2023-02-26 - Moon Palace, Cancun, MX - Post-Show Discussion and Review

[rowjimmy]

2023-02-26 Moon Palace, Cancun, MX

Set 1:
Sigma Oasis, David Bowie, Wolfman's Brother, Tube > Prince Caspian, Mull, Ghost, The Squirming Coil

Set 2:
Possum, Julius, You Enjoy Myself, Everything's Right, Simple, BDTNL > Suzy Greenberg

Encore:
McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters, Waste, Slave To The Traffic Light

[anthrax]

Mcgrupp only played 8 times in the last decade!

[rowjimmy]

Mcgrupp only played 8 times in the last decade!

Nice kick down encore.
Somehow I've seen two of those 8.


Decent show. The ER > Simple was a solid 30mins with some cool jamming.

[mistercharlie]

It almost sounds like a Sneakin' Sally jam is going on halfway through Wolfman's.

[anthrax]

It almost sounds like a Sneakin' Sally jam is going on halfway through Wolfman's.

I had the same thought!

[natronzero]

I dug this show for the most part, but man, that Bowie...
There's nothing technically wrong, it's played fine. But at just a whiff over 9m, that makes it the second shortest Bowie ever played (after 4/24/87). The last one under 10m was in 1989, and it looks like there have only been 5 of those ever (not counting a few from the 80s where the tape is cut so we don't know.) Maybe they're just over that song.

[WhatstheUse?]

I dug this show for the most part, but man, that Bowie...
There's nothing technically wrong, it's played fine. But at just a whiff over 9m, that makes it the second shortest Bowie ever played (after 4/24/87). The last one under 10m was in 1989, and it looks like there have only been 5 of those ever (not counting a few from the 80s where the tape is cut so we don't know.) Maybe they're just over that song.

Damn, second shortest ever.  and I both commented on how ridiculous it was at the time. A travesty!

[PIE-GUY]

I dug this show for the most part, but man, that Bowie...
There's nothing technically wrong, it's played fine. But at just a whiff over 9m, that makes it the second shortest Bowie ever played (after 4/24/87). The last one under 10m was in 1989, and it looks like there have only been 5 of those ever (not counting a few from the 80s where the tape is cut so we don't know.) Maybe they're just over that song.

Damn, second shortest ever.  and I both commented on how ridiculous it was at the time. A travesty!

I don't think they're over it. The 12/29/22 version that opened the 2nd set was north of 14 min and was tight and solid. Of course that same night "featured" the shortest Slave ever, I think. Clocking in at 6:41, it had a completely truncated intro section. Then they closed out the entire Mex run with a Slave that was at least decent. 

[WhatstheUse?]

yeah, I don't think they're necessarily "over it" but there surely was a sense of "going through the motions" during that jam.

With age, and probably, lack of drugs... the moments of "it" are fewer and farther between.  I imagine it's not a conscious thing on their part. The music just sort of.. happenns as it happens....

.. but you're right, the Slave to end the last night was pretty darn enjoyable, wasn't it?

[natronzero]

All good points.
I guess the way to look at it is that it's in the nature of Phish to be different, unpredictable, and unusual. Obviously that's one of the main reasons we all follow them so closely, those unusual moments that sometimes work spectacularly and sometimes don't.
That particular version wasn't unusual in the way I would necessarily hope for, but it sure was unusual!

[rowjimmy]

On this Bowie...
It's the single version!

Actually, in addition to being the second shortest, it's also excellent


If you don't want a jam.

I hold out hope that, in finally getting to a point where they can knock one of these out, they'll soon find their way back into jamming it while also nailing the composed bits.