2021-09-17 Portland, ME - T.A.B.

 So I played the final 6 2021 TAB shows last year as a lead in to my Fall 2021 play through. This time Im going whole hog and just playing the whole dang tour - it probably deserves it

This morning I begin TAB2021 with:

9/17/21 Portland

Set 1 -

First Tube with horns/orchestration is a wonderful opener and if you havent heard such a version, you REALLY need to! Such a great twist on the standard formula that really elevates it!!

Things immediately gain some serious steam with a fiery-hot Alive Again making me think of a latin-tinged Steam (though more uptempo) and a friggin BLAZING Camel Walk.

Id call both must hear. Wow! Camel Walk in particular just goes nuclear with fireball heat and blaring horn solos abound. Dang.

Like First Tube, Ocelot is another one given a fresh coat of paint. Ultra groovy with the latin feel again and the horn section giving such a sick vibe. Plus the, dare I say, sexy backing vocals This one is thick and goopy like maple syrup!
Killer.

After a nice breather for Love Is What We Are, we get the newly revived Olivia (as of early 2020) to kick things back up several notches. Man, does this song kick some tail or what?! What a sick groove and melody.... At the risk of calling everything must hear.... Look, this is BAD ASS AND YOU SHOULD CHECK IT OUT!

A blazing Set Your Soul Free keeps the jet-engine momentum going strong. I cant stop headbanging - so much energy! Maybe not truly must hear, but its a killer type 1 rager as good as anything else so far.

Dark and Down is, well, dark and down! Great stuff, Trey lets it rip. Not much else to say.

The penultimate song of set 1 is a very feisty Mozambique. Golly does this sound fresh or what (I guess it would after pounding Phish shows, lol). KILLER. Gotta love the dang horns and the latin rhythms and the wonderful, sun-shiny feel-good vibes!

Rise/Come Together closes the set. Not the closer people wanted, im sure, but who cares. I love the song and the extra groove and soul that TAB gives it really makes it POP in a way it often doesnt with Phish. Even if you aren't a fan of the song as played by Phish, check out a TAB version - you may be surprised. I could actually see this working great on a TAB album with full-on production and the works.
A spectacular version with a sick Trey solo. Must hear!

All in all, set 1 was a raging success. They came out to kill, and kill they did. SO. MUCH. ENERGY. And good vibes galore, my goodness. I would say Alive Again, Olivia, Rise/CT and that nutzo Camel Walk are what you NEED to hear, but golly...its like trying to compare diamonds or something. Just fantastic music from start to finish. 

Set 2

The 2nd set opens with a killer 17 minute Everythings Right! Holy mother of volcanic robo destruction!!! MUST HEAR!! RED ALERT!!! MELTDOWN TREY IN PROGRESS!!!!

What else am I supposed to say?! They opened set 2 with a nuclear bomb!

After some percussion zaniness to see us out, they move swiftly and launch into a powerful and driving Gotta Jibboo. Aw yea, Trey hits the perfect whale siren and its ON. This Jibboo is PHENOMENAL!! X FACTOR MAGIC! MUST HEAR!!! 10 OUTTA FRIGGIN 10!!!! OH MY GOD!!!!

Get your radiation suits on because the nuclear holocaust continues! Curlew's Call is 13 minutes of spastic insanity - Trey going bonkers, drum solos, everyone just EXPLODING non stop... Must hear yet again!!!!

Finally we get a chance to catch our breath with Ether Sunday. Chill reggae-jazz? This is freakin nice.

After a firebomb Burlap Sack (see Curlew), comes something I didnt expect. Im no stranger to TAB playing Moma Dance, but I realize now I havent actually heard a version the singers and horns until now. And holy pornography on a cracker there's a RUSTLE IN MY JIMMIES! Good lord I never knew a song could sound so X rated! The version itself isnt anything crazy tonight but good golly if you havent heard one of these renditions, you absolutely NEED to!

Up next is the first proper-TAB-show debut of I Never Needed You Like This Before. Stronger versions soon to come, Trey still manages to give a great taste of what is in store several shows dow the line.

Twist. See above. 12 minutes. Robo funk groovefest. Killer.

Life and a nice rocking Tuesday send us out.


Holy moly guys this show was FRIGGIN AWESOME!!!!! I loved it top to bottom!!! Just energy and FIRE out the wazoo, and man I forgot how good the horns and extra vocals make some songs sound....So much terrific music this first night...for set 2, you absolutely need the ER>Jibboo and Curlew for sure.