Greetings
everyone. Hope you all had a great last weekend of summer and tipped your hat
to the hard work that the common man does as celebrated by Labor Day. And what
did you do Kemp? Not too much, just traveled across the country to see the
hardest working band in music, Phish, for 3 days at Dick’s Sporting’s Goods
Park in Commerce City, CO.
Way back in
March, after Phish had announced the first leg of Tour, Switzer and Josh came
for a visit. You can read about it here
While here, she told me that I should skip the 3 night run
and go out to Denver over Labor Day weekend because they will have moved out to
Montana by then, IF they announce that for the second leg. And while I may be
HMLL management, when it comes to Tour, I listen to Switzer. So we waited
patiently and lo and behold, when the second leg was announced, it included 3
nights over Labor Day weekend in Denver.
After the 5
longest months of my life and a few pangs of regret for not hitting AC, Labor
Day weekend had finally arrived. I flew out on Thursday to give myself a day to
acclimatize myself to the altitude. When I first visited Colorado in 2001 for
Phil Lesh at Red Rocks, I drank 2 beers and got knocked on my ass. Older and
wiser this time around.
I flew out of BWI. Flight
was delayed and hour for logistical reasons and 30 minutes to change a light
bulb, which was performed right in front of me. After about dropping the screws
a dozen times, we were on our way. Land in Colorado and head west to Black
Hawk, CO. I was going to play some poker and then take the long way to Boulder.
I haven’t been to a real casino in years and now remember why. They’re the most
depressing places on Earth. Only stayed a half an hour and hit the road through
Arapahoe and Roosevelt National Forests. Rather overcast and spritzing rain.
Went by a place called Grateful Meds. Wow, do they deliver to PA? Best name for a dispensary
since Shemp’s Hemp Emporium.
Peaked at about
8400 ft. and then began the descent into Boulder. Words can’t justify the
beauty of this drive. Peaks and towering cliffs of rock overhanging the
highway. Twisting down through the canyon, I finally arrive in Denver. GPS
reconnects and gets me to my hotel. Check in and walk next door to the Safeway
to get some snacks. A homeless guy comes up and asks for change and then hooks
me up. I’m not in Boulder 15 minutes and already I’m good.
My friend Shawn
also was spending Thurs night in Boulder. I love hitting shows with Shawn because
he knows more about Phish than me. He hit almost all of both legs and knows
people everywhere. His friend’s apartment
was only 2 miles away from the hotel. I met up with him, chilled the fuck out
and headed to the Southern Sun Brewpub. Real heady place, only accepts cash,
and has a more family atmosphere than you can imagine. I had a Colorado Kind
Ale and about 2 gallons of water. I told the wait staff I was not drinking
booze for rehydration efforts and they all but had someone standing next to the
table with a fire hose. Food was outstanding. We called it a day and I slept
the sleep of the dead. 2000 miles (or so) and 20 hour days will do that to ya.
Hung with Shawn’s
friend Leslie and ate at the South Walnut St. café. It was quite possibility
the best breakfast potatoes I’ve ever had, and I judge a breakfast by the
quality of the spuds. Shawn and I had both rented cars from Budget
(SYNCHRONICITY) and made the trek southward to the airport. While on the
highway, Shawn found Josh and Switzer driving on the highway to meet us. We
caravanned in and were on the road to the hotel.
We were staying
in downtown at the Sheraton, which was top notch. Valet parking, rooftop pool,
everything was first class. And hundreds of stinky Phish fans taking over. We
had a sweet suite in the corner, so we didn’t have ANY neighbors to complain
about the over the top raging that was about to get underway. Everyone brought
their swimsuit so we headed down to the pool.
There was nobody
there and we took over a cabana and proceeded to get down. A cadre of SF heads,
led by HMLL Delorean herself, came down
and took over the cabana next to us. I have spent a lot of time pregaming
before shows and raging poolside might be the best way. No cigs by the pool but
this is Colorado so outdoor chilling is allowed. WHAT!?!?!?
We get to the Lot
a little after 6. A windy dusty mess out on the plains that ring Denver proper.
The Vermont crew ( and crew might be an understatement. By the end of it, I
knew about 40 people from or currently living in Vermont at the shows. As Matt
said “We roll deep” ). We settled into section 120 (our home for the 3 nights)
and was ready to get this show on the road .
NOTE :Other than the third night, I haven’t relistened to
the shows. My writing could not do the music justice anyway, so just the
highlights.
Friday, 08/31/2012
Dick's Sporting Goods Park,
Commerce City, CO
Soundcheck: Dog Log, My Soul, Ginseng Sullivan, FridaySet 1: First Tube, Uncle Pen, Carini, Kill Devil Falls > You Enjoy Myself[1], Ocelot[2], Undermind
Set 2: Runaway Jim[3] > Farmhouse > Alaska, Chalk Dust Torture[3] > Emotional Rescue > Fuck Your Face[4]
Encore: Grind, Meatstick[5]
[1] "We all love Dick's" vocal jam theme.
[2] Crosseyed and Painless tease.
[3] Unfinished.
[4] Emotional Rescue quote.
[5] Japanese Lyrics.
Notes: The first letters of the songs of this show spelled
out "Fuck Your Face" before Fuck Your Face itself was played. Before
You Enjoy Myself, Page said, "We're so happy to be here, we love this
place, we really do...We love Dick's". Trey and the band then led the
crowd in a "We Love Dick's" chant. During the You Enjoy Myself vocal
jam, "We Love Dick's" theme emerged with such lines as, "Page
loves Dick's, Mike loves Dick's, Trey loves Dick's, the band loves
Dick's". Ocelot included a Crosseyed and Painless tease. Prior to the
second set, Trey wished Matty from the Waterwheel table a Happy Birthday.
Runaway Jim and Chalk Dust were unfinished. Emotional Rescue was played for the
first time since September 30, 2000 (236 shows). Fuck Your Face contained an
Emotional Rescue quote.[2] Crosseyed and Painless tease.
[3] Unfinished.
[4] Emotional Rescue quote.
[5] Japanese Lyrics.
First set was solid. I knew a First Tube opener was rare and Uncle Penn was the bluegrass fix I needed. Carini as the third song? Holy shit. And it was epic, 13 minutes of some great jamming. Then the YEM in the first set. Wow they are really mixing it up. The vocal jam was great. Fish likes Dick’s. Trey like’s Dick’s. Everyone likes Dick’s. I heard some guy yelling for Undermind. I’m thinking really? You want to hear that? And then Switzer runs up and says “Do you want your mind blow” OK as long as you’re not gonna puddle me. She points out the first letters of every song spell Fuck You. Wow my mind is blow.
One note : The preset music was horrible as the run began but was much improved by the third night. The first night it was Women who got rejected by Lilith Fair. Even Sarah McLachlan said put some balls on these songs please. But by the last night it was funk and jazz.
During setbreak I got a text from my friend Monica. She’s a Devolver chick from way back in the day and other than a wedding, I haven’t hung with her in over 10 years. I hung with her for the second set. Our neighbors were an older couple who were raging like they were 21. It was all too much. Second set starts and it’s a really long Runaway Jim with some deep space. Not as deep as ’97 Runaway Jam but damn close. After Farmhouse, they started a dark jam. Everyone thought it was gonna go into 2001 but instead Alaska, which I believe is another way to say “Fuck you”. A second set Chaulk Dust is always gonna be huge and this did not disappoint. I had forgotten about the first letters spelling out anything and then peeps figured it was really spelling Fuck Your Face. And what for the E? How about the first Emotional Rescue since 2000. Wowwee! And then Fuck you Face to end it. Crazy! And what better way to get your face fucked than with a Meatstick. I love goofy Phish.
Back to the hotel, rage some more and finally collapse and fulfill my required 4 hors of sleep while on Tour. Day 2 and we hit the pool even earlier. Being a Saturday, it was more like a typical Jersey Shore pool bar scene after a while but we lived it up before the darkness took over. Switzer and crew were waiting on people so I hitched a ride with their friend’s Nithin and Dylan. Dylan’s an OG Vermonter whose family is a pillar of the community in Vermont, and therefore Phish community. Got a lot of knowledge from him. We make it to the Lot and I find my way to sec 120
Saturday, 09/01/2012
Dick's Sporting Goods Park,
Commerce City, CO
Soundcheck: Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress, Uncle PenSet 1: Run Like an Antelope, Backwards Down the Number Line > Tweezer -> Fluffhead > Roses Are Free > Funky Bitch > The Moma Dance > When the Circus Comes, Theme From the Bottom > Golgi Apparatus, Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan
Set 2: Golden Age > Prince Caspian > Light[1], Boogie On Reggae Woman > The Wedge, The Horse > Silent in the Morning > Mike's Song > No Quarter > Weekapaug Groove
Encore: Sleeping Monkey > Tweezer Reprise,
[1] Crosseyed and Painless tease.
Notes: Light included a Crosseyed and Painless tease. Page
thanked the audience before Sleeping Monkey. Fishman returned for the encore
with a banana, causing Trey to fill time by remarking that Fishman almost
passed out from rocking so hard during the second set. Therefore, he was handed
a banana backstage to revive him. Trey and Fishman asked the crowd to picture
Fishman almost passing out and being offered a banana while listening to the
intro to Sleeping Monkey. The soundcheck's Long Cool Woman contained Telegram
Sam (T Rex) quotes.Antelope opener? Wow first opener since 1990. Backwards is the song me and Switzer share so that was really nice. Then a Tweezer. And this one got deep into…. Fluffhead. Getting goosebumps as I type. All of the set was outstanding. And according to my sources (Phish.net), this is the first show that Antelope, Tweezer, and Fluff have all appeared in the same first set… EVER. This is really skull demolishing because Phish have played over 1600 shows, and those songs above have been played all north of 300 times WOWOWOWOWOWOW!
Golden Age was spectacular as always but Light has become THE vehicle for deep space. And this one did not disappoint. The Mike’s>No Quarter> Groove was amazing. The tension in No Quarter always thrills me. And then Sleeping Monkey> Reprise. The sound was so crystal clear and loud, it was overwhelming.
Back to the hotel for more postshow raging. Somehow, Shawn was the first guy to pass out which I would have bet against. We had a whole crew of people staying in our sweet suite but most of them were heading home on Sunday so this was our last night to really blow it out.
Sunday’s pregaming consisted of having drinks with my friend Kate Owens. We went to high school together and saw 2 Dead shows back in the day. Other than a class reunion in the midst of the best Devolver run ever (nov. 2001), I haven’t hung with her for over 20 years. It was great seeing her and then I took a power nap and was ready for the last show of the tour and summer.
Sunday, 09/02/2012
Dick's Sporting Goods Park,
Commerce City, CO
Soundcheck: Goin' Down Slow -> JamSet 1: Cars Trucks Buses, AC/DC Bag > Down with Disease, Bathtub Gin, Nellie Kane > Sample in a Jar, Back on the Train > Rift > Free, Ride Captain Ride > Maze, Halley's Comet > 46 Days > Possum
Set 2: Sand -> Ghost > Piper > Twenty Years Later > The Lizards, Harry Hood
Encore: Character Zero
Notes: This show was officially webcast via LivePhish. After Harry Hood, Trey noted that it was the last set of tour, thanked everyone for an "absolutely joyous summer," then pantomimed crying and said "I don't want to go home." Page, Mike and Fishman then thanked the crowd as well. Finally, Trey added that "We'd also like to say, 'fuck your face'." The soundcheck Jam contained a Three Little Birds quote by Mike and a Don't Worry Be Happy quote by Trey.
Again, the third song of the first set is a monster. The Rift was memorable as was the Maze. I love Ride Captain Ride and even the Possum was full of high energy. We take a well deserved breather, take a group photo which involved a sober square guy not being able to operate a camera, and await the second and final set of TOUR.
About 15 minutes in, Shawn declared best Sand ever. And he is right. 24 minutes of mind melting headiness. And then they bring it back to the end and maybe one of the best transitions EVER into Ghost. And that was a MONSTER. Oh wait, Piper with a slow buildup reminiscent of 2.0? Yeah I’ll take that as well. And this was my first 3.0 Hood which is all of a sudden is a whole different animal. Incredible way to finish. Earlier in the day, Shawn had a spirited discussion with Josh about Character Zero and then Phish karma got him back by having it as the encore. A perfect Phishy way to end it all.
One last time of raging the room and showing why we are the coolest people we know. I get 2 hours of sleep before Delorean makes another appearance and wakes my ass up to get her stuff at 5 AM. I don’t manage HMLL’s, I rather just go along for the ride. I make my flight and with a little bit of a delay in a stopover in Detriot, I get back to my apartment by 8 pm.
Well that’s all for now. I got Cabinet at the end of Sept and then NYE, hopefully in MSG.
Dave Kemp
BA American Stuides
PhD Rock and Roll
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