8-4-01 - Tweeter Center for the Perfoeming Arts, Mansfield, MA

Date: Mon, 06 Aug 2001 16:52:20 -0400
From: P Byrne skibumphishead@hotmail.com
To: dws@archive.phish.net
Subject: 8/4/01 trey- tweeter center
 
Ok here's a few word on where i'm coming from.  I'm 18 on my way to Umass
Amherst next year, and i love phish.  I have been listening to phish for 2
years, but i have only seen one show (9-11-00).  This was my first trey
show.  I traded some guy 4 lawn seats for 2 tenth-row seats.  That was the
best choice I have ever made.  I was blown away by the music, lights, lot
scene, scene inside the venue, and it was the best show that I have ever
seen.  Trey's solo's were perfect all night, his band is incredible, and
chris is a master at running the lights.  If you haven't seen a trey show
this summer, because it's "not the same" as phish, then u missed out.  Trey
is one of the greatest guitar players alive, and he will put on a good show
no matter what the conditions are. If he puts on a tour when he is eighty
five years old, i will be there in the front row dancing my brains out.  -
Peace from Dracut MA

Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 11:05:28 -0400
From: Jodi Bryan jbryan@tellus.org
Subject: 8/4/01
 
Let me start out by saying that I AM a huge phish fan.  I LOVE them.
Listening to them in the parking lot after the Trey show, I realized just
how really amazing they are together.  I mean, I knew they were amazing, as
I said I LOVE them, but man, I heard a version of Wilson being played in
someone's car and I got those chills again that I used to get at their
shows.
 
As for Trey, In all honesty, I was a little apprehensive about going to see
him, scared that I would be dissappointed.  I went into it with an open mind
and decided to give it a shot.  I knew it wouldn't be phish, but I also knew
it wouldn't suck.  I had complete faith in Trey.
 
My review of the show?  I LOVED it!!  Phish started to get a little tired
and stale towards the end.  I can sum that whole statement up in two words,
Darien Lake.  Anyone who was relatively sober knows what I mean.  The last
two tweeter shows that phish played were good, but they were lacking the
original enthusiasm.  I agree with Trey.  It must be frustrating when the
fans only care about WHAT you play and not HOW you play.  That's not
appreciating the music, that's appreciating the scene, which is fine for
some people, but from the musician's perspective, it must suck.  Phish is
not a sell-out band.  Maybe they felt they were starting to be, i don't
know.
 
Anyways, back to Trey.  The tunes were fresh and different, although i must
admit, i was wicked psyched when they broke out into first tube.  The horn
section was really tight and they kicked ass.  The whole night was just
incredible.  I'm not going to go into the particulars of the night and every
note they played, honestly i can't match the tunes with their respective
names.  I can only say that Trey did a kick-ass job and I didn't stop
smiling the whole time as I danced the night away.  It did, however, make me
realize how much I miss phish...


Date: Mon, 06 Aug 2001 10:45:26 -0400
From: Adam Newmark newmie47@hotmail.com
Subject: Tweeter Center Show
 
In the immortal words of Trey (as the sun was coming up, 2001) at Big
Cypress, this show was "UNBELIEVABLE!!!"  I previously wrote a harsh review
of the Holmdel show, so I wasn't expecting much, but I was surprisingly
treated to one of the best shows I've ever seen.  This show had everything
the Holmdel show did not, as it rocked from start to finish.  Gone was the
"Big Band" dominance of the horns.  Gone was the mellow mood that pervaded
almost every song at Holmdel.  What was left was Trey, a true conductor of
talent and creator of music that we rarely see today.  Trey was everywhere at
this show.  By toning down the role of the horns, he allowed the bass and the
keyboards to be displayed a bit more and gave himself more room to lead and
create, which ultimately added a great deal to the shows complex creativity.
Everyone on stage contributed and played off one another, which took the
grooves and funks and turned them into mind bending jams.  There was no
question this band was "on" from the get go, and Trey seemed like a man
possesed as he mixed incredible jams with funky grooves,
trance-like transitions, and truly emotional peaks.   The crowd was on its
feet from start to finish, propelled by the musical genius on stage that
night.
 
The highlights of the show were:
 
Last Tube:  I loved this song at Holmdel and I loved it even more at
Mansfield.  This song is a roller coaster ride from start to finish, as Trey
played back and forth with the horns, raising the stakes with each stroke of
his guitar.  The Jam of this song peaked at such a high level that those
around me (myslef included) were speachless for a few seconds at its
conclusion, before errupting in applause.  This is truly one of those songs
you leave a show humming to yourself.
 
Drifting:  This was the first time I heard this song, and it instantly became
one of my favorites.  I wish I could remember every note, but alas, I was so
intoxicated by its beauty and sheer power that I was swept away.  Trey too
seemed to be "in that place" during this song, as the expression on his face
told of the entire landscape of emotions one would associate with something
so powerful.
 
Moesha:  This song was jammed out to perfection, as Trey and Co. really
rocked the house.  Each time I thought it couldn't get and tighter or higher,
I was treated to yet another peak and taste of the limitless talent of Trey.
 
First Tube:  If you saw "Bittersweet Motel" in the theaters then you'd
remember the scene where Trey is talking about what playing means to him and
how it affects him on stage.  One quote in particular has real relevance to
this First Tube.  Trey pretty much tells the interviewer that, "When I'm
playing, it's like I'm cumming.  So I'm cumming all the time.  That's what it
feels like."  When Trey played this rendition of First Tube, that's exactly
what was going on.  This jam was so powerful and creative it absolutely blew
me away to the point of speechlessness.  The entire crowd was
affected.  Some people were jumping up and down, while others were frozen on
their feet, as they were swept away by the shear power and magnificence of
this song.  At one point Trey was jumping up and down pounding out loud jams
on his guitar.  At other times, he was simply starring into space, perhaps
watching the glow stick war going on, perhaps just swept away himself as
his hands performed nothing short of magic.  If you missed this, find the
tape, or burn the cd.  IT WAS AWESOME!!!
 
Well, that's all I have time for.  I truly left this show thinking that the
Holmdel show was an abberation, and that Trey is no doubt the best guitarist
of my generation.  He was nothing short of inspiring on saturday, once again
proving his wide range and understanding of music that few ever
attain.  Thanks to Brian and Kev for making me stick it out.

Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 10:02:32 -0400
From: Marc Frigon mfrigon@ChrBook.com
Subject: 8-4-01 Trey Show review
 
This being my first Trey show, I really didn't know what to expect going into
it.  I knew it would be a great show, but I didn't know just how great.  What
I found was a band who can jam to a level that I couldn't have imagined
beforehand, with some classic Trey moments thrown in taboot.  I'm writing
this review from work, so I'm not going to review every single song played,
just openers/closers and other highlights...
 
"I Done Done It" was an excellent set opener.  It had me feeling good all
over right from the start, and let me know early on that this would be a
special show.  Even so, my jaw didn't really hit the floor until...
 
"Last Tube" -- this blew me away.  It was at this point that I was just left
speechless... great jam, with nice work by Chris Kuroda on the lights.
 
"Drifting," "Alive Again," and "Flock of Words," of course, were also
amazing, but the next highlight for me was "Moesha."  This was one of the
songs that I was hoping to hear, and my patience was awarded with a great
version of the song.
 
They simply couldn't have chosen a better set closer than "First Tube."
Incidentally, this was another song that I wanted very badly to hear with
Trey's band, and it was AMAZING.  I can't even begin to describe it, just get
the tapes.  NOW.  The horns really added another level to a song that's
already one of my favorites.  Also, not only was the band incredible, but the
crowd was great too... very responsive, and although there were some
glowsticks mixed in with the glowrings getting thrown around, no one got
hurt, so it was just a magical moment.
 
"Mister Completely" opened the second set.  Another solid (and well-executed)
opener.  "It Makes No Difference" was also great.
 
Although most of these songs are completely new to me, I already felt that I
knew a lot of them.  This was true for "Cayman Review" -- I found myself
singing along by the time it was over.  "Sunday Morning" was very nice, and I
enjoyed Trey's addition of "and now Jen is gonna do it to you!"  Hats off to
Jen -- nice work for the entire show, but "Sunday Morning" was a highlight.
 
Now, let me say that I felt there was no way Trey could pull off a set closer
that was better than "First Tube," but he did it with "Push On Till the
Day."  His dance with Jen was amusing, and added even more visual
entertainment (the lights were, of course, incredible) to the mix.  Again,
the jam blew my mind and left me utterly speechless.  It was explosive.
 
The applause was another seemingly endless magical moment.  After about five
minutes of just standing in awe and clapping, I looked around and was amazed
at the sight of thousands of lighters held high.  When Trey and the others
came back and went into "At the Gazebo," I had chills running up and down my
spine.  This was a very emotional moment, and an astonishingly beautiful
piece.  It reminded me that the magic is still there, and there is still a
band that can awaken these feelings inside of me.  Thank you Trey.
 
This was a classic show, with many great jams.  I can't wait to listen to it
again.  Of course, you know it's a good sign when you wake up sore the next
morning from having danced so hard...

Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 01:17:31 -0700
From: David M. Goldstein dgoldste@eden.rutgers.edu
To: dws@netspace.org
Subject: 8/4/01 show
 
Don't have the time or the energy for a full-fledged review, but just wanted
to share some thoughts about last night's Great Woods gig.
 
I've been to 28 Phish shows, and this was my first live Trey-solo experience
aside from some tapes of his theater-sized gigs, none of which I've been
overly bowled over by. Some of the folks in the lot appeared to feel the same
way, as the whole initial vibe had a collective feeling of "not the real
thing, but close enough to get me out of the house." I'm guessing those
feelings were altered post show.
 
Simply stated, the show came a huge surprise, and was arguably more enjoyable
than any of the Phish shows I witnessed in the past two years. Trey's band is
incredibly tight, very energetic, and somehow manages to maintain the good
timey vibes and aura of the best Phish gigs despite really sounding nothing
like Phish at all. "Moesha" had the feel of a lost Blues Brothers classic for
example, while "Alive Again" and "Last Tube" contained slick grooves that
were tighter than a DNA coil.
 
Maybe the best compliments that I can bestow are that the band sounded MUCH
more prepared and rehearsed than in any of the Trey solo gigs that I'd heard
prior, and had I known I was going to enjoy it as much as I did, I'd have
easily cleared up my schedule for a few more shows. Shame on me for doubting
that solo Trey could rock an ampitheater. The man doesn't fuck around.
 
dave g.

Date: Mon, 06 Aug 2001 00:19:35 EDT
From: JAGPeace@aol.com
To: dws@netspace.org
Subject: Trey review: August 4, 2001
 
what's up my dudes?  word.
 
yo, I'm gonna rap at you for a bit aboot Trey's show, the gathering at Great
Woods, and the current state of Phish.  Make yourself comfortable, pack a bowl
of dank, and please, read on.
 
  To give my review some perspective, let me tell you my perspective as a
conecert goer.  So, like, I've been to about twenty or so shows, my first show
was Decemeber 28, 1995.  My parents actually took me to the show, being only
15 and all.  One could call me...a newbie at the time.  (Does phish.net still
use that word?  It sounds kind of archaic for some reason, kind of like
calling dank 'kind bud'. doesn't 'kind bud' just seem so 1998?)  I hadn't even
really stoned before that show, just a little high, but definately not full
blown stoned.  You guys know what i'm talking about, when you're just like
zonked and your head is just filled with pot smoke.  But like i was saying,
I've never been on tour, per se (I like to think i'm always on the bus, sort
of speak), but I hit up the shows when Phish comes to the Northeast.  But
like, Phish is my band.  They can just make me "shocked and persuaded my soul
to ignite," "surrender to the flow," "share in the groove," "split open and! !
 melt"--choose your favorite lyr
ic.
 
I felt the sadness due to the hiatus.  Yet at the same time, it seemed in the
latter part of the 90's that phish was preparing for the break, the tours were
getting shorter and the band kept going to Europe and Japan for re-newed
inspiration.  So where does this leave us as phish phans, with our beloved
band, such a source of bliss and beauty, on break?  I call us phish phans
because these reviews for the 'Trey Anastasio Band' appear on the phish
website, and the Trey Anastasio Band was able to play such note-worthy venues
as The Greek Theatre, Red Rocks, and Alpine Valley because of the popularity
of Phish.  It is truly a phenomenon that the Trey Anastasio Band, who don't
even have a CD released, can fill these venues.  Also, it is a testament of
the loyalty of the phans themselves to support the band with their side
projects.  I haven't seen Outside Out yet, but Mike was just cruising around
the country with his far-out, film.  And all of us are there to support him
with his! !
 other artistic projects.  It's
pretty cool.
 
As far as the show itself, yeah, it's fun.  The reviews from the show this
summer seem to be positive.  The kids seem to be having a good time.  For me,
it was just comforting to hear those old Trey solos and familiar effects.  
Kuroda was da bomb on the lights, as usual.  The Giant Country Horns Rock, and
that flute solo just sticks in my mind.  There's nothing cooler than a guy
that can just rock on a flute.  The dude on the base is cool, too.  He's just
laying it down, keeping the band grounded.  Revealingly, First Tube, a Phish
song, got the biggest response. The Trey songs are fun, the band jams, but the
hair on the back of my neck doesn't stand up like when i hear the opening base
lines from Mike in Down with the Disease.  The cosmos seem in line when Phish
plays Free, everything is gonna work out.  And wilson is so powerful it can
incite riots, the crowd turns into some sort of rebel Gamehendge army.
 
As you can probably tell, Phish is the path of my heart.  And because of our
devotion to the band, we'll go and see the Trey Anastasio Band, we'll buy
Bittersweet Motel, we'll support Mike's video, and many of us will get all
jazzed up for Oysterhead, too.
 
Phish is on break.  And I'll check out other music and the band's
side-projects.  I will.  I promise.  But it is Phish I yearn for.  It's hard
without them, no concert dates in the future to look forward to.  They're a
psychological addiction, man, and my craving for Phish is even stronger than
craving for the ganj.  The trey show just doesn't clease my soul like a good
phish show, and I surely need a good bath. Well, I hope to have a bathtub gin
with all of you soon, with Page twisting our brains with that sick piano.  
Cause we're all in this together and we love to take a bath.
 
Peace.

Date: Sun, 5 Aug 2001 21:24:43 EDT
From: Andysaint4@aol.com
To: dws@archive.phish.net
Subject: Tweeter center, August 4th 2001
 
hey, this is my first review, so i dont know how its gonna come out. Well
anywho, the parking lot scene was good, really good vibes. Not so nice cops,
giving me and my underage drinking counterparts a hard time, and threatening
our over age buying that we would all be locked up. Not something we wanted
to do. So we al agreed that we werent there to drink, and put our stuff away,
but not after me and my friend smuggled two liters of Captains and Coke.
    As the show started i honostly didnt know what to expect. When the band
began I heard a really horn driven "I done done it" and I guess that horn
driven sound carried on throughout the night. It surprised me. I dont know
why, i knew an 8 peice band was going to be there, but i guess it caught me
off guard still. Then a really great Last Tube and First Tube in the first
set. INSANE. Especially the First Tube to finish off the set.
    The second set was jsut as good as the first with an excellant "Cayman
REview" This song was definitly my favorite of the night. Extremly danceble
and they brought the jam back maybe two or three times at the end. I love it.
Then the show ended with a really laidback "At the Gazebo" but it worked. It
worked well.
    Alot of people have been saying that this tour hasnt been all that great
and it kind of brought my excitement down a bit before. I didnt go in
expecting to see Phish, instead with an open mind and left satisfied, very
satisfied.

Date: Sun, 5 Aug 2001 16:20:41 -0400
From: Jim Fitzpatrick jmf9@duke.edu
To: dws@netspace.org
Subject: 8/4/01 review
 
Let me begin by saying that I have only seen Phish once, and I have
never written a review about a Phish show.  I don't have a whole lot of
basis for comparison on things Phishy, but I am also encumbered by the
sentimentality that a lot of people may feel towards the "old" Phish.
I'm not saying it's a bad thing or a good thing, but I'm saying I don't
feel it.  With that out of the way, let me say that the Trey band RIPS.
 
Set one kicked off with a smokin', sexy "Done Done It".  It's bright and
bluesy and swingy.  The horns really provide an excellent accent to this
tune, which is a perfect set opener.  It "sure did feel nice".  I was
smiling the whole fucking time, ear to ear.  "Last Tube" was nice,
although I didn't know what it was at the time.  Rest of the first set
was pretty standard, I really enjoyed all the songs, and then there was
the small matter of "Moesha".  One thing I've noticed in listening to
Phish is that I really don't find myself jumping around and bopping a
whole lot, but like I've said, the groove here is so much brighter.  The
guy in front of me said, "It's not psychological."  And that's what I
like about this stuff.  I'm still humming the chorus.  From there, they
launched into "First Tube", which I'm not a fan of on the record, but
it's just intense as all hell live.
 
Set break was just long enough, but not too long that I fell out of the
mood.
 
Mister Completely opens the second set, a 26-minute massive groove that
just never seemed to end, and it never seemed to slow down.  The pacing
was incredible.  I can't wait to hear this jam on tape.  After that,
they slowed into "It Makes No Difference", and I think it was here that
my only gripe about the night occurred, besides the absence of Sand on
the setlist.  Trey flubbed the first solo in this song pretty badly.  He
missed about five notes in a very short solo, and missed them pretty
bad, but when he came back for another solo later in the song, he really
atoned for it, like he knew he had to step it up, and nailed this nice
melodic totally Trey-style thing.  "Cayman" and "Burlap" were off the
charts too, just a ton of fun to listen to and bounce to.  "Sunday
Morning" was a well-timed slowdown (nod to Jen, nice work on the horn)
before "Push On", which brought the show to a slamming close in the same
way "Done Done It" opened it up -- on a high note.
 
Gorgeous acosutic work by Trey on "Gazebo" in the encore, and the little
conga line dance routine on "Mozambique" left me laughing.
 
I can't wait for the record.

Date: Sun, 05 Aug 2001 09:22:04 -0400
From: The Wallbeoff Family jmrwall@snet.net
To: dws@netspace.org
Subject: Trey at Tweeter Center last night
 
I just woke up and had to run to the computer (okay, stagger)to post
this review.
This show was freaking sick sick sick! Man, if this band was any hotter
the Tweeter Center would have exploded last night.
 
They played most of their "standard" tunes - but played 'em to like the
billionth power!  I've gotta tell you, I may not have all of their songs
burned into my synapses yet, but I know what I like!  This I like!!!
 
I can't understand how anyone could complain about the shows if they all
kicked butt like this one.
 
If this is what Trey does right out of the gate to challenge the "Phlat
Earth Society" - those who will love him for Phish and Phish alone, can
you imagine what he'll do in year two of the "hiatus"?  I think this
year has been the equivilent of letting a bird out of its cage and Trey
is finally free to be Trey.
 
Thanks to the band who kept me dancing all night long!

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