Phish Summer Tour June 2010 by Eric Hietpas
After a triumphant return to touring the country in 2009, jam band giant Phish embarks on a two-leg 29-date tour beginning June 11th, at Toyota Park in Chicago, Illinois; all of this leading up to the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Austin, Texas October 8th.
Last year’s tour really showed the band’s willingness to dig deep into their vast catalog of songs and perform them live once again. It all began with the first notes at Hampton Coliseum in March when Phish launched into ‘Fluffhead’, a song that hadn’t been played in 70 shows. It continued two nights later when they played ‘Sanity’, a first in 186 shows. Along the way were some picturesque moments; one being the singing of the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ from the pitcher’s mound at Fenway Park in Boston. Songs also coming out of the woodwork last year include: ‘Train Song’, ‘Lengthwise’, and Velvet Underground’s ‘Oh! Sweet Nuthin’. With the polish to these and other rarities, a bust-out song is clearly just a note away.
The 2009 tour ended with a 4 night run at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida; the last night being a massive 3 set New Year’s Eve show (see helicopter spotlights and drummer’s being “launched” from a cannon). Phish’s creativity at the end of the year was reaching a crescendo.
For those residing in or around Wisconsin, Phish is once again playing two nights at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy on August 14th and 15th. This location has long been a venue for the band to attempt some unique ideas. The 4 song encore in 1999 comes to mind. Last year was no different. June 20th saw the band perform an amazing ‘Ghost’ followed by a very touching ‘The Lizards’. The following night, the band opened with the song ‘Brother’ with all of the band member’s children together at the front of the stage to honor Father’s Day. If that wasn’t enough, Phish launched into ‘The Man Who Stepped into Yesterday’>’Avenu Malkenu’>’The Man Who Stepped into Yesterday’ toward the end of the first set. To close the night, Phish encored with Edgar Winter’s ‘Frankenstein’ which saw Trey Anastasio playing a 5-neck guitar, Page McConnell on keytar, and Mike Gordon playing a flaming bass. What the band has in store this summer is anyone’s guess.
If the pure joy the band displayed on stage all of last year is any indication, 2010 has the makings of another mind melting experience that will stay with listeners for years to come.
Last year’s tour really showed the band’s willingness to dig deep into their vast catalog of songs and perform them live once again. It all began with the first notes at Hampton Coliseum in March when Phish launched into ‘Fluffhead’, a song that hadn’t been played in 70 shows. It continued two nights later when they played ‘Sanity’, a first in 186 shows. Along the way were some picturesque moments; one being the singing of the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ from the pitcher’s mound at Fenway Park in Boston. Songs also coming out of the woodwork last year include: ‘Train Song’, ‘Lengthwise’, and Velvet Underground’s ‘Oh! Sweet Nuthin’. With the polish to these and other rarities, a bust-out song is clearly just a note away.
The 2009 tour ended with a 4 night run at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida; the last night being a massive 3 set New Year’s Eve show (see helicopter spotlights and drummer’s being “launched” from a cannon). Phish’s creativity at the end of the year was reaching a crescendo.
For those residing in or around Wisconsin, Phish is once again playing two nights at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy on August 14th and 15th. This location has long been a venue for the band to attempt some unique ideas. The 4 song encore in 1999 comes to mind. Last year was no different. June 20th saw the band perform an amazing ‘Ghost’ followed by a very touching ‘The Lizards’. The following night, the band opened with the song ‘Brother’ with all of the band member’s children together at the front of the stage to honor Father’s Day. If that wasn’t enough, Phish launched into ‘The Man Who Stepped into Yesterday’>’Avenu Malkenu’>’The Man Who Stepped into Yesterday’ toward the end of the first set. To close the night, Phish encored with Edgar Winter’s ‘Frankenstein’ which saw Trey Anastasio playing a 5-neck guitar, Page McConnell on keytar, and Mike Gordon playing a flaming bass. What the band has in store this summer is anyone’s guess.
If the pure joy the band displayed on stage all of last year is any indication, 2010 has the makings of another mind melting experience that will stay with listeners for years to come.
