12-31-02 - Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

review submisions to me at dws@netspace.org or dws@gadiel.com

Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2003 17:31:30 -0800 (PST)
From: donald baxter fluffdon@yahoo.com
Subject: nyc new years review

This review isn't going to go song by song through the show, it is going
to be my over all feelings about the music played.  Let me first say that
the show was a great time and it was a huge party going off.  The music to
me was tripped out rock and roll.  I didn't hear much funk at all.  It was
hard to get my groove truly on becasue of the lack of funk.  There were
some sick jams but no funk.  I also think the sound wasn't to good....i
had a hard time really hearing Mike's bass.  After Phish's two year break
i expected there to be some serious funk, because i thought that the party
was where the funk was.  I am a little sick of people that are brained
washed by Phish.  They think Phish is the only band and the greatest band
ever.  Phish is a great band...but is just another great band out of
many.  For example: HERBIE HANCOCK.....now that was some sick funk.  After
the Phish show i went and saw DENSON and ROBERT WATERS:  the funk was
happening there!  Over all the show was fun but nothing near as funky as
Herbie or as Dirty as Bitches Brew and MMW.


Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2003 00:51:19 -0700 From: jmacaule jmacaule@du.edu Subject: Phish New Years Eve 2002 Review Phish- New Years Eve 2002-2003- Madison Square Garden- New York, NY The best way to describe this show is simply overwhelming. Having only seen a handful of shows before the hiatus and really getting into the band during it, NYE was huge for me. As with many other fans, the process that was this run and particularly this show began for me back in August. I found myself on summer vacation in North Carolina missing the announcement and not hearing about the return until a few days later when my roommate called me and in passing said ^Óso- got any plans for new years eve?^Ô with a laugh. I made him read me all of the official release from phish.com before I believed him. For the rest of that vacation, and the remainder of the year, I found myself thinking about the shows constantly. It began with intense nervousness in North Carolina over missing the announcement. I knew I had to get tickets to all the shows and that I was going to do whatever it took to do so. I also recognized that it was far easier said than done. I had plans to go with about four different people to go to New Years and everyone put in a mail order request. The denials started to roll out to all of my friends, and to me and hope was fading. I was randomly checking my email when I saw an email from a friend with the subject ^ÓWE GOT THEM!^Ô Most of the people I know had put in for this show and no one had gotten tickets and no one knew of anyone who had. Back in my home town of Wilton, CT, where phish is widely popular and NYC is 45 minutes away, no one had anything. I was incredibly fortunate. It changed the way I lived for the entire fall pretty much. I became an intense believer in ^Óthe good you give is the good you get^Ô in a reverse sense because I had already gotten a huge ^Ógood^Ô and I felt a need to prove to myself that I was worthy. In summation, before I ever attended this show, it changed my life. Then, in going to it, my life was again changed. The buildup was perfect for the show with getting tickets, then hearing that an album would be released before the show since practices were going so well, then actually receiving the tickets, then listening to the new album, then the fun TV appearances, and all of it, as Mike had put it ^Ópointing towards one tiny pinnacle of excitement and there it is.^Ô After stages of excitement and then a week of total numbness despite trying to prepare myself, suddenly I woke up on December 31, 2002. It was a totally nondescript day for me until getting on the train and going to NYC. The city is undoubtedly THE place to be for new years eve. It always has been and always will be. There is a vibe that permeates the entire city of happiness and excitement. Its like mandatory good mood day. The police presence was not too overwhelming. There was an enormous rush that hit me when I finally arrived at the garden and looked up to see the 7th avenue sign reading only ^ÓPHISH TONIGHT- SOLD OUT.^Ô The scene outside the show was pretty wild. The sidewalk area was absolutely jammed with fans, some with tickets and some without, but all thrilled. About every five minutes, the crowd just started screaming. I have been to the Garden many times and it was totally unique being there (before inside the arena) for Phish. Although Phish is nowhere near being able to overtake NYC and become a phenomenon larger than the city, it does do so with Madison Square Garden which is an accomplishment in and of itself. It seemed like an absolutely enormous crowd for the room where I had seen sold out shows before. After a series of lines and herdings, we were let in. It was great to look back out at the ^Óhallway^Ô of people screaming with delight. Security was shockingly light. Could this show have been much more high profile and yet not even a look inside my bag! Stupidly, I went for the first merch table only to discover that the ones in the arena had all the same shit. I dealt with a hugely messy poster situation at a number of different counters before finally going in. We, along with most there, had been sure to go in as early as possible to soak it all in for a while. We had nice seats in the second row of section 65 to the left of the stage (thanks PTBM!). I loved the variety of cheesy comeback songs that were played (many to cheers) before the show started. Everyone in the section was friendly and really excited to be there. Most were from all across the country. I found myself just staring at the stage that would soon hold my favorite band. The crowd continued with the frequent cheers. It was hard to ignore the energy running through the building. Completely catching me by surprise, the lights suddenly dropped and everyone seemed to suddenly realize ^Ówait- Phish is coming out now!^Ô and a roar took over the Garden. The band started right up without soaking it in at all. They played for a while before the crowd settled enough that I (from the second row) could distinguish Piper. It was the perfect opener that I had never considered. It almost demands a lot of noise in the beginning. They even have crowd noise on the album version. Piper seemed like an excuse to basically come out with what they do best, jam. The ^Óbuild-up^Ô part was very quick before they let loose into a very free-form jam. Guyute and NICU and Horn were all well-played but fairly standard songs to come back with. They gave the show a feeling of ^Óhey- everyone- its just a phish show!^Ô Horn did feature the first delicate Trey solo, which was nice. Just then they showed the ^ÓWilson^Ô part of Castaway on the jumbotron screens. Wilson was an absolute must at the show. Everyone wanted to hear it and its first set spot was predicted by many. No one seemed to find the Wilson from Castaway thing funnier than the band as they worked it in with the intro to the song. Wilson was great and really got the energy going before they fooled everyone by asking ^ÓTom Hanks^Ô out on stage. We were about as close to him as you could be and were still completely tricked into thinking it was really him. Mound was a real shock to hear (first since 96) and they played it flawlessly. It^Òs a really fun song and was great to hear. It was also nice to know that they still are interested in older stuff. Squirming Coil was standard and beautiful to hear but I heard the cymbals coming before Page ended his solo and it sounded great when they did. Coil flowed really nicely into a great David Bowie that had the place going wild. The first set really flew by and suddenly they were back off stage. It was nice to know that there was plenty yet to come. I also noticed that the first set had consisted of no new material, which I liked. It was basically a very solid classic Phish show. water fountain to fill my bottle which eventually happened. The only fountain at the Garden (at least on the sixth floor) lies behind gate 65. I don^Òt remember much of the setbreak music other than ^ÓSeptember^Ô and ^ÓShooting Star.^Ô The band returned and immediately went into Waves, the last song on the album and one of my favorites. The song sounded great and went smoothly into Divided Sky. This had been THE song for me for a long time and I had waited a long time to hear it. Again, I was so captivated that emotions were kept at bay. I thought this was a pretty standard version, but with a nice long jam at the end. The crowd did go absolutely wild which Trey loved. Carini was EXACTLY what I wanted to hear. I love this song and it was their first opportunity to really hit us with some dark, evil ^Óin your face^Ô rock, which they did. The stage was immersed in red lights and they really worked it. Lawn Boy may have been my favorite moment of the show since I was right next to Page. Trey was so amused by the old classic which was fun to see. Page seemed to be loving it as well. As he rounded the piano to walk out front, I did a little ^Óshooter^Ô to him which he returned which was very cool to me and I will look for if and when there is a video of the show. Even in being so close, there was a strong feeling for me of the separation between the band and crowd. This gesture from Page suddenly made me think0 ^Óhey- its just four guys playing instruments!^Ô Rift was standard. It was the combination of a truly gorgeous Harry Hood and Character Zero that really made this show take off in my opinion. Hood had a nice glowstick war and Character Zero was its huge (in this case appropriately) self. It was certainly an interesting second set and one that was much appreciated. The second setbreak was certainly a cool one because it was everyone^Òs last opportunity to mingle during 2002. We were well into the show and Phish had shown us the goods, so it was cool to see everyone in a great mood. I ran into numerous people from home in CT, all of whom were in the best of spirits. I also got everyone in our row a glass of champagne (which was being sold at booths all around the Garden in addition to waiters and waitresses bringing around cups of it). The booths even put strawberries on every little glass. The buzz from the hiatus ending earlier in the show had now returned as we prepared to be launched into the new year by Phish. Phish took the stage at around 11:30 and quickly went into a standard (rocking) Sample in a Jar. This definitely appeared to be something quick to play to kill a little bit of time before launching into the last song of the year, which ended up being ^ÓSeven Below.^Ô At first, everyone looked at each other surprised that they had chosen a new song, never played live before, to do the job. As light snow began to fall on the stage with the song line ^Ónew crystals of snow,^Ô the new years stunt for 2002 began to take shape. With the snow, people and midgets dressed as snow creatures began to creep out across the stage and eventually out into the crowd. As the pace of the song picked up and the Garden timers showed that the year was running out, snow began to fall all over the crowd. What was so cool about this was they took an incredibly high energy situation and were able to largely chill (no pun intended) everyone out with a very well executed ^ÓSeven Below.^Ô It is this moment that still gives me chills. There are minutes left in the year and Phish has everyone entranced with a beautiful new song- it just felt really cool to be there right then. As the song built, the snow creature people began to dance around. They then were lifted up on huge stilts which were covered by enormous dresses they had on. Their midget leaders stayed on stage and, with their staffs, commanded the snow to fall with great fury on the crowd. The creatures then took little powerful spotlights and moved those through the snow and around the crowd like search lights. There was also a huge disco ball spinning below the jumbotron. As all of this went on, the band jammed out ^ÓSeven Below^Ô until midnight at which point fire went up and down big lines that connected the stage to the ceiling and huge balloons, which had been roped to the ceiling during the show, fell on the crowd. The balloons were either white or clear with big snowflakes on them. The Garden was entirely transformed. Immediately, they launched into a quick ^ÓAuld Lang Syne^Ô that ended before everyone had finished exchanging their ^ÓHappy New Years^Ô wishes and launched into ^ÓRunaway Jim^Ô through the New Years madness. As the crowd screamed and balloons crowded the stage (which Trey delighted in popping with his guitar), the band attempted to play Runaway Jim. There should be some great pictures from this part of the show as I watched Danny Clinch walk all around the stage taking some cool shots. Jim was a good choice for the first song of 2003 although I don^Òt remember many specifics because I was so entertained by the balloons and watching the band cope with them and taking my own pictures. Jim flowed very smoothly into ^ÓTime Loves a Hero,^Ô a cool cover that they played well with appropriate lyrics. I really enjoyed ^ÓTaste^Ô and they rocked it out very nicely. Page then sang Strange Design, a song that I have always enjoyed a lot and one that was fittingly reflective. Walls of the Cave was the new song that I wanted to hear more than any other. This version had some real highlights and was highly enjoyable. It also was an appropriate closer to the journey that was this show. This song to me illustrates Phish 2002 better than any other. I still have yet to figure out the ^ÓSilent Trees^Ô shirt that Trey wore for most of the NYE run. Primarily, the song confirmed my belief from the album that the song has enormous potential. It will be great to watch this song develop during the February tour. It is an epic. Phish then let the crowd go, having already blown our minds, with the calm music of ^ÓWading in the Velvet Sea.^Ô Although many have criticized their choice of encores, I thought it was a great way to send us back to Earth after the incredible evening. The Garden has an unbelievable vibe and is truly a perfect full-size arena. It was so great that Phish decided to come back to that room first, and they lived up to their self-imposed hype. Whether intended or not, Phish seems to always live up to the occasion. This was the best way they could have ended the hiatus. I went on to the Karl Denson show up at Times Square but I was worn out from Phish and wanted to get back home to prepare for what would turn out to be an incredible weekend at Spaceship Hampton. I feel so lucky to have been a part of the return of my favorite band. Jimmy Macauley- January 15, 2003- Denver, Colorado jmacaule@du.edu
Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 19:57:16 -0500 From: St.Jean stjean@suscom-maine.net Subject: Review of NEW YEARS RUN Hello Phans!   Let me start by stating three important facts:   1. Stats: 39 shows since '89. 2. This is a review of all four New Years Run shows combined. 3. I had to wait until I downloaded the shows and listened to them each in detail - hence the delay.   I had some SERIOUS fun at all four of these shows, due simply to the fact that - hey - THEY ARE BACK LIVE. MSG setlist was just OK for me, but the Hampton setlists were KILLER. Some of my dream setlists. Energy here was obviously high and contagious.   I am, however, a bit concerned:   With the energy of these shows, enthusiasm, tailgating libations, reverb from the venue etc, only the blatantly obvious flubs were noticeable (i.e. Simple, YEM) and I just chalked it up to "hey - they're two years rusty". We all did.   After listening to the downloaded shows more intently, alot was revealed. Firstly, don't get me wrong - ALOT of the jams were DANK. (Bowie, 46, Walls, YEM, etc) However (take a deep breath, here it comes), I feel that I will never be able to bring myself to listen to a set like Hampton 1/3 set I, because it just makes me cringe. At first I thought it was "hey, THEY are rusty". But listen to that set among others, and a painful fact becomes clear. It was all TREY. (ooohhh the blasphemy, I know). We're talking multiple vocal flubs, wrong key chords and forgotten leads. At some points he just stops playing for seconds at a time, at a loss for what should be played. And not just the complex worked stuff either. Listen to the beginning of Tweezer. I'm sure he could play that in his SLEEP (sober, that is).   Why am I saying this, you may ask? I'M CONCERNED. Can someone from the inside please tell me that it is just plain too much to remember after two years off? Are there outside chemical influences involved here? Alcohol? Pot? Something else? Is he losing interest in Phish?   It seems to me that, with respect to Phish songs live, Mike and Fish have improved, Page is great as always, but Trey's attention to detail did not do the songs justice, I'm sorry. Keep in mind, that, in all of these cases, all is redeemed as soon as the jam starts, Trey stops kicking pedals and looks up, CK5 kicks in.....you know the deal.   In summary, once again, I ENJOYED THESE SHOWS IMMENSELY live. It's Treys recollection of Phish songs, or lack thereof, that has me concerned. Hell, I know I could never remember every lyric, chord change, key change, or scalar run of all those songs! So let's just hope that's all that is happening with our beloved Trey.   I'm sure Trey and the boys will practice hard for the February run, and remember, the "no analyzing rule" was intended for the band only - not the fans.   =) Respectful Sincerity and Peace, Steve St.Jean Harpswell, Maine USA   P.S. Regarding the negative responses I will surely receive - I ask only this - PLEASE LISTEN TO THE SHOWS FIRST.
Date: Mon, 6 Jan 2003 18:43:22 -0800 (PST) From: Jen Malfet jmalfet@yahoo.com Subject: NYE Review here's my review: It was awesome. No song by song review here folks, just plain and simple--it was awesome. The energy level in the garden was like no other I have ever experienced in my life, and this show was the most wonderful thing I have ever seen...... as some one said to me in passing on the stairs in Hampton, "Welcome Home, Sister"...... well put, my friend....... because Phish is back, and I remember how much I truely just LOVE this band.
Date: Fri, 10 Jan 2003 14:20:51 -0500 From: "Counts, Kevin" kcounts@rivertownecountryclub.com Subject: Nye Review from Kevin Counts Kevin Counts 1/10/03 ksmuv72@hotmail.com Nye’s Eve was absolutely unbelievable!  I was so excited to get back and see everyone.  I stayed at the New Yorker and when we crossed the street to go over to MSG the first person I see is TREY!  I said hello and wished him a Happy New Year, despite how excited I was to see him I kept my cool pretty well.  Trey was walking around handing out tickets to people needing miracles.   I went to the show with my recent girlfriend who had never been to a Phish show!  Since going out with me for about a year now, she has become a fan by osmosis.  The show itself was truly magical.  I’ve been to a lot of highly anticipated shows Phish, Widespread, Trey, Bonnaroo, Big Cypress, etc….    but I’ve never felt as much energy as in MSG 12/31/02.  I still can’t wipe the smile off my face.  On some other reviews I’ve posted, I’ve critiqued songs and whined about not getting to hear a certain song but never again.  I did not take one moment for granted and my girlfriend who experienced her first show was blown away (I wish you guys could have seen the look on her face)! .  Other than the first time we had sex she said it was the most incredible experience she’s ever had. (I think she just threw in the sex part to make me feel good)
Date: Wed, 1 Jan 2003 22:09:56 -0500 From: James Segal jamesegal@adelphia.net Subject: NEY 2003 great show...my 31st...had incredible moments in typical Phish phashion. But in the Wading encore--a song in which I was perfectly happy to hear as the closer to an otherwise kick-ass good time-- it was painfully obvious that Trey was so coked out, he temporarily forgot how to count, what key the song was in, and how to play the guitar altogether. Trust me, few of the notes within that 5-minute solo were intentional. (Trey--if you're reading this, anonymously e-mail me somehow and tell me if I'm right...  jsegal77@netscape.net )
Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2003 13:29:56 -0700 From: phil plucks@attbi.com Subject: 12/31/02 review this is my first review since seeing phish play msg in 96.  how things at the garden have changed. having seen every show there since, its always interesting to see how things have changed going to a show there.  Never have i seen such insanity at any show througout the country.  People were so stoked, and everyone was having a blast outside on broadway and 34th.  the security points getting into the garden was different that the past, you now needed a ticket to get into the main outdoor hallway which is usually packed with people.  That was a good change, b/c it made getting inside much easier.  the only jam was where the tickets were scanned...it got to 100 degrees and took a while.  Finally in and up 4 flights to get to the lower level.  i was with a bunch of friends who have never been to msg or new york period and seeing their faces as we walked in to get that first view of the arena was worth the ticket price alone.  you could just feel the energy coming from the inside and what raucous it was trying to get to out seats.  The preshow music was loud and the cheering was louder, but when the lights go off... thats what it's all about: the blue/purple lights and the loudest crowd i have heard at msg or anywhere, it actually ended up being louder than the music and for the first 20 minutes of the show, it was kind of a blur.  it took a while for everyone including phish to settle in, but once mound kicked in, thats when things started kicking off with a bang.  Mound, Coil>Bowie was magical, definetly this was the best playing by phish i have seen since 12/29/98, and you probably wouldnt be able to tell that they had 2+ years apart.  As far as the quality of music, it seemed that it was more inthe style of 95-96, where the jams were shorter and less experimental than 97, but contained a lot of raging and great buildups to great peaks.  the end of bowie was nailed and left everyone in bliss....time to rest up set 2 was the best set of the show by far. the new album isnt anything to shake a stick at, but waves is one of the better songs off it.  it didn't dissapoint either, great jam kinda that bouncy sound with a good build up and then > divided!!!  people were losing it, the vocals "ahhh....divided sky, the wind blows high.." was sung by everyone in the building, great energy and a good version too.  carini was rockin for sure, rift was flubbed a bit, and hood was on the same level as divided.  shorter version that others, but a great buildup from the low end on trey's guitar up to the end, Character 0 was rockin and you can tell they were having fun on stage...they (trey) love to play that song.  This set had great song placement (which was missing from 99-00) and people knew that set 3 was coming soon overall, this 3rd set, was sort of anticlimactic, with a sample opener and velvet sea closer.  the 7 below jam into new years was tight.  the best was when they played time loves a hero, b/c one of the security guards stopped, turned around raised his hand and started getting down!  hell yeah!  the tast was tight also and ck5 had the lights going on during that.  WOTC is an ok song thought they were gonna go into YEM at the end, but to no avail.  Overall, a grreat show to start off the new tours and i can only imagine that vegas and denver will be better PHiL
Date: Mon, 6 Jan 2003 10:19:59 -0700 From: Jen Vedrani jen@rolinc.com Subject: NYE, Incredible!!! It's 6 pm on NYE, do you know where Phish is???  Hopefully they had front row seats to the  scene outside of MSG.  Never in any of my years of seeing Phish have I felt such an intense feeling of happiness, excitement and energy.  In regards to the show itself, I could go over every song and say what I liked and didn't like, but to me this show wasn't about that.  It was about all of us getting together and doing what we love to do, see Phish!!   And for anyone who has complaints, please imagine that since they haven't played a show in 2+ years, they were probably just as overwhelmed as every person in the crowd... I think the show was perfect just as it was, because it was Phish and us, all together again dancing and laughing and having fun...what more could you ask for on NYE?  A special thanks to everyone in my section (203) for being so friendly, generous and smiley!!  And of course thank you  Phish!!!  I had a wonderful NYE!!!!
Date: Sat, 04 Jan 2003 02:46:32 -0500 From: Jacob Cohen jacob.cohen@tufts.edu Subject: Review for Phish 12/31/02 I've been trying to describe to my non-Phishy friends the excitement and anticipation and immensity of this show for weeks now. I think in almost all respects, everything I had expected out of this show was met and far superceded. Truly the greatest concert experience I've ever had. Pre-show: Got to MSG around 4:30 and already there's a huge crowd. We could hear a roar of people coming from the Penn Station area already around 38th st. It seemed like everyone was running into everyone they knew outside the venue, reunions everywhere. I found about ten kids from my school and hung out with them. Very chill, people just getting excited. We started a few Wilson chants, and sang Halley's Comet for a while, and then every 20 minutes or so "the roar" would start up and just keep getting louder as it got closer to showtime. Went in around 7, very loud Wilson chanting going on in line to get in. No pat- down was very well appreciated. Took a seat next to some friends for set I, Mike side, in the 200s. "Mike-side" is the new term for stage left because the band orientation and setup has changed again, and I think for the better again. Trey is now in the middle of a line with Page on his right and Mike on his left. Fish is still in back, but now trey is next to Page again, and Mike seems closer to fishman. more to come on this later. Set I: Lights go off at 8:18 and the sound in there shook us from 3 floors up. Everyone walks out onstage, mike all in black, Trey in black shirt and jeans, fish in mu-mu. It was funny that they opened with PIPER cause I couldn't even hear the quiet beginning because of the noise. It was deafening. We just hit Phish with about as much energy as 20,000 people can muster, and they certainly took it in and gave it back to us in the form of the music. Piper was RAGING! And for real too, not just Trey going off on the high neck. If this jam is a hint of what '03 jamming is, then I like '03 Phish :). Piper was tight, with a lot of really good notes from Trey. They seemed to have a melodic direction almost, but all this over a really tight mike/fish groove, with page banging away on all kinda of crazy inversions. It's not the unabashed guitar work and experimentation of pre-95 Phish, but it's better than 98-00 Phish. It's tighter, it seems to have more purpose, and more direction. Good things come with a little practice. To show off this practice, GUYUTE came next and the boys proved that they still had all their technical chops. The composed section was flawless. The fast end section rocked out really nicely. And Chris Kuroda certainly hasn't lost his touch either. Still the best concert lighting out there. NICU was a great follower to Guyute, and so far really good song placement and selection. HORN to follow was sweet and I got to take in one of my favorite guitar solos in the entire Phish repertoire. Again, great placement, and so far no new songs. They're really trying to tell us that the old Phish, and the old songs we all love and remember are back too. Then the lights went out and they showed part of "Cast Away" on the jumbotron, the part where Tom Hanks loses his ball and then freaks out looking for it. Which led to a whole lot of him yelling "Wilson." Everyone starts going nuts, and as Tom is screaming "Wilson!!" over and over, the band intrudes with a quiet "duh-duh, duh-duh." And then the loudest WILSON chant I've ever heard, good thing we all practiced outside beforehand. The Tom Hanks onstage thing was funny, and believeable since they were on Letterman together. I was fooled. What happened next was unthinkable. The beat to Dogs Stole Things starts up but Trey, Page and Mike are all clapping. Could it really be? Yes! The rhythm changed slightly by 1/2 beat yet the boys kept the clapping steady, creating a crazy polyrhythm, and signifying the first MOUND in six years! Anything after this could've been fine, but COIL and BOWIE to close out the set were just a dream. Setbreak was nice, got down to floor and ended up right next to the soundboard. Set II: WAVES was really good. Had a very nice jam, with a lot of the comments I made about the Piper jam applicable to this one. Out of the swirling guitar strumming and piano work in the jam, Trey begins the opening to DIVIDED SKY and the band follows. When the hell is there ever a segueway into Divided?? People all around me are losing their shit, going nuts! Palindrome is executed perfectly, and the solo too. Then the pause. More than 5 minutes I think, and with no waves of applause, but rather just a constant berage of noise. They were gobbling up every second, you know trey loves that moment. The jam at the end seemed to start quiet and low on the neck, and then built up to the end, something which divided doesn't always do. LAWN BOY was a great change of pace, needed after the divided workout, and it was great as always to see Page do his thing. CARINI came next and again, great song selection (divided, lawn boy, carini). new lyrics it sounded like, for some parts of the songs at least (definitely beginning i think). really rocked out, with a good, slightly experimental jam, touching past the normal bounds of a carini jam. lots of energy. RIFT was another great choice, putting the bluegrass right after the harder rock. HOOD was sublime. except for the glowsticks. rings people, rings!!! I got knocked in the dome by a stick, and one almost hit the guy who was recording the show for LivePhish. just think, one glowstick could've ended our hopes of having SBDs of this show. luckily all survived. CHARACTER ZERO is the last song I ever want to hear close the second set, except for NYE cause it's a 3-setter! nice way to close a set which was probably the musical highlight of the night, with unbelieveable song selection and placement. on the contrary, set III had somewhat mediocre song selection, but does it even matter at this point? SAMPLE is still Phish, and phish is still back, and so what if it's 15 minutes to 2003 at they're playing Sample and not 2001 or Mikes? with 7 minutes to go, they start up SEVEN BELOW. I hope that this song rocks out when it's not supposed to be a crystalline, snowy and peaceful background song. although it served that purpose well. the snow was neat, and the many different colors of blue the floor was bathed in were cool. I really liked the searchlights the stilt dancers were using to shine all around. finally, we all countdown, followed by the AULD LANG SYNE, which is played best by Phish, right into RUNAWAY JIM. The major problem with this Jim was the balloons which they dropped at midnight were all on the stage, and instead of playing, trey spent the next 15 minutes or so breaking balloons with his guitar ala Bittersweet Motel. kinda annoying, cause it just ended up being the band jamming but expecting a lead instrument on top of what they were doing, and it not being there. next year, no balloons, more music. TIME LOVES A HERO i didn't know, but the segue was really nice, completely smooth. Cool song too. TASTE was great, and longer than most tastes. STRANGE DESIGN was a nice treat, and WALLS OF THE CAVE was a monster as a show closer. clocking in at just under 20 minutes, the song was great, composed parts all there (including page's opening). sounded much tighter than on RR. then the drum part comes in, and they took it really far, jamming out like they do on the album, and then jamming out the ending section too. this jam was really long, coming all the way down to a murmer before coming back into the theme. finally, VELVET SEA ushered us all into the NYC night with a great feeling: Phish is back! It seemed like a long time coming, but our boys are finally back on the road. and it seems like they have something to prove. the jamming is tight and the technical stuff is flawless. I can't wait to hear stuff like fluffhead and reba with all the right notes! i really like the new setup too. I think that Trey next to page is the way to go, the whole jazz setup thing going on. And Mike is closer than ever to fishman, which only means they will get locked into even deeper, funkier grooves than before. I can't say that this review is entirely unbiased, because this was one of those nights when you feel f*cked up but you haven't taken anything. i was on cloud 9 all night, just beaming at the sight of the stage and the lights. the intoxication was all in the energy and magic of the show, and the music. if you're going to feb. tour, feel lucky, cause Phish is ready to make you believe and remember all over again. My very long-winded, but extremely detailed $.02, Jake
Date: Wed, 8 Jan 2003 00:13:35 EST From: Subject: Review of New Years show... Happy New Year everyone!  I've seen well over 100 shows (not that it matters) and have never been a fan of nitpicking or a nitpicking fan so I'm not going to do a song by song breakdown or anything like that.  Just want to talk about the overall performance.  The fans were ready for action screaming their lungs out before the lights even went down as can be expected, but I'm afraid that we have layed it on too thick over the years and it's gone to Trey's head.  I can honestly say that after eleven years of Phish shows for me this was the sloppiest show I have ever seen Trey play.  Page was markedly improved and Fishman and Mike seemed reliable as always, but Trey seems to have lost touch with the fanbase and I understand that he might not give a shit, but that is the problem.  Ticket prices are higher than ever and downloads of shows are being sold online (Phil makes them available for free).  I wonder why the boys need the extra money suddenly?  I know Trey always says how grateful he is for the loyal fanbase and I believe he is, but I also believe he is taking them for granted.  Peace, Love, and Constructive (I hope) Criticism. [please keep my e-mail address anonymous...not intrerested in hate mail :)]
Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 21:48:51 -0800 (PST) From: Brandon Ciancimino branciano@yahoo.com Subject: nye 2002 review my review is my first review but here it goes anyway. the vibe was so special and the scene so chaotic it blew me away.  the show was AWESOME anybody with negative feedback should have given their ticket to someone who was waiting to go at any cost  outside and just wanted phish to be back like me. because they would have appreciated the show no matter what. as long as they were inside. after 2 years it was super. just like everyone and their brother i wanted to hear certain songs as much as the next person but once they came on and they started i could care less what was played because i know what the last 2 and a half years felt like and anybody who really wanted phish back should have felt the same way.  only a hanful of songs were on my wish list for the evening but in return everything they played was magical and i appreciate so much i was able to go since about a million people would have died for my ticket so lets get on with the show. set 1 piper- chaos, pure ectasy,  15 minutes of joy they raged guyute- standard but good nice tohear after over 2 years nicu- standard but welcomed horn- unexpected but sweet and as usual rockin wilson- expected to open a set so it was an awesome suprise and the bit with the tom hanks look alike was an awesome nye prank just read the papers and  see how many were fooled and believed he was their (al la pnc 99 with bruce springstein) mound- great to hear unexpected played well squirming coil- thought would end it but no page was great david bowie- hoping for maze at the start butdid'nt dissapoint and closed the first set in fine fasion set 2- waves- would like to hear more flowed into divided sky great awesome song with some serious potential  divideed sky- spectacular silent part was unforgetable 17 minutes of heaven lawn boy- typical, short page lounge style at his best, having fun carini- heavymetal at it's best one of the shows definate highlights raged all the way awesome real gem rift- great to hear few flubs but who cares nye comeback remember people harry hood-  fun and expected charecter zero- great, i can't bitch, i havn't heard that in a setlist in 2 and a half years have you? quiet down please set 3- sample in a jar- goodbut unexpected thought we'd get something that would rage the whole 13 minutes 7 below- lyrics fit, one of the better songs off round room glad this as opposed to other round room selections runaway jim- should have raged longer but fun except for the poopping of the balloons time loves a hero- unexpected and great welcome suprise taste- not raleigh 97 but fun tohear non the less, jam was o.k. strange design- so glad they played it fit so well on the night and since page really stepped up it was nice to hear him besides lawn boy which i could do without any show walls of the cave- raged, awesome, someday this is gonna be a classic no doubt highlightfor me besides maybe carini encore- wading on the velvet sea- got a lot of negative feedback but a la big cypress and shoreline it really meant something and was fitting so anybody with complaints maybe next time you'll get the charecter zero or the bouncin encore you were hopin until then don't bitch please. it was sweet
Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 11:50:16 EST From: SkaTay@aol.com To: dws@phish.net Subject: review of the new years show not since the plattsburgh have i felt such a  sense of togetherness at a show. everyone seemed to be on the same head all night. the music was hot, the band was tight and the people grooved well together.  it may have been the best new years i ever had.  thanks to the band for the awesome experience. skatay@aol.com
Date: Wed, 1 Jan 2003 22:09:56 -0500 From: James Segal jamesegal@adelphia.net Subject: NEY 2003 great show...my 31st...had incredible moments in typical Phish phashion. But in the Wading encore--a song in which I was perfectly happy to hear as the closer to an otherwise kick-ass good time-- it was painfully obvious that Trey was so coked out, he temporarily forgot how to count, what key the song was in, and how to play the guitar altogether. Trust me, few of the notes within that 5-minute solo were intentional. (Trey--if you're reading this, anonymously e-mail me somehow and tell me if I'm right...
Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2003 15:23:50 -0800 From: John Erganian jkerganian@earthlink.net To: dws@gadiel.com Subject: nye review i attended and have listened to it once in its entirety. after reading some (but not all) of the reviews here, i thought i'd add the following:   trey rips an amazing solo in sample. yes, this song choice caught everyone off guard, but who cares?   mike's sound was unbelievable. so thick and enveloping. for the most part, it does come through on the livephish download.   character zero sounds slightly re-worked at the beginning, although that could just be rust (i'll just have to hear the hampton repeat to be sure!)   most thrilling was the debut of walls of the cave. i was FLOORED. what an incredible debut. unfortunately, livephish can't capture what kuroda was doing, so i can only go with my memory here. he threw out every trick in the book, plus some i'd never seen. he employed that new circle w/ the spiraling lights wonderfully. i've been seeing shows for 9+ years now, and this single song performance is easily one of my five favorites (up there with the reba from nye 95)   finally, i LOVED hearing velvet sea as an encore. first, i will always prefer a mellow encore after a blistering set close. i would guess that the band does too. how can they be expected to equal or top the energy that finished the set? second, i find this song sincere, beautiful and enigmatic. i always think about the lyrics, and what they mean to me, and that seems to change over time. third, the band really throws all they've got, emotionally, into this one. think about some of the landmark performances of this song: the end of big cypress, the last show before the hiatus, and the first show back. this song obviously means something to them, too.   in many ways, this was just another phish show. it just occurred under extraordinary circumstances!
Date: Wed, 1 Jan 2003 15:55:50 -0500 From: Marcus Thunich marcust99@cogeco.ca To: dws@phish.net Subject: 12/31/02 Review Having been fortunate enough to have attended all of the NYE runs since '95, I certainly knew what the band was capable of on such a big night. Would things be much different after a 2+ year lay off? How much rust would be present? Would many of the old warhorses really be retired? These were questions myself and I'm sure many of Phans have pondered during the days leading up to 12/31. The scene outside The Garden was one of utter chaos from about 2pm onwards. Never before have I seen such a mass of ticketless people wandering around for that elusive extra. Many had made up elaborate signs or were offering staggering amounts/tickets/other "things" for an extra. This was almost certainly the toughest ticket in Phish's history. Unlike previous Phish shows at MSG, getting in was extremely difficult as mostly everyone went in early causing the 2 entry points into the arena to be seriously congested as the mass of bodies made the temperature about 100 degrees of stifling heat. Not a good way to start off the night. After about a 30 min wait herded like cattle, we were finally in. Phish shows at MSG in the past have always been raucus affairs crowdwise, but tonight was absolutely over the top. Never before have I heard the crowd so hyped up and noisey during pre-show. Most were happily singing along to the pre-show music which was cranked up much louder than normal. Rather than do a song by song analysis, here's some points from last night which really stick out to me: -The roar as the boys hit the stage was louder than anything I've ever heard at a show before. EVERYONE was going absolutely insane. Even pre-show, people were going nuts and singing along to the music on the p/a as if the band were on stage. The Divided Sky pause and the Wilson chants were the loudest I've ever heard by far. Definitely some goose-bump moments. - Stage setup is the same except Page's piano is now turned around and faces the crowd. - Insteresting seeing the clip from Castaway then Trey rip into Wilson, which "special guest" appearing onstage. - Went to look at the t-shirts at 2 different booths after set 1 and they were completely sold out of just about everything except 1 or 2 designs in small sizes. I guess after 2 years, everyone needs some new threads to wear. - Mostly everything was played with very little signs of rust or sloppiness which was so prevalent in many shows in '99 and 2000. Let's hope the boys don't forget to keep rehearsing. - Aside from "ladies and gentlemen, Tom Hanks", Trey spoke not a word the whole night. - The dancers during set 3 were cool but not much different to the dancers during the NYE '98 show. Musical Highlight: Walls of the Cave. This was absolutely spectacular and is destined to become a Phish classic. Amazing. Musical Lowlight: Velvet Sea encore. I personally can't stand this song and was hoping for a cool treat a la the '97 NYE show (NY, NY) or something a little more special on such a big night. Musically speaking this was not a show for the ages. While things were surprisingly well played and showed little or no rust, there were really no "best evers" played this night, nor were there any groundbreaking solos or jams. Can't really be too critical given the circumstances of it being a "comeback" show and a super high profile gig taboot. All in all this was a well played fun show and a great party. And a most welcome return. I'm sure Hampton's just gonna rip.
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