Phish is more than just a band; it is a way of life, a worldview that transcends jamming guitars and drums. Experiencing the live performance stirs up waves of emotion that make you move and dance with a freedom that can only be described by simply saying, "I was at a Phish show, man." And man, Phish's Festival 8 proves that the Phish way of life is stronger and more vibrant than ever.
The three-day festival kicked off in high gear with "Party Time," and sustained the energy with "Chalk Dust Torture." For the rest of the first set, Phish gleefully played many songs from their new album Joy, and sprinkled in a couple of classics like "Stash" and "NICU."
As the band prepared for a second set, the crowd had doubled in size, and the anticipation felt explosive. Capitalizing on the increasing energy, Trey and company pounded through slamming renditions of "Punch You in the Eye" and "Down with Disease."
Adding to the festive vibe, some in the crowd were exhibiting early Halloween costumes. We saw moms dressed up as Jedi knights and babies dressed as Yoda. We saw others take advantage of the night by creating inventive lighting: dancers with lit hula hoops, walking pieces of art with glow stick lit frames. The band's version of a Halloween costume has been to play an album of another band. With Festival 8, their album choice remains a mystery [Ed. - They played Rolling Stones’ Exile On Main Street. Tune in tomorrow for the review!]. For weeks, Phish's website has teased us with a list of potential albums, eliminating some by axing and stabbing the album art. One of the most exciting moments of the night came when Trey said "Here's a little hint for our Halloween set," right before breaking into the song "David Bowie." Phish is known for their red herrings, so we'll have to see if it really is a Bowie set on day two!
As Phish broke into "Harry Hood," a massive floating bouquet of balloons made its way above the crowds and around the fields. The balloons cycled through different colors, sometimes spinning and twirling, adding to the spectacular light show from above the crowd. For even more spectacular lighting effects, the palm trees behind the stage and lining the fields were all lit with colors that changed with the mood, on beat with the music.
Phish is not just back in full force; they are better than ever. One long-time Phish fan, Emily, told us that this was the best they had played since the late 90s. We heard the same opinion echoed throughout the crowds.
Set List:
Set 1: Party Time, Chalk Dust Torture, The Moma Dance, NICU, Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan, Stash, I Didn’t Know, Poor Heart, Cavern, Beauty Of A Broken Heart, Ocelot, Time Turns Elastic
Set 2: Punch You In The Eye, Down With Disease -> Prince Caspian > Wolfman’s Brother -> Piper -> Joy, David Bowie, Harry Hood, Golgi Apparatus
Encore: Character Zero
