Miami: A 12/30 Show For The Ages [Hidden Track]
It all started on a cold winter night in Springfield, Massachusetts seven years ago, when Phish dusted off Timber Ho! and Ride Captain Ride to treat some of their die-hard fans to a special concert on the night before New Year’s. Ever since that time, December 30th has been the Phish national holiday – a night when you can expect bust outs and jams galore, a tradition that continued in a big way at the American Airlines Arena last night in Miami where Phish blew their proverbial load multiple times on December 30.
Phish: 12/29/2009 Tweezer [VQ: B-, AQ: B]
Miami: 12/29 Show Recap [Coventry]
Security check-in was significantly more thorough. I ran into Eric in the hall. He’s an “insider” and relayed the sad news that the Miami shows were the last show til late-July and August. “Enjoy the last bits of Phish for a while,” he said.
Phish: 12/29/2009 Ocelot [VQ: B, AQ: B]
Phish: 12/29/2009 The Connection [VQ: B, AQ: B]
Phish: 12/29/2009 Gotta Jibboo [VQ: B, AQ: B]
Phish: 12/29/2009 Sleeping Monkey, Tweezer Reprise [VQ: B, AQ: B+]
Phish: 12/29/2009 Wilson [VQ: B+, AQ: B]
Phish: 12/29/2009 Golgi Apparatus [VQ: B, AQ: B-]
Phish: 12/29/2009 Driver [VQ: B, AQ: B-]
Phish: 12/28/2009 Makisupa Policeman [VQ: B-, AQ: B]
Phish: 12/28/2009 Roggae [VQ: B, AQ: B+]
Phish: 12/28/2009 Undermind [VQ: B, AQ: B+]
Miami: Review - Phish Heats Up Miami [Hidden Track]
If you’ve seen a bundle of Phish shows, it’s probable that you’ve been asked “why do you see this band so much?” repeatedly over the years. Everyone’s answer to that question is different, but most involve the aspect of surprise and the fact that neither the band or the audience knows what will happen. The second night of Phish’s New Year’s Run in Miami contained many unexpected moments, which is what we look for at each show.
Miami 1: Phish Makes Triumphant Return to Miami [Miami Herald]
It was a triumphant return for the band, which last performed on New Year’s Eve at the same venue in 2003, and took a much-needed break shortly afterward following two decades of relentless recording and touring. The joyous roar that greeted Phish — lead singer/guitarist Trey Anastasio, keyboardist Page McConnell, bassist Mike Gordon and drummer Jon Fishman (clad as usual in a house-dress covered with “Phish circles”) — showed just how much the group was missed.
Phish: 12/28/2009 NICU [VQ: B+, AQ: B+]
Miami 1: Ebb and Flow [Phish Thoughts]
Following a first set that better resembled a mortuary rather than a Phish show, the band brought out their second-set defibrillators in the form of “Mike’s Song.”
Phish: 12/28/2009 Bouncing Around The Room [VQ: B+, AQ: B+]
Phish: 12/28/2009 Sample In A Jar [VQ: A-, AQ: B+]
Phish: 03/24/1992 Lawn Boy, Fire [VQ: A-, AQ: A-]
Remembrances: Fun In The Sun - The Finale [Phish Thoughts]
Phish: 12/28/2003 Sleeping Monkey [VQ: A, AQ: A]
Interviews: Sharon Jones Really Likes Phish [AV Club]
AVC: You’ve done a lot of collaborations over the years in disparate styles of music, which seems like it could be hard, especially with a band like Phish.
SJ: It really wasn’t. Phish is such a good band; they just make stuff up as a jam band. The songs they did I had never heard of—I never followed the music. When I got in there with Sandra Williams—we’ve known each other since the early ‘90s, when we did our wedding band, and she also sings on my studio work—she came to me and said “Phish wants you.” The thing about them is they just want me to be myself. I had never heard these songs; we just did two rehearsals. She was my crutch. I just looked at her when to come in. I ad-libbed; I’m great at that. It was so much fun.
Phish: 12/28/2003 Loving Cup [VQ: A, AQ: A]
Phish: 12/28/2003 Theme From The Bottom [VQ: A, AQ: A]
Previews: Wildly Popular Jam Band Comes to Miami [Miami Herald]
“We all love to go down there after Christmas — it’s warm, beautiful, and it’s just a nice place to play New Year’s,” says Trey Anastasio, principal songwriter, frontman and guitarist, on the phone from snowy Manhattan. “And it’s a particularly good venue for us — we just like the room.”
Phish: 12/28/2003 Water In The Sky [VQ: A, AQ: A]
Soundtrack: Your Week In Three Words [ABC News]
This week’s edition of “Your Three Words” features music by Phish.
Phish: 12/28/2003 Friday [VQ: A, AQ: A]
Phish: 05/16/1995 DAUD Lowell, MA
Phish: 12/28/2003 Suzy Greenberg [VQ: A, AQ: A]
Phish: 12/28/2003 Gotta Jibboo [VQ: A, AQ: A]
Phish: 12/28/2003 HYHU > Love You > HYHU [VQ: A, AQ: A]
Year in Review: Phish 2009 in Review [Wax Banks]
Are the members of Phish playing and improvising authentically right now? Do they surrender themselves - their ’selves’ - for a shot at something like grace? Maybe. I think so. I hope so. I find hoping graceful in its way. And it’s not a plan, which is - after all - kind of the point.
Phish: 12/28/2003 Llama [VQ: A, AQ: A]
Remembrances: Fun In The Sun - Miami ‘03 [Phish Thoughts]
12.28
When entering American Airlines Arena on the 28th, everyone found the basketball-only arena more intimate than expected. With a shorter floor, and seats that went up more than out, everyone seemed to be on top of the stage. Notoriously laid back security ran the show for all four nights, as the community took reign over the south Florida venue.
Phish: 12/28/2003 Frankie Says [VQ: A, AQ: A]
Previews: They Enjoy Themselves [New-Times]
Do we have Phish songs on our iPod? No, we don’t. But maybe we should. Maybe we shouldn’t be the least bit jaded about getting tickets to one of their four shows this week at American Airlines Arena and entering a demographic we always thought was a little too white and a little too suburban.
Reviews: Phish - Party Time [Jambands]
Phish: 08/13/1996 UNCIRCULATED Noblesville, IN
From The Archives: The Next Archival Release? [Dog Gone Blog]
Phish: 12/28/2003 AC/DC Bag [VQ: A-, AQ: A-]
Fall Tour: Miner’s Picks - Fall Tour [Phish Thoughts]
