2021-10-31 MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV - Post-Show Discussion and Review

[mbw]

PHiSH
10/31/2021

MGM GRAND
Las Vegas, NV

SET 1: Buried Alive, Roses Are Free > Ghost, Wolfman's Brother, Kill Devil Falls > Free, David Bowie

SET 2: Knuckle Bone Broth Avenue[1], Get More Down[1], Egg in a Hole[1], Thanksgiving[1], Clear Your Mind[1] > The 9th Cube[1], The Inner Reaches of Outer[1], Don't Doubt Me[1], The Unwinding[1], Something Living Here[1], The Howling[1], I Am in Miami[1]

SET 3: Carini > Lonely Trip, Soul Planet > Death Don't Hurt Very Long > Twist, Drift While You're Sleeping

ENCORE: Harry Hood

[1] Debut

[mbw]

That was fun, didn't stay up for set III.

A+ for the creativity and effort for sure. Some songs seemed to drag as they just repeated the song title over and over though.  I think the Kasvot songs were definitely more polished.

Thought the best were Bone Broth, Egg in a Hole, and Don't Doubt Me.

Anywho, I'm sure it was fun to be there.

[aphineday]

I pretty much agree with you here. It was insane amount of fun to see it live, and it was very cool. I think some of these songs will stick around, and some of them have some serious potential.

[shoreline99]

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[WhatstheUse?]

Pretty much loved it all. Go figure.

I think I've actually preferred the 3 original Halloween sets I've seen over the 3 cover sets. It's just... more goofy/phishy/fun

I do agree with MBW that a number of those tunes dragged on longer than necessary but... that'll get sorted out over time. Get More Down and Egg in a Hole was a blast. Just some strange music. Never expected pyrotechnics at a phish show, almost shit myself.

I really didn't dislike a single song they played... the "Unwinding" song has ballad potential... the 9th Cube had a great Caribbean vibe... the howling kinda sounded like 2001 so that's not a bad thing. The Inner Reaches of Out weirded me the f out at the time.... But once I realized it was in 15/8 time when listening today... it made sense to me and no longer sounded disjointed. Miami song was adorable.... I'm into it all. The lyrics in particular, while completely random, spoke to me. They have a way with words, even when ridiculous.

In the end, it's all Phish being Phish and I love it so much.

[cactusfan]

I was there and I loved it.
Been reading some of the halloween hate over on .net, and it's just baffling. I'm not at all sure what band these people want to see, but apparently it's one that only plays songs written in the '80s.

I thought the halloween set was dynamite. Weird and funny and original, funky and dirty and loud. Exactly why I see this band. And very cool to see how the jamming this year has all stemmed from the nature of this set. The Indiana Simple, Chula Piper, etc. is the band screaming at us, "THIS IS WHAT THE HALLOWEEN SET IS GOING TO BE! WE'RE TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW!"

[cactusfan]

btw, if any of you attendees happen to have a spare PTBM stub from 10/31, I'm on the lookout for one.
Digital tickets are the worst.

[aphineday]

Even though I'm busy with kids and don't post as much as I'd like, I still love this place.
I'm listening for like the 3rd time to this set, and it hits. Glad to see some love for the 9th Cube and Inner Reaches. Crazy good, and I have a feeling will become big time jam potential.
Also, Thanksgiving is creepily hilarious. IT'S A SHAME ABOUT THE BLOOD!

[emay]

simply amazing, they made a fuckin comic book!! which I am also ISO cuz it somehow fell out of my pocket on the walk back to the excalibur. Def need to give the 2nd set a relisten. Def shed a tear for Will during that Drift while your sleeping

I honestly couldn't believe my luck this run . My friend still needed a ticket that I did the tour with. About an hour or 2 before showtime this guy just walked up to me in the MGM, I didn't have a finger up and maybe 20 people walking around me with their fingers up, asked if I needed a ticket for tonight and sold it to me for face. We chatted a little and turns out he lives 10 min from me in Denver lol, crazy world.

[rowjimmy]

Comics are available here: https://drygoods.phish.com/product/PHAM954/phish-halloween-scifi-soldier-comic

Emay, glad you made it in. Sorry I didn't get to see you this weekend.

Show was wicked good. I'm still processing tho.

[Hicks]

Dang, remember when extra Phishbills were $5 including shipping?

Hoping to write some thoughts in the next couple days, still piecing things back together. 

[emay]

Comics are available here: https://drygoods.phish.com/product/PHAM954/phish-halloween-scifi-soldier-comic

Emay, glad you made it in. Sorry I didn't get to see you this weekend.

Show was wicked good. I'm still processing tho.

dang sold out of comics already. 

Sorry didn't get to see you either, glad you had a good time. 

[sls.stormyrider]

Really enjoying this. Favorites on 1st run through are Clear Your Mind > 9th Cube and Don't Doubt Me.

My wife and I have been binge-watching the entire series of Big Bang Theory. This fits perfectly

[PIE-GUY]

Honestly, I would not have a comic book at home were it not for RJ taking great care to protect both his and mine. Thanks, bud!!

[susep]

first listen review:

Knuckle Bone Broth Avenue - nice funk action, slight Camel Walk end before trippy Khruangbin style section before the jam.  Fish and Page lead, (crowd cheering, Mike and Trey dancing?), same time as Camel Walk?  Trey slinks back, slinkly line, "I hear a sound" vocal reprise at 5:44, sounds of waves?, nice Page synth, synth guitar or bass?, single notes Trey at 7:14, nice subtle Trey/Fish flourish, high melody lines by Trey, cowbell Fish, crowd loves it.  Meh sounds just like Camel Walk! 

Get More Down - trippy beginning, space swamp but in a good way, "grasping my scalp...", Sci-fi soldier, "...its our album, here's how it goes! - Fish, liquid Mike funk section, almost sounds like a Meat/Kill Devil Falls hybrid, nice guitar riffs by Trey, sound effects by Fish?, crowd loving it!, "...bending time itself!", back into Trey solo, Trey still digging in, Slowhand Trey, "each cube is a new window to a new reality", more synths near 8:00, Fish effects w/ Page synth, mellow outro w/ vocal shenanigans,

Egg In A Hole - mellow, drum march feel early, again more synths, cool Mike, "I've got to get back to Chicago!" , cool jam after 2:10, industrial Phish, futuristic, "like egg in a hole, its a stolen phrase!", cool Trey outro solo w/ high synth Page, very cool! 

Thanksgiving - a slower tempo than Meat, love Trey's chunky chording, "its a shame about the blood!", nice vocal mix-up, super loose, barn jams no doubt, Mike flexing, "drove to Paris in 12 days."  - Page, again very similar to Meat, nice lines by Trey, almost Llama esque chordal break to close before more high runs by Trey,

"we are sci-fi soldier from the year 4680, we're happy to be with you humanoids tonight. 
this next song is very important to us on our planet, it carries a message.  we hope you'll heed, the message.  Its called, clear your mind!"

Clear Your Mind – nice opening, love Mike down low on the baritone, super random lyrics, Ralph x6, nice Page on the Rhodes, Oscar x...yet another mellow groove, very Tweezer esque if you will.  Trey solo at 5:12, Trey quiet to start, thoughtful giving Page room to percolate, major jam early, nice Fish and Mike underneath, vocal reprise near 7:36, clav???, funking out Trey, synth Page!, Fall 97 vamp by Trey before a waterfall of notes w/ more Page synth, noodling by Mike, light cymbals and fills by Fish, single note lines w/ effects from Trey, nice support by Mike before Trey reprises previous funk chord, switches back to soloing, nice sustain, bends by Big Red, one note sustain, Clear your mind!"  outro trill, cymbal wash, crowd loves it.  Trey already cuing up the next tune.




The 9th Cube – another nice opening piece, interesting descending power chords into cool cuban esque space, lovely, ninth chord progression, when comparing this music to 'ween 14 and 18, evolved.  Almost Leprechaun esque feel, a modern day Tela sans outro arpeggios, quickly into

The Inner Reaches Of Outer – nice segue of theme, still a very consonant soundscape overall, Round Room esque, trippy effects underneath, nice lines by Trey, great execution, trippy Fish underneath, what time is he playing?, another solid one from the Sci-fi soldiers!
Into
Don't Doubt Me – almost surf intro into trippy Page, "someone has to clean that up!", more random lyrics, "how dare you doubt me?  I'm head to knee!", Page letting it all out, sirens ablaze, more trippy keys from Page, "don't doub't me" – Fish, nice lines by Trey and Mike, Page sounding very Richard Wright esque, jam settles near 5:00, single note lines with Fish filling in underneath, jam propels forward, trippy Mike?, chording by Trey before he breaks off into soloing, more "I'm head to knee!", "Do it!", all band members contributing, very trippy sounds ensue, video game/casino sounds, increasing trippyness from Mike and Page, Trey continues to sing before he joins the sonic soup, Trey going for an ascending line, Mike pushing upward, jam crescends, to A???, before decanting to , heavier jam spawns, almost BBFCFM, maybe heavier, Black Sabbath esque, cool outro syncopated vocals w/ guitar lines, "...never doub't me"
I'm head to knee!" to close.  A very strange song/tune!

The Unwinding – and I listen, Trey ballad, guitar slightly out of tune, The unwinding...", an illusion an ilussion, in the harbor, in the harbor.  Again nice guitar lines by Trey, it is unwinding of a song.  Cool backwards solo by Trey, Mike chiming in, cool effects by Trey, Trey out of tune to close.

Something Living Here – uptempo, cool effects by Page, "I twist humor to exist and no I didn't ask for this", nice interplay w/ Page and Trey, almost sounds like a speeded up They Love Each Other, Trey solo at 2:54, nice Fish on the kit!, almost 7 below time, single note cries by Trey leads into more varied ideas, Mike and Fish holding it down nicely, Page mixing it up, nice Page switch up in the outro jam/vocal scat, loose Phish, they sound great!, chunky, funky Trey, more chordal shenanigans, hey hey hey! – Mike, more trippy Page, Phish 2021!, crowd loves it!  Trey starts up the next song into

The Howling – first slightly, scary sounding tune quickly morphs into a funk rock probe, the howling!", "...its starting to feel good", This material will sound epic inside MSG, star wars esque jamming, Trey throwing down a nice funk rhythm, Moma Dance has passed the baton!  Sick Page!, Trey finally leads in at 4:26, back into chording also w/ wha, Mike responding, Holy blanket steam that sounds cool!" – Trey,
Mike w/ a hindu inspired vocal line at 5:57+, more funk, howling funk!  Its starting to feel good into
...sounds of an acoustic guitar...

"We are sci-fi soldier from the year 4680. 
Thank you for unbending the knee and saving the world tonight. 
We will now head back to our home, New Miami, to see our sweeties, can't wait to see them.  And we will return, leave the bodies and return you to your regularly scheduled band. 
Thank you." 


I Am in Miami – maam I love you and I am in Miami, and Miami I am me.". scarface reference lol!,

Pre recorded teleportation, Phish 2021!