25 in 25 of 2015 #15 08/11/2015 The Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA (Christy Okes, @phuckchristy)
Scene: wooden spaceship that hints in your subconscious you’ve been here before. It’s all been coming back now for the past 2 weeks. You’re in the presence of aliens. Some possible unicorns, maybe even an elf, or nymph here and there. Night 1 at the Mann.
http://i.imgur.com/MdX9a8P.gif
Ah. Now we remember. As we work our way through the Wook City outside the gates, we remember. The Mann shows are something we all but tend to overlook. 8-11-16 is one of those. Phish led an orchestrated dance party through set one, on to set 2. The party had continued with a set opening “Fuego > Rock and Roll,” followed by an almost tangible “46 Days -> Taste taking flight.” Here’s where we come to our special gem. The gem that often gets overlooked but valued oh so sweetly to those who see it. One of those gems from Hampton ’99 that resurfaced Hampton ’13. The type of gem you see a phish kid doing sun salutations too. That effervescent “2001 > Sand.” That “Trey is just letting us know everything is going to be alright” kind of song placement that lets you not forget that this show was made for you to dance and dance you shall.
We’re not pretending that these were the greatest songs of the show, but dare I make the assertion that these songs were Phish’s subtle way of reminding us we are here to smile. The first set paved way for an all out and out of this world dance party and continued through the night. By the time “2001” hit, you could sense the extraterrestrial energy flubbing from the floor up through the spine, breaking down the atlas gaining entrance to the fortitude that is you.
The alien vibes only continued with the mutron-esque sound into the opening riffs of “Sand” with Mike getting down to business with the funk. Together, these two songs kept the floor moving and the balcony jumping. Real gritty, funk and Mike’s bass. That’s what dreams are made of.
From Christy:
Pchristy, grandchild of Jerry Garcia, has been a fan of uncoordinated dancing and dad music since the age of 3. In her spare time she enjoys second set “Winterqueens,” local bluegrass Sunday jams, the Hampton “Tweezer,” pina coladas and getting caught in the rain