Phish Dick’s Sporting Goods Park 8/29/14 Photo Mike Hardaker | Mountain Weekly News
COMMERCE CITY, CO – Phish returned to Colorado to celebrate Labor Day for the 4th year in a row playing to a packed crowd of almost 24,000 fans. As in years past Phish created a unique arrangement of songs during the first night that featured setlist’s created around certain letters from the alphabet.
In 2011, Phish played only songs that started with the letter S. The following year in 2012, things got a little more interesting when the band spelled out FUCK YOUR FACE (a popular hard rocking Phish tune) and last year when you looked at the setlist in reverse it spelt out MOST SHOWS SPELL SOMETHING.
So what on earth could they do this year? Were still trying to figure that out, however it does look like the tradition is now over.. Unless LUSHINGTONHS means something??
*Update 8/30/14
One of our readers reached out to let us know that “Lushington is a super rare song that hasn’t been played since 1987.” thanks Tripp
Overall I was unmoved with the first set, the band never seemed take stride aside from a well played Guyute, and rocking Suzie Greenberg that featured a surprise horn section with Jennifer and Natalie from the Trey Anastasio Band. Hopefully the setlist tradition is now over!
The second set was a little more dance friendly, highlights included a rocking Simple and really nice guitar jam from Trey in the middle of the normally funky Ghost as the band segued into Backwards Down the Number Line. To end the second set the boys ripped into a ferocious and powerful Run Like an Antelope which left fans wanting more. Even with the show being sub-par to Phish’s standards it still blew away most other touring bands best performances.
When asked people about there thoughts on Phish returning to the same venue over the same holiday weekend for the 4th year in a row I received mixed reactions “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” and “Dick’s has sort of lost it’s appeal.”
Personally I would love to see Phish play in the mountains again, as camping in the middle of Commerce City is not very appealing to anyone that spends any time in the great outdoors..
Cheers to night #2 being a barn burner.. We can only hope!!
Phish Dick’s Sporting Goods Park Photos 8/29/14
Related Mountain Weekly News Concert Coverage
