6-18-02 - Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY

Date: Thu, 20 Jun 2002 03:00:44 +0000
From: Daniel Dumas dandank@hotmail.com
Subject: Radio City review

Hello phellow phriends,

This is my first internet review ever and my last. I enjoy reading the 
feedback from all the shows. But about RADIO CITY, I think what everyone 
failed to mention is that the music alone is lovely. I wish that there was 
some way to bottle that sound as if it were fine wine.  So that someday 
everyone that was dissapointed or bummed b/c a song wasn't played like they 
remebered last year or how phished jammed this song out can crack open that 
same  bottle from6/18/02 and be humbled to what they experienced. So all u 
bummed out and phans who felt cheated or in any way dissapointed well, Crack 
open the bottle of wine and actually taste every moment. B/c you weren't at 
the same show i was.!!

Kind regards,

DAN

Date: Thu, 20 Jun 2002 13:10:40 -0400
From: VAlvarez valvarez@gavinanderson.com
Subject: Radio City

Radio City:
 
Having read the mixed reviews through I've come to realize many fans are taking to Trey's new
musical path very well.  However, I don't share the same enthusiam as them.  I went to four shows
last summer and all of them topped the one I saw two nights ago.  Maybe the 9 piece band is more
suited for an open air venue or maybe I just thought Trey had too many things going on.
Especially the excessive percussion drowning out everything else.  When I saw Trey at Jones beach
last year I honestly left the show as glowing as I would a Phish show.  The energy was great and
relaxed, and it didn't seem like everyone was trying to play over each other.  Instead it meshed
into a beautiful sound.  In Radio City it seemed like no one was on the same page, excpet Trey. 
Probably because Trey, in his attept to be a conductor as well as a lead guitarist, over manages
the changes pace of the music.  When he over manages, he forgets to let the music go
somewhere.  It always sounded like the jams never came to full harmony.  Many times I was
searching for Trey to string some improv riffs but instead I hearded loud patterned notes.
 
The show started out great with a lot of positive energy.  By the end of the first set though,
many people around were sitting. Not only that, I was sitting in the front orchestra. 
 
Trey throughout the night made the main attraction his antics instead of the music.  He also had
way to much directing going on.  All in all, it seem like the band was not relxed and not loose. 
The drum beat always felt it was getting ahead or behind the beat, before Trey would turn around
and signal to adjust the beat.  I like the energy Trey is bringing, but many times its over the
top and takes away instead of bring more to the music. 
 
The only highlight of the show was Jen, who was the only person to bring some smoothness, with
her powerful voice, to the calamity.
 
Unfortunately, Radio City is the only time I am going to see Trey this summer.  And, though I a
devoted fan I think he needs to come back to earth abit. 
 
-Vic
Oh ya, did I mention that Trey wasn;t very tight on the acoustic when he played with the Vermont
Youth Orchestra.

-Vic


Date: Thu, 20 Jun 2002 10:47:58 -0700
From: Sebastian Hernandez shernandez@triumphco.com
Subject: Trey - Radio City 6/18/02 Review

To all,

I'm not going to itemize every song from the show like some people like to
do, but rather share my thoughts of the show with you all.  For some
background, I've been to 19 Phish shows, and have seen Trey's band on every
tour except his first tour way back in '99.  I first saw Trey in Syracuse
during his second tour in 2001 and was completely blown away by the energy,
and the amazing dynamic that the horns bring to the band.  As the band
evolved and more musicians were brought in to the mix the momentum and sheer
musical power was awesome to witness.  Needless to say after the album was
released and they announced a Radio City show, I was really expecting this
tour, especially this show to knock the socks off of everyone.
Unfortunately somewhere along the way since last summer to where we are now,
'something went wrong'.  

Please no flaming on what I'm about to get to, just my feelings that I had
during the show being expressed.  First of all I cannot agree more with the
posts about Trey overconducting the band.  His new kick of structured
improvisation is not suceeding in bringing the energy needed to fill the
room.  When he straight up busted out the baton and began directing the band
it seemed very odd, and unorganic.  Not once did I feel the blistering power
of the band completely in sync with each other and just busting out like
everyone wanted them to.  You could tell in the crowd with the motionless
heads on the floor and the many people sitting down during (multiple) songs
that the music was missing its usual mark.  There was a feeling of **forced
dancing** when you were standing - which is a dead giveaway that the groove
is not right.  (Except for one dude in the front row who was dancing like an
absolute maniac during the whole show..!!  You would've thought Phish was
onstage rocking to a fluffhead or something. Did anyone else catch this? )  

The show just simply didn't have it together...I never once had that feeling
in my gut where you say "yeah, this is it, this is the place I want to
groove on for hours".  I attended the Tweeter Center last friday and came
away with the same feeling, but it was overcome by seeing Mike come out for
Mike's Song -> Weekapaug which DEFINETLY GOT THE "WOO HOO" feelings brewing.
Phish provided this vibe throughout their shows, and Trey's band had it last
year - now TAB just leaves you wanting more, like something is missing.  

I don't want it to seem like I hated the show, because I didn't.  I enjoyed
it greatly, and its still much better than a lot of other stuff out there,
but referencing what I've already witness this band accomplish it was a
letdown.  I can think of only one thing to cure this and it involves 3 other
people to join Trey.  I got a glimpse of what that could be during the
Tweeter encore...

I welcome any feedback to this post at sebastianhz@yahoo.com

-- Sebastian

Notes:

Cayman Review - Trey dragged the chorus when singing "This is my Cayman
Review" ending the line about half a beat off from the music.  

Cyro is amazing, no doubt.  But he needs to work on his dynamics and levels
a bit.  Sometimes the China is hit way too hard, and he tends to go off on
his own without sticking to the groove.  It pains terribly me to say that,
because as a percussionist myself I am stoked that Trey has one, but I can
do without Cyro in the future if he doesn't work on listening for more
appropriate moments to do his thing.  He needs to be told that sometimes
less is more...a common trait among drummers/percussionists :)

Brazilian Samba dancers and drummers at the end were great...nice to see the
show end with an authentic Carnaval flavor so close to Little Brazil st.
The dancers were, ahem...very talanted.

Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 15:50:38 -0700
From: susan visakowitz sudigsit@hotmail.com
Subject: review of 6/18 Trey Radio City

Hey everyone,

I don't want to come off as old and jaded either (I've been a Phish fan since '93 and saw 4 Trey
shows last year), but I have to agree mostly with Neil's review, and with others who have noted
that the way the band is jamming this year doesn't seem as natural or exploratory as last year. I
want to say first that I LOVED two of the 4 shows I saw last year (Jones Beach and Great Woods)
and thoroughly enjoyed the other 2 (Roseland and PNC). In fact, amongst my friends, I was one of
Trey's most ardent supporters last year, having felt that the GW show was as good as many of the
Phish shows I've ever seen. I was completely blown away by the open-ness of the whole thing, the
way the band didn't always know where it was heading but got that much further out there for that
very same reason. The jams were extremely organic.

The way things are now, many of the jams seem overly orchestrated; not only is Trey "directing"
*constantly*, but nearly every song seems broken down into a countless number of short little
sections. Just when something interesting gets going, it's on to some other part, with a
different time signature or key change. A good example from last night's show would be the
Trey/Ray jam in Night Speaks: this was really hot, not so much in the sense of fired-up, but in
the sense that it was truly different, a real moment of improv genius. But it was cut-off
prematurely so the song could "change" again.

Now, before anyone gets ready to flame me, let me add that there are times when all the
change-ups work, with STUD>Plasma being last night's best example. But, in general, I feel the
band only really flies when it doesn't push the song into unnatural places. That's why, even
though well over 2 hours of music followed it, I still went home feeling the very first song of
the evening, Push On, was the best of the night. It was unbelievably energetic and just *pushed
on*, raging ahead and unfolding however the gods of improv instructed it to. There was no
"directing" by Trey that I can recall, and no annoying, sudden, total-change-of-pace moments
cutting into the flow. This song definitely hosed, if ya know what I mean.

The crazy antics at the end were no doubt entertaining, but all in all just reinforced my general
feeling on the show last night: there was too much pre-planned entertainment going on and not
enough roll-with-the-punches, unrehearsed, raw musical exploration. The band is no doubt tight,
and the horns served up some aweome solos, but I'm really hoping that the rigid structure will
drop away next time around.

-Sue

PS: aAnd I also hope Cyro learns to chill a bit more. He really takes the emphasis off of the
"GROOVE"--which was so important, key in fact, to the Trey solo project in the past. Just my 1
and 1/2 cents (due to budget cuts).

Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 16:39:02 -0400
From: Adam Ganzekaufer adganz@hotmail.com
Subject: REVIEW 6/18 Radio City

6-18-02  Radio City Music Hall
 
Wow, what a great freakin' night!  Trey is always talking about how he wants to keep things fresh
and crazy...last night was certainly both of those things.  Salvo's review summed up the show
pretty damn well.  I won't repeat everything ad nauseum.  The band is definitely tighter than
they were last summer...Trey is really starting to show what he can do as a composer.  And damn,
he's looks like he's having more fun than we are...
 
Jen was amazing, as usual.  I learned last year that she had some serious chops, and she did not
disappoint.  There were two sweet flute solos by Russ too...
 
At the end of the show, the band and its merry procession of 50(?...somewhere in that
neighborhood) percussionists and exotic dancers started marching down the aisle, and  I
quickly realized they were headed straight towards my seat.  You could not have smacked  the
ridiculous grin off my face during that entire jam, and really for the entire night.  Radio
City is such a great venue, in "the greatest city in the world," as Trey called it...It just
seemed appropriate to have this grand exit.  As they walked by, Trey sort of stopped for a second
to shake my hand...yelled "nice to meet ya!"  And then kept dancin' on.  It was just so freakin'
cool...He made an already great night incredibly special.  And then proceeded to blow my mind
again (not easy after that whole 'finally got to shake trey's hand'-thing) by marching out onto
E. 51st St. and takin' the party to the city streets for awhile.  Unbelievable!!  That's as much
fun as I've ever had at a show.


Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 14:07:29 -0400
From: dvs2@georgetown.edu
Subject: 6/18 Radio City Review

OK, Radio City is absolutely gorgeous and the one show where I should 
have brought my camera (for many reasons), I naturally didn't.

About midway up the orchestra in front of Trey-didn't care where I was 
sitting b/c this was my first of the run.

Party started..CK5 turns the house lights down and bingo bango, we're 
off...

SET 1:

PUSH ON TILL THE DAY!!!!!! My favorite tune and I pretended as though I 
called it, although I was just screaming "Push On, Push On!" for 20 
minutes leading up to the first notes.  This is a song I thought they 
did better last summer, but it's still my favorite and I enjoyed the 
breakdowns.

MONEY LOVE AND CHANGE:  Easily the highlight of the 1 hour and 15 
minute long first set. This clocked in at around 25 minutes. I enjoy 
the new arrangement immensely, as this was a song that didn't do it for 
me last year.  This version went WAYYYYY out there, giving us 
Plasma/Burlap type jams and then an absolute obvious segue into Last 
Tube intro before ditching that and ending the M, L, and C.  Siiiiick.

If my memory doesn't fail me, MOZAMBIQUE was next and this song just 
screams fun.  The dancing around the stage last summer made the song 
even more party-esque, but this was fun nevertheless sans dancing.  
This might have been the only lengthy song of the night that didn't 
have one of those "breakdowns," or those "Trey quiets the band down 
intentionally" moments.  Those are great moments, but when they happen 
every tune, I feel as though the improvisation is somewhat forced.  Not 
a criticism per se, just an observation. I love this band to pieces.

Next was CAYMAN REVIEW.  Another song that was done better in Summer 
'01.  The funk flowed more naturally, especially in the introduction.  
I don't like how the words jump right off the bat, but the song still 
kicks ass. I'm just picking up minute points; don't worry, these don't 
lessen my opinions of the band.  That being said, this song has not 
improved.

Thought the set might end here, but we got a very very fun LAST TUBE to 
close.  Yet another song done better last year, this one also feels 
over-rehersed...slightly.  Let it come naturally!!  This band jams 
better this year, but I think it played some of its songs better last 
year.  

Highlight was the Money Love which had eerie jams and a Last Tube 
tease. Everything else was more or less straightforward...I think.


SET 2 was where the SHIT WENT DOWN, down, down down...between beams, in 
the gloom room.....ok sorry, that was my sentimental Phish moment for 
the review...now...

SIMPLE TWIST UP DAVE!!!! YEAHHHHH BABY!!! On first hearing way back 
last year, I thought this song was average..until I heard it live. This 
song flat out kick ass. Kicks ass.  This jam also took a totally 
different direction as Trey started wailing on sustained notes in the
key of G...at times I thought this jam sounded "Guy Forget"ish.  But 
that might have been another moment. There were so many different 
breakdowns, horn players leaving, horn solos, guitar/keyboard duels, 
etc that I can't remember when and where they were until I hear the 
discs. Why is my short term memory failing?  Nevertheless, STUD (no no, 
not me, the song)continued in this beautiful, melifluous jam before 
getting slow and funky in a definite segue to perhaps my second 
favorite song...

-> 

PLASMA!!!!!!!! "A bunch of cells below the soil, some plasma in a lake 
of oil, I don't think that when I depart..I'll be close to where I 
start.!!!!!" Ok so that lyric wasn't played last night as the band 
rearranged this song slightly (I think) and sang the first verse "No 
matter how you slice your day," etc... and just jammed it out. Cyro and 
Russ had a great interwoven percussion line to this song, making it 
much more exotic.  This too, wound down in a jam and had another segue 
into..

->

AT THE BARBEQUE!!!! ok, so I lied...THIS is my 2nd favorite song.. I 
absolutely LOOOOOVE what they did with this song. I used to love it to 
begin with, but with this salsa beat they added on top of it??? HOLY 
SHIT!! This is Intricate City baby!!! Jesus this song is beautiful-just 
plain fun. what compositional skills.

Short pause and the evil old man showed up. MISTER COMPLETELY.  This 
too was about 25 minutes long.  Started in its usual ferocity and then 
made 2 glorious key changes. The first was down to A where I could have 
sworn a First Tube or Sand was brewing. Trey was all over his loops and 
the horns were just playing great lines against one another.  I think 
Apfelbaum or Remington was going nuts on the Tenor during this 
segment.  Then, I believe, the key switched down again to G, and this 
is where the Guy Forget-ish jam might have occurred rather than in 
STUD. I can't remember how, but I think they went back to the original 
key of B before segueing into...

->

NIGHT SPEAKS TO A WOMAN.  This tune screams "I want to get laid 
tonight" and I felt the same way during it hahaha.  The highlight of 
this song was the Trey/Ray jam together towards the end.  The 
improvisation turned bizarre (in a good way) during this segment, with 
both of them playing jazzy types of runs in a funky sort of way (yeah, 
makes sense biatch).  Jen belts out the notes in this one too.  Jen is 
cool.  Me speak well.

SUNDAY MORNING.  Pretty song. Poor placement. maybe the placement 
wouldn't have been as poor if they didn't play GAZEBO next, but I enjoy 
both tunes regardless of where they are. Another rager at the end might 
have made some people a little more ecstatic, but oh well.  GAZEBO was 
cool with the 4 kiddies from the Youth Orchestra.  

Oh...did I forget to mention, forget to mention the ENCORE???

ALIVE AGAIN with salsa party and friends. This was one of the most 
entertaining encores of all time.  First, 2 karate guys came on stage 
and shadow fought each other for a couple of minutes. Crowd enjoyed it. 
The crowd enjoyed the 50 people that came on stage next banging away on
their percussion instruments. Oh yeah, and the guys loved the 3 girls 
in thongs shakin their asses at the front of the stage.  Then Trey 
leads all these people on a freakin CONGA LINE up the aisles and out of 
RCMH. Are you nuts?  Latin drum beats are blaring over the PA system 
while this is going on, and the whole band plus stage people just 
shimmy their asses.

Wait, it gets better. The conga line moves outside after the house 
lights have gone on. Picture 300-500 hippies dancing on West 51st 
street with Cyro and stage hands. It was fucking great! Then about 50-
70 of us snuck by the guards underneath the window of the backstage 
room. Trey came to the window and took pictures and led us in cheers, 
as did a couple other band members (horn players including Jen).  Then 
Trey brought out this hot groupie or stage hand who proceeded to flash 
us!  Give it up baby!  Jen teased us, pretending she would follow suit, 
but eventually did not.

5 of us stayed until 1 in the morning hoping to meet Trey. He talked to 
us for awhile from the window and threw us bananas befoer saying he had 
to go.  An autograph would haev been nice but this was such a special 
event anyway.

Can't wait until the next 3 shows.

Peace,
Salvo

Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 12:09:36 -0400
From: Lane H Jost lhjost@netscape.net
Subject: 6/18 Radio City Review

My last experience with Trey was in Cleveland and the Oysterhead fiasco.  Needless to say, I was
looking for something that a little better than garbled chord changes.  And boy did all of us at
the Radio City Music Hall of glory receive that sort of boost of greatness.  This was my first
show of Trey's touring band, so I can't comment on his other tours.  But, I have heard some
recordings and to me, last night was a world above what i had heard previously.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Radio City, it is a masterpiece of acoustics and style.If
Phish does ever return, I wish they'd scrap all the crappy sheds and play mutiple-night runs at
places like this.  The sound is clear and the venue exudes professionalism and musicianship.  
People were smoking, but it wasn't like being at MSG.  Ok, onto the first set:

I: Push on Til the Day, Money, Love and Change, Mozambique, Cayman Review, Last Tube


"Push on til the Day," burst out with a force through radio city's hall.  This is my favorite song
on the album (wanted to state bias), so I was pumped.  However, once the structure was completed,
Trey led the band through a 20 minute exploration of groove, guitar solos, horn breaks, and
percussion breaks.  The manner Trey leads this band is unquestionably a spectacle to bear.  With
just a few hand signals, the rhythm section will stop or one horn will solo.  Amazing.  Kuroda's
light were also great on this with Trey hopping up and down under strobes, ala Mike's Song.  A
fantastic opener, tight but exploratory with tons of fire power from Trey.  "Money Love and
Change" was also a tune I wanted to see, so I was pleased when its deep funk emerged.  This was
also a 20 minute + exploration.  I believe Andy Moroz took a trombone solo, and Peter Afelbaum a
tenor solo.  And what about that Jennifer Harstwick!  What a voice!  Really!  She almost stole the
show.  "Mozambique," which is a song that is really gorgeous was played perfectly.  Jennifer had a
nice trumpet solo and I think Russell Remington had a flute solo.  I sure wish this made onto the
album, its melody is beautiul.

"Cayman Review" received warm cheers from the crowd as you might expect, and it didn't disappoint.  
I think it's played a bit slower live, which gives even more ass shakin' funk.  Cyro Baptista, a
Brazilian percussion whiz kid, played a washboard at stage center.  i

-- 
Lane Jost


Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 11:18:11 -0400
From: "Sharma, Neil - MTV" Neil.Sharma@mtvn.com
Subject: RCMH Review

All that waiting, and sadly, at the day-after. I never posted a review
before, but have been seeing Phish a bunch since '93, and caught a few Trey
shows last summer, so I've got some point of reference.

Set I: Push On Til the Day, Money Love and Change, Mozambique, Cayman
Review, Last Tube
Set II: Simple Twist Up Dave> Plasma, At the Barbeque, Mister Completely,
Night Speaks To A Woman, Ether Sunday, At the Gazebo 
Encore: Alive Again
(Gazebo w/ VYO; Alive Again with Brazilian processional) 

Here's my take:
Push On was solid. Great way to start a show. Brought you from that pre-show
excitement stage to that "lift you into fantasy Trey-land" stage. Kuroda
already gave you a taste of what he had in store. Good meaty jam. Not super
experimental, but it never really would be 1st song of the show. Again,
great way to start things off.
MLC. Man, I hate to say it, but I think this song, or at least last night's
version, has lost something since last summer. I thought that this song
kinda brought things down, and it never really picked up to 11, or high
gear, for me for the rest of the show. I really don't like the new soul-ish
delivery of the lyrics. I love Jennifer's voice w/ Trey's, but not on this
song. I vote to bring back last summer's MLC. Furthermore, I thought that
the jam kinda died off in the middle. I am not one to take a seat, but this
one had me leaning back some.
I know I am sounding like the pessimist, but I also thought Mozambique lost
something since last summer. Trey didn't do as much strumming on the main
part as he used to. I really like the horns, but it'd be nice to have SOME
Trey - just a tad - on every song. It is the Trey Anastasio Band (well not
officially). On the other hand, Mozambique - to me - could never be huge.
Its kinda like Cars Trucks and Buses to me. Great musically, but not enough
depth to take great places. I nice place for the horns to show some chops
(and they have them), but I just don't see this ever getting HUGE. 
Caymen Review was good. Not great, but good. An improvement over last year's
versions. Also a crowd pleaser b/c the music and the lyrics are easy to
digest. I liked Trey's solo outta this one. Kind of like...hmmm...I can't
think of the perfect bluesy Phish song that I'd want to compare it to.
Either way, a good lil' ditty.
Last Tube. I will sound like a broken record, but again, I thought this fell
short. Again, compared to Jones Beach and Tweeter last year, and to reviews
i've read of this tour. Strong, but not gigantic like this one can be. Just
missing some of the jet-fuel-Trey that eveyone knows CAN come out. That's
the thing about this show in my opinion. Loco, wild, give-it-to-me Trey just
hardly came out last night. It was cool to see him having a grand ol' time,
dancing, conducting, jumping. But never the look-at-the-crowd knowing he is
ripping your mind zone and look.
Despite all my rhetoric, the first set was good. 7 out of 10. First sets are
usually what last night's was. Just juxtaposed with the left-me-short 2nd
set, its easier to down this one.
Second set. Simple Twist up Dave into Plasma was actually pretty hot. STUD
(how come no one has called it this yet? - I think its hilarious) is so much
more solid than last year (saw it at PNC). This belongs in the second set
now, whereas last year it was appropriate in its 1st set opener setting.
Strong showing for this one, and the kind of improvement/development I'd
want to see in year-on-year Trey. Props and kudos and bravos to this one.
Same with Plasma. Great great great. Love this as a post-big-song then jam
then Plasma placement. Last year at PNC and at Jones beach, this worked
perfectly in its placement. I am glad to see Trey starting to develop an
understanding of where his new material works and doesn't work. He still has
a couple lessons left though.
BBQ. I actually also like this one. I can see people no liking it. I am
pretty sure it was my first time seeing it. Fun little groovy number. And
works after two monstrous songs. I would maybe stick this in the 1st set
going forward. Trey on triangle. Dare I say...cute (well, that's the term my
girlfriend used, whose only seen Trey - not Phish - and loved the show,
which maybe shows that I've seen just too much of this stuff, and maybe have
a tendency to by over-critical).
MR. C. Here I go again. I thought this did not have the intesity of Mr. C's
of the past. I mean, good stuff. My 3rd show-girlfriend and 1st timer-sister
were impressed up the whazebo. BUT, my brother and I, who know where these
things can go, agreed that it just did not lift into that arena where you
lose yourself in the music, and the jam really goes somewhere special. I
thought Mr. C fel short. I liked the glaring, in-your-face, hardcoreness of
last year's versions, and this one was a bit more mellow.
Night Speaks was great. For a newer tune in the rotation (this tour only),
they really kicked this one inside out. HERE, Jen's voice really adds a
wonderful layer. Towards the end, when she is just belting out "Whoaaaaa,
NIGHT SPEAKS!" I mean, that is a cool ass element that just has never been
around since...Donna Godchaux (sorry, gratuitous Dead reference). Solid
song. Good guitar out of it. Placed well.
Ether Sunday is another cute litte ditty. But it doesn't belong where it was
in the set. Lovely, mellow song writing. Fun number, but just not for the
hectic chaos of what 2/3 into the 2nd set should be. Maybe as a come-down
song. BUT, we had that in ATBBQ, and there wasn't enough to come down from
in Mr. C.
Gazebo with the VYO kids. I mean, you won't find me complaining about Gazebo
normally. I think Trey really illustrates his true song-writing genius here,
writing for so many parts and making it blissful and lovely. I really love
Gazebo. (Might end up a wedding song for me.) BUT, not as set 2 closer. As a
come down song, or as 1st of 2 encores, it works wonderfully. But that Ether
Sunday, At the Gazebo, mellow 2-punch just sealed the deal of making this an
officially mellow show. Not the knock-your-socks off power punch most people
I am sure were expecting from Trey playing in the nicest venue of his tour
(and maybe even career), a place where the last time he was there he was
with the BOYZ, and the only sold out show of the [his own] tour (well, and
Palace,Albany). Trey needed one more song after Gazebo. Or, it would have
been nice to bust out another song that could really utilize the strings,
like Guyute, My Friend, or some mellow Phishy stuff.
Encore, Alive Again. Alright, for me, the show was now an official let down.
I like Alive Again. Like, not love. It is somewhat monotone, minus the very
last bit where he is yelling "The time has come for you to be Alive Again!"
The song is just not an encore song in my op. Push on, Sultans, 1st Tube,
Jiboo (Why God? Why not? I've been good?) - those are true encores. Sure, it
was very cool to have the modern dancers doing there Kung Fu thing. Very
cool. Reminded me of that NYE run from ?1998? (+/- 2 years, shows you my age
and fading memory) where he had all those dressed up chickens and dancers
and crazy peops and whatnot. All of Cyro's friends on stage at the end was
also a nice touch. Trey walking out into the crowd was wonderful, and I wish
I were on the floor for that one. Word on the street (literally and
figuratively) was that he did a little shakedown Brazilian party on 53rd. I
kinda wished I didn't hurry my 28yr old, geriatric, working man's dead ass
home right away. Trey street party on the block that I used to work (NBC
building) would have been fun.
I think I digress and meander. All in all, a fun, but mellow show in my
opinion. I think people (including myself) had really high hopes that this
would be something special/spectacular. It was good middle of the road Trey
- which is usually a blast, and enough, but not necessarily in the context
of what last night could have been. Thankfully, I get to check out the rest
of the tour, and I am confident that along the way, there will be a
blow-my-mind show. There always is. Thanks for last night Trey. I am a tough
critic, but I will always continue to shell out the $40-50 bones (and then
some considering party favors, transport, etc.) to see your magic.
No need to flame this one, since it is all just one old man's opinion who
has seen this guy do his thing for a while now. Would love some further
critique/review, and it would be comforting if I found out that the majority
of people, maybe some of which were new to things, had an absolute freekin'
blast, and maybe that it is just that I am old, jaded, and need to let my
guard down more for the shows these days.
Push on Til the Day, Phish and Trey fans. Trey sure has, and will continue
to. See some of you on the rest of the tour.
P.S. Todd and Jeremy. Cool hanging out. You guys just introducing yourselves
randomly was great, and reminded me of some of the old Grateful Dead vibe
days.


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