I like Coconuts

Coconuts

It appears the gag is going to be exactly what Page said it would be in an article from July 2007 during the hiatus:

"One casualty: creative touring concepts were rejected because they weren’t economically feasible....Another idea had them playing a “baker’s dozen” of shows – 13 nights in Madison Square Garden....

Riffing on that absurdity, the band imagined giving away free donuts and even basing the theme for each show around that night’s variety. For “Boston Crème,” a setlist might have included covers of songs by Boston and Cream.

Such tours, of course, never saw the light of day. Says McConnell, “Even if creatively it made sense to the four of us, the management – I don’t want to say they wouldn’t let us do it, but really, they just wouldn’t let us do it.”

One of the things I have learned as I have gotten older is to pursue my own happiness and desires, follow my instincts, trust myself as opposed to what others and society believes I should do. For example, in 'Murica a question that is often asked is "What do you do?" People aren't asking what you do for fun - travel, backpack, go see live music, take care of my dogs, hang out with my friends, etc.... They want to know what you "do" for work. Something is kind of fucked up when people care more about what yo do professionally than for fun or in your daily life. When did America become a land where financial status and keeping track of your bank account is what defines a person? Why should anyone be defined by how they earn a living? Who we are is so much more important than what we do professionally. 

One of the things that apparently killed Phish in 2.0 was that management at the time was more concerned with making money and wouldn't let phish pursue creative ideas that weren't as financially successful. One of the reasons the band appears to be so happy is that Phish seems to be following their own ideas today - something they have learned as they have gotten older, wiser, more comfortable in their own skin. The bakers dozen idea is something the band wanted to do. Today it isn't all about the money. They still keep their tickets at below market value, give fans the opportunity to get them in the lotto and now are specifically pursuing ideas that they want to do, money less of an issue. Anyone who saw the merch machine in action at the garden last night knows that money still is an issue though. Perhaps it's a compromise, those are optional expenditures. Speaking of, those jersey's are dope. But $200? Phish is the one of the absolute joys of my retirement. And yet they are also going to make me come out of retirement if I'm not careful. I have to continuously remind myself to collect moments and not things at shows, magnets excluded...lol. 

Wow that wasn't really a planned tangent, let me move on. 

Phish opened up with the coconut themed cover and ended the second set with a coconut themed cover. While we seem to know the gag, I wonder if the placement will be the same for each show. One to open the show and one to close the second set? Will there specifically be 2 songs per show, will one be acappella? Time I suppose will tell. Sidebar: I look forward to hearing everyone's guesses about what songs will be played when each donut is released. We sat around naming a bunch of donut themed tunes last night. 

One question that was answered last night was the no repeats the entire tour theory. We knew this would not be the case when Timber Ho started up (joshing! But that was most definitely an aborted timber ho in Chicago's simple). It really was squashed with Halfway to the Moon and later Slave. I still strongly believe that the no repeats is in play for the BD - why else leave the tweeprise on the table, presumably we will hear the bookend the last night of the bakers dozen.

The first few songs of the show outside of Timber were lacking something. Of course it was fun but for whatever reason Phish didn't quite have it. And then Reba started up. The initial composed section wasn't tight, to me it was feeling like Phish actually seemed nervous! This run is a legacy moment in their career, they know it and want it, and maybe they came out a little nervous. This is something they have dreamt about, wanted to do for a really long time, the 13 show residency was kicking off. Just when I was starting to wonder about this (mind thinking too much) the second part of Reba kicked in and all of the sudden the band was locked in, most especially Trey. After a relatively long hiatus for Reba, Trey managed to find that beautiful sound and melt my heart with Reba, again. I think I actually felt my heart grow. That makes no sense - did it melt or grow? I don't know but something happened to my heart and it was glorious. 

After an extended pause - trey was looking down on his iPad trying to figure out what song he wanted to play next - Moonage Daydream came out of nowhere for the first time since Halloween. YES!!! They pretty much nailed the song, the crowd was SO into it and yes apparently every single song in their history is in play. Brother? Izabella?? Spanish Moon??? Albuquerque????

A typical Walls in its typical first set closer position brought the first set to a close. The set seemed to be relatively short to me. One thing I always love about Walls is how much Trey loves playing it. Towards the latter half of Walls he always has that huge grin and is jumping around jamming out. Something about the song )that made its debut at MSG in 2002) brings joy and happiness to Trey. Note I always thought it was about 9/11 but according to Tom Marshall's podcast under the scales that isn't the case. 

Overall a little rough start, found something in the back half of Reba, the ziggy stardust cover the highlight of the set for me. 

Set two opened up with Tweezer. Many people theorized they would open the first set with Tweezer (and close the run with tweeprise). I didn't buy it; I figured they would save this big dog for later in the run. Well I was pretty much wrong, opening up second set night one is early. Too early in my opinion assuming no repeats but hey, in Phish I trust. 

Similar to sex, there is no such thing as a bad tweezer. Although some former partners of mine might disagree... on both fronts. For me this tweezer was really good, not spectacular nor mind blowing. And I don't blame that on the Tweezer itself - it's more a function of where the band is, how they are jamming and what I expect (damn expectations, I'm trying to avoid you) given how they have been jamming early this tour. I felt like they cut it a little short - how fucking great do we have it when I feel like a 16 minute tweezer is cut short? Nevertheless a great jam by anything other than the absolutey high standard I have for Phish right now. 

Dropping into seven below - one of my faves - was an excellent call. At the time I preferred the seven below to the tweezer. A large part of this is probably due to seven below feeling like a continuation of the jam in tweezer. Coupled together this was an incredible 30 minutes to kick off the second set. Nice grove, some darkness and peaks. 

Billy breathes is a beautiful cool down song and one I always love to hear. Sparkle...not so much. Once again I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Everything's right. The band has been able to find a pretty awesome jam both times this tune has been played by Phish.

And then Slave... can one ever be disappointed by Slave? No, of course not. Unless your Gormley and missing your first show of the tour. However when comparing to what I just heard and more so felt with all the feels in Chicago, and not being able to relive and share that moment again with Holly, the Bakers Dozen Slave was good, not great...for me. 

A standard fun and rocking Suzy closed out the typical Phish part of the show followed by the Lime and the coconut song. 

Encore with Mango (love) then good times (like a little) and like that night one of 13 was in the books. 

The band is healthy and happy. More so than I ever really remember. They are comfortable in their own skin and making the calls on doing things like the Bakers Dozen. They want to continue to play, feel the feels, make us happy and give everyone 3 hours to escape to a wondrous place. It is a beautiful time to be a phish phan. It is a special thing we have here. We've got it so good. Nothing lasts, nothing stays...so I'm going to enjoy and appreciate every single moment of the next few weeks. 

✌🏼🤙🏼🎼🐠🍩🤙🏼

#liveyourliphe

#collectmoments

#enjoyeverysandwich