Jam band serves up tasty music February 19, 2003 - The Gazette (Denver) By Bill Reed Phish is a hard band to like. Either you love the jam-rock kings with religious zeal, or you find yourself thinking, "Oh God, when will this song ever end? " I joined the zealots at the packed Pepsi Center on Tuesday night, wiggling my body and shaking my head in ecstasy as the licks poured out of the fearsome foursome. Phish kicked it off with the country-fried rock stomp of "Runaway Jim," the band caught in a web of purple and green lights. By the time guitarist Trey Anastasio took the first solo, the crowd was dancing in the aisles and screaming their praise. Looking like they shop at Wal-Mart (except for dummer Jon Fishman's dress), this band is a triumph of musicianship, of regular guys who can flat-out play. As they forayed into the first jam, it became clear why these guys are some of the best in the business. Fishman and bassist Mike Gordon create driving, pulsating, intricate rhythms as a foundation. That leaves Anastasio and keys player Page McConnell free to explore the limits of the melody. Most of Phish's jams are intense and focused, instead of the pointless noodling of lesser jam bands. Phish naturally draws comparisons to the Grateful Dead for its approach to music and touring. But as they cruised through the 90- minute first set, I was struck by the differences between the two bands. The Dead were based in blues and bluegrass. Phish relies on a bedrock of jazz and rock. The Dead were earthy and dirty, while Phish is building towering spires in the air. On "Squirming Coil," the band tickled the senses with the small pleasures for a while - a nice, staccato rhythm, and waves of sound from McConnell's piano. The faithful Phishheads are conscious of every stone being stacked, mindful of the structure being built. Then the payoff was immense as Anastasio cut loose for a screaming crescendo on the guitar, the pent-up energy tossed up into the atmosphere. He came back to the chorus - "I'd like to lick the coil someday, like Icarus who had to pay" - just as our wings began to melt. After a half-hour intermission, Phish returned for a more laidback second half. They wandered a bit, continually descending into chaos and then pulling the pieces of the puzzle together again. Phish is not for musicial perfectionists or control freaks. The show is a Zenlike journey. You don't know where you're going until you get there. The guys in Phish have faith in the destination. And their fans have faith in Phish to get them there. WHEN: Tuesday night WHERE: The Pepsi Center WEIRDEST MOMENT: When pianist Page McConnell stepped out front to sing "Lawn Boy" in his best lounge-lizard voice. Copyright © 2003 The Denver Gazette