Audio Review: Manchester TN 6.14.09

So I've never gone to 'Roo and never even considered it save for the few times i've debated going down to work with a few friends in exchange for free tix and hotel.

I love festivals and all, but there's just something about THAT many people which makes it seem pretty unappealing to be there. I've always trended more toward the smaller (cheaper) festivals. Not to mention that since they un-jammed the festival the scene has gotten strange.

Regardless, it was pretty cool for Phish to be playing, let alone twice in one weekend.

Both set lists looked solid, but i had to listen to this one first.

06/14/2009 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Manchester, TN

1: AC/DC Bag > NICU, Gotta Jiboo, Punch You in the Eye > Sparkle > Bathtub Gin, Character Zero > Tweezer* > The Horse > Silent in the Morning, Run Like an Antelope, Mustang Sally^, Bobby Jean^** > Glory Days^**

2: Rock & Roll^^ > Light > 46 Days, Limb by Limb, Farmhouse, Backwards Down the Number Line > Prince Caspain, First Tube

E: Suzy Greenberg > Tweezer Reprise

While no one seems to be talking about this as one of the best shows musically, i think the energy is hard to beat at any other show this year (sans Hampton...nothing beats Hampton.)

The first set is HOT. Great Bag>NICU. Decent Jiboo jam, but this used to be a freaking launchpad for craziness.

They nailed PYITE, which seems like its getting more slots in the rotation than in past years. Not that i'm complaining...

I hate Sparkle...I know people that started listening to Phish based on this song, yet its the ONE song that irritates me like no other. Can't explain it.

Good Gin with some really nice moments in the jam. A wankish Char Zero (i'm bored of this song) led into a real surpise...a mid first set TWEEZER! Yes, i will step into the freezer.

I thought the jam petered out beautiflly into the Horse>SITM. Hampton Silent was better executed i thought. Good Antelope and then the BOSS.

Mustang Sally was really good and as i was listening to the Bruce songs i thought, "Wow, they sound really tight..." Then i remembered that they all grew up in New Jersey and the first songs they ever learned how to play were Bruce songs. Glory Days was fitting.

Second set was pretty high energy, but i didn't get blown away. I'm getting the feeling this was one of those "had to be there" shows.

Rock and Roll is getting alot of rotation, but we're not seeing the monster improvisations. this one was very good though. I enjoy Light (new song) and i'm actually looking forward to the album this summer. NOT a fan of Round Room or Undermind, though some of those songs became nice jam vehicles.

Everyting else was fairly standard. I thought the first tube was a bit flubbed, but the encore was great! Suzy and Tweeprise to close out 'roo.

Seemed like a great show to be at, but sounded pretty average on tape. Who knows, maybe i'll change my mind ala Knoxville.