2024 Show Draft

Summary

Helping Friendly Podcast: Episode Summary – "2024 Show Draft"

Release Date: January 7, 2025
Host/Author: Osiris Media

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Introduction to the 2024 Show Draft

In this engaging episode of the Helping Friendly Podcast (HFPod), hosts RJ, Megan, and Brian embark on an exciting journey to draft their favorite Phish shows from the band's 2024 tour. The segment, inspired by fellow podcasters, introduces a competitive yet friendly format where each host selects standout performances across various categories. Utilizing a snake draft system, the hosts aim to highlight the best of Phish’s live experiences, emphasizing both personal enjoyment and strategic selection.

Guest Voicemail Highlighting 2003 Shows

A notable highlight in this episode is a heartfelt voicemail from longtime listener Dan, who shares his admiration for Phish’s 2003 performances. Dan passionately discusses the exploratory nature of the band’s jamming that year, particularly praising the "Camden Twist":

Dan: "I love RJ's reflection on 2003. That whole year is just incredible... how exploratory that year is, really deeply explores jamming."
(Timestamp: 06:14)

He reminisces about memorable shows like Noblesville and shares personal anecdotes, enriching the episode with fan perspectives:

Dan: "I was there at Nassau, and I vividly remember that tweezer jam... just being amazed."
(Timestamp: 07:00)

Draft Process: Strategy and Picks

The core of the episode revolves around the Show Draft, where the hosts categorize and select their favorite Phish shows from 2024. Megan, RJ, and Brian outline their strategies—whether to pick the strongest shows from deep categories or opt for less competitive ones to secure their selections.

Brian sets the stage with enthusiasm:

Brian: "This is going to be fun, guys. We're talking 2024 shows, seven categories."
(Timestamp: 16:04)

Megan expresses her nervousness about the draft, adding a personal touch:

Megan: "It's terrifying to me. So let's go."
(Timestamp: 16:19)

The hosts engage in playful banter and strategy discussions, highlighting their differing approaches to selecting the best shows while maintaining the camaraderie that defines HFPod.

Discussions on Selected Shows

As the draft progresses, each host presents their picks, providing in-depth analysis and personal insights into why certain shows stand out. The discussions are rich with details about setlists, standout jams, and the overall vibe of each performance.

Brian advocates for the Mondegreen show from 8:15, praising its massive jams and near-perfect set:

Brian: "It took a great set and elevated it. I'm just looking at this... it's a masterpiece."
(Timestamp: 20:05)

Megan defends her selection of the Mexico show, emphasizing its flawless setlist and emotional resonance:

Megan: "This is the best show of the festival for sure. Amazing show. Just flow of the set list. Everything was played perfectly that day."
(Timestamp: 19:26)

RJ selects the Cap's first show (8:31), highlighting its incredible opening and memorable jams:

RJ: "I'm going to choose 8:31 from the Cap as my first pick. It was awesome."
(Timestamp: 21:55)

The hosts delve into specific moments, such as Trey’s guitar solos, unique improvisational segments like Ruby Waves, and the impactful use of visuals during performances. Their passionate discussions offer deep dives into what makes each selected show a standout.

Upcoming Shows and Episodes

Towards the end of the episode, the hosts preview upcoming shows and episodes. They announce reprise shows scheduled for January and March 2024, detailing locations and co-hosts:

RJ: "We got January 23rd at Pembroke, Mass... March 8th, our first New York City show, Brooklyn Bowl."
(Timestamp: 11:23)

Additionally, Brian teases an upcoming episode featuring Scott from Reprise, aiming to discuss a special show:

Brian: "Next week, our next episode is going to be talking about a show that Reprise will be playing this coming tour."
(Timestamp: 13:34)

Conclusion and Voting Information

As the draft concludes, the hosts recap their selections and invite listeners to participate in voting through their website:

RJ: "If you're listening to this, go to osirispod.com vote and there you will be able to vote for the winner of this draft."
(Timestamp: 97:35)

They emphasize the community aspect of HFPod, encouraging listeners to engage and support their favorite picks. The episode wraps up with humorous reflections on the drafting process and anticipation for future episodes.

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Notable Quotes

• Brian on strategic selection:

  "The fun thing about these drafts is the strategy behind it and picking out your lineup of music."
  (Timestamp: 16:04)

• Megan on maintaining focus while relaxing:

  "Sunset Lake's vibe gummies really allow you to relax but not kind of lose focus."
  (Timestamp: 00:05)

• RJ on the essence of friendship:

  "It's all about fun and friendship."
  (Timestamp: 09:04)

Final Thoughts

This episode of HFPod not only showcases the hosts' deep appreciation for Phish's live performances but also exemplifies the vibrant and collaborative spirit of the Phish fan community. Through the 2024 Show Draft, listeners gain insight into what makes each show unique, while engaging in the friendly competition that HFPod fosters. Whether you’re a seasoned Phish enthusiast or new to the band’s music, this episode offers a comprehensive and entertaining exploration of Phish's 2024 tour highlights.

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Join HFPod for more in-depth discussions, show reviews, and fan-driven content to enhance your Phish experience. Visit osirispod.com to participate in voting and stay connected with the community.

Transcript

[Megan]

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[RJ]

The first time in glossy jet black.

[Megan]

Aluminum compared to previous generations iPhone antennas are later required. Charge time and actual results will vary.

[RJ]

All right, guys, welcome back. This is HF Pod. We're living the dream here at HFPod, wouldn't you say, Brian?

[Megan]

Megan, I would agree with that 100%.

[RJ]

We're living the dream, but it's also the life beyond the dream. So I don't know if we're in the dream or we're beyond the dream, but we might be on clouds that are made of dreams.

[Brian]

I just saw a black stallion riding through the night.

[Megan]

A curtain is blowing over here. It's amazing. Beautiful.

[RJ]

There's something happening on on pillow jets of sound. But we're all just so happy to be here with our next draft episode. Like it says in the description, this is all about friendship and fun, as all of our drafts are. So we're excited to do this. It's all, you know, like they always say, it's really just about the friends you made along the way. You know, it's not about who wins or loses.

[Brian]

Yeah, I would agree with that with regards to drafts. I don't know if I'd agree with that with regards to fish, but you know, guys, do you?

[Megan]

Yeah. The drafts are just all about fun, and especially when you don't win them all. They're just all about fun.

[Brian]

That's it. Yeah. Yeah. When you. When you come in second or even third place, it's. It's. It's all about, did I have a good time today? And that's what I think. Every time I finish an episode, I think, was that a good episode? Did I have a good time? Did I connect with my friends? And if the answer is yes, I feel good about it. Regardless what happened, regardless what the comments were, you know, regardless what the voicemail said about my favorite era of fish history, regardless what jams Meg takes. You know, I just feel good because I know I had fun with my friends.

[Megan]

Yeah. And I made sure. I made sure to ask Brian which shows he owns before we started this draft. So I know, like, which ones belong to him. So I. Oh, good. Shows I can't take. Yeah.

[Brian]

I don't own anything, Meg. It's all about strategy, and it's all about how you want to win and how you want your friends to feel, you know?

[Megan]

Yeah, I know. It's all about feelings, I guess.

[RJ]

I guess I didn't get that. I guess I must have missed that call from Meg asking me. I must have been had my phone. I did not disturb.

[Megan]

Well, rj, you just haven't been. You just haven't been giving me a hard enough time, apparently, about taking your jams in drafts.

[RJ]

Yeah, whatever. Brian, do you have some.

[Brian]

I just don't ever remember Megan Talking about the 91499 ACE DC bag before our last draft. Do you guys can. Can anyone out there in our. In our listeners. Can you reference for me screenshot a moment that Meg tweeted about or talked about on a podcast 91499 ACDC bag before the last draft? That would just be very helpful.

[Megan]

So I have to have a historical record of this jam to pick it in a draft. What happened, Brian, was that I actually did a bunch of research and realized, like, this is fucking phenomenal jam, and I think I need to have it in this category. It's just as simple as that.

[RJ]

Kind of the downside, Brian, of. Of, you know, organizing, curating, synthesizing information for, you know, people who might not have the time or interest or, you know, wherewithal to do it themselves. You. You. You provide a service, and one of the downsides is that, you know, people might steal your. People might steal your ideas.

[Brian]

Like putting it out there. Military plans. They're like, all right, hey, we Already read it. We already read the Art of War. We know what you're going to do next year.

[Megan]

I'm going to be like, brian, why am I not on the 2025 fish? Best of note, I'm going to get, like, not allowed on it if that happens.

[Brian]

Sending separate copies to RJ and then referencing them in the draft. Here we go. We got it. We got it. You guys ready for this?

[RJ]

Okay, so first. First we got to hear from a friend. Friend of the pod who called in. As always, we want to hear from. Hear from you. You can leave a voicemail. I'll even tell you the phone number. 484-416-0488. That's the. That's what we call the hotline. It's called the HF POD hotline. Probably we're gonna listen to this quick voicemail. Everyone's still loving our. Loving our series. So let's just like, you know, let's just keep the good. Let's keep these good vibes going that we got in the chat today. You know, it's all good. It's all good, Brian. All good.

[Brian]

I'm great.

[RJ]

Everyone's so happy and positive. It's great.

[Brian]

So good.

[Dan]

Hey, guys, this is Dan. Just wanted to say, love the show. I've been listening for a couple years. It's a great way. It's usually for me, a Friday or Saturday night just to kind of relax into the weekend and just really love, you know, the friendship. You guys clearly have easiness together and just really, you could tell there's an enjoyment. So thank you for that. I wanted to comment on the top 25.

[Brian]

I loved it.

[Dan]

It actually inspired me to do a live fish relief winter 94 tour, which has been awesome. So I'm doing Boone, Spartanburg. I'm actually on the virtual i95 up to glenshalls as you speak. But the piece that is most intriguing to me is I loved RJ's reflection on 2003. I feel definitely it's one or two. That whole year is just incredible. So I'm definitely here for you, Matt and Brian. I know both of us in my mind, like I said, it could be number one. I mean, you got that Camden twist is amazing. But that sense and subtle sounds, which I probably listen to at least once a week, it's kind of a perfect encapsulation of that year. It's, you know, that dark, that mean, that angry, emotional. I love Trey's screamer tone. But I think the big argument for it is just how exploratory that year is, you know, I think this year more than any others, really deeply explores jamming. And, you know, that's the heart of this band, as we know. It's got kind of this free and searching and kind of seeking nature to it that I love. And then the other thing, too, which I'm sure you guys have picked up on, is I feel this is one of the few years where Gordon kind of locked into a lot of grooves on jams. You know, that Charlotte Bathtub, the Miami Piper, which is insane. There's a really good sneak. And Sally from Noblesville. I love the Inglewood Bathtub, you know, so, I mean, there's so many good gems at Nassau, which I was actually at that show. I've probably been to about 40 shows, and not because of drugs, but I honestly can remember, like, four or five moments for some reason. But I vividly remember that tweezer, you know, looking over at my brother's friend and just being amazed. And still to this day, I don't remember if my first show was December of 95, shockingly, or. I know I went to Clifford Ball. So, anyway, but I thought I'd share. I love the show. Can't wait for next episodes, and love that the 2003 sort of appreciation is building and growing. So thanks again, guys. Really love it. Bye. Bye.

[RJ]

So, guys, thank you for that voicemail.

[Megan]

Wow.

[RJ]

We appreciate it. And, you know, are you guys sure.

[Brian]

You didn't like AI chat bot me and just, like, replay it as a joke?

[Megan]

Totally.

[RJ]

That was amazing.

[Brian]

That was amazing.

[RJ]

But, Brian, before you get all caught up in. In 2003 reflection, let's just remember the first thing he said, which is that, you know what he loves. He loves our friendship. You know, and that's why. That's why we're here. It's all about fun and friendship.

[Brian]

I love it.

[RJ]

So. All right. Do we need to talk about anything? Oh, I know we just announced.

[Brian]

Can I just thank our caller for that?

[RJ]

Amazing. Yeah, I already did. Yeah, go ahead, please.

[Brian]

I didn't. First and foremost, totally got the vibe of 2003 and. And didn't bring in his own personal emotions and life at the time. Like, just. Just focused on the music. That is it. That's it right there, my guy. Reference to J from 730 2003. Another way to my heart. Reference the Miami Piper. That show opener on 1229. The rift that Trey plays around, like 1235. Anyone who wants to talk about that year as though it's sloppy, just listen to how he Nails that and so fast. Oh, it's amazing. What else did he. He talked about? Oh, he talked about what he said. This is the last thing I'll say that I really find fascinating. I know five, six people who were at 22803. Every single one of them has the same thing to say that they remembered, like, clear as day. The tweezer and the rest of the show is kind of this like fog because it was all so good. There's like very, very, very little video evidence that show happened online. There's like 15 seconds of the walls of the cave peak. The rest of it, like you just wouldn't even know it actually happened. So. Really cool to hear that. Great, great caller. More of those, please, rj. Okay. More of those.

[RJ]

I love that you said that he didn't, he didn't bring his, his personal. I know he just talked about the music, but he just talked the whole time about all the shows he saw with his friends and all the good times he had with his friends.

[Brian]

Hey, hey. Who among us been brought in attendance?

[RJ]

I'm just saying. Just saying we all hear different things. That's the whole beauty of music. Okay.

[Megan]

I also appreciate that he likes can't remember certain very specific things, but can remember certain moments. I feel like that defines so much of so many of our fish like memories. How some things can be so clear and some things you don't even remember. Things that you should definitely remember. It's weird.

[RJ]

Yeah. Yeah, it's true. Okay, what else? Okay, we got reprise shows coming up, guys. We got January 23rd at Pembroke, Mass. I'm going to be there. I'm going to be there with the co host of Always Almost There, Neil, which is going to be awesome.

[Megan]

Sweet. I'm jealous.

[RJ]

The next day, January 24, is Bridgeport, Connecticut, Park City Music Hall. I think Megan's going to be there. Tom will be there. Some other friends the next night, Sunday in Newmarket, New Hampshire at Stone Church on the 25th. And then we have March 6th at off the Rails in Worcester. March 7th in Saratoga Springs at Putnam Place. March 8th, our first new York City show, Brooklyn bowl, New York, New York. And then on the 9th is going to be really close to me. New Hope Penns, Dharma Bums, if anyone knows the vic, Steve Vickner, he helped hook that up, which is cool. So four shows in March, three shows in January. That's the number of shows that the band played in all of 2024. So we're, we're kicking off strong in the year. And I'm still trying to convince myself that I am going to see Brian Brinkman at. At this in March.

[Megan]

I'm convinced that would be a train.

[Brian]

We're trying.

[RJ]

We're trying.

[Megan]

What. What I will say is that I want to make a personal plea to all of my New York friends that we want to see you at this Brooklyn bowl show. We should pack this, like, come out. It's going to be so fun. It would mean a lot to me, to RJ and the whole Osiris family. So I'm hoping to see you all there.

[Brian]

Ev dude here with a killer, killer recommendation. That is. That is a. That is a show.

[RJ]

Quite a 2001 in that show, as always. There are, you know, so many possibilities on the table for that New York show, but I think that's in the mix for sure. It's. It's fun.

[Brian]

Did a couple shows New York they.

[RJ]

Have and actually, you know what, Brian? I don't know if I can officially say this, but I think I can that we are gonna. Next week, our next episode is going to be talking about a show that Reprise will be playing this coming tour. And we're gonna have Scott from Reprise on to talk about that show with us. So that's gonna be fun. That's Brian's idea. Good idea, Brian.

[Brian]

Thanks, guys. Really excited about that one. Are we able to announce the show or do we need to surprise everyone next week?

[RJ]

I don't think we've announced them yet. We'll announce it next week. In the lead up. In the lead up. Um, okay.

[Brian]

Just gonna describe the music, not actually say what.

[RJ]

No, no, no, no. We will. We will announce. How about this? When we announce the next episode, date and time with the stream and everything like Megan does so amazingly professionally every time, incredibly well. We will. We will tell. We will tell them what the show is perfect.

[Megan]

It's a deal.

[RJ]

Yeah. Great. Okay, Brian, what are we doing here?

[Brian]

So this is our 1, 2, 3, 4 for. This is our fifth draft, guys. This idea came to HF Pod by way of one of our shared favorite podcasts out there, the big Picture, where we draft a bunch of random fish stuff. And we thought that in lieu of a 2024 recap, because we would probably spend three hours just gushing and gushing and gushing about a top 10 tour of all time, we decided to incorporate the draft, bring a little bit of competition in here. So we've got 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 categories. Mexico Sphere Summer Tour, meaning great woods through Bethel Mondegreen Dick's Albany and msg. Same rules apply as previous drafts. We're going to do a dice roll here in a second to figure out the order. Snake draft format, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, 2nd, 1st, 2nd, third, 3rd, 2nd, first, so on and so forth. You pick a show from a category. Once you've done that, you are done in that category. At the end of this, we will go through all of our picks, we'll send it out to the world, and we'll see which Megan won. Excuse me, which host won the draft. What I would say to listeners out there, you know, just take into account your own taste. The fish.net score. The amount of jams that you re. Listen to, any Apple notes that rank jams in certain order and shows in certain order and where they have it. I would take a lot into account here. I wouldn't just go with like, oh, well, they've got that one show, so that means they won. The fun thing about these drafts is the strategy behind it and picking out your lineup of music.

[Megan]

Oh, my God, Why do these things make me so nervous? Like, you know, they just kill me. Like, Yeah, I know.

[RJ]

This is part of your shtick. This is. Here comes Megan's shtick. Go ahead.

[Brian]

Here it is. Megan with the disclaimer that she's nervous.

[Megan]

I want to tell you I started acting when I was five years old, and all the way until I stopped acting when I was 27, I was always terrified every time I got on stage, and I'm terrified every time we start a draft. And it's not a shtick. Even though you both say it is, it's terrifying to me. So let's go.

[RJ]

Okay. All right, well, wow.

[Brian]

We're keeping the gaslighting banner in for all future usage. All right, so it's a permanent banner now. First step here. This is gonna be fun, guys. So Again, we're talking 2024 shows. Any shows that happen in 2024. Seven categories. MSG, Mexico, Sphere, Summer Tour, Monda Green, Dicks, Albany, MSG. We'll go through this. RJ is going to share the screen here shortly so that you guys can see what we're picking as it's happening. He is. Megan, since you won the last draft, please pick a number between one and six.

[Megan]

Two.

[Brian]

Rj, since you came in second, please pick a number between one and six, not counting two.

[RJ]

Six.

[Brian]

Okay. And I'm gonna pick four. So we're gonna just gonna go in even numbers here. We'll roll the first die. Okay. We'll see who is going at first. You can this is best without going over and how interesting is that? I have the first pick.

[Megan]

We should definitely see this dice. We should definitely see this dice.

[Brian]

Stop this. It's a. It's on Google.

[Megan]

It's on Google.

[Brian]

RJ has the second pick. Megan has the turn. All right, so I'm going first here. Seen a couple messages in the comments about what show has to be picked. It's not rigged. It's not rigged. This is. This is a totally legitimate process. I have gone second and third in many drafts. This is just the way that the cookie crumbles right now. So I think that there's a very clear number one here. Okay, you guys ready?

[Megan]

Yeah.

[Brian]

I'm gonna go from the Monda green field and I'm going to go with 8:15. I think this is one of the five best shows of the overall year. And I had some pretty significant concerns about picking second or third in the Mondegreen section. So I think you have this combination of an incredibly huge show opening that Amanda Green massive jams throughout the second set. Near perfect set. One with huge songs that jammed in really unique ways. I feel good about this. I'm going 8:15. What are you guys thoughts? Meg, I'll turn to you immediately.

[Megan]

I mean best show of the festival for sure. Amazing show. Just flow of the set list. Everything, everything was played perfectly that day. Light and dark themes equally well. Diversity of jamming. You've got it all amazing. What's going through your mind? Chalk dust, light that cross eyed everything. Great. Very good pick. I like it.

[Brian]

Thank you. I appreciate, I really appreciate your support here. Rj, what are your thoughts? I share what you just said.

[RJ]

Meg, I'm surprised and delighted for you.

[Megan]

I thought you were going to do something different.

[Brian]

I have to say I totally know I have this mapped out exactly the plan I want to execute here. I feel pretty good about this the second. So I'm just looking at on paper. Sorry. What's going through your mind? Chalked us light the Caspian Jams Cross side, Cross eye did this thing in 2024 where it dropped late in the second set in every appearance that it had and every time it dropped in a already great set. So it took a great set and elevated it. And in most cases, like this version's great. The version from Dicks was great. Then a lonely trip and everything's right come on. And then you get a saw it again in the encore show. At this point, I think, well, at this point after this show I renamed my tier one shows the Manda tier.

[Megan]

You Did.

[Brian]

I would go ahead and change that a little bit later, but this show, we were at such a high at this point in time.

[Megan]

That was a magical first night.

[Brian]

Truly was. Rj, do you want to share the draft screen?

[RJ]

Yeah, I mean, I guess so.

[Brian]

Hold on.

[RJ]

I need to pull it up first.

[Brian]

Or do you want to see our reactions when as this goes on?

[RJ]

Because I just think, you know, both. Hold on. Let me pull up draft and I don't even have it in front of me because, you know, who needs it. Hold on one sec. Everyone just chill. All right? In the meantime, take a deep breath and move on.

[Brian]

Yeah.

[RJ]

Should we.

[Brian]

This is your pick.

[Megan]

Yeah, make your pick. Let's go.

[RJ]

All right, well, maybe I will, but Brian. Okay, Brian, you're notating. Okay.

[Brian]

Yeah.

[RJ]

So this was a hard one. You know, I. I think that. I think that there's a couple directions you can go here, but I'm going to. I think I'm going to choose a show that is a. I think I'm going to go with a. Was it a tour opener? Yeah, the tour opener. I'm going to. I'm going to choose 47 from the cap as my first pick. I think this has. They come out of the gate. Absolutely incredible. Great show with Cotter.

[Megan]

Great show.

[RJ]

I mean, so many jams that we're going to be listening to you for years.

[Brian]

Goose has fixed everything. Everything. Oh my gosh.

[Megan]

That was amazing. Rj, when you said that, all of a sudden I was like, did I miss a category? Like 4 7. Sorry, I don't have anything in that category.

[RJ]

Sorry, I couldn't. I couldn't help myself. I'm sorry.

[Brian]

30 minute drive. Like three or four.

[RJ]

30 minute drive.

[Megan]

That shows that's how you do.

[Brian]

Exciting.

[RJ]

Another giant.

[Megan]

Welcome Potter sign.

[Brian]

Another captain.

[Megan]

Great vibes.

[RJ]

Another cab drive. Okay. But for real.

[Megan]

That'S a good joke.

[Brian]

Thank you.

[RJ]

Thank you.

[Brian]

Long and even tempered. It was great. I love delivered well.

[RJ]

Thank you guys. Thank you. Okay, so. But for real, I think I'm gonna. Am I gonna do this? Yeah, I think I am. Okay. I'm gonna. I'm gonna take 8:30 with my first pick.

[Brian]

There you go. It's a good pick.

[RJ]

I think this is. This is. This has to. This has to happen for me.

[Brian]

Yeah, that's.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[RJ]

I mean I actually listened to this again, coincidentally or not last yesterday and can I just say a little bit about like what we were talking about on the chat about the sound of this year because. Yeah, I think, I think we should. First of all, I Just want to say there's a lot of bliss in 2024. So I just. I want people who are like, you know, like, weird fish is awesome, which it's true, and there's a lot of it this year. But there are these points in both the Choctaws and the from. From 8:30 that are just so. They sound different than, like, a typical, like, you know, build toward a bliss peak. And a lot of it is, like, after a peak where all the more interesting stuff happens. But both these jams, they're, like, kind of similar, but, like, very different in terms of how they use the peak to then, like, go onward after the peak, which I just think is so fun. But these are two, like, very complicated and amazing jams. And then there's this Ruby Waves right after it. It's just like the combination of these three. So you can hear. You can hear the continuity, you know, but they're all so different. And I think that. I think it's the show of the. Of. Of the run.

[Brian]

Yeah, this is the right pick, I think. The Choctaw, they deconstruct the sound and go down to almost silence, and then they build it up to this huge peak. Like you said, the Ruby Waves has, like, a demented Gayudi jam around 12 minutes, and the sand is completely contained. But is some of the coolest jamming within Type one, I think I've ever heard them do. They bring it so quiet again, and Mike is just, like, riding that baseline, and then it gets so, so heavy as they move up to the peak. It's awesome. And then you cap it off with what's the use pots and everything's right. Like, that's 80 minutes of incredibly, incredibly high quality fish, maybe. Oh, and then we get a fee in a 27 minute. You enjoy myself in the encore that was. That's one of the best shows I've ever seen.

[Megan]

I think this is a contender for show of the year. I mean, this is just a perfect show. The first set is fantastic. Like, you've got, like, a really interesting Type one jamming in. Hello, stranger. You've got the gula kind of bust out. There's a little micro jam and steam. And then, yeah, you have, like, a masterpiece of a second set. That sand. It's a little bit overshadowed by the chalk dust and the Ruby Waves, but, yeah, it's so delicate and breathy and, like, they just float there. There's just, like, no rush to leave. I absolutely love it. I was just listening to this set again this week, and it just blew my mind. It's really amazing show. I'm glad you were there for it, Brian.

[RJ]

That sand is one of the jams where it's not that long, but the sand is one of the jams where, like, if I like, you know, eight minutes in or something, I forget what song it is. Which is a. As we discussed, like, for me at least that's like a big.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[RJ]

Indicator of something interesting. And I feel like for sand, it's just. They really get out there. It's awesome.

[Brian]

I totally agree. This is when I think about the chalk test and ruby waves. This is like our ongoing conversation about new sounds versus new structure. This is what I think about when I think about the argument in favor of, like, they don't have many new sounds to go after, but, like, the structure they're messing with. And you hear that, like, just very unique approaches to the jam here in all three of these. So great. Great pick. Curious though, because Buddy Chris mentioned RJ getting 8:30 is like getting the Providence Bowie. It bodes well on paper, but we'll see what the voters. Mondegreen Woodlands Jam has made promises to lower gas prices. I think Mondegreen Woodlands jam came from 816. Is that right? That. That shows really good.

[RJ]

Yeah. Yeah. It's still out there. No, don't. Nothing.

[Megan]

There is such a push to get me to take this. And I cannot tell if it is just them trying to fucking force this. Me to lose this draft. If. If the listeners could see our text. Shane, it's like Brian just telling me how great 816 is over and over again. And I just don't buy it. I feel like it's like some sort of like fucked up manipulation way of like trying to get me to pick. This fucked up manipulation actually, like, working because now I'm not gonna do it. Like, oh, my God.

[Brian]

What about Falls Jam in set one? Peaches? That I think was a mini bust out.

[RJ]

Are we talking about a show that hasn't even been picked yet?

[Brian]

Great. Two.

[Megan]

Yes.

[Brian]

Great. Reba twist in set one. And then set two, you got a. My friend, my friend with a little bit of a jam. That Ruby Pillow jets your pet cat. Cat Ruby Ghost nomens. That's segment rules. What are you talking. And then the Woodlands Jam. Oh, my God.

[RJ]

But Megan, don't forget. Don't forget about the Fuego encore. I mean, that's.

[Megan]

I'm probably gonna pick that.

[Brian]

That's what I'm saying.

[RJ]

You don't want to pass that show up.

[Brian]

That's A very good point. It's a very good point, RJ.

[RJ]

Listen, if Chris. If Chris is comparing getting 8:30 to getting the Providence Bowie, then, like, it all is there for me. Best fish jam of all time. Great. Done.

[Megan]

Perfect. Done.

[RJ]

Game over. All right. Good.

[Brian]

All right. We have talked for about 25 minutes, and we are two picks into this. Meg, you have two picks on the table. You can even the score if you pick correctly here.

[Megan]

If I pick correctly. Let's see what's funny, because just giving you a little peek behind the curtain, I really tend to think about with my strategy. Do you want to just get the best from each category, or do you want to pick the categories that are less deep and get the best one out of that if they're not as deep? And I kind of struggle between those two ideas, like, do I want to have the stronger shows from certain categories, or do I want to pick a category that's not as deep so that I don't get stuck with a lesser one? And with my picks, I've decided to plant my flag firmly in one of those camps. So my first pick is a show that contains what I think could be the jam of the year, and that is the 223 from Mexico. I just think that this show's amazing. Obviously, the whole first quarter is super strong. Set your soul free. Ghost both jam into fast enough for you anytime, all the time. Yes. Great evolve. And then you've got this fantastic 46 days, really textured jam, really dramatic peak, driving wild Kill Devil falls with trade. Just like wailing at the end. And then you've got this. Chalk dust is definitely a contender for jam of the year. It is masterpiece. So I feel like I want to have that show.

[Brian]

I think that's. I think I have that as my second favorite Fisher I've ever seen. So. Good pick.

[Megan]

Are you serious? That's crazy.

[Brian]

Yeah, I mean, that show's got everything. You're absolutely right. The whole. There's not a. Like, if you broke the show up into, like, four quarters, there's not like, a single segment of the show where I wouldn't want to. Like, where I'd want to go to the bathroom instead of listening. Like, even the night before that had the great wave of hope, had a my soul in it where I was like, I'm done. I'm going to the bathroom.

[Megan]

That's a great show, too, though.

[Brian]

This show is just like. It's packed. Great. Great pick. And really, really on brand. Getting my second show ever.

[RJ]

Yeah.

[Megan]

My second favorite show. That's my new strategy. Just like what would Brian want? And then I'll just take it.

[RJ]

It's the ACDC bag of the Dr.

[Megan]

I mean, you went for the Bond, you went for my heart at Mondegreen. And so, you know, I'm gonna take where you were. Like you picked a show I was at and I'm picking.

[Brian]

I was just going for one of the best shows of the year in. In a slightly less great cat category. So. But you know, you could take it personally however you eats. Okay. Here to tell you how to interpret it.

[Megan]

Well, nobody can take my second pick personally. How about that? Because none of you are at this show. And I don't know if this is the right pick, but I think it's the strongest by far out of this category. And so I want to have it. I'm going to pick the 7:30 from St. Louis out of the summer tour category. This is a perfect show. They play this perfect show the first time. They're back in St. Louis in five years. It's the highlights in my notes say everything. There's like a great Jaboo. The ocelot's great. Got a theme. Timber. Everything had like a little extra mustard in set one. And then the flow of this show is just like set two is just a perfect set of fish. It's anchored by this monster tweezer jam, the eighth longest of all time and just a high energy send off at the end. And it's my second pick.

[Brian]

I think that's an outstanding pick.

[RJ]

Wow.

[Brian]

That was my number one pick for summer tour. With good reason. With everything that you said. That second set is magical. And the first set just has like little nuggets everywhere. That's not standing pick.

[Megan]

Thanks.

[RJ]

Wow. Wow. That's amazing. No, I'm just. It's a great show. Those both of the. The summer tour is so good. It's really.

[Brian]

That's what I'm saying.

[Megan]

So good. There's so many good shows, but that.

[Brian]

One, well, they just played that 40 minute simple and I think that this tweezer has a lot more going on that like I want to re. Listen to Ether Edge. Like there's just. There's so much in there. It's great pick.

[RJ]

Yeah. Yeah. I think there's like a solid tier of. Of summer shows that are all kind of of equal greatness.

[Brian]

Agree.

[RJ]

And then. Yeah. So anyway. Okay.

[Brian]

Good start, Meg.

[Megan]

It's gonna be hard, everybody.

[Brian]

I'll tell you what.

[RJ]

Yeah, you guys too. Especially with the PR machine we got behind her.

[Megan]

I mean, you both picked things that were on my ideal list. So I'll say that, you know, we'll see what my audience thinks about it. But as RJ likes to refer to everybody that listens to this show that you've been on for 11 years, you know, but I'm sure it's just belong to me now. Yeah, they're tired of me.

[RJ]

Sick of it.

[Brian]

You saw how they all attacked him after the Bowie comment in Alpine 2022.

[RJ]

Oh, my God. All right, this is a tough one. Okay, I'm gonna take the second night of Grand Rapids with Billy Strings. Just kidding. I'm gonna take the last. The last.

[Megan]

So good. Archie's just on one today.

[Brian]

I almost celebrated. Thank you. That was good.

[RJ]

I'm gonna take the best show that I saw last year and the most recent show that I saw last year, which is 1229. It just. I mean, we talked about it in the moment, Megan. I did, but I also thought every version of every song in the moment was the best version I ever heard, which is a good sign. But. But they're like legitimately really good versions of Caspian and of ACD and Runaway Gym all in the first set. I don't know that. And then of course there's the. You know, I would. I would say. I would argue that the second set is if. Can we just call it a four song set? Because waste is in the middle there and Bathtub Gin doesn't really count because it's kind of short. It's called a four song. One of those things has to be true, right?

[Brian]

Do that. But. But I'll let you guys do it if you want.

[RJ]

I thought that I. I thought. Personally, I thought that that Ruby Waves was like the most out there jam that I had heard this year, certainly in person, but. But also at the time, as I mentioned previously, I was very lost many times, but the. The Monsters was awesome. And then this like Runaway Gym and then you Enjoy Myself, which we definitely thought was ending the set into a ghost. That was really ripping. That was. That first set was awesome. And then you have this Ruby Waves and Fuego and the Cross Eyed to end that second set, which the Ruby Waves is just like. I think that's going to end up being one of the five jams of the year that. That people go back to because there's like a lot going on there and I'm still trying to figure it all out.

[Megan]

So I want to have that 100, 100%. That show was definitely one of my favorite shows. I saw this year, and it was spectacular. And especially because I got to spend it with you. Rj. That was so fun. We had so much fun. Every time a show, a song would end in the first set, rj, Be like, I think that was the best thing they did all year. And I'd be like, yeah, me too.

[RJ]

Listen, you're right. I told you guys. I told you guys this yesterday to be a text, and you did not know because you both exclamation marked my text, which I think meant that you were surprised, which is that I only saw three shows last year, and that's the fewest shows I've seen since the year 2000.

[Megan]

That's wild. Yeah. Yeah.

[RJ]

When I go to fish shows, I'm there and I'm ready. And I was. I was ready that day. I was ready.

[Megan]

I'm still ready. We had already. You're ready. And we had a great time. We did it right. I'm proud of us.

[RJ]

Actually, you know what? I only saw one show in 2000, and that was the Radio City. One of the Radio City shows.

[Megan]

That's a pretty good one to see.

[Brian]

That was outstanding show.

[RJ]

Yeah, it was good. I mean, it was great. But really, I believe I didn't show. I was in college, like, what the fuck is going on? Seymour Fish shows.

[Megan]

I know.

[RJ]

It's my only regret in life is not seeing more fish shows during college, because it's really, like, same. What else are you doing? What are you really doing?

[Brian]

Well, I tried that, but they broke up, so we all couldn't be so lucky as to have the choice. Yeah, that show, like, the Caspian and the Runaway Gym were the huge moments. But, like, for me, and I'm sure you guys felt this better being in the room. When the vocal jam of you enjoy myself turned into ghost, I let out an audible, like, scream from my couch. So much so that my kids came running into the room. And, like, I was like, they never do this. That was such a cool moment. And I was like, there's. There's something going on there. They feel it. I'm sure you guys felt that, being in the room during that.

[Megan]

Yeah, I bet it was amazing in the room when that happened. Yep, I was in a room, but it was.

[RJ]

There were.

[Brian]

There were walls in between the room.

[Megan]

I told you guys. I literally thought they were playing, like, piped in music when I was like, why are they playing, like, a ghost in the bathroom? And then I was like, wait, is this actually happening? What's happening? Then I'd, like, run out.

[RJ]

Why? What Think about the odds of. Of a 45 second.

[Megan]

It doesn't make sense.

[RJ]

Local gem 0000. There's either like, you know, two minutes is short. All right. Anyway. Okay. Brian. Yep.

[Brian]

I'm up. I have two picks. I.

[Megan]

Damn. You have two picks now.

[Brian]

Yeah. I'm on the turn. Mike. I Snake draft. Yep.

[Megan]

I never understand.

[RJ]

No.

[Megan]

I never know what's coming in these. I never know it's going to be my turn. It's very exciting.

[RJ]

Another part of Megan's stick.

[Brian]

I don't know that's going on. I don't know.

[RJ]

I don't know what's happening.

[Brian]

What are we doing? What are we talking about here today? Can I take the 68 Modavon, please? Yeah. Jesus Christ.

[RJ]

Oh, it's my pick. Let me. Let me rip your heart out.

[Megan]

Oh, my God, you guys are so sore. I just hope I smoke you again.

[Brian]

Oh, really? I thought this was about being friends. The tension in here. If someone is listening to their very first episode of HF pod, they're like, do these people like each other?

[Megan]

No, we love each other. That's why we can do this.

[Brian]

Yep. Well, I'm trying to make a move here. I'm trying to decide what my move is because I have it mapped out, and now that I'm reading it, I'm like, does that make sense? But I think I'm gonna go with it because as I'm looking through here, like, 8:15 is going to carry me a lot. And if I get even the third pick, my third choice in four of the remaining categories, I'll feel pretty happy about what that third is. So for those who listen at home, like, the two ways you can go about this, as Meg described, which was really accurate and very way too insightful because now I'm really scared, was you can either be defensive and pick strong shows in weak categories or be offensive or go on the offense, be aggressive and pick just great shows and know, like, whatever, like, the weaker categories will speak for themselves later. I think I'm going to try to go with the defensive move here. Big fan of 90s NBA RJ. Know what I'm talking about? Just like, dudes, asses and dudes, hips and elbows. And just like, you don't get to score a point. That's. That's the point of this game. You don't get to score, like, 67 to 64 Eastern Conference playoff games. Mag. You know what I'm talking about? Like, Patrick Ewing type of shit.

[Megan]

Totally. Yeah. I was just going to say, you.

[RJ]

Know, Brian, Brian, I was thinking about this yesterday when I was playing basketball because I was wondering if it's an age generation thing because the way that I play on the inside, if someone's trying to post up is turn. My is my hips are in are like pushing like right. I'm like sideways pushing them with my hips outward. That's how to out position them. And I'm like, maybe this is like not how people teach it anymore.

[Megan]

We. But do other people not do that?

[Brian]

Everyone's so finesse driven now. And it's all about three. And it's such.

[RJ]

Yeah, there's not as much like, like kind of pushing now.

[Brian]

Steph Curry ruined basketball is really what happened. And by being on my other podcast, the Helping Friendly Basketball Pod, we can talk a little bit more about my feelings on modern.

[RJ]

Okay, sorry, go ahead. I interrupted your monologue.

[Brian]

No, you're good. I'm an ev dude here with defense wins championships. Absolutely right. You look at great NFL football teams like the 2000 Ravens, the 85 Bears, these are all defensive minded teams that then go on the offense. I think I'm gonna go with this strategy. I'm already sensing a text from Ryan Storm telling me I picked the wrong show and I'm already like a little aggressive about that, so maybe I'll use that aggression here. So I got two picks. Okay, so here's what I'm gonna do. First, this is my second favorite show in the MSG category and I think it's a pretty steep drop off after this, so I would not want to be stuck with one of these other shows. So I'm gonna go here with 1231. I think overall this is a really great New Year's Eve show. It's not last year. It's not. What was the last, like great one? 2017, 2015, 2013. But it's a really solid show. Mike's groove in the first set, a solid stash, great little bit of melt. Not super deep, but great enough squirming coil with some page commentary at the end, an extended piano solo. We had to tell all of our friends in our house to shut up during that part because my boy's favorite part of like any fish show, really fun stuff. Second set, you get a great near 20 minute. My friend. My friend. Awesome sand. Very much in line with what RG was talking about. They ate 30 version. Like doesn't get outside of the pocket, but just gets so weird inside of there. Killer golden age into what's the use? And then this third set, I Guess it's been controversial. I don't know. I don't really know what's controversial about it, but you get a sick pillow. Jets like art display that looks like we've like traveled back in time to the Renaissance with fish. Like there's like weird Eyes Wide Shut orgies happening everywhere while they're playing that song. Amazing, amazing stuff. Oddling sign. And then what's going through your mind where fish plays tribute to their EDM heroes? Maybe it's not your thing. You know, I don't know if it's like my thing for fish jamming like that all time, but I thought it was pretty damn impressive and really fun at. Was that like 10:15 at night here in Denver that segues into chalk dust. Really nice. Great patient slave. Awesome life saving gun. Would have liked to have had that. A little bit more of like a showcase spot. But like still really good stuff here in set three. And then an iculus. An icy list in the encore. How rare, Meg? How rare is an iculus to get. Do you know you fish?

[Megan]

Yeah. So mean. I don't know. I. You can see fish for 30 years and never see an iculus. It's crazy.

[Brian]

It is. It's. It's. It's how I feel about Albuquerque. And Mark, who is. Who's. Who's in the chat here. Makes. Makes a good point. It's okay. The gag was great. 12:29 took the weekend, though. Yeah, I think that's absolutely right. I think RJ wins this category for sure. Hands down. I'm making a defensive move here. Trying to put myself in a position where I can at least feel good about myself going into. I want to make another defensive move here because I think there's another.

[RJ]

Scared.

[Megan]

Me too.

[Brian]

Scared.

[Megan]

I'm scared.

[RJ]

There's.

[Brian]

There's another run that I think ev. Dude is spot on. I'm just trying to sell this to the people.

[RJ]

All right.

[Brian]

I think there's another run here that was a little. I don't want to say subpar because there's still some really great highlights, but has one clear. Very above average. I think I have it in tier 2. Really good show and I'm just double checking it on paper here. So hold.

[RJ]

I know what you're doing here, Brian. Do you want me to make the pick for you?

[Brian]

Nope. I got it. It is 10:27, night three from Albany. Yeah, it's a great show. This show has. I'm just organizing everything before I tell you about it. It's going through your mind randomly played in the second slot, access me for the first time since August 31, 2019. Really cool, my friend. My friend, my sweet one. Come on. I'm not gonna argue with that Limb Mountain script. Kill Deva Falls. Great. Kill Devil Falls late in the first set. Really, really sick jam. But then the second set, the everything's right into chalk dust is some of the best plane of the entire year. That chalk does torture is one of the top 15 jams the year. I want to say Mercury. Waiting, waiting. Excuse me. And then most events aren't planned. And then we get a four song really solid encore and gotta Jabu waste bug character zero. Are there better shows out there? Yes. I'm holding out hope that I can still get some of them, but I really wanted in these two categories to have two very, very strong shows rather than have to pick the third show from one of these. So that's what I got. That's what I got. I feel all right right now.

[RJ]

I think it's a good move.

[Megan]

Yeah, those are really good moves. I mean, 1027, I think there's another one that's close to it, but I think this one does beat it out. It's. It's epic. I mean, this finally getting like a jammed out Mercury. Too fun, right?

[Brian]

Right. Yeah, that happened. Are you talking about from Albany at Large? You think there's one other really solid.

[Megan]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I do.

[Brian]

Yeah. I.

[Megan]

That I wasn't sure, like which one was on tap, but I did settle on the 27th being a little above.

[Brian]

I feel good about it. We'll see what happens. I've got four more picks left here to round out my draft again. RJ and Meg, you guys are sitting in really good places, so I hope you don't mess it up.

[Megan]

Can I. Can I ask a question about the technicality of this? Because I. I.

[Brian]

Do you want to pick two shows from dicks? Is that what you're asking?

[Megan]

No. Is it? I seriously don't know this. Like, who's next and how many? Like, do I get one pick next or two? Rj, are you next or am I next?

[RJ]

I'm next. I never get two.

[Megan]

Next and you get one and then I get two.

[Brian]

Yep. You and I are on the turns.

[Megan]

Okay. Okay. Thank you.

[Brian]

We are the snake. Like, you know how a snake kind of coils itself?

[Megan]

Yeah.

[Brian]

So we're.

[Megan]

I have a snake bracelet on today, so that's perfect.

[Brian]

That would. That would be helpful to reference that when.

[RJ]

See how it turns at places.

[Megan]

It's really cool. Yeah. Cool.

[RJ]

Okay.

[Brian]

R.J. what do you got?

[RJ]

I got. I'm in between two things, but I think I have to.

[Brian]

I don't think it overstates things to say that the Beatles were the greatest gift to entertainment and culture of our time. A secular religion, if you will, with their universal appeal and demonstrate impact on people's lives. I'm Robert Rodriguez, host of Something about the Beatles. With every episode I speak with historians, musicians, artists and Beatle witnesses, all in the service of fresh insights into the most joyous cultural entity the world has ever known. I hope you'll join me and listen to Something about the Beatles now on.

[Megan]

Evergreen and wherever you get your podcasts.

[Brian]

What's up everybody? I am Finn McEntee, host of the Punk Rock NBA podcast, part of the Sound Talent Media Podcast Network. My podcast is all about doing what you love for a living. And every week I sit down and talk to people who have done exactly that. 4 example musicians like Tommy from Between the Buried Me, Matt from Periphery, Lil Lotus and Shinigami, among many others, photographers, artists, designers, YouTubers like Glenn Fricker and Sarah Dietschy. And I unpack exactly how they got to where they are today with the goal of helping you do the same. So if that sounds cool, you can listen and subscribe@soundtalent media.com and I'll see you there.

[RJ]

I think I gotta go with the strategic move instead of the move that I want to make, which is.

[Brian]

That's the tough thing about the draft.

[RJ]

Yeah, it is. But I'm gonna do. I'm go with 222 Mexico.

[Megan]

Nice.

[RJ]

I think it's the, I think it's the. I think it's the second best show of the, of the run. I don't want to be stuck with one of the others, honestly. No offense, Brian, I know you were there and had very much fun, but for an opening, opening night, two set show like this is fantastic. That's pretty awesome. It's pretty awesome. I guess the Wednesday was one long set. Right. And did we. Is that on there? It is on there. Okay. But that just like kind of fell off the radar. Nobody has to pick that, so it's okay. But this, this the. I think like the first of all, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday is so much better than Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. In terms of Mexico.

[Megan]

Yes.

[RJ]

Right.

[Brian]

Flying back on Sunday and then I totally off and I didn't, I didn't have anything until Tuesday. It was, it was incredible.

[RJ]

We did, we stayed the extra day on Sunday and then flew back Monday with like a, with like Day.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[RJ]

Hang out.

[Brian]

Good call.

[RJ]

Didn't you do that too, Megan?

[Megan]

I don't remember. No, I went home. I always go home on like the line. I have to right away.

[RJ]

Okay.

[Megan]

But I did. Yeah.

[RJ]

Well, I do go back to work.

[Megan]

I. I think I actually came late and left right away. Is. It's unfortunate.

[RJ]

Well, you had fun while you were there.

[Megan]

I agree.

[Brian]

If I do it again, I will. I will stay the extra day because.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[Brian]

Even with the early show on Sunday, you get back to your hotel, you're not asleep until 11. And if you have an early flight like that bus picks you up at like 5:15. Like you're just. You're not ready for it. There's so much walking to that b. That bus. And then the Mexico airport is like just. They blast the ac. You're so cold and tired all at once. It was, it was the one like you get.

[RJ]

Yeah. And you have to get food poisoning from one of those restaurants.

[Brian]

The food is so expensive. I think I paid 50 for my Starbucks. Like, like disgusting warmed up breakfast sandwich.

[Megan]

So bad.

[RJ]

Well, but back to 222. Great show. As.

[Brian]

As.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[RJ]

As ev. Dude says here. Was that before that? Oh yeah. Birds onward is so elite.

[Megan]

So that's actually. I totally agree. I'm cutting you off, rj. But that is the start. Clearly right at that Birds all the way through until like the first set of the Saturday show is just like some of the best consecutive sets of fish like I'd heard in so long. It was amazing.

[RJ]

Really incredible that you have like four 15 plus minute jams in a set and a quarter. Like, it's just. There's a lot. There's so much the birds of feathers. 20 the axle is like 12 to close the set, which is awesome. But then you get this obviously really long wave of hope, which is. It's interesting. Brian, you said there wasn't. You don't think there's as much going on there as there is with the chalk dust.

[Brian]

No, I, I think from birds on it's outstanding. It was, it was that first part of the show. So sorry for a side note here. There's always going to be one. When my soul started, my wife looked at me and she was just like, well, at least we're in Mexico. Because at that point the night before show and this show is just kind of like. It was fun. It was official and I said I'm gonna go get a taco and. And get a drink. And I walked over and I start to get cell phone service back and I'm starting to get texts from all my friends being like, are you ever gonna get a jam? Are they actually gonna jam for you in Mexico? And, like, everyone. Everyone was feeding the beast. And then as I was walking back, they started birds. And I kind of just shrugged my shoulders and then, you know, my ears started perking up as I was like, where are we going? Oh, that's not the same. Oh, my God. What is that? And then Axela goes off into this like, crazy, just like mind of an atmospheric interstellar space jamming. And then they ended it without peaking it. And I was from there. I was like, I. I'm. We are here. It is happening. This is a great show. I had Mexico as my first, as my number four round, my number four pick for myself, hoping that one of these shows lingered, and they absolutely should not have lingered because 222 and 223 are some of the best fish I've ever seen. And you're absolutely right to pick this. Rj. Great, great pick, rj. Meg, thanks for tearing my heart out. Rj. Great pick.

[RJ]

Thank you, Brian.

[Megan]

Unbelievable. Everybody sees the double standard here.

[RJ]

Yeah. Here we go. There we go. Shout out to all the people in the chat, especially the teachers. There are many teachers in the chat. And we have a teacher on the show. We have teachers in the chat. Thank you for teaching our. Teaching our children.

[Brian]

You guys are lifeblood. Amazing stuff.

[Megan]

Yeah. It's intense to be back. Kids were really excited to be back at school today. This is intense.

[Brian]

We've just got another day of break here today. Wally goes back to school.

[Megan]

That's insane. Like, when are they ever going back?

[Brian]

Well, they decided not to give them raises. They just gave them more days off. It's. It's really, really cool. Strategy helps everyone.

[RJ]

Nice.

[Megan]

Everybody wants, like, the same amount of money and less time at work. Like, I think teachers definitely always need more money. That's offensive.

[RJ]

Megan, you have two picks.

[Megan]

I know. I'm really, like, humming and hawing here because I can't decide if I should just keep playing aggressively or start to play a little defense here. It's. You know, I've already lost category. Unbelievable. Megan, I just haven't had a pick in, like, 10 minutes. Yeah.

[RJ]

Can I give you two. Two, like, motivational speaking mantras?

[Megan]

Okay, let's hear it.

[RJ]

Okay. One is what got you here won't get you there.

[Megan]

Okay. I don't really get that, but okay.

[RJ]

Well, I'm just. It's a. It's a saying. Like, you're. You know, what Got you here. What? Like, not everything that gets you to where you are is going to work for getting you to the next place. That's one mantra.

[Brian]

You've got to adapt.

[Megan]

So you're telling me to play defensively?

[Brian]

Play whatever you think I'm giving you.

[RJ]

I'm giving you a motivational quote. Now I'll give you another motivational quote.

[Megan]

Okay.

[RJ]

If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll find your way to where you're going.

[Megan]

True. I agree with that.

[RJ]

I just wanted to give you some.

[Megan]

By rjb, some quotes.

[RJ]

I found them on the Internet. I'm trying to keep you, like, give you two paths.

[Brian]

Can you just Google motivational thoughts?

[Megan]

Totally. I feel like you did.

[Brian]

Okay, we shouldn't delay her any further. She got time to go.

[Megan]

Sorry. Okay. Okay, I'm gonna split it. I'm gonna do one aggressive and one defensive move. How about that? Here is my aggressive move. I would like to have the strongest show from the sphere. So I'm gonna pick 421 and I'm picking that because I think it's the best show from the sphere. You've got this mini jam and the plasma opener. Like, remember how cool that was? They had like music that sounded like plasma and then they came out, they played plasma. You've got the Ghost, which is like this pretty jam, but with these insane giant robots. Those visuals are some of the most memorable of the whole run. Divided sky, giant clouds, Gorgeous solo from Trey. Acoustic version of Shade. Hey, Stranger was great. Huge super long set. 2 with a monster 34 minute down with disease. Psychedelic liquid metal lines all through that disease. Incredible. It's just. You've got fun 2001 with drones. You've got a huge light with just like a straight bliss jam. Beautiful patient peaks. You got Trey like fumbling with the paper at the end saying, thank you. Just so charming. And then you have the Slave encore that mirrors the Everything's Right opener from night one. Making this full complete circle. Just fantastic show from the Sphere. So that's one of my picks. What do you guys think about that?

[Brian]

I think that's the 100 right pick. I think it's one of the best shows that happened this year. Yeah, the disease, like, it's. It's weird to say this about a 35 minute jam. Like it. It kind of stays standard for like 27 minutes and then it like changes gears in the last like six minutes or some of the most riveting fish of the entire Year the light is wild. I am a huge proponent of jams for jam sake. Later in a set, you know, you have the big jam, and a couple songs later, you get another one. Really into that. I think it has Kill Flow. The ghost was one of those, like, oh, this is what you guys can do with the screen. Oh, my God. You know, like, just like every night that seemed like they got more comfortable. It seemed like the visuals got stronger, and it seemed like they just, like, kept learning more about what they can do. And I think this is an outstanding pick. Meg, you. You have a really, really strong lineup here of. Of shows. And, you know, from an offensive standpoint, you've put up, like, you know, 25 points in the first, like, six minutes. This is great stuff.

[Megan]

Well, this is, like, where it turns for me, because I think I have.

[Brian]

To play the defense.

[Megan]

Yeah, I've got to play good defense, and I don't know which category to play it in. I have to be honest. You guys have gotten in my head a little bit about Mondegreen. I'm not gonna lie. I can't tell if you've been like. Like, is it goading me into picking 816 because you think it's a bad pick and you want me to pick it, or if. Because, like, to be honest, the show part of that night, yes, you have talked about what was great about it, but that was the least. Kind of like the show that did the least for me in the moment outside of the Woodlands Jam. The first night and the third night were fantastic. Super fun. But that middle show is kind of like, eh. But then the Woodlands Jam is obviously my favorite, one of my favorite things I've ever heard Fish play live. So it's. It's confusing for me. And then I also don't know if I should play more defensively in another category that definitely has only one other strong pick. I don't know if I'm giving you. I'm probably giving you too much.

[Brian]

No, I like. I like hearing it. I think that if I were in your position right now, I would personally. Well, I don't want to tell you that. No, you should just do whatever you feel like. I'm just realizing we're still competitive in a couple categories, and. Yeah, I don't really want to talk about it. Sorry.

[Megan]

Okay. Fuck it. I know what. I'm gonna.

[Brian]

Go with your heart. Go with your heart.

[Megan]

I'm gonna. Actually. It's so boring to play defensively. Like, being aggressive is so much more fun. No, I'm going to Play defensively in this category because I think it's. It's important too. I've already lost one category. Okay, just let me look at one more thing. So I don't want to lose two categories. I guess I could lose three, but. Okay, I'm going to do this. I'm going to pick from the Albany run. I'm playing defensively. It's so boring. I'm going to pick 1025. I think this is the second best show of this run. Obviously. You have this beautiful Box of Rain opener. I'll never forget when I saw Mike come out with the wristband on in tribute to Phil Lasch. It was so emotional and beautiful and one of my favorite Grateful Dead songs. And just to hear them come out and play, that was just. I wished I was in the room so bad. You get a funk party in free. Really tight connected. Wolfmans fans absolutely ripped at the end. Paige was just going off and just like really mirroring, like great, great communication in that. In that song. Second set has like 40 minutes of really good connected jamming in three different songs. Each one has a different vibe, different feel. Really solid show and I think gets pretty close to 1027.

[Brian]

Yeah, I think this show just running back to the set list here. I think that this show, it's got really good flow and it's got fun playing. I think the Piper Light tweezers. Outstanding. Ghost being in the encore was super fun. Box of Rain was obviously really special. I think that this run kind of was similar to MSG in the sense that it was really fun with a couple really, really great moments. And I think you did the best that you could do.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[RJ]

Good pigment. Thank you for not making me pick in that category.

[Megan]

You're welcome. We all got. We basically some of us have to lose one category.

[RJ]

Yeah, it's fun, right?

[Megan]

Like, it's just kind of like that's kind of the.

[Brian]

The charm of this draft. Like, like with the 25 minute jam, all you had to do was take other people's jams and you won because everyone's going to get the jams. Tweezer Jam. You just had to not take. Which one did Matt take? Which ones? 12, 30, 17 1. You know, like.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[Brian]

You decide to like, right. Zero in on all these great tweezers like this. You can actually lose rounds.

[Megan]

Yeah. Because there's just only four shows and. Or three shows, you know. Yeah.

[RJ]

Megan, we got our friend, the incredible Perpetrator requested another quote. Megan, do you know what the best offense is? What's That a good defense?

[Megan]

Okay, well, there we go. I split it up, so I'm feeling pretty good about that. And I shout out to the incredible part. It was really great to see him at our happy hour. So thanks for coming. Love running into you.

[Brian]

Haven't you guys seen, like PNC bank commercials about how awesome boring is? Like this? Like, no. Walks around like. Like he's just like, investing money and he's just like, you know what boring creates? Like new jobs, vacations to Cancun, like a dream home. All this sort of stuff. It's like, you know what? Like, boring's okay, Meg. You don't have to, like. Not everything has to be exciting.

[Megan]

Are you saying my list is boring, Brian?

[Brian]

I'm. I'm saying your list is very exciting. And going with a boring move is actually sometimes a smart thing to do.

[Megan]

All right, Boring is awesome. You guys heard it here.

[RJ]

There's a guy named Meryl Reese. He's the voice of the Eagles on the radio. He's 82 years old. He's been doing it for 50 years, I think, maybe longer. He's. He's from right near where I live. And PNC is sponsoring the Eagles, like, radio broadcast this year. So every single time the Eagles go to commercial, you hear this 82 year old guy with an amazing radio voice say, PNC Bank. Brilliantly boring since 1865. That's the timeline.

[Megan]

Amazing.

[Brian]

That's what I'm talking about, man.

[RJ]

You know. Okay, I'm gonna take what I'm next, right?

[Megan]

Yeah, next.

[Brian]

You got one pick.

[RJ]

Great. I'm gonna take what I think is the best summer tour show, which is 84 from Deer Creek. I think it's.

[Megan]

Yeah, I think it's.

[RJ]

I think there's some like. I think it's the top of that tier. A real four song second set. Not one where you can take one out and still be a four song, but that, you know, 57, 58 minutes of. Of jamming to start. Set two between Ghost and Soul Planet with two totally different jams, but just amazing, amazing music. That whole run is incredible. But I don't really like the first set, like on paper, you know, Like, I think Knuckle Bone Broth Avenue is probably my least favorite fish song. 46 days is up there, but it's a good version. But like the 46 days McGrupp wingsuit I think is a great combo. Like, musically, I think it all works. It just doesn't look good on paper. And a decent antelope for, you know, where we are in history. But this second set is just amazing with a, like, really nice, long, weird split open, a melt to close the set. I think this is a great show.

[Megan]

So taking that first set is literally, though, like, like every song I never want to hear at a fish show, like, played back to back. And I remember, like, I was getting ready to go to Grand Rapids and I was like, perfect. Like, this is a great show to have before my show and the second set happened and I was like, yeah, anyway, yeah, yeah, that second set is like a perfect set of fish. Just absolutely perfect.

[RJ]

Yep. Yeah. The Soul Planet is. Is even like better probably than the Ghost, which is crazy because the ghost is like 32 minutes. It doesn't. It doesn't even really make sense.

[Megan]

I was listening to that this morning. It's so good. Yeah, so good.

[Brian]

Kind of yin and yang. Like, that ghost is very slow and exploratory. And then that Soul Planet is just like supercharged. He hits that rift just over and over again. There was a great camera shot, I remember, from the peak of Soul Planet. It was like the drone camera that comes up behind the band so you could see everyone in the pit and people were just losing their goddamn minds. It was so cool. That's a killer show, man. That was my number two pick for summer tour. You guys did good there. 7:30 and 8:4. Those are two excellent, excellent summer tour picks. Awesome stuff, RJ. Here. Let's just do a quick recap before I go.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[Brian]

I've got 8:15, Mondegreen, 10:27, Albany, 12:31 MSG, RJS, 222, Mexico, 84, Summer, 84, Deer Creek, 830 dicks, 12:29 MSG, RJ's RJ.

[Megan]

That's fucking good.

[Brian]

That's a good list.

[Megan]

That's a fucking good list, man.

[Brian]

Meg has 223 Mexico. 421 Sphere, 730 Summer Tour, 730. Excuse me, St. Louis and 1025 Albany. It's a very, very strong list as well. I. I know exactly what I'm going to do now. This has broken to a point that.

[RJ]

I know, but it's like, almost over. Meg, how can you still be nervous?

[Megan]

I don't know. I'm just. Yeah, I just. I'm nervous still. Okay. What are you doing, Brian?

[Brian]

It's like she's taking a final exam and she's just like, wait, there's a whole nother section. What the hell?

[Megan]

Exactly. Come on. I made it this time.

[RJ]

It's like she's Taking a final exam, but she's already, like, gotten early. Early admission to Yale.

[Megan]

You know exactly, exactly what it feels like. Stressful.

[Brian]

Well, I need to go on the offense is really what needs to happen here. But let me just walk you through. Okay, so I have the last pick in Mexico in summer tour. Nobody can make a pick there. I feel moderately fine about what I'm going to do. Those be later picks. I've got Monda Green. I've got the best show, unquestionably of Mondegreen. Nobody can even come close to 815.

[Megan]

He's pushing it so hard. Oh, my God.

[Brian]

I have the absolute best show of Albany. There's no way that anyone can compete with me in that category. And I have the second best show of msg, without question. There's no way that a single person could pick a show that's in any way better than.

[RJ]

I thought you wanted to hurry this up, Brian.

[Brian]

I. What? So I'm gonna go with Dick's first. And I'm gonna go with. RJ is so angry he's leaving. You already picked Dicks.

[Megan]

I'm. Who screwed. No, just kidding. So good. It doesn't matter.

[RJ]

I let my dog out, guys. Okay, go ahead.

[Brian]

Making a video joke about our Jake and leaving. All right, I'm gonna go with 8:31, night three. And not just because it was my 100th show and not just because it was my son's first show, but because you get a. Some of us over here really like the song 46 Days and think it sounds.

[Megan]

Yeah, me too.

[Brian]

Thank you. It's. It's chunky, it's groovy, it's Americana. And then it goes in this cool 46 days jam. We get Oblivion. That has a really, really cool jam off it. I want to say that that jam's like 15, 16 minutes, something like that. It's really solid for the second song of the show. Axilla into Gin. Great gin jam. Like. Like this, like weird, like CBGB punk, like television type groove. Like talking head stuff. It was very cool. Undermine Maze Free. Most events are planned solid stuff. That's. That's a decent second quarter. And then you get this segment in the second set after the Loving cup opener. 25 minute kill level falls. 15 minute. What's going through your mind? 12 minute cross eyed and painless. Split open and melt. Will excuse the fact that Trey played Monsters after that Carini. And then you get a bug first tube encore. It's. It's an amazing slightly uneven. Nothing could be like 8:30 that is the show. Whoever got 8:30 in this category won that category. But this is as good as you could get for number two. And for me, this was night three of Dicks. Like, we'd had three solid nights at this point in time and two really, really good shows. Like, what could go wrong? Even a lightning storm can screw things up. Oh, wait, they came back and they played Dog Log and they played a 25 minute set your soul free. I mean, I was just. I was in heaven. Amazing stuff. All right, so I've locked that up. Dick's 831. Second place is pretty good in that position. In that. In that one. I feel good there. So I'm gonna go to the Sphere here. Okay, you guys ready for this?

[Megan]

Someone wants you to address your yes.

[RJ]

Before you. Before you do, I just want to say this is the new about to Run. It's Trey at his most shreddy. It's. It's going to be there, and it's going to be Trey really, like, just playing the guitar emotionally in the most intense way possible. So if. If you're not into that, then sell your tickets.

[Brian]

Don't go to the fish.

[RJ]

Yes.

[Brian]

What are you gonna say to me? What do you got? What do you got?

[Megan]

I have to say, I heard this song. Two shows I saw with RJ this year. I don't know. Did I see three rj? Did I see all your shows with you? I saw two. And both of them, we were standing next to each other during Monsters, and both times we were both, like, head banging like crazy and just like, yes. Trey lay it on us. So. But, yeah, I'm here for it.

[Brian]

I'm really happy for you guys. I think it's a pretty schmaltzy, cheesy song. I agree.

[Megan]

Some cheesy parts, for sure.

[Brian]

I just. I don't really like the lyrics. I don't love the chord structure. I do like the solo. That sounds like David Gilmore. I'm into that. Yeah. Is it the new about to Run? I don't know, man. I think of about to Run as, like, Trey channeling Ditch Trilogy. Neil Young. I don't really hear that. Monsters. But if you want to find Ditch Trilogy song that sounds like Monsters, I'm here to say I'm wrong.

[Megan]

You really should just play about the Run. About to Run, though.

[RJ]

Yeah. Honestly, it's more of a Gilmore thing. Okay. All right.

[Brian]

So my second pick in this category or in this. In this round, I'm gonna go the Sphere. I think the Sphere had one outstanding show. And three very good shows that were moderately like teared off from each other. And I think that the second best night of the sphere was 420, which gave us. Thank you. Thank you. We got a really solid, really cool little tube jam. Very good stash pillow jets with some of the best visuals of the entire run. A 15 minute jam that like really perfectly accompanied that very cool, slightly jammed out steam mountains in the mist with the mountain landscape behind them. The taste. Oh my God, dude. Like emotional moments watching this. The, the. The stream of the Sphere shows when you realize that it was the live fish covers behind. Like it was, it was unbelievable. Great 30 minute fuego where Trey is playing in a matchstick like, and it's burning the entire sphere down. Cool golden age twist Hydrogen, which was played outside of Mike's group for the first time since October 31, 1987. Had to get an 80s reference in there. You guys know it. And then, you know we get just a solid Choctaw Santos life beyond the dream. Tweezer Prize encore. Like, nothing crazy but the, the. The. The first set I think is the strongest set of this overall show. But that combined with the Fuego, combined with the novelty of the Hydrogen, I think it's just a really outstanding all around show. I don't think it's beaten 421, but I do think that it is a, a respectable show to have here playing offense slash defense. So I got.

[Megan]

Yeah, great pick. That would have been my second pick in that category for sure.

[Brian]

Thanks, Matt.

[Megan]

That taste, honestly, like that moment is. I'll probably never forget it. That was really beautiful. I don't. It was incredible. And the, the Fuego and Choctas are two of my favorite jams from that run.

[Brian]

Yeah, I think I have the disease a little bit above the Fuego, but it's, it's up there. That, that, that theme they get into is very, very cool stuff.

[RJ]

Okay, so that's another category where I don't have to pick, which is good. So I don't have to really do anything except one. And I mean, I just. I can't believe that we're in this situation that we're in right now because we're in a situation where the two. The two. There's two of the three of us who've been talking incessantly since August about the power of the Woodlands Jam. And the, and the. Go ahead, Brian.

[Brian]

I don't think you should take this show.

[Megan]

Do it, Brian.

[Brian]

That's awesome. I don't think you should take this. I think you should take the next. I think the next.

[Megan]

They're.

[RJ]

They're really. Okay, so they're comparable shows. This is. This is. This is the conversation. We're having it. Because Megan's gonna get the other one, you know, And I like Megan. She's cool. So I'm trying to figure out, like. Trying to figure out what's right here. But I think the 17th has. Has like the second set is amazing.

[Megan]

Amazing in the moment. It was pure gas the whole time. Pure gas.

[RJ]

I think the. I like the 16th. I like this. I like the 16th a lot. I mean, I think that the show. I actually think, despite the fact that it's my wife's favorite song, I think a Divided sky, like, really takes away from. From a show in. In terms of like a pick like this. Like, it's like a.

[Brian]

You know, it just takes up a lot of real estate.

[RJ]

Yeah, it's like a 30 of a set that, you know, whatever. But you get like the. The. My friend, the no man Ruby Waves. Those are all, like, respectable jams. And then the. I actually. I actually think that your pet cat back in the Ruby Waves is kind of interesting. And then. I don't know. But I am going to take this show because I do think that the Monogreen Secret set, as it's called on live Fish, is the most interesting thing that they did all year. And I think it's. I'm not. I've told you guys this. I'm not a big late night set person in that I don't go back to them a lot. But this, I think, is the most interesting one that they've done at least since, you know, the Tower Jam probably. I think it's like. I think it's the most unique one that they've done in musically since then. I didn't think the Drive in set was like. I don't know, just some of them just didn't work for me. But I. I think this is the most interesting thing musically they've done all year. So I'm gonna take it. 16.

[Megan]

Yeah. I mean, I am.

[Brian]

The. The Fish Diet Jam chart for the Ruby Waves. Bananas. There's possibly something like six or whatever key changes. Fish arguably performs a parody of a type 2 fish song. While there may be segments one might not recommend, it's almost as if there's willful. Willful in this version. And so perhaps you'd wreck it all. It's crazed. The ending might leave you thinking, what the. Too. And an awesome segue into pillow jets. Great, great stuff. I've been pushing this show for a couple of days now, and I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[RJ]

I think. I mean, the Woodlands Jam is. Is. It's. I'm not gonna. I don't even think that the show is that great, but I do think that the Woodlands Jam is worth having in my corner for this. For this particular exercise.

[Megan]

I mean, I really feel. I know. I really feel like, confused about my strategy here because the Woodlands Jam is unbelievable. I listened to it again last night when I was reading. It's just a masterful piece of art. It's so good. But I don't think the show holds up anywhere near the other two. And so it's challenging. And, yeah, I don't know. I can't tell if I got a little bit in my head about this. Maybe someone else's fault or not. I don't know. But, yeah, I didn't pick it. And that's. It's. It's weird because now I have to pick Mondegreen and msg. Two shows out of those runs that I didn't. That I. Well, not. That's not true. But Mondegreen. But MSG for sure. It's fine. I can't wait to defend 1230 this year. Fucking great.

[RJ]

I just. Hold on. But for voting purposes, let's just. You guys are talking about this as if the Woodlands Jam is not part of the show, but in fact, it is for this exercise.

[Megan]

It is. It is. No, I'm saying it is the third set. I know, but it's like I'm. When you think about the whole entire show. But I agree that it's so good. It trumps whatever came before, too. And the show was good, but it. It was. Yes, I agree. And it was played very shortly after. I barely had time to get a slice of pizza. I did lose my favorite bandana of all time. And then I had to make it back to hear them play. It was very fast. So it was indeed part of the show.

[RJ]

Part of the show. It's third set.

[Megan]

Luckily, I didn't know about that bandana until later, but.

[RJ]

Yeah, I'm sorry. I'm sorry to hear that, Brian. Who wouldn't want a three set show on their draft?

[Brian]

I mean, I think that the Woodlands Jam is one of the greatest jams that the Fish has ever played. I think incorporating the technology of the sphere in improvisational jamming is really what we were all. What? Everyone. Well, what I would kill for this band to do on like a tour basis. Like, come on. I'd Go. I'd go see that. And they prove it in the moment. Oh, my God. What a. What an art project. Great. Great pick, rj.

[Megan]

I'm so fucked.

[RJ]

Actually, you know what? Sorry.

[Brian]

Just to, like, change your pick.

[RJ]

No, no, no. I'm looking.

[Megan]

Yes, you can. You totally can. If you want to. That's allowed.

[RJ]

I'm looking at the picks. We are. We're. We're done with the competition. There's one left for each person in each category, so we can. Let's lightning around this, Brian.

[Brian]

Yeah, yeah, we can do this quick.

[RJ]

Because there's no strategy left.

[Megan]

No left. Nope.

[Brian]

No. Like. Like, everyone's got three really good shows and then some defensive. Defensive shows. And so now we can just kind of pick a little bit from the heart bag. You can pick from the heart. Pick whatever you want if you want. 12:28. Nobody's gonna take it from you.

[Megan]

Yeah, exactly. No, since we're on Mondegreen, I'm just gonna defend 8:17, because what a vibe show. You know, we had just come down from the Woodlands Jam. It felt like it had just happened. We come out to this show, and I am standing right near the soundboard, and there is a huge opening Beach Ball bonanza on page side to celebrate that. Mike's opening. Just so fun. Like, exactly. The vibe that you want at a festival theme was really great. Had some extra sauce, got a jabu, has, like, a little tiny thing to it, and then Bowie. It kind of actually flirts with jamming. It's like, maybe I will, maybe I won't. And set to relentless energy, wild improv, dance party vibes. I was with the most unbelievable crew. I was with, like, Amir Brahmin Noodles. I was with Kieran Edwards. I was with Ryan. I had, like, the best crew. We were dancing and having an absolute blast. I had such a fun night, and I think this is a killer, killer third show at Mondegreen. So there you go.

[Brian]

Can I tell you something?

[Megan]

Yeah.

[Brian]

I think you made the right pick.

[Megan]

Well, I didn't really have a choice, but thank you.

[Brian]

Well, no, overall, I think that this is the second best show from Monda Green. I've been pushing 860 strategy to get in your head in hopes that you would take it first.

[Megan]

I knew it. I knew it.

[Brian]

So I just want to reveal myself here, be completely upfront and honest with you guys. If you put the Woodlands Jam in this show, it is a tier one fish show for the year. RJ's absolutely right to have taken the Woodlands Jam. I totally get it. That is. That is a killer, killer pick. And the ruby waves, another great thing. But, Meg, you passed the test. Well done. Finally.

[Megan]

This is like in Willy Wonka when they're like, you get. You have to like, are you gonna try it? Are you gonna break the rules? Brian's like, been good. I knew it. I knew you were trying to fuck with me about 8, 16. I feel so validated right now. Okay, so I passed the chat. Okay.

[Brian]

You didn't get sucked up the chocolate chute.

[Megan]

You didn't.

[Brian]

Real blueberry Brian.

[RJ]

Brian wouldn't try that with me because he knows I don't really listen to his arguments anyway.

[Brian]

No, I. I make these, like, long winded arguments. RJ just goes like, yeah, okay.

[Megan]

And I'm like, what, what is this Analyzing. It's an idiot. You're Slugworth. Exactly. I'm just glad that you admitted it on air because I feel like what was going to happen, you were going to admit this in a text later and I was going to be furious and no one would believe me. So thank you.

[Brian]

You're welcome. That's what I'm here for.

[RJ]

Megan, what are you going to do next?

[Megan]

I mean, I think I'll just go. And since I'm defending shows that were awesome that I was at, I'm going to go for 12:30. You know, it doesn't have the juice that 12.

[RJ]

Holiest night.

[Megan]

29. Hi. Let me just tell you, the magic came together. My friends and I got on the floor. We had the sickest group of people around us. We have a great wolfman, Got some nice soloing from Trey. Energetic build, Tweezer Funk Jam to launch. Super tight. Paige is like, can we make it interesting? Not really. Downward disease. Great to dance to in the room. Jam. You know, could have really gone a little bit somewhere else to me, but I got Winter Queen 7 blow. Haven't heard them in a long time. Great. Fun, fun show. It's a fun show and I have it on my list now.

[Brian]

Amazing. Amazing Harry Hood.

[Megan]

The hood was great. You're right.

[Brian]

I. I don't know the. I don't know why you don't like that disease. I loved it.

[Megan]

I. I don't know. It's good. I just feel like it just doesn't, like, get anywhere for me. But I'll listen again.

[Brian]

So we have closed off two categories here. I have 1231 MSG, RJS, 1229. Meg has 1230. I have 815. Mondegreen. RJ is 816. Meg has 817, RJ.

[RJ]

Yeah.

[Brian]

Unless you have something more to say about 1230. Meg, RJ's next.

[Megan]

No, I'm good.

[RJ]

I'm gonna take what I think was the best show of the Albany run, which is Saturday, 1026. Actually. I think I. I think all I want to say is that this, I think that bathtub gin, that's the. In the first, toward the end of the first set is one of the good. Like, that's one of the highlights of the weekend of Albany for me. That's. It's like very, very locked in. Really, really good. Just like really good. Full band jamming. So I'm gonna, I'm gonna take. I'm gonna take 10, 26, 4. Only because of that bathtub gin. But you do get another. I mean, how many, how many? 15 plus Ruby waves. 15 minute plus Ruby waves. They played this year 100 endless. And this is like. Yeah, another one, Another one here and you get a Harry Hood set closer in set two. What a beautiful Saturday show. The one that I wanted all along and I got it, so I'm happy.

[Brian]

Really, really good. Fuego. Really outstanding. Yeah, they're one of the best chance of that run. Awesome stuff.

[RJ]

All right, Brian.

[Megan]

All right.

[Brian]

All right, I'm up. So I've got two more picks and then I'm Wow. Down here after this. Yeah, yeah.

[Megan]

So, yeah.

[Brian]

All right. So I'll just go chronologically here. As one does. Just pull up the set list so I have something to reference here.

[Megan]

Yes, those. Chronologically.

[Brian]

One does. I'm gonna go 224 from Mexico. This show. I walked in, I was like, I was instantly sad. You know, like when you do something really fun and like time seems to stop and you're just like, I could do this forever. That's. That's how I felt. And I, and I and everything we were doing, like we were in a rhythm. We knew when to take naps, we knew where to get food, we knew the best places to eat. I was churning through books. It was unbelievable. I was starting to make my top albums list. I was in peak form by like the end of 223 in Mexico. Plus I'd seen two 35 plus minute long jams. Like I was at. I was like, why would I go back to work when I could just do this over and over again? The servers knew my drink. Like, everything was great, you know, it was, it was, it was amazing. And then, you know, we're going, we're getting dressed. It's like, oh, well, tomorrow we're gonna be back home. Or we have to be parents again. Oh, we're taking the golf cart ride over to, to the. The festival or to the, you know, to the beachside stadium. Like this is the last time we're gonna do that. Once we leave the show, the vacation's over. It's really sad. And then what did the band do? They come out with the sun setting and they open up with an 18 minute long simple. Oh my God. Oh my God. So and. And on top of that, they segue perfectly into sanity. And then after that they play Choctaw's Torture Reprise for the first time since December 28th, 2019. 142 shows. My first one ever. I jumped like 10ft in the air. And then after that we get a huge sick wolf man's brother. And then we get Mercy and then we get Rift. And then we get a huge bathtub gin. Like massive. One of my favorite jams of year into Cavern. Second set. We get the howling, I guess because it's a full moon. So I guess we got to do that. No men's solid. And then we get this Ruby Waves that like it's not even jam charted. What are you doing? Unbelievable. Last five minutes of this Ruby Waves. This is like the melodic stepsister of the Monda Green. 816 Ruby Waves. Then we get Golden Age. We go back into Ruby Waves. This set falls apart a little bit. But then the encore we get a 12 minute crazy crazy 2001. I was so sad walking into this show and so happy walking out and I was like, you know what? This band gave me everything I ever could have asked for. I don't need anything more from them. But you know what they did? They played a killer summer tour and I got four great dick shows. So you know, everything was good in the end. So my next pick, my last pick.

[Megan]

Brian, I feel like you might deserve to win this draft just for how hard you are selling your pick picks in the third round. I'm just enjoying this tremendously.

[Brian]

I feel pretty good about my my picks as they come together here. I don't sell anything to you guys. Come on. No, I'm joking. My last pick here summer tour is where I'm going and I am going to go. I'm just double checking this before I make the call. GM is making sure. Is the pick in. Yes. 10892024 Friday night at Bethel. This is a really outstanding show that I think in some ways gets a little bit overshadowed, which is strange to me. You guys want me to read this set list? For you. Okay, I'll read the set list for you. I won't read the whole thing, but you get a solid.

[Megan]

We both went.

[Brian]

My friend has another big jam. 2001 randomly towards the end of set. One second set, though. We've got Tweezer into Pillow jets into Tweezer into Piper into Tweezer into Shine a Light into Chalk Dust Torture, and then a big black, furry creature from Mars. Gotta juboo. More encore. Zany stuff. As Megan would say, they could have played this one at a mondegrine and everyone would have been happy. That's it, Bethel. Outstanding stuff. Put it in the books. I'm done.

[RJ]

Good. Brian, that was great, man. Wow. I wish I could live up to the hype. You know, I'm not. I'm not in the hype man form today, but. But I will thank you both for giving me my favorite sphere show. The one that I wanted all along. Yes, the one that I wanted. I've been wanting since I was. Since I first heard it. All right, I'm gonna close it out with 419. I can't believe you guys left this on the table. The coolest start to a fish show the entire year. They walk out while the pre show music, which sounds like a free jam, and they start playing free. And the waterfalls of light come down from the dome and come out of the walls.

[Megan]

So sick.

[Brian]

So good.

[RJ]

Awesome. That was pretty cool. Awesome. No, but I. I think there are a couple good jams from. From this. From the show. The axel is great. Good wave of hope. Yeah, I'm happy with this.

[Brian]

You enjoy myself with the car wash and the dog.

[Megan]

Come on.

[RJ]

The leg.

[Megan]

The dog leg is everywhere.

[RJ]

Oh my God. I haven't even gotten there yet. I was through, but you guys kept talking about it, so I guess I'll stop. Why don't you guys tell me why this show's so good?

[Megan]

It's a pretty good show. It's not as good as 421 or 420, but it's pretty good. Pretty good show. Pretty good show.

[RJ]

To each their own.

[Megan]

Yes.

[RJ]

The but yeah, I mean, you got.

[Brian]

A lot of show had the ocean theme, the song. I heard the ocean.

[RJ]

You got a lot of underwater.

[Brian]

Really real underwater stuff. It was very cool.

[RJ]

Yeah, the beginning though, the free was really awesome. I'll never forget that. Okay, that's it.

[Brian]

That's it. Meg's got one more pick. She's got a pick from Dicks. I hope she picks the right show. To be completely honest, I don't know. If she will. But I hope she does.

[Megan]

We'll see if I pass.

[RJ]

Many people are talking about it. It.

[Megan]

My God.

[Brian]

Waterfalls of Light plus three points. I love. Yeah.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[Brian]

He brought around the horn into our draft. We might have to start doing.

[RJ]

Oh, my God, I love it now.

[Brian]

Now they're canceling the show. Maybe we'll see if Tony Reali wants to host our drafts. That would be pretty sick.

[RJ]

Oh, man. That would be sick.

[Megan]

I don't know what that means, but it sounds.

[Brian]

Nope, you don't. But pick the right show from Dicks, I hope you do.

[RJ]

I got the dog lick sphere show, guys. That's all they need to know moving forward.

[Megan]

Yep. And your favorite jam of the year in the Woodlands Jam. So there you go, man. You are rj.

[Brian]

Nice drafting rj.

[Megan]

Thank you. Yeah. You're crushing it. Oh, my God. Amazing.

[Brian]

We're gonna make Meg never want to do a draft again or else she's gonna come back for our throats the next time we do this. There's only one of two ways this is gonna go.

[Megan]

I'm slightly under prepared for this draft, but that will never fucking happen again.

[RJ]

Oh, my God.

[Megan]

Okay, so I am going to go with. With the last night of dicks. 9 1, 24, night four, dog log bust out the longest. My friend. My friend yet inspired jam and life saving on rocking end to the set. Set two to me lacked a little bit of flow, but I feel like it felt like a big celebration in the venue after one of the strongest Dicks runs. Just the encore was a perfect joy explosion. And I think this show proves why. If you have bust outs and one Monster Jam, you take a show from feeling really average and ordinary and you turn it into. You kind of save it. You make it feel great. And this is a lesson that could have been put to use in Mondegreen. Night four, day four. Whatever you want to say, man.

[RJ]

Using a Sunday show for bust outs and unique, unique songs. I think it's an interesting strategy.

[Megan]

What is it?

[Brian]

2013 all over again? I am here for it. My man. My goodness. What a. What a move. I think I would have gone with 829, but 891 is a very good pick. I was so nervous.

[Megan]

Go ahead.

[Brian]

I was just nervous going to the show because the last two Sundays at Dick's had not been very good. And this turned out to be. This was a really fun show.

[Megan]

This is really so. So I had. I. I liked 829 a little bit better, but it is rated very low on net.

[Brian]

Well, can't go with the community on these ones. You got to go with your heart, your gut. You know, they don't. They don't know. They don't know. Yeah, I know, but it's like a. It's like a Browns fan trying to tell you who to pick for quarterback next year.

[Megan]

I know, but sometimes, like, some of us don't remember everything that we. You know, that we. All these shows and. And you're kind of like, I want to see what people thought about that. And then you look and you're like, wait, what? So it's a little confusing, but Yeah, I think a 29 is killer, too.

[Brian]

Sabotage. Bust out. About that.

[Megan]

Amazing stuff.

[Brian]

Great stuff. Oh, my God. This is not an insult. Incredible. Perf. I'm just saying you're desperate to win, so you would just pick a quarterback. Not thinking the full strategic strategy.

[RJ]

Come on, Brian. You gotta. You gotta. You gotta. Just. Come on. You gotta know your audience here.

[Brian]

Okay, so we go through this really quick. All right, I got 224 Mexico. 420 sphere. 8 9, Bethel. 815 Mondegreen. 831 dicks. 1027 Albany. The best show of Albany. 1231 MSG. RJ got 222 New Year's show ever. 419 sphere. 84 Deer Creek. 816 Monda Green. Is that the right pick? We'll see 8:30 days.

[RJ]

It's keep coming, baby. Look at this.

[Brian]

1026 Albany. And 1229 Saturday Rocker. And then Meg got 223 Mexico. That's a great pick. 421 sphere. That's a great pick. 7:30St. Louis. That's a great pick. 817 Mondegreen. I would go with 8, 16, 9, 1 dick. I would have gone with 829, 1025 Albany. Okay, fine. 12:30 MSG. Maybe I would have gone with 1228. I don't know. You, dear listener, tell us.

[Megan]

Don't even try to act like you would not. Epic. 12:30, 28.

[Brian]

Okay, great.

[RJ]

You know what?

[Brian]

What a successful draft.

[RJ]

Well, we're. You know, we're going to do this time. Megan.

[Megan]

What?

[RJ]

We're. You sound scared. Okay, we're gonna. If you're listening to this, go to osirispod.com vote and there you will be able to vote for the winner of this draft. We're taking this to another level.

[Megan]

So. Wait, I'm sorry, say this again. Are you only allowing voting there?

[RJ]

No. You can spread the link to wherever you want. But you know what? Our listeners don't really get to vote unless they find you posting on social media. Right.

[Megan]

It's not me. It's HF Pod. Just to be clear.

[Brian]

Like, disrupts.

[Megan]

I love how now I'm somehow being, like, punished for doing the work that nobody fucking else wants to do. In.

[Brian]

That people should have as many avenues to vote as possible. You don't think that they should have as many opportunities? That's. That's your call. My call would be that everyone can vote as many places as they can.

[Megan]

I would.

[Brian]

Just not as many times as they want to. You get one vote. But, like, you know, I just. I think that people should have an opportunity to make it as easy as possible to vote.

[Megan]

I would just like our listeners to know that this is what happens when you beat these boys at their game. They just crush you. Brian's been sending me texts that were, like, literally to get in my head for, like, weeks.

[RJ]

No, no, it works. This is all. This is all for fun. This is all for fun.

[Brian]

I'm just victimizing her over here. My goodness. Ruining everything. Oh, my goodness.

[RJ]

And she didn't even get to prep.

[Megan]

No, I did prep. And that's what's a little sad about it. No, I'm happy with my list. I'm really awesome.

[RJ]

Yeah.

[Megan]

Such a great year of fish. Absolutely great.

[RJ]

Year of HF Pod.

[Brian]

Gray. Year of HF Pod will be next week with a great interview, plus a show that we will name at a later date.

[Megan]

Yeah, we can't wait. We'll keep you. I'll make sure to push that out on my socials shortly.

[Brian]

To your followers.

[Megan]

To my followers only.

[RJ]

This is so great. All right, guys. Thank you. This was fun for hanging. Goodbye.

[Brian]

Osiris. One Hit Thunder is a podcast where we both celebrate and have a good laugh about bands and artists that had just one hit that we all know. Each week we're joined by a guest from the world of music or comedy to learn more than you ever thought you would about some songs that you can't forget. And we decide if they brought the One Hit Thunder or nothing more than a one hit blunder. Look, if you listen to the show, you're probably gonna laugh and I guarantee you're gonna crush next time the bar has music trivia. Tag Team, Jane Child, Meredith Brooks, Looking glass, Sean Mullins, Eiffel 65 EMF, Crash Test Dummies, Crazy Town, Chumbawamba. We have hundreds of episodes in our battle back catalog and a new episode each week. So pass the Dutchy make sure you're connected and subscribe to One Hit Thunder wherever you get your pods.

[RJ]

Hello everybody. I'm Bruce. And I'm Nolan, and this is the.

[Dan]

Corner of Gray street podcast.

[RJ]

As longtime Dave Matthews Band fans, we.

[Brian]

Set out to create a podcast to.

[RJ]

Dive deep into the past, present, and future of DM dmv.

[Brian]

Not only do we recap and review shows within an ongoing tour, but we revisit past shows from throughout the band's history, conduct interviews with a wide variety of guests with ties to dmv, and create unique and exclusive content like our Concerts on the Corner series. Whether you're a fan of the band.

[RJ]

Or just a fan of great music.

[Brian]

We think you'll find something you'll enjoy.

[Dan]

We can't wait to see.

[RJ]

See you on the Corner of Gray Street.