On the Road Again Night 13 Phish

Photo by Dino Perrucci

Phish'south Bakery Dozen stand at New York'due south Madison Foursquare Garden was a historic result across the board—for the ring, for their fans and for the venue, who enshrined The Vermont Quartet with a banner on the run's terminal night. As Jon Fishman pointed out during the residency's penultimate show, they'd been toying with the Baker'due south Dozen idea for two decades and, though once accounted economically and musically unfeasible, Phish pulled off a stunt that managed to reenergize their e'er belittling fanbase: thirteen shows, 26 sets, 237 songs, no repeats.

Whereas some bands slow downward with age, with the Baker's Dozen Phish establish a new way to excite and ignite their audience. They disrepair out long-forgotten cover tunes, introduced new, wild song interpretations that fit nigh nighttime's donut themes, and even worked a number of side-project selections and once-forgotten studio experiments into the live Phish catalog.

Throughout, Phish also reminded fans new and former that, 34 years into their career, they are still capable of crafting classic, open-ended jams and, when given the fourth dimension and space to get comfortable, they are the most creative touring act of their day. While only time will tell how the Baker's Dozen impacts Phish's next phase, hither'southward a await at what went downwards during their historic thirteen-night run.

JULY 21: Coconut DONUT

"Coconuts and chloroform…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Tweezer"> "Seven Below" and "Everything's Right"> "Slave to the Traffic Low-cal"> "Suzy Greenberg"

DEBUTS: Inferior Senior's "Shake Your Coconuts;" Harry Nilsson'due south "Coconut"

BUSTOUTS: "Pigtail," last performed on July 9, 2016 (39 shows); David Bowie'due south "Moonage Daydream," last performed on Oct. 31, 2016 (13 shows, second performance ever)

RECAP: The free energy in Madison Foursquare Garden was palpable equally the lights went down on night one of the Baker's Dozen. A "Shake Your Coconuts" debut fit the show's theme, but it was the back-to-back performances of "Reba," "Moonage Fantasize" and "Walls of the Cave" that put the eager audition into a frenzied state. Conspicuously, Phish had a game plan when they rolled into MSG; a just-as-potent set 2 opened with an amped-up "Tweezer"> "Seven Below" jam. Subsequently, they wrapped things upward neatly with an a cappella debut of Harry Nilsson's "Kokosnoot" and a concluding encore of Led Zeppelin's "Good Times Bad Times."

July 22: STRAWBERRY DONUT

"Strawberry fields forever…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Split up Open and Cook"> "Down With Disease (Reprise)"> "Shine a Light"

DEBUTS: The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever" (a cappella); Shuggie Otis' "Strawberry Alphabetic character 23"

BUSTOUTS: "All of These Dreams," last played on Oct. 26, 2010 (251 shows)

Epitomize: Nighttime two'due south theme was strawberry, but "Down With Disease" was the real star. The Phish mainstay opened the 2d set, then segued into a debut of "Strawberry Number 23." Fans idea "Illness" would go unfinished but it was eventually completed subsequently a rocking "Dissever Open and Cook." This initial rehashing of the Hoist staple would foreshadow a slew of reprises throughout the Baker's Dozen. After, Phish served up a helping of Frank Zappa and Talking Heads ("Peaches En Regalia"> "Cities") earlier ending the nighttime with a joyous "My Sweet One." "Peaches" tied upwards a loose end, too, equally Otis actually played bass on the classic Zappa track.

JULY 23: Blood-red VELVET DONUT

"I've been wading in the velvet sea…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Theme From the Bottom"> "It's Ice"> "More than" and "Wolfman's Brother"> "Twist"

DEBUTS: The Velvet Underground's "Sunday Morning"

BUSTOUTS: The Velvet Hole-and-corner's "Sweet Jane," last played on June 29, 2012 (193 shows)

RECAP: For Red Velvet night, lighting designer Chris Kuroda bathed Madison Square Garden in red calorie-free and the group dotted the setlist with Velvet Underground songs. The evening'due south best gag arrived early. As Trey Anastasio slid backside the drum kit, Fishman emerged in full Cosmic regalia—complete with holy water—to bless his crowd while singing The Velvet Hole-and-corner'southward "Sun Morning."

JULY 25: JAM-FILLED DONUT

"We're jammin'… I desire to jam it with you…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Backyard Boy" and "Crosseyed and Painless"

DEBUTS: "End of Session" (recorded for 1998's Story of the Ghost and never performed live)

Epitomize: It was articulate from the first few notes of "Sample in a Jar," traditionally one of Phish'due south most tightly woven songs, that they were going to fully embrace the evening's jam theme. And, in turn, the grouping pulled off many fans' dreams, offering a five-song first gear up and a vii-song second set that showed their ability to stretch seemingly every song into the ether. Their 30-infinitesimal "Lawn Male child" (including a show-ending reprise) will potentially go downwards as one of Phish's greatest improvisational moments. If some jaded fans were on the fence about Phish'southward ability to make it through
13 shows without repeats, then the psychedelic "Crosseyed and Painless" and an appearance of the deep cutting "End of Session" immediately proved naysayers incorrect and set things into overdrive.

JULY 26: POWDERED DONUT

"Shelter me from the powder and the finger…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Tube" and "Carini"> "Mr. Completely"> "1999" DEBUTS: Armada Foxes' "White Winter Hymnal" (a cappella); Neil Young's "Powderfinger"

BUSTOUTS: Prince's "1999," last played on December. 31, 1998 (524 shows); "Pebbles and Marbles," last played on Aug. 3, 2014 (106 shows)

Recap: While the unexpected a cappella Fleet Foxes comprehend scored Phish some credibility in indie-rock circles that often overlook the band, it was their conclusion to revive Prince'south "1999" as a funk-jam vehicle after nearly 20 years that actually excited the crowd. The at present seldom-played, tender composition "Pebbles and Marbles" and a debut comprehend of Neil Young's grungy "Powderfinger" likewise displayed the ring'due south sonic dexterity.

JULY 28: DOUBLE CHOCOLATE DONUT

"Have a chocolate donut and take hold of your breath…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Chalk Dust Torture" and "You Sexy Affair"> "Mercury"> "You Sexy Thing"

DEBUTS: Tay Zonday'south "Chocolate Rain" (a cappella); Hot Chocolate's "You Sexy Thing"

BUSTOUTS: "Weigh," last played on Aug. 9, 2015 (74 shows); "The Oh Kee Pah Anniversary," previously never played at MSG; "Destiny Unbound," previously never played at MSG

Recap: Phish turned up the disco vibes on Double Chocolate Nighttime by debuting Hot Chocolate'southward "You Sexy Thing" and and so tossing in a mid-song "Mercury" for practiced measure. Earlier, the band showed off their bathroom humor with an a cappella version of the viral striking "Chocolate Pelting" as well as a rocking "Donkey Handed." They closed the nighttime with a lyrically adapted "Fee"—many longtime fans' introduction to Phish—and their a cappella version of "Space Oddity."

JULY 29: CINNAMON DONUT

"Chasing the moonlight, my cinnamon girl…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Blaze On" and "Alumni Blues"> "Letter to Jimmy Folio"> "Alumni Blues"

BUSTOUTS: Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl," last played on July 31, 1997 (629 shows)

RECAP: Saturday shows are always a party, and this dark was no different. A raucous ready 1 led into a stretched out "Bonfire On" that lasted upward of 23 minutes. Information technology also had adapted lyrics to fit the ongoing donut theme. ("Yous got one life, glaze on!") A cover of "I Am the Walrus" and a jammed out "Alumni Blues"— once the holy grail of bustouts—gave the second set extra heft. Phish'south offset take on "Cinnamon Daughter" since 1997 proved that no vocal was off limits and that their thematic tunes didn't necessarily have to make it at the start of the show.

JULY xxx: JIMMIES DONUT

"The universe is a donut…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Drowned"> "A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing" and "Harpua"

DEBUTS: Jimi Hendrix'south "The Wind Cries Mary"

BUSTOUTS: "Esther," "Colonel Forbin'southward Rising," "Wing Famous Mockingbird," all last played on Aug. ix, 2015 (76 shows)

RECAP: For fans of Phish's storysong narratives and compositional epics, this evening proved the "never miss a Sunday bear witness" adage to be truthful, thanks to appearances by seldom played, only beloved early on numbers similar "The Curtain With," "Esther," "Colonel Forbin'due south Ascent" and "Wing Famous Mockingbird" in the starting time prepare alone. Ready two contrasted a beautiful, extended "A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing," a contender for the weekend'south best jam, with a skit involving the donut-like topography of the universe during the ring'due south almost surefire special-nighttime signifier, "Harpua."

AUG. ane: MAPLE DONUT

"O Canada…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Swept Away"> "Steep," and "Possum"

DEBUTS: "O Canada" and Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag"

BUSTOUTS: "Swept Away"> "Steep," last played on July 8, 2012 (192 shows); David Bowie's "Stone 'n' Scroll Suicide," terminal played on October. 31, 2016 (21 shows, 2nd performance ever)

Recap: Maple night kicked off with an impromptu ode to the "Great White North," an instrumental version of the country'southward national anthem "O Canada." Kuroda also illuminated the Canadian flag in Madison Foursquare's rafters, and the crowd responded with cheers that filled the loonshit. As the show moved on, the theme popped up at present and again within the lyrics of "Sugar Shack" and "Leaves" as well as a "Maple Foliage Rag" piano interlude in the middle of "Guelah Papyrus." This night may accept featured ane of the run'southward silliest themes, but the music was serious on Jerry Garcia's birthday, with an elongated "Swept Abroad"> "Steep" and a surprisingly improvised "Possum" to stop the 2d set. The testify wrapped upwardly with the band'due south second-ever performance of David Bowie'southward "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide."

AUG. 2: DONUT HOLES

"Y'all gotta keep the devil way down in the hole…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Meat"> "Maze"

DEBUTS: Tom Waits' "Mode Down in the Pigsty;" "O Holy Night"

BUSTOUTS: Norman Blake's "Ginseng Sullivan," last played on Aug. vii, 2015 (fourscore shows); "Meat," last played on July 9, 2016 (48 shows)

RECAP: Phish have an old-school original called "In A Hole," yet they stacked their Donut Hole setlist with left-field covers. The quartet opened the night with Tom Wait's bluesy "Manner Down in the Hole" and followed it with a agglomeration of less obvious repertoire cloth ("Ginseng Sullivan," "Meat"), unexpected surprises ("O Holy Night") and prolonged, spacey jams that included the longest "Taste" in history (over 18 minutes). A 2nd ready arc starting with "Mike's Song" and catastrophe with "Weekapaug Groove" rounded out another solid performance.

AUG. 4: LEMON POPPY DONUT

"Sucking on a lemon…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Punch You in the Middle"> "Political party Time," "Everything in Its Right Identify" and "Fluffhead"

DEBUTS: Blind Lemon Jefferson'south "Encounter That My Grave Is Kept Clean;" Radiohead'south "Everything in Its Right Identify"

BUSTOUTS: "Big Black Furry Creature From Mars," final played on July 20, 2016 (43 shows); "Dinner and a Movie," concluding played on July 21, 2013 (164 shows); "Dem Bones," last played on June 29, 2016 (55 shows, third operation ever)

RECAP: In a run that was punctuated by unexpected nods to other artists, Phish'south version of Radiohead's "Everything in Its Correct Place" may have been the most staggering debut of The Bakery'southward Dozen. The Kid A runway came halfway through the band's 2nd set, and its "sucking on a lemon" lyric was quoted throughout the ensuing space jam that ebbed and flowed through "What's the Use?" and "Scents and Subtle Sounds." A triumphant "Prince Caspian" and a set-ending, pilus-raising "Fluffhead" brought the gear up to a climax.

AUG. 5: BOSTON CREAM DONUT

"Tomorrow's donut will exist Kansas-Metallica flavored…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Sunshine of Your Feeling" and "Ghost"

DEBUTS: "Sunshine of Your Feeling"

BUSTOUTS: "Frost," last played on July 17, 2013 (168 shows, second operation ever); Bob Marley and The Wailers' "Soul Shakedown Party," last played on July 3, 2016 (53 shows); "Uncle Pen," final played on July 16, 2016 (47 shows)

Recap: Originally, many fans thought Boston Cream would be the most predictable night of the Bakery's Dozen. After all, it was the flavor that Page McConnell referenced in a 2007 Relix interview, stating, in theory, that it would include covers of Boston and Cream. Still, what fans did non await was a Boston/ Cream brew-upward featuring portions of "Sunshine of Your Love," "More Than a Feeling," "Foreplay/Longtime" and "White Room" swirled together and executed with stunning precision. With the add-on of a second-set "The Lizards" and "Quinn the Eskimo," Boston Foam night became one of the loftier watermarks for the entire Baker'due south Dozen.

AUG. half dozen: GLAZED DONUT

"The life I beloved is making music with my friends…"

NOTABLE JAMS: "Uncomplicated"> "Rise/ Come up Together"> "Starman" and "On the Road Again"> "Backyard Male child Reprise"> "Tweezer Reprise"

DEBUTS: Vida Bluish'south "Most Events Aren't Planned"

BUSTOUTS: "I Been Around," last played on July 27, 2014 (119 shows); Jimi Hendrix's "Izabella," last played on July 31, 1998 (574 shows); Willie Nelson's "On the Route Again," last played on Aug. 31, 2013 (155 shows)

RECAP: Dozens of hopeful, ticketless fans lingered outside of Madison Square Garden in the hours leading upwards to Phish'southward 13th and final performance. The sold-out show was emotional to say the least, and while the get-go set had a number of slap-up peaks, including "Saw It Again," "Bug" and some blithe guitar from Anastasio during "Izabella," the fivesong second set up was where Phish reached new heights. A 25-minute "Elementary" was a sign of good things to come up, and the reappearance of David Bowie'southward "Starman" also as the run'due south long-awaited "You lot Enjoy Myself" kept the free energy soaring ever upwards. Afterward a venue-wide sing-along of "Loving Cup," Phish was honored with their own imprint, which swayed in a higher place the band during their encore of "On the Road Again" and volition permanently live in the rafters of Madison Square Garden. All four members were visibly emotional during the vocal, aware of the significance of the moment. Finally, Phish brought things full circle with a "Lawn Boy" reprise, before a celebratory, all-consuming performance of "Tweezer Reprise" drew the Bakery'southward Dozen to a close.

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Source: https://relix.com/articles/detail/revisiting_phishs_bakers_dozen/