I've always figured that Trey got it wrong on which Albany set he hated. The Yamar, Theme (THEME!), Vultures and Tube are all loose and great, and the set closing GTBT has extra oomph. I'm a Trey truther, and I want him to admit he meant to say 12/12 set I!
Another distinction often forgotten about 12/13 is that there was an unannounced opener. Fishman came out to introduce a short opening set of in your face near metal from J. Willis Pratt & We're Bionic. A weird footnote for sure.
Oh man, it would shatter my world if Trey didn't like the second set. But your theory may be right, he is notoriously bad at remembering specific dates...I lol'd when he asked "did we play a festival that year?" on the Undermine Denver episode.
I think your intra-band tension theory is correct. Yes, Trey is horrible with dates. But it's also very possible to throw down an incredible set and feel angry after because you were annoyed at some of the other members on stage. Not to mention the pressure of the final show on home turf after an incredible tour. They wanted to bring it and maybe felt like things weren't quite aligning. Then they return from Set I with the "Bring in the dude" antics, which seems to me the kind of Phish goofiness that often is the result of band quarreling after making a truce during set break.
Also, Rob — I want to thank you for such amazing writing over the past two months. I'm usually bored by Phish show reviews, but you are a master. So happy to discover this blog just in time for my favorite two months of the band. I will definitely continue to be a devoted reader.
I was at Champaign and I remember Trey turning around to Fish during the "Julius" solo and not seeming happy. My guess is that the "Ya Mar" tempo disagreement soured him on the Albany first set. I like the slow jam though.
Sorry- that's 12/12 set 1, exclamation point. FWIW, I was second row in front of Trey for 12/12/97 and I hated set II at the time, and how grown to hate how I hated that set, as it's so damn good.
Perfect headline. Now I just need a Hal Leonard Cowfunk By Numbers book for Christmas.
I've always figured that Trey got it wrong on which Albany set he hated. The Yamar, Theme (THEME!), Vultures and Tube are all loose and great, and the set closing GTBT has extra oomph. I'm a Trey truther, and I want him to admit he meant to say 12/12 set I!
Another distinction often forgotten about 12/13 is that there was an unannounced opener. Fishman came out to introduce a short opening set of in your face near metal from J. Willis Pratt & We're Bionic. A weird footnote for sure.
Oh man, it would shatter my world if Trey didn't like the second set. But your theory may be right, he is notoriously bad at remembering specific dates...I lol'd when he asked "did we play a festival that year?" on the Undermine Denver episode.
I think your intra-band tension theory is correct. Yes, Trey is horrible with dates. But it's also very possible to throw down an incredible set and feel angry after because you were annoyed at some of the other members on stage. Not to mention the pressure of the final show on home turf after an incredible tour. They wanted to bring it and maybe felt like things weren't quite aligning. Then they return from Set I with the "Bring in the dude" antics, which seems to me the kind of Phish goofiness that often is the result of band quarreling after making a truce during set break.
Also, Rob — I want to thank you for such amazing writing over the past two months. I'm usually bored by Phish show reviews, but you are a master. So happy to discover this blog just in time for my favorite two months of the band. I will definitely continue to be a devoted reader.
I was at Champaign and I remember Trey turning around to Fish during the "Julius" solo and not seeming happy. My guess is that the "Ya Mar" tempo disagreement soured him on the Albany first set. I like the slow jam though.
Sorry- that's 12/12 set 1, exclamation point. FWIW, I was second row in front of Trey for 12/12/97 and I hated set II at the time, and how grown to hate how I hated that set, as it's so damn good.