, attached to 2014-08-03

Review by mattyb5000

mattyb5000 This was a great show, folks! No, we didn't the kind of epic jams/explorations we were lucky to experience earlier in the tour, but we did get to see a band having SO MUCH FUN on the final night of tour. Trey especially was hopping around like a kid on Christmas morning. Always a delightful treat!

The first set was about as good as you can get in a Phish 3.0 set opener, with some nice surprises in Pebbles and Marbles, Vultures, a beautiful Fast Enough for You. By far 1st set MVP goes to Gumbo! Although it clocks in just under 8 minutes, this is a must-listen. The energy was there from the first note, and I'd say this is a perfect example of how a short jam can be just as powerful and memorable as an epic 20-minute exploration. Some serious pornofunk going on in this Gumbo.

Set II starts off with a killer CDT, and in my opinion this one is my favorite of 2014. It quickly ventured off into an energetic dancefest, with moments of "controlled chaos" jamming the band is so good at doing. This CDT and Gumbo will be on my gym workout playlist forever--the jams have that kind of high-intensity energy.

Then we get another nice surprise with Scents and Subtle Sounds, played for the first time in nearly three years! This show is full of neat little surprises. Things slowed down a little, with a downtempo Twist that had some room for dance-jamming but was played strictly by the book before moving on to Fuego and The Wedge, both of which were played as standard versions. But that's all fine and good, because we get treated to a 12-minute Light that immediately dives into Type II territory with some fun & freaky effects from Page and Mike. The guys were like a well oiled machine at this point.

Next up, a Harry Hood with what I call a "type 1 1/2 jam" that dips its toes in the deep waters of type II without fully going there. I loved the moment when the tempo slowed down, and on the webcast you could see the wheels spinning in Mike's head when he grabs a pair of drumsticks and starts tapping away on his fight bell, which Trey then mimics by playing his microphone like a percussion instrument. Then back to epiphany territory...so much beauty in this Hood, like having a moment of salvation at church. Finally, we get a rockin' First Tube that was an energy monster to cap off the show.

What could be better that that?

A FLUFFHEAD ENCORE THAT SLAYS DRAGONS, THAT'S WHAT!

Seriously, this Fluffhead was great. In recent years Trey has struggled with Fluffhead, making some cringe-worthy flubs and sometimes forgetting parts, but not tonight. Tonight Trey--and the whole band--nailed it.

Overall - an A+ effort and a wonderful way to finish the summer tour. Can't wait to see what magic they bring to Denver!


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