Features

10 Highlights from Phish’s 2012 Summer Tour (Leg Two)

5. Light – 9/1/12 – Commerce City, CO
As far as reunion-era Phish songs go, “Light” has been considered a fan favorite and has brought about some very creative jamming with a consistent spot in the second set. While this version starts off as very standard, Mike signals a turn for something extraordinary. As Trey plays around with the different sounds on his pedal board, Mike decides to bring the jam into darker territory. Although he finds a position on his fret board he wants to play in early in the jam, the band only follows after he turns on a filter effect. From there, Fishman comes in with a layered beat while Page and Mike take the lead. Trey comes in very patiently, allowing his bandmates to change around the tempo as they wish. In the following ten minutes, the jam highlights some of Phish’s more diverse playing, making a final peak feel well earned.

6. Carini – 8/31/12 – Commerce City, CO

Placed early in the show to help spell out the band’s secret message, this version of “Carini” surprised and delighted an excited audience. The band seemed relaxed and willing to take risks from early on in the set. “Carini” departed from its standard textures to something more spacious and atmospheric. The dark song gave way to a beautiful slower jam, which actually resolved to a more ambient feel with Fishman and Trey syncing up on hits through a layer of sound created by Mike and Page. The jam puttered out to what might be the softest ending to “Carini” ever.

8. Runaway Jim – 8/31/12 – Commerce City, CO

Notoriously known for its first set slot, “Runaway Jim” has not seen much improvisation in recent years. This 20-minute rendition welcomes the old favorite back to proper treatment. The start of the jam brings an element of funk that is rarely seen in “Jim.” Mike provides heavy bass lines as Trey works up and down the neck, providing blissful builds. The band drops out as Page brings them back in, solidifying the touch of funk with a keyboard effect. The band plays out on the funk vibe before returning to a more traditional “Jim” jam.

9. Sand – 9/2/12 – Commerce City, CO

Clocking in around 25 minutes, this second set opener version of “Sand” shows just how far Phish can take out a song. The song features fierce playing from Trey as well as some distinctive work from Page and Fishman. When the drums and keyboards lock in, the groove becomes very ambient and is brought to another level by Mike who simply repeats two notes while Page and Trey find their way around. The exploration then continues in a more traditional sense. Trey takes the reins as far as building the jam up to a classic crescendo and then back down again to the spacey place it previously reached. Though many would believe the band to be going in to “2001” by Fishman’s recognizable drum beat, the quartet returns to the “Sand” intro once more before transitioning into “Ghost.”

10. Chalk Dust Torture -> What’s The Use – Atlanta, GA 8/25/12

This “Chalk Dust” is on the shorter side but sure is sweet. Trey confidently plays through various themes during the jam, which is usually just used as a springboard for his solo. The jam even settled into a nice little template to color. The band definitely used the surprisingly relaxed nature of the jam to explore their various musical ideas. As “Chalk Dust” comes to a dissonant end, Fishman flitters in and out before Trey brought the band into a fitting rendition of the instrumental, “What’s The Use?”