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He Got Lost in Phantogram
Mike McKinley
May 11, 2010
Adam King, one of State of Mind's finest‚ finally got his Dr. Dog review in, and it's great. It's the way the band deserves to be written about.

After his trying and triumphant adventure to Coachella‚ he disappeared into Phantogram. He didn't return phone calls or text messages -- his only communication was through Facebook status updates informing everyone of the intense pain and pleasure he was receiving through Phantogram's Eyelid Movies. Thankfully‚ he snapped out of it. This video was the last thing he posted before returning back from Phantogram:

10 Best Phish Jams of 2009
Mike McKinley
May 2, 2010
As Phish's summer tour approaches and they play their first shows of 2010, there's been enough time to soak in all the music they made during their triumphant return to the stage in 2009 after a four-and-half-year breakup.

It's great to have them back making music again. It'll be interesting to see what they do in 2010 in terms of reinventing their sound, the direction they take with new songs, and if they take even more improvisational risks. If you look at the history of the band and have followed along, that's the expectation.

They didn't break too much new ground sonically in 2009, as it was more of a year to return to form. What made it great? There was so much reinvigoration and passion on the stage. As you can imagine, there were plenty of inspiring moments and jams that lifted off into the stratosphere. Right from the start at Hampton there were wonderful moments hearing these four musicians improvising together again. And by the end of the year, they were on fire in Miami for the New Year's run.

Here's my pick for the ten best Phish's jams of 2009. These are audience recordings. If you're looking for higher quality recordings, they are available at Live Phish or from any of your nice friends who at one time visited Live Phish.
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"Back On the Train" - American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL 12/30/09
Phish in a nutshell: nobody would have predicted that "Back on the Train" would be the jam of the 2009 New Year's run in Miami. This was improvisational magic where they took flight from an unsuspecting spot and lit the place up.



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"Stash" - Fenway Park, Boston, MA 5/31/09
Probably the most consistent jams since they've been back have come from "Stash." They play like they're always reaching for something new. This is the type of improvisation where they fearlessly embrace the darkness, digging deep to release all the inner turmoil that everyone in the room is dealing with. This one from Fenway is a gem. Sometimes you forget that Phish can also play as abstract as some of the most forward-thinking, avant-garde jazz musicians -- from the careful stretching of parameters of form, to its complete obliteration.



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"Seven Below" - Times Union Center, Albany, NY 11/28/09
Second set opener -- 24 minutes of bliss. Let's be thankful (it was Thanksgiving time) they didn't go into "Shine" about 13 minutes into it…



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"Bathtub Gin" -- The Gorge, George, WA 8/7/09
Beautiful venue, beautiful Gin.



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"Backwards Down the Number Line" - SPAC, Saratoga, NY 8/16/09
They just opened up and went for it to start the second set. Maybe it's just me or maybe there's something in the air at SPAC -- remember that "Down With Disease" second set opener from SPAC '95?



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"Ghost" - Asheville Civic Center, Asheville, NC 6/9/09
They nailed this one in Asheville. It kept getting better and better and better…



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"Sneakin' Sally Thru the Alley" - The Gorge, George, WA 8/7/09
A cover tune that Phish doesn't play too frequently, but this rendition makes you think they should -- it has it all: a nice vocal breakdown, a schizo, edgy funk jam, and then they settle into a spacious, ambient jam that sounds perfect to fade off into their next move in the set.



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"Kill Devil Falls" - Bonnaroo, Manchester, TN 6/12/09
This was the jam of Friday's late night set at Bonnaroo. It went from ripping. To oozing. To dripping.



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"Ghost" - Times Union Center, Albany, NY 11/28/09
They went into this from "Seven Below" (see above) and it was sloppy and all over the place, but, man, did they find some spots.



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"Crosseyed and Painless" - Alpine Valley, East Troy, WI 6/21/09
This one smokes.

Liberate Festival 2010: Lotus‚ Brothers Past‚ Rubblebucket...
Mike McKinley
April 26, 2010
The 2010 Liberate Music & Yoga Festival will take place August 20th and 21st in beautiful Sheldon‚ Vermont. Here's the line-up so far:

Lotus‚ Brothers Past‚ Rubblebucket‚ Dead Sessions & Friends‚ Spiritual Rez‚ Trance Dance w/Roger McKeever‚ Tom Hamilton's American Babies‚ Kirtan w/Prem Prakash‚ Twiddle‚ Toussaint the Liberator & Buru Style‚ Dopapod‚ the Human Canvas‚ Music Meditation w/Danny Morris


Tickets on sale now -- click here for all things Liberate! Win Tickets - Easy Star All-Stars at Revolution Hall 4/25
Mike McKinley
April 20, 2010
State of Mind is giving away two pairs of tickets to the Easy Star All-Stars at Revolution Hall on April 25th.

Sign up below. The winners will be selected on 4/24.

Visit the Easy Star All-Stars.



Thanks! The winners have been selected. Phish 3D Synopsis
Mike McKinley
April 20, 2010
I was lucky enough to catch the premiere of Phish 3D at the Majestic in Williston, VT last night. The 3D movie features clips from Phish's Festival 8 concert in Indio, CA over this past Halloween weekend. Here's my synopsis:

-- The footage is incredible. Obviously, 3D is more than enough visual stimulation, and it goes perfectly with the Phish concert experience. I almost swatted a few balloons away. But what I was more impressed with is the subtlety captured in the film. You get a close-up view of the expressiveness of the band members when the music is really happening and the looks they give each other. The pan-outs over the crowd nail the experience naturally, putting you right there in the moment. And the film captures the vibe perfectly; you know what it smells like, you can feel the desert heat, and you can feel the grass under your feet.

-- "Undermind" has a great Phish flip of the switch, where four guys with instruments all of a sudden become pure music.

-- The group improvisation is underwhelming. They almost find something in "Tweezer" and "Mike's Song," but nothing transcendent in that category. They saved it all for the Exile On Main Street and acoustic sets.

-- The acoustic renditions of "The Curtain With" and "Wilson" are a great stripped-down snapshot of my common Phish descriptions: community, gorgeous compositions, high energy, abstract lyrics, humor, etc. Great stuff in the sweltering heat.

-- The moment: Trey looking at vocalists Sharon Jones and Saundra Williams during "Suzy Greenburg." Festival 8 is so much about the Stones already, but this is up-there in terms of capturing a moment, reminiscent of the scene in Gimme Shelter when the Stones are listening back to "Wild Horses" at Muscle Shoals Studio. No bullshit here, a true moment where you see the creators in bliss of what they're creating.

-- Is it worth seeing? Absolutely. Worth seeing again? Probably not. But man does it make you wish summer tour was here already.

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