2011-09-02 Commerce City, CO - Brought to You by the Letter "S"

9/2/11 Dick's

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE LETTER "S"!!!!!!

Ok, set 1 - wow, 94 minutes!

Other than song-selection wow factor, the first four tunes (Sample, Sparkle, Sloth, Sweet VA) were nothing more than just-pretty-good versions. Nothing memorable to make you stand up and take notice.

At that point, 20 minutes in, I was thinking this was going to be an "off" night, BUT, my favorite new-song-soon-to-never-return, Suskind Hotel, came and STOLE THE FRIGGIN SHOW!

From here on out the rest of set 1 was terrific. Suskind flipped some switch for them tonight! Basically, pretend the show begins with Suskind and you are all good

Suskind had a great energetic and spastic jam similar to the other recent versions. Extremely hectic and bombastic in a good way.
Strange Design was a perfect interlude for the beast to follow...

STASH! GET THIS STASH! STASH OF THE YEAR! THIS STASH IS INCREDIBLE! FRIGGIN AWESOME!

A lengthy jam that stays firmly Type I, but there is so much energy. The playing is perfect with nary a flub to be found and the guys make wonderful use of dynamics in this. Absolutely spectacular Stash. For real.

Sneakin Sally - this one kept the momentum up. It was absolutely as good as Stash. Had a nice Type II funk jam that is mandatory listening before segueing into the first Sparks since 1996!!!

They play Sparks flawlessly (surely rehearsed, no?) and segue out into a ripping Scent of a Mule.

Mule is never my favorite song to hear, but this one felt noteworthy. Just an excellent performance of it.

After a RED HOT Stealing Time and a Shine a Light laced with gorgeous playing from all, we head for a dark and disjointed Split Open and Melt.

We get a couple minutes of dark and nasty quasi-ambiant Type II, ala Charleston 2019. Grindy and gritty malevolence at its finest.

Jeez, this set just wont let up!

And of course after Melt, we have the perfect set closer - Squirming Coil

Wow, I don't feel like that was a hands-down best-of-year set, but that was surely in the top 10 of 2011, DEFINITELY.
Lots to love - just make sure to start with Suskind Hotel!

Set 2 to come....  

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Set 2

Beast of a set. Top 8 or so of this great year, easily. Nothing was too lengthy but the quality was there in spades.

Outstanding show overall. Good work, Phish 

It was great show. It wasn't out there like the Chicago shows were, but this was totally in the top heap of 2011 even still. Set 2 had mad flow and was just loaded with awesomeness. A great example that jams don't need to be 20 minutes to be fully loaded and worth hearing. Set 2 really, really cooked!  

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9/2 Commerce City** - (Begin straight at Susskind. SET 2 I ONE OF THE BEST OF THE YEAR! BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE LETTER "S"!)
SUSKIND HOTEL (SPECTACULAR!)
Stash (DANG! EXCEPTIONAL and dynamic jam! STASH OF THE YEAR!!!!!!)
Sneakin' Sally (FREAKIN SICK. SUPER FUNKY TYPE II.)
>SPARKS (!!!!!!FIRST SINCE 1996!!!!!!!!!)
>Scent of a Mule
Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan (HOLY HELL!)
Shine a Light
The Squirming Coil
Sand (Terrific Type I. HOLY FREAKING CRAP THAT PEAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
>Simple (Gorgeous bliss, deep space Type II ambiance)
>Steam (OUTSTANDING HOLY FREAKING FIRE FROM THE SUN THIS IS SPECTACULAR!)
Soul Shakedown Party
Seven Below (Magical Jam!)
>Suzy Greenberg
>Scents and Subtle Sounds (EXPLOSION.PEAKS UPON PEAKS UPON PEAKS!!!!)
Slave to the Traffic Light (LONGEST SUSTAIN NOTE EVER PLAYED BY HUMANS)
Sanity
Sabotage