8/18/10, WEDNESDAY
A weeknight-run can get complicated and messy for those with actual jobs, but as someone who is currently without that conflict, it was pretty easy to pull off. Phish was motivation to get up before noon -> do some yoga, pack the cooler, and attempt to conquer a special hellish combination of New York City Rush Hour + Yankees Home Game Traffic. For the 2nd day in a row, I managed to make it to the other side alive, well, and with the proper ticket still in my wallet for that particular night’s show. SUCCESS!
SUPER PONCHO! The weather forecast had mysteriously changed from “sideways rain” to “slight chance of showers” but I wasn’t taking any chances. Packed in the car was everything needed to get through the equivalent (or worse) of 2009’s Phish Jones Beach Monsoon. Campmor Super-Poncho & Rain Pants, my spiffy new Hunter rubber rain boots, and an extra pair of socks. You never know.
It drizzled a wee bit, so clearly, the threatening presence of Super-Poncho managed to ward off several passing showers. The skies began to clear. We were sauced up, headed in late, annnnd getting stuck in the magnificent gate clusterphuck. Fortunately, there was a Double-Complete-Rainbow to gaze at and the next thing I knew, we were INSIDE! Whoa! What does it all mean, bruh?
The L.I. Wrecking Crew had somehow materialized before my very eyes this time, so I spent the first set with them again- it was meant to be! DWD > Sample was sweet, but I was floored to hear Guelah and it was beautiful! Tour Legs. Poor Heart was fun, Ocelet was a nice little romp, Chalkdust was strong and happy. WIth Bathtub Gin came that nice Phishy buzzing energy in the crowd and the band were soaking it all up. Then they busted right into Tube, which was unexpected and RIDICULOUSLY GOOD. People were freaking the fuck out! Matty announced he might play with himself if they did McGrupp. Sooo, lucky for everyone- they did not.
Phish could have stopped after Tube for setbreak- but to our delight, they kept going! A super funky Destiny Unbound! Hate to say it, but they completely deflated the room with Joy. However, I really do respect the song, it just gives me the sads- so, no hard feelings? Then they broke out a killer Antelope that reassured everyone in the crowd: Phish was there to kick some ass! The overall feeling at the end of Set I was, “what the hell just happened?” and “how the fuck are they going to top that??” and “THAT WAS ONLY SET I !?!!” At that point, I hardly knew what to do with myself!
“Fresh air” was a good start and another regrouping occurred. Along with the M&M’s, I moseyed inside for more. Axilla had just begun and we quickly jumped right back into the soup. One of the greatest things about Axilla has always been it’s LOUDNESS. Spectacular. Timber was a nice treat and I’d been hoping for it, so…. all smiles!!! > Light, another song I’m kind of meh on, but here’s where all attention is turned to Mr. Chris Kuroda, who continues to rock my world. The man is an artist! My buddy Mark has names for the lighting effects, some of which include: the candy cane, the exclamation point, the funnel cloud, and the Mary Hart^. I’m a big fan of the Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Anyways, Chris Kuroda, the same man who brought you the word P-H-I-S-H, spelled out in lights—- pulled off an EPIC tribute to nature’s own lighting effect that kept us all so very entertained while waiting to get inside that evening— THE DOUBLE RAINBOW. Absolutely GENIUS! Woooooo!
Back to the show, where Kuroda had just made Light work for me > a rocking 46 Days, which had the place bouncing > a perfectly executed My Friend > a DARK Harry Hood > Tweezer > Horse -> Silent In the Morning. Hot damn, what next? A YEM to close the set. Someone call the wah-mbulance! If there’s one song that I’ve been hearing way too often at shows, it’s YEM (whine, complain, etc.). It’s a great song, I enjoy it, but I hate that it’s become not as special as it used to be^^. Enough with the YEM already! I mean would it fucking kill Phish to play Frankenstein once in a while (at a show I’m at)? GAAAAH!
Encore: Suzy > Tweezer Reprise, which I was kinda psyched to hear since they didn’t play it at Hershey. They left me hanging and I wasn’t at Hartford to cash in!
My feet really really hurt after this show. They were making cracking sounds every time I shifted my weight— like by standing, or dancing, or wiggling my toes. Oh, the pain, the pain!
08/18/10 Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre, Wantagh, NY
Set I: Down With Disease> Sample in a Jar, Guelah Papyrus, Poor Heart, Ocelot, Chalkdust Torture, Bathtub Gin, Tube, Destiny Unbound, Joy, Run Like An Antelope
Set II: Axilla, Timber (Jerry the Mule)> Light> 46 Days> My Friend My Friend, Harry Hood> Tweezer> The Horse> Silent in the Morning, You Enjoy Myself
Encore: Suzy Greenberg> Tweezer Reprise
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