Review: Phish – Atlantic City Night Two
Phish @ Boardwalk Hall – October 30, 2010
Since the begining of the Halloween Musical Costume tradition, Phish has historically taken the night of October 30th off, playing only two pre-Halloween shows (1998 and 2009). So coming into Saturday in Atlantic City on the coat tails of an epic week and red hot Friday night, all signs seemed to point towards two sets of energy conservation; the quiet before the storm.
[Photo by Regan Teti Marscher from 10/29]
Enter Boardwalk Hall. The pre-show energy from Saturday night’s crowd was formidable and the impromptu cheers seemed to be on the level of a New Year’s Eve show at MSG. As a new venue, Boardwalk Hall is an instant favorite. The inside of the venue looks like a cousin of Hampton Coliseum, with the ceiling of Radio City Music Hall and the vibe of a 1920’s dance hall. As the house lights dimmed, the roar of the crowd shook the scaffolds and the merry pranksters took the stage with big smiles and a few waves.
The opening notes Kill Devil Falls sucked all the energy up and spit it right back, sending the crowd into a dancing frenzy. Rather then rifling through the first set, the band took their time and a number of giddy Trey/Mike exchanges took place between each song. It was clear the band was going with the flow and playing whatever felt right. Towards the end of Guelah Papyrus, the crowd exploded into an impromptu, music-less, Kuroda-less, glow-stick-war to the delight of the band – who seemed to stand back and take it all in. READ ON for more on Saturday night’s show…
