https://medium.com/the-phish-from-vermont/amazing-segue-or-ripcord-review-7-18-14-803c32ea2660

Amazing segue or Ripcord? — Review 7/18/14

In the wake of the song-based second sets in Canandaigua and Pine Knob, the pejorative term ripcord resurfaced in Phish discussions. It has grown to mean the moment where a jam appears to be ‘opening up’ into exploratory type ii territory, and then, jarringly, Trey will start a new song out of nowhere. Perhaps the most cringe-worthy moment of the tour was Wednesday night at Pine Knob when Weekapaug Groove appeared to be really breaking from its structure into some evil abstract jam, when the opening drums of Cavern completely interrupted the flow. Well, last night also saw jams ended abruptly in favor of new songs, yet many are praising its “amazing segues” and impeccable “flow.” The fact is, one of the coolest thing Phish ever does is unexpectedly bust into a new song in the middle of a jam(the very definition of a ripcord). I’ll never forget when I got my Maxwell XL II tapes for 7/22/97 and I first listened to the absolutely funktastic transition between DWD and Mike’s. The difference between a ripcord and an “epic segue” is of course the musical context around it. We call a ripcord, a ripcord, when Trey’s chords or notes for the new song seem to bear zero resemblance to the music that came before it. Last night’s “Chalkdust” was clearly a ripcord. But, the “amazing segue” from Piper into Halley’s was amazing not because the Piper jam had “run its course”. It was actually beginning to venture into incredibly interesting territory far from the ‘normal’ high-octane Piper jam we’ve grown accustomed to. No, the reason we call it an “amazing segue” is how the Piper jam just sort of “happened” upon a groove — a simple rhythm on an F chord — that Trey suddenly realized was very similar to the groove underlying “Halley’s Comet.” Watching the webcast, he burst out laughing at the moment of discovery. Now, when they started singing Halley’s it was a bit rough — they’ve never started singing the song midway through a jam — but, all things (re)considered, it was incredibly smooth. What is really interesting is how the song took on a new kind of character from the previous jam (a bit slower and looser). Once they got to the normal shredding guitar outro, Trey new that wasn’t right, the groove had to continue. But, rather than really letting the groove continue into an open Halley’s jam we all want and crave, he decided for more comic antics in the form of their new groove: Wombat! If Wombat hadn’t developed into the improvisational highlight of the night, I would have been upset with this ripcord, but I firmly believe the looseness of Wombat (even Fish sings it with more flair than usual) was predicated upon the looseness of Halley’s which was, of course, rooted in the groove in the Piper jam (if not, the Golden Age jam!). I think we need to see the jam out of Wombat as a continuation of the spirit inaugurated by the “amazing Halley’s segue.” Therefore, the type ii Womabt was really a type ii Halley’s…or something.

This review is coming late (busy day), so I’m not going to say much about all the individual songs. The first set song selection has really become a problem. The 100th “Sparkle” and “Birds”, and a healthy dose of Fuego material. Where is “Sloth” or “Curtain With” or even something fun like “Fee”? Just mix it up?!?! However, I really couldn’t imagine complaining about any first set that includes Reba (best of the tour by far, I think), Stash (the most ‘in the box’ version of tour), and Squirming Coil (very well played).

Set 2 began with the first cover that has been substantially improvised upon. A great choice with “Golden Age.” This one was just one long thick groove that just kept getting more intense (this one is not quite to the level of 10/27/13 though). It eventually developed a theme around a very simple two beat rhythm hit that repeats — this has been common in a lot of Phish jams lately (immediately I’m thinking of the Dicks ‘13 Chalkdust and MSG DWD). Near the end, however, things got very loopy and abstract and Jon Fishman just went crazy. Really. Listen to these drums.

You have to have ice in your veins to not love “Mango Song.” On the webcast, Trey was having so much fun playing it. Such a fun and also musically interesting song.

“Sand” — No one seems to notice, but this song rarely goes type ii — or does anything particularly interesting (unless you like Trey funk soloing over one chord for 5-7 minutes). The Camden 09 and Dicks 12 version give this song the allure of major jam vehicle, but it really hasn’t — and this one was one of the most glaringly short versions.

“Piper” — Saw the return of a very driving two beat rhythm in the drums (picking up where the “Golden Age” left off). Around 8:30 it gets much more abstract and weird, and very un-Piper-like. But, we had the “amazing segue” to follow.

If you like dancing, “Golden Age” was your jam. If you like soaring, melodic beauty, oddly enough, “Wombat” was where you could “have that.” Literally, who would have ever imagined this goofy ‘effin song to somehow get to this beautiful, serious space. At 4:oo in it is just doing its Wombat thing, funking a long, but the second Trey lets a melodic note ring out, Fishman slowed the beat and the jam started to move out into ethereal bliss space. But, then 4:23, they kicked back into the funk. Almost “dared” by Fishman’s earlier dramatic changing of the beat/rhythm, at 4:50 Trey starts his ‘trilling’ move which this tour signals — lets takes this out into spacier, bliss territory. But, Mike is continuing to play sinister funk grooves. After a while, (5:56 or so) Trey and Mike finally settles on a very simple two (eventually three) note melody that is repeated in lower register notes. This simple vamp then becomes the basis for the next 6 minutes of pure glory. Eventually Trey finds a chord progression that for a while sounds like the Runaway Jim interlude but some have called “The Wheel” jam (I’m not sure I hear that). Try listening at 5:56 and hear how that simple melody is just build and built around. Really great and, while not one of the best jams of tour (maybe top 10 though), it surely gets #1 for most unexpected jam out of a particular song.

“Chalkdust” was appropriately high tempo rager and nicely placed.

“Slave” can only be described as incredibly chill. Even the “Hard Rocking” Em rage sections preceding the jam were played with remarkable restraint and quietness. The jam built very patiently to a peak — for sure…this is Slave…but a very restrained (as always beautiful) peak.

“Julius”. Whatever.

A very standard first set, but a totally unexpected and exciting progression of songs and jams in the second set really made for a unique and interesting night of the Phish.