PHISH IS FUCKING BACK!!!!!!

[rowjimmy]

Exactly.
And the energy... it's fresher than a lot of 2000.

[PIE-GUY]

Seriously now...think about this.....Say some other huge band/group got back together after a long time away, and they played as (and I'm using the term loosely here) sloppy as these were (figuratively speeking compared to what we know they are capable of)......Ya, sure you're glad they're back and playing music, etc etc etc.....BUT.....

Here's what I think you are missing - The closest comparison I can think of for a "Big Band" to take several years off and then come back playing well without missing a single change or whatever would be Rush. They play complex music that is tight etc... but they also play the same set every night. They practice that set until it is memorized cold. They have never played 3 shows with no repeats in their entire career.

We're talking about basically a 7-set show if you add the encores... all of it was tight as hell. I am really not cutting them that much slack when I say the shows were freakin' stellar. I really think they were.

[Gumbo72203]

Dave!

[sls.stormyrider]

I've been enjoying what I have been hearing so far (through Mikes on Sat). By no means the best, but very good. It's a pretty big undertaking to play 3 3hr + shows and no repeats the first time out.

The jams aren't long, mindbending jams, but
1) this was their first 3 shows,
2)they are clearly listening to each other and allowing things to let loose for short periods of time, examples that come to mind are RnR, Ghost (I also like the set 2 transitions that night), and
3) the length of a jam does not directly correlate how good it is. Even when they were on, there were some jams that didn't do anything for a several choruses before things took hold (ex Tweezer, 12/06/97).

The other thing that came to mind is that there is a high energy level.  I got the feeling that they feel like they have something to prove again - both to us and to themselves. As long as they have that attitude, things will progress.

[rowjimmy]

Dave!

Looks just like him..

[antelope19]

I'll just say it was nice to see them all smiling again.  I felt like they were "taking it in" as much as we were.  Everyone in the room was having fun.  

As for the playing, I thought it was solid.  Easily the best I've seen them play since 2000, and I caught a number of shows PH.  Obviously, there were a couple points in each night I wished they had taken it all the way out, but IMO, that's not the direction the weekend had been going.  Phish nailed Hampton 2009.  If you think differently, you're delirious.    

[birdman]

 Phish nailed Hampton 2009.  If you think differently, you're delirious.    

QFT

[WhatstheUse?]

I'll just say it was nice to see them all smiling again.  I felt like they were "taking it in" as much as we were.  Everyone in the room was having fun.    

I felt the same way, all 4 of them had huge smiles all weekend, and so did I!

[alcoholandcoffeebeans]

I'll just say it was nice to see them all smiling again.  I felt like they were "taking it in" as much as we were.  Everyone in the room was having fun.    

I felt the same way, all 4 of them had huge smiles all weekend, and so did I!

you ain't kidding

[Hicks]

I'd take this show over Saturday in a heartbeat:

06/20/04 - Saratoga Peforming Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY

    1: Rift, Julius, Bill Bailey Won't You Please Come Home?, Waves, Gumbo, Water in the Sky, Horn, Poor Heart, Drowned
    2: Seven Below, Ghost -> Twist, You Enjoy Myself Encore: Good Times Bad Times

[jam>]

We won't even count 2003-2004....those years don't even exist....

Compared to those 2 years, a pack of 4 dogs farting into trombones would be more "back" than those years of slop....

Summer 03 had some very tight, in-the-moment playing. In a sense, the music of Summer 03 is much better than anything from this weekend. That said, I love the new direction and attitude of 3.0, I wish I was there, and can't wait to hear some shows this summer. 

[Caravan2001]

I'd take this show over Saturday in a heartbeat:

06/20/04 - Saratoga Peforming Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY

    1: Rift, Julius, Bill Bailey Won't You Please Come Home?, Waves, Gumbo, Water in the Sky, Horn, Poor Heart, Drowned
    2: Seven Below, Ghost -> Twist, You Enjoy Myself Encore: Good Times Bad Times

I was at both shows, andn while that SPAC show is really good (Drowned jam at least), I did not leave it with my shirt TOTALLY soaked to the bone.....and I get your point, there was some good stuff in PH despite what Marmar says, but we can;t just compare one show to another. I mean, I thought Hampton ruled face.  Was it Binghampton '92? Of course not, but it kicked ass.  Was it even 2/28/03?  Probably not, but you can;t just compare shows like that, you would go insane.  The boys are back and on fire!  End thread/

[blatboom]

I'd take this show over Saturday in a heartbeat:

06/20/04 - Saratoga Peforming Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY

    1: Rift, Julius, Bill Bailey Won't You Please Come Home?, Waves, Gumbo, Water in the Sky, Horn, Poor Heart, Drowned
    2: Seven Below, Ghost -> Twist, You Enjoy Myself Encore: Good Times Bad Times

I was there maaan.
still looking for that Gumbo jam.

[Hicks]

I'd take this show over Saturday in a heartbeat:

06/20/04 - Saratoga Peforming Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY

    1: Rift, Julius, Bill Bailey Won't You Please Come Home?, Waves, Gumbo, Water in the Sky, Horn, Poor Heart, Drowned
    2: Seven Below, Ghost -> Twist, You Enjoy Myself Encore: Good Times Bad Times

I was at both shows, andn while that SPAC show is really good (Drowned jam at least), I did not leave it with my shirt TOTALLY soaked to the bone.....and I get your point, there was some good stuff in PH despite what Marmar says, but we can;t just compare one show to another. I mean, I thought Hampton ruled face.  Was it Binghampton '92? Of course not, but it kicked ass.  Was it even 2/28/03?  Probably not, but you can;t just compare shows like that, you would go insane.  The boys are back and on fire!  End thread/

heh, 2/28/03 and these shows may end up having a lot in common down the road a bit. 

Seven Below and Twist are my highlights of 6/20/04. 

[Bobafett]

i like to eat eat eat apples and  :banana:.

I was glad they came back, and i can't wait to see them in person.  I was not blown away by some totally new sound or jam, but i was happy with the setlists and i have only heard a few flubs here and there.  They blew Zeppelin 2.0 out of the fuckin water, tho.