Meta Phish

One thing that can be definitely said about Phish fandom is that we're a passionate group of opinionated people. From the tiniest drop of information that gets leaked or spread on the internet raging maelstroms self-form and accusations of "fluffing" and "hating" develop almost instantaneously. And this seems to be because we all care so much that we provide that instant gratification. We all need to be the first to have their voice heard. To opine. To start the discussion.

But when do we know when we take it too far? 2013 was viewed as a renaissance of sorts for the band. As summer tour tapered off and transitioned into the best fall tour we've all seen in 3.0 followed by a phenomenal New Years Eve run, lots of talk focused on what the band was telling us.  Not with their music explicitly but with the underlying messages and themes that were more implicit. Lots of signals were said to have been sent by the band that have been discussed in multiple other places: Ha Ha Ha > Possum, Most Shows Spell Something, Harpua The Right Way, Icculus on NYE. In a lot of cases though, we as the fans weren't simply talking about songs or jams or placement; we instead were discussing the message that the band was trying to tell us. On a meta-level. To some peoples perspectives, it was like the band was breaking the fourth wall at the concerts to speak directly to us. But how many of these signals were the band actually saying something to us and how much was it normal Phish?  Icculus has always been about reading the book. Possum in 2014 was played about once every 3 shows and that was the gap both before and after Northerly. Ha Ha Ha has been played about once a year in 3.0. Did the band try to speak to the fans by placing these songs together or was it something more innocuous. Most Shows Spell Something, on a whole, seems to be saying something (maybe that the fans are missing the message) but conversely that could simply be viewed as a continuation of the previous Dicks N1 setlist pranks.  Was this some sort of mass induced apophenia where we're finding patterns in the ether where randomness is more likely?

In 2013, the musical high watermark was the Tahoe Tweezer, a sprawling 37 minute journey through multiple musical movements and different jam segments. As the story goes, a Phish fan met Fishman the night before and talked about some of the previous sprawling versions of Tweezer (I believe specifically Mud Island). Then we have the Tahoe version the very next day. Was the influence of this discussion a driving point of the improvisation or was this something the band was tentatively planning on doing anyway. To what extent does the band try to push boundaries on musical structure? Is it important to ask these questions? I'm not sure which I would prefer actually. If fans through our interactions with the band are having any say in the construction of the improvisation then what we're hearing may not be the band's intent (even if it's what we want to hear). And if the band is making the conscious decision to push the envelope and break the mold and it results in a Tahoe Tweezer, then why won't that happen more frequently? To wit, I'd rather reject both of those models of thinking and prefer it be attributed to randomness - the band was locked in and built on the groove that was developed and let it organically occur. Without full knowledge of the band's processes it's ultimately semi futile to even take a side. But the fact that we still maintain our positions says a lot about our views on our roles as fans.

The same meta-phish discussions are going on with the Fuego release. Two songs have been released so far (The Line and Waiting All Night) and they are both ballady songs that don't seem to liken themselves to free-form improvisation. So naturally, Twitter and message boards were alight with discussions on what these songs being released means for 2014 setlists and what the band is telling us with these choices and how it impacts what the bands next steps are and I just want to step back and say they might not necessarily be telling us anything. They're songs. Maybe the band was just pleased with the mixing on Waiting All Night. The Line so far has been the most played song of the Halloween debuts (albeit with only three versions). There are infinitely number reasons for those songs to be selected for singles. Do we really need to know why or understand these reasons? This is even more true for the meaning behind why the album is called Fuego and not Wingsuit as originally assumed. Some discussion has centered around the whys for the change and what the cover art means and what the color scheme of the album dictates and again, we need to step back and think that it might not really have any higher meaning. It doesn't need to, sometimes things are tautologies and are just the way that they are. I know I'm just as guilty as everyone else for trying to ascribe meaning to choices the band makes and projecting my personal experiences on the concerts I'm attending on a whole (which was a topic by the HFPod guys in their intellectual webchat with Zac and Wally bringing up excellent points on the matter and in The Baby's Mouth Essay). But is this a requirement? Do we need to interject ourselves into the concert or can we simply be observers?  The fandom has moved on from simply expressing what particular versions of a song are the best or the writer's favorite and is now into discussing why the ranking of a series of jams are important. From a meta view, we're not simply talking about the band anymore, instead we're discussing the ways to talk about the band and what those requirements are.

Every Phish show has thousands of possible iterations and combinations of songs, placement, improvisational moments. And, in general, all discussions on the concert experience (both positive and negative) are fairly well received. Which really speaks numbers about the ability of fans to get along and (usually) co-exist.  I'll never (hopefully) tell anyone that they're enjoying my favorite band incorrectly. Or over analyzing. Or getting too meta. I personally like doing that myself too much. But I think in 2014 I'm gonna try to take things a little bit more on face value. And try to realize that sometimes a concert is just a concert, a Tweezer is just a Tweezer, and know that that's ok.

The Most Important Phish Concert

One thing that I've noticed during my time on Twitter, is that Phish fans tend to be highly opinionated about a plethora of things. This is generally a good thing and can lead to a high degree of information sharing. Personally, I've found out about new music, new movies, and new ideas that I would have never found due to people's spirited defense of their ideas. "What's your favorite album?" I have my choices but I'm always interested to see what other people say to this because if someone is passionate about their selection then they can make me feel that and, if I haven't heard it before, I'm likely going to be obtaining it that very moment.  Sometimes this can lead to feelings getting hurt when there are disagreements but in general, if people have open minds, there's no reason that this can't be an enlightening interaction.

In my mind, there is an important delineation between "favorite" and "best". And while that makes intrinsic sense, I think that this is something that can be frequently lost when interacting on things that both parties are knowledgeable on. With all of the rankings that people are justifiably putting out now on 2013's concerts. Do you go with your favorites or the best when putting together your ranking? Personally, my pick of favorite concert from 2013 is probably Hampton from 10/20/13 but the best concert overall was 12/29/13.  They don't always have to align.  To me, the entirety of the fun second set of Hampton N3 make it more enjoyable for me to listen to even if nothing in it hits quite the high points of 12/29 and DWD>Carini. 

But there's another aspect to rankings and debates that's usually not addressed.  Importance. When looking at importance, quality or fun or favoritism aren't the most relevant qualities (although they can be relevant), it's more of a historical relevance that can make it important. Something that's a game changer. Something that's never been seen before. Something that is memorable beyond the inherent qualities. This adds a new dimension. When looking at this aspect, the most important show of 2013 has to be Halloween.  Regardless of your thoughts on whether Wingsuit was the right decision, the Halloween concert essentially directed the creative vision of the rest of the year leading up to the No Cover New Years Eve run.

To draw another analogy, take a look at movies. In my opinion, the best overall movie is the Godfather. Top to bottom that movie has it all.  Unbelievable acting, directing, score, cinematography. Everything is perfect in it. And it is an amazing movie. But it's not in my list of favorites.  My favorites are Magnolia, 12 Angry Men, and Glengarry Glen Ross. I enjoy movies that are dialog heavy and carry a lot of melodrama.  So best and favorite don't always align. But in terms of importance?  And how that relates to historical impact? There really can be not many answers other than Citizen Kane, right? That movie was so ahead of its time in terms of the actual movie making process that everything that comes after it uses its gains. And things that seem cliche in current day were invented during that movie . At it's core, it's up to each individual person. In general, there should be less change in the important album but there is always some wiggle room.

So while everyone has their list of favorite or best shows, which show is the most important in Phish's history? A show with a large amount of debuts? 1996 Halloween? Beginning of Europe 97? NYE 02? An unexpected choice (but ultimately defensible) is Coventry.

Now what's interesting here is that when looking at the intersect between best, favorite, and important there is usually a large overlap. But with Coventry, you'd be pretty hard pressed to find someone that thinks that's the best or their favorite Phish concert. But Coventry represents something to the band, and to the fans, that was a once in a lifetime experience. That can't be downplayed enough.

2.0 Phish was a strange time for Phish fans.  Those from the pre 2000 days (especially those from 98 and before) were treated to a completely different band. Less melodic jams present and more grooves laid down.  The oxyjams were there in full effect but it wasn't the same. The moments of full scale band led improvisation were rarer. Trey was no longer the driving influence in the band due to what seemed to be a drug abuse issue and possibly a lack of interest. When the break-up was announced many chose to not make the trip to Coventry, Vermont to say goodbye. The music was too off and the scene was too negative.  One thing I couldn't really understand was the people who had seen hundreds of shows who decided to not go. Even if the band wasn't what they used to be how do you not go and say farewell? Either way, lots of people made the decision not to, or couldn't, go.

To me, however, it was too big of a deal to not go. Bands don't typically break up amicably. And even though it was apparent that there was some dissension on stage, the break-up was at least presented with an amicable slant. This was the bands choice to break-up. Whether this is completely true or not remains to be seen but a band of Phish's caliber and stature voluntarily calling it quits was strange to me.  No one had died. No physical trauma. No growing apart. Just a final show. In my eyes, there was no question; I had to go to say my condolences as something that I loved had decided to move on. If this was really the last hurrah for this band I needed to see it.  In and of itself, the break-up show would be important in it's own regard but it was somehow larger than that.

I'm not sure what everyone was expecting when they finally got through those gates or decided to abandon their cars on the side of the road. Was it Gamehendge? Acoustic Sets? Horns? Or just a well played Phish show? Whatever it was we were expecting, I don't think that we got it. Which isn't to say that there weren't highlights. AC/DC Bag -> 46 Days is good. The Drowned Jam is better.  I love the version of Curtain With that's played after they restart the post-lyrics segment. The highest point, to me, is probably the Steam Jam in Split Open and Melt. Really, a lot of the "jam" segments are good throughout the weekend but the composed sections continued the 2004 trend of just missing on all grounds. Most sections that the band has played as rote versions for 15-20 years sounded like it was Trey's first time on the guitar.  Almost like the band had to try to rush through those parts to finish them off for good. Because at that time, they were the last time played and it's easiest to just rip the band aid off sometimes than to prolong the pain.

It's Night 2, Set 2 that really sticks with me to the day. And even when re-listening recently to this the emotions and feelings come back strong and quick. A one of a kind (and quasi-finished!) DWD segues into Wading in the Velvet Sea. 

And the band just breaks down. Finally, the emotions overtake the band and Page can't continue. Then Trey joins in to help him sing his part (and really it's amazing that Trey knew those words). What follows can only be described as Glide. A song usually for and about the fans. And it is the hardest thing to listen to. From start to finish it's just not played correctly. The last two songs of the set, Melt and Ghost have some of the worst composed sections played by Phish but the jams are phenomenal. The set is truly a dichotomy of the best and the worst together in one.

Curtain With was not what I expected or wanted for an encore. I was personally expecting the long awaited Fluffhead bust-out. When it started, all I could think was this is it. It's over. This is a long song. This is the last song. And when Trey had to restart the jam segment to put it into the right key I didn't really know how to feel. I felt this was not my favorite band going out with a bang but with something lower than a whimper. This was a whisper. A fleeting moment that was going to pass and then be over and not thought of again. The jam was beautiful but as it faded out Phish was over. I kept thinking back to that second set throughout the night (and for the next bit of time). It was sticking with me in a way that other sets from better shows never did. It was that Wading. Seeing the entire band breaking down and crying was something I was unprepared for. This was my band and to see them at that emotional apex (or nadir) was hard. But that emotion was important. Emotion meant something to the band. If the band came out and played a normal concert, and didn't become emotionally invested that would have shown disinterest. The fact that there was such an outpouring of emotion meant there were still feelings that remained. The fact that there were feelings meant there was a reason to fix things. It meant that the band would get back together. It's conceivable that if Phish had played a flawless Gamehendge during that set and the weekend went off without a hitch that there would have been no reason to get back together. That emotional breakdown was the single most important message of the entire weekend. It meant that there would be another day of Phish eventually.  

There's no debate that Phish played an amazing year of music in 2013. And in some ways, I'm jealous of those fans that came in only in 3.0. First, they're likely younger than me which is nice but second they have had such a positive progression over the years. Each year that they've been a fan has been better than the last. This was not the case with 2.0.  The 2.0 years, and 2004 specifically, are usually not listened to for fun nor have the best versions of various songs. In fact, on the Helping Friendly Podcast today, RJ was talking about how he hasn't listened to 2004 shows in years. And I get that. It's not always easy to listen to and it's not always good. But the seeds of 3.0 were planted in 2004. And Coventry in particular was really the linchpin of the entire year. It was a culmination of the entire year’s worth of failings and the summation of the emotional highs and lows that surrounded the break-up. It was important to be there for both the band and the fans.  It was what allowed 3.0 to happen in the way that it has and it was what provides the reference point for discussing the low points. For anyone who was present in 2004, a ripcorded Tweezer into Number Line can't be that bad really, right? A missed cue in a song or a flubbed lyric can't matter that much in the grand scheme of things. How can a Show of Life encore on 12/31/13 ruin an amazing NYE run and truly spoil the mood? The band is still healthy and together and writing great new music and they'll get it right next time. That's what's important. 

The Weight of It All

2014 marks the tenth anniversary of what is commonly considered Phish's lowest time as a band.  2004: the year the band "broke up". 2004: the oxy-year. 2004: the year the scene turned. I've recently been listening back through the entirety of 2004 though because there are a multitude of reasons why even if it's not always the best and difficult to wade through some of the time it's still a very important part of both Phish history and its fandom. 

My personal interactions with 2004 tell a story of duality.  I went to four shows in 2004, the SPAC run and Coventry. The two SPAC shows are generally considered to be the high point of 04 and Coventry as the low.  As a 20 year old college student living on the east coast, when 2004 started I realized I wouldn't be able to make it out to Vegas but knew I'd be able to hit up some summer shows.  I became a Phish fan in late 2000 just after the hiatus so 2003/2004 were where I cut my teeth in concerts.  To say I was crushed when I read the reviews in real time of the Vegas shows would be an understatement.  I couldn't understand why the band (and especially Trey) seemed so off.  2003, to me, was a revelation.  The year of my first Phish concert. My freshman year of college. Everything seemed so easy and clear.  And my favorite band was back on the road.  

When Trey announced on Phish.com that the band would be breaking up after their 2004 summer tour, I remember being more confused than anything else. It didn't make sense to come back and then immediately stop again with a new album on the way.  I don't think anyone when it was announced knew just how self-harming Trey had became. I would love for one day there to be an unfiltered interview with the band on 2004 since there seems to be palpable tension in a lot of those shows and with time, reflection can allow for truthfulness to come out. 

To me, it's a bit discouraging that fans sometimes brush all of 2004 aside as a Phish year.  Although it's hard to listen to at times there are still some wonderful highlights and "best of" versions.  When looking back at contemporary reviews of the year, many people seemed to be angry with the way the band was playing and vowed to never see them again after poor showings at concerts and noting how the scene had changed. Just coming into the fandom though, I knew that I, and my friends and other 2.0 kids like me, needed to see everything that I could from that era.  We didn't have memories of NYE at MSG or 97 Cow Funk or Big Cypress.  2004 was really all we had. So trogging up to Coventry was never a question and I gladly waited for 20 hours on I91 because it was that important and necessary.  Everything was still so new to me that this was the only way that I knew how to say goodbye. So although I understand why some people elected not to make that journey or turned around, that's why it never made sense to me. 

Was Coventry the best concert experience ever?  No, of course not. In the moment was I happy with everything played (and the way it was played)?  Not really. But listening back were there moments of awesome improvisation and musicality? Yes! In addition to Wading, which was probably the most honest display of emotion I've seen on stage, Drowned, Bag, Melt, Reba, and Piper are all highly recommended versions.  And while it's not played perfectly (and stopped at one point) Curtain (With) was the pitch perfect encore. Please me have no regrets. 

When the last chords of The Curtain (With) finished up the encore at Coventry I turned to my group of friends I was with and didn't say anything.  None of us did.  What was there to say really?  We thought at that point that was the last song Phish, as a band, would play together.  How do you eulogize a band? How do you end something that was such a big part of our, albeit, young lives at that point?  And that never really started?  So we went back to our campsite, packed up camp, and left that night.  I think that eventually there was some idle chit chat about the weekend, the mud, the band, the crowd but it all was lost in the wind. Something that we all loved had died: painfully and loudly. And it was done.

Looking back on 2013, I think it was the best year of 3.0 by far. The band is currently playing on a level that hasn't been seen since 1998 to me and, as a breath of fresh air, each band member is playing and leading jams.  So the newer fans than me, those that came in between 2004 and now are experiencing a heyday. Each year of 2013 has been better than the previous so it would be easy to discount all of 2.0 as a blip on the radar, an anomaly that can be easily overlooked. I think that doesn't tell the whole story though. A) The highlights in 2004, while being more few and far between, are there.  In every show, there is at least something worth hearing (which'll be coming up soon) And B) I think by going through the trials and tribulations of the year and breaking up, it allowed the band to be in a healthier position when re-forming in 2009. And for the fans, the adage "the sugar never tasted as sweet" comes to mind.  Without the low points, the highs don't seem quite as high.  

But here's the most important thing about 2004. It happened. And although it might not have been always played with technical precision or without perfect jams, it was an integral part of the band.  It's clear, looking back, that the band needed time away. For solo projects. To get clean. To make positive changes. So that when the decision was made in 2009 to get back together it would be the Phish we all fell in love with originally. In that regard, 2004 really wasn't so much a stumbling block as it was a building block.  It's all part of the progression that leads us to today.  

Phish Jersey Numbers - Part 2

Note: This is part two of an eight part series.  For the introductory post see Phish Jersey Numbers - Introduction

Obviously many songs in Phish's catalog have been played the same number of times.  This series of blog posts will try to take a look at those songs that were played the same number of times and try to determine which of those is the "best" song to have that number.  A quick note on the "best" designation: Like all subjective things, best will really depend on the person doing the picking. My definition for best will be a little bit of favoritism, personal reflection, what I believe to be popular opinion, and most Phishy of the songs being compared.  Covers will be considered on equal ground as originals. In reality, it's a crapshoot.

Times Played: 121
Songs Under Consideration:  Big Black Furry Creature From Mars, Guyute, Scent of a Mule

Another difficult competition between three songs that all have a lot of history.  And even more so, all three songs are inherently "Phishy".  BBFCFM is the original metal song in the repertoire.  When debuted it was originally played in a set closer or encore role but has changed into more of a bust out recently. But it doesn't compete well with the other two songs on the list...it's a bit too much of a novelty.  I'm a big fan of both Scent of a Mule (and its duel) and Guyute.  The insertion of the Marimba Lumina into Mule bumps it up a bit but it really has to be Guyute. I'm a sucker for long songs with composed sections. And when the band nails it, everyone knows that they're in for a real treat.
Winner: Guyute

Times Played: 119
Songs Under Consideration: The Curtain, Ghost

One important thing to note here: this is a Withless Curtain.  Which really makes this no contest.  Curtain is a wonderful song and I love it as a second set opener (especially with a > into Tweezer or Bowie).  But there can't be any other choice here but Ghost.  It's really unfair for it to go against any song that's not Tweezer or Bowie or another upper echelon song.
Winner: Ghost

Times Played: 114
Songs Under Consideration: Tube, Moma Dance

Funk! Tube is probably the ultimate Phish-tease.  When in 97 or 98 it was played, you had a good 8-9 minute funkfest usually.  But since then it's gotten back to its 4 minute or so roots.  And always leaves crowds wanting more and ruing when Trey comes back in with the closing licks.  But then, at SPAC in 2013, there was a brief but realistic moment of hope that it was coming back. It may have only ended up being 7 minutes or so, but it happened!  Moma Dance as a funk song and jam has always been well received and gives Fish a chance to stretch his vocals which is good in my book (he's pretty underrated when he's actually trying to sing).  But I actually really prefer Black Eyed Katy over Moma (bring it back!) since it's all funk groove.  I think that's enough in my book to push Tube to the top.
Winner: Tube

Times Played: 106
Songs Under Consideration: Halley's Comet, Mound

I really like Mound and would love to see it at a concert in the future.  It's a great first set song and although it's not jammed out frequently (barely at all really) it still always brings a smile to my face.  And in contrast to many older songs, it actually is getting played more in 3.0 than in the previous 14 years combined.  Halley's, like Tube above, is probably the other main Phish-tease song. When Halley's is jammed, it has exceeded 20 minutes a handful of times but not since 1999.  Additionally, the Hampton 97 version is viewed as a highwater mark by many in the community.  So, although Halley's seems to be more in the "Type 1" wheelhouse currently, it has to get the pick here.
Winner: Halley's Comet

Times Played: 94
Songs Under Consideration: Mango Song, Makisupa Policeman

Makisupa Policeman. The first Phish original. As the only real reggae song in their catalog it stands as a one of a kind treat amongst the hundreds of possible songs played. Sure there's been some Marley covers through the years but I think it says a lot that the first song that the band played (and by extension, probably one of the first Tom and Trey wrote) is a reggae song.  Mango Song will always have a special place in my heart since it was the first (along with Dog Log) encore I saw at the first night at IT.  I liked the song before then but that certainly elevated it into the stratosphere.  Very Phishy lyrics too. Just unbridled fun to sing and rock out to.  All that, coupled with my relative dislike of all forms of reggae, make it the choice here.
Winner: Mango Song

Times Played:89
Songs Under Consideration: Axilla, Paul and Silas, Twist


Not really a competition here at all.  Axilla is a very fun rocker and Phishgrass is fun with Paul and Silas (and it kicked off an amazing set on Fall tour this year) but seriously? It has to be Twist.
Winner: Twist


Times Played: 86
Songs Under Consideration: Back on the Train, Birds of a Feather

Now this is a good head to head competition.  I actually think both of these songs are pretty similar. Birds debuted on the Island Tour in 98 and was an immediate fan favorite. Back on the Train, in my opinion, started as a standard Type 1 song but in recent years has found its legs as a nice, usual set 1 short jam song.  So, in current days, it seems like both of them usually run 8-9 minutes with Birds falling more on the rock scale and BOTT on the bluesy scale. I prefer blues so I'm going with Back on the Train but I'm sure there could easily be made arguments on the other side.  And that's ok.
Winner: Back on the Train

Times Played: 82
Songs Under Consideration: La Grange, Peaches En Regalia

First cover only battle!  Both songs are usually point perfect covers in the band's catalog and remain well within their ZZ Top and Zappa boundaries. Amazingly, La Grange has only been played 10 times since 1995 so it seems to have fallen out of favor a bit with the guys. Peaches, on the other hand makes a handful of appearances in most years (although none in 2013 yet, YEMSG maybe?).  The fact that it's still played and that it was prominent i one of my favorite shows (6-18-94) elevates it to the top.
Winner: Peaches En Regalia

Times Played: 80
Songs Under Consideration: Carolina, Sleeping Monkey, Tela

Starting with Carolina, it's going to take a lot to get an a capella song chosen over a song with instruments so, although they're fun, it's not winning this competition. Sleeping Monkey and Tela though are two of my absolute favorites.  Throughout the years, I think that Sleeping Monkey is one of the songs that the band bustouts in an encore or a set closer role when they know they've played a good show (I think the same thing about Rocky Top and Have Mercy). And Tela, the beautiful (and wrongfully accused) lady and most elusive of the Gamehendge saga. As a standalone, instead of as noted with Sleeping Monkey in the encore role, I think Tela has to win. I love the fact that it was, supposedly, the first song Trey wrote for someone else to sing.  I think it's beautiful.
Winner: Tela

Times Played: 79
Songs Under Consideration: Jesus Just Left Chicago, Walk Away

The first Phish CD I was given (and thus, my entry into the Phish foray) was Slip Stitch and Pass so I immediately was blown away by the Wolfman's-> JJLC on that record.  I've always been a large blues fan and the way Phish jams out the song a little bit with blues progressions always makes me happy.  Walk Away is perfectly serviceable as a cover but really unless it's paired with Tweezer, it's not my favorite by any stretch.  Jesus Just Left Chicago in a landslide.
Winner: Jesus Just Left Chicago

Ten more songs done, more to come shortly.  Here's the summary so far:

Phish Jersey Numbers - Part 1

Note: This is part one of a seven part series.  For the introductory post see Phish Jersey Numbers - Introduction

Obviously many songs in Phish's catalog have been played the same number of times.  This series of blog posts will try to take a look at those songs that were played the same number of times and try to determine which of those is the "best" song to have that number.  A quick note on the "best" designation: Like all subjective things, best will really depend on the person doing the picking. My definition for best will be a little bit of favoritism, personal reflection, what I believe to be popular opinion, and most Phishy of the songs being compared.  Covers will be considered on equal ground as originals. In reality, it's a crapshoot.

Times Played: 339 
Songs Under Consideration:  Foam, Squirming Coil

And right out the gate, this will probably be one of the hardest and most fun choices.  Both songs have been obviously in the catalog for well over 20 years with Foam debuting on 10/29/88 and Coil on 1/20/90.  Foam has stayed relatively constant over the years in terms of length but it's one of the quintessential Phish songs: weird lyrics, highly composed, intricate playing.  But I think I'm going to pick Coil.  For one, those versions from 1994 and 1995 just continued to grow and grow which is awfully nice.  Two, I've never seen Coil live in the shows I've attended so that elevates it a bit in my case.  Three, Page's outros are some of Phish's prettiest work and when it ends a first set, there's not much better.  And last, I'm a sucker for songs that are major label debut CD openers. The songs that new people that are getting into a band hear first.  
Winner: Squirming Coil

Times Played: 297
Songs Under Consideration: Llama, Split Open and Melt

Fun fact about Llama, it's a bit of a rarity now.  In 3.0, Llama has only been played at 7 shows. Seven!  I've been trying to slowly make my way listening to all Phish concerts and back in 92/93 it was played so much and was such a rocking tune every single time. I also spent many hours trying to five star the song in rock band on expert (and not getting anywhere close.) But really it had no shot going against Split Open and Melt. Melt is one of the great improvisational songs in the catalog.  It crushes Llama with relative impunity. 
Winner: Split Open and Melt

Times played: 243
Songs Under Consideration: Fluffhead, I Didn't Know

Fluffhead, also known as the song that Phish refused to play in 2.0 much to the chagrin of most of the entire fanbase, is another one of the Phish staples.  Crazy lyrics tell the story of a man with hair of fluff that he glued to his head. Pretty simple stuff really.  Not a huge jam vehicle due to the composed style of the song, there is still nothing quite as cathartic as when the Arrival section starts post the dissonance of Bundle of Joy. I Didn't Know, on the other hand, is a Fishman-lite tune written by Nancy Wright (for Phish) with lyrics just as ridiculous as Fluffhead (and Nancy's other song for Phish, Halley's Comet).  IDK is a pretty standard song without much change (other than the vacuum or trombone solo) but the 4-17-92 version is stellar and worth a listen.
Winner: Fluffhead

Times played: 206
Songs Under Consideration: Slave to the Traffic Light, Landlady

The story on Landlady is a bit unusual.  It was pulled out of Punch You in the Eye originally, recorded for A Picture of a Nectar, played 206 (!) times in five years, was played concurrently with PYITE for about 2 of those years, and then disappeared completely. And Trey and Mike get to do a good dance during the song which thankfully remains to this day.  Slave is, in my opinion, among the five best Phish song and Trey's soloing is some of his best work.  The version on A Live One is perfect.  Again, this one isn't even close.
Winner: Slave to the Traffic Light

Times played: 166
Songs Under Consideration: Character Zero, The Sloth

The Sloth is a Gamehendge song so that gives it a lot of weight.  And it is probably one of the best songs to sing along to (THEY CALL ME THE SLOTH!).  But it's probably my least favorite Gamehendge song which is a bit like picking your least favorite child, it's still good and you're happy it's in your life. But it's no Lizards.  Conversely, Character Zero, is not one of my favorites by any stretch. It's a good rock closer but there are many other songs that fit in that role that I'd rather hear.  The Gorge version from 2013 is pretty awesome though.  But if I'm picking, I'm going with history and Gamehendge.
Winner: The Sloth

Times played: 123
Songs Under Consideration: Limb By Limb, NICU

Limb by Limb has some of the best lyrics in any Phish song in my opinion.  Very nice imagery and very clever wordplay. And that jam.  The band doesn't always take it out for a spin every time but when they do, it's a world beater.  The SPAC 04 version is killer and it was part of the first set of Phish I saw live at IT.  NICU is another song that doesn't really get jammed (although that would be awesome) and is played relatively the same way most nights.  But the fun in NICU is listening to the song as it was originally debuted.  Played 12 times in 1992 and then shelved for almost 250 shows, the song as originally constructed is very different.  And definitely worth a listen.  But Limb By Limb has it beat out by a nose due to those jams. 
Winner: Limb by Limb

Times played: 122
Songs Under Consideration: Colonel Forbin's Ascent, Fly Famous Mockingbird, Taste

Three songs!  But obviously there's a pairing here. And as these are Phish.net stats, Taste that Surrounds and Fog that Surrounds aren't included.  So this is Taste without the fun Fishman vocals.  Taste is a fun song and one that I think is a bit underrated.  Some of those versions from 97 and 03 are truly wondrous versions and they get lost in the shuffle of other highlights from those years.  But it's not really fair to put it up against Forbin's and Mockingbird.  And how to decouple those songs?  Mockingbird has the great Trey soloing and is just a beautiful song that can sometimes really soar (bird pun!) but Forbin's has the actual meat of the Gamehendge vocals. And the term shit-ass.  If I'm picking, it's close but I'll go with Forbin's.  I think that if I was ever to catch this Live, that's the part I'd be more amped to see.  But it's very very close.

Winner: Forbin's

More 10 song chunks to follow.  Summary so far:
 

Phish Jersey Numbers

As a Phish fan that is not attending any of the NYE YEMSG shows this year, I have every reason to look forward to 2014 as the next big thing.  Coming off of a fall tour that exceeded expectations, pushed the envelope, and has the band poised for a huge NYE run (plus with a new album on the way) the future hasn't been this bright for The Phish in a long time it seems.  But when looking forward constantly (and always looking forward to the next big thing) you can sometimes lose sight of the past and what the band has done.  So, on the thirtieth anniversary of Phish, it seems like a good time to look back and try to offer a retrospective of sorts and hopefully in a way that hasn't been done before.

One of my favorite sports blog posts is when a writer goes through and selects, for each jersey number, who the best player is that wore it. So the writer needs to decide to try to rank jersey number 32, they would have to decide between Magic Johnson, Marcus Allen, Karl Malone, Jim Brown, Sandy Koufax, etc.  What a choice!  Magic was one of the greatest basketball players ever but Jim Brown was the best (in my opinion) running back to play in the NFL.  And Koufax's peak over six years was unrivaled in any sport.  To relate this to Phish, I wanted to go through the number of times each song is played (since there's 20 days or so before things change again) and try to identify the best and greatest Phish songs for each quantity of songs played.   Now clearly some of the songs have been played a unique number of times, and thus are default winners. That list is included here:





So these songs are out.  This will leave 70 values left that have at least two songs matching so we'll break those up into some other blog posts.  Obviously, once it gets down to less than 30 or so that's where things will get real interesting as the number of 2.0 and 3.0 songs escalate.  First post of 20 songs coming shortly.