PHISH - Summer 2003

I will be totally honest when I say that I don’t remember a whole lot about the first segment of shows at Alpine and Deer Creek in the summer of 2003. That summer was a little crazy for me personally, so I'm not surprised that I chose to block out some of it. I know that JH, TM, JB, MG, NB, AJ, JM, CW, JR, and others like PS and JCT were in the whole mix. Once again, many of crashed at AJ’ s place in Chicago (thank you Mrs. J), however instead of immediately leaving for Deer Creek, we took our time getting down there. We camped in our own compound in the middle of the field at 40 Acres, and had a good ole time. I don’t recall much musically that was great about these shows. Phish pretty much mixed a lot of their new stuff with the old stuff, but nothing spectacular like past years at Alpine and Deer Creek. And I recall that it was EASY to find a ticket at Alpine Valley. It was great to see shows with NB again since we had not seen shows together in more than 3 years. All in all, Summer 2003 would not be as crisp in mind as the Summer 2004.

Here are the setlists from all 5 of these shows:

07/18/03 - Alpine Valley Music Theatre - East Troy, Wisconsin

Set 1: Axilla, Rift, Bathtub Gin > Mango Song, Roggae, Discern, I Didn't Know^ > Dust in the Wind^*, David Bowie

Set 2: Down with Disease > Catapult, Bug, Secret Smile, Two Versions of Me, Twist, Character Zero

Encore: Harry Hood

^ w/ vacuum solo; * for Dave, who won the hotline contest

07/19/03 - Alpine Valley Music Theatre - East Troy, Wisconsin

Set 1: Sample in a Jar, Reba^, Wilson, Scents & Subtle Sounds, Maze, Driver, NICU* > Ya Mar*, Rocky Top*, Lawn Boy, Julius

Set 2: Piper > Rock and Roll > Seven Below > Prince Caspian, You Enjoy Myself

Encore: Wading in the Velvet Sea

^ no whistling at end; * all three songs consecutively contained "Play it Leo!"

07/21/03 - Verizon Wireless Music Center - Noblesville, Indiana

Set 1: Cities, Runaway Jim, Meat, Water in the Sky, Stash, My Old Home Place, Vultures, Birds of a Feather > Mike's Song > I am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove

Set 2: Suzy Greenberg > Taste > 46 Days > Tweezer > 2001 > Limb By Limb > Good Times Bad Times

Encore: Loving Cup> Tweezer Reprise

07/22/03 - Verizon Wireless Music Center - Noblesville, Indiana

Set 1: Punch You in the Eye, Beauty of my Dreams, Gumbo, Divided Sky, Boogie On Reggae Woman, Carini > Magilla*, Possum

Set 2: Split Open & Melt > Free > Friday, The Lizards, Walls of the Cave

Encore: Bouncing Around the Room > Frankenstein

* last played 7.4.00"

07/23/03 - Verizon Wireless Music Center - Noblesville, Indiana

Set 1: Scents & Subtle Sounds > Theme from the Bottom, Rift > Sample in a Jar, Sneaking Sally Through the Alley, Billy Breathes, Seven Below, Cavern

Set 2: Down With Disease, Squirming Coil, Makisupa Policeman, Buffalo Bill, Run Like An Antelope*, Thunderhead, Slave to the Traffic Light

Encore: Waste

* dedicated to Greg. Trey begins song by saying: "Don't let it get you down...""

The trip to Maine for IT was a more memorable experience because it was my first and only trip in an RV to see a Phish show. JCT brought together all his college buddies (including the legendary Murph) plus myself and PS for a trip that took us from Detroit to Cleveland to Boston and finally to Maine. In total, we were 11 or 12 deep, and I think we picked up one more for the ride home. We left on July 31^st from Detroit, stopped in Cleveland to pick up some folks, got to Boston pretty late at night as I recall, picked up someone else from the airport, which is when I took over driving for the late night/early morning shift. All the while, it was nice to chill in the RV, play cards, chat with folks, or sleep. I drove the late night shift through New Hampshire to the top of Maine. When we finally stopped the RV not far from Limestone, ME, someone ended up opening the door or moving the car when the steps to the RV were extended and ended up bending the metal on the gas pump. This was a bummer to JCT who put the RV thing together. In retrospect, while the RV was a great way to travel, the cost wasn’t worth it ($200 a piece).

In any case, we spent most of August 1^st at a standstill in traffic into the venue. Luckily, we had enough beer to sit out the day, meet people and relax. I ended up crashing in the late afternoon or early evening and waking up when the sun had set. Everyone else was beginning to crash, so I took over the wheel again for the late night shift.

There is something so surreal about that experience. I sat with a good friend of JCT (I think Phil), while everyone slept and we slowed moved towards the gates of I.T. You see lights for miles meeting at an intersection from 3 directions, filing in slowly to an abandoned air force base at the top of the United States. You feel like you are part of a little colony that has formed in the middle of nowhere. I am glad that I was awake to drive us in.

We settled in the RV area, set up our tent, wandered around for a little while, then crashed under the cool night air.

The next day, we went to explore the colony. We traveled the runways, sipped on beers, and took in the party. We made our way into the show in the afternoon. Here is the setlist from the first night:

08/02/03 - "IT" - Loring Commerce Centre - Limestone, Maine

Set 1: AC/DC Bag, Ya Mar > Runaway Jim, Reba*, Birds of a Feather, Meatstick**, Two Versions of Me, Vultures, Limb By Limb, Cavern

Set 2: Down With Disease > NICU -> Brother, Lawn Boy, Discern, Waves^, David Bowie

Set 3: Rock & Roll -> Seven Below -> Scents & Subtle Sounds^^ > Spread It Round, Bug

Encore: Dog Log, The Mango Song

"Set 4": The Tower Jam#

* with whistling; **Trey: "we'd like to honor that request" (referring to loud crowd chant for the song), and sung with Japanese lyrics; ^ with ambient jam; ^^ with Seven Below teases. #An all-improvised (and unannounced, though heavily rumored) set from the roof of the old air-traffic control tower, taking place about 2-3am, with special lighting by Chris Kuroda. Featured many teases, accompanied by dancers on rappel lines down the tower's sides. Thanks to Cody Schibi, Allan Morris, and PhantasyTour for the info.

After Phish completed the first three sets, we went back to our tent figuring that was the end to the night. I was lucky enough to stay up to witness the Tower Jam set on top of the control tower of the air base. It was quite a spectacle. I remember thinking if someone saw that from space, how crazy it would look. It was truly epic. I feel really bad for PS who fell asleep not long before the set started, and I feel worse for not waking him up. Sorry dude. At least you got a poster.

The next day, we were fortunate to walk into the venue and discover the poster line which had an image depicting the Tower Jam. PS ended up getting 2 posters and giving one to JC. This poster sits in my place in Ann Arbor as we speak. We then got into the show, getting pretty close and I snapped a few good pictures. Here is the setlist.

08/03/03 - "IT" - Loring Commerce Centre - Limestone, Maine

Set 1: Daniel (Saw the Stone), Saw It Again, Punch You in the Eye, Army of One, Chalkdust Torture, Wilson*, Mike's Song > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove

Set 2: Mellow Mood, Ghost** > Mist, Pebbles and Marbles, You Enjoy Myself > Chariots of Fire^, Loving Cup

Set 3: 46 Days, Julius, Lizards, Secret Smile, Run Like an Antelope^^

Encore: Good Times Bad Times#

* - Trey said something to the effect of: "Hey, Kevin, there's a post-able version of 'Wilson.' Ladies and gentlemen, the Shortest 'Wilson' Ever! I'd like to dedicated that to our archivist, Kevin Shapiro... And now: the longest 'Bittersweet Motel' ever - I'm kidding!" Then the crowd started an enormous chant for 'Fluffhead.' After conferring with the band, Trey said, "Mike says no" - and the band launched into 'Mike's Song'; ** - with massive glowstick war; ^ - Phish played the song in the background as the winners from the '100th Running of the First Annual Runaway Jim 5K' were brought up on stage and announced by Trey with photos on the video screen (the women's second-place finisher was actually Trey's neighbor "from right down the road" and the men's winner, from nearby Presque Isle, had a time of 15min for the 5k); ^^ - after the "downshift," Trey thanks the crew and the crowd; when the band returns to the song, they skip the "Rye rye rocco/Marco/Spike" lyrics section; # - with fireworks behind the stage during the close of the song; thanks to James Dean Young, Maria Valiente, and Andrew Saskin for corrections.

I was a big fan of the Chariots of Fire jam when the honored the people who ran in the 5K race. It was one of those feel good moments. The glowstick wars were crazy (newbs love those glowsticks). The fireworks were great and the music was solid. Phish seemed to have made a solid comeback that summer, climaxing with the IT musical experience.

After the show, we immediately departed. We took Canada on the way home which saved some time. At first, we encountered the same crazy fog in Canada, but things smoothed out when we got into Quebec and stopped at a Burger King for breakfast. We got home late afternoon to Detroit, and so concluded another great road trip. Thanks to JCT for hooking up the great ride and all those people that were there. I will miss going to Maine for these festivals.

Peace out.

POST HIATUS PHISH - Winter 2003

Almost two and a half years after Phish decided to take a break, the band returned for a rare winter tour, making stops in the Midwest. Apparently I could have gone to the New Years show had I known that an extra ticket had come available sooner, but it is just as well I didn’t because I heard the show (and the subsequent shows at Hampton), were not a lot to write home about. So I would have to wait my turn until 2-20-03 at the Rosemont near O’Hare airport in Chicago where I had seen some solid shows back in 99. I hadn’t noticed it before, but airplanes landing at O’Hare fly directly over the arena, probably no more than a few hundred feet above. This seemed a bit strange to me in the post 9/11 world, but I guess if something bad were going to happen, at least I would get to see Phish in my final moments J.

In any case, CC and myself departed good ole G.P. (we were both recent unemployed graduates), made a stop to see a friend in K-Zoo, and made our way onto Chicago where we would crash with AJ. PS, JH, JMc (aka Wooderson), JB, TM, Poochie, and others would also be around for these shows and I think KP was there somewhere too (but you know how KP operates….jk). We arrived at the Rosemont quite early and it was f’in COLD! Tail gating consisted of sitting in the car and pounding beers. Here’s the setlist from 2-20-03.

Thursday, February 20, 2003
Allstate Arena, Rosemont, IL

Set I: Rift > Rock and Roll, Guyute, Driver, Waves > Simple, Gotta Jibboo
Set II: Tweezer > Punch You in the Eye > Fast Enough for You, Seven Below, Pebbles and Marbles
Encore: Golgi Apparatus, Anything But Me, Tweezer Reprise

I have to be honest when I say that this show was a HUGE disappointment for me. While it may not look all that bad on paper, I thought it really blew. Since then, I have listened to the Gotta Jibboo which was actually pretty solid, but I still don’t have fond memories of this show when compared to the following two nights in Cincinnati. A friend of mine (who is much more of a noob) swears that this was a good show, but CC and I both agree that this show was pretty lame and sounded bad. And it’s not that I didn’t like the new songs (except Seven Below, man that song sucks), it’s just that Phish definitely didn’t sound as crisp after hiatus as they did before the break. The Jibboo is a good song to work out to, however.

After crashing at AJ’s house in Chicago, we departed for Cincinnati where the Phish scene would literally take over the downtown. Our crew stayed at the Crown Plaza in Cinci in rooms just across the hall from one another. The Crown Plaza was a great place to party, especially in light of the fire at the Sheraton which forced the evacuation of the hotel at 5am after the first night.

After driving to Cinci, we didn’t have a lot of time to pre-party, but that didn’t matter because the show was spectacular. Here is the setlist from 2-21-03.

Friday, February 21, 2003
U.S. Bank Arena, Cincinnati, OH

Set I: Wilson > Frankenstein, Down with Disease, Lifeboy, Boogie On Reggae Woman, Run Like An Antelope, I Didn't Know
Set II: Mike's Song -> Free > Waste -> Also Sprach Zarathustra, Harry Hood, All of These Dreams, Possum > Cavern
Encore: Wading in the Velvet Sea
Show Notes: Lifeboy was played for the first time since November 25, 1998 (129 shows). I Didn't Know included some dancing antics from Trey, Page, and Mike, while Fishman took his vacuum solo. 2001 included teases of Stash, as well as Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring."

I sat next to a kid who was at his first show and kept nudging him the whole time about how awesome it was. I remember sitting with CC, lower bowl, dead center. I think the show peaked with the 2001; I still get goose bumps listening to this particularly when the Bach teases end and Mike turns up the base. Listening to the recording, it even sounds like someone is talking a bit during the beginning of 2001, a voice that sounds like Son Seals although it was probably Fishman. This is one of the few shows I have ordered off of www.livephish.com. The rest of the show speaks for itself except for the Wading encore, a bit of a let down even though the Wading Encore would become the classic closer to some great shows (6/19/04, 12/31/99, and others).

After the show, we took over a small bar for some drinks and food and partied into the night at the hotel. I remember we waited 2 hours for a pizza from the hotel, and played cards in the lobby. I think some airline pilots were particularly pissed with the noise the Phish fans were making in the hotel.

The next day, we scoped out parts of downtown Cinci and took our time getting ready for the show. AJ and I took so much time that we walked in after the first tune. None of us were disappointed by the show however. While the music couldn’t compare to the first night of Cinci, the concert was still solid. Here is the setlist.

Saturday, February 22, 2003
U.S. Bank Arena, Cincinnati, OH

Set I: The Sloth, Dogs Stole Things, Piper -> Weekapaug Groove, Dirt, Scent of a Mule, Walls of the Cave, Mountains in the Mist, Sample In a Jar
Set II: Tube > Bathtub Gin, Friday -> David Bowie, Bug
Encore: Suzie Greenberg
Show Notes: For the first known time, Weekapaug was played without Mike's Song (possibly to bring closure to the Mike's Song a night earlier). Gin included a down-tempo DEG tease.

We had seats in the lower bowl, Trey side as it was then I believe. The crowd really liked the breakout of Weekapaug to complete the Mike’s Groove from the night before. The highlight of the show for me was the start/stop jamming in Tube, and the Bathtub Gin was one of many great Gins played during that tour (2/14 and 2/28 top it IMO). I have lost most of my recording of this show except for the Tube and the Bathtub Gin which became a filler on another disc.

After the show, we again made a light night out of it at the Plaza hotel. While I wasn’t there, apparently some of the U of M kids ran into a kid who went apeshit over the Suzy Greenburg, and from now on, it will be known as Thuzie Greenberg. “Are u therious?”

So this was “theriously” a great little winter run of shows, with nice accommodations and great times with friends. I will remember them fondly. It was nice to see Phish back although I thought the music was less crisp as before hiatus. Still, I would be prompted to see 15 more shows in 2003, and 29 shows post hiatus, so obviously the magic was still there.

Thanks for reading, especially JCT. Sorry you didn’t make this edition; my memory is hazy but I’m sure you were chilling with your Miami folks.

Peace.

Phish in the Year 2000

Despite the ability to see more than the 6 total shows I saw in 2000, I had become burnt out on Phish, and my priorities just were not straight in life. I ended up skipping some great shows at the beginning of the tour in Tennessee and Atlanta (that NB and PS went to) and where I had a great time the previous year, and I also skipped out on the final two shows of the tour even though I had tickets. To top things off, my car broke home on the way back from the final show I saw in Deer Creek, and after dropping the car off at a shop to get fixed, ended up having my car broken into, probably by the guy who ended up towing us. There I lost perhaps all the tour t-shirts that I had collected so far, some great CDs, my high-school lax shorts (the comfort value), and whatever other stuff that I’ve accepted by now. To top off the summer tour, I discovered that I had a tick on my body, and having been in a place called Deer Creek, I ran the risk of contracting lyme disease. So I made some dumb choices and ended up having some bad luck in 2000 with Phish, but whatever. I feel that some of the great times I had post hiatus (especially in 2004, except for Vegas) more than made up for this lull in my Phish career. This isn’t to say that I didn’t have fun because I genuinely enjoyed every moment except for the bad karma that came my way from not doing it “right.”

We began our journey from Ann Arbor on July 6^th 2000 in KP’s Jeep Cherokee with her dude of the time N (you know, I don’t even remember the dude’s last name, so let’s call him BFW for Bagel Factory Wook), and KP’s now long term dude, my personal hero from Hotlanta, Mr. BB. Of course then all 3 of them were hooked on the patchwork, but we all have phases. Anyways, I made a dumb call in suggesting we go through Sarnia on our way to Toronto. Well, because BWF’s wallet was made out of hemp, and the anal Canuck’s sniffing dog got a crazy scent from the wallet, we were delayed more than an our at the border. (No offense to our neighbors to the north, we think you’re cool, but we just ran into a neurotic agent at the border that never found anything on us because we weren’t that stupid to go into Canada with anything bad.) So we got to Toronto a little late, but the show went on. Here is the setlist:

07-06-00 Molson Amphitheatre, Toronto, Ontario

1: Reba, Dog Stole Things, Taste, Dog Faced Boy, Heavy Things, Moma Dance, First Tube, I Didn't Know, The Inlaw Josie Wales, Prince Caspian > Golgi Apparatus, You Enjoy Myself (1:50)

2: Limb by Limb, Also Sprach Zarathustra, Bug, Piper, Driver, Harry Hood*, Loving Cup

E: The Squirming Coil

*Trey commented on how beautiful Toronto is.

The biggest thing to note about this show is the length of the first set, but also the great choice of songs throughout. I was very impressed by this show, but really have failed to listen to since then. So I can’t really comment on the quality in retrospect although I remember the YEM was a great time. I spent half the show chilling alone until I ran into 99 vets LE and finally NB who I had tickets with. Or maybe that was 99? Like I said in a previous blog, I don’t remember a whole lot about 2000.

We skipped the show at StarLake since it had been a bit of disappointment the year before although on paper the setlist looked pretty darn good. Instead after Toronto we made the long drive back to Ann Arbor and chilled a day before heading to Alpine Valley, or we might have gone to Chicago early…whatever. Let’s just say the regulars were there, CC, NB, PS, and KP. JCT, CC2, JB, and even QB were around by the time we got to Deer Creek. And AJ (shafty) came with us to Alpine and I’m pretty sure we crashed at here place. Alpine turned out to be a great show. Here is the setlist.

07-08-00 Alpine Valley, East Troy, WI

1: Punch You in the Eye, NICU, My Soul, Poor Heart, Wolfman's Brother, First Tube, Llama, Guyute, Run Like an Antelope

2: Heavy Things, Piper -> Rock and Roll, Tweezer > Walk Away, Twist, The Horse > Silent in the Morning, Possum

E: Suzie Greenberg, Tweezer Reprise

I explicitly recall calling the PYITE opener, the Antelope was great, and the whole 2^nd set was solid. After the show, we dropped AJ off in Chicago, and me, NB, and PS continued on to Deer Creek in the early dawn, claiming out campsite under the tree at 40 Acres campground from the year before. CC2 (who I recall was in neck brace from a car accident), JB, also stayed at 40 Acres while KP, Mr. BB, and BFW stayed across the way at Dead Creek. Even before the 3 night run of Phish started, we took in the Phil and Friends and Bob Dylan show at Deer Creek. Phil and Friends was brief and Bob Dylan was, you know, a Bob Dylan concert.

Deer Creek was hot as usual, but we definitely found ways to pass the time with cold Sammy Smiths, NB pawning off Red Stripes, trips to Steak and Shake, and everything else there was to enjoy in the middle of corn fields in Indiana. I remember a couple of fun nights down there when the serenity and laughter were truly surreal. The most amazing thing to happen all weekend outside of the great music was sleeping in one morning until 11am, something unheard of at Deer Creek in the middle of the summer.

Anyways, here are the setlists:

07-10-00 Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN

1: Cars Trucks Buses > Wilson > It's Ice > Bathtub Gin, Buffalo Bill, My Mind's Got a Mind of it's Own, Split Open and Melt, Sparkle > Funky Bitch, David Bowie (1:17)

2: Gotta Jibboo > Sand, Twist, Fee > What's the Use > Limb by Limb > Loving Cup (1:07)

E: Run Like an Antelope (0:11)

07-11-00 Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN

1: Ya Mar*, The Moma Dance, Uncle Pen, Drowned > Chalkdust Torture Jam** > Chalkdust Torture, Theme from the Bottom, Cavern (1:09)

2: Also Sprach Zarathustra > Down with Disease -> Moby Dick > Down with Disease > Runaway Jim -> Moby Dick, Back on the Train -> Moby Dick -> Back on the Train, Harry Hood# -> Moby Dick, Hold Your Head Up > Terrapin## > Hold Your Head Up > Moby Dick^ > Hold Your Head Up, Character Zero (1:19)

E: First Tube > Moby Dick > Chalkdust Torture Jam^^ (0:10)

*With Trey on keys. **Bizarre jam, with the words "chalkdust torture" (not the lyrics to the song of that name) sung over it; lasted about 5 minutes; previously played 12/10/94. #With "Moby Dick" teases during the intro. ##Fish introduced as "star of the film Gladiator, Russell Crowe"; with vacuum solo; Fish introduced the entire band; a small cactus was put on stage by Mike's amp; Trey introduces Chris Kuroda. ^With Trey drum solo and Jon vacuum solo. ^^Reprise of the "Chalkdust Torture Jam" from the first set; afterwards; Trey said he hoped everyone who is camping has a good time, announces that "we are the Phish from Vermont," and suggested that if people missed anything that they read the book or see the movie

07-12-00 Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN

1: My Friend My Friend* > The Curtain With > Tube > Heavy Things, Billy Breathes, Beauty of My Dreams > Free, Axilla**, The Squirming Coil (1:12)

2: Birds of a Feather, Piper, Crosseyed and Painless -> Prince Caspian > The Meatstick# (0:58)

E: Wading in the Velvet Sea (0:06)

*Unfinished; no "Mife" or laughing at the end. **With "Axilla [Part II]" ending. #Dance done by Trey and Mike; Trey thanked the crowd for this being their sixth year at Deer Creek, and dedicated the song to the fans who didn't get in.

I have listened to all of these shows at one time or another. Obviously, the second set the 2^nd night will go down as one of the zaniest live performances ever with the crazy Moby Dick jams, and Trey babbling. I was really happy to hear the Crosseyed and Painless on the 3^rd night, and the Jibboo and Sand from the first night were very smooth and spacey. The 2^nd night really overshadowed the other 2 nights. If not for the Crosseyed and Painless on the 3^rd night, I could have seen the first 2 shows and be just as happy (The Meatstick was pretty old by that point). We had seats on the lawn all 3 nights, so nothing like the set up we had for past years.

After the last night, I sold my remaining tickets for Columbus, chilled with my boys, headed to C Bus with them, and was picked up by AJ who had gone back to Ann Arbor after Alpine. She picked me up in my car at a hotel just north of Columbus which is when all the bad karma of leaving tour early set in.

Overall, Summer 2000 was great music and good times, but a bit lost otherwise in my collective memory of Phish. No worries because I have others who remember it better than I who might elaborate on the story someday.

I saw one show in the fall of 2000 at Cuyahoga Falls, just south of Cleveland Ohio. I absolutely loved this venue and ended up getting some pretty good seats close to the stage. If I recall, AJ and PS went to this show with me, and JH might have come along too. The show was pretty average, but I have always wanted to find a good excuse to go back to Blossom to see a show since then. Here is the setlist.

09-18-00 Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH

1: Carini, Sparkle, The Sloth, Maze, Guelah Papyrus, My Mind's Got a Mind of its Own, Sample in a Jar > Rift, Sleep, Prince Caspain

2: Boogie On Reggae Woman* -> Twist, McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters, Halley's Comet

E: Axilla -> Taste

*The jam into 'Twist' featured Trey on keys.

The show was good except for perhaps the encore and the fact that Trey seemed very out of sync with the rest of the band. They left him on stage wailing his guitar out during Halley’s, which while is one of my favorite songs, turned out to be messy.

I probably could have gone to the show in Cinci a few nights later and I should have made the voyage with my U of M kids to the shows in Chicago over the next weekend, but the ending of the show at Cuyahoga symbolized my burnout with the music itself. And that was fine because the band was taking a break and I was taking a break from Phish as well, so it worked out nicely. When the post hiatus shows would come around, I would get psyched up again for the whole Phish experience even though there ups and downs post hiatus as well.

Hoped you enjoyed another story in the whole Phish experience. The post hiatus shows should have a few more vivid details and some better times. When you see a band 66 times and balance life with something that you enjoy as much as seeing Phish, you are bound to learn a lot of lessons about life and your priorities.

Peace.

Phish - The Millenium Shows

It’s been a long time since I’ve shot out some words about Phish. Still love the guys, and hope they come back someday. I expressed some thoughts about it on PT, and it sums it up well.

“They should have become one of those bands that came to your town on the weekend and rocked it out, brought on special guests, took their time, learned their old songs again, and throw in a few more Dead tunes. I think if they had brought in more special guests from the jamband community, it would be cool. That would have kept it new, and Trey wouldn't be bitchin about having to play YEM.

I'm not bitter at all that it's over. If they don't reunite, they left a lot of good music that I haven't even discovered. It never grows old, but I can see how the band (or Trey) thought it was too much of a circus. And if they were to come back, I wouldn't break my back to go see them unless it was Miami or Vegas or near where I lived.

My 2 cents.”

Whatever.

So anyhow, the part about finding new Phish to listen to or rediscovering is very true. I just found the 11-17-97 Ghost from McNichols in Denver, and a Reba from 7-6-94. Always finding great stuff. Right now, I’m really into the greatness of 7-25-99.

Time to reminisce.

BIG CYPRESS – Millenium 2000

It seems like so long since Y2K. A lot has changed in my life since then. I have somewhat bittersweet memories of the whole experience. I think you realize how little choices made in your life can really impact you for the rest of your life. While I had a great time at Cypress, there were things that could have been different. I strive to reject a life that lives in regret. I write down the past mostly for the entertainment of others and to have an archive for my children or perhaps for some book with meaning that 5 people might buy.

Back to the past, a huge group of us made the voyage down to Florida to bring the new millennium in with Phish at the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation. You could not have asked for better accommodations to see Phish and hang out with your friends; hot weather, the condo that PS’s parents provided, and the prime spot we got at Big Cypress.

Our crew left the big D a number of days before the shows over the new year. We arrived at 5am into Bonita Springs?, FL where PS folks had a sweet setup. In our crew was AJ (shafty), BW, NB, CC, PS, KP, JC? LE? RJ, and perhaps others. We hung out a few days in Florida which got a little crazy for me. I almost lost it in conflicts between old friends and new, but things ended up working out.

We spent a day at the beach while in Bonita Springs, then headed down to Alligator Alley toward Big Cypress. NB got in a little accident with the Burban at a gas station, but nothing that was going to stop the trek. We got camping not far from the gates to the venue. I remember the Timber, Curtis Lowe, and What’s the Use soundcheck. I recall seeing EM too. If you were a phan, you were there. The weather was great, the common area a little half ass, but overall great setup. I don’t recall much about the first night, but here is the setlist.

12-30-99 Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation, FL

1: Water in the Sky, Light Up or Leave Me Alone^, Suzie Greenberg, Corrine Corrina, Limb By Limb, +Che Hun Ta Mo*, Big Alligator Song*, Possum, Farmhouse, Ghost, Ya Mar, Character Zero (1:39)

2: Wilson, The Curtain > Tweezer -> Taste, Meat, Golgi Apparatus, Wolfman's Brother, Gotta Jiboo, Harry Hood, Good Times Bad Times (1:35)

3: Chalk Dust Torture, The Moma Dance, Run Like an Antelope, The Sloth, When The Circus Comes, Mike's Song > Simple -> I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove++ (1:20)

E: Boogie On Reggae Woman > Tweezer Reprise (0:10)

^Traffic cover (from the album "Low Spark of the High Heeled Boys"). +Trey announces that the band will play all night, will not leave the stage to go to the bathroom, and will be surrounded by security to keep them on stage, then introduces the guests. *With Seminole Indian Chief Jim Billie on lead vocals and guitar, John McCuen on mandolin/banjo, and someone else on lead electric guitar. ++With "Auld Lang Syne" tease at midnight.

The millennium crazy for me as well. To describe the whole story in detail would be too much of a downer for me and I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. We were in close when the midnight set started. The hot dog that Phish rode in on was 5 feet from us. It was probably the closest I ever got to the band. I remember people trampling about after the music started and a woman with her baby who I was worried about. Then I went back to chill with the lady, and enjoyed most of the show from the edge of the campground. Here is the setlist from New Years.

12-31-99 Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation, FL

1: Runaway Jim+, Funky Bitch, Tube, I Didn't Know*, Punch You in the Eye, Bouncing Around the Room, Poor Heart, Roggae, Split Open and Melt** -> Catapult, Get Back on the Train, Horn, Guyute, After Midnight*** (1:46)

2: #Meatstick^ -> Auld Lang Syne, Down with Disease -> Llama, Bathtub Gin^^, Heavy Things^^^, ^^^^Twist Around > Prince Caspian > Rock and Roll, You Enjoy Myself%, Crosseyed and Painless, The Inlaw Josie Wales%%, Sand -> Quadrophonic Topplings%%%, Slave to the Traffic Light, Albuquerque, Reba, Axilla, Uncle Pen, David Bowie, My Soul, Drowned -> After Midnight reprise, The Horse > Silent in the Morning, Bittersweet Motel, Piper** -> Free, Lawn Boy, Hold Your Head Up > Love You%%%% > Hold Your Head Up, Roses are Free, Bug, $Also Sprach Zarathustra > Wading in the Velvet Sea, Meatstick$$ (7:45)

Set 2 was played from midnight to sunrise, non-stop. +With marshmallow war, lots of balloons, and aerial tortillas. *With Fish on vacuum. **Unfinished. ***First time played; J.J. Cale cover from the album "Naturally" (best known for the Eric Clapton version). #Set begins around 11:35 pm with Father Time on stage pedaling away at a stationary bike, powering a large clock, with the sound of the gears on the PA (possibly a Siket Disc track?). At approximately 11:50 pm, Father Time collapses from exhaustion and the clock stops. At this time, with appropriate sound effects, a large fan boat entered the field from halfway back, stage right. Soon the sides and top of the fan boat were blown off to reveal the band riding in the hot dog from 12-31-94. The hot dog approached the stage as the band threw leis and other goodies into the crowd. Once the hot dog reached the stage, the band disembarked carrying several meatsticks. They fed these to Father Time, reviving him to drive to clock to midnight. ^Instrumental version, with the band picking up the song from a pre-recorded version played during the hot dog ride. ^^With vocal jam, as Trey, Mike, and Page sang the notes as they played them. ^^^Recorded live for ABC's Millennium coverage; Trey instructed the crowd to chant the word "Cheesecake" after the song (instead of applauding), in an attempt to confuse TV viewers; Trey introduced the band for the recorded footage and offered a message of peace and harmony for the world ("The right lane is for driving. The left lane is for passing. So stay in the right lane unless you're passing."). ^^^^Preceded by "Meatstick" tease (possibly as Central Time hit midnight). %With "Cheesecake" vocal jam. %%Trey solo acoustic. %%%With Mike holding up a voice box, repeating the phrase "Quadrophonic Toppling." %%%%With Fish on vacuum; Fish introduced Page before the song, and Mike and Trey afterwards, and the band as "Phish 2000." $Preceded by a tease of the "Harry Hood" intro. $$No encore; post-show music was the Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun."

Hearing Crosseyed was a great moment, as was the Sand. We saw a lot of crazy things that I will remember. We saw one woman who must have been very high on drugs, screaming at the top of her lungs as if she had seen death. It was freaky. But the coolest thing we saw was a guy in a superman outfit, walking in slow motion with a beer in each hand. It was a classic photo seeing this guy go into the concert grounds solo. I heard the whole show (except those 20 minutes in the Burban, sorry Dogg).

In retrospect, I should have stayed in with my peeps instead of taking off with my lady, but it was still memorable. When the sun rose, we watched out peeps return exhausted. KP brought back 2 future boyfriends for a moment, and we were on our way back up north. I drove the first leg, and we stopped for the night somewhere around Atlanta. I fell asleep before I could witness Michigan’s awesome triumph in the Citrus Bowl which we practically drove by on the way home.

So that is the story of the millennium and Phish. Pretty lame. Great music, epic memorable times, cheesecake, but not at the top of my list for shows.

As I embark on sharing the experiences of 2000, I want to warn everyone that I don’t remember a lot from the 2000 shows. I’m not sure why I remember 1999 so much better, but I think Phish was starting to get old in 2000. My heart wasn’t there, and I wasn’t the only one who would suffer. I probably let down my peeps a bit, but at least we had so many other great times together.

Priorities was the lesson of Big Cypress & 2000.

The EPIC Phish Fall 1999

After coming off the greatest summer of Phish, I was still on a tremendous high about this band. What made things cooler was being able to somewhat introduce Phish to my new roommates from TC when we moved into together at the U. 10/3/99 at the All State Arena in Chicago was my Michigan buddy JH’s first show.

10-03-99 Allstate Center, Rosemont, IL

1: First Tube, Farmhouse, Dogs Stole Things, The Divided Sky, Heavy Things, Horn, Carini, Ginseng Sullivan, Get Back on the Train, Maze, Bouncing Around the Room, Guyute (1:28)

2: Twist Around, Possum, The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday -> Avenu Malkenu, Big Black Furry Creature from Mars*, David Bowie, Wading in the Velvet Sea, Harry Hood (1:18)

E: Funky Bitch**, Messin' with the Kid**

*Trey played one verse with his guitar behind his head. **With Sugar Blue (harmonica) and Son Seals (guitar and vocals).

As I recall, it was very rainy outside at this show. I believe CC made his way up from Purdue to meet up at the show and I shafty may have been there too. I don’t remember a lot about the experience except for the Son Seals jam at the end that rocked the house. I have listened to this show since it happened and may even have a copy, but it has truly been quite awhile. I will try to fill in more details later about the experience, but I honestly don’t remember a whole lot.

And then came the December shows…….

The boys decided to start their drive to the millennium in the big D on 12-2-99 at the Palace. This would be Phish’s final show at the Palace and their final in the state of Michigan. This weekend would be one of the greatest weekends of Phish I would see and probably the high point of all my touring with Phish. That isn’t to say that I didn’t like Phish the next 38 times that I would see them. I just think I was fortunate to see them during what I perceive as a really high point of their musical talents, when everything just clicked and they made epic music.

Enough rambling though….

Wow. I think old skool KP, UofM dude JH, and myself left A2 and headed for the Palace. I think it was pretty cold that day. We ran into and chilled with a ton of people from past shows including LE, JG, and the summer tour kids. I believe that this show was the first for a lot of other Ann Arbor folk; JB, and for TM who would be there at the bittersweet end of Phish in Vermont in 2004. I know JCT was there and so was PS.

In any case, I remember not really getting much of a buzz at this show. We had seats on the floor, Mike side (or Trey side as it probably was then) about halfway back from the stage. I remember that the backside of the stage didn’t fill, so they didn’t sell out. Regardless, I will declare it now….

12-2-99 is the most underrated show in Phish history.

12-02-99 The Palace, Auburn Hills, MI

1: Runaway Jim, Farmhouse*, Heavy Things, Roggae, Run Like an Antelope, Wading in the Velvet Sea, Poor Heart, Sample in a Jar, Free, The Squirming Coil (1:18)

2: Boogie On Reggae Woman, Gotta Jiboo, Bathtub Gin** -> Also Sprach Zarathustra, You Enjoy Myself*** -> Little Drummer Boy# (1:19)

E: Bold as Love (0:06)

*With slightly different vocal arrangement (refrain at end). **Unfinished; with "Also Sprach Zarathustra" teases. ***With silent jam. #Basically part of the vocal jam, which ended with Fish alone onstage, standing behind his drums, singing "Little Drummer Boy" (possibly with "vulgar variations" such as "I want to make love to you, ba rum ba rum ba bum bum").

Where do I start?

A sick funky Antelope, a rockin Free, a jamming Boogie On, a solid Jibboo, the most raging Bathtub Gin ever played, a spacey beautiful 2001, an emotional YEM, and a standard Axis encore. (No offense to the Axis lovers, but I heard this song as encore the most of any song besides maybe Squirming Coil) Everyone who listens to Phish should own this show. This show owns serious face in the realms of Phishtory. (Dude, what did I just say?) So the point is here is that you should own this show, and read the book, see the movie, and buy the action figure (Trey is a Jedi).

After the show, JH and KP and I headed back to the big D to get ready for our Friday roadtrip down to Cincinnati. This would be my first venture into Cinci (and my only venture to Miami of Ohio). And I want to send a special thanks out to KP for driving the Jeep, or letting me drive. Sorry about that detour on the way home. You can tell your folks you went to Indiana, hurray!

So the crew going down to Cinci was JH, KP, and longtime Phish vet, my only close friend to see more shows than me, PS. Before we left Detroit, JCT called me saying he was stuck on the side of the road in Ohio, off of I-75, at something like exit 119 or 118. His kidz at Miami were obviously closer to him then we were (1 hour vs. 3 hours away) so we really didn’t think we were really going to be his savior that day. So we noticed exit 118 or 119 about a quarter mile before we took it. A split second decision really made the difference in the decision to see if JC was still stranded.

And who do we see, sitting at a gas station on the corner, waiving their hands and rejoicing at our arrival? None other than JCT and his buddy Murph. We hadn’t spoken in 3 hours, and there they were shivering in the cold, waiting for a miracle. So the 2 of them hopped into the Jeep, one of them in the trunk, and we continued on our journey down to Cinci. (Your welcome, dude)

I don’t recall if we went to Oxford before going to the show, but I know we crashed in Oxford both nights during PS’s semester long adventure at Miami. There was one particularly animated character hanging outside the First Star center who gave us an hours worth of entertainment as he begged for an extra ticket. We met up with CC and one his friends from Purdue (::pumps arm:J) Anyways, here is the setlist from the first night.

12-03-99 Firstar Center, Cincinnati, OH

1: First Tube, Wolfman's Brother, Bouncing Around the Room, Get Back on the Train, Billy Breathes, AC/DC Bag > Possum, Slave to the Traffic Light (1:09)

2: Sand*, Limb by Limb, Bug, Piper, Harry Hood** (1:08)

E: Rock and Roll (0:06)

*With Trey on keys. **With glowrings, and Trey waving his guitar for feedback at the end.

I can’t say that I recall a whole lot about this show. I think we sat Mike’s side (which will become as usual as time goes on) but definitely not on the floor.

After the show, we went back to Oxford (about an hour drive?) and chilled at Miami of Ohio, got Bagel and Deli the next morning, and headed back to the venue. This night, I would have the best seats that I would ever have for a Phish show; second row right in front of Trey (your welcome KP. The bad news was that before the show, I was feeling incredibly sick, like strep throat, dizzy, fever sick. Going into the venue, I didn’t know if I could actually handle the show.

And here comes by shoutout for the weekend – the medical staff at the First Star Center in Cincinnati. They hooked me up with some powerful cold, Sudafed type pills and told me to drink a lot of water. This helped me so much that I can’t thank those people enough. You kick ass in my book.

12-04-99 Firstar Center, Cincinnati, OH

1: Heavy Things, Simple, Ya Mar, Guyute, Tweezer -> Dirt, Loving Cup (~1:00)

2: Down with Disease, Split Open and Melt*, The Moma Dance, Farmhouse, The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday > Avenu Malkenu > The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday, When the Circus Comes, David Bowie (1:13)

E: Julius, Tweezer Reprise

*Man jumps on stage, is chased by 2 security guards around, finally jumping on Page's baby grand.

So being in second row and hearing an amazing Phish show, needless to say, I had a rockin time. I got some great photos too. Thank you to the security guards that did not take JCT’s camera. I just got a fresh copy of this show and it sounds sweet. The Moma is very toit as is the Bowie, the Tweezer, and everything else. It was a great finish to this 3 night run of shows. And sitting in those great seats, I quickly tuned out the fact that I was really getting sick.

I feel that this 3 night run from 12.2 to 12.4.99 was my high point for Phish, even with the shows coming up at Big Cypress Seminole Inidan Reservation down in the Florida Everglades. And for Phish, it would be the kick off of a great December tour with great shows in Albany, Philly, and at 12-18-99 at Hampton (great show to own as well).

We went back to Oxford for the night then started heading back to Detroit the next day. We took a small detour that took us to Indiana (thank you very much) but we eventually got back on the right path and headed back to the U. I had a great time in Cinci, a city I have become much more familiar with through other shows and family who live on the outskirts of city.

I want to thank everyone who made this experience so memorable, KP, JH, PS, JCT, Mph, and CC; Thank you from the bottom of my heart. These were the best days of Phish for me, much better than Cypress and more memorable than all of 2000.

THANKS FOR READING. PEACE FOLKS.

The Wailers in the Big D

Last Wednesday, a group of us decided to make the annual pilgrimage to see the Wailers in downtown Detroit. I have seen the Wailers a total of 3 or 4 times along with Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. The first time I saw the remnents of Bob Marley was at Tastefest in Detroit years back; a free concert in the middle of the city and the people jumping with love for the reggae style.

After getting off work, live music veteran PS picked myself, CC (a huge Marley fan) and the lovely JH (a.k.a. MiniMartha) up and drove us down to Union Street for dinner. Union Street is located directly across from Majestic theatre where the Wailers would put on their show. We drank some tasty Oberons and ate some excellent food (MiniMartha suggested the spinach salad with steak). We can thank MiniMartha for the excellent restaurant choice.

We headed across to the Majestic to take in the opening band called deSol, a latin-sounding, Santana-like band from Jersey. It was good music to set the pace for the Wailers and they even broke out Santana's Oye Como Va. They plugged their CD a lot. It was just funny to hear a bunch of Latin dudes announce they were from Jersey. Maybe I'm outta the loop on that one.

By the time the Wailers started, I had a few more beers and I decided to go back and chill with some of our other acquaintances there from the band Bump (www.bumpgroove.com) including CC2, EN (a.k.a. Ndz), and the Greek. They happen to be hanging out with a legend in his time Skeeto Valdez, the new drummer for Trey Anastasio's (Phish) new band 70VP, or Zooma, or whatever. Anyhow, I shook his hand, told him I looked forward to seeing him jam down in Columbus next month. Cool dude for sure.

The music was good, but there wasn't as much energy at this show as in 2004. And there just were not enough black people - way too many of us white people. So the show lacked a little energy, but we still had a lot of fun. They played lots of the hits we all know by Marley and the Wailers. Overall, a good time.

Jah lives mon!

The “Spread” Comes to the BIG D

This thread goes out to BB from Hotlanta.

I went to Widespread Panic on April 1^st, 2005 at the State Theatre in Detroit. I have seen Widespread at Bonnaroo as well as at the State Theatre before. I do not consider myself to be a true fan of Widespread Panic – in fact, there are times where I would rather sit in a lawn chair and listen to the music, as we did at Bonnaroo. I hoped that a return to a smaller setting would change my opinion of the Spread. Either way, Spread is definitely not Phish nor was this show as impressive musically as moe. I really liked being at the State Theatre, and having floor seats, and chilling with some great people including my good friend KP and the heady bunch JH, eJ, bJ, and even silly (a kid who I once witnessed accuse every person in the room of being a narc). TW, a kid that I had gone to SPAC with last summer was also there.

I left GP to go down to the BIG D around 6pm. We parked at the CoPa and double-timed it down to the Town Pump. I was greeted by my good friend Bell’s Oberon who I had not seen fresh in many a month. A Jager bomb was downed, acquaintances were made, and we trekked down to the State. The outside security at the State was run by some rude folks, standing in stark contrast to the security on the inside, but whatever. The State theatre is a great party venue, perfect for the true Widespread fans that live it up.

04/01/05 State Theater, Detroit, MI

1: Travelin' Light, All Time Low > Little Lilly > Rock, Wondering > Junior, Mercy > Thin Air (Smells Like Mississippi) > Henry Parsons Died

2: Give > Hatfield > Pusherman > Let Her Cry > Greta > Drums > Papa Legba, Imitation Leather Shoes, Ain't Life Grand

E: May Your Glass Be Filled > Tall Boy

[Only 'Let Her Cry'; Everyone remained on-stage during 'Drums'; 'The Other One' jam after 'Mercy']

Honestly, I had a good time at the show. I was just not very impressed by the music. I didn’t hear or feel enough bass, I didn’t hear enough spacey or funky exploration (my tastes), and I thought the lights behind them didn’t fit Panic. I know they used to have a different setup, but somehow the equalizer lights didn’t go with their southern style. Regardless, I danced hard and had a great time. I ran into some high-school friends as well including SD, his bro, TS, and JW.

After the show, we took our time making the short journey across the street to see Smokestack at 5^th Avenue (a bar attached to Comerica Park). Our group was a raucous bunch – some of them took it upon themselves to take a short nap on a limo right in front of the State. When we finally got across the street, we spent almost 2 hours listening to Smokestack which often sounded a lot better than Widespread. My good buddy KP seemed to be having a good time.

We went back to the Athenium, one of the best hotels in Detroit to chill with some of KP’s friends who had a room there. We decided to hit up Greektown Casino where I didn’t leave a winner, unfortunately. Finally, we headed back to the eastside late and called it a night.

So the concert was fun, but it was a Widespread Concert. It’s not really something I would dish out another $35 for again, but I had a great time partying in the BIG D. Thanks for reading.

Duran Duran @ The Palace March 24th, 2005

The last time I had been to a concert at the Palace was 1999 when I saw Phish there. I have seen Grand Funk Railroad, Page & Plant, the Dead, Dave Matthews and every Phish show (4) at the Palace. Duran Duran, the show I attended 2 weeks ago, was probably the last show that I thought would break my hiatus from the Palace of Auburn Hills. For this, I thank a kind ladyfriend from work who was kind enough to guide me into the world of Duran Duran.

Let’s get a few things straight first. I am not much of a fan of 80s music and Duran Duran was about as 1980s as you can get. I admire some 80s bands like the talking heads, and later 80s bands like Guns N’ Roses, but other than that, my attention to 80s music is a bunch of one hit wonders or bands that actually were born in the 70s. I am trying really hard to expand my musical horizons, but I’m sorry JCT – those Indie bands are just not gonna cut it. So as my music tastes lie in a funk since Phish ended, I really want to go see new music and revisit those bands that I had not really given a chance (moe. & Widespread Panic) and those bands who I would have discounted as not something that would fit my musical tastes.

In any case, I went to this show with a ladyfriend (CK) from work and her older brother who seemed like that cool concert going kind of dude. We got to the show pretty early and spent an hour or so sipping those wonderful domestic $7 beers and did some people watching. This is your crowd at a Duran Duran show: hot refined chicks, 35 to 40 something ladies with butch cuts or mullets, a few 80s rock stars, some dudes, but the ratio overall was probably 4 or 5 ladies for every one gent. Oh yeah, and DB – your atypical high-school football dude, yeah, he was there too.

There was an opening band, but they sucked. CK tells me they sounded somewhat like the Cure.

The only the song I could connect the title to Duran Duran was Come Undone, but I had not heard the song since the days of MTV. They played it and it was sick – the keyboards and the base were toit and emotional. I wasn’t so high on the soul filled singer they had doing the ladies part, but otherwise it was great. And listening to the album version more closely, you can really hear the great keys and bass.

And I recognized several other songs including Ordinary World and Rio Rio, which they encored with. It all sounded pretty amazing. CK was giving the live feed with her cell to her sister in Texas. Apparently, this was the best Duran Duran show she had ever seen – and this is coming from someone who saw them at St. Andrews Hall in the big D, a much, much smaller venue. The Palace was not filled like it had been for most other shows I had been to, but it was a surprisingly dance-happy crowd at the show. The light show was really cool; it consisted of 5 screens behind the band with Japanimation and other moving pictures along with the other moving lights rising and lowering above the band.

For a self-proclaimed music snob, I was really impressed by Duran Duran. I really appreciate the how cool CK and her brother were that night for introducing me to something not necessarily new, but definitely rocking. Afterward, we made the ride back to the eastside having really been impressed by the music, and I had a very good time on my first quasi-date in awhile.

(Note: I tried to find a setlist for this show but was unsuccessful. I will keep checking.)

Phish Summer tour 99 part DEUX!

11 days after returning back to Detroit from the Nashville>Atlanta run, we set off for Oswego, NY on the night of July 16^th. We had a big crew with us for Oswego that included LE, her sister BE, NB2, JG, bigD, and my good friend NB. For those of you who are not familiar with Oswego, it’s not far from Syracuse and Vernon Downs where Phish had played the previous summer. The drive there isn’t bad (6 to 7 hours) and we encountered no problems at either border going through Canada. We arrived at the end of the line of cars at Oswego sometime in the middle of the night, but would not set up our campsite in the dust until mid-morning the next day. I don’t recall if I got any sleep before the show on the 17^th.

I remember the shakedown at Oswego being very vibrant, but the weather was extremely hot. I remember BE getting very sunburned and having major raccoon eyes from wearing her shades. I forgot to mention that PS was there with JD (and maybe someone else) but they spent most of their time in their air-conditioned RV. Pfft!

And now for the setlists….

07-17-99 Oswego County Airport, Volney, NY

Soundcheck: Also Sprach Zarathustra, Blues Jam (about "Mr Sausage", one of the vendors near the 2nd stage; to the tune of "Dear Mrs. Reagan"), Beauty of my Dreams, Carini, (more?)

1: Tube, Boogie on Reggae Woman, Birds of a Feather, Guelah Papyrus, My Sweet One, Roggae, Tweezer -> Have Mercy*, Taste, Character Zero (~1:30)

2: Funky Bitch**, On My Knees**, On My Knees Reprise#, Down With Disease*, Wolfman's Brother -> Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley -> Wolfman's Brother -> Timber (Jerry), You Enjoy Myself

E: The Squirming Coil, Tweezer Reprise (2+E 1:55)

*Trey on keys. **With Son Seals. #Short blues jam played as Son Seals exited.

07-18-99 Oswego County Airport, Volney, NY

1: Punch You in the Eye, This Is a Farmhouse, Water in the Sky, Bathtub Gin, Get Back on the Train*, If You Need a Fool*, I'm Blue I'm Lonesome*^, Beauty of My Dreams*, The Moma Dance, Reba, Chalk Dust Torture

2: Runaway Jim# -> Free, The Meatstick**, Guyute, Axilla##, Llama (1:00)

3: My Soul, Piper### > Prince Caspian > Wilson -> Catapult^ -> Icculus^^, Quinn the Eskimo, Fluffhead

E: Harry Hood^^^ (3+E 1:50)

*With the Del McCoury Band. ^Del McCoury broke a string. **Trey explains the record attempt; Sofi Dillof dances on-stage dancing; Guinness Book of World Records staff videotaping the event; the record was not set. #With "Psycho Killer" jam. ##Entire Part I. ###With glowrings, and Trey on keys. ^Followed by banter and toying, all continuing an E chord from the end of "Wilson" (which was never finished). Trey gabbed about TV, books, and Deep Purple, teased "Smoke on the Water," compared it to "Cat Scratch Fever," and more. ^^Followed by more talking, band introductions, a mention of the fan group CK5, and teases of "Miss You" (Rolling Stones). ^^^With fireworks.

What can I say except that the music was truly amazing. I really commend the band for putting on the festival in the middle of the tour and the location was convenient for Phish’s strong northeast pull. It was really great to hear Have Mercy since I had been introduced to it during a Bowie on a 93 tape I had. I really can’t say a whole lot more about the show since I have not actually listened to the first night since being there. I would love to get a copy of it because the show had so many great highlights. I remember the jam with Son Seals. This was one of Phish’s few concert experiences where side bands like Son Seals and Ozomatli were playing. In fact, I had seen Ozo twice already that summer when they toured with Santana.

I remember much more about the second night for some odd reason. The Free was something that really got me excited along with the Icculus. I have listened to this show since and it is definitely a show to have. The band was having great fun this night. After the show, NB and I got incredibly lost for what seemed like an eternity, but finally located our campsite and enjoyed the cool down. Oswego was a great time.

The next morning, I woke up exhausted and sunburned. Cloud cover and the light rain made for relaxing travel weather as NB, LE, JG drove to Niagara Falls for the night. The rest of our crew headed back to Detroit to pick up the tour later. We found a HoJo to stay at, got some dinner, and visited the Canadian side of the Falls for a few beers.

The next day we headed for Toronto. I remember the venue (Molson Amphitheatre is right on the shore of Lake Ontario with a surrounding park), and that NB and I had some pretty good seats once we found each other. The music was great and I remember the first set as being pretty long. I just got this show recently so I’m going to take a good listen soon. Here is the setlist.

07-20-99 Molson Amphitheatre, Toronto, Ontario

Soundcheck: My Soul, How Long Has This Been Going On, Dream Weaver

1: Chalk Dust Torture, Sample in a Jar, Cars Trucks Buses, The Sloth, The Divided Sky, Waste, Ghost, Wilson, You Enjoy Myself*

2: Twist, The Moma Dance, What's the Use, Train Song, Also Sprach Zarathustra, Misty Mountain Hop**

E: Guyute, Hello My Baby

*With Caribbean "hey ho" vocal jam. **First time played (but played in soundchecks since ~1993); Led Zeppelin tune.

This was a solid show, and it was great to be able to see a show in Canada. I regret not going into downtown Toronto (and still have not), but there was not enough time.

After the show, we really didn’t have a plan of where to stay so we got on the road. NB and I were the only ones of our group to be going on to the show the next night in Pittsburgh, so we sought out a hotel room. Unfortunately, we knew really little about where we were in Canada, and even though some differences are slight between the U.S. and Canada, somehow in the U.S. you never feel too far from civilization on the interstates. We found this horrible little hotel run by an Asian family in the middle of what seemed like nowhere. They didn’t seem too happy when we ended up cramming 5 or 6 people into that little room. It was cozy and every Phish fan has gone through it at some point. They were happy to see us take off early the next morning.

The next day, NB and I got on the road, went back through Niagara Falls, and headed south to Pittsburgh for the show at Starlake. We met up with my good buddy JCT and SK at a Super 8 motel. We headed to the show with high hopes, especially since we saw Mike “Cactus” Gordon for the 2^nd time on lot before a show. Unfortunately, I do not have very many positive things to say about the music that night. I wasn’t very impressed, but every show can’t be unbelievable (just wait until my review of 4/15/04). Here is the setlist.

07-21-99 Star Lake Amphitheatre, Burgettstown, PA

1: AC/DC Bag > Cities, Gold Soundz*, Ginseng Sullivan, Limb By Limb, Funky Bitch, The Moma Dance, When The Circus Comes, Taste, Bittersweet Motel

2: Mike's Song > Simple > My Left Toe > Prince Caspian > Weekapaug Groove, Golgi Apparatus

E: Brian and Robert, Bold as Love

*Pavement cover; first time played.

After the show, we witnessed something pretty bad which added to my negative recollection of the Starlake show. We watched some head get beat up really bad by some other guys back in the parking lot, perhaps for selling fake drugs. Since it was dark, it wasn’t something that drew a huge crowd and we didn’t really do much so not to get involved and get the wooks riled up. I was happy to make our drive back to the Super 8 that night and get a good night sleep. It was great hanging with JCT and SK, but we pretty much had a few beers, played some cards, and called it a night. Our plan was to skip the show in Columbus (taking into consideration our Wall Mart experience from 1998) and instead drive up to West Lafayette, IN to meet up with CC.

If I am correct, CC had not been with us to a show since the Palace in 1997. He was stuck in West Lafayette for the summer taking classes which I imagine to be pretty damn boring. He didn’t originally plan to go with us to Alpine, rather just Deer Creek, but I believe we had extra tickets and he didn’t have much to do. It was nice to get a night off from touring when we crashed in West Lafayette, except that drive up to Alpine from there would be an absolute pain in the ass the next day.

The Midwest in the middle of July is really damn humid, and the Mazda still didn’t have air-conditioning. And the summer time is the prime time for road construction as was the case on the way to Chicago. We (ok, I) made the big mistake of not taking the Indiana Toll Road>Chicago Skyway and we go stuck on 80/90. After not moving in our car for about a half hour, I tweaked and got off the road. We ended up on a road called Indianapolis Ave which runs north-south and is no more than a few miles from the Illinois Border. We were trying to make up time and get to the skyway when I found myself being pulled over by the cops for driving 59 in a 35 zone. Obviously when anyone gets pulled over, you get pretty nervous and these cops totally freaked me out by asking me to get out of the car and get into the back seat of the cop car. I now realize they likely did this so that they could write me the ticket in their air-conditioned vehicle, but I was still a little paranoid. They recognized the name of my home town and asked about an infamous kid from our town who had gotten a lot of press for fooling around with some females that were a little too young. We had a few laughs, they didn’t write me a ticket for reckless driving (I think anything 20 mph over is considered reckless), and they let us go on our way. I paid a hefty fine later and some points were added to my driving record, but nothing worse.

From here on forward, my ex ladyfriend acquaintance will be referred to as “Shafty” although all of us including myself are deserving at the title at some point.

So we dropped my ladyfriend Shafty’s place in Chicago before going up to Alpine. I believe she went to the show, but I don’t know that we stayed at her place after the show. I’ll need a little help. In any case, here is the setlist from Alpine 99.

07-24-99 Alpine Valley, East Troy, WI

1: Guyute, Fluffhead*# > The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday > Avenu Malkenu > The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday > The Wedge, Character Zero** (1:11)

2: Tweezer* -> Catapult## -> Tweezer, The Mango Song^, The Happy Whip and Dung Song, Waste, Chalk Dust Torture^^ (0:56)

E: Glide, Camel Walk, Alumni Blues, Tweezer Reprise (0:21)

*Trey on small keyboard. #Trailed into a lengthy jam. **Trey waves his guitar to produce feedback. ##Trey and Mike sing "Catapult" over "Tweezer." ^With glowrings. ^^Start/stop jamming; Trey waves his guitar to produce feedback.

This show was great. We got a long Fluffhead out of it, a great Tweezer set, and some major rarities for the encore. I have really good memories of the music at this show, but I remember little else about the experience. We had okay seats I recall. I think that I got incredibly lost after the show (which has happened to me more than once at Alpine). I have listened to parts of this show before, but the recording quality is rarely spectacular at Alpine Valley. There’s always a ton of people you know at Alpine, so you know if you were there.

After crashing at Shafty’s house and being treated to gourmet cooking by Shafty’s mom (sick bacon cheeseburgers), we drove back down toward Deer Creek. This would be our first year camping at 40 acres, under the tree that we would call home again in 2000. CC and NB would end up camping under the same giant tree in 2004. I believe our full crew consisted of myself, NB, CC, then PS and NB’s sis QB came down from the big D. LE, JG, JTC, SK, BE, & NB2 were also there at another campsite. So we had pretty much everyone from the Summer 99 gathered in Deer Creek to see Phish’s final 2 shows of the tour.

I really took a liking to the chill, laid back style of the 40 Acres campsite. For those of you who have never been to Deer Creek, it’s a venue in the middle of corn fields. Drums echoed from the woods, people talking while you sip the tastiest beers and take in life with the fellow heads around you – I was living. Our first year, they even had showers at 40 Acres, although going into one of those icy well water showers after sitting in 90 degree humidity will completely take your breath away. The local folks at 40 Acres sold sweet corn and other good food. It’s hard to describe to people who cool the feeling to be a part of a little colony, living without luxuries, in the middle of cornfields and woods. I felt a part of the coolest get together ever conceived.

^^^Babble tangent^^^

And after a mile of walking to the venue, I witnessed one of the best Phish shows of my life.

07-25-99 Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN

Soundcheck: Mike's Song, Back at the Chicken Shack, Beauty of my Dreams, Day Tripper, (more?)

1: Meat*, My Friend My Friend -> My Left Toe -> Whipping Post**, Makisupa Policeman#, I Saw It Again, Boogie on Reggae Woman, Cavern## (1:03)

2: Birds of a Feather^ > Walk Away, Run Like an Antelope^^, Suzie Greenberg^^^, Hold Your Head Up > Purple Rain### > Hold Your Head Up, You Enjoy Myself+

E: Loving Cup (2+E 1:30)

First time as show opener; bass solo. **Trey on vocals. #Keywords were "gooballs, brownies, stink kind, nugs and kief"; Trey announces lighting director Chris Kuroda's birthday and asks everybody to sing; Trey interrupts "Happy Birthday" to say, "We're going to get you so wasted tonight"; Mike takes a "Happy Birthday bass solo"; Fish says, "You roll up a fat spliff and you don't pass it to no one" (in a Jamaican accent); Kuroda takes a one-minute silent light solo, then thanks the band for the birthday wishes after "Makisupa." ##Trey waves guitar to produce feedback. ^"My Left Toe" teases. ^^"Stash" tease; with glowrings. ^^^With Page start/stop jam; "I Wish" (Stevie Wonder) teases. ###Fish forgets lyrics; improvises. +"Boogie on Reggae Woman" jam.

I am pretty confident that we were in the Pavilion both nights. I had the time of my life at this show. The Meat was a good laugh of an opener until Trey begins My Friend, My Friend into an ambient jam (My Left Toe), the music got dark then Trey started rocking out Whipping Post, a song that my close friends had really grown up on back in the day. Makisupa was a celebration, and the Boogie On was jammed out for a long time. The second set Birds>Walk Away was amazing, the Antelope was amazing, Page was tearing it up on the Suzie, we got Fishman running around like a mad man, a sweet YEM and a classic Loving Cup. I firmly believe this was the best show of 1999 and could be the best show I ever saw. Just absolute fun.

We headed back to our campsite for some late night relaxing. The show was so good that the show the next night wouldn’t be able to top it. I hear people really put down 7/26/99 but I didn’t care that the show wasn’t that special. At this show, Trey mentions how cool the Phish scene was in light of the mayhem at Woodstock. I totally agree, and there was no place I would rather be at that moment in my life. Here’s the setlist from 7/26

07-26-99 Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN

Soundcheck: Birds of a Feather (on tape, from the night before), (more?)

1: This Is a Farmhouse, Get Back on the Train, Vultures, Sleep, Gumbo > NICU, Beauty of My Dreams, Bathtub Gin, Mountains in the Mist, Axilla*, Stash**

2: Wolfman's Brother, Piper, Theme from the Bottom > Down with Disease, Jam# > Split Open and Melt##

E: Woodstock^ > Julius (2+E 1:26)

*With "Axilla (Part II)" ending. **With long intro and glowrings. #Lots of feedback. ##Followed by Trey talking about Woodstock '99, how different the Phish scene is, how happy he is to be a part of the latter rather than the former, etc. ^First time played; unfinished (Joni Mitchell tune).

Nothing too special about this show. I was bummed out that the band decided to go into Split Open and Melt toward the end instead of 2001. Everything else was fine and I wasn’t too disappointed about this being the end of a long tour. I had seen a great amount of music, been to a lot places, chilled with a lot of great people, and would have great memories for a lifetime. It’s too bad that I don’t remember more, but there are other things I choose not to talk about. I want to thank everyone who was there to share these good times – you guys rule.

That’s about it for Summer Tour 99. Considering I went to two Santana shows, a Trey show, a DMB show, an Allman Brothers show, and a few other small gigs, this was a summer to remember. Thanks for reading.

Peace.

PHISH SUMMER TOUR 99 Part I

1999 was undoubtedly the best year of Phish that I witnessed. I believe that 1995 was the peak of Phish for those who had really grown on them reaching the pinnacle of success in the venues they played, but 1999 was the peak of Phish’s musical endeavor. I saw a total of 16 Phish shows during 1999, the most of any year during my personal career.

Longtime tour staple NB had suggested that we head south for the first few shows of Phish’s summer tour in 1999. While I was not totally on board with the plan at first, I finally agreed to go and I have no regrets whatsoever about going. The shows were solid and I was going to see Phish’s first July 4^th shows ever. And I loved my first venture to the south - really friendly folks down there.

It took us sometime to get out of Detroit due to the traffic associated with the Detroit fireworks, but we eventually got cruising south on 75 toward Nashville. NB and I really didn’t have a plan for if we were going to stop that first night or just get to Nashville early. Well, the car made the decision for us when we discovered the windshield wipers on the Jeep Wrangler didn’t work, so we stopped at a hotel in Middletown, OH – a city halfway between Dayton and Cinci. By the stroke of luck, there was an actual Jeep dealership and shop in Middletown, so we got the car repaired relatively quickly and continued on with our journey the day of the show.

Before heading to the First American Music Center, we sought out some campground in the vicinity of the venue. Unfortunately, everything was full which would later prove to be a good omen. So, without a plan again, we headed for the venue.

The minute we got out of our cars, we saw someone quite familiar cruising around the venue – none other than Phish’s bassist Mike Gordon in his golf cart. NB ran over and got a handshake while I fumbled to find a camera. I saw him for a second before he took off. It’s kinda weird how Mike just likes to cruise around and see what’s going on, but then bolts when a crowd gathers. I suppose I can understand. We also ran into an old friend of ours, FR, with his dog. The weather was warm and beautiful and the people were friendly down in Nashville. Here is the setlist from the show.

07-01-99 First American Music Center, Antioch, TN

Soundcheck: I Saw It Again, Water in the Sky, Brian and Robert, Mountains in the Mist

1: Punch You in the Eye, Billy Breathes, Guyute, Wolfman's Brother*, Beauty of My Dreams#, Doin' My Time#^, Roggae#, Water in the Sky#, Get Back on the Train#, Poor Heart#^ (1:12)

2: Down With Disease, Prince Caspian > You Enjoy Myself**

E: Character Zero (2+E 1:04)

Set 2 short possibly due to thunderstorm. *With Jerry Douglas on dobro. #With Jerry Douglas on dobro, Ronnie McCoury on mandolin and Tim O'Brien on fiddle (and lead vocals on "Doin' My Time"). ^Gary "El Buho" Gazaway on trumpet; each guest took a solo. **Trey on small keyboard before vocal jam.

This show really stands out as a great musical experience for me and really got me hyped for the rest of the tour. I also have an outstanding recording of this show – the first set is especially a show that you can really sit back and listen to with a group of friends and family.

The second set is when things started to get really crazy. Although our seats were in the pavilion, we were on the side and could still get a good birds-eye view of the sky around us. As you can see, the second set was only 3 songs long, but it was one of the most intense moments of Phish that I had witnessed to that point. A thunderstorm developed around us with intense lightning that went along with the beat. By the time YEM had come on, the sky had lit up with lights that seemed to just go along with Kuroda’s lights and the music. It did not begin to rain until the show was finally ending, but by the time we got to the Jeep in the parking lot, we were literally stepping in 1 inch puddles. We made our way out of the venue quickly and got back on the road heading south to Atlanta.

Had we not had the windshield wipers fixed on the car, we would have been in some dire straights after that show. The thunderstorm was very intense. About 15 miles down the highway, we decided to attempt to find a hotel to stay at. We ended up staying at a Super 8 that was incredibly cheap and pretty damn nice. It was a quick solution in the chaos of the rain.

The next morning, we got up early to try and get a decent place to camp down in Atlanta. I remember the drive through the smoky mountains of northern Georgia quite vividly. We arrived at Stone Mountain campground midday on July 2^nd. Stone Mountain is a campground/resort-like area not far at all from downtown Atlanta. There are small streams that run through the campground, and we were lucky enough to get what seemed like one of the last spots left. We happen to set up camp near some other cool phans who were in town for the shows.

NB didn’t bring a chair. He tried sitting on my tripod chair until it broke on him and nearly stabbed him in the groin. It was hot in Hotlanta.

We chilled the first night at the campground, making some friends around us and getting a nice buzz on. We had some fireworks too and fireworks were going off all over the resort. And, Stone Mountain puts on a laser light show on the mountain, so we were able to see that from a distance. Oh, and NB bought a nice chair for himself.

The next day, we visited NB’s aunt, uncle, and cousins in a northeast Atlanta. We were able to get a nice shower and meal in before heading down to the venue on the southside. Kudos to NB’s family for taking us in that day and the next day before the show and allowing us some nice chill time in their beautiful air-conditioned home.

All I can really remember about Lakewood Amphitheatre is that’s it’s in a bad area of Atlanta. The lot seen was okay, and the southern ladies looked quite fine however. We had pavilion seats for both nights of Atlanta. Here are the setlists from the shows.

07-03-99 Lakewood Amphitheatre, Atlanta, GA

Soundcheck: What's the Use, Rock-A-William, Wading in the Velvet Sea, Wading in the Velvet Sea

1: Chalkdust Torture, Gumbo, Sparkle, Cavern, Taste, When the Circus Comes*, Tube, Funky Bitch, NICU**, Waste, The Meatstick (1:21)

2: Twist -> Piper, The Moma Dance, Mountains in the Mist, Run Like an Antelope, Contact, Little Drummer Boy (1:03)

E1: Little Drummer Boy#, Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey^ (0:08)

E2: Harry Hood^^ (0:14)

*Unfinished. **Trey on small keyboard. #Fish on snare, solo; with alternate lyrics. ^With Page's father, Dr. Jack McConnell, on vocals and kazoo. ^^With glowrings.

07-04-99 Lakewood Amphitheatre, Atlanta, GA

Soundcheck: Wading in the Velvet Sea, Wading in the Velvet Sea, Wading in the Velvet Sea, Wading in the Velvet Sea, Rock-A-William, In a Hole, (more?)

1: My Soul, Ya Mar, This Is a Farmhouse, The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony > AC/DC Bag, The Wedge, Vultures, I Didn't Know*, Fast Enough For You, David Bowie (1:23)

2: Ghost -> Slave to the Traffic Light**, The Horse -> Silent in the Morning***, What's the Use, Wilson^, Mike's Song -> Sleeping Monkey -> Weekapaug Groove

E1: Carini^^, The Meatstick^^^

E2: The Star Spangled Banner#

*"Vajonna (Flagina?) Fishman" vac solo (wearing only stars-and-stripes boxers). **"What's the Use" and "Dark Star" teases. ***"Little Drummer Boy" tease and glowrings. ^Trey flubs the lyrics; plays "air guitar"; swings guitar, using his effects pedals and feedback to manipulate the sound. ^^With Pete Carini; lyrics mention Mia Hamm (Trey was wearing a Mia Hamm jersey). ^^^Chorus-only reprise; with crew and fans on stage doing "The Meatstick Dance"; after the song, others leave Trey and Mike on-stage to do the dance alone. #A cappella; band in stars-and-stripes (Fish: boxers; Trey and Page: pants and vests; Mike: tank-top underneath, revealed during the song); ended with eruption of fireworks.

Both of these shows were amazing. Not a lot stands out from the first night except the Meatstick. This was the beginning of the Meatstick. I actually liked it a lot more before they added that cheesy dance to it. The Moma Dance was good, and the Hood, and the Slave for the Traffic Light. The Fast Enough for You from the second night is one of the most emotional versions I have ever heard. The highlight of the whole experience was the great encores, especially the July 4^th double encore with the acapella version of the Star Spangled Banner followed by the most unexpected and amazing fireworks display I had ever witnesses. I was literally cheering at the top of lung in awe of how amazing the experience felt. It was truly one of the top 5 Phish moments of my life.

After the show, I met up with my good friend KP who we ended up driving back to Detroit. She took us on a long tour of the Lakewood area finding her car and saying goodbye to her friends. We walked back to our car to find NB letting off some mortars. The drive home was long, but it was worth it to drive through the night and get back to Detroit, which we did just before noon the next day. KP slept the entire drive home. In retrospect, I should have made the same trip down to Atlanta the next summer, but I was beginning to get burned out with Phish by 2000.

So I hope you have enjoyed Phish Summer Tour 99 Part I. The second half of the summer tour would resume for us at Oswego, NY two weeks later. Thanks for reading and stay tuned…