Out of nowhere, Phish just announced their first show outside of the USA since 2000 at the exact same venue they played their last : 9th July at Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto, Canada.

As time past, my guess is that a European tour is less and less likely to happen... What about Dick's for my first show ?

• 07/03 Darling's Waterfront Pavilion , Bangor, ME
• 07/05 Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY
• 07/06 Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY
• 07/07 Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY
• 07/09 Molson Amphitheatre, Toronto, ON
• 07/10 PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ
• 07/12 Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre, Wantagh, NY
• 07/13 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD
• 07/14 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD
• 07/16 Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Alpharetta, GA
• 07/17 Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Alpharetta, GA
• 07/19, Charter One Pavilion on Northerly Island, Chicago, IL
• 07/20 Charter One Pavilion on Northerly Island, Chicago, IL
• 07/21 Charter One Pavilion on Northerly Island, Chicago, IL
• 07/26 The Gorge Amphitheatre, George, WA
• 07/27 The Gorge Amphitheatre, George, WA
• 07/30 Lake Tahoe Harveys Outdoor Arena, Stateline, NV
• 07/31 Lake Tahoe Harveys Outdoor Arena, Stateline, NV
• 08/02 Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA
• 08/03 Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA
• 08/04 Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA
• 08/05 Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA
• 08/30 Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO
• 08/31 Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO
• 09/01 Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO

http://phish.com/summer2013/

Here are a mp3 from each concert to listen and download.

Divided Sky 6/18/94 

David Bowie 6/18/94 

Llama 11/25/94 

Simple 11/25/94 

I'll have "a handfull" of boxset to give away in the next weeks, so stay tuned while enjoying summer tour !

By 1994, Phish was well established as an international touring act and already well known to a growing group of hardcore fans. Amidst a tour packed with highlights - it was this summer that convinced the band to start multi-tracking their live shows - this show was recorded for posterity on 2-track DAT. Lightning rarely strikes twice in the same place but Chicago '94 is an example of just that.

Paul Languedoc's stereo soundboard mixes re-mastered by Fred Kevorkian carry the intensity and intricacy of these special shows to listeners' ears eighteen years later. Chicago '94 contains nearly six hours of music performed at both shows for a total of 43 songs, including material from the UIC soundchecks. The shows are presented in a 6-CD box set with new artwork by longtime collaborator and Chicagoan, Jim Pollock.

I've Already told you about Brooklyn Sessions, the first studio album from Everyone Orchestra. But I received last week my signed CD and today is the official release date.

Now, for the first time, Everyone Orchestra has taken the conducted improvisation concept mastered in their legendary live shows into the studio on Brooklyn Sessions. Conductor Matt Butler invited past collaborators—musical friends like drummer Jon Fishman (Phish), keyboardist/pianist Marco Benevento, Al Schnier (moe.), Jen Hartswick (Trey Anastasio Band), guitarist Steve Kimock, saxophonist Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews Band), vocalist/percussionist Jans Ingber (The Motet), mandolinist Jamie Masefield (Jazz Mandolin Project) and bassist Reed Mathis (Tea Leaf Green), to join him for several days of exploration and co-creation. The results range from hard-hitting grooves that take unexpected twists and turns (“Boots”), to sweet and expansive (“Pensive”), all with a spirit that is both liberated and focused.

For me it's, by far, the best album of 2012 and one of my favorite of all times. Yes already.

You can now listen to it on bandcamp and buy it in several places.

Enjoy !

• Bandcamp
• Buy the CD at Home Grown Music
• Buy the CD at Amazon.com
• Buy the mp3 at Amazon.com
• Official Website

Brooklyn Sessions, the first studio album from Everyone Orchestra has been partialy fan-funded on KickStarter last december.

The ones who helped the project to be released have received their download links for the album and the bonus tracks yesterday. Matt Bulter, the band's leader, invited us to "share this album to listeners".

I hope you'll enjoy this great music as much as I do and that it will leads you to actually buy the CD when it comes out in may !

everyoneorchestra.com

[EDIT] Matt Bulter asked me not to share the album to listeners while it can't be actually bought online. The album will be release later in may on services like iTunes or Bandcamp.

After playing 3 nights in Amsterdam as part of Jam in the Dam, Mike Gordon will be playing in London on Sunday 18th March !

That's a great statement, I think, that at least Mike is willing to tour in Europe. I'm pretty sure that as soon as Trey's probation is over, we'll have a full Phish Europe Tour !!

Source : http://www.mike-gordon.com/news/

Meanwhile, it's so good to see a Europe tab on the tour page of phish.com (even if the map feature doesn't seem to know what's East of the Atlantic...)

I'll choose the flight next week between the one taking of from Lyon or from Geneva...

And then, the schedule will goes like this :

• 14 March
  • Lotus
  • Mike Gordon
  • moe.
• 15 March
  • Keller Williams (of if I don't like the first 30 minutes, Lotus)
  • Dark Star Orchestra (first 2 hours only)
  • Mike Gordon
• 16 March
  • Mike Gordon
  • Dark Star Orchestra
  • (end of) moe.

Later tonight, I'll be watching my first Phish concert live at it happens. Yes, I'll be in my living room, chatting with Holger, during the webcast of the New Year's Eve show at Madison Square Garden, New York.

Holger has been live-facebooking during the first 3 nights. You can seen what happened and follow us tonight on EU Phans, Phish Phans in Europe page on facebook.

See you tonight ?

Last but not least, Phish has just released today an archival show from 20 years ago exactly !

31th December 1991, Worcester Memorial Auditorium, Worcester, MA.

Here is the official announcement followed by a last minute chrstmas gift.

Phish had a busy year in 1991, signing a record deal with Elektra Records and touring coast-to-coast for a total of more than 130 shows including a fourteen-show tour with a three-piece horn section and the first unofficial Phish festival at Amy’s Farm. That summer Phish also recorded their third studio album, "A Picture Of Nectar". White Crow Studios in Burlington, Vermont provided the backdrop for Nectar’s namesake with engineering duties covered by Kevin Halpin and Jon Altschiller. While Jon was still getting his start as an engineer, he was also a fan and was among the dozen-or-so tapers at The New Aud for the band's New Year's Eve concert. Thanks to his work on Nectar, Jon was allowed to set up his microphones inside the front-of-house position. He also managed to snag a then-rare soundboard patch from FOH engineer Paul Languedoc.

Fast forward to 2010 when Jon returned to work with Phish on the road as LivePhish.com remote engineer and the seeds were sown for the release of this classic show. Twenty years later, Jon combined his audience and soundboard DAT recordings to create the matrix for The New Aud release. Mastered by Fred Kevorkian, this unique source is a proper document of the show, combining the qualities of both sources and harnessing the electricity that characterized this special performance.

For your listening and sharing pleasure...please feel free to download and share (by stream, download or broadcast) the following track from this archival show:

Tweezer>McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters
https://rcpt.yousendit.com/1327822594/d06bfb7f7fd5866ba5c024d40fd5c35c

Setlist:
12/31/91 Worcester Memorial Auditorium (The New Aud), Worcester, MA

Set I
1. Possum (8:25)
2. Foam (8:11)
3. Sparkle (4:33)
4. Stash (9:00)
5. The Lizards (10:03)
6. Guelah Papyrus (5:46)
7. Divided Sky (12:42)
8. Esther > (9:49)
9. Llama (4:47)
10. Golgi Apparatus (4:56)

Set II
1. Brother (6:12)
2. Bouncing Around The Room (3:43)
3. Buried Alive > (2:28)
4. Auld Lang Syne > (0:52)
5. Runaway Jim (7:37)
6. The Landlady > (3:27)
7. Reba (11:30)
8. Cavern (4:53)
9. My Sweet One > (2:28)
10. Run Like An Antelope (10:35)

Set III
1. Wilson > (6:50)
2. The Squirming Coil > (7:33)
3. Tweezer > (13:13)
4. McGrupp And The Watchful Hosemasters > (8:10)
5. Mike’s Song > (7:42)
6. I Am Hydrogen > (3:04)
7. Weekapaug Groove (7:09)

Encore:
8. Minkin Appreciation (1:26)
9. Lawn Boy > (2:30)
10. Rocky Top > (2:36)
11. Tweezer Reprise (3:16)

What about the gift ? I have two livephish.com codes to download a free show of your choice. You can use it to download tonight NYE show, of the one from 20 years ago, or any show you want ! Just leave a message here with your new year's resolution and the two first will win.

Happy New Year !

First of all, its structure is always changing. It's actually a kind of Super Band with each member coming from other bands and none of them is permanent. There are regulars like John Fishman (ring any bell ?) or Marco Benevento and new comers like Jennifer Hartswick (Trey Anastasio Band). it's really an orchestra for everyone to come and play. The only central axis is Matt Butler, leader and creator... whow doesn't play any instrument.

Everybody Orchestra's music can be defined as conducted improvisation. Indeed, Matt Butler conduct the band with gestures, jumps and boards where he writes words, feelings, moods to lead the music. Needless to say, each concert is different as there's no specific "song".

After 10 years of shows, Matt Butler wanred to make a studio album. But how could one make a studio recording of a concert-only, full improvisation, ever changing line-up act ? Simply by re-creating the same feeling in studio for a one of a kind recording : improvisation.

Now, in order to finish producing the album, a project has been set up on kickstarter.com to collect the needed 15.000$. Anyone can participate with any amount to help the cause and your credit card will be charge only if the goal is reached on January 6th 2012.
But it's more than just giving money. Depending on how much you gave, you'll receive a download of the album before it's released, a signed CD, all of that + bonus tracks, all of that + a signed poster or picture... It goes on to concert tickets, a meeting with the band or you nammed as producer of the album !
So even if you can't afford to have Matt Butler conduct your own band in your living room, it's like you pre-order the album while helping it happens ! It's open to everyone...

Anyway, have a listen to a preview of the session and let's participate here :
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/178370795/everyone-orchestra-first-studio-album-brooklyn-ses

I'm totally new to these 3 shows (Hampton Coliseum 11/21-22/1997 and Winston-Salem 11/23/1997) because at the time, I've know Phish for only 3 mounth and I thought they were disbanded for long. Later I listend to every Phish era, including 1997 but strangly enough I've never been aware of the fame of these concerts.

This morning, I listened for the first time for the Mike's Groove played at the beginning of the first Hampton show and my ears actually melted ! It's so full of groove and funk ! Mike's Song only has 4 distinctive jams, one of it based on a heavy Black-Eyed Katty tease ! The segue to Hydrogen is so smooth you don't hear it coming.

You can find this 64Mb/35min mp3 here.

In the midst of their legendary fall 1997 tour, Phish stopped in Dixie for two shows in Virginia and one in North Carolina.  The 1997 Hampton Coliseum shows were the band's first two-night stand at Hampton Coliseum – a venue they have played a total of fifteen times including a two-night stand in 1998 (released as Hampton Comes Alive) and a trio of reunion shows in 2009.  The shape and feel of the venue have earned it the nickname “The Mothership” among fans.  The next show after Hampton 1997 took place at Lawrence Joel Veteran's Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina - another familiar venue where Phish also performed in 1994, 1995 and 1998.

These three shows were a memorable triad for the band and fans.  They are among the most requested shows for soundboard release from the Phish Archives and make up a compelling slice of the twenty-two-show tour that stretched from Las Vegas to Albany.  The Hampton/Winston-Salem 97 shows were packed with notable renditions of classics including “Split Open And Melt”, “AC/DC Bag”, “Slave To The Traffic Light”, “Mike’s Song”, “Halley's Comet”, “Tweezer”, “Run Like An Antelope”, “Stash” and “Bathtub Gin”.  The band also showcased a wide variety of newer covers from the debut of the Rolling Stones' “Emotional Rescue” to Del McCoury's “Beauty Of My Dreams”, Jimi Hendrix's “Izabella”, Clifton Chenier's “My Soul” and even an impromptu take on War's “Low Rider” (sandwiched inside a blazing “Down With Disease”).  The Hampton/Winston-Salem 97 shows also showcased newer originals like “Dogs Stole Things”, “Ghost”, “Piper” and the brand-new-for-fall instrumental “Black-Eyed Katy”, which is the only song repeated on the release.  More than what was played, the sheer heights of these performances are what made them special and built their acclaim.

The Hampton/Winston-Salem 97 shows featured Phish at an emotional peak of execution and flow.  The band was hooking up at every turn, taking chances and dropping musical surprises for each other and the audience.  Throughout these shows, Phish seized most every opportunity to lift and expand their repertoire while maintaining a raging dance party at every turn.  The audience magnified this explosive energy, spinning the shows into a ball of psychedelic, funk-infused live Phish for the ages.  Paul Languedoc’s stereo “soundboard” mix re-mastered by Fred Kevorkian funnels the energy of these special shows to listeners' ears nearly fifteen years later.  Hampton/Winston-Salem 97 contains all the music played over these three shows for a total of 45 songs - over 8 hours of music - including never-before-heard material from soundchecks at both venues.  The 7-CD boxed set (also available as downloads at livephish.com) slated for release December 6, 2011 is a must-own collection for any Phish fan.

11/21/97 Hampton Coliseum - Hampton, VA
Disc One
Set I:
1. Emotional Rescue > (17:44)
2. Split Open And Melt (13:44)
3. Beauty Of My Dreams (3:27)
4. Dogs Stole Things (4:48)
5. Punch You In The Eye > (9:13)
6. Lawn Boy > (3:45)
7. Chalk Dust Torture (9:16)
8. Prince Caspian (10:33)

Disc Two
Set II:
1. Ghost > (15:48)
2. AC/DC Bag > (25:49)
3. Slave To The Traffic Light (12:32)
4. Loving Cup (7:39)
Encore:
5. Guyute (11:19)

11/22/97 Hampton Coliseum - Hampton, VA
Disc Three
Set I:
1. Mike's Song > (17:04)
2. I Am Hydrogen > (4:31)
3. Weekapaug Groove (14:52)
4. Harry Hood > (18:05)
5. Train Song (3:06)
6. Billy Breathes (7:05)
7. Frankenstein > (4:48)
8. Izabella (5:58)

Disc Four
set II:
1. Halley's Comet > (25:59)
2. Tweezer > (5:58)
3. Black-Eyed Katy > (12:41)
4. Piper > (7:53)
5. Run Like An Antelope (13:38)
Encore:
6. Bouncing Around The Room > (3:52)
7. Tweezer Reprise (4:06)

11/23/97 Lawrence Joel Veteran's Memorial Coliseum - Winston-Salem, NC
Disc Five 
set I:
1. My Soul (7:23)
2. Theme From The Bottom > (10:23)
3. Black-Eyed Katy (10:55)
4. Sparkle (4:02)
5. Twist > (10:21)
6. Stash > (17:03)
7. NICU (5:48)

Disc Six
set I, cont'd
1. Fluffhead > (15:39)
2. Character Zero (7:34)
set II:
3. Bathtub Gin > (31:57)
4. Down With Disease > (12:01)
5. Low Rider > (7:29)
6. Down With Disease (3:39)

Disc Seven
set II, cont'd
1. Bold As Love (7:57)
Encore:
2. Julius (11:12)

filler: from 11/21/97 Hampton Soundcheck:
3. Hampton '97 Soundcheck Jam (17:53)
filler: from 11/23/97 Winston-Salem Soundcheck:
4. Back At The Chicken Shack (11:21)

And the good thing is that this travel to Holland will be a family affair : visiting the great city with my wife and my son during the day, partying with (I hope) some of you reader in the night ! Now I have 9 mounths ahead to plan flights, hotels and visits.

All Good and Vision International present the return of Jam in the Dam: a multi-day, multi-room extravaganza held at the legendary Melkweg in Amsterdam, The Netherlands March 14-15-16, 2012.

Celebrating music in an intimate atmosphere, the sixth edition of Jam in the Dam features the music of moe., Mike Gordon (of Phish), Dark Star Orchestra, Lotus and Keller Williams. Each artist will play extended sets all three nights in one of the two concert halls, all under one roof. With this conjunction of musical stars, mind-blowing collaborations are just the beginning.

The music runs from 8:00 pm to 2:30 am. This schedule allows fans to enjoy the wonders of Amsterdam by day and rock out by night. The city’s rich cultural offerings include famous museums and art galleries such as the Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum; cozy pubs and café terraces; open-air markets and trendy boutiques; and of course the legendary coffee shops. This unique opportunity to combine the exploration of a world-class European city with the expansion of musical horizons is what makes Jam in the Dam an experience not to be missed.

Tickets are available starting March 24 at http://jaminthedam.missiontix.com at $225 Early Bird pricing, saving $60 off of the gate. In Europe, tickets will go on sale soon at http://www.ticketmaster.nl, and will be priced at 170 Euro for Early Bird. Single night tickets are available in Europe for 60 Euro.

Travel packages including special perks will be available from CID Entertainment, including options for installment payments. Complete Jam in the Dam festival information and travel support is available online

Source : jaminthedam.com

Starting great with a rare Vulture, the night went out when Guyute arrived : every song that followed contained an ugly pig reference ! The second set was a segue festival (listen to a crazy Split > Mercy > Piper > Split > Slave bellow) and a jam heaven.

http://www.mediafire.com/?7ry3kimcy7gbvr4

The only thing that I'm waiting more than this DVD is a BluRay version...

The 2 CD / 2 DVD boxset will be released on the may 24.