From: Jacob Dixon jcdixon@students.wisc.edu
Subject: Review 8/10/96 alpine valley

Phish  8-10-96  Alpine Valley

I:
My Friend, Poor Heart, AC/DC Bag, Fee, Reba, I Didn't Know,
The Horse> Silent in the Morning, Rift, Bathtub Gin, Cavern

II:
Wilson, Down with disease, Scent of A Mule, Free, Fluffhead, 
HYHU> Whipping Post> HYHU, Harry Hood, A Day in the Life

E:
Contact, Fire


Wow! Phish sure is a different deal outside in front of
40,000 people. I don't know if I was really ready for that.
They sure have been practicing though, and they pulled it 
off beautifully. They really seemed as though they belonged
out there on that huge stage in front of so many faces.
Scary? maybe, maybe not.

We show up at the lot around 3:30. It was a lot more peaceful
than I had envisioned the scene to have become in my 10 month
absence. I think this was due to a couple of things, Alpine
is much more capable of accommodating 40,000 people than other
venues might be. And as far as I could tell security was very
lax, allowing for little tension. In fact the only two security
people I saw "patrolling" were Alpine Valley Mounties, whom
we stopped (of course) to share our grapes, and feed the horses
some carrots. Maybe my personally highlight of the scene with 
some many people watching a friendly connection being made between
people and authority :)

Had a lot of fun sharing watermelon and sodas, people were 
exceptionally grateful proving to me again that Phish fans
consist of the best people on Earth.

Ok into the show, gates open close to six we grab a spot
page side, 1/3 of the way this huge hill. Wow I was thinking,
they are going to fill this place. People with Pavilion
tickets take a long time getting in, last minute gate crush 
I think they call it, but the band started before they were all
in anyway.

Set I

My Friend, My Friend: Still like this one a lot as an opener, it is
challenging and is a little daring I always thought. But it sets the mood,
and demands that you join right away. Pretty straight, same Phish I
remember. Really cool slide work by trey using his mike stand, extra spacey.

Poor Heart: A little faster than normal, but fun. And as I'm enjoying myself
and seeing so many people stomp their hands and clap their feet, I start to
wonder, does Phish think that we Wisconsinites are a bunch of hicks? But I
laughed. Fishman vocal fillers as tasty as ever.

AC/DC Bag: Here is where I noticed a difference. This band has changed
plenty, this song for instance seemed a little harder than usual, more edge
to it, and as I thought about it, I decided more superstar rock band-ish. So
looking at them on stage from pretty far away, under a perfect light show I
felt less connected, because these guys looked like superstars. The jam was
tight, almost too tight. It is very obvious that they all have been
practicing a lot. Trey's solo was very unexploratory but maybe that is
characteristic of this song anyway.

Fee: Crowd pleaser always. I notice Mike's tone to be a little thinner. And
something about this song tonight, maybe (again) all the people, but I heard
for the first time as a cool pop song. Very easy to sing along with, and a
simplified beat. I don't know, I never really minded hearing fee, but
tonight I almost hated it (if I was capable of hate). Song ends with Trey
swinging his guitar in the air playing with the feedback. Does putting that
at the end of this song say anything?

Reba: A beautiful song and certainly no exception. A very different Trey
than I am used to. Incredibly melodic, and he gave up lots of opportunities
to build the tensions in favor of falling back on a sweeter sound. This song
also displayed that they have been practicing. They were together all the
way through the song, that is still there, but individually they seem all to
be stronger and more capable of leading a jam, or spilling a beautiful solo.
Stronger is a good word for the changes i've (imagined?) noticed.

I Didn't Know: Great change of pace, lots of fun, love to hear them
use their voices :) Fish came out for a vacuum solo, he is always fun,
glad I got to see him center stage.

The Horse> Silent in the morning: I don't know if Trey was really quiet
of if it has been changed up a bit but I missed everything of The Horse
before the verse. Silent in the morning is beautiful, little variation,
but certainly well placed in the set. Which is what sticks out in my mind
right now, the beautiful set construction.

Rift: The best part about this song was and is the trading of 
the verses between trey and page, and the spotlights that play
along. The only other thing I can really say about this song
is that before Trey says "and silence contagious in moments like
these..." it was anything but silent, so trey went and sipped
his beverage. He came back to the mic, and decided not
to wait for it to quiet down, and sort of hurried the line. It was rift.

Bathtub Gin: I had visions of 8-13-93. Not comparing the two but
I was certainly reminded. Maybe this song just leads to that by
nature and I hesitate to use the phrase but this was by far the highlight
of the show. They sure were channeling that music with very very
little friction, very little human interference and as a spectator
I felt very nourished. :) I don't what exactly sets this apart from
other songs, because it builds like the other ones, and creates that
tension ever so slowly, as if Phish is guiding us through a mine field.
And when you expect the tension to be released the floodgates open
up, and immediately we are running through this mine field at full
speed, so in a way something has been released, yet at the same time
there is more tension. It was a great version of bathtub gin :)

Cavern: Oh. Fun song, and its job seems to be closing sets which
it does very well, but there is something too predictable in all
of that, very unPhish like, and so all I can say is oh.

about a 75 minute first set.
35 minute intermission.
noticing the wear and tear my body
is taking from dancing on a hill. 
Make mental note to sit if I can next set.

Set II

Wilson: Nice job by the crowd, chant was audible
after first two notes. Now i'm picturing the boys
thinking wow, look at all these people and what 
control we have, how else can we have fun. Wilson has
a similar affect opening sets as My Friend, except that
it is a little looser and maybe is better at foreshadowing
the rest of the set (so I hoped)

Down with Disease: excited to hear what all the talk is about despite this
being one of my least favorite songs. And they do a great job with it, with
what they have. It opens up in the middle and they even travel a little bit,
but I believe that is all they can really do with this song. But that is
what makes it different, it is a real tight jam, very solid. it is what I'd
imagine a reworked Prince Caspian to be.

Scent of a Mule: I'm glad I got to see Mike sing one, this band
is very versatile and that's why it doesn't get boring to see them.
So they get into the duel/solo section and Page starts. Woah! Page!?
He almost seems to have a whole new approach to soloing, i'm going 
to attribute it to growth and expansion. And trey takes a turn same thing,
only not nearly as long as page (who did use his time). Page goes
and trey comes back singing was he is playing. I love this because it
impresses me so much, he was singing in unison, in harmony in octaves
it was really cool, a great affect i'd hate to miss out on in a show.
"Well..." Mike's turn :). song finishes very upbeat.

Free: I like this one, in the shorter version like tonight.
I've heard them do 25 minute Free's and they never seem to
go anywhere, so this one was much better, because if it didn't
go anywhere it wasn't as easy to notice. Very rock-band esque.
I have a new respect for their ability to play the big crowd.

Fluffhead: This one seems a little frustrating to me. They just
pretty much went nuts with Free and here they are playing an intricate
song with little to no room for improvising. Again versatility.
knowing ever single note they are about to play for the next
10 minutes never really excites me all that much. But i'm not 
knocking Fluffhead. It is a great song. And I loved and appreciated it.

HYHU> Whipping Post> HYHU:

I'm sure most of you have heard this story already, but
I want a shot at telling it anyway. :) Ok Trey takes Fish's
place he goes to get is vacuum and pops up center stage.
He takes a bow, when the music stops, gets a big rise out
of the crowd, and it being to loud to really start talking
Trey starts HYHU again. More Bows, introductions by pointing.
Lots of cheering, HYHU again, Fishman starts shaking hands
with the people in the first row, bowing to all sides, really
hamming up the rockstar routine, and it seemed trey was very
happy pushing him into that role. SO I was expecting something
slow, seeing that Fishman wanted to talk. But Fishman makes a
set change (i'm guessing) talks to page, shouts to Mike and Trey
and they start Whipping post. I was shocked. A little slower
lounge man-Fish style. But with the rocker screaming and screeching.
Everyone needs to hear this once.

Harry Hood: Just where is belongs in the set. it has a very closure
feeling to it. Wrapping things up with a beautiful, happy jam.
And this one was very good. I was glad to get it. I felt very good.
I don't know about screaming Hood after they sing, Harry, I didn't
hear any of that going on. I must have not been in the "informed"
section of the crowd. I don't think it would bother me too much.
Maybe yelling "rocks!" after they sing "David Bowie" would get on
my nerves. The song ends  with me feeling very happy to be alive, and
I decide that this is my favorite song to see live.

A Day in the Life: Another very fun song, and appropriate for that moment.
Nothing new about it thought, which might be a good thing because I think
they have almost perfected that one.

The band bows and leaves without saying anything.
I thought maybe they felt silly saying goodbye then
coming back for an encore.

Ok maybe the coolest thing I have ever see here...
40,000 lighters under a black sky, on a hill, waiting
for Phish to retake the stage? It was awesome, in the true
sense of the word. Wow, I was at a Rock concert.

Encore

Contact: Kind of a happy theme here with these last few songs.
Contact carried it very well. Always a fun song to see live,
and you can imagine the hands (have I mentioned there were a lot
of people there? well there were, and twice as many hands even.)

Fire: Hot. Trey never really exploded, but it was hot nonetheless. Great way
to end a concert, it sort of leaves you tingling walking away. Like there is
a lot of electricity in the air, you can feel the hairs on your neck stand
up. I think you close a show really well if you can make me feel that.

So then they leave the stage with a bow. For a minute I thought they were
going to come back again, but then it was obvious that the left without a
word. No thank-you no see you next time nothing. I was disappointed on the
verge of offended, but it certainly didn't ruin my night. :)

Well, it wasn't the best show i've been to, that still belongs to the first
one. But it was a ton of fun. And a very new Phish experience for me. So
that is good, change is good. Change allows growth, and I think i've been
brought up to speed with all of Phish's recent growth.

So before we went in, I miracled Someone. She went jumping up and down
screaming in joy and just that was worth $26.50 So you might flame me for
doing that, thinking i'm encouraging it. Well maybe I am, most likely I'm
not. Maybe I'm encouraging hope and faith in fellow humans to act kindly. 

Now it is my turn to talk about ticketless. I met a lot of people there who
are following phish without tickets or money to by them. But they are still
people, and most of them are still happy people. They are not less than me,
nor do they have fewer rights than me, just fewer luxuries. I believe that
being happy is our right as humans. Doing things that bring happiness may be
luxuries, but happiness is a right.

I welcome most of the ticketless. there are a few only looking to make
a buck anyway they can, but most sell things they make, themselves. Isn't
that what this country is about anyway? Listen to me preach about America :)
But seriously, a lot of people say get a job, do some real work. Well I just
think that is silly, no one has "societal" obligations already defined, and
they certainly wouldn't be the same for everyone anyway.

So lighten up everyone, ignore those who are there selling drugs, looking to
make a buck even if it hurts someone, crashing gates or asking me if I make
cheese. You'll see a beautiful group of people. They are still there.

Much Love,
Jacob
jcdixon@students.wisc.edu

*********************************************************

From: Steve Reidell 
Subject: Review, 8/10/96 East Troy

8/10/96, Alpine Valley Ampitheatre, East Troy, WI

Sometime in early June I got an envelope addressed to me in my own 
handwriting. There appeared to be a return address stamped 
"Burlington, VT" in the upper left hand corner. "Uh-oh," I thought as 
I opened up the envelope. Inside I found a yellow piece of paper 
regretting to inform me that my ticket-by-mail order could not be 
filled. Apparently I had sent the wrong kind of money order. After 
kicking myself [not literally] for about five minutes, I went down to 
the local Ticketmaster outlet and got tickets there. It wouldn't be as 
close, but it would still be Phish, and that was what was important. A 
couple of my friends, Ryan and Matt, came with me. We got into Madison 
on Friday night where Medeski, Martin & Wood were giving a free 
concert on the Terrace. Not a bad way to start the weekend.

The next day, we headed out to East Troy sometime in the 
mid-afternoon.  The parking lot was full of frisbees, footbags, 
grilled cheese sandwiches and bootleg shirts for sale. After the doors 
opened, we got a good seat near the front of the lawn, chilled out for 
an hour or so, and eventually heard the first note of "My Friend, My 
Friend." The crowd was on their feet almost instantly. Next was "Poor 
Heart," which got the people next to me dancing [I think that was the 
only time they moved in the whole show]. A hard-rocking "AC/DC Bag" 
came next, followed by "Fee" with backup vocals from... the whole 
audience. My second experience of "Reba" was next with some 
exceptionally beautiful solos from Trey. Henrietta brought out the 
vacuum for "I Didn't Know," and then came a pleasant "Horse" into 
"Silent In The Morning," followed by "Rift." I was writing down the 
setlist the whole night and got [momentarily] thrown off by "Bathtub 
Gin," but was right on track when they closed the set with "Cavern." I 
was in a state of pure bliss.

Almost as if I were listening to A Live One, the second set opened up 
with "Wilson." Next came a rip-roaring "Down With Disease" only to be 
followed by my second experiences of "Scent Of A Mule" and "Free." We 
heard Trey quietly beginning to play what sounded to be like 
"Fluffhead" - turned out it was. That was nice to hear. Henrietta once 
again brought out the vacuum for "HYHU" into the Allman Brothers 
Band's "Whipping Post" [which Phish hasn't played since 1993] back 
into "HYHU." Laughing, Trey apologized to Greg Allman after the song 
was completed. "Harry Hood" came next and would have been a perfect 
set closer, but Phish finished off the set with the Beatles' "A Day In 
The Life." Not too bad.

My friends and I looked around as Phish left the stage and saw almost 
40,000 people at Alpine Valley break out their lighters and hold them 
in the air. Phish came back out on stage [with much appreciation from 
the audience] to give us an arm-waving "Contact" followed by a burning 
[no pun intended] "Fire." Phish thanked the audience and the lights 
turned on. I knew it was going to be a long wait in the parking lot 
and a long ride home, but I didn't care. I had just seen one hell of a 
good show. 

Steve
Reidell's page