11/19/16 Mike Gordon @ Majestic Theatre - Madison, WI

On Saturday I got on the road for Wisconsin around 3 pm.  It was very windy but the sun was out.  The day before it felt like winter had arrived.  This was to be the last final music of the year for me.  On the way up I stopped at the rest area at the border and texted my friend Soren.  I stopped by his place in Minona on my way into town and saw him and his girlfriend Melissa.  Soren was born ten days after me and they lived behind our now recently departed old house in Glen Ellyn, IL.  I parked in the Overture Center garage out of familiarity.  Pizza Di Roma was my choice for dinner. 
They had a nice remembrance of Sharon Jones on the Orpheum Theatre marquee.  It was sad to see the encampment of homeless across the street from the State Capital.  They had to be freezing in the 20 degree weather.  This was my first visit to the Majestic Theatre.  I liked the overall vibe of the place.  I found a spot in the balcony with a table and a padded seat.  My location between the speakers provided great sound. 


The setlist was fairly similar in some regards to the show I saw in STL last year.  Horizon Line opened the show.  Cruel World is a Max Creek song they seem to play a lot.  Meat kept the Phish-centric fans happy.  Ether was the highlight of the first set.  They explored a lot of different sonic textures before finally settling into The Long Black Line which ended the first set a little after an hour.  During setbreak it sure hadn't gotten any warmer.  I saw old Dave who is a mainstay at Madison shows as well as Nick Clutter.  Wanding everyone on their way back inside at setbreak in sub-arctic weather seemed excessive. 


I didn't really talk to anyone in the crowd but it was an older demographic.  The usual Madison people were there but it was not a typical college crowd per se.  Mike's band uses Yarmouth Road as a jam vehicle which was interesting.  Daisy Hill Grove and The Field were a bit of a lull.  They got things going again with Say Something which was a highlight for me.  I heard them play Robert Palmer's Looking For Clues in STL last year but it's a great addition to their repetoire.  Mike turns his head from side to side as he's looking for clues.  This led into them bringing out the REEL toy for the crowd on the floor who played along.  How Many People Are You? was my favorite part of the show.  I heard Phish play that at Magnaball and it works well for Mike.  Funky Bitch sent the crowd into the frigid night.  This was one of the best Mike Gordon solo band shows I've seen.  The addition of Robert Walter on keys and John Kimock on drums have been crucial.  After the show I drove home and made it back around 3 am. 
This was my final live music of 2016.  I don't think I need to do these roadtrips as often going forward.  Phish is my favorite live act and other concerts seem a little tame in comparison.  I feel like I crafted a great fall tour this year.  I was able to visit cultural centers like Nashville and Chicago as well as my favorite college towns Ames and Madison.  I'm thankful for the last 17 years of adventure.  I've been pretty lucky. 

11/5/16 Lotus w/ Spafford @ Vic Theatre - Chicago, IL

This show will forever be in the shadow of the Cubs winning the World Series and the parade/rally the day before.  I couldn't believe the amount of traffic on I-55.  The city was happening.  I parked in Bucktown and had Big Al's #1 Italian Beef at the Milwaukee Ave. location.  It was unseasonably warm for early November.  Over the last ten years Lotus has become one of my favorite bands.  I really dig their music but admittedly I feel a bit out of place amongst their younger EDM crowd.  I was glad I was able to catch some of the Spafford opening set.  They are an act on the rise.  The Vic is probably my favorite room in the city all things considered.  The staff was a lot more courteous than the Concord.  I found a spot in the back row of the balcony where I had plenty of room and a place to sit.


Bellwether is an effective opening song.  I am still learning the repertoire but I knew most of the first stanza.  Travel is one that I really enjoy.  Neon Tubes from their Build album was a highlight for me. Anti-Gravity is a tune from the new album that worked well in the live setting.  They had a screen onstage with featured the artist singing the vocals.  Spiritualize is probably their best song and that anchored the first set. 


Cold Facts opened the second set.  I liked hearing that one at Summercamp.  They should have put that on the new album.  Lucid Awakening is classic Lotus.  Mike Rempel is an incredible guitar player and he really shines on that one.  Kesey Seed came next.  Move Too Fast also featured the woman on the screen singing the vocal samples.  Rempel was a wildman during Intro a Cell on guitar.  Absolute shredding.  By this point it was getting late and I had to drive home.  Lotus didn't start until 9:45.  I was a little turned off by the Gabe Otto vocal guest spot and decided to peace out.  From that point I took the L train back to my car and stopped at Dunkin Donut in Morris on the way home.


I was born in the suburbs and lived there for ten years  I've always loved going into the city and feeling the energy.  With that said I don't need to live there.  I'm thankful that I get to enjoy the fun parts of the city without dealing with the bullshit that the living in Chicago entails. 

10/26/16 Widespread Panic @ Stephens Auditorium - Ames, IA

I saw this show the week after the Phish Nashville run.  I graduated from Iowa State University in August 2006.  This was the de facto 10 year reunion.  There aren't that many people that I still care about that live in Ames.  However, seeing some of this Widespread Panic show with Josh Tanke made the experience for me.  We enjoyed a lot of good times out there.  I picked up our buddy Nate in Coralville on the way and we met Josh at the show.  Also, I was glad to see Jesse and Luther Danneman and was able to offer my thoughts abouts Anna who recently passed away.  The Dannemans were good to me when I lived in Ames.  I worked a full day at IFSI and we barely made it to Stephens Auditorium in time for the show.  A blustery, overcast day made way for a chilly autumnal evening. I was sixth row on the Dave Schools side.  I should have bought the poster.  Upon arrival the guy next to me recognized me.  It was Brent a longtime fan who I met at Harmony Park 7/4/01.  I was impressed with his memory. 


The opening pair of instrumentals got the show going well.  This was a fairly old school first set and had several farming references which is to be expected at Iowa State University.  Glory is a track off Bombs and Butterflies I've always liked.  Aunt Avis reminded me of seeing Vic Chestnutt at the M-Shop in Ames.  I like that now with Jimmy Herring they play No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature a little more true to the original with the intro.  I saw a lot of the usual Iowa faces at setbreak out on the patio which was watched by police.  I liked that the PA music at setbreak included The Five Stairsteps "Ooh Child". 


It was an older crowd that's for sure.  With Widespread Panic going into semi-retirement this figured to be the final show at this great venue on our campus.  It was sad to think about that but my time has passed out there anyways.  I didn't see all that many people I knew.  Weight of the World and Pleas had great energy.  This show had a pretty nasty post Drums segment of Honky Red and the Vic Chestnutt Protein Drink/Sewing Machine.   "Momma makes my cape on a sewing machine".  Perfect for this pre-Halloween affair.  Let's Get the Show on the Road was appropriate with me heading back to the Illinois right after the show.  They generously kept the theme of Black Sabbath covers going with the debut of Warning.  Postshow music was Joe Walsh "Rocky Mountain Way" with the band heading west to Colorado.  This show wasn't mind blowing but it was a professional performance from a band that meant a lot to me when I was going to college.  Nate and I had a good time seeing Josh.  Panic may not be my favorite band anymore but John Bell will always worth the price of admission. 

10/18-19 Phish @ Ascend Amphitheater - Nashville, TN

It's been a month since I drove to Decatur on that Monday night before the Nashville run.  There was a huge harvest moon in the sky and the fields were bustling with harvest activity.  I'd worked a full day.  I don't like to miss work for shows anymore.  This run was midweek and required me missing three days of shelling corn.  However, I'd never seen live music in the Music City and these were the closest shows on the Fall Tour.  I grabbed some Jimmy John's on the way and Doc and I  watched the ALCS on TV at his house on Lake Decatur. 


We got an early start the next morning and took Doc's vehicle as he handled the driving.  We went directly south through Vandalia and saw plenty of farm equipment in action.  Lunch was Wendy's as we made our way through southern Illinois and into Kentucky and ultimately Tennessee.  I remembered the spot along I-24 where Frank broke down going to WSP NYE '01.  Upon arrival at the ghetto Days Inn we promptly decided to switch over the equally ghetto Motel 6.  I think Tom Bodette's light was burnt out at this location.  Dinner was Jack Cawthorn's BBQ.  The brisket was excellent and I liked their spicy sauce.  We parked in the Nissan Stadium parking lot and crossed the pedestrian bridge over the river to downtown and the venue.  The weather was almost 90 degrees and beautiful.  Unbelievable fall tour weather.  As soon as we arrived I recognized Bobby's voice singing Walkin' Blues.  The hopes and rumors were indeed true. 


I had driven through Nashville many times but I was really impressed with the downtown area.  The venue itself is about 7,000 people and is nestled right next to the river with an amazing view of the city.  I was able to grab a poster, shirt, and magnet at the merch stand.  The steps on the poster remind me of the pedestrian bridge.  Preshow PA music was Paul McCartney "Ram".  The first set on Tuesday packed a mean punch.  In retrospect they probably made sure to bring a big first set with the guest spot taking up most of the second set.  At setbreak I met up with my friend Angie and her husband.  We watched the second set together.  After three songs they brought out Bobby for the rest of the second set.  Doc wasn't feeling good so we bailed during the encore.  The highlight of the guest spot was by far Samson and Delilah.  Weir sounded great during that one.  However, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that he was very lost during Twist. I like the sentiment of having Bobby sing Miss You but there are so many better songs he could have sang than a Trey Anastasio original.  I liked the Dead style jamming during Playing in the Band.  I get the message of the song choices but it went on a bit too long.  In the big picture though this was only the second time Bob Weir had ever sat in with Phish and this was a moment in Phish history to be appreciated for what it was. 


After grabbing some coffee the next morning at Waffle House we made our way downtown to Arnold's for lunch.  This was an authentic experience that was a highlight of the trip.  I had the roast beef.  Doc went next door to the guitar store.  Next we decided to tour the historic Ryman Auditorium.  I've never seen a show there and it was worth the $20.  The Bob Weir solo tour stage equipment was all set up and that made the tour even more interesting for me.  We talked to a roadie from his tour.  After that we walked down Broadway and I was blown away by all the activity at 2 pm on a Wednesday.  Coincidentally we ran into Pat, Keisha, Ryan, and Heather in the candy store and we would watch that evening show with them.  It was good to be back with team War Eagle. We listened to soundcheck as we roamed the meager southern lot scene.


That night's show was much more of a classic experience.  The opener of Theme from the Bottom was unusual.  Keep what's important and know who is your friend.  I liked the choices in this set.  My Soul always gets the energy going early.  That was my first time hearing Petrichor.  It worked better in the live setting than I had imagined.  I loved hearing the debut of Running Out of Time.  The whistling at the end is a bit corny but I connect with the sentiment.  The second set in Nashville was why I took three days off work and did this road trip.  Golden Age represents this 3.0 that we've been so lucky to enjoy.  The first Tweezer of Fall Tour came next.  This set just had that type of flow you look for.  No Man's continued the energy and creative playing.  Plasma had been soundchecked but it was great to see that stay in the Phish rotation and actually be used in the second set.  Hood had the woos that reminded me of the famous Tahoe Tweezer.  Suzy had a My Woman From Tokyo tease by Trey.  WOTC was the encore at Dick's and Nashville but no complaints from me.  Tweeprise sent us into the night and back to Illinois.  Postshow PA music was Kenny Rodgers and Dolly Parton "Islands in the Stream". 


Thus ending my calendar year with Phish.  I saw 10 shows with relative ease.  This year didn't match 2015 but I don't think there was any way of topping that.  It's time to move my life forward and with Phish doing less next year it seems like a logical time to search for a full time job.  After the show Doc drove us back to Decatur.  I got some sleep on the way.  When we got back to Illinois it was 50 degrees and raining.  Back to reality.  I got on the road right away and was home by about 9 am

9/24/16 moe. @ Concord Music Hall - Chicago, IL

On Saturday I slept most of the morning.  I watched some of Arsenal v Chelsea and the Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals.  We learned via Facebook that most of the band was at Wrigley.  I chose not to go to the Friday performance because I feared I'd be tired after working all day.  Originally I was going to skip this run altogether so I suppose this was a compromise.  Part of the appeal was that I'd never been to this venue situated between Wicker Park and Logan Square.  One of the things I've tried to attempt this year is to visit some new venues.  However, in this case the venue turned out to the be a bummer.  The gestapo search and presence really put a damper on the vibe. 


The drive into the city on I-80 and I-55 was uneventful.  I parked where I typically do for Chicago shows in Wicker Park.  Before the show I had Big Al's #1 Italian Beef on Milwaukee.  This always reminds me of seeing shows at UIC and staying with my cousin on Taylor St.  The weather was perfect for the walk down Milwaukee to the venue. It was a modern, clean venue but was kept too cold and I've already discussed the security.  This show had several highlights and was well played but my favorite part of the experience was seeing my friend Craig and his brother Curt.  I don't see Craig very often.  It was also good to be reunited with my partner from the Colorado roadtrip, Frank.  We watched from the middle of the floor.  Preshow PA was Styx. I was disappointed with the sound at first but it improved over the course of the night.  It wasn't quite loud enough during moe.  However, during the opening act Mungion's set it was almost to the point of the being too loud.  The bass was rattling.  Billy Goat was extended as the opener and made its way into the first part of meat.  I was particularly happy to hear Montego for the first time live. This was my 80th moe. show and I've been enjoying them more lately.  I really like Chuck's guitar tone.  He is currently sporting a beard.  During Puebla I went outside to the smoking pen and met some good people.  That was a theme of the night.  Everyone we met was pretty nice.  Setbreak PA was The Police. 


The segue from Spine of the Dog into Plane Crash was the highlight of the show.  It had heavy Buster hintings.  Letter Home was another song from Tin Cans that I've always liked.  They had cut Thorazine Shuffle the previous night so this wasn't a shocker.  Rob sounds great on that bass part.  Chuck did a good job on the guitar and vocals.  She was explored continuing the trend of improvisation during this show.  This wasn't my favorite moe. show but it certainly wasn't for lack of trying.  The "now you were gone" ending of Down Boy was repeated more than usual providing the beginning of a slow return to the end of meat.  Threw It All Away sent the crowd into the night.  I've seen moe. in most of the venues in the city and this was one of my least favorites.  After the show I made the relatively easy cruise home.  I heard The Chain by Fleetwood Mac driving through Annawan which Rob had jokingly teased between songs in the second set.  Coming on the heels of the spectacular Phish Dick's 2016 run this event had a distinctively junior varsity feeling.  I enjoy seeing moe. but I've come to terms with the fact that they are basically a bar band. 

9/2-4 Phish @ Dick's Sporting Goods Park - Commerce City, CO

The journey to Colorado was the big road trip for me this year.  My companion for this ride was my friend Craig who I've been seeing shows with since 1999.  I left my house at 4:30 on Thursday.  With it still dark I picked him up in Davenport and we were on our way by 5:55 am.  I crushed Iowa with relative ease and made it until Lexington, NE before we switched drivers.  We went through Cheyenne, WY and down I-25 to Fort Collins. Upon arrival we explored the town and got dinner and watched the Broncos preseason game at McClellan's on Taft Hill Rd. not far from Whisker's place where we stayed.

The next day we made the stressful drive down I-25 to Denver and eventually Commerce City.  We stopped at Walmart off Quebec.  It was good to see my old Super 8 where I stayed for Dick's 2011, 2012, and 2013.  It was shortly after the noon opening time for the camping.  We let some of the initial rush get inside before we arrived.  Weather was in the low 80s and sunny.  I had stayed with Mike Sands in 2014 and 2015.  I was eager to try the Dick's Sporting Goods Park camping experience this year.  Our friend Drew drove down from near Vail and met us.  We had plenty of room on the practice fields for our little campsite.  Our shade tent turned out to be a failure but it provided entertainment. There was a general store and several food trucks.  The first day we cooked bratwurst on my stove.  That thing has been through the wars.  This weekend was the first time I'd used my tent since Superball IX.  With Phish not doing a festival this year this camping experience was the next best thing.

Whisker and his buddy Shane drove down from Fort Collins for the first night.  I was the very first person to donate canned goods for the food drive.  I've participated in that every year.  It was convenient having all my tickets scanned and getting my wristband.  I went inside early and got the blue version of the poster.  Its the same artist who did the Deer Creek print who many think was the best of the summer.  I also grabbed the event shirt and the magnet.  We were able to congregate a nice group of us from Geneseo on the Gordo side in 105.  I randomly met Barry and his buddy Joe and they joined us camping for the rest of the weekend.  Gordo was the MVP of this run so it was appropriate I saw all three shows from his side.  I think the band heard the grumblings about the lack of jamming this summer.  The result was a jamfest all three nights.  No filler.

The weekend started with an energy packed Ghost.  Next was the best version of No Man's they played so far.  I was glad Whisker got to hear some of the new material.  I am sad Ass Handed isn't on the album.  At the time we had no idea what the track listing would be.  Stash and 46 Days were also noteworthy in the first set.  This was a powerhouse Antelope but the landing was slightly botched.  The crowd approved of the busting out of Mercury which hadn't been played since Dick's 2015.  Seven Below was a good call at this juncture.  BOAF though not explored continued the energy.  This was a rather unique Tweezer late in the set.  The segue into Runaway Jim was very smooth.  Bug, Tweeprise sent us back to the campground more than satisfied with the first offering.

I was able to get a better night sleep on Friday.  Thursday I was still too caffeinated from the road.  The drunken crew next to us made napping difficult.  We watched the second night from about the same spot.  The Slave opener was very unusual.  A precise, finished version of DWD followed.  Even frequently played songs like 555 and Wolfman's had an extra pop. At setbreak I left Team Geneseo and joined up with the Auburn crew on the floor.  This set flowed well.  I thought we were going to get a Piper at one point especially after Twist.  Blaze On was jammed.  Simple was probably the highlight.  This encore was one we'll never forget with Gordo taking the solo at the end of Squirming Coil.  Did I say Mike was the MVP?  Postshow PA music was "I Keep Forgettin" by Michael McDonald.  I laughed at that because I made Frank listen to that album on the way out.  After the show the campgrounds were bumping.  It was a festive atmosphere.  I was happy that Phish had put together two excellent shows back to back.

It was nice not leaving the Dick's Sporting Goods Park property the whole weekend.  The camping pass is like $85.  However, they don't charge you to park so you save the $15 a night on that end.  On Sunday I tried to take a nap but it was difficult with it heating up into the 80s during the daytime.  I went off on my own for the first set.  That was the closest to the stage I've been for any of the Dick's shows.  The show started off fairly standard but it was clear by the playing, particularly from Gordo that this was a good night.  SOAM isn't played all that often anymore.  Gin was the highlight.  This was a hint of things to come.  I moved back with the Auburn crew for the final set not far from where we were for the THANK YOU encore the year before.  It became quite cool.  I had to custy up again and buy the Summer Tour 2016 longsleeve.  I was hoping this third night would be a nice end to the weekend.  It turned out to be the best show of the run.  What happened next was a set for the ages.  They found a wormhole during Crosseyed and Painless and took us with them. The energy of this jam was unbelievable. It was peak after peak before finally arriving seamlessly into Steam.  This flowed into an amazing 20 minute Piper complete with a drum breakdown with Trey on the Marimba Lumina.  Every song in the set reprised the "still waiting" vocals.  They managed to do so in a classy manner avoiding making this special set gimmicky.  Light contained more improvisation. That was great placement for Lizards.  "the trick is to surrender to the flow" is one of my favorite Phish lyrics.  First Tube ended this set in a triumphant manner.  WOTC worked well as an encore and made sense 7 days before the 15 year anniversary of 9/11.  Kim Wilde "Kids in America" sent the crowd into the night after just witnessing one of the best three night runs of this era.  When Frank, Drew, and I started seeing shows we were 17 years old.  Literally we were kids still in high school.  Now we are 35 years old.

The next morning we disassembled our campsite and shifted scenes up into the mountains and stayed until Wednesday morning at Drew's place in Edwards, CO.  On Tuesday he took us on a fun dirt road drive through the National Forest near Vail.  It felt like we were experiencing real Colorado.  We saw a couple moose which we wouldn't have seen from a plane.  Thanks again to Drew and Shelby for the hospitality and for grilling out.  We got an early start for home and were on the road by 5 am.  Again Frank was a champion behind the wheel in Colorado and Nebraska.  On the way home the Saturn went over 200,000 miles.  This was one of the better road trips I've been on.  Thanks again to Frank for coming with.  It's not an experience if you can't bring someone along.  I made it home in time for the Mr. Robot at 9 pm.

8/22/16 Gov't Mule @ CEFCU Stage - Peoria, IL

Gov't Mule
08.22.2016 CEFCU Center Stage , Peoria, IL

One Set:
Slackjaw Jezebel 
Larger Than Life >
World Gone Wild
Million Miles From Yesterday
Pass The Peas with Stratus tease
Which Way Do We Run?
Brighter Days
Broke Down On The Brazos >
Tributary Jam
Left Coast Groovies
About To Rage
Unring The Bell with Shakedown Street tease
Endless Parade
Just Got Paid
I'm A Ram > with Black Dog tease
Love Me Do >
I'm A Ram

Encore:
Cowgirl In The Sand with Charlie Starr
Rocking In The Free World > with Charlie Starr
Machine Gun (Instrumental) > with Charlie Starr
Rocking In The Free World with Charlie Starr





On Monday night I drove down to Peoria afternoon for Gov't Mule.  I'm not even sure how many times I've seen them.  I'd guess around a dozen starting in 2004.  This setlist lacked a lot of their staples which led to the band digging deeper into their catalog. It was a beautiful evening with temps much cooler than what I'd experienced at this same venue for Umphrey's McGee a few weeks prior.  Upon arrival I saw Ben and Eugenia tailgating.  One year earlier on this date I was at Magnaball with his brother Pat.  Appropriately enough I'd seen the Walters Brothers Harley Davidson billboard on the way into Peoria.  This show was at the CEFCU Stage next to the river.  The Umphrey's show was on the other side of the depot.  I went inside at 7 pm when Blackberry Smoke started.  It was impressive how many fans were clearly there for the opening band.  Dressed in cowboy boots and chewing tobacco this was a different element than what I was accustomed to.  They played for an hour and we enjoyed their set.  I met up with my friend Doc.  There was no where to sit so we took a spot in the back of the pit.  That's how crowded it was.  I was the only person I saw sporting Phish attire.  When Mule started the older blues/Allman Bros. crowd filed in. 


Gov't Mule played for two hours.  I'm not going to go through each song.  The setlist above speaks for itself if you know their repertoire.  Highlights for me were About to Rage and Endless Parade.  These are two of my favorites.  Warren was really on his game.  It seems now that the ABB is done that he appears to be in better shape.  Jorgen Carlson's bass playing and Matt Abts's drumming had me grooving all evening.  I enjoy seeing shows at that location with the I-74 bridge in the background.  Ten years ago I got more into this band when the High and Mighty album came out.  They played several tracks off that one including A Million Miles from Yesterday.  I went into the show with very little in the way of expectations and perhaps that's why I enjoyed myself so much. Anyone who has followed along with this knows these writings are less of a show review and more of a journal of my experience.  I started writing them for fun way back in the day.  Then it became an excuse to stay sober at the shows after I stopped drinking.  Now I still do it as a way to reflect. 


I spent the month of August exercising, reading, and binge watching Oz.  This is probably the last "summer break" I may ever have.  After the stint at Casey's I decided that will be my final foray into food service.  Also, that's the last part time job I intend to get.  I want one more season in the sun in the fall working in the corn research game.  Hopefully, the Cubs can take care of business.  I'll be seeing Phish this fall in a city (Nashville) that I've never seen live music in.  Then it's back to my alma mater ten years after for what appears to be the final Widespread Panic concert at Iowa State University in Ames.  Beyond that I'll intensify my search for a full time job and eventually find an apartment of my own.  I see the path ahead of me...  Now the scene turns to Dick's Spoting Goods Park in Commerce City, CO for what has become the highlight of the Phish year.

8/4/16 Umphrey's McGee @ James W. Baldwin Festival Park - Peoria, IL

It's been a strange summer in certain regards.  The Phish shows I saw in June were enjoyable experiences.  The road trips went about as smoothly as possible.  I think after 17 years I'm starting to get the hang of this.  However, musically I was underwhelmed by the Phish output.  So fast forward a month without any live music.  That's the first July without concerts for me since 1998.  I've now turned 35 years old.  I worked my 8th season of pollinating.  The weather was very hot the last few weeks.  My attempt to work a second job at Casey's led to me burning the candle at both ends.  Having ended that brief return to food service I was able to reassess what's important.  I really enjoy the corn research work and it's allowed me the freedom to see as much live music as possible. 


In 2017 though I intend to find a full time job in the Quad Cities or Denver.  I'm keeping my options open.  My parents have done enough.  I want to allow them time to themselves.  We wrapped up the summer work on Thursday with a roadtrip that took us to Washington, IA and Macomb, IL.  So I was actually further south of Peoria earlier in the day.  The timing was nice so I would have Friday off.  I listened to the David Gilmour self titled album both ways.  Since I went to Colorado last Labor Day I've pretty much been grinding continuously with one job or another.  Even the time off I took I spent flying to New York City for Phish and The Disco Biscuits and having surgery on an infected pilonidal cyst.  The days off I took in June I spent driving home all night from Minnesota and Indianapolis.  It's important to get enough sleep, eat properly, and to exercise.  I got away from these principals while attempting to work too much while not maintaining my engine.  This August I'm going to recharge my batteries.


So I got back from Macomb around 3 pm and took a few hours to clean up.  Then I got back on I-74 and made the easy journey down to the Peoria riverfront.  The venue is the last exit before the Illinois River.  I love this venue because it's easy to get to and parking is free and convenient.  I talked to Ian Goldberg before the show.  In retrospect I wished I'd thanked him for putting on shows at this location over the years.  Doc and Troy arrived just after me in the lot.  They kicked me down a Red Bull as we saw Scott and Adam who I was seated next to at the first night of Wrigley Field Phish.  The sun was going down but it was extremely hot with temps still in the high 80s.  For whatever reason this show was not at the traditional CEFCU Stage by the river but rather on the other side of the depot at the James W. Baldwin Festival Park grounds.  This location is more spread out and offers some shade.  I'd seen them here before when the other stage flooded several years ago.  The opening act The Main Squeeze was pretty decent.  I saw Leander and Nickmo.  It'd been a while for me since I'd talked to them.  I got burnt out on Umphrey's.  Too many Higgins, Plungers, Bottom Halfs.  However, it seemed like there were a lot of older long time fans in attendance and the band responded with a setlist appropriate of such an occasion. 


They opened with an instrumental version of The Message by Grandmaster Flash around 7:45.  Then the rest of the first set was an All in Time sandwich.  Hourglass and Educated Guess were two newer songs in the first set that I really enjoyed.  The whole show had a pretty heavy theme.  Eat and its King Crimson-like prog rock was juxtaposed with the gorgeous piano playing of Joel Cummins during Orfeo.  I saw Cory from Iowa and also Isaac who I used to work with at Fareway.  Apparently they played In a Silent Way?  It sounded like tuning to me.  Push the Pig reminds me of seeing UM back at the Union Bar in Iowa City back in the day.  Solid groove by Stasik with some hintings of The Crunge by Led Zeppelin.  Resolution had a soaring jam before dropping into the end of AIT to end the set.  Impressive first set for sure. 


I made myself a ham sandwich and brought it along.  The grassy area under the I-74 bridge was perfect for my setbreak picnic.  DBK is always a song I like to see live.  Kula is a rarity these days.  Ringo included a Muscle Shoals jam.  The Triple Wide brought the best dancing platform of the night.  Complete with Rhiannon (Fleetwood Mac) teases this was probably my favorite part of the show.  Forks and Make It Right were more newer songs that continue to improve.  There was a Kabump in between those which was a bit of an energy lull at that late junction.  Waiting Room and Mulche's sent the crowd out into the night just before 11 pm.  I'm glad I went.  This was my 156th time seeing Umphrey's McGee.  I was home by 12:15.  The drive back included a spectacular lightning show and at times intense rain. 

6/26/16 Phish @ Klipsch Music Center - Noblesville, IN

I woke on Sunday morning at the Congress Plaza Hotel.  I was able to get an early start and avoid any of the parade traffic.  I heard Lido Shuffle by Boz Skaggs on the way down and after the show on FM radio.  This was to be one more for the road.  Prior to the tour I had expectations for this one.  Perhaps that was the problem.  Wrigley Field exceeded them.  Unfortunately this one did not.  I had White Castle for lunch which has become sort of a Deer Creek tradition for me.  I met Doc and BC at the Studio 6 Hotel in Fishers.  They had a couple younger fans seeing Phish for the first time with them. We parked and roasted under the hot sun.  However, the extreme weather was about to continue in the form of a storm that delayed the opening of the doors until 8 pm.  The show started about 9 pm.  I was able to procure a poster and had a decent seat on the Page side.  This was my 135th Phish show. 


Sometimes you don't get the show you want but instead see the show you need.  I was looking for deep improvisation.  Instead we got an early tour show that felt somewhat rushed and was played close to the vest.  After how well they were playing at the end of the summer and over the NYE run it was a little disappointing.  Perhaps though as I approach 35 years of age that its indeed time to scale back my involvement with Phish.  They are only putting in six weeks of work and it shows.  The whole thing has become very predictable.  Sometimes I wonder if Trey is void of creative ideas or if he simply doesn't want to explore and take risks anymore.  Either way I'm satisfied with what I've seen.  I don't need to live and die with this anymore.  That was the lesson of this show.  The first set was pretty much standard 3.0.  I did like the debut of the new song.  There was a very colorful sunset before more rain come through.  Songs that once were interesting are now truncated i.e. Halley's and Tube.  Maze was the highlight of the first stanza for me along with the set closing First Tube.  It was good seeing Joel Brown on the way inside before the show.  For set two I went out on the lawn where it was still drizzling to enjoy some of the show with the Auburn crew: Pat, Keisha, Ryan, and Heather.  Eventually I went back down to my original spot.  My cousin Dan who teaches at Purdue was at this show but I wasn't able to meet up with him. 


Punch You in the Eye was a nice start to this set.  I wanted to them jam out BOTT.  It was not to be.  Light was the only improvisation and even that wasn't anything too outrageous.  The rest of the set relied on energy based playing to get the job done.  The new Trey ballad Shade was  one of my favorite parts of the night.  The placement for that was perfect.  Possum was appropriate with the fanbase getting back on the road.  Rock and Roll reached a nice peak and was an above average encore.  After the show I drove all the way home stopping only in Champaign and LP. I enjoyed St. Paul > Chicago > Noblesville.  The music wasn't necessarily mind blowing but the experience was enjoyable.

6/24-25 Phish @ Wrigley Field - Chicago, IL

Friday June 24th, 2016 was a glorious day for our family with the arrival of my second cousin Teagan.  Congrats to Kelly and Nick.  Months beforehand they'd offered to let me stay at their place but I hedged my bets and found another option.  I stayed with Ryan and Heather from Auburn at the Congress Plaza Hotel which really worked out well.  The proximity to the Red Line (and Dunkin Donuts) made this a convenient locale for the weekend.  I drove from Geneseo to Wicker Park with relative ease.  It's Friday in the summer in Chicago and you're going to have traffic.  Dinner was a slice at Pizza Metro on Division St.  I took the Blue Line down to the loop and stopped in at the hotel before heading up to the Addison stop of the Red Line.  My first walk around to the marquee and I just happened to meet up with Doc and his buddies.  The weather was amazing on Friday.  This confluence of Phish and my favorite sports venue had been something I'd really been looking forward to.


They eased into this show.  It wasn't until the Free with the sun going down behind the 3rd base grandstand did this performance take off.  Miss You is a slower new Trey song that appears to be about his late sister.  A fiery set closing Blaze On was another note worthy moment in the first set. 


The improvisation we saw during DWD and Twist are top shelf moments of this tour so far.  Even the Fuego in between was extended.  Later in this set was a dance party 2001 that had Trey working the echo effects.  Waste was a poignant moment that reminded me of my very first Phish show.  That was one of the better versions of 2001 I've seen.  Perfect for that moment.  The set closing Loving Cup was appropriate in this ballpark setting. Waste and Loving Cup both have farming references which I enjoy.  The Bowie tribute in the encore was a memorable moment for sure.  Run Like an Antelope wrapped up a great experience on Chicago's northside.  After the show I headed back to the hotel room and watched Reservoir Dogs.


Saturday was much warmer.  I spent most of the day relaxing and getting caught up on my sleep.  I went to Dunkin Donuts during the afternoon which was the extent of sight seeing.  My seat was in the right field corner and had excellent sound.  The first set on Saturday was more cohesive than the previous night.  The Divided Sky worked well as the sunset.  Cavern appeared to end the set before a raging take on Led Zeppelin's Good Times Bad Times. 


Someone had made a Carini/Cubs lot shirt and I had that in my mind when they started that up.  This version explored some interesting terrain as did the ensuing Tweezer but neither reached the peaks that the improvisation reached the previous night.  The first Fluffhead since Dick's 2014 was the highlight for me.  The combo of Piper>Steam reminded me of the Sunday show from last year's Labor Day run.  They were short on time so that was a fairly brief take on Harry Hood.  I am the Walrus reminds me of when I saw 70 Volt Parade at the Auditorium Theatre in 2005 which is coincidentally across the street from where I was staying, The Congress Plaza Hotel.  After the show on Lake Street I stopped at Subway.  The sandwich was lackluster and made me realize why I stopped eating their food long ago whenever given other options.  The big crowds were distracting with thousands of casual beer head fans.  You know that was going to be the case though with this being a ballpark.  With Phish playing Wrigley this year and the Cubs having the best team of my lifetime it seems like the planets are aligning.  Ever since high school I've enjoyed seeing shows in Chicagoland because that's where I'm originally from.  I saw lots of good people during the course of this weekend.  After the show I went back to the hotel and watched Back to the Future part III.  Overall, this Chicago run was good for the soul.

6/22/16 Phish @ Xcel Energy Center - St. Paul, MN

I attended the previous Minnesota show which was back in 2000.  This time the band was playing St. Paul at the home of the Minnesota Wild hockey team, the Xcel Energy Center.  It was almost a 6 hour drive which I handled by myself.  I parked in a garage a few blocks from the arena.  They had metal detectors at the door which is increasingly becoming the norm following the attacks in Paris last year.  I saw Brody from Geneseo and my college friend Sarah J who both happened to have seats in my section 117 on the Page side.  We watched the show six rows off the floor. I liked the Al Green on the PA before the show.  The first set seemed like it had been rehearsed.  The playing was very tight but close to the vest and largely void of any jamming.  Stash was the only excursion in the first set which was highlighted by the bustout of The Beatles Dear Prudence for the first time since 10/31/94.  The new lighting at times was a bit over the top and distracting from the actual rig.  I liked the overall feel of the first set. 


Set two had a lot of energy especially in the opening Mike's > Hydro > Groove but I kept waiting for them to take some risks.  It was almost as if when they started up a late set Bathtub Gin they felt like they HAD to make it happen.  This type of music isn't forced.  Trey stepped outside the box for a brief while but it was too little too late for my tastes.  It just felt like a rather vanilla second set aside from The Velvet Underground tune that emerged from Simple.  For the encore I was hoping for a bit more than Water in the Sky and Character Zero.  I wasn't disappointed with the performance but I wasn't blown away either.  Over this Phish offseason I've wondered if last summer was a peak that they likely can't top.  I guess time will tell.  I don't mind the band trying new things and searching new sounds but it's disappointing when they could take improvisation into deeper territory and Trey simply doesn't feel like it.  It makes me not want to spend as much time and money on Phish.  The decision to stop Ghost and start up The Line still is a head scratcher.  As the sun came up the weather became extremely foggy.  The song Eastbound and Down came on the radio and gave me a second wind.  I stopped for breakfast at McD at The World's Largest Truck Stop in Walcott, IA.  On this run it was good to see my friends from Auburn in Chicago and Doc down in Indiana.  However, I still enjoy seeing shows Han Solo.  You become more in tune with the music.  The experience is what you make of it. 

5/29/16 Summercamp @ Three Sisters Park - Chillicothe, IL

Last Sunday my friend Craig and I drove down for Summercamp.  To put this into perspective this was the 12th year in a row I've attended.  This is the third year in a row that I've scaled back to only the Sunday festivities with Craig.  Once upon a time I used to camp all out.  Then for a few years I commuted each day.  Now I'm content with the Sunday afternoon/evening.  I decided against going for Umphrey's McGee.  Getting down there that early makes for a long day in the sun.  The weather in Illinois over Memorial Day weekend is like playing Russian Roulette.  We got lucky this year with clear skies and weather in the 80s.  Summercamp has grown over the years because of the loyalty that Jay Goldberg has shown to moe. and handful of other bands.  While its encouraging to see bands like Lotus step their game up and it was even more satisfying to see old friends moe. show me why I became a fan of their live music in the first place.  Once again moe. stepped up on a property that I've now seen them 30 times.  It wouldn't be Summercamp with a walk over to Camp Decatur with some hot dogs on the grill and a Red Bull.  Thanks again to Doc for the food while the sound of Twiddle could be heard in the distance. 


We started our day with Yonder Mountain String Band.  I frankly think they're better without Jeff Austin and with the addition of Allie Kral.  I went for a walk through the woods and it brought back a lot of memories of past years.  It conjured up thoughts of friends no longer with us figuratively and literally.  George Clinton was a bit of a disappointment.  There were a million people onstage.  The real music started with Lotus.  This group is on the rise.  Their newer material Cold Facts and Eats the Light carried the set.  Another obvious highlight was a guest spot by the keyboard player from The Motet during Greet the Mind and a Sunrain sandwich which ended the set.  Solid work in a fairly compact timeslot.


Tom Petty is a legend.  I recently watched his documentary on Netflix.  This made me appreciate what Mudcrutch meant in the overall story of his career.  They played most of their two albums.  Hearing his voice reminded me of Lucky from King of the Hill.  Mike Campbell really played well on guitar as well.  During Crystal River we made our way back to the mainstage for moe.  Appropriately they were playing "Damn the Torpedoes" on the PA system. 


Rob really played well on this occasion and it made for one of the best moe. shows I've seen in a long time.   Chuck struggled with the Baba O'Riley vocals but that was overshadowed by Allie Kral's amazing work which made this a memorable cover.  Spine > Buster is obviously classic moe.  Buster was an above average version.  Jazz Wank is an instrumental I could hear at every moe. show.  This was perhaps the best version of Rebubula I've ever seen.  With this weekend being Rob's anniversary this anthem to his wife is expected but the patient breakdown in the middle with the loops made this a rendition for the ages. 


 The setbreak included a thank you from Ian Goldberg and the Summercamp organization.  This was the largest attendance ever for the festival.  When Rec Chem started up the stage area was fairly empty but that didn't stop them from throwing down a 30 minute monster version.  Rob teased Bring It Back Home before starting up Kids.  There was a slick segue into Down Boy.  Silver Sun reminds me of seeing moe. late night in Las Vegas after Phish in 2014.  Timmy Tucker was another great song selection though this version stayed in the box for the most part.  The encore choice of Cream's White Room wrapped up an enjoyable evening of music in Chillicothe, IL. 

2/26/16 Lotus @ Turner Hall - Milwaukee, WI

On Friday I had the day off work so I was able to relax most of the day.  A little after 5 pm I hit the road for Meleewaukay as the Algonquin refered to it.  My buddy Sand lives in New Berlin but he and his gf were seeing a Metallica/Beatles fusion so I was Han Solo for this occasion. I typically park in the Marriott garage out of habit for Riverside/Pabst shows.  This was my first time at Turner Hall.  it was a few blocks away from where I parked across from the venue formerly known as the Bradley Center.  The bar/seafood restaurant beneath Turner Hall reminded me of Cheers and Melville's.  As a result of this arrangement the place smelled like fish despite the presence of several hundred hippies.  I like old, funky venues like this.  The balcony offered some really interesting vantage points.  The crowd was young but I didn't have any negative encounters.  I'd estimate this was about my 10th time seeing Lotus.


The show started a little before the announced 10 pm start time.  After about an hour it became apparent they were playing one long set.  Juggernaut > Contagion > Juggernaut was probably the highlight of the show for me.  This was extremely energetic playing.  Eats the Light is a new song from Lotus that I've really been enjoying.  I was glad to see that one live.  They executed a smooth segue between In the Bliss > Sunrain.  I really enjoy Lotus' current sound.  It's a great balance between the electro and rock elements.  It was a frigid walk back to my vehicle.  Quite the contrast from the 70 degree weather in STL the previous Friday.  I enjoy these late night drives.  I heard some Cheap Trick while driving back through Rockford.  This show along with Panic the week before comprised my Cabin Fever Winter Tour 2016.  I won't be doing any live music this spring.  Now it's time to get back to work and make some money for summer. 

2/19/16 Widespread Panic @ Peabody Opera House - St. Louis, MO

Leading up to the Midwest run of the Widespread Panic winter tour I had been thinking of hitting up a show.  The St. Louis made the most sense with it being closest and on a Friday.  However, it was sold out.  We are currently on hiatus at work so suddenly going to this show became more appealing if I could obtain a ticket.  Fortunately I contacted my friend in Soulard, Ozzy. He and our buddy from Chicago Joel were going to the show and they would be able to help me out with the elusive ticket.  The drive down was treacherous with winds gusting on I-74 like I've never seen.  It made the drive stressful when otherwise it should have been smooth sailing on a sunny day with unseasonable temperatures that would reach the low 70s in St. Louis.  Before the show we went to Hammerstone's in Soulard and had some dinner.  We parked in the city lot across from the Scottrade Center which is adjacent to the Peabody Opera House.  The park across the street was full of shakedown activity.  Most glaringly was the gas scene.  I talked to a guy I met at the Davenport, IA 4/20/00 show.  It's only been 15 and a half years.  We discussed the recent departure of Todd Nance.  We waited for Joel to arrive with our tickets and it was somewhat embarrassing as families walked by to be associated with such brazen partying in public. 


It turned out Joel was able to pull a few strings and behold we were in the front row Jimmy Herring side.  Thanks again to Joel for helping with the ticket and Ozzy for the hospitality.  I was a bit confused with the Papa Legba opener.  It sounded to me a bit like Better Off at first.  Porch Song was stand alone without its usual partner The Take Off.  A lot of the first set was a bit too heavy for me.  Three Candles made the set though.  Followed by St. Louis which was obviously appropriate and Goin' Out West to finish out the first stanza.  St. Louis > Goin' Out West perhaps a nod to the LA Rams.  Jimmy was amazing.  It was pretty neat to see JB operate from that vantage point.  Duane kept the pace up more than his predecessor.  I was a tad underwhelmed by Schools performance overall on the evening.  We could barely hear Jojo. 


Saint Ex is a tune I really enjoy but this was curious placement.  Jack, Chilly, Last Straw was old school song selection. They played a decent jam after All Time Low which led into the Drums.  Duane led the way with Sunny adding plenty of textures.  When Schools joined them he tipped his hand pretty early regarding the segue into Angels on High.  That was my first time seeing Panic play that ZZ Top combo.  Jimmy crushed that portion.  Flicker and North are not my favorite tunes.  I did enjoy the pair of Vic Chestnut tunes to start off the encore.  Sell Sell wrapped things up on a high energy note.  This was a really fun experience but wasn't the greatest show.  The venue was beautiful and was my first time visiting there.  Rumors of the band taking a break beyond 2016 makes me wonder if the end of the road is near for Widespread Panic.  This was my 91st time seeing them and I'm glad I went.

1/2/16 Phish @ Madison Square Garden / The Disco Biscuits @ Playstation Theatre - New York, NY

On Saturday morning at 7 am I left my house in Geneseo, IL and drove to Wicker Park where I left my car and took the blue line to the orange line out to Midway.  I got lucky with the weather.  You never know how that could have played out.  It was clear but still cold.  I couldn't help but remember the weather we experienced in Miami the year before.  During the drive into the city I heard a great old Casey Casum countdown from 1984.  Lots of funky dance numbers for the cruise as the sun came up.  On the plane I was sitting next to the window with a couple next to me.  The girl went to the restroom and when she returned the guy got down on his knee in the aisle and proposed.  She said yes and the entire plane clapped.  At LaGuardia I took the M-60 bus to Harlem and transferred to the 3 line subway down to Penn Station.  I love the energy of the city.  There were many fans in front of the paramount with their fingers in the air looking for a ticket to this sold out performance.  After the Labor Day run I said I was going to take a break from seeing shows but upon further review I decided to sneak this one night getaway into the agenda.  I love seeing indoor Phish shows and Madison Square Garden is the self proclaimed World's Most Famous Arena.  Before the show I walked around the Times Square area and down 7th Ave. to MSG.  I had a slice of Sbarro before I went in. The metal detectors at the gate were not an issue.  By the fourth night of the run they had the logistics worked out.  The renovations make the concourse look great.  However, the Chase Bridges over the upper deck take away from the sightlines of the rest of the arena.  Also, it's just not as easy to walk around to different sections like it had been before the changes.  My spot was in the 200s Page side.


Phish took the stage slightly earlier this night than the others.  Many fans were late arriving.  I liked the opening choice of My Pet Cat from Vegas 2014 Halloween.  AC/DC Bag served as almost a second opener.  It's Ice had a small jam segment.  I loved the choice of Horn.  That's a delicate song from Rift that I've always enjoyed seeing.  Trey really pwned Divided Sky, Maze, and Julius.  He played like a guy who was on the cover of Guitar World magazine.  Train Song was a nice interlude.  It was appropriate given my use of trains on this journey.  Also, I thought about the maze of subways and streets that comprise the city of New York during that song. NYC really is humanity overload.  There was not much in the way of improv in the first set but I liked the cohesive setlist and undeniable energy.  I liked seeing Trey and Page really enjoying themselves.  


It didn't take Nostradamus to realize Tweezer and Sand were on the way.  This was the best Tweezer since Lakewood.  I loved the blissful direction the end of the jam took.  Sand kept the dancing going where the Tweezer left off.  All told that was over a half hour of continuous music that clinched the victory for the night.  Limb by Limb served as a cooldown number in this slot.  Suzy was better than usual.  I sensed Harry Hood looming.  Trey played some pretty atypical licks during this version but I was disappointed in the lack of execution regarding the peak of this Hood.  A stronger than usual YEM more than made up for it.  Gordo used a very, very funky effect during the breakdown prior to the vocal jam.   Best YEM since Kansas City.  Lizards encore was very generous.  Tweezer Reprise sent us off into the big city night.  I purchased a can of Coca-Cola outside since I didn't have my usual cooler to run back to in the lot like a typical show.  Then I made the stroll up 7th Ave. to Times Square and got into the massive line that had assembled for The Disco Biscuits at Playstation Theatre.  This turned out to be a glorified bunker.  The search to get inside was done by a black female who was more concerned with touching my genitals than searching any of my pockets.  I found a vantage in the back row and took in the laser spectacle.  I liked the Caterpillar in the first set.  The horns were really a nice touch as well.  They especially were great when they brought out two guys dressed as The Blues Brothers for a couple tunes from that movie to end set 1.  The second set got some deep grooves going.  I'm not a huge fan of Barber's guitar playing but I focused on Magner and his keyboard work which I find impressive.  All told it was a fun way to spend the few hours after Phish before I had to fly home.  I took the subway back up to the bus to the airport. I saw Steve A. who was on the 6 am flight home.  It was nice to be able to get back home before the Bears game started.  I'm glad I went.  Phish played a great show.  I met some cool people.  Bisco was fun.  Everything went smoothly.  This was my 131st Phish show and first live music of 2016.