, I probably haven't seen more than ten shows live since 1995. First show was 10/31/90 and first of probably 5 Harpua's was 10/28/1991 at Elk Ballroom in Telluride. By then I was a jaded vet, standing in front of Trey in the front row of a venue that couldn't have held much more than 1,000 people with my arms crossed and nose in the air paranoid that the boys would sell out and do a video that might get MTV airplay or play something average Deadheads might relate to and I'd have to go see them in hockey arenas. My only show this summer was Toronto, drove my wife (a Gov't Mule fan who I've worn down) and our two sons 9 and 7, would have been there third show, from Pgh. We enjoyed the Falls and hockey hall of fame, but alas, Wally World was closed. Boys fought off tears, so did I, wife put on a good face but wasn't that bummed, but she would have cried if it were Warren. We couldn't make it back for the makeup date.

Sorry for the long winded preamble. I did this show and the whole Chicago run on webcast. Missed most everything from the beginning of Gin jam till Lizards. Thought the show up till Gin was very solid, to that point a well above average 2009-present first set. Was REALLY looking forward to the Gin jam, thought set two Saturday was smooth and Light and especially Mike's playing during Harry were sick in set three, and if the weather hadn't intervened, Sunday was on track to be historic. The guys were playing super tight and Gin was really funky till the Internet (which Al Gore incidentally invented) went out. Thought Lizards was well played, but everything afterwards was standard, which in my opinion is awesome and worth listening to if you can afford it and have the time, but if you missed it and are on a time or financial budget, you can find better. The band's part of Harpua was in my opinion above average, though I'd rather hear a bunch of other tunes at this point in my life. I won't pay to see Second City ever, but admire the effort and attempt at collaberation.

Which brings me to the highlight of this show. With all the rumors about another hiatus or breakup after New Year 2013, didn't Trey at the end of Antelope or Character Zero say under his breath thanks and "we'd like to do something at this venue next year"? Hope I didn't hallucinate that. Love it, love it not so much, hate it, my world is a much better place when these four men make live music together. As painful as the weather this weekend and all summer have been for Phans on tour, the band, and most especially the behind the scenes crew who make it all real, thank you all and please keep it going!!

My apologies for reviewing a show I didn't attend and haven't even heard almost certainly the best part of.

Not sure how this show is getting good reviews. I know they can't control the rain, but the fact is it hurt the experience completely. Even if the weather was perfect I would say that's a pretty weak 2nd set and encore, and it was raining so hard so I can't even judge how they were playing during the 1st set. Also turning the stage around and adding a garbage lawn section killed Northerly Island.

Before the changes, it was my favorite venue in Chicago. Why block one of the best views of the skyline with the stage? It was way better before when all you had to do was turn around to have one of the best views of the city while enjoying some good music. I'm sure the bands who played there didn't mind the skyline as their view either. Now it's just a venue that's hard to get to, with a lawn section that you can't see the stage, and a limited view of the skyline. If they wanted to add capacity they should have made the bleachers bigger and left everything else alone. Maybe the mayor will bulldoze this place and build an airport.