I know I’m a bit late on this review, but this show has been talked up so much and I wanted to add my piece! Check out my write-up of the previous night in Phoenix here.
10/23/21 was one of those shows.
A perfect combination of fun, song selection, and crazy jams all came together at the NICU Amphitheatre to deliver what is definitely the best concert I have ever seen, Phish or otherwise.
After entering the venue and making a quick stop at the merch table, my dad and I took our seats in section 303 with an incredible Phish Twitter crew. Speculation ensued about whether tonight would be Tweezer night, whether the NICU joke was too obvious for the band, and if they would continue the blazing hot streak of tour so far.
Taking the stage just before 8:10, Trey gently strummed the opening chords to Fluffhead (great call by my dad!), getting through the difficult composition relatively well before the explosive Arrival moment reminded me why it’s the happiest moment in live music. The first jammed out and unfinished version of the song since 1999 transitioned from Fluffhead proper into a nice laid-back funk groove. After we got over the initial excitement of a jammed Fluff, Trey led the band into NICU. This sprawling 17-minute rendition, immediately asserting itself as the best version ever, seemed like it was wrapping up numerous times as Trey returned to the NICU riff but then continued in a new vein of jamming, highlighted by Trey’s synth effects and Fish’s drumming (a galloping section near the 13-minute mark is reminiscent of the 10/19/18 Golden Age). The second Bye Bye Foot since 1997 emerged out of the instant classic jam and offered a gentle breather before the band fired up Tube. The longest single-jam version ever (9/17/00’s reprise jam tops it by a few minutes), this Tube patiently explored every inch of the Type I terrain before a NICU tease around 5:30 from Trey set off a modulation into major-key territory. Synths crept in as the blissful groove peaked and returned to the swamp-funk of earlier (after another “bookending” NICU tease) for a few more minutes until the drop back into the end of the song. The set closed with a really great Slave placement (my first!), slow Llama, and an energetic Rise/Come Together, complete with more NICU teases.
The first set from Chula Vista was mind-blowing, and the second set would only get better. Opening with an airy No Men in No Man’s Land featuring FIVE modulations in its 16-minute runtime, CK5’s lights acted like fireworks with minds of their own, illuminating the band’s beautiful soundscapes as the incredible Page/Trey interplay that has been so evident all year was on full display. The bright jam gradually clouded over thanks to Page’s synths, and wound up in a spooky Halloween-tinged space that segued smoothly into Free. The second second-set version of the tour, this one proved to be much more impressive than the Sacramento version. In my opinion the best-ever Free (its runtime is only topped by 11/22/95, which stretches to 33 minutes), this jam has a similar momentum to the earlier Tube jam (thanks Fish!) with a strong backbeat as the band weaved in and out of glorious spaces. Another standout Page jam, his Rhodes work beautifully accompanied Trey’s wah pedal among more NICU teases. Staying in a predominantly major-key space, the four members of the band all used their incredible skills at “Yes, and…” jamming to build idea off idea before a slightly bumpy return to Free closed it out. The set got its only breather tune with Joy, serving a similar “power ballad” slot that 10/22’s Life Beyond the Dream did, before Sand boogied in. While serving more as an “amuse bouche” to the monstrous Piper that followed, this Sand continued its 2021 resurgence, breaking free of the Type I set-closing role the song has occupied for most of the last five or so years. Of, course, as we all know, this Piper happened. And what a Piper it was. Probably maybe definitely the best version since 6/19/04. Feeling like much longer than its 18-minute runtime, this jam, filled with washes of sound from Trey and Page, had already packed a significant amount of improvisation in by the 9-minute mark. Crazy delay shenanigans that Trey has been perfecting all year led to a charging Fish-led segment before Page, via Moog One, ratcheted up the intensity and brought forth a volcanic peak. We were far from done, however, as the post-peak jam dove straight into the depths of a deep black hole with space laser beeps, drill from Mike, and JEDI pedal work from Trey. This truly haunting jam was an impressive display of how Phish excels at making random space sounds into a cohesive piece of music.
A perfect call to close the set, Scents and Subtle Sounds emerged out of the depths (the latest in a run of versions carrying the resurgence of the intro) to deliver a blissful Hood-like jam to close the set on a high note.
A gorgeous Lonely Trip opened the encore to my absolute delight – this song is Trey’s best ballad in years and the band has absolutely excelled at its placement and execution so far. Some funny NICU-related banter ensued before a rocking First Tube sent us off into the night.
The Saturday night show at the NICU Amphitheater in Chula Vista was a truly special moment in Phish history, and a show that had it all – jams in weird places, a rare song, incredible improvisational display, and funny antics.
Trey also really displayed his practiced playing in this show. In lots of earlier 3.0 “tease-fests”, he would stumble over the melody in question when played out of its usual key or at a weird tempo – but at NICU, he smoothly weaved in and out of the musical quote each time.
As always, thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed!
I was there too!!!! :)
Great review - you nailed it - what an amazing show!
Great write up! Going back for a post Halloween/ pre NYE listen ✌