2-23-01 - Roseland Ballroom, New York, New York

Date: Mon, 26 Feb 2001 17:25:48 -0500
From: gr s [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: reviews for 2.23.01 and 2.24.01

review of 2.23.01 roseland
 
The 2 shows this weekend were awesome!  There was only about 3000 people at
the shows and soooo many outside looking for tix.  I traded (my towers for
roselands) with two people right outside the roseland ballroom and waited in
line for over 2 hours. Some phans were cutting right into the front of the
line, it was sad.  One dude was getting arrested for something and people were
beggin for his tix before he get taken by the cops. He wouldn^�t budge.  We
finally got in, cleared our shoes of forbidden fruits, took a leak, and got
comfy. Met some cool people that we also met at the Philly ratdog show.  The
1st set was a bit mellow, but they played a wicked Jibboo and closed the set
with Back on the Train. The place was so hype to be in such an intimate room
with our hero.  yes he is my hero.  might sound weird, but whatever.  No one
can take to that place of bliss like trey (...and some headies!).

Anyways, the set break was cool.  I met about 5 people.  Got some email
addresses and stuff.  One girl was smokin!  Her boyfriend was not so smokin'.
:o) Second set was ridiculous.  Ooh child, Mellow Mood (marley), Rainy Day
Women.  unbelievable.  Trey talked to us during a slow jam for about 5
minutes.  Saying how there is this feeling that he gets when he's in the
middle of an intense jam where it just keeps building and building and he just
wants to scream at the top of his lungs.  The he says, ^�you know what I
mean?^� The place went nuts.  He was saying how the energy from the audience
was intense.  (I^�m sure I miss-quoted him) - the place went nuts.  My friend
thought he said that because he had just played for Conan and the crowd there
had to be quiet.  It was so laid back to be in a small place with THE man.
Some phans called out ^�We love you trey!^� during some quiet parts. Trey was
in a good mood.

It was fun. Happiness in my pants was a really cool song. Right before the
last song of the second set, first tube, Trey says he has a very special
guest.  A VERY SPECIAL GUEST, then he says, I^�m really sorry but I have one
more song to play and then I^�m outta here.  I think I can make it up to you
all though.  Then page walks out , NUTS!  He stayed out for the encore and
all.

After the show me and my friend are running through NYC to catch the train
home.

BARELY made it . it was the closest I^�ve been to missing anything.  I mean
the door practically shut on my arm.  But we made it.  What a night!
 
gregg
[email protected]

Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2001 15:20:14 EST
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: review for trey at roseland
 
Like a lot of people, I was hunkered down over my computer the day tickets
went on sale.  With one hand on my mouse and my other hand hitting the redial
button on my phone, I tried desperately to get tickets - no luck.  I then hit
the internet every day for three weeks, emailing everyone on the ticketboard.  
Again, no luck.  So at 4:30 on the day of the show, I trekked to Roseland and
started doing laps around the block.  And then it hit - after 3 laps, this guy
said "you got cash?"  and that was it - the guy was a big phan, he sold it to
me for face value, and the ticket was as real as could be.
 
I was stunned at the good luck.  I saw the VH-1 taping of Phish at Roseland
months ago and thought it was one of the best shows I have ever seen.  It's
true - getting into Roseland is one of the biggest nightmares in the world (2
hours on line!) - but once you're in - the energy is infectous.  I love it.
 
Jibboo was definitely a highlight.  It smashed into its groove.  BAM! BAM! on
the cymbal - very intense.  Sand, too, absolutely incredible.  And I just
loved listening to the new tunes - as far as I'm concerned, Trey can
experiment all he wants.
 
One more thing - every time I go to a Phish show, Trey will do one thing that
absolutle sticks in my mind afterward - maybe it will be an entire song, or
maybe it will be just a short phrase; sometimes it's a wild jam, sometimes
it's something subtle - but it inevitably makes my jaw drop.  At the Roseland
show, during "Sunday Morning," Trey played a lick about halfway through, and
in that phrase, his guitar was so full of life, so full of personality - he
was literally wooing someone, or making love to someone, and the guitar was
literally speaking.  I'll never forget that moment.


Date: Mon, 26 Feb 2001 12:23:44 -0500
From: Brian Fegan [email protected]
To: "'[email protected]'" [email protected]
Subject: roseland review
 
02-23-01 Roseland Ballroom, New York, NY
I: Mozambique, The Way I Feel, Push On til Day, It Makes No Difference,
Burlap Sack and Pumps, Gotta Jibboo, At the Barbecue, At the Gazebo, Get
Back on the Train
II: In the Night (or Night and Day), Mellow Mood, Sand, Only Want to be With
You, Rainy Day Women, Ooh Child, Happiness in My Pants, First Tube*
E: Noodle Dance Rave*, We'll Go Round in Circles* * w/ Page McConnell
Okay, I'll start out by saying that I paid a stupid amount of money for
tickets to this show. I mean "stupid". But I do lots of stupid shit so that
shouldn't be so surprising. Anyway, while the performance wasn't worth as
much as I may have spent, I can tell you that it was certainly worth the
face value, and much more, of the ticket. There were some lulls in the
night, but overall I felt like the band was starting to catch their grooveon
this third show of the tour. Things got moving kind of slowly through the
first few tunes. But after an awesome "Burlack Sack and Pumps", this musical
incarnation surrounding Trey was tight from there on.
 
The real highlight of the first set though was Gotta Jibboo. It was easily
the best version I have ever heard, Phish or otherwise. It was just such a
rocking version. Where Phish tends to groove lightly over this jam, Trey's
band just fucking ripped it. Almost so much that I was expecting them to
scream the chorus as they came back into the vamp at the end of the jam. But
they chilled and finished the song as you'd expect.
 
The second set was better than the first, in my opinion. The rockabilly
swing of Night and Day was a great vibe that Phish has never really tackled.
Mellow Mood was simply gorgeous. Which is as much a testament to Bob
Marley's songwriting prowess as the band's chops. But again, possibly better
than any Phish version. Sand was super tight. The jam section was great and
the horns kind of lead this one. With swooping swells from the
brass/woodwind trio playing off Trey's loops, it got really intense. A great
jam. Only to be with You is a great new tune. Very emotional and the hook
catches you when you least expect it. A feel-good song that I think will
definitely make it into Phish's repertoire (should there happen to be Phish
again). Rainy Day Women was great. I didn't see the set list from the night
before which made me not care about the repeats. But Roseland was BAKED! And
the crowd screamed the chorus along at the top of their lungs. If they
weren't filled with smoke at the time. Ohh Child was kind of weak. I just
don't think this is a tune that a rock band can pull of orchestrally. Though
the jam out of it was good.
 
Happiness in my pants is a nice, little bluegrass ditty. Trey was very
chatty during this tune, introducing the band and joking around about how
Russ and Tony don't believe in solos. And when he gave them the chance to
solo, they just played the groove - no fills - by themselves. All the while
Trey was lovin' it and cheering them on. Then thanked the crowd for being so
supportive. Cheers and then......
 
The place went fucking nuts when Page came out! As expected and deserved.
First Tube rocked. Took a while to get going but was raucous to end the
second set. The first tune of the encore was a Page highlight. Almost
sounded like an early 80s Herbie Hancock song. And Page played as best he
could on Trey's synth (he looked kind of hammered and out of place standing
 
up). Circles was a fun encore to a night of great music. This band might not
be Phish, but it was the coolest thing going on in the NYC Friday night. And
I was damn glad to be there!
 
-Brian Fegan

Date: Mon, 26 Feb 2001 12:37:45 -0500
From: Gene Wozny [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Roseland 2-23-01
 
I wanted to take the time and drop a few notes from Trey show Friday night.
This was my first experience seeing Trey without the boys.  I was quite
impressed. Roseland Sucks for sold out shows!!!!! Trey is a GOD!!!!! I have
known this for some time but I never acknowledged it out loud to myself and
Friday night did just that. Got in late due to the stupidity of Roseland
staff.  You would think a place that does this sort of thing all the time
would a  have a clue about crowd control into their venue. Caught the last
notes of TTW and didn't want to miss anymore so made my way in to hear
better and ended up by the bar on the right side for Burlap Sack and Pumps.
Just as I started getting into the tune it ended and The night began...Gotta
Jiboo was layered like I have never heard before the horns add so much to
this song and Trey's work just fit so perfectly with the horns.  Up till now
I wasn't sure if CK was doing lights this song sold me otherwise. Got chills
just grooving to Jiboo, so glad to be hearing anything from Trey and such a
tight Jiboo too....the rest of the set was great and from back on the train
I started to prepare for set break and my plan to get a better view was
already in place.
 
Set II
 
I moved up to right in front of the rig at break and talked with a few
people I was just stoked to be here and seeing Trey. I knew it would get
crowded but I was not moving for this set!!!!! Turned around and who is
taking his place but the man CK.  This set was full of energy from the crowd
and band. We be grooving all night. The highlights are the Sand and the
extended ending jam of Ooh Child. Trey's work was mesmerizing I was so lost
in his guitar that after the song ended I had to ask what song it was
again...just amazing!!!  I loved the Sunday Morning I will need to hear it
again for the Lyrics but sounds like trey is becoming more emotional in his
old age with his lyrics.  Trey talk to the crowd was something that seems to
be the norm when the energy is just sick!! I read someone say that the
thought he was indicating Phish will be back soon I  took the same read from
his comments.  Trey bringing out Page just reinforced everything I was
thinking.  I love page and the fact that he had him there is testament that
trey is looking for that groove thing to be Phish.  Maybe I'm reading into
this more than it is but I felt it as a huge indication of things to come
from the boys!!! Trey uses the solo tour to explore with different
experiments that seem to influence Phish when they are together. Imo. : - ))
I was really glad I got to go to Roseland and by the time they get to
Atlanta Trey and Friends will be tight and some great things will come from
these guys..Thanks for reading
 
Peace
 
Gene

Date: Sun, 25 Feb 2001 21:50:58 EST
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: my review
 
Roseland 2-23-01
 
 
As I walked through the streets of NYC I felt a feeling in the streets that
it was going to be a special night. Roseland isnt a great venue it was jammed
pack and was rediculous with getting checked going in. The band came on late
becuase of the slowness of Roseland letting people in they came on about 820.
When the crowd saw Trey and the Band the place erupted. Trey looked like he
lost weight and was pale(hopefully its not hard drugs). The show had a lot of
songs I never heard before but I enjoyed. One of things I loved about the
show is how Trey talked to the crowd more then at a Phish show and had fun
interacting with the crowd. It was also great to hear Trey play acoustic. But
the highlights of the show was the powerful gotta jiboo and sand which both
had great energy. The first set ended with Trey by himself playing Back on
the Train acoustic which was a lot of fun to hear. But the second set is what
really got me moving Mellow Mood was great I loved the way it sounded with
the horns. Sunday Morning and Ooh Child really put the crowd into a happy
mood. Rainy Day Women was a lot of fun to hear and got the crowed singing
along "EVERYBODY MUST GET STONED!" But by far the most special part of the
nihgt was when Trey brought Page on the stage to play during Fist Tube which
was amazing and kept building energy and building energy. It was'nt till the
sthe encores Noodle Rave Daddio and Will it go round in circles where Page
got use to Treys keyboard and rocked the place. All in All It was a great
night, the one bad part it just makes me miss Phish more.
 
Sagz

Date: Sat, 24 Feb 2001 09:12:51 -0800 (PST)
From: David Jones [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: trey at Roseland review
 
The scene outside was pretty mellow when I got off the
A train at about 5pm, there were a few ticketless
kicking around broadway and the line to get into the
place was starting to reach halfway down 52nd st.
I've never actually shown up to a show ticketless, but
since I live right uptown, I thought it couldn't hurt.
 By the time it got to 7pm, there were a whole bunch
of ticketless, almost all who stood in the same spot,
on the corner of 52nd and Broadway, or who walked up
and down the line to get in.  After awhile, all you
heard requests for were extras to the Philly show, as
if people had given up on getting in tonight.  I had
talked to scalpers all night, and except for a guy who
was selling me obvious fakes for 60, there was nothing
but $100-150, one phan even demanded 200 bucks.  It
was looking like the only way to get in was going to
be negoitiating with one of these scalpers and praying
I got real tickets.  I heard there was a guy selling
real tickets on 8th ave for 85, so I walked down in
front of the line, almost hopelessly waving my finger
in the air, and then out of no where this dude grabs
me and asks me how much I wanna spend, I told him
about 60 or so, so he's like, ok, giveme 100, and I
told him I only had 70 on me, and he's like whatever
give me 70.  Of course a cop saw the whole thing go
down, but rather than hassle us just told us to keep
moving.
 
so it's 7:15 and I got a ticket, and moved to get in
the line, which by now extended up 8th ave and curled
around 53rd.  Thank goodness I met a couple of nice
people to pass the time with.  We didn't get in till
about 8:30 cuz that line moved so slow.  It was
killing me to miss some songs, but I was just happy to
be inside.  I got in during the Burlap Sack and Pumps
jam, and was too involved in coat check and relieving
myself and getting a decent spot to listen to the
music thoroughly, though i was definetly stoked by the
energy and vibe of the place (except for this one guy
who kept elbowing me if I didn't give him more than
three feet to dance, three feet which none of us had).
 I manuevered a little closer, and began to enjoy the
music.  I have to say that some of hte setlists I've
seen are wrong, Back on the train was towards the end
of the first set, not in teh second set.  And all that
"groovinest" banter didn't occur during Rainy Day
Women, but during a song with just trey and tony
acoustic and russ on the kit (a song which I didn't
know, though ws really smooth).
 
So this basically a review of the 2nd set highlights
that I can remember offhand(though the Jibboo was
smoking).
 
Mellow Mood - they did this beautifully, a little
slower than when I saw phish do it at Albany, there
was feeling all over this.
 
Sand - This was absolutely mind boggling, holy cow. It
was probaby 10-15 minutes, and there was NEVER a
downtime.  The horns added so much, and trey was going
off, and then Grippo was leading them all in these
crazy volume swells, and it was truly happening.
 
Sunday morning - not to be confused with the Velvet
Underground song. I guess this is a new trey song, and
it is one of my favorite "songs" that he's ever
written.  I say song to mean conveying thoughts and
emotions, rather than "pieces" like YEM or Reba or
something of that sort.  The whole jist of this song
is that everything's beautiful, and the sun is
shining, and life is a silly dream, but "I wanna share
this dream with you," (probably a misquote, but you
get the idea).  Everything is made better when the
subject of this song is with him.  Beautifully done,
they all repeat "IT's True!"  every now and again.
really is a great song, it's true.
 
Rainy Day Woman - I was suprised that so many people
recognized this instantly.  It was a great cover for
them to do, even though the lyrics I think are
intended to mean stoned in a different way, the place
ERUPTED and all shouted at the top of our lungs,
"EVERYBODY MUST GET STONED!" each time, it was pretty
hilarious.
Jennifer took a tuba solo, The trombonist took a solo,
and then Grippo was about to pic up the sax, when Trey
introduced him as the tamborine player, so everyone
quited down and he did a "riveting" tamborine solo.
 
During some song in here that I didn't recognize is
when all the banter took place.  It ws pretty funny,
Russ and Tony each got solos, but the point was that
they are so "groovy" that even when they solo they
don't stray from the groove at all. He also said that
Tony was playing the acoustic bass that was his first
ever, that he got way back in grammar school.  It was
pretty funny.  Towards the end trey said that was
going to risk sounding corny, but he loves us, and
knows that we as fans are the essence and the energy
what's going on, and that he's truly thankful.  It was
a really nice speech.
 
ooh child- beautiful song, beautiful jam, nothing more
needs to be said.
 
somehow I didn't recognize happiness in my pants, and
I don't seem to remember anything about it.
 
Right here, trey announced that he was going to bring
out another one of his great friends, and when he said
Page, the place exploded.  I have to say that Page
didn't add much during this first tube, but hly cow
did this song rock.  It got us all dancing harder than
we've danced all night, or in awhile as is the case
with some of us.  Trey even was a tad sloppy, but he
ws too busy leading the band and it didn't matter, cuz
the energy was present.  It must've been at least
10-12 minutes before they walked offstage.
 
The encore was also happening, and this is where
Page's presence was actually felt with some nice
texturing,and soloing on trey's little keyboard.  The
whole was great, and then Will it go round in circles
brought the house down to close out the night.
 
This truly was a great show that left us all in
smiles, and catching our breath once the lights went
on.  It was definetly what I needed to quench my
thirst for phish before we see them next (it'll be a
longtime for me, cuz I'll be leaving hte country for a
couple years).  All I can say is WOW, if you're going
to one of the next few shows, you are truly in for a
treat. I haven't seen trey so animated.  Each song he
ws smiling ear to ear, or getting funky, and during
the first tube, he was moving all over the place
talking to himself.  At times he was the leader
directing the others where to go, and he did a great
job.  the bottomline is that phish needs to tour with
horns, cuz they add SO much.  I can't wait to get my
pics back (I was pretty close for the second set), and
I'll try and post em when I do.
 
hope this review sheds some light on what went down,
and wasn't too boring,
 
Dave

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