PHISH VS. DEAD-The Epic Battle!

Classic battle between Phish and The Grateful Dead rages on at So Many Roads Museum and Brewery. This time it is personal with a personnel that has been steeped in both genres for many years.

Paul Murin is coming in hot on guitar after a strong weekend playing with DeadPhish Orchestra. He is well-versed in both types of music, but his initial foray into the tribute bands was with one of the pioneers of Phish cover bands-- Phix. This man has extensive knowledge of Phish, but I would not question his ability to play Dead at all.

Fleeb Keith Thomas is an accomplished bass player who has created some wonderful bands such as Moment of Release, Stanky Pockets, O-NEB, Frameworks, the powerful Phour Point O and his newest project The Cosmic Charlies. He passes the muster and sometimes if you ask politely -- the mustard. He is humble, but not shy. I guess I wouldn't even say he was a bass player, I would say he is the bass. When you see him you think BASS!

Eric Imbrosciano is the man on the kit and he probably has the least amount of experience with these genres of music, but he is a quick learner and controls the beat. He has played with Sublime Tribute Band - Forty Ounces, Space Funk jerry, and Dead Funk Summit. He holds it down.

Dylan Teifer is the secret weapon on keys as he effortlessly works the ivories to light the songs with sense and color. He is a core member of Steely Dead and Spiral Light- Dead and Beyond!

That is the cast for the grand psychomachia between Phish VS DEAD.

The Grateful Dead must have won the coin toss because they started with much aplomb a song I would have never figured to be the opener. I guess they were decided to express themselves with a friendly "They Love Each Other." Perhaps they were considering this a battle for the soul and the body and they were reaching out to show where their heart lies. I thought it was going to be a tit for tat battle, but it appears each band was getting their own time to develop their aura. "Althea" followed and detailed an the tragic relationship between ego, love and loss. The set picked up a bit with a rollicking "Bertha" and slipped into the intermittent darkness of a "New Speedway Boogie." The Dead has a penchant for delivering hope out of darkness and the duality of meanings of their songs is ever-present. They move quickly into a Sugaree which finds them at their best-- loss and hope spinning in wildly different directions while on the same path.

Well, Phish kicks in and declare "They are back on the train" and the die is cast. The band matter-of-factly enters into the VS. They are cool and conceited. They always have been. They have been training for this all of their life and they are going to do whatever they can to get into your head. They rush in with a strong a potent Bathtub Gin!
The kings storm the hallway
They've climbed up through the gate
They didn't mean to be impolite
But they just couldn't wait
What suave, what confidence! Oh what a battle this has become.
The second has started, let's see what happens!