Phish came back big time in 2009. The Vermont foursome kicked off with a three-night stand at Virginia's Hampton Coliseum in March, toured through most of the summer, staged the three day Festival8, including the first "musical costume" since 1998 on Halloween with the performance of the Stones'Exile on Main St., followed by a Fall tour. They ended the year with four shows in Miami. The final one is tonight - show 50 for 2009. Not bad.
New studio album
Joy, their new studio album, was received quite well, with notable exception of one track Time Turns Elastic, the first long "composed" song in a long time. It took over a 200 takes. TTE is hated by many and liked by few. The band persists in performing it. It did work when guitar player Trey Anastasio performed it with a full orchestra in Baltimore and New York. All of the Joy tracks were rolled out in concert before the album's release. Songs that didn't make the cut ended up on the bonus album Party Time, part of the deluxe edition of Joy.
From the Archives
Archival release highlight was the mammoth DVD Box set with 7 DVD's documenting The Clifford Ball. Big Cypress in 2010?
On the road again in 2010?
Will they tour again in 2010? Most likely, but will that include Europe? It's been a long time since that final show in Barcelona, July 10. 1998.
MP3: Phish - Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan
(live at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, NY 2009/06/02)
MP3: Phish - Kill Devil Falls
(live at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, NY 2009/06/02))
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