Beautiful venue, amazing experience. The second set is one of the best sets I have seen Phish play. It was a true testament of this band's revitalized creative energy that has been on display for the better portion of their last three tours (within Phish 3.0 of course).

The first set contained many fun songs of a rarer variety. The seemingly disappearing "Guyute" made it's first appearance of the summer tour followed by the best performed version of "Fuck Your Face" to date. "Foam" was also a nice rarer touch that was placed nicely within the set. The common "Ocelot" was a fun mid-set energy paced performance as was the second performance of Little Feat's "Rocket in My Pocket".

The last four songs in the set truly characterized the last effects of this particular first set. A very fun-filled, funky "Back on the Train" led us to a unique performance of the still rare "Guelah Papyrus". The "Tube"--albeit shorter than most would prefer--was one of the better played "Tube"'s in the 3.0 era. The Page led jam (included Trey's reference of "Page's House") brought the boiling energy in the pavilion to a near over-flowing level as did the set closing "Run Like an Antelope".

Opening the second set with "Birds of a Feather" was a nice throwback to the summer of 1998--as "Birds" has becoming more of a rarity in this era in Phish (especially as a second set opener). The "Possum" was a wonderful escape from generally standard versions of Phish's most performed song of the last three years. The band's (lead by Trey's direction of course) new slowed down, almost scary twist in the middle section of standard songs (i.e. Bethel Woods' "Runaway Jim" or "Boogie On Reggae Woman"--a cover that has been regularly rotated since it's return to sets in 1997) is a unique and very entertaining stand out.

At this point in the show, the band unveiled their newest piece in "Steam". To be completely honest, I haven't reached a level of excitement for a new Phish song since the debut of "Sand" in 1999 (yes, by Phish not just with Trey's solo band). The slow, grounded funky approach to this song sounds similar to a hybrid of "Ghost" intertwined with "Sand". "Steam" is the best song the band has written in the 3.0 era. This isn't an opinion either. It is a fact. The exploratory potential for this song is endless.

The "Piper" brought a very fun and explosive energy to the set and perfectly segued into a very well crafted version of "The Lizards".

The most memorable portions of this show were the "Sneaking Sally through the Alley" and "Harry Hood". The "Sneaking Sally" brought possibly the thickest, funkiest groove that has possibly developed out of this popular cover song since the band brought it back into rotation at Madison Square Garden in 1997. The eclectic bass driven melody elicited one of the band's most cohesive jams since quite possibly 1998. This performance will surely be remembered as one of this tour's most significant--as will this jaw-dropping "Harry Hood".

The "Harry Hood" instilled the awe inspiring beauty that this song was meant to during it's played perfection. The introduction to the song brought playful interplay between Trey and Mike that draws comparisons to the version found on the official release of "Hampton Comes Alive" from 11/20/98 (and similarly subsequently transitioned into "Character Zero"). The peak of the jam was completely flawless and to everyone's delight and surprise segued into the extremely rare "Have Mercy" only to dissolve effortlessly into the remaining portion of "Hood".

The set closing "Character Zero" was a rocker per usual but did contain several unique phrases during the jam portion that mirrored the exploration during "Possum" earlier in the set. Before the band finished their closing jam, Trey tossed in a brief tease of "Smoke on the Water" possibly to remind the crowd of the following evening's show to come in Cincinnati.

The "Slave to the Traffic Light" encore was brilliant. This incredible concert could not have ended on a more fitting note. The "Slave" was nearly flawless and left the crowd with a magical ambiance as the show soon transitioned from present time to memory.

To simply state that this show was "incredible" or "awesome" does this genius no justice. Phish is currently performing at possibly their best combined level since the pre-hiatus era--or possibly earlier.

Please, do yourself a favor and see as many shows as you possibly can in 2011. I know I will.

~TheBeerBaron

Let me begin by setting the scene. I was forced to miss DTE the night before to take my final exam, but now i was free and there was no better way to start off the summer than by seeing my favorite band. I had been counting down the days for months and it seemed surreal that it was finally upon me. Several people who are not as serious as me about Phish declined to drive all the way to cleveland and preferred to stay at home in cincy, meeting me at riverbend the next day; I was not about to miss it but I was nervously excited the prospects of attending a show alone. The journey got off to a rocky start as i got lost in the boonies of central Ohio. A gnarled old gas station clerk eventually set me on the correct course, and as a light sprinkle of rain began to fall, I found myself on the long, thing road choked with cars leading to Blossom. I was struck by how nothing around where my car was sitting looked like where something so wild as a Phish show was about to take place. It looked like ordinary Ohio countryside like where i grew up.
As my car creeped along in line I decided this would be the right time to munch on some party supplies, thinking I would surely be parked before it kicked in. Alas, as i turned into the sprawling green field that was the parking lot, shit was getting pretty weird. After the initial rush of the mda wore off, a subtle roll set in and i forgot i had even taken anything the rest of the night. I felt like I was sober at a Phish show and it was fine. Simply knowing IM GOING TO SEE PHISH the day-of makes me so happy its almost ineffable. I'm going to participate in the birth of a brand new Phish show.
A giant smile on my face, knowing I'd made it to Blossom and I had to do was chill, I strode triumphantly over the grass toward thin gravel path that was Shakedown. The first thing i heard was a dude going on abut the recent OSU football scandal and asking who wants to talk about it to everyone who passed by. Im a student at ohio state, and though i dont care about football, i love walking around and talking to new people at Phish shows. I happily hobnobbed about Tressel with this fellow and then went on my way. I proceeded to spend the next hour or more before the show walking up and down shakedown- seeing, meeting, smelling, eating, something new each time.
As everyone began to make their way down the paved path toward the gate, the group excitement was ever increasing. There was nothing standing in our way of experiencing these masters of musical art in a matter of minutes. Once on the lawn, I marveled at its breadth. Blossom looked like a secluded woodland paradise for we happy few who know get "IT". I positioned myself dead center on the lawn, took off my shoes, waited. I looked to my left and introduced myself to the guy next to me. His name is Drew and we quickly got to talking about, what else, Phish. I shared that my guilty Phish secret is that the Dayton '97 Tube is so good that I don't like listening to any other versions, and thus it was the one song i didn't want to hear tonight. He confided that he saw Slave at his first show, and he has the exact same problem of being unsatisfied with any other version.

The the lights when down, and we stood up, my heart pounding like the intro to Llama. What will they play, what will they play?!

KDF: Not the most excited opener i could have hoped for but i can't complain! The jam was smoooth, and it seemed better than any other version i could remember of the top of my head. As the band sang the last verse, Page's piano sounded like my mental idea of summer's perfection.
Guyute:This never even occured to me as a second song and I was giddy as a schoolboy as the bouncy number began. Trey was slightly off time in the beginning but otherwise it was a nicely executed Guyute, and it was nice to see the band do a complex composition so early in the show.
Fuck Your Face: I hadn't listened to this song in forever but after the first two notes, my dumbfoundedly suprised brain subconsciously had me utter "Fuck Your Face!" outloud. I felt a twinge of 3.0 noob pride when an older fan next to me asked what the title was. Anyways, for two glorious minutes we basked in FYF's rarity, musical angst, and comedy.
Foam: The first couple seconds of this song are my favorite moment of the night as recorded on tape. Foam started with just makes bass and it took the crowd a collective split second to recognize and then the cheer will joyfully wild. I was grateful to see yet another song for the first time live. Ocelot: This Ocelot had a really pleasant, strong, Type 1 jam with a very focused build that had me already impressed.
Rocket in my Pocket: Waiting for Columbus is one of my favorite live albums, so I was pumped to see the band play something from their latest musical costume.
Back on the Train: Time for some much welcome funk. This is where the dancing started to transition from swaying gently along with kdf and ocelot to some serious boogying. Our area had a nice clearing so that was ample room to dance around. My bare feet were born to dance on that grass.
Geulah Papyrus: I was mostly excited to see this song because I love the fugal Asse Festival in the middle.
I figured there would be one more song first set. My hopes for Bowie had been dashed by its appearance in Clarkston the night before. And then it happened. 1,2,3, AN ASTEROID CRASHED!
Tube: Despite what I'd said to Drew preshow about not wanting a Tube, that though never even crossed my mind as the song began. I just somehow knew, deep down, that this was the right song for the moment. and it was. The sun was starting to go down, making Kuroda's lights more intense. The place was turned within a minute into Page's House- a full on raging dance party throwdown for everyone there. I could feel the whole crowd being urged on harder and harder by the chairman, feel my own dance moves being molded by the strokes of his keys. Several times during the jam, Drew and I exchanged smiles and nods because we knew it was so good. Throughout the last verse of the song, my mind was completely blown from the sum of the first set plus the radical possibilty that I had indeed witnessed the greatest Tube ever.
Antelope: Out of Tube's debris an antelope was gently springing to life. but my mind was so blown by the preceding Tube that it could barely handlde te current song. "what song is this, I know I've heard it a million times, a million different versions" then feeling foolished I laughed to myself, knowing we were about to end the set with Run Like an Antelope. This antelope jam was like celebration for the whole crowd and the band- we all knew we had made it, it was good, and it was about to get a whole lot crazier second set. The ending of Antelope was unique and quite funny as well.

At set break, Drew and I shared some tasty lemon g and discussed the set. We were both in concurrence that something special was afoot; no matter what happened second set, the momentum was the first was going to create a masterpeice. Of that I was sure. I stopped hoping for Divided Sky, Harpua, ATR, anything and completely opened myself up to whatever the band wanted to play, knowing it would be the right decision.

Birds of a Feather: The dramatic intro notes Birds were something I had not even considered and the boogying began in force yet again.
Possum: This one of those Phish songs that I would probably be OK with them playing every show...it's just so fun feeling the the build and release of crowd energy during the refrain. The jam of the song turned the whole place into a giant country dance house. I swear myself and everyone around me, including two beautiful girls dancing with me n drew was doing the twist. i felt like i was at a prom in the 1950s or something. Unfortunately the ladies moved on after that song, but fortunately they left their water bottle behind. i was getting pretty dehydrated by this point and that pretty much saved my life.
This Possum had some great lead work by Trey and a descending melody in the refrain that really mixed up this frequently played tune.
Steam: A vibrating wall of sound from Page. A sneaky riff trey. A smooth groove from Mike and Fish. Everyone around me started figgeting and looking around awkwardly, clearly not recognizing the song but not wanting to be too quick to ask, lest they betray their ignorance of an obscure tune. As soon as the lyrics began, there was no doubt this was classic Tom Marshall writing. Snapping my fingers, I danced downhill sideways through the crowd and back up to where I began. I love that the Phish community allows complete freedom of dancing. When the song went into the guitar solo, it took on more of a floating, somewhat major mode sounding feel to it. It was enjoyable but i gazed in my crystal jam ball and foresaw dark dirty funk jamming in the future.
Piper: A blissfull tune, truly one of my Phish favorites. 12/6/97 is one of my favorite Phish moments. This Piper was not quite of that caliber but energetic, intriacitely layed, and frenetic-yet still under their control. Everything a good Piper should be.
The Lizards: It was a priviledge to hear the debut of a new tune, Steam, but also a priviledge to hear this now-rarity emerge out of Piper. I didn't think about it as a rarity at the time, i guess because they played it so damn much in the 90s. It ended up being the only Lizards of 2011, was as tight and beautifully uplifting as always, but was no match for what was about to go down.
Sneaking Sally: The band was firing on all cylinders, reminding us all that they can play good old fashioned rock n roll with best of them during the beginning of the song. I remembered, "oh shit doesnt this song usually have a vocal jam?", just as the band began adding vocalizations on top of their instruments. The groove was deeeep- they were al essentially jamming on multiple instruments at the same time! eventually it was just vocals before the return of the bass, drums, guitar, and keys. The sally vocal jam groove began to stretch as it page added some new keyboards and everyone settled into their seats. we were departing for serious jam territory and everyone knew it. Not that we stopped dancing for a moment though. Page began adding heavy washes of a loud synth in the background and the other band members seized onto Fishman quarterbeats on his china cymbal. it was at this point that i realized with a shock that this was still Sally. As it took a turn down an ominous ambient passage, i thought, "they will probably call this 'cuyahoga jam' or something on the .net setlist cuz this shit was so crazy it merits its own separate name from Sally. The next day on lot in Cincy, i heard talk of last night's Sally coming from all directions.
Harry Hood: Out of aforementioned ominous ambience came the opening drum cue for Harry Hood. The compositional half of the song was tight and the jam began in its usual beautiful way. God i love a good hood. And this hood had all the making of a good hood... listening back to the band gently improvise this amazing music i can smell the air that night, remember distinctly my hungry stomach, feel my tired feet on the patch of grass I had matted down. I can see Drew dancing next to me, a new friend I had met that night. the suddenly something started to get weird in it....
Have Mercy:Seemingly out of nowhere in the hood jam began bouncing around on some entirely different groove, clearly segueing out of hood. Any other song than that Hood and i would have been happy. My first instinct was actually, embarrassingly, anger at the band for robbing me of the uphoric "You can feel good about Hood" climax. This was one of the last times I ever second guessed Phish's mastery. In the reggae classic Have Mercy the band pulled off some good harmonies, something which i think we all know isn't their strong suit. Then, as I should have known, we were right back were we left off.
Harry Hood: Have Mercy smoothly transitioned right back to where the boys left off, building the uplifting groove of Hood. Every band member was absolutely tearing it up and we were all feeling very good about Hood.
Character 0: What can I say? It's character zero, it rocked,etc.

Something to note here: During and after Character 0, and during Slave, kids about my age or perhaps younger, in high school, were streaming up the hill out of the venue. it was fucking crazy, this amazing music was happening and here were these board looking hoards leaving. I assumed they were like other in my age group i now of who know of Phish only for the partying. I like to party but foremost is the music; perhaps this is hypocritical coming down on these people but I am a young with with good intent and don't want others lumping me in with those rapscallions.
moving on...

Slave to the Traffic Light: This slave really tied it all together for me. The day had confirmed everything i thought i knew about Phish. It was the first show I attended where I knew i would know every song because i had fallen deep down the rabbit hole since deer creek '10. The phish community was so warm and friendly like always...i talked to so many random people briefly and felt how were all there because of a shared inside knowledge of the great band. Consequently, i remember realized at the time that that Slave was far and away the most powerful musical experience I had ever been apart of where i wasn't one of the musicians. The music rose and swirled with my emotions and I stood entranced staring at the stage, I felt as if my bare feet were one with the ground beneath them.

After Slave, Drew and I briefly talked about this potentially being the best 3.0 show yet, it was definitely a special show. We laughed about the irony of me getting my Tube and he his Slave and them both being good. Then we shook hands and departed our separate ways into the night, perhaps never to meet again.
As i entered the packed mass of humanity trying to squeeze out of the gates i felt incredibly grateful not to be tripping at that moment. It would have been hella uncomfortable. I looked to my left and an old man with a beard and a young child said, "Well, that sure beats a Wednesday night bowling league, huh?". that one definitely took me off guard; not only was it not even Wednesday, OF COURSE seeing phish is better than bowling. wtf?! A wook trying to drum up some sketchy business was introducing himself to passerby as "Joey Coke"...the ever present "ive got onions peppers and sausages" guy rolled by. I was shaken by the magnitude of the musical performance i just witnessed and i finally made it back to my car, feeling alone for the first time during the day as everyone went to their respective cars. There were no rules on that grass parking lot, so it quickly turned to vehicular anarchy to get out. I was in no hurry so climbed aboard the hood of my car, and relaxed watching the people in the next car over send chinese lanterns high into the sky. When i finally made it to the exit, 6 kids came up to my car saying they needed a lift to their hotel down the road and they they would pay me. They offered 10 bucks a head and invited me to party at the hotel, which i refused for some much needed rest. Half spun, half drunk, these guys were college students elsewhere in Ohio-so basically doin the same shit in life as me. We all raved about the show as i drove them the 1.5 miles down the road, the same direction i was already headed and dropped them off. This gas money would come in handy as i got horribly lost on my way to riverbend the next day.
I made it to a rest area outside of cleveland and parked. Every single car at the stop was from the Phish show. Excitement about meeting up with my friends and seeing Phish the next day began anew...and as i fell asleep, a gentle rain just like the one before the show began to fall, the perfect coda to the perfect day.

Pure straight blissful brilliance all night. If Michigan was a new level for 3.0, it truly set the stage for Blossom. Absolutely unbelievable performance, set-list and energy. And it was animal night, apparently. With everything firing at high speed last night, I cannot wait for the finally to this mini run tonight in Cinci!

"This guitar is gonna Fuck Your Face, cause it knows how to scream!"

Thanks to the band and everyone there who helped make this unforgettable. See you all tonight!

Well this was my 2nd show and last show I have been to so sorry for the late review. I ha e to say this . The show happen one year exactly when Carson was born. I really wanted a harry hood bad a run like antelope and Reba. Well the boys have me two and much more so here is my review.

Kdf: I exactly didn't mind it to much since I was scared of getting chalk again has a opener it was standard but a fun start

Guyute: first shock for me.of the night man I did not think Iwould hear this one sloppy or not iI loved hearing this song

Fyf: surprise again from.a song I admit forgot about.

Foam; very happy to get this one in only my second concert played very well. Loved getting some.longer songs in.

Ocelot: got a repeat of my first concert and I have to say this version way better and a little more.crazy.

Rocket in my pocket: song I forgot all about again hilarious awesome.song from little feat.

Bott: was hoping for an awesome jam.and left disappointed this may have been the biggest disappointment for me in concert.

Gp: surprise that I would get this song twice in two concert and once again a lot funnier and better played version then 8-13-10.

Foam: I was usurper excited about hearing this one love this song and felt they played it awesome. By this time I was thinking good energy and a lot of jamming so far in show.

Fyf: another surprise again for me I have to admit I didn't really know what song it was til I heard the word fuck.

my first time at Blossom, very nice compared to Star Lake.

FYF, Steam debut, Have Mercy

when Trey went into that Have Mercy some hippie dude started flipping out on the lawn. He told us how he had seen Trey earlier that day at a rest stop, i believe. According to dude, he asked Trey if they could play Have Mercy since there was some gap action for that song pre show. Trey kinda just said "we'll see what we can do". i guess Trey played it for him then, idk, hopefully true story tho.

This show is definately in the top 10 for 2011. First Steam and I really enjoyed it cuz it usually takes me a bit to warm up to most tunes. Didn't like the Possum. FYF and Rocket were really nice. First set had Grate flow and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This Sneakin Sally Jam is sweet tits. I remember during the jam that it reminded me of the Greek Cities... almost! My first Have Mercy in a Hood sandwich. Very enjoyable 3.0 right here.

My son's 2nd show. He was 2. Kid is a pimp

After taking a few days to digest the show and observe some other commentary, I feel confident in remarking that Blossom was the best front-to-back show in 2011 and certainly one of the highlights of 3.0. Here's why:

Kill Devil Falls doesn't have the immediate impact as an opener that something like Llama or Chalkdust would. However, it warmed up the crowd still reeling from the previous night. Guyute had a pretty abysmal first 4 minutes, but ended with good energy. It was nice placement and, as one of their most intelligently composed pieces, contrasted well against the rest of the show.

Fuck Your Face introduced the dirty mood that dominated the rest of the show. It wasn't particularly well performed, but it remains a rare morsel that will always go over successfully. After an underwhelming Foam (mostly because of poor vocals), Ocelot happened. Though it never quite reached Type II status, it stands as the most impressive Ocelot yet and I'm surprised there hasn't been more dialogue about it. It's in the same key and has the same progression as 46 Days, but doesn't harbor the same inherent funkiness, allowing them to take it in some more fluid directions. There, Trey demonstrated his signature pacing and technique. The blast into Little Feat was fresh and extraordinarily tight with Page owning the vocals. At this point in the show, there had been vocals featuring 3 band members, which is subtly refreshing. A solid BOTT prefaced a truly well-made Guelah. The gap before "So maybe I could be a fly" featured a great glowstick war and Trey catching one for himself. The crowd was clearly working with the band. Next came a Tube clocking in under 5 minutes, but featuring a Page solo that is among the most nasty and carefree in recent memory. Antelope came as a slight surprise, but introduced the exploration of the second set. Trey improvises some beautiful melodies near the 6:00 mark before shredding into an impressive climax. The ending section was wonderfully unique, if a bit flubbed, and the closing that sometimes comes off weak was packed with energy and foreshadowing, as a good Antelope should.

If the anticipation was high before the show, it was even higher for the second set. Birds of a Feather was a rare treat, but went nowhere special. As the band rolled into Possum, I looked at my friend and sort of rolled my eyes. "Again?" Was this set going down hill? They proved me wrong. This Possum is the most bizarre version you will encounter. From the beginning, Mike intones his voice with a different style than usual and once the jam opens up, all hell breaks loose. After discovering a nugget of bending chromatics, Trey led the band into a sequence of spinning non-tonal segments, often faking reentry to the song, but pulling out. Mike brightly carries the instrumental experimentation to the final vocal section, lending it fresh excitement. I agree with much of the discussion noting that Steam is the most promising new jam vehicle since Light. Hopefully it will be given good play by the guys. Here, it led into a short-lived, but necessary Piper. I was hoping for an epic quality of the June '04 SPAC Piper, but it instead served as a supercharged bridge into the second half of the set and some of the best Phish 3.0.

The segue into Lizards was paced well and showed great care. The audience went bananas and encouraged Phish to play an outstanding version. Like Guelah from earlier, it demonstrated how tight the band is playing right now. Perfect placement coupled with good delivery made it an excellent companion to Sally. And what a Sally it was. Sweating funk, it featured a blissful vocal jam and some true group improvisation. Trey hovered behind the spotlight and Page led the way to a staccato section which then grew into a heavy, bold time change. Also overplayed and repeated at the same venue from '10, Hood subverted itself in the same way that Possum did. It had elements of playfulness, adventure, and, of course, the epic quality that you hope for in a good Hood. Positive that the set had ended, Phish busted out into a Character Zero that might as well have been titled "Trey Plays Crazy Shit And Doesn't Stop". It was 10 minutes of blistering aural pleasure. You could tell that Trey was having as much fun as you were and it rubbed off. Of course, anyone would trade 10 minutes of Trey soloing for 5 minutes of good Ghost or whatever, but this Zero was fierce and fiery and I'm pretty sure that Trey played the highest natural note ever played in the history of man/guitar.

In the end, the fact that the Slave encore is an afterthought inducts this show into a select group of recent shows. It took some of the adventure from Utica and blended it with a bit of the fearlessness of Albany. But the performance doesn't exist in a vacuum and ultimately shows us fans that the band can play well in any decade, year, or venue.

I loved this show! After Pine Knob the night before I hadn't been so excited for Blossom since the 90's sitcom!

They crushed it this night. The first set had some nice rarities in FYF and Rocket in My Pocket, not to mention a hot Antelope to close. The second set is phenomenal. Nice BOAF to open and then an experimental Possum that bled into the first Steam. I don't remember much about the Piper, but The Lizards is always welcome. After that the Sally>Hood->Have Mercy->Hood segment (or When Harry Met Sally if you will) was pure gold. The Character Zero afterwards felt like a victory lap and the encore of Slave was the perfect choice. I walked out of this one with the biggest shit eating grin on my face. Good times

What a great show for Cleveland, OH! I really like the song selection in the first set, KDF is definitely a good rocker to start off and Guyute is always great. FYF>Foam is definitely an overlooked segment of this show, although that's easy to understand. I generally like Ocelot and this version was on par, although I did not care much for the Rocket in my Pocket cover. I am all about the last four songs of the set, however. BOTT in the first set is sweet because it brings some good jamming. The Tube was funky and I remember seeing Trey make a 'tube' motion to Mike and Fish and then yelling out to my brother "It's gonna be TUBE!" The Antelope was one of my favorites that I've seen live. It was so high energy and really got things warmed up before set break. Love the goofing around during the Marco Esquandolas portion of the song.

Set two kicks off with a pretty standard Birds, but once Possum gets going things start to get sticky. The Blossom Possum is covered in goo as things start getting super drippy and wacky in the middle and towards the end before dropping into the very first Steam, or as I like to call it, The Cleveland Steamer. I was definitely loving on Steam as Fish crashed the cymbals and the steam machines went into full effect, creating a steamy effect in the pavilion. I thought and still do think that the segue out of Steam and into Piper was one of the smoothest and best executed I have ever seen. I like the energy that Piper brings and would also say that the Piper into Lizards segue is quite smooth.

Sneakin' Sally. What can I say? Does this song ever disappoint? This was my first ever Sally and it was grooovy! Loved the vocal jam and just getting down and dirty. The rest of the set pretty much speaks for itself; Harry Hood>Have Mercy>Harry Hood was so beautiful and so fitting for the moment. Not only was it a perfect piece of music, it had personal significance. Character Zero closes out a great show with some throwback teases and Slave completes what I believe is one of the highlights of Summer 2011.

Well well, this was my first show since Deer Creek last summer, so needless to say I was PUMPED! This show is honestly probably one of my favorite shows to listen to, they playing was just fantastic.
Set one:
KDK: this was the first song I ever saw and heard live, so it just brings back memories of that show this was a very high energy KDK and from my pavillion seat, everyone ate it up.

Guyute: I was calling this one for honestly 2 weeks before the show, and to get it 2 songs in was just fantastic. The beginning was a little rough but after the irish jig section this guyute is gravy.

FYF: seriously who doesn't love this song? what a bang bang bang start to the show.

Foam: standard, they had to slow down sometime.

Ocelot: This is by far the best ocelot I've seen, it really did rage. Much above average version with a few nice peaks in the jam.

Rocket In My Pocket: Now this was a treat, first time played since Halloween, but everyone looked a little confused about knowing this song, I knew it was Little Feat but couldn't think of the name until the chorus. Very good cover choice.

BOTT: standard

Guelah: this guelah was the best version since at least 2000 imho, especially with the little spacey loops from Trey and Page before the first verse, this guelah was awesome and I loved it.

Tube: this was my first tube, so obviously it was very well received by me . This tube was all Page though, all Page.

Antelope: This antelope was a MONSTER!! One of the best antelopes this year (I cant decide between this or the one from Gorge2) The Streets of Cairo tease was awsome. Very high energy antelope. Essssquaaanndooolllas anyone?

Set 2
BOAF: Cool opener, caught me and my crew off guard at least. I thought they could've definitely stretched this one out way farther, but its whatever. Standard version.

Possum: Let me just flat out say, this possum is a must hear for 3.0 Phish. They finally made a possum that I saw exciting, which was totally badass.

Steam: I had no clue what this was (explains now as it was a debut) but my crew of friends and I just loved this from the get-go. This song kicks ass.

Piper: It might be short, but it was a very short and sweet piper. Nice little ambience that lead straight into ->

Lizards: This one was just beautifully played, they completely NAILED IT! Flawless lizards, very high energy and GREAT chill out song. Perfectly placed.

Sneakin Sally: Boy, this sets starting to get super stacked super fast! This Sneakin Sally is honestly one of my favorite jams of 2011, definite must hear for 3.0 Sallys. Vocal jam that led straight into Blossom Jam which should be called Blossom FUNK jam! I swore to god I thought they were just going to go into Manteca at some point, but alast they opted for

Hood: This hood had the standard into yadda yadda, but then they hit they "jam" part, and right from the start you can tell that the boys mean business on this one, very beautiful playing from Trey especially, perfect rhythm and beats from Mike and John, and INCREDIBLE fills from Page. We're starting to get towards a silent part of the song and all of a sudden Gordon starts up ->

Have Mercy: okay, there are no words to describe how incredible this was in person, it was just beautiful. No joke, got teary eyed cause it was just musical bliss. Every single note they played and word they sang hit my soul and heart more than anything I've experienced at a Phish show.. but anyway, short mercy goes straight back into ->

Hood: wow, whens the last time they have done a Harry Hood sandwich?!? They wove through this sandwich seamlessly and without stopping a beat, then as usual YOU CAN FEEL GOOD ABOUT THIS HOOD!

Character 0: Trey tore down the house on this one, straight fire character zero. I usually don't care for this one, but its alright with me when Trey wants to rock it out like he did this night!

Encore

Slave: Great way to end the show in fashion, typically glorious Slave.

Overall this was a VERY VERY high energy show, and imho a top 10 for Phish "3.0" as we all know and love it as. Great song selection, BUT EVEN BETTER PLAYING! This is a show you should definitely have, if not, what are you waiting for!?!? Get it already!

Highlights
set one: FYF, Guelah, Tube>Antelope
set two: Lizards, Sally, Hood->Mercy->Hood (must hear)

WOW!!!!! Phish always rocks out in Cleveland (12-5-97, 11-13-98, 9-18-00). Blossom is such a beautiful venue! Had to give this one another listen........Kill Devil Falls and Ocelot may be the best versions I've heard. Antelope, Possum and Sneakin' Sally were each very lively. Piper, Hood and Birds were also top notch. Incredible energy and jamming on Character Zero!!!! Even Rocket In My Pocket was awesome! In fact, this entire show is a gem. Only one negative note: Guyute was extremely sloppy (although I did not notice this live, soundboard makes it painfully obvious).

Phish – Blossom Music Center – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – 6/4/11

SLAVE TO THE TRAGIC SALT
By Thrusty Rhodes

I promise I am not a suicidal teenager; I just want to party hard every chance I get. As life goes on, the less connections I have in my social circles and the more weary I become of lot transactions. This inevitably leads to rock concerts wherein all a guy gotz is weed and booze. So on Saturday night at the Blossom Music Center, I decided to attend the Phish show with a lawn ticket and a legal alternative (Plan B.S.) called “Energizing Aromatherapy Powder” a.k.a. “bath salts”. I had never tried “Lucifer’s Afrin” before, but word on the dirt was that only “a little dab’ll do ya”. I heard that the HIGH is pretty extreme and the LOW sucks duck nuts unless you eat Valium or a shotgun when coming down.

So without trying too hard to find real drugs in the lot, I resigned to Plan B.S. Upon entering the expansive, rollicking back lawn of the burgeoning venue and walking by big-ass pisser lines, I hip-scotched all the way around to the empty, other side and secured a solo port-o-party. I licked my right index finger like a Fun Dip stick and commenced to smear 300 of 500 milligrams of legal speed onto my shuddering tongue. “We’ll see where this goes,” I whispered to God right before the everlasting Lord’s starting line-up marched up on stage to begin ripping the first set.

1st SET – Phish at Blossom – 6/4/11
Kill Devil Falls, Guyute, Fuck Your Face, Foam, Ocelot, Rocket in My Pocket, Back on the Train, Guelah Papyrus, Tube, Run Like an Antelope

In retrospect, “Kill Devil Falls” was the perfect opener for me for this show. Supposedly, you’re supposed to hallucinate kinky demons and horny hobgoblins who make you perform life-altering actions while blitzed on “bath salts” like stabbing ghosts who were really paramedics and/or getting tattoos of bonfire emblazoned on your pubic area. This version of KDF was tight and tasty but what came next really started to get the organs grinding.

“Guyute” is a #1 stunner, even in the fading dayglow of receding sunshine. This festive rendition had some sweet peaks and engaging valleys just like a good woman should. This song reminds me of The Weather Channel because some loc’d out audio director played instrumental parts of “Guyute” in the weather forecast music mix, back in the day. Little did we know that it would metaphorically rain sticky trickery in our misty eyeballs during the next few minutes when these four pouring tornadoes would torrentially penetrate our head-holes and flash-flood our pulsating panties with invigorating, gelatinous waves of mesmerizing jizzle-jazzing.

By playing the song “Fuck Your Face” as the third track in the first set on a Saturday show, Phish is telling you to NOT bring your gibbering children to the psyche-circus unless they are the designated drivers or you sneak dope heroine into the venue inside their grimy diapers. Seriously, you are already paying for tickets, booze, room, board, molly, paraphernalia, ganja chili, parking, porking, hemp souvenirs, etc. SPEND A LITTLE MORE SCRILLA ON A GODDAMN BABYSITTER. All I’m saying is when I inadvertently smash your bouncing, bundle of joy because it knocked me over while chasing bubbles or snatching up glowing debris as I’m defribrillating on killer drugs, then it’s your legal responsibility. You know, you know better. BTW, the bad boys pummel-crushed the gushing guts out of FYF before face-crashing into a neck-snapping, skull-crunching “Foam”.

“Ocelot” seemed neat because, before the show started, a guy near me said his 5 year old daughter wanted to hear “Ocelot” really bad. When the father notified his child that the band was playing her favorite song, she began screaming and doing rickety cartwheels. It was somewhat endearing and made me start re-thinking the “no bringing children” rule that was established earlier in the previous paragraph. Just then, the flimsy spinning trig aimlessly spilled into an innocent dude who dropped his $10 beer to avoid murdering the tumbling youngster with his buckling, grown-up body. Parents, please do not make it anyone else’s fault at shows for squashing your oscillating offspring because you chose life. DON’T TAKE THE MISTAKE.

“Rocket in My Pocket” seemed coincidentally gross and inappropriate after what I just witnessed during O but totally beat off in the same buoyant stride as the previous selection. Keep on rocketing me, baby, you burning bushwhackers! It was right around this time when I decided that “bath salts” were an over-hyped farce and that I, Thrusty Rhodes, can dominate every and any substance that would make a lesser man defecate into his shivering hands and call it dinner a la mode. So I foolishly fingered the rest of the pseudo-toot that was burrowed in the sneaky back pocket of my customized fanny sack, chased it down with a mellifluous chug of Bud Heavy, and “headed straight for the rhythm and blues”.

“Back on the Train” Ut-oh. I am probably wrong with the timing of this incident but I think it was right before BOTT when a sucker-punk chump threw a hefty handful of glow wands onto the stage directly at the lead singer who then picked up as many as he could with one big swoop and hucked them back at the jerkass as if to say, “Not in my backyard, unitard!”. Did anyone else see this? BTW, BOTT nailed it in the BUTT, sharp and hard!

“Guelah Papyrus” was a tricky treat because the lead singer and big-nosed dude in the middle of the stage tried to do a little dance during the open breakdowns after the “This is the work of” choruses. Shit looked like “The Urkel” and shit. Honkies don’t know, honkies ain’t changed!

The lyrics for “Tube” sounded like they were reciting random lines from John Tesh’s inspirational radio show, translated by a Dyslexic, Schizophrenic, Eunuch on night-before pills, Crunk bombs, and Smarties. T is a powerful ballad unto itself but tonight, it served as a perfect launching pad for an unbridled, scintillating space shuttle with titillating antlers…

“Run Like an Antelope” seems to get hyberbolically more intense every time I witness it live and direct. This mega-version served as another stellar example of why Trey should re-lapse only when writing music. ;>

2nd SET – Phish at Blossom – 6/4/11
Birds of a Feather, Possum, Steam, Piper, Lizards, Sneaking Sally Through the Alley, Blossom Jam, Harry Hood/ Have Mercy/Harry Hood, Character Zero

ENCORE: Slave to the Traffic Light

“Birds of a Feather” split opened the second set like a hopelessly lost fatso in the woods to the innards of a melting, moose turd. Pastor Page’s celestial key lines transcendentally accented the mothershipping lighting display as these nasty asstronauts were about to take us deep into the sparkling, dark matter and light up our cosmic orifices like Big Dippers in Supermassive black holes. 8> 8>

“Possum” = They flipped the scripture with this sacred variation and made it into what will ultimately become known as THE BLOSSOM POSSUM. During the jammy part of this composition, they began playing around with some pitch-bending-descending notes that lent the teetering attendee to hypnotically connect with the wobbly, slobbering vibe to the precarious point of losing one’s body balance…and then SLAM-BAM-PHUCK-ME-MA’AM, they’d break it off into icky-shit-kicking, raging-rapid-riffing thusly bringing us back to life, back to reality, just long enough until they would re-untie our stringy souls like a blind-wino unties his shoes before he goes into a drunken slumber and then, SLAM-BAM-PHUCK-ME-MA’AM, BOOM, straight to the moon, man! By now, “bath salts” have proven to be 2 legit 2 stop. It’s like meth, ecstasy, and Robitussin DM, mysteriously stuffed into one uncanny-ass pinch of deceptive dust. I recommend it to NOBODY but the astonishing, vanishing banshees who gang-flocked out of my anal cortex every time I secretly flatuated into the sweltering breeze…

“Steam” is an original number that was performed for the first time at this concert and it is so totally my new most-fave song eva to the ultimate max, for hecka realsies, ya’ll! I friggin’ love mid-tempo, trance-out psycho tracks i.e. “Frankie Says”, “Spock’s Brain”, “Carini”, etc. This mischievous ditty seemed somewhat similar to the savage style and lyrical content of these aforementioned smash hits. Weird, spooky, death-might-try-to-rape-you-type-of-thang-going-on-up-in-here. I remember there were some elegiac, lyrical lines in this song about “wolves clawing at your door” or “wolves licking Cheeto grease off your Silly Putty” or something cool like that involving wolves. This Cleveland “Steam”er did not smell or get your tits dirty! Totally goodass!

“Piper” always gets the blood splooging throughout the veins and this selection was no exception. They jack-hammered the ascending crescendo like an imprisoned, professional arm-wrestler to his private Shake Weight, furiously working-out in solitary confinement while snorting dry, uncut Kool Aid packets. He said, “I come from the land of darkness”, and said “my boogers are blue today”…

“Lizards” was a definite highlight of the set and pivotal point in my personal existence. The otherworldly lighting schematics for this song allowed a temporary portal to a bizarre dimension to open up for the few of us out there on “Energizing Aromatherapy Powder”, Oxycontin, and Budweiser. Oh yeah, I ate two Oxy 15s when I thought the legal speed wasn’t working as good as it should during set-break. I do things smart people don’t do. My spiritual-eyes stepped into the different world while “Lizards” was unfolding and miraculously managed to escape the brain-staining, distorted delusion just before the song ended. Let’s just say that every living thing inside this fiendish dimension had the Almighty Oprah’s head and droopy boobies on it! Girl, boy, man, woman, dog, frog, cow, owl, ocelot, antelope, possum; you name it, Oprah’s skull and shredders were on it. It got me to thinking that maybe that ego-tripping, narcissistical billionaire bizzy bootch bought herself a whole dimension and scientifically-fused her DNA into every breathing entity so as to give her specific, physical features to each filthy creature. The Winfrey Dimension is prob where she goes to get away from all the saddening madness associated with being a fatuous, corporate slave driver of head-dead, whitebread mothers and super-clueless hoochies. The Winfrey Dimension is where she takes clandestine vacations that are really just well-disguised, disgusting fuck-hunts. She indiscriminately porks and pillages whatever she wants without police intervention because she calls it masturbation since every living thing resembles her flaccid facade. She gets away with morbid mongoose molestation just because that innocent little mongoose has her flabby face and place holders on it’s quivering pre-corpse. “The trick was to surrender to the flow…”

“Sneaking Sally Through the Alley” always reminds me of outer space porno music. It’s what aroused Martians throw in the tape-deck when attempting to coagulate with a significant other. This vulgar version provided plenty of sultry grooves and sickening consummations that allowed the nasty boys to tenderly pound our juicy, stewing, communal flesh into what is being called “the Blossom jam”.

The “Blossom Jam” is where Trey broke a string…….my sex string Fender Splatocaster! This transcendental titbit allowed flowering mental excursions to spring into the thinker like: How does feces make life grow?; Where’s Jesus when I miss game-winning 3 pointers?; and What’s Fishman wearing under his dress? After simmering down into a peaceful heat-lightning rumble-thunder ambiance, these glory-storming Nor’Easters shoved a succulent Hood sandwich down our soggy, foggy throats.

“Harry Hood/Have Mercy/Harry Hood” The randy aquatic bass notes, tender skin-hitting, surgically-precise gash-stitching guitar gesticulations, and reggae-tronic piano pimp-tinkles tickled the torn whore-sores copiously opened by the magical slashers that preceded us and gave a euphoric reprieve into a cathartic delirium thus allowing the audience’s articulating thoughts to delve into existential reverberational splendor and intrinsical metaphysical reflections. “Have mercy” ‘til the day that you die, you perverted nun-humpers!

Nothing beats trying to out-sing the band during a second set ending, “Character Zero”, while tweaky-peaking on “bath salts”, et al. Try it out and refute me, Satan. Why don’t you just leave me the Hell alone and dirty dance on somebody else’s shoulders for a while? Please stop messing with my kill-switch, oh dark Lord and decadent decapitator of plebeian leeches! Although, now that I think about it, YOU never ever let ME down, oh unholy giver of unending regurgitating supremacy! You make me wetter than water, oh flaming Black Master of Disaster! Let me help you permanently perpetuate Armageddon, Satan, Son of Death! I so totally succumb to your hedonistic bidding, festering petulance, and throbbing hammerhead peckerwood Magnum P.I. lunchbox! Beat me with your penis, beat me with your penis, beat me; beat me; beat me with your penis! I, I ought to see the man Mulcahy, I ought to see the man Mulcahy, I, I ought to see the man Mulcahy, I, ought to see the man Mulcahy, I, I…I… I, I…I…I, I…aaaahhhhhhhh, crazy-air-guitar-solo-psycho-punch-myself-in-the-balls-BREAKDOWN until death do us party, all-powerful Apollyon! Pisstol-rip my whimpering crapper with your dripping zipper zapper, oh Prince of Purgatory Bliss! Beat me with your penis, beat me with your penis, beat me; beat me; beat me with your penis! Beat me with your penis, beat me with your penis, beat me; beat me; beat me with your penis! Beat me with your penis, beat me with your penis, beat me; beat me; beat me with your cloven-footed penis!

Whoazers, Nellie ‘caine, it’s encore peepee time…see you in Heaven, Satan!!!

Whooof, ohh, uhh, yeah, whuh, ohhhh, ok, whoooofff; my soul began to feel super-vulnerable and desperately needed to find positive, divine guidance in the worst way. As I was finishing a Wiz Khalifa, the tantalizing mood-soothing notes of “Slave to the Traffic Light” trickle-flowed from the hazy stage like the percolating broth sloshing from my skinny Slim Jim into the manure-brewing sewer of dying life and living death, decaying beneath humanity’s time-riddled footprints.

“Snap into me, Macho Man,” I whispered to God.

“What the FUCK did you just say to me, bro?” said the cross-eyed Browns fan next to me at the urinal.

http://www.JAMPON.com

Well Pholks, I'm soo happy to be posting this review. After a great 3 day mini run, and my first back to back to back shows(since the 90's, and at different venues) I am so convinced that Phish are, completely smokin hot!!! I'm from Ohio, and Ohio got some serious love on Sat, and Sun. I'm posting only 1 review of the Blossom show, because in my humble opinion, that was the best of the 3 shows(for me!)

KDF> Pretty good opener, Trey did some pretty hot jammin' at the end of the song and it was very..bouncy , but it brought on a hot atmosphere and the crowd was sooo loud!! I knew we were in for a treat..

Guyute!! > ..was beautiful!!! I love this rare treasure and was so pumped to listen to the whole band gel, and as they did moving through this song I once again started to feel this would be a tough set to predict and that feeling of 'anything is gonna happen now' really set in and my phish 'o meter hit high gear with excitement!

Fuck Your Face > Always a fun song, feel spoiled since I heard it at Alpine 10' and now again, but I remember how the band played that night and they were feeling it now..

Foam> I thought this was very well executed, and the randomness was great ..Mike really started popping the bass here..phish o meter getting higher!!

Ocelot > Love this instant Phish classic song..great bump 'n groove dancing jam..

Rocket > dippin into the Little Feat catalog again was a great time!

Back on the Train > Pretty good groove, great to hear, I like how they extend this song since it first came out and love how it went right into

Guelah Papyrus > Paige was really hitting the keys hard and shined through this one..love that guy!

Tube > Great jammin vehicle and nice pickup of pace from the 3 previous tunes..felt the Antelope comin on..felt again like I was at Alpine last year...

Antelope! > GREAT version, check this one out..Trey really starts having some show phun hear, both vocally and with that guitar that seemingly always can 'sing'!! (Guyute, Antelope best set l highlight for me)

Set ll

Birds of a Feather> Great opener, haven't heard it in a long time..and Trey put some serious noodlin' in this one...he sounded great and I was pumped for set ll

Possum> The best Possum was the blossom possum! I love this song live, always so much fun and not only did this not disappoint. Trey was jamming hard now and the band seemingly melted and blossomed back up, in absolute perfect sync, jamming..then melting..then blossoming ..then melting....into..

Steam > .unsure for about the first 35 seconds then that bluesy beat was moving me right along..looking forward to this jammin vehicle moving forward..loved it and love being there for a great 1st time song treat!!

Piper>....when the steam lifted the Piper was calling..and it was a great setup..loved the transition and love Piper..but the Piper was really summoning someone I haven't heard from, but hold near and dear to my heart in every way...

The Lizards!!! > I phreakin love this song with every once of soul in me. I immediatley had goosebumps while the band led me through the forrest..there was one cool breeze that hit me, right when Trey hit the melody and I just wanted to burst out of my skin with happy joy! Paige once again had me playing air keyboards(which is much harder then air guitar and Trey was perfect..this was a great group effort..Fish and Mike were brilliant and I loved hearing one of my favs at my home venue..you all know how good it feels to get it at home like that!

Sneakin' Sally> When it first started, the first few notes sounded like a tease from 'Back to Ohio'..but oh boy, this was def. a highlight for me..Mike was 'Slappin da' bass' hard and Trey jammed and just kept groovin and poppin through the end or the Blossom Jam..the band was having fun and the crowd was phreakin goin nuts!

Harry Hood> Have Mercy> Harry Hood

..nuff said..I have been waiting for Phish to have more segues and last year they didn't have many at all..I love, love, love when the boys transition and leave to play another song and pickup where they left off..this was magical..and Mike was awesome poppin again..Have Mercy was well played lil tune back into Hood..this will leave you feelin' good folks!!!! Real good.

Character Zero > Harry dropping right into Character was such a big boost and it was a perfect fit..one high to another...this is such a great rockin' tune...I was goin nuts with goosebumps again, and I knew how good this show was cause I was still stuck thinking about the whole second set and my head never really caught up with what was goin on and I was stoked!!! ...'These things are true that I forget..but no one taught that to me yet', and it was totally OK!!!!!!

Encore: Slave to the Traffic Light

I love the way Fish brings you into the song..he's such a good drummer..this was beatuiful..Trey was def. getting tired, but I can't say anything cause I was so tired from dancing and dripping sweat..I have NO IDEA how these guys play so flawlessly for sooo long and have the stamina they do. I am so impressed with them and proud to be a die hard fan. I'm honored to have seen such a show and the memories that Phish have given me over the past weekend will continue to inspire me to ..I don't know..just inspire me period! ..maybe to get more tix to another show!!! I loved the shows, I love Phish..THANK YOU!

Phish O' Meter for this show = I didn't know, I was that far gone!!! yeeehaw!!!

Phish's first of two Ohio shows made for a quite a nice follow up to Friday's Gordo Birthday Bash. Not only did the first set contain some exceptional, however linear jams, but the second set picked up where Clarkston's dangerous 'Down With Disease' left off - with the Ball of Electric Fury. After a straightforward 'Kill Devil Falls', the band broke into the first 'Guyute' since the famed Guyutica powerhouse, which was recently released as a DVD. A token 'fuck You Face' preceded Phish 3.0's longest 'Foam' yet, featuring furious slapping from Mike alongside the intricate piano riff of the Chairman. Next came 'Ocelot', a new song that has seen plenty of action during the past two years. This version proved the potentially of the lazy beast, ringing in at almost eleven and a half minutes - the longest 'Ocelot' Phish has ever played. After a quick, yet fun appearance by Little Feat's 'Rocket In My Pocket', Phish kept to the Midwest style with a short 'Back on the Train'. Next came another record breaker - the longest 'Guelah Papyrus' of not only 3.0, but perhaps the past few decades.... though this is mostly due to an extremely long pause before the final segment of the song. Summer 2011's second 'Tube' was another Page masterpiece, or as Trey put it once again, "Page's House!". This is definitely the better of the two 'Tubes' thus far. 'Run Like An Antelope' capped off the first set with Esquandoles fury and contained the second 'Streets of Cairo' tease of the tour, but the oncoming dusk meant another Saturday Showdown in the 2nd.

The elusive 'Birds of a Feather' opened up the second but failed to go anywhere special. 'Possum', summer's third, was also similar to the rest except for a fun ending that brought all band members dropping and lowing notes to make a rejuvenating and melty feel to the song. This continued on with Mike's shouting of "Riding down the road", leading into some great new fun for the song. Next came the summer's first debut of a Phish original, 'Steam'. Sounding a lot like 'Camel Walk', the song chugged its way along for a good 8 minutes and had some steamy percussion sounds coming from Fishman to complete the motif. A more cohesive and slow moving 'Piper' than Holmdel's version came next and danced into a two minute transition that flew into 'The Lizards' - an absolutely fantastic transition. The real fun happens in 'Sneakin' Sally Thru the Alley' when Trey again implements his Electric Storm or Lightening Ball, whichever nickname for his new pedal-pet you prefer. This theme continues into the first minute of 'Harry Hood' and sounds like a beehive.. in a good and non stinging way. This delicate and playful experiment with sound and musical madness is why summer 2011 will have a lot more tricks up its sleeve for us. Later in the song, Page delicately seems like he is leading the band into the "Feel Good About Hood" refrain, but instead breaks away into 'Have Mercy'. After that brief respite, Phish delves back into 'Harry Hood', pulling off a much needed musical sandwich for the appetites of phans. Trey has fun with the song some more, playing the notes of 'Have Mercy' before erupting into a furious hammer-on assault, finally landing and Feelin' Good About Hood. 'Character Zero' capped it all, and 'Slave to the Traffic Light' sealed the deal.

Another Killer Show For Blossum.

- http://funkydanceparty.com

I need to say up front that I am on the early summer "couch tour". I did listen to the SB of The Blossom Center today and I have a few notes as well as some flat out compliments for the show and the way the band has begun this march towards Denver.

My first accolade has to go to Possum>Steam. I'm not going to lie, I have been pretty bored with Possum....until the Blossom Possum. Possum deserves this kind of energy and creativity every time, being such a staple. It has to do with chemistry. Possum had all the elements on this night. Steam was a dream. Steam may have a chance to shine as 3.0 matures more and more. I have nothing but high hopes for this number. In its simplicity Steam is just kind of dark and funky. It could turn out to be a future stunner. Keep an eye on the Steam. Piper was good, the rest of the 2nd was top notch, period. Lizards was tight, well played and kept up the energy. SSTTA was probably better than any I've heard during 3.0. Outright a blast and the apex of the night in my opinion. Phish has always done a fantastic job creating and controlling energy throughout their songs. Building and building to a crescendo and then tapering to a close. Its one of their trademarks. Its now at a point where they are so good at it they are not only doing it within songs themselves but creating the build-up throughout the entire night and then somewhere along the way they find the landing gear and bring us to safety...Hood>Mercy>Hood>Zero, Slave. Everything before this 5 song ensemble was just your basic 3.0 show buildup. I believe set lists need careful thought and consideration and the Blossom Center was constructed with exacting precision.

As I am jumping around I have to say my one disappointment was Foam. Yes Phish did hit all of the transitions which aren't easy and Foam is played in almost all minor keys, not my point. Revisit 12/29/94. I want Foam to be a vehicle again and it seems the band disagrees, it's on the way out. It could be great again, just saying.

These first half dozen shows have impressed me for sure. I am on the edge of my couch...for now.

This show was absolute fire! Seriously. A sweet jam of Kill Devil Falls, which many say is jamming similar to that of 1.0, started the show off fantastically and the awesome ride never stopped from there. An unexpected Fuck Your Face was an amazing surprise and Lizards was absolutely awesome! Hell the whole show was amazing. I bet Trey was saying "Fuck you!" to the people who were calling him an abortion clinic. Rock on guys! Rock on!

To me, this show represents what I have been waiting to hear since Phish returned from their farewell. The whole show is great - but the second set is full of surprising improvised moments of collective spontaneous composition, beauty, and lyrical, melodic soloing by Trey. Finally. And let's not forget the funk. As a discerning fan, this show was one for the ages.

Phish 3.0 is starting to really find their place. The jams are changing and the energy is at a higher level than in quite some time. Certain things in life get better with age, and this is a prime example of that. The new jam techniques and the musical chances they are taking really make the music go places. While certain things are not technically perfect, the places they are trying to go in their jams are completely different than ever before. Here's to a hell of a summer tour!

After 6/3 2nd set there was a pretty high bar to get over and this show somehow did it honestly. Sneakin Sally is epic and Possum is crazy. Hell, this whole show is crazy. Welcome to Phish 3.0

On June 4th, 2011 I pulled into Ohio’s Blossom Music Center for the second of a little two-night Phish run. This was my first time at the venue and I was pleased to find that the parking area was nothing but lawn and trees with not an inch of asphalt in sight. I followed the waving arms of the traffic control dudes and parked in the park next to a trio of young partiers who had already set up their huge sound system.

I got out of the car, poured myself a drink and introduced myself to the neighbours who were absolutely raging out to classic rock. They had a cooler, no shirts, a pair of PA speakers wired to a generator in the back of their pickup truck and a whole lot of ironic energy.

As my crew and I settled into lawn chairs it occurred to us that the guys parked next to us weren’t just listening to cheesy ’80’s music, they had the same two songs on a loop: Rosanna and Africa by Toto. It was pretty fun for everyone walking by, the three young long-hairs were getting plenty of high-fives and occasionally someone would join in the dance before continuing on their round of the lot, but for those of us stuck within continuous earshot the joke got real old real quick.

It didn’t take the four of us long to pack up our lawnchairs and go on a lot stroll of our own. I can’t imagine how the three guys could stand it. I amused myself by imagining that one of them wasn’t that into it, but endured the two-song torture just to fit in with his bros.

M’lady and I were lucky enough to have pulled pit tickets for this show through Phish mail-order so we were as close as you could get to the band without actually fighting for a spot on the rail. We danced and stared and just had a great time at the show, which seemed extra-awesome due to our proximity to the stage.

One thing that stands out in my mind was the debut of their new song Steam. I liked the song immediately, and I kept trying to figure out how they were getting the steam sound. I was convinced it was Fishman splashing away on his Chinese cymbals but m’lady insisted it was a keyboard patch played by Page. Even from our spot so close to the stage it was hard to tell – especially with all the accompanying dry ice – but after seeing the band play the song many times since I’ve become convinced that m’lady was right in the first place.

When it comes to Phish she usually is.

Oddly enough one of the three Toto ragers was in the pit too, a fair coincidence given that about two hundred people out of a crowd of perhaps twenty-five thousand manage to secure pit tickets. He was still raging it hard, and he was holding up a sign that said “Africa Reprise” for the whole show, which was actually a pretty funny little post script to his gag of the day.

I don’t recall where we stayed after the show but it was probably in the direction of Canada. Though we had tickets to the upcoming Phish show at Darien Lake we had for some reason decided to skip the Cincinnati and Great Woods concerts, and with three days off between shows we probably went home to Ottawa.

http://www.toddmanout.com

Woah, Blossum (posted June 11, 2011) A terrible blog
We’d stayed in Ann Arbor after the Friday night show, and the drive down to Blossom was nice n' brief. The Cuyahoga River Valley is a surprisingly scenic area, and as you approach the show you’re actually in Ohio’s largest national park.
It’s really hard to do side trips on Phish tour, but next time I am out that way I want to make a point of visiting the park itself and taking in some hikes.

We were tipped off to a “super sneaky and secret back entrance” to the venue, but weren’t given any specific directions. All we were told was to meet at the Winking Lizard Tavern on Rte 303 in Peninsula before 4 p.m. We found the place all right, and there were just a few folks in there that looked like fans, so we had a beer, made friends, and got the scoop on the back entrance. It turned out to be a total score, as we totally (as in COMPLETELY) avoided any hint of traffic into the show. We drove about 10 minutes from the bar, through the national park’s winding back roads, and into a side lot that bordered the rest of the traffic pulling in from Steels Corners Road. Free parking at this venue, too, which rules. It was a bit of a walk from our lot to the venue itself, but I figured what the heck–we’re in a National Park, we should be doing some hiking anyway.

This venue/lot/park is just a cool place. Walking through the lots toward the show, there are clearings with picnic tables along the way. It’s great for friends to meet up and gather before they head in…and I suppose it would also be great to have a picnic if you were so inclined.

The shed is kind of weird–it was built for the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra. The sides are jagged, which can cause weird echoes, and the back of the pavilion slopes up then back down instead of up and out. Check out the picture below–it was taken from the back of the lawn, just right of center. The sound bounces around in there kind of strangely, and moving just a couple of seats to your right or left can make a big difference in what you hear.

Saturday, June 4, 2011
Blossom Music Center – Cuyahoga Falls, OH

Photo by B. Shrader

Set I
Kill Devil Falls
Guyute
Fuck Your Face
Foam
Ocelot
Rocket in My Pocket
Back on the Train
Guelah Papyrus
Tube>
Run Like an Antelope

Set II
Birds of a Feather
Possum>
Steam>
Piper->
The Lizards
Sneakin’ Sally->
Harry Hood->
Have Mercy->
Harry Hood>
Character Zero

Encore
Slave to the Traffic Light

This show felt a little strange at the start. Three great songs, but a bit of an odd mishmash. Other shows later in the tour started off like this, too. KDF is a nice opener, and supports what I was advocating for the previous night: shows should always open with a 10 min jam. Guyute is an odd song in the 2nd slot, and I’m sorry to have to say that it was embarrassingly sloppy. FYF is just an odd song in general…and how in the hell did I manage to catch two of these?? Then the set started to feel a little more normal when Foam started up on the heels of FYF. Ahhh… I like Foam, and I love how they absolutely freakin’ nail every single note when they play it now. Strange though, that out of all of their songs (i.e., Guyute, the ending of Taste, the pause in Ghost, etc.) Foam is the one they chose to polish and practice the hell out of. I’m not complaining, remember. You have no idea how psyched it makes me to hear Phish play the hell out of this tune like it’s 1992 again.

Getting into the meat of the first set, we got a string of ripping tunes. Not exploratory jams, but plenty of balls-out rocking. At the show, I thought that Ocelot felt unusually (even painfully) slow. But upon a second listen, I have to admit it was a bit of a rager. Not that this was one of those “better on the tape” type of performances, but while I was trying to dance (poorly…this is me we’re talking about) the tempo just felt like it really dragged. Then we got a taste of last Halloween with Little Feat’s Rocket in my Pocket. Very cool! I wasn’t really sure what we were hearing at first, but I knew I liked it. Back on the Train was actually kind of a rager, too. Good Type I solo, to be sure. And Guelah sure is fun, I have to say.

Then we went to Page’s HOUSE with a nice, superfunky (albeit shorter than 5 min) Tube, which quickly became a Tubealope. And that Tubealope ran down the Streets of Cairo. I believe I enjoyed this Antelope more than any other in the past 12-13 years. Please go listen to this now. There was another tease toward the beginning of the Antelope there, but I just could not place it. If it wasn’t a tease, it was one of those glorious melodies that sound to beautiful to have been composed right there on the spot. It could’ve been anything (or nothing)–I’ll bet Trey has more tunes/songs/melodies/themes floating around in his head at any given moment than I’ll learn in my entire life. Trey took a moment to mention “Mike-o,” “Fish-o,” and “Toph-o” Essscuaaaandoooooooooolas, complete with a light solo for Toph. Tons-o-fun! Sloppy transition there into the final gear, but hey man, “that’s Escuandolas” after all. Esssscuaaaandoooolas!

Setbreak was interesting. As I was heading out of the pavilion, I noticed that the prime VIP seating section, the one dead center, had no one guarding it. So, of course, I popped in and found a seat. It was clear just by looking around that the folks in these seats were not your standard “VIP” types, so I felt at home and settled in. A big thank you to the two dudes next to me from Pennsylvania who were so accommodating. Everyone there was able to hang out, undisturbed, for the rest of the show.

The place was pumped for Set II. Birds was atypical. Which of course means awesome. More than just “unique.” I guess it was really typical in that they stayed within the structure, tempo, and other items that are pretty common to the song, but the jam was particularly inspired and the extended variations on the theme from Trey n' Mike are things I always love to hear. Great jamming, even if the end seemed a little clipped by TreyDHD…Page wanted to sing another round of the chorus! (Side note: Page got his chance to cut of Trey’s vocals the a few days later during the 7/15 Alpharetta Suzy–and it was most excellent!)

The Blossom Possum was a ton of fun as well. After your normal, “typical awesome” Possum-y circus-y blues soloing, the theme of the jam (for Trey at least) became “let’s bend every note by a ridiculous amount with ever-increasing intensity” and this idea bled over into the ending vocals, which in turn made for one of the most hilarious and enjoyable Possums I’m sure I’ve ever witnessed. Most of my other favorite Possums are ones I’ve never seen from ’92-93, like the one they just put out on the I-90s Bonus Disk with all the teases (5/17/92 – Achilles Rink, Union College – Schenectady, NY) but this one is right up there with the rest of them in terms of zany antics.

Steam is pretty flippin’ cool. When it first started, I thought it was 7 Below for about 3 notes, then I immediately thought, “oh cool, they’re playing ‘The Way I Feel’ from Treys solo band.” What it turned out to be was neither of those, but rather a debut of a pretty excellent tune that I would like to hear again as a landing point for killer jams. Slow n' groovy with some cool lyrics and a very cool sound effect (which someone said was a china boy cymbal? I’ve heard those, and I’m not so sure that’s what this is…) The lyrics are maybe kind of medieval in that we’re hearing about horses and towers (castle towers, I imagine) and chasing wolves. I’m looking forward to hearing this song jammed out even more.

At the Winking Lizard...was the song that segued out of "Piper" a coincidence? I think not.

I would normally refrain from saying anything about the next song because I compare every Piper I hear to the 12/6/97 Palace version, but this Piper was actually pretty good and contains some Floyd-y meets Miles-y type stuff toward the end of the jam, just before they segue into The Lizards. Really, really good transition there (a real segue this time, by golly!) For a few moments there it sounds like the jam is going to land into Twenty Years Later. The Lizards is nice, long and impeccably played! A long pause after Lizards gave us…

Sneaking Sally thru the muthaflippin’ Alley! Man, this was sick. At times it sounds like something pulled straight from the best of the 2003-04 style jams (i.e. The Moma Dance from 6/17/04 Brooklyn). This jam dropped into Harry Hood, which some folks say has been getting better and better each version since 2009. This was a great Hood, and had some interesting stuff in the beginning, to be sure–but check out the 12/28/10 Worcester Hood for some truly fantastic, innovative stuff, though. As far as, “each one is better than the last,” I don’t think this one is better than that one (but, to be clear, I really, really like this one). Have Mercy kind of floats in on its own…but then Hood kind of barrels its way back in. Have Mercy is teased…loosely…but, oh! Trey pulls off a splendidly brilliant tease of Lizards on his way toward the final peak.

Then we got Zero’d. But they picked up with the pitch bending (in the style of the Blossom Possum) so that was cool. And this song always has at least 1.21 gigawatts of energy, so that’s cool too. And a Smoke on the Water tease at the end. Random, but pretty cool. Upon another listen while writing this post, I realize that Trey’s teasing Smoke on the Water within the jam, too…right before the pitch-bending part. So, cool again.

Slave is also cool. A perfectly placed encore at this show.

Lots of animals at this show: pigs, ocelots, birds, lizards, possums, tigers in lily patches, rhinos running from thunder, tubealopes running out of control, a fly that feeds arachnid, wolves and horses in Steam, red red worms, and you can even “see the zoo” on the encore.

I am kind of sad about the short Tubes (although they do pack a punch, which I really like, they are all pretty small, which is no good) and instaspeedy hypertempo Pipers. On the other hand, I’m thrilled with the amount of pure, unadulterated FUN this band is having–as evidenced by the last half of the Possum, Sally vocal jam and ensuing madness, and the relaxed, beautiful, patient way they drifted from Steam into Lizards. That kicked some serious musical ass.

There’s more audience noise on these tapes then I can ever recall. Mics in front of Page n' Fish pick up nearly everything said (okay…shouted) by those few people right next to the mics. Calls on Saturday caught by the mics included "Alumni Blues" and "Lushington."

Overall, a fantastic show with some odd passages, but then I realize here’s me calling a band that regularly covered Purple Rain with a 1967 Electrolux “odd.” I give it a 9/10. This show had just about everything I love about this band: fun jams (Possum), funky jams (Sally), jawdroping jams (Sally again!), at least one sublime segue (->Lizards, among others), great covers (Feat), new stuff (Steam!!!), “uncharted territory” (Piper), zany antics (Escuadooooolas!), bonus Phish (Hood Mercy sandwich), and raging rock n’ roll. No filler tunes. Even though it wouldn’t be my first choice to close Set II with, the energy of a raging, show-closing Character Zero is pretty much undeniable. And a perfect encore.

2 years later...still can't find my face. I think it's still at Plossum. Love that venue. Best acoustics ever..

In contrast to the sloppy Guyute, Foam was perfectly executed. Second song of set 2: Possum? Really? But this, the bizarre “Blossom Possum,” exceeded all expectations (like something from a playful show out of the early '90s). Next we were treated to the exciting debut of Steam, followed by Piper, which segued smoothly into The Lizards just when it was starting to get really interesting. Then Sally exploded with one of the best (and most unusual) jams of the year. Character Zero was especially fierce, ending with a Smoke On The Water tease from Trey. Another outstanding show!

I have been to only 2 3/4 handfuls of shows and this one topped them all. I especially loved the Hood because my first one at Deer Creek in '10 was kind of a let down, although very special to me anyway. But I told my friend I was hoping for a ripped and funked Hood and they unleashed a great rendition, complete with that Have Mercy in the middle. I know there were some teases in there but one just stood out to me that wasn't mentioned. In the second part of Hood, listen from 1:50 to 1:56, there is a definite Divided Sky tease. Check this out if you like. I just never noticed and thought I'd share. Ph ph ph phenomenal show! Can't wait for next summer! I call more than one show at Pine Knob. Throwing it out because I have the right as an Uhmerican. Goodmorrow.

My 1st review. Will not get technical. Great Great Great Show!!!! Interplay between band and phans was awesome! Remember the point of the show is to have a great time and groove and move and JAM! and not nitpick every aspect of the show. The boys can not and probably won't hit a home run every night bit I think you'll get your "ya's ya's" out anyway and isn't that the point? I can safely say, however, that they nailed it at Blossom. The phans were getting down and jamming and the boys were provided the grooves and the phunk. Isn't this is what we go to shows for? I think you can say that we were all "Trapped in Time" and "Sharrin in the Groove". Also a shout out to Chris Koroda for the awesome, awesome light show!

GREAT SHOW for BLOSSUM... They have owed us one for sometime in my opinion. I loved it. High Level Energy+Funk+?+I love this band having fun = A great show. Thanks for making up for the past shows in my opinion at this great venue.
I was dead center behind the pit next to a great guy who wrote his encore song on a piece of hotel paper...sorry you did not get your coil but great have some good people around me..PHISH YOU KILLED IT!!!
mmbyem

This venue is very unique, It's way out in the middle of no where, that's for sure. But I guess it fits in with so many other venue's that Phish likes to play. My first Kill Devil Falls, good, good opener. The rest of the tunes the first set were just as good. Fuck your Face, Guelah Papyrus and Run like an Antelope which was a great ender to the first set, would be the ones that stand out though the first set. Great start to the second set with Birds and it went on from there. I can see that Steam will be a great tune down the road for them. Character Zero was a excellent choice to end the second set with. Slave was the encore, nothing special to it, but a good finish. It was a very hot and humid trip to Blossom and I hope to make it back there in the future. I really like this venue......

A really really good show. First set---as my friend texted me at mid-show--was "the perfect first set." The crowd was well aware that the boys could have blown the roof off at any minute, but they refrained and saved that moment for the second set.

Highlights: Guyute off course. Page was on his peak game through out the show and during this one he really shined. Ocelot--not a favorite of mine--but what an incredible type I jam. Very patient. Trey opened up a lot of nice runs going well beyond the 3.0 speed tricks into a clearer more complex mode of articulation. Back on the Train--consecrated the night as a night of old school funkiness. Once again, Page on the electric organ drove the band deeper and deeper into a steamy and crazy place. "Crazy" being the optimal word. Blossom fans were ecstatic by this point in the show and stayed there for the rest of night. The boys responded in kind. Papyrus is always a masterpiece, but Tube took things into a higher dimension. Page once again at the reins. Antelope as a closer was perfect. Really set the place on fire. Trey sounded at his best during this song. Very nimble finger work --- long organic riffs --- fused with an incredible playfulness that would define the second set.

At mid show, the fans gathered and wondered. We knew we were clearly dealing with the best start to at least a summer show in a very long time and so we traded speculations as always regarding things to come. Feathers-- although perhaps not in the same vein as the first set --- quickly moved into Possum ---which surely was in the same vein. During Possum, the band melted on a few occasions---- lowered all sound into these slow-mo pockets of time---where time literally froze for the instant---and then BAM!!!! the boys would be back without missing a beat. Steam overall is an incredible number and will be a great jam vehicle in the future if the boys choose to use it. A very Floyd-esque jam out by Trey. Piper then arrived and literally I anticipated at this point something of the magnitude of the SPAC Piper of yore---indicating the caliber of the night--- but unfortunately the boys didn't deliver. The beats per minutes seemed almost too much for Trey and he retreated into 3.0-style spacey jam. And yet this momentary disappointment was swept aside by Lizards---a rare and choice number suited to the incredible song selection of the nice. During Lizards, Page once again proved his all-too-incredible greatness leading the way into the murkiest funkiest Sneaking Sally I have had the privilege to see. Wow! Wow! Wow! A must hear. Great type-II style jam. No great Trey runs--- but extraordinary textures and flawless transitions. After yet another face meltdown--Hood emerged. A letdown if only because of its track record during 3.0 era. Hood and Slave---classics of yore---proved to be the greatest challenges for the band on this night. Trey skipped over the amorphous sections in both songs--where all things seem possible in the cool blue purple green lights---and jumped right into orchestrating the later slaying the dragon via guitar segments. In Hood, Trey attempted to re-rail Hood with a nice segue to Have Mercy, a truly beautiful number, but once back in Hood again---things just didn't feel right. Character Zero was at its best and here Trey touched the same level of connectivity and alertness he demonstrated in set I's Antelope--he just didn't want to stop the type I on this one--he was visibly ecstatic, but by the time Slave encored --- at least Trey was clearly tired. During this number, I was definitely playing over the highlights in my head from set I and in particular from Sneaking Sally.

Overall, an incredible show. Best 3.0 I have seen. I think it would be hard to make the case otherwise even for those phans who have seen all the 3.0 tours. Tonite for Cincy thing bodes well, but also the elements of tiredness Trey revealed in Hood and Slave seem to indicate an alternate fate.

Thanks Phish, once again! To fans out there on the fence, buy all the summer tour tickets you can! The boys are back in town!

and now the counterpoint ... me and my buddy just did not like this show at all.

Loved the Kill Devil, Guyute, FYF start. Rocket in My Pocket was good on re-listen, but the rest was nothing special. 3.0 Tubes and Antelopes do not do it for me, not enough tension and release, too short.

Had high hopes for the Birds opener but it was shut down before it got interesting. Possom was kind of cool. I thought Steam was a total set killer. Piper was rushed and out of place. Sneakin Sally was out of place. It was short other than a bunch of noise on the end. The Harry segment was good. Zero is Zero. A Slave encore worked to stamp this show as a mellow one.

I rank this in the bottom 10 of the 50 or so I have seen.

Jaded? maybe. I liked Cincy much more than this show.