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Summer is the best time to catch Phish

After nearly a decade away Phish, one of the best-known jam bands, made their return to Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati on Sunday, June 5.

Aside from three sold-out shows scheduled in Chicago for mid-August, this show was the closest Phish members, guitarist and vocalist Trey Anastasio, bassist Mike Gordon, keyboardist Page McConnell and drummer Jon Fishman got to southern Indiana on their current 33 show tour, which will conclude on Sunday, Sept. 4, in Commerce City, Colo.

Scheduled to start at 7 p.m., it was close to 7:45 p.m. before the band, known for their long jams, took the stage. After a security guard told me there is a $1,000-a-minute fine for artists who are on stage past 11 p.m. I was left to wonder how they would be able to cram in a variety of tunes from their 14-album discography, which dates back to 1986.

Vermont’s “phinest” managed to provide numerous crowd pleasers into the show’s two sets as they opened with “AC/DC Bag,” which fans refer to as a “typical upbeat opener.” Throughout the evening Anastasio lead the band into tour debuts of rarities and fan favorites such as “Bathtub Gin,” a live rarity of “Lawn Boy,” which features a catchy bass riff provided by Gordon, that lead into an even rarer performance of, “Mound.” This was the fourth time the song has been performed since 1996, according to some fans.

Phish fans know their concerts, with some following the band in the same fashion as the Grateful Dead’s “deadhead” fan base. The music makes a great background while observing this diverse crowd. For most concerts the “best seats” are down front, but at a Phish show the lawn is the choice spot. While enjoying the show, fans can be found doing anything from hula hooping and interpretive dancing to blowing bubbles.

Aside from long jams, Phish is known for incorporating covers into their live performances, this show was no exception and featured two including “Cross-eyed and Painless” by Talking Heads and “Loving Cup” by the Rolling Stones. From time to time they also use non-conventional instruments, their most identifiable is when drummer Jon Fishman performs a solo using an Electrolux vacuum cleaner, of course all while wearing his signature blue muumuu with a red donut pattern. Fishman didn’t disappoint with the muumuu but the vacuum must have been in the shop for the Cincinnati performance, however Anastasio did sing the verses of “Fee” through a megaphone.

The band broke for intermission a little after 9 p.m., after an upbeat first set. Given the sweltering humidity, which was probably enhanced by being next to the Ohio River, and faced with a two hour drive home, when it came to sticking around for the second set, I opted out. This set reportedly featured more extended and darker psychedelic jamming.

Fans who missed the show, or only part of it like I did, can purchase the show in its entirety or individual tracks by going to www.livephish.com and searching the catalog.

Setlist

Set 1: AC/DC Bag, Punch You In the Eye, Bathtub Gin, Taste, Lawn Boy, Mound, Gotta Jibboo, Reba, Fee, Backwards Down the Number Line

Intermission

Set 2: Carini, Tweezer, Free, Crosseyed and Painless, Light, Boogie On Reggae Woman, Julius, You Enjoy Myself

Encore: Loving Cup and Tweezer Reprise

“Rock and Roll Never Forgets” and neither has Bob Seger

66-year-old musician rocks Chicago’s Allstate Arena

Walking on stage with a gray beard and hair, glasses, jeans and a Harley-Davidson t-shirt, it looked like one of the many Seger concertgoers got lost on his way to the beer line, until the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s raspy voice started with, “Roll Me Away,” to which a full Allstate Arena crowd replied with cheers on Saturday night, May 14.

Seger went straight into “Tryin’ to Live My Life Without You,” which featured the four member Motor City Horns section, adding a nice brass component to this R&B tune, before going into “Fire Down Below” before stopping to acknowledge the crowd with, “Chicago, it’s been a while.” After wiping his face and putting on a headband, he belted out more of his greatest hits, some deep cuts and a new single, “Downtown Train.”

“Maybe you’ve heard this on the radio or who knows these days,” Seger joked as he introduced the song, which is a Tom Waits cover that Seger originally recorded in 1989 but held off releasing it after Rod Stewart beat him to the punch. Stewart’s version, also released in 1989, made it to number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Seger finally released his version in February this year.

Accompanied by his 13 member Silver Bullet Band, Seger rocked the house for over two hours. Aside from swapping headbands every few songs, the only costume change was when the rocker went from his Harley t-shirt to a black sleeveless shirt, which was understandable as he was all over the stage, enthusiastically pumping his fists and punching into the air along with the beat of the songs. Intermission lasted six minutes, which isn’t bad for someone who recently turned 66.

The veteran rocker also has not toured in over four years. That coupled with rumors of this being his last tour ever, fans of all ages, most of whom were probably in Seger’s same age demographic, sang along with every song. Saturday’s “peak moment” for the crowd began when the blue spotlight was on Alto Reed, 40 year member of the Silver Bullet Band, and he played the famous saxophone solo at the beginning of “Turn the Page,” a Seger song that is on heavy rotation at just about any classic rock station. Cheers from the crowd over-powered the first few notes but toned down in time for Seger to start singing, as he was seated at the grand piano. He also broke out his acoustic guitar for a few numbers, but for the most part he stuck to making his rounds on the stage and working the crowd.

A personal favorite of the evening was the performance of a song Seger referred to as, “one we haven’t done in a while, see if you recognize it,” referring to “Her Strut” from the Against the Wind album-a song that was supposedly inspired by Jane Fonda.

Mix a legend like Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band with a set list of timeless classics and theatrics aren’t required for a great show. There weren’t any big video screens, pyrotechnics, runways or elaborate costumes. It was just a singer, with an awesome band, who specializes in making rock and roll for the Midwest. After two encores, Seger could have easily spent another hour performing more hits, but he chose to leave the crowd wanting more. If Saturday night’s show, 20 of a 26-stop tour, was Seger’s last performance in Chicago, he left the windy city on a good note, which ironically enough was that of “Rock and Roll Never Forgets.”

Set list: Roll Me Away, Tryin’ to Live My Life Without You, Fire Down Below, Mainstreet, Downtown Train, Old Time Rock and Roll, Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man, Real at the Time, Good for Me, Shinin’ Brightly, Travelin’ Man, Beautiful Loser, Nutbush City Limits, Come to Poppa, Her Strut, Long Twin Silver Line, We’ve Got Tonight, Turn the Page, Sunspot Baby, Horizontal Bop, Katmandu, Against the Wind, Hollywood Nights, Night Moves and Rock and Roll Never Forgets.

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i wonder how many people will read this...who really cares what i have to say...maybe ill have to pay people to read.