LawnMemo

The Daily Ghost

The Daily Ghost #95 10/10/2010 1stBank Center, Broomfield, CO

(AUD Download @KernelForbin Remaster)

Background (Set: 2 of 2 – Song: 3 of 11 – Show Gap: 4)

Ghost is placed in the middle of a Set 2 opening Mike’s Groove. A LawnMemo favorite of Mike’s Song>Simple>Ghost>Weekapaug Groove.  No segues have been included.

2010-10-10mo

Composed Section (0:00-3:50)

As the bliss from the end of Simple fades, Trey starts up the opening lick to Ghost.  He plays it for a while before Mike joins him.  The pace has a bit more pep to it than normal.

The solo section is heavy on the Page clav, and Mike comes in with a fury.  He throws down a bit harder than normal.   Slightly above average solo section for me.

A good solid lead in.  The pause is a bit longer than normal, and gets a mix of sounds from the band.  Good lead in, good pause…The drop?

Woo they nailed it!  It can be done!  See how much fun that is guys when you hit the target!

Lots of energy to carry into the jam now.

Light Beginnings (3:51-6:30)

This Ghost follows the trend of most version in 2010, by immediately breaking down.  Mike chooses a relatively high pitched tone at first, but then switches to a more classic Gordon tone.

The band finds a nice early groove.  Fish is playing a pretty upbeat tempo for such an early section.  From the 4:00-5:00 things are not groundbreaking but they are smooth.  Light soloing from Trey mixed with Mike and Page provides a nice sound.

At the 5:00 mark, Trey starts to break away and goes searching.  Fish changes beats and Trey starts to find something new.  Page provides some nice keyboard work during Trey’s exploration.  From 5:00-5:50 Trey doesn’t find much however.

Around the 5:50 mark, Trey starts to dial things back in with a tricky rhythm from Fish.  Things are pretty nice as Phish starts to dance in a warm summers rain.  At least that is what I am picturing.  Just a nice slow movement through some raindrops.

Where are we going? (6:31-9:08)

Around the 6:31 mark, Fishman begins a series of fills that increases the pace.  With each passing fill things move a little bit quicker.  Fish also establishes himself as the driving engine behind this jam.  I am about to make an incredibly profound statement.  “The Drummer is important in a band.”  Sometimes I come up with some mind blowing stuff.

Fish puts his mark on this Ghost with an incredible array of sounds and patterns.  He is all over the board and steals all of my listening attention.  Fish’s incredible design steals the show.

Another reason Fish forces me to seek him is out, is that this is not the best work from Trey.  Trey floats around but there is nothing that makes me stop in my tracks here.  It is not his worst, but it doesn’t connect with the rest of the band like it does when he is at his best.

Other than Fishman I want to take another nap here.  The jam is wandering around, until Fish gets things back on track.  Fish drops a fill at 8:24 and senses that Ghost needs a jolt.  Fishman forces an injection of adrenaline into this jam.  Page plays nice melodies on the piano to help with the shot.

Then Trey quickly repeats a note at 8:41.  Page works hard at building things up.  A lot of space is left open for….

BEOW BEOW BEOW (9:09-11:30)

Mike comes attacking into the empty space bringing real energy into this jam.  It breathes all kinds of life into Trey, who starts to find himself.  Well he does for a bit before the 9:38 where he begins to build some tension.  Trey once again goes off the map, while the rest of the band works on the build.

Mike and Fish are particularly strong.  When the tension gets released at 10:07 things get nice!!!

Now we are talking!  I am awake!  I am awake!  Lets party!!!

The good thing about some of these snoozer sections, is that when the peak hits, it hits harder.  Page holds some organ chords at 10:28 and the band follows him in building things back up.  More tension…more tension….more tension….10:48…49….50…11:03….

After holding that tension, Mike and Trey unleash it with some power rock.  Page holds more chords at 11:30, and this time the band decides to change some direction…

Funkytime! (11:31-15:30)

Trey lets his note drop at 11:31, and Page hammers into the organ.  Time to get down to the funk business.  NOW THIS IS PHISH!  They have grabbed my interest and kicked me in the balls with it.

The funk gets awesome.  Not a full fledged Fall ’97 funk but at least a glimmer of it.  It is a NICE change up to some of the weak Ghost outros we have seen.  This is far and away the best part of this jam and it comes after the peak.  I eat this up like it is Cookie Dough Ice Cream.  I am moving and grooving.  Love it Phish!!!

At 11:55… Is that… no can’t be… A touch of Start/Stop!!!  Woooo we are in the shadow of 1997.

The band might not have been in unison for the first 10:00 minutes of this Ghost, but that has gone by the wayside.  Now it is locked in funktown city.  Dare I say it?  This has some Worcester ’97 Ghost to it.  That my friends, is a compliment.  It is like saying you have a nice jump shot, it reminds me of Larry Bird’s.

At 12:58 the band drops it to nothing and Mike unleashes a series of fight bells (More Worcester ’97 like).  Serious, serious tension builds.  They are crazy patient with this and it sets up a pure flame thrower face melter.  A funny thing happens though.

They just KEEP building it.  They don’t just unleash the fury that my ears crave.  If ever a section called for an insane face melter it was this.  They just keep going more and more ambient however.  Until, Mike finally starts to attack at the 14:04 mark.

He finds a unique tone and rips off some bad ass licks.  OK HERE WE GO!!! Kill it Mike….

DAMN IT!  He takes that Ferrari to about 50 miles and hour and then just parks it.  That could have been so awesome had he just stayed with hit.  The jam just wanders in ambiance, until it sounds like Fish is going to start Bowie at 14:57.  The rest of the band doesn’t come with him though and the jam breaks down into a scary nothingness.

Final Thoughts

I have serious mixed emotions on this Ghost.  The first 10:00 minutes (although a pretty good composed section) are nothing special.  A decent peak, but a SERIOUSLY awesome funk section.  One of my favorite outro sections.  If Trey had just taken charge and released a face melter we might still be talking about this Ghost.  11:30-13:00 is enough to give this at least a different score.

Score: 8.5