This has been a bit of a cruel summer because I've had to sit on the sidelines for the Baker's Dozen yet I've had the resources to make it happen. Such is life sometimes. However, I am grateful I was able to attend the opening run of Phish's summer tour in Chicago. I worked a fifty four hour workweek but was able to leave Davenport, IA by 3:30. I knew with Friday traffic it was going to be pushing it. After parking in the Soldier Field garage I emerged from the staircase to hear the opening notes of What's the Use? Fitting indeed with today's political climate. The band had been practicing at the former Bradley Center all week in Milwaukee and it showed. Breath and Burning came next as I made the walk around Burnham Harbor. This was my 141st time seeing Phish. As I entered the venue they started up Wolfman's Brother and it was on from there. They did an acapella tune that paid tribute to the summer time. It was great to see them use Everything's Right from the TAB tour as a jam vehicle. Nellie Kane and Limb by Limb kept things going. Theme was a little shaky at times. Blaze On wasn't explored per se but brought the energy to a peak before the setbreak.
I moved up a bit closer for set two. The Phish engine room of Mike Gordon and Jon Fishman was firing on all cyclinders during that No Men in No Man's Land. Fuego and MFMF are a little too structured for my ideal second sets but it worked. The surprising highlight was My Pet Cat > Golden Age > My Pet Cat. Leaves is a new Anastasio/Marshall ballad. The ending of Harry Hood was better than usual especially for a tour opener. Shine a Light seemed like it might end the set but they tacked on a fiery Julius. I wasn't familiar with the first song of the encore. It had a reggae vibe. Golgi Apparatus send the masses off into the Chicago night to The Impressions "People Get Ready". This tour was going to be special. I drove my vehicle to Wicker Park and took the blue line back to the Pittsfield Hotel where I stayed with my friends Ryan and Heather from Auburn, AL. I liked our accommodations on Washington just off Michigan Ave. I thought about going to see Karl D at the Concord when I was out in Wicker Park but I was exhausted from a 9 hour work day, the drive to Chicago, and a concert.
It was nice to enjoy a wonderful day in the city. The weather was in the 70s which is unusual for the middle of July. I ran into the same bunch of guys I was with for the first night of Wrigley Field 2016 as I walked down Michigan Ave towards the venue. I saw them again at Umphrey's McGee the weekend after in Peoria. The Hilton always reminds me of the end of The Fugitive. I saw Travis Darby in the parking lot who I played high school soccer with. It was nice to see him. He's a good guy. This show started rather pedestrian but really picked up right around Yamar. They actually lowered the lighting rig during Martian Monster and then raised them again. It was a use of technology that I had never seen before. Party Time seemed extended more than usual. Wingsuit had some patient work by Trey towards the end. After a well played Bouncin' Around the Room they wrapped up the set with my first time seeing More. I like the lyrics to that one.
I loved the choice of Corona from Trey's Traveler album to open set two. What came next was unquestionably the highlight of the whole three day run. It was Simple. With skyscrapers literally behind the band they unleashed a 27 minute adventure. After wrapping up a normal version they locked into what seemed like a composed heavy metal jam that eventually became what to the trained ear appeared to be a prolonged segue into Timber (Jerry). The transition never happened as they stuck with the percussive jam and milked this for all this was worth with great success. It was an amazing jam that foreshadowed the improvisation we've heard at Madison Square Garden since. Winterqueen was a nice choice as the cooldown ballad and then they actually extended the ending which led into Light. This was a short version with a somewhat awkward segue into Scents and Subtle Sounds but that was like a pitcher losing a perfect game in the 7th inning. That's how good the second set had been. The city shot off fireworks from Navy Pier and you could see them from the venue during Cities and the beginning of Slave to the Traffic Light. See the city. I called the Loving Cup encore. After a second set like that it was the only way to go. The sounds of Faces "Oh La La" was the postshow music. This show made me remember what it felt like when I was younger. After the show I walked back to the hotel along the lakefront and enjoyed the view of the greatest skyline in the world.
The Sunday show was in the shadow of Saturday's masterpiece. I knew that wouldn't top that for a while. We watched Tropic Thunder on Netflix and I went downstairs for some Dunkin Donuts. The weather became almost too cold during the show. I bought the long sleeve summer tour shirt just to stay warm. Before the show I went out to Wicker Park and got my car and moved it to the Soldier Field for a quick getaway. Possum was a fitting start with me getting on the road right after. I had to be at work the next morning at 5:55 so again that was appropriate. I liked the Stash from this set. Run Like an Antelope was a strong way to finish the first set. For the second set I found Scott and Adam from Champaign. The guys from the day before. Carini was the highlight of the show it modulated from a dark nasty jam into a blissful uplifting exploration. 20+ minutes of top shelf Phish that made the show worthwhile for me. The segue into 20 Years Later had me thinking how I've been seeing the band for 18 years. Piper was a solid choice at that junction. At this point they debuted a new song Thread which has potential moving forward. After Bathtub Gin I had to get on the road for home. It sucks I had to miss the end of the show but I took what I could get. I made it to work the next day.
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