This three-disc show -- recorded at a small club in Fukuoka, Japan -- is a solid, though not exceptional, choice for release by Phish as part of their first major archival release program. Surprisingly, the band's choices included three shows from 2000, a year in which the band's creativity and energy weren't particularly high. Where the Darien Lake show (Live Phish 03) is truly wonderful, the Fukuoka show (Live Phish 04) -- recorded three months earlier -- has a consistency, but little true innovation. The centerpiece of the show is the second disc, which features a confident and beautiful jam out of "Twist," very indicative of the band's direction, before wending its way into a rendition of the James Gang's "Walk Away." Most of the material sounds sluggish, though, especially during the first set, which features a plodding cover of Talking Heads' "Cities" (consult 1997's Slip Stich and Pass for a better take) and a drained "Gumbo," which nonetheless finds its interesting territory before segueing into "Llama." On the whole, the show is unexciting, the sound of a band with little place left to go.
Phish
Live Phish, Vol. 04
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AllMusic Review by Jesse Jarnow
Track Listing - Disc 1
| Sample | Title/Composer | Performer | Time | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9:53 | |||||
| 2 | 6:37 | |||||
| 3 | 9:36 | |||||
| 4 | 12:17 | |||||
| 5 | 5:09 | |||||
| 6 | 6:40 | |||||
| 7 | 5:28 | |||||
| 8 | 15:00 |
