ghost, you saw burgettstown and second night of deer creek. Those are two of the best shows of that tour. there are a few average shows that really don’t go anywhere. Especially on the west coast.
^
True. But overall, I think you will get most people to agree that 04 was weaker in terms of consistency and jamming. Plus 03 had “IT” to back it up. Below are some highlights of the 03 tour, most of which I’ve heard
7.15.03 “Mr. Completely” (I know, sloppy at times, but experimental nonetheless)
7.21.03 Sold ALL-AROUND show
7.09.03 “Bathtub Gin”
7.26.03 Set II
7.30.03 “Scents and Subtle Sounds”
7.31.03 Set II
Summer '03 definitely.
2003 was indeed stronger.
HOWEVER, I dont see a clear division between 03 and 04 per se, in terms of the quality of shows. I hear IT as the post-hiatus dividing line. (pre-ITand post IT) I think the energy level after IT seemed to be lacking a bit, BUT i liked the direction of the jams in 04… It seemd like a slightly new twist.
I guess the quality of shows on the 03 tour was pretty good after the first two shows. For some reason I think of 7.27.03, first set when I think of the last half of that tour. That set was TERRIBLE, but they made up for it second set. I guess every show from the gorge on had something good come of it. (Although I think 7.17 and 7.21 are pretty standard, almost boring shows)
I think 03 is underrated as a year, still. The NYE run was amazing, as we already discussed in another thread, but I also hold winter 03 and summer 03 in high regard. Summer 03 is generally looked upon as the most consistent and best post-hiatus tour.
Hey bionictooth, the energy post-IT wasn’t always down. Where you at or have you heard 12.30.03 or especially 12.29.03??
I’ve never felt that kind of energy in my life before or since. After all, they did do two encores that night!!!
HHmound-- Ive heard all of the aforementioned and was actually at 12/31/03 and can testify to the monster energy on the Miami run. However, keep in mind they had a three week siesta leading up the NYE shows… And some pretty wild R&R in the miami sand, from what i heard
That first set on 13/31 had an amazing, almost giddy energy that i will never forget… and my fave post-hiatus YEM to boot.
Hmm, i’ve never heard about the siesta before those shows. But, although the energy was still high on new years, I definitely think that was the off-night of the run. When i listen to it, it seems like they just ran out of gas by Wednesday. Many flubs that weren’t happening on the first three nights.
Do you think as highly of the Stash on that night as some people? I only really listened to it once, and have no real opinion of it.
You live in Miami??
–especially reba and simple from the last set, they are pretty awful by phish standards
and it pisses me off that trey teased fluffhead right before frankenstein but didn’t play it.
Just imagine if they would have done fluffhead to end that run–WOW.
2003 for sure! 2004 was nostalgic and poignant. Every song was like, ‘damn, that could be the last time I ever hear that!’
that was in the back of my mind during the '04 Creek shows!! Good call.
I agree with summer '03 being stronger. There were just way more impressive setlists and performances that summer. However, '04 had a lot of memorable moments. I think that both of these years are similar enough to kind of group them together into one defined era. Kind of like late 1997 and early 1998, or 1991-2. We can call it the Functional post-hiatus period.
HHmound-- RE: The Miami NYE run— Granted, there were more than a few flubs, but I’m one who finds flubs to be pretty inconsequential when rating Phish shows. The composed section of Reba was indeed pretty danged sloppy, but the jam was beautiful– one of my favorites of the evening. (agreed on Simple) As far as the set two opener Stash, I like it a lot-- very dark and exploratory. It doesnt really go anywhere, but the journey’s compelling. I recall not digging it too much at the show, but definitely learned to like it once i got the soundboards. BTW-- yeah, i live in Miami.
Already gave my two cents on the Reba, but I’ll add that set three never seemed to get off the ground. This was due in part to monster nights 12/29 and 12/30 and what I think were two excellent sets on NYE. Runaway Jim is 20 minutes of blah and Fish on vacuum always bums me out. I think the guys were exhausted and frankly looking around that night, by 12:30am so were most of the fans.
yeah, you’re right about flubs being not that big of a deal at shows, but I sort of didn’t write what I meant. They just didn’t seem as loose as the last two nights. I still am glad I was there. It was fun.
I felt the same way about the stash. I’ll have to listen to it again.
I’d say summer '03. First & most importantly, summer '04 had NINE less shows than summer '03, shows that were less consistent. The peaks in 04 were good (Saratoga Piper set, Hampton set I), but I really like the Bonner Springs Tweezer, Camden SASS, & all of the YEMs are sick. YEM in 04 was just painful. In '04 Page & Trey seemed less physically capable of playing at the level they played at in 03. I think it is because they were both on a bunch of downers, but who knows, they couldn’t pull off the softer moments anymore. The first four shows in '03 are kind of throwaway, but then they really found their groove. The first night was the tour opener, & the next three were in California, so they’re obviously going to be pretty shitty. Coventry is an entire festival basically put to waste. the second half of the tour in 04 is just so macabre because of the drugs & the fact that they were the end. Just my 2 cents.
Summer 03, because of the IT festival but the SPAC shows were amazing.
Summer '03 , not just because I was AT THEM heh heh