Phish Portsmouth, VA Set List nTelos Pavilion July 29, 2014, Latest News

Another small venue and another monster show (scroll down for set list). 555 has made an appearance now in three of the last four shows. I mean, I really like the song and all but isn't that a bit much? See if you can spot the Shock the Monkey tease during Weekapaug Groove, extra funny to me because my fiance and I have had a Shock the Monkey ear worm all week.

I'll have a link to download a crispy audience copy of Phish in Portsmouth first thing in the morning Pacific time. For now you can stream the show via the Live Phish App, or you cam pre-order it via LivePhish.com. Here's a video over on YouTube of Split Open and Melt, but other than that SOAM is the only video I've been able to find, as of 11:30 p.m. Tuesday night, from Phish's July 29, 2014 Portsmouth show.

And here is the link to the free download of an audience copy of Portsmouth.

In the mean time, check out the transition Phish does at the 7/25/14 Charlotte show going from Twist -> When the Circus Comes (the latter my all-time favorite cover song, for what it's worth). The smoothness of it demonstrates Phish new found, or re-found, propensity for seamlessly moving from one song to the next. They nail this like it had been rehearsed this way for years. Sorry, but I can only find two separate tracks, so you'll have to deal with a split at the key part, but if you set up your machine correctly it works right on. The transition in question starts around the 6:20 mark in Twist ...

Twist -> When the Circus Comes

How beautiful is that? About as close to perfect as Phish can get if you ask me ...

Personally, while we're waiting for someone to post an audience copy Phish at nTelos Pavilion in Portsmouth, take this opportunity to expand your musical universe by downloading a show from someone else. I highly suggest sets from Jeff Tweedy's current solo tour, which is downright amazing if you ask me. Tweedy never gets his commercial due, and I love that he is at peace with it. Check out this article on NPR touching on that very subject, which provides a link to an entire Tweedy solo performance from the 2014 Newport Folk Festival. If you haven't given Jeff Tweedy the time of day yet do yourself a favor and set the gearshift for the high gear of your soul and listen with all of your guts.

Seriously ...

Phish Portsmouth, VA Set List nTelos Pavilion July 29, 2014
SET ONE
Timber Ho!, Undermind, AC/DC Bag, 555, Divided Sky, Ocelot, Halfway to the Moon, Kill Devil Falls, Split Open and Melt, Good Times Bad Times

SET TWO
Chalk Dust Torture, If I Could, The Line, Birds of a Feather, A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing, Mike's Song^ -> Prince Caspian -> Waves -> Weekapaug Groove, Cavern, Golgi Apparatus -> Run Like an Antelope

ENCORE
Wingsuit, The Squirming Coil

SHOW NOTES
^Birds of a Feather tease; ^^Shock the Monkey tease

LATEST PHISH NEWS FROM AROUND THE WEB
Catching Fire | Mr. Minor's Phish Thoughts
Portsmouth hooks thousands of Phish fans | WAVY Channel 10
Phish nTelos Pavilion Portsmouth Setlist & Skinny, Night One | Jambase
Heavy Police Presence Monitors Concert Goers | WVEC ABC 13
Phish returns to Alabama this weeked, here;s what fans can expect at the shows in Birmingham and Ornage Beach | Birmingham News
TVD Live Shots | The Vinyl District
Matting Music: Phish in Portsmouth, VA | Jam Review

PHOTOS
nTelos Pavilion | HamptonRoads.com
Phish-Eye Lens | Vegas Seven (highlights work of photographer Erik Kabik)

MORE RECENT PHISH NEWS
Balancing Act Keeps Phish Jamming | Washington Post (July 24, 2014)

PHISH NEWS FROM THE ARCHIVES
Is Phish a Great Band? | Grantland (2013)
Interview with Trey Anastasio | The Believer (2011)
Video: How to Draw a Phish Song | New York Times

Brief Mentions
To do today, Phish concert, treasure hunt, ghost tour | HamptonRoads.com
A Dancehall Debut and Love Song from a Philosopher | New York Times

Phish Drops the Bomb for Night Two at Merriweather Post Pavilion, July 27, 2014 Set List

Last night's show (scroll down for the set list) was one for the ages kidoos — a true jaw dropper if you ask me. Phish treated us to yet another summer set of Tweezer madness, seamlessly moving in and out of six songs tied into Tweezer before Fishman blew our collective minds during the first Hold Your Head Up/Vacuum sequence of Summer Tour 2014, punctuated by the universally loathed Jennifer Dances, which Fish said was "a request from the drum set."

Fishman then added, "You know, we know how much you love this song, so we're going to play it for you now," followed by, "Alright they don't know it. I know it. I know it." Click here to watch the bee-uteeful (ahem) of version of Jennifer Dances -- the first time played since the iconic tour run up to Big Cypress.

Ha Ha Ha Ha. They got us good.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD AN AUDIENCE RECORDING OF LAST NIGHT'S SHOW.

On a side note, last night's HYHU segment reminds me of the Walfredo from Sept. 30, 2000 in Las Vegas where Trey, Mike and Page made it a point to clearly sing the line at 7:22: "then Fish played the vacuum/and ruined your set" followed by laughter to the point where they missed the next line of lyrics. (Incidentally, that Vegas show was killer and was one of the first live webcasts — the first one with solid and stable streaming quality anyway, which was quite a big deal for it's day and age.

That Vegas run also was when Trey officially announced Phish was going on an indefinite hiatus so they could come back and bring us "another 20 years of great music." Here's the entire streaming video of set one from 9/30/2000. Looking at it now, Trey did not appear to be in good shape back then, which makes me kind of sad, but that's a topic that's been beaten to death and parts of which I won't cover anymore here at The Wagger since it's already been discussed backwards down the number line.

By the way, who is Walfredo? He was a drummer for Santana when Phish opened for them in 1992, most notably at Merriweather Post Pavilion (Phish and the Trey Anastasio Band have such a history at Merriweather Post) and a memory of  Walfredo Reyes eating crab that's now immortalized in the song that bears his namesake. Check out Walfredo's web site.

Anyway, on to last night's set list ... finally.

Phish Set List Merriweather Post Pavilion July 27, 2014
SET ONE
Free, The Curtain With, 46 Days, 555, My Sweet One, Sand, Bouncing Around the Room, I Saw It Again, Fuego, You Enjoy Myself*

SET TWO
Wilson, Tweezer -> Back on the Train -> Tweezer -> Back on the Train -> Tweezer^ -> Waiting All Night, Free -> Tweezer -> Simple^^ -> Tweezer -> Free -> Catapault*** -> Slave to the Traffic Light -> Down with Disease** -> NICU^^^, Hold Your Head Up^^^^ -> Jennifer Dances -> Hold Your Head Up#, I Been Around^^^^^

ENCORE
Boogie On Reggae Woman -> Tweeprise

SHOW NOTES
*Trey waving around the megaphone and using its siren; **Unfinished; ***Last played 8/14/2009 ^Manteca tease by Page; ^^Magilla tease by Page; ^^^Under Pressure teases; ^^^^Tweezer tease. Also, first time played since 10/16/10 and just the fourth time in history. The band walked off stage in synchronized steps to finish the song; ^^^^^Teezer tease; #Jennifer Dances quote

LATEST PHISH NEWS FROM MAINSTREAM AND OBSCURE SOURCES
Phish start Merriweather Run with electric second set | Jambands.com
Backtracking: Phish, Junta (1989) | Noiseless Chatter
Philosophy @ Phish.net | Phish.net
Phish Setlist: 7/27/14 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD | Coventry Music
Tweezer was teased at the following shows | Phish.net
7/27/14 Review: The town threw down on me | Online Phish Tour
See the best 2014 Phish summer tour videos | PhishTwit

Forums
Phish | Reddit

Brief Mentions
Jay-Z & Beyonce, Elton John, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Phish Tix! | Craigslist Seattle

Phish Night One Set List at Merriweather Post Pavilion, July 26, 2014

I'm just going to let the set list speak for itself. 'Twas a great night of fun and frivolity. The song list is not a huge change from anything this summer, to put it mildly, but it sounds as good to listen to as it looks on paper.

Tonight's show, which is a Sunday show (and remember you NEVER MISS A SUNDAY NIGHT PHISH SHOW) is being webcast live via LivePhish.com. You can order the stream here.

If you're interested in obtaining a killer audience recording of Merriweather's first night (July 26, 2014) you can download the show by clicking here.

Phish Night One Set List at Merriweather Post Pavilion, July 26, 2014
SET ONE
Sample in a Jar, The Moma Dance, Wombat, Backwards Down the Number Line, Roggae, The Wedge, Wolfman's Brother, Nellie Kane*, Lawn Boy, The Line, Stash, Suzy Greenberg

SET TWO
Carini -> Ghost -> Steam -> The Mango Song -> Sing Monica, LIght -> 2001 -> Harry Hood

ENCORE
Julius

SHOW NOTES
*Last played 10/27/13 at the XL Center in Hartford, CT. Nelliw Kane was wedged between Lawn Boy and NICU.

LATEST PHISH NEWS FROM AROUND THE WEB
Phish grace the Queen City with an expanded Winterqueen | Jambands.com
Phish announce fall tour dates (A top story) | AntiMusic.com
Phish Merriweather Post Pavilion 2014 Setlist & Skinny, Night One | Jambase
Phish returns to Charlotte | Edgewater County Confidential
Phish — 7/25/14 — Charlotte, NC | PanicStream.com
Phish effects? | Yahoo! Answers
Phish Yoga Pre-MPP | Phish.net
Phish Dry Goods | SpotTrot
Quiet Nights: DElicate Jams and Lots of Songs in Charlotte | The Medium
Fuego Teases | Phish.net
A Live One - Celebrating the Music of Phish | B-Scene Magazine
Phish: Family, Balance in Focus - The Columbian | 490live.com

Brief Mentions
Phish @ MGM Grand Garden Arena - THREE NIGHTS! | Now-Events.net
153 | TigerDroppings.com
Pickin' On Phish and Pickin' on Dead Feat. Andy Thorn of Leftover Salmon | Souls In Action
Phish-David Bowie | JambandLotShirts.com

Phish to Spend Next Two Nights at Merriweather Post Pavilion and July 25, 2014 Charlotte Set List

Last night's show (scroll down for the complete set list and the latest news from around the web) in Charlotte was a barn burner — absolutely blistering.

If you're interested in a killer audience recording of the show you can download one by clicking here. The sound quality is awesome. I don't know about you but I often prefer audience recordings as opposed to a soundboard recording because you can hear the music as it sounded coming off the stage, complete with the crowd's reaction. The official LivePhish.com download from Charlotte is great too, don't get me wrong, but LivePhish.com soundboards just don't translate, to me at least, the full effect of being there — the soundboards sound too homogenized for me at times.

For any doubters out there, Click here and listen to the jam coming out of Chalk Dust Torture. Pure bliss to TheWagger's ears, fo sho! The Piper -> Rift was killer as well with a seamless transition between the two songs.

Tonight's show is being webcast live over at LivePhish.com for about $20 ($19.99). Don't forget kiddos, while I'm betting tonight's show will lay to waste the Columbia, MD shopping center just up the street from Merriweather Post you never want to miss a Sunday night Phish show. Ever. Period. Just look at all of the Google entries out there about never missing a Sunday Phish show. Point. Set. Match. So, if you're on the fence I would bet on paying for the webcast tomorrow night rather than tonight (Saturday).

Anyway, last night's show was blistering and well worth adding to your collection. The Mike's Song opener was the first time the song has been dropped in that slot since June 16, 2012 at Bader Field in Atlantic City. It's also just the 16th time in history that Mike's Song has ever opened a show in the 800-or-so times it's been performed  since making its debut March 16, 1985 at Doolin's in Burlington, VT. Also played that night in 1985 was the totally obscure Skippy the Wondermouse, as well as the first known performance of Alumni Blues.

What's up tonight at Merriweather? I have $100 that says Run Like an Antelope closes set one. Any takers? And hopefully we will finally get the ever illusive You Enjoy Myself, which seems to have become a rarity these days. And where did Fluffhead go for that matter???

Phish Setlist PNC Music Pavilion Charlotte, N.C. July 25, 2014
SET ONE
Mike's Song -> Back on the Train -> Weekapaug Groove, Wingsuit -> Possum, Tube -> My Friend My Friend, Winterqueen, Beauty of a Broken Heart, David Bowie^, Golgi Apparatus

SET TWO
555 -> Chalk Dust Torture* -> Feugo -> Twist -> When the Circus Comes -> Piper -> Rift. Waiting All Night, Reba^^, Character Zero^^

ENCORE
Love Cup

SHOW NOTES
*Unfinished; ^Beauty of a Broken Heart tease; Fuego teases

LATEST NEWS ABOUT PHISH FOUND FLOATING IN CYBERSPACE
Jam band Phish set to play dates in California and Nevada | Los Angeles Times
Mike Gordon joins Gov't Mule in Charlotte | Jambands.com
Phish Setlist: 7/25/14 Charlotte, NC | Coventry Music

Music of Latin Guitars, Phish at MC Opera House | The New Times
Episode 26: Phish Tour | Dope Stories
Pre-Phish Party at Denver's Sculpture Park | TwiddleMusic.com
Phish: Dick's Sports Good Park | Denver Theater
VIDEO: Phish 20 July 2014 Set One | PhishTwit
Phish Bikes into Merriweather Post Pavilion? | GetExley.com

Brief Mentions
Concert on-sales" IHeartRadio Fest, Phil Lesh, Brad Paisley and more | Las Vegas Weekly
Phish Tickets | StubHub
Hand Signal, Drug Question | Reddit
A Live One Phish Tribute | Do512
95.7 The Rock: Tonight's Phish Find Blew Me Away | Facebook

Phish Rolls into Charlotte Tonight, Second Leg of Summer Tour Begins

The Phish circus known as Summer Tour 2014 reconvenes in Charlotte, N.C. tonight (Yes, I got my dates mixed up yesterday. Thanks to those of you who pointed it out.) following a mid-week, four-night break leading up to this weekend's two-night run at the ever sweet Merriweather Post Pavilion. Hopefully the setlist will expand over the next few nights, although I believe the mostly greatest hits approach they've been taking is going to stick for now. Here's hoping for change ...

BTW, there used to be a plaque on a tree at Merriweather Post saying how many times and what dates the Grateful Dead played there, but I can't seem to find a photo of it on the web. Anyone know if it still exists?

LATEST PHISH NEWS FROM AROUND THE WEB
Balancing act keeps Phish jamming | Washington Post
How I spent my summer vacation: Catching a lot of Phish concerts | The Buffalo News
Phish in Vegas: Returning to the scene of the crime | IShitMusic.com
Phans under 25: How did you get into the band? | Reddit
Phish announce fall 2014 tour dates | Moscow Ex-Pat

Brief mentions
Ryan Adams tickets on sale tomorrow; Phish tickets available Aug. 8 | The Oregonian
My take on Mayhem | Saratoga Today

Fall Tour Freakout: Latest Phish News from Around the Web

We're still one more day away from the next show on Phish's 2014 Summer Tour, which will go down in Charlotte before heading to the hallowed Merriweather Post Pavilion. Mr. Minor wrote this essay that pretty much sums up how the tour is proceeding and begs the question: What will the legacy of Phish's 2014 Summer Tour be? I don't always agree with Mr. Minor but I love the fact that he's still cranking out essays on a regular basis.

I also wanted to mention, there's been a lot of talk about the jam coming out of Wombat during the Northerly Island run last weekend. Almost everything I read talks about how great this jam was but I just don't see it. I mean, it was fun and all, especially while it was happening, but I just don't hear its awesomeness. They sound a little disjointed to me for parts of it, then it just drops into space. Give it a listen and you be the judge.

LATEST NEWS ON PHISH
Mid-tour awards | Mr. Minor's Phish Thoughts
Phish-eye lens | Vegas Seven
Phish to Webcast Merriweather Post Pavilion Shows | Jambands.com
Phish announces Seattle stop on fall tour | The News Tribune
Phish Randall's Island videos: Ghost and Chalk Dust | Coventry Music
Phish announces fall 2014 our dates, Halloween in Las Vegas | Live Music Blog
Phish is getting old fans back | Phish.net forum post

Phish Fall Tour Announced, Halloween in Las Vegas

Twitter exploded yesterday (scroll down for tour dates) once word got out that Phish planned a west coast swing in October that included smaller venues up and down the Pacific time zone, ending with a three-night inverted Halloween run at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

That's right. Phish at the MGM Grand. Roll the dice and put it all down on fun.

I'm so friggin' happy they are finally coming back to Oregon. Yes, they play The Gorge every other year but for this Oregonian coming back to The Beaver State has a lot of sentimental value. Eugene is where I went to college, so having the chance to drive 110 miles south from Portland to see them play on the campus of my alma mater at The Oregon Ducks' basketball court means a lot.

And the LA Forum? That's where I saw my first Grateful Dead show while I was attending music college at the Musician's Institute a lifetime ago.

And how about the Santa Barbara Bowl? That's basically a park. Sooooo tiny. How tiny is it? Look. Hit those shows if you can kids. Too bad they moved this Santa Claus from Carpenteria (Santa Barbara). That was a landmark in SB off Highway 101 for decades.

The show in Chula Vista, er, San Diego, would be fun just because Tijuana is right there. Talk about people watching. I'd love to just go down there and check out all the Phishheads hitting up the pharmacies in TJ.

So, the question becomes: What is Phish going to do for Halloween? In this interview following the Live on Letterman gig, Page and Trey talk about being burnt out on learning someone else's album. It became more of a chore for Phish than fun. So, maybe this is the time once and for all they break out Gamehendge? Why not? I've seen sillier predictions about what Phish may or may not do.

PHISH FALL TOUR DATES
Eugene, OR, Matthew Knight Arena | Oct. 17
Seattle, WA, Key Arena | Oct. 18
Santa Barbara, CA, Santa Barbara Bowl | Oct. 21-22
Los Angeles, CA, The Forum | Oct. 24
San Diego (Chula Vista), CA, Sleep Train Amphitheater | Oct. 25
San Francisco, CA, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium | Oct. 27-29
Las Vegas, NV, MGM Grand | Oct. 31-Nov. 2

MORE PHISH NEWS
Phish fall tour; Vegas, San Francisco dates announced | San Jose Mercury News
Show number one: Phish at CMAC | UpStateLive.com
Phish tour leak: Fall show in Inglewood, CA confirmed | Jambands.com
Reports from Phish, Neutral Milk Hotel, Pig & Whiskey and more | Detroit Metro Times
Couch Tour Alert: Phish at Merriweather Post Pavilion | Jambase
***Middling in the Midway | Mr. Minor's Phish Thoughts***
Live Review: Phish Randall's Island NYC 7/11/14 | Rock the Body Electric
Ticketmaster leaks west coast Phish fall tour date | Live for Live Music

Sunday Redemption: Phish Setlist from Northerly Island, Chicago, July 20, 2014

Per usual, Phish knocked it out of the park on Sunday to end the three-night run at Northerly Island in Chicago. Always remember kiddos, NEVER MISS A SUNDAY SHOW. Period.

Last night was just was the second time in history Gumbo opened a show, the other time being 11/28/1998, a fantastic show with a wild setlist that included an Albuquerque, which has only been played 16 times in history, and the only Mule Duel ever between just Mike and Fishman. Read the setlist from that show here.

Phish Setlist FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island, Chicago, July 20, 2014
SET ONE
Gumbo, Runaway Jim, Tela, The Line, Scent of a Mule*, Bathtub Gin^, Silent in the Morning, Maze, Ocelot, Walls of the Cave

SET TWO
Down with Disease** -> Winterqueen-> Theme from the Bottom, Mike's Song -> The Wedge, Ghost -> Weekapaug Groove^^, First Tube

ENCORE
Character Zero

SHOW NOTES
*Page, Mike and Trey hop on Fishman's drums, Fishman plays Marimba Lumina; **Unfinished; ^Mule tease; ^^San Ho Zay, Stash and Ghost teases.

LATEST NEWS ABOUT PHISH
Northerly Island Chicago Setlist Thread | Reddit
Run Phish Run | PhishTwit
Dear Northerly Island | PhishnChips
Review: Phish with Ken Kesey and Merry Pranksters 8/14/97 | CoryFerber
Northerly 2: They Keep it Rollin' | OnlinePhishTour.com

Phish Setlist FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island, Chicago, Ill. July 19, 2014

I'm sorry but I have to say last night's first set was flat out awful, in my opinion. I'm having issues with the not-so-varied setlists and the awful, just awful, harmonizing. I find myself getting really irritated with Phish, which has never happened before this tour. Whatever, I can't be curmudgeon forever.

Now having said that, last night's second set is a good one to have around to play when you want to show someone what Phish is all about. It was nice to see Brian and Robert show up in Chicago, and followed by my new favorite song, Wingsuit, but paired those two made for a lot of mid-first set downtime ...

I have $100 that says the encore from tonight's show (Sunday, July 20) is Character Zero. Any takers? Watch the LivePhish.com webcast and find out.

BTW, what's with all of the Wombat hating? How can anyone hate a song that is so quintessentially Phish? To each his/her own I guess.

And that theme from the Fish TV show? Funky as hell. Listen to it.

Phish Setlist FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island, Chicago, Ill. July 19, 2014
SET ONE
The Moma Dance, Wolfman's Brother, Devotion to a Dream, 46 Days, Yarmouth Road, Brian and Robert, Wingsuit, Tube*, Free**, Roggae, Heavy Things, Run Like and Antelope***

SET TWO
Carini -> Waves -> Fuego^ -> Twist^^ -> Light -> 20 Years Later, Harry Hood# -> Cavern

ENCORE
Grind, Bug, Suzy Greenberg#

SHOW NOTES
*Smoke on the Water tease; **Wingsuit quote; ***Istanbul and Smoke on the Water teases; ^Little Drummer Boy tease; ^^Fuego and San Ho Zay teases; #Fuego teases

PHISH NEWS THAT WASHED UP ON THE WEB
Recap: Chicago1 -- Had to have that | Phish.net
If you hate Wombat please respond | Reddit
Northerly 1: A flow show | OnlinePhishTour.com
Watch: Robert Randolph slides through Phish's Wilson | Live for Live Music

PHOTOS
Abby Fox Photography (some killer stuff here)

Phish Setlist FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island, Chicago, Ill. July 18, 2014

Obviously, everyone is still talking about last night's Wombat. The new favorite, fledgling tune took on a life of its own at Northerly Island when Phish took the song out for a little walk after all the verses were finished, and settled into a nice little melodic jam. Nothing at all spectacular, but fun to hear.

While everyone continues to hope that Phish will take Wombat into super-nasty deep dripping funk territory one of these days, the kids seemed alright with last night's foray. I'm still trying to get used to many of the jams sounding not exactly cohesive, like everyone is reaching for different parts while trying to keep the music from coming completely uprooted ...

As I discussed in yesterday's post, their harmonizing seems to be reaching new levels of yeech! Case in point, last night each "chorus" of 555 was some of the worst singing I've heard from Phish. Trey is so far off I don't even know what to say. I really wish they would care about the vocals as much as the music.

Don't forget, tonight's show is being webcast live at LivePhish.com.

SET ONE
555, Kill Devil Falls, Bouncing Around the Room, Reba, Waiting All Night, Birds of a Feather, Halfway to the Moon, Sparkle, Sample in a Jar, A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing, Stash, The Squirming Coil

SET TWO
Golden Age -> The Mango Song, Sand -> Piper -> Halley's Comet, Wombat - Chalk Dust Torture -> Slave to the Traffic Light

ENCORE
Julius

LATEST PHISH MENTIONS FROM AROUND THE WEB
Phish Chicago Setlist & The Skinny: Night One | Jambase
The Ultimate Phish Summer Tour Guide, by a Recently Divorced Dad | CollegeHumor.com
Jammin' with Phish! | Big Delicious Planet (these guys are catering backstage at Northerly Island)

STREAMING
Northerly Island 7/18/2014 Set One (LivePhish.com stream)


STR

Waiting All Night for Phish: Three-Night Chicago Run Starts Tonight

And away we go kiddos. Phish rolls into the FirstMerit Bank Pavilion on Northerly Island in Chicago, Ill. for a three-night weekend run, and those in attendance are in for one helluva weekend. Phish is in full stride, firing on all cylinders and accomplishing other cliches referring to being on top of your game (like that one). If you have tickets for this weekend you are golden. My gut tells me the boys are about to drop a weekend of shows that will be remembered through the ages as the run of shows that defined what they were all about at this point in time.

Phish is web casting the entire shindig at LivePhish.com, all three nights for $53.97 (how exactly did they arrive at that odd price? Why not just make it $54???) or single night web-isodes for $19.99 (don't let 'em fool ya, they mean $20). If you are one of the few who have not watched a Phish show live via streaming apparatus, this is the weekend to do so.

Last night I was listening to the 30-minute Chalk Dust Torture from Randall's Island and I had a very emotional reaction to it. Emotional in that my feelings ran the gamut from irritation to pure bliss during the improv. Everyone is going crazy over the Randall's Island run but I feel like the jams are unfocused and sound completely disjointed for the most part, with sections where they finally come together and perform a cohesive, coherent piece of music. I find myself talking to my monitor ... "Come on Trey." or "What the f&*$ was that?" or "Are you listening to each other?" and "Wow, that was incredible!"

I also feel like their harmonizing has never been worse. They consistently are singing out of key and at times sound absolutely terrible — cringe-worthy for sure. They must be aware of what they sound like, right?

Having said all that Phish appears to be on the verge of a musical breakthrough and there's a great chance they are going to ride the back of the worm this weekend in Chicago.

BTW, is anyone else hearing Miami for New Year's Eve?

LATEST PHISH NEWS FROM AROUND THE INTER-WEBS
Justin Beiber playing Divided Sky | Instagram
Phish take it easy, repeat Fuego in Clarkston, MI | Jambands.com
Phish brings the Fuego to Michigan's DTE Energy Music Theatre | LiveForLiveMusic.com
Concert Review: Phish heats up a chilly night at DTE | Oakland Press
Paul McCartney references Phish in interview | Jambands.com
Win 2 tickets to 1 night of Phish in Chicago this weekend | Relix
IN THE MUSIC SPOTLIGHT: Phish | Chicago Sun-Times
Two Meh'd Week Affairs | Mr. Minor's Phish Thoughts
Phish's 'A Picture of Nectar' gets the vinyl treatment | Modern Vinyl
Pine Knob recap: Return to the Midwest | Phish.net

PHOTOS
26 fun photos from last night's Phish concert at DTE Energy | Detroit Metro Times
Phish | CrowdAlbum.com

Brief mentions:
Slyde Phish Handboard

Phish Setlist DTE Energy Music Center, Clarkston, Michigan, July 16, 2014

Phish's 2014 summer tour seems to be ripping by, and I mean that two ways: the shows are ticking off quickly and the band is absolutely ripping it. Mr. Minor does a good job of summing up the fun and frivolity here. Did you catch any shows this tour? Tell us about your experience. Nice to see It's Ice makes its way into the setlist. Also cool the way Mike's Song has been played pretty straight and the two songs following it have been unexpected.

Coming up next, three nights at Chicago's Northerly Island ...

Phish Setlist DTE Energy Music Center, Clarkston, Michigan, July 16, 2014
SET ONE
Wolfman's Brother, Devotion to a Dream, Wilson -> Poor Heart, The Moma Dance, Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan, Lawn Boy, Yarmouth Road -> Rift, The Line, It's Ice -> 46 Days

SET TWO
Mike's Song -> Ghost -> Prince Caspian* -> Backwards Down the Number Line -> Weekepaug Groove, Cavern -> Piper -> Waiting All Night, Tweezer -> Fuego -> Tweeprise

ENCORE
2001 -> Possum

SHOW NOTES
*Without traditional ending/unfinished.

LATEST PHISH NEWS AND MORE FROM AROUND THE WEB
Phish deliver expansive "Down with Disease" in Canandaigua | Jambands.com
Drug charges for Erie County man before Phish concert | Irondequoit Post
Basically Frightened: Phish tribute to Col. Bruce Hampton | Jambase
"Live on Letterman" Trey/Page interview | Phish.net
Phish: Fuego | Clouds and Clocks
Track by Track review of Phish's new album, Fuego | Smart Bass Guitar

Phish Setlist CMAC Canandaigua, NY July 15, 2014

The "new" songs are already sounding like familiar old friends. Fuego the album sank in and although at first I wasn't quite convinced I liked it the music grew on me. Still, it's an unsettling album. There's something about the songs that are strange, like they come from a place that's a little off center. I respect the effort even more because it haunts me so ...

That's three Character Zeros, three Harry Hoods, four David Bowies and four Antelopes by all counts. It sucks they are trotting these out so much. As much as I appreciate the energy in Character Zero I just can't stand the lackluster, out-of-tune vocals. It ruins it for me. And Antelope feels stale, like the whole wind-up at the end is contrived ...

TONIGHT, phish rolls into Pine Knob, or as it's known now the DTE Music Center in Pontiac, Michigan. I saw the Grateful Dead at Pine Knob back in 1991. Five people in a two-door Honda Civic hatchback from West Palm Beach, Fla. to Pine Knob, over to Solder Field and back. Only two of us talk anymore. Odd setlists from the Dead that weekend. June 19-20, 1991 check it out.

Phish Setlist CMAC Canandaigua, NY July 15, 2014
SET ONE
Buried Alive, Twist, Heavy Things, 555, Halley's Comet -> Bathtub Gin, Wingsuit, Divided Sky, Wombat, David Bowie

SET TWO
Down with Disease* -> Back on the Train -> NICU -> Gotta Jibboo, Theme from the Bottom -> Meatstick -> Fuego, The Wedge, Run Like an Antelope**

ENCORE
Character Zero***

SHOW NOTES
*Pop Goes the Weasel tease from Mike; San Ho Zay tease from Trey; ** Meastick, Fuego, St. Thomas teases; ***Meatstick, Fuego teases.

PHISH NEWS AND MENTIONS FROM AROUND THE WEB
Phish performing Fuego | MediaCom Today
Phish fans flock to CMAC | Canandaigua Daily Messenger
Phish played three nights on Randall's Island | Brooklyn Vegan
In Defense of Phish | Noisey
Randall's Reprise | Mr. Minor's Phish Thoughts
Phish played "Waiting All Night" + "Fuego" on The Tonight Show | Live Music Blog
Rock Bottom Chicago celebrates Phish with a fundraiser | Phish.net
Phish: Halfway to the Moon | DailyMotion

Brief mentions: Three new Phish posters by James Flames | OMGposters.com

Randall's Island New York Phish Setlist July 13, 2014

The scoop on lot prices sent to me circuitously from the ground troops at Randall's Island: $10 show towels; Jameson shots, 2 for $5; $20 "It's Ice" lot shirt; $10 bunk doses from fat, sweaty Albanian dude ...

SET ONE
Sand, Winterqueen, Reba, Birds of a Feather, Water in the Sky, Possum, Runaway Jim, Bouncing Around the Room, Maze, Split Open and Melt

SET TWO
Chalk Dust Torture -> Light -> Tweezer, Wading in the Velvet Sea, Sing Monica, Slave to the Traffic Light

ENCORE
Backwards Down the Number Line, Tweeprise

LATEST PHISH NEWS FROM AROUND THE WEB
Phish's Triumph in Randall's Island Finale | Jambands.com
Setlist / Notes: Phish @ Randall's Island, New York, NY 7.12.14 | Live Music Blog
Phish Setlist: 7/12/14 Randall's Island, NYC - Night 2 | Coventry Music
Randall's 1 Recap: Island Tour Revisited | Phish.net
From the Outside: Phish at Last | Sensible Reason

Brief mentions: Last Best Show: Friday in Boston | Boston Herald

Randall's Island New York Phish Setlist July 11, 2014

SET ONE
The Moma Dance, Kill Devil Falls, Ya Mar, Bathtub Gin, 555, Rift, Sample in a Jar, The Wedge, Waiting All Night, Stash*

SET TWO
Steam -> Down with Disease -> Golden Age -> Limb by Limb -> Fuego -> David Bowie, Cavern

ENCORE
Character Zero

SHOW NOTES
*Theme from The Munsters tease.

LATEST NEWS ABOUT PHISH FROM AROUND THE WEB


Why people love Phish | Village Voice
Setlist / Notes: Phish @ Randall's Island, New York, NY 7.11.14 | LiveMusicBlog
Boy, Mann. | Mr. Minor's Phish Thoughts
Watch Phish cover the Talking Heads and play the rare McGrupp & The Watchful Hosemasters | The Key - WKPN
Phish-Fuego Review | Rating with Ears

Brief mentions: Road Trip | The Telegraph; Phish in Chicago Live Stream Viewing Party | The 1 Up