Phish Fans Got Their "Ass Handed" To Them in Chula Vista, CA. Phishends tour with a masterpiece.

Phish Fans Got Their "Ass Handed" To Them in Chula Vista, CA. Phish ends tour with a masterpiece.

  Phish ended a somewhat disappointing 2016 summer tour with one of the best shows of this year. It definitely had its moments but it was two steps forward, one step back seemingly all summer. 2015 it was not, but Saturday show was hot, hot, hot. It was classic Phish from start to finish. 

   The barn burner got off with an opening "Farmhouse". I have to think Trey was having a little fun with this song choice after taking shit all summer for its strange set placements this tour. A "555" and a standard "Water in the Sky" was the calm before the storm. Then "Phish" played the rare first set "Ghost" and poof, game on. They played the new classic "Ass Handed" for the first time of the night and a tremendous show was unfolding. The rare "Sloth" had the crowd going crazy before the trip got short before a bloody good "Reba". Then they performed"Ass Handed" once again, but we all were getting our asses handed to us. "Tube" kept the Vibe alive as a patient jam in "Walls Of The Cave" closed the first set with vigor. 

   The second half opened with "2001" and ended with"Loving Cup". The music that took place between those two tunes is why we chase this band. The music was exploratory and the inside jokes were present. It was bliss start to finish. "Tweezer Reprise" ended an interesting tour. But,  I will see y'all at LOCKN' and Dicks. So, the best is clearly yet to come.

Bravo and thanks Phish!

Written by: Kevin Long
Edited by: Greg Heffefinger

 Phish: Sat, Jul 23, 2016
Sleep Train Amphitheatre, Chula Vista, CA

Set 1: Farmhouse,  555,  Water in the Sky,  Ghost,  Ass Handed,  The Sloth,  Martian Monster >  Reba,  Ass Handed, Tube >  Wolfman's Brother >  Walls of the Cave

Set 2: Also Sprach Zarathustra >  46 Days >  Piper >  Twist > Backwards Down the Number Line >  Carini,  Harry Hood > Loving Cup

Encore: Sleeping Monkey,  Tweezer Reprise

Notes: This show was webcast via Live Phish. Wolfman's Brother contained California Love teases and quotes. WOTC contained a Streets of Cairo tease. Carini and Tweezer Reprise contained Ass Handed quotes.