3. Tweezer Still Has Balls
Sometimes the timing of a song means nothing. But in the case of Tweezer, the times recently have been telling. The fantastic version on 12/30, which clocked in at 18:48, broke a string of nine consecutive Tweezers that failed to crack the 15-minute mark dating back to 6/26/10 at Merriweather. While the Atlantic City version infused with Zeppelin classics was fun, this MSG version goes deeper than anything we’ve seen lately. The band hits a peak at around 9:54 that probably would have been the highlight of any recent version. But they dive back in for a deeper segment that builds for several minutes into one of the most fluid jams of 3.0’s existence. The jam holds almost completely together till Trey starts the opening licks of Light. Longer doesn’t always mean better but in the case of this Tweezer, it says a lot.
4. Ghost is still the Big Jam Lead Dog
Many of Phish 3.0’s best “big jams” have morphed out of Ghost, including the 11/28/09 Albany monster and the Atlantic City Ghost > Spooky. The MSG Ghost was no exception as it brought multiple highs and some of Mike Gordon’s best work of the entire run. The peak at the end is maybe the best of 2010 and this version would definitely qualify as a “Butter Jam.” It’s a must listen.
5. The Band Still Gets a Kick out of the Meatstick
They basically themed their 1999 summer tour around this song and their word record attempt and it’s inclusion as part of the New Year’s gag secures its spot as a band favorite for the ages. As by now you have seen, it was basically hundreds of worldly performers singing and dancing to Meatstick in dozens of languages for 20 minutes while the band rode across the arena in a giant stick of meat – the famous hot dog. They always seem amused when they fool the crowd but the band members seemed especially proud of their antics this year.
6. A Show on New Year’s Day Works
After two scorching nights and for most people, parties that raged on into the early mornings, it was a bit of a tougher call to rev up the engines for a show on New Year’s Day. But from the opening notes of My Soul to the final thump of Frankenstein, the band treated the crowd to an epic show. The second set, which included a much tighter Crosseyed & Painless than we’ve seen and a hose-level Simple, was among the best of the run. The only slight disappointment was nothing special to mark the 1/1/11 date. Predictions ranging from U2’s One to Metallica’s One to the Grateful Dead’s The Eleven were all shoved aside for a fantastic but numerically absent setlist.
7. First Tube and MSG are a Perfect Match
This pairing came together for the first time on 12/4/09 when it closed the first set and the room just exploded. This year First Tube kicked complete ass as the encore to an already glorious New Year’s Eve show. Something about the song’s looping, sweeping feel and the way Kuroda works the lights in that building makes for a perfect match.
8. Walk Away was Secretly the Song of the Year
This is more of a year-long observation than specifically being about the 1/1/11 version. But the four versions of this song played in 2010 – 6/17 in Hartford, 8/10 in Telluride, 8/17 at Jones Beach and 10/30 in Atlantic City are all worth listening to and all show the band in their best “classic rock” form. Page belts out the vocals to this one with more passion than just about any other tune on his list and Trey just demolishes the now-slightly-extended middle jam section.
9. They are Counting Songs
Last year in Miami the band littered its sets on 12/30 and 12/31 with songs that had not yet been played that year such as Soul Shakedown Party, Tela, Jesus Just Left Chicago, Corinna, Gone, Lifeboy, Demand and Swept Away > Steep and NO2 in order to top their highest total for different songs played in a year with 247. This year it was Burn That Bridge, Weigh, Beauty of My Dreams, Round Room and Grind seeing their first love of the year during the final three shows to give the band a new record of 250 songs played in 2010. It’s good to know the band is paying attention to the “bustout factor” and trying to work some of their unplayed songs into the end of the year celebrations.
10. Fans Know the Words
It used to just be a few lines in a few tunes – The Wilson intro, “…and we love to take a bath” But these days, fans are singing along louder and prouder than I ever thought I’d see at a Phish show. I’m not necessarily complaining but I can’t say I really want the guy next to me screaming HAAAAAA-HAAAALLEY’S COMET directly into my ear. So tread easy show crooners. Remember none of us paid $60 to hear anyone sing poorly except Fishman.
21 Responses
good stuff, Luke. I especially agree with #s 2 and 3.
MSG is the place for NYE, period. As much as the place is a crumbling mess and a complete maze, it’s got the energy, the history, and the vibe that makes a Phish NYE run magical.
that Tweezer is one of my fav moments of the run. cajones grandes.
Good list. I totally agree on the Walk Away observation. That one really snuck up on me as the absolute rager it is. The jam has become almost Tweeprisesque.
Nice I agree with most of it. especially number 10. Kids put your cell phones down and please dont sing along. I always ask the kid next to me who sings this song and when they answer phish I just start to dance again. I think they get the point.
it’s NYC, the Ghost didn’t have a “butter jam”, it was a “butta jam”
Thank you! This piece of writing captures the entire run and energy put forth by the band and us.
These two lines in your article:
“I don’t give a fuck how nice the weather is in Miami. This band belongs at Madison Square Garden every year for New Year’s Eve.”
and…
“If you aren’t impressed with what the band brought at MSG then you should just stop going to shows.”
To me certainly sum up what kind of momentum and fun everyone should be having. So sick of reading articles(ehhhem Jambands.com) that strive in their writing to bring out negative and comparisons to old Phish. This is who the band is now, and I love them more than any other period(and still love the other era’s of Phish). This is possible. Well done by all!
Nice rundown Luke! Living vicariously from the West Coast. Hopefully I’ll be able to sing Halley’s Comet full volume next year from the stands;-)
Well done.
I would say that First Tube is just simply one of their best (if not the best) encore tunes the band plays. The version from 6/28/00 had me freaking out.
I have been very down on 3.0, but going to 12/30 may have caused me to do a 180 on that. The energy was unlike anything I have seen at any show in years, and the playing wasn’t half bad either.
Keeping NYE at MSG is A-Ok with me.
Agreed MSG is the ONLY venue for NYE. (period)
Push On Til the Day teases in First Tube!
I would disagree with the notion that the band did not do anything special to mark the 1/1/11 date. This whole run marked the 11th anniversary of Big Cypress. The NYE gag involving Meatstick, the hot dog ride, and then going right into After Midnight? Huge nod to Cypress IMO. 11 years on 1/1/11!!!!
WORST.LIST.EVER.
Srsly, that is the best you could do? You make yourself sound like a complete n00b…(im hoping that is the case for your sake)
LOL @MFG. Author has been going to shows since the early ’90’s and writes a coherent article addressing good points. Sounds like someone is pissed that he didn’t get his Bouncin’
kinda gotta agree with the group singing. We all sound like Kang trying to sing Phish, so cut the crap people.
“LOL @MFG. Author has been going to shows since the early ’90′s and writes a coherent article addressing good points. Sounds like someone is pissed that he didn’t get his Bouncin’”
Ive surely seen more Phish than the author…article reeks of noob…just sayin’
@MFG — Maybe you have seen more shows than the author of the article, but you come across as a bit of a douchebag. And, really, who gives a shit how many shows anyone has seen? It’s all about being in the moment, not looking back over your shoulder, or counting your dumbass ticket stubs. Just, uhhh, sayin’ 😉
in my opinion, their three best start-to-finish shows of the year. If you aren’t impressed with what the band brought at MSG then you should just stop going to shows.
^ wow. that’s some bold shit that I wholeheartedly disagree with. They took one musical risk a night and played safe, tight shows..
gotta say, that while I respect your opinion I find a lot of your analysis off base. That Tweezer was not even close to “one of the most fluid jams of 3.0′s existence.” Have you been listening? wow…
great run no doubt, but lets not get carried away here.
“As by now you have seen, it was basically hundreds of worldly performers singing and dancing to Meatstick in dozens of languages for 20 minutes while the band rode across the arena in a giant stick of meat – the famous hot dog.”
Hundreds of dancers? LOL, what were you watching on NYE?
Good write up but the last point is BS…. you paid $60 to do whatever you feel like. You are “necessarily complaining” and maybe you should stop whining and dig the vibe.
there were a lot of sing-alongers – isn’t that partially what freaked the beatles out back in the day? let’s give it a rest! 🙂