Customer Reviews

Live Phish Vol. 8: 7/10/99, E Centre, Camden, New Jersey

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

LP8 is the only two-disc show of the second batch.

Packaging: More of the same. This release has pictures of each band
member. Trey looks really old.

Sound: This is more of a Matrix recording than LP7. You can hear the crowd
pretty clearly, but not so much that it's annoying. There's no noticible
vocal or instrumental echo (at least as far as I can tell). This show
really sounds great. All the instruments sound clear and are mixed well
(except Page's piano, which seems just a tad too quiet). The vocals are a
little low in the mix, but it's not too bad. It's not noticable in the
slower, quieter songs.

Music: The real highlight of set one is the Chalk Dust Torture > Roggae.
Not that Roggae is the greatest song, but it's a really nice transition.
Chalk Dust gets really interesting around the 9:00 mark. Kind of spacey and
textural -- but with a lot of energy. A very unique jam. It glides easily
into Roggae.
This set also features the slow blusy tune, Back At The Chicken Shack. It
just doesn't do anything for me. It's just a little too long for my tastes
since it doesn't really go anywhere.
The Bathtub Gin is pretty standard. It's a good 16 min, so there's some
good jamming in there. There's a directional change at 11:00 that reminds
me of the 6/14/2000 Fukuoka (Japan) Jam, but it quickly picks up a darker
and more energetic tone. The jam eventually fades out to end the song.
Set two is pretty great. It opens with a phenominal Tweezer. Very slow jam
in the middle. Nice and long. Put the headphones on for this one and turn
it up. One of my favorite Phish jams to date. It eventually segues into
Mountains in the Mist -- which is a song with which I'm not too familiar.
Birds of a Feather basically has the same jam as the Chalkdust, but that's
cool by me. Fluffhead ends the set in typical high-energy fashion.

Good stuff.

None of this new to Phish stuff. I've been listening and seeing Phish since 1990. This Chalkdust Torture is one of the best if not the best I've ever heard. It reall steps up to a transcendental notch at around the 7 minute mark and takes off from there. The rest of the show is very good as well...oh but that Chalkdust...gets me everytime, 5 stars for that tune alone!!!

Honestly, I haven't heard or seen a better Chalkdust than the one that's on this disc. It's really great. Like someone said in an earlier review, you get almost that 97 space-funk out of a Chalkdust, which is unusual. Don't get me wrong, this version indeed rips, but the space in this is excellent.

In my opinion, this is a highly underrated Tweezer. Of course we have two different people complaining about the Funk of 97 and Machine Gun Trey, but, hell, I'm a fan of both, so bring on the funk! I'm a fan of the overall spaciness of this Tweezer as well. Very interesting.

Overall this show is highly underrated and is definitely worth a listen or two. You won't be disappointed with the Chalkdust, I can guarantee you that.

This is actually a really strong show. I was a little hesitant at first because I had heard it was everything from "mediocre" to "highly disappointing." After listening I can't really figure out what the deal was. It may not have any rarities or obscure covers or 30 minute long jams, but it has some great playing and strong versions all around. I agree that the setlist is hardly anything to write home about, but a show's not all in the list.

Set I: I find the first set to be stronger than the second. A very strong 'Wilson' starts the show off right and then moving into one of the best 'Chalkdust Torture's I've ever heard. I've heard the song quite a bit and I kind of rolled my eyes at first as I heard 'Wilson' begin to segue into it, but I gave it a chance and was blown away. It doesn't let down for the whole 14:09 (and I mean it DOESN'T let down at all), only to go into a beautiful 'Roggae'. This has become a favorite of mine due to the sweet mid-jam. Then comes 'Water in the Sky', a song I had never really liked much until I heard this version. It is incredible. This has to be one of the best versions of 'Water in the Sky', ever. The rest of the set is good also, 'Bathtub Gin' (of course) being the highlight of the end of the set (although nothing groundbreaking, a captivating ending jam nonetheless). 'Golgi' is the weakest song of Set I.

Set II: I felt like they had a little trouble getting 'Tweezer' going (it felt like they were a little out of sync with each other), but 6 minutes into the song is when it picks up and goes along nicely, eventually into a soothing ambient jam and segue into 'Mountains in the Mist'. 'Birds of a Feather' has also not really been much of a favorite of mine, but this version has a lot of energy to it (a 'Birds' essential) and it works quite well. I can take or leave 'Circus' but 'Fluffhead' is great. A great show ender.

Encore: The most disappointing part of this show is the encore. Decent playing on 'While My Guitar...' but nothing fantastic. The 'Reprise' would have been better matched with a better song before it. They also seemed to be a little bit off again (something about the 'Tweezer' riff tonight?).

I guess the strength of this show really depends on how one defines a "great Phish show." I think the show may seem "disappointing," to some fans, for lack of a definate highlight that is not an overplayed song like 'Chalkdust Torture' (fan jading?). Nothing had it's day except for 'Chalkdust Torture' and 'Water in the Sky'. My vote for best version of both of those.

But, the sound and mixing is superb and the show is really good despite lacking a 'Harpua' or "historic" 'Tweezer'. This is a show I will be returning to from time to time.

****1/2 (out of *****)

I love this show because of the cool effect that Trey keeps making (the end of Chalkdust Torture and BOAF). The Water in the Sky and Fluffhead are also highlights. For all you runners out there, throw this Chalkdust in your Mp3 player diskman!

Check out this show, the Chalkdust Torture totally rocks. I don't know what it is, but Chalkdust is always special at Camden (e.g. check out 7-30-03). Also a cool little jam comming out of Fluffhead.

I was not at this show, but every time i listen to it, i wish i was.

I attended this show and, to make it short.....there were way too many police men out this night. The parking lot was kicking though. The fungus and buds were everywhere! I think that the fans were so jacked up, they didn't enjoy the show. I was so jacked that I didn't enjoy the show. But now that I get a second listen, the show was an unforgettable night. It brought back memories of crazy hallucinations and wonderful off the wall music. These guys truly rocked the house. This is a keeper.

i think if you're a true phish phan than you definitely need to add this to your collection. Wilson is very tight. chalkdust > roggae is also cool. 2nd set is wheres its at though. Tweezer > Mist is So beautiful you might cry. i'm serious. god its soo good. but for me the Fluffhead makes the entire show worth having. it is SOOOO good its unreal. this is an awesome show.

Great two disc show! This show is from the very underrated Summer 99 tour, which is unfairly criticized for a perceived lack of consistency and intensity. Initial reviews after this show were pretty negative; however, upon listening to these discs you'll realize the reports were all wrong. Views were tainted by an overbearing law enforcement presence (still don't understand why these fools don't just ignore the scene and focus on the music...) The show rips! All I need to say is listen to the jam out of Chalkdust...completely absorbing, intense, and unexpected. There's also a fantastic Bathtub, which is always good, in the 1st set. The second set opening Tweezer is really interesting too-slower and groovier than most. I'll take slow funk over the "machine gun" Trey [junk] anyday! I'd buy this one right after 11/17/97.