DICK'S NIGHT TWO: I THINK I'M STILL ME


DICK'S NIGHT TWO: I THINK I'M STILL ME

      I don't know where to begin...Many say that you cannot yearn for the past, as you get caught up in it, missing what is right in front of you; myself, like many Phish fans argue the merits, accolades, precision, quality, etc...of "past" vs "present" Phish, even when there isn't an audience. I certainly think about 1.0 Phish and, just like one's mind, unable to quiet a rousing, tangential string of thoughts, I certainly think about past Phish, when about to experience "New Phish".
      
      My point is: it's all that past experience, both myself, the bands, on and off stage, the mixture of music and zaniness, excitement, spontaneity, that has allowed this band to get where they are now (where I an now)and that place is somewhere between elysium and hades.
      
      Antelope errupts from it's low volume first notes, and as I begin to take in all the implications that this song selection means, I am immediately vibing with a massive wave of audience members, spastic and focused hell bent on taking in this high energy offering. While # line filled its set one 2nd at bat position, very type 1, once the opening licks of Tweezer filled the very thin Colorado air, I realized that my lungs (aged 31 years) were going to have to summon some of that 21 year old wind, cause we in IT. Coming out of the Tweezer proper, with an Ebenezer Dionysian chaos that just felt a little more Dionysian, Trey stepped back in a groove, and the entire band fell into this Lull that had the audience bathing in the mire. Harkening to Tweezer->California Love->Tweezer, this funked rhythm gave way eventually to Trey Led sequence that brought the song to its seeming full circled end...but alas, the song would traipse into the ether of effects, and summon from it's vapor Fluffhead. From here the set was played with vigor, incendiary guitar work, interplay, and standards, that while not extending outside their well packaged box, certainly were wrapped in a beautiful wrapping; bow on top; cherry on top. The energy abounded, and capping off the set with Faulty Plan, the audience, myself, found ourselves at set break, knowing that this band meant business.
      
      As set two commenced, and Golden Age's words echoed through the very fabric of the band, the fans, this time in Phishtory, coming out of the very palpable and visual lyrics of this song, the band wove a delicate piece of music, certainly bring a few musical thoughts to fruition. From the ether again, super sonic loops ensuing, and effects driven outro, Trey sounded the the beginning to Caspian, which I thought was going to be light, once GA had begun, having paired these two before, with great success. Caspian (whose segue certainly left a little to be desired) would not disappoint from here on out, and the band would over the course of 48 minutes and 9 seconds, draw from all that they had previously conceived of in the Golden Age of their entire Career. Light sprung from Caspian like Athena from the head of Zeus, fully armed and ready to wage battle for the domination over earth.
      
      What made this passage of music special, (mythic, uncompromising) was the patience that the band, but especially Trey showed. At one point, Mikes signature bass bombs, which typically hailed the inevitable segue into Boogie On, were thwarted by Trey, and this was the point where I knew this was the juncture, so many times, we fear when the song selection shifter is adjusted and the jam become likened to a late-term abortion. (Fully shaped, hear pounding, you get the picture) Well the boys were pro life on this one and battling through heaven and hell, they brought their musical musings to a very jazzy, completion.
      
      At this point they could have packed up for the weekend, but like Hunger Games, this one is a fight to the death, all must be sleighed. Pulling out strong versions of Boogie On and The Wedge (spoke to the gorgeous setting), the denouement was the biggest surpriser since the opening of the show; a late set Mikes->No Quarter->Groove! Capping the night with the same intensity where the show started, I was scratching my head trying to figure out what tomorrow brings...let's wait and see.
      
      (Picture to come, as I cannot get the photos from the smart phone they are stuck in)

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