Phish - December 31st, 2015

Around 6:30, Trey leads this one into the "Type II" zone, where it remains for the duration as it drifts through some low-key psychedelia before a > to "Piper".

The final "Twist" of the year clinches its title for "Jamming Song of 2015". Like the Shoreline and Mann versions, after a relatively straightforward first jam, the band comes back home to the opening riff before taking off again. After some probing and warping and abstracting of the riff, things grow darker and sparser, before Fishman steps on the accelerator after the 11 minute mark, Trey goes Pink Floyd, Mike Meatballs, and Page plays Cap'n Crunch, leading to a Tweezer Reprise-like peak.

Awesome NYE prank version. The jam begins in a mellow zone with sprinkles of bliss. After a sparse, ambient section, Fish kicks things back into a solid groove, before "Drive-In Jam"-like effects and sounds overtake. Must-hear Phish. Note: a few minutes were probably pre-recorded as part of the NYE "gag".

There's a reason Phish chose "Blaze On" as the song to open 2016, and this version delivers the celebratory goods. Like the past few versions, near the seven minute mark, Trey's chording sends the jam out into a world of spacey effects. These effects are reeled in quite quickly this time around, and Trey opts for a clean tone as he plucks beautiful trichords high on the neck and leads the band through a major mode passage that takes on a rough edge to it, grows percussive, and winds back to finish the tune.

Clever major/minor mode contrasting by Page and Trey at a couple of different points, plus some good old fashioned tension provide the finishing touches for a solid year for "Bowie."