@ZackTeibloom Bonnaroo 2009 didn’t hit its stride until Phish took the stage. There was an aprehensive feeling among the crowd until then. A holding back. Tip-toeing around the mud instead of splashing through it. Not enough wild hippie dancing. It hadn’t become Bonnaroo yet.

There was nothing to hold back anymore when Phish opened with “Chalkdust Torture” and the embattled Bonnaroo crowd yelled, “Can I live while I’m young?!” as the glow stick wars raged.

After weeks and months of hype and chatter on the comeback, I was dying to hear the boys play together again.

They gave me everything I hoped for. A packed set filled with personal favorites like “Divided Sky,” Wolfman’s Brother,” “YEM” and “Free,” introduced a new song and ripped through two covers I couldn’t have picked better if I tried.

“Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan” is one of the better new Phish songs, but it doesn’t match up to the rest of the catalogue and brought the mood a slight step backwards when they played it second. A 13-minute “Divided Sky” put everything back in its right place.

“Possum” was a fun distraction until the epic 17-minute “Down With Disease” melted my face off. ”Alaska” worked when it was just Mike and Trey at Rothbury, but it felt forced into the set and I couldn’t stop thinking about the Palin’s.

As Phish kept rolling through “Stash,” “Golgi Apparatus,” “Wolfman’s Brother,” “Harry Hood,” etc. I wondered how long this first set could possibly last. I imagined they’d do two sets and an encore, but opted for one gigantic, Hampton Friday first night type of first set and an encore.

A trampoline-filled YEM sandwich with “Wilson” in the middle was a joyride I never wanted to end.  

It’s almost hard to believe Phish has never played Bonnaroo before. It feels like the festival they were born to headline. A festival headlined by Widespread too many times finally got the Kings of Jam to their rightful home.

Playing AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” for the first time in a dozen years was an inspired choice for the Bonnaroo crowd. Phish ended with a cover as well, closing their first night with The Beatles’ “Day in the Life.” That seems to be a popular closer these days.* Pretty damn appropriate if you ask me.

I’d only seen one set of Phish before last night,**and can’t wait for Sunday’s closing performance. Andy was originally disappointed that Phish was headlining two nights, saying he’d prefer bands he hadn’t seen recently and wasn’t seeing anyway this summer. After seeing that show, I have to wholeheartedly disagree. I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have holding that spot down.

Photos by Palestra Music

*Neil Young played it for his encore at Jazz Fest.

**Alpine 2003. Waited the entire first set for my ex to get her ticket at will call.

Phish Bonnaroo Set-list:

• Chalk Dust Torture
• Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan
• Divided Sky
• Possum
• Down With Disease
• Alaska
•  Stash
• Golgi Apparatus
• Wolfman’s Brother
• Poor Heart
• Kill Devil Falls
• Free
• Wading In The Velvet Sea
•  Harry Hood
• Highway To Hell
• 2001
• YEM > Wilson > YEM\goo

Encore: A Day In The Life