Photos by Casey Martin
On the cusp of a winter storm, blanketing the Northeast, Ithaca was bustling with energy ahead of the start of Mike Gordon‘s tour at State Theatre on Friday, January 17. Mike took time during the show to reference Phish’s February 1991 show at the State Theatre, recalling the show as “the night we gave the van away,” when the band gave away Fishman’s family minivan to an audience member. Nearly 30 years later, Mike suggested that this time he said he was giving away a Hummer limo. He did not and the show continued.
Throughout the night, Mike weaved Little Feat’s “Sailin’ Shoes” between songs, as well used “I Am Random,” “Pendulum” and “Victim” to sandwich additional songs in between, including a debut cover of Aimee Mann’s “Save Me,” inside “Pendulum.” Two Phish staples stood out as highlights in the second set – a percussion heavy “Cities” and a slow and groovy “Funky Bitch” for an encore. Mike Gordon heads into the Midwest this week as the tour heads to Seattle for the final show on February 1.
Set 1: Victim, Say Something > Victim > Victim 3D, Steps, Borrowing Rain [1], Sailin’ Shoes > Jumping, Sughn Never Sets.
Set 2: Pendulum > Save Me [2] > Pendulum, Acid Man, I Am Random > Sailin’ Shoes > I Am Random, Cities > Crazy Sometimes > Sailin’ Shoes > Crazy Sometimes
Encore: Funky Bitch[1] Debut.
[2] Mike Gordon debut.
