2003-02-28 is overrated

Phish Live Shows
#1

sorry to say it, but it is. as a whole this show doesn’t even rank in the top 10 of post-hiatus shows. i finally got this show in the mail last week. i only heard the tweezer from it (thanks to the IT door prize). after listening to it one time through i was confused why everyone liked it so much, so i listened to it again.

let’s just get this one out of the way…so they played destiny unbound. big deal. its just a rare song! ill admit i like it and have for many years, but there are plenty of other rare songs i’d much rather hear than this one. its sloppy at the end as well and seems like a soundcheck or quick backstage rehearsal would have gone a long ways for this tune.

soul shakedown party is very rusty too. its a cool cover and i think only the second time they every played it, but the version from europe 97 is so much tighter. they seem to stretch this song out a little bit too long then all of a sudden it just ends. this was another song for shits and giggles, nothing special in the playing.

bathtub gin was pretty good. i like the jams halfway through and towards the end but overall i’d say the version from cinci a week earlier smokes this one. it was a standard stretched out gin for the majority of it with some bright spots that were quickly abandoned for some reason.

back on the train. this song i did like, as i also liked the one from hampton. i felt like the longer they played this song the better it got. i’m a fan of this song and always enjoyed seeing it at a show.

walla of the cave. now to begin i am not a huge fan of this song but that’s not to say i never gave it a chance. i’ve seen it plenty of times and i definitely enjoyed some of the versions i saw. however, to end a set in my mind is weak. this is not a set closer. it doesn’t leave you amped up for set II (not to mention, this was a horrible selection to start coventry day 2). it just isnt well placed, while the playing is average at best.

the bowie was like every other bowie post-hiatus. they tried to stretch it out at the end but i just wasn’t digging it. even most bowies in 99 and 00 were nothing special so i’m not just picking on post hiatus.

hood. pretty good build up but nothing out of the ordinary. good as a show closer though since you know the encore is only a few minutes away.

encore was pretty good but nothing out of the ordinary again.

tweerzer. this tweezer was awesome and i am in no way bashing it! best tweezer all post-hiatus and probably one of the top 10 ive ever heard. but one song doesn’t make a whole show good.

just so there is no confusion i’ve been to almost 50 shows so please don’t think im a rookie in my thoughts. but i would love to hear some feedback as i am sure most people will say this show is amazing! so, tell me why it is amazing.

btw, worcester from two nights earlier blows this show out of the water.

#2

I’ll present my clean slate here… I don’t have too many hours on disc… maybe 20 shows. I’ve been to 25 phish shows (counting the Went and Ball as two shows a piece… but if we get really technical then each day was 3 sets thats 6 sets for a festival weekend equivalent to THREE, yes THREE shows!) Haha technicalities blow. Anyway seen the Dead 17 times and numerous other bands so I’m not a complete rook but I don’t have near the amount of show going or shows on disc as say thelot or goldenroad respectively. That being said I hear ya about this show. Still I find this Gin to be the sweetest I’ve ever heard. I think the whole jam has a wonderful progression and the last five minutes are pure creamy goodness… perfect note placement and a wonderful theme.

I’d write more but must go… must go to work and all that crap. Yeehaw!~

And just a side note I find the 9-14-00 Reba to be the sweetest I’ve ever heard… just mature plain love.

#3

the gin was one of the better jams of this show but i felt the one from cinci 2-22 a week earlier was much better.

you’re right with the 2000-09-14 reba, it’s my fav with 1993-02-20 in a close second.

#4

wait til Post-Hiatus Guy reads this!!!

jk, yes when comparing it to the great pantheon of Phish shows, it probably doesn’t crack the top…75 or so. Maybe even 100 if you count festivals, NYE, 'ween, etc. BUT, i do think it probably is in the top-10 for post-hiatus shows. if you don’t think bust-outs (regardless of how well played) count as a factor, then you must have a beef against Burgettstown some 5 months later. THAT show, my friend, is better than 2-28-03 IMO.

#5

i can understand why you would say it is overrated booz, but i dont agree with you saying its not in the top ten of post hiatus shows. to be honest, i havent listened to a lot of post hiatus, so i would be interested to see what shows you think push 2-28 out of top ten territory.

#6

^
yes. yes…

maybe 1 or 2 other winter '03 shows…a couple of summer '03 shows…maybe 1 or 2 fall/NYE shows…and then either SPAC '04 show(s). that’s 8 at the very most?

#7

I was going over the line when I said that it was top 3 since 99, but this show is definitely top 6 or 7 post-hiatus AT LEAST! I do think having the OFFICIAL copy of this, with such a good recording, helps to make it sound even better.
The only shows I’d think of putting above this, or on the same level, are: 12.29.03, 6.19.04, 7.29.03, 12.1.03, 7.15.03, and IT. I really don’t see how any other post-hiatus shows are at the same level as 2.28.03.
I recently listened to this show again, and the only fault I have is the walls of the cave. Besides being kind of a weird set closer, trey does hit many false notes in this version. But besides that, I just don’t see any faults with this show, which is why I like it so much. Destiny is not the reason I like this show, although they did play it PERFECTLY! Every song seems to fit so well.
The birds opener absolutely rages.
I don’t hear much rust in soul shakedown at all. I think this was a “spur of the moment” song that they hadn’t planned on doing, and considering that, I don’t knock this version at all.
Besides the tweezer, david bowie and hood are played VERY well in my opinion. I acutally really like the 2.22 bowie and this one alot. TIght composed sections, and some dynamic jamming in the buildup section.
Round Room is nice, and the encore is also.
So, I guess I just see this show as a perfect indoor phish show. It almost reminds me of A LIVE ONE (yes, I know that is not a complete show, but I bet almost all of us thought it was a complete show when we first bought it–I know I did). I know the differences in playing in 94 and 03 are significant, but the structure and power of both recording are similar to me.

So, I do agree it is probably a litte overrated by me,and some others, but not as much as you Booztravlr. I respect your opinion though. wheeww.

#8

Really, I can’t think of a better post-hiatus encore than this one!

#9

btw, thanks for the boards of this show post-hiatus guy!! i am in no way saying ill never listen to this show again or saying the show sucks. i just dont get the hype. i feel that when we talk about post-hiatus shows on this board everyone mentions 2-28 and how amazing it is. i just dont think its that amazing.

as for my top 10 post-hiatus shows…

2003-02-22
2003-02-26
2003-07-09
2003-07-15
2003-07-29
2003-08-02/03
2003-12-29
2003-12-30
2004-06-19
2004-06-20

#10

dog log -> mango song, first night of IT :o

#11

booztravlr, you got some balls.
I have thought this same thing for a long while, but didn’t have the cajones to point it out. I felt the backlash I would get didn’t deserve me expressing my opinion.

[size=75]2/22/03 Gin blows this one out of the water.[/size]

#12

I don’t think it’s overrated simply because there are not enough heavy hitter’s out there to compare it to. I do agree that Worcester is a more powerful show as a whole but it is also my favorite from that run. It’s a shame that this band went from 2 or 3 duds a tour to 2 or 3 explosions a tour but that is not our fault.

#13

I think it’s a fucking smokin show… nice songs, great jams and good overall energy. Gin and Bowie…Yummy

#14

i am comparing this show to the other top level shows of post-hiatus and i feel that this one doesnt stack up in comparison. i am not comparing this show to the duds of post-hiatus at all.

my main point is that i do not understand when people talk about top level post-hiatus shows that most of the people say 2-28 first. i listed 10 shows above i would take over 2-28 in a heart beat. it seems like people are so hung up over this show and i am trying to find out why.

if you guys want to break down the shows i mentioned for top 10 and tell me why 2.28 is better, that would be great! nothing like constructive arguments to get some discussions going.

#15

the worcester show DEFINETLY destroys this show.

#16

2-28-03 is the most overrated show in the history of PT. It’s a decent show by Post-Hiatus standards, but Worcester still kicks it’s ass.

#17

^i dont know about that…i’ve always been a bigger fan of 2/28/03. yea i’m biased because i love destiny unbound but c’mon there are some sick sick jams in that show (gin, tweezer > ssp). worcester was good but the only thing that really struck me as great was the yem > clone. the other songs from the solo projects were missing something and weren’t all that impressive.

#18

I thought i sent you that show. It’s too bad you didnt like it as much as I thought. post-hiatus guy the cds i sent him were soundboards that I had.

Whatd you think of the Island boards booze?

#19

there’s just a lot of factors when calling a show “overrated”… if you just come out and say it, you’re comparing it to ALL other shows and the critical acclaim they receive.

If that’s the case, IMO, I do not think 2-28-03 is overrated.

#20

but you’ve still got to consider the BEST MAZE EVER, the great moma, ya mar, stash, ghost, THE LOW RIDER…it’s a FANTASTIC show