Phish Marks Maple Night With Exploratory Improvisation (Golden Age/Swept Away>Steep) (SHOW REVIEW/PHOTOS)

Only five shows remain, and Phish continues to treat all in attendance to their most unique offerings of shows in the modern era of the band. The group has played eight of its thirteen allotted nights at the famed Madison Square Garden (MSG) in downtown New York City and there has not been a single show that has missed the mark. Each night has offered a new flavor, both literally and figuratively. Last night was maple, and while the Canadian theme was punctuated right from the start with a surprising Trey Anastasio led rendition of the country’s national anthem, the recurring theme of exploratory improvisation, atypical setlists, and high energy that has marked this historic run of shows was just as rampant last night as it has been the whole run.

If anything the first set was a bit contained. Beyond the opening tune, most of the set stayed comfortably in Type I territory with little swaying away from typical song structure. The “Maple Leaf Rag” ditty by Page in the middle of “Guelah Papyrus” shook things up a tad, and from there on out the set gained more momentum. “McGrupp” flowed nicely into a well played “Limb By Limb” with an explosive, peaky “Walk Away” to close out the first frame.

Set two should be listened to in its entirety. “Golden Age” built from the music explored over the previous shows of the run showcasing a band that’s listening to each other intimately. Over the years many of us who have been seeing shows for 20+ years are disappointed when the band can’t connect with each other as it really stresses the possibility of transcendent music. If anything, this MSG residency has really allowed the quartet to settle in, relax, and connect. They were locked in right from the first notes of “Golden Age” last night and while there seemed no reason to leave the music being explored as the song crept over the twenty minute mark, “Leaves” fit not just for the evening’s maple theme, but for the different twist in sound structure that ultimately built into the night’s highlight in “Swept Away” > “Steep”.

A favorite of many, beyond the “Golden Age”, this was it on August 1st. It wasn’t necessarily a long journey, and although a “Swept Away” > “Steep” is rare to hear in a live setting, it’s really the adventurous jam out of “Steep” that explored truly cosmic territory and turned what on paper is four songs to start the second set into a piece of music that felt more like 40+ minutes of flow. The remainder of the set sort of felt like songs played as an excuse to explore, at least in “46 Days” and “Piper” as both offered nothing as deep as the groove in “Golden Age” or the out there taste in “Steep”, but it built fluidly for over 20 minutes until a rocking “Possum” brought it all to a close.

The Bowie/Ziggy Stardust encore “Rock ’n’ Roll Suicide” closed things out gracefully and here we are with a band 34 years into their career playing shows night after night where even the most critical, ravenous, esoteric fan base around has no idea what’s in store. A nod to lighting director Chris Kuroda for the updated rig, we’re now at the point where there are four more shows and not only are some of the bands most beloved tunes still on the table (“YEM”, “Mike’s”, “Fluffhead”) it’s evident that there will be plenty more surprises in store.