I got incredibly fortunate with mail order this year. After taking care of a few people and myself, I still had tickets to trade for the second and third night. I took care of that the day of the emails and only had to met one person in San Fran. After a long and uneventful flight, I had no energy to go anywhere and I texted him “Unless you live in Outer Richmond, we will just meet before the show” his reply was that he LIVED in Outer Richmond, about 4 blocks away. Where else does that happen except on Tour?
I chilled out the first day, found a great place for breakfast in San Fran, Simple Pleasures Cafe. I also participated in my favorite non Phish activity, walking Rubin. This pug is the cutest thing around and we got along famously. I also walked to Land's End Point, which overlooks the Bay with the Golden Gate bridge to your right and the Pacific to your left. I actually giggled at how beautiful it is.
Monday,
10/27/2014
Bill
Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA
Set 1: Walfredo,
Ocelot > Camel
Walk, Axilla, Rift,
555, Maze,
Brian and Robert,
Stash, Party
Time, 46 DaysSet 2: Sand > Birds of a Feather, Waiting All Night, Ghost > Bug > Seven Below > I Didn't Know, Chalk Dust Torture, Also Sprach Zarathustra > Slave to the Traffic Light
Encore: Take Me Out to the Ballgame[1], Winterqueen, A Day in the Life
[1] Phish debut; instrumental.
Teases:
· Simple tease in Camel Walk
· Theme from The Munsters tease
Notes: Walfredo was played for the first time since June 27, 2010 (186 shows). Trey teased Simple in Camel Walk and the Munsters theme after Rift. Take Me Out to the Ballgame was a Phish debut, and was played as an instrumental.
You can stream it here
Hung out in a room at the Kabuki Hotel in Japantown, rather close to the venue. The suite was on the top floor and offered stunning views. We then made our way to the Fillmore neighborhood, which until the 90's was much like Harlem was in New York, the center of black culture in the city. It is also home to the Fillmore Auditorium. We stopped in a bar for food and 4 sharply dresses black guys were playing cards at a table at 5:30 in the afternoon. I'd like to think they were all musicians.
I had to meet up with 3 people, one whom I have never met and has no idea what she looks like, to take care of ticket business for D because she had to work. Management, always on duty. The first set was solid and high energy. It had been awhile since I got a Brian and Robert and a Party Time, so that was super cool.
Second set Sand opener? Yes please. Waiting was a nice catch your breath. Ghost thru I Didn't Know was outstanding. We were on the balcony level so we had a great view of I Didn't Know. The 2001 was extra tasty. Winterqueen and ADITL were the icing on the danish.
Another day, more chilling out. But there was a rather unique event going on before the show, Game 6 of the World Series, SF Giants versus the KC Royals. There definitely was a buzz in the air about the game. We found a place 2 blocks from the venue called Cafe Soluma. It was right next to an urban garden which got lots of sun. The bartender looked like grumpy Robin Thicke. The sun came through the windows and blinded the staff. The Royals took a huge lead and we lost interest real fast. So we headed to a rather special show. Why so special? Because Phish was about to join an elite club: Bands I Have Seen Over 100 Hundred Times. And what a show #100 was!!
Tuesday,
10/28/2014
Bill
Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA
Set 1: Crowd
Control, Mike's Song
> I Am Hydrogen
> Weekapaug
Groove, Wingsuit,
Water in the Sky,
Plasma, Halfway
to the Moon > Poor
Heart, Gumbo ->
Sanity > Run
Like an AntelopeSet 2: Kill Devil Falls[1] > Mountains in the Mist, Fuego > Julius, Twist > Runaway Jim > Harry Hood
Encore: Loving Cup
[1] Unfinished.
Teases:
· Gumbo tease in Sanity
· Gumbo tease in Run Like an Antelope
· Funk #49, Have Mercy, and Ramblin' Man teases in Harry Hood
· Smoke on the Water tease in Twist
Notes: Kill Devil Falls was unfinished. Trey teased Gumbo during Sanity and Antelope. Twist included a Smoke on the Water tease from Trey. Hood contained teases of Funk #49 and Ramblin' Man and Have Mercy teases from Trey.
You can stream it here
The first 4 songs BLEW my mind. The rest of it was stellar to including my third Sanity (second in SF). KDF had some real nice jams in them. The segue way from Fuego into Julius was incredible. Twist through Hood and especially Hood, WOW!
Last night of the run and a Game 7??? SF is gonna be cra-cra! We went to the same Cafe to watch a much more entertaining game.As we were waiting for the show to start, Chris Koroda stopped by to check out the back of my shirt.
Wednesday,
10/29/2014
Bill
Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA
Set 1: Stealing
Time From the Faulty Plan, The
Moma Dance > Free,
Back on the Train,
Yarmouth Road,
Strange Design >
Taste, The
Wedge, The Line,
Wolfman's BrotherSet 2: First Tube > Down with Disease[1] > Theme From the Bottom > Split Open and Melt, Heavy Things > Light -> Possum
Encore: Contact, Meatstick > Character Zero
[1] Unfinished.
Teases:
· We Are the Champions tease in Yarmouth Road
· All About That Bass quote
· We Are the Champions tease in The Moma Dance
Notes: Immediately following the San Francisco Giants winning game seven of the World Series, We Are the Champions was teased by the full band. Yarmouth also included a We Are the Champions tease from Trey. Following a "let's go Giants" chant after The Wedge, Page congratulated the Giants, adding that he watched the whole series. Trey told the crowd that Page was a Mets fan and that Page watches every Mets game streamed on his phone with many of them on the organ while the band's playing. Page said "we can't be world champions all the time... or ever." Trey then introduced The Line in honor of losers in sports. Disease was unfinished. Trey quoted All About That Bass in Contact.
You can stream it here
After the show we went to Oakland and then hit the road for Vegas. I was going to fly but then my Tour manager Switzer said I should ride with them. Saw a spectacular sunrise over the desert as we rolled along for 8 hours to our destination, the oasis of sin, debauchery, excess: Las Vegas, built by Moe Green and Bugsy Segal, conquered by Phish.
Dave Kemp
BA American Studies
PhD Rock and Roll
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