, attached to 2024-08-09

Review by Island_Tour

Island_Tour Now, let's talk about that TWEEZER. This 24-minute monster might not have broken any length records, but it packed more ideas into its runtime than some entire shows. From the get-go, you could feel the Classic Rock influence seeping through every note. Trey's guitar work was particularly noteworthy, channeling that MI Summer Southern rock vibe with a freshness that belied its classic roots.

The jam started with a patient, groovy build. Around the 8-minute mark, Mike locked into a bass line so thick you could cut it with a knife. This gave Trey the foundation to start exploring, and boy did he ever. His playing was fluid and inspired, possibly still riding the high from his recent collaboration with Billy.

At about 12 minutes in, the jam took a decidedly psychedelic turn. Page's keyboard work here was sublime, creating a swirling, cosmic backdrop for Trey's increasingly adventurous soloing. The interplay between all four members was nothing short of telepathic, with each musician seeming to anticipate the others' moves before they happened. But yeah Page and Cactus lockstep!

The peak of this "Tweezer" hit around the 18-minute mark, with Trey unleashing a series of soaring leads that had the entire venue levitating. The way the band built to this moment was masterful - a slow, steady climb that made the payoff all the sweeter.

But the real highlight of the night, in my humble opinion, was that "Pillow Jets" jam. Talk about filthy! This was Phish at their most experimental and daring. The first few minutes were a sonic exploration of bleeps and bloops that would make even the most avant-garde electronic artists jealous. All Jets no Pillow, brah!

Then, just when you thought you had a handle on where this jam was going, they pulled the rug out from under us. Trey started weaving in these Hendrix-esque riffs that somehow perfectly complemented the electronic soundscape they'd created. It was like hearing two completely different musical worlds collide in the most beautiful way possible.

The segue back into "Tweezer" was so smooth you could have missed it if you blinked. This return brought with it a thunderous energy that felt like the logical conclusion to the cosmic journey we'd just been on.

The way themes and motifs were woven throughout the set created a cohesive musical narrative that kept us engaged from start to finish. It was a carefully crafted sonic story with a beginning, middle, and end.

"Piper". This was Phish operating in uncharted territory. The tempo was noticeably slower, almost plodding, creating a tension that kept us all on the edge of our seats. Around the 5-minute mark, Trey started weaving these intricate melodic lines that seemed to dance around the rhythm section. Mike and Fish locked into a groove so deep you could swim in it, providing the perfect foundation for Trey and Page to explore.

What made this PIPER truly special was the sense that the band was discovering new tricks in real-time. Around the 10-minute mark, there was a moment where the jam seemed to lose direction, but instead of falling apart, it morphed into something entirely new. Page's keyboard work here was particularly noteworthy, adding layers of texture that gave the jam an almost otherworldly quality. But the real gem of the night was that "Chalk Dust Torture". Buckle up, phans, because this was a journey for the ages. From the get-go, you could tell this wasn't going to be an ordinary "CDT". The interplay between Trey and Mike was nothing short of telepathic. At around the 8-minute mark, Trey hinted at a melodic theme that Mike immediately latched onto, creating a call-and-response that evolved into a full-blown jam.

And then, out of nowhere, they dropped that Yankee Doodle tease. It was so seamlessly integrated that you might have missed it if you weren't paying attention. This playful nod sent the jam spiraling into type-two territory, with the band collectively exploring soundscapes that were light-years away from the song's original structure. The way they managed to bring it all back home for a rousing finale was a masterclass in improvisational control.


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