Commerce City CO: Phish 9/2/12 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park
Presidential
Presumptive 2012 Democratic Presidential Nominee Barack H. Obama visited Westminister and Boulder, Colorado this weekend while the supremely talented Vermont jazz rock quartet Phish rocked the nearby Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City. President Obama had guns and scopes protecting him, but Phish utilized an even broader assortment of weapons, scorching the Dick's Sunday night.
Here is President Obama on his way to the University of Brahlorado for a campaign event -- passing up a prime opportunity to address the Phish crowd of 30,000, undoubtedly the nation's finest demographic.
Dick's has worked out most of its flaccidity since last year's Phish labor day debut, ditching the sex selection and forehead stamping rituals but keeping the hilarious up and down staircases. You can't tell phishheads which way to go on a staircase Dick's.
We opted for the bench seats in the back, where the sound and room to breathe were excellent -- better than expected and better than our experiences last year fighting the floor of Dick's. Our seat neighbors were from Houston, Lake Tahoe, Spokane, Denver, and Columbus, Ohio. Excellent vibes all around with dancing and girls and everything you want at a Phish concert. No speer was billed on us.
Set I:
Cars, Trucks, Busses -- Fast jazzy instrumental kicks it off like an afternoon show. Page McConnell is the song's MVP.
AC/DC Bag -- Crowd is into it like it might be the last show. Mr. Anastasio's dirty tone makes him the song's MVP.
Down with Disease -- Chunky. Children are swooping-in and collecting the glowsticks landing in the back of the floor. Mike Gordon holds the tune together and is the MVP.
Bathtub Gin -- Gershwinny. At times slow and at other times jaunty. Page is rhapsody in blue and the song's MVP.
Nelly Kane -- Mike Gordon loves Colorado -- color red -- and old-timey country diddys. Mike is the song's MVP.
Sample in a Jar -- Spinning. Our Texas seatmate gets her name sung by Phish. Mr. Anastasio is the song's MVP.
Get Back on the Train -- Danceable; a story untold. Fishman's railroad beat gets him the song's MVP.
Rift -- Aural coke classic. "Shocked and persuaded my soul to ignite...." Page is the song's MVP.
Free -- The dry air is punching-up the bomb-bomps. "I feel the feeling I forgot..." Mike can be heard throughout the land and is the song's MVP.
Ride Captain Ride -- 73 is the number of keys on a Rhodes piano and the number of men who sailed up to San Francisco Bay. Dick's is going nuts. Page is the MVP and the subject of this lady's hat.
Maze -- Regimented. Mr. Anastasio keeps it together and is the song's MVP. People wave goodbye but it's not the set closer.
Halley's Comet -- Fun is the word. Phish as Dick Dale a generation or two later. Mike's old-timey bass bomps make him the song's MVP.
46 Days -- Huge. Lot shirt lady gets her lot shirt call. Fishman is the MVP all over the woodblocks.
Possum -- Phish's "You dont mess around with Jim." Mike loves his country and is the MVP.
Set II:
Sand -- A tribute to Zebulon Pike. Edgy improvised jam outro with 2001 and 46 days teases. Mr. Anastasio is fretty and is the song's MVP.
Story of the Ghost -- This ghost is wandering! Mike is the song's MVP.
Piper -- Frenzied, dry and with breathing room. Mr. Anastasio adds weird music-school outro and is the song's MVP.
20 Years Later -- One lovely lass get her obscure call and a huge reward. "We all start out small..." Mr. Anastasio is the song's MVP.
Lizards -- Ska like its 1986. "The trick is to surrender to the flow..." Page pop and Trey psychoabbble. Page is the song's MVP.
Harry Hood -- You knew it was coming. Mr. Anastasio is halting. Fishman is the song's MVP. Beautiful part is beautiful. Band closes the set with gratitude and brief remarks.
E: Character Zero. Colorado remains a swing state.
See you in Atlanta for Pearl Jam!