Phish - August 29th, 2024

Summer '24 Phish truly blurs the line between "average-great" and notable. Perhaps a case in point, here. Precision play from the jump before, come the 6:00 mark, Trey unleashes a series of savage licks. The band truly wakes, each adding "parts" informing this great sum. Play coasts before Trey finds a great melodic (pick a tease) riff, which Page mimics. A true Dick's harbinger.

"Ocelot" might be '24's surprise song; press play, here, to hear why. Patient and introspective, Trey shuns anything by way of ham-fisted (re: distracting) vocal delivery to, following super Mike and Fish, meander in a near "Meat"-like fashion. Trey shows restraint and walks away - such are his lines - from such sentiment, his soloing, with (or against) Page's high-register play, delivering a legit first-set highlight.

Pretty version, ft. pronounced echoes through Trey's vocal section. Some of those strong "TFTB" vibes as play coasts. Trey augments his tone - also pretty - and the band works through a light, airy jam, with particularly notable play from Fish. Trey alights upon yet another great theme (he makes it seem so easy these days) which, owing to his patience, allows for a restrained, yet thoughtful, conclusion. Quiet highlight.

Jam takes a sudden and incredibly frenetic turn coming out of the grimy "Multibeast" section. The band conjures not just thunder, but a multifaceted visionary journey through shifting sounds and moods as diverse as the Vedic pantheon before settling into a rhythmic and loop laden space that gives way abruptly to "2001".