Phish: Random Show 6/20/1997 Divadlo Archa — Prague, Czech Republic
Europe 97: Leg 2. They were en Fuego. Like @waxbanks has previously said, 1997 is Phish’s “alternate universe,” and are doing things on stage, embarking on new sound territories, that blow minds. It foments debate over which year is the “best” year for Phish, 1994, 2013, or this year. For me, this year, only because, like @thebabysmouth has reiterated: “What band can completely transform their sound, and create a sound better than their previous, especially in a live spectrum?” This show is pinnacle Eurpoe 97: the setting: smaller venue, more dedicated, authentic phans, and no worries about experimentation on stage.
Open up with Taste, this song’s strongest year — they really stretched out the outro jam during leg one, especially Trey’s version, creating a more minimalist vibe. Then, the band just breaks out this trippy, dancy, I-don’t-know-what to call it jam, reinvigorating this stratified amplification of energy. Because of this, when they’re transitioning to Cities, it comes in hot, therefore keeping Fish to uptempo the backbeat, making this Cities imbue the Talking Heads original version. Fuse that with Phish’s funk, and you have this nasty cocktail of inexplicable dancehall. Just.so.sick. Horn changes up the tempo, but with a little ironic flair post song that brings us to Ain’t Love Funny (only performed 3 times in 97, yet carried with Mike on his other solo projects.) Limb x Limb became my personal fav for 97 since the original version was more ethereal and created a more celestial atmosphere. Sometimes some songs need editing (Remember the 89 Reba when it had that weird proggy intro to the middle composition?) Sometimes, it would be nice to bring back the original version, just because the song’s intent loses its luster (see @phanart’s love for Lushington.) I Don’t Care preceded a decent Antelope (the reviews said that Trey called the “New Jersey” drunk to mock his own state of mind during this set. There were other sets that Phish wrecked because of their immensely altered states, and this definitely wasn’t one of them.)
Set two has the stuff of legend. We open with a Bowie. I’ve debated with the Twibe about which song “identifies” with Phish, as in, like Born to Run is for Springsteen, Hey Jude for Paul McCartney, and Ooh to be Ah for Kajagoogoo, and the consensus is YEM. It’s publically known as Trey’s least, and most favorite song to play. Some might say Harry Hood, however I feel David Bowie sort of represents Phish through the years. It was their first song to really open doors for their hurried jam structures. This particular version possessed a jazzier feel, having a cubist appeal in the middle — creating a bridge from their jazz influence to their minimalist influence. Then Ghost: Phish definitely “fixes the cable” with this slowed-down funk. Bye-Bye Foot to slow down the mood — it’s a shame they retired this song, it’s saccharine approach with Fish vocals is reminiscent of that song you like but no one else does (on a side note: Waiting All Night captures this vibe again, even if it is the whole band singing — the studio version is phenomenal.) The rest of the show closes out a pleasant Prague evening (you can look at the setlist — and even check out the reviews, this show has some decent ones.)
I had more to say, but I’m going to stop here, see what people enjoy more of: longer, more discursive posts, or shorter, to-the-point reviews. I enjoy doing both, so let’s see the response to this one. Maybe it’s the particular show that people read, they enjoyed that show or that time period, 1997 being particularly popular, so they’ll take the time to read it. OK, I’ll stop.
