Glens Falls has always had some special mystique for me, it being the hallowed hall of the first ever Halloween musical costume performance (and a special one at that). That mysterious appeal has only grown over the years as I passed the signs for the Civic Center again and again driving down I-87 from Montreal on the way to Saratoga Springs, or Albany, or somewhere further afield. On this night we only went as far as Glens Falls. And though I had never been, it still felt great to be back home.

I’m sure I wasn’t the only one speculating that Back in the USSR would make for a rather fitting and fantastic opener. Between the White Album history, the lyrical relevance (“Been away so long I hardly knew the place /Gee, it's good to be back home”), and a little Russian politics for good measure, they kind of had to, didn’t they? And I’m glad they did. The energy in the Civic Center was electric and old school from the start, and that opener just lit the place up.

This energy permeated most of the show, one that boasts a number of highlights worthy of your attention. If you’re looking for the cliff notes, please go straight to the Twist. It was a beauty. But otherwise, you’d be well served to dine on the whole show, and indeed most of the first set. Stealing Time feels perfect in the number two slot, carrying the throwback / ‘memories’ them. And Water in the Sky counters it perfectly. Listen to the looseness in Page’s play (was he MVP on this night?), and the drive and focus of Fish’s. The band is hanging in that sweet spot of being simultaneously tight and loose. Not every experiment worked on this night (I still need to listen back to the Split Open and Melt, which should have been something phenomenal but might have just taken a wrong turn), but there’s a lot that did connect, in some unexpected places. The Water in the Sky solo is a beaut. The Undermind is funky and makes it known that Page is feeling good and taking names. Trey then swells it up into familiar rock-Ocelot-out crowd-pleasing territory (similar things would happen in the Seven Below).

I really liked this Bowie, the first of the tour, and it was welcome in the middle of the first set. It was one of those initially patient beasts that opens up and threatens to split with the minor and soar into type II. They hit some very, very nice moments, somewhat akin to the grossly overlooked version from Toronto in the summer (hear it!). You got the sense that they could have easily just shot out in the ether at this point, but that Trey wanted to save it for later. In any case it was a tense and tight affair. Nice. Golgi keeps us in old-school territory (another Halloween 94 alumnus) before Gumbo delivers another first-set gem. Page just dominates so much that they band has no choice but to go into full-on break-it-down mode, and the whole tail end of the jam is him on the clav with light Fish accompaniment and one or two Trey funk wahs. This is a short but very savory Gumbo, folks; give it a taste.

Yarmouth Road is a slow build. The new Mike song doesn’t exactly up the energy, but once Trey is soloing towards the end, the reggae vibe in the room is suddenly sunny and hey, hey, hey, good vibes, everyone. Good. Vibes. And they were on this band. The band is obviously having a good time and enjoying themselves, and each other.

Camel Walk is another welcome treat, and a stand out version as far as Camel Walks go. That loose and tight thing again. Mike’s all over it. And since when is Horn a rarity? Played only once before in 2013 in Alpharetta, this first-set staple has always sounded great indoors on fall tour. And man it’s nice to be indoors on fall tour. More very soulful, clean playing from Trey.

The first set keeps on giving. A well above-average Limb by Limb features the band experimenting with the vocal outro and slides satisfyingly into I Didn’t Know. Good memories of this song for me personally going back to Worcester in fall 97. Trey doesn’t so much introduce Henrietta as he raises the question, “well for nineteen years you guys have been thinking the same question as I have. Is he gonna do it?! Is he gonna do it again?! Nineteen years older!” “I can if you want,” Fish replies. “I don’t think you want that.” “No.” “No.” No, thankfully we were spared that bust-out.

The Melt to close the set is a mixed bag in my book. Gets dark and messy and Treyt never really finds his footing. No matter though. The set was already a keeper.

Set two might not come through on paper (or ultimately upon listening) the way third night Hampton does, but not many shows do these days. That said, the trend of inspired, soulful playing in unexpected places did continue. Case-in -point is this absolutely gorgeous Velvet Sea. Anyone who’s a sucker for some of those beauty 93 solos in Fast Enough For You, where the band can’t help but sprinkle perfect flourishes around Trey’s make-you-gently-weep notes will love this one. Yeah, you should listen to this Velvet Sea. And what’s more they earned the ballad coming off what’s surely one of the better jams I’ve been witness too these last five years since the band’s return, and maybe among some of the better ones in the fourteen prior to that. Composed-sounding-pure-joy style stuff.

The Rock & Roll>Seven Below doesn’t quite deliver on the type II level you’d hope for such a pairing to start the second set, but it’s not a mess either. Some nice space to end the Rock & Roll, and the Seven Below knows when to wrap up its in the box rock out. This Hood is likely to be overlooked due to the Twist, and some other excellent versions played of late, but it shouldn’t be. It’s a great version that almost combines approaches from different eras, with the initial part of the jam flirting with Worcester 2010 vibes, and the finale very much a ‘94 peak after peak throwback (not quite a 10/23/94, mind you!).

While My Guitar Gently Weeps, like the opener, was really the only choice for the encore. It was one of those nights that the sense of the band’s history, community, energy, the whole deal, are front and center. Trey delivered ones of his classic ‘depths of our heart,’ ‘hey, there are a lot of people in this room who have been along for the whole 30 years, or going back to Halloween,’ speeches, and of course we’re all like, ‘love you too, man.’ Great show.

My fresh off the burner couch tour review:

First set: Solid.

USSR opener was lots of fun. Stealing Time was hot. Always love hearing Water in the Sky - I prefer the slow version, but I know to temper my expectations for that, and still always enjoy the fast one. David Bowie is short, but it sure smokes. I like the early-mid first set placement a lot. GUMBO! Page really shines in the latter parts of this Gumbo. Just straight sexualizing that Clavinet. Awesome. Limb By Limb is very good. Trey puts together a lot of very nice riffs, and the rest of the band carries them nicely. I'm a stickler for Limb, Taste, and other triple meter jams. I Didn't Know is hilarious, featuring some funny banter about Fishman's nude escapades of the distant past.

Split Open And Melt - I did not enjoy this SOAMelt. It was primarily directionless, with no member of the band seemingly trying to find a jump-off point. It's not really dissonant either - each member just seems to noodle around, mostly in-key, until the conclusion. It was a rather uninteresting end to a very interesting first set.

Second Set: Awesome.

Set Two kicks off with a Rock and Roll that seriously brings the energy. After a quick and THOROUGHLY rocking jam, it simmers down into some familiar, potential exploratory 3.0 territory. The transition into Seven Below is half-way between a > and a -> . This Seven Below ROCKS. Just straight rocking, minor key jamming. Very nice. Alaska keeps the hard rock theme going with another thick and satisfying guitar-led jam.

TWIST - Possibly the highlight of the show. The jam shuffles along in normal Twist fashion until it very subtly shifts into a more uplifting, spacious, and psychedelic area. The whole band is locked in. Must hear. It sounds like the are really going to peak it, but instead opt into a quieter, spacier sound.

Wading serves as a nice break before the next highlight of the show - HARRY HOOD.

I've scoured many a 3.0 Harry Hood for a satisfying, old-school style peak, and have generally come up empty-handed. Until tonight. This Hood has it all - YOU MUST LISTEN TO THIS HARRY HOOD!

After a completely thrilling and exhausting Harry Hood jam, I wasn't sure what would come out of the coda. I was not prepared for Chalk Dust Torture. It was a perfectly fitting end to a generally high-energy second set. The whole band really ripped this one apart, keeping in spirit the energy and musicianship of the Harry Hood that preceded it. Well done, Phish. Well done.

After Trey addressed the crowd about how great it was to be back at Glens Falls, it was only fitting that they played another White Album tune. While My Guitar Gently Weeps was a perfect choice for the encore slot. Slightly toned down compared to the rocking second set, but with enough emotion to bring it all together.

I would have been a fool to not pay the $15 to watch this show.

Not sure where to begin ....here is what I got. Before I comment last night was the smallest venue I have seen the band and possibly the closest I have been to center stage, at least in 15+ years :-)! That said...
1st Set---Simply put a great, high energy, fun, long, and TIGHT set.
Highlights ...Limb by, IDK, SOAM along with, Undermind and Bowie as a few personal favorites.
2nd Set---I'll take it all and simply say thanks! "I am fairly critical" and that said, I have ZERO negative feedback to report. I had great companions and as for highlights of the show...
Love the Staff!! Thank you ALL of Glens Falls
Thank you Mr. Minor! and Twist, and all the great fans!
Nothing felt rushed last night. The transitions and Jams all worked very well for me! I had nothing but a smile plastered on my face from... "Ooh, woo-hoo-hoo" to WMGW, and most importantly, walked out of the arena in that state of awe and just wanted to "STAY RIGHT HERE!!" Thanks you Phish, Glens Falls, and All you Phans!!! Your the best!
See ya in AC!!!!!!!
mmbyem

Some prodding from the message board to post this (slightly edited) quasi - review (more of a personal impression from my personal attendance) leads me to post this:

The band couldn't help seeing itself in the mirror on that stage in Glens Falls on 10/23/13. They channeled their 1994 then-recently emerged arena rock self with their (more) refined 2013 chops. And they nailed it.

--

10/31/94 was a pivotal and defining moment with the grace and rock grandeur of the Halloween costumed defined.

Add into that the fall 94 vibe where the band was consistently playing larger venues culminating in selling out the grandaddy of rock n roll arenas - MSG - on 12/30/94.

Sprinkle in the context of Glens Falls geographically to Burlington and Trey's re-emergence from the darkness on stage playing there with Phil.

The 10/23/13 show started with 10/31/94 and ended with 10/31/94. In between we got a 1994 rock style show with the 2013 Phish chops(note - no funk grooves except two composition pre-dating 1994 - Gumbo and Camel Walk).

The show had an organic feel to me ...culiminating in what might be some of the most sublime playing from Jon Fishman ever in the multi headed Twist > Velvet Sea which to these ears is transcendant.

The band delivered love to the region and their fans in that Velvet Sea with soaring emotion in all four parts. Then to cap it off with as an uplifting Hood as you will hear in 3.0...back to the Chalkdust rock and a core sound of this band going back 20+ years (note, Trey is not really playing Chalk while he's singing for the first many verses...he's riding his band mate's groove and the music likely careening in this head - precursor to the Mike's from Worcester a few nights later)

The journey from note 1 to the end of this show is art. Lucky us.

Driving into the foothills of the ADKs Mid-Fall Tour was as reminiscent as the evening performance to come. That cool crisp air said welcome home as much as the opening "U.S.S.R" as the crowd exploded to the (come one Im not gonna lie) not so great tune, but very well played and delivered with intense energy to set the pace perfect for the crowd pleasing "Stealing Time" as the air of the dirty cold upstate vibe couldn't have played it better itself.

"Water in the Sky" was a great signal of how happy the band was to be playing in this venue, and played to a "T". The funken "Undermind" to follow set a groove tone with a nasty Trey explosion in the end, definitely worth a listen. I was caught off guard (in a great way) by the 5th song 1st set "Bowie", although short (for a DB), it packed a punch and CK contributed with some vibrant eye trickery toward the end that really sent you to "Bowieland". "Golgi" is sharp and gets the crowd back on it's toes for the highlight of the first set, a Paige monstered "Gumbo" with extra sausage.

The band slows into the rae-grass Mike "Yarmouth Road" which is fun to wind down to chill for a pretty standard "Camel Walk". "Horn" has it together (which isn't easy), "LxL" is placed perfectly, and played perfectly. "IDK" gives us some comedic relief with always welcome stage banter, and an entertaining vacuum solo. "SOAM" follows to end the set, which is a great set ender song pick, but this particular version doesn't really go anywhere special, and spends a little too long looking for it. That being said, I'd rather have it than not.

"Rock & Roll" kicks off the second set with a perfect segue into the Glens Falls bitterly cold deserved "Seven Below" which delivers a jam that is as honorable as it's placement on the set choice, and this jam is where the second set really begins, as it rides a high from here on out!

I wasn't super pumped hearing the opening notes to "Alaska", but.......if you are one of those people that skip over "Alaska" when listening to a show, DONT SKIP THIS ONE!

"Twist" comes out of this surprise jam and exceeds the improv bar of that set by the song before it. Best "Twist" I have seen. "Wading in the Velvet Sea" is as crisp as the LP bringing perma-grin to the audience it was played so well, and a sure sign that the band is winding down if the previous shows were of any reference......

But wait! You can't wind down into "Hood"! Thank you, thank you, thank you Mr. Miner! SIIIIIICK! only to be followed by a surprising high energy set ending "Chalkdust" that still has me high days later.

Trey comes out and addresses the hometown love, and follows by looking at the floor and says it needs sweeping, while his guitar is gently weeping. Perfect end to a near perfect show. Thank you Phish!

Love this joyous show! PLAY IT LEO! I smiled all the way through Gumbo--which Page shreds--and enjoyed the soulful LxL with vocal emphasis.

Twist is beautifully Page- (clav and piano) and Fishman-heavy in a way I don't know that I've heard. Really gorgeous. Super memorable. Acoustic, jazzy, wow, and small room feeling. Honestly I can say you've never heard that twist. The velvet sea is perfect and the Hood nothing short of joyous.

I'm happy I saw them when I did, they had a better 2 nights after 10/23/13. '13 is the best year with Phish, no mistakes!!

They open with The Beatles' "Back in the USSR" Mike and Trey on key > Stealing Time.

Listen for my horn.
Yarmouth Road is a highlight. :] So, here Trey has a breather slot.
makes horn worth the listen, I don't know it's just so Trey.
He wrote Water in the Sky, Stealing Time, Alaska, Horn. There's something to be said about the covers of the night as well.

Rock and Roll - The Velvet Underground
Back in the USSR, While My Guitar Gently Weeps - Beatles
I Didn't Know - Mr. Richard Wright

Trey really was on top that night. 10/25,26 are even better.

The "USSR" opener is pretty tight, great way to get the crowd fired up. The show only gets worse from there. The band is incredibly sloppy. The last twenty minutes or so of the first set can in no way be considered competent playing of music. The attempt at a vocal coda to "Limb" is woefully out of key; Trey obviously realizes it's a joke. "I Didn't Know" really isn't IN a key until the instruments come up; I get the joke and all and certainly no disrespect for playing this because it's pretty hilarious to contemplate Fish getting naked at this point, but anyone with an ear for music and no historical perspective would cringe listening to this. Trey again is in the wrong key for all of the composed section of "Split" and the jam is about the ugliest rendition I can think of.

"RNR" peters out quickly into nothing despite a last-minute attempt by Mike to get something going. "-7" is the generic happy-rock stroll we've heard about three dozen times this year. "Twist" follows a very similar formula; despite an interesting mini-peak in the middle, it then just peters out into default lullaby mode--again, we've heard this exact same motif over and over for a few years now. "Hood" is probably the highlight of the show, purely for Page's attacking of the grand piano as he realizes Trey's pleasant noodling is going nowhere. The "Chalk Dust" is pretty nice, as is the "WMGGW".

The show is a good example of how far standards have fallen in terms of tight musicianship. Even in the back half of 2010 this would have been considered sub-standard; in 2011 and 2012 you just didn't hear this level of slop, and this "fall tour" is half over already. The intent to explore and depart from song structure is admirable, but Trey is nestled in his comfort zones and even when he's on point, he's very unoriginal. What's the use of jamming if you're not going to create something new and unique? Oh, right, everyone claps and cheers and eats it up no matter what. I get it.