Trapped In Time is the tumblelog of Matt Simpson. Matt is the co-owner of Maven Web Solutions. His business partner is Eugene. They also blog live music with Todd at The Butter Room, whose latest project is Jamwich.
Today is a particularly special Phish Friday. A year ago today Phish returned at Hampton in one of the most incredibly joyous and moving weekends in their 26 year history. It was an all-day event with many of us getting in line in the early afternoon, drinking beers and catching up with old friends, making new ones, and soaking in the incredible energy surrounding it all. So here’s a few Hamptonversary photos for all of you. We’ve had our band back for a year now!!
They ask what the fuss is all about, so let me break it down in simple terms. Take the visual insanity of this picture, add its audio counterpart and turn the energy knob up to 11. (via thephenthouse)
Last week the promise of a new and rejuvenated Phish captured the attention of not only the band’s fans, but the entire music world. How many people would show up to the return shows in Hampton (with or without tickets)? Would the band be able to perform their old songs with accuracy and intensity? What would the energy be like from band and crowd alike?
What Phish delivered over the weekend far exceeded fans’ expectations, and left the music industry on alert for even more - likely left-coast - tour stops this summer. In epic fashion, the foursome blazed through 85 songs in just three nights, making the shows one of the longest musical weekends in Phistory, and perhaps their most impressive collective set of performances this side of the new millennium (see: Cypress).
Band MVP:
Page McConnell
We’ll get to Page’s playing shortly, but needless to say, The Chairman Of The Boards is bringing it harder than any other CEO in 2009!!!
Lights
Chris Kuroda was nothing short of spectacular this weekend. He’s now using Martin’s brightest and fastest fixtures, the Mac-III, which are still in beta. We saw a lot of new effects, the use of round LED lights, disco lights underneath the Hampton scoreboard, and the tasteful use of large balloons that were highlighted by the second rig around said scoreboard. The colors seem brighter and less pastel than in the past, which overall was a great thing. CK was locked in with the band all weekend, never missing a cue, even if the band missed a few of their own!
Sound
Garry Brown has replaced Paul Languedoc, Phish’s longtime sound engineer, and his work was pretty good. Many fans said they thought the sound was the best they’d heard in Hampton, though its coverage perhaps could have been more consistent. If you were slightly off the floor and close to a stack the sound was phenomenal. Yet parts of the floor and above were not getting the sound as direct. This is clearly evident from the Fluffhead videos. Slightly off the floor, we could hear the first notes before anyone on the floor could, awhile the floor may have been louder, the volume was inconsistent at times.
Page was clearly more prominent in the mix, although Trey was very high as well. Mike and Fish often got lost and muddied in the sound. These small issues will get worked out before June, so be prepared for a lot more subwoofer at Jones Beach to hear the Cactus bombs!
Friday, 3/6/09
Our crew left from Chicago on Thursday and made it to Richmond very late Thursday night, leaving us a short drive into Hampton on Friday afternoon. We checked into our hotel around 1 and by 2 I was navigating the scene down on the “Hampton Strip.” It was a welcomed breath of fresh air, as hippies wandered hotel parking lots, slanging brews and other assorted goods. After getting a couple drinks in us, we moved on over to the Coliseum lot which was surprisingly subdued. What was noticeably different was the front lot. In years past the front lot would be filled in first, allowing phans to set up on the long, winding path that ran parallel to the parking lot and led up to the front doors of the Mothership. However, the lot was empty! No Shakedown at all, which as a longtime fan, definitely blew my mind.
Not to worry though, we had some friends who were on top of their game and werewaiting for us near the very front of the line, right side. For the next three hours we hung out with those around us, which increased dramatically as show time drew closer.
Old friends caught up, strangers shared their stories on how they were able to get to Hampton, and collective waves of energy ran through the waiting fans from time to time. As the box people in the normally flowing fountain expressed, all to be done was SMILE and await the impending appearance of The Hose. All this time I was nervously waiting for Dan, a member of Phantasy Tour, to arrive with my ticket for the show. Just a small detail, right? Stuck in traffic and trying to make his way to the Days Inn where the party was in full swing, Dan reached me with my ticket at exactly 5:30 P.M. With my ticket now in hand (at the unfortunate expense of my 23rd row Fox Theatre ticket), the floodgates opened and security began to herd cattle through the security checkpoints. I’ve never been stuck in such a mass of people before. It felt like a human trash compactor with literally not enough room to get your hand to your face. By six we were standing in front of the doors, only ticket scanners and cops between us and our seats. Finally, around 6:20 the doors opened, and I let out a joyous howl as my ticket scanned and I scrambled page side. We secured a money spot on the rail, slightly in front of the sound board. For the next hour and a half we took turns grabbing beers and hitting the restrooms, nervously waiting for what we could not see.
Just after 8 PM, as I leaned back against the rail, facing the crowd above me, a balloon appeared above my head. I flipped it over my head, and just as the balloon fell into my hands on the other side of the rail, the lights went down. What followed will forever be engrained in my mind, as it was one of the boldest, most definitive moments in the band’s history: Fluffhead. To come back with Fluffhead sent a message that resounded far outside the walls of the Hampton Coliseum: “We’re Back - With A Vengeance.” The video beneath just begins to scrape the surface of the energy around us as Phish triumphantly returned.
The first set still blows my mind. Sure, there were a few issues here and there, although I must point out that throughout the weekend, much of the rust (especially on Trey’s end) seemed to come back to new equipment, a new stage setup, a new take on Phish. It most definitely never came back to sobriety, desire to please the fans, or technical ability. They all still have it, and collectively they created moments on Friday and beyond that were as good or better than anything we’ve seen from them in a decade. As Bowie stamped a giant OWNED all over our faces to end an epic 1:54 minute first set, the crowd reacted simultaneously with glee and reverence.
The second set introduced us to “Backwards Down The Number Line” which I first saw Trey and Mike play acoustically at Rothbury last summer. The song has matured dramatically since then, and featured a mature, melodic jam that helped us all step back into the freezer! The Tweezer was short but funky, dropping tidbits of ideas that might find their way into the song come summer. A personal highlight for me was the Possum. Trey really brought some brazen guitar playing to the table on this, with more intense, country licks in his playing. The rest of the set was fun (see: First Tube!), but sloppy. Hood had some serious errors, and while there’s much debate about whether the ‘09 restart of YEM was a joke or just a mistake, they played it pretty well and provided not only an extended trampoline jam that inspired Gordo to ‘ring the bell’ (a sure sign Mike is loving it!), but a mind-warping vocal jam that let CK5 wow us all into submission. The encore was a lot of fun as the huge balloons used in the light show were unleashed during the aptly played “Bouncing Around The Room,” and ended with a fiery Loving Cup. The Phish from Vermont had returned.
What struck me most about Friday night was not the big guns such as Hood, YEM, Tweezer, or Stash, but the songs that you would not normally expect to be set highlights. I loved the Rift, and Page’s soloing on Suzy was uber funky. However, perhaps the best surprise for me came when the band played Farmhouse. It’s also been a piss break song for me, but on Friday it was perfect. Trey’s solo at the end was transcendent and uplifting, adhering to the moment and its significance. Train Song and Grind were also highlights for me. All in all, you couldn’t ask for anything more than a 28 song return show that threw every style in Phish’s arsenal at you.
Saturday 3/7/09
With the nerves of the first night out of the way, anticipation was high for a Saturday night rager in the Mothership. Another HUGE first set (1:48) dropped in with Get Back On The Train, followed by Runaway Jim. The intensity picked up song after song, only slightly relenting during a botched Landlady section in PYITE. However, Mexican Cousin packed a surprisingly good jam that led to a stellar It’s Ice > Haley’s Comet, my first set highlight, and of my favorite moments during the weekend.
Yet, perhaps the best song of the set belonged to Page as the band played “Beauty of A Broken Heart” from his 2008 solo album. McConnell seemed like the most rejuvenated member of the band this weekend. It meant a lot to me personally as I feel he often gets overlooked as just “layering” the sound. And it’s true, in the past he hasn’t played a lot of lead, he hasn’t directed the overall sound of the band. But this weekend he was the unmitigated leader. When the others were having trouble finding their place in a song or jam, Page would play louder and more confidently, showing the way forward. The first Guelah in over a decade did not disappoint with Page and Trey trading licks as the crowd roared, and then…. LAWN BOY!!! If it wasn’t clear that Page was taking command of the weekend, it smacked you over the head during this funky version. Set I then concluded with a galloping Antelope which grew great applause as he (the Antelope) began to run full-speed.
Saturday’s Set II was probably the best set of music all weekend. Rock and Roll kicked off an Anastasio-driven set that found it’s way into a powerful “Limb by Limb” finding Fishman truly comfortable for perhaps the first time all weekend. Limb segued into a gritty “Ghost” with some great bluesy, yet spacey playing, that while not all that long served notice that ambience will remain a regular part of the Phish 3.0 mixture. “Piper” emerged from Ghost, but suffered a bit from an Anastasio flub, and perhaps never achieved what it intended to do as it moved into a manic “Birds of A Feather.” The crowd was loving it as Birds wrapped up and the Wolfman’s Brother came down on us all once again.
Caspian served as a slight cool-down from the rigors of over 50 straight minutes of music, but was well played and served as a bridge - in classic 2nd set form - into a short, but powerful Mike’s > Hydrogen > Weekapaug. That would end the set right? Think again. Character Zero dropped in at the end of Weekapaug to send the set out in rocking fashion. Not bad for a 90 minute 2nd set!
How do you top the past four sets? Well, one good way might be to bust out a Beatles cover. Not just any Beatles cover, but one of the most powerful in Phish’s repertoire: “A Day In The Life,” the closing song on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. There was no need for anything else. The compositional excellence of this song, paired with meaningful lyrics spoke to both the musical and emotional meaning behind the band’s return. Two down, one more incredible night to go!
Sunday 3/8/09
On Sunday Eugene and I were lucky enough to meet up with our Virginian friends from The Butter Room, Todd and Graham as we waited in line. We drank some brews, talked about the (lack of a) lot scene, and discussed the past two shows, as well as what to expect for tonight. We were all pretty sure a Down With Disease and 2001 would be coming, but rumors were running strong outside the Mothership that Gamehendge would be played. Lofty expectations for their third show back, and almost too predictable. Phish has never been a predictable band though, which is probably why they opened Sunday’s show with “Sanity.” Only played 27 times the band’s 26 years,this is a rare gem that hadn’t been heard in a very long time! It also was very fitting, as Trey sang the “Lost my mind just a couple of times” line.
“Wilson” followed, keeping fans on their toes. Would there be an onslaught of TMWSIY songs tonight? Not quite, but following the ritual of Wilson, Foam emerged quickly followed up by an extremely tight and focused “Bathtub Gin.” In the past Gin has been a huge jam vehicle, but on this night it would pack intensity and get straight to the point rather than guide you through vast soundscapes before returning to a frenzied conclusion. This was arguably some of the best Trey-led jamming of the weekend. He really destroyed it! Next up was “Undermind,” one of the newer songs that Phish had never played. While I’ve heard Trey play this song with his band, on this night Phish emerged as the true owner. Funky, almost calypso at times, Undermind will likely be played often this summer, and hopefully will become a great jumping off point for the band. Definitely a first set highlight for me.
“AC/DC Bag” was solid, but not particularly memorable as far as Bags go. However, the “My Friend My Friend” that follows was naaaaaasty! You could tell the boys were ready to sink their teeth into this monster and they crushed it. The line of “A Hidden Relic From His Past” really got to me. Our friend (the band) was back, and we all seemed on the same page. Speaking of Page, he dominated the rest of the set! His work on “Army of One”, “Tube” (crazy funky!!!), and “Cars, Trucks, Buses” was stellar, and set Trey and Mike up nicely to rip Free a new one before ending the first set with an incredible Frankenstein.
What is a band without Keytar? It’s certainly not Phish anymore! Symbolic of Page’s rise as a lead player, he came out front and tore up a phenomenal Frankenstein on a brand new Keytar. Seriously, who doesn’t love Keytar action? At this point, we knew Set II must be a throwdown. And a throwdown it was.
Mike twisted distorted notes before he thumped the familiar bass line to “Down With Disease” which provided some of the most interesting and experimental jamming of the weekend, especially around the 12 minute mark where the band explores some territory akin to the Vegas ‘03 Piper (some great stuff!). Kuroda brought rainbows of colors, painting both the stage and crowd. Lasting nearly 22 minutes, the band warped into a strong, melodic ending - while not returning to the main theme of DWD - and dropped into “Seven Below,” probably my favorite post-hiatus tune. The jam sections in this were stellar, and while only lasting 7 minutes, this first half hour of Set II seemed to hit the spot as the band treated us with a relaxing Horse > Silent. From here things going crazy. A spirited Twist began to ooze the funk with Mike and Trey locking in strong before morphing into 2001. By this time the crowd was completely getting down, craving the funk. And thus, more funk was brought! “Moma Dance” was the definitive dancing moment of the weekend, with thick, bubbling waves of blissful funk emanating from Gordon’s bass.
Forget about Trey during all of that? Yeah, me too a bit. But Trey ripped into a tasteful “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” (Beatles cover #2 for the weekend, and the last of only 4 covers total) before making all of our hearts skip a beat as Page played the opening chords to “Wading In The Velvet Sea.” Although I thought hearing this might make me cry the way the emotional last version at Coventry did, I couldn’t bear any tears. Instead, I just smiled. Just as the symbolic smiling box people in front of the Coliseum suggested, this weekend was a celebration. Tears of joy could be found, but there was nothing to be sad about. Our band is back, full of love, joy, and inspiration. They’re not back to just play a few shows, they’re back to create and mystify, shine light across the country during some of our darkest days. Thus, it was no wonder that they closed with “Slave To The Traffic Light.” While not as flawless as the Clifford Ball version, it’s placement was perfect and Trey led the band through a lengthy jam.
All that was left was the encore, the icing on the massive cake we were served over three nights. Fittingly, we all sang Happy Birthday to Fishman’s dad Leonard, 76 years young and obviously enthralled with the performance just like all of us, young and old. The band then dedicated a super funky version of “Contact” to Leonard, as Gordo and Page traded funky solo after funky solo. Then it was Trey’s turn, playing one of his favorite ballads, “Bug.” It was perfectly placed as what I’d been calling as the weekend’s closer finally sunk in: TWEEPRISE!!!! The roof was blown off the Mothership as it seemed everyone in attendance was bouncing up and down.
The Mothership Connection was made: the band and crowd found each other once more, tightly embracing all of the emotions that came with this reunion: anticipation, awe, compassion, and the mystery of what will come next. It’s Phish, so you never know what will come next, but this summer will be nothing short of spectacular. You can tell the band is eager to prove they still have something no one else has. And the fans? Well, we’re eager to be there to enjoy what no other band can provide, even after 26 years!
Editor’s Note: We’d like to thank all of you for following our Twitter updates and posts throughout last weekend. We did our best to get you timely updates, even from inside the Mothership (which didn’t have the best data connection… guess Phish was eating it up?!). We’ll be providing you full coverage of Phish’s summer tour, so expect more of the same from us in the near future. For those who we met at Hampton, thanks for contributing to such a wonderful time! And to those of you who couldn’t make it, we hope we have been able to share a little of the joy that Phish brought Hampton and the world last weekend!
The moment after the lights went down Friday night. It’s hard to explain how loud and uncontrolled the entire Fluffhead was, but I think this video is a good start. I would have recorded the whole thing, but dancing was of the utmost importance then and there.
Finally met 2/3 of our Chicago contributors from The Butter Room over the weekend at the Hampton Phish shows.
Photo of the Day (Mar 10 09)
Had an awesome time hanging out with Todd and Graham on Sunday. This weekend kicked ass on a lot of levels. It was wonderful to be there with old friends while making new ones.
I don’t have time for a full review at the moment, but will have more details later in the weekend. To put it mildly, last night was something special. Phish launched into an epic first set that lasted 1:55 and brought it home with a really edgy second set, ripping into Tweezer and Possum different than ever before. Ready for more tonight!
Hoping for just as good of a spot as last night. Perfect sightline of everything.
The New York Time has the first interview with all four members of Phish as they prepare for the return at Hampton. This is a must read for fans, especially those of you hitting the road in the next 24 hours.
Some info that was revealed in the article:
The only new song that will get played this weekend is likely to be “Backwards Down The Number Line”
The band has been practicing “Split Open and Melt,” “Foam,” and “Stash” amongst other things.
A new album will be recorded this spring following Hampton and before summer tour
“They liked what they heard. And they resolved to be the version of Phish they prized most: the intently practiced, well-prepared Phish from the mid-90s.”
It appears based on a small photo in the article that the band will return to it’s old setup in a line of Page, Trey, Mike, and Fish from left to right.
“Figuring out what to play for its first three reunion concerts became “one of those exercises in overthought that Phish is known for,” Mr. Anastasio said. Band members went in a circle naming the songs they wanted to play, deducted some, consulted a list of every song Phish ever played, did some trading and eventually arrived at about 80 songs. Mr. Anastasio started constructing three nights’ sets”
waiting for us near the very front of the line, right side. For the next three hours we hung out with those around us, which increased dramatically as show time drew closer.
The second set introduced us to “Backwards Down The Number Line” which I first saw Trey and Mike play acoustically at Rothbury last summer. The song has matured dramatically since then, and featured a mature, melodic jam that helped us all step back into the freezer! The Tweezer was short but funky, dropping tidbits of ideas that might find their way into the song come summer. A personal highlight for me was the Possum. Trey really brought some brazen guitar playing to the table on this, with more intense, country licks in his playing. The rest of the set was fun (see: First Tube!), but sloppy. Hood had some serious errors, and while there’s much debate about whether the ‘09 restart of YEM was a joke or just a mistake, they played it pretty well and provided not only an extended trampoline jam that inspired Gordo to ‘ring the bell’ (a sure sign Mike is loving it!), but a mind-warping vocal jam that let CK5 wow us all into submission. The encore was a lot of fun as the huge balloons used in the light show were unleashed during the aptly played “Bouncing Around The Room,” and ended with a fiery Loving Cup. The Phish from Vermont had returned.
gets overlooked as just “layering” the sound. And it’s true, in the past he hasn’t played a lot of lead, he hasn’t directed the overall sound of the band. But this weekend he was the unmitigated leader. When the others were having trouble finding their place in a song or jam, Page would play louder and more confidently, showing the way forward. The first Guelah in over a decade did not disappoint with Page and Trey trading licks as the crowd roared, and then…. LAWN BOY!!! If it wasn’t clear that Page was taking command of the weekend, it smacked you over the head during this funky version. Set I then concluded with a galloping Antelope which grew great applause as he (the Antelope) began to run full-speed.
this is a rare gem that hadn’t been heard in a very long time! It also was very fitting, as Trey sang the “Lost my mind just a couple of times” line.
ung and old. The band then dedicated a super funky version of “Contact” to Leonard, as Gordo and Page traded funky solo after funky solo. Then it was Trey’s turn, playing one of his favorite ballads, “Bug.” It was perfectly placed as what I’d been calling as the weekend’s closer finally sunk in: TWEEPRISE!!!! The roof was blown off the Mothership as it seemed everyone in attendance was bouncing up and down.
