8-11-04 - Tweeter Center, Mansfield, MA
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Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 20:50:01 EDT
From: VikingDethChant
Subject: Phish show review 8/11/04
Incredible show. First off, I've been an enormous Phish fan for about 15
years now and this was my first show! It seems that for some reason or
another, when Phish came around here (New England) Tix were never to be
found. With that being said, The show was truly a breath taking
experience and very, very emotional for my wife and I.
We both are life long musicians and have a deep admiration for the
musicianship and creativeness of the band. As with every other devoted
Phish fan, the thought of the band just going away is a bit too much.
It's utterly heartbreaking to be honest. In a time where record companies
are making the current music scene absolutely sterile and mundane, Phish
was (is) a pure and genuine breath of fresh air for passionate musicians
everywhere.
This isn't really quite the detailed review of the show but I wanted to
be honest and share my heartfelt sentiments towards, in my mind, the
single most important band to come out in the past 20 years.
What can I say, Incredible band, Incredibly emotional show. Thank you,
Trey, Page, Mike and Fish. From one musician to another,
...................Man, This is too hard.
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2004 01:07:40 -0400
From: matt frawley
Subject: Phish show review - 8/11/04
I hadn't seen Phish for 6 years prior to this show. Over the last 5 years
or so, I had been hearing mixed reviews and boring tapes of their live
shows. When they announced they were finsished I wasn't surprised or
dissappointed.
That all changed after seeing this show. If they can still pull of what
they pulled off that night, they should at least still do a festival or
New Years show every year. They sounded, tight, revitalized and
incredibly focussed all night long. I'm sorry to see them go. I had no
idea they were still capable of playing like this.
Matt in MA
Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2004 10:16:43 -0400
From: Rich Schieferdecker
Subject: 8-11-04 - Tweeter Center, Mansfield, MA Review
Antelope minus the lyrics. They never got to it...go figure.
Awesome show. Definitely better than the night before. I loved the energy.
The commitment. The musicianship...and yes, the silliness and the heart. I
won't be going to Coventry, so it was my last show. I didn't leave all
sad,
because this show was so darned good.
I will definitely download it for the memory, but also because it was a
really up show.
Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2004 15:40:16 -0400
From: "Dionne, Henry"
Subject: Phish show review
I have to second the emotion that this show was one of the best Phish
played in years. I fell away from the band (my wife and I spent too much
time with Widespread Panic...if that's possible!) after 1995 or so and
only caught a handful of shows since. Both Lori and I agreed that Wed.
night at Great Woods was like a 1993-95 show. Vintage and wonderful with
all the joyous emotion and musical variety that made the band famous. I
particularly like Phish when they are heavy, grungy and ELECTRIC and we
got a lot of that at Great Woods. Not that the tender or silly stuff
wasn't there too, but... well I just got exactly what I wanted. I hope
someone can address something for me though. I couldn't figure out what
song opened the 2nd set. I thought they were teasing several heavy jams
(including Antelope) that eventually became Also Sprach/2001. I asked a
friend of a friend who was sitting near me what they were playing and she
replied "Antelope" long before 2001 began. Now I see that Antelope is
listed on the set list from this website. However, I don't remember
hearing the lyrics to Antelope. Am I crazy? Too much lot candy? Or, was
Antelope played as an instrumental? I guess I'll have to buy the download,
but if someone could shoot me an answer, I'd love it. I'm really sad that
Phish has decided to call it quits. They were a big part of so many lives
and a true musical phenomenon. If the band reads this, let me say 1. Thank
you - from my very first show in Tampa in '93 (scheduled for the Cuban
Club but moved to...?) when Mike Gordon came out into the lot and fed me
and several others from the band's catering after the show, to Wed. at
Great Woods, it was one hell of a run. 2. I wish you all happiness in
life. 3. Should you decide to come back, you will be welcome with open
arms. I won't feel a bit bad about the "false advertising" of this last
tour. 4. It seems a shame to end such a unique bit of Americana and art as
your band, are you sure you won't reconsider? 5. And this is touchy: Mike
Gordon, the incident at the Jones Beach Dead show is more than troubling.
Whether it is behind the breakup of Phish or not, I hope that you will
seek out and find whatever it is that you need to ensure that another such
question never arises. I don't judge you, but innocent or not, better
judgment should have been exercised. Any phan with children knows what I'm
talking about. And nobody hates you over it. Still, impart the beauty in
you, not the ugliness. We all have demons. OK, I'm getting off my soapbox.
Last thing I want to say is that one of the big reasons I stopped
following Phish was because of the ugliness in the lots. I've seen so many
sketchy things over the years. But as my friend Corey pointed out on Wed.,
the phans were so well behaved on this tour. You should all be commended
for helping this great band end things with style and flair. And to
whomever was SO cool as to give me a fourth row, dead center seat at face
value 30 minutes before show time when hundreds of people were offering
hundreds of dollars in cash and trade...thank you, thank you, thank you.
May the gods bless you with good karma for many days. You deserve it.
Peace and love everyone. Enjoy yourselves at Coventry. A special big
thanks and goodbye to Corey, Mike, Matt and the whole NC crew. You guys
rock....Henry
p.s. someone please answer about that Antelope; it's driving me nuts!
Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2004 19:45:39 -0400
From: Karen Fair
Subject: Phish show review
i just want to say thank you phish for wed. show at mansfield, ma. i've
only seen maybe, 20-25 phish shows, but i've seen over a 1000 concerts,
and last night's show, is my #1 show ever.
thank you.
i'll miss you guys.
Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2004 16:30:33 -0400
From: Daniel Goldenberg
Subject: Phish show review
The show was amazing. Drum Dou.
Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2004 08:57:37 -0400
From: Carmine Nardone
Subject: phish show review 8-11-04
After an Ok first night, I could only hope for the best on this LAST SHOW
at Great Woods.
WOW!!! This was vintage Phish. From first song out, they never came down.
Trey was fantastic, Mike was ever so solid,Page was funky, and Fish was
killer. More than anything else, they played together, and they played
well.
Real well. This show helped me to believe again in the magic of Phish.
Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2004 08:52:10 -0400
From: Robbie
Subject: Phish show review
Last night at Great Woods (I refuse to address it as anything else)
marked the birth of the greatest Phish show ever. Prior to this
monumental event, Tuesday's show was par for the course; given the
obvious fatigue of the guys in the band, what else could we expect.
However, they must have had a peaceful nights rest because they started
the show somewhere over the rafters and ended it at the gates of St.
Peter. To review all of the songs would be an arduous and tedious task,
but to try my best to convey the feeling of the night and the major
events that directly caused that feeling is easy. Two words - Smokey
Robinson. Two more words - Hot Chick. What do they have in common?
Nothing, unless Trey and Page both forget the words to Tears of a Clown
and Trey asks the audience if anyone knows the words; enter hot chick
from first row who got up and attempted to sing, but succeeded at making
every guy in the place drool over her gift of being well endowed,
meanwhile every woman in the place envied her ability to smother Trey
with kisses. Bouncy breasts aside, Trey and Fishman topped that act with
a double drum solo on Fish's kit; (this was accompanied by an explanation
as to how they use to have drum jams in college together and Trey has
always wanted to start a song with a drum solo of this nature). Being a
drummer of the semi-professional persuasion, I was awestruck and
impressed with Trey's ability to not only keep up with Fishman, but his
ability to inspire many of the rhythms they ventured through on this
once-in-a-lifetime event. I expected to leave the venue heavy hearted
and down-trodden, but on the contrary, the show was so good that I felt
at peace with the fact that this would be my last time seeing them. It
was as if we were brought back ten years ago. The band was vibrant,
every member made a joke at Fishman's expense in regard to his vacuum
solo that evening, the energy was high, and all was right with the
world. For the past few years I have been praying and searching for a
show of this magnitude; by the blessing of irony my prayers and dreams
came true. Only this time as the band walked off stage, all members
facing stage left, Trey looked at the crowd and pumped his fists as if to
say, "We did it, all 30,000 of us, we did it." And as the lights came on
and the cattle herd began to go to pasture I said a silent thank you to
John, Trey, Page, Mike, 30,000 people, and the cosmos. We did do it.
Thank you for bringing peace to us all.
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