Phour Point O | 2019-03-21 | Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, Denver, CO [SBD/AUD Matrix]

Sunnnnrriiiiiise over the Rocky Mountains, Phour Point O headlining Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom in sight!

Celebrating their (almost) 2 year anniversary as a band and my favorite Phish tribute, Phour Point O made the leap from Other Side to Masterpiece Ballroom and brought some friends along to celebrate with them.

Coming out the gate hot, the band launched into a high-octane take on “Llama”, which featured some machine-gun-Mike Pedersen guitar shredding propelled by the band’s tight grasp of the tune. Next up the band performed a take on “Runaway Jim” that reminds me exactly why they’re my favorite Phish tribute. All tributes should have a steadfast understanding of Phish’s music; the nuance of the sweep pick in “Run Like An Antelope”, the rhythmic touch of the trills in the “Down With Disease” solo, the synchronous guitar harmonics and drum beat in “Maze” – these are all details that any fan worth their weight in strawberry-goo feels in their souls and will recognize even the faintest hint of fakery. All Phish tributes should nail these aspects, and many do, Phour Point O included. But where most tributes fall short is the intangible musicianship that on any given night makes Phish, Phish: their ability to improvise. Improvisation, or the way that certain people enjoy it, is to a degree, entirely subjective. Some people will enjoy tight, compact jams that immediately reach an apex through a discernible path, and some are perfectly fine with the band getting as weird as possible and then finding themselves exactly where they need to be after a long, trudging journey. The way in which many of these tributes fall short is in how they relay their improvisation. It almost seems that they forget they are a Phish tribute and start jamming within the realm of what they know. Phour Point O feels authentic in their tribute to Phish and their take on “Runaway Jim” that evening was a stunning example of that. From their patient build into an atmospheric jam, a transcendent peak when the drums lock-in to the whirling guitar, to the simple and light-hearted addition of additional “Whoas” in the end; the turns the band takes feel like moments inspired by the members of Phish. Moments they would at the very least consider, and at the very best, respect and completely understand. Clocking in at a little over 13 minutes, this also happened to be my personal highlight of the evening, and only two songs in!

The band then segued into an especially upbeat and funky “Gotta Jibboo” which contained its signature techno-wah jam. After performing a version of the rarity “Ha Ha Ha” and the classic “Maze”, the band invited up local Denver street busking legends The Brothers Of Brass, who would elevate several songs with their raucous horn section, including “Suzy Greenburg”, “Gumbo”, and “2001 (Also sprach Zarathustra)” to close out the first set. I think most any Phish fan will agree, after you’ve heard the horn line in the Suzy chorus, you’ll never be able to un-hear it in any future version. In addition, after opening the second set with another Phish rarity, but a staple for Phour Point O, the oft-forgotten second part of the Axilla story, “Axilla (Part II)”, the band invited the Brothers Of Brass back up for a cover of Little Feet’s “Spanish Moon”, which received some additional assistance by local legend Tori Pater on both vocals and guitar. The Brothers Of Brass stayed on for one more tune, a fitting cover of “Julius”.

The second set contained several highlights of its own, a “Down With Disease” with a dark and swampy jam, a massive “Tweezer -> You Enjoy Myself” segment, which was the centerpiece of the set, and a brief “Chalkdust Torture” to close things out, with a “Good Times, Bad Times > Tweezer Reprise” encore to wrap things up nicely. Phour Point O provides one of the most engaging Phish experiences short of the real thing. Their understanding of the music goes beyond playing all the right notes; it seeps into an understanding of the method and a genuine love and respect for the experience. The immutable essence of Phish that we can’t always explain but immediately feel the moment we hear it…Phour Point O is kinda like that.

Phour Point O | 2019-03-21 | Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, Denver, CO

-= Set 1 =-
01. Llama
02. Runaway Jim >
03. Gotta Jibboo >
04. Ha Ha Ha >
05. Maze
06. (Banter)
07. Suzy Greenberg[1]
08. Gumbo[1] >
09. 2001 (Also Sprach Zarathustra)[1]

-= Set 2 =-
10. (Set 2 Intro)
11. Axilla (Part II)[2]
12. (Banter)
13. Spanish Moon[3]
14. Julius[1]
15. Down With Disease >
16. When The Circus Comes To Town >
17. Tweezer ->
18. You Enjoy Myself
19. Chalkdust Torture

-= Encore =-
20. (Encore Break)
21. Good Times, Bad Times >
22. Tweezer Reprise

Show Notes: This was Phour Point O’s first time headlining the Masterpiece Ballroom. Brothers Of Brass opened the show.
[1] “Suzy Greenberg”, “Gumbo”, “2001 (Also Sprach Zarathustra)” and “Julius” featured Brothers Of Brass horns.
[2] “Axilla (Part II)” contained “Funky Town” (Lipps Inc) teases.
[3] “Spanish Moon” featured Brothers Of Brass horns as well as Tori Pater (Tori Pater Band) on guitar and vocals.

Taper Notes: Stage left of the soundboard, mics raised around 9′ PAS. Board feed thanks to FOH engineer Alon.

Thank you to Phour Point O and Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom for supporting live concert recording and sharing. Go see live music and tip your bartenders! #spacetapes

LINK: https://archive.org/details/PhourPointO2019-03-21.AKG.P170.CA14.cards.AUD.SBD.Matrix.flac16