Phish Fall Tour 2009 wrapped up last night at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, VA. Detroit was less than three weeks ago but lets be honest it feels like the band has grown leaps and bounds since then. I want to break down Fall 2009 into four areas, or rather; there are four specifics I've found that made it so successful and will make go down in history as one of the best Phish Tours ever.
- The first specific is simple, they were coming off of what most people have touted as their most successful festival ever. Even though it wasn't huge as in attendance, it was huge in the way it created a very intimate, and yet expansive space for the band to enjoy playing music for three days straight. I felt a shift occur at Festival 8, that shift was an acceptance by fans that Phish is back and as good as ever. And by the band, that they can rock and really enjoy themselves in doing so. So they had this going into Detroit. Only the deepest inner circle of the band know if they planned to "bustout" so many songs from their past, or cover TV on The Radio's, "Golden Age"; take "Tomorrow's Song" of the shelf and play it live for the first time, jam out 7 below Type II and so many covers. \What we do know is that they did all of this.
- The second specific that made Fall Tour so successful was song choice. As stated above, the band decided to expand their current rotation, and so in a practical, even predicable manner. The first set was largely set-aside for playing finely tuned songs, jamming lightly, but plugging up to 13 or 14 songs in. The second set was all about the jamming, and they stuck to this model pretty much throughout.
- The third specific that made Phish Fall 2009 so successful was the bands confidence. And of course this is displayed by what they played, when they played it and how it sounded. We have already stated they played a diverse setlist, they found a rhythm to how the shows would unfold, and they sounded tight. I could go down each night, and actually might, and give a Grateful Music MVP to a different band member each night, with Chris Kuroda getting the HMVP or Honorary MVP every-night, busting out new lights for this tour and honing his skills even tighter than before....it's amazing, the man doesn't miss a change.
- The fourth and final specific is timing. The didn't choose to tour far, or to criss-cross the country. They chose to do 4 multiple night shows, yes they went from Detroit to Virginia, but they did it visiting only 8 venues. This is easier on the band and the fans. I know it sucks for all of us outside of that region, but it makes it easier to get a rhythm going with your followers and by the last night at MSG or in VA, they had created a relationship with their fan-base that was and is symbiotic. They also went home. Trey being from Jersey, Jon from (Philly) -Syracuse, Page from Philly and Mike from Mass. They got to play to their home base. Yes they are a Vermont band, and will forever be known as such, but they did go home these past few weeks and what they brought with them was the fire. The tour was amazing. Simply and nothing short of amazing. Here are some Highlights, feel free to add your own in comment form. Phish Fall Tour 2009 Highlights
- Play Detroit for the 1st time since 1992 (Palace at Auburn Hills 1999)
- The Tweezer in Cincy 11/20
- The Return of Bluegrass with Ginseng Sullivan and Albuquerque 11/21
- Funky Bitch in Syracuse Set1
- Drowned>Twist>Piper>BBFCFM Syracuse Set2
- Camel Walk and DWD and The Mango Song Philly 11/24
- Solid second show in Philly with a 7 song 2nd set 11/25
- MMGAMOIO, Two Versions of Me, Timber 1st set Albany 11/27
- Golden Age, On Your Way Down, Tomorrows Song 2nd set Albany 11/27
- Uncle Pen and Vultures, then the sick Seven Below & Ghost Albany (YEM Encore) 11/28
- Nellie Kane....actually the entire Portland show is a highlight (Freebird, Carini>Waste encore) 11/29
- Peaches en Regalia, and the Golgi>Light>Slave>Tweezer MSG 12/2
- DWD>Piper>Fluff,Cities>Free,Halleys>2001 set 2 MSG 12/3 (not to mention DB)
- Maze, First Tube close 1st set, Rock & Roll-(entire 2nd set)-You Enjoy Myself MSG 12/4
- Ya Mar (naked guy), Sneakin' Sally Thru The Alley, Old Home Place, Sweet Virginia VA 12/5
1 comments:
nice wrap up
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