Phish, Live at the Mann Music Center, June 28th and 29th, 2016

     Hello everyone. I hope you are having a safe and festive Fourth of July. Just got done enjoying the hell out of the SPAC webcasts. But I'm not here to review a webcast, I'm here to review two shows I actually attended. So without further delay, here is my take on Phish, live at the Mann Music Center in Philadelphia, PA on June 28^th and June 29^th, 2016.

     We headed out with the skies clouding up and the threat of thunderboomers on the horizon. We rented a sweet place via AirBnB about 20 minutes away and took Uber to and from the show. So it was a totally shared economy show. Found out there is a parking lot BEHIND the venue. That only took me 22 years to acquire that knowledge.

Tuesday, 06/28/2016 The Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA

Set 1: Wilson, Funky Bitch, No Men In No Man's Land, Roggae, Nellie Kane, Gumbo, Birds of a Feather, Sleep Again, Things People Do[1], Limb By Limb, Split Open and Melt, The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony>Suzy Greenberg

Set 2: Fuego, Runaway Jim, Gotta Jibboo, Breath and Burning>Timber (Jerry), Slave to the Traffic Light, You Enjoy Myself[2]

Encore: Quinn the Eskimo

[1] Debut.
[2] With Trey on Marimba Lumina.

Teases:
· The Birds quote in Birds of a Feather

Notes: The Birds was quoted at the end of Birds of a Feather. Sleep Again was last played 2010-08-07 (224 shows). This show featured the debut of Things People Do. YEM featured Trey on Marimba Lumina.

You can stream it here

http://phishtracks.com/shows/2016-06-28

     Lots of first set highlights. I really like the new bluegrass tune, Things People Do. Sleep Again was a nice bust out and love the old school one two punch of Oh Kee Pa and Suzy G. Highlight of the second set was definitely Breath and Burning. Some serious Type II jamming going into Timber. Fuego and Jim had some nice pieces as well. On the ride home, the driver mentioned she liked jazz. I talked up keyboardist extraordinaire Jimmy Smith. The next song on her jazz station was a tune featuring Mr Smith. That's why I'm Management.

     Parts of Philly got soaked but we lucked out at the venue and awoke to a Wednesday morning bright and beautiful. Got to the Lot, met up with some friends and away we go

Wednesday, 06/29/2016 The Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA

Soundcheck: Friends, Tide Turns, Things People Do, Unknown song (unconfirmed and possibly incomplete)

Set 1: Wolfman's Brother Your Pet Cat Blaze On Waking Up Dead[1] Llama[2]Devotion To a Dream Reba Mike's Song Horn Farmhouse Weekapaug Groove

Set 2: Crosseyed and Painless Friends[1] Down with Disease What's the Use?Meatstick The Line Tide Turns[1] Backwards Down the Number Line Dem Bones

Encore: Dear Prudence Harry Hood

[1] Debut
[2] Performed in a slow funk style.

Teases:
· The Birds quote in Weekapaug Groove
· Whole Lotta Love tease in Llama

Notes: This show featured the debut of Waking Up Dead, Friends, and Tide Turns. Llama was performed in a slow funk style and ended with a Whole Lotta Love tease from Trey. The Birds was quoted in Weekapaug.

You can stream it here

http://phishtracks.com/shows/2016-06-29

     We had seats on Mike's side in the terrence. So we had a much better view of the screens and lighting rigs. I liked all the new songs and the slow funk version of Llama was a nice surprise. I didn't even notice the slower version of Reba but the Mike's Horn Groove was a great way to end the set.

Second set heralded the return of Crosseyed opening a second set. Plenty of jamming within this sweet version. DWD was also a monster that flowed really nicely into What's the Use?. I like Tide Turns and thought Dem Bones was a nice accapella call.

     And the encore? Dear Prudence. I know they debuted it at the opener. If they hadn't, my brain would have exploded. It's been 22 years since I saw them do it at my all time number one Phish show (10/31/94). I've seen Phish 105 times since that performance. Perfect way to cap off a perfect vacation for us. And then Hood? Didn't expect that.

     Once again Phish is still proving 30 plus years into their career, they are not a nostalgia act. The new tunes are good and have some serious potential for the future. Next up for me, the August Bluesfest and then a return to Dick's Sporting Goods Park for another Labor Day weekend run.

Dave Kemp

BA American Studies

PhD Rock and Roll