Waltz Phish - The Baker's Dozen

Madison Square Garden 21 July - 6 August 2017
1. Auflage 2025
ISBN: 978-1-78952-404-8
Verlag: Sonicbond Publishing
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 0 - No protection

E-Book, Englisch, 160 Seiten

Reihe: On Stage

Phish - The Baker's Dozen On Stage provides an in-depth exploration of Phish's monumental 13-night residency at Madison Square Garden in 2017. Phish, a celebrated jam band with a dedicated following, performed 237 unique songs without any repeats across these shows, each night themed around a donut flavour (such as 'Strawberry' or 'Jam-Filled'). The book reflects on the atmosphere, fan community, and musical experimentation that marked the event. By acknowledging the cultural and experiential impact of Phish's concerts-and emphasizing the communal and improvisational nature of their music-the book discusses Phish's commitment to their audience and the spontaneity of their live shows.
Each chapter covers specific nights and songs, detailing the setlists, the fan experience, and how these performances exemplified Phish's blend of planned setlists and improvisation. This positions The Baker's Dozen as a culmination of the band's ethos and creative evolution. By contextualizing Phish's influences, such as the Grateful Dead, David Bowie and the Talking Heads, this book provides insight into how these inspirations are reflected in Phish's performances and captures the spontaneity of their music, their loyal fan base, and the transformative nature of live performance.

This is the first book from Brent Waltz, a technical writer whose work has previously appeared in newspapers and magazines. He enjoys listening to Phish while he drives his wife and children to various hiking locations throughout the Midwest (and to whichever coffee shops might be in the vicinity). He lives in Indiana, USA.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Waltz, Brent

Leseproben

Chapter 4

Night 2: Saturday 22 July (‘Strawberry’)

Night 2 was comparable to Night 1 in that almost half of the previous night’s played songs were originally performed in the 1980s. Going forward, the 1980s would still periodically be represented, but not to the degree they were on the first two nights.

Set 1

‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ (Lennon/McCartney)

Phish open their second night of The Baker’s Dozen with an a cappella version of 1967’s ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’, the first of three Beatles songs they performed during the run. Originally rush-released by The Beatles in the spring of 1967, it was originally intended for their Revolver follow-up, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Considered by Rolling Stone (in 2021) to be the seventh greatest song of all time, the hipper members of the audience seem to immediately recognize the song. The remainder of the audience start to cheer when the lyrics begin, but it is the cheers that erupt when the first verse ends that always make me smile. It is a happy moment and one that is beloved by all who have heard it. The band would only return to ‘Strawberry Fields’ once more, on 2 August 2022. But that still gives them two more in- concert performances of ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ than The Beatles had.

‘Halley’s Comet’ (Wright) > ‘The Moma Dance’ (Anastasio/Fishman/ Gordon/Marshall/McConnell) > ‘Breath And Burning’ (Anastasio) > ‘Funky Bitch’ (Seals)

After disbursing from their shared microphones, the band pick up their instruments before beginning the extended vocal introduction to ‘Haley’s Comet’. Fishman’s drums then kick in and the band start up a spirited version of this 1980s warhorse. Although not taken to the same length as other versions of the song – it has hit the 20-minute mark on several occasions – the Night 2 version is slightly longer than the version played three nights earlier in Pittsburgh. Of course, the biggest difference between this version and the Pittsburgh performance is the cheer that accompanied the line, ‘How would you like to have your thick strawberry goo?’ The song has yet to make an appearance on a studio album and, at this point, it remains unrecorded, such is also the case with the opening night’s ‘Reba’. If the band do decide to record it, they will have to decide if they are going to use original guest vocalist Richard ‘Nancy’ Wright or if Mike, Page and Trey will continue their lead vocal duties as they have done since the 14 March 1993 performance.

The band then move into one of their longest versions of ‘The Moma Dance’ (and their second longest song of Night 2). This iteration of the Story Of The Ghost classic features Type II jamming and some of Mike and Page’s finest playing. Not to be outdone, Trey and Fishman contribute atmospheric vocals throughout the song’s structured sections. The 16 October 2021 version from San Francisco is worth checking out, as is the 29 September 2000 performance in Las Vegas (and you will be forgiven for bailing on the second set after ‘Fluffhead’ to ensure you don’t get anywhere near Kid Rock’s infamous on- stage appearance). In his three-and-a-half-star review for Rolling Stone, Greg Kot discusses almost every track on Story Of The Ghost, ‘The Moma Dance’ being one of the exceptions. We will just put ‘The Moma Dance’ under his complimentary remark about how Phish have ‘got chops, but they also have a sense of humor.’

The band then move into ‘Breath And Burning’, a song they debuted in Noblesville, Indiana, the previous summer (and had most recently played at MSG during the third set of their 31 December 2016 performance). This rendition showcases excellent playing from everyone, including some sprightly fills by Page (which were especially appropriate considering the relish with which Trey delivered the line, ‘We’re gonna rage with Page at the dying of the light’). The only single from Big Boat, and the last single the band would release, ‘Breath And Burning’ is another of the band’s trademark ‘life-affirming’ tracks. With lyrics like ‘we’ll be dancing here for days’, the song always works as a motivator for the audience to groove, and for this one night only, it also works as a way for the band to transition into Son Seals’ ‘Funky Bitch’. Originally released on his 1978 album Live And Burning, Son Seals would release a studio version in 2000, produced by Conan O’Brien bandleader Jimmy Vivino, which featured Trey on guitar. By the time Phish launched into ‘Funky Bitch’ on 22 July, they’d already performed the song well over 200 times, and their comfort with it shows. Like most 3.0 renditions, this version is tight, energetic and deeply in the pocket, but what makes it stand out is the focused interplay between Page and Trey. Page’s solo is a masterclass in blues phrasing – clean, confident and filled with just enough rhythmic push to keep the momentum building. It’s arguably the highlight of the first set. Trey follows with a series of increasingly aggressive runs, each one more urgent than the last, layering tension with every bar. By the time he enters his final solo passage, just after the four-minute mark, the energy peaks so sharply that the audience’s response sounds almost exhausted, shouting not out of surprise but out of shared catharsis. The crowd rally again around six minutes in, but the band offer only the briefest breather before diving straight into the next tune, maintaining the momentum with calculated precision.

‘Mound’ (Gordon)

Originally released on Rift, ‘Mound’ is one of Mike Gordon’s more compositionally intricate contributions to the Phish catalog. Unlike many fan- favorites, it’s not a jam vehicle, nor does it lend itself to the kind of danceable grooves that dominate much of the band’s live repertoire. Its rhythmic complexity, abrupt changes and storytelling structure demand focused listening rather than physical movement. In that sense, affection for ‘Mound’ hinges almost entirely on one’s appreciation for its craftsmanship. Personally, I think it’s one of Mike’s finest: a quirky, tightly wound narrative with a melody that worms its way in. Every time it makes an appearance, it feels like a little reward for paying attention. For an indisputably great version, check out the previously praised Live Phish Volume 18, 5.7.94. That show’s second set tends to monopolize the conversation, but the opening set is equally great (and ‘Mound’ contributes to that). ‘Mound’ made its debut during an unusually fruitful weekend for Phish – 6-7 March 1992 – a stretch that also saw the first performances of several songs that would later resurface during The Baker’s Dozen, including ‘Maze’, ‘My Friend, My Friend’, ‘Silent In The Morning’, ‘The Horse’, ‘Weigh’ and ‘NICU’. It was a moment of serious creative output, and ‘Mound’ stood out then – as it does now – for its structural complexity and narrative quirk.

‘Foam’ (Anastasio)

After ‘Mound’, the band start up ‘Foam’. This Junta song, heavily played in the late-80s/early-90s but now much rarer, does not reach the heights of the Page-centric version from November 1998 that was included on Hampton Comes Alive, but it is still a fun one to hear (especially with the addition of the closing riff from Scott Joplin’s ‘The Entertainer’). ‘Foam’ also appears in two underrated shows that are more than worthy of official release: 5 April 1994 (Montreal) and 10 June 2009 (Knoxville). In the Montreal show, ‘Foam’ is tucked into a tight, hour-long opening set that’s full of precision and purpose – the kind of set where even the transitions feel rehearsed. The Knoxville version, meanwhile, is notable for being the first truly standout ‘Foam’ of the 3.0 era. What makes it memorable is how much it echoes the sharpness and intensity of a classic 1.0 take: Page and Trey trade solos with clarity and restraint, Fishman holds the rhythmic tension with pinpoint control and the dynamics breathe in a way that had been largely absent from the song in more recent years. It’s not just a nostalgic callback; it’s a sign that ‘Foam’ still had life left in it, even in a new era.

‘Roggae’ (Anastasio/Fishman/Gordon/Marshall/McConnell)

The band then slide into another of three songs they originally debuted in Denmark on 30 June 1998. ‘Roggae’, like ‘The Moma Dance’ (played earlier this evening) and ‘Brian And Robert’ (still to come), was originally performed during that European tour and was subsequently released on The Story Of The Ghost. Check out Live Phish Volume 17, 7.15.98 to hear their American debuts. ‘Roggae’, written and sung by all four members, is one of their more contemplative numbers. The way the four of them trade vocals (and complementary sentiments) evokes some of The Band’s best moments. It is not hard to imagine a version of this song appearing on side one of The Band’s 1970 masterpiece Stage Fright. Although it is not always referenced when people praise Night 2, I think ‘Roggae’ is a key factor in what makes this night such a special part of the run. The band might agree; they included this ‘Roggae’ on The Baker’s Dozen...