This was a little while ago, so it's not like I can pull out a whole bunch of technical details or anything... but because it is the first and only Phish festival I've managed to attend across all these years, I felt like it deserved some attention. Before I dive into the music aspect of this, I just want to express my amazement at the whole setup. From others who have been to other Phish festivals, it sounds like this one paled in comparison. That said, I was impressed. From the ferris wheel to the giant balloon-lighty-up-thingy to the castle-coil to the fire art to the immaculate port-a-potties... the whole thing was a sight to behold. The weather was gorgeous and the people were great.
I had a notion that it would be interesting to experience the festival as a member of the Work Exchange Team. First of all, I thought it would give me a chance to give back by putting in some sweat to make the show happen. Second of all, it made the show free. I already had to trek out to CA (of course, I was headed out there anyway, but that's beside the point), so a free three days of music was enticing. I'm not going to go into a lengthy tirade bashing the WET, but suffice it to say I won't be doing that again probably. Had to try it... now I know. Email me if you're ever considering it so I can fill you in on some things they may not tell you.
Anyway, I missed the Friday night set. I didn't get into LAX until quite late that night.
Got to Indio in plenty of time Saturday afternoon to catch all three sets. I have to admit, I was concerned. The last Phish show I saw was on 4 July 2000, and they were sounding rough. They were all irritated with each other, their jams were directionless, and the crowd was just miserable to be around. When they announced their hiatus, I was relieved in a weird way. I was not particularly interested in their comeback in 2004 basically because I figured it would be more of the same. When I caught wind of the 2008 comeback, my curiosity just got the best of me.
I was so impressed at how good they sounded. Their vocals were tight and their jams were well controlled. Trey Anastasio just seemed... happy. It was like they were enjoying it again, and that was cool to see. I think it really reflects in the music when the artists are not having a good time. From that afternoon set on Saturday, I also noticed how much each band member has advanced individually in the years that they haven't been playing as Phish. Particularly noteworthy was Mike Gordon and this whole new level of funk he's reached on the bass. He was always outstanding, but now his tone and style are just fithy dirty. In a good way. The crowd was mellow and everyone was just having a good time.
Saturday night, all the stops came out. The Halloween set (a full cover of the Rolling Stones album Exile on Main Street) was great, although I was using that time to explore the vastness of the field setup. I had some fun with the fire art (it was interactive--hard to explain) and drew on the walls inside the coil-castle (which was encouraged). There were lots of vendors set up in the concert field, so I walked around just taking the music in. They absolutely did the album justice. I still would have liked to have heard them try MGMT's Oracular Spectacular, which they were supposedly considering, but I'll take old school Stones any day.
The third set was outstanding, as I was able to get up close and personal. Most notable were Fluffhead and YEM. Back in the day when I was going to a lot of Phish shows, there were certain songs that spawned audience-wide glow stick wars. This is no longer the case. Glowsticks are being thrown en masse at all times. Fortunately, most concert-goers have switched to the thin and flimsy glow sticks instead of the hard shelled chem lights that hurt like hell when they hit you in the head. It's actually really cool because they chuck 'em in coordination with the climaxes in the music. Such a fun scene. And Chris Kuroda really outdid himself with the light show. I'm always impressed with his genius, but this was a level above what I remembered.
Sunday, I didn't get to see or hear much. I was working all day off site for the WET, and I had heard that the acoustic set they pulled out in the afternoon was just so-so. I have since heard this set on a recording, and it was absolutely fantastic. Vocally, they are sounding better than they ever have. Really. The harmonies are spot-on and they are blending much better than they used to (and they always blended pretty well). It was interesting to see a big jam song like "The Curtain" done unplugged, and I never would have expected them to attempt "Wilson" without the electric guitar. Those kind of surprises are what make Phish fun to see over and over. You just never know what they're going to try and do. Wish I'd seen it in person.
I caught the very tail end of the last set on Sunday and just stood at the back of the field, taking in the light show. It was a very nostalgic experience for me. I had so many memories along the way of all the random shows I travelled to see... all the crazy things that would happen along the way. I was reminded why I love live music and how I just love the way it brings people together. I do want to see Phish again because it seems like they really are on top of their game. I also want to get my butt out to another Phish festival if they have one, just for the experience. They sure do know how to put on a show.
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