I always leave Monday as an optional rest day, but I do not use that option very often. I typically will walk instead of run, to help with my recovery from the previous day's long run. Last week, I took the rest day.
I had gotten home around 1 a.m. and had to be at work at 9:15, then go to Secaucus train station directly from work in order to get to the show on time. By the start of the show, I was already exhausted. There was no time to run that day, and even if there was, it would have been awful.
December 30 is an important night for me in Phishtory. Of the 366 dates in a year, it is the one on which I have seen Phish the most (seven times), including six of their eight at Madison Square Garden on that date, the first of which was 1994. I was in the front floor section for that landmark show.
Though there was no disappointment with this year's 12/30 show, it might be the weakest of the run. "Punch You in the Eye" was rough around the edges, "Kill Devil Falls", "Gotta Jibboo" and "Mike's Song" never seemed to reach their full potential, and darn it, I still do not like "Yarmouth Road". A straight-ahead new pop tune, "Devotion to a Dream", was good though not the kind of song that makes for a highlight.
But when it was hot, it was on fire. One of the two new songs that seem to be instant fan favorites, "Wombat", (the other being "Fuego" which was saved for New Year's Eve to no one's surprise) was played with delightful energy, if not with the precision of its debut, nor the Abe Vigoda dancers.
"46 Days" absolutely rocked the house, "Ghost" brought the funk and a slick segue into "Weekapaug Groove", and a relentless streak of jams in "Simple", "Harry Hood" kept me dancing the night away in Section 223LWC.
The "LWC" stands for "lower wheelchair" which means I was in the front of the 200s, on the side of the stage, with tons of dancing room because the walkway has to be wide enough to fit wheelchairs. I assure you, I used all the extra space to its fullest.
The show, still relying on nothing but original songs, had two surprises at the end. After "Cavern", which is usually expected to end a set, Trey Anastasio seemed to not want to stop the party, so he quickly went over to Jon Fishman and called for "First Tube" (*see correction in the comments section*), the funky instrumental number that Trey often uses as the closer for his solo shows. The next surprise was a gorgeous "Slave to the Traffic Light" in the encore slot.
With so many of Phish's big jams already played, what was left for New Year's Eve? Lots of crazy speculations were abounding - an all covers show or set, crazy special guests - but we still had not gotten "the message". And the message was that this was all about Phish, by Phish, for Phish phans.
It would become abundantly clear the next night.
Nice write up. Actually, you have the First Tube story backwards. We were dead center behind stage in 5th row that night, and it was Fishman who called for First Tube after Trey had already said goodnight to the crowd. Trey mouthed to do FT as the encore, but Fishman talked him into hooking us up :)
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks for that correction! That makes the night even better and more unique because it is not often that Fish makes that kind of call. Thanks for reading and for your input!
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