Today in Phishtory: 10/4/99 Normal, IL
Ten years ago today. the circus wandered through Normal, IL This was one of the few shows I skipped during that monster of a fall tour and I was bummed out. Ghost second set opener? Blew the roof off the building according to a friend of mine who was there. Other highlights? Funky Bitch and Jesus Left Chicago in the first set with Makisupa and Sand in the second set.
Phish 10/04/99 Redbird Arena, Normal, ILClick here to download 10/4/99.
Set I: Uncle Pen, Funky Bitch, Vultures, Runaway Jim, Jesus Just Left Chicago, Limb By Limb, Wilson, Down With Disease
Set II: Ghost, Sample in a Jar, The Wedge, AC/DC Bag, Makisupa Policeman, Sand, Ya Mar, Character Zero
Encore: Rock and Roll
Comments
When I got back to the dorm, I found a bunch of guys that had just broken into some dudes car on tour and stole all of his tapes. I remember feeling a bit sick in my stomach after that. A full Phish experience was accomplished that night, even with the scene-rats that nobody wants there. Nitrous mafia didn't exist in Normal, IL btw. :)
I'm going to listen to the whole show today in memory. Good post, Pauly...
These were my last shows before being reborn again at cypress that fateful december.
Monday, 10/04/1999 Redbird Arena, Illinois State University, Normal, IL
This was one of my all time favorite Phish experiences. I recall it started on time at 7 sharp, as many of us were still filing in, and we missed the Uncle Pen opener. (O"pen"er?, heh..) Funky Bitch 2nd? Super good version, all the more strange since they had encored with it the night before in Chicago, with Sugar Blue on harmonica and Son Seals on guitar.
But the coolest thing about this show is all the songs in the second have the tonal center of A. (Except the final tune of the set, Character Zero= E ). The music never seemed boring or "samey" being in the same key, as some might expect. Moving from A major (Sample, Wedge, Bag, Maki, Yamar), and A minor (Ghost, Sand) the vibe varied it a bit, too. But it was all centered around A.
Being a musician, I've worked with many others that insist on varying the keys for a good setlist flow. Absolutely, yes; changing keys and tempos is a consideration, for sure. But some say you can't have more that a couple tunes in a row in the same key. I disagree. It's all in how you play it. This show always amazed me for that reason, and I would cite it as an example of how it can work.
This is all a bit "music geeky", I know, but just another amazing layer of uniqueness in the Phish musical world. And of course, as Trey jokingly says at the end of the Rock & Roll encore, he'd like to thank the shows sponsors: NORML, the national organization for the reform of marijuana laws, and the key of “A.”
Awesome.