Our friend Derek Barylski went to the three night Phish run in Broomfield, Colorado earlier this week and filed this report after the shows, making this his first submission to the site. Here are his words and photos…
With the first “official” shows of the much anticipated 2010 fall tour, Phish returned to Broomfield, Colorado just two months after playing their Telluride shows. The newly renovated 1st Bank Center gave fans a new venue to check out, and the lot was filled with fans scurrying around trying to finagle ways to trade extras all while looking for the miracle to one of the other sold out nights. Tickethorse’s attempt to limit scalpers made it difficult for many fans to get into the shows and the flash tickets that were purchased online printed out little pieces of paper that made it almost seem like they weren’t real. But as I learned, these shows were very real.
These three shows in Broomfield reminded me of the differences between indoor and outdoor Phish shows and the pros and cons of both. I definitely was ready for some indoor Phish and it was a great way to bring myself back into this atmosphere. Perhaps it was the fact that I’ve never been to the 1st Bank Center, or that it was my first time seeing Phish in Colorado even, but there was definitely a different feeling in the air than the amphitheater shows of the summer. I really liked it.
As Sunday evening grew closer, my friends and I decided to enter the arena and begin our three-day journey. As the lights dropped and the house music went silent, I knew it was going to be special.
They were feeling funky Sunday evening as they rocked out jams like Moma Dance, Funky Bitch, Mike’s Song, and Makisupa Policeman. They also debuted a new jam titled “My Problem Right There” right in the middle of Makisupa. Trey introduced it by saying “We have another song about a policeman that’s brand new. Would you guys like to hear it?” This is a catchy little tune with a fun beat and a nice little break down with Trey pretending to fall asleep right in the middle.
The highlight of my night was definitely Ghost. They jammed a 15-minute version that was nasty. They included some very cool stop/start jamming in the middle of the song that seemed to fire everyone up. They appeared very excited to return to Colorado.
The first set consisted of a lot of predictable songs that made it seem pretty average. It was the second set that really got people moving and pumped to see Phish in Colorado again. With the debut of a new song while busting out some classics, the show was a very good one. I definitely suggest checking out this show if you are considering downloading it for the Ghost jam, the new song, and Makisupa.
Trey’s “improv” lyrics during Makisupa went; “Woke up this morning, Alien on my face…. Woke up in the afternoon and I turned up the bass.” As well as “Policeman came up to my door… I asked him what was his rank… then I reached over, and handed him the dank.”
Trey’s so witty!
Night two began with the always fun Runaway Jim and had a pretty solid first set equipped with Halley’s Comet, Reba, and an awesome set closing Antelope. The set also included another new jam titled “What Things Seem” which is a Gordon tune. This could be the making for a fun new album.
The second set of this show really did it for me. This was by far the highlight of the three day excursion and made everything come together for me. I’ve always been a huge fan of the latest TV on the Radio album Dear Science, and when I originally heard that they covered Golden Age last fall, I was extremely excited and went and downloaded it right away. Thinking I would never hear that song again, I put it in the back of my mind and forgot about it while making my wish list for these shows. Much to my surprise, they busted it out right away second set and really got the crowd pumping. Golden Age is a great addition to the Phish song list.
The party just kept going after that as they jammed right into a great Piper where Fish used the drum beat from Golden Age into the beginning of Piper. It was a great transition into the song. Then we were taken on a little stroll with the smooth Camel Walk. Things calmed down a bit after that but continued to keep the crowd moving. The perfectly placed Fluffhead is always welcome in any set list and is usually a perfect way to end a show. Then they decided to throw in BDTNL for good measure… could have gone without it but who am I to complain about extra Phish. The encore included an enjoyable Sleeping Monkey into the inevitable Tweezer Reprise. Reprise really tied the night together and was extra heavy for some reason. I found myself raging harder to that Tweezer Reprise than I have in a while. It was really a good feeling.
This set was one of the best sets I have seen in a while and I really enjoyed every second of it.
As Tuesday night approached, my crew and I decided to mix up our seating sections and decided to head over to rage on the Page side. The show kicked off with an average Stealing Time and lead into Time Turns Elastic, a song which I am getting very bored with. Meat was fun as well as The Divided Sky, which really turned things around for me. It wasn’t until the second set (again) that I really got into the groove with a sick Carini. I later learned that the lyrics of the song were changed because of the suspected outbreak of the Bubonic Plague in the Broomfield area going like “Carini had Bubonic Plague!”.
My favorite part about this set was the order of the songs. During set break, one of the minors who were trapped in the mines in Chile was freed which could have very well lead to the song order Light->Theme From The Bottom->Free->Joy. I found this to be a very clever and amazing way to acknowledge their escape if it was intentional. Maybe not, though…
Another new song followed the set of songs. This one called Halfway to the Moon and was written by Page. Although this isn’t a debut, it was only the second time they played it. It is by far my favorite new song and I can’t wait to hear it more on the road and the studio version. It is a spacey tune with a nice little bass lick by Gordon.
As the show ended, my head started filling up with possible ideas for what they could play for the encore. They came to the stage and busted out a fun and funky Meatstick. After hearing it recently at Deer Creek this past summer, I couldn’t wait to hear it again. As they boys concluded the song, Trey’s attempts to get the crowd to clap in beat finally caught on as the audience continued to sing the lyrics of the chorus for a few measures after the band walked off the stage. That was a great sign of unity and it showed that everyone was there for the same reason. This three day adventure concluded on a high note. I felt truly satisfied and this was a perfect way to end the shows.
As Tuesday night came to an end, it was upsetting to think that I don’t know the next time I’ll be able to see my favorite band. Phish has become a staple of my life and it’s amazing to see what four guys can do to so many people’s lives. I really enjoyed the three new songs they played and I can’t wait for a new album. These new jams definitely have a different feel than those on Joy. Phish has turned yet another page with this Fall tour and I’m eager to see where the road takes us.
For those who are continuing on to the East Coast, be safe and enjoy the shows!
