Whatever You Do, Take Care Of Your Shoes

Right before Summer Tour started, I decided to make a conscious effort to not write anything until the first leg was over.  This was a departure from my current coverage, where I typically do a small write-up after each night, but I wanted to try something a bit different and try to view the first leg as a whole.  In an essence, a tour is often like one long story anyhow.

This first leg was certainly an interesting one.  As with most tours, we experienced highs and lows, but the overall impression I got was that the band is dialed in.  While the naysayers will still complain about the “lack of jams” and exploration, I could not disagree more.  The jams are there; they’re just more structured.  In fact, if you remove some of the new tunes, it’s almost like listening to early 90’s Phish – well executed composed segments with controlled jamming.  I was only able to catch the three Jersey shows, but I believe the band is having more fun than they’ve had in years and it’s certainly reflected in their playing.

Here are a few “Free Thoughts” from the first leg:

1.  FIRST SET JAMMING
Right out of the gates at night one in Bethel, the band delivered a profound message with the opening “Tweezer > My Friend, My Friend” combo.  First set jams have not died.  While the first set is typically one for the band to warm up before diving deep in the second, this tour had several key first set jams that have stuck out as show highlights.

5/28 Bethel “Halley’s Comet”
5/28 Bethel “Bathtub Gin > Manteca > Bathtub Gin”
5/31 PNC “Sand”
6/10 Camden “Weekapaug Groove”
6/10 Camden “The Curtain With”

Each of these moments saw the band explode with energy and unleash some of their best playing of the tour.

2.  CROSSEYED AND PAINLESS
Every tour has it’s song (I often say that Summer 2010 belonged to “Funky Bitch”), and in an interesting move, the band broke out The Talking Heads’ “Crosseyed And Painless” four times in eighteen shows.  For a song that typically rears its head once a tour, this was a nice surprise.  Each time, it served as a launching pad into some welcomed, exploratory jamming that set the set in motion.

3.  STEAM
I think everyone was a bit unsure of what was coming out of the playful Blossom “Possum,” but what did emerge was a new funk-laden Trey original, “Steam.”  The slow, bass-driven tune is very reminiscent of “Ghost,” and one I predict will continue to be used as a mid-set placeholder (jammed into and out of).  "Steam" was played only one other time in Merriweather (out of none other than “Crosseyed And Painless”) but I eagerly anticipate it’s growth next leg and moving forward.  The potential is there for this song to really go places.

4.  STOP KNOCKING JERSEY
Much of what I’ve read regarding the two PNC shows and Camden show have labeled those nights as tour low-points.  I’m in agreement that there were stronger nights, but I think there’s a lot to be said for those shows (caveat: I am a little jaded, as I attended all of those shows).  In fact, I will go as far as to say that the second set of PNC night one stands out as one of my favorites from the tour.  The jams out of “After Midnight” and “Drowned” stand right up there with some of the finest Phish I’ve ever heard.  And that “Maze!”  Easily the best of 3.0, and flowed perfectly from the “Drowned” jam.  Give it a listen again.  The following night’s “Tweezer > No Quarter” was also one of those fine moments.  Once everyone realized what Page was doing, the crowd just erupted with that wild energy.  As for Camden, I was thoroughly impressed with the “Rocky Top” opener, “Weekapaug,” and beautifully played “Curtain With” to end the first set.

5.  LONGER ISN’T ALWAYS BETTER
The biggest complaint of 3.0 that people have is the lack of long jams.  For those longing for 1997, it’s probably best to stick to the tapes (Mike said it best the other week on his hotline).  Longer isn’t always better, but once in a while, the band will lock in and deliver some real monster jams that don’t consist of Trey simply noodling around.  The DTE set two opening “Down With Disease” is a perfect example.  The boys clicked here and felt the urge to take this one for a ride.  We haven’t had a similar jam (time wise) since Albany 2009.  So, while these are likely to be few and far between, they aren’t dead.  And I for one would rather have several 10-15 minute well played jams, than an aimless 30+ passage.

So with Superball around the corner and a month away from leg two, it will be interesting to see what else lies in store.  At the end of the day, the band sounds great and stronger than they’ve been in a long time.  Expect big things.

images courtesy of Dave Vann.