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Phish Gives A Phantastic Concert In Raleigh

By Stephanie Gherini, The Raleigh Telegram

Saturday, July 10, 2010

RALEIGH - Around eleven o'clock a.m. last Thursday, July 1st, as I drove through the Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion's front entrance, I noticed something—or rather, some things.

Waiting outside, adorned in their tie-dye clothing (and I don't mean the ones you can purchase at Ben & Jerry's), long paisley skirts, and hairstyles like that of Bob Marley, were the few, the proud—the “phans.”

Gates were not due to open until five and at least thirty vans were already lined along the side of the road. I figured these were the Phish fans that used the tour schedule as a to-do list (perhaps even a bucket list).

When the gates did open, more and more of these “phans” filtered into the venue, the same Time Warner Music Pavilion that hosted Rascal Flatts the week before, had now become Woodstock 2010.

I was stationed conveniently next to the stage, where I watched in awe as Trey Anastasio walked out with his custom Languedoc guitar.

Page McConnell took his seat at the keyboard, Mike Gordon took the stage with his bass, and Jon Fishman (or Phishman) prepared to put his drumsticks to use.

The Vermont-based group never ceases to impress and Raleigh was obviously not an exception.

They plowed through two sets, a total of twenty-one songs, over a span of more than three hours; and they did this with great enthusiasm.

The anxious crowd went savage at the sound of the first song, “Llama” and continued through the next two songs, “Roses Are Free” and “Kill Devil Falls.”

With the stifling heat spell finally lifted, the atmosphere for the concert could not have been more ideal.

A light show of aesthetically-pleasing neon hues danced behind the band, accenting the energy of the music and encouraging the energy of the crowd, which certainly did not go down with the sun.

The Raleigh show also featured several notable covers, which Phish excavated from years past.

In the first set, they played “Time Love Times a Hero,” a Little Feat song that the group has not covered since a reunion show in Madison Square Garden on New Year's Eve, 2002.

In the middle of their second set, they performed The Mighty Diamonds' “Have Mercy” and Traffic's “Light Up or Leave Me Alone”--two songs the band has not played since they covered them in December of 1999.

The second set ended with “phan” favorites such as “Free” and “Wading in a Velvet Sea”, where Anastasio became one with his Languedoc and produced the song's well-known guitar solo.

For the encore, Phish chose to play “Boogie on Reggae Woman”, a psychedelic cover of Stevie Wonder's '74 funk hit. Gordon mimicked the punchy funk bass style with ease.

Following the encore was a standing, dancing, jumping, even cartwheeling ovation from the crowd.

For many satisfied fans such as myself, it was a night to remember. For others, it was one night of many to cross off their lists.

“On to Charlotte,” the fans said as they climbed into their vans and drove off into the horizon, preparing to start another line at the next venue's entrance.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Stephanie Gherini works with Deep South Entertainment and also is covering music for The Raleigh Telegram this summer.