What Can We Reasonably Expect From Phish In 2013?

With just over two weeks to go until the start of Phish’s 2013 Summer Tour, the Phish community is abuzz with plans, predictions, and expectations for the coming year. After a peak year in 2012, the expectations for Phish 3.0 have never been higher. Whereas each year since 1999 has ended with a litany of questions about the band’s health, focus, direction, etc, 2012 concluded on a unanimous high note. And, while their NYE Run didn’t quite stack up as a whole to the entirety of their brilliant summer tour, it was still a far cry from the puzzling no-show that plagued the end of 2011.

So, the question begs asking, what can we reasonably expect from Phish in 2013? I emphasize “reasonably” because, more often than not, these types of columns result in writers predicting everything from 30min jams to guaranteed-Gamehendge performances. Here at tackle & lines we try to view Phish’s career and music with as much of an even-handed approach as possible, and this column will be no different.

Before we get to the predictions, however, we must take a quick retrospective look back at how we got to where we are now.

In the five years since Phish emerged from an extended hiatus in Hampton, VA the band has far exceeded the expectations that any fan could have had when they announced their return in October 2008. While during much of June 2009 they appeared to be a band lost within themselves, by the time Leg Two of their tour started out west, they immediately rediscovered what made Phish Phish. Jams returned, gimmicks became something of a norm, and Phish shows became re-listenable once more. With their eighth festival, and an incredibly apropos Halloween cover of Exile On Main Street under their belt, the band toured their East Coast stronghold’s, before celebrating their first NYE in six years in Miami. Featuring two dynamically different sides of Phish, their Fall Tour showed them tightening up and adding a bit more energy into their shows, while their NYE Run resulted in some of the more interesting jams of 2009.

Six months later the band’s second Summer Tour of 3.0 began in Chicago. What started with a string of uneven shows eventually proved to be the band’s weakest tour of 3.0. Dominated by Trey’s overuse of the Whale Call effect, jams lost steam midway through, shows lacked flow and energy, and, by July 5th, the band looked totally lost. While the 06/27/2010 Merriweather Post Pavilion show is still highly regarded among fans, it proved to be little more than an anomaly, as the band entered the second leg of their tour with more pressure to deliver than anytime since 2004.

In typical Phish fashion however, the band came out the gates on a mission. Armed with a new guitar that gave more overall body to his sound, Trey moved away from the atmospheric sirens of the June Tour, incorporating more notes and rhythm into his playing. The results were immediate with jams off of “Cities,” “Simple,” and “Light” from the Greek Theatre displaying how much more dexterity they had when their sound was opened up to more communal playing. The August Run proved to be the point where everything changed in 3.0. A massive step forward for the band, they followed it up with an even more groundbreaking Fall Tour. Clearly in control of the direction of their music once again, Phish used the Fall Tour to revert back to age-old gimmicks, and an overt playfulness that bled throughout their shows. Shows like 10/16/2010, 10/19/2010, 10/20/2010, 10/26/2010 and 10/30/2010 carried the same energy, element of surprise, and aggressive playing that harkened back to their glory days in the 90’s.

Closing out the year with a five show NYE Run through Worcester and MSG, all was right in the Phish community. While there were still questions about certain aspects of their playing – their jamming was still not totally consistent, their shows still had the capability of becoming tedious recitals at Trey’s initiation, and their fluidity seemed to come and go at will – overall, 2010 ended on an incredibly positive note, in much the same way as 2012.

When Phish kicked off 2011 with a string of shows from Bethel, NY – Cincinnati, OH that ranked as some of the most consistent and transcendent they’d played in all of 3.0, it immediately seemed that all the trepidation and uncertainties of the first two years of their comeback were all but behind them. And yet, while 2011 featured some of the biggest breakthrough’s of 3.0, it was still marred at times by the inconsistency that continued to define Phish’s return. Losing steam midway through the tour when most would have assumed they’d have kicked it up a notch, the band treated their home turf to some of the shakiest shows in recent memory.

However, at their SuperBall IX Festival over Fourth Of July the band engaged in their biggest musical risk in years: locking themselves in a storage unit on the night of July 2nd and performing an abstract, noise-based jam for all who were still awake. On the next night they played their best concert since reforming, weaving the Storage Jam into the first narrated “Col Forbin’s” in eleven years within a first set that saw the band compliment expert song selection with adventurous playing. A show for the ages, they returned to the road a month later with essentially all the baggage of year’s past off of them. Over the course of August and early-September the band infused many of their jams with the seedy and industrial noises of the “Storage Jam,” embracing full-on experimentation in ways they simply hadn’t since 2004.

Concluding with two incredible three-night-stand’s in Chicago and Denver, the band took the Fall off at essentially the highest they’d been in all of 3.0. For whatever reason – rust, lack of inspiration, lack of communication, side-project distractions – their 2011 NYE was one enormous dud. Save for a surprisingly fun 12/28/2011 show, and a scintillating “Piper” jam on 12/30, Phish simply couldn’t muster the ability to play up to the standards they’d created on three of their biggest night’s of the year. As a result, the good vibes that resonated thanks to the breakthrough’s in the summer were overshadowed by the questions that lingered as a result of the NYE Run. Rumors of problems within the band persisted all winter and spring, and Phish entered 2012 with more questions hanging over their head than any time since July 2010. After all their hard work to reinvent themselves in 3.0, it felt to many that the band was back to square one all over again.

For whatever reason, 2012 was without question the band’s best year since 2000. Armed with a goal of playing over 200 unique songs throughout the Summer, the band injected fresh songs into their setlists, creating an immediate element of surprise at each of their shows. Also, from night one in Worcester, it was clear that a focus on improvisation had been pushed to the forefront. For the first time in 3.0, the band played a better June Tour than an August Tour, as June was filled with humor, bustouts, and a genuine sense of fun from both band and audience. Gone were the clunkers that could dominate whole runs. Phish shows’ felt like Phish shows again. As shows like 06/15/2012, 06/22/2012, 06/23/2012, 06/28/2012, 07/03/2012, 07/06/2012 displayed, the band could now really play any style of show and nail it.

In the Second Leg they battled their first bout with inconsistency in San Francisco and throughout the SE, yet whereas in the past this would have resulted in complete duds for shows, here, in 2012 there are still plenty of moments of inspiration that can be found within each. More to the point, shows like 08/19/2012, 08/28/2012, 08/31/2012 and 09/01/2012 displayed a total command the band had over their sound and sonic direction.

The tour concluded with the best three-night-run of 3.0 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, CO. A venue they’d closed their 2011 Tour with to rave results, Dick’s featured the band as probably the best they’ve been since 1.0. Taking hold of the “FUCK YOUR FACE” gimmick on 08/31, Phish jammed with dexterity and ambition in ways we simply hadn’t heard throughout 3.0. It was an affirmation of sorts for all who’ve stood by Phish since their return. A Summer Tour that had started with so many questions and uncertainty concluded with the best show they’d played in over a decade.

Following another four-month break before their NYE Run, the band proved far more prepared this time around, assaulting MSG at times with jams on the level of those we’d heard at Dick’s, while closing out a banner year with their best NYE gimmick in years. While it was clear that they could have used a few buffer shows between Dick’s and MSG, overall the run was a success, and has us standing on the brink of the band’s 30th Anniversary with more anticipation than anytime throughout 3.0.

Below are a list of things I think we can reasonably expect from Phish in 2013. Aware of the fact that the overall point of listening to Phish is to embrace the unexpected, these are presented as more of a preview of what’s to come in 2013. As always in 3.0, we’re simply lucky to have the band back, the fact that they’ve reinvented themselves is such a powerful way is simply icing on the cake.

I. Further Development In The Three Dominant Styles Of Jamming

Everyone can agree that 2012 was the year the jams fully returned to the forefront of Phish. Whereas in the formative years of 3.0 the band would go multiple shows in a row without a single exploratory jam, in 2012 nearly every show contains at least one example of genuine improve. Even more encouraging to fans of their exploratory excursions is the fact that by year’s end Phish had settled on three defined styles of jamming that displayed communication, diversity and regularly produced standout jams.

First, you had the Dick’s “Light,” and “Sand,” and the MSG “Tweezer,” three jams which spent upwards of ten minutes exploring the unknown, before becoming focused and building towards an old-school tension & release peak.

You also had more abstract jams such as the Cincy “Twist,” Alpine “Fee,” Long Beach “Rock & Roll,” San Francisco “Crosseyed,” Dick’s “Carini,” and “Runaway Jim>Farmhouse,” and the MSG “Down With Disease,” and “Carini,” which meandered like many of the late-90’s and 2.0 vehicles, contemplatively covering a plethora of ground with little focus or tension.

Finally, you had, perhaps the most intriguing of all, the melodic-driven jams, that are purely a product of 3.0. From the AC “Birds Of A Feather,” and Burgettstown “Light,” to the Dick’s “Undermind,” and “Chalk Dust Torture,” the band used a melodic approach with each of these jams resulting in whole-band communication, along with a multitude of terrains explored, solidifying them as some of the most innovative and memorable jams of the era. One can only expect that, as 2012 built off the improvisational advancements of 2010 and 2011, that 2013 will display even further the potential each of these styles of jamming have.

II. Bustouts……Even More Bustouts

Entering 2012 with the ambitious goal of playing 200 different songs throughout their Summer Tour helped to infuse the tour with fresh songs, and ultimately resulted in an anything-goes feeling throughout he tour, and overall year. Since the onset, 3.0 has been chock-full of bustouts like no period in Phish’s history before. Partially due to the fact that the band simply played less shows between 1997 – 2004 than they had in the previous eight years, and thus focused more on rotational songs than rarities. Yet, perhaps even more so, thanks to their emphasis on celebrating their own musical history, Phish has brought many once-forgotten songs like “Fuck Your Face,” “Skin It Back,” “Tela,” “Sparks,” and “Alumni Blues” back from the dead over the past five years. Based upon this trend, and the fact that this is the band’s 30th year of existence, one wouldn’t be too out of place to suggest we can expect more of the same in 2013. Could songs like “Acoustic Army,” “Ain’t Love Funny,” “All Things Reconsidered,” “Amazing Grace,” “Axilla (Part II),” “Bye Bye Foot,” “Chalk Dust Torture Reprise,” “Crossroads,” “Dave’s Energy Guide,” “Dear Mrs. Reagan,” “Don’t You Wanna Go,” “Fourplay/Long Time,” “Izabella,” “The Landlady,” “Lushington,” “Spock’s Brain,” and “Prep School Hippie” be far behind?

III. “Harpua,” “Col. Forbin’s Ascent -> Fly Famous Mockingbird,” and “Icculus”

Believe it or not, but 2012 was the lone year of 3.0 that didn’t feature any of the above songs. Lost in the mix of the band’s musical renaissance were three classics that focus more on the theatrical side of Phish than their musical. While one certainly can’t complain about their exclusion from a year that featured so many highlights across the board, one has to assume they’ll be back this year. A year that’s poised to feature a number of surprises, and referential moments towards the band’s legacy, each of these three songs would fit perfectly with the overall vibe of the year. Be it in Toronto or Alpharetta, or even in Chicago, each of these songs are welcome at any show, for they immediately raise the bar in terms of energy and historical significance.

IV. A Substantial Fall Tour That Builds Off The Achievements Of Summer

For as boundary pushing as the last two Summer Tour’s have been, the only thing they’ve clearly suffered from is a lack of Fall Tour to continue pushing their sound further. Just imagine for a second what would have happened to the sounds of Summer ’95, Summer ’97, and Summer 2010 if they hadn’t had a Fall Tour to be fully realized. Then think about how much more consistency the band could have played with, and how much further they could have pushed their music had they spent the last two Fall’s on the road.

By all accounts a Fall Tour is happening this year. The sheer fact of it is nothing to predict. This is Phish’s 30th Anniversary, the rumors are all across the web. What we can predict however, is that, unlike Fall 2009, the Fall 2013 will better resemble Fall 2010 in the way it will push Phish’s sound even further. Rumors of a Halloween show being tossed in there only raise the bar even further, for we know what positive effects practicing and covering full albums have historically had on the band. With a summer set to hit up some of the most storied shed’s in Phish history, we can only imagine how much music they’ll have to build upon with a short break before Fall.

V. A 30th Anniversary Run That Actually Celebrates The Band’s Legacy

If there’s any takeaway from the 2003 Turkey Run it’s the fact that it really couldn’t have honored the band’s twentieth anniversary any less than it did. After a four-month gap following their IT Festival, the Run featured a band in an awkward state of denial over their current health and dismal future. Sure they brought The Dude of Life and Tom Marshall out. Hell, they even brought out Jeff Holdsworth for the first time since 1986. And, yes, there are some intriguing moments throughout, see: “Ghost -> WTU,” “Twist -> Simple,” 12/01, “Piper,” and the “Rock & Roll -> Weekapaug -> Tweezer Reprise -> FranKungstein”. But the historical legacy of the run is more of failure, and foreshadowing, and less of a band fully embracing their historical significance.

Here, however, in the healthy and joyful era of 3.0, you can be certain the band is going to go to great measures to celebrate the fact that after 30 years, they’re still alive, and going strong once again.

VI. More First Set “You Enjoy Myself’s”

Played only seven times in the last two calendar years, “You Enjoy Myself,” has in three of those instances, been played out of it’s normal slot, and in the first set. Expect this to continue. It appears the band really likes its ability to inject fresh energy and intrigue into a show through a first set performance. It’s also proven to help expand Set I’s from what were strictly song-based affairs, into more fluid and jammable mediums.

A noticeable trend throughout 2012 was the band’s re-embracing of the first set. From 06/15 and 06/22 to 07/06, 08/19, and 08/31, Phish attacked their first set’s with energy and a focus on exploration like they hadn’t since 1.0. Further appearances from the band’s seminal song will only solidify their dedication to explore within Set I.

VII. A Dick’s Run That Will Fail To Live Up To The Hype

With a two week gap between their UIC run and their initial Dick’s Run in 2011, many wondered if Phish would lost steam from their August Tour and play a rusty set of shows to close out the tour. At the time, Dick’s looked more or less like bonus Phish. As it turned out however, Dick’s 2011 turned out to be the run of the year, solidifying 2011 as the year of the three-night-stand’s, and gracing us with some pretty monumental music to keep our faith alive throughout the winter and spring of 2012.

Last year Phish timed everything perfectly, with their whole tour leading up to Dick’s. Easing themselves throughout the tour, they picked their spot’s perfectly, allowing them to be energized and fresh by the time Dick’s came around. As a result, they absolutely tore the soccer stadium to pieces, playing the best show they’ve played in almost a decade, while littering three nights with monumental jams.

This year, there’s a twenty-five-day gap separating their tour finale at the Hollywood Bowl and Dick’s. Many surmised that this break would allow them to have a storied, mid-August NE Festival akin to 1996 – 1998. This, however, has proven to be little more than baseless rumors. Either way, seeing how the band has crushed Dick’s in year’s past, along with the fact that their going to have close to four weeks between their last show and Dick’s, I’ve got to imagine that this is the year Dick’s fails to live up to the hype. This doesn’t mean there aren’t going to be memorable moments throughout, or even a solid show tossed in the mix. Just simply based on the fact that like how Phish can’t crush MSG every single year – nor any other legendary venue – odds are one year is going to be an off year at Dick’s. My gut tells me this year is that year.

My heart on the other hand, has me hoping they come through once again. Anyone who’s been there know’s, there’s a damn good reason they keep coming back to Commerce City.

VIII. A Banner Year For “Harry Hood”

“Harry Hood” has been something of a wandering classic for the last ten-odd years. In 2.0 the band chose to explore it in ways they’d rarely done in the past. In 3.0 it’s shifted between performances that have completely fallen flat, and those that have just almost reached that place. In 2013, one has to imagine that all the time back, the vastly improved chops of Trey, and the inert communication that’s been brewing for five years will lead to a glorious return of one of Phish’s true masterpieces.

Listen closely, and it’s clear, from 09/04/2011 to 08/15/2012, 09/02/2012 to 12/30/2012, slowly but surely the band has been rebuilding “Hood” back to its former glory heard clearest from 1993 – 1996. While still scattered with versions that were either rushed, forced, or just couldn’t quite get there, 2012 was the best year we’ve had for “Hood’s” since the 90’s. In 2013, expect the majority of Hood’s to be the kind of emotive and connective forces that made us fan’s of it so long ago. No better way to celebrate 30 years of Phish than with a transcendent “Hood” after all.

IX. SPAC, Chicago & San Francisco…

Within the first twenty-two shows of the tour are three individual three-night runs. In 2011, Bethel, SuperBall IX, Chicago, and Dick’s reigned as the runs of the year. While 2012 still faired pretty well with AC, SPAC, San Francisco and Dick’s, only SPAC and Dick’s truly mastered the three-show run. Here in 2013, one has got to imagine the SPAC is going to explode with the energy of the band out the gates, the mid-tour stop at Chicago’s Lakefront will produce some particularly inspired music, and their comfort on the road after a month will lead to a three-night romp in San Francisco. With only Dick’s coming at an awkward time within the tour, these three three-night runs are sure to be the most memorable stops of tour. A unique medium, and one that can either bring out the best in the band, or prove how off they are, the three-night run, when played accordingly, usually result’s in some of the most transcendent moments of a tour. With enough time to get settled into a venue, and ideas that build from one show to the next, there’s simply no way they won’t destroy the above runs.

X. Even More Six & Seven Song Set II’s

Hand-in-hand with the inspired jamming of 2012 came a plethora of six and seven song second set’s. A simple product of mathematics – when you play longer songs, you have to play less of them – the band filled much of the last part of 2012 with a number of inspired sets focused more on their playing, rather than what songs they were playing. Look no further than 08/15/2012, 08/31/2012, 09/02/2012, 12/28/2012, and 12/30/2012 for some of the best examples.

While, in the same sense that longer jams don’t necessarily mean better, there are also examples to the counter, of 10+song second sets that were fantastic – 06/22/2012, 06/28/2012, 07/08/2012, 08/19/2012, and 09/01/2012 per example.

What makes the six and seven song Set II so special is the fact that it offers the band the unique opportunity to fully incorporate flow and thematic music into a cohesive set. These set’s listen more like albums, rather than a simple conglomeration of songs. With an increased focus on improv, expect these types of second sets to become something of a norm in the summer of 2013.

XI. A NYE Show That Totally Delivers

It’s strange to consider, but, for however good as Phish’s NYE Runs typically are, the band has yet to deliver on a monster 12/31 show since 1999. Sure, 12/31/2012 was an all-around fun show to be at, complete with a fully-flowing Set II and a classic gag to ring in 2013, but more often than not, since the 90’s, NYE shows have often felt more like after-parties to the mayhem of 12/29 and 12/30. One’s got to imagine that coming into this NYE Run the band is going to be so amped up from their 30th Anniversary celebrations, along with a complete Fall Tour, that they’re going to finally put everything together to craft a NYE show of lore.

In the past, their best 12/31 shows have revolved around three factors: classic song selections, monumental jamming, and ideal gag’s that fit perfectly with the music. Look back at 12/31/1993, 12/31/1995, 12/31/1998, and 12/31/1999 for the best examples. It’s bound to happen one of these years, and it just makes perfect sense that the combination of playing, gimmickry and song selection will come through this year. If you’re on the fence about NYE 2013, man-up and make the commitment. This year has classic NYE Run written all over it.

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That does it for tackle & lines 2013 Phish Predictions. As with all these types of columns, the key is to read them for pleasure, and take them with a grain of salt. At this time last year few could have ever predicted the year of Phish we were in for.

Hope everyone’s looking forward to tour as much as we are! Please feel free to leave comments, thoughts, suggestions and rants to the column as we will respond to any and all questions.

Why Can’t They Take Golden Age Out There?

Perhaps the most appropriate cover Phish has played in all of 3.0, the infectious TV On The Radio quasi-indie-hit “Golden Age” is at something of a creative crossroads as we head into 2013.

Long before the June 2010 tour that featured seemingly one new – and totally obscure – cover every night, there was the 11/27/2009 Set II, way-out-of-left-field debut of “Golden Age.” A performance which shocked the fanbase at the time, it immediately appeared to have granted the band their most jam-happy cover since “Crosseyed & Painless” and “Rock & Roll” entered the rotation more than a decade before. Bubbling with syncopated grooves, a communicable melody, and lyrics that spoke directly to Phish’s current state, it seemed a no brainer that the ten-minute version that highlighted the first night of Albany would quickly grow to join “Light,” “Down With Disease,” “Rock & Roll,” and “Drowned” as the reliable jam vehicles of 3.0.

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/2009-11-27/golden-age

Nearly a year would go by however before we’d hear the song again, when, on 10/11/2010 it opened the second set of the middle show of the largely forgettable Broomfield, CO run. Eight months later it returned, once again, out of nowhere, opening up the second set on an inconsistent Wednesday night in Darien Lakes. For whatever reason, from there on it firmly entered a 5 – 10 show rotation for Phish.

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/2010-10-11/golden-age

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/2011-06-08/golden-age

While up until this point, the “jam” had remained largely contained, the song’s next performance – opening the third set of the 07/02/2011 Super Ball IX show – would display, for the first time, “Golden Age’s” improvisational potential. Seamlessly building off the dance-heavy beats of the song’s origin, the band moved it swiftly away from melody, into something of a Mike-Trey staccatoed duel. Menacing, deranged, invigorating, and constantly moving, the jam spent it’s first four-ish minutes figuring out if it was going to self-implode or not, before Mike and Fish discovered a more structured type of foundation to push forward, thus allowing Trey and Page to enrich the song with plinko’d scales.

The key here was a distinct focus on the song’s rhythm, rather than on the soaring melody that accompanied it’s populist chorus. Taking a cue from the band’s plinko jams of the last two years, and the schizophrenic “Boogie On Reggae Woman” from 05/27/2011, the jam ultimately resembled something totally un-Phish like, at least in their current state. At times it sounds like a totally different band, like, perhaps what a looser incarnation of Atoms For Peace would sound like.

And yet, while there are certainly moments of brilliance throughout – check out the segment from 11:21 – 12:05 in particular – overall, the emphasis placed on the beat appears to be a barrier that the band keeps running into, rather than an opening to further exploration. After about seven minutes of jamming, it ends abruptly with a Trey-led segue into “Prince Caspian.” While one can hardly fault the band for not figuring out how to “properly jam” a song the first time they attempt to, the inability to get past the initial segment of beat-driven discorse can tell us a lot about why Phish has struggled up until this point to truly break “Golden Age” open.

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/2011-07-02/golden-age

Since it’s performance on 07/02/2011, the song has been played 14 more times. Out of that, only 3 of those versions have been truly memorable, or worth revisiting. That is, unless of course you happened to be at a show it was played at, and have a particular emotional tie to a specific version. While one can’t argue the fact that it’s just a damn fun song to hear live, to this point, only the 07/03/2012, 09/01/2012, and 12/29/2012 versions have truly pushed the song beyond it’s structural limits into some sense of transcendence. And of these, 07/03/2012 truly stands out as the only version where the band has capably navigated into the ether, displaying the infinite possibilities of the song.

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/2012-09-01/golden-age

Still, though, each of these performances has fallen short of totally pushing the song past an initial jam segment, and into the complete vastness of exploratory jamming. Each, falling under 15 minutes, has come to resemble the multitude of jams from 2009 and 2010 that, while yes, they’d traversed beyond the confines of “Rock and Roll,” “Drowned,” and “Down With Disease,” couldn’t quite turn that corner into open space, instead opting for ambient washes and a fade into the next song.

So, the question bears asking at this point: what’s the deal with “Golden Age”? Why can’t the band seem to figure out how to take a song that lyrically speaks directly to the sentiments of 3.0, and musically caters to each of their individual musical specialties out past the structural barriers of the song, and into the unknown potential it clearly has?

I have a theory that the current problem with the song as a jam vehicle rests in the fact that the band is simply focusing too much energy on jamming based on the frenetic beats of the song, and less on developing space to jam within. As has been argued at length here on tackle & lines, Phish is at their best musically when they step back and allow the music to develop itself. Rarely are they successful when they try to force ideas.

While, yes, much of their brilliance in the early-90’s was due in large part to this exact form of forced inspiration through their speed-jazz jams, the “Include Your Own Hey” exercise, and many of the abstract, shape-shifting jams of 1994, it was, in reality, an altogether different time, and, they an altogether different band. They toured relentlessly, and practiced even more so, thus catering to said freneticism in their music. Since their peak musical month of December 1995 however, and the evolution to sparser, more ambient-driven jams, the majority of the band’s success has occurred when they step back from the music, and accept their role as conduits to a larger musical force, rather than drivers.

In 3.0, this hurdle of allowing the music to guide them, rather than the other way around, took much of their first 18-months back together to totally accept and integrate within. Even then, Phish spent much of the latter part of 2010 and 2011 still fighting off the habitual tendencies to take control of their music. 2012 was far and away the best year Phish has had in the past decade, much of it due to their acceptance that if they just kept playing, innovative ideas were right around the corner. It makes sense then, that three of the four best versions of “Golden Age” have come in the past year. And yet, for all the improvisational success they were finding at Dick’s and MSG – I mean, they found a way to substantially jam “Farmhouse” and “Prince Caspian,” after all – “Golden Age” still remained that confusing outlier that displayed a band somewhat incapable of letting go and allowing the music to dictate their path.

While both the 09/01/2012 and 12/29/2012 have moments of connection, each suffer from this overt focus on the beat, which in turn adds far more noise and activity to the jam than is productive for a jam to flourish. In many ways, “Golden Age,” at this point in it’s existence, is reminiscent of “Light” prior to the 08/07/2010 version. While yes, we’d had the 08/07/2009 calypso jam, and the 11/01/2009 descent into Hell, overall, “Light” had become something of an inconsistent mess of whale call’s, disjointed rhythms, and an total lack of communication that prevented the song from realizing it’s full potential. Then, out of nowhere came the Greek “Light”: a patient, gorgeous version that built off a simple melody and displayed how far the song could traverse.

If the key to any substantial jamming is to be found in “Golden Age,” one need to look no further than the Trey and Page interwoven melodies from 8:17 – 8:46 on the 07/03/2012 version, which directly led to Trey deliberately opening up his playing, allowing more sound to grow within the notes. As Page follows suit – injecting the jam with a hushed, contemplative, and yet, somewhat errie piano line – Mike and Fish noticeably tone down their aggressive beats. Still rooted in electronica, their playing becomes muted as the jam shifts into another dimension. Touching on ambient themes, and a brief foray into soft rock, the jam ultimately fades away into nothing. It’s short, for sure, but it gives a hint as to where the song could go if the band allowed it the opportunity to breathe in the future.

As Phish has displayed time and again in their 3.0 evolution, the key to jamming at this point in their career is with a less-is-more approach. From the 12/31/2009 “Ghost,” and 08/07/2010 “Light,” to the 07/03/2011 “A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing,” and 06/22/2012 “Twist,” when they get out of the way of the music they’re far more apt to discover untapped melodies, and vast open space that lead to groundbreaking jams. For a song that speaks to Phish’s current state like few others, and one that is so clearly being given the platform to dominate a show, one can only hope that Phish can figure out how to take “Golden Age” out there. Based on the evolutionary steps forward of the last few years, one wouldn’t be too surprised if this were the summer that finally featured an array of creative, boundary-pushing, and exploratory jams based off of “Golden Age.”

The Legacy Of The Dick’s Light

In the spring of 2009, in the nascent days of Phish 3.0, the band choicely debuted two songs that have come to shape the entire era. In their inaugural second set of 3.0 they introduced “Backwards Down The Number Line,” a song that not only bore the seedlings of Phish’s reunion, but has also come to symbolize the celebratory and communal spirit surrounding their return. Three months later, on the first night of their summer tour, the band unveiled “Light” by way of a noise-ladened segue out of “Tweezer.” While the former song will forever be associated with the unbridled joy surrounding Phish’s return in 2009, “Light” has since come to represent the constantly evolving state of Phish in 3.0. No performance of the song clearly displays its potential, its power, and its ability to push Phish beyond what they once thought possible in this era, than the 24-minute raucous jam on 09/01/2012 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, CO.

In the nine months since that performance, the Dick’s “Light” has been adorned with literally every accolade a jam could receive. It’s been called the best jam of 3.0, a top-25 jam of Phish’s entire career, a game-changing moment, the best jam since the Nassau “Tweezer,” the onset of Phish 4.0, et al. While the jam is certainly deserving of a few of those superlatives, and while it clearly represented a shape-shifting moment in the now four-year-old experiment of Phish 3.0, it’s legacy is somewhat more complicated – and overall, more rewarding – than a four-word soundbite can accurately conclude. To fully appreciate and understand the legacy of the Dick’s “Light,” however, we must revisit the building block moments that led to it.

2009

If the manner in which “Light” was debuted on 05/31/2009 was any indication of the potential the song possessed, it was buried within the subtle nod of its emergence, from the cauldron of a fading “Tweezer” jam. The mother-of-all Phish jams, it was all too fitting for this era’s main jam vehicle to be ushered into existence from the former’s embers, regardless of the fact that that night’s performance of “Light” concluded not with a jam, but rather promptly with a lovely, fluttering and layered melodic vocal jam. Two weeks later, the band gave a bit more of an indication of how they planned to use “Light” when it appeared once again from the depths of a noise jam, this time out of “Rock & Roll,” before going on to produce a stunning, beatless, ambient, noise-based jam itself.

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/2009-05-31/light

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/2009-06-14/light

We would only hear “Light” twice in the next five months, however both performances would rank as the two best of the year, and would provide the band with important creative reference points when returning to the jam in the future. In the vast nothingness of central Washington, the band dropped a second set “Light” that would display both a willingness to explore, and a keen desire to diversify the jam, by infusing calypso melodies and vocal harmonies into the song’s open-ended jam. A performance that ranked as the best version of the song until exactly one year later, the Gorge “Light” still reigns as one of the most rewarding and creatively prodding moments of 3.0. Three months later, in the waning moments of Festival 8, “Light” emerged wholly unexpectedly, diving, this time, back into a swamp of noise. Displaying a eagerness to explore the underworld like they hadn’t since 2004, the jam proved that the key to future success within “Light” was an egoless approach, and a willingness to accept whatever direction unfolded once they’d moved past the song’s melodic conclusion.

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/2009-08-07/light

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/2009-11-01/light

We’d see the song six more times throughout the 2009, and, while each performance displayed the band’s willingness to take chances like they simply wouldn’t with much of the rest of their material, only the version from 12/02/2009 truly hooked up in the ways its brilliant predecessors did.

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/2009-12-02/light

At the end of 2009, two things were blatantly clear: “Light” was the closest thing we had to a fully-formed jam vehicle in the batch of Joy songs, and, its best performances were driving the band further into the unknown than they were willing to go with much of the rest of their material.

2010

For their first second set of the second year of 3.0, Phish aptly chose “Light” to open. Pushing deep into a polyrhythmic noise jam that bordered constantly on internal destruction, the 06/11/2010 “Light” was reminiscent more of the failed experiments of the previous fall, than the two peak performances we’d heard in Washington and California. The remainder of the First Leg of the 2010 Summer Tour featured an array of “Light” jams in this model: the band pressing deep into unknown territory, yet unable to fully hook-up and create any memorable musical passages out of their experiments. Aside from aspects of the Raleigh “Light” on July 1st, no version truly transgressed beyond initial concepts that, under the weight of so much combined pressure and noise, seemed to be infringing on the basic concepts of improvisational jamming that “Light” had initially appeared to cater so well to.

Namely, a dedication to a simple back-and-forth musical conversation, what had made the 08/07/2009 and 11/01/2009 “Light’s” so compelling and influential was the fact that the band listened to each other throughout, while allowing a necessary amount of space to develop within the jam, all leading to a singular concept being followed, and a transgressive jam being created. Whatever inspiration and focus was at play in the two aforementioned versions reared it’s head again on the final night of the Greek Run, which had already proven to be a giant leap forward for a band who one month earlier looked increasingly lost. Moving aggressively through the song’s caustic post-lyrical jam, the entire band backed off around 8-minutes in, perhaps allowing the breeze from the Bay, the archaic, and cozy confines they were playing in, and the historical legacy of the Dead to overtake them over the course of the jam’s final nine minutes. A patient, spacey, melodic, gorgeous jam followed, rewarding both band and fan’s alike for their patience with the ever-pesky young jam vehicle.

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/2010-08-07/light

Two months would go by once again before another substantial version was heard, this time in Augusta, ME. Two weeks into a Fall Tour that had yet to fully realize it’s promise, the band used a tiny college basketball arena in the center of Maine to not only confirm the fact that the second night of Charleston was not a fluke show, but also to grace us with THE jam of the year, and an all-time version of “Light.” Incorporating the melodic rhythms of the Gorge version with the spacious patience and simplicity of the Greek’s, the segment from 8:51 – 11:01 is some of the most hooked-up Phish you’ll hear out of them in this era, and on par with some of the best two minutes of music the band has simply ever made. Proof that the key to success with “Light” was simplicity, rhythmic brilliance, and sublime melodies, the song was a microcosm of Phish in the Fall of 2010; on the cusp of rediscovering their past greatness, yet still incapable of summoning the inspiration, focus, and communication on a nightly basis.

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/2010-10-19/light

2011

Yet another ten months would pass until we’d hear another “Light” on the level of the four peaks it had experienced in it’s young history. While it had settled firmly in the five-show rotation, and while it’s two successive performances on the Fall 2010 Tour showed continual potential and advancement, the song ultimately fell flat throughout the June 2011 Tour. A tour that started with such promise in Bethel ultimately sputtered as it moved southward, and “Light” was never allotted the type of focus that a centerpiece jam deserves. While it’s Superball IX performance midway through the second set of one of the best shows of 3.0 featured a patient jam that led to a rewarding rhythmic jam, it ultimately fell a tad short of the expectations that were now associated with it.

In a parking lot-turned-venue on the shores of Lake Tahoe, Phish stole a page out of the Storage Jam, infusing “Light” with a kaleidoscopic jam that teetered on the edge of destruction numerous times, yet ultimately proved to be one of the most transgressive jams of the year. Diverging completely from the melodic jams that had come to define the best performances of “Light,” the song wholly embraced space and rhythm while focusing heavily on demented passages that only a month earlier typically signified the song’s demise. Displaying a dexterity that, to this point, the song had yet to fully embrace, the Tahoe “Light” was nothing less than the precursor to a vast array of innovative “Light’s” in 2012 that would ultimately pave the path to the incredible Dick’s version.

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/2011-08-09/light

2012

While we’d have to once again wait another ten months for a mesmerizing version of the song, 2012 will forever be remembered as not only the year the band fully rediscovered what it meant to be Phish again, but also the year “Light” fully arrived as THE jam vehicle of 3.0. Beginning with the “Light -> Manteca -> Light” version on 06/16/2012, the band played six top-tier versions of the song over the course of the summer. From the playful and rhythmic “Manteca” laced, “Crosseyed” teased version in Atlantic City, came the re-birth of the calypso jam in “Light” in a version sandwiched within a phenomenal “Mike’s Groove” in Burgettstown. A week later at Alpine Valley, they showcased a completely different version than had ever been played. Abandoning any concept of rhythmic influence, the band instead opted for a subdued version that ultimately bled into a blissful Trey-Mike-Page duel. On the last night of the Summer Tour’s First Leg, they again dropped a masterpiece, here infusing the theme of the jam from the 08/07/2009 “Sneakin’ Sally Thru The Alley,” using the “Light” jam as something of a historical reference point to how far they’d come in the past three years.

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/2012-06-23/light

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/2012-07-01/light

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/2012-07-08/light

The massively hyped BGCA shows in San Francisco finally proved worthy of their ballyhoo in the final show of the run. The second set of 08/19 in particular featured some of the most locked-in, adventurous playing on the year, heard particularly in the high-octane “Light” that emerged from this era’s finest “Crosseyed & Painless.” Combining many of the reference points of the monumental “Light’s” of the past, the jam drove forward with exacting rhythmic interplay, while still retaining a source of melodic brilliance and simplicity. Evolving one step beyond however, the jam incorporated a rock foundation, the likes of which we’d never before heard with “Light.” Building towards a spectacular peak that referenced “Tweezer Reprise” before segueing into “Sneakin’ Sally Thru The Alley,” the jam foreshadowed the Dick’s version ten days later while still carving out a space for itself in the growing pantheon of top-shelf “Light’s.”

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/2012-08-19/light

After four years of Phish 3.0 “Light” remains as the band’s go-to jam vehicle, on par with “Tweezer,” “Down With Disease,” and “Rock & Roll” as the band’s most reliable song’s with which to launch willfully into the unknown. And yet, up until 09/01/2012, no version of “Light” had ever crossed the ominous 20-minute mark that’s historically been the gauge by which all the band’s best jam vehicles have been judged by. While 3.0 Phish has been unique in the band’s ability to access that place far more quickly than ever before, there is still something about the jams that extend past 20-minutes. Encompassing such time and such space, they force the band to work through various themes, typically resulting in a segment(s) of music that historically outlast 99% of the entire music they’ve made.

The Dick’s “Light”

The first thing one needs to know about the Dick’s “Light” is that it almost never happened. Seriously, listen to the segment from 7:09 – 11:10, and you’ll hear a band that simply can’t hook up. At times it sounds like the jam will be abandoned completely and they’ll opt for an easy segue into “Boogie On Reggae Woman.” Mike and Trey aren’t even reading the same book, and Fishman’s rhythmic playfulness borders on the overbearing confusion that defined so many failed “Light’s” over the years. Had the band given up and moved on with the set it would have been a colossal failure, the likes of which they probably couldn’t have recovered from for the rest of the weekend. At the halfway point in the tour-closing weekend, Phish had already played hand’s down their best show of 3.0 the night before. The worry now however, was that they’d blown their load too quickly, and would sputter to the end of summer, rather than conclude it with the inspired play that had defined it’s entirety. For however epic the “Run Like An Antelope” opener had been, or the “Tweezer -> Fluffhead” segment in Set I, there was something of a tense anxiety hanging over the 09/01 show, as many in the crowd wondered if they had anything left to top, or, at least match the power of the FUCK YOUR FACE show.

At 13:04 Trey begins toying with his effects, and moves the driving groove they’d been residing in for the past two minutes into a minored key. The musical shift has an immediate effect on the band as Mike sharpens his funk-ladend support, Fishman begins pounding away with a heavier approach, and Page moves to the clav, thus layering over the seductive groove the band has going. Akin to their best jams from 1997, the section is completely reliant on the powerful foundation established by Mike and Fish, which in turn allows Trey and Page to flutter on the surface, establishing melody, and driving the jam forward. By 13:45 it’s clear we’re in this jam for the long haul. Trey instigates a flurry of clean, melodic soloing, displaying a level of comfort within the jam, while also referencing some of the best moments in the band’s history; often times they get so deep into a jam, that they inadvertently start writing new songs in the moment.

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/2012-09-01/light

At 15:36 the jam turns dark again as Trey instigates a sinister rock riff. As the jam becomes more intense it also becomes more focused and driven, and it’s becoming clear where we’re heading. Historically, the band’s most rewarding jams have been those that explored a vast array of musical dimensions over a period of time, before leading into a peaking jam that, thanks to their emphasis on the theory of tension and release, created a enthralling, celebratory, and ultimately tribal experience for anyone in attendance, while recreating itself accordingly for anyone listening in the future. A concept that had been essentially unattainable in the 3.0 era, many of the band’s jams failed to reach the 20-min threshold that typically cater to these types of moments, because they’d either been incapable of pushing their improv totally into the unknown while still staying focused on an end goal, or because they’d abandon any such goal midway through jam, opting instead for another song.

As the band built a foundation for a massive release of energy, the tension that had hung over the venue until this point faded, replaced instead by a collective energy, all focused on the driven music emanating from the stage. In line with the best music they’ve ever made, the Dick’s “Light” was ultimately rooted in a simple rock-based jam that felt like it could be recreated by any band. Yet, that’s exactly where the power of Phish comes into play. Four resoundingly talented musicians, who, at the peak of their power could interweave fugues and 7/8 time signatures into their songs, Phish is ultimately at their best when they abandon their challenging musical concepts, and instead focus on space, melody, and communication.

When at 20:09 the band released the tension for the first time in a heavy-handed peak, the stadium went nuts. The collective release of energy and emotion was palpable. Another peak at 20:29 only further raised the bar on the jam. Yet nothing could have prepared anyone for the segment from 21:08 – 22:45 which featured not one, not two, not three, but four massive peaks of music, some of the best guitar work we’ve heard out of Trey in years, and a massive outpouring of unintelligible cheering in the crowd that made one feel like their favorite team had just won the World Series. Glancing at the stage one could see the band was just as thrilled by the music as the audience. After four years back together, they had finally reached the peak of the mountain once more.

While not the best jam of the year – that would come the next night in the absolutely epic “Sand” – what the Dick’s “Light” represented was a complete microcosm of everything Phish had been working towards since they discussed reuniting for the first time in mid-2008. After all the struggles. After all the ripcorded jams. After all the shows where they just couldn’t hook up. After all the questions surrounding Trey’s ability to still master the guitar, everything had come together in one jam that summed up everything that was incredible about Phish in 2012. The fact that it occurred within the confines of their 3.0 jam vehicle, made it all the more rewarding and memorable. A song that debuted with so much raw potential, fans and band alike waded through a multitude of mediocre versions interspersed with these great leaps forward, each of which led in some way to the version played on 09/01/2012.

Perhaps the most telling sign of the lasting power of the Dick’s “Light” came in the following song, “Boogie On Reggae Woman.” The song they’d almost abandoned “Light” for, this was the loosest and most playful version one could imagine. It sounds throughout like the band just took the biggest shit of their lives, now feeling re-born, re-energized. A performance that will outlast the 3.0, the legacy of the Dick’s “Light” is one of proof that when Phish works towards a musical goal, no matter how long it may take them to achieve this goal, once they do – and as tackle & lines has pointed out continuously, they always do – it results in a collective moment of celebratory release and communal elation. Part of the reason we go from concert to concert, city to city, webcast to webcast, and listen to hours upon hours of Phish shows in our free time, we’re always keenly aware that, just around the corner may be the next Dick’s “Light.”

*Special thanks to phishtracks.com for the song links

The Structure Of A Show – Set II Opener

And then, after a “fifteen minute break,” they’re back.

Whereas when Phish hits the stage prior to Set I there’s a general sense of euphoria surrounding the unknown, and the newness of being at a show again, by the time the band return’s from their setbreak, we’re all well entrenched to the experience of a Phish show. Seen in the rainbow of glowsticks scattered across the stage, there’s a more settled feeling to the onset of Set II than there is to the show’s opener. The cathartic release of Set I behind us, it’s time to get down to business. Upon entrance, the band is of course greeted once again to a rousing applause, yet here the sentiment is more one of focused energy, rather than blissful exultation.

Simply put, Set II is where shows are won and lost. And, increasingly over the last two eras of Phish, the Set II Opener is typically seen as the crux of the entire show. Perhaps the most crucial song played all night, the Set II Opener plays the role of either picking the band up right where they left off in the first set, or redirecting them into uncharted waters. Further, much of what is played in Set II, both stylistically, and song-wise, are determined specifically off their Set II Opener.

In the same way that the second set has evolved in far more dramatic ways over the years than the commonly more song-based first set, the Set II Opener has too evolved substantially. From what was once just another high-energy number out the gates, to, now, a fluid slot that can become a massive Type II jam, Set II Openers can often lead to a rock-based set, lull the crowd with a sleepy and subtle entrance, or, can surprise fans on the level of many of the shocking Show Openers. The two biggest keys that separates the Set II Opener from the Show Opener however, are the simple fact that prior to the Show Opener there’s no single part of the show played yet that can help gauge what song to play, and, the fact that the second set opener often carries a far more sinister, and “anything goes” sentiment with it. Because of this, the second set opener is certainly far more influenced by the music that came before it than the Show Opener. In essence, there are just those shows that feel like “Down With Disease,” or “Tweezer,” or “Axilla,” or “Chalk Dust Torture” need to open their second set’s.

What was once linked closely with the high-energy numbers that opened both Set I and II, the Set II Openers are now, without question, the most common slot to expect a jam from the band. In fact, in the highly unscientific perusing of my iTunes library – where I have upwards of 300 Phish shows stashed away, mind you – I discovered that, no less than 160 Set II Openers since 1995 have been a 10+ minute jam. A trend that began in the psychedelic summer of 1995, one can more or less predict that, if they’re to hear an open-ended jam while walking into a Phish show, chances are it’s gonna come during the Set II Opener.

What follows is Part IV of VIII in tackle & lines series on The Structure Of A Show. Each category contains write-ups, examples, and video clips for better understand. As with the articles on Set I, the goal of this is not to come to some sort of conclusion about what a specific Phish show is, but rather to explore the various directions the band chooses to go with their shows – here in the medium of the Set II Opener. This is not a means to rank the best openers, or the best shows, versus the weakest – though negative habits and instances will be discussed – instead it is seeking to find points of connection across various eras – and within each – while pointing out their differences. Hope you guys enjoy the piece, we’re now just a month from 03 July!

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I. The Classics

As with each of the other write-ups, there are just certain songs that feel like a proper Set II Opener. Be it their ability to jam, the number of times they’ve opened a second set, or just the sound they contain which fits so seamlessly with second sets, the following songs are the classics because they’re simply ubiquitous with the opening of second sets. From a purely numbers standpoint, these songs have each opened no less than 24 Set II’s, and 246 total second sets. Anyone going to a Phish show has a 15% chance of hearing one of the following six songs open a second set, no small feat.

Examples: ‘2001,’ ‘Down With Disease,’ ‘Mike’s Song,’ ‘The Curtain,’ ‘Tweezer,’ ‘Rock & Roll’

While two of the songs on this list relinquished their role as regular Set II Openers around 1996 – “2001” and “The Curtain” – statistically they’ve garnered so many appearances in this slot that to many fans they will always sound like Set II Openers. Aside from that slight technicality, there’s just something about a second set opening with a monster “Down With Disease,” “Tweezer,” “Rock & Roll,” or an old-school “Mike’s” that just feels right. Scanning the lineage of Phish’s career, there are so many classic shows, and classic second sets that opened with these songs. Off the top of my head: 12/30/1993, 03/20/1992, 08/14/1993, 06/11/1994, 06/26/1995, 10/21/1995, 12/11/1995, 12/14/1995, 08/17/1996, 11/27/1996, 08/02/1997, 08/17/1997, 11/17/1997, 11/19/1997, 12/02/1997, 12/06/1997, 12/29/1997, 07/01/1998, 07/17/1998, 08/12/1998, 08/16/1998, 12/30/1998, 07/10/1999, 07/24/1999, 07/31/1999, 10/02/1999, 06/15/2000, 06/28/2000, 07/11/2000, 09/17/2000, 02/16/2003, 02/20/2003, 02/28/2003, 07/18/2003, 07/23/2003, 08/02/2003, 12/02/2003, 12/29/2003, 08/10/2004, 08/15/2004, 03/07/2009, 03/08/2009, 05/31/2003, 08/01/2009, 08/08/2009, 08/14/2009, 12/03/2009, 12/31/2009, 07/03/2010, 07/04/2010, 08/06/2010, 10/22/2010, 10/23/2010, 12/30/2010, 05/28/2011, 06/03/2011, 08/16/2011, 09/03/2011, 09/04/2011, 06/08/2012, 06/20/2012, 06/22/2012, 06/28/2012, 08/15/2012, 08/22/2012, 12/28/2012, and 12/30/2012 all opened their second sets with one of the six above songs. Further proof that these songs are just the classic way for the band to usher in a second set.

II. The Guaranteed Jam

As was pointed out above, if you’re going to hear an open-ended jam at a Phish show, chances are you’re going to hear it in the Set II Opener. The combined released of the energy in Set I and the unknown quality to the onset of Set II lends itself perfectly to a captivating jam out the gates. Whenever the lights drop following setbreak, and the band kicks into one of the following eleven songs one’s almost guaranteed a lengthy, often experimental, wholly unique, and at times game-changing jam to be unveiled in real time.

Examples: ‘Down With Disease,’ ‘Tweezer,’ ‘Rock & Roll,’ ‘Drowned,’ ‘Ghost,’ ‘Piper,’ ‘Sand,’ ‘Bathtub Gin,’ ‘Seven Below,’ ’46 Days,’ ‘Twist’

As anyone in attendance at 08/17/1997, 02/28/2003, 08/08/2009, 09/14/2000, 09/12/1999, 07/19/2003, 09/02/2012, 11/23/1997, 06/25/2004, 06/17/2004, and 07/30/2003 can attest, once they heard one of the above songs start the second set, they knew they were in for a wild ride. While the band has been increasingly prone to cut even some of the above songs short at times here in the 3.0 era, throughout their history they’ve proven to be so ubiquitous with the concept of Phish’s improv, that one has to at least anticipate a jam emerging from them when they do in fact hear them nowadays. Regardless of current tendencies, throw on any show between 1995 and 2003 that opens with one of the above eleven songs and you’re almost guaranteed at least a 15 minute jam, and in many cases, even a 20+. For those of us who love Type II Phish, these songs, in this slot, is just where it’s at.

III. The Sinister Assault

While the role of the Set II Opener has come to represent a guaranteed jam for many-a-fan, it’s original task was similar to the Show Opener, being more of a quick punch to the eventual set. Still used from time to time – increasingly more here in the 3.0 era – the band will opt for a quick burst of energy before getting down to business. A move that initially leaves the possibilities of the set up in the air – these songs can just as easily lead to rock-based Set II’s, and they can more experimental driven ones – they’re used more to rile up a crowd, and, presumably the band, in anticipation for the set to come.

Examples: ‘Wilson,’ ‘Chalk Dust Torture,’ ‘Llama,’ ‘Buried Alive,’ ‘Axilla,’ ‘Maze,’ ‘Carini,’ ‘Split Open & Melt,’ ‘The Sloth’

While some of the above songs have been used from time-to-time as jam vehicles, their most known in this setting for their role as immediate bursts of energy to kick of a second set. Just throw on 08/07/2010, 08/06/2011, 07/13/2003, 11/27/1998, 07/08/2012, 11/14/1995, 12/28/2010, 12/07/1995, and 08/14/2010 and you’ll hear how powerful a way each of the above songs is at opening a second set. While staying more or less contained in their own structures, their energy has an undeniable affect on the set that follows, leading, in each case, to massive throwdowns. Perhaps not the most anticipated approach to a second set, these songs nevertheless prove to raise the energy of a show substantially, something that can never be argued with.

IV. The Composed Approach

In the same sense as this section in the Show Opener’s piece, the following songs are some of the band’s most cherished classics, and most fans would be absolutely thrilled to hear them open a Set II of any show they were at. While rarely featured in this slot ever since the band took on a more improvisational approach with the Set II Opener, their composed classics used to usher in numerous second sets in the band’s early years. All told, the following seven songs have combined to open 79 second sets, with “David Bowie” leading the way with 25 appearances in the slot. A monumental occasion were it to happen today, these songs represent a bygone era where the first and second set shared far more in common than they do now.

Examples: ‘David Bowie,’ ‘The Landlady,’ ‘Reba,’ ‘Stash,’ ‘The Divided Sky,’ ‘Fluffhead,’ ‘You Enjoy Myself’

A bona fide rarity in the modern age of Phish, only “Stash” and “David Bowie” remain as plausible rotational options for the Set II Opener, and even that’s a stretch. Still, as anyone who attended, or has heard 12/03/1997, 12/28/1990, 10/25/1995, 12/31/2003, 04/20/1989, 02/08/1988, or 09/21/1987 can tell you, these songs each worked in ideal fashion when thrust into the role. A welcome addition to the band’s 30th anniversary year, tossing a couple of their composed classics into the Set II Opener slot would both make Phish stat geeks go crazy, while adding some historical lore to whatever show they appeared in.

V. The Quick Punch

Akin in some ways to the sinister assault, these following ten songs distinguish themselves for the fact that, while their essential role is to provide a shot of adrenaline to a second set, they each do it with such an immediacy, such a quick burst of energy, that they’re almost forgotten by the time they’re over. Used in many ways to segue into a lengthier jam, these songs have been featured throughout the years to essentially set up a set, and wake the band and crowd back up from their setbreak lull. While a few of them have evolved into legitimate Set II Opening jams, in their origins, they were continually thought of as the quick punch that announced the onset of Set II, before fading into a lengthier jam that would come to dominate the overall set.

Examples: ‘2001,’ ‘Llama,’ ‘Buried Alive,’ ‘The Landlady,’ ‘Axilla,’ ‘Halley’s Comet,’ ‘Peaches En Regalia,’ ‘The Sloth,’ ‘Party Time,’ ‘Ha Ha Ha’

From 06/22/1994 to 07/19/1998, 02/26/1997 to 12/28/1990, 12/28/1997 to  12/01/1995 to 09/14/1999, 07/15/1992, 06/12/2011, and 12/04/1996, each of these songs have perfectly sprung us out of setbreak and into the second set with an energized kick that simply can’t be matched. Not only pulling everyone out of setbreak, they also segued into a lengthier jam, thus creating a proper bridge between reality, and the anything-goes spirit of a second set. One of the best Set II Opener’s one can hear, they generally display a fun-loving spirit for the band, almost always resulting in memorable sets.

VI. The Laid-Back Easers

Completely opposite to the previous section, these are the openers where the band takes their time easing into a set, allowing any sentiments towards the show breathe, rather than immediately diving into a jam or assaulting the crowd with energy. Often times hinting at a more contemplative mood within the band, these openers often catch a crowd off guard, yet can many times be full of rewards. Leading to potential jams, or segueing directly into a jam, these songs work in similar ways to the quick punches and the sinister assaults, yet with the opposite mood.

Examples: ‘Makisupa Policeman,’ ‘Ya Mar,’ ‘Lengthwise,’ ‘NICU,’ ‘Limb By Limb,’ ‘ ‘Waves,’ ‘The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday’

While most fans typically correlate an opener with a high-energy number, these songs turn that theory on it’s head, while often times proving to be just as emotionally captivating as the band’s more raucous songs. Check out 12/29/1995, 12/30/1995, 08/17/2010, 12/13/1997, 07/15/1998, 02/15/2003, and 10/31/1987 to see how well these songs worked as Set II Openers. As a general rule, the unexpected is always the best approach with Phish. As each of these songs display, when the band is at their most unexpected, it’s often the best opportunity to sit back and just enjoy whatever show you’re witnessing or listening to. While a bit against the grain to their typical Set II Opener approach, the laid-back easers are, nonetheless just as engaging an entrance into the second set as any.

VII. The Old-School Hits

Some sets, and some shows just call for the old-school hits. The old reliables, some of which have been with the band since their inception, they’re the guaranteed crowd pleasers, sometimes just what the band needs to kick off a set. Sure to result in a boon of energy from the audience to the stage, these songs don’t so much create any sense of the unknown when they open a Set II, for the could just as easily open Set I, rather they’re there to trigger the remembered sensation of why we fell in love with Phish in the first place. Many of these songs are the earliest fans hear when being introduced to Phish, and, while they’re rarely the songs anyone would pick to open a second set, they do tend to add an old-school dimension to whatever show they appear in.

Examples: ‘Runaway Jim,’ ‘Suzy Greenberg,’ ‘Golgi Apparatus,’ ‘Possum,’ ‘AC/DC Bag,’ ‘Sample In A Jar’

First ballot tracks on any sort of Phish Greatest Hits, the above six songs are for the most part called upon in their Set II Opener role to remain within structure. Yet, as any fan knows, “AC/DC Bag” and “Runaway Jim” have numerous times displayed the awesome power of the Set II Opener slot, in expanding their structure, and time and again exploring the unknown. Regardless where the band takes one of these songs in this slot, few can argue with their placement on 06/16/1995, 11/02/1990, 04/27/1993, 10/26/2010, 12/30/1997, or 12/15/1999. Similar in many ways to section IX, these songs either work or they dont. When they do, they inject the show with an old-school feel, surely bolstering the show in some way.

VIII. The Unexpected Gems

While many of the songs in this section have opened their fair share of second sets, there’s always an unexpected thrill that comes with them in this slot. Rarely in a Set II Opener rotation, often times many of these are completely out of the band’s rotation all together, thus when they open a set they create a jolt of electricity to run through the venue based solely on their presence alone. Sometimes leading to a monumental jam, in reality, just the fact that many of these songs are being played is enough to up the energy of their set right from the get-go.

Examples: ‘Timber,’ ‘Crosseyed & Painless,’ ‘Tube,’ ‘Punch You In The Eye,’ ‘Boogie On Reggae Woman,’ ‘My Friend, My Friend,’ ‘Loving Cup’

Remove these seven songs from their placement on 11/28/1997, 06/21/2009, 06/24/2004, 07/23/1997, 09/18/1999, 11/27/2009, and 05/07/1994 and insert any standard opener, and you’ve got a totally different sentiment heading into the set. Upping the ante of their set and show simply with their presence, on the occasions that some of the above songs have been jammed into the unknown, they’ve essentially made their shows right then and there. Akin to the often jarring placement of an easer in the opening slot, these songs prove the power of the unexpected when it comes to Phish.

IX. The Hit Or Miss

Until this point in the essay, the songs featured have more or less been guaranteed hit’s whenever performed. Due to a combination of factors – there’s less pressure on the Set II Opener, and many develop into jams out of their song origin – more songs work as Set II Openers than Set I Openers. Here, however, we find ourself in the first section of songs that could potentially kick the set off on the wrong note. For whatever reason, the following songs either work as Set II Openers, or they don’t. And there’s little room in between. Some of the songs are the kind few would request for a second set opener, and others, while a treat to hear, rely in many ways on their ability to transform into an exploratory jam to fit within this role. Either way, whenever these songs are featured in the Set II Opener slot, fans tend to hold out hope that something will come of them, rather than just sink into the immediacy of the performance.

Examples: ‘Runaway Jim,’ ‘Suzy Greenberg,’ ‘Possum,’ ‘Birds Of A Feather,’ ‘Gotta Jibboo,’ ‘Golden Age,’ ‘Back On The Train,’ ‘Theme From The Bottom’

There are two sides to each of these songs. There’s your 08/11/1998 and 11/18/2009 “Jim,” your 10/08/1990 and 03/13/1991 “Suzy,” your 11/24/2009 and 08/02/1998 “Possum,” 06/04/2011 and 06/29/2000 “Birds,” 07/04/2000 and 08/09/2011 “Jibboo,” 06/08/2011 and 12/29/2012 “Golden Age,” 06/07/2011 and 06/14/2000 “GBOTT,” and your 11/19/1995 and 06/22/1995 “Theme.” Some of these work, some of them don’t, it all depends on the way the band is feeling, and if they find any of the magic in their performance that night. If it’s there, these songs can often times develop into a memorable moment of interplay and exploration. If not, they tend to get the set started on a tepid note that rarely transforms itself into any monumental music made later in the set.

X. The Head Scratchers

Whereas the last section at least provided opportunities for the band to redeem their Set II Opener song selection through their performance, the following songs rarely, if ever, prove to overcome the initial moment they open a set, when the venue lets out a collective, “huh?”. Akin to the crowd groan segment in the Set I Openers essay, these songs just don’t seem to have what it takes to open a second set, yet for whatever reason, the band has gone with them from time to time. Seemingly removing all energy from the venue within seconds of starting, these songs rarely offer any opportunity for Type II interplay, and instead, act as a filler, a well-defined bridge from the setbreak into the second set. The problem with them more than anything is the fact that unless they develop into something outside of their structure, they tend to cater heavily to the type of awkward and uneven sets that offer little in terms of memorability.

Examples: ‘Julius,’ ‘Sample In A Jar,’ ‘Backwards Down The Number Line,’ ‘Poor Heart,’ ‘Heavy Things,’ ‘Bouncing Around The Room,’ ‘Cars Trucks Buses,’ ‘All Of These Dreams’

Regardless how much an apologist you are for the band – and trust me, I tend to be one myself – you can’t really argue that the above eight songs are at the bottom of any fan’s wish list to open a second set. Aside from “Number Line,” none of those songs have proven to evolve into the types of unwavering jams that would make them worth hearing in this slot. Instead, as 10/15/1995, 05/19/1994, 08/05/2009, 04/07/1992, 07/08/2000, 12/17/1995, 09/27/1995, and 08/09/2004 have shown, these songs have typically kicked off some of the less “hooked-up” sets the band has played. While no one should ever discount the potential to be surprised with Phish, until this point, the above song’s track record as a Set II Opener, more or less speaks for itself.

XI. The One-Off’s

Due to the unexpected nature of Phish shows, there are those nights where you’ll hear a song in a slot it’s just never been played in before. Whether to test something out, perhaps as an opportunity to play a random cover, or just because of a wild hair the band’s got that night, from time to time the band will drop a totally unexpected song in a specific slot, only to never feature it there again. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, more than anything it leads to anything-goes spirt that accompanies Phish in their approach to the second set.

Examples: ‘After Midnight,’ ‘Big Balls,’ ‘Camel Walk,’ ‘Character Zero,’ ‘Farmhouse,’ ‘First Tube,’ ‘Gumbo,’ ‘Harpua,’ ‘I Am Hydrogen,’ ‘Light,’ ‘Nellie Kane,’ ‘Sabotage,’ ‘Saw It Again,’ ‘Scents & Subtle Sounds,’ ‘Tweezer Reprise,’ ‘Uncle Pen’

While a few of the above songs were received with rave results, and others just didn’t seem to work, few can argue that their sheer presence as a one-time Set II Opener didn’t add a bit of variety to each of the shows they appeared in. Check out 05/31/2011, 07/03/2011, 08/04/1988, 11/26/1997, 09/28/1999, 09/20/2000, 08/03/1998, 10/28/1989, 01/21/1987, 06/11/2010, 05/29/1994, 11/21/1998, 12/12/1997, 12/04/2009, 12/15/1995, and 04/26/1991 for examples of each of the above songs being featured as Set II Openers. From the above list, one would be hard-pressed not to hope for another “After Midnight,” “First Tube,” “Gumbo,” “Harpua,” “Light,” “Sabotage,” “Saw It Again,” “Scents & Subtle Sounds,” and “Tweezer Reprise” Set II Opener at some point in the future. Fingers crossed.

XI. The One’s That Should Open More Set II’s

Related in some ways to the above section, the following songs are simply those that, while featured from time-to-time as Set II Opener’s, really deserve to be played in that slot more often. Either because they’re a guaranteed jam, or because their simple appearance in the slot would immediately raise the bar of the show they’re in, there’s just no reason the band shouldn’t try to fit these songs in the Set II Opening rotation a bit more. I guarantee these songs would go a long way to countering whatever complaints certain aspects of the fan community have about Phish’s variety, or lack thereof. Regardless of any fan agitation, these songs are just great examples of what Phish is capable of musically, and deserve more time spotlighted in THE slot of the show.

Examples: ‘Twist,’ ‘Harry Hood,’ ‘Piper,’ ‘The Sloth,’ ‘Bathtub Gin,’ ‘Seven Below,’ ’46 Days,’ ‘Waves,’ ‘A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing,’ ‘Cities,’ ‘Col. Forbin’s Ascent,’ ‘Fee,’ ‘First Tube,’ ‘Gumbo,’ ‘Light,’ ‘Saw It Again,’ ‘ Scents & Subtle Sounds,’ ‘Tweezer Reprise’

A list stacked with songs that any fan would kill to hear at any point in any show, one can’t argue that any show would be immediately bolstered by the simple appearance of one of the above eighteen songs. Check out 07/30/2003, 11/10/1989, 07/19/2004, 08/14/2010, 11/23/1997, 06/20/2004, 01/02/2003, 11/28/2003, 06/19/2004, 08/10/1997, 04/22/1988, 10/12/1989, 09/20/2000, 08/03/1998, 06/11/2010, 12/12/1997, 12/04/2009, and 12/15/1995 to hear the immediate impact each of these songs has on their sets. In an era that has proven to be the band’s most diverse and has taken more risks within their setlists that essentially any other period in their history, one wouldn’t be too far off to expect that perhaps one of the above songs would make a return to the Set II Opening slot sometime in 2013.

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Perhaps the most critical song played in a Phish show, the Set II Opener allows the band a veritable tablet of differing options with where to take a show. They can build off the energy in an excellent Set I, or they can redirect the show after a forgettable set. They can launch the set into the unknown, or they can display a band incapable of exploration. Regardless where the band decides to go with their second set opener, it’s clear that many shows live and die in their second sets, and that the opener directly impacts the set that will unfold. Thus concludes the fourth part in an eight-part series breaking down Phish’s live show. Up next is The Second Set.

Hope everyone enjoyed the post! Feel free to leave your thoughts, comments, suggestions, rants, etc! Thanks for reading!