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Feature
Article - January 2000
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Best of 1999
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by the Jambands.com Readers! Well this is the final part of our backward glance at the shows of '99. Last month we invited our readers to share their favorite live moments, and here they are (in the order of submission). Living in Florida has had its ups and downs over the past few years. Yes, while all of you in the northeast are adding another layer of wool and fleece to your chattering bodies, I' m adding another coat of suntan oil on another perfect January day at the beach. But, you can only bake in the sun for so long before you start to miss the stellar music scene that has exploded in the northeast and on the west coast. Living in the south has a few perks, smaller venues, less traffic, and cheaper ticket prices, but overall FL has been neglected by all the usual jambands not to mention the up and coming nobodys. It is a musical wasteland down here, ruled by bad punk bands and the worst DJ's on the planet. Only one band really made an attempt to hook us up down here in Florida, my favorite of the jamband world, Phish. When I heard rumors of the NYE show being planned for Florida I didn't believe it. Who would want to play down here for the millennium celebration, let alone Phish? Those of you who have attended previous shows in FL know that the authorities don't exactly roll out the red carpets. But at that killer show in Columbus Trey confirmed for me what I thought was impossible. Those
who attended Big Cypress know why it is my favorite show of 1999
and most likely my favorite Phish show of all time. Never before
at any other musical gathering that I have attended has there been
such a great vibration among the crowd and the band. Everyone was
beaming in anticipation for the music in progress and the music
ahead. The drum circle in the forest, Cousin Fungus, friends jamming
all night, the kids next to us from Wisconsin blaring Bob at five
in the morning, and best of all, Phish, were all individual and
encompassing musical masterpieces that will stay with me for a lifetime.
It wasn't that specific song, or jam, or Trey solo that made the
show. It wasn't about the party, or the food, or the DJ's. It wasn't
about getting backstage or meeting Mike or the man of my dreams.
It was about everything that Phish and music fans know and love.
Every song was amazing, every moment with all of my best friends
and family, every sunrise and sunset was perfect. Every moment of
the whole weekend musically and otherwise encompassed what Phish
and seeing music is all about- that one thing individual to you
but shared with 80,000 and beyond of your closest friends and family.
We were one with the chords, the notes, the bass line, and the cymbals.
It was truly a highlight of any musical event or spiritual gathering
I have ever been a part of. The best part was we were in Florida,
three hours from my house. Phish actually brought the music to me
for once. I felt truly blessed. This event confirmed for me that
I am so privileged to be a part of the wonderful music that is happening
right now and the exponentially amazing music yet to come. Peace-
AD I've been reading articles that have been talking about Phish as "losing it" or not being "up to par." What I have found is that the people who are saying this are people who have gone to way too many shows in a short period of time. How musically selfish of them. I have been to 22 Phish shows in 4 years, 11 in 1999. The year 1999 was awesome for Phish and excuse me if I wasn't there "back in the day." You people who criticize the band are only doing so out of your own insecurity and selfishness. 1999 was Phish's best year in my opinion. The best show of the year as far as experience of course was NYE. Musically, however, I believe the best show of the year was December 18, 1999 at Hampton Coliseum. The second Hood opener in a week, a great mix of new songs with old favorites, and an unbelievable 2001>Do You Feel Like I Do>2001 made this show hands down the best Phish show of the year. The energy was out of this world. Trey's playing spoke to me in such a way that I could feel the tears welling in my eyes. It is incredible that the same band who touches me that much can be scorned by another fan. It's not Phish that's the problem. The listeners of music ultimately take full responsibility for its enjoyment. After all, isn't Phish about becoming open-minded musically? To blame Phish is to totally undermine the manner in which they make the listener responsible. Phish hasn't failed us. If anything the "overcritical" fans have failed Phish. Phish is the provider of music. We must be the interpreters. At the same time, I am going to refrain from going to thirty shows a year or something crazy like that. To make it a chore to go to a Phish show is not fair to the band, the music, and people like me who cry on the highway to "Harry Hood" and jump in the air in exaltation to "Possum." If Phish doesn't do anything for you anymore it is because you have let the extracurriculars of the Phish experience dominate your lives. If you would just stay focused you would realize that this band is only getting better and that they are the greatest band this world has ever known. By far the best show I witnessed in '99 was KVHW, in Boston at The Middle East, 12/03/99. These guys blew me away, and it's really too bad that they won't be playing together anymore. Anyway, it was my first and only time seeing the band and it is a memory to be cherished forever. These four guys were meant to play together, they combined to make a sound that was unique and engaging. What can I say, the crowd was great (seemed like a lot of people were in the know), the venue was small (that's always a plus), and the music was better than anything I have ever experienced (and I've been blown away by some of the best). Anyone out there who has not seen Steve Kimock, G0 SEE HIM, HE IS A JEWEL. He makes some of the most beautiful sounds come out of his guitar in a seemingly effortless manner. I don't mean to say the guy looks lazy, but his fingers flow like water. Some highlights included 5 B/4 funk, In Time, It's Your Thing, Express Yourself and the mother of all Cissy Strut's (it was cosmic). If anyone out there has a copy of this show (or any other KVHW) I would love to trade. I have gorgeous copy of New Year's 98 and a ton of other stuff (Dead, Jerry Band, Zero, Max Creek, MMW and other goodies). My address is Kraus2001@aol.com. Hope
this was fun to read, KVHW @ Quixotes, Denver CO, 29 Nov 1999 The
very peak experience of the finest band around! A true mind melt
down in every respect, a final night of three at a tiny, intimate,
and very very kind and friendly establishment run by a fan of all
good things. The high point of a high night... an immense tower
of the cosmic gods version of "High and Lonesome", with slide playing
of intensity and imagination hitherto unseen on this earth. I
was at some of the shows that were listed and I have no argument
that they were all great shows. I saw 17 Phish shows in '99 along
with another 50 shows of various other bands. The best show of 1999
was GOV'T MULE at Irving Plaza NY, NY 3/24. The power that this
trio is undescribable. They hit the elements of funk, jazz, blues,
rock, and soul with raw in your face jams. Mule's guests that night
were Bernie Worrell (P-Funk) on keys, Derek Trucks (Allmans, DTB)
on slide, and the late bass player from Blues Traveler Bob Sheehan.
Highlight of the show was the hardest "Lively Up Your Self" cover
I will ever hear. I will not get in to it but the second best show
of '99 was the last Phil & Friends/Dylan show of the tour 11/18.
The first night of Jimmy Page with the Black Crowes at the Greek in LA (Oct 18) was one of the more righteous experiences in my life. My two favorite bands (Zep and Crowes) mangled together by smoke and fire jamming to favorites from Physical Grafitti. I ask you, does life get any better than that? -Doug
Wheaton Marc Noddle It was nice to read some of the enthusiastic reviews given about the best shows of '99. As a resident "West-Coaster," I unfortunately don't have as many shows to go to as those in the East. Regardless
of geography, I don't think anyone on this planet could have enjoyed
themselves more than I did seeing String Cheese Incident at the
House of Blues in L.A. on 2/5/99. This undoubtably was not the best
SCI show of the year (I guaranteed there were other incidents that
were superior to this one), but this band is truly the best band
around. I saw Phish, Disco Biscuits, moe., Galactic and Mother Hips
in 1999 but they still can't touch the pure musical bliss that String
Cheese pulls out every night.
I'm
no String Cheese Incident expert, but beginning with Round the Wheel
and ending with Jessica, seeing the boys the 26th and 27th of November
this year was seeing a band playing 7 straight hours at the best
capability a group of musicians can play. And everyone in the Vic
those two nights knew it. I feel that two of the finest bands playing today were not represented in your otherwise fine and enjoyable list. I saw Phish at Big Cypress, and it was the bomb, but my personal favorites were... 1. ALLMAN BROTHERS AND HOT TUNA--Charlotte, NC, 7/3--What a clash of the titans this was!! As a rabid ABB fan, I was dying to see my first show with Derek Trucks, whom I've seen grow up on the guitar. On top of that, I'd never seen Hot Tuna before, and needless to say, they kicked ass! The real treat of the show was when Jorma, Jack Casady, and Pete Sears joined the Brothers for a version of "One Way Out" that was one of the hottest things I've ever heard. Derek held his own against the masters all night long, and Jessica/Mountain Jam was also utterly spectacular. 2.
THE FUNKY METERS AND SANTANA--Jazz Fest, New Orleans, 4/25--As a
former N.O. resident, I always look forward to Jazz Fest. This was
one of the best double bills I've ever seen there, high praise indeed.
The oh-so-funky METERS dropped the bomb as usual, getting the crowd
juiced up for Carlos. Santana were ON FIRE that day, and I don't
think I've ever seen a crowd so pumped full of energy. Jingo and
Everybody's Everything had me literally jumping up and down, and
everybody walked away with a smile on their face. The mad props
that Santana has gotten since that day have made me feel that there
is justice in the world, and even if it is a little cheesy, I smile
every time I hear "Smooth" on the radio. Big
Wu Family Reunion (memorial weekend, harmony park) Even though I
wasn't at any of the other particular shows mentioned, or come even
close to being a music expert (and intimidated to voice my opinion
among extremely knowledged music critics), I gotta let it out. I
had one of the best experiences in my life at the Big Wu Family
Reunion. I had seen and listened to the Wu for a little over a year
before the reunion and loved them. I considered myself someone who
explored and appreciated music, but I've reached a new level. It
was the Saturday night show, as I told my friend next to me, I was
sucked in. Suddenly every note played and beat drummed I could feel
coming out of me, from the heart. I was pretty sure it was the Wu,
but also skeptical about some other factors. So I remained 100%
sober the following night, and was happily "sucked in" again. I
can't remember what night they played Texas Fireball, but that was
a huge contributing factor on the effect too. I had no control over
my body (especially the arms), it was magic! And the weekend couldn't
of come to a better close with the acoustic tent late in the Sunday
night, the perfect setting to come down from such a natural high.
The Wu is where it's at for me, I didn't want to be anywhere else
for NYE, and got blown away as expected! I have always loved Phish, Meters, MMW, and the sort...but one band I was never exposed to ever was Widespread Panic. I never heard a tape, song, or really even of them as an entity in the jam band world at all. Nobody has ever brought them to my attention, until a friend of a friend had an extra ticket to a show and asked if I would go with him. It was a Wednesday night in July 21 at NYC's Roseland Ballroom. So, having no idea what to expect, I thought it might be a good time nonetheless, and i accepted. and what I experienced that night was above and beyond nearly any other show I had seen in a long time. Words were not enough to describe it. Their music and presence onstage was absolutely phenomenal. Their jams in and out of songs were so fluid and smooth, you almost could not tell...and members of the crowd, knowing it was my first show, were extremely thrilled to be a part of the devirginizing process. I was also later informed that I could not have picked a better show to be my first, being that that particular night was the finest show seen in a while by most folks I talked to. It was great...and can't wait to do it again! John
Sauchelli - Guitar player, Bass player, and Pastry Chef A few shows stand out in my mind from '99. Medeski, Zorn, and Ribot at the Knitting Factory has to be one of the HOTTEST shows I have ever seen in my life. I closed my eyes and was lifted to heaven Tom Waits at the Beacon theater.... show brought tears to my eyes. Phil and Friends (sans Kimock) at the Byrne (all you heads know what I'm talking about.) It isn't the Grateful Dead...obviously. Anyone who goes and expects the same magic will be sadly disappointed. It is, however, a great place for old friends to get together and remember how truly amazing the Dead were. In 1995, like many others, I had spurned the older, seasoned, and slightly out of tune Jerry for the vitality of Phish. If I could have that year back. I missed Unbroken Chain forever. Last
but not least, moe. on Halloween. One word-SMOKING. Willy Wonka
is one of my favorite movies of all time. My
favorite was The Gathering of the Vibes in Bridgeport, Conn., specifically,
the Sunday performances starting with the set by Percy Hill until
moe. ended after playing their set with appearances by both D.J.
Logic and Nate from Percy Hill. The "in-between" highlights were
The Radiators and Deep Banana Blackout, with John Scofield sitting
in for a few DBB numbers. It was an amazing day of music by the
up-and-comers and a few tried-and-true veterans of the jamband scene. While
'99 was the year I was introduced to so many of these great jam
bands, it was the Disco Biscuits tour of the Northwest in the fall
that really blew me away. And, in particular, Arcata, 10/2/99. After
four nights in a row of meeting fellow tour-heads, this was the
show where I could look around the room and recognize at least 30
smiling faces. That alone made it special. But then, there was the
music. The boys blew us all away with epic versions of "House Dawg
Party Favor" and "The Very Moon" in the second set, and that was
just a small part of it. What amazed me was watching the locals.
Set one, they were checking these guys out. But by set two, that
lil' sushi bar by the ocean was completely blissed out, rocking
around the joint with moves that should be illegal. And the last
thing that made this such a great evening was the attitude of the
town and venue. Beautiful, beautiful people!! I did have to use
the bathroom a lot on the drive home because they provided a ton
of free water that was easily accessible. By far, this was the show
that made me believe in the power of community and music. Here's
to more like it. the
best concerts I was able to witness in 1999 was hands down, the
Bela Fleck & the Flecktones shows at the 6\13\99 show at the Uptown
Theatre in Kansas City. the Flecktones were in fine form as they
treated the crowd to their trademark bluegrass\jazz\funk etc. Vic
played one of the most amazing solos I've seen teasing many jazz
standards: Naima, Caravan and the Beatles classic Norwegian Wood
among others. He capped it off with an outstanding Amazing Grace.
Pure ecstasy. Add that to Fleck's acoustic solo, Future Man's drumitar
solo and Jeff Coffin's wide array of woodwinds. He even had a wah
on his tenor for a song! In all, seeing this allstar bunch of musicians
perform and express themselves was something special that everyone
should get to witness at least once. I'm sure everyone has an experience
like this at some point in their lives. I'm so glad I was there
to see this one. I'd have to say that of all of the different bands that I saw this millennium ending year, that the best overall show that I saw was at the garden of eden show in Addison County, VT. Hosted by strangefolk and a whole lot of strangers it was a great time. It was my second time at this garden of eden and I quickly remembered why I returned. The strangers are among the best I have ever met, and all of the friends I met there unexpectedly was a great thing too. The band gets tighter and tighter every time I see them, and the two day event ended with a compilation of tunes having the word "strange" in them, how creative. Not to mention the weather was next to perfect, maybe a bit hot but it was better than rain. Anyways, that is my idea of good clean fun. Okay, I wasn't exactly clean, but that's what makes camping fun.
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