Philzone.org - Philzone Phansite Community Discussion Board: Setlists and Reviews: Non GD Related Reviews: Archive: Page McConnell, Fillmore, 6/10/07

Local Garrin Benfield opened the show. He had a small but attentive crowd. I've seen Garrin before but this is the first time in at least year, maybe even 2 that I've seen him. And it was also his first appearance on the main stage at the fillmore. It was a short set that started at 9 pm SHARP! I caught about half of it, Garrin was in fine form, very Keller-esque in his looping and layering effects. Unlike Keller, he used only one guitar. He changed tunings between layers lightening quick! The result was great, complex and intricate melody that didn't get lost to the beat. WCZJ MC Sam Flot has been working with him on another project, hopefully we'll be seeing more of it soon!

As for Page, I'm not big into Phish, but listening to this show inspired me to check him out:

Phil Lesh and Friends Live at Warfield Theater on 1999-04-17 - Phil Lesh and Friends
Set 1: Dark Star > It's Up To You > Days Between > Dark Star > My Favorite Things, Mississippi 1/2 Step, Bird Song Set 2: Terrapin Station > Down With Disease > Dark Star > Friend of the Devil, Casey Jones, Morning Dew, Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad > And We Bid You Goodnight Encore: Box Of Rain

http://www.archive.org/details/1999-04-17.paf.sbd. unknown.10170.sbeok.flacf

As for the show...The sound was weird, I've never experienced such a sharp divide in sound at the Fillmore...just inside the dance floor, there was a line that ran from the front of the room to the back, you stand on one side and it sounds great, you stand on the other and you couldn't hear Page at all, It looked like the speakers were turned in slightly, I'm sure that was part of it. I pointed it out to someone and we spent the next five minutes stepping back and forth across the line...page...no page...page...no page. ha ha ha...yes, I am easily amused

The band included a bunch of old friends, guys from back home in vermont, old phish roadies, that sort of thing. Eh...whatever, there were too phishy for my tastes but Page sounded nice, very clear and crisp, a classic piano sound.

The setlist included a bunch of stuff off the new album, including Close to Home. There were some phish tunes too, Ballerina among others. It was an 1:45 set ending with Stuck in the Middle with You. A short break and then the encore, something phishy followed by Monkey Man...a funny little song that screamed Rolling Stones to me, come to find out...it IS a Stones cover! ha!

Decent show for the price, not too crowded, the lights were cool...and if there was ever a doubt in my mind, I'm absolutely certain the Fillmore loves me after last night! Two months ago, I "lost" my shoes at the Butter show...as I walked up the stairs, Tim the Greeter says to me, "Oh Emily, so nice to see you! I have something for you...a pair of green shoes." ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...two months, he held onto those shoes for me, Thanks Tim

I was wondering where your green shoes were..

Jam Band Dorothy..

Page played the House of Blues here in San Diego...

Had to pass..that place sucks..

I'll be seeing Page on Sunday night as part of an e-Town taping at the Boulder Theatre...with the other act being Jorma and Barry.

^^^^^^^
That sounds great, or it's going to sound great

>>>Decent show for the price<<<

That describes it pretty well. It was a nice jam rock show, nothing special but nothing terrible either, with a couple of really good jams toward the end.

I did think it was much better than the Vida Blue show I saw a number of years ago; this was a much more focused straight-ahead rock band, and I felt that the Phishier is was, the better it was (I am very much a Phish fan).

The songs all could have been newer Phish tunes, groovy with a sappy edge that evolved into some nice, intricate jams. The bass player was VERY good, the guitar player(s) were good/not great and the drummer was more annoying than not, but he did have a couple of good moments. Page looked good & sober and his playing, as usual, was best during the jams when he was playing off the other guys, leading & shifting the jams with his amazing ability to add to a group sound. Page can be an excellent soloist, but his real greatness is demonstrated when he’s subtly adding & changing rhythms within a jam. He is definitely a big league player.

To his credit the only Phish tunes he played were a couple of his ballady songs he did solo during the encore. It would have been easy for him to pull out a Phish gem or two for his (not many) rabid fans, and the band could have handled it but he kept it his own thing throughout. I’m not sure the show was the better for it, but I was impressed.

There were only about 450 people there, but what they lacked in numbers they made up in SMOKE! It was a blue cloud night at the 'Moe!

I was again reminded, as is often the case in these side/solo projects from mega-band members, how Phish as a whole was so much better than the individual members. I love 'em all and all four members of Phish are great & unique players, but their own projects don't even come close.

I often think how difficult it must be to be in the prime of your life and know that the greatest thing you'll ever do professionally has already been done.