5 Guitarists Who Could Tango with Trey
When it comes to guest sit-ins, Phish fans are often divided into two camps: those who enjoy them and those who deplore them. Both have legitimate arguments to make—some claim that the unique experiences override musical expectations and vise versa. But, part of the problem is that the guest-spots have rarely featured musicians who can keep up with Phish (and few can).
8.14.09 (A. Hill)
Few would argue that the MMW “YEM” sit-in from 10.14.95, or the Neil Young sit-in on “Down by the River” from 10.3.98 are anything but stellar moments. But then turn to B.B. King’s sit in from 2.24.03 or Tony Markellis’ appearance in SPAC last summer and the entire debate changes (not to take anything away from B.B. or Tony). Phish jams demand a specific type of player to keep up, and there isn’t a very long list of artists out there who can fill the gap in a way that would actually take the music to a higher level.
So for today, I’ve compiled a list of five artists who could actually keep up with Phish and take the music higher. And I don’t mean just “shred.” That’s why you won’t find Eddie V. on this list. I was trying to think of players who would actually improvise with the band and be able to take the jams somewhere. To narrow the list, I’ve limited my choices to five guitarist who I feel could get up and tango alongside Trey. I also left out guitarists who have previously shared the stage with Phish. There are plenty more, so leave a comment let us know which guitarist you’d most like to see play with Phish. Here are my picks:
1. Eric Clapton
I think this name has to be on the top of most people’s lists. One of the original “jam” guitarists, there just aren’t many players out there today with a better combination of skill and taste. And at 66, Slowhand hasn’t slowed in the slightest. In recent years, Clapton has continued to hone his skills and just this weekend performed a jazz-heavy set with Wynton Marsalis in New York City. Trey has indicated his love for Clapton in the past (the “FEFY” solo is admittedly lifted from “Let it Grow”) and in a 2000 interview in Japan, said the following in response to a question as to who’d he’d like to play with:
“Eric Clapton! That’s who I want to play with…If you talk with Eric Clapton tell him that he has to play with Phish.”
Clapton is one of few rock players out there with the taste and the ability to jam alongside Trey. Having pioneered much of the extended psychedelic jamming routine, there are few guitarists more suitable than the legendary Slowhand.
2. Bill Frisell
For those of you who don’t know, Mr. Frisell is one of the most original and inventive jazz guitarists ever. Having touched on nearly every style in his long “jazz” career, Frisell has earned a place right alongside the great guitar visionaries our time such as Pat Metheny and John McLaughlin. Through a complex use of pedals, stereo amplification and effects Frisell has become a mastermind and even a pioneer of ambient, melodic music. This particular style of his would lend itself well to the Phish stage, and could propel a jam to great heights. And this isn’t such a stretch, Frisell sat in with String Cheese last year at Horning’s Hideout.
3. Robert Fripp
While he may have a problem with all of the tapers, there is no question Fripp would bring something unique to a Phish jam. Combining his various “Frippertronics” techniques and his signature alternate picking, Fripp could potentially bring something completely new to a jam. Few recognize the extent of the infleunce King Crimson had on the band, especially during the summer ’95 tour. This sit-in would also present the opportunity to come full circle with the combination of “DEG” > “Discipline” > “DEG.”
4. Brad Barr
In a lot of ways, I think this would be the best potential sit-in. But likely one that will never happen. As the guitarist for Boston-based jamband The Slip (and also Surprise Me Mr. Davis and The Barr Brothers), Brad forged a name for himself as one of the best guitarists on the jam and jazz scenes alike. With noticeable Berklee schooling under his belt, Brad’s approach to guitar is entirely unique and constantly evolving. His use of pedals and various guitar techniques is unlike any other and lends itself particularly well to extended psychedelic jams. This would be a match made in heaven.
5. Steve Kimock
To be honest, I rotated probably 10 artists in and out of this 5 spot. As much as I wanted to include some of my favorites, I also wanted to stick to my criteria—guitarists who can take a jam somewhere. I thought about it, and I think one of the most obvious answers is Steve Kimock. There’s no question Kimock is extremely underrated—Jerry Garcia called Kimock, “his favorite unknown guitar player” in the mid-90′s. But to many, Kimock is one of the premiere guitar players around today, especially in the jam scene. Kimock has performed with half of Phish at the Phil and Friends shows in ’99 at the Warfield, and throughout the entire run he and Trey riffed off each other as though they’d been playing together for years.
I’ve always loved Kimock’s playing, and just two weeks ago I had the chance to witness him perform a live improvisation as a tribute to the people of Japan (check out the video here). I was blown away. A week later, I saw him again, this time performing alongside Marc Friedman (The Slip), Marco Benevento and Adam Deitch. Once again, I was blown away. In terms of the criteria, I think Kimock would present one of the most promising sit-ins.
Setlist: TAB @ Terminal 5, NYC
Check out my full review of last night’s TAB show from Terminal 5 here. Setlist and Download (when available) are provided below.
Official Poster by David Welker
Setlist:
Set 1: Down with Disease[1], Wolfman’s Brother[2], Theme From the Bottom[2], Camel Walk[3], Kill Devil Falls[2], Meatstick[1], Halley’s Comet[2] > Bouncing Around the Room[2], Cavern[4], Prince Caspian[2], Limb By Limb[2], Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan[2], Wading in the Velvet Sea[5], Heavy Things[6], Peggy[6], Hey Ya[6]Set 2: In the Wee Wee Hours, Valentine, Ocelot, It Makes No Difference, Gotta Jibboo[7], Burlap Sack and Pumps, Clint Eastwood, Cayman Review, Sand, Sweet and Dandy, Burn That Bridge[8], My Problem Right There[9], Tuesday, First Tube > Empire State of Mind[10]
Encore: Sultans of Swing
[1] Trey solo acoustic; TAB debut.
[2] Trey solo acoustic.
[3] Trey solo acoustic. For Fish. “Going downtown to Morocco” lyric. “Shortest version of that song ever.”
[4] Trey solo acoustic; with “bitch”/”dung” lyrics.
[5] Trey acoustic with Jen and Natalie.
[6] Trey acoustic with full TAB.
[7] “Streets of Cairo” tease from Trey.
[8] After the song Trey noted the song’s co-author, Amanda Green, and the “Hands on a Hard Body” play for which the song was written.
[9] TAB debut.
[10] TAB debut; incomplete.[Setlist via Phish.net]
AUDIO: TAB 2011.2.23 Terminal 5, New York, NY
SOURCE: AKG se300b/ck93>Edirol UA-5 (bm2p+)>iRiver h120
Rising to the Occasion: Trey’s 46th
8.14.09 (A.Hill)
Today, we celebrate the birthday of a man who means so much, to so many of us. Trey turns 46 today, and to honor this day musically, I’ve put together yet another playlist that I think you will enjoy. The selection for the day comes from a series of jams that happen to fall on the night before, or the day of, Trey’s birthday.
One will find that time and time again Trey would rise to the occasion of his birthday, annihilating the jams in his path. There was always something special about the shows surrounding Trey’s birthday, and the fans would often greet him with cheers in celebration. It seems fitting to revisit some of these moments today.
Happy Birthday Trey, keep on.
“Birthday Jams“
BirthdayJams (right click, choose ‘save as’, to download)
Playlist:
2001 > DWD (9.29.99) > Tweezer (9.30.91) > Reba (9.30.95) > Bathtub Gin (9.29.00) > David Bowie (9.29.90)
Trey and Tom Writing Session Photos
A PTer going by the alias “Am_I_Winhoused” shared the following pictures yesterday, showing Tom and Trey in the midst of a writing session. It’s great to see them back together, and hopefully this session will yield some new songs for the upcoming tour! Check out the slide show, or click the thumbnails below to see the images.
What Is “Dave’s Energy Guide”?
Energy Guide logo
“Dave’s Energy Guide” – song? phrase? lick? – is a subject of constant debate, and largely misunderstood by the vast majority of Phish fans. Many people confuse “DEG” for the Dead’s “Mind Left Body Jam”, “Delay Loop Jams”, or a vast array of different licks and phrases often played by Trey. The truth is, “DEG” has nothing to do with the “MLBJ”, “Delay Loop Jams” or any other random lick. It comes from a short phrase written by Trey and his friend Dave Abrahams one summer while attending guitar camp.
The story goes like this: In the early 80′s, when Trey and friends attended a King Crimson concert at Princeton University, they were immediately taken aback by both Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew’s guitar playing (listen to “Frame by Frame” off Discipline). Having just released the Discipline album, and having added Adrian Belew to the lineup, King Crimson had developed a unique new sound following their seven year hiatus. With drumming master Bill Bruford back in the lineup, the band was pushing forward into a very new wave sound that departed from their years prior to the hiatus.
That summer, while attending the National Guitar Workshop, Trey and Dave sought to recreate the type of alternate picking techniques used by King Crimson on Discipline, for a camp performance. Dave explained the piece further in an interview with Charlie Dirksen from the Mockingbird Foundation:
“We put the pattern together with one of us playing 5-6-5-7 and the other one playing 5-6-5-6, so they would go out of synch and eventually come back together in synchrony after 22 repetitions. This is a standard King Crimson trick. There were also a few shifts where we’d go into harmony, etc. I don’t know if it had a name, but it wasn’t called “Energy Guide” or “Dave’s” anything. We played it twice, and messed it up both times. It’s really easy to drop a note and if you lose track of where you are in the pattern, God help you. Some kid went up on stage and played an acoustic solo piece he had written, and we decided our thing was formulaic B.S. We left the hall shivering with delight.”
Discipline Album Cover
And so, the song was born. However, it was not until later that the song played that summer at guitar camp became what some of us now know as “Dave’s Energy Guide”. The first known performance was on 5.3.85 (also Page’s first show), and featured an extended intro section. It also appeared on Trey’s 1985 Christmas gift, but only included the first section. What is clear is that in the early years, “DEG” was intended to be performed as its own song – Trey even indicated that it would be available “on records and cassettes” eventually. It started on its own, had multiple sections, and was even given its own title. However, to anyone with any knowledge of King Crimson, “DEG” is a direct lift off the song “Discipline”. Thus, it is easy to see why the song was dropped from the band’s catalog.
Listen to “Indisciplinarian” (a studio edit from the Discipline sessions recently released by Robert Fripp via his website) and notice the similarity. Also notice the incredible guitar playing, Tony Levin’s bass playing, as well as Bruford’s masterful drumming.
“Dave’s Energy Guide” (1985.5.3)
As Dave said in the same interview as above:
“At some point Trey formed Phish and the next time we played together he showed me another part to the DEG song, whatever it was called. He said he had walked into a party and seen Fishman sitting on a couch playing this diamond-shaped pattern on the guitar. Trey seized on it and incorporated it into the song. Meanwhile, I had written another part, but I don’t think that ever made it into a Phish rendition of DEG. When I finally got up to Burlington to see them perform it, Trey hung a yellow diamond-shaped sign (promotional material for Con Edison or something) on the mic stand. It said “Energy Guide”.”
In the late 80′s, the song was played frequently, appearing on its own as well as in jams. Often coming out of “Cities”, “DEG” would emerge, adding a burst of energy to the jam before returning back to the original theme. However, following the summer of ’88 the full song was played only once, appearing otherwise in excerpt form during the midst of particularly exploratory jams. Often coming during “Cities”, “Bowie”, “Reba”, “Stash” and “Possum”, or even during covers of the B52′s “Melt the Guns”, the quotes became limited to short segments representative of the original song.
“Melt the Guns” > “DEG” (1987.4.29)
“Cities” (1988.9.13)
“Split Open and Melt” (1989.11.30)
The 90′s did, in fact, see one full appearance of the song on 6.28.95 in the middle of a menacing “Tweezer” jam.
“Tweezer” (1995.6.28)
Day-Glo
But there are so many slight teases, or brief quotes, that go unmentioned and undocumented. For example the incredible “Bowie” from 7.25.93 or the equally as rockin’ “Bowie” from 3.18.93 – both of these jams have extended quotes of the second “DEG” section, but are not mentioned on phish.net or anywhere in TPC. I wish I had written more down, but there are endless “Rebas” and “Stashes” with very apparent “DEG” quotes.
“Bowie” (1993.7.25)
“Stash” (1994.6.16)
Oct. 20 & 21 1989 Poster
As the years have passed, “DEG” quotes have become much less frequent, appearing very rarely if at all. However, the song has not died entirely. As recent as last year’s Red Rocks run, Trey can be heard teasing the song’s theme at the end of “Fluffhead” on 7.31.09. This gives us hope that someday, just maybe, the band will lock into a full-on “DEG” tease as they did in the 80′s, appeasing us Fripp fans who are dying to hear it.
Hopefully, this article has clarified your understanding of “DEG” and will help you identify the song’s theme in future listening. And for those who were already aware, hopefully you enjoyed some of the great jams the song was featured in.
Charlie Dirksen from the Mockingbird Foundation has asked for your help in creating a complete record of all “DEG” teases. So, if you happen to come across a “DEG” tease (and after today there should be no confusion as to what that entails) that is not reported on phish.net, please comment or e-mail me at dogoneblog@gmail.com or contact phish.net via their website.
TAB Winter Tour 2010 Recap
Terminal 5 2.16.10 (H. Ezratty)
On Sunday night, Trey and his Classic TAB outfit closed out their 2010 Winter Tour with an accomplished wave goodbye. Reinventing the band’s dynamic – offering a greater focus on the interplay between the reduced horn section – Trey successfully reached a higher level of musicianship with his band, and with his own playing. Hearing people so enthusiastic about “Trey’s chops” is like seeing a glowing sign in the right direction. Challenging compositions were nailed, new numbers were debuted and developed, and Trey’s machine-gun shredding made us all feel like we were transported back to the summer of ’93. Noticeably taking a greater focus towards jazz-oriented themes, and reducing the edgy tone that characterized the post-hiatus years, Trey and his band took on a new form. At times they sounded like one of Count Basie’s bands, and at others they had a dynamic similar to that of an early 70′s Miles Davis group. Like Phish, TAB is constantly evolving.
The new direction pays greater attention to the tight interplay between the various instruments. Jams were kept concise, however, when the horns would exit the stage the four old friends would lock into tight grooves, taking the songs to fresh new places. Trey was noticeably active in communicating with the different band members, often mimicking Ray’s phrases, filling the gaps of his notes, and meshing together in a web of sound. However, the revised horn sections, courtesy of Trey’s compositional collaborator Don Hart, shone brightly as the greatest new aspect of this incarnation of TAB. Creating a thick layer of orchestral sound, the horns brought a unique touch to many of the old and new Classic TAB songs.
Terminal 5 2.16.10 (H. Ezratty)
Lately, Trey’s glowing smile at every show along the tour has been a topic of discussion. There is no question, Big Red has found a renewed sense of joy in performing. Trey’s glowing happiness was infectious within the confines of these small venues, and radiated across the band and the audience like a glowing beam of light. The past few years have been overshadowed by the difficulties Trey has experienced, and this has been reflected in his songwriting. Now that he has acquired this new sense of joy, it will be interesting to see what direction his songwriting will take from here. One of the new songs, “Show of Life” (written by the Dude of Life), seems to echo this new perspective on life, and is certainly a potential Phish song.
Anyone who attended at least one of the shows along the tour knows, these were fun-filled occasions, with party-like atmospheres. Seeing Trey in these small venues is a treat every single time, and is something that may not last forever. Our hats go off to Trey and the members of TAB. In particular we salute Natalie “Chainsaw” Cressman who brought a glowing new flare to the band.
Now let’s check out some of the highlights from the tour:
“Valentine” (2010.2.27 The Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA)
Valentine blossomed beautifully over the course of the tour, developing the song far past the early versions from ’08. The song has unique vocals, different from what we’ve heard from Trey in the past. The song itself, and the solo, are both among the best things we’ve heard from Trey in the last while. The horns are involved throughout the entire track, creating a thick layer of sound which which Trey graces with a soaring solo over the progression.
“Obstacle of Course” (2010.2.27 The Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA)
The newest Anastasio/Marshall tune, played three times over the course of the tour. Clearly in its early stages, this song holds potential to make the transition over to Phish. Fitting perfectly in line with their new joy message, the hook of the song repeats “anything is possible…” The song has a Stevie Wonder, R&B type sound, with great vocal interplays between Trey and Jen. Quite a catchy number if I may say so myself.
“Mozambique” (2010.2.27 The Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA)
Throughout the tour, “Mozambique” served as the stage to display the talent of the “newest member of the TAB family, Natalie Cressman on trombone”, as we heard Trey say at every show. Rising to the occasion, each time Natalie offered a unique solo that solidified her position amongst the other members of the band.
“Beauty of My Dreams“ feat. Del McCoury (2010.2.25 Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN)
This was a special treat, seeing Trey reunite with one of his childhood heroes. Starting in NYC, Trey brought out his acoustic every night for an extended sing-a-long. This was by far the best one featuring two songs with Del’s band and Trey, and one with both TAB and the Del McCoury band.
“Goodbye Head” > “Mr. Completely” (2010.2.26 The Fillmore, Charlotte, NC)
Prior to the tour, Trey had pointed specifically to “Goodbye Head” as a song he wanted to develop further. However, many were disappointed that the jam segment from the end of the song was removed. The focus, rather, was on the revitalized horn sections and perfecting the compositional aspects of the song. The segue into “Mr. Completely” occurred several times throughout the tour, offering a high-energy combination each time.
“Liquid Time” (2010.2.16 Terminal 5, New York, NY)
The most anticipated song prior to the start of the tour was “Liquid Time”. Included on Party Time, and soundchecked by Phish at Festival 8, the song had yet to be performed in front of a live audience. Clearly influenced by Mark Knopfler’s playing in Dire Straits, “Liquid Time” has insightful lyrics that reflect on the sea, using it as a metaphor for time. Over the course of the tour, the song developed with Trey adding tasteful solos that gave a definite nod to Knopfler’s staccato style of playing. I have no doubt that Phish will bring this one on at some point, it’s simply too good to avoid.
“Sultans of Swing” (2010.2.16 Terminal 5, New York, NY)
Like the tune above, this song is a nod to Mark Knopfler, one of the most underrated guitarists in the rock world (for an example, check out Knopfler’s album with Chet Atkins entitled Neck and Neck). This song, off Dire Straits debut album, was Trey’s opportunity to pay tribute to two heroes at once. While recreating Knopfler’s great guitar lines from the song, Trey also incorporated one of Zappa’s tricks – having the horns play the guitar solos note for note. Seeing it live is truly impressive, and was a nice trip back to Bonnaroo ’04 when Trey first debuted the song with his 10 piece band.
“Money, Love, and Change” (2010.2.14 Count Basie Theater, Red Bank, NJ )
“Money, Love, and Change” was one of the largest jam vehicles throughout the tour. On numerous occasions, Trey would lead the full band, changing keys with the use of hand signals. The song’s deep, funky grooves offered an ideal platform for Trey to display some of his machine-gun guitar wizardry.
“Shine” (2010.2.12 House of Blues, Boston, MA)
“Shine” opened the majority of the shows, and was one of the best displays of Don Hart’s reworked horn sections. The arrangements brought out a very thick sound in the horns, creating an orchestral effect, which seemed larger than a simple three-piece horn section.
“Show of Life” (2010.2.12 House of Blues, Boston, MA)
One of the “sushi songs”, “Show of Life” was composed by Trey and the Dude of Life over a sushi dinner. The lyrics are reflective of the maturity and age that the two old friends have acquired. In contrast to the playful lyrics from their childhood, “Show of Life” contains a clear message following in Phish’s new style. I would not be surprised if this one were to make jump to Phish.
More highlights will come as we have time to digest the tour. (Remeber to follow us on Twitter and Facebook for exclusive updates and downloads.)
“Peggy” 2.26.10
“Blue and Lonesome” 2.25.10
TAB Tour: Tennessee Theater
TAB waves goodbye (@Tylerg10) (2.28.10)
The well-received TAB 2010 Winter Tour has come to a close. Gladly, we were able to catch one of the shows along the tour. The new horn arrangements sparkled brightly, bringing a fresh sound to some of the band’s staples. We will be breaking down the tour in more detail as the week goes on. There are some great moments to share, and some necessary discussion to be had. All in good time. For now, check out last night’s show from the Tennessee Theater.
February 28, 2010
Tennesse Theater,
Knoxville, TN
Set I: Push On Til The Day*, Valentine, Small Axe, Burlap Sack and Pumps, Night Speaks to a Woman, What’s Done, Cayman Review, Gotta Jiboo, Tuesday, Money Love and Change, Sultans of Swing, Kill Devil Falls@, Waste@, Strange Design@, Backwards Down The Number Line@, Chalkdust Torture@, Wilson@
Set II: Shine, Ether Sunday, At the Gazebo, Down So Easy, Alaska, Mozambique, Goodbye Head > Mr. Completely, Sweet and Dandy
Encore: Moesha, First Tube
[Thanks to Oh Kee Pah Blog for the Setlist]
DOWNLOAD TAB 2010.2.28 Tennessee Theater, Knoxville, TN [Torrent]
[Source: Schoeps CCM4V'S(din)]
TAB Tour: The Tabernacle
2.26.10 Trey + Del Mccoury Band
February 27, 2010
The Tabernacle
Atlanta, GA
Set I: Shine, Push On ‘Til the Day, Words to Wanda, Obstacle of Course, Night Speaks to a Woman, Cayman Review, Valentine, Let Me Lie, Mozambique, Money, Love and Change, Sultans of Swing, Water in the Sky*, Backwards Down the Number Line*, Bathtub Gin*, The Inlaw Josie Wales*, Wilson*
Set II: Gotta Jibboo, Alaska, The Birdwatcher, Sand, Windora Bug, Alive Again, Drifting, Goodbye Head, Mr. Completely, Black Dog
Encore: Heavy Things, Show of Life, First Tube
* Trey Solo Acoustic
DOWNLOAD TAB 2010.2.27 The Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA
[Schoeps mk22]
TAB Tour: The Fillmore
February 26, 2010
The Fillmore
Charlotte, NC
Set 1: Shine, Burlap Sack and Pumps, Push On Til the Day, Cayman Review, All That Almost Was Sweet Dreams Melinda, A Case of Ice and Snow, Mozambique, Sweet and Dandy, Night Speaks To A Woman, Tuesday
Set 2: Plasma, Gotta Jibboo, Valentine, Alaska, Peggy, Sand, Goodbye Head > Mr. Completely, Black Dog
Encore: Dragonfly, Show Of Life, First Tube
[Setlist courtesy of Hidden Track]
TAB Tour: Ryman Auditorium
The Doc
February 25, 2010
Ryaman Auditorium
Nashville, TN
Set I: Shine, Push On Til The Day, Cayman Review, Valentine, Night Speaks to a Women, Last Tube, Let Me Lie, Drifting, Birdwatcher, Money, Love, and Change, Backwards Down the Number Line@, Wilson@, Blue and Lonesome@*, Beauty of my Dreams@*, Rocky Mountain Shuffle$
Set II: Gotta Jibboo, Sand, Tuesday, Goodbye Head, Mr. Completely, Sultans of Swing, Black Dog
Encore: Show of Life, First Tube
Notes:
@ Trey solo acoustic
* with Del McCoury!!
$ with Full Tab and Del McCoury Band
Setlist is unconfirmed
[Setlist courtesy of Hidden Track]
TAB Tour: The Pageant
February 23, 2010
The Pageant
St. Louis, MO
Set I: Shine, Push, Cayman Review, Night Speaks, Valentine, Alaska, Mozambique, Jibboo, Tuesday, KDF*, Bathtub*, BDTNL*, Wilson*
Set II: Simple Twist Up Dave, The Birdwatcher, Drifting, Sand, Let Me Lie, Liquid Time, Money Love and Change, Goodbye Head, Mr. Completely, Black Dog
Encore: Show of Life, First Tube
*Trey Solo Acoustic
DOWNLOAD TAB 2010.2.23 The Pageant, St. Louis, MO [SBD] [Megaupload]
TAB @ The Pageant Free Live Webcast!
Trey has just announced his first live webcast! With all the streaming going on, it makes sense to just give us a good quality feed. This is a step in the right direction, and hopefully something Phish will consider on their future tours.
Here’s the details on the webcast from Iclips.net:
Tune in to Iclips.net for this very special FREE presentation of Trey Anastasio and Classic TAB Live from the Pageant in St. Louis, MO on February 23, 2010. Start times are 8:30 PM EST, 7:30 CST, 6:30 MST, & 5:30 PST.
iClips is extremely excited to announce for the first time ever, it will be broadcasting Trey Anastasio and Classic TAB on iClips.net! iClips is even more pleased to announce that this very special live broadcast will be offered FREE to all of its loyal fans as well as to all of the millions of Trey’s fans worldwide!
TAB Tour: Uptown Theater
February 21, 2010
Uptown Theatre
Kansas City, MO
Set 1: Shine, Push On, Alive Again, Birdwatcher, Mozambique, Cayman Review, Dragonfly, Night Speaks to a Woman, Valentine, Let Me Lie, Sweet Dreams Melinda, Money Love & Change, Tuesday, Backwards Down the Line*, Brian & Robert*, Back on the Train*, Sample in a Jar*, Wilson*
Set 2: Gotta Jiboo, Liquid Time, Sand, Goodbye Head > Mr. Completely, Alaska, Sultans of Swing
E: Show of Life, First Tube
* Trey Solo Acoustic
DOWNLOAD TAB 2010.2.21 Uptown Theater, Kansas City, MO
“Shine” 2.19.10
TAB Tour: State Theater
2.16.10 (H. Ezratty)
February 20, 2010
State Theater
Minneapolis, MN
Set I: Last Tube, Shine, Cayman Review, Push on til the Day, Mozambique, Drifting, Night Speaks to a Woman, Tuesday, Sand, Joy*, Water in the Sky*, Bathtub Gin*, Sleep Again*, Farmhouse*, Waste*, Chalkdust Torture*
Set II: Gotta Jibboo, Valentine, Money, Love and Change, Liquid Time, Alaska, Goodbye Head, Mr. Completely, Show of Life, Black Dog
E: First Tube
* Trey solo acoustic
TAB Tour: Riviera Theater
2.16.10 (H. Ezratty)
February 19, 2010
Riviera Theatre
Chicago, IL
Set 1: Shine, Cayman Review, Push On Til The Day, Sweet Dreams Melinda, Mozambique, Alive Again, Gotta Jibboo, Small Axe, All That Almost Was, Alaska, Valentine, Tuesday, Brian and Robert^, Driver^, Sample^, Wilson^,
Set 2: Dragonfly, Night Speaks to a Woman, Sand, Let Me Lie, Mr. Completely, Plasma, The Birdwatcher, The Way I Feel, Last Tube, Black Dog
Encore: Sultans of Swing, First Tube
^ – Trey Solo Acoustic
[Setlist via Hidden Track]
DOWNLOAD TAB 2010.2.19 Riviera Theater, Chicago, IL [Torrent]
TAB Tour: Pabst Theater
2.16.10 (H. Ezratty)
February 18, 2010
Pabst Theatre
Milwaukee, WI
Set 1: Shine, What’s Done, Push On Til The Day, Let Me Lie, Sleep Again, The Birdwatcher, Valentine, Cayman Review, Gotta Jibboo, Sultans of Swing, Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan*, Water In The Sky*, Back On The Train*, Bathtub Gin*, Backwards Down The Number Line*,
Set 2: Curlew’s Call, Sand, Night Speaks to a Woman, Goodbye Head, Words to Wanda, Money Love and Change, Small Axe, All That Almost Was, Spin, Tuesday,
Encore: Magilla, First Tube
* – Trey solo acoustic
[Setlist via Hidden Track]
DOWNLOAD TAB 2010.2.18 Pabst Theater, Milwaukee, WI
“Stealing Time” (acoustic)
TAB Tour: Terminal 5
2.16.10 (H. Ezratty)
We had a chance to catch Trey’s stellar show at Terminal 5 last night. Clearly feeling it, Red took us on a lengthy musical excursion that featured TAB and Phish classics, as well as some choice covers. The first set stretched out to nearly two hours, capped with an incredible solo acoustic performance from Trey. While the sets have remained similar over the course of the tour, this was a welcome diversion that continued to solifiy TAB’s position as the modern day JGB. The second set saw more TAB staples strewn with Trey’s fluid shredding, as well as a couple of covers that paid tribute to his guitar heros. All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable show that continued to emphasize the sense of joy that Trey has found in his path to sobriety.
February 16, 2010
Terminal 5
New York, NY
Set One: Shine, Cayman Review, Push On ‘Til the Day, Alaska, Mozambique, Gotta Jibboo, All That Almost Was, Drifting, Liquid Time, The Birdwatcher, Night Speaks to a Woman, Tuesday, Brian and Robert*, Strange Design*, Sample in a Jar*, Chalkdust Torture*, Wilson*
Set Two: Sand, Alive Again, Last Tube> Show of Life, Sultans of Swing, Ether Sunday, Black Dog
Encore: Magilla, First Tube
* – Trey Solo Acoustic
DOWNLOAD TAB 2010.2.16 Terminal 5, New York, NY [Torrent]
“Strange Design”
“Liquid Time”
“Black Dog”
2.16.10 (H. Ezratty)
2.16.10 (H. Ezratti)
TAB Tour: Count Basie Theater
2.12.10 (@coltrane74)
February 14, 2010
Count Basie Theatre
Red Bank, NJ
Set One: Valentine, Cayman Review, Shine, Drifting, Curlew’s Call, Tube Top Flop, Obstacle of Course, Night Speaks to a Woman, Goodbye Head > Gotta Jibboo, Tuesday
Set Two: Sand*, Push On Til The Day, Mr. Completely, The Way I Feel, Money Love & Change, Sweet and Dandy, Last Tube
Encore: Sultans of Swing, First Tube
Notes:
* House lights go on because of fire alarm leading to impromptu parade with just horns and Trey on percusion
[Setlist via Hidden Track]
DOWNLOAD TAB 2010.2.13 Count Basie Theater, Red Bank, NJ
One of our readers, Sean, was kind enough to share some videos with us from the TAB show at the House of Blues in Boston. Hope you enjoy. Thanks Sean!
“All That Almost Was” 2.12.10
“Small Axe” 2.12.10
“Cayman Review” 2.12.10
“Drifting” 2.12.10
“Alaska” 2.12.10
TAB Tour: Oakdale Theater
Oakdale Theater (@RunawayJimPVD)
February 13, 2010
Oakdale Theater
Wallingford, CT
Set 1: Alive Again, Shine, All That Almost Was, Mozambique, Push On Til The Day, Words to Wanda, Sand, Tuesday, Alaska, Liquid Time, Show of Life
Set 2: Cayman Review, Gotta Jibboo, What’s Done, The Birdwatcher, Love Is Freedom > Simple Twist Up Dave, Flock of Words, Drifting, First Tube
Encore: At The Gazebo, Valentine, Dragonfly
[Setlist via Hidden Track]
[Thanks to YEMBlog for Tweeting the Setlist]
TAB Tour: House of Blues
Concert Poster
February 12, 2010
House of Blues
Boston, MA
Set 1: Shine, Cayman Review, Push On Til The Day, What’s Done, The Birdwatcher, Mozambique, Night Speaks to a Woman, Alaska, Let Me Lie, Plasma, Tuesday
Set 2: Drifting, All That Almost Was, Sand, Goodbye Head > Gotta Jibboo, Small Axe, Valentine, Money Love and Change, Show of Life, Dragonfly
Encore: Sultan’s of Swing, First Tube
[Setlist via Hidden Track]
[Thanks to YEMblog for Tweeting the setlist]
TAB Tour: Electric Factory
Electric Factory (evatography)
February 11, 2010
Electric Factory
Philadelphia, PA
Setlist:
Set 1: Sand, Shine, Cayman Review, Valentine, Alaska, Mozambique, All That Almost Was, Night Speaks to a Woman, The Birdwatcher, Obstacle Of Course*, Let Me Lie, Alive Again
Set 2: Curlew’s Call, Liquid Time, Sweet Dreams Melinda, Money Love and Change, Show of Life, Last Tube, Ether Sunday, Push On Til The Day
Encore: Sweet and Dandy^, Tuesday, First Tube
* – Debut, Anastasio/Marshall – Dedicated to Tom’s daughter
^ – Toots and the Maytals, Last Time Played – 05/07/2004 [138 Shows]
[Setlist via Hidden Track]
DOWNLOAD 2010.2.11 Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA
[Torrent]
TAB Tour: 9:30 Club
9:30 Club
After listening to the show from Charlottesville, I’m even more excited to get my hands on this one. The band sounds great with the revised horn arrangements, and Trey is absolutely killing it, per usual. The band takes a night off before heading to Philly amidst this severe case of ice and snow.
February 9, 2010
9:30 Club
Washington D.C.
Setlist:
Set 1: Push On Till The Day, Shine, Gotta Jibboo, Mozambique, Tuesday, Money Love & Change, Tube Top Wobble, Valentine, Words to Wanda, Burlap Sack and Pumps, Night Speaks to a Woman
Set 2: Cayman Review, Simple Twist Up Dave, Drifting, Sand, Liquid Time, The Birdwatcher, Show of Life, The Way I Feel, First Tube
Encore: Magilla, Dragonfly
[Setlist via Hidden Track]
Thanks to YEMBlog for tweeting the setlist.
DOWNLOAD TAB 2010.2.9 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C. [Torrent]
DOWNLOAD TAB 2010.2.9 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C. [Megaupload]
TAB Tour: Jefferson Theater Setlist
Charlottesville Poster
Last night Trey and his new band kicked off their tour in Charlottesville at Jefferson Theatre. The setlist features a selection of TAB classics, as well as some interesting new ones. Word is that “All That Almost Was” and “Show of Life” were written on Trey’s IPhone application with the Dude of Life. The setlist and download are available below. Check back throughout the tour as we will be posting setlists, downloads and reviews. TAB heads to Washington DC tonight where they will play the 9:30 club. Stay tuned for more updates.
February 8, 2010
Jefferson Theatre
Charlottesville, VA
Setlist:
Jefferson Theatre
Charlottesville, VA
Set One: Shine, Cayman Review, Tuesday, Liquid Time*, Drifting, Let Me Lie, All That Almost Was*, Alaska, Mozambique, A Case of Ice and Snow, Last Tube
Set Two: Curlew’s Call, Sand, Valentine, Goodbye Head, Mr. Completely, Windora Bug, Night Speaks to a Woman, Push On Til The Day
Encore: Small Axe, Birdwatcher*, Show Of Life*,
Encore2: At The Gazebo, First Tube
* – First Time Played
[Setlist via Hidden Track]
DOWNLOAD TAB 2010.2.8 Jefferson Theater, Charlottesville, VA [Torrent]
DOWNLOAD TAB 2010.2.8 Jefferson Theater, Charlottesville, VA [Sendspace MP3]
Trey’s Open Tunings
Trey Anastasio Martin DC
Many people are unaware of one of the most essential elements of “Time Turns Elastic” – the fact that it is played in an alternate tuning. For those unaware of what that is, I will briefly explain. A standard guitar is tuned EADGBE (low to high). Variation of those pitch intervals alters the tuning, thus becoming an alternative tuning. There are several common alternative tunings, such as ‘open G’ often used in blues music as well as by Keith Richards, ‘drop D’ popularized by Jimmy Page, or ‘open E’ which was used by Duane Allman. This year at Festival 8 when Trey played Keith Richards’ guitar parts, he used two guitars – one in standard tuning and one in open G – and switched between the two for different songs.
Open tunings allow the guitar player to reach different sequences of notes than would normally be available, offering different sounding chord voicings, as well as unconventional licks and riffs. Blues musicians often employed the use of alternate tunings to allow for easier slide playing, as can be heard by Robert Johnson, who used a wide variety of tunings, but most notably ‘open G’. During the 60′s and 70′s, English folk guitarists including Bert Jansch (of Pentangle), who primarily played open tuning finger-style guitar, inspired rock guitarists to explore altered tunings. Jimmy Page, in particular, went on to create otherwise unobtainable musical textures using alternate tunings. Lou Reed has become well known for his use of “ostrich tunings” which tunes every string to the same note (as heard on VU and Nico). Robert Fripp, of King Crimson, has introduced a tuning known as New Standard Tuning, which he has used exclusively since 1984. Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo has also employed the use of numerous obscure tunings to achieve unique sounds.
Trey, likely inspired by Jimmy Page, went on to explore open tuning compositions of his own. The first was “Acoustic Army”, a simple enough piece, but using alternate tunings, Trey was able to create a rich sound using the open droning strings of the other member’s guitars. The style is very Zeppelinish, and served as the starting point for Trey’s open tuning composition. The second, was “The Inlaw Josie Wales”, which uses Jimmy Page’s well known “DADGAD” tuning, made famous for its use in “Kashmir”. Clearly growing in complexity, Trey continued to explore open tuning composition following the hiatus. In an interview during the hiatus, Trey mentioned how he enjoyed experimenting with open tunings as they forced him to abandon his conventional licks. Instead, with an open tuning, one is forced to experiment, often leading to new discoveries that would otherwise not have been made.
“Time Turns Elastic” is the next step in this compositional technique. Pushing forward in new directions, Trey landed on a very obscure tuning in which to compose his newest masterpiece. “TTE” is written in ‘open C6′ tuning (C-G-C-E-A-C), which sounds exactly as complex as it is. Without going into the specifics, this tuning allows for a wide variety of chord arrangements, using open strings. These interesting chord voicings can be heard all throughout the song, especially in the solo acoustic version (click here to watch the video). But, few realize how challenging, and how forward-thinking this new composition is, and have dismissed it for whatever reason. The reason the song has lacked a jam at the end, is likely because it would be difficult to have an entire jam in an alien tuning. As a result, Trey normally sticks to a single string in the brief jam section at the end. From “Acoustic Army” to “TTE”, it is clear Trey’s open-tuning compositional abilities have improved, and have become a major part of his creative process. We look forward to the next step…
Here are some of my favorite songs played in alternate tunings.
Duane Allman – “Little Martha”
Bert Jansch “Black Waterside”
Led Zeppelin – “The Rain Song”
Rolling Stones – “Rocks Off”
Robert Johnson – “Hellhound on my Trail”
Phish – “The Inlaw Josie Wales”
Sonic Youth – “Teenage Riot”
