With Phish's touring schedule somewhat calcifying over the last couple of years, I was on alert as soon as they announced a fall tour, and especially a Halloween show.
Although performance quality had been trending upward throughout 2011 & 2012, their habit of multi-leg summer tours and NYE runs made for long, awkward pauses which tended to "reset the clock" in terms of cohesion. For all the chatter about the guys in the band being best friends and having so much fun together, it sure seems like they need their space. And off time from Phish was truly off time. They retreat to families and side projects, preferring to spend time away from each other rather than working on something as a unit.
So obviously, true band time is precious. But with a Halloween show on the docket, they had put themselves in a position where they were compelled carve some out. That's a win for the fans no matter what happens.
At this point, they could have used this time to uphold their tradition and chosen to rehearse another band's material or tried to get something together to advance their own creative output. It seems like the days of doing both are gone. Phish chose the latter, and I can't fault them for it one bit. With their stage improvisation really turning the corner lately, the band was in desperate need of a jolt of new material to complement it... and now we have some.
As for the performance, terms like "bold", "risky", "aggressive" have all been thrown out. The breaking with tradition alone is worth tossing a few of these into the mix. However, as much as being fans of this band over the last few years has shielded us from this fact, most bands do perform new material, and most of the songs that made the cut is no radical departure from what we'd expect new Phish to sound like. The difference here is the decision to bring out these songs all at once and all in a row. I think that fact may lend as much to many fans' assessment of "instant classic" or "total disappointment" as much as anything.
The simple fact is that very few Phish albums are truly solid all the way through. Most contain songs that aren't live performance favorites and are left for the rarity bin or cast aside entirely. And so it will likely be with Wingsuit, which kind of makes this performance more endearing.
These songs will need time to grown on me, as I'm guessing they will for many fans. Some will end up developing improvisational spaces. I'm sure the first one that segues beautifully out of "Down With Disease" or "Tweezer" will captivate all of our hearts and forever change our perception of it. The first time "Fuego" or "555" pushes the fifteen minute mark or creates a jam that anchors a set will be something new to celebrate.
The question now, especially in light of their upcoming studio time and album release, is: how committed will they be to getting these songs to that space? Enough to abandon a Winter / Spring TAB tour or spending the winter home with the kids? This fall tour has been a tremendous step in the right direction. Cover album or no, the best place to be is where Phish isn't the side project, where they are committed to progress as a whole. I say bring on the spring tour.
