This is my personal favorite 2001. Better than the Gorge in '98. In my opinion anyway. It's a little less lethargic. This one really feels like you're boarding a spaceship in the beginning and ascending when the theme finally drops in.. from then on you're flying in space....but it's cohesive. Great tempo the whole time. If you're a 2001 fan and you've skipped this version, give it a spin (preferably when you're not going anywhere for awhile) and enjoy it. This is phish 99 at their best.

before you read this review, i will tell you straight up, musically, this second set was the best of the year. talk about tension and release... holy cow!

run away jim: this was a nice lively opener. they took it for a little bit of a ride before popping into...

free: rowdy back to back opening songs. this free had a touch of the 'ol funk factor going. very good show opening sequence.

driver: decent slow down song. what have preferred to keep the momentum rolling but hey....

taste: pretty standard taste

dirt: one of my favorite slower tunes, but i was ready to pick it back up...

nellie cane: it was nice to get a little blue grass flavor going. this got people back up and moving before...

stash: this one got out there a bit before moving through the can't turn you loose jam, which seemed very memphis appropriate. this one worked nicely into...

theme from the bottom: good multi textured theme jam. this is one of my favorites, and this take does not disappoint

tweezer (re)reprise: they re-reprised the new orleans tweezer. i don't think anyone saw this one coming, but it was a lovely set closer. sure beats character zero any day.

set 2:

jibboo: this would become the standard 2000 set 2 opener. this one had some really lively funky exploration. it was not super extended but it did work well going in to...

2001: very strong also sprach. this one went way out there before coming home, and they revisited that 2001 climax a couple of times before working their way into...

dwd: this wasn't the most exploratory version, but it was still pretty damn hot. nice 3 song opening sequence

billy breathes: good breather after 3 hot ones....

gbott: this got back into that funky groove, and many hoped they would stay there the rest of the night....

mike's: while this is typically not a funky monster, tonight it was. here comes the jam of the night. after doing the typically mike's jam, they stay with in the mike's framework, but they give it a really nice funky reworking. then the music just stops and they recicite catapult. then bam! they slam right back into that funky mike's funk jam. like catapult, the music stops and they delve into kung. then without missing a beat, they slam right back into that funky mike's jam. they work that over before dropping off again into...

i didn't know: woah doggy... fans needed this one after such an intense mikes jam. fishman sure did blow on this one.... or did he suck....haha

weekapaugh: after a firey mike's jam, they played their cards a little closer to the vest on this one. nothing to crazy out of this weekapaugh, but as usual, there were some hot little mike's licks.

enc:

cities: very good choice for encore, playing right on the river and all. also they referenced rendeveous (sp?) bbq in this one, which is my personal favorite bbq joint in the country... right on!

overall:

the first set was above average but not mind blowing. they played strong, but outside of stash, nothing too fancy happened. the second set was hot from start to finish. they lulled a bit in the middle but that was an acceptable breather going into that killer mike's song. very strong set.

highlights:

set 1:
stash>theme

set 2:
jibboo>2001, mike's groove, cities (novel but fun none the less)

Life long head here. Don’t post much. Well versed on all eras. Don’t like talking about my knowledge. Moving on.

Music is subjective. Blah blah blah.

The Mike’s>Catapult>Mike’s>Kung>Mikes should be on the jam charts. With yellow highlighting. The groove in the second half of Mike’s that gets repeated out of Catapult and then again out of Kung is some of the filthiest, funkiest, nastiest, danciest Phunk I’ve ever heard. Last time I heard this show I wasn’t reading or writing reviews. Hell, I still don’t review much. But when something moves one’s spirit so much and moves one’s booty too, one must beg to the powers that be to give my tiny Lizard person voice some consideration, and adjust the jam charts accordingly.

Don’t make us make politically themed t shirts to wear at shows to prove our point.

Who’s with me on this quest?

This is without a doubt one of my favorite 99' shows. It is such an incredibly strong and consistent show.

Jim starts things off on a very strong note, it's just perfection every note Trey hits is just perfection. Free is also a very strong version with Mike really laying down something fierce in the mid section. Stash does exactly what it needs to and the Can't Turn You Loose jam was really a fantastic way to peak at the end. Theme From The Bottom is one of the best versions I have ever heard with such great peaks and inspired playing on Trey's part.

Now down to the business. This 2001 has a very long intro that sounds something to the effect of Aliens landing. It is just experimental as hell. But unlike a lot of the experiments thrown down this has a high level of fluidity to it, Mike once again laying it down. Just an all time version. This goes into DWD which has an insane solo from Trey followed by shredding madness for a while. Billy Breathes is solid with a much more delicate solo then your average version. Then we have the mini Mike's Groove fest at the end. Mike's starts off especially strong and quickly flies into catapult which then goes right smack into a Mike's second jam perfectly. And back into Kung weirdness back to Mike's. I didn't know is very random in the mix but is an added treat. And Weekapaug just slays to cap off an amazing set.

Cities Encore? Are you F***ing kidding me???

For sure an essential show for anyone checking out 99'.

Absolutely phenomenal show all around. It's clear they were having fun the entire night, with an extended groove in Free, the always welcome "Can't Turn You Loose" tease in Stash, and a hard hitting Theme> Tweezer Reprise to end the first set. The second set is probably my favorite from 99, with the most demonic, terrifying 2001 they've arguably ever played. I was afraid to go to sleep the first night I heard it, and even now still only put it on when the mood strikes. If you need any proof that aliens have visited our planet then look no further than this jam. An absolute must listen. The rest of the set is a ton of fun with a raging Disease, a perfect cool down in Billy Breathes, then an exhilarating Mike's Groove with both Catapult and Kung tossed in. The Cities encore was a perfect way to end the night, and left everyone joyful and satisfied.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know if anyone actually won the contest that night, or was that just a silly gag? I can't imagine the band not honoring their word if someone won, but haven't seen/heard of anything about it.

Awesome and trippy show ! They were having fun and so was i.

Set 1: Jim>Free was a keeper from the start. I enjoyed the "Relaxed" segment, Driver through Nellie Kane but the last three....Stash>Theme>Tweeprise was a great way to end a set. The lights in Stash were mind altering for me!

Set 2: The 4th Jibbo ever was a treat but 2001 was a monster! Funky. The DWD that followed is always welcome in my head space. Billy Breathes reminds me of the Beatles, so..you know...works for me man ! The Mike's>Catapult>Mike's>Kung( I couldn't believe it!)>Mike's>I didn't Know speaks for itself doesn't it. Weekapaug to close and Cities for the encore.A VERY GOOD TIME was had by yours truly at this show. PHISH, COMEBACK TO MEMPHIS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!!!!!!

Highlights: Stash, Theme, 2001 and Mike's Groove.

SET 1: Runaway Jim: Great opener. To me, this one is a great example of machine gun Trey. He just shreds this one to pieces. Outstanding Jim. >

Free: This is my kind of Free, nice, and slow with Cactus leading and big loops to accompany it all. Similar to my favorite Free, 7.9.99. This one here is a great version!

Driver: Standard.

Taste: Trey and Page do a great job of building tension and then Trey unleashes the machine gun again. Good Taste.

Dirt: Standard, love this tune so much.

Nellie Kane: Standard, Stash tease.

Stash: What’s that brief vocal from Trey at 2:10? Love the tension building breakdown that starts in the mid 7’s. Everyone plays a significant part, but I especially love Fish on the wood blocks. What this out of nowhere? ->

I Can't Turn You Loose Jam: First I Can’t Turn You Loose since December 29,1997 (108 shows), when it also appeared as a jam. Cool I guess but would have preferred to have heard what that Stash could have done as it had all the earmarks of a good version. Trey announced a contest where the winner would receive four tickets and backstage passes to any show in the next year and, jokingly, a date with Fish. The question centered on what all of the songs played in the first set, with the exception of Driver, had in common. The answer was that all songs were in the Key of D. Happy Birthday was also played (for Trey) during the contest announcement.

Theme From the Bottom: Standard, sounded great. >

Tweezer Reprise: Well, this came out of nowhere. Guess they loved playing it so much the night before that they had to break it out again this night Or finally reprising the Tweezer from New Orleans?

First set summary: Great one, two punch to open this show with the Jim > Free. Taste was very solid too. Kind of a lull with Dirt and Nellie, but that is fine and well earned. Tons of fun but outside of Jim > Free not much to revisit here.

SET 2: Gotta Jibboo: Based on how slow this is out of the gate and into the jam, I would wonder how big the party was at set break? >

Also Sprach Zarathustra: DIE DIE DIE. Total jam fest. All timer for sure. First jam doesn’t even hit until 12 minutes in! Mike’s bass is LIQUID after the first jam. Trey comes in behind him and it sounds like Hendrix is up on that stage. Super sick. >

Down with Disease: This rips so unbelievably hard, Trey is a rock god. Check him out at 7:50 and tell me that doesn’t remind you of the DwD from 12.11.97 / Bittersweet Motel? This version is finish, outstanding DwD, would highly recommend.

Billy Breathes: Breather is needed here. Good placement.

Back on the Train: Standard. Long pause before the next song.

Mike's Song: What is the theme that Trey is messing around with as the jam gets going? Jam sort of plods along redundantly when suddenly… >

Catapult: Mike’s slams right into Catapult… >

Mike's Song: Funky for 40 seconds then slams into… >

Kung: Does it’s Kung thing and then slams back into… >

Mike's Song: Right back into the funk but only momentarily before another slam into… >

I Didn't Know: Vacuum

Weekapaug Groove: Smoking but short.

ENCORE: Cities[1] They had to play this and had some fun with the lyrics.

Second set summary: One of the best 2001’s you will every hear, extended beyond belief. They summoned aliens on this night with this version. The DwD that follows will blister your behind, a phenomenal version. Tons or replay value there. The crazy stuff that happens with the Mike’s fest that happens is a ton of fun and must have been a blast in person. That Mike’s jam is super funky and it’s too bad that couldn’t have been explored a bit more, but I get it. I would rate this show as 4.3 out of 5. Jim, Free, 2001, DwD and the Mike’s fest have tons of replay value. Trey certainly had fun on his birthday in Memphis.

[1] Altered lyrics.

Stash ended with the first I Can’t Turn You Loose since December 29,1997 (108 shows), when it also appeared as a jam. Before Theme From the Bottom, Trey announced a contest where the winner would receive four tickets and backstage passes to any show in the next year and, jokingly, a date with Fish. The question centered on what all of the songs played in the first set, with the exception of Driver, had in common. The answer was that all songs were in the Key of D. Happy Birthday was also played (for Trey) during the contest announcement. Cities was an appropriate choice as an encore for Memphis, and Trey altered the lyrics a bit for the occasion.