10-3-99 -- Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, Illinois

review submisions dws@www.phish.net or dws@gadiel.com

Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 19:52:10 -0500 (CDT)
From: balocchi dino wayne dbalocch@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu
To: dws@archive.phish.net
Subject: Review; 10/3/99 Allstate Arena Rosemont, IL


        Ok, this is my second review in past couple of days.  First off,
this was my 17th show and like I said yesterday, I have about 250hrs of
phish that I have collected of the past 3 or 4 years.  Therefore, I'm not
saying I'm an expert by any means, but I'm definitely not new to phish's
variety of sounds.  But anyway, that stuff really doesn't matter and
besides lets get on with it already...
        I had will call tickets to get before the show, but shortly
afterwards my friend and I made it down to the floor.  Page side, 10ft
away on the floor- closest I have ever been at a show and I was loving it.
Boys came on at about 7:55 and wasted no time jumping on into...
        First Tube- As I've said before, this tune rocks and I was really
happy to see Mike and Fish lock into the groove at such a short distance.
Trey's opening line is so sweet, reminds me sooo much of a techno
snycopated layering groove.  Page doesn't do much in this song except
support Trey.  Guitar loop done here was especially sweet.  Keep on Jumpin
Trey!
        Farmhouse- This song is pretty cool but then again I'm a sucker
for complex vocal interplay.  Three different melodies- I like.  Trey was
doing some crazy shit while staring up at the sky- like talking to himself
...or the gutiar gods:)  Did I forget to mention that being this close was
very intersting and entertaining?  Never ever heard of cluster flies...
        Dog Stole Things- First set song that really likes Chicago and
I..heard it at Alpine, UIC, and Rosemont...all the same, but a cool bluesy
song.  At a way Trey!
        Divided Sky- This made the set worthwhile.  Being up so close for
a Divided Sky was a treat for the night...I kept on thinking that these
guys have been playing this song for about 12 or 13 years and they sound
as fresh as ever on it.   The silent section was incredible as Trey and
Mike has the most serene, peaceful, meditational looks on their faces.
Glorious moment for the band and the fans who were really into this song.
By the way, I never yell during this part and when I was that close I
noticed that not too many people around me were yelling...I wish there
would be a Divided where people actually remained relatively quiet.  Now
that would be a trip.  Anyway, this version was very strong and most of
the composed sections were nailed- Trey, you must see something that we
dont because you were totally focused all night on roof of the Arena.
        Heavy Things- see my other review for how I really feel about this
song...boring and Hanson are synonyms with Heavy Things...nice solo by
Trey though.
        Horn- I like this song and I like the tempo it has settled into
these days...not too slow like the one from Sandstone this summer(I
thought they were just going to keil over and die up there) and not too
fast like the early ninties versions.  The solo is so beautiful.
        Carini- I must confess that in this song I don't really like the
backwards guitar effect that Trey does, way too muddy.  Also, Mike looked
even more bored that he normally does with this song.  I like the first
time they played this song...Carini>Black-Eyed Katie:)
        Ginseng Sullivan- Mike requested that they play this song and he
did it in such typical Mike fashion.  He took one giant step in Trey's
direction and spoke and then Trey shook his head in approval.  Mike's
singing was a nice change of pace.  He forgot the lyrics momentarily at
one point and I think I saw a smile come over him-I got a kick out of it.
        Get Back On the Train- I decided that I think this is a cool tune
and very phish-like.  I wish they would have jammed it out but it was
still cool.  This song also reminded me that there were no jams yet and I
was wondering if they were going to break out any.  Sounds like Possum but
in a different key.
        Maze- After hearing the Maze from Sandstone this summer I was
really pumped to hear this song.  Unfortunately, this Maze was really
standard and Trey's solo was almost album like (really straight forward).
I guess my expectations were a little too high.  oh well it was still fun!
        Bouncin Around the Room- I still think this song has cool vocals
and I've only heard it once before live so I enjoyed it.  Trey looked like
he was having a good time and so did Page.
        Guyute- seeing this song so close is really amazing especially
when Mike is kicking major ass with his bass lines.  Very tight Guyute and
a great set closer.
        First set had good songs in it but there were no jams at all that
went out on a limb.  Very conservative, yet tight in the songs they chose
to play.  I was hoping in the second set for a DwD or a 2001 or at least
something they could let go on.
        Twist- nice and tight Twist (whoeew!).  I did think that they
would let go on this tune but the jam stayed very intact and was wrapped
up with a return of the vocals.  Nice work in here for sure by Mike.  I
think Mike is grand!
        Possum- no ">" here, but nice interplay by Mike and Trey in
opening build up.  Trey was all over the type I jam as well as Fish.
Nothing too spectacular here, but a good possum is a highlight in most
other bands' shows.
        TMWSIY>Avenu Malkenu- what started up next is a very beautiful
combo that seems to follow me to the shows I attend.  They played it once
this summer (I saw it at Alpine) and once or twice last fall (saw one at
UIC 98) and I have to say this was a very solid version.  TMWSIY is one of
my favorite instrumental pieces ever.  AMalkenu was fun but unfortunately
some kid was trying to hide from security right by us and the cops busted
him which kind of distracted me for awhile.  Next thing I know, Trey
starts pounding out some chords like a banshee which turned out to be...
        BBFCFM- This was absolutely hilarious.  Mike was funny as hell and
then trey playing rock star with the gutiar behind his head for a solo
made me about piss my pants.  Funny song but it had me wondering what the
hell they were going to follow this up with...how about
        David Bowie-This had to be some kind of joke...think about David
Bowie and think about Ziggy Stardust who was allegedly from Mars...what a
funny little joke Phish put together (coincidence or not).  This Bowie
intro was hot.  Great ambience and not too long or too short.  The jam
section featured again more Mike.  They let this guy just shake the place
for about 2mins with Fish until Trey and Page came back in.  Fun dynamics
in here with major jamming, minor jamming, and Bowie jamming.  above
average Bowie.  This sinks into...
        Wading in the Velvet Sea- I actually liked this song basically
because the lyrics are good and Page has a great voice.  Trey's solo was
very heart-felt and I appreciated it, however, I think this might
translate better on tape.  I was thinking maybe a closer at this point and
I was right with...
        Harry Hood- This was seriously a solid version.  One of the best
I've heard in the past couple of years on tape or live.  The beginning
section was excellent with a little extended jam.  Composed section was ok
but the jam was very texural and ever-changing.  We still got a standard
ending, but I kept thinking of how I actually liked it about as much as
the one on "a live one."  Great set closer.
        Set two was fun but like I said I thought there were going to be
some Type II at some point but it really never took off anywhere.  Hood
and Bowie were highlights of 2nd set and 1st set highlights were Divided
and First Tube
        Encore: Funky Bitch, Messin with the Kid- Funky Bitch was cool to
hear with Son Seals but I have to admit that I like it better with just
Phish.  Messin With the Kid (Jr. Wells tune) is a favorite of mine to play
at the local blues jam so I enjoyed hearing Phish pound it out with that
great hamonica player, Sugar Blue.
        Overall, this was a decent show and I have to say that while Phish
is playing extremely tight these days, I still miss the exploritory
jamming that use to pop up more often in the past couple of years.  Oh
well, we have to complain about something otherwise we would be bored.
Remember though, any average Phish show swamps most other bands' great
shows.  I give this show a C+, B-.              Peace Dino Balocchi
                                        (Alto Heceta-"Multi-faceted" Iowa
                                                        City rock band) 

Date: Wed, 13 Oct 1999 09:12:04 -0500 From: michael.e.powers@ac.com To: dws@archive.phish.net Cc: dws@gadiel.com Subject: Reviews 10/03/99 - Allstate Center (formerly Rosemont Horizon) - Rosemont, IL I (1:28): First Tube, Farmhouse, Dogs Stole Things, Divided Sky, Heavy Things, Horn, Carini, Ginseng Sullivan, Get Back on the Train, Maze, Bouncing Around the Room, Guyute II (1:18): Twist Around, Possum, The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday -> Avenu Malkenu, Big Black Furry Creature from Mars*, David Bowie, Wading in the Velvet Sea, Harry Hood E: Funky Bitch**, Messin' with the Kid (w/Son Seals on guitar and Sugar Blue on harmonica) We arrived at the Horizon, rather, Allstate Arena quite late. I believe I was parking around 7:35 for a 7:30 show. It was cold (a record-cold October 3 for Chicago, only 44 degrees for the high temp) and rainy walking in. I had dropped some friends who were looking for a ticket on the way to park, and I was confident we would see them, because there were SO many extras around – some offered to us for $5, some for free. Once inside, people were heard talking about how they couldn’t give the tickets away. One guy I met the next night used his extra Rosemont ticket to get in to the show in Normal! Our seats were in the first row off the floor even with the soundboard on Trey’s side. Great seats for watching the lights, and with the reduced number of seats and the other renovation work done on the Hor…er…Allstate Arena, the sound was much improved from previous shows seen there (many Dead plus Halloween ’95 Phish). On to the show. First Tube opened in fine, funky fashion, and was a hoped-for repeat from Ames. I think instrumental openers are great (Landlady, Buried Alive, Oh Kee Pa), and this one built and built and the hyped Horizon (Allstate) crowd was going nuts, as they finished and Trey dragged his pick down the neck of the ‘doc. Farmhouse started almost immediately, and is a favorite of mine (and of my touring buddies), and was pretty standard but fun to hear and sing along with. The first nod to Chicago’s blues came in the form of Dogs Stole Things, which honestly, I could take or leave. Divided Sky popped up next, and the crowd was going nuts! I loved this Sky, I’ll have to hear the tapes to assess properly, though. I had the pause at 1min 45sec. Great ending jam. I didn’t notice any flubs, and the transition to the ending composed section seemed organic. Great Sky, great fun, 4 songs into the first set, halfway there? Not quite. Heavy Things, the other hoped-for repeat from Ames, is probably my favorite of the new bunch. I love the little jam at the end, Trey just dances back and forth, groovin the whole time, looking like he’s having a great time. The ending "Ooh ooh, wah ah" section just sounds so good every time. Phish followed a very light, bubbly sounding Heavy Things with the slow, dark Horn, which was well-played and another crowd favorite. At this point, I thought they boys might be up to some setlist trick, as the first letters of the first six songs were F, F, D, D, H, H. Coincidence, I guess. More darkness with Carini (incl. Naked Dude verse), which had some quality dark jamming before coming back around. The mood was lightened again with Ginseng (the boys were all over the map, tone-wise). Mike blew the start of the second verse, and everyone had a good laugh. Fun. Get Back on the Train was fun-ky. Tons of clav-funk from Page. Excellent. Maze was spooky as ever. Great lights, another one I’ll have to hear on tape to get my head around. I thought the set might end there, but Bouncin’ started soon after, the crowd went nuts again, and I thought it might be the set, but they came with Guyute, which had no apparent flaws, and brought a close to a great long set. This set had something for everyone: tight composed sections (First Tube, Divided, Guyute), jams (Divided, Maze), country (Ginseng, GBOTT), whatever you need. The second set started with Twist, which was at the top of my wish list, since some of my friends had heard it only on tape. This was a powerful Twist that didn’t explore to many areas, but rocked out and seemed just about the right length. Possum was next, and had some crackling solos, a fine Possum. TMWSIY started, in Chicago, again (see also UIC ’98 and Alpine ’99), and while I’ll never get sick of it, I wouldn’t mind a different treat once in a while (how about a midwest Halley’s, eh?) But I’m not complaining. TMWSIY was right on, and Avenu rocked, with a nice bass solo. Instead of returning to TMWSIY, however, BBFCFM started right away, and while I prefer the craziness afforded by a small club show, this one was pretty crazy with lights, feedback, Trey playing the guitar behind his head, etc. Bowie came next, and they took their time building it up, another installment in the line of great Bowies the band has been putting out. Wading started with a single piano chord, and was beautiful start to finish. Hood was probably the highlight of the set for me. The intro was fantastic. They really took their time, and each member took a solo, which the other 3 watched, then came back to the intro reggae theme together. Sweet. No glowsticks came out during the jam (having previously appeared several times before), which was nice, as Hood finally got to just go. Great Hood, probably my favorite version I’ve heard recently. Almost immediately after the band left the stage, they brought out the monitor and mic cord for the guest(s), and after quite a break, they came back out with 2 figures, one I recognized as Sugar Blue (harmonica), and one I had to have introduced to me as Son Seals (guitar). What can I say about the encore, it smoked. I love seeing Phish with guests, and Sugar Blue loves to play with Phish (I’m still pissed that I missed the ’93 show at the Aragon where he sat in with them for a significant portion of a set). My only complaint would be that the guests levels were a little low, but damn did they smoke. Son Seals sang Funky Bitch, and he led the number, indicating who should solo, etc. He was trying to get Page a solo, but the cross-stage communication wasn’t going on. All the other solos wailed. Page got one in the Sugar Blue-led Messin’ with the Kid, and Sugar Blue was going insane, possessed by musical demons, he threw himself all over the stage, his hat flew off, and he blew some mean licks. Great encore, great show. Overall, this was a well-played, rockin’ show, with a few musical chances taken (the seldom played TMWSIY>Avenu Malkenu>BBFCFM as well as the presence of real live blues musicians for the encore), and a lot of good versions of great songs, with a few standouts (Divided, Hood).
Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 20:44:41 -0500 (EST) From: Adam J Hatch ahatch@indiana.edu To: dws@gadiel.com Subject: Review of Show: Rosemont Horizon (the "real" venue) The drive to Iowa I thought was bad, but nothing is comparable to miserable ride I endured on the way to Rosemont 10/3 to see Phish. After 6 and a half hours I arrived and needed the ultimate lift, a dank show from Cactus and his band. In the end I was blown away by the excellence of the show and overall gave it a HEADY 5 star review. *Trey comes out with winter hat on his head. HAT=DANK SHOW* First Tube- great song from Trey's Solo Acoustic/Electric Tour. Played with greater funk than the Iowa show and overall played exceptionally well. Farmhouse- good tune but not what i desired. Reminded me of Nannis and the Klinical Klub back at Avoda. Right on! Dogs Stole- glad to hear. Not much else to say. Divided Sky- Now I am drawn in. Rarely played so surprised and excited to see. Band jammed amazingly and the crowd was in a zone, great compliment to the Antelope at Iowa. Heavy Things- my favorite tune from the Solo Tour. Great beat and lyrics; Trey always seems to enjoy playing this song. I see no harm in that. Horn- This song evening. One of Trey's favorite and when played usually signifies how great of show is on the way. Gordon cranked bass, and overall, where has this song been lately? Carini- HELLS YA BITCH! Extremely intense and blew me away. Could barely stand after hearing. One of top Carini's I've heard and totally energized the crowd. Ginseng Sullivan- good bluegrass tie-in. Like to hear and gave me a chance to catch my breath and my bearings. Get...Train- another chill, cool song. Like Heavy Things, good addition to the song rotation. Maze- Ok, I thought Carini would be the highlight but I was sorley mistaken...Best Maze since the funk maze at Providence (4/5/98). 15 minutes of jammin' with Trey and Gordon..what could top that. LOVE this song and overally enthused to hear. Guyute- I assumed the set was over...I was completely wrong. Another epic song that extended to set almost 90 minutes. Used to better when it was rare before CD version, but always well received the Phanatics. 2nd Set: Twist Around- OH MY GOD! Lot of phans dont like it, but I love it. Different type of song that just draws me to enjot it. Sorry Kreppel, you missed out. Best 2nd set opener I have heard. Possum- the Horn Myth goes on with an unscathed record. Another long tune, pure funk and energy from the crowd. Always one of my favorites for the 2nd set. TMWSIY > Aveenu Malkienu- too much funk might be bad for the body..maybe not, but good to hear this combo. Granted it's a Jewish prayer, it's a better rendition than the one I hear during services. BBFCFM- SUCH AN AWESONE DANK SONG! Crazy energy by band and crowd. Band plays with passion and violent attitudes. I'll tell you this much..wish I can jam to it every show. Always crowd pleaser. Bowie- great spacey jam leading into it..and then BANG..it just explodes no you. Spectacular tune and unexpected so early in the fall tours. Wading...Sea- another cool, chill tune that gets to you. Great to hear and loved it. Hood- Love ending the set with this song. I have always loved this tune and perfectly ended the night. Funky Bitch- Son Seals and Sugar Blue were great musicians and personalities. Played with passion and determination and outshined the band...the way they were suppossed, but Trey was jammin with seals. Messin w/ Kid- Blue was crazy and song was OK. Good to hear, but the act by Blue was better than the tune. Sorry phans. Heady Hatch
Date: Wed, 06 Oct 1999 01:16:45 -0500 From: Phil O'Neill gyute@mindspring.com To: dws@archive.phish.net Subject: 10/3/99 Review So I get to the lots about 3:30, absolutely nothing going on due to the shittiest weather I've seen in a while. I had to drive by myself in my sister's tin can of a car (mine was being fixed) with a stereo I couldn't hear over the rain, so I had some time to kill. I put in 7-13-99 set two and took a little nap. I woke up about 5:00 feeling refreshed as Tuesday's Gone was just finishing up and I decided to head over to will call to meet some friends. Well, they never showed up, so after a good hour of standing in the freezing rain, I headed into the venue, which was not as much of a temperature change as I expected. I found my seat up on the second level, formerly Fish side, right in front. Real nice view for a second level seat. So I sat there shivering until the band walked (or in Page's case, hobbled) on to the stage when I totally forgot that I was cold. They start playing a song I recognize as First Tube: I remember this one from the Trey tour and it didn't sound much different. It was a great opening song. Very nice groove and easy to dance to. I gotta say this is one of my new favorite openers. Farmhouse: I used to really like this song, but lately it's kind of become a first set throwaway standard. I've seen it so many mediocre first sets that I'm kind of sick of it. It's a good song, I've just heard it one too many times. Dogs Stole Things: see Farmhouse. Divided Sky: NOW we're talking. I do not hear this song enough. Always been one of my favorites. This version is executed wonderfully. I don't remember any major flaws in the beginning composed part, and the beautifully uplifting end jam had me flying. When played well, this song can raise some real emotions and lift an average first set into something pretty good. Of course it can't carry a bad set on its own. Heavy Things: I remember liking this song a lot more on the Trey tour. I was just bored during this. Seems like another Bouncing or something. Eh. At least it's short. Horn: Always a good one to hear. No flubs that I recall. Carini: YES. This is one of my favorite songs of the past couple years. I love the jams that have come out of it lately, i.e. Great Woods second night. This was no slouch from what I remember. Lots of heavy, scary chords. I really enjoyed this. Ginseng Sullivan: Good song. Mike forgot the words and I think I saw him smile. It made me laugh. Get Back on the Train: I must say I like this song. It's very catchy and danceable. Not as cool as the one at Oswego with Del McCoury, though. I still like this song a lot, though. Maze: I was happy to hear this one. Ever since I heard the one at Sandstone at the beginning of summer tour, I expect this song to rock more than it usually does. This one was kind of disappointing. Page's solo was very nice, but Trey's really went nowhere and ended up at the end or something. One thing I love about this song is when everyone around me hears the hi hat and immediately thinks it's Bowie. I usually get a laugh out of that. Bouncing: Eh. It's Bouncing. The kids seem to enjoy it, though, so who am I to question it. Guyute: I knew I wasn't gonna get away from this song. When ever I hear the opening chords to Guyute, I immediately roll my eyes and think, "Guyute again?" Of course two minutes later I'm dancing my ass off and enjoying it as much as when it was a rarity. I love Guyute, okay?! Leave me alone! So that's set one. There were some good moments, but all in all, pretty average. Set break: ran into some friends I met on the summer tour, got crushed trying to get to the bathroom, like you care. Set 2: Twist Around: My friend called this one. I was quite happy. This is a great song, and the jam was pretty nice, led nicely by Trey, with Mike coming in for some nice grooves near the end. I was very happy with this version. Some great things going on with this song. Possum: How can you not love Possum? An average Possum still rocks the fuckin house, and I'd have to say this was above average. Some excellent guitar work by Trey. The jam was very musical and it got me dancin pretty hard up until the very end. I'd say Possum's probably my favorite straight-out rocker that Phish does. Great song, great version. You gotta love this stuff. TMWSIY: This is a song where I like to just close my eyes and let it take me somewhere else. This was a pretty good version with no flubs that really detracted from the beautiful melody of the song (unlike Alpine's version). This song really touches my soul from beginning to end. I knew they were coming up with Avenu Malkenu so I had to get back into dance mode as the song came to close, but I knew the song would be back again after Avenu. Of course it wasn't. It was none other than BBFCFM: I've been dying to see this song ever since I first heard it on tape. I laughed my ass off the whole time. I always wondered what Mike looked like as he screamed the lyrics. Well, not much different. Then Trey with the guitar behind his back. Funny, funny stuff. David Bowie: Ahhhhh, my absolute favorite Phish song. The intro seemed long and was really freaky spacey. Very cool. But when the drums kick in, it's like no other feeling in the world. Composed part was good, very few flubs. Then they brought it waaaaaaayyyyy down into a sea of radiant green muck and stirred around in there a little until emerging as a giant beast about to kill us all. It was truly sublime. I love the way Bowie is going these days. See 7-12-99 Bowie for another example. Wading in the Velvet Sea: I needed this after that raging Bowie. Actually would have rather had a Brian and Robert or Mountains in the Mist, but oh well. Harry Hood: Good Hood, jam was a little short, but it's still a Hood, so I'm not complaining. Love it as a set closer. Much better than, say, Character Zero or Cavern. Second set recap: Very enjoyable set. I'm really looking forward to getting this one to hear if it was as good as I thought. People seems to be raggin on it a little. Encore: Funky Bitch: Let me say this: after seeing FB twice with Son Seals, I don't think I ever want ot see it without him. Messing With the Kid: Oooh, that Sugar Blue is such a showman. He was absolutely SMOKING in this song. I love what (I think) he said after the song about Trey, "I don't listen to guitar, but he's good!" My sentiments exactly. Phil
Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1999 20:36:33 EDT From: Golgi1112@aol.com To: dws@archive.phish.net Subject: Review of rosemont Hey what's going on? This was my 7th show just for your knowledge. Let me start off by saying that the parking was a lot of fun despite the rain. There was just something in the air i guess. Anywase here is a song by song summary of the show: First Tube: Not a bad opener, it was my first. I was hoping for something along the lines of 2001 or a Wolfmans. Farmhouse: I think that this song is great. The first time I it was at Farm aid. I think that it gets better. It was not as good as last years, but it is always good to hear. Dogs Stole Things: Not very familiar with this one. It wasn't that bad. I enjoyed it. Divided!!!- My first, it just rocked. I liked when the band stopped a few minutes into the song. Everyone just stopped then the jam continued. Just awesome. Heavy Things- Not bad. It was a nice to hear. Horn- My first. It's not my favorite but it was fun. Carini- Simply awesome. I thought this song was great. Ginseng- They seemed to be having a lot of fun. Great song, a lot of fun. Nice to hear some blue grass. Nice to hear some blue grass. Train- Nothing too spectacular. Good dancing tune. Maze- My first, it was a lot of fun to hear. Bouncin'- My first, and it was great, I dont understand why people put this song down. Guyute- 3 in row. This was absolutley flawless. Unfortunatley it ended the set, i was hoping for a chalkdust. only one complaint about the set break. No where to sit down. Twist Around- Not a big fan of this song, but it worked. Possum- Damn!! This song is spectacular. Great version. Chris was doing a great job with the lights during this one. TMWSIY -> Avenu- I can't complain about this one. Always nice to hear a little Hebrew. BBFCFM- When Trey ripped out the opening chords I thought, damn! This was my first. It was a great jam with Trey staring at the lights above the stage, and waving his guitar to create this awesome feedback. This was the highlight of the show for me. David Bowie- Right when I heard the opening cybals from Fishman, I knew what was coming. Simply an awesome Bowie. There was a glowstick war during the jam, I got hit in the head. People around me were trying to throw them on stage, and someone even hit Fishman's set. Wading- Crack out the lighters. Very nice song. Great way to cool us down before... Harry Hood!!!!- Great choice, my first. Simply awesome. Always nice to hear the reggae. I did not expect this to close the set. I was honestly hoping for either an Antelope, or limb by limb. Encore: Right when I saw them setting up the extra mic, i thought to myself here comes John Popper. There was a rumor that he was going to come out with them. But to my surprise, Sugar Blue, and Junior Wells. Funky Bitch: was ok, Messin with the kid- I saw this at New world 97. Great harmonica solos in both songs. I was not that impressed by Junior. To close i was hoping for a Sweet Home Chicago. That would have put an awesome end to a great show. Set 1: 9.0/10 Set 2: 8.5/10 Encore: 7.5/10 See you all in Florida Peace- David
Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1999 14:23:10 -0400 (EDT) From: Marcus Pearson marcusp@lexis-nexis.com Newsgroups: rec.music.phish Subject: Rosemont reviews Disclaimer: my 62nd and 63rd shows, 1100 hours on tape and these reviews are more directed at collectors than anything else. I don't mark stop-start > on my setlists (I mean who really cares about them?) and the number following a song is roughly the time in minutes. 10-03-99 Allstate Center Rosemont, Illinois I (1:30): First Tube, Farmhouse, Dogs Stole Things, Divided Sky, Heavy Things, Horn, Carini, Ginseng Sullivan, Get Back on the Train, Maze, Bouncing Around the Room, Guyute II (1:15): Twist (12), Possum (11), The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday, Avenu Malkenu, Big Black Furry Creature from Mars, David Bowie (18), Wading in the Velvet Sea, Harry Hood (16) E (0:17): Funky Bitch*, Messin' with the Kid* * with Sugar Blue and Son Seals What a long show, 3 hours of music! Not much to say about the first set, there were a lot of songs so I'm sure everyone got to hear something they were looking for. But as most first sets go these days there was very little improv. Second set opened with an increible Twist (I guess this is the correct title according to the August 97 This Month in Phishtory). I loved the jam in this, they were in such great sync with each other and there were fantastic licks from everyone. It did stay firmly within the Twist structure and all and I gather most of the versions this fall were fairly similar to it. But I can see why so many people have loved it this tour. Possum raged per usual and the BBFCFM was pretty entertaining, but not as funny as seeing them run around the stage or Mike and Trey playing their guitars while laying on their back. Nothing too special about the Bowie or Hood, but they are always nice to hear. But they tore it up on the encore with Sugar Blue and Son Seals. Overall, the length, the Twist and the encore push this one up to a 3.0 rating on the Scott Jordan Concert Review rating system. There really needed to be some more group improv or at least a hint at a type II jam for this to be rated any higher, imo.
Date: Wed, 13 Oct 1999 02:53:40 EDT From: Mojibaki@aol.com To: dws@archive.phish.net Subject: it will always be the rosemont horizon man, i also had a broken foot, but was cured with the phatest chicago set since the arogon ball room march 1993
Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1999 17:43:03 -0500 From: "Murphy, Jonathan" MurphyJ@staff.abanet.org To: "'dws@gadiel.com'" dws@gadiel.com Subject: 10/3/99 Allstate Arena The Horizon (oops, I mean Allstate Arena) wasn't nearly as bad inside as I remember it. Maybe I was just happy to be out of the cold, rainy weather. But I think they may have covered the ceiling with wood-paneling (maybe fake wood) to make for better sound. In any case the sound wasn't too bad, and compared to the enormous United Center, and even the UIC Pavilion, it seemed downright cozy inside. I really enjoyed the first set Sunday night. Not a set for the ages, but a very good one. Maybe if it had followed an epic show, I might have been bored or disappointed with the lack of jamming, but on this night, I really enjoyed hearing these shorter, poppier tunes. First Tube is really a cool instrumental. It pops along a nice clip and reaches a nice little climax near the end. It didn't vary much form the Trey solo versions I've heard. Great opener, I hope they don't overdo this one, though. I also really like the two other new tunes from this set, Heavy Things and Get Back on the Train. Both were performed very well, and I really hope they make it onto the next studio album. Along with those tunes, Farmhouse is another great example of Phish's improved songwriting ability. I can't understand why some fans dislike this tune. It's just a great, catchy pop song. This version was solid, although this year's versions seem a little slower than the earlier renditions. Divided Sky was very nice to hear, as usual, but I must say that I think this song might suffer a little bit from how infrequently it is played these days. The band seemed a little rusty during some of the composed portion - but the ending jam was outstanding. I would vote for them to start playing this one a little more often to try and irons out those kinks. The other standout tune in this set was a great Carini. Sometimes I still can't believe that this is a Phish tune - I guess somebody in the band is a big Rage Against the Machine fan or something. But it really just gives the band one more persona it can adopt throughout the course of a show. And how many bands play rockin', edgy songs like this, followed immediately by a sweet bluegrass cover like Ginseng Sullivan - and pull it off? Answer: nobody. (Well, other jam-bands might try, but Phish the only one that does it so well). Dogs Stole Things, Horn, Bouncin', Maze, and Guyute were all pretty standard - in the case of the last two, that means great. Those two songs gave the set some real weight, and helped close the set out emphatically. Other than Twist Around, which featured a driving ten minute jam, and a high-energy Possum, the second set really was not all that great. I find The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday to be a pretty boring tune, something you need to patiently wait out to get to Avenu Malkenu, which is a nice tune to hear every now and then. I liked Mike's bass solo in this version, but generally speaking this song failed to move me very much. Things went downhill in a hurry when the band decided to eschew the customary return into TMWSIY in favor of the idiotic Big Black Furry Creature From Mars. But judging from the crowd's reaction, this might have been the highlight of the second set. I'm sorry, but I just don't get it. I do appreciate the band having a sense of humor, but I would much rather hear them settle into a cool jam or play a 'real' song than listen to this stuff. I was pleased to hear the start of David Bowie, as I thought this would get the band back on track, and after the verses when Mike delivered a nice, slinky bass solo, it seemed like they would. But following this gripping Mike-interlude, the song just sort of fizzled into nothing, as Trey stood by the drums, with his back to the crowd fiddling around for a few minutes. This was no mind-numbing meltdown jam, it was more or less a halt to the song. The crowd was so bored that it was forced to entertain itself with a glowstick war, something I don't think I've ever seen before during Bowie. Eventually, they returned to the standard Bowie jam, and closed out this odd version well. Both Velvet Sea and Harry Hood were average, nothing to really improve my opinion of the set. The encore was pretty sweet, though. It always cool when the band is joined by bona fide Chicago blues legends, and on this night they were joined by two: Sugar Blue on harmonica and Son Seals on guitar. Funky Bitch was an obvious choice as Seals is the author of the tune, and they've performed it with him before. I must say, Trey's solos absolutely blew away Seals's. His tone is sort of weak in comparison to Trey; almost like an electric mandolin. (Maybe it is). His vocals were cool, though, and Sugar Blue played bandleader, ensuring that everyone got their solos in. He was extremely animated, obviously enjoying himself. Messin' With the Kid followed, and again Trey distinguished himself very well, and Sugar went absolutely nuts on the harp - it sounded pretty cool. Not something I'd want to hear all night, to be sure, but pretty cool nonetheless. He also handled lead vocals and did lots of jumping and dancing around. Generally speaking, the band sounded very tight during these two numbers, and it was a great way to close out a solid - but flawed - show.
Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1999 15:49:37 -0500 From: Peter Norman pnorman@prairienet.com To: dws@archive.phish.net Subject: 10/3/99 Rosemont Review This was my second Phish show, my first being 8/8/97. WOW!!! Two Sugar Blue appearances in a row! What are the odds??? Weather sucked!!! Parking sucked!!! Got in line to park at a little after 7, didn't actually park until after 8. The show had already started and I was pissed. My friend got caught at the doors with some pot which was promptly confiscated. Security REALLY sucked!!! I walked in during the final bars of Dogs Stole Things, so I'll start by reviewing Divided Sky. Divided Sky: Totally made up for missing the first three songs. I just love this song and the silent part was hilarious. This song just jammed. This was my friend's first Phishy experience, and I was worried that losing her pot would ruin it for her, but she looked completely content. A great way to start the show for me. Heavy Things: Never heard this song before, but I guessed it was one of those Trey songs. My Uncle (who turned me on to Phish and has seen some 15 odd shows) didn't even know what this song was, as it was his first time seeing it, but he REALLY loved it. Very poppy, bouncy song. Really dug it. Horn: I went phucking nuts. This is one of my favorite songs from Rift. My friend too went nuts. Very well played. Carini: Had to ask my Uncle what this one was. Instantly became one of my favorites. The lights were sick during this song. Trey was REALLY on tonight. Rocked us hard. Had to settle down for a little bit, and... Ginsing Sullivan: was the perfect way to do it. I was in the mood for a bluegrass song, and would have prefered Uncle Penn or Poor Heart, but Ginsing pleased me well. Well done Mike. Get Back on the Train: Pretty sweet. Nothing really ground breaking. Good to dance to. By now I was in the mood for some hardcore rock jamming. Maze: Didn't let me down. When it first started I was thinking "Maze or David Bowie". I soon realized it was Maze. I'm not the biggest fan of this song on Rift, but this version smoked. Trey was all over the place. Page had a good solo too. Bouncin': My friend went phuckin' nuts this time. I was pleased. Sang along at the end. Standard version. Guyute: Dude, I think this is their most played song for the past couple tours, but since I only go to one or two shows per tour, I was happy. This song rocks. The devilish voices at the end were scary with the red lights on the stage. Didn't think they'd end the set with this, but I was sadly mistaken. Setbreak was long and crowded. Saw someone get tackled down on the floor and hauled out kicking and screaming. Man, security sucked. Twist Around: Not the biggest fan of this song, but I was happy with it. I was hoping to god they wouldn't segue into Piper, and my prayers were answered. Instead got... Possum: Happy as a clam for this one. The end was awsome with Trey building up the ending. The lights were awsome here too. Chris was really on tonight. Was in the mood for something quiet. Got... TMWSIY: Had to ask my Uncle what this one was too. I loved this song. Avenu Malkenu was fun. Was expecting segue back into TMWSIY, but instead got... BBFCFM: I went crazy. This song is soooo fun. Especially in a big arena like Rosemont. Again, excellent work Chris. Trey went crazy on this song waving the guitar in front of the mike to create feedback. That really works on this song. Better that Character 0 or Chalkdust. Very fast, furious, and fun. David Bowie: This time when I heard the cymbals, I knew what we were getting. Long drawn out intro. My friend also loves this song. One of the highlights of the show for all of us. Very minor glowstick war. Now I wanted a ballad. Waste, Strange Design, something slow. We got... Wading in the Velvet Sea: Sweet!!! This is my favorite slow song. Lots of lighters out. Very heartwarming. Trey's solo almost brought me to tears. Had a feeling we were going to get one more song. I was right. We got... Harry Hood: Fantastic choise. The ending of this song is one of my favorite Phish pieces of all time. Beautiful. No glowstick war in this song because that got used up during Bowie. I knew this would end the set, but I was still hoping for another. It didn't happen. Encore: When I saw six members come back on the stage, I knew we were in for a treat. When I realized it was Sugar Blue I almost shit my pants. Two shows in a row for me. Holy shit!!! I didn't realize who the guitar player was until I saw his name on Phish.net. Son Seal rocked!!! They did the Phunkiest Bitch of all time. I was hoping for a Jesus Left Chicago with harmonica, but instead got another Messin' with the Kid. The only song I've seen Phish do twice so far. Much better version than 8/8/97 with Sugar Blue truly "messing with the kid" (Trey). All in all, a fun show. My Uncle said it was one of his favorites after Halloween '95 and the second Red Rocks show in the 4 show run of '96. I just wish I hadn't been late and had seen the whole thing. Oh well, the next night made up for it. See my review of the Normal show, which I wasn't late to. Keep on rockin'!!!
Date: Mon, 04 Oct 1999 16:48:18 CDT From: Steve phishhead99@hotmail.com To: dws@gadiel.com Subject: Rosemont Review Hey there--- After a wonderful experience in Minneapolis the prior night, I had high anticipations for this one...I was happy and disappointed at the same time...happy with music, disappointed for security/venue. I loved the Target Center...very modern, new, spacious, etc. The halls of the Rosemont were so cramped with people and the seat aisles were so narrow it was hard to dance without constantly bumping into someone else or banging your leg on a chair...but the venue was very intimate---small...that I liked a lot. Anyways, security was REDICULOUS---my friend had an $8.00 water bottle that he bought at a camping store....it was empty and like at most venues, we assumed that we could take in empty containers...guess not. They ripped the tickets first then checked bags, so if you had anything you had to ditch it, no ifs ands or buts about it. So the guard says, "You're going to have to throw that away." and my friend said politely, "but it's no disposable"...the guard said, "Well, I'll dispose of it for you." He grabbed it out of his hand and chucked it...after a minute of explaining that it wasn't your average water bottle, the guy let him take it in, but "If he saw us throw it, we were history"...security all over was just brutal, I guess a guy fell/slipped on the floor and a guard kicked him??? I didn't see this but heard about it...at break, a girl was "escorted" out rather roughly---four guards, looked like one holding each appendage. Is there really a need to physically carry someone out by their arms and legs? I was VERY disappointed with security there...anyways, enough negatives... I hadn't heard any of the Trey stuff WITH Phish yet, and frankly, I'm one of those people who would rather see the Trey songs remain JUST Trey songs...but they weren't all that bad I guess...1st Tube opened and it was basically all Trey, but Page did add a little more than with Russ and Tony. Farmhouse next---I love this song, but it never seems to take off with me, I guess I'm always in a mood to shake and dance and this is a "swaying" song for me...it was nice though...OK, now just my highlights... Dogs...nice. DIVIDED!!! YES! My first in 7 shows...I LOVED IT. Trey ripped so many notes in this one, lights were awesome, but I didn't really dig all of the cheering during the silent jam...oh well. Awesome, probably my highlight of the set/show...no noticeable flubs, I was in heaven after this...they could have ended the set here for all I cared!!! Heavy Things---nice again, my fave Trey song. Horn, eh, this is OK, it's really not my fave but it was a first so I ate it up. Carini---heavy song...it was nice to hear. Ginseng---Mike messed up the second verse, Page just kept on laughing throughout the song...Mike looked kind of disgusted and I thought that Trey would rag on him for sure but no such luck...anywho, awesome song, I've always loved Ginseng. Train---PAGE!!! Page Funked the HELL out of this song on the clav...oh baby! All I did was listen to and watch Page on this one. Maze...is it Maze? Or Bowie? I was hoping for Bowie, it was really tough to tell, but the click-clack came in w/the hi-hat so we knew we had a maze...nice, but Page seemed to have difficulties with the B3 at first, he kept on futzing with the knobs and didn't do too much at first, it suffered from here on in. Still decent and Trey really made up for it, Trey was really on tonight...Page was on too, but just had some difficulties with the B3. Oh well...still nice to hear! Everyone dancin'... Bouncin---I don't care, "WHY DISLIKE BOUNCIN'?" I used to be sick of this song but now the crystalline vocals and sweet guitar at the end do it for me...I enjoyed it, flame away!!! Guyute---Trey was doin' the quick paced strumming at first, me and my bud looked at each other and both mouthed "GUYUTE!!!" NICE NICE version, my third, hard to compare/contrast because they're all pretty similar, nice lights, weird devilish voices at the end. Nice set, Divided took it for me! Set II--- Twist---YES!!! Awesome funky tune...WOOH! Wouldn't Twist around! Possum---Wowee, this one smoked my only other possum from 11/6/98...Trey back-built the ending 3-4 times and hit THE NOTE every time...the whole place was gettin' down (except for the 4 guys in front of me...??? Whatever.) One of the better Possums I've ever heard. TMWSIY-->Avenu---Nice slow-down from Possum, I got my first at Alpine 99 and this was pretty similar...Avenue had some nice work from Mike and Page. BUT WHAT??? BBFCFM---OK, things are starting to get crazy...never would have guessed this...Trey did some spacy effects, really cool but a little long, (holding his guitar up to the mic, etc.) but it really added to the effect...craziness!!! Bowie---another hi-hat!!! BOWWWWW-IE!!! YEAH! I have been waiting on this for as long as my Coil at Target Center...NICE bowie, but I think it was cut short due to a glowstick war...STOP THROWING THEM ONSTAGE!!! But still a beautiful bowie, awesome light work, nice playing all around Velvet---At first, page played like 2 notes and I thought they were doing On Your Way Down again!!! But then Velvet started...nice cool down again after a ragin' Bowie. Hood---Oh yeah...they all congregated in teh middle and nodded in agreement and Fish kicked in the drums...nice version, NOT ONE GLOWSTICK!!! I was SHOCKED! A Hood and not one glowstick...that's gotta be the first since the first glowstick hood...awesome... E---I was expecting Popper, but I'll take Sugar Blue and Son Seals...both were great, I'd really like to see Sugar Blue ham it up with Fish sometime...but man, they were great...Funky Bitch sang by Son Seals, just a religous experience all around...what a show...what a show... ---Steve
Date: Mon, 04 Oct 1999 08:02:12 PDT From: Kevin Liska runawayfox@hotmail.com To: dws@archive.phish.net Subject: Rosemont Horizon Show Review Kevin Liska (PhreePhish) runawayfox@hotmail.com 10/03/99 Rosemont Horizon Show Review Rainy, shitty, crappy day in Chicago....what new? Drive/lots weren't bad at all getting in. Fairly crappy seats; but hey, at least I was in! anyway...on to the review.... The boys hit the stage 7:55 (Yes!!) First Tube? (7:20)- My first one. Very groovy. It almost reminded my friend and I of something...we just don't know. Maybe a less-busy and much longer Buried Alive? Anyway, pretty cool. Farmhouse (6:45)- The inevitable. Always nice to hear, though it opened the last concert I went to. Dogs Stole Things (4:37)- This song never excites me too much, and I usually fast-forward through it on tapes, but I guess I really can't complain. Got it at UIC Pav last year. Didn't jam too long at all. Divided Sky (16:44)- Gotta love it! pretty much nailed. After a while the ending jam got really fun (it always tapes them a while to really heat up the end jam in this song I feel). Another one from 3rd night UIC, but you really can't complain when it's the Divided Sky! Heavy Things? (5:57)- Another new one to me. Pretty groovy sound (and drums). Nice lyrics. Nice. Horn (4:05)- Another one from 3rd night UIC, but always nice. Carini (7:30?)- That's what I'm talkin' about! Very rockin' as usual. Had the naked dud lyrics (as usual now). Phriend of mine loved it (his first one)! First thing when the concert was over, he wanted to hear that one again (I gladly set him up with 7/13/99) Ginseng Sullivan (4:15)- Go Mike and Page! My first one of this tune live. I love the lyrics, sound, and just everything about it! Get Back On Th Train> (5:15)- Loved this one every since I heard it. Very groovy sound/drum beat. Not stretched out very far at all though! Sort of segued (I think?)into......> Maze (11:40)- Maze? Bowie? It was to be Maze. Very fast insane jamming as usual. Seeing it live always adds so much to it. Bouncing' (3:50)- Boy, for a song everyone hates, everyone sure was loud enough for it! I don't mind it at all. I mean they barely play anymore anyway! By the way, this getting to be a very long set I realized at this point! Guyute (11:00)- One of my phav's. Boy we've been getting this one a lot (no complaint here-- I new it was due and was looking forward to it!) Man it's taking me forever to learn the drum part on this one (it took me almost a year to get Limb By Limb down pat) (in case you're wondering, YES I am a drummer)! 13 songs, 89 mins. WOW that was huge. It didn't seem that way? well, a modest break (~43 min)...and we're off again.... Twist Around (11:40)- I love this one. Doesn't sound like anything else of their's. A very unique song I think. Very nice song/jam sections. Fits very nice as a Set II opener, but don't you think they're over-doing that slot for it a little? Possum> (11:50?)- Aw ya !!!!! always nice. Very many peaks and valleys in this rockin' Possum. Trey was just goin nuts at the end. Sort of a segue into.....> TMWSIY>Avenu Malkenu> (7:25??)- It's strange, out of all their shows in the last 2 years, they've only played it 3 times....And I've caught it all three!!!!! I won't complain because I absolutely love it!! TMWSIY was absolutly beautiful as usual. Avenu Malkenu blew my hat off as usual (Great solo Mike!!), and instead if the usal endind TMWSIY, trey starts up......> BBFCFM (6:15)- The ominous notes of BBFCFM. You've got to be shitting me! Always a novelty. Trey went apeshit with guiar feedback and played verse with the guitar behind his head. Rather long (reminiscent of 5/2/92 enchore?). Ended with the space of....> Bowie (17:27)- Is this the ultimate Phish jam song (except maybe the old Ghost in my opinion)? 3 min of space opening, then BAM! Composed part pretty much nailed as usual (one minor flub?). In the intro jam, they played with this huge bass feedback chord for a couple of minutes. Insane. As the jam started, a glowstick war started on the floor. Very intense, dark, groovy jamming at it's best. I must also give credit to Chris K on the lighting for this one and the rest of the concert (especially set II). Knock-out job as usual CK. Wading' (6:45)-- Always nice. Did they rearrange the backing vocals on this one? Or maybe I was just hearing more Trey than Mike. Their was a smaall indecision in the beginning, but that didn't hurt it too much. I think I've heard better versions of this one. Harry Hood (15:50)- Boy the boys must be going overtime tonight!! A very good Hood to close us I must say. It's amazing...I didn't see one glowstick during this one. Guess it's 'cause they already threw them during Bowie. I don't know. Anyway.... 7 songs, 77 mins. Very long conert! You gotta love that! a very long break to the enchore (5 min+) The boys made it back on stage with phriends! I recognized Sugar Blue once again, and then Page and Son Seals crutched their way on stage (you guys gotta be more careful!!). Well we all new we were getting Funky Bitch, and as Trey strummed the first few notes, I wasn't surprised, but I new we were in for a treat... Funky Bitch (11:30)- Son Seals just 'bluesed' the shit out of it. And with Sugar Blue ripping it up as usual, I think this would have to go down as one of the just Bitches' of all time! They didn't leave the stage just yet though (11:45?). Man I was screaming for Jesus Left Chaicago, but we got... Messin' With The Kid (8:00)- Much better than 8/8/97. A ripping way to end a show (at about 11:50!!!!!!) 3 hour and 6 minutes on stage!! unbelievable!! Between Alpine Valley and this, I may have caught the best enchores of the '99 season!! (Ya, maybe Shoreline and NC were better, but I'd have to hear the tapes for any conclusions) Later (hmmm.... I wonder what Son Seals and Sugar Blue thought of BBFCFM??)
Date: Thu, 7 Oct 1999 15:21:27 -0500 From: "Datz, Greg" DATZG@DraperandKramer.com To: "'dws@gadiel.com'" dws@gadiel.com Subject: rosemont observations You phish "fans" really know how to overanalyze a show. You're like a whore that cant get off anymore because you have become overstimulated. I was at the Rosemont and they rocked every song. if you didn't see the excitement in Trey's face when playing I don't know what to tell you. These guys do this night after night, and just tore the shit out of everything. I have never seen a bunch of shit talkers in all my life. You shit talkers are the biggest bunch of whiny coddled babies I have ever heard. There was so much energy pouring from that stage you could see it. especially when trey was doing the feedback thing. There was a wall of energy going from the speakers around the stage to the guitar. If anyone would have touched that guitar, they would have exploded. If you thought that the Maze was "disappointing" and BBFCFM" is "idiotic" you need to get a different hobby. Go back to the nice SUV that mom and dad let you have and go back home to the suburbs. you really bring the scene down. Apathy doesn't mean that you're cool. It means your pathetic. Let those who like to burn through life have more room to dance.
Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1999 20:03:52 EDT From: RageJones3@aol.com To: dws@archive.phish.net Subject: 10/3/99 AllState Arena 10/3/99 was a fantastic show from start to finish. Phish really played well (with the exception of a few minor flubs). The show started rather quickly in comparison to other shows, so that was great. First Tube has been played quite often this tour, but i enjoyed it none the less. Famhouse was exceptional and so was Dogs Stole Things. Now on to the bread and butter. Divided Sky...My favorite song from the first set. The guys really nailed this one. I can't wait to hear the tape. Heavy Things was really cool and Horn was a great one too. Carini was incredible. Everybody in the house was rocking out. When I heard the opening from Ginseng, it was over. I was so ecstatic. Get Back on the Train was really cool, though I hadn't heard it too much. Maze had a really cool vibe to it and Bouncin and Guyute were pretty normal too. I thought it would be hard to follow up a long intense first set. But I was suprised when they busted out Twist Around. Great, Great fun. Possum was phenominal. TMWSIY was really good too. No different then when I heard it at Alpine Valley except for the segue into BBFCFM.. David Bowie was awesome. I called it at the beginning of the show so that was cool. Long intense jam. Wading was decent and Harry Hood rocked. I immensly enjoyed myself during the second set as well. The encore was nothing short of breathtaking. I love the blues. Sugar Blue was cool. He really got the crowd going. I wish that the guys would talk to This show gets an A+ in my book ~Wojo
Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1999 17:48:40 EDT From: Sarmedgar@aol.com To: dws@archive.phish.net Subject: Allstate Arena 10/3/99 This is the fifth show that I've gone too, and the cool part about the show was that the third was my birthday. Although the day had a festive ring too it..........when I arrived at the lot I was terribly disappointed. We found some pretty decent glassware being sold for reasonable prices, but it was hard too do much at this piece of shit lot because of the rain. If it wasn't raining it would have been 5,000 times easier to make your way around the lot. I saw a cop pull his gun on a young kid who was maybe 15, 16 at the most and then slam his head against the hood of his lame police cruiser and then the pig ileagaly searched a MINOR robbing him of what I thought was abpout 100 dollars worth of SHIT. While the pig searched the one kid two other young guys that were with him at the time started running, and I had to laugh at these guys because their pal sat there and spread his legs for the officer and they took off and left that poor kid to hang. This was the worst Ive seen security for a while. But when I walked into the Allstate arena all the negatives were soon to change. P.S. Great Performance of Divided Sky
Date: Mon, 04 Oct 1999 11:04:04 -0500 From: Jim Lange jlange@rcgdirect.com To: dws@archive.phish.net Subject: Chicago Review 1st Review, 34th show: Better than average show in cold rainy Rosemont, IL last night. The Scene: Non-existant - Cold & Shitty. At least the security let people in quickly with no pat down. The venue: It used to be the worst place to hear live music. The acoutics are supposedly improved and I thought it sounded pretty good (I was straight back near the tapers). I can't vouch for the upper level. 1st Set 1st Tube - First time for me. Pretty cool song. Farmhouse - Mellow but played beautifully. DST- Could do without-bathroom break Divided Sky - the usual - spectacular - this song is better served outside though IMHO Heavy Things - 1st time - Really dug this uptempo song. This has incredible jam potental and I hope they expand it soon. Gave me the same feeling I had when I saw Limb x Limb the first time. Horn - Standard Carini- Time to stop with the mellowness. Loud and powerful. Ginseng - The boys milled around a bit and finally pulled this out. I love this song but it's put a lot of people back in their chairs. GBOTT - They seem to love this one. It's OK. Maze - Raging - Page and Trey whooped it up ala 93-94 Mazes. Bouncing - Kind of a tired rendition. I looked at my watch and they had been going for almost 1:20 at this point. Thought they were beat and needed a time filler until Guyute - I've seen it a dozen times, but never get tired of it. Spectacular. Setbreak - Lots of humanity. Reletively mellow crowd probably due to the weather. Saw one guy get hauled off the floor kicking and screaming. I remember thinking back on Kudora's lights. He is truely the shit. I always fascinated by the pictures he paints 2nd Set Twist - Not a huge fan but a nice rendition Possum - Loud. Trey was in full effect with the cressendos. TMWSIY - Alvenu - Standard, beuautiful. I was waitng for the seuge back into TMWSIW when out nowhere BBFCFM - Whoa! Now were rockin. Trey was going apeshit with swing guitar rock-god thing. Picture trey holding the guitar straight over his head with a single spotlight shining down. Goose-bump stuff. I still miss watching Trey running around during this though. Bowie - Standard. The jam section was OK. Nothing mind bending but solidly played. Minor glowstick war. Velvet Sea - Pretty. I needed a break. Hood - Awesome stuff. They could play it every show. Encores: Funky Bitch, Messin with the kid - Always a pleasure to see Sugar Blue with Phish and Son Seals for added messure. If you've never heard Sugar Blue your missing out. Chicago RULES!! Summary: Better than average show, well played, though not epic like a couple of the setlists I've seen for this tour The Happy Phisherman
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1999 13:00:00 -0500 From: John T. Glynn jgynn@interaccess.com To: dws@archive.phish.net Subject: Chicago 10-3-99 I first saw Phish in 1991 at the Cubby Bear in Chicago. I've probably seen them 20 times since then. I listen to Phish at home but prefer to see them. I have seen some great shows and I have seen some shitty shows. Tonights show reached that level of greatness that I come back for. I don't need to go into the song listings but ther was one song in the second set that I didn't know and it was like a hardcore punk song. What was it? I brought Sugar Blue to the show tonight. He's the house act on Thursdays at my restaurant in Chicago (The Boulevard Cafe) and we talk about Phish alot. He played Mikes wedding and has sat in with the band on two other occasions which I saw. I asked him if he was going and he didn't even know about the show. We ended up with extras and brought his family to the show. Sugar Blue did the solo on Miss You by the Stones as well as a number of other tracks. He was (is) Poppers biggest influence and is regarded as one of the greatest living harmonica players. He did a great job tonight. The crowd went ballistic. You can see him in a small club nightly and be blown away even more. I hope everyone takes notice, he is worth checking out. John WWW>Boulevardcafe.com !
Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1999 17:33:05 -0400 (EDT) From: Nate Bayko baykon@umich.edu To: dws@gadiel.com Subject: 10/3/99 review Having heard only bad things about the Rosemont Horizon, and given the setlists from the previous couple of shows, we didn't really expect a whole lot from last night's show. What we got was what I would classify as an average Phish show, which is, as we all know, a well above average experience. Lot was completely dead. So we weren't too surprised that when we went in early to get a decent spot on the floor, there was a pretty good amount of activity in the concorse. Just a lot of people hanging out basically. I had no idea what the venue looked like, and all of the bad acoustics rumors immediately made sense when I entered the arena. The place basically looks like an airplane hanger, with a slightly sloped wooden ceiling. Since we were on the floor, I still don't know if the acoustics were as bad as everyone says. First Tube was a first for me, and I think it fits the opener position perfectly. What kind of interested me was how similar it sounded to the Trey versions I've heard. I always assumed that if Phish was going to do some of the Trey solo songs, they would have to make them a little more "phishy", cause the songs seemed so simple and perfect for a power trio. They kept it true to its original form though. Farmhouse was farmhouse, and DST was short and sweet. Nice soloes by Trey and Page as they paid homage to the home of the blues. Divided was extremely well played. No noticeable flubs in the beginning, really long pause, and an ending jam that had a little more improv than usual from what I remember. Heavy Things was the Trey song I wanted to hear along with Jiboo. Slightly different than the Trey solo versions, as Trey doensn't do what many people called "beeping" throughout the song. I also think the vocals sounded better with Russ and Tony, but it was still sweet. Beautiful solo from Trey, and I'm wondering if this is the song that the guy below described as containing jerry-esque soloing. Me thinks so. Carini was great. Had a short, but dark and funky jam after the closing chorus. After a few minutes of that they came back to the Carini Had a Lumpy Head chorus which made for a nice, completed version. Mike forgot the lyrics to the beginning of the second verse of Ginseng, and he wore a big smile as a result which is always nice to see. The rest of the set was pretty standard--everything was pretty tight but no real jamming except during Train. Place went absolutely nuts for Bouncin, and I heard many expressing their approval at setbreak. If it makes that many people's night, then I'm all for it. The Twist jam was basically all Trey rock-star style, but Mike started to take over a bit towards the end. Really nice lights throughout this one, as well as the entire second set. Possum was good fun. Standard and awesome. I seem to be a TMWSIY magnet as I've seen four of the last five. Really beautiful and a perfect segue into Avenu. Avenu was fun as usual, and Mike's solo didn't disappoint. Right at the close of Avenu Trey busted out the opening to BBFCM, and it was on. No megaphone madness, but before Fish counts "1,2,3,4!" Trey led a huge feedback/guitar god session like we seem to see all the time now. He played one of the verses with his guitar behind his head, and everyone got a good laugh. Bowie was next and all I have to say is that it was probably the best version I've seen since 94, when Bowies were truly experimental. This one had lots of spacy jamming (with Trey on keyboards for a little) and traversed many soundscapes before returning to the final crescendo (the segue into which seemed a bit forced IMO). Wading was a predictable follow-up, and despite Page being a little late on the opening lyrics it was a nice breather after the Bowie madness. Hood had a really nice opening jam. Real long with everyone taking soloes. Fishman got a little cocky and ended up not being able to end his solo on time, but it was a nice try and he certainly got a good laugh out of it. Nice buildup and release. No glowsticks (most of em were busted out during Bowie). Besides the Bowie, my highlight for the night was definitely the encore. The extra mics had made their way out, and I like many others was expecting Popper. I was psyched when Trey introduced S. Seals and Sugar Blue. I'd seen the Oswego Bitch and it was perhaps my favorite moment of summer tour. This Bitch absolutely RIPPED! Son's soloes were straight blues and sounded perfect over Trey's funky chording. It looked like Sugar Blue got dissed a couple times when he tried to go for his, but when his turn came around he absolutely raged. A real showman is that Sugar Blue.Really long version as all four soloists got a turn. Messin w/ The Kid was another funked-out blues number, and it really served as a vehicle to let Sugar Blue really show his stuff. His hat flew off his head as he just BLEW! and the crowd went nutty. Overall I'd say the show was pretty average, with lots of songs coming at the expense of relatively little jamming. Definite highlights: Sky, Bowie and the encore. Just as 97 and 98 had sort of musical themes (funk and ambient, respectively), 99 continues to be the year of the guest appearance (Phish and Phriends if you will). See everyone in Auburn Hills! Nate baykon@umich.edu rn came around he absolutely raged. A real showman is that Sugar
Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1999 21:44:37 EDT From: Zarahann1@aol.com To: dws@archive.phish.net Subject: October 3 Show Allstate Arena October 3rd show was awesome. In the parking lot it was cold and pouring rain. But it was making the people were just all waiting for the show to begin. It started off mellow and got faster and faster. The most incredible thing happened. They were all playing then on a one note they just stoped completely not moving or anything. Everyone didn't know what happened at first but then everyone realised that they all just stoped on that one note. Everyone was just like ho woh yeah and just started screaming as they stood in silence not moving for like five minutes it seemed. Everyone was going crazy! It's was an undescribable feeling. Then all of a sudden they just started playing the next note of the song. It was just amazing!! They played a lot of good songs and I got to jam my heart out. The lights were trippy as hell too even know it wasn't Alpine they put on a great show. I can't wait till' Florida, it's going to be crazy. *Nicole*
Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1999 11:17:59 -0400 From: Casey Kim caseyk@c2is.com To: dws@archive.phish.net Subject: 10/3 Rosemont Review I'm sick of all this negative shit. This show was tight. For the people who weren't there and want to know what REALLY happened, here's my review: 1st set: Wanted a First Tube but wasn't sure I'd get one. Surprise! Great way to start the show. Good upbeat energy. I knew we'd get a Farmhouse, and this one was nicely played. Didn't expect the Dogs Stole Things, but I love this song. It too was well played. Always love Divided; it takes me back, and always sounds awesome. The boys held out for a long time on the note and it got the crowd pretty worked up. Then the Heavy Things and Horn. I can't remember the last time I heard Horn, but it's a great song. Then Carini - I knew we'd get Carini! I didn't expect it though out of the mellow Horn jam. Wicked as ever and I loved it. The Ginseng was next, sounded great. At one point Mike started the wrong verse and the band started laughing a bit. It was funny to see the even keeled and always cool Mike crack a smile. Then the Back on the Train... the intro was different from the ones this summer and earlier in the fall. It was tighter and more intense, sort of leading up to the song. Sounded sweet. Then the Maze - always intense! Especially in the Rosemont, that place is such a maze. So is Chicago! Then the Bouncin and Guyute - both well played. 2nd set: Wanted a Twist 2nd set opener and got it! Nice one, too. This song gets better and better every time I hear it. Then the Possum - I was glad the band was maintaining the energy created by the Twist. Then TMWSIY - didn't expect this but I'm always glad to hear it cuz it's kind of a rarity these days and it always leads to... Avenu Malkenu. I love this! At the end I was all ready to switch back over to TMWSIY when suddenly - BBFCFM!!!! Shit! Haven't seen one since Hampton '98 - and this one blew that one out of the water! Trey was a madman - playing his guitar behind his head, passing it through his legs and swinging it around to a long feedback jam at the end of the verse only to plunge back into it again! Awesome! And after energy like that you have to keep it up with Bowie - nice tight Bowie. Then Velvet Sea and Hood - nice way to bring down the set. And THANK YOU FOR NOT DOING THE GLOW STICK THING DURING HOOD. I'd so much rather listen to Phish play than dodge projectiles. I came to see Phish, not throw things. (And everyone who needs to do that to have fun obviously isn't listening to the band.) For the encore, we were expecting Popper, but were just as glad to see Son Seals and Sugar Blue taking the stage. We knew Funky Bitch was coming and it rocked with Son Seals on vocals. Saw it in Oswego, but was superglad to be able to see it again up close. Sugar Blue was having some tech difficulties for the beginning, and you could see him struggling but when he finally got his mic working - WHAM! Perfect timing! He blew the place apart! The Messin' with the Kid rocked too, I love this tune. Hadn't heard it since the '97 show at the World. In closing - this was a great show. Anyone who hears it will agree, it was a solid performance. And anyone who says it sucked should quit writing reviews of shows (and quit coming to shows, while you're at it) cuz no one wants to hear your negative drivel anyway. When your multi-million dollar grossing band has been around for 16 years then you can complain, but until that time you need to RECOGNIZE and show some respect. QUIT YOUR BITCHIN'! Love and hugs to the real fans out there - see you at the shows! Casey Kim
Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1999 00:07:23 -0700 (PDT) From: David Lynch dmlynch@ucdavis.edu To: dws@archive.phish.net Subject: 10-3-99 Review Just wanted to let everyone know that the intros to Bowie and Maze are not the same -- not even close. If you can tell the difference between the intros for YEM and Bouncin, then you should be able to tell the difference between Bowie and Maze. Thanks for your time! Dave
Date: Mon, 04 Oct 1999 20:07:15 -0400 From: Dennis Harrell harrellky@worldnet.att.net To: dws@archive.phish.net Subject: 10/3/99 Phish Review I planned this weekend trip to Chicago before news hit of the two shows in my hometown of Cincinnati. I can usually only get to the local shows, but felt the Chicago show was my only chance to see them before New Year's Eve. In my case it was a fortuitous blunder. Earlier on Saturday evening, I was strolling down Michigan Ave. and saw a man dressed head to toe as Jesus (white robe, long hair, crown of thorns and big wooden cross) hopping on a city bus. The "Jesus just left Chicago" comment was simply too much to resist. Anyway, Sunday brought cold rain to the area, and the lot was dismal. I had no luck in unloading the extra ticket I had, as some tickets behind the stage were still on sale, and the few offers I did get were so laughable. I refuse to sell people tickets for 5 bones because that encourages more penniless people to show up, taking up space and clogging the roads to the venues. It's like feeding the dog from the table. My friends and I don't jive well anyway with the scene, so we stayed in the car and listened to 11-2-90 while the rain pattered down. Much in-depth analysis is contained in prior reviews, and no doubt you have read the set list, so I'll try to be as brief as possible. I had not yet heard First Tube, but given the song's growing reputation as a solid piece, I assumed this was it. I think it's perfectly written for an opening song, just as Tweezer Reprise is well suited as a closer. I just hope they don't wear this one out as they have done somewhat with Reprise. The ending jam (Gus' Theme) of Divided Sky took on a smoother, more liquid feel than the choppy block chords we're used to. Trey made the crowd earn The Note as well. Heavy things was another first for me, and I thought it was well placed in the set. Horn really allows no expansion, but is so well written. Trey's shifting of the tonal center via his solo would make Zappa proud! Carini has truly taken its place as the signature evil jam it so richly deserves. The jam out of the song was violent start-stop and dark. Kudos to Kuroda for his work during Maze. The band was no slouch either! Nothing else can be said about Guyute other than it was nailed. I really wish Trey would start writing fugues again. All in all, an impressive mixed bag of a first set. Twist Around brought as much improv as we were going to hear on this night. It was as if the band knew they would not be forging new terrain, but kept the energy level high, and brought the refrain back around before it got boring. Phish seem to know when to quit while they're ahead these days more so than before. Possum simply demonstrated the infinite potential of the I/IV/V progression. TMWSIY showed how tender and beautiful arena rock can be, and thankfully the crowd shut up so I could enjoy it. BBFCFM was not expected, and as the feedback rolled in and Trey was waving his guitar with the look of a man possessed, I couldn't help thinking of the person who just came to hear "Bouncing" and their reaction to this melee. Ha Ha. I thought Bowie would wrap things up, but as the opening stains of Velvet hit, I knew this was a well-placed breather of sorts and a precursor of something bigger. I got what I was hoping for, a solid Hood with great timing and feel. The lack of glowsticks was odd, but at this point I didn't care. With a tip of the hat to Chicago's rich blues heritage, Funky Bitch and Messin' with the Kid were given more careful treatment than usual. Sugar Blue got so involved in his soloing that he knocked his hat clear off twice! It felt good to see Phish mine the blues in such good company. In all, a great cap to a solid night. Not so many musical risks were taken in this show, but the playing was as precise as you're likely to hear these days. Finally, the security was not much of a hassle besides a brief pat-down at the door. Don't alienate these guys or they will hold a grudge. I saw a mere slip of a youth in the lot, who when asked to return his beer to the car with no further consequences by the police, smashed the bottle on the ground and ran. Thanks for being part of the solution, jackass. See you in Cincy, Ryan Harrell
Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1999 11:16:19 -0400 From: "Gagliano, Michael (Cahners - CHI)" MGagliano@cahners.com To: "'dws@www.phish.net'" dws@archive.phish.net Subject: rosenont 10/3 I've see about 45 shows, 7 this year and last night's show was tremendous! The weather sucked as it rained from noon till midnight, but that didn't matter. This was a total band performance last night. First Tube started things off to a rocking start. This has become a big favorite as of late for most fans. Farmhouse was OK as was Dogs Stole Things. However the Divided Sky that followed totally ripped!! The band was ON for this one, trust me! Trey definitely lead this one. Heavy Things, another Trey song, was well placed as a breather from the smokin' Divided. Horn, Get Back on the Train and Maze(not listed on setlist?) were the remaining highlights of the 1st set, especially Maze. Page was shredding his Hammond Organ and Trey followed with a roof raising climatic solo. Little did we know we would get 2 more songs(12 total) to close the set including a great Guyote. A definite 9/10 for this 1st set!!!!!! The second set was good, but not particularly inspiring. Twist Around was heavily extended as was the rippin Possum. However I didn't much care for the next 3 songs(TMWSIY>Avenu>BBFCFM). Trey has to tame his guitar god stunt a little and I was relieved when they went into the Bowie intro. Great meltdown action before and during Bowie. Wading and an expected Hood closer put a rap on a pretty good second set. A 7/10 for set 2. But with Chicago based bluesmen Son Seals and Sugar Blue driving the two encores, I left Rosemont fully satisfied. In summary a great show, but I've seen better second sets. Bring on Normal, my Alma Mater!!! Mike Gags
Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1999 02:48:34 EDT From: Sojahseh22@aol.com To: dws@gadiel.com Subject: Chicago: 10.3.99 Allstate Arena Just got back from the show at 12:50 am. Snuck out the back exit of the lot, took a short cut since I'm from around there, and was on the expressway in minutes. Having spent hours on summer tour stuck in line, this was a much welcomed relief! A little about the day: Probably one of the ugliest Chicago days this year: Cold, Rainy and Windy. Pulled the bus into the lot around 4:15, and first thing I noticed was the cops in squad cars patrolling the area like sharks. It was really read-icculus to see. Planned on giving out lots of hot chocolate to all the cold, wet kids, but the rain never let up and prompted us to stay dry inside the van. Met up with some nice pholks and got excited to go in..... side it was warm and the energy was contagious. People were ready for rockin show and they were about to get one. Including the encore, 21 songs were cranked out by the boys which ended around 11:45. First set highlights included a solid First Tube opener, which they keep playing so strongly as if it were already a concert staple. I really like this one, as well as GBOTT and Heavy Things...Great additions to the repertoire. What stands out in my mind the most about the first set, however, was The Divided Sky. In the 28 shows I have seen, I've never seen them wait so long for "the note" to begin the second half of the song. It must have been a good 90 Seconds. The crowd went nuts. Crazy. Second set went off with a bang with Twist Around. During Possum, Mike switched a verse..you'll hear it on the tapes. No big deal. TMWSIY was beautiful, but instead of coming back to it after Alvenu, BBFCFM came in instead and Trey once again put on his Rock Star Act and proceeded to play with his guitar over his head, playing for a minute of so like this..It was pretty solid. Some glowsticks made it out towards the end of Bowie, but incredibly, there were none during Hood--I don't think I've seen a glowstick-less Hood since "95, and was a nice change. The post-- "Thank you Mr. Miner" was done very nicely. Also, the beginning of Hood featured a solo by each of the boys, and was a nice addition you'll hear on the tapes as well. The biggest part of the night came however, for the encore. Once again, two special Chicago musicians made it onto the stage for what may have been one of best encores I've seen with Phish (Alpine this past summer was pretty tough to beat.) Sons Seals and Sugar Blue both have appeared with Phish before (Oswego, and Tinley Park, respectively, but never before together. By far the best Funky Bitch you'll EVER hear, and Messin' was a treat to hear again (since '97). All in all, a really nice show. It was great to see so many kind pholks again during Ames--->Chicago (Lauren, Phil, Hugs, Wendy, Parum, Dano, Sara and Kevin). Help keep the positive spirit of Phish alive so we can continue to enjoy this for years to come. See ya in Big Cypress...
Date: Mon, 04 Oct 1999 16:47:57 -0500 From: Scott Solish slsolish@students.wisc.edu To: dws@gadiel.com Subject: Rosemont 10/03/99 Can we please give up on Chicago during the fall tour? As if UIC last year wasn't bad enough, Rosemont was just a larger version. The sound was awful, security was rediculous and the conditions getting in and out were pathetic. Thank god for the Steak n' Shake (whatever the hell that is?) parking lot or I would have missed the whole show stuck in traffic on the city's awful highways. Why not play Madison or Champaign or anywhere but in Chicago. The band knows it, the crew knows it, and we know, no more Chicago.
Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1999 09:41:07 -0500 From: SBirenberg SBirenberg@gofen.com To: "'dws@www.phish.net'" dws@archive.phish.net Subject: First Show This was my first show after about 50 Dead shows. I'm almost 40 and felt like one of the oldest people in the crowd. I was very impressed by Phish. I expected a good show from what I had heard about the band live, but it greatly exceeded my expectations. The band is very tight and plays an intricate and complex set of tunes. I told a buddy who I attended with (his second show, after about 50 Dead shows) that at times Phish sounded influenced by everything from the Allman Brothers to the Dead to Yes to Jethro Tull. In the end, I decided it just sounded like Phish. I must make special mention of Avenu Malkeinu. As a Jew, I recognized it right away. I've always loved the prayer and the melody and it was really cool, though sort of startling, to hear. I thought that Possum was by far the best piece of live music I have heard since Jerry passed. There was another mellow tune in the first set, with a long Jerry-like guitar melody by Tre, that also really made me smile and remember the old times. However, what I am thinking on the morning after is that I've got some new good times to look forward to. Finally, a special thanks to the fans sitting behind us who graciously shared some inside scoop and the band, the music, and the band's shows. Steve B. a.k.a. Direwolf
Date: Mon, 04 Oct 1999 11:03:00 -0400 From: All Users bg22022@yahoo.com To: dws@archive.phish.net Subject: this show was poop... Phish has sold us out. They play poop-quality songs, the lot sucks now, and this teeny bopper shit is out of control. I will now never go to another concert again(of any band) and will probably go live and be a hermit.
click here to return to the 1999 reviews page
hits (many)