11/27/15 Lotus @ Riviera Theatre - Chicago, IL

The day after Thanksgiving I make a relatively spur of the moment decision to see Lotus at the Riv. This is one of my least favorite venues in the city but Lotus is a band that I'm really enjoying currently.  I feel like they,re the best of the livetronica acts. (sorry STS9 and Bisco)  Not only do they bring the dance grooves but they bring a superior guitar sound thanks to Mike Gempel.  The drive into the city was relatively uneventful on Black Friday.  I parked in Wicker Park and made the chilly walk to the L train.  Before I left I destroyed a few leftover turkey sandwiches with stuffing. 


At the Riv you're always treated like a criminal at the door by S3 security.  It's tiring.  The layout of the venue sucks.  The seats in the balcony are way too close to the floor to be comfortable.  Sightlines at the back of the floor leave a lot to be desired.  Hopefully when the new Brooklyn Bowl Chicago opens on the near west side that these type of shows no longer happen at the Riv.  I only attended Friday but it seems like this could have been at the Vic with the size of the crowd.  I recognized the second song from the new EP they just released.  Golden Ghost is one that I like.  The first set was fun but that was clearly the warmup.  I saw the usual jamtronica Geneseo people.


I loved the song selection and flow of this second set and have been enjoying it on my stereo since I purchased the livedownload.  Bubonic Tonic was the highlight of the show.  This segued into Hammerstrike which explored some very dark terrain.  Soma and Debris are two songs I wasn't familiar with but I've grown to really like.  The hard rock cover of Elephant was a nice surprise.  There was a very seemless transition between Its All Clear To Me Now and the set closing Tip of the Tongue.  Great set.  Bubonic and Tip of the Tongue are two songs I've liked from Lotus since I discovered them sometime ten years ago.  The slower Cain & Abel started off the encore and provided a nice juxtaposition with Intro to A Cell which ended the evening.  I took the train back to my car and drove home.  Per usual I stopped in Utica at McD for breakfast around 3 am.  This show wasn't that great of an experience but musically it was amazing.  The Riv sucks as a venue but I knew that going in. 

10/30/15 Umphrey's McGee @ Riverside Theatre - Milwaukee, WI

It's been 45 days since my buddy Frank and I went up to see another longtime friend of ours who lives in Milwaukee, Sand.  The drive up to New Berlin was uneventful.  We took 80 to 39 to avoid the construction on 88.  Frank and I started seeing shows in 1999.  I'm glad we still see music together.  The GD50 show we saw together over the summer really made me reflect on the 15 years of traveling and seeing live music.  It's been a long strange trip.  That being said it's not over.  As much as I occasionally want to reinvent myself I'm always drawn back to how much I love what I've been doing.  Seeing music makes me feel alive. 


It was nice seeing Sand's apartment and meeting his girlfriend Laura.  I liked their two cats.  Admittedly it was unusual seeing Sand in such a domestic setting but I was happy for him.  This fall there was a huge amount of music at the Riverside Theatre.  I was unable to get tickets for SCI and WSP since those shows sold out so quickly and I was tapped out from Phish tour.  The Halloween UM show sold out.  Thursday UM didn't make sense because we all had to work.  By default this Friday UM show became the choice.  We felt a little old in this contemporary UM crowd.  It's really turned over from my hey day of seeing UM which was 04-07.  I think the improvisation has dulled a bit from Umphrey's since they've all gotten married, had kids, and moved apart.  However, they still bring consistent energy.  IC and Educated Guess both were highlights in the first set.  They brought out a saxophone player during Wappy.  There was an awkward transition into Comma Later but they did their best with it.  Even the August encore was energetic.  My friends were impressed with the show and they aren't Umphreaks by any means.  This was my 155th Umphrey's McGee show.  They are still fun to see but admittedly I get bored with it at times these days.  While waiting for our Uber I saw Pony, Kevin Browning, and some of their old buddies walk off into the night.  Later Sand drove us to Taco Bell and was obnoxiously honking his horn on his truck.  I'm surprised they didn't spit in our food.  I'm glad we went up to Wisconsin.  It was a rainy Halloween for the drive back. 

10/23/15 STS9 @ Orpheum Theatre - Madison, WI

2015.10.23 - Orpheum Theater - Madison, WI
Set I: Vapors, Only Light Remains > Grow, By The Morning Sun > Move My Peeps, Pianoir, The Rabble, Click Lang Echo
Set II: Moon Socket > Crystal Instrument > Water Song, Shock Doctrine, Scheme > 1103 > Scheme, Totem, Frequencies Peace 2 > Frequencies Peace 3

ENCORE: Baraka


It's been over a month since my mom and I traveled up Highway 61 through Dubuque to Madison.  It was a dark rainy autumn night in Wisconsin.  We met up with a longtime friend of mine Soren.  Mom went off to see our friends Margaret and Fritz in Middleton.  Soren met us out by the beltline and from there we took the Equinox with his girlfriend Melissa to downtown Madison to see STS9 at the Orpheum Theatre.  I've never seen State St. so busy on a Friday night.  The parking garages were full and we were fortunate to finally find a spot.  We missed the Tauk opening set which wasn't a big deal to me.  It was a decent sized crowd but plenty of room on the back of the floor where we hung out. 


I have listened to a lot of STS9 in the last year but I'm still largely unfamiliar with the song titles.  With Alaina Rocklin on bass I've become a much bigger fan of their music.  Pianoir was a highlight of the first set.  During the setbreak I walked down State St. to a coffee shop.  The opening trio of songs in set II was very impressive.  It was good seeing some of the usual Geneseo livetronica fans.  It was good to see Soren.  We've been friends all our lives.  He was born 10 days after me and they lived next door to us in Glen Ellyn.  We ate a delicious breakfast with Margaret, Fritz, and Whitney in Middleton.  When I was younger mom and I would go on road trips and I would always ride shotgun.  It was fun to go on a little getaway to Madison with her.  The rural Wisconsin and Iowa scenery with the changing foliage was pretty during the drive home.

9/4-6 Phish @ Dick's Sporting Goods Park - Commerce City, CO

It's been over a month since the last run of the summer at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.  I've been to all five years at Dick's, having only missed two shows over that span.  As the years go on Colorado feels more like home.  I have a lot of friends on the front range and that appears to be a likely destination for me in the future.  I drove to Chicago on Friday morning and parked in my usual locale in Wicker Park near the Damen stop.  After a trip on the Blue Line out to O'Hare I encountered unbelievable amounts of people in the TSA checkpoint line.  It was obviously one of the busiest travel days of the entire year.  I barely made it through in time to get to the terminal but it all worked out.  There was a nice older lady next to me who was a pilot.  She lived in the mountains and had seen The Grateful Dead back in the 1970s.  We were off to a good start. 


My friend Shane from Ft. Collins picked me up at the airport in exchange for my extra.  I appreciated him helping me out.  He met his wife at the hotel and dropped me off near the campgrounds where I reunited with Team War Eagle minus Heather.  Also joining them this time was Travis from Iowa City someone I've known for 15 years.  I was staying with Bobbyluv.  They rented a spacious van.  In our crew from out of town was Doc, Joel, Shaggy, and Jay.  Bobby's new place near Red Rocks had a cool view looking south along the mountains.  We had a lot of the usual familiar faces from Colorado including Abby and Shawn park near us out by the Upstaging Trucking and Lighting rigs. 


I upgraded to a field ticket for Friday.  I watched the first set near the soundboard with Team War Eagle.  I was impressed with the energy and flow of the first stanza.  It was highlighted by decent versions of Ghost, Gin, and Antelope.  For the second I moved closer on the Gordo side with Bobby and his people.  This show was a victory because of the improvisation during an extended Wolfman's, the best Blaze On to date, and a jammed out Golden Age.  A uniquely placed Roses Are Free was brimming with energy before they finished the show with Fuego, a cooldown with Velvet Sea, and WOTC.  The Fishman antics plus Loving Cup capped off the most complete effort of the weekend in my opinion.  After the show we stopped at Abby's house for a nice gathering of folks. 


I slept most of the next day.  Doc brought me back a great breakfast burrito.  I watched the rest of the run with the Auburn guys.  On Saturday we were on the Gordo side in the stands.  For set two I was joined by my friend from Iowa State, Hildy.  I liked the song selection in this first set.  I hadn't heard Winterqueen the whole tour.  I preferred this version of Melt to the one I heard at Alpine.  it wsa disappointing that they didn't jam out ASIHTOS.  However, the 15 minute+ CDT was the obvious highlight of the show. There was a nice segue into a rather pedestrian Twist.  Mercury continues to slowly grow on me.  It's interesting how it references the car, the element, the Greek God, and the planet.  Wingsuit worked in this spot in the set.  When they ended the set with a short Rock and Roll I was a bit puzzled.  They made up for it with a generous encore. 


We all relaxed on the deck on Sunday afternoon and grilled.  Bobby made some delicious brats.  Thanks again for him and Erin having us stay.  I was a bit disappointed by this first set.  There wasn't much to write home about.  That all changed with a soul touching second set and an encore for the ages.  I liked the slow build of this DWD that was the improvisational highlight.  The flow of this second set was excellent.  During Piper Fish was yelling out some Doobie Bros. lyrics.  Tweezer led into Horse>SITM which was the cooldown break.  A poignant Slave ended the set.  What happened next will be talked about for years with the band spelling out THANKYOU with Tweezer Reprise, Harpua, After Midnight, N2o, Keyboard Cavalry, Your Pet Cat, Once in a Lifetime, and the finally that really captured the overall sentiment of the moment United We Stand.  It felt like the band really appreciated the situation they have. I no longer feel the need to be there every night.  After this I can be begin to scale back.  Most importantly I will begin to put my life and career ahead of Phish.  I made sure to thank some of my friends who helped make this journey possible.  It's been amazing.  As one chapter of my life comes to a close the next comes into view. 

8/21-23 Phish @ Watkins Glen International - Watkins Glen, NY

For over 16 years I've been seeing Phish.  This summer that journey led me back to a famous a sporting and music venue, Watkins Glen International in the Finger Lakes region of New York.  I last visited here for Superball in 2011 with my friend Doc.  This time I drove by myself to Pittsburgh, PA to visit my Aunt Irene and her daughters Traci and Robin.  I stayed with Robin at her apartment.  It was a pleasure talking with my second cousin Kenny who I hadn't seen since he was a baby.  Now he's in his twenties.  That type of thing makes me feel old.  Getting older was a theme of this trip.  Up until now seeing as much live music as possible has been my number one priority.  After this tour it's become clear that it's time to shift that priority into making a sustainable living.  I want to express my sincere gratitude to my parents for supporting me as I "searched for the sound" to quote Phil Lesh. At the end of the day its about so much more than music.  People ask me why I am so hooked (pun intended) on Phish even in my mid-30s.  It provides spirituality at its very core.  Dancing and fellowship are what makes it special.  In a world where there's so much negativity this is a bastion of positivity.  Phish gave me something to believe in.  That live energy was something unlike I'd ever felt.  I'm still in awe of it. 


However, all glory is fleeting.  I got into Phish in 99-00 and the hiatus was looming over the scene.  The post hiatus years were a flash in the pan in 03-04. The current era of Phish has taken some to develop.  09-10 they were largely getting their feet under them.  In Summer 2011 shows in Clarkston, MI and Watkins Glen, NY would reignite the magic as the band decided it was time to move forward with the improvisation.  Chicago, IL and Commerce City, CO saw the fruits of their labor later that summer.  2012 they took things a step further with the jamming with the Dick's run being the obvious highlight.  Fall 2013 had been the previous high point of 3.0 for me personally and the band.  My roadtrip through New England was exactly what I was supposed to be doing at that time.  The Fuego era and the Halloween 2014 show brought new material that the band badly needed.  This backstory is necessary because I feel like it wasn't until this summer that they finally returned to that aforementioned musical glory they achieved in the years where I first saw them in 99-00.  I think this summer tour was the best since summer 2000.  It can be attributed to the band's leader Trey Anastasio finally re-committing to his craft of guitar playing.  Earlier this year he brought his full touring rig and set it up in an apartment near where ne lives.  This "woodshedding" if you will was preparation for the GD50 shows which he showed an amazing amount of patience and humility.  The result of this was a magical summer Phish tour which was a sort of culmination of my life up until this point.




The drive to Finleyville, PA was uneventful.  Grannie would have been so happy to know we were all together.  Those relatives meant a lot to her and she meant a lot to me.  We all miss her dearly.  I watched the Cubs vs Tigers which was conveniently on ESPN.  Then I watched the penultimate episode of the first season of Mr. Robot.  The next day I drove up to the venue which took about 5 hours from the Pittsburgh area.  It rained which made the drive through the mountains in the mist a little stressful.  Upon arrival at the gates it was pouring down rain.  I felt bad for the guys doing security.  They were going to take my dad's ceramic coffee cup but ultimately were cool and let me keep it.  The wait in line and for the search was minimal.  They put me in Aladdin which was scenic and had a wooded trail to the track.  Unfortunately it was literally a country mile from the RV area where I was going to stay.  Since it was raining so hard I put up my tent which I had brought along and rode the storm out.  I did walk up to the venue for the end of the extremely psychedelic soundcheck.  Whether it was worth getting soaked is up for debate. Once it stopped raining I hung my soaking wet clothes in the tent and took what I needed for the weekend with me and set off on foot to the RV.  Pat, Ryan and Heather had picked up the RV along the way from Auburn.  Thanks again to Pat for getting the RV.  It really worked out well.  Heather was nice enough to cook breakfast burritos each morning.  I appreciate Ryan as a someone who knows his Phish.  I met them during the Miami NYE run and it was another really fun weekend. 




All things considered I feel like this was perhaps the best run festival I've been to.  The lights in the trees and the decorations really were top notch.  The food and beverages in the playing field were quality.  This wasn't Phish's first rodeo at putting one of these things on.  The Bunny provided great sounds to listen to all weekend long on 104.9 WNGZ.  The first night was my favorite musically.  It was my 125th time seeing Phish.  Simple was a symbolic choice to open their festival.  We've got a band.  The Dogs brought back the good memories of Las Vegas Halloween last year.  TMWSIY > Avenu > TMWSIY made me think of Alpine '99 my very first show.  I saw Mock Song at the Gorge in '03.  That was certainly out of nowhere.  Rift and Roggae kept this quality first set going nicely.  Bathtub Gin was the highlight of the whole show.  They really took this time tested jam vehicle for one hell of a ride. 




Chalkdust has been used as a jam vehicle in recent times and this was no exception.  The Ghost that came next was shorter in duration but I felt hit the target more so.  Rock and Roll served as a destination on this occasion but brought the energy per usual.  The kid behind us called the Harry Hood which had a bit more of a jam than usual. Waste served as a cool down ballad again reminding me of Alpine '99.  The placement of No Men from No Man's Land was a bit odd but it was extended a bit more than previous versions and set up the closing Slave to the Traffic Light which was a nod to all the driving we'd all done to get there.  This was not the best version of Farmhouse.  Trey didn't take any solo to speak of and Page had to carry the song.  First Tube sent the crowd off into the night happy and capped off one of the best shows I've seen this year.  Andy Gibb "Shadow Dancing" was the postshow PA music. 




It seemed like the second day the security was much slower about getting the crowd into the playing field.  The first set was very tame.  I ended up picking up two trash bags full of recyclables and got a shirt. I did like the choice of the Circus Comes to Town. The opening The Divided Sky with a very long pause and the closing Run Like an Antelope was really the only real highlights.


We grabbed some dinner and headed back to the playing field.  Wolfman's and Halley's were rather pedestrian.  46 Days was when things started to rev up a bit.  Trey's soloing during Number Line continued the energy before the climax of the entire festival of Tweezer > Prince Caspian.  In retrospect this was the high water mark of the tour for me.  They essentially start the Tweezer jam back up in Prince Caspian.  Gordo hits his fight bell about ten times at the end of the set.  There were some questionable calls in set III but overall it was a success highlighted by a choice version of Blaze On and the Cities > Light.  I had been tipped off as to the location of the "surprise" set which everyone was expecting.  By midnight I was very tired and ambient down tempo music was not going to keep me standing.  I ended up listening to the Drive-In set on my phone back at the RV because by that point all the driving and the limited amount of sleep was taking its toll.  Finally that night and much of the next day I was able to recover and got a lot of quality sleep. 




The final show ended up being a bit of a disappointment.  I loved the choice of PYITE to open but for the most part it was a rather standard 3.0 first set.  The second set was a Martian Monster sandwich and I liked the peak of the DWD.  It would have been nice to have heard the intro to SaSS but it was a well executed segue.  Another poignant Dirt was well placed.  Twist had an Immigrant Song tease and in the middle of the Mike's Groove.  The YEM encore was rather predictable.  Musically I'd say the version I saw in KC was better.  The sounds of Frank Sinatra "Summer Wind" as we watched a massive fireworks display sent us off into the night.  Magnaball had been an amazing experience.  I loved the cold brews from Recess Coffee from Syracuse, NY.  Those were my lifeline.  The aforementioned War Eagle crew of Pat, Ryan, and Heather were excellent companions for this spectacular ride.  I drove home the next day. It was nice being able to listen to the Cleveland Indians radio broadcast as they took on the Cubbies.  Kris Bryant hit the game winning home run. 

8/8-9 Phish @ Alpine Valley Music Theatre - East Troy, WI

Last weekend was my 13th and 14th Phish shows at Alpine Valley Music Theatre which is where I saw the band for the very first time on July 24th, 1999.  I was recovered from my trip to Missouri on Wednesday.  I got to the lodge in time to hear them soundcheck Esther which was a preview of the next night.  They also played Wombat which still hasn't been seen all summer.  The weather was overcast and particularly mild for an August show in Wisconsin.  It occurred to me that I've spent almost half my life seeing Phish.  This tour has been rewarding musically.  However, it feels like the right time for me personally to begin to think about scaling back on the traveling.  Before the show I walked all the way around the golf course and by the green lot through the woods and to the yellow and blue lots.  I sold my extra to a longtime friend of our family Ryan.  Then it was good to see my buddies from high school Frank and Sand.  My spot was toward the back of the pavilion on the Mike side. I moved down several rows and found Angelo from Ft. Collins and watched the show with him. 


I liked the No Men from No Men's Land opener with the Jerry MuTron III disco Dead tone.  Julius is a favorite of mine.  Frankie Says is rarely played and is one I enjoy.  This led into hot Maze.  That was my first time hearing Mercury which leaves a lot to be desired in the vocal and lyrical department.  Reba had Anastasio playing a few clunker notes before a blistering machine gun ending.  Possum capped off a rather uneventful first set. 


Another DWD so soon on the heels of the one I'd just heard in KC was a bit disappointing.  This version wasn't quite as successful either from a jamming standpoint.  I thought for a moment that this would be the Halley's that would again have a jam but alas it was not to be as Trey quickly aborted in favor of another Twist.  See my comments on DWD in KC.  The most redeeming part of this set for me was the What's the Use?  Trey's emotive playing was impressive at this juncture.  You could say the same for the way he slayed the set closing Slave to the Traffic Light.  This show was light in the way of improvisation.  I would say this is more a show that would excite a more casual fan on a Saturday night at a large venue.  Meatstick kept with that theme.  Trey loves playing Character Zero at Alpine Valley it seems.  Night 1 wasn't a total loss but it simply wasn't my style of Phish at this stage of the game. 


I spent most of Sunday relaxing in the room and mentally preparing for what I knew would be a more serious effort from Phish.  I cooked some grilled cheese sandwiches on the grittle and it reminded me of all the lot food I'd had over the years.  This run made me really nostalgic about Phish and what it's all meant and where it goes from here.  My problem with seeing shows at this point is that there is too much downtime.  I went into the venue early because I had a Pit ticket.  I found the spot I like between Trey and Page and stayed there for the whole show.  I met a nice father/son tandem from Elmhurst and a cool guy from Fond du Lac.  My focus these days is to impart whatever Phish knowledge I can to the younger fans and be less about commandeering space.  When I'm down close to the stage it seems like a lot of the so called hardcore fans don't really get it.  I loved the opening song from the Halloween set, The Very Long Fuse.  The rest of the set were rarities and capped off by the tour's only Split Open and Melt.  The scene down in the pit became chaotic during Melt and matched the music.  Esther made the set for me.  The story Trey told during Forbins/Mockingbird made me think that perhaps this was the final Alpine Valley show.  I'd heard from an employee at the lodge that ticket sales were poor. 


I loved the positioning of Run Like an Antelope to open set two.  Though this version stayed within the box the energy was amazing from close range.  Carini went from hard rock to blissful setting up a seamless transition into Waves.  This went into some deep space before some scratchy ambience became a spectacular segue into Tweezer.  I would say this was the clear cut highlight of the show.  What made this even better was the classy choice of Dirt as the cooldown song.  Mike's included the 2nd jam which reappeared also in Nashville.  Anastasio set up some loops which worked well for the segue into the summer's anthem, Blaze On.  A short Weekapaug Groove was unexpectedly followed up by Tweezer Reprise which was a choice way to end the set.  I went over on the side of the venue which was a great vantage point to watch the crowd wave during Contact.  Page brought out the keytar for Frankenstein.  This was a special show and I savored the view as I exited the venue.  Alpine Valley has been a special place for me over the years.  I drove home afterwards and got a slice of pepperoni pizza from Casey's in Prophetstown.  This was my 124th Phish show.

8/5/15 Phish @ Starlight Theatre - Kansas City, MO

Last Wednesday I worked in the morning for a few hours and then got on the road for Kansas City.  Half the trip was retracing my route to Des Moines where I saw Umphrey's McGee in late June.  Having gone to school in Ames I know this route pretty well.  The weather was in the low 70s.  I drove through a very brief thunderstorm in Missouri.  For dinner I stopped at Arthur Bryant's and had a pulled pork sandwich.  I found a spot in front of the soundboard in the middle of the venue.  The crowd was rather chatty.  This was an out of the way show to hit.  Many people "on tour" might be inclined to skip this one.  Starlight is a great venue.  I've seen a couple Panic shows and the Phish show in 2012.


From the start I was impressed with Anastasio's technical prowess.  It's clear that the practice he put in for the GD50 shows has carried over into this summer Phish tour.  He's playing with more confidence and is incorporating his loops and effects more effectively than any other point of the 3.0 era.  Things are good in the Phish world right now.  The first set really didn't have much in the way of jamming but was teeming with energy from start to finish.  The Divided Sky had a little extra gusto on this occasion.  Mike Gordon's solo tune The Last Step was played for the only time on the Phish stage during the first set. 


Some youngsters who were going to Iowa State University asked me what I thought they would open the second set with.  I answered with Gotta Jibboo.  Some shows you can feel the flow.  I loved this Farmhouse heavy second set.  DWD was 20 minutes and was clearly the improvisational highlight.  Joy was perfectly placed in the cooldown slot.  This was the type of second set where they cap it off with YEM.  This was the better of the two versions they've played this summer.  Bug was a great call for the encore.  I tend to get brought down by the minutia of life at times when in the end "it doesn't matter".  I made it up to Iowa before taking a nap for a few hours at a rest area.  As the sun came up I hit the road for home and arrived around 8 am. 

7/4/15 GD50: Fare Thee Well @ Soldier Field - Chicago, IL

After much fanfare and hype the long awaited 4th of July holiday was finally upon us on Saturday.  A few weeks ago during the Ticketmaster re-release I was able to procure two tickets for my buddy Craig and I.  He and I had gone to see some of our first shows together back in 99-00 so it made sense that he was my companion on this journey.  I picked him up at his brother's house around 10 am and we left shortly thereafter for Chicago.  By leaving earlier than usual I was able to beat the holiday traffic.  We parked in Wicker Park and had Big Al's #1 Italian Beef on Milwaukee Ave for lunch.  This brought back memories of seeing shows at my cousin Shawn's apartment on Taylor St. near UIC where I discovered Big Al's. 


A big part of this roadtrip was about looking back on what the music of The Grateful Dead has meant to me.  Seeing shows has been such a big part of my life the last 16+ years and The Grateful Dead set the foundation for all the bands that I enjoy.  More importantly collecting tapes was my gateway to the scene.  The 7/9/95 tapes from Soldier Field are ones that I listened to countless times.  We took the blue line to the south part of the loop and walked across Grant Park to the lakefront.  The circus atmosphere was just getting going around 3 pm when we arrived.  The sights, smells, and sounds of shakedown street let us know we had arrived.  It had been over 15 years since I'd last been to Soldier Field for DMB.  This was my first time in the new reconfiguration.  Our seats were on the bottom part of the upper level in section 336 about on the 50 yard line.  This turned out to be a great vantage point for the massive GD50 stage.  They gave us a program as we entered that was specifically made for that evening.  I saw some familiar faces from Decatur when we entered the venue.


They hit the stage around 7:35 and the opening tuning could be recognized as Shakedown Street which was a great start to the evening.  For me this show wasn't about being critical about the execution but rather celebrating the songs with a huge crowd one last time.  I saw The Dead play Liberty at Allstate Arena in 09 and it obviously was appropriate with it being the 4th of July. Standing on the Moon was placed unusually 3 songs into the show.  Trey did an amazing job on the heartfelt vocals.  I'm a big fan of the Bobby cowboy songs and Me and My Uncle was a highlight for me in the first set.  TN Jed featured Trey using some stock Ocelot/Alaska blues licks.  I was surprised they repeated Cumberland Blues from Santa Clara.  Little Red Rooster reminded me of those aforementioned 7/9/95 tapes.  Bobby was impressive on the slide guitar on his blues showcase.  Friend of the Devil had Phil on vocals.  It's Phil's band so I won't comment on his decision to sing on certain Garcia tunes.  Deal was a fiery way to end the first stanza.  Trey's solo hinted at what was to come in the second set.  The setbreak had cool neon blue lights that set an eerie vibe.  After an excessive hour long setbreak that reminded me of seeing Phish in 99/00 they finally returned to the stage. 


Bird Song isn't a song I would normally think of to open the second set.  Phil's vocals again were grating.  Golden Road saw Trey bringing the most Phish-y jam of the night.  Lost Sailor is a favorite Bobby song of mine from the Go to Heaven album.  I like the album cover with the band wearing white disco suits.  After seeing shows for so long and living life on my own terms you realize there is indeed "a price for being free".  It's a song about someone at a point where he's unsure of direction and that's kind of where I'm at right now in my life.  Lost Sailor was paired with its traditional partner Saint of Circumstance.  Bill Walton wrote in the program that they handed out that he needed these shows.  For me Phish is my favorite and has changed the game for me.  Trey being invited to play these shows is a very big deal and I couldn't have been more proud of his performance.  He obviously put in the necessary prep time.  The fluidity of his playing has me excited for Summer Tour.  This was unusual placement for West L.A. Fadeaway.  I've always enjoyed that one and Bruce Hornsby did a good job on the vocals.  When we arrived in the parking lot we heard them soundchecking Foolish Heart so that one wasn't a huge surprised.  Trey handled the vocal duties and I wouldn't mind seeing Phish try that one.  Drums was a major highlight of the night.  Mickey and Billy were really into it and you literally could feel the drums.  After a lengthy Space session they settled into Stella Blue.  Weir did a good job with this delicate Jerry ballad.  One More Saturday Night was a predictable way to end the set.  It was hard to believe this was the final Saturday night of their career as far as the core four performing together.  The even more predicable U.S. Blues was an appropriate song to proceed an impressive fireworks display with John Philip Sousa's "Stars and Strips Forever" on the PA system.  After that the massive crowd filtered out into the night to the sounds of Bob Dylan's "Tangled Up in the Blue". 


This show exceeded my expectations.  The production was very impressive.  I'm glad we were able to be a part of the final shows.  However, it was a rather obvious cash grab.  Let's call it what it was.  Trey Anastasio is taking pride in his craft of guitar playing again.  That has me optimistic about the future and specifically next month.  After the show we walked along the lake back to the blue line and my car in Wicker Park.  We stopped for McD breakfast in Utica on the way home and arrived back here about 4:30 am.  Overall, the weather was gorgeous and we had a fun experience.

6/28/15 Umphrey's McGee @ Limelight Eventplex - Peoria, IL

It's been two weeks since I saw Umphrey's McGee twice at the end of June.  The show in Des Moines was a smashing success.  However, this Sunday performance in a glorified pole barn known as Limelight Eventplex was somewhat forgettable.  The improvisation simply didn't seem quite as diverse as in Des Moines.  Overall, it was a heavier sound.  I made the short hour drive down to Peoria by myself on Sunday night.  The whole appeal of this show was seeing UM at the CEFCU Stage.  With the flooding the show was moved to the nearby James Baldwin Park.  The night before with the forecasts of imminent rain promoter Jay Goldberg moved the show to this new venue on the north side of Peoria.  I had to park down the road at a strip mall because the venue parking was full.  It was raining and the line of fans wrapped around the building.  I have no idea why they were wanding everyone in front of a sheriff.  They don't do that at the CEFCU Stage. 


The show started with a mult-layered Front Porch sandwich that included Resolution and a guest appearance by merch employee Steve on percussion.  Also, in this sandwich was only the second time played for the Root Beer Rag by Billy Joel.  2x2 had the best jam of the first set.  I liked the juxtaposition of the heavier Little Gift and then the softer song, The Pequod.  It was a treat to hear The Pequod.  A rocking Mulche's wrapped up the set.  This venue was crowded and dark.  It was lacking in any charm whatsoever. 


Dump City had some decent improvisation to get the second set started.  I was close to the stage at this point but had to move back because of the overcrowding.  The Linear was a good call a this juncture. The Bottom Half is a song I've heard too many times.  FF isn't one I normally get excited about but the jam out of it was probably the highlight of the night for me.  OoO is a song I always enjoy.  It was interesting to see them use the intro jam LeBlitz in the middle of the set and it worked well going into Domino Theory.  Yes bassist Chris Squire passed away that day so it was a classy tip of the hat to cover Roundabout.  UM does a great job with that song which I'd only seen once before at the NYE 2010 run.  They did a Front Porch fakeout before setting into a Thin Air encore.  I'm glad I went to this show but it was rather forgettable.

6/26/15 Umphrey's McGee @ Brenton Skating Plaza - Des Moines, IA

A couple weeks ago I went on a Friday afternoon to Des Moines to see Umphrey's McGee.  I've seen most of their shows in the state of Iowa over the years.  Simon Estes was underwater nearby so this time around they booked the new ice rink (sans ice) a block down the street.  It had a plastic covering over the floor which was a bit more comfortable than concrete.  The venue was covered by a large tent which Jeff Waful made good usage of with the lights.  The weather was absolutely gorgeous as I arrived and parked on the Locust St. bridge.  Temperatures were in the low 70s with clear skies.  It's hard to believe that it's been 10 years since I moved home from Ames. (I eventually got my degree the next year).  It was good to see my old Umphrey's buddy Sarah.  She hadn't seen the band since 2007.  I also was glad to see some old familiar faces in the crowd i.e. Josh, Kenny, Maggie, and Bug. Rush "Hemispheres" was the preshow PA music. 


After a short intro jam known as Bathing Digits they went into a fairly standard Hurt Bird Bath. I've always enjoyed Words.  The first part of Bridgeless had a successful jam that segued into Mad Love.  With the gay marriage decision earlier in the day this was appropriate and featured Waful using rainbow colors.  Made To Measure was the highlight of the show for me.  The improvisation that spawned from this song took was other level stuff.  Remind Me was my first time hearing that developed stew.  This had a good amount of jamming before dropping into the end of Bridgeless to finish the set. 


I was really happy to hear Cut the Cable to open set two.  That's a rocking tune.  #5 was unsually placed but it worked on this occasion.  Let's Dance was well received by the central Iowa crowd.  Booth Love was the dance party portion of the show before transitioning into Spires.  This tune off Mantis is one that I really like.  They brought the song to a complete stop before tacking on a composed stew that eventually segued into another dance number Day Nurse.  Ocean Billy reminded me of seeing UM over the years at various venues in Iowa. This band has provided a lot of good experiences.  This show somewhat reaffirmed my belief in their music.  I heard the Puppet String encore with Jake on perc on my way to my vehicle.  You could hear the show really well out on the bridges going over the adjacent Des Moines River.  This was my 153rd time seeing Umphrey's McGee and it was a big victory for the band.  I stopped at the World's Largest Truckstop in Walcott, IA and ate at Wendy's on my way home.  Initially I wasn't planning on going to this show but it proved to be a great decision. 

6/9/15 Mike Gordon @ Pageant Theatre - St. Louis, MO

Last Wednesday I worked in the morning on the farm and then drove down to Decatur to Doc's house.  From there we were on to St. Louis to see Mike Gordon at the Pageant Theatre.  For dinner we stopped at Pappy's BBQ near St. Louis University which brought back memories of the 2012 Chaifetz Arena show.  It was a nice sunny day for our cruise through southern Illinois.  We got a spot right in the center of the venue just above the floor area.  The balcony was closed for this event and it was a somewhat sparce crowd.  Mike was hanging out over by the merch area before the show taking in the scene. 


I did not recognize the opening song of the show.  I liked the understated stage backdrops which changed colors.  Especially, I enjoyed the part of the show when they used the spooky trees.  Mike deserves a keyboard player of Robert Walter's stature to play with.  This added a lot to the performance compared to the three previous MGB shows I'd seen.  Another part of this show I liked was the addition of John Kimock on drums.  This kid could really play and was an improvement over the previous drummer.  This was early in the tour but you could tell the band had done plenty of preparation.  Cruel World is a song I've heard several times before and features Scott on vocals.  I felt he had a good night on guitar and benefited from the lineup changes as well. 555 was welcomed by the Phish oriented crowd and this version was explored thoroughly.  I did not know the next few tunes and the set lagged a bit at this point.  Tiny Little World and Jumping are two tunes off Overstep which got the show heading in the right direction.  I respect Mike for putting together a cohesive musical vehicle for his performance art.  With that said I wish he'd be a bit more bombastic (pun intended) which the envelope filter. 


Jones is another Scott tune and one of his better ones.  This number segued into The Green Sparrow song, Dig Further Down.  Next came the unexpected highlight of the show for me.  This Robert Palmer cover, Looking For Clues, got the crowd moving.  Gordo was really into this cover.  The percussion player was adding some effective textures on his e-drums.  This whole set was a cohesive, effective musical statement.  I was pleased to hear the MGB take on Yarmouth Road.  This was also given more improvisation than any Phish version to date.  Suskind Hotel was from the forgettable GRAB tour.  I'm glad Mike is continuing to use that song.  In recent weeks I'd been enjoying the bonus EP The Last Step specifically Normal Phoebe so that was appreciated.  Face was another Overstep track that worked well.  I did not recognize the last song but it capped off the set effectively.  The encore of Spock's Brain and Meat was a nice kickdown to the Phish fans in attendance.  The latter was a bit awkward in its execution.  The second set of this show gave this performance the win.  I'm happy for Mike that he has an improved jam vehicle for his solo career.  Doc and I had fun and I appreciate him driving and letting me stay at his place. 






















below pictures by Jamie Schroeder (Live Music Blog)

5/24/15 Summercamp @ Three Sisters Park - Chillicothe, IL

Last Sunday my friend Craig and I drove down to Chillicothe to attend the Sunday music at Summercamp.  This was my 12th year in a row attending the event in some way shape or form. This annual kick off to summer is simply too close to my home to miss.  The days of me camping for three nights are long gone but the Sunday one day event makes sense for me.  They said they had improved the gate situation and it did move a bit faster than in previous years but this could be attributed to the fact that it poured down rain just as we arrived at Three Sisters Park. 





We missed the New York City opening song of the moe. with Bruce Hornsby set.  It was unique to see moe. play Help > Slip > Frank for the first time.  I appreciate Bruce Hornsby's solo career and his involvement with the Grateful Dead but this set and his own set both were a bit lacking.  The last couple songs without Bruce were Okayalright and Punchline and these turned out to be the highlight of the set for me.  Bruce Hornsby's set included Rainbow's Cadillac and Jack Straw.  In between these sets I caught the first song of Yonder Mountain String Band which was I Know You Rider.  These created a Grateful Dead theme to the afternoon. 







At this point Doc was nice enough to make dinner for Joel, Micah, and myself.  He had a nice campsite set up amongst the RVs.  One our way over we saw the end of the Dumpstaphunk set which really had people moving.  I was rather underwhelmed by the John Butler Trio so this was an opportune time to take a break for dinner.  It was extremely crowded at the mainstage for Steve Miller Band.  The weather really turned out nice with mild temperatures and the rain held off until midnight.  My one song I wanted to hear from this nostalgia act was Abracadabra and thankfully they obliged fairly early on.  After that I moved back to the Sunshine Stage and got ready for Widespread Panic.  The skies were threatening but as JB mentioned before the encore that the weather gods were looking out for us. 













This was my 90th Widespread Panic show but my first time seeing them with Duane Trucks on drums.  They opened with a free form Jam > to open the show.  From the beginning it was clear that Duane connected well musically with his father in law Jimmy Herring.  This made for a more dynamic musical conversation.  The band seemed in a groove with the previous two nights having gotten them warmed up yet they didn't seem exhausted like they sometimes can look like toward the end of long tours.  The result was a fun show that was impressive musically.  Little Kin was the first actual song.  Action Man made me think of American Pharaoh and the upcoming Belmont.  Tallboy was appreciated by the beer slugging crowd.  Pleas had an extended intro and eventually segued into WDYBT?  Next up was Walkin (For Your Love)   I've always been a big fan of Impossible ever since Light Fuse, Get Away.  Travelin' Light worked as a set closer.  Pleas and Impossible both had successful jams.  After a short 20 minute setbreak which included early Pink Floyd/Syd Barrett on the PA the band returned to the stage before much of the crowd was back.


Junior was a hard rocking start to the second set.  We had a conversation at setbreak about how the band had finally turned the page so Second Skin worked with that theme.  The end of Second Skin had a brief Come Together tease.  Aunt Avis, Rebirtha, and Stop Breakin' Down kept the set moving well.  SBD has JB doing the Give Me Back My Whig rap.  The highlight for me was my first time seeing Honky Red in the live setting.  This was a nasty, dirty cover that works perfectly for the current incarnation of the band.  The jam into the drums included a jam that put me in the mind of Life During Wartime.  Schools was on point during the drums and bass.  I thought I heard hintings of Stop-Go or perhaps Fire on the Mountain.  Cotton Was King and Dyin' Man weren't exactly what I wanted after Drums but Fishwater was a spirited rendition.   ILS was a short encore but at least included fireworks at the conclusion.   










I was honestly a bit disappointed with Greensky Bluegrass.  They seemed like YMSB Lite.  The tiny Starshine Stage was becoming overcrowded so I made my way over to Big Gigantic.  They really had the crowd moving.  When they were over I was able to find my spot for the final set of moe.   As previously mentioned it started raining about midnight.  While it wasn't a monsoon it was a fairly steady drizzle that continued for most of the last set.  moe.'s laser lights and video projections were enhanced by the falling rain it seemed.  HHH started things off with Chuck referencing Frampton.  After a no huddle segue into Puebla they kept the energy moving with a patient segue into Time Ed.  This was an above average version.  Do or Die included a parade by Here Comes the Mummies.  This group had everyone talking at the festival so it was appropriate that they made a cameo during the final moe. set.  Crab Eyes and Wind It Up seemed like rather pedestrian choices at this juncture.  It was 2 am and Ian Goldberg walked onstage and said something to Rob.  I was worried the set might be over.  However, they played two more songs and blew through the supposed 2 am end time.  Opium > Brent Black was the clear cut highlight of the final set.  It was one of those moments that remind you why you started liking the band in the first place.  After a rather long bday speech for Ian's wife that had me thinking about all the previous years that I'd attended Summercamp they wrapped it up with Time that was fitting in that situation.  Unfortunately we had heard Greensky Bluegrass play that same Pink Floyd cover a couple hours earlier.  We heard the sounds of Vermont jamband Twiddle as we walked out to the vehicle.  On our way out of the parking lot we were very fortunate not to have gotten stuck or in an accident as conditions had deteriorated to mud.  I drove Craig and I home on the winding backroads.  We got back around 4 am.  It was a long day of music but I'm glad we decided to go.

3/18/15 moe. @ Barrymore Theatre - Madison, WI

On Wednesday I worked until 3:30 and then hit the road for Wisconsin.  The drive up was uneventful.  Lately on road trips I tend to surf the dial looking for songs on the radio rather than listen to jambands or albums.  For whatever reason I like how this tends to bring out songs that I might not ordinarily listen to.  I always am impressed when you are driving on John Nolen just past the Coliseum and you see the capital building and the lake.  It brings back a lot of memories of UW soccer camps.  Madison has always been a special place for me and the Barrymore is my favorite venue in town.  moe.'s return to this venue after several outings at the Orpheum perhaps built up expectations for me.  I saw some familiar faces.  Angelo and Sconnie were in the house.


I parked in the neighbhorhood surrounding  the venue and stopped into see some old friends, Sam and Jesse who live behind the Barrymore.  We had just walked in when they started up Caliphornya.  BIBH is a song I always enjoy seeing.  White Lightning Turpentine was next.  Silver Sun is a tune that I like but it tends to start to drag on a bit.  Yod > CIA > Laz was solid work.  For a first set I felt this wasn't a bad effort.  They played Caliphornya and CalifornIA.  Clever. 


Time Again is a little too much hoedown for me.  That along with STF are better suited for the first set. However, I did appreciate the Las Vegas, NV reference.  That's where I had most recently seen moe. over Halloween last year.  This wasn't a bad segue into The Pit but Chuck jumped the gun a little bit.  None of these songs are ones I went in hoping to hear in the second set.  I guess that's on me.  As corny as Wicked Awesome is I really do enjoy it.  As I mentioned earlier listening to the radio and the songs the DJ plays is a part of my road trips.  I'd heard the song FM on the way.  No static at all.  Thank you for Steely Dan is my favorite lyric in the song.  On this journey I heard Big Balls.  With Phish announcing Magnaball earlier in the day that was fitting.  Thank you for AC/DC.  I wasn't wild about the placement of Four in this show.  They hadn't really made "it" happen yet and they were slowing things down.  Cpt USA > Rec Chem was a decent segue in comparison though not in the same league as that same pairing at the Riv a few years ago.  I was ready to hit the road so a brief All Roads and Blister in the Sun encore was fine with me.  Later I learned The Violent Femmes are from Madison.  This was my 77th time seeing moe. and I had not heard that cover since my very first show.  On the way home I made a run for the border at Taco Bell in Beloit.  Overall, I had fun.  I always dig Madison and the Barrymore but this show was rather forgettable. 

3/4/15 Lotus @ The Canopy Club - Urbana, IL

Last Wednesday I worked 7 until 4:30 at IFSI then made the solo trek to Urbana.  I always think of the first time I visited that venue 1/31/00 moe. with Barry and Andy.  We went to a show on school night on a college campus.  15 years later not much has changed.  I'm still going to shows on worknights and still visiting my favorite college music venues.  The Canopy Club is one of my favorite club size venues and I've been to a few.  Jay/Ian do a great job getting the talent and keeping the vibe right.  I'm contemplating breaking my 11 years of consecutive Summer Camp appearances this Memorial Day Weekend.  It feels like it's time.  However, I want to mention how much I appreciate the Goldberg family bringing so much music to Central Illinois over the years.  Before the show I grabbed an excellent slice of Manolo's BBQ pizza.  It's understandable that Cosby Sweater changed their name to Turbo Suit with the recent allegations.  They did a decent cover of a New Deal song from Gone Gone Gone.  Overall their set was once again too loud regardless of what moniker they're using. 


I've listened to most of the Lotus Winter Tour so I knew we were in store for a treat.  These guys are really elevating their game right now.  I liked the roller coaster artwork on the drum set.  The talk box on Bellwether got the show off to a funky start.  Opo kept the energy going.  Livingston Storm is one of my favs.  This was a major highlight.  I loved the dark and dirty sound post-rock sound.  They explored more than I've ever seen them do.  Molluskunk was next.  Neon Tubes was a dance party with the Daft Punk cover Around the World sandwiched in the middle.  Hammerstrike was a hard rocking end to a fun set of Lotus.  I hung with Doc and his friend behind the table on the second level of the floor which is the best vantage point and sound.  We appeared to be the only people above age 30 in the place besides the band members.  I felt like Wooderson. 


Ashcon with its "groove your body" sample is a familiar one.  Travel has been a favorite of mine so that made me the show.   This also reached some dark terrain.  The Legend of Zelda theme brought back a lot of memories from that gold NES cartridge from my youth.  They jammed it out before dropping into a huge Flower Sermon which likely was the best improvisation of the show.   Tarot was a brief lull in the action before an unbelievably smooth segue from Plant Your Root > Sunrain.  This was extremely patient playing.  This show was the best Lotus I've seen dating back to my first show at Bent River in Moline 2006.  On Facebook they asked what we wanted to hear and I suggested Strawberry Letter 23 from the Jackie Brown soundtrack and this started the encore.  At this point I hit the road as they finished the show with Disappear into a Blood Red Sky.  There was a full moon which illuminated the icy snow that covered the Illinois fields.  I didn't get any sleep before heading back to work for another 7 to 4:30.  At the end of the day it was worth it.  When you go the extra mile that's usually when you get rewarded.  This was certainly the case with Lotus at The Canopy Club this time around. 

1/30/15 The String Cheese Incident @ Aragon Ballroom - Chicago, IL

I don't start working my new job at Illinois Foundation Seed Inc. until Monday so I had time on my hands and I had the inclination to get out and see a show.  It had been since Dec. 09, 2011 at the same venue the Aragon Ballroom when I last saw The String Cheese Incident.  The drive to Chicago was uneventful.  It was cold with temps in the mid 20s.  I parked my car near the blue line in Wicker Park and transferred to the red line up toward Howard and the Aragon.  They played music from The Blues Brothers soundtrack before and during setbreak on the PA.


I get into the venue about 7 o'clock and met some cool folks from Connecticut up on the railing.  Dan and Gino were cool guys and the vibe was good.  Nershi ran onstage first and we were off.  The first set was bookended by Kyle hiphop sounding tunes. The latter of which that ended the first set had Kang on a full sized guitar.  I'm not a huge fan of So Far From Home but this version went into an L.A. Woman (The Doors) jam complete with Nershi singing the Mr. Mojo Risin vocals.  Round the Wheel had an interesting jam that saw Billy doing his best to add to the thumping beat.  Struggling Angel was a classy choice and I respect the message of that one.  Beautiful is a new song that I've enjoyed hearing over the holidays when I listened to the SCI Fall Tour on my headphones loading UPS trucks.  I liked hearing that one live.  Restless Wind reminded me of 2000 when I first discovered the band.  Roots Run Deep indeed. 


When Bill approached the microphone to start set two I knew we were in for a classic Group Hoot.  CBS has become a modern day anthem for the band.  It got me thinking about my own potential relocation to Colorado at some point.  Last time I saw them they had the video screens which was cool with the blue sky and Colorado mountains.  This time they used a more traditional lighting rig but the technology was impressive and at times was blinding almost from that close range.  Rivertrance was one I wanted to hear.    Sweet Spot is a great new Keith tune and this perhaps had the biggest peak of the show surprisingly.  Travis and Hann switched places for that one.   Just One Story kept this set moving in the right direction.  Next came the rarely played Don't Say which I've always liked.  Search is one of their catchier tunes though.  Texas made the show for me.  Nershi was straight killing it on his acoustic.  I was impressed with the second set. 


I made my way toward the back of the venue and prepared my exit.  The first song of the encore was the second reference to Mojo during the show.  I Know You Rider was a nice way to end things.  The next time I come to Chicago will be for another band that plays that song too.  During my train ride there was a disturbance in the car behind us and they had to bring in the police.  On my way home I stopped at the McD in Utica and crushed a Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit.  I saw the same UPS driver I talked to after Trey at the Aragon in November.  As I exited the interstate and was almost home I switched radio stations and caught the second half of L.A. Woman by The Doors.  This was my 22nd Incident. 

12/31-1/3 Phish @ AmericanAirlines Arena - Miami, FL

It's been a week since I've returned to real life and the harsh frigid cold of the Midwest.  I'm still trying to wrap my mind around what transpired in south Florida.  The experience exceeded my expectations.  We left Geneseo, IL on Sunday December 28th.  As other lesser jambands were starting their new years runs all I could do was wait.  I'd been binging on The Wire before we left on HBO.  Terminology and characters from that show were mentioned frequently (by me) on this roadtrip.  Pat and Buzz were back visiting family over the holidays and they picked me up on the way south.  The special guest on this part of the journey was Pat's dog, Greta.  We listened to the Packers vs Lions.  Pat handled most of the driving on this journey which I appreciate.  I was not in my wheelhouse driving through mountains in the south in the night while it was raining.  When we passed Oak Mountain it brought back memories of when I went see Widespread Panic there in 2002.  From there I'd never been that far south in Alabama so it was all new territory.  We passed through Montgomery in the middle of the night.  Finally, we made it to Auburn very early in the morning on Monday.  I was impressed with that college town.  It had a nice downtown area with that adjacent college.  We continued The Wire binging as we waited to head south. 




On Tuesday afternoon we gathered the other members of our crew.  Buzz and Sarah left in his vehicle earlier in the day and eventually got us a hotey at the Super 8 near Universal Studios in Orlando  Pat and I were joined by Heather and Ryan in the Suburu (sans dog).    We stopped near Valdosta for food and in Gainesville for fuel and you could feel it getting warmer.  The next morning we saw a horrible accident south of Orlando.  We stopped for a note worthy breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts and reassessed our routing after seeing the traffic buildup.  It was fun in broad daylight to see the landscape of Florida change as we headed south along the coast.  Just north of Miami we stopped at a gas station around lunchtime and it was like being in the Caribbean.  Very little English was being spoken.  We arrived at our condo and the weather was gorgeous in the low 80s with the sun shining we'd made it.  We walked down the block to the waterfront.  It felt good to see the ocean.


Our room while snug and offering little in the way of television options provided everything I was looking for.  It had a nice kitchenette that we used all week.  The XM Sirius Grateful Dead station was used heavily.  Our friends had a room in the same place and the people who operated it were very friendly.  It was about a mile down Biscayne to AmericanAirlines Arena.  We had a Publix, a convenience store, and several food options nearby.  When we got to the venue it was lit up with the Fishman donuts and the Phish logo.  We visited the infamous rage cage which was reminiscent of Hampsterdam from The Wire.  The venue was almost full with the top sections behind the stage empty.  While it was technically sold out there were tickets to be had in the secondary market many of which likely went unused.  The rest of the run had a curtain in these sections and were not sold out but were more or less full. 







I had been listening to a lot of 1994 Phish lately so I had a new found appreciation for the Hoist era material (Sample, Wolfman's, Axilla).  Wedge early on was a nod to our taking the highway to get down there.  555 seemed to have a little more punch on this occasion.  Heavy Things was well placed in this set followed by a very funky Wolfman's though I wouldn't go as far as to called that jammed out.  Halfway to the Moon was played in about the same slot last NYE.  I really enjoyed Bouncin' Around the Room as it seemed to be given a little extra gusto.  That was one of the first songs I was exposed to as a Phish fan back in high school.  KDF featured some really impressive work from CK5.  He took a minimalist approach brining all the lights down and then build from there and it worked perfectly in psych with the music.  I guess I hadn't realized that Train Song hadn't been played in awhile.  Waiting All Night featured an even better solo from Trey than we heard in Vegas.  Axilla and a scary, dark ASIHTOS finished off a solid, but if not rather safe opening set from Phish.  They hadn't played together in about two months so it was about what I expected. 







I watched most of the run from the 100's sections but during the 2nd set on NYE.  I retreated to my actual seat up in 310 after the opening BOAF and an amazing Ghost that featured some excellent peaks from Trey.  During Theme from the Bottom I made my way up to the top of the venue.  It was an unbelievable segue into Cities that solidified this set as a clearcut winner.  After a standard CDT they gave us what we wanted in the form of the Halloween set closer Martian Monster.   Gordo was dropping some bombs that shook the foundation of the entire venue.  I was glad I had that vantage point for that moment because the crowd was going nuts. 







Dem Bones definitely seemed familiar from my childhood.  The NYE gag was funny but a little tame in comparison to previous years.  The "big" themed PA music leading up to the set made sense now.  ALS led into another Halloween kickdown in the form of The Dogs.  Tweezer with all the balloons definitely reminded me of Bittersweet Motel.  This version of Tweezer is actually pretty decent.  I appreciated the choice of Simple at this juncture of the NYE show.  This led into Limb by Limb which stayed in the box.  Bug had some of the best playing of the evening from Trey.  He held one note while peaking out the song.  BDTNL in this slot really let the air out of the room.  This show needed a YEM to finish it off.  The Horse > Silent in the Morning and finally Julius was rather anticlimactic.  A particularly sloppy Golgi was followed by Tweezer Reprise to finish up the show.  Gordon took a moment to stop and smell the roses which had been thrown onstage before he exited.    The meat and potatoes of this performance clearly came in the second set.   Jimmy Dean "Big Bad John" sent the crowd into the warm south Florida evening. 










We spent most of New Years Day recovering and watching college football.  Wisconsin beat Auburn in a game the rest of my companions were quite interested in.  I was more concerned with the Winter Classic which saw the Blackhawks lose to the Caps.  We watched some of the first semi-final game before making our way back to the arena for Round 2. 


The jazz music preshow set the mood for a mellow affair.  However, this show started off promising with four older school tunes.  Tube and Gumbo both were reverted to their original non-jammed out formats.  Page did add a little extra to the end of Gumbo.  Bowie was a solid version.  Next came Page crooning Lawn Boy.  From here the set changed to newer selections.  Undermind continues to mature.  Yarmouth Road is always well received.  Wingsuit had some emotive playing from Anastasio.  After a quick Poor Heart we got the clear cut highlight of the set in the form of Bathtub Gin.  This was a rather short first set which the previously mentioned Gin being the only foray outside the box. 







You win some, you lose some.  I understand the band was tired as was the fanbase so perhaps this show made sense.  It just seemed like they phoned in the second set.  The common pairing of Twist > Piper got me excited but neither produced anything fruitful. Caspian always sucks the energy from the set.  I don't mind 20 Years Later but not after Prince Caspian necessarily in the middle of a second set.  So the pace of the show has slowed to a crawl what do they decide to do next?  Drop Winterqueen and Wading the Velvet Sea.  So if you're counting that's 4 slower tunes in a row.  That's just not very good setlist construction by a band who knows better.  Yeah I understand the concept of playing a ballad in the middle of the set to drop the energy and then build it back up.  However, you can't let all the energy out of the room.  A very rushed Antelope came next which saw Trey botch the peak landing moment.  A short version of Rock and Roll ended the set.  None of the second set tunes surpassed ten minutes in duration.  Disappointing effort.  A quick one and done Meatstick sent us off into the night.  We were able to watch the end of the second semi-final game over at a friends' room at the Hilton because the show got over so early.  This was one of the weaker shows I've seen from Phish since OKC '12 and Rochester '13. 







I knew that after a very tame show the night before that we'd be in for a treat on Friday night.  The opening pairing reminded me of Saturday night at Dick's.  Possum returned to the first set after being used as a second set opener in Vegas.  This set had a lot of standard first set fare.  Roggae is always appreciated.  Stash really didn't stray too far.  Back on the Train was standard this time.  It's hard not to think of the 2009 version of that song in the same building.  Trey wanted The Line but Gordon started up Sugar Shack.  It was somewhat amusing.  He finally got his way the next song.  Ocelot?  Yawn.  A gorgeous Squirming Coil saved this set from being totally unforgettable.  This was somewhat expected as some point with the "I saw Satan on the beach" lyrics.  Great work by Page. 







What transpired next was a smooth flowing set of Phish that dreams are made of.  I wouldn't go as far as to called this Mike's jammed out but it was definitely extended.  46 Days provided the meat of the groove sandwich and this was also improvised before finally heading into Weekapaug.  What seemed at first like a normal version became extremely atypical when Anastasio started playing Fishman's Marimba Lumina.  Gordon then picked up the Langeudoc and started playing guitar.  Trey was playing a nasty (almost Axel F) style bassline with that machine while Mike channeled his inner David Gilmour.  It was over 15 minutes of extremely unique music.  Fuego had a brief jam that melted effortlessly into Slave.  Great work by Trey.  2001 was well placed during this show and gave everyone the dance party they were craving.  WOTC was another great choice at this juncture.  What we got during this second set was all killer, no filler Phish.  The classy encore choice of Sleeping Monkey, Rocky Top has been used many times before in Phish history.  Postshow was a nod to the recently departed Joe Cocker with "Feelin' Alright" on the PA system.  It was a perfect way to end my 120th time seeing Phish. 
















We spent Saturday relaxing at Miami Beach.  It was a fun drive to get out there.  I got in the water briefly but the Atlantic Ocean was a bit chilly despite the 80 degree sunny weather.  That salt water taste got in my mouth when I submerged.  I'm not a beach guy per se but I'm glad we checked it out one of the days. 


When they opened with Maze it seemed like they were getting right down to business.  AC/DC Bag worked as a second opener.  Divided Sky featured many in the crowd to pull out lighters during the quiet part.  That reminded me of the 90s Phish scene.  Cavern in that mid set slot was unsual.  Scent of a Mule did not feature Fishman on the Marimba, perhaps since it got such a good work out the night before.  Plasma has been a pleasant addition since its been called up from the minors (TAB)  I like Devotion to a Dream and it worked well in that slot.  Water in the Sky was appropriate with its reference to the everglades.  Split Open and Melt reached some nasty, dark terrain and they actually got the ending done pretty well.  That's something you can't always say in the 3.0 era with SOAM.  A rocking Character Zero finished off the most cohesive first set of the run.  Setbreak was David Bowie "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust".






The final set of the run was where they sealed the deal.  Stealing Time was appropriate with my mind feeling like a blank space after four days.  I was expecting DWD to open the set.  This was a masterful version that was as good as anything they did in the jamming department in 2014.  It's promising for a better year.  The NYE show was an energy based affair.  Then after that each show got progressively better culminating with the Saturday show which in retrospect was a special performance.  This DWD was over 25 minutes and was extremely dynamic.  Fishman and Gordon seemed to lock in and start up a new section of the jamming.  Extremely tight work.  The final climax from Anastasio reminded me of the late 90's when I first started seeing Phish.  Light > Sally was more amazing improvisation from the band.  The latter included the vocal jam.  Sand was appropriate with our adventure at the beach earlier in the day. Each song seemed to be the perfect call in this set.  Harry Hood was an emotive version that had me pondering my future in 2015.  Suzy Greenberg wrapped up the set.  The Good Times Bad Times was a good call to end the run.  This felt like a classic Phish show. 


The next day they dropped me off in Fort Lauderdale at the airport.  Thanks again to Pat for putting the Miami adventure together.  I enjoyed the crew we had in our room.  It was nice meeting Ryan, Heather, and Sarah.  The warm weather was something I really needed after a long peak season of working UPS in Illinois.  However, once I arrived at the airport my flight was delayed.  It seemingly took forever to get off the airplane when we finally did land at frigid Midway Airport where my parents picked me up.  The subzero weather with snow on the ground was a harsh return to reality.  This Miami NYE run was a great follow up to Las Vegas.  I'm extremely appreciative of the great experiences I had in 2014 and look forward to new possibilities in 2015.