2011-08-16 Chicago, IL

Chicago #2

After the best-of-the-year first night, this one has some heavy shoes to fill!!!

Kicking off with maybe my favorite rarity, a good Dinner and a Movie into a Ha Ha Ha
Nice! That's definitely keeping the bar up

Then we get an absolute BEAST of a Chalkdust!

Chalkdust is always hot. This one is a step beyond. In the middle, They go - I'm gonna say anyways - Type II in the middle of a Type I jam.
That statement does not make logical sense. Listen to this version and you will know immediately what I'm talking about.
Trey goes nuts and starts jamming this lick that sounds like he's playing around with an Ebow or something. You'll know it when you hear it.
Cue the goods for a minute or 2 and then back to Machine Gun Paradise.

It's off the CHARTS awesome!!!!!

After that we get a rare Mexican Cousin - the perfect "intermission" before a refreshingly early-in-the-set Walls Of the Cave
As usual (gonna hear me say that a lot...) Walls is red hot. The set placement was great though - I'm tired of it being a closer Worked great here tonight!

Currently in the middle of it.

More to follow. Stay tuned  

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Got extremely distracted by family and had set 1 of 8/16/11 interrupted for the last 2 hours....

Currently resuming with a very nice Ocelot.

Where I left off before:

Runaway Jim
>Foam
I Didn't Know

RJ was terrific with a really nicely done chill tone to it. Very patient jamming. Extremely enjoyable!!!!
What's a RJ without a segue into Foam?

Foam was even better than Runaway Jim. An awesome, awesome version.

I Didn't Know brought some good laughter with a raucous vacuum solo

Now Ocelot is bringing that slow-jam, swampy kind of vibe. Just...patience is the word for this set, I guess. The guys are takign their time with the songs and just soaking into them. Check out the great soloing by Page underneath Trey's playing. Like listening to Bob Weir doing his rhythm-soloing thing behind Jerry

Awesome Ocelot. Awesomelot. Yes, I went there. Throw your pebbles and marbles, I don't care

 

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Currently in the middle of Theme From the Bottom


So, 8/15 is the benchmark. 8/15 was MAGICAL.

8/16 has moments (Disease>Twist) that come CLOSE to 8/15 but are still light years away.

Let me put it like this though - if 8/15/11 did not exist, this show - 8/16/11 - would easily be in the top 3 or 4 shows of the year so far.

Easily.

This comparison is a compliment to both shows. Night 1 was just so insane there is no hope of competing. Night 2 however is a perfect representation of where Phish is at in 2011 on a great night.

8/15 was a freak accident type of thing. The stuff you pray for but know is not gonna happen most nights.

8/16 is a perfect example of what you CAN realistically hope for on any given night in 2011.

Does any of that make sense to anyone?

 

 

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8/16 Chicago ** (8/15 was a freak accident show. THIS show is a proper example of the REALISTIC best to expect from Phish in 2011. Major compliment to BOTH shows :) SPECTACULAR SHOW!)
Dinner and a Movie
>Chalkdust Torture (MELTS DOWN BRIEFLY INTO TYPE II IN THE MIDDLE THEN TREY MACHINE GUNS BACK INTO OBVLIVION. INCREDIBLE VERSION!)
Mexican Cousin
Runaway Jim (SPECTACULAR jamming!)
>Foam (EVEN BETTER!)
I Didn't Know (VACUUM SOLO!)
Ocelot (Terrific and patient!)
The Wedge
Limb By Limb (SPECTACULAR! GOES TYPE I.5! INCREDIBLE LXL! GREATEST LXL EVER HOLY HELL!)
LET IT LOOSE
Down With Disease (22 MINUTES. TYPE II! Doesn't come close to 8/15/11 though. If 8/15 didnt exist this would be THE jam of 2011!!!!)
>Twist (SEE ABOVE)
Number Line (Incendiary Type I)
Theme From the Bottom
Golden Age (SUSTAINED NOTE OF THE GODS! Ambient dissolution...)
A Day in the Life
You Enjoy Myself (FUNKY DISCO BASS JAM)
Heavy Things (Odd placement but exceptional Trey solo)
Slave to the Traffic Light (Oh my god!)
Rocky Top (PLAY IT LEO!)