IT: Tension and Release August 14, 2003 - Glide Magazine By Kenny Bohlin Phish is all about tension and release. It’s what they excel at, and it’s always come naturally to them, so it seemed fitting that the weekend would begin with plenty of tension. With such an elaborate festival setting, and all that was going on at any given time, no two people could possibly have the same weekend experience, but one element was certain - they experienced a serious traffic delay entering the festival grounds. Though once inside, and somewhat set up, things began to cool down, like sitting at the top of a mountain after a long hike, and the much anticipated release settled in. Early on, it became obvious that the entire weekend was to be more about how they played, rather than what they played. Song selection was for the most part rather standard, but the usual songs were performed with a powerful intensity and the ambient jams were cohesive with each band member fully connecting, adding just the right colors. In the opening set, a relatively staple tune like "Yamar," delved into exploratory waters, while "Runaway Jim" and "Reba" were solid, and stacked with high energy . Second set opener, "Down With Disease" reached beyond the twenty-minute mark, and the subsequent third set pairing of "Rock and Roll," "Seven Below" brought things far beyond the initial song structures. Still, a classic rarity does add a nice touch to a setlist, and the "Dog Log," "Mango Song" encore proved especially gratifying. The late night set, which took place around 2am was quintessential ambience, completely song free, with Phish at the top of the old control tower shrouded in lights and smoke, accompanied by gravity defying dancers suspended by ropes. It was by far the highlight of the first day, even though technically it was the second. Then again, time had no meaning for this event. It was one big bundle of circular experience, both challenging and awe inspiring. The "Mike’s Groove" the second day was more about quick tension and release as opposed to the meandering jams of the previous day. When performed in a first set closer spot as it was here, the songs seem to lend themselves to a powerful "Weekapaug Groove," making the "Mike’s Song" shorter, more rock and less jam. Continuing the typical song played in an atypical style, highlights of the second day included a seriously intense "46 Days" and a monster "Chalk Dust Torture," both reaching never before seen plateaus. Capping the seven set marathon weekend, they closed the festival with an awe inspiring fireworks display, while they blasted through "Good Times, Bad Times." And in the end, that’s exactly what the weekend was. The traffic situation could have made you miserable, but someday, years from now at a show somewhere, when someone says, ‘wow traffic was tough getting in,’ I can say, ‘well, back in August ‘03, now that was a time!’ Copyright © 2003 Glide Magazine