9-14-00 -- Darien Lake, Darien Center, New York

Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2000 14:43:13 EDT
From: Over the Mountians route_2@hotmail.com
Subject: 09.14.2000 Darien Lake PAC review
 
This is my first time writing a review and sorry if it is a little long
winded, I really loved this show!  I was psyched for Darien lake, my 17th
show, but the first time I had to travel less then an hour to get there.  It
was a pretty dismal day, cold and rainy, but I set out for the lot with high
hopes.  My pipe was confiscated second night Albany, so I found myself a
nice little phattie glass piece.  For such a crappy day, lot scene was
pretty cool.  From what I could hear of  the soundcheck there a pretty long
reggae jam, and this weird jam where trey was repeating something that
sounded like "this is a soundcheck, you don't have to pay for this" which I
thought was pretty funny.  Found my way in to my seats, maybe 25 rows or so
back trey side.  I made a comment to my friend while waiting for the show to
start about how I like it when they play songs with a little strummed intro
before they bust into the song, which was my subconsious way of saying "I
like when they open with Punch you in the Eye"
On to the show^Å
 
PYITE- Yes!  Well played, gotta love that landlady dance!  Ended and went
right into^Å
 
Reba- another great choice.  I christened my pipe and just took it all in.
This song has been slowly working its way up from one of my least favorite
songs to one of my favorites.  During the jam I looked up at the big tent
covering the reserved seats and could see that Chris was projecting these
amazing light displays on the canvas.  It was pretty clear all night that
the band was really loving looking up and the cool images.  Really tight
version to my ears, not as mind blowing as Toronto, but really good.  They
took a long pause and I figured they would still do the whistling but
instead when into^Å
 
Albuquerque-  nicely played and a nice breather, but I would have rathered
they finish the "reba"
 
Carini-  This really rocked.  More jammed out then any other version that I
have ever heard before.  The jam was pretty out there, then trey started
strumming the "carini" intro chords really fast and brought it back around.
 
Oh Kee Pa >- when they first started playing this I thought it was going to
be a bluegrass cover but after about 2 seconds I realized what it was.  My
first and the first time they played it in over a year.  Had a lot of fun
dancing around like a fool and debating in my head "Bag or Suzy?"
 
Suzy- always excited to hear this.  Really liked the encore version from
alpine, and this was really similar to my ears, but yet oh so different!
They launched into the first jam part and they took it so far out that I
didn't think they would return to "suzy".  The jam made me think of the
"piper" from deer creek that went into "crosseyed", when I told this to the
kid in front of me, he gave me a big grin and said he really wanted to hear
it.  The rain started coming down hard at this point.  I could see the
sheets of water coming down.  The intensity level inside the pavilion was
crazy and just kept rising.  The lights on the canvas looked so cool and the
band was just going jamming so hard^ÅI was sure that there was no way they
were going to sing the final verse of "suzy" but they did and the song
winded down  from my angle it looked like fishman had moved his mike closer
and I was going to get my favorite talking heads cover^Å
 
Suzie Jam-  this actually sounded like they were playing "crosseyed" in the
wrong key for the first few seconds and I nearly hit the ceiling, but then I
realized it was a continuation of the funky "suzy" jam from before.  I have
never heard the "suzy" jam from 11.13.96, but if it is anything like this
version, I have to find that tape!  This was just phenomenal!  The band was
going nuts, the lights were going nuts, the crowd was going nuts, mother
nature was going nuts!!(I feel so sorry for all those people on the lawn,
and I was hoping that the wind didn't pick up or else we would have another
disaster like hurricane polaris from july).  The "suzy" was about 10 minutes
long, and this jam had to be about 10-15 minutes long too!  Trey kind of
wound it down a little and said something about how happy they were to be to
be back under the circus tent or something like that and that they were
going to take a break and then finished with a big rock ending.  At this
point the water was running down the pavilion in waves!  My feet were not
only just getting wet, but it was like I was standing in the middle of a
stream or something.   Amazing!
 
Kind of a short set, but it was so hot I don't think that I could have made
a better setlist if I tried.  The "suzy" was just took me to another planet
and had to be the best version ever, plus there was huge jams in "reba" and
"carini".  I don't think I have ever been so excited going into a set break.
  Luckily there was an equally talkative guy sitting behind me who was eager
to speculate what they were going to play with me.  Due to the still
continuing downpour, I figure a "drowned" would be perfect.  I really had a
strong feeling that "crosseyed" was coming, not that typical feeling that
you go into a show wanting a Harpua or something, but the same way that I
felt during the Big Cypress "rock and roll" and the Deer Creek "piper", they
had to play it (alright, that sounds ridiculous but I am not lying).  They
guy I was talking to made a comment "at least they have been making the
setbreaks shorter" and right as he said it the lights went down^Åtrey
strummed a little something that sounded like he was warming up for
"fluffhead".  The kids around me started chanting "Peaches! Peaches!
Peaches!" with such enthusiasm it made me laugh^Å
 
Drowned- Alright!  Hugs and high fives all around.  Departed from the
typical Who sound fairly quickly.  Really spacey and ambient.  Jam just kept
going and going.  I felt bad for all the freezing wet people on the lawn cuz
at some points during this jam I really couldn't dance, because I was just
so awestruck it.  Trey had lots of cool keyboard sounds going on and the
lights were great.  I was thinking a possible segue into "caspian" due to
the rain and they like to go right into it from "drowned".  I could tell
that trey was really into this, just waiting for the right moment to go into
the next song^Å
 
Crosseyed and Painless-  at this point I think I actually did hit the
ceiling!  More high fives everywhere.  This was absolutely perfect.  Fishman
completely nailed his vocals.  Short jam but oh so sweet, wound down and
went right into^Å
 
Dog Faced Boy- Surprised me.  If someone would have told me I would have
heard 3 "dfb" in 2000 I would not have believed them.  Great placement and
the fact that everyone seemed very attentive made it cool.
 
Prince Caspian- I know that a lot of people do not like this song, but I am
really have no problem when I hear it.  Trey was absolutely loving the
lights that CK5 was throwning onto the canvas.  He was just standing there
swaying from side to side, completely absorbed by the music and the lights.
So very cool to see.  This is my main beef with the "prince f*ckerpants"
bunch, every time I have see it live, trey is just soo into it, how can you
not love it?
 
Loving Cup-  My only problem with this song is that of all the times I have
seen it, it has either ended the set or the show.  Another short set, but
just as perfect as the first set.  What a beautiful buzz!
 
Encore:
Driver- Nicely played, although I like the bass solo in the middle from
Toronto more then the piano solo I have heard that last few times.  Trey
took off his guitar so I thought maybe a Fishman song, but he grabbed his
acoustic^Å
 
Josie Wales- Always great to hear.  Trey should jam more with his acoustic
(think about how amazing a coil would be with a trey solo acoustic ending?)
 
Sample- Not my top choice to end a show with, but it was fun and well
played.
 
 
Overall, it was a short show, and terrible weather, but I don't think I have
ever had so much fun at a show.  True the last few songs seemed like a bit
of a letdown, but after that "suzy" to close the first set and the "drowned"
 > "crosseyed", well I don't think there is anything they could have done to
top that.
 
peace,
Gerry

Date: Sat, 23 Sep 2000 17:58:00 EDT
From: Leshthe11@aol.com
Subject: 9.14.00 Review
 
  Let me start by saying that there were TWO ENTIRELY DIFFERENT shows played
this night. 1 on the Lawn(Which probably SUCKED because of the ambient
jamming) and 2 in the Pavillion ( Where it was dry and the pavillion was like
a canvas for CK to paint with light :)   I obviously was lucky enough to be
in the pavillion ;)
 
   Set 1
PYITE -  Openers always seen to kinda catch me offgaurd .  I always seem to
have to fidget with my pen and paper start my watch and all those other dorky
things obsessed phans do ")   Always a great opener and usually a good sign
for things to come ...
 
Reba- First time for me (20 shows)  so I was in pure heaven.  It's hard to
comment on this one since I was floating 10 feet off the ground.  It was
beautiful to hear and glad to get a Reba before Phish takes a break  no
whistling but  that really doesn't bother me
 
Albequerque -  I am a huge Neil young fan so this was great.. I read a lot of
people dissin this but why??  I am really starting to love when Phish does
the slow songs (Dirt, If I could , Waste,  etc.)   I think they make you
start to think about the journey you are on .. the people you meet the things
you do . It brough me back to the night before  speeding across New York
under a beautiful moonlit sky.. Just me and my thoughts..  and then I am sent
back to the show when
 
CARINI!!!!  -  Another first for me.. And after NUMEROUS stage jumpers two
night before in Mansfield.. I knew Carini was imminent!!!  Carina was balls
to the wall ROCK Divinity  .  Phish being the evil Heavy metal gods that only
comes out every so often
 
OH Kee Pah>Suzie -  ANother First and damn just like my 12.31.98 First
antelope it may be the best I will ever see.. I just can't describe this
one.. the jam is worth the cd-s alone.. Then a litle pause and bam right into
 Suzie reprise ala 12.7.97 Tube>tube Jam.  Just f**king nuts I had the Suzie
timing in at about 33 minutes.. I really don't know what they could have done
to follow that  and they didin't  . As they left the stage  the Rain was
POURING in the lawn .. And perhaps the biggest show of PHAMILY I have ever
witnessed the Pavillion crowd gave the Lawn crowd a 5 minute Standing ovation
:)!!!!!!!!!!  Pure magic but again I wasn't on the other side !
 
Set break Highlight was the Naked guy all spun out of his mind standing
BEWILDERED  in the PAvillion bathroon Trey Side ::
 
SET II
Drowned !!!  - Yes just perfect.. however this is where the show really
"splits"  It was POURING out in the lawn and it was very Chilly.   I really
wonder why they decided to go with the ambient Jamming instead of the pure
rock enigma drowned can be (7.20.98  6.29.00)  Hide Trey's Keyboard
somone!!!!  It always slows up the jam.. Really good lights and very
interesting jamming I loved it but the lawn I am sure hated it
 
CE&P -  Another first and another potential RAGER  But they kinda went the
ambient direction again.. I was in heaven though I love this song :)
 
Dog Faced Boy -  Again with the slow song.. I was thinking all the kids I met
in the past couple night and how wonderful they were  I dunno I guess I am
getting sentimetal :)
 
Caspian -    Oh to be prince caspian :)  Great version with some nice work
from all the boys :!!!!!
 
Loving Cup -   A great way to close a set   .. Very Rockin
 
E:  Driver -  I loved it since I just drove 7 hours to get the show and I was
gonna drive 5 hours to the next :)
    INLAW - Pretty little dittty :)
     Sample - Not a big fan but nice none the less
 
   Overall a great show (if you were in the pavillion :)  Carini> Suzie  migh
have been as good as the 6.29  Drowned >Rock n Roll   for the best first set
closer I have ever seen  .  For me I got  numerous  first time songs for me
so it was a personel classic :)
http://www.phishhook.com/lists/Leshthe11

 
Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 22:12:12 -0400
From: Thomas TJ Haykel tjh@adelphia.net
To: dws@gadiel.com
Parts/Attachments:
 
 
  At the risk of jinxing myself, I have to say that 90% of the two or three
shows a year that I attend are just outrageous out of controll experiences.
The streak has been amazing going back to the beginning, which was Darien
'93, a truly epic show.  Not to get too long winded, but just recently shows
such as the tour closer in Albany last fall, then Rochester in December, and
first night of Polaris this summer past have all been mind-bending
experiences as far as I have been concerned.  However, I have to say that
there were moments in this show that are unparallelled in relation to what
i've seen and heard this band do live.  Having been fortunate enough to get
fifth row tickets I had a great spot for this forceful performance.
 
Basically the first set was one huge highlight.  There was not one moment in
which I was not in heaven, literally.  These guys have the ability to bring
me places  where words dont even exist to describe the sensations created by
the music.  I believe that divine intervention is at work in the sum of Trey
+ Mike + Page + Jon that is Phish.  Anyway, PYITE and Reba were outstanding,
Albuquerque was sweet.  How can one's heart not melt upon hearing this Neil
Young classic.  Such an American tune.  Carini was just waaaay out there.
Totally nebulic, just other worldly psychedelics.  Great shit.  Oh Kee
Pa/Suzie, as old school as it goes.  Not only was it extra raging to begin
with, but the jam on the Suzie theme that picked up the instant Suzie ended
was one for the ages.  It built steadily, wave upon wind driven wave, for ten
minutes insighting a state of total frenzy everywhere.  The set ended on such
an incredible high, with Trey commenting on how cool the circus like tent
that is the pavilion at Darien is.
 
Second set as you all know by now opened with Drowned, most probably due to
the torrential rain that had been falling since the first set.  This thirty
minute epic was so deep, so moving, that to experience it was literally like
speaking with God himself.  I have never, ever felt such pure bliss feeding
through my body before in my life.  Spiritual.  Crosseyed and Painless, need
I say  more.  C'mon, un-freaking-believable.  Outrageous.  Time stood still
this night.  Finally Dog faced boy brought us back to earth.  Very soft, very
gentle tune.  Lovely.   The rest of the show,  Loving Cup, Driver, Inlaw
Josie, and Sample was rocking but nothing could compare with what came before
it.  After the Suzie in the first set you could see (from the fifth row) how
psyched the band was upon leaving stage.  Trey pumping his fist a-la Tiger
Woods.   All in a complete state of ecstacy.  Also, during the Drowned/
Crosseyed and Painless the communication between band members and just the
expressions worn on the faces of these men during this heightened experience
was truly magical.  A truly great show.  The scene was also cool and very
mellow.  Definately not a sellout.  I came across a second row ticket for a
buddy of mine just before show time for under cost.  You got that Deer
Creek, under cost.  Who says Buffalo is such a shitty place, eh.


Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 18:00:19 -0400
From:  A C Welch acwelch@on.aibn.com
Subject: 14-09-00 Darien Lake
 
I have read some of the reviews of this show already and I would have to say
that the hallucinogenic intake must have reached an all time high on that
cold rainy night in western New York state.
 
I can not comment on the first set - as New York State's finest felt
compelled to delay our arrival for no particular reason - but I will put
faith in those that caught it.
 
The second set though was, in no uncertain terms - awful!  Aside from the
little jam that followed DROWNED - which was at least somewhat exploratory -
the song selection bit as did the execution.  I like the Talking Heads - but
the rendition of Crosseyed and Painless was, as my buddy Steve likes to put
it -  A KLUNKER!.  BOY...what a klunker!  I have seen some mediocre shows
before - but never really a bad one - and this was my "worst show ever".  I
am really starting to get a good idea as to why they are winding it down for
a while.  I expect that this hiatus may be something more - and will likely
last longer than most of our expectations.
 
I am off on tour this weekend - see y'all in Chicago, Vegas and out there on
the coast!  Hopefully they can find some inspiration along the way!
 
Milli - Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 19:26:23 GMT
From: Tom McEntee tr0picana@hotmail.com
Subject: 09.14.00 - Darien Lake
 
Wow, couple days late on this one, but oh well.....
 
Went into Darien Lake with high expectations. Planned on getting there by 3,
no later. BUT, as we all know, nothing goes as planned, and due to my lack
of energy and mostly the traffic, I didn't arive untill 5-5:30'ish. Didn't
really matter though. Enough time to chill with the heads, scarf some
grilled cheese and everyone's favorite ganja treats ;)
Also, found a nice man selling doses, so we were set for the night.
 
The Shakedown: Great as usual. Security was pretty much invisible, and
everybody was overflowing with positive energy. Fun times.....
 
Went into the venue, which was small...but clean, around ?? PM. I was patted
down at the door, I guess some were and some wern't? Anyways went into the
venue and found a decent spot on the lawn(Yeah I had lawn seats :\). Walked
down to see some friends at the pavillion, heard a little of the
soundcheck.....
 
Soundcheck: Don't even know what they were playing. Sounded pretty cool,
jamming around for 15 minutes or so.
 
Came back to my humble spot on the lawn... only to hear......
 
PYITE: Yes! First PYITE opener in a long long time (for me at least :~).
Nothing out of the ordinary, just your average PYITE. Still fun though.
 
REBA: One of my favorites. This one was played nice and solid. Always good
to hear. By this time I was tripping my face off and this song in particular
sounded great. No whistling at the end though. No big deal , great tune.
 
ALBUQUERQUE: Ok song. Don't really care for it too much, can't complain
though. Guess it's their way of saying hi(gh) to Neil Young?
 
CARINI: Rocked! This one was great. Got everyone up and moving after a
pretty dull(imo) Albuquerque. Jammed out a little more than usual. Well, a
lot more than usual. This one again, simply rocked.
 
OH KEE PA: Always the sign that something special is about to happen.
Haven't heard this in a long time either. Thought for a split second (what
was I thinking?) that we were about to get a Tweezer but instead it segued
right into...................
 
SUZIE: Ok, all I am going to say is......GET THE TAPES. This one made the
first set and pretty much the whole show. Don't see how you can follow up
big after this one.
 
Suzie closed down the set, and.......here comes the rain. Started pouring
like a mofo. Wet, cold, eww... Anyway setbreak was about a half-hour long,
maybe a little more. Spent the whole break waiting in line for the bathroom.
Came back to here..................
 
DROWNED: Aw, how ironic :) Anyways this one rocked(for a LITTLE WHILE) I
enjoyed the first 15 minutes maybe, but after that it just got TOO ambient
and TOO slow. I went and chilled with some people (30-40) hiding under a
tarp to stay warm, and I could tell they were getting sort of pissed off
with this one. From rocking hard to jamming to slowly jamming to
slllllllloooooooowly jamming to ambient nothing, then drifted into...
 
CROSSEYED and PAINLESS: Nothing special here. Ok song, rather hear
something else for the time being. Slowly faded into....
 
DOG FACED BOY: Again, nothing special. Cool song though, never hurts to hear
it ;)
 
CASPIAN: Liked the segue from DFB into this one, but I was hoping for a
PIPER instead ;(
 
LOVING CUP: Yes! Rocked the whole second set, (slowly) builded up some
energy. What's next? Oh. Please don't let them walk off, please don't let
them walk off, please don't let them walk off....
Dammnit! Took their bows and left. Kinda a short and dull second set, but
how could they top the first?
 
E-
DRIVER: Cool. I love this one. Except for the whole HI I'M TREY LOOK AT ME
ONLY thing.
 
INLAW: Don't really care for it, but I guess they (well, TREY at least)
enjoy(s) playing it. If that's the case, more power to them/him
 
SAMPLE: Alright. Hoping for something like HOOD (yeah right :~) or BOLD AS
LOVE to close everything down. But who can turn down a SAMPLE? Not me, this
one was pretty standard, but you just gotta love it ;)
 
Well, that's it. Earliest I've seen them walk off (and on). Curfew's suck.
See you whenever the 'Hiatus' is over ;)
/peace

Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2000 02:31:46 EDT
From: JMWPHISH@aol.com
To: dws@archive.phish.net
Subject: Darien Lake Review
 
Well it was time for my 13th show, and it was probably the coldest and
wettest concert i have ever attended. High hopes for A PYITE, my very
favorite song, and some good times with good bowls and good poeple.
Well the lot sucked, as was expected...Six Flags commercialism prevented many
tour staples, like grilled cheese, but no matter. Thankfully my Sarah and I
were under the pavilion so we only got our feet wet but the crowd on the lawn
looked like they were having a great time. So, without further ado, on to the
show.
PYITE: OHHHHHHHHHHHHH SHIZNIT!!! OH baby, i nearly blew a load...it was such
a tight version, and never disappoints
Reba: Always welcomc treat, but no whistling if i rememebr correctly
Alberquerque: Well i like Neil Young as much as the next phishhead, but i was
hoping for something upbeat yet again...
Carini: thought htey might play this...i like i like
Oh Kee Pah: Knew Suzie was going to follow this, and it was a cool little
ditty off the album that they dont play frequently
Suzie: only my 2nd Suzie, and it was much better then the first one (10/8/99)
and the jam was ridiculous
END of set I, surprisingly short, much like the set that i heard my first
suzie in...
Setbreak: Short, wet, cold, stoned
Set II
Drowned: good song, mediocre jam- dont let the time fool you...30 minutes
yes...only about 10 that was stellar phish
C&P: Blew my second load...always wanted to hear this...so good...fishman was
right on
and here my friends is where the show goes from good to "what the hell?"
All three songs that finished up the second set were not only repeats from my
girlfriends first show (this being her second) but were just off, not the
best i have heard them at all
 
Encore:
Good, standard, i called Sample, by that time i was waiting for something to
make me say "hey wait a minute now... this sounds promising" but it never
happeend and phish played the shortest show for the worst weather i have
experienced in awhile. Good show, i woudl give it a 6.5/10
Security was a bunch of nitwits so that was a plus, but no way will i pay $30
for Darien Lake theme park...Superman or not.
PEace see everyone in a year when phish comes back, hopefully sooner. Love to
all
Jeremy @ Ithaca College

Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 00:26:52 -0400
From: Thomas TJ Haykel tjh@adelphia.net
Subject: darien lake review
 
  At the risk of jinxing myself, I have to say that 90% of the two or three
shows a year that I attend are just outrageous out of controll experiences.
The streak has been amazing going back to the beginning, which was Darien
'93, a truly epic show.  Not to get too long winded, but just recently shows
such as the tour closer in Albany last fall, then Rochester in December, and
first night of Polaris this summer past have all been mind-bending
experiences as far as I have been concerned.  However, I have to say that
there were moments in this show that are unparallelled in relation to what
i've seen and heard this band do live.  Having been fortunate enough to get
fifth row tickets I had a great spot for this forceful performance.
 
Basically the first set was one huge highlight.  There was not one moment in
which I was not in heaven, literally.  These guys have the ability to bring
me places  where words dont even exist to describe the sensations created by
the music.  I believe that divine intervention is at work in the sum of Trey
+ Mike + Page + Jon that is Phish.  Anyway, PYITE and Reba were outstanding,
Albuquerque was sweet.  How can one's heart not melt upon hearing this Neil
Young classic.  Such an American tune.  Carini was just waaaay out there.
Totally nebulic, just other worldly psychedelics.  Great shit.  Oh Kee
Pa/Suzie, as old school as it goes.  Not only was it extra raging to begin
with, but the jam on the Suzie theme that picked up the instant Suzie ended
was one for the ages.  It built steadily, wave upon wind driven wave, for ten
minutes insighting a state of total frenzy everywhere.  The set ended on such
an incredible high, with Trey commenting on how cool the circus like tent
that is the pavilion at Darien is.
 
Second set as you all know by now opened with Drowned, most probably due to
the torrential rain that had been falling since the first set.  This thirty
minute epic was so deep, so moving, that to experience it was literally like
speaking with God himself.  I have never, ever felt such pure bliss feeding
through my body before in my life.  Spiritual.  Crosseyed and Painless, need
I say  more.  C'mon, un-freaking-believable.  Outrageous.  Time stood still
this night.  Finally Dog faced boy brought us back to earth.  Very soft, very
gentle tune.  Lovely.   The rest of the show,  Loving Cup, Driver, Inlaw
Josie, and Sample was rocking but nothing could compare with what came before
it.  After the Suzie in the first set you could see (from the fifth row) how
psyched the band was upon leaving stage.  Trey pumping his fist a-la Tiger
Woods.   All in a complete state of ecstacy.  Also, during the Drowned/
Crosseyed and Painless the communication between band members and just the
expressions worn on the faces of these men during this heightened experience
was truly magical.  A truly great show.  The scene was also cool and very
mellow.  Definately not a sellout.  I came across a second row ticket for a
buddy of mine just before show time for under cost.  You got that Deer
Creek, under cost.  Who says Buffalo is such a shitty place, eh.

Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 10:35:31 -0400
From: Marcus Thunich marcust99@home.com
Subject: Darien Lake: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
 
When Phish last played Darien Lake on 8/14/97, they played an exceptionally
tight, inspired and long show that featured some very special guests. I have
very fond memories of that night and so I had high hopes for last nights show
since it was to be my last show until at least next summer (Phish's "hiatus").
Driving to the venue I was in a good mood having just yesterday morning scored
a 4th row ticket (which ended up being in row 3 right in front of Trey) from
TM Online.
 
The weather before the show began as cool and grey which by around 5pm turned
cold and rainy. The cops were attemping to shut down vending of any kind at
first but sheer numbers made this impossible so by 4.30 or so, the circus was
in full swing.
 
Phish took the stage at about 7.35 and things were off to a fine start with a
tight and confident reading of PYITE. The third Reba of the year and the first
since Toronto 7/6/00 was note perfect and a nice (now) rare treat. Unlike
Toronto's, this version was sans the whistling ending. Albuquerque is a
gorgeous Neil Young tune and Phish did it much justice with their excellent
harmony work. Carini found the crowd rocking out to Trey's finest Jimmy Page
riff. This version seemed quite different as the band jammed it out for a good
10 minutes or so. What followed was the easily highlight of the show and
contained some of the finest Phish jamming this reviewer has ever heard. Oh
Kee Pa led right into a tight Suzie which featured each band member getting
the spotlight for an extended solo. They finished Suzie and things came to a
dead stop when Trey mouthed to Fish which appeared to be "let's go with the
Suzie theme again" or something to that effect. The band then launched into a
10 minute jam that was based on the Suzie theme. This jam was heavily
funkified and built to an incredible cresendo as Trey had me standing there
with my mouth open at the sheer awsomeness of his soling. This was no
wank-fest folks, but a moment of pure ego-less improvisational musical
mastery. Following this jam, the band took a bow and walked off stage. Like my
friend Adam said to me last night, anything they would've followed that jam
with would've been redundant. Set time was a scant 62 min.
 
Looking outside the shed at set break, it has gone from a steady rain to a
torrential downpour. And it was cold. About mid fifties. I felt for the poor
soaked phans shivering on the lawn. Apparently so did many others in the
pavillion because 5 minutes into setbreak, about half the lawn seemed to have
been stubbed into the pavillion. It was jam packed in the aisles and movement
was very difficult. Setbreak: about 30 minutes.
 
High hopes were had for the second set after the brief but well played first
set. Phish began with the very pertinant opener of Drowned. This version was
decent but far from the stunner of 12/11/97 Rochester or 12/31/99.
Unfortunately, like the weather around us, the show also took a turn for the
worse. Drowned led into a jam that turned into a 15 minute ambient space-jam
that was pure dullesville.
 
Memo: To Dionsysian Productions
CC: Mike Gordon, Page McConnell, Jon Fishman
 
From: Bored Phans
 
Re: Please do not let your guitar player near a keyboard ever again. Phish
already has an amazing piano player and doesn't need a wanna-be one trying to
steer the jams into ambient-synth territory. This is very annoying and
upsetting. Please just let him do what he is good at, the GUITAR!
 
thank you.
 
C&P emerged out of this ultra boring jam but was played tightly with confident
vocals from Fishman and some outstanding solo work from Trey. Things led into
the pretty Dog Faced Boy with more of Phish's trademark excellent harmony
work. What followed was easily the lamest and most erronious versions of
Caspian ever. In addition to gaffing the opening chords, Trey just couldn't
get the timing right on his vocals. Yuck. Things were redeemed somewhat though
with a rip snortin' run though of The Stones amazing Loving Cup. Concluding
this it was 10.14 and I was thinking they'd launch into something big like a
Bag or a Tweezer to try to give the soaked and shiverring thousands on the
lawn something worthy of standing in a rainstorm in the middle of nowhere on a
cold September Thursday night for. What? A bow and off the stage at 10.14? I
saw the production timesheet for the night and the night's curfew has a time
of 11pm. Set time: about 63 min.
 
After about five minutes, Phish emerged and played a very standard encore
consisting of three songs and were off-stage by 10.29. So much for a nice
finish.
 
All in all, this would show would be ultimately forgettable had it not been
for the set ending Suzie-Jam. I cannot speak highly enough of this. If someone
offers you tapes or CD's of Phish @ Darien Lake, make sure the date reads
8/14/97. If there's room for filler, make sure last night's Suzie-Jam is it.

Date: Sat, 23 Sep 2000 12:01:25 -0400
From: Jim Hiscock metphan@nycap.rr.com
To: dws@archive.phish.net
Subject: Darien Lake Review
 
For those of you who keep bitching, get a life!! This definitely was not the
best show that I've been to, but who cares?  A bad night of Phish is better
than a good night at work any day(not that some of you would know that).
These reviews seem to say consensus that the first set rocked, and it did.
Second set may have lacked a bit, but my first Drowned and Crosseyed pleased
me.  As far as the encore went, it blew me and my friend, Jer away.  You see,
the last show we attended was Polaris Amp. in Columbus (1st show)  Remember
the rain?  Who couldn't if you were there.  Remember the encore of
IJW-->Driver-->Guyute?  Well, when they played Driver-->IJW here, Jer and I
both said we'd be pissed if they did Guyute.  Well they didn't.  First off
they did the first two songs in reverse order from Columbus, then....as if to
say, remember the last time it rained this hard?...SAMPLE which STARTED the
Columbus show.  What seemed like a reference to us made it worthwhile to be
soaked and freezing two shows in a row.


Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 11:13:20 -0700
From: waltz11 waltz11@email.msn.com
Subject: Darien Lake Review
 
I will make this short and sweet.  The first set ROCKED - SO TOUGH!!!!!!!!
Wow!
PYITE - great opener - I knew we were in for a ride - standard but pumping!
REBA - Yes!!  they were right on this one
ALBEQUERQUE - very nice - 1st for me in about 20 shows - gave us a little
break before........
CARINI - this fucking smoked - again a 1st for me and personally was the
highlight of the 1st set for me - you have to listen to this one - Hell
yeah!!!
OH KEE PAH ->SUZIE - very nice - they took Suzie a few different places that
I've never heard and just when you thought it was over...
SUZIE REP. - at least thats what I'm calling it.  Smoking again!!!!! just
took the suzie jam and went at it again for about 10 mins.  Again - you have
to hear it!
 
hung with a bunch of heads in the bathroom during the break - PUFF PUFF
PASS!!!!!
 
Second set:
DROWNED - 1st for me agian - enjoyed it - appropriate too - i was fucking
drenched!!!! cool ambient with Trey on the keys for most of it - but
unfortunately the wind starting blowing and I was getting real cold and I'm
saying "1 more song, stay at least ! more song"........BAM!!!!!!!!!!
CROSSEYED AND PAINLESS - YES!!!!!!  1st again - big night of firsts for me -
this was very cool - I love the Talking Heads - this was fun - but I was out
of there - so Crosseyed was my encore!!
 
I would have dug to see Driver, Josie Wales, and Loving Cup - but it was
nice to be dry and warm in my vehicle! oh well - maybe the weather at
merriweather will be better - I hope - see you there!!!!!!!!  Peace, Chris

Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 19:00:46 EDT
From: Ilips86@aol.com
Subject: Phish Darien Lake
 
Well this was only my 8th show and this will be my first review. I was very
pleased with friday nite albany and mon tweeter and i thought tuesday was one
of the best experiences of my life, but thinking about this Darien show i was
somewhat dissapointed. I thought Phish would really hook us up since the show
wasn't sold out and it took alot to get there.(6 hr drive but i'm not
complaining and the pouring rain).
I was in the bathroom when they came on stage but got up to the lawn about
half way through Punch.
Punch- I was very happy to hear this since it was my first and i thought it
was a great way to open up the show.
Reba- First phish tune i ever heard and once again was very excited about
this one although i didn't get the whistling but it was still a great song
and i was pumped for the rest of the set.
Albuqurque- I love Neil Young so i could hear this anytime and everytime.
Carini- another first for me. loved it. Trey was great here and i thought the
whole crowd was into this one.  Great song to dance too.
Oh-Kee-Pa.-Happy for my friend on this one. it was his 13th show but first
time hearing this.
Suzie- To me this was the highlight of the first set and i think most people
would agree. i was really dancing hard on this one and i could just feel the
bands energy. i thought the jam at the end was one of their best and the
reason why i've gotten into phish. very very happy about this one.
Setbreak- well this sucked because i was very cold and wet and was still
trying to figure out why the first set was so short. really dissapointed
about that but i firgured they would just kick ass in the second set.
Drowned- I was dissapointed, great opener and it started off to be a great
song but i think the jam at the end was too long. i enjoyed the december
hartford version better.
Crosseyed- wow now this was a great song. once again another first for me and
since i dig the talking heads this was great. out of the shows i've been too,
this is the best cover i've heard phish play and i never heard a band play so
tight and together on one song. to me this was the highlight of the enitre
show.
Dog face- nice surprise but needed something funkier to dance to cause i was
so called.
Caspian- love this song although i've heard it quite a few times. once again
dissapointed cause i wanted to move to a song.
Loving Cup- one of my favorites i was hoping to get it tues nite but instead
i got it here. got me back into the groove of things but then realized it was
going to be the set closer. once again way too short of a set. but crosseyed
was the shit
Encore- didn't care for driver and inlaw was nice but stilll was looking to
dance to something.
Sample- always a good song to hear but i thought they could've picked
something better.
Overall- this show goes both ways for me. i got a lot of songs i've never
heard before which was great and i wanted to hear loving cup. crosseyed was
just amazing to me as was suszie. but since i drove along way and was soaking
wet i was alittle dissapointed that the sets were so short. maybe they just
wanted to get this one over with and go on to the next but i hope that isn't
true. sorry if i wrote to much. see you on the next tour
ian


Date: Sat, 16 Sep 2000 14:24:16 -0400
From: lkinsey lkinsey@rochester.rr.com
Subject: phish
 
ok, this was my first show ever, i saw people there bitch and moan about the
rain but the rain didn't stop me from watching the show, to me they played a
very good pyite and suzie greenberg and prince caspian
the show all in all was a little short but for time wise they made it up in
jams and some pretty cool songs.
well that's it. oh yeah i want to say thanks to the guy who was handing out
free beer(i really needed that!)
thanks, mark

Date: Sat, 16 Sep 2000 23:22:07 EDT
From: michael haley fubarized9@hotmail.com
Subject: darien review
 
ok. this show was my second show, and it had magic written all over it in so
many ways... first. fav band in hometown. second, fave band on b-day.
combine the 2, and u have one heck of a show comin your way...
 
lot scene: showed up at 5:30 ish, and after missing the lots in rochester
last dec, i was excited to finally experience it. went on the hunt for some
grilled cheese... :o) so after finding my pals in the lot, we went in...
 
set I:
PYITE: called this one in the lot (with some help from another friend from
the night before)... solid in every way. energy abound...
 
Reba: sweet lord man! of the songs i wanted to hear the most, this and stash
were at the very top. like i head earlier in the reviews, this one was
solid. no whistling (kinda a bummer), but still great.
 
Albuquerque: well, after the first 2 with so much energy, i was really
disappointed with this call... decent song, but personally this really
killed the energy that was there. i talked to some kids from toronto during
set break, and one guy tried to explain to me how great this song is... i
just couldn't dig it at the time.
 
carini: i read the review in the paper the day after and the guy that did
the review spelled this one "corrini", so i got a kick out of that. anyway,
when this one first started up, i wasn't too excited, but man, as this one
went on, the energy picked up, and it ended very strongly.
 
oh kee pah>suzie: as soon as this started i knew we were gonna get a
suzie... i could just feel it. i listened to the oh kee> suzie from 94 a few
weeks prior to darien, and i thought to myself, "geez, this is such a good
combo. what happened to this??" well now i know what happened to it: its
back, and so good too....
so suzie was played, and i almost thought we'd get a cities in the middle of
it, but suzie took over ended on a super high note, and then they pick up
suzie as if the song never ended... can i tell you how unreal this was??? i
can only tell you to track down this set.
 
setbreak: like i said, i talked to the kids from CANADA! and stuck it out in
the rain. that rain was a drag. however, a very cool thing happened as the
set was ending: the dry people cheered at the wet, and the wet cheered right
back... it was cool to be soaked and cheering about it....
 
set II:
well, after such a strong set I, we could only imagine what the fellas had
in store for us in the rain... we discussed the openers, and decided on
either a runaway jim, or a tweezer...
 
drowned: well this would do (seeing as we were drowning in the rain).
started well, but was very jammed out. (comments on the whole set II at the
end)
 
C&P: excellent song (heard this at moe during setbreak in burlington), this
wasn't one of the best ones though...
 
DFB: ah, now this one caught me totally off guard. i thought that the
upswing had begun for the set, and things could only get better... (the rain
started to let up too...)
 
caspian: i liked this one... jammed out to a length that was long enough to
be good.
 
loving cup: hmmm. don't know what to say about this. there was def some
energy there, but i knew when this started that the set was over... this
kinda bummed me out cause at the end of caspian it looked like trey was
going to give us one more (that stash i was hoping for perhaps??) o well,
the cup was def a good one.
 
encore:
set II was quite short, and very jammed out, so i thought that the encore
was going to be really good.
driver/ministone: not exactly what i was looking for. certainly very good
songs, but nog what i was looking for in the encore.
 
sample: i was walking thru my door at home on my way to work on the day of
the show, and i thought to myself, "what about a sample?" well, here it was.
and a very good one too.
 
ok. so set II in general was decent. i think it was more of a set that i'd
like to listen to for background music though. it would make very good
background music however. but man, that set I was something!! just wanted to
say thanks to the fellas for a great tour so far, and that even though i'm
bummed that there's gonna be a longer break than normal, i hope they enjoy
it and really take advantage of the time off.... peace to all.

Date: Sat, 16 Sep 2000 02:20:38 EDT
From: Fsesstlhd@aol.com
Subject: Darien :(
 
Let's not be so afraid to admit it when Phish............is not on.  Except
for the first set, and I'm not gonna go into a chronological critique of each
song, however, most of it rocked especially Reba, Carini and Suzy.  The
second set was....not that good at all.  After a short, but quality first
set, it was muscle relaxer time as I found myself sitting for the majority of
the set.  Am I upset?  Of course not.  Do I think it was a great show?  No.
Am I mad because it was shorter than most shows?  That's life, some shows
will be longer than others.
    Great first set; where is Page?  Has Mike forgotten how to open-up and
lash-out?  And Fish....well, Fish is mainly consistent, but this particular
night I felt he picked it up with his fills as if to say "Sorry!"
    Bottom line......a break is the best thing going for Phish right now.
Without Trey stealing the limelight, this band would be a three piece lounge
band.  Page, Mike, and Fish need to start writing and need to take initiative
sometimes.  It's becoming  "The Trey Anastasio Band."
     And for those of you who say "when are you guys gonna be satisfied?"
Criticism is part of the game!!!!   Deal with it!!  Much love and keep on
groovin!!!!  Go Bills!!!!!
 
Sess

Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 13:28:22 -0400
From: spree spree@dirtybill.com
Subject: darien 9-14-00
 
it's been a while since phish really blew me away like they did in summer of
'99, but they seem to be doing a fine job this fall.  the albany shows were
incredible and darien is was just as uplifting.
 
we had tix right in front on Trey's side and i haven't been inside to see the
band and dance since '93 or '94.  but we had so much space to dance (outside
of the rows of seats) and the sound was incredible.
 
although we missed the "Punch" due to rain and a VERY lame crowd of pushers,
shovers, and inconsiderate confusers, the rest of the show was slammin'.  i'm
here to review the highlights.
 
just in time for the "Reba" jam and  it torched.  i was just psyched to see
"Reba" again.
 
"Carini" was slammin'  Trey tore this up hard and heavy. (more red lights
Kuroda!)
"Oh Kee"  into "Suzie" was a little unexpected.  we thought "Bag", but were
very satisfied with what blossomed out of "Suzie".  On incredible super-funk
jam that reminds me of the good old days in '97 when this was every show.
 
very satisfied at this point, but now we get a pounding "drowned" that spaced
out into a very heavy and dark ambient jam.  kind of difficult to follow if
you are looking for....."crosseyed and painless"!  oh SHIT!  this song is
SOOO good and feel so so blessed when i get to hear it.  although it seemed
as though 95% of the crowd was completely confused.
 
whatever i was in heaven.  i'm not going to go any further with tbhis review
because i feel that the sond selection could have been better.
 
so i will leave you with this. poor crowd, poor venue, poor weather, poor
traffic, KICK ASS show.
 
that's all that needs to be said besides get the shn's
 
late
spree

Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 23:04:02 -0400
From: Jkeher Jkeher@email.msn.com
Subject: Darien Lake
 
Yes, Darien Lake was raining, but I am from Portland, Oregon, (where it rains
all the time), and had nineteenth row gold medal seating.  Let me include
that in the nineteenth row there was only four people out of a possible
twenty.  Yes, there was no one four seats to the left or right of me.  This
means plenty of room for the Coco B. Ware dance.
 
All that needs to be said about this show is that from the PYITE to the end
of the Crosseyed & Painless was the crap.  The jam at the end of
the greenburg was the crap.  The drowned and the C&P was the crap.  If you
missed this show get it on CD so you can go, "crap, I should have gone."
 
PS Since Six Flags was closed we went to Cedar Point in Ohio to ride the
Millenium roller coaster, the fastest and highest coaster to date in the
world.  Top speed 94 miles per hour.  Crap.

Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2000 10:17:03 EDT
From: michael haley fubarized9@hotmail.com
Subject: 9/14/00 review
 
ok. this show was my second show, and it had magic written all over it in so
many ways... first. fav band in hometown. second, fave band on b-day.
combine the 2, and u have one heck of a show comin your way...
 
lot scene: showed up at 5:30 ish, and after missing the lots in rochester
last dec, i was excited to finally experience it. went on the hunt for some
grilled cheese... :o) so after finding my pals in the lot, we went in...
 
set I:
PYITE: called this one in the lot (with some help from another friend from
the night before)... solid in every way. energy abound...
 
Reba: sweet lord man! of the songs i wanted to hear the most, this and stash
were at the very top. like i head earlier in the reviews, this one was
solid. no whistling (kinda a bummer), but still great.
 
Albuquerque: well, after the first 2 with so much energy, i was really
disappointed with this call... decent song, but personally this really
killed the energy that was there. i talked to some kids from toronto during
set break, and one guy tried to explain to me how great this song is... i
just couldn't dig it at the time.
 
carini: i read the review in the paper the day after and the guy that did
the review spelled this one "corrini", so i got a kick out of that. anyway,
when this one first started up, i wasn't too excited, but man, as this one
went on, the energy picked up, and it ended very strongly.
 
oh kee pah>suzie: as soon as this started i knew we were gonna get a
suzie... i could just feel it. i listened to the oh kee> suzie from 94 a few
weeks prior to darien, and i thought to myself, "geez, this is such a good
combo. what happened to this??" well now i know what happened to it: its
back, and so good too....
so suzie was played, and i almost thought we'd get a cities in the middle of
it, but suzie took over ended on a super high note, and then they pick up
suzie as if the song never ended... can i tell you how unreal this was??? i
can only tell you to track down this set.
 
setbreak: like i said, i talked to the kids from CANADA! and stuck it out in
the rain. that rain was a drag. however, a very cool thing happened as the
set was ending: the dry people cheered at the wet, and the wet cheered right
back... it was cool to be soaked and cheering about it....
 
set II:
well, after such a strong set I, we could only imagine what the fellas had
in store for us in the rain... we discussed the openers, and decided on
either a runaway jim, or a tweezer...
 
drowned: well this would do (seeing as we were drowning in the rain).
started well, but was very jammed out. (comments on the whole set II at the
end)
 
C&P: excellent song (heard this at moe during setbreak in burlington), this
wasn't one of the best ones though...
 
DFB: ah, now this one caught me totally off guard. i thought that the
upswing had begun for the set, and things could only get better... (the rain
started to let up too...)
 
caspian: i liked this one... jammed out to a length that was long enough to
be good.
 
loving cup: hmmm. don't know what to say about this. there was def some
energy there, but i knew when this started that the set was over... this
kinda bummed me out cause at the end of caspian it looked like trey was
going to give us one more (that stash i was hoping for perhaps??) o well,
the cup was def a good one.
 
encore:
set II was quite short, and very jammed out, so i thought that the encore
was going to be really good.
driver/ministone: not exactly what i was looking for. certainly very good
songs, but not what i was looking for in the encore.
 
sample: i was walking thru my door at home on my way to work on the day of
the show, and i thought to myself, "what about a sample?" well, here it was-
and a very good one too.
 
ok. so set II in general was decent. i think it was more of a set that i'd
like to listen to for background music though. it would make very good
background music however. but man, that set I was something!! just wanted to
say thanks to the fellas for a great tour so far, and that even though i'm
bummed that there's gonna be a longer break than normal, i hope they enjoy
it and really take advantage of the time off.... peace to all.

Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 13:51:56 -0400
From: steve cheesecake@mountaincable.net
Subject: Darien Lake Review
 
Well, like most reviews start, i've been to blah, blah, blah shows, and
have almost as many cd's. So anyways, this was my best phriends second
show. That was MUCH more important. Coming from Ontario, thats in Canada
for ya'll geographically inclinded folk, we had a smooth border
crossing. That is always a good omen! They checked my trunk, hit my drum
a few times then waved me through.
 
My phriend and I got to the lots at two thirtyish and had a very
pleasurable afternoon. Being only her second show, phirst american show,
the lot was quite blast. Bought lots of lot goodies (tee's, ganga food,
other lot junk) and met many of my phriends from previous tours. Scene
was relax.
 
On to the show. Having lawn seats I was wet, cold, and having my
spirtits tested to the extreme. Only dressed in a tee-shirt, i danced as
hard as i could to stay warm. Luckily Phish did what they have done for
me so many, many times. THey kicked my ph*cking ass!!!!!!! My phriends
absolute, phavorite song is Reba (her phirst song at her phirst show
this summer in Toronto). After the stellar PYITE (was opened after the
rain in Ohio this summer) and trey hit the opening notes of Reba i
thought i was in heaven. I could not have asked for a greater wish. I
didn't even half to. Phish always performs miracles. After floating
through an amazing Reba I had been taken somewhere else. Following Reba
with MY all-time favorite Neil Young song Albuquerque sent me beyond
Exctasy. In phlorida it was amazing hearing it at 3ish in the morning.
Last night, it was just as great. Carini, Suzy, well, you heard from
everyone else how phenominal those were. Carini, like none if ever heard
before! Suzy, Suzy, Suzy, Greenburg!
 
Second set was a lot tougher to handle. Ambient, cold, very, very cold.
My tee-shirt was a mop. I felt what it was like to be an icecube! I
didn't mind the short second set. Loving Cup, though having heard it way
too many times on summer tour was somewhat welcome closer because I was
flozen! I though forsure I was hearing a Tweezer! It was really, really
cold. Couple quick encore songs, Sample being still a fav. for me. Trey
missed his cue for the solo at the end, which is amazing considering its
the only jam in the song, but hey, if he was half as cold as i was, i'm
amazed he played as well as he did.
 
Final thoughts. Get this. Theresa, in two shows, got six of the same
songs! Go figure! Toronto summer - Darien Lake Fall. Driver, Minestrone,
Loving, Caspian, Dog Faced, and THANKFULLY REBA! Still amazing shows for
the both of us. Luckily she stayed warm in the rain jacket given to me
by the phriendly pholk at Polaris Ampi, this summer during the Tornado.
Its a damn good luck rain jacket. Well, thats it for me, guess i got
like a year or so with no phish. Glad i got blah, blah, number of shows
on cd to listen to!

Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 16:49:34 -0400
From: Gary Nader garyn@cboss.com
Subject: review 9/14/00
 
This is my second show of the fall 2000 tour, the first was the crazy 2nd
night of Albany! We got off to a late start and the traffic did not help, but
we got into the lot at 6:30 or so, went to the bathroom, then went in. We did
not have any time to trade discs, hang out, etc. This is my second adventure
to Darien, the first being 8/14/97- a NUTTY Show!
 
Going in and looking at the set lists- I thought that the opener would be
Punch, Runaway or possibly Axilla.
Well the energy seemed good inside, most of the people I was talking to were
pretty cool...Well, the band went on at about 7:45 or so (I wrote it on my
set list, but the rain took care of that)
 
We got the Punch opener- it was a great opener. I believe that it is the
first Punch opener that I have seen since 12/31/95, but not sure. Their
energy was terrific and the crowd seemed to be very into it. The forecast was
for rain, but I was praying that it would hold off- as for the set- it was
going very good. This Punch was pretty standard, but kicked ASS! Up came...
Reba- YES! The beginning was sweet as usual, the ending jam was unbelievable!
Unlike anything I've heard in a while- Bad Ass!
I am a big Reba fan and it was great to hear it!
Albequerque was a nice breather, cool and calm. I did not expect to see this,
esp. in this slot in the first set, but it was very cool! Also, when you get
a chill song this early you know the song following will rip it up and it
certainly did! up next was...
 
Carini! Wow! They really played this as well as I have ever heard it. I
really dig the chorus and the jam, which was great! I believe that it was
about 10 minutes, but stayed within the confines of Carini, but they ripped
it up! After Carini, the band talked about what to play AND......
Trey started Oh Kee PA!!!!!! This was the highlight of the first set for me.
The crowd was freaking, I was Freaking- IT WAS SWEET!!
I told my girl that it would prob. go into Bag, but we got the old-school
Phish and got a Suzy! WOW- Massy old-school Phish at their finest! The jamin
the middle was absolutely some of the best Phish that I have heard in a
while! They ended Suzy, then started the same jam that they were playing in
the middle of Suzy- this lasted abou 15 minutes and was AWESOME!
I was hoping for a few more tunes, but that close the set....
All in all- a great 1st set. The rain started and it did not stop! Oh well!
Set break was interesting...I went into the girls bathroom w/ my girl and
there were tons of guys in there- we were just hanging out- it was cool and
WARM! Met some cool people as well....
 
The second set began a bit quickly but thatb was fine w/ everyone! They
opened the 2nd set w/..
Drowned- interesting choice, but they played the hell out of it! Drowned
seemed to end and on came a great ambient jam that got out there. On came the
rain in heavy doses and just kept coming! This crazy, insane jam ended up at
Crosseyed and Painless! I really dig the Talking Heads and any of their songs
that Phish covers. This C&P did not dissappoint at all. The band was tight
and kept the ball rolling for a while! Page was kicking ass as Trey led the
way through this wonderful melody! The jam kept going adn on came...
Dog Faced Boy- nice choice, a little slow, but that was cool! We really
started to get cold and that was what we did not want. The rain was fine, but
when it got cold was a bitch, but oh well.
Caspian was good- this tune always jams! This Caspian was good, but not the
best version that I've heard! Mike was really on the whole show, especially
the 2nd set!
I didn't mean to ignore Mike- he kick butt all night!
Page started Loving Cup! I really like this song, but it seems to follow me
around everywhere! I am not complaining, but I was hoping for a Slave!
This LCup was sweet as always- one of the most ripping versions I've heard!
Good secongd set all around!
 
The encore was solid. Driver is a great tune. I really dig the lyrics and
trey likes to play- you can tell. Inlaw Josie Wales was anice choice as well.
Nothing better than a nice acoustic Trey! We all know there would be one more
tune- I was thinking Guyute, Bowie, Antelope, but they gave us Sample. Sample
always jams, but I was hoping for something else, but they jammed it as
always!
 
All in all- the show was very, very good! Tonight at Hershey should be
better! I am hitting Blossom and 2nd night Chicago!
I hope you enjoyed my revieew and any thoughts- write me
garyn@cboss.com
 
Take care- Gary
 
Nothing I see can be taken from me........

Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 18:16:51 -0400
From: Arnold McBay arnold.mcbay@sympatico.ca
Subject: Darien Lake
 
I've had some time to think about this show and two things come to mind.
 
a) This was one of the worst shows I've seen for song selection and
positioning.  While the first set was actually solid and had some nice
surprises it was more or less standard.  Second set opens with a
salvo-pair of great tunes in prime position feeding into multi-layered
jams through Drowned and Cross-eyed, then for some odd-reason they morph
from this into...... Dog Faced Boy, Prince Caspian, Loving Cup E:
Driver, Inlaw Josey Wales, Sample in a Jar????  Get real guys!!!
yet.......
b) The lads turned in some of the sickest jams I've seen showing the
imagination, slickness of execution, will to groove deep in the pocket
and all around ability to use peaks and valleys to maximum effect that
keep me coming back for more.  The Suzi was completely ballistic
treading into some fabulously abstract terrain for a change which I
think was a continuation of the mind set that percolated out of Carini
and the playful context of Oh kee pa.  The ensemble playing in the jams
that emanated out of both Drowned and Cross-eyed were tight, yet real
flexible (check out the **DWD** from Polaris 2000 for this kind of
thing).  Although the ambient passages were sweet and served as great
contrast to the abstract nature of much of the heavier jamming, they
did'nt really go anywhere specific like the ambient stuff from the '98
island tour.  Weird was good, very good indeed though.
 
In conclusion: I hated and loved this show...go figure!

Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 16:53:14 EDT
From: Phish Phan phish4you@hotmail.com
Subject: 9-14-00
 
The show at Darien Lake on 9-14-00 started out as one of the greatest shows
I have ever attended.  The first set included a nice mix of songs off some
of their older albums.  Towards the end of the first set when the rain
started coming down hard I have never seen a crowd have so much life to it.
Everyone was dancing in the rain jamming to the music and I couldn't help
but just laugh at the situation.  During the intermission the rain started
coming down even harder and the breeze picked up which brought frowns to all
the fans' faces.  I am also curious what the elevator-salsa music was that
they played during the intermission.  After an all-too-long intermission
considering the weather the crowd was expecting Phish to come out hard and
wow everyone.  They however came out with Drowned, a slower song which I do
enjoy, but they needed to play something with pace to it to keep everyone
alive.  After pulling Drowned out to about twenty-five minutes, I actually
watched fans leave, something I never thought I would see at a Phish
concert.  The second set continued at a more leisurely pace with Dog Faced
Boy and Prince Caspian.  As much as I love Phish I think that at the
intermission of the show they made a poor decision.  If they could have come
out and blasted the crowd with fast-paced songs you could jam to, everyone
would have gone berserk and had a party in the rain.  However, 50 degree
pouring rain with a strong wind is not ideal weather for a leisurely set.
The Encore saved the day though with Driver, Inlaw Josey Wales, and my all
time favorite, Sample In A Jar.

Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 09:48:33 -0400
From: James C. Mento jmento@twcny.rr.com
Subject: Darien Lake
 
I've seen this band maybe 35 times in the last 6 or 7 years.  I've seen them
on fire and i've seen them not quite on fire.
 
I'VE NEVER HEARD ANTHING LIKE WHAT I HEARD LAST NIGHT.
 
An ambient-funk-rock-jazz-fusion extravaganza.  I have never heard ANY
performer or group of performers create sound like this.
 
EVOLUTION.  CREATIVITY AT IT'S FINEST.  BRILLIANT.  INNOVATIVE.
 
I'm sure some folks won't like it because it's not standard fare and it
takes some effort to stay with them.  If you're not open to, you will never
like it.
 
Damn.
 
Jim Mento

Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 18:10:12 -0400
From: Tony Spider tspider@accglobal.net
Subject: darien lake
 
Be ready folks.....Darien will be the SHIT !!!

Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2000 23:33:09 -0700
From: Jennifer S Bucher jbucher23@juno.com
Subject: 9.14.00 Review
 
That is the best review I have ever seen! Bravo
Tony


Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 02:57:59 -0400
From: Ev terrapin@sympatico.ca
To: dws@gadiel.com
Subject: Darien
 
I've never reviewed a Phish show before, but it's 2:00AM and what the... you
only live once.  Also, this show represents to me what is my current
love/hate relationship with this band.
 
First things first... this venue is pretty cool.  I like the fact that it's
a tent, not a metal or concrete shed like most of the east coast
amphitheatres.  The inside of the tent acts like a giant screen for the
light show, which was stellar as usual.  Sonically, a very clean venue as
well.  I have to disagree with Brian though.... I don't know where he came
in but everyone I saw was frisked and I even saw a few folks escorted around
by security for trying to hop a fence.  There definately was a security
presence, but agreed, it was lax.
 
Soundcheck:  I happened to be standing near the back fence during
soundcheck.  2 songs were played.
 
IS THIS LOVE (B. Marley). instrumental with Trey pciking the melody very
sweetly.  This was long and hot!
 
JAM: A 10 min. jam which was very cool.  Trey (I think) was improving vocals
to this kind of like "this is the soundcheck song/this is a soundcheck/you
can play this song/but you'd have to pay us" etc. etc.  Very funny and very
cool.
 
Set 1:
 
PYITE: For some reason, in 20-some-odd shows I've never gotten this, so I
was reasonably stoked.  A tight, standard version.
 
REBA: Woohoo! Tight, fast, and no fuck-ups!  I like to guage Trey's
"on"-ness early in the show based on how little fuck-ups there are on
complex tunes like this.  No mistakes, and no ending.
 
ALBEQUERQUE: Nice.  My friend commented on how they tend to play this tune
alot when there close to Canada (a nod to Neil Young?).
 
CARINI: We have lift-off! The crowd is nuts... and rightly so!  I've heard
this song a few times, but I've never heard them open this sucker up at all,
until now!  There's a really nice jam in this one.. pretty experamental
before coming back to the theme.  This is turning into one of my fave tunes!
 
OH-KEE-PA: Standard.  I was stoked cuz I knew they would play something hot
out of this.  I was thinking AC/DC Bag, but instead...
 
SUZIE GREENBERG: Again, for some reason or another, this was my first Suzie
in my 25 shows.  I was ecstatic! But nothing... I mean NOTHING prepared me
for what would ensue after they ended this.  After the full concluion of
SUZIE, without skipping a beat, the band launched into what sounded like a
standard funk-out.  I though this sounded cool, but this jam very quickly
morphed into what turned out to easily be the most intoxicating 10 min. of
solid-freaking-rock-out-crazy-balls-blues-sickness I've ever heard!  This
jam gained and gained energy and momentum - totally coninciding with the
torrential downpour occurring all around us!  I couldn't believe this!
SICKNESS!!!!!  Pure rock!  The only thing I could equate this to would be
sorta like the Derek and the Dominoes Laya sessions blues jams in A and D,
but waaaaay tighter and more energetic!  You'll have to check this shit out
as soon as possible.
 
End set one.  Really short though (under an hour) but we were VERY
satisfied.  Now, the problem with a really hot first set is that the second
set is usually a dissapointment.  Unfortunatley, this is exactly what
happened.
 
Now, I like covers as much as the next guy, but while DROWNED is a cool
tune, it was followed by what I can only describe a 25 min. of pure
wanking-off.  Guys, if your going to go outside and get ambient, please try
to modulate a little to keep it interesting!  This was such a yawn........
and the rest of the set suffered from the weight of this plodding crap.
 
By the time CROSS EYED AND PAINLESS came around, I felt like I was listening
to a musical band-aid... an apology for wasting the last half-hour of my
life!  Well let's see if they can go somewhere interesting now...
 
NOT!!!!!!!!!
 
DOG FACED BOY/CASPIAN:  From cool to cruel.  And to top it all off... were
now into our closer:
 
LOVING CUP: Standard high energy version.  The only real highlight of this
set, but nothing was going to save this miserable set.  To top it all off...
again we clock in under an hour!  What a rip.  Well, maybe they'll rock the
encore...
 
NOT!!!!!!!!!!
 
DRIVER/JOSIE WALES:  These are very cool tunes, but to be honest I was kind
of hoping for a pick-me-up after the valium that was set 2.  Alas, again the
ole kick-starter...
 
SAMPLE: Nice but the damage was done.  Too much bloodflow for this musical
band-aid.
 
So this is my endless dilemma... when this band rocks they ROCK!  When they
don't, well....   Maybe I idealize a bit too mcuh, but I was kind of hoping
for a bit more consistencey.  Also, that fact that this show was so short
made me wonder if they just wanted to get the fuck out of here.  At any
rate, a good time had by all... SEE YOU IN VEGAS!  YEAH!!!!
 
SUMMARY:  Hot first set.  The jam out of SUZIE is interstellar!!!!!!  Pass
on the rest of the show... unless you really dig the boring jams... then go
get the DROWNED.
 
Ev

Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 12:13:46 -0400 (EDT)
From: Iii  William F Luke iluke@Oswego.EDU
Subject: Re:Darien Review
 
RAIN RAIN GO AWAY, NEVER COME AGAIN THAT WAY!! That show last night was my
39th, and i have never, i repeat never, been that soaked at a show. I have
experience some bad rain before(Va Beach '97,Raleigh '98) but last night
was crazy. My clothes are still soaking wet. The show was fantastic, but i
don't know, the rain distracted me the whole second set. I'm not bashing
the show though. Reba, actually, the whole first set was pretty damn
tight. I enjoyed the second set as well, but i concentrated more on trying
not to slip in the mud than i did on the music. Darien was a cool place
but the security was a pain in the ass. They would let a group of people
in the first check point and then cut it off. Let people in, cut it off. I
think a lot of people were pissed, people were mooing where i was to
immitate being a herd of cattle. This also caused a lot of people to miss
(a rockin') PYITE. I guess thats it, i'm heading off to Wal-Mart to get
myself a "Phatty" Poncho, and some rain gear. I will be prepared the next
time a storm like that occurs. See you kids tonite. LATER

Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 13:10:37 -0400
From: Levine jodav@home.com
Subject: darian review
 
Ok to make it quick. Around once a tour I read something in the review net
thats kinda upsetting, and I just can't resist a little retort. The show was
sick. after suzie, whatever came in the second set didn't matter - but holy
shit it just kept coming - sort of. Granted the bottom fell out after
crosseyed and the show ended with a very mellow encore, and all before 10:30;
The traffic sucked and thousands missed part of the first set. But lets take
a look here: Pyite, Reba!, Carini!!, Oh Kee pa (huh)>Suzie> Madness jam,
Drowned> Crosseyed and Painless!!?? I think we may be getting a little greedy
with this one. A half hour Drowned described as wanking off ? If you closed
your eyes and hooked in for a minute you would've noticed the serious
comunication taking place here. Fishman was fucking around the whole time,
and page was actually audible . yes it was long and aimless: so was finger
lakes 95 but the term to describe it at the time was "holy fuck". Considering
what most bands would have done during the most relentless rainstorm of the
season, i couldn't have expected anything better  - why bitch about something
you can't do anything about. they stepped it up enough for me.

Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 00:52:12 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jack Latner jacklatner@yahoo.com
Subject: Darien Review
 
After seeing 30 some odd shows in the last two years I'd just like to say that
Darian was the worst experience of my whole Phish experience.  Not only was
the traffic terrible, it was raining like a little bitch and by the time I got
to the venue after parking and running and tripping all over my drenched body
and clothes I'd missed the whole first set...so for this I will not judge the
first set...although I hear it was actually quite good. 
	Drowned seemed to be a fitting opener for the second set because I did
almost drown in a bad ass storm on the walk/jog over to the venue.  It damn
near rocked my soaking socks right off my soaking feet.  It did have it's weak
ambient points but for the most part the boys were able to recover and kick
into high gear.
 
Crosseyed and Painless was also a welcome tune, I've loved this tune since the
first time I heard.  It was kickin and it helped keep my body from freezing
over.
 
From here on in I don't even want to waste my time running through it one by
one. 
	They played seven more songs in all, I didn't enjoy one of them.  I
felt kinda like I was at a bad Trey solo show.  Almost everyone of those seven
songs was either Trey doing his own thing, with the spotlight on him (Dog
Faced Boy, Driver, Josie, and to some extent Caspian) the rest of my boys in
the background (this I HATE).
	Loving Cup, yeah yeah it's rockin, whatever...it's way over played, I
think I heard it seven times this summer, everytime at the end of the second
set.  I am growing very tired of repetative set closers, do they not have the
talent to rock, to close??  Why do they feel the need to use the same few
songs in there rotation to close.  I love phish but this bullshit is just
getting to be too much.  If Trey wants to do a solo tour let him do a damn
solo tour, but I didn't pay my money to see just Trey, I paid to see Page,
Fishman and Mike (well mostly to see Mike).  In closing I think Trey needs to
get his head out of the clouds and his hand out of my pocket


Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 01:27:10 EDT
From: TeenageWasteland@aol.com
To: dws@archive.phish.net
Subject: Darien Review
 
Well, Darien Lake was a kick-ass show.  Best way to put it.  The lot scene was
sick.  Great people all around, good vibes...Like everyone was friends, but
didn't know eachother.  Darien PAC is a very tight venue.  Not alot of room,
and not very organized either.  Security was non-existant.  No checks, no
frisks or questions. Awesome.  On to the show:
 
PYITE:  Excellent opener.  Anything out of the ordinary?  No.  Standard PYITE.
Good energy and set up for:
REBA:  NICE!!  Reba is definitely one of their best performances.  Always has
been. No whistling though.  But then again, how could you be dissapointed with
Reba? There was some good jamming after the drum breaks.
ALBUQURQUE:  Nice calm-down.  I love the vocal harmonies in this song, and it
was perfect to sit down, and take a breather.
CARINI:  Good thing Albuqurque calmed everyone down, because Carini just had
energy written all over it.  Awesome playing, and Trey was just ripping shit
up!  The crowd was going nuts, and I think the band just fed off that.
OH-KEE-PA, SUZIE:  Ok,when you talk about show highlights,this is the shit you
talk about.  The energy was fever-pitch.  I've never experienced anything like
it.  The crowd was just insane!  After the second chorus, CK put the spotlight
on Page for the piano break, but Page wasn't soloing.  Instead, Mike picked it
up, and we had ourselves a bass solo!  Simply amazing.  So, then the song
ended with the final chorus, right?  WRONG!!!  They played the ending, then
went right back into the jam as if it was the middle of the song. This lasted
for about ten minutes, then the set ended.
  Overall, I couldn't take in set 1.  It's so rare that I feel satisfied with
a show after just one set, but that was the case with this one.  Each song was
great, but the Oh-Kee-Pa, Suzie just left me speechless.
 
DROWNED:  A-MAZING!  30 minutes.  I think they played this because it started
POURING RAIN at the end of set 1, and it didn't even damper the mood.  Very
much like the Drowned from Hartford 12-12-99.  The song was great, then the
jam drifted away from the Who very quickly, and for a very long time.  If
ambient jamming isn't your thing, then you would've been pissed for about 35
minutes of this set.  If you're happy with anything , then it was heaven.
CROSSEYED AND PAINLESS:  Took me a second to realize what it was.  Mike was
pumping out those notes, it was perfet.  Fish was a surprisingly good singer.  
I was impessed.  Actually, I was just relieved because I was getting a bit
bored with the slow Drowned jam.
DOG FACED BOY:  Cool!  Totally unexpected, and it was just "cool".
PRINCE CASPIAN:  Standard Caspian.  I've seen killer Caspians, and this one
just didn't measure up.  It was good, not great.
LOVING CUP:  This is where you start praying "Please don't make this the set
closer, because the place is finally at a peak again, and this song is sooooo
good!"  Of course, those prayers fall on deaf ears.  Great set closer, and it
sort of balanced out the slower, less-energized songs of the set.
 
DRIVER:  Nice song. No energy, but didn't have to be.  It was nice.
INLAW JOSIE WALES:  Trey on acoustic.  I really like this song, but you can't
end a concert with this.
SAMPLE IN A JAR:  THANK YOU!!  This was an excellent choice to finish the
show. The mood and timing were perfect.  Always a pleasure to see a Sample.
 
Overall, the show was very good.  About an 8.5 Suzie and Drowned definitely
stepped it up.  I had a great time, and I want to thank Phish, and everyone
there (and thanks to that guy who gave me the pink pill for free). Take care
all and if you ever see the guy with the Keith Moon shirt at a show, say hi!
(and if anyone has 12-12-99, please email me)
 
-Brian

Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 02:14:00 -0400
From: Mike BB oongowa@buffnet.net
To: dws@gadiel.com
Subject: darien review...
 
i'll make this short but sweet....this was my 50th show, my FIRST was at the
same place 7 years ago. tonight I witnessed evolution. crazy you say?
i've been in it for years, and i NEVER heard shit like I heard tonight.
blown away.....yup....shit was WAY different tonight. you can look at the
setlist all you want, read the "reviews", just wait till you HEAR this shit.
they still got it, they can still blow the socks right the fuck off your
feet.
OUCH.
 
Mike BB

click here to return to the 2000 reviews page


hits (many)