Alpine Valley WI: Phish 6/30/12
Mars Cheese Castle
Talented Vermont jazz rockers Phish brought their heat last night to the ultimate musical cow pasture -- the Alpine Valley Music Center in rural southeast Wisconsin.
The customary beer and brat grilling lot scene was snuffed by the authorities from fear that the 100 degree heat and dry grass combined with hibachis and hippies might burn the place to the ground.
Show was not a sell-out although over 30,000 were in attendance. Setting is a steep lawn overlooking Wisconsin's top vertical drop of 500 feet at the neighboring Alpine Valley Ski Resort.
The pavilion includes a general admission pit and thousands of seats with decent sight lines and thousands more with views of the side of the stage or at least views of the better seats in the middle.
We were right in the stubhub pocket of Row CC, Section 202. Seat neighbors were from St. Louis, Chicago, and Milwaukee. Midwestern Phish phans apparently opt for cigarettes over the $14 beers -- legal tobacco use was everywhere. Even the smot pokers poked their smot in cigarette form. Seat hoppers as always overwhelmed the well-intentioned Wisconsin teenage ticket-checking staff, but, luckily, most of the hoppers went for the pit below us. We did have one interloper in Section 202, Row CC, and although he was obviously lying about his reason for being there, he was frank about his seat-hopping desires. Area around Seat 136 included experienced etherial beauty right in the groove while claiming to be just a normal girl from the midwest.
Phish started the show in the setting sun, with the temperatures at 90 or so and with not a breeze to be felt. Perfect climate for an extra-long first set.
Set I:
My Soul -- my my my my my my my.
Daniel Saw the Stone -- Mighty word revival.
AC/DC Bag -- Light and fluffy and unfinished.
Moma Dance -- Perspiration flying; Fishman singing. Home Depot parody shirt guy gets his shirt call.
Let it Loose -- Page as Keith Richards. Not everyone gets it.
Reba -- Finished; with whistling. Beautiful part was beautiful. Trey looks healthy.
Kill Devil Falls -- Just got back from Cypress, Coventry, and Kill Devil Falls. Phish's Cool Jerk.
Sloth -- Italian Spaghetti shirt guy gets his shirt call.
Ocelot -- Remember: no live animals at Alpine Valley!
Poor Heart -- Western diddy showcasing Mike's haircut and purple shirt.
When the Circus Comes to Town -- None of the rumored Milwaukee Summerfest acts joins for a sit-in.
Timber (Jerry) -- The Arkansas mule joins the animal theme.
Oh Kee Pa Ceremony -- Building instrumental; you know what's coming next.
Suzy Greenberg -- At least 20,000 of those in attendance need a neurologist.
Set II:
Backwards Down the Number Line -- This perfectly nice song seems dated now that it has had four of its own birthdays.
Carini -- Even as the Phish crowd ages, this brings out the youthful inner rocker in just about everyone.
Wilson -- This could be heard all the way to Wausau.
Golden Age -- Phish's Can't Stop til You Get Enough. Light and danceable. Tisket Tasket teases.
2001 -- Diodato indeed. At least the speakers were pushing the air around.
Rock and Roll -- You know where the whoops go. Phish frappes the Velvet Underground.
Steam -- Phish uses the special effects kit you bought them. Reference to horses' nostrils keeps the animal theme going.
Piper -- Short intro, long outro. Not enough room in Section 202 to do this spin-dancing justice.
Quinn the Eskimo -- We retreat to the platforms to spread out and pay proper tribute to Bob and Bob and Jerry.
Harry Hood -- Enjoyed from the lawn where the average age is 10 year younger than the stubhub sections. Beautiful part was beautiful.
Character Zero -- Mark it dude.
E: Good Times Bad Times -- Page as Plant?
See you tonight in the pasture!