Hartford 8/14/09

So first off, apologies for the late update, I am covering these shows over a week late. No worries! So let's talk.

Friday was the first official day of our (ph)amily vacation, and what better way to kick it off than at a Phish show? So we moseyed our way up to Sully's Pub on a sunny afternoon to hear the McLovins play a two hour show to kick off the festivities that would continue for another twelve hours.

And what a twelve hours it was... The McLovins did great covers of Tweezer and Shakedown Street as well as a few originals during the first set. My two favorites are Bri (In Memory Of) and a new one which, if I remember correctly, is called Virtuous Circle. That one's all about trading lyrics and a nice fast pace. Now that I think about it, the music and the title work together well. Can we get more of that one soon, boys?

Backwards Down the Number Line, a recent addition to the Phish repertoire (which, on a side note, I have begun to think of as a favorable one), opened the second set and lots of dancing was definitely in order over the next hour or so. We got free bubbles!The cool thing is, I got to chat with the band and their manager (a parent, but it's still cool) for a few minutes at the Phish show; we spotted them hanging out by the merch counter and went over to hang for a while. I hinted at maybe a McLovintastic Spring Dance Weekend '10? I'll work on it.

Getting chummy with the band

Tailgating in the parking lot before Phish

Phish, the main event. In one word? Phantastic. Such a great set list, including Colonel Forbin's Ascent into Fly Famous Mockingbird, Icculus, and Psycho Killer (Talking Heads), all songs that haven't graced the stage for at least nine years each. It was very very very cool. Personal favorites of the night (excluding ones already listed) include Punch You in the Eye (show opener), I Didn't Know, Ghost, Piper, and, of course, YEM... I just remembered I liked everything. So basically the whole show. :)

The gang

Here's the set list:
Hartford Meadows, 8/14/09 8:00pm
Set I
Punch You In The Eye
AC/DC Bag
NICU
Colonel Forbin's Ascent
Fly Famous Mockingbird
Birds of a Feather
Lawn Boy
Stash
I Didn't Know
Middle of the Road
Character Zero

Set II
Down With Disease
Wilson
Slave to the Traffic Light
Water in the Sky
Ghost
Psycho Killer
Icculus
You Enjoy Myself
E: While My Guitar Gently Weeps

With a setlist like this, there's not really much you can do other than bask in the awesomeness. So here's sort of an inkling of what said awesomeness entailed.....



Fun, fun fun. Can't wait till next time.

As for more blogging adventures, I'm going into the city to see the Ryan Montbleau Band play on a cruise around Manhattan this Thursday night. It won't be long until we reunite, old chaps.