Mellow Mood

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History

With their conversion to Rastafarianism in 1966, Bob Marley and The Wailers took a different approach to their compositions and performances, imbuing their recordings with unique soul and a powerful, visionary outlook on life and love. “Mellow Mood,” released later that year, is a beautiful, seminal example of where Bob Marley and his band would be heading. These themes would develop over the next fifteen years, encompassing all of the band’s classic, groundbreaking albums, gradually rendering Bob Marley in the likeness we know and revere today.

Much like their unexpected performance of “Trench Town Rock” on 8/11/98, the tour-opening rendition of Marley’s “Mellow Mood” on 9/8/00 Albany threw fans for a loop, albeit a happy-smiley loop. Subsequent performances that tour (9/24/00 Minneapolis, 9/29/00 Vegas and 10/6/00 Shoreline) pleased fans mightily, but were bittersweet as Phish faded into the uncertain sunset of the hiatus. 

During the hiatus, “Mellow Mood” took up temporary residency with TAB. First appearing 2/22/01 in Syracuse, “Mellow Mood” made six appearances on that tour though none since. Fans of horns should be sure to check out some of these versions by Trey’s band, including Trey’s final performance to date of the tune on 3/4/01 with the addition of guest trumpeter Joey Sommerville who had last performed with Phish on Halloween 1995. 

“Mellow Mood” made only one visit to the Phish stage during 2.0, though it was in a prominent slot, opening the second day of the IT festival on 8/3/03. “Mellow Mood” provided the back-end of a surprise one-two opener with “Walfredo” on 6/27/10 Merriweather (“Saw it Again!”) in its first 3.0 appearance, followed by 10/26/10 Manchester (providing an early hint of a reggae theme that would culminate in the later “Makisupa” > “Night Nurse” > “Makisupa,”), 6/8/11 Darien Lake (preceding “Buffalo Bill”) and 8/9/11 Tahoe, the first of what fans hope to be many, many shows at this spectacular venue.

Selected Audio: 9/8/00, 8/3/03, 10/26/10

Phish, “Mellow Mood” – 8/9/11, Stateline, NV

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