Tweezer

, comment by The__Van
The__Van Right from the get-go there is something special about this one. Trey is playing around a lot more than usually, goading Fish into spicing up the rhythm. The post Ebenezer breakdown is double its normal length much to delight of myself and the crowd judging by the roar on the tape. The jam launches straight into cowbell work from Fish and bubbly, bouncing grooves from Mike. The band effortlessly moves through several sections of soft textures and loud rocking. Page is absolutely sizzling on the keyboards, adding stabs of color in just the right spots. Like a bird they flap their wings to gain speed then spread out to glide along in the wind. Trey's pulsating vibrato syncs up exactly with Fish's raindrop like cymbal hits. All at once they stick their heads above the clouds and bring us up to bathe in the brilliant sunshine. We are soaring. High over the clouds now, Trey finds an emotive pattern knit in the sky and grabs hold. Tears stream down my face at the sight of such beauty. Trey pulls us higher and higher, so high he stretches the seams of reality, pushing into outer space. At the last possible moment he relents. We slowly make our way back down beneath the clouds into some jazzy funk-lite. From there we return to a rocking celebration jam gradually taking us all the way back down to earth.

Personal aside
In 2013 around the 10th anniversary of this show I heard it for the first time and became obsessed. This was also a time when I was experiencing the worst depression of my life. I tried to take my own life one night in early March and landed myself in the hospital. I got transferred to a mental health facility for a week to protect me from myself. Never in my life had I ever felt so alone. Completely cutoff from my friends and family in a strange place with a bunch of kids just as f***ed up as me. The ONE bright spot I had was knowing the 2/28/03 Tweezer by heart. I would play it over and over in my head during those days. I clung to it. It became a lifeline. Not the only one of course but the one that had zero pretention. It just was. This show will always have a special place in my heart because of this and I cherish every single time I get to listen to it again.
, comment by The__Van
The__Van @The__Van said:
This^
More to the point, I rarely use the word "transcendent" when talking about music. This jam is absolutely that. The peak 15 minutes in is IT. I truly did not understand IT until I heard this Tweezer. I also rarely use the phrase "must-hear." This is a must-hear. Hell, this entire show is a must-hear.
, comment by hdorne
hdorne Without a doubt, one of the best jams of the band's career. There are moments of this jam that make me feel like I'm floating. 2003-2004 could be frustrating at times, but this is one of those nights where it all came together and magic happened. This show also contains outstanding versions of Birds of a Feather, Bathtub Gin, Back On The Train, and Harry Hood.
, comment by Timpanogos
Timpanogos case can definitely be made for this tweezer being Phish's best jam of all time
, comment by Timpanogos
Timpanogos case can definitely be made for this tweezer being Phish's best jam of all time
, comment by ndphanjeff
ndphanjeff This is where IT is at
, comment by Palmer
Palmer Ripping version.
, comment by coral_sand_below
coral_sand_below Fourthed (if that's even a word...) Just spectacular.
, comment by chuckg
chuckg Thirded.
, comment by The__Van
The__Van This^
, comment by newbornelph
newbornelph A Personal ALL-TIME Favorite.
 

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