And we’re back! It has been quite the time spent in the wilderness. It wasn’t as foreboding as the breakup was back in 2004, but this was quite the disruption nonetheless. Even though there was always hope that Phish would be back when it was safe, at least for me, there was a little doubt, that things like concerts might be a thing of the past.
But here we are, Summer Tour starts tonight (7/28)! Be safe out there, where a mask and get vaccinated if you haven’t already. If this goes well, we should get a New Year’s run and a tour in 2022.
Looking back to the last shows, Riviera Maya in 2020, seems like the distant past. There was the temptation to just not do this anymore. I mean if the last year taught us anything it’s that there are a lot of things that just aren’t that important. But playing around with Phish numbers does two things, at leat for me. First, there is a feeling of normalcy. “Hey! Remember going to shows? Tracking our stats? Reading reviews? We get to do that again!” And this is one of the ways I like to engage. Which leads to point two: jus the joy of it. I know this isn’t important, not really useful, but I have a lot of fun with it. So why not?
So, where are some of your favorite songs? Have they moved up? Any milestones reached? Let’s take a look. The biggest new number is 450. That is the number of times David Bowie has been played as of February 2020. Light reached 100 plays and will probably crack the Top 100 by the end of 2021. Fuego reached the Top 150, which is pretty impressive for a relatively “new” song. Even more impressive is the rapid rise of No Men in No Man’s Land and Blaze On. Each has been played 48 times, sure to reach 50 this tour. Just for some context, Crosseyed and Painless just reached the 50 plateau in 2019-2020. Even more context, a much older song, Brother has only been played 59 times.
Further down the list, Everything’s Right reached 25 and Crowd Control is at 20. Two songs from Kasvot Vaxt, Say it to me SANTOS and Turtles in the Clouds reached ten plays.
And that’s where things stand. I’ll be back after Dick’s in a little more than a month to see where things shake out. Until then, here’s the Top Twenty:
What more is there to say really? Alpine 2019, Night Three. Instant Classic. That about sums it up. I’m sure there are already dissenters out there. Like so many things anymore, I’m just not interested in the “both sides” of this discussion. Alpine Night Three was one of the best shows I’ve seen, regardless of Phish Era. Bust outs, banter, legendary jam, new music, it was all there. If you listen to this show and don’t like it, you just don’t like Phish. The other two nights pale in comparison. And one of my favorite Teddy Roosevelt quotes is, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” So let’s not compare.
As far as the numbers go, there wasn’t any particularly ground shaking changes or milestones hit. It really was more about the frequency, or lack thereof, of the bust outs, especially on Sunday. Roses are Free was the biggest of Friday night, 33 shows in between. On night two, The Sloth was the winner with 27 shows in between performances. Of note on Saturday though: I really liked the set up of the show, especially the first set. There were definitive shifts in the energy that gave us a break, a nice physical and mental reset. It doesn’t hurt that Shade and Frost are two of my favorite Phish ballads. I felt the same way on Sunday when Steep and Swept Away were played. For a bit of historical perspective, I was reminded of something like Stella Blue or Morning Dew by the Grateful Dead. Steep and Swept Away were just beautiful Sunday and I wanted them to go just a bit longer. Also, thank god the screaming at the end was left out. That little bit of the past just seems outdated now.
Speaking of Sunday and bust outs. I’m sure you’ve heard, there were some big ones. When 210 shows is the second longest gap, you know there were strange things afoot at the AV. That 210 was Icculus, which didn’t even seem to have the recognition it once did. However, Olivia’s Pool with it’s 692 show gap is pretty crazy. For the rest of the bust out numbers, just go here.
Otherwise, The Landlady managed to stay in the Top 50 with its bust out and Big Ball Jam continued its slide out of the Top 100. God would a Big Ball Jam at Dick’s just be crazy. Meatstick stuck around the Top 150 over the weekend. I have to admit, I was kind of amazed by the crowd reaction to Meatstick. People LOVED it! The whole choreographed participation thing? Yeah, people were totally into it. It’s funny, I didn’t see anyone pissy about it either, like some folks get with all the “woo-ing” or hand clapping. God, remember when people got super bent about clapping along to a song? We can be a finicky bunch.
Buffalo Bill reached 20 times played. It really is kind of a disturbing song. Plasma broke into the Top 300 and Spock’s Brain reached 10 plays. I’m guessing seeing two Spock’s Brains puts me in slightly rare company. Honestly, it still isn’t that great of a song.
So now we head for Dick’s. If you’re chasing something like Alpine Night Three, good luck, but don’t count on it. Those shows don’t come around all that often. As good as Phish is, magic is still elusive. Your Top 20:
I’ll get back to the song rankings later this week, but wanted to check in about the Alpine Valley run in this most recent tour. I’ve been to every Phish show but two at Alpine, so it very much feels like home turf.
And it’s not a bad place to call home. I just don’t think, and have felt this way since 1996, that Alpine is as great as gets reported. It is the beacon of the Midwest so that adds to the aura, as well as some truly epic shows. It definitely has some things going for it, but it has some demerits too.
First, the good: The sound has improved significantly since 1996. At that first show, sitting on the lawn was a very poor experience. We weren’t even sitting particularly far back, but it was a strain to hear. Add to it the ever present talkers and walkers on the lawn and I left feeling kind of disappointed, especially after the hype of Alpine. Cut to 2019 and the sound was great, even as far back as the gate, making encore check easy. As soon as I heard that Tweezer Reprise kick in, I bolted. The drive back to Chicago is a bit long, especially after a show.
While the drive is a bit of a drag, all in all, I put the remoteness of the venue as a plus. Yes, it’s great to have them play closer to home, but getting out into the rolling hills of Wisconsin is a welcome retreat from the city. I especially like the view from lawn looking back over the shed. Even with the ski lifts, it’s still a nice view.
I got an even closer view of those hills this year. Adding to my experience this year, I played golf at Alpine Valley Resort. It was a bit pricey, but I get that I’m paying resort prices. However, nothing beats playing a quick nine, eating at the grill and being at the venue in five minutes. A baby wipe, deodorant and change of shirt and I was ready to go. On top of that I got to hear sound check as I played. Dogs Stole Things and Midnight Rider in case you were wondering. I was definitely was in, “just glad to be there” territory which was good. I played one of my worst rounds of the year. Even so, it was awesome! Speaking of, if you’re reading Mockingbird folks, maybe a golf tourney next time?
From here you can hear Midnight Rider!
Honorable mention to the food on this trip. I made my usual stop at Mars Cheese Castle and it did not disappoint. Better yet, I stopped in Tony Romo’s hometown of Burlington and hit Fred’s which was a very good burger. I wanted to chill in the town a bit more, but there was some kind of fundraiser or something going on and finding a quiet place to have a cup of coffee and read was a hard sell. The food at the venue was decent, pretty standard really. Burgers, brats, pizza. In Wisconsin you can get your fill of cheese curds and I had my fair share. Vegetarian options were available, not exactly plentiful. If you are a vegan, it was definitely sparse. I’m actually not sure if there was a purely vegan option if I’m being honest.
The Bad. It’s the same critique I’ve had since I’ve set foot at Alpine, the lawn is awful. It is pitched far too steep. People struggle to keep their footing and by the end of the night your calves feel like jelly. Even the paved sections steep and it isn’t uncommon to see people fall. Add beverages and other substances to that mix and accidents are bound and often do occur. Also, there is a weird dip at the center of the lawn, which places the sound board directly in the sight line of anyone in the middle. What seems like a decent place to sit, actually sucks.
My next criticism isn’t really for Alpine, but more for Phish and specifically for tickets by mail. I’m pretty sure this is the last time I go through that process. I attended four shows this tour and was on the lawn for all of them. And while I was informed I received tickets before the regular on sale, I can’t afford to do purchase by mail and if I don’t like those seats, try my luck with Live Nation. Considering there were plenty of lawn seats available at Alpine for all three nights, I would have a much better shot at something in the pavilion if I just went with the on sale dates. That is kind of a bummer though. I love the special tickets we get from mail order, but I’d much rather be in the pavilion than the lawn.
Criticism isn’t quite the right word for this, but Alpine as an entity really is missing some opportunities. The biggest one is camping on site. I might be off by a tour or two, but I don’t think since 2009 that the far lot, (Green Lot for those familiar) has been put to use. Some folks mentioned that the Dave Matthews shows had camping available, but there weren’t sure if it was at the venue. My guess is a two or three day camping package would sell out in a heartbeat.
It’s also a shame that Walworth County decided to come down hard on vendors in the lot. Alpine went from having a great Shakedown Street to nothing. In the past I’ve seen guys get busted for selling water, which seems like a bit much. My guess is they can’t completely embrace vending, then it gets into legal matters and such, but being so strict really cuts into the atmosphere of a show. I mean, in the long run wouldn’t the county save money by not having to pay undercover deputies in their Joe’s Crab Shack Tie-Dye shirts for the weekend?
As far as the music goes, I’ll get into that a little more in the next post. Suffice it to say, everything you’ve heard about Sunday’s show is correct. Epic, masterpiece, legendary. What ever superlative you true, it’s all true. If I hit the lottery, I’m going to Dicks.
Seems like there is some discussion about Fenway going on, but I’m very disinclined to search it out. I get enough crap through social media these days that I don’t need to go looking for it. I guess my only hot take on Fenway is that if seeing a show is anything like seeing a show at Wrigley, meh. I mean, if that is my only show(s) of a tour, sure I’ll go, but baseball stadiums don’t make for particularly good concert venues. I’ve been to Wrigley more than enough that the bloom has long fell off that rose. Though I would buy the SHIT out of Phish/White Sox merch. So, Phish, if you’re listening, get on Guaranteed Rate Field!
Seeing how there are only two shows between this update and the last one, not much to mention in looking at the numbers. Slave to the Traffic Light reached 250 plays, which is one of my personal favorites, and yet when it’s an encore, I’m usually moving toward the exit. More reached the 20 times played plateau and Plasma and Rise/Come Together reached 10 times played, good enough to push into the top 300. Four songs, Cool Amber and Mercury, Drift While You’re Sleeping, Thread and About to Run all reached the Top 400, which doesn’t take much, only four performances. I really like About to Run and I hope it ascends rapidly.
If you’re at Alpine Valley this weekend, stop by and say hello! I’ll be the guy in the White Sox jersey or Newcastle United jersey probably at the Phellowship table for the set break meeting. I’m debating writing up each show, we’ll see. Your Top 20:
I’m not sure why I became so fascinated with the place of Big Ball Jam in the rankings of Phish songs, but for the last couple of tours, I’ve been anticipating it’s descent out of the top 100. Well, it finally happened in Camden. Just to put it into a bit of perspective, it hasn’t been played since 1994 and was in the Top 100 until 2019. That means they played it A LOT up until 1994. Even more interesting, they didn’t start playing it until 1992! Can you imagine a song getting that kind of play now? The interwebs would be ablaze! Phish, if you’re reading, blow all of minds with a Big (Base)Ball Jam at Fenway this weekend!
On to other things: Slave to the Traffic Light reached the 250 times played plateau. I would think it’s more, but well here we are. Makisupa Policeman and 46 Days moved into the Top 100, displacing the aforementioned Ball Jam.
Further down the page, More has now been played 20 times and Plasma has been played 10 times by Phish, moving it into the Top 300. Cool Amber and Mercury and Drift While You’re Sleeping are now in the Top 400 times played.
There were two more debuts in this stretch, Beneath a Sea of Stars Part 1 and Cathy’s Clown. I’m really interested to know the background of the Everly Brothers cover, if it was a request or just a random thing that Phish is wont to do. Be safe in Fenway everybody! I hope to update after that, but I have a mother of a toothache that will be getting looked at Monday. Having a dental problem over a holiday weekend sucks balls, big ones. Your top 20
So on Friday, June 21 I was at a concert, but not Phish. I was at the opening show of the Rolling Stones No Filter Tour, right here in Chicago. Earlier in the week, as mentioned in this space, I was at Blossom for Phish. After some quick math, I figured out that I am older than the Rolling Stones were the first time I saw them in 1989. I thought they were really old back in 1989, shows what I know.
I was thinking about this as I was at Soldier Field and just recently seeing Phish, a band who’s members are all my age. Looking at the twenty-somethings, even the thirty-somethings, they probably think of the guys in Phish as old, just like I thought a 45 year old Mick Jagger was old. Maybe it’s a bit skewed now, with the Stones and other seventy-plus year old acts continually touring.
One of the things that attracted me to Phish was the fact that they were and still are obviously, my age. We share a cultural and historical back story. It’s not note for note, that isn’t really possible. But there is enough of a commonality that I’ve always felt like they are playing the music that fits me. I know there are fans older and younger than me, but there is something about looking at four 50-something guys, rocking out that makes me feel like I’m in the right place. It really makes me hope that in 20 years we’re still doing this.
Back to the shows: Golgi Apparatus made an appearance and Antelope currently edges out Cavern for the eighth spot. One of my favorite songs of the past couple of years, Everything’s Right reached fifty plays and we were treated to two more debuts on this tour, Friend and Half Way Home respectively. So far everything I’ve heard from Ghosts in the Forest has been good. I might have to actually pick up the studio release. I’ll be back after Camden. Until then, your Top 20:
I’m not quite sure, but I think The Kinks was my first show at Blossom back in the 1980s. If I had to guess, before I left the Cleveland area for good I probably saw 10 or so performances there. After following Phish around the Midwest for years, hitting Tinley Park, Alpine Valley, Deer Creek, Burgettstown, Polaris Amphitheatre and a few others, only Deer Creek could rival Blossom. Most of the summer sheds, especially the newer ones, seem much more concerned with maximizing profits than anything related to the show.
It had been twenty four years since I visited Blossom and little has changed. Oh, there is a SHIT LOAD of vendors along the walk ways now, but overall it’s still one of the best outdoor venues, at least in the Midwest. Red Rocks and the Gorge are on the bucket list and my guess is that by view alone those will trump just about anything. I think what does it for Blossom is that the lawn is much more gently sloped, especially when compared to Alpine, than most other venues. The powers that be also have resisted the urge to install video screens for the lawn. However, and someone smarter than me would need to explain it, what sets Blossom a part is the sound. Regardless of where you are, even on the lawn, the sound is just perfect.
As far as the songs and song rankings go, it has been a pretty heavy new and newer music summer thus far. Songs from Ghosts of the Forest have been popping up just about everywhere and music of the 3.0 era is dominating the set lists. I’ll look to see after Alpine which song is the most played of the tour, but much of the older material is on the back burner right now.
Some interesting notes: Wolfman’s Brother has been played 200 times. The next Markisupa Policeman or 46 Days will knock Big Ball Jam out of the Top 100. Golden Age has been played 50 times and More is now in the Top 250. There have been four debuts this tour, all coming in shows other than Bonnaroo. Kind of neat that the new stuff is reserved for the “Phish only” crowd.
Finally, the Top 20 is the glacier of all this, subtle changes as it slowly moves through the Phishverse. David Bowie is firmly entrenched in tenth place. It’s hard to gauge, but there is a very outside chance either Antelope or Cavern might catch Golgi Apparatus. Your Top Twenty:
Yes, it’s been a while. I’ve decided I’m a shitty content developer and even shittier content deliverer. I have something up my sleeve, but of course I’m a bit late on it. More to come on that. Watch this space.
The goal was to be done with the other project before tour got started, but no such luck. Anyway, Summer 2019 is underway! I’m not sure why, but I’m more excited for this summer than I have been lately. Maybe because I’ve missed the last couple of summers. This past fall I got my indoor Phish fix after years of not having that, so a balance in the Phish force seems to be in order.
I’m also going back to my old stomping grounds, very old at this point, and returning to Blossom Music Center in Ohio. I’ll be doing Alpine too, which brings the summer to four shows, the most since 2015. Finally, I’m staring at the big 5-0 and I really want to do something Phishy for it. Come on Miami NYE!!
But back to St. Louis. The shows were filled with newer material and one of the “big four” were around. No Mike’s, no Tweezer, no Disease. Not that any particular show needs to have one of those, but with all of them MIA, they are conspicuous in their absence.
As far as the numbers go, a fair amount of debuts and songs from last Halloween seem to define this two show run. I’ve yet to listen to the Gloria, but, really St. Louis? That’s the Blues’ celebration song? OK. you be you. 3 songs from the top ten were played. 46 Days crept closer to the Top 100 and Set Your Soul Free cracked the Top 300.
As far as something new: Rankings in the year! As I was working on the other project, it was fun to discover what was played most in any given year. As far as 2019, every song played is currently tied for first 🙂 My guess is Bonnaroo will change that. Your Top 20:
It feels like the heady days of rec.music.phish! There is Charlie Dirksen arguing over a playlist! What is a quote? What is a tease? What is a song? I’m not sure if I have the answer yet, but who knew such questions would arise when Phish played…something resembling? Almost? Party Time on 12-29-18. If only for one more day I would have loved to have seen the back and forth played out in Rosemary’s Digest (only the best content from rec.music.phish).
Making it even more fun from a spectator’s point of view was that it seemed to be done in a spirit of good humor and geniality. Such heady debates seemed much more important when we were twenty somethings than forty (fifty?) somethings. Though it’s a bit of an old trope, this video just nails it. Not sure who is the author, but bravo!
Speaking of 50 something, I kinda, sorta, hope I can make New Year’s next year as I will be 50 at the time. My birthday is actually a few months prior, but there will be multiple times to celebrate and a trip to New York seems like a good idea. I’ve only been to one New Year’s with Phish, but it was a pretty good one, 1999, down in Big Cypress. I feel like that should count for two or something.
AS far as this year’s edition it was quite a fun bunch of songs; old faithfuls, some real bust outs and a quick return of the Halloween songs. If my math is right (and that is definitely open to debate) 12-30-18 featured the 500th rendition of Mike’s Song. Even if I’m off by a little bit, it’s pretty close and 500 or 501, or 503 is still damn amazing. However,regardless of the number the true story of this Mike’s was the Glide II which made up the middle portion. Not only was Mike’s->Glide II->Weekapaug called by the esteemable Scott Bernstein, it marked only the 15 time the song was played and the first time since 1995. Oy!
As for the rest of the run Mercury reached 250th place and almost all of the Kasvot Vaxt songs made a reappearance. The pictures of the New Year’s spectacle look amazing. At times, I think it would be great if the band did some of the big theatrics on the road. But the more I think about it, the more I like that the grand stage is saved for New Year’s Eve. It keeps it special. Let the Rolling Stones do the big productions and leave Phish to the basics.
Looking a bit forward, by fall of 2019, Big Ball Jam will most likely be out of the top 100. It has been a long time coming. I’ll be interested to see what from Kasvot Vaxt gets stretched out on the road. I’m not going to jinx anything with a prediction. I’m still fond of Sing Monica and the entire Little Feat set, but I don’t think I’ll be seeing much of those anytime soon. After Riviera Maya, a serious housekeeping will be on tap for this little project. I’ve been thinking and promising it for some time, but I’m serious this time, no really. Until then, the top twenty:
1 You Enjoy Myself – 583 2 Possum – 528 3 Mike’s Song – 500 five hundred! 4 Weekapaug Groove – 469 5 Bouncing Around the Room – 466 5 Chalk Dust Torture – 466 7 Golgi Apparatus – 460 8 Run Like an Antelope – 452 8 Cavern – 451 10 David Bowie – 446
11 Suzy Greenberg – 429 12 Divided Sky – 415 12 Stash – 415 14 Reba – 380 14 Harry Hood – 380 16 Runaway Jim – 379 17 Tweezer – 367 18 The Squirming Coil – 352 19 Foam – 345 20 I Am Hydrogen – 338
Kaufmak's Lazy Phishy Blog 