Living Music

by Julian Morrell

We went to see Phish in Mexico on the Riviera Maya February 21, 22 & 23. This is the third year they have played there and the first shows since the New Year’s run at Madison Square Garden. The setting (at Barcelo Maya Resort) is a beachfront fantasy come true: sun, sand & surf giving way to breezy nights and a late rising moon. An ideal place with superior sound.

The first night began with “Spock’s Brain” a joint composition that hasn’t been played in 15 years, great start!

It seemed to be keyboardist Page McConnell’s night to lead the band into the intricate jams they are known for. Phish is the most popular jam band in the U.S., getting their start in 1983 in Vermont, they played regionally, then nationally (1988) and have toured Europe (first in 1992). College students are the majority of the crowd at Phish shows and their dedication is admirable. It is not unusual for groups to travel to several sites for Phish shows and even for there to be a “gypsy” type community of vendors who set up at large concert sites.

Getting back to night #1, the first set ended with “Sand”, appropriate for the setting.

Set 2 started with “Soul Planet” into “Spanish Moon” (originally by Little Feat) and continued without pause through several more tunes & jams concluding with “The Squirming Coil”.

Being outdoors next to the sea with plenty of food and drink surrounded by avid Phish fans dancing and swaying to the music was sublime. Everyone at a Phish show is smiling, happy to be there singing along with their friends and their favorite band. Guitarist Trey Anastasio is the main creative force in Phish and he is incredible, playing complex guitar parts and inventive solos that aspiring musicians analyze and discuss post concert.

Moving on to the February 22nd show it was Trey in charge. Set 1 featured “You Enjoy Myself”, one of my favorites.

And The Rolling Stones’ “Emotional Rescue” was another cover that they nailed perfectly.

Set 2 was a non-stop marathon with all the songs blending from one to the next with extended improvisations along the way that ended with “Walk Away”, a classic from Joe Walsh.

Phish blends several music styles into their unique sound. Folk, bluegrass, rock, even classical are ingredients in the gumbo that is Phish. But to me, their improvisational skills are firmly rooted in jazz and sometimes during an extended jam I could swear I was listening to a jazz combo. The four musicians in the band play together instinctively, constantly aware of what each is doing and supporting each other along the way, communicating as only great musicians can. Key changes, multiple rhythms with melodies weaving around each other provide the excitement of Phish and is evidence of their superior capabilities. The drummer Jon Fishman is solid and sometimes leads the band into new rhythmic areas and will set limits on the jamming. Mike Gordon plays bass that includes the bottom line as well as melodic intervals that complement Trey’s guitar. Page McConnell mans the keyboards and is capable of producing a wide array of sounds as well as piano and organ that lead and follow with equal aplomb. The four produce music that is only theirs, constantly inventive yet identifiable as Phish.

February 23rd, the final night at Riviera Maya held high expectations; for how could they top the previous shows? “Like this”, they said and launched into a blazing first set that included “Punch You In The Eye”, “Blaze On”, “Divided Sky”, “Steam” and “Chalk Dust Torture”.

“Divided Sky” has one of the most beautiful guitar solos ever.

Set 2 was even more raucous with “Mike’s Song” into “Weekapaug Groove” then “Fuego” into “Tweezer” into “Carini” into “Ghost” into “Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.” Whew!

[from 2019.02.23]

The final night ended with an extended encore that got even scarier than “Carini” with “Martian Monster”, “Kung” and “Big Black Furry Creature From Mars” that included references to songs from the two previous nights.

Overall, it was a Phish Pheast with each of the senses being stimulated to fullness. And the music. Phish has never played the same setlist twice in over 30 years of live performances and it’s thrilling to hear them twist, bend and even deconstruct a song, examine each piece intimately and then put it all back together. This is extremely satisfying to those that enjoy adventurous music by expert, fun-loving musicians.

I’ll leave you with two more from Riviera Maya 2019:

See you next at Phish in St. Louis in June. Have a good show!