"But I don't think our fans do happily lap it up [when Phish plays badly]. I think what happens is they get on the Internet, and talk about how it was a bad show."
—Trey Anastasio, in the 2000 film Bittersweet Motel
Well, here I am to talk about it on the Internet. I went to my first Phish show in five years last night, and it was unquestionably the worst of the six or eight I've seen over the years. For me, it was still a really great time, and I'm very glad I went. I was disappointed that the three first-timers I brought with me had what I know to be a subpar experience.
And just to head off what I know will be the first criticism, let me say this: I saw Phish pre-hiatus and post-hiatus, and I liked both. I saw them in late 1997, a period during which they are generally understood to have been at their peak, and I saw them at the very end of their 2004 run, when they are generally understood to have been mailing it in. I liked both eras—a lot. So I'm not one of those whiny "Things ain't what they used to be" fans. This show was a genuine dud for a couple of reasons.
The major issue was the sound. I do not know how much of this to attribute to the fact that Darien Lake Performing Arts Center is a notoriously bad-sounding venue, or how much blame Phish's new sound tech should get: let's just say you could find people complaining about both with a quick Google search. Either way, Trey's guitar was piercingly loud—often to the point of physical pain. Page's piano sounded as if it had been EQed by someone who was underwater; meanwhile, his organ was barely distinguishable. The drums alternated between impossible to hear and thumpy with no high end. Changing our spot on the lawn helped some of these issues, but it was never good enough to cease being a distraction.
And on top of the sound, the band really seemed off. The setlist included an unusually high number of Phish staples, but it felt like they could never get into a rhythm. Just when they settled into something ("Possum"), they would follow it with a complete whiff ("Farmhouse," which I would say was probably the single worst performance I've ever heard at a Phish show).
There were moments of sheer brilliance. I was completely lost in the music in parts of "Wolfman's Brother," and it was a particularly smoking "David Bowie." The "Darien Center Jam" was pretty solid, and "Antelope" was quite nice. The problem was that there was no sustained rhythm to the whole thing, and let me stress again that the sound was so poor as to be a constant distraction.
During the Yankees' heyday in the late '90s, Joe Torre once said of an injured David Cone that 75% of Coney is usually still going to be better than 100% of the other guy. This is true of Phish. The show was still a blast, and a worthwhile experience. I don't think they've "jumped the shark" or sold out or lost their touch. This was not like seeing DMB on the Everyday tour—nothing to make me want to swear them off. It was a dud, plain and simple. Better luck next time, assuming there is a next time.
[Update: I saw them again in November, and they were spectaular. Read that review here.]
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5 comments:
Pay no attention to what the critics say. A statue has never been erected in honor of a critic.” Jean Sibelius
I went to 4 Phish shows this summer: Phenway, Great Woods, Camden, and Darien. Darien was by far the best show, they were dead on and made a statement last Thursday that PHISH IS BACK! Did you listen to "Fluffhead" or "First Tube" or were you busy complaining about a concert that left some 25,000 phans in awe.
Buy yourself a 5 dollar diary to bitch at
Sorry we disagree about so much, including how to spell Fenway.
I notice you didn't respond to my main criticism, which was that the mix was terrible. Were you in the pavilion? I hear the sound is better under there.
I was in the lawn, and the sound could have been a tad louder. I understand that everyone has free will and their own opinions, but how can you overlook Phish's syncopation or how they keep peaking during "Antelope," "Fluffhead," "First Tube," and their other songs? I went there with my older brother who's gone to 35+ shows and my younger brother who knows more about music theory than most Berkeley students. And they both agreed that Darien Lake was one of the best rock concerts they've had the privilege to attend. Phish is straight up rock 'n' roll and if you can't appreciate them for who they are and the boundaries they cross in the wide musical genres they fuse, then you'll never understand.
It's so easy to call out minuscule faults and to have pessimism as your main focal point, but it takes real musical appreciation and writing skills to recreate the magic of hearing live four of the most talented musicians of our generation: Phish.
I'm not sure why you think I don't appreciate Phish, but they've been my favorite band for the past fifteen years. I just thought this show wasn't as good as the others I've been to. It's okay that we disagree—glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks, man. I apologize. I'm done writing on the internet, I've become a critic of columnists. I should listen to Jean Sibelius and my own posts. Keep writing, maybe Phish will do a fall tour and you'll be there to describe a great show. Peace, my brotha.
Jeff
p.s.
Fluffhead was insane!!!!!!
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