Phish @ Susquehanna Bank Center, June 24

Phish, continuing its 2010 summer tour, spent the first of two nights in Camden, NJ in a laid-back & playful mood. Kicking things off with David Bowie, the fans were sure that Phish was going to have fun that night. Starting off with one of the more compositionally challenging songs of the Phish canon, Trey Anastasio spent the first couple minutes keeping to himself – luckily his deep concentration resulted in a near-flawless execution of the bouncy lines he’d written decades ago. A false vocal start during Water In The Sky had Trey & Page light-heartedly poking fun at themselves. A refreshing Uncle Pen showed Mike having a blast, especially during his bass solo.

Following a Boogie On Reggae Woman that was the first real dance breakdown number of the evening (including two foot-bell calls from Mike), were a whole slew of much anticipated songs. Of note were the concise Gumbo, the dark Timber, and a speedy Birds of a Feather. Welcoming the audience to the concert, Trey took an opportunity before Fishman stole the limelight in I Didn’t Know to discuss his prediction at last year’s Camden show that the Philadelphia Flyers would win the Stanley cup. Having not won this year, Trey let the audience knew that Fishman would play a “voodoo” solo to “summon the spirit of the beast” and “guarantee” a Flyers victory in the future.

An energized crowd started a “Let’s Go Flyers!” chant that led to an impromptu call-and-response with Fishman’s vacuum solo – a special treat indeed for Phish fans. A seemingly long first set (13 songs) featured an unexpected Reba and concluded with the classic Led Zeppelin tune, The Rover. As the band began the scorching classic-rock ode, confused fans turned to one another asking “Is this a Zeppelin song?” The song featured melodic riffs and multiple sections brimming with fluid chord changes. Page took the helm at lead vocals and pushed the top of his range in a stunning performance, pleading “If we could just join hands!” during the song’s chorus.

READ ON for more of Balaji’s photos and thoughts…

Although set one was all over the place in terms of flow and song placement, Phish was there to have a lighter, no-pressure evening with fans. After a relatively short setbreak, the band returned with a pleasing Down with Disease that segued into Crosseyed And Painless, clearly a fan-favorite for the night. The breathing time afforded by the surprise inclusion of Nothing was necessary, yet somewhat odd. The latter half of set two pounded through Harry Hood, Fluffhead and Julius, all three of which saw the slightly-more-than-average glowstick flight (for Phish 3.0 standards at least). For a show containing so many classic tunes, it only seemed fitting to end with You Enjoy Myself. Never letting up on the running joke between the audience and the band, the YEM vocal jam also included a ping-ponging “Let’s Go Flyers” section.

Phish displayed a sense of comfort with the songs released on Joy, a passion for presenting its latest work, and a dedication to preserving its old material faithfully. The night felt more like sitting by the fireside with Phish (the second set, while a success, also encountered a couple flow issues). The band was full of energy and felt ‘at home’. Bug, the encore, saw Trey and Fishman fighting over the tempo; but once they agreed, the audience realized how appropriate this contemplative selection was for such an evening.

June 24, 2010
Susquehanna Bank Center

Set 1: David Bowie, Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan, Water in the Sky, Ocelot, Uncle Pen, Boogie On Reggae Woman, Gumbo > Timber (Jerry) > I Didn’t Know, Birds of a Feather, Bouncing Around the Room, Reba[1], The Rover[2]

Set 2: Down with Disease -> Crosseyed and Painless > Nothing, Twenty Years Later, Harry Hood > Fluffhead > Julius, You Enjoy Myself

Encore: Bug

[1] Unfinished.
[2] Phish debut.
[via Phish.net]