I Feel the Feeling I Forgot

Ah Phish, how I love thee. So Ive been seeing these guys for over 15 years and these were my 71^st and 72^nd shows. As a wee pup I used to pour over every minute detail of every show (if you still do – this blog may be better for you to get a review of these shows) but now to paraphrase Trey – "it’s all about the energy". I don’t care if they don’t explore uncharted territory for 30 minutes or miss a change or even play the occasional craptastic new song. The fact is that with bands charging an arm and a leg these days for 75 minutes of music, Phish deliver energetic, incredible, extensive shows every night. period.

I spent the first set of Hartford on the lawn – lots of room, puffer friendly and hangin with friends. Solid set (except for the new shitty, repetitive, unoriginal love tune “summer of 89”) with nice versions of Wolfman’s and Reba really stuck out. I got stubbed in to the pavilion for the second set – soooo much better. You can see the whole band and the light show wash over the crowd. Highlights of the 2^nd set were definitely the Tweezer > Theme, the latter being one of my favorite phish tunes ever. The encore was the real treat at this show. After the quirky, but rare “Sleeping Monkey” (dedicated to a phan who asked for the song the previous night) there was the unprecedented double "Tweezer Reprise". They literally play the song twice in a row – see the video above. The energy in that building was insane – everyone dancing like crazy with smiles ear to ear. If that doesn’t epitomize the joy that Phish can bring to their crowd I don’t know what does.

The second show I caught this tour was at Great Woods (now called Corporate Sponsor #3) which was 20 minutes from my house and the site of my 2^nd ever show almost 15 years prior to the day. We got to the show mad early and bbq’ed it up and I had a bottle of Jameson which is never a good combo. But whatevs. The show was great – we got a new cover, a new song ("Dr Gabel", which I liked a lot) and a bust out, Camel Walk – so I couldn’t really ask for more. Highlights for me were definitely the Sneakin Sally > Light > 46 Days sandwich. Full of nice jams, but not meandering like some often do. The "Loving Cup" closer was also a real treat. I hadn’t seen 3.0 do it yet and we cover it in Commas. IMO Phish play it better than the Stones, but don’t tell anyone I said that. Anywho – if you like phish today or yesterday and they come to your town your should go. If you don’t expect ’97 era ridiculousness then you wont be disappointed. They are rejuvenated and having a blast, its def worth your $50.

Opener/s: none
Venue Info:
beer sitch: taxed beers at corperate venues run you a good $8-10 bucks a pop
parking: free parking is available at Great Woods but Hartford I suggest throwing down money to park at one of the car dealerships or businesses near the venue to avoid cops and traffic leaving the show
layout: amphitheatres with pavilions and lawns
capacity: Great woods is 19,900, Hartford is 30,000. GW sold out but Hartford did not.

06/18/10 Comcast Theatre, Hartford, CT
Set I: Fee> Rift, Wolfman's Brother, Summer of '89*, Foam, Possum> The Moma Dance> Julius, Reba, Cavern
Set II: Halley's Comet> Light> Billy Breathes, Tweezer> Theme from the Bottom> Harry Hood> Wading in the Velvet Sea, Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan
Encore: Sleeping Monkey> Tweezer Reprise, Tweezer Reprise
* First Time Played

06/22/10 Comcast Center, Mansfield, MA
Set I: Lit O Bit*, Camel Walk, Possum, The Divided Sky, Dirt, Sample in a Jar, Kill Devil Falls, Dr. Gabel**, Run Like An Antelope
Set II: Mike's Song> I am Hydrogen> Weekapaug Groove, Sneaking Sally Through the Alley> Light> 46 Days, Limb By Limb, Golgi Apparatus, Slave to the Traffic Light, Loving Cup
Encore: First Tube
* First Time Played (Rita Clarke and The Naturals). ** First Time Played