Deadphish Orchestra at Ardmore Music Hall 12/15
words: Brian Overton | photos: Alex Buschiazzo
Thursday night in Ardmore was a cold and blistery evening with temps in the teens. It was an ambitious endeavor for Dead and Phish fans alike to brave to cold for their love of music, but this type of weather is no stranger to Colorado natives DeadPhish Orchestra. Trekking their way across the country as temperatures dropped, we all counted on the band to bring the heat and we were not disappointed.
The band blasted into the first set with a high energy Chalk Dust Torture that would set the tone for the rest of the evening with guitarist Paul Murin shredding out the ending of this classic Phish favorite. Chalk was then segued smoothly into Jack Straw that gave way to another Phish favorite Sample in a Jar that finished out the first Phish/Dead sandwich. As the band greeted the audience we knew we were in for a real good time and from there the band treated us to a reminiscent and captivating Brown Eyed Women as they dropped into a funk-centric Gotta Jiboo with a China Cat teaser that fell into Rosa Lee McFall. The band seemed to keep things interesting for aficionados of both types of fans by going band to band, tune for tune. The audience was then treated to Water in the Sky segued into The Wheel into Rock and Roll which took them on a rollercoaster of different energies before dropping into a heart-felt When I Paint My Masterpiece with keyboardist Ted Tilton showing his skills with the use of the organ reminiscent of Melvin Seals. The band would bring the set full circle by closing out with a Foam->Not Fade Away ->Chalk dust Torture sammy that would leave us speculating about the set to come.
Deadphish meant business when they came out for the second set captivating Phish fans with an intensely funkified 2001(see video below). This led into drum filled rhythms of Samson and Delilah, which were executed flawlessly by drummer Chris Sheldon. The band then engaged with a Harry Hood that allowed bass player Bryan Adams to really take his instrument for a walk as the rest of the band showed their ability to give a reggae feel to jam. Hood would segue to Mississippi Half Step that got the crowd invested as back up vocalists giving way to Stealing Time from a Faulty Plan. Next came a vocal-heavy version of Mason’s Children with all four-band members contributing to the vocals that dropped out into a guitar-rocking Wilson. The band segued from Wilson into 80’s Dead favorite Touch of Grey with Tilton showing us he knows how to handle the Rhodes tone. Touch then moved back into the latter half of Hood that ended the evening in high energy. The band would return to stage for a short but sweet and funky version of Golgi Apparatus.
After talking to Dead and Phish heads alike before and after the show, it would seem that most patrons had not seen DeadPhish Orchestra previously. One thing that can be said is that after being treated to evening of their take on both bands music eloquently sandwiched together in such a tantalizing way, they had gained a room full of new fans. So whether you prefer the jams of Jerry or the guitar triplets of Trey, DeadPhish Orchestra is sure to make you move your feet.
The band blasted into the first set with a high energy Chalk Dust Torture that would set the tone for the rest of the evening with guitarist Paul Murin shredding out the ending of this classic Phish favorite. Chalk was then segued smoothly into Jack Straw that gave way to another Phish favorite Sample in a Jar that finished out the first Phish/Dead sandwich. As the band greeted the audience we knew we were in for a real good time and from there the band treated us to a reminiscent and captivating Brown Eyed Women as they dropped into a funk-centric Gotta Jiboo with a China Cat teaser that fell into Rosa Lee McFall. The band seemed to keep things interesting for aficionados of both types of fans by going band to band, tune for tune. The audience was then treated to Water in the Sky segued into The Wheel into Rock and Roll which took them on a rollercoaster of different energies before dropping into a heart-felt When I Paint My Masterpiece with keyboardist Ted Tilton showing his skills with the use of the organ reminiscent of Melvin Seals. The band would bring the set full circle by closing out with a Foam->Not Fade Away ->Chalk dust Torture sammy that would leave us speculating about the set to come.
Deadphish meant business when they came out for the second set captivating Phish fans with an intensely funkified 2001(see video below). This led into drum filled rhythms of Samson and Delilah, which were executed flawlessly by drummer Chris Sheldon. The band then engaged with a Harry Hood that allowed bass player Bryan Adams to really take his instrument for a walk as the rest of the band showed their ability to give a reggae feel to jam. Hood would segue to Mississippi Half Step that got the crowd invested as back up vocalists giving way to Stealing Time from a Faulty Plan. Next came a vocal-heavy version of Mason’s Children with all four-band members contributing to the vocals that dropped out into a guitar-rocking Wilson. The band segued from Wilson into 80’s Dead favorite Touch of Grey with Tilton showing us he knows how to handle the Rhodes tone. Touch then moved back into the latter half of Hood that ended the evening in high energy. The band would return to stage for a short but sweet and funky version of Golgi Apparatus.
After talking to Dead and Phish heads alike before and after the show, it would seem that most patrons had not seen DeadPhish Orchestra previously. One thing that can be said is that after being treated to evening of their take on both bands music eloquently sandwiched together in such a tantalizing way, they had gained a room full of new fans. So whether you prefer the jams of Jerry or the guitar triplets of Trey, DeadPhish Orchestra is sure to make you move your feet.
Deadphish Orchestra
2001: Also Sprach Zarathustra
Deadphish Orchestra Set I captured by Chris Cafiero
