Venue:
The Sphere, Las Vegas
Date: 20/04/2024
I’m finally back home from a crazy five-day-trip to see the magnificent Phish on one of their four nights at the Sphere in Las Vegas. Any regrets I had about that evening a couple of months ago – when I foolishly logged on to the online ticket queue – vanished immediately once I was inside the »dome«.
And when the »gig« got underway it became clear that this was the event of a lifetime as far as live music goes: the sound was crystal clear, the visuals truly mind-boggling, and the band was as spacey and groovy as never before. And true to form, they played for nearly four hours (and no, they didn’t repeat a song during their four nights…); lots of extended atmospheric or funky improvisations.
I’m aware that this kind of music isn’t exactly Afterword-friendly, but if you’re curious to find out why they’re held in such high regard check out the official excerpts from the shows.
The audience:
As usual – yer typical festival crowd from mid-twenties to 50-plus. No chatting, no beery pestering, and hardly any mobiles: probably a result of Phish’s usual policy of the ticket including access to a 4K film of the entire show (plus professionally mixed FLAC download). Lots of dancing in the aisles of course.
It made me think..
This is hardly the future of live entertainment, but as far as »concerts« for a few hundred bucks go, this is the perfect deal – everything is designed and organised to perfection, and with a band like Phish it’s just a dream package. (Apparently not enough bathrooms though… although I didn’t have to check for myself)
Check this:
Breath-taking! You’ve certainly convinced about the quality of the visuals.
A hard act to follow! I suspect the Sphere will have their work cut out to find other acts that put such effort and enthusiasm in the light show.
What an experience! I’m suitably jealous, although I still can’t make any emotional connection with the band- something I know is causing them a lot of handwringing backstage.
Here’s another clip – they apparently prepared more than 70 background animations, and lots of different artists provided artworks and ideas. And these all had to be rendered in various segments and loops that were controlled and modulated live from the mixing board: two thirds of the music was improvised on the spot.
Strange band Pish. Can fill the Las Vegas sphere in America but would be lucky to fill the Dog and Duck in Blackpool.
Don’t know much about the Dog & Duck in Blackpool – but Phish played a sold-out Royal Albert Hall in the mid-90s.
Is that a typo, a Freudian slip…or a review?
Arch they are not that well known over here.
The same as Foghat huge in the US but didn’t sell shit here (and they were British)
I know. There one of those weird bands that have zero popularity outside of the states like the Greatful dead.
Hilarious!
I think the continuing popularity of jam bands in the USA reflects the ongoing drug subcultures over there, as various herbs and chemicals – a good adjunct to musical noodling – seeming to never go out of fashion, and are now even legal, or almost so. I wonder who HADN’T dropped a gummy or more first? An evening floating to a gig like this would be rather fun, I think, though, passim, I’ve never got anywhere with the Grateful Dead or String Cheese Incident, it all sounding a bit to much like stoned Americana to me, when I like a bit of swing and funk (which I know Phish sometimes move into).
Sounds brilliant. I’m off to watch the clips.
They have their own radio station on SiriusXM. I occasionally dip in, have heard some good covers
I’ve got their recreation of “Waiting for Columbus” which is excellent in a spooky way.
If you can find them, the old Phish Live CD packs they used to put out (a bit like the King Crimson collectors series) are sometimes superb – there are loads of them, and they used to come in plastic fold-out wallets, like gum card album inserts but full of CDs.
I do like a bit of Phish – not a band I listen to regularly, but have half a dozen or so albums and always enjoy when I put them on.
The experience at The Sphere sounds incredible and I am jealous. From what I hear, it really is a venue that offers great sound and visuals to the paying public – i.e actually a venue that has been designed properly. For all there detractors (and yes Bono can be an arse), U2 do put on a good show and their residency at The Sphere looked incredible.
I hear talk of these Sphere venues popping up around the world – I can’t wait.
Imagine what Hawkwind or Gong could do in one….