NYE Run 2011-2012: The Infamous Stringdusters & Phish

The Infamous Stringdusters, 12/28/11, Mexicali, Teaneck, NJ
&
The Phish, 12/29, 30, & 31/11, Madison Square Garden, NYC
aka, NYE Run 2011-2012: Recession Edition


Let's start this off honest-- I really didn't feel motivated to see Phish this NYE Run. Don't get me wrong, you know I love me some The Phish, but I had possibly reached my (physical and mental) Phish threshold for 2011. I had definitely already spent enough money on them in 2011, which is why an $80 (face + fees) ( x 1-4 nights) ticket was absolutely out of the question. Just-- NO. That is $80 I'd rather spend towards lift tickets (and Health Insurance) this season. So, on a lark, I went out of my way to not buy tickets for any Phish MSG shows. moe. were in Maine and the Ryan Montbleau Band were in Stowe. Both were amazing options, but I was leaning towards That French Kid, because A VT trip would include skiing, friends, skiing, free lodging, and, well-- VT. Did I mention the skiing?

With the recent addition of a puppy to the household, traveling for NYE was no longer an option. Friends were prodding me with their Phish extras, but I kept turning them down. Suuure, there are worse problems to have. Woe is me. My life is hell. I did asterisk everything with a *"but I might try and get a ticket for the 29th".

WEDNESDAY, 12/28/11

On the morning of the 28th, I challenged a couple of friends to find me a $40 ticket for the 29th-- cuz, you know, I might as well see one show, but I was still unwilling to pay full price for it, consarnit! And then I went to see the Infamous Stringdusters, at Mexicali, in Teaneck… for $20.

In fact, the early December purchase of said $20 Infamous Stringdusters ticket, had become a sort of Bold Personal Statement about my determination to at least not see all of the Phish shows this NYE Run. Jamgrassy and all fired up, The Infamous Stringdusters opened for Yonder Mountain String Band during the Great Pre-Halloween Blizzard of 2011, but due to massive travel issues, we missed their entire set. However, they did manage to come out for a few songs and help Yonder light the stage into a raging fucking fire, and that display of reckless endangerment was exactly why I was hellbent on seeing The Stringdusters headline a show. And at $20-- what a bargain! Even when, a few hours before showtime, I got a text from Mattypie offering me a free Phish ticket for that night. "No thanks! I'm going to see The Stringdusters!!"

First off, Mexicali was packed. The room was hot and the fog machines were blasting, as they do. Comedic Icon and Banjo Aficionado, Steve Martin, was in the audience. Yeah, Tony Trischka was there too, but maybe you didn't read that correctly-- S-T-E-V-E M-A-R-T-I-N. I was hoping beyond hope that he'd get onstage for a song, rumor amongst the crowd was that he would, but alas, he did not. Still--- Steve Martin in his hat and glasses, at a table, like a regular guy-- except that he's STEVE MARTIN. Fucking Genius.

And the Stringdusters--- awesome! They had just come off a 5 week vacation and looked refreshed and rabid to play. Highlights: SET I: Steam Powered Aeroplane, In God's Country-- yes, U2's In God's Country-- great song, unique cover choice (a theme weaved throughout the night), and really nicely done. Ain't No Way of Knowin', Can't Stop the Changes, and a shredding Black Rock.



During setbreak, I got a text from Weiss, who had found me a $40 ticket for Thursday. I cackled maniacally into the cold night sky. This must be the same type of adrenaline rush those Extreme Couponing fanatics experience.

Highlights SET II: Spinal Tap's legendary Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight. Awesome. A happy-go-lucky, kinda dreamy, cover of Police's Walking On the Moon. For the Encore, they unplugged and came down to the floor… The Bass player claimed the land right next to me, so of course, I didn't move. The rest of the band filled in, quickly pushed together by the crowd, and they busted out an Uncle Pen, that drew a delightful little singalong. I couldn't help but wonder if Phish were also playing it, and then not really care, because seeing the Stringdusters that night was clearly the Official Right Choice. Go me!

The Infamous Stringdusters are young, full of energy, and really psyched to be playing in that band. They sound great. You should totally see them. What a fun night!





The Infamous Stringdusters, 12/28/11, Mexicali, Teaneck, NJ

SET I: Fork In the Road, The Hitchhiker, Steam Powered Aeroplane, 17 Cents, In God's Country, Masquerade, Ain't No Way of Knowin, You Can't Stop the Changes, Place that I Call Home, Get it While You Can, Black Rock

SET II:Heavy Metal, Long, Lonesome Day, Gettin' Down the Road, Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight, Rosalie McFall, Walking on the Moon, Deep Elem Blues, Y2k, Night on the River, One More Bridge, My Destination, Moon Man

ENCORE: Uncle Pen#, Blue Night#, Midnight Moonlight#

# Unplugged in middle of floor

DOWNLOAD THE SHOW! Thanks, Jack Riley! http://www.archive.org/details/IS2011-12-28.riley.busman

THURSDAY, 12/29/11

Phish! Moderate excitement! Féile for pregame w/ Weiss & Leeeza, a really yummy Bloody Mary (the Irish know how to do it right!), and a pile of deliciously bite-sized crispy fried chicken things. Yes! More Good Choices! Foreshadowing, perhaps?


We went in fairly early, wandered around and checked out the new digs. Along the style-lines of Yankee Stadium and New Shea, some high quality snacky-meal establishments are moving into MSG's 100 level. There are also a ton of bars (w/ wall outlets to plug in your phones if you have a charger on hand), which is nice for those of us who can't drink the Beer. We theorized that MSG itself might soon be a reasonable place to pregame for MSG shows in that particularly difficult neighborhood. Shock & Awe! Also, it's very very shiny. And you have to "wave" over the back of the toilets to get them to flush, so if you're like me, this provides the opportunity to do at least 1 totally necessary, awesome ninja-like karate kick over the top of the toilet, per show-- which if you're wondering, is a huge bonus.




I got a line on an extra for the following two nights at face value, but I wasn't ready to bite. 16 Year Old Me was like, "Dude. Phish." 33 Year Old Me was like, "Dude. Phish."

SET I: two words, starting with capital letters: Fuck Yeah. Yes, I've heard YEM too many times over the past 2.5 years and have complained at length about it, so there is really no need to mention it again here, but the rest of the set was positively SMOKING. The kind of Phish MSG shit that I want. Total Rock. A HUGE Sloth opener that set the tone. A cute Get On the Train. A fantastically bounceable Moma Dance. Wholehearted Funky Bitch. Maze got the room hyper. Roses Are Free kept it going in a twisted and blurred lens. Fun Halley's Comet -> a rampaging Antelope. Wow. THAT WAS ONLY THE FIRST SET??


16 Year Old Me was yelling at 33 Year Old Me, "What's wrong with you? Grab those damn tickets!" But I still couldn't commit! That first set was unbelievable-- there's no way it was gonna get better, so maybe I should just walk away while completely satisfied. But then, during setbreak, the World Renowned Mime (though he prefers "Body Poet"), Markcel Markseau, offered me a free extra for the 30th (at least I think he did--- I don't speak French Mime) and how could I argue with that? I couldn't. Also, never argue with a Mime.

SET II began quickly, while we were still in the hallway. We missed some of a great Crosseyed and Painless, but then scored a loud and lovely -> Simple. Once again, Guyute would vex Melissa and go on about 3-5 minutes too long. A super dirty and GIGANTIC Mike's Song -> Chalk Dust -> Hydrogen -> Weekapaug--- PHEW!!!!! Show of Life I'm kinda lukewarm on, but -> a romping Character Zero, singalong extravaganza. Encore's overflowing Loving Cup filled the room with good vibes.

Fucking awesome Phish show. So much energy. So much ROCK. It'd be silly not to want to see another show after that.


Phish, 12/29/11, MSG, NYC
SET I: The Sloth, You Enjoy Myself, Back on the Train, The Moma Dance, Funky Bitch, Maze, Roses Are Free, Halley's Comet > Run Like an Antelope

SET II: Crosseyed and Painless > Simple -> Lifeboy, Guyute, Mike's Song > Chalk Dust Torture -> I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove, Show of Life > Character Zero

ENCORE: Loving Cup

DOWNLOAD THE SHOW! Thanks, Scott Bernstein! http://bt.etree.org/details.php?id=551294

FRIDAY, 12/30/11

Fuck I was tired. Another night of this shit? Possibly two? Was I even motivated for the possibility of a NYE ticket? Not sure.

In keeping with the budget-minded theme of this NYE Run, I sat in my car for 15 minutes and waited for a legal street parking spot to begin. Pregame landed me at Harrington's, where-- meh. While we were there, a bus load of tourists with wheelie luggage disembarked, and many of them just walked right in. 'nuff said.

Markcel Markseau was hanging out Miming near the new plexi-glass sneeze guards in front of three Industrial Sized Meat Slicers at the future home of the MSG's Carnegie Deli stand and I just thought he had lost his iPhone. However, when translated through his Mime Pals, they explained that Düsseldorf's Favorite Body Poet was in possession of an extra for the following night, and rather than Miracle it to a random Wook whom they might have had to sit next to and could very well turn out to be a total douche, Sir Markseau was Ceremoniously and Generously offering it to me, a total douche he already knows. "Really?" I was psyched for an extra, I was super psyched for a complimentary extra, but I was almost as equally entertained by the fact that I'd be attending the show over some desperately obsessive Wook who had no idea what could have been. And that was kinda neat. I'm a terrible person.

SET I: It felt like Phish were making sure I had peed enough. "Are you sure, Lynn?" - Prince Caspian. It was just really hit or miss for my attention span. Nellie Kane, Divided Sky, and Quinn the Eskimo were fun. Everything else was just kinda there.

SET II highlights: 1) Going up to the Ghetto (300's) and finding the Long Island Wrecking Crew sitting directly next to some of my North Country Freaks friends! Also, an energized Axilla. A pretty sick Twist -> STOMPING Julius. The Squirming Coil was a sweet ender too. Encore was fine.

Mellower than I would have liked & paled in comparison to Thursday, but: great friends, great seats, and a Phish show. A reasonably good outcome, yah?




Phish, 12/30/11, MSG, NYC
SET I: Punch You In the Eye > Prince Caspian> Backwards Down the Number Line, Nellie Kane, Divided Sky, Sand, Vultures, Rift, Joy, Quinn the Eskimo

SET II Wilson > Axilla > Piper > Twist > Julius > Golgi Apparatus > Also Sprach Zarathustra, The Horse > Silent in the Morning, David Bowie, The Squirming Coil

ENCORE: Boogie On Reggae Woman, Good Times Bad Times

DOWNLOAD THE SHOW! Thanks, Scott Bernstein! http://bt.etree.org/details.php?id=551438

SATURDAY, 12/31/11

Kill me. The only choice was to wake up, keep eating ibuprofen, and re-tie my sneakers even more tightly around my swollen feets. Ugh.

NYE. 3 sets. Yay. I put on clothes that already needed to be washed. Lower East Side pregame was at Molly's Pub, alongside a Mime, with a delicious Bloody Mary & Chicken Pot Chicken Pot Chicken Pot Pie. Brilliant NYE pregame! Strategic food choices! Comfort! Energy! As we walked through the crowded shadow of the Garden, Markcel Markseau broke his silence for the first time, "Your ticket would have gone to one of these people." [NO PAUSE] "Fuck 'em!" - I said that.

The Floor Level of MSG is some swanky digs too now- a couple of nice Bars, mood lighting, shiny silver things as opposed to beige things with greenish-turquoise and fuschia accents. We were 23 Rows back, Fish Side. Security was menacing. We were excited about seeing Chris Kuroda's full light show up close. Markcel expressed this by Pirouetting and doing the Charleston.

SET I was fun. There was immediately more energy than the previous night. Highlights: Scent of a Mule, Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan, Jibboo, Farmhouse. SET II: I'm a little fuzzy here, but Golden Age (TV On the Radio) was definitely pretty damn cool. Sneakin' Sally got the Garden rockin', but Ominous Seapods do it better. Don't get mad, it's true. And 46 Days is always fucking great.

Some fine work by Light Guru, Chris Kuroda




During the 2nd setbreak, we began to notice people in reflective yellow vests, carrying all sorts of mysterious equipment, spacing themselves around the Floor. Yes, the stunt was surely in motion, but what would it be??? We were also told that once the set started, Security were locking down the floor, and keeping the aisles clear for a portion of the show. Hmm.




SET III: Cavern got it going in a rockin' way, but then Trey's deafeningly loud Tea Kettle went off and he had to stop down for a second and take it off the hot plate and put it onto his Cabinet… The band started a cute and quirky little Steam, with bursts of sfx and fog popping in for the chorus. Suddenly, Trey's Cabinet & steaming Tea Kettle floated into the air… A Mike's Bass, a Page's Keytar, & a Fishman's Electrolux, soon followed. Then some crazy Judy Jetson chick tripped her balls off and raged the fuck out, doing The Elaine til she was free from gravity's pull, and summoned her Flying Wookie Pals to join her in an Old Skool Jetpack Group Freakout to ring in the New Year. -> Auld Lang Syne, fucking balloons everywhere -> Down With Disease. It was pretty cool. Everyone was smiling, especially the band. Still awesome to see them so consistently happy.








Here's some awesome footage of it, courtesy of HarpuaFSB.

SET III Continued: I love The Wedge. Alaska was awesome, dig it. First Tube was a great ender. They Encored with a pretty Slave To the Traffic Light, which is always appreciated in NYC.

Of the Phish shows, Thursday's show was by far my favorite, followed by NYE, then Friday coming in 3rd. I would have been irritated if I had paid full price for Friday. New Year's Eve was yet another fun Phish NYE, but I was glad when it was over so I could eat pizza and sleep. By Sunday morning, I was beyond ecstatic that I did not have to go see Phish again that night. Yes, I love 'em and there's nothing else quite like a Phish MSG NYE show, but, y'all know I would have also been really happy at either moe. or Ryan Montbleau Band.

IN CONCLUSION.
1) Going to the Infamous Stringdusters on 12/28/11 was the right fucking choice. IT WAS AWESOME. GET EXCITED & GO SEE THEM!
2) Thursday's show was the best of the Phish shows I saw this run. Stellar setlist, TONS of fantastic energy, and a thick NYC NYE Run Vibe.
3) My friends are awesome, and thanks to their Phish ticket-savvy & generosity, I saved $200. That is 1/3 of my monthly Health Insurance bill now that my rates have gone up, or, like, 3-5 lift tickets in VT when I can finally get my ass up there (and hopefully there will be snow by then). Thanks to Markcel Markseau x 2, & Weiss, for some Extreme Phish Couponing. It's much appreciated. I hope the Nanaimo Bars were delicious!
4) Wookies can fly now, watch the fuck out.

NYE Run 2011-2012, A Recession Kinda Feelin': The Infamous Stringdusters, 12/28/11, Mexicali, Teaneck, NJ & Phish, 12/29, 30, & 31/11, MSG, NYC: 8.8 HUZZAHS!!!! Points deducted for how painful it was to do a 2 hour PT session on 1/1/12. Happy New Year, Folks!


Phish, 12/31/11, MSG, NYC
SET I: AC/DC Bag > Wolfman's Brother, Scent of a Mule, Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan, Lawn Boy, Gotta Jibboo, Farmhouse, Pebbles and Marbles, Ocelot, Fluffhead

SET II: Party Time, Light > Golden Age, Theme From the Bottom, Heavy Things, Ghost, Sneakin' Sally through the Alley, 46 Days, Suzy Greenberg

SET III: Cavern, Steam> Auld Lang Syne > Down with Disease, The Wedge, Alaska, Wading in the Velvet Sea, First Tube

ENCORE: Slave to the Traffic Light

DOWNLOAD THE SHOW! Thanks, Z-Man! http://bt.etree.org/details.php?id=551325

SLIDESHOW & HI-RES GALLERY!

My Morning Jacket w/ Band of Horses, 12/14/11, MSG, NYC

My Morning Jacket w/ Band of Horses, 12/14/11, MSG, NYC
For years, I've listened to friends rave about My Morning Jacket's intense live shows, but apart from American Dad's My Morning Straightjacket episode, I have barely been exposed to their music. The fault is squarely mine. I never properly motivated to see them, until now. And perhaps the timing was just right, cuz I finally felt ready-- I was actually psyched to go see My Morning Jacket.

Stan Smith trips balls.

A giant pregame gathering at Rogue included 1 questionable and 1 good cocktail-- disappointing, but they more than made up for it with the delicious chicken fingers layed upon a bed of french fries with 4 dippin' sauces (and of course, the Lady Gaga videos playing on the large screen). I've pregamed at Rogue before, but it would seem that during Happy Hour on a Wednesday at least, the Ring of Douche in that 'hood is wider than I had recalled. It was still easier to deal with than Stout.

Some of my friends are in musical-man-love with Band of Horses. Therefore, we headed in early to catch every second. I missed them at Bonnaroo 2009, because they played opposite Snoop Dogg & Erykah Badu. That particular scheduling conflict means that you are gonna catch Band of Horses some other time in the future, if they still exist. And they still do, so I did. See? Everything worked out! They had a kind of mellower Cowboy-ish Neil Youngy / Jane's Addiction Ballady / Wilco / Something Else (nutmeg?) in a blender. Ethereal anthemic layering brought their songs to each pitch. We debated whether certain songs were ultimately happy or sad, but always came to the conclusion that no matter which, they were all really pretty. The room was far from full, but the band played it well and the crowd absorbed it all in. I could see them doing really well at moe.down.

By the time the set was over, I had to piss like a Band of Horses. It was one of those 2-minute pees that warms you up, because you have been using all your reserve energy normally allocated to sustaining body heat towards holding it in for so long.

They are renovating Madison Square Garden. The hallways are foreign. There are many more full bars, which is awesome for those of us who can't drink beer. Now, instead of just being plastic water bottle cap Nazis, they pour all beverages into cups. Nothing like increasing your costs and creating excessive waste, is there? Way to think locally, act globally, and pass on the savings, MSG. So, if you were planning on throwing capless bottles of pee at your favorite artists/athletes, you're out of luck-- don't forget to bring a Ziplock. Another change: they've removed the walkway inside the arena between the 100's & 200's section. This will definitely make travel within shows more challenging.

The place had filled in and it was time for My Morning Jacket to begin to close out their tour. A few of us parked our asses in section 101 and the new chairs fucking swallowed us whole. These cushiony chairs are dangerous. Specs-wise, there's less leg room (I'm 5'4 and only had about 2 inches of knee-wiggle room when fully slouched), but there are cup holders now and what red-blooded American doesn't love a fucking cup holder or 20K? Only the Commies!

MMJ immediately created a strange, but really comfortable space in the room, while maintaining an absolutely electric energy level. They cruised around their huge catalog of songs, with stops in each genre. They got into some large, noisy, loud grooves and fucking shredded some twistedly sweet Southern Rock / Nashville / Honky Tonk sounds. There was even a little Morphine-y thing going on at points. Always building, and always able to be inhaled deeply. We said "WOW", a lot. The lighting and stage design were intensely beautiful compliments. It was pretty damn awesome.

Jim James is an effective howler. A friend explained this is because he is from Kentucky and they howl a lot there. He also reminded me that MMJ love recording in a grain silo-- something I'd read in Rolling Stone earlier this year, but had never quite understood until now. MSG had been magically transported to the inside of a grain silo outside of Louisville, Kentucky. And that would be the definition of "effective howling".

Also, not to sound like Stan Smith or anything, but Jim James is a motherfucking Showman. One doesn't typically see lead guitarists channeling James Brown and Liberace, except for maybe Prince, but-- he Prince. Fantastic Footwork + a Cape / Cloak to set the drama + all the Louder Than Life attributes of a Kickass Rock n' Roll Lead Man = That Guy.

Encore was fabulous and included a cameo by Brian Jackson, a Jazz Flute Ambassador of sorts. He sat in on an 80's cover called The Bottle, and I gotta be honest with you, it came a little out of nowhere, was very Starsky & Hutch/Shaft/Jethro Tull, and I had the giggles the entire way through. Mad respeck, though. They closed the show/tour with I'll Be Home For Christmas, which only worked because Jim James was wearing giant black cloak, hood up. Super dark.

The crowd was a pretty entertaining scene that kept digging itself a deeper hole throughout the night. I haven't seen so much bromance in a single arena since that Promise Keepers convention.

Shit yeah, My Morning Jacket was fucking awesome and I will totally see them again!! This was a kickass show that completely blew me away. I am glad I was finally able to accept My Morning Jacket into my life. It was time. I BELIEVE!!!! Band of Horses were super pretty and I'll definitely check them out again, though would prefer a smaller venue next time. The sound in the Garden was mixed well enough, but it was HELLA loud in there. Like, a wall of loud. Ugh, MSG-- why do you make my ears ring??? Whyyyyyy?!!?

My Morning Jacket & Band of Horses (+ being surrounded by awesome friends and all of the warming goodness that brings along with it), 12/14/11, MSG, NYC: 9.2 HUZZAHS!!!!

K, so, I put little-to-no-effort into taking pics at this show (aka, getting off my lazy ass), which is why I'll direct you to the absolutely awesome ones that Brooklyn Vegan has posted-- there are some great vids in there too. Thanks, Brooklyn Vegan!

SETLIST:
Victory Dance
Circuital
It Beats 4 U ->
First Light
I'm Amazed
Wonderful *
Steam Engine
Outta My System ->
Dancefloors +
Golden
Mageetah ->
Dondante #
Smokin' From Shootin
Run Thru (end) ->
Touch Me, I'm Going To Scream Pt. 2 ->
Off The Record ->
Gideon

ENCORE
Bermuda Highway @
Wordless Chorus
Day Is Coming
The Bottle #
Holding On To Black Metal -> +
One Big Holiday
I'll Be Home For Christmas %

* = w/Ben Bridwell from Band Of Horses on vocals
+ = w/Dearland horn section
# = w/Brian Jackson on flute and keys
% = w/all of Band of Horses standing around 1 vocal mic
@ = Jim James solo acoustic

DOWNLOAD THE SHOW! Thanks, Jon Pasternak! http://www.archive.org/details/mmj2011-12-14.mg210.flac16


^ Christmas music drives me bonkers.

Phish, 12/30, 31/10, & 1/1/11, MSG, NYC, NY

Phish, 12/30, 31/10, & 1/1/11, MSG, NYC, NY


The morning after moe.'s 10/8/10 show at the Beacon (that was followed up with Leroy Justice & special guests at Sullivan Hall, and me going to bed at 5am) was quite possibly the one time I've ever actually forgotten to set my alarm clock in order to wake up unreasonably early to score Phish public onsale tickets for a show as important as NYE, 12/31/10. Fuck. My lotto score was for 12/30 & 1/1 in the 400's.

In the week leading up to the shows, two things:
1) Ed Looram, via Chris Dugan (of the Ridgewood Winos), totally scored me an NYE extra-- thanks, guys!!!
2) Wino Joe Madonna wanted to know if I was interested in a seat upgrade for 12/30.

THURSDAY, 12/30/10

MSG pregames are a particular kind of crowded nightmare and the Holiday Season fucking quadruples that. Perhaps I got a little aggressive trying to walk down 33rd Street, but those tourists totally deserved elbows. All sorts of elbows. I had shit to do. GET OUT OF THE WAY, FRENCHY WITH THE WHEELIE BAG. Pregame this night became less of a pregame and more of a to-do list. By the time I got my NYE ticket from Chris, I was starving, frazzled, violent. Mark and Weiss fed me pizza and booze, then I felt much better. Then Joe Madonna came through and presented me with his extra-- for row A^. The magic ticket that made me immortal.


"Zen Birds" photo courtesy of Michael Weiss

Erika, Jake, crosswalks, Security, cookies. No Tokens. Eventually I found my way to the front row, which is a weird experience at MSG, cuz the place is so fucking massive. Joe was already in his seat feigning disappointment about being in front of Mike instead of Trey. Poor Joe. We were surrounded by lots of other super lucky people who also scored their amazing seats via Phish lotto. I have always wanted to be one of those assholes and now I was amongst them! Just as good! THANK YOU, JOE MADONNA!

Ridiculously awesome first set. A really fun Chalkdust, Gumbo, Halley's, Camel Walk, and a super-satisfying Timber (YESSSS!). Lots of energy and love in the room. A New York City kinda crowd. The band was eating it up. Every time we thought they were stopping for setbreak, Trey would excitedly announce to the rest of the band what was up next. Seeing (I didn't even need my glasses!) that interaction up close feels good. Mike Gordon smacking the shit out of his bass, directly in front of me: also feels really good.





Second set highlights: Tweezer, My Friend, then a completely crazy rockin' Axilla that had the floor BOUNCING. A buddy of mine said the floors in the bathroom were bouncing too. Fuck yeah! 2001 is always grand. The encores were spectacular: a sweet Antelope and BOOM- Tweezer Reprise.




It was an amazing show to kick off the MSG run. Well done, indeed! The best part of this show, was seeing how happy Trey is--- so so so happy!! Awww, Trey!!! *hearts*

this is a series of 3 Happy Trey shots



12/30/10
Set 1: Cities, Chalkdust Torture, Gumbo, Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo), Halley's Comet, Camel Walk, Maze, Driver, Bathtub Gin, Fat Man In The Bathtub, Timber (Jerry the Mule), Golgi Apparatus, Character Zero
Set 2: Tweezer > Light, Theme from the Bottom, My Friend My Friend, Axilla, Fluffhead, Boogie On Reggae Woman > Also Sprach Zarathustra, Suzy Greenberg
Encore: Run Like An Antelope, Tweezer Reprise

In the bat-caves on the walk out.

FRIDAY, 12/31/10

Friday AM was robotic and started around noon. Pregame pt.1 was back at Stout where Mark had reserved a royal booth. It was gonna be a long night and I was prepping with much tequila. -> Feile for more jubilance.




Once inside MSG, I investigated the seat my ticket was for- 300's in the Fishman corner. There seemed to be a population of Disco Biscuit fans in the vicinity and I quickly left to find friendlier ground. Happily, section 337 held a few of my peeps -> done & done!

Where my ticket says…

and where I went.

I spent most of the first set smiling like an idiot at how good Phish were. Sure, you can consider the amount of Patron in my bloodstream at the time, but they sounded great and there was a wonderful vibe of excitement the room. Felt like the 90's (but w/waaay more flashing LED thingies... and waaay less Frat Boys). Can't believe I even considered not finding a ticket to this show. PYITE got the room moving. I've been absolutely craving a Mule and Phish delivered a great one. By far the funniest part of set 1 was Ocelot, simply because I wonder if it was in honor of the funny little text-to-cartoon that was going around about scoring NYE Phish tickets which included the gem of a catchphrase, "I hope you get a really, really long, first set Ocelot." Rock and Roll, meh. Total pee song.

Set 2 was strong, I have no recollection of Wilson, but 46 Days was great! As was Sand, NICU, DWD > Ghost... AND THEN... Yes, I may have threatened to spit on Trey if I heard YEM or Prince Caspian again in 2010. The threat was greater on 12/30 cuz I was actually within spitting-distance of the man, but he chose songs wisely that night and steered clear of danger. Annnyways, I was kind of like OH FUCKING GREAT ANOTHER YEM, but---- BUT, they did something interesting with it, gave it an old skool flare-- this YEM, won me over.


Set 3 began shortly before Midnight with a Meatstick that became some sort of mutated It's A Small World After All themed dance spectacle. One ethnic group after another arrived onstage, singing Meatstick in their native tongue. African Tribal, Mariachi, Hasidic Jews, Swedish Ski Team, etc., etc.. Suddenly the stage was full of singing International Meatstickers dancing in unison!






Next thing we know, the band is back in their giant flying hot dog^^ from Phish shows past (if you got the opportunity to re-use a giant flying hot dog, why wouldn't you?), releasing Meatstick balloons from the ceiling and tossing commemorative rubber Meatstick toys at the crowd. Freakin' awesome. The New Year's countdown soon began and blammo! 2011!! Balloooooooons! A layer of balloons coated the lower third of MSG. Totes neato!






After Midnight was great, but for me, it kinda went downhill from there. I got bored with the rest of the set. Mostly all of it. However, First Tube encore was rockin' and got the blood flowing again! MSG First Tubes = FUN!




The cops finally busted the tank on 7th!

12/31/10
Set 1: Punch You in the Eye, AC/DC Bag, The Moma Dance, Scent of a Mule, Burn That Bridge, Weigh, Ocelot, Beauty of my Dreams, Gone, Rock and Roll
Set 2: Wilson, 46 Days, Sand, NICU, Down With Disease > Ghost > You Enjoy Myself
Set 3: Meatstick, Auld Lang Syne, After Midnight, Backwards Down The Number Line, Piper > Free, Waste, Slave to the Traffic Light, Grind
Encore: First Tube

SATURDAY, 1/1/11

Saturday was really physically difficult. A 3-setter is kind of exhausting on it's own, but sammiched between two 2-setters... I had to change into a softer t shirt cuz the first one wasn't cutting it. This was the first time in history that Phish played a show on 1/1. In the days leading up to this show, I had been helping friends score extras for it. At this point it was: 1 down (thanks, David Katz -> Weiss!) and 2 to go, when I got wonderful news that the fabulous Wendy & Chris found me the last 2. Arrangements were made and I was finally fucking done finding extras for people! WOOOOT!

Pregame was hectic and short. We ended up in the basement of Stout, behind a pillar. That was just about my speed for the day anyways. Everything hurt.


photo courtesy of Mark Wellins

A comical entrance into MSG -> Erika, Jake, & I found Pete. Then Weiss found us. Then we had a little happy crew sitting in seats that weren't ours, Page side in the 300's! Yaay!

First set was awesome! My Soul was rockin', Tube- great, Runaway Jim always puts a smile on my face. Foam was stellar! Guelah was AWESOME. Divided Sky was sweet. We went to pee during Round Room but the line was kind of absurd, so we started walking in the direction we thought the next bathroom would be in-- walking and walking. We were walking for what seemed like forever. It was like Lord of the Rings does Phish. All of a sudden they started Walk Away and I forced Erika back into the arena to watch the majority before returning to our Quest. Jibboo was cute. Reba was definitely one of the highlights of the show- twirling and epic (though unfinished), submerged under cartoony water at times, and always stunningly beautiful. A++ Reba.





Set 2 kicked off with a loud & extremely enjoyable Crosseyed and Painless, led by Fishman on vocals. > Twist. SIMPLE- YES, with the entire Garden singing along, cheering for Skyscraper! Then from out of nowhere, a really fun, slightly messy Sneakin' Sally. It's great, I love hearing Phish do it, it's still special- but no one, and I mean NO ONE rocks this song like Max Verna & Ominous Seapods. It's a FACT. Deal with it. _I love a Makisupa_. Especially one with a snazzy kick drum and bass solo.

The spastic T. Rex-like dancer in our section was at full-throttle. At times he danced a little too close for comfort, but he did serenade Jake in the face at least once, which was pretty romantic.

When they busted out Bowie, it was finally a good chance to pee, wander around, and say hi to folks. Or so I thought. Cuz it was apparently the end of the set and I found myself with some friends all the way across the arena from my Jacket (which I had put Weiss in charge of = great idea). Really thought there were 2-3 more songs coming, plenty of time to socialize-- but clearly my sense of time was completely warped from 3 days of Phish NYE Run. Those 2 sets on 1/1 *FLEW* by.

Tunnel Spinners during Bowie

video courtesy of Michael Weiss

The Fee encore was completely unexpected (if the megaphone was on the stage before that, I missed it-- as I did the KEYTAR) and filled the arena with tons of bouncy energy. Then *BLAMMO*, Frankenstein! FUCKING FINALLY. I've stood in sideways rain (more than once), drove to Bonnaroo & back, and sat through what seemed like a billion Prince Caspians and YEMs to get to that fucking Frankenstein! It felt grand! Page on keytar!!!! It was everything I had hoped for. *more hearts* THANK YOU, PHISH!



1/1/11
Set 1: My Soul, Tube, Runaway Jim, Foam, Guelah Papyrus, The Divided Sky, Round Room, Walk Away, Gotta Jibboo, Reba, Walls of the Cave
Set 2: Crosseyed and Painless > Twist, Simple, Sneaking Sally Through the Alley, Makisupa Policeman, David Bowie
Encore: Fee, Frankenstein


This cactus was walking down the street singing, “Gotta Jibboo”

Let's bring this thing home, shall we? It was a great NYE Run! Unsure if the Prince Caspian clock has been reset yet. YEM, no. Definitely glad I hit all 3 shows! These things are so difficult to fine tune enough in order to see & rock out with everyone you want to see & rock out with. I did miss a lot of folks in the clusterphuck, but at least we were all able to share some special nights of music together (and it's always super fun to see who you run into in the hallways).

YES! Phish, 12/30, 31/10, & 1/1/11: 9 HUZZAHS! Happy New Year, all! I'm still fucking exhausted!

It may have been a Phish Run, but it was chock-full-o-Wino goodness! Thank you to all the wonderful Winos and 'heads who helped find tickets for all who needed- you rock, #1!

And now, the Unsung MVP of the Phish NYE MSG Run: The Dasani Water Bottle Cap Hey Kids! Going to a show at MSG? Plan on getting a bottle of water? Don't forget to bring your own Dasani Cap, cuz they never let you keep them!



SLIDESHOW & HI-RES GALLERY!




^ The last time I remember actually being on the Phish rail was at 10/31/94 in Glens Falls. GA floor. My fingers were crossed for no naked Fishman this time around. SUC-CESS!
^^ The hot dog, previously donated to the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, was taken out of retirement for the night.