Perfect Menu came to fruition at Bend, Oregon’s Startup Weekend 2012. In just under three days we developed our entire application from the ground up. We put together a grassroots sales operation, and within our first 24 hours had one of the most influential and trend setting restaurants in Bend using our product. By the end of the event we had customer validation and commitments nationwide.
I’ve been meaning to share these thoughts for a couple of days…
Song names are secondary. Phish has again reached a creative level that rivals any era from their past. The level at which they’re communicating on stage reduces song names to nothing more than a way to keep count. Whether they sing here-or-there for a few minutes, their voices are really just being used as a fifth instrument. This is Phish at its purest form. Remember this next time you find yourself judging a show based on songs played or not played.
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The way certain people complain about Phish continues to astonish me. In particular, you, Mr. Miner. A relatively authoritative voice in the “online” Phish community, you run a very well known, highly respected weblog — where among other things — you reviews Phish shows.
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Every single Phish show is chock-full of expectations. Some shows bring a lot more hype and excitement than others, yet more often than not, fans start buzzing with anticipation, hopes and expectations long before the band ever sets foot on stage. However, too much pre-show hype surrounding any single Phish show (or run of shows) often leads to a good amount of collective disappointment.
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Some music I recorded back (with various friends) in Montana between 2002 and 2004. I’ll keep adding more as it surfaces.
“Missed our record-breaking Kickstarter campaign? You can pre-order the Elevation Dock here. We expect to be shipping in late April with the rest of the Kickstarter orders.” -Casey
“It’s a big milestone, I think crowd-funding is just in its infancy.” -Casey Hopkins
“It’s been a hell of a run. Looking forward to a solid night of sleep after two months without it. Then it’s laser focus on getting these shipping.” -Casey Hopkins
Quite possibly the best commercial ever made. “Shot 100% on the Go Pro HD HERO. Watch as Kayaker Ben Brown masterfully rules an epic waterfall and enjoy one of GoPro’s summer commercials airing on national TV.”
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We updated and refined the layout in some places. Removed some crap from other places. We like it more now.
Wired: “The Dock Apple should have made in the first place.”
John Gruber: “An exquisitely well-crafted, beautiful, useful iPhone dock. I’m in.”
New York Times: “…but wow, what a stand.”
Gizmodo: “I’m tempted to buy an iPhone just so I can use the Elevation Dock”
SlashGear: “Elevation Dock for iPhone blows up on Kickstarter”
UberGizmo: “Dock aims to make undocking your iPhone a piece of cake”
Jason Fried: “Love the thinking that went into the design!”
Marco Arment “Elevation Dock for iPhone raised $75k in 8 hours”
Cult of Mac: “…The Most Gorgeous iPhone Dock Ever Made”
GigaOM: “A dock becomes a darling of the tech world”
Digital Trends: “Great design if you ask us. Why didn’t Apple think of this?”
Electronistra: “Upscale, case-friendly home”
Uncrate: ”…you’re going to want a dock. But not just any dock. The Elevation Dock.”
TNW: “The Elevation Dock for iPhone blows away Apple’s crap options”
Cool Material “The Elevation Dock is, to put it bluntly, perfect.”
Silicon Florist “I… Yeah. I don’t even really know where to begin.”
AIGA: “…perfect blend of form and functionality… much like Dyson’s fan.”
A Better Dog
The first time I saw you, rope in your mouth
Tugging at your father as he came from behind the barn
Love. Pure.
Often, I feel the same way when I see you running in the fields
You’re a leader, a companion, my best friend
You’ve helped me learn how to be a man
You’ve waited for me, you’ve fought for me, stood up for my pride
You’ve been hurt, I hate seeing you bleed
You’re a guardian, a worker, an intelligent soul
When I lose control, I turn to you for guidance,
You’re always there, with a warm embrace, ready to comfort me
We all have regrets, I’m sure you know mine
You can feel me, I don’t need to speak to you
That you have chosen me to share this ride with, thank you
That you continue to teach me how to live a calm and balanced life, thank you
That you glow with love and kindness, thank you
I am just trying to make myself worthy of your time
That you have patience for me, thank you
I love you Ryu, a better dog does not exist
Your enemies can also be your teachers. Listen to their message and ignore who they are.
Until Super Ball, I was still skeptical that Phish was heading in the right direction. A handful of bad show experiences, Trey’s impatience, and the general crowd-pleasing nature of the band was turning me off. This has officially changed.
After the Gorge and Tahoe, I’m completely confident we’re witnessing the magic emerge once again. For the first time since Phish started playing together again in 2009, I’m getting glimpses of the creative fire Phish exhibited in the past. It may take a while to get there, but the direction we’re heading in is glorious.
For the sake of expressing my point, there are five specific musical examples that I’d like to focus on: The Rock and Roll from the first night at the Gorge (2011), Light from the first night in Tahoe (2011), the end of Mound from Super Ball (2011), the transition back into Split Open and Melt, and the Have Mercy from Utica (2011). All of these musical moments are prime examples of why I started following Phish around the country so many years ago. (The Waves soundcheck from Bethel almost made the list, but it deserves its own post.)
Grab some headphones or turn on your speakers and try to follow along with the analysis below.
Rock and Roll • August 5th, 2011 – Gorge
At the 11:10 mark of the jam, Trey finds a darker upscale lick that he likes. Mike responds with some downward arpeggios, Page is layering on top and Fishman is listening for Mike to find the groove he wants to settle in on. At 11:48 the magic happens. Mike gives the go-ahead to Fishman and the entire band settles in on an incredible groove. The only way they could’ve found this uncharted territory is through extensive improvisation. All of them have such a focused ear at this point in the jam, listening to precisely what the other band members are laying down. This is a prime example of the Phish I fell in love with.
Light • August 8th, 2011 – Tahoe
At the 9:05 mark Page emerges with a Piano melody that inspires the rest of the band to find themselves. In what seems like a premeditated thought, Page finds himself in the driver’s seat at the the 9:20 mark. The jam heavily progresses forward, allowing Mike to emerge with a thundering bomb at the 10:20 mark. While the rest of the band backs him up, he finds the magic at the 10:30 mark. The rest of the jam is a shining example of what made Phish’s second set pearl choices so important. At the 15:22 mark, Mike finds a downright scary synth driven line. The rest of the band responds with a mediterranean-psychedelia inspired foundation. Close your eyes, it sounds like 1996.
Mound • July 3rd, 2011 – Super Ball
After the incredible interplay between Mike and Trey between the 2:05 and the 2:40 marks, the band is clearly feeling this version of Mound. They nail the composed sections of the song, and when the ending draws near, Trey decides to take the final solo instead of Page. In what could be a classic “Thank you Trey” moment, he absolutely shreds it into oblivion. It all starts at the 6:15 mark when Trey hops in with some minor notes over the psychedelic bluegrass foundation the band is throwing down behind him. Trey continues to lay down some beautiful notes while the rest of the band is clearly paying attention to him. At the 6:57 mark Fishman and Page lock in on a three-note rhythm that fills in Trey’s holes, and it makes for a gloriously enlightening feeling. This leads to an uptick, which in turn leads Mike to a thundering jazzy bluegrass scale at the 7:05 mark. Mike continues to meet Trey’s peak notes with fiery intensity. At 7:17 the entire band locks in on that fundamental bluegrass movement while racing towards the finish line. An instant classic in Mound history.
Split Open and Melt (and Have Mercy) • October 12th, 2010 – Utica
After a great Split Open and Melt to start the magic, the band moves into a beautiful rendition of Have Mercy. At the 2:54 mark, a very pleasing jam emerges. Fishman does a great job of using the rim of his snare here to provide depth. Trey leads the way as the driving force behind the beat, letting Mike play around in the background until he finds something he likes. At 3:54 Trey and Mike trade places, allowing the groove to turn into a classic soaring melody driven romp.
The piper deserves its own post, so for the sake of these examples, let’s move to the end of the jam. At the 8:51 mark of Piper, Mike starts hinting at a minor dissonance with an arpeggio. Fishman picks up on it and moves into the beginning of the end of Split Open and Melt. At the 9:20 mark of Piper, Mike throws down some off-key bombs that clearly signify the beginning of something special. Page is layering some very thick psychedelia on top of it and Trey is mimicking Mike’s one-off movements. As the track listing moves into Split Open and Melt, Trey throws down a “here I am” lick at the 0:08 mark that invokes a feeling of pure glory. Mike emerges with the original baseline as they nail the first three-hit transition back into the ending of SOAM at the 0:17 mark. Trey then channels his early-nineties self and shreds the rest of the tune apart. Simply stunning.
In closing, I disagree with most analysis that floats around, painting Phish’s musical evolution as one large movement, hoping they can be better than they once were. Instead, I like to dissect Phish’s music on technical and creative levels, with specific examples. When I’m comparing recent Phish shows to past shows, I am specifically comparing the levels of creativity showcased within the band, the way they listen to each other as musicians, the talent exhibited during an improvisational jam, and the overall energy they are putting out there.
At this point, I truly believe Phish is capable of being better than they have ever been. We are witnessing something magical here. For the first time in years, I’m noticing the band seriously try to impress its fans. The nostalgia act is officially over. You may have to see every single show on any one tour to catch a moment like I’ve explained above, but hopefully that won’t be the case in 2015. If Phish keeps moving in the direction they have been, I fully expect the old-school, non-stop creativity that dropped my jaw at every other show, to emerge once again.
This is a beautiful time. Phish sounds great again. Life is good.
For my brother… My dear, dear brother. You are going through an incredibly devastating breakup. Forget about her. She’s not worth it. Read More…
Life is quite simply a series of challenges you must overcome. Get through one test with grace, be rewarded with the outcome. Fail, and the test continues to take shape.
Founder of @thinkbrilliant Lucky to share my life with two Aussies and a Cattle Dog. Phish fanatic, lover of the great outdoors.
Think Brilliant