Phish played the Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio on August 2, following a night off after a fantastic run in Maryland. The Blossom Music Center is a special place, a beautiful wooden, wedge-like structure nestled in the forests of Ohio. If you are from New York, I would highly recommend you make the trip if you have not yet, it’s certainly up there with the best sheds around. This was my first time there, but it certainly won’t be my last.
The band started the night off with a nice acapella version of “Strawberry Fields Forever,” which they played for only the second time. “Crowd Control” was up next, and then a mid-set “Punch You In The Eye.” After this was a short “46 Days” before delighting the crowd with a “You Enjoy Myself.” They did a short vocal jam before dropping back into another second “YEM” jam, which the crowd ate up. Keeping the funk going, was a short “Tube” before slowing things down with a “Shade.” A gorgeous “Reba” was a perfect soundtrack to the color leaking from the sunset sky. They wrapped the set up with the staple set closer of “Cavern.”
Phish has really been feeling “Free” this summer, and they opened up the second set with a monster 25-minute version. “Esther” was next, which they unfortunately struggled through due to Trey’s guitar being out of tune. “Blaze On” followed, the jam was on the shorter side, and then Trey started off “Scents and Subtle Sounds.” As they worked their way through the composition, the sound twice completely cut out for a few seconds. The band played through it and either didn’t notice or they tried to make it up with what was probably the jam of the night. This version was heavy on the dark funk, with a gorgeous ambient outro. Maybe it was a nod to the night being the 19th anniversary of the IT music festival from 2003, which was the band at their peak in ambient jamming, but probably not. A short but sweet “2001” got the whole place dancing, before a wild and beautifully cacophonous “Split Open and Melt” had some in the crowd staring at the stage in awe.
It was amusing to see the confusion and then elation as the Page started up “Bathtub Gin” for the encore. Even though the band was a little bit short on time, they were able to cut out the fat and immediately get right to the good stuff as the jam matured into a some very opulent themes and textures before wrapping up the night.
Phish Blossom Music Center – Cuyahoga Falls , OH 8/2/22
setlist via Phish.net
Soundcheck: Funky Bitch, My Soul, Crowd Control (this soundcheck is possibly incomplete)
Set 1: Strawberry Fields Forever, Crowd Control, Punch You in the Eye > 46 Days > You Enjoy Myself, Tube > Shade, Reba, Cavern
Set 2: Free > Esther > Blaze On > Scents and Subtle Sounds > Also Sprach Zarathustra > Split Open and Melt
Encore: Bathtub Gin
Strawberry Fields Forever was performed for the first time since July 22, 2017 (168 shows). Fish quoted Strawberry Fields Forever in the YEM vocal jam and in the jam that followed. Trey teased Also Sprach Zarathustra at the end of Gin.
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