Pink Talking Fish made a triumphant return to The Capitol Theatre on Saturday night for a very special JUNTA CIRCUS performance. Marking their third headlining performance at the historic venue, Pink Talking Fish made a circus experience out of Phish’s 1989 album, Junta, while intertwining songs by Pink Floyd, Talking Heads, and more throughout the two-set marathon.
The 4+ hour show featured circus attractions on and off stage by New York’s “Big Apple Circus” who created an interactive spectacle of aerialists, acrobatics, clowns, marionettes, jugglers, and so much more with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong’s Greg Ormont serving as the evening’s “Ringmaster”. The Capitol Theatre has never been so wild!
The theme for the event was a rendering of Phish’s debut studio album “Junta”. A surprise appearance and performance from the album’s namesake Ben “Junta” Hunter, Phishes 1st manager, was a welcome treat for phish enthusiasts.
The theatrical performances from the “Big Apple Circus” were artistically choreographed to match with the theme and soundscape of each song they were featured in. From outstanding feats of aerial excellence to the inspired vision of a human snow globe, The effect was visually gripping and added a thrilling dynamic to the evening. Their performance helped transform the show into emotional joyride.
Take a look at the ridiculous setlist below, featuring details on the one-time-only circus experience, as well as photos from photographer
Kevin Cole.
Pink Talking Fish – JUNTA CIRCUS – 2/23/19
[Audio: cabinetmusic]
Setlist: Pink Talking Fish’s Junta Circus | The Capitol Theatre | Port Chester, NY | 2/23/19
Set 1:
Circus Intro*$>
Fee*>
Once In A Lifetime*%
You Enjoy Myself>
Learning To Fly>
You Enjoy Myself*$$^
Free Four^^
Esther%%
Life During Wartime*!
Golgi Apparatus!!
Set 2:
Foam+
Have A Cigar*++>
Dinner And A Movie*=
Cities
Divided Sky>
Great Gig In The Sky==?>
Divided Sky==
David Bowie>
Fame*{>
David Bowie
This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)
Fluffhead{{
Contact*[
Union Federal[[
Brain Damage?”>
Sanity*””>
Brain Damage*?””>
Eclipse*?””>
Icculus*?””!!!
E: Burning Down The House*?%
*w/ Greg Ormont as The Ringmaster
%w/ Big Apple Circus ensemble – various acts
%% Big Apple Circus acted out the story of Esther. This included Human Marionette with strings being pulled by a Stilt Walker. She also did an arial performance.
$ Introduction over the music of Esther. The Intro had various Junta character references
$$w/ The Ringmaster and Circus Troupe jumping on trampolines
^w/ Greg Ormont on guitar and vocal jam
^^w/ Ben “Junta” Hunter on vocals (The album Junta was named after Ben, who was Phish’s first manager)
! w/ Big Suit Clowns dancing and a Hoop Show. Ringmaster also danced in a suit
!! w/ Commemorative Ticket Stubs falling from the balcony
+w/ Bubbles filling the room and a performer in a large bubble dancing with feathers
++w/ Stilt Walking Clown and a Contortionist Cigar feature
= w/ The Ringmaster taking a date to dinner and a movie. Big Apple Circus troupe set the stages vaudevillian style and played characters during dinner and a movie
==w/ Aerial Show
? w/ Maryn Azoff on vocals
{ w/ The Ringmaster and Glam Dancers
{{ w/ Pin Juggling and other Circus Flare
[ w/ Cyr Wheel, Hoos, Unicycles and The Ringmaster on a Hobby Horse
[[ w/ Clown Show
” w/ Contortionist Violin. During “The Lunatic Is In My Head”, the band started laughing and the entire ensemble came out laughing which went into Sanity
“” w/ Full ensemble acting insane
!!!w/ The Ringmaster doing the Narration as a show-closing Thank You.
View Setlist/Details
Pink Talking Fish’s Junta Circus | The Capitol Theatre | Port Chester, NY | 2/23/19 | Photos: Kevin Cole