7-7-03 - Cricket Pavilion, Phoenix, AZ

please review the show, not the other reviews....

Date: Wed, 28 Jan 2004 19:30:35 -0700
From: eric tipton 
Subject: Phish 7/7/03 review

Malcolm (EyesoftheWorld), Tony (Tony), Lee (LMSYEM) and I did not leave
our hotey til after 6pm. We figured the lot would be slim pickings w/ the
temperature hovering around 110-115. Not too mention the lot is on black
top.

Got to the lot. Nothing going on. There is definitely a security
prescence in the lot here. Drank a couple of beers and headed in. I tried
bring a pack in to no avail. Had to check it at guest services.

Malcolm and I had 8th row Mike's side, nice seats.

Set 1:

Stash: Nice opener! You have to love when they open a tour w/ a big gun
like Stash. Nothing to crazy here clocking in at 11 and a half minutes.
Good jamming just nothing mind blowing.

Sample: Eh, at least it keeps the energy up. A couple of minor flubs by
Trey.

Billy: Nice breather, well placed.

Waves: Very tight, could have been jammed out a little more but was good.

Spices: Phish debut of this TAB song. We figured we wouldn't hear this
til Shoreline after Trey's little speech after playing this at the
Warfield a couple of months ago. I really liked Page's playing during
this. Other than that, not much to say about it. It does have some decent

jamming potential but this one was just 8 and a half minutes long.

Anything but Me - Breather #2. I like this tune but at this point the
momentum is nowhere to be found.

Bowie - Holy flub Trey. Between 21 and 30 seconds in the intro it's
almost like he dropped his pick on the ground or something. Ouch. But
they do find the groove shortly thereafter. The ending coda is sick w/
Trey just making his guitar scream at the end.

Dirt - Wierd placement. I love this song; love it - but wierd placement.
Gorgeous rendition, nice vocals by all.

Possum - Great buildup in the intro. A typical high energy Possum cranks
everyone into a frenzy. Really good Possum.

Setbreak - First set highlights: Waves, Bowie (once it got going at
least), Possum

Set 2:

Birds: Good opener, gets everyone on their feet and moving. This one gets
pretty funky around the 5 minute mark and stays that way for 3 minutes.

Wolfman's: Heavy, dark and spacey. You can really hear Mike's new bass
tone, I like it alot! You can also really hear a new tone from Trey too -
very heavy/chunky if you will. Segue into something that is not familiar
at all >

Scents and Subtle Sounds: Debut. Very good segue into this by the way,
pretty seamless. I really liked the lyrics and the jam segment that
follows; very Hood/Slave esque. I loved it and personally think it is
better than anything on Round Room.

TMWSIY: No, it couldn't be! I was thrilled considering this was my first
in 61 shows! Segue into >

Avenu Malkenu: Of course this is another first for me and it did what I
expected: flat out rocked. Mike just tears this up and again his new bass
tone is very evident here.

Walls: I felt like this was the highlight of the set along w/
Wolfmans>Scents. Great jam that does not let up for a good 15 and a half
minutes. Segue into >

Prince Caspian: D'oh! I liked this song in 95 when it was a 6 minute
tune. Now it's a 10-15 minute Trey wank fest.

Encore: Character Zero. [/B]Double D'oh [/B] See wank fest comment.

Well, I kind of figured this show would be rather mediocre. This is the
third tour opener I have seen and it seems pretty consistent that they
lack a bit.

Back to guest services to claim my stuff and the lot for a beer. Back to
the hotey to party it up and get pumped for Chula Vista the next day.

This show gets a 6 on a scale of ten on the Tipton-o-meter.


peace,
et


Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2003 07:02:27 -0700 (PDT)
From: Ryan M. O'Malley 
Subject: 7/7 Cricket Pavilion Review

So, Phish is back on the road, and they're playing with more enthusiasm and
gusto than ever.  I just got back from the first four shows in Phoenix, San
Diego and San Fran, and I must say that for the most part these shows have
been the closest thing to the old days that I've seen in a while.  They played
with a level of excitement and freshness that truly reminded me of when I
first started seeing them back in the fall of '96.

7/7/03 Cricket Pavilion  Phoenix, AZ
Set 1: Stash, Sample in a Jar, Billy Breathes, Waves,
Spices#, Anything But Me, David Bowie, Dirt, Possum
Set 2: Birds of a Feather, Wolfman's Brother > Scents
and Subtle Sounds#, Man Who > Avenu Malcanu, Walls of
the Cave, Prince Caspian
Encore: Character Zero
Notes: # first played

First of all, let me say how freakin' hot it was on the 7th.  I'm a
Mid-western boy and I've been to some scorchers at Deer Creek and the like,
but I've never been to a show where it was so hot at show time.  Being that
the lot was blacktop didn't really help either.

The first set of this show was perfect for the evening, in my opinion.  It was
highlighted by a couple of nice jams, but for the most part, just allowed the
boys to stretch their legs again.  The Stash opener was nice, but seemed like
Trey cut it a bit short.  The next songs (Sample, Billy Breathes, Waves,
Spices and Anything But Met) really let the boys get their barrings.  I've
been to three tour openers now, and with the other two I've seen a horrible
horrible show and also probably one of my best ever, so it's a toss-up.  I was
glad to see them getting acquainted again here though.  Good short tunes to
let them begin feeling each other out again.  As the end of Anything But came
around, my buddy called out a Bowie.  Sure enough, the high-hat started.  
Other than a flub at the drop-in part, this was another solid jam, although
seeming to be cut short.  My other buddy called the Dirt that followed, as
they always seem to play it in the dirt-encrusted city that is Phoenix, AZ.  
This was a piss-break for me, but it sounded good from the bathroom.  The
Possum that followed really helped pick the crowd back up, and got them ready
for what would be a ragging second set.

This was the least crowded of the four shows that I saw (or have seen in years
for that matter), so during the break we took a seat on the surprisingly empty
lawn.  My guess is that there were only a few hundred people on the lawn at
any one point.  Nice time to check out the venue though.

The Birds second set opener was really appropriate considering the tranquility
of the first set.  I hadn't heard this in a while, so it was good to get the
dance on again.  The Wolfmans that followed was probably the strangest I've
ever seen.  The jam started over the traditional chord pattern, but late in
the jam it went into a hard, distorted jam led by Mike and his distorted bass.  
This jam settled and segued into what I think is the best "new" Phish song
I've heard in years.  Scents and Subtle Sounds is a fantastic new song.  It
has three or four very distinct parts, highlighted by a dissonant intro
portion and bright four-part vocals at the end.  The crowd seemed to agree
with me as well.  The Man Who>Avenue Malkenu was probably the highlight of the
show for me.  I haven't seen this since my first show in fall of '96, and I
just love Malkenu, so I was thrilled.  They played both songs in the segue
flawlessly too.  Great bass solo in Malkenu too.  The Walls and Caspian that
followed were solid, but nothing too exciting to speak of.  The Zero encore
was also a solid jam to end a great show.

I'm sure there are very mixed opinions about a tour-opener that didn't come
out of the gates raging, but I found absolutely nothing wrong with the
approach to this show.  I would much rather see the boys get acquainted again
by playing some simpler, slower songs, rather than trying to bust into a Reba
or YEM and screw the whole thing up.  While this is definitely a show for the
mellow side of the Phish collection, it was a well-played, energetic show.  
Worth downloading for the Scents and the Man Who>Avenue alone.

Thanks for your time and all opinions are welcome!!

Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2003 01:48:17 EDT
From: [email protected]
Subject: 7/7 phoenix review

���� Well I'll be dam nabbed...... this Phoenix show was very unique I
thought.� Here is the setlist:
07/07/03 The Cricket Pavilion, Phoenix, AZ
Set I: Stash, Sample in a Jar, Billy Breathes, Waves, Spices1, Anything But
Me, David Bowie, Dirt, Possum
Set II: Birds of a Feather, Wolfman's Brother, Scents and Subtle Sounds1, The
Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday> Avenu Malkenu> Walls of the Cave, Prince
Caspian
Encore: Character Zero

���� To comment on the show, the 4 band members came out and teased the hell
out of the crowd as if we were all puppets being controlled by the music.�
Trey purposely taunted the crowd it seemed like, to get them to all dance in
unison during Stash and it worked.� Everyone looked like freakin retards
dancing to a song that shouldn't even be danced to.� There are only the few
musicians in the world to ever be able to have that kind of 'power and
controll' on the audience like Trey.� For all we know, the band could be
making fun of everyone there and nobody would even notice it even.� I guess
being a musician myself I seem to pick that up.�
���� So the show was cool and I thank Phish for comming to Phoenix again.� On
a 1-10 scale I would rate that show an 8.5................
and to all those CORPORATE HIPPIES out there...... get a freakin grip on
reality man...... whatever happened to the days when people would go to shows
and ACTUALLY pay attention.� It would be cool if everyone would sit down and
just watch Phish play and pay attention.�
peace out,
Ryan
ps-��� what's up with lighting the lighter flame before the encore.....
������� I mean shit.... the 80's are over man..... Phish needs a new fan
base.

Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2003 16:49:13 -0400
From: [email protected]
Subject: 7/7/03 Phoenix review

Step into the Heater (or, who�^�^�s got my miracle Aquafina?)
Phoenix 7/7/03
M. Ryan Kious

There�^�^�s a kind of madness that exists among those who live and work in the
valley of the sun (Phoenix to you and I.) They seem to simply ignore the fact
that it is too damn hot, every day, for about 5 months out of the year. I
think back to the day after the Phoenix show in 2000, it was a "mild" 99
degrees when a resident mentioned to me, "fall is in the air." Madness I tell
you. The same madness I attribute to that over heated denizen is surely the
same mental illness co-workers, family and friends must think I possesses in
spades when I tell them that I am, indeed, going to Phoenix, for a concert, in
July.

 Weather and Phish bias aside, it was tour opener time gain, which means
giddiness, rustiness, and surely even some crankiness (raise your hands high
jaded oldbies!) The weather was as advertised, and the crown was small.
Phoenix might be the only tour stop where water is the most sought after thing
in the lot. The Stash opener brought back memories of my first Phish show,
also in Phoenix some 8 years ago. I remember that Stash opener being
particularly mind blowing, while this one was rather short and fairly
standard. Perhaps the hot weather would be the difference tonight. Sample in
Jar kept the crown moving, and Page really seemed to want to stretch his vocal
chords a bit. Billy Breathes was sweet, and highlighted what must have been
some practice on vocals and harmony over the gap between winter tour and
summer. I was surprised at how happy I was to hear the opening notes of Waves.  
This tune is rapidly becoming a favorite of mine, and apparently others, as it
was well received by the crowd. This one was fairly standard, but I just love
this song�^�^�s potential. Spices was the first new song of the night, and
this one sounded like a work in progress. I had heard the Trey versions from
his spring tour and was looking forward to hearing it this summer. Presumably
it will be in full form by IT. Anything but Me seemed poorly placed here as
the energy seemed to lag during the spacey Waves and untested Spices. However,
Fishman�^�^�s Bowie drum harbinger started up and got the crowd back on its
feet. Bowie, like the Stash opener seemed a little flat, and ended without
much of a jam segment. Dirt was played well, and the vocals and whistling on
this version were as good as any I�^�^�ve heard. The Possum closer got the
crowd rocking once more and left hope for some higher energy in the second
set, as the first one seemed a bit tired.

The Birds of a Feather set opener was airy and not really rocking. This song
would have faired better in the middle of the first set then as the much
needed energetic second set opener that it wasn�^�^�t. The opening notes of
Wolfman�^�^�s brought salvation for the energy deprived, while the jam that
followed finally hinted at the new sound that seemed to be developing
throughout winter tour. At a few points about 10 minutes in, the boys sounded
downright like electronica, and left me wondering how this type of jam will
sound come August. Scents and Subtle Sounds, (or Colors in the Void as we were
calling it that night,) has the most potential of any of the new songs I heard
in Phoenix or San Diego. There�^�^�s some nice sounding composed parts, some
spacey jam segments, the basic requirements of a potentially good Phish song.
TMWSIY>Avenu Malkenu was an old school treat for many, (though many around us
didn�^�^�t know what they were hearing) and Gordon really nailed his bass solo
in the later. Walls of the Cave was played to death during Winter Tour (like
so many other songs in Phish�^�^�s catalogue to come before,) so it should
come as no surprise that this song is rapidly becoming Phish�^�^�s signature
piece and was the best played song of the night. The intro featured brief
solos from each band member, with the lights framing each one. The composed
parts were played with clarity and precision, and the jam was nothing to
sneeze at (or sweat at, as the case was.) Caspian was it�^�^�s normal,
vilified self, though the energy seemed to be higher later in the show than it
was earlier. And the Character Zero encore was great to hear and see, as Trey
really loves playing this song.

Phoenix was hot; the show was mild and short. Perhaps the 111-degree heat had
something to do with the sluggish tone of the night; perhaps the boys are
still knocking off rust from their two-year hiatus. Or perhaps Phish, like
their fan base, is suffering from a shortened attention span, and like their
fans, waiting with anticipation for the next big thing.


Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 11:36:59 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jon Stine [email protected]
Subject: Cricket Pavillion Review 7-7-03

Ok, summer tour opener and my 8th show of all time.It
was hot, to say the least, over 110. The lot was
scarce, not a whole lot going on and there was
definitely a presence of security there. They need to
stop playing cricket pavillion, every year it has
gotten worse and worse.Ten bucks for parking, are you
kidding me??!! 8.50 for a beer??? I swear I would
rather drive to Tucson and see them at Pima County
Fairgrounds(like in 99) then deal with this trap
again.
Anyways, I think that sums up the vibe. I think
everyone was hot and pissed off or something. Now for
the show...First off I saw them twice in Vegas in
Febuary and musically speaking, they seemed a lot
tighter. With a few exceptions.
Stash opener was a nice surprise, short and sweet but
nice. Sample sounded pretty good, better than the
encore I saw in Vegas this year. Billy Breathes????
Two shows in a row here in Phoenix, is this the only
place they ever play this song? Just sucked the wind
out of the crowd with this one, like always. Waves was
cool but they definitely could have taken it
farther.Spices, haven't heard this before, I guess
it's a new one, I remember it being very interesting,
waiting to hear this on the tapes again.Anything but
me...come on, we needed some energy, not this.I just
do not like this song. Daid Bowie, my third in a row
ended great but damn, the beginning was so messed up I
thought they were going to restart it. If they can't
remember how to play this one right, they need more
practice before they go out and hit the road.I swear,
Vida Blue sounds more like Phish than Phish sounds
like Phish right now.Dirt was nice and Possum raged. I
can't wait to hear this possum again. 
Set Two opened with another one of my favorites.(j/k)
Birds of a Feather. Actually, I liked this version, as
it jammed a little and they seemed to be taking this
one in a new direction.Wolfman's Brother(3rd in a row
for me again) was alright, the jam might have been the
highlight of the night, Mike's solo in this was
tight.Scents and Subtle Sounds, another new one, was
definitly cool. This song has mucho potential, if they
practice it. When I first heard the opening to TMWSYI
I was just thinking, Havenu Makenu, please!!!! And I
wasn't let down. This was played out of no where and
definitly got me rocking finally. This went right into
Walls of the Cave and that was hot too. Prince Caspian
though, set closer??? Are they this far out of ideas
that they gotta end the set with this?? I wouldn't
have been so pissed if a bomb was dropped in the
encore but Character Zero???? Come on, this is a tour
opener, not some mid summer tour stop in the middle of
Iowa..(no offense meant). Overall, I was pretty
dissapointed with this show. 50 bucks a seat now is
ridiculous if they are going to play so uninspired.
I'm sure the tour will be fun, but I'm looking forward
to seeing other acts that I discovered during the
original hiatus. From the looks of most who were there
last night, they will, or already are, doing the same.
By the way, it kills me to write a review so
negatively, because I love these guys, but please
boys, get your shit together.


click here to return to the 2003 reviews page