Phish – January 15th, 16th, & 17th – Riviera Maya, Mexico

Estimated read time 6 min read

PhishMaya-2016-4188
Photos by Tim Dwenger

The Scene: Where to even begin?  We spent the weekend on the beach, in the pool, exploring ancient Mayan ruins, under the sea, and basking in the warmth of the sun in the tropics and we had three hours of Phish to look forward to each night.  If that doesn’t make for one of the best “scenes” then I don’t know what does.

Throughout the weekend energy and excitement hung in the air like lightning.  From the very moment we set foot on the plane leaving Denver, we were surrounded by like minded folks; people of all ages who were embarking on this Mexican adventure together.  Chatter about various resorts and predictions for the weekend brought the cabin of our Southwest 737 to a dull roar as flight attendants scurried back and forth with drinks.  The party was in full swing from moment one and once we got to the resort the intensity only cranked up.  Afternoon pool parties with live DJs, late night bar scenes, waiters with trays full of beer and other libations serving soaking wet phans dancing in the surf, this was truly the party of a lifetime and, oh yes, we had Phish as our house band.  In the words of Trey (and many others) “This does not suck!”

Phish: Three shows over the course of three nights is not an uncommon thing for Phish – but to do it in a tropical paradise, right on the beach, in a customized venue . . . well that’s special!  It’s been a long time since phans had an international destination to travel to for a run of shows (June 2000 in Japan to be exact), and Trey, Mike, Page and Fish made it well worth our time over the course of these three magical nights in Mexico.

Was it the most amazing three night run of Phish?  No, probably not for those at home judging on the merits of the music alone, but in terms of all the factors that come into play when considering a concert experience, then YES, without a doubt!

First off, the band made it a point to constantly remind of us our surroundings throughout the weekend (as if we needed a reminder!)  From the opening notes of “A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing,” to the closing notes of “The Ocean” (which I called on the way into the venue on Friday night), the music swirled around water and sand themes all three nights.  “Theme From The Bottom,” “Drowned,” “Sand,” “Camel Walk,” “Wading In The Velvet Sea,” “Prince Caspian” and the list goes on…  Hardly an hour went by when the band wasn’t inspired to engage the fans in conversation in their own way as they nodded to Mother Nature.

Secondly, they may not have dropped a 45 minute “Tweezer” (or a “Tweezer” at all for that matter) and for those counting at home they didn’t push a single song beyond the 20 minute mark (and only three beyond 15), but they packed a hell of a lot of jamming into some tight spaces.  The first night featured some of the most talked about playing of the weekend when the second set took off with “Drowned->What’s the Use->Sand->Ghost->2001.”  But early on in Saturday night’s show the Talking Heads’ “Cities” exploded early and gave way to a very rare first set appearance of “Light” that set the crowd on fire.  “Simple” followed by “Timber (Jerry)” continued the early exploration and formed the core of one of the best first sets I’ve had the pleasure to witness.  Finally, another one of my highlights of the weekend came when “Down with Disease” opened Sunday’s second set with the longest jam of the weekend that featured some mind-bending “Shipwreck” samples from Page that brought the ocean theme to the forefront yet again.  So, while they may not look terribly memorable on paper, there were some incredible musical moments during these three shows.  Give them a listen.

Third, in addition to the exploration, the band gave those of us who ventured to the tip of the Yucatan a lot of what we were all looking for.  They gave us a taste of songs that had been shelved for quite a while like the obligatory “Mexican Cousin,” “Landlady,” “The Curtain With,” and “Twenty Years Later” alongside some fan favorite covers that had been omitted from the recent New Year’s run including “Drowned,” “Cities,” “Golden Age,” and The Rolling Stones’ “Shine A Light.”

Fourth, clearly the band knew we were all partying our days away under the Mexican sun and didn’t need much in the way of a warm up each night as they seemed to really push the limits of what has become a “typical” first set.  Songs like “Fuego” and “Light” and some expansive jamming appeared in the first frame on each night, and, in fact, Saturday’s show almost felt like an inverted show with the first set feeling more like a second and the second lacking a little of the energy that the first doled out in spades.  In fact, during in a conversation at the swim up bar on Sunday I overheard a guy telling his buddy that he had “the most fun ever listening to one of the worst second sets ever.”  While I don’t quite agree that it was the “worst second set ever,” there’s no doubt that it wasn’t as powerful as many were hoping.

Finally, when else does a band of this caliber and popularity give 5,000 of their fans the opportunity to dance away the night in the warmth of the Caribbean with sand between their toes?  Hell, most of are used to listening to Phish in massive sheds, hockey arenas, soccer stadiums, or if we are very, very lucky, maybe a place like Telluride or Red Rocks.  But this ocean side venue takes the cake.  Let’s hope the band continues to do this kind of thing and gives more fans the opportunity to experience the magic.

Energy: A+
Musicianship: A
Sound: A+
Stage Presence: A
Set/Light Show: A+

Overall: A+

tdwenger http://www.listenupdenver.com

Music has always been a part of my life. It probably all started listening to old Grateful Dead, Peter Paul & Mary, and Simon & Garfunkel records that my parents had, but it wasn't long before they were taking me to concerts like Starship, Crosby, Stills & Nash, and Huey Lewis & The News. I got the bug to write about music after reviewing an Eric Clapton concert for a creative writing project in high school but didn't really take it up seriously until 2002. Since then I have published countless articles in The Marquee Magazine and done some work for Jambase.com, SPIN Magazine, and various other outlets. I started Listen Up Denver! as a way to share the music information that is constantly spilling out of my head with people who care. Please enjoy!

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