Phish just finished up their first of three nights at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin. The band delivered a great show front to back, but here are the quick cliff note versions of the highlights:
- “Sand > Tweezer” is a damn good way to open a show. No major liftoff or transcendence in either version, but the pairing and location in the show had people feeling Set II when it wasn’t yet. Set I highlight for sure.
- For set two, some great moments throughout, but I’d say the playing from “Light > Plasma” and back again and the “46 Days” that followed were the moments where the band truly peaked the energy onstage and in the crowd. Great stuff.
- Full photos from our friend Stephen Olker are coming soon, but for now scroll down to walk through my notes from last night and the setlist…
Opening with “Sand” tonight was a great choice to settle into a great jam, groove and a way to relax the entire audience in for the right. Great standard jam in there, but BOOM, the band drops “Tweezer” as the number two slot and the place explodes.
"Tweezer" :::HUGE ROAR:::
Trey glances at Fish. They smile. #phish
— LIVE music blog (@livemusicblog) July 13, 2019
A fantastic first set version, complete with Fishman and Trey really just driving the thing, never letting it peak too high, but that’s okay, it was a solid groove and Fishman sounded great back there on this disco-type rock beat.
Beautiful blissful Tweezer so far. Real nice pace, relaxed Fishman just driving a perfect disco rock beat and Trey finding some soaring lines over the top. Great first set vibes. #phish
— LIVE music blog (@livemusicblog) July 13, 2019
It felt perfect for the sunsetting moment at the venue, and as Trey switched up effects and moved to a harder tone, the band emerged with “Free” in a perfect transition into that tune.
The Kasvot Växt funniness came next with “Turtle in the Clouds” getting the full Phish dance move treatment. “Set Your Soul Free” came next and achieved some nice Type I peaking for a bit, and a perfect return to the song brought the rock ending and a hard stop into the next song so the band could converse a bit.
Alpine Valley 📸 @rene_huemer pic.twitter.com/DAxqMaF3vW
— Phish: From The Road (@Phish_FTR) July 13, 2019
“Lawn Boy” came next with Page playing up his “I get so overwhelmed” line a bit. What a ham. “Camel Walk” came next and got a little messy at the end, but nothing to be upset about. Trey was LOL-ing a bit, I think him and Fish were off on cues. 🐪🚶🏼♂️
Page got to take the lead to start “Theme from the Bottom” and the band really filled the venue on this one. Soaring, driving jam, super confident, definitely a solid highlight if you were there and just floating on the tunes. A quick transition as the song ended allowed Trey to start the riff to “Rift” and off they were running on the classic composition. A fun rocker of “Wolfman’s Brother” closed out the set, and the fans eagerly await set two…
The band kicked off set two with “No Men in No Man’s Land” and settled into a decent little rocking jam before Trey settled back a bit, switched to the organ sounds, and they let Fishman drove some new rhythms in and Page started swirling some synths over the top. “Prince Caspian” came after Trey seemed like the jam had run its course, and a unique version of the song came with a really cool dissonant ending. “Everything’s Right” started slow and quiet out the gate but quickly warmed into a nice set two jam.
Once Trey started the notes to “Roses are Free” the crowd got warmer and warmer and really welcomed this one, so they played the crap out of the main song part.
Huge buildup! But no real jam, they closed it out, then Fishman began the beat for “Also Sprach Zarathustra”. No major liftoff past a normal version from the couch, but I’m sure it was ragin’ if you were there. “The Wedge” followed. “Light” appeared for the first time in a bit and it started to stretch out a bit and segued perfectly into “Plasma”, then back into “Light” before Trey pushed some big peaks in “46 Days”. The band closed the set with “The Squirming Coil” and a Page solo.
Tonight was really really really really good Phish. #AlpineValley #NightOne
— TMay ⭕️🐶♉️ (@TMay35) July 13, 2019
For the encore, the band played the Ghosts of the Forest song “A Life Beyond the Dream” as the emotional start to the encore, something Trey likes to do from time to time. Then the band pushed a psychedelic jammy version of “Tube”. We then get the treat of the four of them closing vocally with “Grind” before fans were sent on their way back to the lots. Here’s the setlist and poster below…
Phish @ Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI 7.12.19
Set I: Sand, Tweezer -> Free, Turtle in the Clouds, Set Your Soul Free, Lawn Boy, Camel Walk, Theme from the Bottom > Rift > Wolfman’s Brother
Set II: No Men in No Man’s Land > Prince Caspian > Everything’s Right > Roses are Free, Also Sprach Zarathustra > The Wedge > Light -> Plasma > Light > 46 Days, The Squirming Coil
Encore: A Life Beyond the Dream, Tube, Grind
Poster:
