EPIC
by JOECfromWAVETOWN on 8/12/09TOYOTA PARK - BridgeviewRating: 5 out of 5Phish came out on fire and they never slowed down! Highlights of the show for me were sample in a jar, WILSON, corini, loving cup, paul and silas...i could go on and on!
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Phish in Concert
Probably no other band around today is more about the live experience than Phish. As the undisputed kings of the jam-band movement that began in the '80s and exploded in the '90s with bands like Widespread Panic, Blues Traveler, and The Spin Doctors, they defined a style that was song-based but also about improvisation and the magic of the moment. When they brought their creative collision of rock, jazz, funk, folk, and country influences to a quickly expanding grassroots fan base in the '80s, a movement was born -- one in which the music was constantly developing before the audience's eyes and ears. Trey Anastasio's guitar, Page McConnell's keyboards, Mike Gordon's bass, and Jon Fishman's drums engage in a four-part conversation that's constantly evolving. Whether the band is playing tunes off classic Phish releases like 'Billy Breathes' and 'The Story of the Ghost,' or performing one of their famous Halloween shows where they cover another artist's album in its entirety, like The Who's 'Quadrophenia' or Talking Heads' 'Remain in Light,' Phish is always in flux. While headlining festivals like Bonnaroo, or hosting their own, like The Clifford Ball and Magnaball, or keeping an event all to themselves, the band maintains an unbreakable connection with their huge, hardcore audience of Phish Heads.
Phish Background
Phish got its start at The University of Vermont in 1983, when guitarists Trey Anastasio and Jeff Holdsworth, bass man Mike Gordon, and drummer Jon Fishman started jamming informally. But by the mid '80s, when Holdsworth had departed and keyboardist Page McConnell arrived to solidify the band's lineup, the band was truly beginning to define its sound -- a mix of Grateful Dead-inspired psychedelic jamming, jazzy fluidity, and funk-savvy grooves. Phish released its first, self-titled album in 1986, but like the Dead, they were always more about the live experience than the recording studio. And by the end of the '80s they were hitting the road hard, building up a hefty, dedicated audience and pretty much creating the jam-band circuit in the process. Their songwriting shone on albums like 'A Picture of Nectar,' 'Billy Breathes,' and 'The Story of a Ghost,' while their concerts became a nexus for thousands of hardy Phish Heads. You can't keep Phish out of water for long, and these days they continue to take their idiosyncratic but infectious sound to the people, creating new generations of Phish fans along the way.
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Phish came out on fire and they never slowed down! Highlights of the show for me were sample in a jar, WILSON, corini, loving cup, paul and silas...i could go on and on!
There were a few moments of sloppy play, but overall, it was a solid performance. Good setlists, great venue.
Phish is always awesome and they were again last night.
A little disappointed with opening set, but then they made up for it with the 2nd set.
Phish is a must see concert for the Rock and Roll fan in the USA. Every song is lkike a different story and the lights are the best Ive ever seen in my life!!
First off, I just wanted to say that Toyota Park provided an impressive outdoor venue for a concert. I wasn't sure what to expect having not been there before. It was a big place, yet intimate. Down on the field you could see the stage from everywhere and it was easy to move around. Phish came out to a first set of many of their new songs, but also threw in some great classics like Gumbo and Sample in a Jar. The second set lit the place ablaze busting out fan favorites like Carini, Wilson, Harry Hood and Squirming Coil. Phish was definitely on their game and they rocked out at their first time to Toyota Park.
Not really used to the stadium show thing with these guys, but they brought out some heavy hitters and sprinkled in plenty of nuggets along the way. The sound itself could have used a little help, but some of that was due to the Windy City. Overall, there's no place I would have rather been last night than sharing in the groove with 20K+ phreaks on the southside. Well done Bridgeview. And thanks for letting us hang out afterwards for a while. No sense getting in that traffic when there's still people getting down.
I've been to quite a few shows in my life, but never had a seed Phish until last night. I gotta say, easily was in the top 3 of best/most fun shows I have ever attended. The energy was flowing freely and wildly. I wish I could hit the rewind button and do it all over again!
Absolutely the best concert I've been to in many years. It's hard to describe but every song keeps you anticipating....the next beat, the next sound, the next chord...... I loved every minute - all 240 of them!
Phish rocked the house. It was quite fun. The tailgate is always a blast!
They jammed like always but the selection of songs was crap. Most disappointing show I've been too in over 10 years. First set featured almost all new songs which were ok, but nothing great.
After seeing the side projects of phish, Finally seeing them all together was quite the experience. With such a huge crowd at Toyota Park the place was really groovin.
Phish played some of the best sets here that I've seen in years, and when I say years, I mean years before the hiatus...so it's been a while. These shows have inspired me to finally get a Phish tattoo, that's how good they were.
Phish played two marathon sets with the same tight precision as back in the day... it's been five years & they still have it! The song selection was amazing and the lights were spectacular (as always). Catching a live Phish show can be described as one of the best times of your life & seeing them at a venue as picturesque as the Gorge is a dream come true!
If you aren't going to Festy 8. You might want to get checked out by a doctor. The gorge is beautiful, the sound is amazing, the band was on the top of the entire summer tour. They brought the funk and the improvisational jams unlike the first two legs of the tour. Phish is back ! Don't sleep on the next one.
This was my first show back since 2004 and I was absolutely overjoyed to see how together the band was. The music was outstanding...and the second night was one of the best shows I have seen.
PHiSH just ruined every other band out there for me! The Gorge shows are amazing!
Phish rules your face & mine, Phish is so fine they blow my mind.
The first night was amazing, most likely the best show I have ever seen. They sounded so good together. The second night they pulled out all the tricks. Four sets two encores, Eight hours of unforgettable music.
It's hard to have a bad experience at the Gorge. The view only enhances the musical experience. However, this was PHiSH, back together and rejuvenated, and firing on all 4 cylinders with more RPMs than they have since their return to Hampton in March. The mix has been corrected - Mike's bass is now back to being punchy and a leader of the improvisational jams, and the overall sound quality left nothing to be desired. The four-headed monster that is Phish jamming at their peak has returned. At times, they were so locked into one another, it didn't seem fair to all other bands. The instrumental communication between the band members had them taking wonderful strolls out of the confines of their usual compositions to explore some beautiful musical statements that matched the inspiration of the surrounding cliffs, river and wind turbines. Friday night felt more inspired in terms of song selection, but their quality of execution never floundered. Just check out how they quickly meandered out of the You Enjoy Myself jam. Definitely a gem of a weekend.