R10/W03: 12-15-1999 MCI Center, Washington D.C

[khalpin]

Phish
December 15, 1999
MCI Center - Washington, DC

disc 1: set 1
1.Down with Disease
2.Farmhouse
3.Bathtub Gin
4.Wolfman's Brother
5.Guyute
6.Train Song

disc 2:
1.You Enjoy Myself
set 2:
2.Sample in a Jar
3.Maze
4.Free*->
5.Dirt

disc 3:
1.Reba
2.Halley's Comet->
3.Suzy Greenberg
4.Encore break
5.Frankenstein->
6.Rocky Top**

* - Trey on keys
** - Frankenstein teases at end

Lossy:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=30NUK7IK

Lossless:
http://bt.etree.org/details.php?id=521320

Submitted Reviews:

01- August
02 - RJ
03- KHalpin
04- UncleEb
05- Jezmund
06- MbW
07- Bvaz
08- Pnchundi
09- Sophist
10 - Poster Nutbag

[justjezmund]

word, i was just listening to this.  augs gunna shit :hereitisyousentimentalbastard 

thanks for the early release kev

[rowjimmy]

Years since I heard this
Had a fun time at this show
good seats, shitty room

[G. Augusto]

This one has been on my list for a while.
I like that it is so different than all the other Dec 99's....

Disease - Meaty start. Super fast. So much that Trey and Fish have a tad bit of trouble keeping up at first. Typical DWD shrage until 7:30 when Trey throws out some loops and they quiet down nicely. Nice ride work by Fish and they slowly make their way back to the ending.

Farm - They don't wanna stop!

Gin - More meat. This one gets that December '99 "funk" going ~10:30 in. Again, a pretty mellow version that works. They return to the orginal key and Gin theme rather well.

Wolf - MOAR MEET PLZ. True "funk" in case the two meat monsters weren't doing it for you. This one has correct peakage, too.

Guyute - Well played.

Train - After playing this 3 times in the Fall, this was the lone version of December.

YEM - I SAID...MOAR MEET PLZ! Sh......God. They drop into the DnB just a tad early. Jam kicks of with Mike smashin' up on thee fight bell and a mondo loop. The jam is pretty much Page playing over the rhythm section, but very danceable. You know them lights be flippin' during the vocal jam.

Sample - ::no notes::

Maze - Trippy intro with some odd loops. Quiet start to Page's solo which comes correct. Trey proceeds to tear some faces.

Free - Actually, one of the great post-'96 versions. Fresh of the heels of the Bonner Springs version, this one takes a similar approach with Trey on the keyboard. I'm not a big keyboard fan at all, but this is one of the very few times it actually works. Mellow outro out of that jam into the chord progression.

Dirt - Love how quiet and respectful the crowd is during the "solo" parts.

Reba - 2nd set Rebas are so weird. Of the 6 times they played Reba in '99, only 2 were played in the first set. Chew on that. One little mess up during the composed section, otherwise, pretty clean. More mellow jamming that works.

Halley's - Last time this appeared in this late show slot was 12-28-1997...coincidence? Really fiery solo part which eventually slams into >>>

Suzy - Kinda works since it was outta nowhere. Sweet jam with Page leading on the grand.

Frank - On the 8-necked pipe organ.

Rockytop - With some Frank teases.

Really solid (albeit mellow) show with a tonna MEET.
I give this one an A-.
a

[pnchundi]

This was the day I graduated from NC State.  They played the following night on States campus, and I felt like phish was throwing me a private party. My BIL graduated from Va Tech on 17th so we missed first night Hampton, but we hauled ass across the state to make it to night two.  Good times good times...

[rowjimmy]

Disease opener
rocks. Trey his signature
riff of ninety-nine

all over this near
the fifth minute. It later
stayed mostly in Jibboo.

Farmhouse is nice.
Like rocket-propelled awesome
this Gin is money.

Wolfman's Brother sits
back in the pocket, deep groove
A great set so far

Guyute's spot on.
Train Song is well placed and sweet
Then comes YEM

Fun version but not
not especially out of hand
Loops into vox jam

Sample starts set two.
Then Maze. That'll leave a mark.
This Free, holy crap.

Free is fucking great
The Jam in the 8th minute
mini-keys that work!

Like a krautrock trance
that shit rolls nicely then Mike
steps up and solos

Free is worth the price
of the ticket for this show
Nice drop into Dirt

Great tune, Great placement
Speaking of which, here's Reba!
Really lovely jam.

Halley's is cool but
Wow, were we shocked when it dropped
into Suzy G.

Encore was fun back
when Frankenstein was rare and
Rocky Top still rocked.

It's a good show but
by the time Reba's finished
the dishes are done.

[cactusfan]

never heard this show before, so thought i'd join in with a guest review to the show club.

DWD - great opener. trey gets all pyrotechnic in that sheets of sound '99 style. the return to DWD at the end is especially nice.

Farmhouse - a respectable version.

Gin - not sure what you guys are smoking, but this is one of the lamest Gins i've ever heard. the problem with dec. '99 is exactly this: the disco space grooves sometimes work great, like the disease opener, but other times they result in totally boring songs that go nowhere and do nothing. like this gin.

Wolfman's - not bad, but nothing special.

Guyute - well played.

Train Song - very nice.

You Enjoy Myself - good, but doesn't quite go 'there,' does it?


Sample - yes it was.

Maze - a good ripping version.

Free - the show highlight along with Disease. trey on keys actually works! go figure. love the bloopy little jam that goes on, and then he's back on guitar to bring it home. great version.

Dirt - i like this song.

Reba - lovely jamming in this one. intense but mellow. or mellow yet intense.

Halley's - oh boy, a five minute second set halley's. 3.0'd. with a 3.0 style forced segue into:

Suzy - decent, kind of ends with a 'meh.'

Frankenstein - a hot one.

Rocky Top - okay, but the extended ending with frankenstein teases kind of annoyed me.


i'd put this one on the weaker side of dec. '99. a few nice highlights with Free being the one big stand-out. maybe a B- overall.

[UncleEbinezer]

DwD - I love how the peak climbs quietly and nicely out of this jam.  This is how DwD's should transition from jam to the end.  High octane!!!

Farmhouse - Just seems like an energy deflator to me.  You rip out this high energy and then Farmhouse?  Good version, ends a little abrubtly.  Just bad placement

Bathtub Gin - Slow and low, thats the tempo on this one.  For me it never really shapes up into anything special.  Solid with some slices of potential brilliance, but a solid gin nonetheless

Wolfman's - Here comes the funk!  Hells yeah!  Lots of goodness in here.  Starts building at 8:30 to a nice peak at 8:50-8:55. 

Guyute - I just don't really like Guyute a lot.  Hard to review a song I don't really like. 

Train Song - Good stuff here.

YEM - Nice organ from Page.  Interesting loops through the jam with some solid grooving from Mike and Fish. 

Sample - Its Sample

Maze - I like this Maze!

Free - This Free goes WAAAAY out there.  Brings a lot of funk, space and concludes with some great RAWK!

Dirt - Love this song! 

Reba - Composed section around 4:15 is pretty flubbed, but right back on track.  Trey is really dancing around on the guitar.  Good peaks!!! 

Halley's - About a 45 or 50 second solo which does get some rage going.  Reminds me a little of 12/14/95.  Crash into Suzy, but I like the crash on this. 

Suzy - Piano and groove.  Not as funky as I usually like, but good.  As a set closer, could have used some more peakage.

Frankenstein - Great encore selection! 

Rock Top - Frankenstein teases during the rock closing...would have been cool for a Franenstein reprise. 

Good show!  I give it a B+  Highlights for me are Free and Wolfman's

[justjezmund]

12/15/99

MCI Center, Washington, DC

I

DWD - Great opener, trey really rips through the opening kickin this shindig off right.  Nice theme throughout and finishing with a different kind of deep kicked off by fish at about 1140.

Farmhouse - little bit of serene cool down before >

GIN - bring it on man!!!!!  This shit scratches me right where I itch.  Awesome playing throughout and really taking the mellowness to a level of great before they switch the theme up to end this out.

Wolfmans - Stopping the awesome is not allowed.  Bring on the funk. :crazy:

Guyute - I wish I liked this song more than I do. "its not you, its me".  Not saying this this is crap, infact its def on point.  Not a note missed.  Just not the biggest fan.

Train - It's a nice piece of cool down.  Always dig stuff from "BILLY"

YEM - first set YEMs FTW!!!!  Well done composed section. And yeah the DB comes in a bit earlier than normal which from the way im hearing it is sick as fuck.  WOOHOO!!  Cool vocal and a cool way to end set.

II

Sample - Meh, good playing but get it out of the way early.

Maze - Shoulda just started the set with this imo. Tons of energy, page is always fire and shit sounds great and on point.

Free - Niceness, my ears first perk up at about 6 min when I trey messin around with the keyboard.  Im with aug where I don't really dig trey on other mini instruments too much.  But this sounds pretty cool in the middle of this free.  Startin to get kinda dark it seems.
Great version.

Dirt - I love this song.  And this beautiful version is no different.  Well done.

Reba - Ok lets bring it here.  Couple of misses in the composed, but it's the second half of this song that im in love with.  Very moving and some nice mellowness with trey hittin some strides to unfinish this.

Halleys - the short 3.0 halleys of today should learn themselves a thing or two from this.  Just cause this isn't over 6 min there is no lack of shred >

Suzy - Halleys>Suzy seems real 3.0 now that I look at it.  :wink: but page already put that to rest while I was typing this with his fuckin funky shit.  Trey comes in with Suzy funk that I wish saw the light of 3.0 days.  Rockin version.

E


Frankenstein - Back when the boys didn't play keytars, flame basses, or other toys. This cover is still one of my favs.  This in the encore spot is win for me. >

Rocky Top - Another win for the encore spot.  The teases at the end are def fun too.


Overview - This is def one of the standouts from dec 99 for me, really only topped by 12/11 and tied with 12/2.  The first set is nothing short of killer.  Second set has its moments I think but nothing like set 1.  Highlights for me are dwd, gin, wolf, free, and the halleys>suzy.

I would def give this show a B+ overall.  I just listened to this show last week and wasn't bored today at all.  Thanks for the pick Kev.

[khalpin]

DwD - Pretty standard until about 8 minutes in where it simmers down to a nice laid back jam and slowly builds back up again.  Big rock return to the DwD theme.  Great way to kick-off the show.
Farmhouse - Pretty standard.
Gin - Simmers down into a mellow, almost spacey jam.  Fishman fiddles with the rhythm and develops something special that everyone latches onto developing somewhat of a tense build.  They take their time to let this one grow.  Mike and Fish really anchor this one.  It turns a corner 13 minutes in as Mike leaves the progression and it turns a bit atonal for a while before they find themselves returning to the original Gin theme.
Wolfman's - Some nice funk that builds to a pretty solid climax.
Guyute - Solid
Train Song - A quick little cool down
YEM - Geez...can they cram a few more jam vehicles into this set?  This one is actually pretty tame, though.

A pretty big set highlighted by DwD & Gin.

Sample - standard
Maze - Hot version with a nice peak.
Free - As others have echoed, Trey fiddling around on the mini-keys is actually really cool on this one.  Then Mike takes over and good shit starts to ooze out.  Trey hops back on guitar and subtly brings the chord progression back.  Way cool.  The return is what seals it.
Dirt -
Reba - The composed section is a bit reminiscent of 3.0, but the jam is where it's at.  Smooth as silk into a super-strong finish.  They were real patient with this one.  Great stuff.
Halley's  - Concise, but the jam is packed with heat.  Would've liked it to have been longer, especially given the segue into:
Suzy - which unfortunately is the set closer, although Page has a nice solo spot here.

Frankenstein - Standard awesome.
Rocky Top - A second encore tune that I love.  "Play it LEO!!!!"  Frankenstein teases to close it out.

While highlights are scattered throughout the show (DwD, Gin, Maze, Free, Reba) I prefer the first set.  But it's a real solid show with a lot of exploration.  A-.

[pnchundi]

This is a funky little show that at first I did not really enjoy, but upon a couple listens, it started to grow on me.  At first things appear rudderless, like they are adrift at sea, with no one taking control and pushing the music in any direction.  There is something to be said for being in the moment, and letting the moment move you, but there are parts of this show, and 99 and 00 in general, where it seemed like rather than being in the moment, the band is waiting and watching for the moment.  This laid back ambient groove thing is cool, and there are pockets of quiet intensity.

Disease- pretty ripping from 4-8mins, and then things start to drift.  MIke is big and booming throughout
Farmhouse- really? you need to cool down already?
Gin- ok, you were preparing for this.  This is a nice gin that stretches out and gets pretty funky while still being low key.  Pretty raging near the end, and I like how Trey gently moves back to the end
Wolfmans- pretty straight forward but rocking
Guyute- nice.  There's pig who danced a jig
Train- good transition
YEM- sweet.  D/B stands out because it is not just drums and bass- Trey sets up some nice loops and Page has a few nice runs

Sample- nice start to the second
Maze- solid, builds nicely and ends well
Free- Really good, and might be my highlight of the show.  Again, they are in no hurry and just let things float along.  But somehow there is a nice tension that slowly builds and Mike is stellar
Dirt- ok
Reba- wow, they are pulling some serious punches here.  Again, super laid back but it builds and builds with a great release
Halleys- fun to see deep in the second
Suzy- they are done.  Page and Trey play off each other well

Frankenstein- all page all the time
Rocky Top- more energy than they have showed all night

I think "patience" is the theme to this show, and they really play with that theme all night.  They let things build and develop and are not trying to make anything happen; this could totally back fire, but there are some really sweet moments buried deep that they bring to light.
B+

[sophist]

Phish
December 15, 1999
MCI Center - Washington, DC

disc 1: set 1
1.Down with Disease
2.Farmhouse
3.Bathtub Gin
4.Wolfman's Brother
5.Guyute
6.Train Song

disc 2:
1.You Enjoy Myself
set 2:
2.Sample in a Jar
3.Maze
4.Free*->
5.Dirt

disc 3:
1.Reba
2.Halley's Comet->
3.Suzy Greenberg
4.Encore break
5.Frankenstein->
6.Rocky Top**

* - Trey on keys
** - Frankenstein teases at end

Set I- 

DWD.  Nice little opener, this one falls back into an interesting jam, where it gets kind of psychedelic, I dig the space here.  Good interplay by the whole band. 

Farmhouse.  meh, I don't dig the placement here.  Too soon in the set for this song, decent version though. 

Gin.  Laid back and funky version.  Not my favorite, but it gets the job done.  I dig Page's work here. 

Wolfman's.  3.0 before it was 3.0  :evil:

Guyute- good placement here.  Well played version with a few minor flubs. 

Train.  Nice.  Great version here. 

YEM.  I always love the first set closing YEM's.  This one delivers.  Solid composition, great jam, good vocal jam. 

Set II-

Sample-  meh.  I never liked this as an opener, but oh well, we're off. 

Maze-  Rage time.  Good version.  Some solid runs by Trey.  Good key work by Page as well. 

Free-  ::pages show highlight award:: .  Easily the highlight of the show for me.  Good version. 

Dirt- nice breather.  Solid solo by Trey. 

Reba- melodic Reba's?  I like this alright, but I think the jam needs that hair raising tension and release.  The melodic nature of the jam works here though. 

Halley's- weird placement, but I'll take it.  3.0 segue style into

Suzy-  I like the match up of Halley's > Suzy.  Great version of Suzy to close set II. 

Encore-

Frankenstein-  nice version, MVP goes to Page on this version. 
Rocky Top-  love it.  Great way to end the show. 
----------------------------------------------------

This show exemplifies why the band would become so hit or miss for fans in 99-00.  While it has big highlights (the jam out of Free), it is also somewhat too mellow at times, and I found it to be more background music than actually focusing on it.  This isn't to dis the show, it's just to say it has moments where I wish they would of gone in a different direction.  Overall, I give the first set a solid B, and the second set a solid B as well.  B overall. 

Thanks for the pick, onto this week's pick now. 

[mbw]

R10/W3 - 12-15-1999 MCI Center, Washington D.C

I
DWD – starts out fast.  Fish sounds hyped to get this show going, very active, lots of fills, etc.  Trey goes balls out for a few minutes before breaking it down.  That will be about the last time this show shows any signs of rage.  The loops come out and a chill jam ensues which doesn't go anywhere, unfortunately.

Farmhouse – fitting coming out of the uber-chill disease.

Gin – this jam is snooze city.  Fish puts in some nice work dancing on his ride, but apart from that this is the most boring gin I have ever heard.

Wolfman's Brother – slooow start.  Settles into a nice groove.  Love treys gritty playing around the 9:00 mark, but that's about it...

Guyute – well, at least this song gets cooking halfway through.  Well played.

Train Song – finally, a breather  :-P

YEM - composed section is just ok, with some butchering pre-tramps.  Melts into yet another spacey loop jam.  Mike sounds good though.  The vox jam comes out of the ether without a proper ending.
---------------
Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit popping Quaaludes.
---------------
II
Sample – finally some rawk!

Maze – moar loops!  Sweet jam here though, very intense.  The peak build around the 10 minute mark was dope.

Free - of all the songs in this loop happy show to not have any!  They settle into a nice dark groove here, but a little too repetitive.  I prefer my Trey on guitar melting faces during free, but apparently he felt like playing keyboard.  :|  I guess I will take this for what it was though.  Different and pretty cool.

Dirt - ...

Reba – I'll take the slow noodle jam cause its Reba , and that's how its played, but meh.  Trey finally lets loose a bit at the end there.

Halley's - short. Nasty, in a bad way seg into...

Suzy - some nice playing all around, especially Page and Fish.  They finally start rocking but alas, /set

E
Frankenstein - they valiantly try and breathe some life into this show with this encore

Rocky Top - seems like Page wants to play with some energy here that he has been unable to all night.  Cool Frankenstein reprise ending.

Sorry d00ds, wasn't feeling this one at all.  None of the jams went anywhere, just meandered for way to long without anything on note being played.  I honestly think this was the boring-est Phish show I have heard.  Highlights?  None.

Giving it a mercy C.

[DoW]

I'll be ont he current week by tonight or tomorrow morning.

DWD-fast start.  Page had some very nice segments in this one.  Thought they dragged it out a little too long.
Farmhouse-it is what it is.  Just not good.
Gin-slower and gets out there a bit.  Like this version.
Wolfman's-just plain nasty.  Great funk.
Guyute-decent.  No complaints but nothing to rave about.
Train Song-brings the energy back down.
YEM-good YEM.  Love it in the 1st set.  Vocal jam was very nice.

Sample-not the best choice to open this set.
Maze-liked the intro.  Energy was nice on this one.
Free-loved this version.  Funk brings it.
Dirt-like the song but it rarely fits well in a set and didn't here.
Reba-jam was good.  Good version to bring the show back to the energy level.
Halleys-fits well in this show.  Nice short to the point version.
Suzy-nice transition from Halleys.  Not an expected combo.  Just an average version.

Frankenstein-not a bad choice to start the encore.
Rocky Top-teases didn't do it for me.  Maybe earlier in the show but not to end it.

The highs of the show were good.  The lows were bearable.  I give it a b-