With Hard Love finally out in the open and an extensive touring schedule imminent, you’d think we wouldn’t be hearing anything new from Strand of Oaks for a while. Well, rhetorical third person, you’d be very, very wrong.
Somewhere in the midst of the album’s busy press cycle, Timothy Showalter found time to record a few homemade covers for Aquarium Drunkard as part of their Lagniappe Sessions series. There’s a laid-back, groovy take on Phish’s “Dirt” — a recent convert as of last summer, Showalter refers to himself as “the newest Phish fan in the world” — a stripped-back, acoustic rendition of Primal Scream’s “Damaged,” and space-y exploration of The Stone Roses’ “Made of Stone.” You stream and download the set here. Continue reading →
After months of rumors, Phish have officially announced a highly-anticipated summer run at Madison Square Garden. Following on the heels of their semi-regular, four-night New Years celebration at MSG and a three-night stint in Mexico, The Baker’s Dozen will spread thirteen shows between July 21st and August 6th in lieu of their usual summer and fall multi-city tours.
Just home from a two-week whirlwind EU press run in support of his forthcoming record Hard Love, Strand of Oaks main man Tim Showalter was back in Philly this weekend and looking to unwind. Which meant rocking out to a live recording Phish’s “Fluffhead” with a fluffy grey cat. Watch it below in a video from Oaks’ official Instagram. Continue reading →
This October, Phish‘s thirteenth studio album, Big Boat, sets sail. In anticipation, they have shared “Breath and Burning”, a sun-kissed, acoustic strummer that ruminates on the importance of living in the moment.
For those that caught Phish at The Mann this past June, “Breath and Burning” should sound familiar, albeit truncated. On record, they keep the jamming to a minimum in favor of tried-and-true pop structure. Continue reading →
Written with my friend and seasoned Phish fan Pat James
The second night (June 29th, 2016) of a double header Phish performance at the Mann Music Center was not only highly anticipated by the throngs of Delaware Valley Phaithful, but also viewed with cautious optimism, as an ominous forecast threatened to pour heavy rains and storms on the thousands of lawn and terrace attendees. Those present at the Mann shows a couple years ago will recall a similar event, where all those on the lawn were directed back to their vehicles until the storm had passed over. Perhaps coincidentally, the Mann Center remained out of the storm’s path, and the good times only rolled on from there. Sensing the anxiety from the unpleasant forecast, Phish provided its fans with an absolute treat in the first set, with many familiar favorites mixed in with covers, rarities and brand spanking new material.
A tight and energetic “Wilson” opened up the first set (with a brief “Character Zero” tease in the warm-up moments). Trey Anastasio seemed loose from the onset, with some nimble guitar fills during the Gamehendge classic. Next up was Son Seals cover “Funky Bitch,” which continued the great energy from the first song. This Mike Gordon-sung tune had the band in sync early and in my opinion portended well for the rest of the evening (a personal favorite). “No Men In No Man’s Land” is a funkified fan-favorite and provided the framework for the foursome’s first jam of the night. Keyboardist Page McConnell explored both his keyboard and organ set-up and Anastasio led a melodic and thoughtfully composed guitar solo. At the conclusion of this song, Trey addressed the Mann crowd and commented on how much the band enjoys playing under the impressive wood canopy (sure beats the E-Centre — and no I’m not giving credence to whatever bank has the current naming rights to the Camden amphitheater). Continue reading →
If “Tahoe Tweezer,” “Hampton Carini” or “Went Gin” mean something to you, you’ll probably want to catch Holly Bowling at the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Montgomery Auditorium on June 29th. The classically trained pianist will perform classic Phish and Grateful Dead songs, transcribed by Bowling from complex, multi-instrumental compositions to arrangements for solo piano. The performance will take place in the afternoon, between the two sold-out Phish shows happening at the Mann.
Phish at the Mann has become something of a summer tradition — the Burlington rockers played the gorgeous outdoor venue in both 2014 and 2015, and they’re set to continue the trend in 2016, having just announced two back-to-back dates on June 28th and 29th. Continue reading →
On the heels of their two night run at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in Wisconsin, Phish roll into Philly tonight and tomorrow night for two sold out shows at the Mann. WXPN’s Phish phanatic Brian Seltzer hosted and produced a two hour Phish special to get you warmed up for tonight and tomorrow night’s shows. Continue reading →
