Whatever You Do, Take Care Of Your Shoes

As I type these words and recount last night, I can’t get the “Meatstick” out of my brain.  Phish rung in the New Year in true Phish-style, playing three sets of intense jamming, a few rarities, and old favorites to a sold out Madison Square Garden crowd.  Each year, we ask the same question:  What are they going to do this time?  Well, they never seem to disappoint.

The first set kicked off with a powerful “Punch You In The Eye” and “AC/DC Bag” combo that set the wheels in motion.  Gone were the hopes of a Gamehendge set, but the boys were out to make a statement.  A rare mid-first set “Scent Of A Mule,” “Weigh,” and “Beauty Of My Dreams” were excellent surprises, with the last not being played since Deer Creek ‘03.  “Burn That Bridge” also made its concert debut, after being soundchecked routinely this summer.  It’s a great bluesy number that hopefully will find its proper place in rotation.

The Garden really started heating up with the second set.  “Down With Disease > Ghost” served as the first real exploratory jam of the evening.  As the boys oozed their way into the “Ghost” jam, they found themselves in a major-chord progression which Trey immediately picked up on to deliver some blistering guitar licks.  This is a much hear jam!  In a welcomed change of pace, “Ghost” came back into the intro theme, followed by an incredible “YEM.”  This “YEM” is certainly for the books, as the gang launched into the first real “Manteca” since Vegas ‘98!  “Manteca” quotes dominated the remainder of the “YEM” jam, making this one of the most unique jams we’ve heard in years.

After a very brief intermission, Phish hit the stage roughly fifteen minutes before midnight, and began playing the “Meatstick.”  As the jam progressed, different ethnic groups/dancers emerged on stage singing and dancing along (the mariachi band sticks out in my mind).  It didn’t take long to realize that in the midst of all these people taking over the stage, the band had disappeared.  A few minutes later, out of a cloud of smoke, Phish resurrected their flying hotdog tradition, and flew over the Garden crowd as the “Meatstick” played on and the dancers kept grooving on stage.  They hit the stage and began throwing hotdogs into the crowd from two vendor carts at either side of the stage.  As the clock hit midnight, Trey launched into the classic “Auld Lang Syne” followed by the J.J. Cale/Eric Clapton epic “After Midnight.”  Check out the below video of the whole “Meatstick” spectacular.

As 2010 slipped away and we entered 2011, we saw the light growing brighter.  Phish is showing no signs of slowing down, and it couldn’t be better.  I can’t wait for tonight…

Friday December 31, 2010 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Set I: Punch You In The Eye, AC/DC Bag, The Moma Dance > Scent Of A Mule, Burn That Bridge*, Weigh, Ocelot**, Beauty Of My Dreams, Gone, Rock & Roll

Set II: Wilson > 46 Days, Sand, NICU** > Down With Disease > Ghost, You Enjoy Myself > Manteca > You Enjoy Myself

Set III: Meatstick*** > Auld Lang Syne > After Midnight, Backwards Down The Number Line, Piper > Free, Waste > Slave To The Traffic Light, Grind

Encore: First Tube

*Phish debut

**with Auld Lang Syne teases

***several groups of multiethnic dancers appeared on stage and sang the Meatstick lyrics in their respective languages. The band joined the dancers and then stealthily disappeared from the stage, only to reappear at the other side of the arena in the giant hotdog from past NYE shows (‘94 and ‘99). As a result, portions of the Meatstick were pre-recorded.

images courtesy of @amydanielle77.