Phish Noblesville Setlist & Skinny: Night Two

Tonight HT faves Phish returned to Noblesville, Indiana for their second of two performances at the Klipsch Music Center, aka Deer Creek. After the heat was the story leading into last night’s throwdown, severe storms wreaked havoc on the area before the show. But that didn’t stop Phish from delivering a sensational performance that featured both jams and bust outs.

[Photo by Ali Morley]

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Once again the band came out of the gates with a batch of tour debuts. Tonight there were a total of three to start the show beginning with the Crowd Control opener and continuing with Dinner and a Movie and a cover of Sweet Jane by The Velvet Underground. Sweet Jane had only been performed twice before – once at Merriweather Post Pavilion on August 8, 1998 and a few months later on Halloween at the Thomas & Mack Center, 352 shows ago. After the bust out, Trey gave fans tips on sign etiquette and warned not to raise keyboardist Page McConnell’s ire on the subject or face a “Page Rant.” Page then said they’d play the next one for those behind the sign holders. Repertoire staples Limb By Limb and Possum broke up the run of tour debuts which continued with Mound and David Bowie’s Life On Mars? An impressively executed Mango Song came next which led into the heavy metal stylings of Big Black Furry Creature From Mars and the tender Strange Design, tour debuts #162 and #163 respectively. While Birds didn’t stray too far off course, Anastasio lit up his solo with meaty licks foreshadowing what was to come in the While My Guitar Gently Weeps set closer which also showcased outstanding work from the guitarist. The Beatles cover was the the eighth 2012 debut of the first set showing once again why Deer Creek shows are held in such high esteem by Phish fans.

The Down With Disease second set opener moved with a quickness into a jam led by Anastasio that alternated between major and minor keys in impressive fashion. Phish patiently worked the intricate groove they created for a few magical minutes before seguing into Sand. Sand has hit its stride of late and tonight’s version continued that trend, complete with a well-defined Weekapaug Groove tease and dynamic “Team Phish” improvisation. Having connected on a key change, the quartet transitioned into another wild and woolly Twist. Trey had fun with the vocals by “twisting” around the letters in Mike’s name. Just as the jam was getting good Anastasio decided it was time for Rift. A rare second set Bathtub Gin provided another improvisational highlight and included more name twisting. The standout Bathtub segued into an impeccably executed Fluffhead. Our first and only tour debut of the closing stanza came in the form of Blues Image’s one-hit-wonder Ride Captain Ride, last played by Phish on June 8, 2011 at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center. Run Like An Antelope gave Anastasio another chance to shred and he accepted the assignment, even throwing in multiple Ride Captain Ride tease. All in all, the memorable eight-song second set ran 75 minutes with no breaks in the action whatsoever. A well-rounded encore of Cavern, Sanity (the 10th tour debut of the night) and First Tube brought another fantastic Deer Creek run to a close. Next up for Phish is a two-night run at Alpine Valley that starts tomorrow.

Setlist…

Set 1: Crowd Control, Dinner and a Movie, Sweet Jane, Limb By Limb > Possum, Mound, Life on Mars?, The Mango Song > Big Black Furry Creature from Mars, Strange Design, Birds of a Feather,Halley’s Comet, While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Set 2: Down with Disease^[1] > Sand^[2] > Twist > Rift > Bathtub Gin^[3] -> Fluffhead > Ride Captain Ride> Run Like an Antelope^[4]

Encore: Cavern > Sanity, First Tube

[1] Unfinished.
[2] Walk This Way and Weekapaug teases from Trey.
[3] On Broadway tease (Trey), Twist quote, unfinished.
[4] Ride Captain Ride teases from Trey, Twist quotes, and a “Marco”/”Polo” band/audience call/response.

Notes: Sweet Jane was played for the first time since October 31, 1998 (352 shows). After Sweet Jane, Trey informed the sign holders in the crowd that the band sees them the first time they’re held up, so there’s no need to hold them up throughout the show and block other fans’ view. Page then dedicated Limb by Limb to the people behind the sign holders. Disease was unfinished. Sand contained Walk This Way and Weekepaug teases from Trey. Gin was unfinished and featured an On Broadway tease and a Twist quote from Trey. Antelope featured Ride Captain Ride teases from Trey, Twist quotes, and a “Marco”/”Polo” band/audience call/response.

[via Phish.net]

Here’s The Skinny for Phish at Deer Creek…

Venue Capacity / Attendance / Type: 24,000 / 16,000 (Estimate) / Amphitheater
Previous Shows at Venue: 21 Shows = 06/19/1995, 08/12/1996, 08/13/1996, 08/10/1997, 08/11/1997, 08/02/1998, 08/03/1998, 07/25/1999, 07/26/1999, 07/10/2000, 07/11/2000, 07/12/2000, 07/21/2003, 07/22/2003, 07/23/2003, 06/23/2004, 06/24/2004, 06/19/2009, 08/12/2010, 08/13/2010, 06/28/2012
Number Of Songs / Length – First Set: 13 / 8:19PM – 9:37PM (78 Minutes)
Number Of Songs / Length – Second Set & Encore: 11 / 10:10PM – 11:44PM (94 Minutes)
Total Number of Songs / Covers / Originals: 24 / 4 / 20
Biggest Bustout: Sweet Jane – 352 Shows [LTP – 10/31/98]
Debuts: N/A
Weather: Huge Storms Pre-Show Leading to Delayed Doors / 76 Degrees and Clear at Showtime
Wardrobe: Mike – Black Sleeveless T-Shirt and Red Pants / Page – Navy Blue Short-Sleeve Button-Down Shirt and Jeans / Trey – Navy Checkered Long-Sleeve Shirt and Jeans / Fish – Dress
Average Song Gap: 31.25
The Spread: Junta – 2, Lawn Boy – 3, Picture of Nectar – 2, Rift – 2, Hoist – 1, Billy Breathes – 1, Story of the Ghost – 2, Farmhouse – 3, Undermind – 1, Misc. – 3, Covers – 4
Longest LivePhish Track / Shortest LivePhish Track: Down With Disease 15:28 / Life On Mars? 3:27
Audio: Live Phish