After listening to the show from Charlottesville, I’m even more excited to get my hands on this one. The band sounds great with the revised horn arrangements, and Trey is absolutely killing it, per usual. The band takes a night off before heading to Philly amidst this severe case of ice and snow.
9:30 Club
Washington D.C.
Setlist:
Set 1: Push On Till The Day, Shine, Gotta Jibboo, Mozambique, Tuesday, Money Love & Change, Tube Top Wobble, Valentine, Words to Wanda, Burlap Sack and Pumps, Night Speaks to a Woman
Set 2: Cayman Review, Simple Twist Up Dave, Drifting, Sand, Liquid Time, The Birdwatcher, Show of Life, The Way I Feel, First Tube
Last night Trey and his new band kicked off their tour in Charlottesville at Jefferson Theatre. The setlist features a selection of TAB classics, as well as some interesting new ones. Word is that “All That Almost Was” and “Show of Life” were written on Trey’s IPhone application with the Dude of Life. The setlist and download are available below. Check back throughout the tour as we will be posting setlists, downloads and reviews. TAB heads to Washington DC tonight where they will play the 9:30 club. Stay tuned for more updates.
Setlist:
Jefferson Theatre
Charlottesville, VA
Set One: Shine, Cayman Review, Tuesday, Liquid Time*, Drifting, Let Me Lie, All That Almost Was*, Alaska, Mozambique, A Case of Ice and Snow, Last Tube
Set Two: Curlew’s Call, Sand, Valentine, Goodbye Head, Mr. Completely, Windora Bug, Night Speaks to a Woman, Push On Til The Day
Encore: Small Axe, Birdwatcher*, Show Of Life*,
Encore2: At The Gazebo, First Tube
The mind of Mike Gordon works in strange ways. His unpredictable behavior resonates in his playing, creating a spontaneous style that can lead a jam to places never thought possible. Often, Mike will forge a brand new song from thin air simply by altering the pattern of his notes. One of these such songs that actually came to life is “Simple”, one of my personal favorite Phish songs (click here to listen to Mike’s demo version). The song was originally titled “Skyballs and Saxscrapers and was recorded during the sessions for Hoist. However, it was decidedly left off the final cut. “Simple” made its official live debut at the Warfield on 5.27.94, but traces of the song can be heard in jams during “Mike’s” dating back to ‘93. Since then, the song has undergone numerous musical transformations on its quest toward becoming a jam vehicle. Let’s now take a look at the evolution of “Simple”, and some of the great jams it has produced.
In ‘93, a new theme began to emerge during the jams on “Mike’s”. In the version from 5.1.93, Trey and Mike can be heard toying with the theme that would eventually become “Simple”. At this point, it was merely a jam, but the roots of the song can clearly be heard. The same theme emerged again in the “Mike’s” from 12.30.93, leading to a jam more representative of the actual song.
“Mike’s Song” (1993.5.1)
After its official debut (5.27.94), and famous version from the “OJ Show” (6.17.94), the band brought “Simple” into regular rotation. The early jams were focused around the chord changes, and featured Trey’s soaring solos as the main highlight. The version from Halloween ‘94 is perhaps the best version of this type, and is well known for its pure beauty.
“Simple” (1994.10.31)
By the fall of ‘94, the song was beginning to be be stretched out and explored. On 11.16.94 in Ann Arbor, the band let loose in a 30 minute adventure that took the song to new found heights. However, while this little stint may have indicated to the band the song’s potential, they did not initiate it into their catalog of jam vehicles until later.
“Simple” (1994.11.16)
The following year “Simple” returned to its melodic form, and lacked any real exploration (other than 11.21.95). Rather the beauty of the song was emphasized through concise melodic jams that flowed over the chord progression. In 1996, “Simple” jams began to stretch out once again, carrying the song into unknown territory. By fall, the song was often extending over 20 minutes, and was becoming a band, and fan, favorite. On Halloween ‘96, Phish delved deeply into the funked out style of the Talking Heads, a welcome departure from the standard melodic jam. The rest of the fall would see several standout versions including the one from Champaign, IL on 11.8.96. Again on 11.16.96, in Memphis, the band played a version that that continued to push the song’s limits (this version was released on the bonus disc to Vegas ‘96, Road to Vegas). On 12.6.96 in Vegas, one of the definitive versions of the song was played, and by this point it was clear the band had found a true jam vehicle in “Simple”.
“Simple” (1996.11.8)
In ‘97, when the funk took over, “Simple” returned to a standardized jam. It’s melodic section that had previously led to wildly outside jams was unfriendly to the heavier funk grooves, and fell out of favor with the band. However, toward the end of the year as a more ambient style began to emerge, a magical version of the song was performed. On December 9th at the Bryce Jordan Center, the band explored “Simple” in an all new way. Filled with loops, and spacey effects, they continued to transform the songs musical landscapes to suit to their style.
“Simple” (1997.12.09)
As the ambient grooves replaced the funked-out jams of ‘97, “Simple” reemerged as a strong jam vehicle. Its dreamy progression easily allowed jams to drift into ambiance, and was well suited toward the bands new style.
“Simple” (1998.11.29)
1999 once again saw the song return to its more standardized form. However, in 2003 Phish turned things around once again when they dropped a very outside 20 minute version in Rosement, IL.
“Simple” (2003.2.20)
2009 has kept the song tame, thus far. Let’s hope 2010 will change that…
Many people are unaware of one of the most essential elements of “Time Turns Elastic” – the fact that it is played in an alternate tuning. For those unaware of what that is, I will briefly explain. A standard guitar is tuned EADGBE (low to high). Variation of those pitch intervals alters the tuning, thus becoming an alternative tuning. There are several common alternative tunings, such as ‘open G’ often used in blues music as well as by Keith Richards, ‘drop D’ popularized by Jimmy Page, or ‘open E’ which was used by Duane Allman. This year at Festival 8 when Trey played Keith Richards’ guitar parts, he used two guitars – one in standard tuning and one in open G – and switched between the two for different songs.
Open tunings allow the guitar player to reach different sequences of notes than would normally be available, offering different sounding chord voicings, as well as unconventional licks and riffs. Blues musicians often employed the use of alternate tunings to allow for easier slide playing, as can be heard by Robert Johnson, who used a wide variety of tunings, but most notably ‘open G’. During the 60’s and 70’s, English folk guitarists including Bert Jansch (of Pentangle), who primarily played open tuning finger-style guitar, inspired rock guitarists to explore altered tunings. Jimmy Page, in particular, went on to create otherwise unobtainable musical textures using alternate tunings. Lou Reed has become well known for his use of “ostrich tunings” which tunes every string to the same note (as heard on VU and Nico). Robert Fripp, of King Crimson, has introduced a tuning known as New Standard Tuning, which he has used exclusively since 1984. Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo has also employed the use of numerous obscure tunings to achieve unique sounds.
Trey, likely inspired by Jimmy Page, went on to explore open tuning compositions of his own. The first was “Acoustic Army”, a simple enough piece, but using alternate tunings, Trey was able to create a rich sound using the open droning strings of the other member’s guitars. The style is very Zeppelinish, and served as the starting point for Trey’s open tuning composition. The second, was “The Inlaw Josie Wales”, which uses Jimmy Page’s well known “DADGAD” tuning, made famous for its use in “Kashmir”. Clearly growing in complexity, Trey continued to explore open tuning composition following the hiatus. In an interview during the hiatus, Trey mentioned how he enjoyed experimenting with open tunings as they forced him to abandon his conventional licks. Instead, with an open tuning, one is forced to experiment, often leading to new discoveries that would otherwise not have been made.
“Time Turns Elastic” is the next step in this compositional technique. Pushing forward in new directions, Trey landed on a very obscure tuning in which to compose his newest masterpiece. “TTE” is written in ‘open C6′ tuning (C-G-C-E-A-C), which sounds exactly as complex as it is. Without going into the specifics, this tuning allows for a wide variety of chord arrangements, using open strings. These interesting chord voicings can be heard all throughout the song, especially in the solo acoustic version (click here to watch the video). But, few realize how challenging, and how forward-thinking this new composition is, and have dismissed it for whatever reason. The reason the song has lacked a jam at the end, is likely because it would be difficult to have an entire jam in an alien tuning. As a result, Trey normally sticks to a single string in the brief jam section at the end. From “Acoustic Army” to “TTE”, it is clear Trey’s open-tuning compositional abilities have improved, and have become a major part of his creative process. We look forward to the next step…
Here are some of my favorite songs played in alternate tunings.
An issue Phish heads are often faced with is the overwhelming number of recordings readily available, only a click away. It has come to the point where almost any show we desire can be downloaded, loaded into itunes, and ready to play in minutes. But, with all of this availability there are few legends to guide us through the maze that is Phish’s live career. Throw in a collection of Dead shows and you’re really in trouble.
While every one of us has a selection of shows that we constantly revisit, whether it be weekly, yearly, or whatever you so desire, these shows create the foundation of our listening. When someone introduces us to a new show, or we catch sight of a particularly juicy setlist, we are often led to great new discoveries.
Discovering new shows that can be added to your list of favorites is a wonderful feeling, and I try my hardest to make it happen as often as possible. Today, I’d like to share a couple that you may not not be familiar with, but may happen to find their way into your regular listening cycle after today. These aren’t meant to be shows no one has heard of, but rather shows that often go unmentioned considering their value.
1991.10.19 The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA
In the fall of ‘91, Phish was embarking on their second national tour of the year. In many ways, ‘91 existed as one of the formative years in the band’s career, expanding their music and audiences as they swept across the nation. Following a scorching summer tour that included both the Giant Country Horns and the famous show at Amy’s Farm, the band stepped into the studio to record Picture of Nectar. Fresh out of the studio with a wealth of new material, the band returned to the road in their two vehicle convoy consisting of a panel truck and a minivan. Touring through the heart of Dead-country, the band played the last of four nights in California at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz.
The show begins with a powerful “Landlady” opener that ushers with it an energy that rides throughout the entire show. Wasting no time, the band dives straight into “Suzy” without missing a beat. The set continues with an early version of “It’s Ice” that shows the band experimenting with the mid-section. “Jim” features a divine solo from Red, gearing this small bar in Santa Cruz up for a psychedelic ride. The rest of the set is terrific in every way. Great playing, great songs. Listening to this show just feels good…
Set two launches out of the gate with a concentrated burst of energy in “Llama”. The second set absolutely cooks, as the band runs through several big jams loaded with musical acrobatics. The “Tweezer” jam spirals into a groove, with contrasting sections of major and minor. The recording from this small bar is so good that you can clearly hear each member communicating with the others as they build mounting crescendos before exploding into collective outbursts of sound. The highlight of the show comes at end of “Hood”, which features a divinely bright jam to close the set.
Set 1: The Landlady > Suzy Greenberg, It’s Ice, Runaway Jim, Foam, Chalk Dust Torture > Bouncing Around the Room, My Sweet One, Stash, Golgi Apparatus
Set 2: Llama, Bathtub Gin, Sparkle > Tweezer > Horn, Poor Heart, You Enjoy Myself, The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony > Hold Your Head Up > Terrapin > Hold Your Head Up, Harry Hood
Encore: Good Times Bad Times
1994.10.18 Vanderbilt University Memorial Gym, Nashville, TN
This show is somewhat better known for its ripping second set “Llama” featuring Bela Fleck. However, few ever mention the other highlights from this show – including one of the finest versions of “Reba” from ‘94 (a bold claim). Touring through the south, the band made a stop in Vanderbilt’s gymnasium, leaving behind a show with several gems worthy of mention.
The show kicks off with an embryonic version of “Simple”, abbreviated yet powerful. “My Friend”, a potent opener in its own, follows, adding to the early energy. The first set is well played throughout, with a particularly dark “Stash” placed right in the middle.
The meat of the show starts with the “Bowie” second set opener. Diving deep into the darkness, the band members can be heard communicating as they bring life to the music. Rather than simply “jamming” on the chord progression, as so many “jam-bands” do, the band can be heard playing with the dynamics of sound (increasing and decreasing volume and tempo), as well as incorporating compositional elements into their jamming. This “Bowie” is a foreshadowing of the adventurous improvisation that would take place throughout the fall ‘94 tour.
As was mentioned above, the second set “Reba” is one of the finest on a tour that took the song to great heights. Featuring a diversion from the standard modal jam, the band embarks on a soul-reaching journey that is superbly delivered. Bela Fleck joins the band from “SOAMule” until “LLama”, adding a welcome touch to the band’s bluegrass repertoire. “Llama” features the band starting on acoustic instruments and then moving to electric. A raging jam ensues.
“On Green Dolphin Street” is a Jazz standard introduced as the main theme of a film by the same name. The song was originally composed by Bronislau Kaper with lyrics by Ned Washington. Though it has been recorded by numerous musicians, the version by Miles Davis on his album ‘58 Miles Featuring Stella by Starlight is considered by many to be the definitive recording. Due to the song’s infrequent chord changes, the ability to improvise without having to worry about changing chords, allowed musicians to explore the song with greater depth.
Miles’ version from ‘58 featured John Coltrane, Bill Evans and Cannonball Adderly, all who contributed to the song’s early status as a jam vehicle, each going on to record notable versions of their own. This type of jazz would lay the foundation for modal jamming, which Coltrane would go on to explore with relentless depth. Today we have compiled several of our favorite versions of the song, including the version from ‘58 Miles. This was one of the earliest ‘jam’ songs, and was given the proper nod by our old friend Big Red on his demo recording in 1985 (also included below). Enjoy.
Miles Davis – ‘58 Miles Featuring Stella By Starlight
20 years ago today, Phish played Webster Hall at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH. After performing their first New Years show in ‘89, the band took the first part of January to work on new material in the studio. Appearing sporadically throughout the northeast, debuting songs from their soon-to-be-released album Lawn Boy, the band was at an early creative high-point in their career.
The show from Webster Hall saw the debuts of “Bouncing” and “Squirming Coil”, as well as the first ever performances of “Caravan” and “Carolina”. This show is also significant as it is the first setlist, as well as the first recording, documented for 1990. 20 years later, it seems appropriate to look back on this show that seems to fly heavily under the radar. Featuring an early, yet divine, version of “Reba”, this show is a great look at the band in the early stages of their career. Trey was clearly feeling it on this winter night in Hanover, as can be heard in “YEM”, “Antelope” and “Mike’s”. I’ve always loved this “Reba” and thought it was worth sharing. Enjoy.
Set 1: Carolina, The Sloth, Bathtub Gin, You Enjoy Myself, The Squirming Coil, Caravan, The Lizards, Run Like an Antelope
Set 2: The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony, Suzy Greenberg, Bouncing Around the Room[2], Reba, Tela, La Grange, Lawn Boy, Esther, Mike’s Song > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove
With Big Red hitting the road again on Feb. 12 in Charlottesville, a large part of the Phish crowd has turned their attention toward the upcoming tour. As with any Phish-related endeavor, rumors are in high gear.
Ever since Trey’s groundbreaking show with 8 Foot Fluorescent Tubes, the initial incarnation of TAB, the band has had many personnel changes. The 8 Ft. performance took place at Trey’s brother-in laws bar “Higher Ground”, in Burlington, VT. Debuting numerous songs that would later become Phish staples, it was clear Trey had a path of his own to carve. Taking place only shortly after the Island Tour shows, this allowed us our first glimpse at Trey in a new rock-outfit (previous side-projects in the past were less directional, and were more experimental).
This time, Trey will be hitting the road with a newly formed septet. The members include the core of TAB – Ray Paczkowski, Jennifer Hartswick, Russ Lawton, Tony Markellis and Russ Remington – with the inclusion of Natalie Cressman (the daughter of Jeff Cressman, Trey’s former trombonist). The material is likely to be horn heavy, and after Trey’s visit at Carnegie, it can be expected that he’s learned a few things about arrangement. Trey spoke recently (in an interview posted on his facebook site) on the practice sessions which have been going on since December, longer than the band has ever rehearsed in the past.
“We spent three days at my house going through all the old charts – shoeboxes full of papers, many of them handwritten, from 10 years of horn writing. Don helped us re-voice the chords to sound richer and we finally did the work of perfecting that whole library of music. Don is also contributing some great new charts that he’s been composing. The charts are now being organized into a book like swing bands used to have. That’s been a dream of mine for years now because you can add to it quite easily and it allows you to proactively use your rehearsal time.”
10.25.08
As the layers of Phish peeled away, the band members’ solo projects became representative of their personal tastes and personalities. Trey, being the compositional genius he is, brought in horns (and later strings), for which he created challenging arrangements to accompany his guitar. Inspired by Zappa, Trey allowed the horns to take on unconventional roles, such as playing the guitar lines in “Sultans of Swing”. Trey acknowledged this in an interview with Rolling Stone in 2005.
“…when I went to Bonnaroo two years ago with my ten-piece band, we did two covers, Charlie Daniels’ “Devil Went Down to Georgia” and “Sultans of Swing,” by Dire Straits. In both songs, I had the horn section play the guitar solos, note for note. I never would have thought of doing that if I hadn’t seen Zappa do “Stairway to Heaven” in Burlington, with the horns playing Jimmy Page’s entire guitar solo, in harmony.”
Like Phish, his bands have been through numerous stylistic changes, reflecting Red’s constantly evolving taste and personality. This time it seems Trey is picking back up on his old love for swing and big band music that he so actively professed in the early years. Big band arrangers such as Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman, or funk bands like Sly and the Family Stone, have always inspired Trey’s solo works. But, what began as an attempt to create new compositions and jam vehicles for Phish, diverted course into a simplified songwriting form in an effort to best express his emotions. However, after years on the downward spiral, Trey reemerged in ‘08 with a handful of bright new songs, including one challenging composition in “TTE”.
10.25.08
On the upcoming tour, Trey has already stated that the band will be playing old TAB staples, debuting new material as well as working on some of their old songs that never fully developed. One in particular that Trey hinted at was “Goodbye Head”, a song from Bar 17 that both he and I feel is loaded with potential.
In the coming weeks we will be talking TAB in the lead up to the tour. For now, enjoy the show below from 2006.10.8 at Webster Hall in New York. This show, the first of two nights at the intimate New York venue, marked the release of Bar 17. Trey appeared with Tony Hall, Raymond Weber, Ray Paczkowski, Christina Durfee and Jennifer Hartswick. Featuring a string quartet and a sit-in from Tom Marshall – this is a special show indeed.
Set I: Drifting, Sleep Again, Wherever You Find It, Money Love and Change, Tuesday, Sweet Dreams Melinda, A Case Of Ice And Snow, Alive Again, Skip The Goodbyes1, Love is Freedom*+, Goodbye Head*, The Divided Sky*+
Set II: Host Across The Potomac, Dark And Down, Gotta Jibboo, Plasma, Night Speaks To A Woman, Shine, Shadow*, Bar 17*, Come As Melody*
37 years ago today, Clapton made his official return to the stage after three years of drug induced confinement. After battling a vicious heroin addiction, during which he performed only once at George Harrison’s Concert for Bangladesh, Clapton reemerged at the Rainbow Concert. With Blackie in hand (for the first time ever), Clapton took the stage, playing a soulful show that removed him from his state of drug-induced isolation, and brought him back to where he belongs – the stage.
The Rainbow Concert marked Clapton’s return, and went on to spur Clapton’s recovery from heroin. This show would set him on the creative path which would lead to the eventual release of 461 Ocean Blvd, one of Clapton’s finest albums. The idea for the concert was devised by Pete Townshend, and was carried out at the storied Rainbow Theatre located in Finsbury Park in London. Musicians by the likes of Steve Winwood, Ronnie Wood and Pete Townshend accompanied Clapton in his return to the stage. Clapton returns to the stage once again on a North American/European tour starting Feb. 18. Click here for the full list of dates.
The New Years Eve show is a night of pure enjoyment, Phish and fans together, celebrating in the music of Phish. Rather than attempt any major risks, or to break new ground, the band provides the ultimate party for their fans. What better way is there to spend the final night of the year than with your favorite band playing three sets of music? Mixed in the party were several more rare bustouts, and some inevitably great music. Every song carried the energy of the previous two nights, but rather than take them any further, the jams were kept concise and danceable, for the most part. The gag of the night brought some of the band’s humor to the stage, and showed, even well into their 40’s, these four guys haven’t lost a step. Similar to Pt. 3, I’ve laid out some videos highlighting the best moments of the night.
As we closed the door on 2009, and stepped into 2010, we were in the midst of a new dawn. Phish was back, and while we’ve said that so many times over the year, that couldn’t have been more true walking out of American Airlines on the morning of January 1st. With the reunion shows,a summer tour, festival/Halloween show, fall tour and New Years run under their belt, they charged into the New Year in an all new form. Exuding a rediscovered sense of joy on stage, it seems as though all is well in the world of Phish, once again. As we step forth into a new year, and a new decade, the band seems to have entered the next phase in their creative journey. At this point, anything is possible; Any direction can be pursued.
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