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