Again, you could tell there was looseness and energy and good choices being made sonically. Of course after you blaze, you “Steam.” I really appreciated the space here-it did the band good and was a great call to shift the vibe, just oozing with ‘we only just got going’ energy. So a twenty minute pairing of Phish’s more anthemic modern-day originals bound by a beauty segue opens the show, and we’re in very good shape already. I’m getting ahead of myself, as much of that became more apparent later, but in the meantime, a soulful “Sigma Oasis” blended seamlessly via a slick segue into -> “Blaze On.” It worked great in the two spot, made the quick nod to the Canadian cannabis vibe and packed a lot of punch in the limited run time. After the two shows I saw in Bethel where Mike and Fish really stood out, I was really feeling and hearing more balance in the sound, Trey taking his time, deliberate, but then very much nailing those licks and highs when he went for them, and Page feeding on that. Trey seemed rested, looser, and Page seemed energized as well in a way I haven’t quite heard him yet this tour. Like they have been for the most part on this tour, the show opened strong, with a beautiful jam out of “Sigma Oasis” that was interesting from the outset. So what would this tour’s Canadian stop add to the story? Would it be a throwaway gig between AC and Alpine, or a can’t miss, out of the way gem? Where do we stand? Let’s find out… I said to a new friend before the show that really the biggest knock on 2022 is that it’s sitting right next to 2021, a year in which the band performed to a level they really had no business doing this late in the game. And then there’s the context of this unique tour, which has at times been brilliant and at other moments feeling like maybe the momentum of their revived post-Covid identity has been waning a bit, Trey especially. We could call back to the band’s recent history at the venue in 2019 (a show I thought was unfairly maligned), or whether or not they’d bust out Misty Mountain Hop which they debuted here in 1999.
In any case, I feel like there’s a lot of ways to set the context for last night’s show in Toronto. Has it? Time sure feels messy these days, and this band just keeps on plugging away blowing our minds despite it all. My official recap for the show, edited slightly and reposted after a chance to listen back.
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