7-9-99 -- Merriweather Post Pav, Columbia, MD
review submisions dws@www.phish.net
or dws@gadiel.com
Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2000 14:19:29 EST
From: Phish7799@cs.com
To: dws@archive.phish.net
Subject: Merriweather 99
Now that I've finally got the tapes, I can submit a fair reveiw of this show
- and if you don't want to read about the expeirence, just skip ove my
blahblahblah and go to the songs.
The drive up from Virginia Beach was cool, not alot of traffic and the only
thing that was lousy was the fact that we lost our friend mark at vb. Sorry
mark. Me and my friend frank headed into merriweather with high expectations
since this was the last show that we would be seeing in a while and the tour
was over for us. Anyway, we hit traffic going into the show and something
very weird happened - we were listening to this new bootleg for the 1st time
and frank turned to me and said, "it would be cool if they played this
tonight, my call". So we waited for a while and headed into the venue. Not
to many cops strolling around and i might say that this is the perfect place
to see a Phish show on summer tour. Nice tree-lawn setting and it was very
peacefull.
We headed into the show and met up with some friends and disscussed our calls
for the night. mine was PYITE and MAKISUPA . then the boys came out
LIMB BY LIMB: nice opener, didn't reconize at first, but nice little jam that
got the show off.
FARMHOUSE: what's to say, it's farmhouse
GBOTT: back on the train used to be so fucking cool but now it seems as if
it's some lame bouncing or something, this version was sweet and funky.
then, it happended . . .
DIVIDED SKY: killer version that just blew my mind. the people were going
nuts.
TRAIN SONG: didn't reconize this, don't really care but it's a nice gordon
song.
LLAMA: now the show picks back up. love llama and trey was ripping this up.
DRIVER: mellow mood, smoked a cig and relaxed
RUNAWAY JIM: what a way to end the set, best versipn i've heard in a while.
set break: same as usual
set two was high antisipated:
PYITE: awesome, song really got everyone going - they took their time on it
too
FREE: knocked me on my ass. Mike was ripping his bass up
WHAT's THE USE: heard this at my first show and things got really weird for
this song, the arena felt like it was melting.
MEATSTICK: funny as hell
then, my long-awaited wish came true
MIKE'S SONG: yes - totally trippy version of this classis. trey was going
crazy and the band was following mike down this dark musical path. MIKE is
the best
TWIST: never heard a compo like this - was expecting simple or something but
got this. yeah
WEEKAPAUG: ended the set and everybody was still going crazy over that
mike's groove - the best thing about the set.
Encore
HARRY HOOD: what a way to end a week of phish - perfect version
what a show
later
Ryan
Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1999 12:15:40 EDT
From: Mango021@aol.com
To: dws@gadiel.com
Subject: Merriweather Review
Here is a little review of the weekend from my point of view, shows 39 and
40 for those who care. 7/9/99 Limb: Nice opener, but unfortunately I was in
a back corner of the lawn for it and it sounded like a pocket radio. Not
too upbeat, but my first in awhile. Farmhouse: I really dislike this song,
and it seems to be abundant now at the shows I am attending. Had to check
out the area at this point. Get Back on The Train: First time hearing this
one, and it was really nice. Cool beat, nice lyrics and lots of potential
for a funky drawn out jam. At this point, I decided the lack of sound was
killing this show for me and moved up to the front of the lawn with a bunch
of friends, and the show turned around for me at that point. Divided Sky:
Glad to hear this one, it was one of my first favorites. Not a stellar
performance, some flubs here and there but this song is so great it didn't
bother me too much. Trainsong: A slower tune I like, but not much to say
Llama: Nice up tempo version, I really love this one. Fish started it up
really loud and banging. NIce jam section. Driver: Not much to say. Jim:
Here is where the show took off into unparalled territory. Started off
standard, and the jam was pretty tame, but then Trey started putting out
some sounds that were, for lack of better description, "out there" I was
confused, these were sounds that were eerie and spooky, and down right
dirty.
The jam broke down, then it built back up. It was really a fantastic
version, and I really thought it ranked very highly on my favs of this one.
Good set, some slower tunes, but the Jim really made this set worth while.
II. PYITE: Really thick long intro, really pumped up. This was very loud,
and this was the first time you could really tell that Mike is up there now,
playing like a man possessed. The whole song had so much power, and i
really love it in a set opening position. Free: PYITE sort of segued into
this one, and it was a phatty. My buddy George turned to me and told me to
watch out for Mike's new effects, and as the jam started up, Mike let loose
with liquid bass, and George couldn't stop giggling. This was a powerful
version, makes the old 96 versions sound really tame. Deep stuff, Mike
leading the way. What's the Use: Knew this one right away, I had been
listening to it on the Ghost Outtakes recently. Really ambient kind of
music here, powerful Trey work very much like his portion of Roggae. I
really like it, very chill music.
Meatstick: I was surprised, second night in a row. This song is really
just entertaining. Many people love it, calling it the next big thing. I
like it, it is a good happy song. Really funny and catchy. I enjoyed it
from the first time i heard it two years ago on the tape of the Lille show.
Then the dance with Sophi, which was funny as hell. Really entertaining,
but I hope they don't Moma it this summer. Mike's Song: This version was on
from the minute it started. One of the better I have ever seen I think. I
don't think it tops Vernon from last summer, but it beats a lot of others.
Started really funky, then dropped into distrorted space, than Fish was
dropping different funky beats at various portions, then after a good long
while, the Sweet Emotion jam started up. It was teased without the chorus
part for a good 2 minutes, then the repeat of the chorus like usual. This
song then segued into Twist: This was unexpected and it rocked hard. I
really love this song, and it was my first time seeing it. THe jam got down
a little, more noodling than anything else. I thought I heard a mini Mind
Left Body Jam for about 10 or 15 seconds by Trey, but that could be
completely off. Closed out after about a ten minute jam Groove: Mike
soloed the opening without Fish on drums behind him with a beat, it was
nice. This is my take, which could be wrong: From the opening solo part
for Trey, he was playing the C&P tease over and over. This was not the
typical tease of many 2001's, it was higher pitched and faster. It took me
awhile to finally figure it out, but I could be mistaken here. The Macarena
thing is new to me. I heard Fish humming along something as the beat turned
really weird, but I couldn't tell if it was a Macarena tease or not.
Anyway, this Groove was legit, really hot. This whole second set is a
keeper, raging and deep the entire time. This is one of the better sets I
think I have witnessed and can't wait to hear it again on tape, that will
have to wait a week or so though. E: Hood: This song follows me
everywhere. I have seen it too many times, it really bums me out now. The
Glowstick War was pathetic, which is good. Maybe people are finally learning
that these things have gotten lame. Hood was less than spectacular for Hood
Standards. Camden review to follow some rest.
Date: Thu, 22 Jul 1999 08:39:38 -0400
From: Nick Blonkowski nblonkowski@comteq.com
To: dws@archive.phish.net
Subject: Security
Security definitely was pretty tight at Merriweather. I did see one
thing that I had never before though. I was walking to the bathroom, and
on the way I saw a security guard smokin a fan's piece with him. I
thought that was great!
~Nick
Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1999 20:48:48 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Vice-President Young Allesians Alliance, Tim Culp Chair"
To: dws@archive.phish.net
Subject: Farmhouse at Merriweather
Did anybody notice that the Farmhouse at Merriweather was i nthe key of
"C" rather than the typical "D"....just wonderin (I think the key change
led to the mixed revies of it...)
*PhiKappaSigma************************************########*
* +++++@ @++++ ugdabug@simons-rock.edu ## *
* (|) @@@ + knowledgeseeka@public-enemy.com ######## *
* +++++@ @++++ rws001@wmdc.edu ## *
* Delta Eta slimpimpin@hotmail.com ##### *
*********************************************************
Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1999 13:21:01 EDT
From: Sethadam2@aol.com
To: dws@archive.phish.net, dws@gadiel.com, BeanoBikes@msn.com
Subject: review
Okay, I knew for sometime I'd write a review, I just didn't know for which
show I went to. Well, a few days after the fact, I've decided that
Merriweather was the money show.
Limb by Limb opened the show. I hadn't seen this song open a show since
6-30-98, which was incredible so my hopes were high. Unfortunately,
Merriweather Post has a horrible angle, so I couldn't see the band, but I
guarantee they were jammin, cause everyone around me was -forgive me-
bouncing around. Farmhouse is a great song I never mind. The jam is tight,
the changes are simple...it just was surprising since they played that at
Merriweather last year. Get Back on the Train is one I don't quite care much
for yet. I liked it better acoustic, and it's one I need to learn to like.
If there was any doubt, it vanished when I heard that open A chord of Divided
Sky. The last Divded I heard was flubbed so badly they ditched it in
Barcelona last year, so this version swept me away. Train Song, a great,
sweet breather, was the worst version I've heard. I've seen it a bunch of
times, so this version did nothing for me. Finally, I see Llama. This was
my first Llama, and according to ZZYZX, the odds of that were about .04%. I
rocked out to it, as did everyone around me. Driver is nice enough, but I
was thinking to myself, "C'mon guys, kick it up a notch." They must have
heard me, because Runaway Jim was on fire.
But that was nothing compared.
They returned with PYITE, one of my favorites. Yes, this song seems to
follow me around, but I'm not complaining! That was a fun jam, nothing
particularly stands out as monumental, but it got me dancing good. I was
much more excited about Free. My last Free was Fall 96, and now that Free's
radio airplay has calmed down, I was glad to see it again. I love the way
they keep the tempo so steady. What's the Use is real out there. It's kinda
spacy, again....pick up the energy level. I must admit the show I caught
were definitely spaced out by many slow-it-down songs. Then it was time for
the Meatstick. This song does shock my brain. I loved it on the Bearsville
tapes, and I loved it the night before. Though caught off guard at its
second appearance in 2 shows, I wasn't upset at all. What could cap this
night off better than Mike's?? Another song abandoned in Barcelona, this
version tore shit up. I feared they might kill my energy again by segueing
into Sleeping Monkey or Swept Away or something, but fear not: My #1 wish
list song: Twist Around. I had a minor stroke or something for a second, I
went nuts, and loved this awesome version of Twist. They came a little bass
intro to a totally smokin Weekapaug.
How can they top that I thought? Encore: Harry Hood. Now Hood is the most
common song I've seen, but unlike, say Character Zero, I can't seem to
dislike it. Everytime it blows my mind. And this was no exception. I'll
have to hear the tapes to see if 98 Merriweather was better, but this
version, though shorter, was fantastic. All in all, Merriweather was a great
time. Other than the fact that these MD schmucks cannot seem to handle
parking, this venue gets the band playing their best. Have fun on tour!
-adam s
sethadam1@aol.com
sethadam2@aol.com
Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1999 09:49:11 -0700 (PDT)
From: Chris Merenda chris_merenda@yahoo.com
To: dws@gadiel.com
Subject: 7/9/99 Merriweather Review
07/09/99 Merriweather Post Pavilion - Columbia,
Maryland
I (1:05): Limb By Limb, Farmhouse, Get Back on the
Train, Divided Sky, Trainsong, Llama, Driver, Runaway
Jim
II (1:20): Punch You In the Eye, Free, What's the Use,
Meatstick*, Mike's Song** -> Twist > Weekapaug
Groove***
E: Harry Hood****
* - with Trey, Mike and Sofi (Page's wife) doing "The
Meatstick Dance"
** - with Trey on keyboard for part of the jam and
"Sweet Emotion" (Aerosmith) teases
*** - with "Macarena" teases
**** - with Trey on keyboard for part of the intro;
"Meatstick" tease at the end
This was my first of seven shows this summer and my
second show at Merriweather. It was also my first
show that I attended by myself - definetly an
interesting experience!
Pre-Show: ESPNZone in Baltimore - this place rules!!!
Sat in a giant leather recliner with speakers on the
headrest in front of 13 TV screens. Had a few Sam
Adams, played some video games, didn't spend any money
on overpriced souviners...
Got into the lots at 7:30 for a 7:00 showtime. We got
to Merriweather early last year, so I didn't
experience the traffic nightmare that most others hit.
Well, I saw it this year and I thought I was going to
miss part of the first set.
Fortunately, the boys didn't come on until about 7:45.
I grabbed a spot right at the front of the lawn, but
moved back after realizing I couldn't see anything.
The new stage setup is strange - it really looks like
something is missing on the right.
Limb is a great opener - really got the crowd bouncing
around and a great way for me to start my summer. I
love the way they reworked it last year with the jam
from Trey right after the last "Limb..."
Farmhouse had a new instrumental beginning - no more
jumping right into the lyrics. This was nice and
chilled and average length.
Get Back on the Train was so much more with a backing
band. I have heard it acoustic on a bunch of Trey
solo tapes, but it's actually got some funk when there
are three others on stage. I hope this song finds its
way into the rotation - it's a lot of fun!
Divided was a great choice for this point in the show
- the crowd went wild. Looooooooong pause in the
middle, probably around 2-3 minutes. Unfortunately,
Trey had some problems in the closing jam and couldn't
quite find the right notes. Great Divided, but the
end nearly killed the entire song.
Trey's problems continued into Trainsong and this
totally ruined what I always think is a really good
song.
All of Trey's frustration was channeled into a very
angry Llama - you could see him totally venting on the
opening chords. This got the crowd back into it and
the bobbing heads were seen once again!
Driver was Driver, and Runaway Jim was unusually
placed. I can't recall ever seeing this song close a
set, but I really liked it. Lots of energy flowing
from the stage through the audience.
Set break was a absolute disgrace - I have NEVER seen
anything like it! Security was using WAY too much
force in keeping people out of the reserved seating.
One guy was actually jumping the fence to go from
reserved to the lawn and he was pushed several times
by one of the security guards. When another fan asked
the guard for his name, he blew her off and walked
away. I then saw a very blue-faced guy being held in
a total chokelock by a huge security guard that
outweighed the fan by at least 150 pounds. I really
don't think these extreme security measures are
necessary for our crowd - did anyone else observe
anything like this?
After spending the first set in the middle of the
lawn, I made my way to the back near the fence. Made
a new friend (thanks Matt) and hung out back there for
the second set. Sound wasn't as good, but there was
more room to move about...
PYITE was a fun way to start the second set - I can
recall at least 3 restarts at the end of the song.
Free was a lot slower than normal and sounded really
really good. The rest of the band dropped off while
Trey was singing, so his voice was alone (almost in a
whisper) as he mouthed some of the coolest lyrics in
Phish's repitoire.
The slow, trippy feeling continued with What's the
Use. I got the Siket Disc before I left for tour, but
I hadn't gotten the chance to hear it before the show.
This song reminds me of something from a science
fiction movie - extremely spacey and actually very
nice for the third song of the set.
I had heard a lot of comments about Meatstick - it
seems that people either love it or hate it.
Personally, I think the song is really a lot of fun,
but I hope the dance goes away soon. It was fun to
see once, but I don't think it should be included
every time they play this little ditty.
Always love to hear a Mike's Groove - Mike's Song was
somewhat unfinished (no "Simple" jam) but did feature
Trey and Page whispering "Sweet Emotion" five or six
times right before going into Twist Around. I was
hoping that they would go into the Aerosmith song, but
there really wasn't even a tease (that I picked up,
anyway)
I'm not a fan of Twist Around, and its placement in
between Mike's and Weekapaug really disappointed me.
The song just rubs me the wrong way for some reason
(like Tweezer) There was a nice jam after the last
chorus, and they returned for another verse before
slipping into Weekapaug. Not a monster Groove, but
you'll never hear me complain about hearing this song.
Nice Mike bombs in the opener...
I was stunned to get a Hood encore - this remains at
the top of the list of songs that I have seen the
most, and as a result, it remains one of my favorites.
Always a pleasure to hear this and was a fabulous way
to end a really enjoyable show.
So, my summer has begun. I didn't mind seeing the
show alone, but I was looking forward to Camden the
next day with all my friends. More reviews to come!!
Chris
Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1999 11:26:51 -0400
From: D d.vitale@erols.com
To: dws@archive.phish.net
Subject: 7/9/99 Review
Great site you got going on here! Thanks for keeping all of us informed
along the tour way. We posted this review on The Jam Review list and
thought we would give it a shot with you, too.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The town of Columbia was wholly unprepared for the onslaught of Phish and
their legions on this hot July afternoon. The mall in Columbia was turned
into a phan gathering in the hours before the gates opened. When the time
finally came for the doors to open, the phans had lost at least six o their
collective due to the narrow-minded interpretation of justice. The presence
of these non makisupa policemen was very visible and irritating. However,
nothing could step on the buzz that was beginning to gain momentum and would
eventually spin itself out of control much to the delight of the phans in
attendance.
With singular motivation , the crowd jostled its way to the arena of
sight and sound that encapsulate them for two and half hours of beautiful
grooves and sensual sights. The energy exploded at the first sounds of Limb
by Limb. Moved by the sound, and possibly some mind altering substances, the
crowd began the ritualistic ballet that comes from such mellifluous
presentations. Moving quickly into Farmhouse, the boys continued to keep the
dancing mobs feet and souls
flying. Though many in the audience had not heard Get back on the Train, its
wonderful rhythmic undercurrent made even the rookie phan spin and dance
about. There is always one song that will drop you to your knees and make
you feel like the world makes sense even for only a few minutes. Tonight
that piece of cathartic melody was Divided Sky. The overwhelming aura that
was in the house tonight was taken to the next level of intensity. The
beautiful people that surrounded me moved almost as one as if the music
controlled our every movement. I truly believe that it did take charge of
our collective spirit and meld us into one. The band, in their infinite
rhythmic wisdom, slowed it down for a very beautiful Train Song. This brief
respite allowed the dance weary to recharge their groove batteries for the
incredibly frantic Llama. When the song began, the intensity of the standing
room only lawn burst outward in a series of screams and flailing motions.
Following this revelry was the new song Driver. Though unfamiliar to many,
the infectious groove was spread to all and enjoyed thoroughly especially by
one young fellow near me who was down to his undies grooving wildly,
blissfully unaware of his near nakedness.
The first set ended with one of the best Runaway Jims I have ever
heard. The jam time was long and intense with a wonderful repetitive rhythm
that made this groover lose his mind amidst the melodic cacophony. With the
knowledge that this was probably the final song of the opening set, I
danced with frenzy of a Tasmanian dervish(whatever the hell that is?). As
the band filed off stage, the sounds of excitement over what had transpired
filled the air like a pleasant haze ( or was the haze from all the kindness
being inhaled?).
After the precisely fifteen minute set break ( hey that's what Mike
says-always exactly fifteen minutes) the boys picked us up, spun us around
and exhilarated us with a phenom Punch You in the Eye. This was terribly
exciting for me because it was my first live PYITE. Let me tell you it was
worth the wait. I certainly was not alone in my frenzied movements, the
horde of phans swirled, twisted, jumped, screamed and shook. This set opener
was, in my opinion, the best song of this particular show. After this
raucous bit of musical eloquence, the band threw down a very nice and
spiritually uplifting Free. This song always inspires me to smile. IT
obviously inspires others as was evident in the faces of all the beautiful
people shaking their bones.
The next song was unfamiliar to many, but we grooved as a whole none
the less. What's the Use will hopefully be on the next studio recording. I
can't wait to get the tapes of this show to relive this particular bit of
music. The band had been teaching the audience the moves for Meatstick
during the last few shows of the tour. Obviously there are a few brain cells
remaining in our collective because all people touring knew the steps and
claps. One lucky phan was brought up on stage to help Mike and Trey dance
the Meatstick dance. Of all the newer songs Phish strummed this warm
evening, this was by far the most enjoyable. This song is definitely a
keeper. There you have it,an official endorsement.
Whenever Mikes' Song starts you never know where the boys might be
heading. On this particular evening they rolled right into the wonderful
Twist Around. One of the most telling signs of musical greatness is the
ability of a band to involve the crowd as a whole in the new songs. Every
time Phish plays a new song, it's probable that the phan will be able to
groove heavily even without ever hearing song before. The crowds' collective
psyche went into meltdown as the groove segued into Weekapaug Groove. I've
seen this song performed several times and cannot remember when it moved me
as much as it did here tonight.
The encore was a standard Harry Hood. However, when the standard is
Phish, even normal renditions of their song are far above norm set by many
other jam bands. The mob of grooving souls let their hair down and danced
with energy of a supernova. Explosions of movement and sound caused many to
gasp and swoon in rhythm. As the last notes made their way through the sound
system, the people cheered and rejoiced for they had been in the presence of
each other, the music , and of course Trey, Page , Mike , and Fishman. Thank
you guys for another night of pleasure and sweat.
As always, some of the most interesting sight come during the post show
party in the parking lot. The usual sound of tanks hissing and drums
beating. Many souls were wondering aimlessly looking for friends and rides.
One poor soul spent most of the evening looking for Matt, I wonder if he
ever found this elusive Matt. As we drove out of the parking lot, the local
police were putting on riot gear and fanning out through the crowd.
As I sat in the back of the car riding home I was able to reflect on
this wonderful evening that I had shared with several thousand beautiful
people. Enjoy the rest of the tour.
PEACE, LOVE, and MUSIC
Stephen Hyatt
Peace~Dawn :-`)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The movement of music happens not in the notes
themselves, but between the notes in the silences"
Date: Sun, 11 Jul 1999 23:08:44 EDT
From: HQDubz@aol.com
To: dws@gadiel.com
Subject: Merriweather Post
Alright, this was my first show of the summer, and I'm closing in on 50
total. My girlfriend and I went thru the most horrendous traffic I've ever
experienced, and if I didn't pull some tricks out of my hat, we would've
missed the Limb by Limb opener. That would have been a shame, because the
Limb was tight. Not huge, but tight. The following Farmhouse almost made me
like the song, for Trey's solo was moving. The Get Back on theTrain was
unmoving for me, sorry. But the following Divided was epic, in my opinion.
Keep in mind I hadn't seen Phish in a while, but this Divided was absoutely
100% sick! Skipping to the Llama, the jam was somewhat unusual, and not
incredibly fiery, but was unique, and that's ALL THAT MATTERS. Skipping to
Jim, it was unique placement, which made it great in itself. The jam was not
knockdown dragout, but was great.
The second set blew me up. I could've asked for more than a PYITE opener,
but the intro and Landlady were great. The Free was SICK. At this point it
was obvious to me that Trey is not the old Trey. His solos have a very
different sound, and his calmness on stage is amazing. In fact, that is what
I have felt is the new difference. The whole band is completely chill.
They'll take minutes to pick a song. That's chill. The What's the Use was a
first for me, and I liked it. The Meatstick was annoying, as it serves as a
medium to make fun of the crowd, which I like to do as well, but I was ready
to move on before it was over, and maybe they were too because out came a
Mike's. And what a good Mike's it was. They jammed it out and then dropped
it down to silence. I thought another song was coming, but they picked the
jam back up and ripped it thru Sweet Emotion, which I really enjoyed, and
continued thru into Twist Around, which I was ready to hear. The JAM out of
Twist was great and I thought they had ditched it as well, but they picked it
back up into the Twist rift again, and finished it. Out of the ending of
Twist came Weekapaug. A good Weekapaug with teases. Not a Vegas Weekapaug,
but a Weekapaug. A great set was over.
The encore was perfect, I needed to feel good on the way out, and the jam was
insane. Not a mellow feel good Hood jam, but a rippin Trey in your face
solo. It was great. Didn't notice the Meatstick teases, but I'm sure they
were there.
Dustin Bambic
astrokid43@hotmail.com
Date: 11 Jul 1999 13:25:30 -0700
From: tzander@etrademail.com
To: dws@gadiel.com
Subject: merriwether review
This review of Merriwether is from both my girlfriend Jessica and myself. We
have been phans since '92 and have seen 30+ shows each. This is our
first time in the online phish circle in years...
It was our first show of tour and we were very surprised how tight,
interesting and jammin the new songs are. We enjoyed these much more than
many from Billy and Ghost. Meatstick is such a fresh
--
new generation phish tune, a future crowd-pleaser and a sure
energy-getter. What's the Use-- finally Phish has figured out how to
create truly beautiful slow songs (not like waste and dirt)! Get back on
the Train -- another refreshing funky tune exemplfying the band they are
in 1999. The Punch and Llama were solid and full of energy, and Mikes
bass-solo was great during the Weekapaug intro. Nontheless, the show had
its unfulfilling moments. ALthough the song selection was extremely good,
the boyz did not completely hit home the goodies. HOWEVER, this may have
been because the sound in the lawn was horrible. I suppose some speakers
blew out, maybe just on the right side, and the whole second set suffered
technical difficulties from my perspective. Anyhow, the Divided Sky was
not nailed, unlike the other reviews imo, and there were several obvious
miscues during the arranged segment -- and i'm not one to comment on technical
specifics...Trey also didn't fulfill his lead role during the jam segment,
and he just can't 'go with the flow' and expect the song to take care of
itself. Of course I love how the band is more of a 'band' these years,
but sometimes, especially on the Trey-early-composition songs--he's
gotta step-up.....the Jim didn't go anywhere during the jam and each band
member seeemed to be thinking his own thing towards the end. But i can
certainly deal with those little things, and course i have no right to be
critical of the band who has positively influenced my life more than any
external influence (except formy girlfriend 8^) What I can criticize,
however, is the downward spiraling phish-scene. I consider myself a very
tolerant individual, but when we're all at the show, what should be on our
minds? abolutely nothing!
jessica and i had to move countless times around the lawn because people
were talking -- LOUD and a lot -- to where i wasn't completely focused on
the music and i couldn't completely hear the music. This I couldn't get
over: during the Hood quiet section before the finale, these 2 guys were
loudly talking through the whole thing, sharing details of their tour.
I've been on tour as well, seen a lot of consecutive shows and phish isn't
as exciting the 5th time in a row. But who needs to travel around and see
phish when they talk endless gibberish during Harry fucking Hood??? I'm
baffled. Stay home or respect the people who work and can only get to
see a couple of shows a year. Please.
In addition to the increasingly lackluster scene, why are there so many high
school kids these days using a phish show as an excuse to do inordinant
amounts of drugs? Don't get me wrong, i have nothing against drug use.
But really young kids e-ing their faces off without any clue as to the
music? Hello? Back in the Dead scene, people used drugs as a vehicle to
use the music to transcend consciousness, like a religious experience. And
that's a weak explanation for something that can be described 50 thousand
ways. But there's a purpose. Of course drugs and/or music aren't the only
way to get there. I just think the purpose of quality drug use has not
been communicated properly to the younger phish-pholks. And yes, i
know there are many of you, perhaps in high school, who understand the real
purpose of psycheledelics and improvisational music. And also most people
reading this are not the same ones behaving like this at shows...I just
had to get that off my chest, my girlfiriend is now asleep so this is me
writing. I still of course love the scene and will forever. It's still
the best place to be in town. in every town. And I care about all
phans and I'm just concerned too many kids are blinded by the consumption of
drugs and are not blinded by the positive vibes and incredible, forever
all-mighty powerful men from vermont! cant wait for holdmel. feel free to
email personally if you have anything to say to me.
Date: Sun, 11 Jul 1999 14:51:55 EDT
From: GoalieBoy3@aol.com
To: dws@archive.phish.net
Subject: 7/9 Review
Hey everyone, I was pysched to hear Merriweather and hoped the boys would top
Va Beach.
The second set was one of the best in years, and the first set was quite
average, but nice.
Limb by Limb: Boy was I happy, even though it isn't the best opener. It was
the start of a pretty mellow show with a few exceptions (like Llama). pretty
short, not as jammed out as previous Limbs.
Farmhouse: Didn't recognize it at first because it's played in the key of C
instead of D. I hate to bitch but...... the OLD FARMHOUSE IS BETTER! ok,
i'm done.
Get Back on the Train: Time to dance...this funky tune is phat! Man oh man,
this was real sick. Pleased to hear a good Trey song in the set.
Divided Sky: Ahhhhhhhh, the first one of the summer.. I knew it was
coming.
The jam was good, but near the end, they couldn't decide when to end it, so
it got a little redundant. Nonetheless, who doesn't want to hear a Divided
Sky?
Train Song: I guess they needed to mellow out after Divided, but this was
nowhere near as good as the 12/29/97 Train song, the best ever. I don't like
when Trey makes it choppy with his guitar. However, I do love this song.
Llama: OH MAN! I did not see this coming! Different Llama then previous ones.
it raged, then got quieter, then RAGED again! This got everyone dancing.
Driver: Not a big fan of these songs. Bad placement. I didn't want things to
mellow out here.
Runaway Jim: THis was my call for the opener, but I'll take it as a closer.
The crowd gave a good response to this, as it was the first Jim of the tour I
think?
Overall, this was fairly average. Tour's first Jim and Divided make it
special, raging Llama was sweet. Just didn't do it for me like the SECOND SET
WOULD!!!!
PYITE: Good call Jorge! He knew it was coming. God damn, the lighting during
PYITE is sweet. CK5 is the man. Out of the space in the end came the opening
notes of.....
->Free: You appreciate this song more when you hear it live because it is so
damn crazy! I loved the heaviness of this jam.. Kind of fitting that they
continued the heaviness with...
What's the Use: I enjoyed this, as did Trey by noticing his faces on the big
screen. He got one hell of an orgasm from playing this. I was noticing that
this set was getting special.. It was right about now that I was thinking
hear comes Mike's or Tweezer.
Meatstick: YES! AGAIN! EVERY NIGHT! DO THE MEATSTICK DANCE!!!!!!! I was
happy to hear it two nights in a row. Great audience participation the whole
night (Meatstick Dance, PYITE (hey!), Twist Around (whoo!), harry hood).
Sofi, who looked pregnant (go page!) enjoyed doing the meatstick dance.
Mike's Song: HEAR WE GO! Now, this is a set for the record books. In my
opinion, this is an epic set. Look at the setlist, get the tapes, you'll see
why. I was in heaven. This Mikes got bad and funky! Hells yeah! I was
thinking maybe Hydrogen as it spaced out a bit, but the funk got back
up...
Cool Sweet Emotion tease by the boys...then a
->Twist Around: Oh my god oh my god oh my god. If you would have told me
they'd do a Mike's>Twist, I'd shit my pants, which I did anyway as they began
to play the song. This was sick! You cannot dislike this song cause it's
well...absolutely unbelievable.
->Weekapaug: Of course...but what a way to end one of the greatest sets! A
"Macarena" tease in the middle of it too. Anyone notice Mike just slap slap
slapping away through the whole show? Meatstick, Groove, Mike's, Free????
Encore:
This I called...HOw could they play such a set and then not encore with
Harry. HOOD!!!!!!!!! One way to describe Harry.. beautiful. That's it.
Mellow show, but sooooo intense (just like 12/30/98 Set II). Goes in my book
as one of the best of all time.
Peace
Date: Sat, 10 Jul 1999 19:22:21 -0400
From: Reginald Durham chimer@naxs.com
To: dws@archive.phish.net
Subject: merriwether
a lot of people seemed like they really enjoyed the maryland show, at
least from the reviews. i must say, though, that for a lot of people it
was a really crappy night. after getting stuck in va. beach traffic that
morning, my gal and i found ourselves five miles from the venue at a dead
stop. it took us two hours to go those couple of miles.
it wouldn't have been so bad except that when we got closer, we saw the
trraffic control people, who were A BIG BUCKET OF LAME. they were just
kind of standing around, not really doing anything. they kind of waved
us toward this mall parking lot, but didn't really show us where we could
park. so we parked a this mall, not really sure if we were going to get
towed or not, and there were no people or signs pointing us toward the
venue. we wandered around, following the music (we came in right as
divided sky was starting... DOH!) until we got in.
then, to top it all off, when we found the venue, the entance was all the
way on the other side of the place (even though there were entrances
where we were, they were for "press only" (because we know how many local
newspapers were there to cover the concert!)) And when we finally got to
the main gate, there were at least 15 or 20 cops, literally just sitting
on their butts talking to each other.
Once we got in, the music took over, and by the end of the night we were
fine (the Hood encore sealed it- read everyone else's reviews for the
full story).
On the way out, however, the security tried their best to ruin everything
again by yelling at anyone who walked off of the sidewalk; they also got
angry at my girlfriend for trying to use the payphone.
Overall, it was a great show, but i must say that based on all the crap
we had to put up with, if Phish plays merriwether next year, i'd rather
spend an extra day at the beach.
love,
Louie Landry and Jennifer Durham
"it's such a fine line, between clever and stupid." -Spinal Tap
Date: Sat, 10 Jul 1999 21:38:48 -0400
From: Lanny Fields quinn@utinet.net
To: dws@gadiel.com
Subject: Review of Merriweather Post 7/9/99
For starters, let me begin by saying that although I've now been to 18
shows, that is spread out over 5 years. I typically go to 3-4 shows a
year, so it is a VERY BIG DEAL when I do get to see them. Having seen an
average show the night before at a venue I don't particularly care for
(VA Beach) I was hoping for a good one at Merriweather, a place I adore.
Man..... did I ever!
The show started "on time", about 7:40 for a 7:00 show. I was hooked
from the getgo. Limb By Limb had the crowd moving but it had several
mellower points in which several joints were brought out. I was on the
lawn. It was still light out, so you couldn't make out the screen and
you can't really see the stage that well from the lawn. But, none of
that really mattered.
Farmhouse was next. I have loved this song ever since last year at
Merriweather, and this was just as good or even better. I was feeling a
good mixture of three different types of substances and so I was a little
self conscious about how much I was into this song. I think there were
about as many joints being passed as there were people to smoke them.
I'm not really into that, but my girlfriend would get a different one
passed to her as soon as she passed one off. Enough on that subject.
Get Back on the Train: cool song with a great flowing jam in the
middle. I am not all that familiar with some newer songs, but I
recognized it because they say "Get Back on the Train" during the song.
Divided Sky followed that. What can I say. Think about THE most perfect
Divided Sky imagineable and forget about it. Nobody can imagine the
sounds that Phish makes, that's why we go see them. This was
be-yoot-i-full!!!
Llama was next. I am sad to say that I didn't recognize it right off the
bat - it's been a while since I've seen one. But it was a welcome part
of the set.
Driver was nice. You need those slow songs in the midst of the monster
jams such as....
Runaway Jim - although it probably didn't top the version I was at MSG on
12/31/95 it's all about the moment/present and last night was the present
and Jim rocked.
All in all a near perfect set. It was like being in a dream.
After a break that didn't seem that long they were back on with..
PYITE: The show was in full swing by now. I heard the lyrics more
clearly than ever before in this version. If you weren't tripping by
now, you weren't gonna. Thank goodness I was because I picked the right
show for it.
Free...probably because of the above mentioned stuff my memory of this
song is foggy. Actually the whole show is foggy. It wasn't until noon
the next day that I could remember what the opener was. Sorry for my
lack of detail with this show review.
What's the Use: I jokingly said "and now a song from the Siket Disc" as
Free was winding down but I was exactly right. This was a sweet spacey
portion of the show, but it was also the first time the whole night that
my attention drifted away from the music.
Meatstick was good to hear again. I had a theory last night as to what
that song is/does. It sounds like Fire on the Mt. but it never will be
and that is the whole point. If you want to hear a dead cover, go see
your local bar band do one, don't beg for Phish to do it. They are the
best at what they do and don't need a "Meatstick" to prove that. Having
said that, I think Phish should literally bury the meatstick after this
tour. I mean, the dance is corny.
Mike's was next. This song has been around since the beginning, so I
worry that the band might be tired of playing it. I am always proved
wrong as Phish constantly finds new ways to interpret this song.
Twist Around followed Mike's. I totally dug this song. I have it on a
couple of tapes, but never payed it much mind until last night. I think
I will love this song from here on out.
Weekapaug. To my chagrin, I had to go piss during the awesome jam that
was brewing out of Twist Around so I almost missed it as they went into
Weekapaug. It was so cool. I think it was here that they sang Sweet
Emotion briefly. I don't know if that was planned or not, but I didn't
mind that even though I refuse to listen to any Aerosmith.
Hood was the encore. Words can't describe it so I won't try to.
TO SUM UP:
This was a great show at a great venue. The band played together the
whole night and Page actually led most of spacey portion of the jam
during Weekapaug. It easily ranks up there in my top three shows. I am
not just a fan of Phish, I also love moe and String Cheese, but nobody
but Phish could have done what they did last night. 'Nuf said.
Tanner Llewellyn
Date: Sat, 10 Jul 1999 10:40:04 PDT
From: Dickson Corbett caddyshack@excite.com
To: dws@gadiel.com
Subject: merriweather review
First off, the show was great. Easily the best one I've seen.
Limb by Limb- fun opener. The jam didn't stray very far from the main theme
but was very tight and focused. Good version.
Farmhouse- seemed shorter than some but still good. The vocals stuck out as
being particularly good this time around.
Get Back on the Train- hadn't heard this one yet (first show of tour for
me). Funky beat, short sweet jam. Enjoyed it.
Divided Sky!- fantastic version. the whole intro was nailed and the jam
took me to another level. It also took the show to a whole new level.
Train Song- another song where the vocals seemed to stand out to me.
They've certainly improved over the years.
Llama- I'd been listening to the 7/25/92 show with Santana, and all I could
think about during this was hearing the extra percussionist in the
background and Santana's soloing.
Driver- standard version.
Runaway Jim- sweet jam, slightly different than other Jim jams I've heard.
Fairly lenghty.
PYITE- very lenghty intro, and they nailed it. Really exciting intro, had
the crowd going with it. There was a point where Trey started lightly
soloing over the intro, somewhat reminiscent of 8/17/97's 2001 intro, if
you've heard that you know what I mean. Not very distinct soloing, very
light. Good stuff.
Free- slow and funky. Great jam in the middle. Trey seemed pretty fired up
during this one.
Whats the Use- first time I'd heard it, I assumed that it had to be either
WTU or My Left Toe. Really a cool jam - dissonant and lots of big textures
in it.
Meatstick- Trey had a huge grin on his face for this one... before the dance
he went over to Mike and they conversed, which resulted in Trey pulling a
girl up on stage from the front row to do the Meatstick Dance with Mike and
himself. Very cool.
Mike's Song- This jam got really, really far out there, there were moments
of pure beauty and moments where it seemed like they weren't sure where to
go. Fishman had lots of percussion "toys" going at one point, a different
flavor to the Mike's jam.
Led into Twist Around- This jam wasn't as far out there as the Mike's jam,
but it was pretty mellow. Trey was doing some odd things with chording and
rhythym. They brought it back to the verse and chorus to end the jam.
Weekapaug- Mike was en fuego throughout the song. Really, really high
energy version.
Hood- some wierd fills by Page and a couple neat little transitions in the
beginning that were different. The jam was busier than usual, Trey was
really wailing. Really a good version of Hood.
Date: Sat, 10 Jul 1999 04:15:35 EDT
From: Smokie1119@aol.com
To: dws@archive.phish.net
Subject: review
liml by limb: great opener, certainly surprised me. The jam was powerful
but not that extensive. definately a solid opener.
farmhouse: always a fun song. the jam was spacey as usual. I liked this
song better in atlanta.
getback on the train: my first time hearing this one. i enjoyed it.
divided sky: this was where the show went to another level. Whenever you
here divided sky you know you were in the right place at the right time.
they nailed the transitions and the solo was awe inspiring. there was a 2
minute pause in the middle of the song, then of course they flawlessly kept
on going
trainsong: was especially wierd, not normally my favorite song but tonite i
enjoyed it thourouly
llama: "I'd walk a mile to hear a llama" . good song and kept the night
going on well. i love fishman in this song
driver: a quaint little diddy. gave me a chance to relax and reflect on the
divided sky
Runaway Jim: suprising as a first set closer but it was a pleasant suprise.
beutiful jam and great end to the set
pyite: a great set opener as well as one of my favvorites. they played it
with a lot of power tonite
free: always nice to hear. solid jam, trey went off for a few minutes
during this one
whats the use: never hearsd it before. kept my attention well, i give it a
thumbs up. Itwas very trippy
meatstick: this is the 4th time i have heard this song so far. it is a
cool sounding tune, but please don't play this every night. i think the
dance is a goof!
mikessong: great jam. their timing was perfect, i always like a good mikes
song!
twist around: cool song, i would have like for them to have finished that
sweet emotion tease. great vocals in twist around
weekapaug: always a crowd pleaser, had good energy and gordon took some nice
solos. as usual though, Trey brought the funk!
E: harry hood: always a great encore. one of the big ones. they played it
trippy weird tonite which was cool. A great end to a great overall
performance..
This show had one of the finest setlists in recent years. The energy was
great and the scene was chillen. probaly my favorite show on tour so far.
of couse i am biased because i am from maryland, also this is my last stop on
tour. i just want to thank the boys for a great 4 shows and to keep the funk
alive!
peace out
Date: Sat, 10 Jul 1999 12:49:13 -0400
From: Gian A. Cossa gianni@erols.com
To: dws@gadiel.com
Subject: Personal thought
The Meatstick Dance is kinda like a Hippies Macarena. Very enjoyable
Merriweather show. Their new tunes are, again, interesting and
memorable. And a good mix of old plus new. I called the HHood before
they even walked back in, so I walked away with goosebumps even though
it was still 90 degrees.
See you in Hampton
Date: Sat, 10 Jul 1999 03:18:14 -0400
From: morse39 morse39@gateway.net
To: dws@archive.phish.net
Subject: The Meatstick
Well, hmmm, let's see, so many big things about this show for me, the
first, that me and everyone with me (except my girlfriend) got sick at
the beginning, but then we felt better, Secondly, I've been wanting to
hear divided sky forever, and i finally heard it tonight, and when i did
i was miserably sick and lying on a hill in the back, funny how some
things are
anyway, i can't vouch as much for the first set, divided sky, llama were
tight and that get back on the train song (not train song, which i
loathe by the way) had a really phat bass line, first time i had heard
that, anyway...
the second set was dank, the punch you in the eye opener got everyone
into, a good intro to the song, but too long, which they do sometimes,
then the landlady section at the end really took off, with a lot of
playing around with the buildup sound of the end of punch you in the
eye, which i thought would lead to anything but free, which turned out
to be a pleasant surprise, but unforutnately i forgot it by the end of
the show (and can only remember one song from the past two nights, which
im sure you know, but more on that in a minute) anyway, what's the use
took off, i really enjoyed that jam, and of course that brings me to THE
MEATSTICK, im singing the meatstick as i type this and have been all
night, that damn song is gonna drive me nuts, hahahaha, but i love it
sooo much anyway, its just fun and a song im really gonna be excited to
hear in oswego, something phats gonna come from it, it crept up on me
out of what's the use, but i recognized it quickly, damn catchy song,
then mike's song, which maybe the sound wasn't good but the guitar intro
sounded weak, but then the groove got off!!! turned into a little sweet
emotion rift, trey was playing that little keyboard, which i dont
understand completely and i cant always hear him playing over page, but
then eventually they were really together, the most of the night on that
jam, which turned into a DANK twist around, i was very excited to hear
twist around, a song im glad their starting to play more, i love it, the
vocals sounded great (as they did all night) and the jam was crisp
enough, for twist around can get ridiculous, but turned into weekapaug
groove, which i swear somewhere in the middle of a phat jam, they sort
of stopped for a brief pause and trey went "hey macarena" i didnt know
if i was the only one that heard that, but i guess i wasnt, even they
still had the meatstick in their head, they were playing its rival dance
song, the macarena,
weekapaug ended and i was hoping for a good cover, or even the meatstick
again, what they did play was a sleepy harry hood that didnt get real
good til they teased the meatstick right before the end, i was delighted
yet guilty at that, now i must admit that i am caught up in the
meatstick
anyway, it was a great show, a major improvement on the night before,
aside from the harry hood encore which seem misplaced to me, but i still
enjoyed it, i hope everyone else did too
peace, love and soul,
blair
......shocks my brain!!!
Date: Sat, 10 Jul 1999 16:44:22 EDT
From: PoOoPeE@aol.com
To: dws@gadiel.com
Subject: From third row (orchestra Pit)
First off, the show was amazing... especially for my first Phish show
ever! Second set was even better then the first.... and they both were great.
Meatstick was awesome, especially when Page's wife came up and did the dance
with them. The glow stick war was also fun. Overall the show was amazing and
I have to thank my best friend Josh Kowitz for waiting in line for tickets
for me! (love ya Josh)
-Lindsay Alperstein
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