[We would like to thank Ryan Mannix (@thewatchfulhosemaker), a musician and performer from Chicago who plays with Lunar Ticks and Beat The Meatles and runs Indie Park Music Festival in Irving Park. -Ed.]

You’ve heard it a million times, seen it on shirts, and probably uttered it earnestly and ironically, but Sunday night at Alpine Valley Music Theater was one not to be missed. The setup shows of Friday - killer songlist and inspired playing from start to finish, as well as Saturday with a once in a lifetime, historic jam in “Simple” - set the energy and expectations high for Sunday.

Phish launched into “A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing”, and it was clear that improv was on their mind early. They began playing one of their favorite recent games of “how often can we change the key in one jam.” The length alone makes this stand out as a show opener, and this performance was an exciting way to get a Sunday started. The jam portion was the highlight of the night for one of our crew and surely worth a re-listen.

While putting all your eggs in the basket on song number 1 is a risky move, they say you can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs. A slightly unrefined return to the ASIHTOS structure wraps up the package at nearly 16 minutes, and this unique version begs the question for better stat keepers than I: when if ever was the longest song of the night the show opener?

“Tube” got the bodies in the pit moving, and this short and sweet version was welcome to all in attendance in the two hole. “555” kept the groove-based playing going early, and although there was a moment that seemed like Trey was trying to push away from the song, Mike kept him in bounds.

One of my all time favorites, “Divided Sky” was next. Accompanied by beautiful pink clouds cascading and colliding over the hill for a serendipitous experience. The silent section got a rapturous crowd response, to the delight of Trey. This weekend’s Alpine crowd clearly was feeding back excitement and approval to the band, who in turn, is playing at the top of their game. This version was very well executed in the composition, and the jam was also quite good. Shout out to T for the red glasses that made the cotton candy colors that much more vivid, and the performance that much more effervescent.

“Wolfmans Brother” dropped next, and immediately ditched the chord progression at the song’s lyrical conclusion, opting for some darker interplay to begin. It still retained wolf-like characteristics but with more edge, including one of the finer tension filled peaks of the night and weekend - discordant in the best ways, before the white light arrival. This showed again the willingness to push further and deeper into their explorations.

Up next was “Bathtub Gin” shot smiley, goofy energy throughout the crowd and may have been the sing-along of the night. Page really shines on this jam, introducing a gorgeous “Jessica” style melody early on that the band immediately agrees to playfully expand for the next few minutes. Fishman gradually and stealthily picks up the tempo throughout, and the quartet nails a delightful peak before the music diminishes back down into the “Gin” melody, in an excellent version.

Two crowd favorites with masterful jams in a row, and in set 1, taboot! Night three was already in the running for a bragging rights show; one to chide those few friends that decided to skip Sunday to be upstanding citizens on Monday morning. After this sequence of top notch Phish, a pseudo break was warranted, and the band chose a thoughtful cool-down, and introspective moment in “Bug”. This majestic swaying -in-the-breeze version, while close to the vest, could easily close the already fantastic setlist, but we had one more in store.

The killer song selection of this weekend is worth mentioning here, and the embarrassment of riches continue with the percolating intro notes to “Possum.” We get a little dose of old school dissonance and killer high energy guitar action from Trey in an incredibly fun version to cap off a set that brought the house down in the muggy Wisconsin heat.

I want to mention that it was at this moment that my dad, a big phish skeptic, mimed to me from a few seats down “hook line and sinker.” It was a great song list for him, and the creative and idiosyncratic rock and roll playing of Set 1 finally won him over. Indeed, he took the live bait!

Opening set 2, “Set Your Soul Free” had the opportunity to embark into the outer reaches, but never quite got there before Trey pulled the plug, opting for “Prince Caspian.” Fish really pulled and pushed the playing in “Caspian” and the “Chalk Dust Torture” that followed, filling between the instruments as only he can. His blend of bombastic John Bonham blasts, intricate, nuanced, genre-less grooving, and of course telepathic communication, Jon Fishman is still truly an absolute monster in the best sense of the term and will never not blow my mind.

While the timing of the first three songs of set two might not look so intriguing on paper, rest assured, there’s plenty of inspired musical moments throughout. Abstracting a theme is something that this band does better than any, and there were more than enough ideas floating around throughout these jams and the whole show, Thanks in most part to simple, repetitive riffing from Trey and impressive listening from Mike and Page.

The see-saw-like playing between members was on display all weekend, especially Michael Gordon on the bass (MVP of Saturday night), who’s nimble, unpredictable, experimental counterpoint is igniting some captivating jams. The four found a really fluid and dynamic blend of the patient building of 3.0 jamming, and the more cerebral yet primitive, thematic, movement-based improv reminiscent of the early 90s. The melodic invention is on point, brah.

“Dirt” was another well-positioned and solidly executed quiet song. Our group noted the magnificent choice of ballads sprinkled throughout the Alpine setlists. Always appreciated, Trey. This was also a special one for the first timer in our crew, wringing out more than a few tears during her “number one must hear” on the plaintive and frank tune. “Objectively a beautiful song, and the best thing that ever happened,” according to her.

“Oblivion,” an uptempo funky Prince-esque synth rocker, was not particularly out there, paired well lyrically with “Light,” which is perhaps my favorite modern era song. On the surface perhaps both are “Death” songs, but I found a thread relating to the transformational ethos of their jamming. Creating and destroying, dark passages move through the unknown into brighter, hopeful pastures. There’s no telling what’s on the other side, but if the band wants to go, so do I.

I see the future is less and less there
And the past has vanished in the air
And I'm left in the now with a wondrous glow
I think I'm still me
But how would you know?

Next up came “Twenty Years Later,” a song that showcases the anthemic arena rock, and heavy riffage side of the band. Lots of fist pumping out on the lawn during this one. Unfortunately, there’s not a better way to say this, but “2001 “was a Dance Party. If you weren’t drenched in sweat up to that point in the show, you definitely were after.

Brief and without much interplay to be had, a member of our crew suggested the band may have lost the plot a bit, and set 2 had become too much of a “songy” set, jumping around unfocused, instead of trying to build more fluidly from a single origin. Perhaps understandable in the shadow of the 7th longest jam ever on Saturday, however, “2001” hit the vibe for me.

With the night winding down, a big closer loomed. The “Split Open and Melt” that followed “literally split my [girlfriend’s] head in two and I never heard from her again”- her words not mine. Closing the set with perhaps the most dizzying, and overwhelming sonic assault of a jam in their arsenal was a choice move.

Phish had spent 3 hours trying (and succeeding) to connect through music. They then spent the final 14 minutes trying to completely disconnect, through intense and gritty noise coupled with rhythmic fuckery. Fans of horror movie scores or the sounds of aliens fighting evil robots in space should check this out. They really have established an approach to the jamming in this song that’s unlike anything else in their catalog, and I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords. Everyone in the car couldn’t stop talking about “SOAM” on the ride home. They got WEIRD.

The encore began with a groovy and mellow “Wedge” and featured some extra twangy Trey, who by the way is playing some great guitar these days. It was a nice bonus but we all knew we had to go out on more madness. "Carini," AKA “‘Kashmir’ on mushrooms” per our first timer, reared his lumpy head as the final song of an absolutely outstanding run. Embodying the chaotic energy that had built up all weekend, it really was an inspired way to say goodbye.

The key development this weekend to me was that every time they found themselves on rocky, uneven terrain, it was only a matter of time before something interesting materialized, which I can’t always say is a given. Entropy is the natural law that all things trend towards disorder and chaos, and while that may have been true in our extra melty Melt, I felt something different after tonight’s show and looking back on the weekend as a whole.

“Homeostasis is the body's ability to maintain a balance or equilibrium within its internal environment, even when faced with external changes”. The band reached “Homeostasis” per a member of our group, and I completely agree. I could feel the balance and equilibrium through all the nights, as these were some of the most even across the board shows I have ever attended. Adjectives like “old school,” “locked in,” “energetic” were casually tossed around, and the interplay on any given song, in any given moment, was seriously just so good.

The trust is there and really felt between both band and crowd. Luckily, there are no real chances for the trust to be questioned or fears to be realized because someone in the band is so quick to insert a confident musical idea when it’s their turn to answer the call. This Alpine crowd felt particularly vocal and extremely supportive of every twist and turn along the way, and the band responded ten fold.

Exceptional performances three nights in a row, with even doses of all the elements that make Phish great, should make these shows very re-listenable to any fan, and provide some cherished memories for those of us lucky enough to be there. Looking ahead, I’m jealous of those of you who get to ride the wave into St. Louis, and anxiously awaiting stabilization on Friday at Deer Creek. Optimal conditions have been met.

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