Following in the footsteps of the Grateful doppelgangers, Dark Star Orchestra, Strange Design is taking a similar approach to the Phish. This South Carolina foursome recreates classic Phish shows in their entirety at each concert.

While I have yet to see Strange Design in action, what looks particularly appealing about their approach to the Phish is that they really seem to emphasize the surprise factor, the energy, and the general idea that seeing Phish is bigger than just the music. They are not simply focusing on the setlists and songs, but the whole shebang from the segues and bust outs to Fishman tunes and vacuum solos. Hell, the guy even wears the moo moo on drums. If the Divided Sky on their My Space page is any indication, these guys are gonna be a big hit with the fans.

The following comes from a chat with Aaron Levy (keys) and Adam Chase (drums):

Hidden Track: How often do you recreate actual jam segments? Are there any particular versions you would point to that you really worked hard to recreate?

AARON: We try our best to recreate as much as the show as possible. Phish’s music as well as their jams is very complex, so to recreate every note of a show would be a stretch. However, we listen extensively to the shows we recreate and take notes on song lengths, order of solos, teases, any highlighted/unique aspects of that shows particular vibe and jams, etc. Phish had very distinctive styles/eras and we want to give people the taste of a ‘91 show versus a ‘97 show. As far as particular recreations to point out, when it comes to a well known recording/show, we will do our best to play it as it was played originally.

ADAM: I’ll add that we take notes of key changes within jams, style changes, time signature changes, effects and really as many specific details as possible. On many occasions, Mike has spoken about the spiritual aspect of playing music and being in the moment and Fishman has spoken about putting enough hours and hard work into practice that when you get on stage you don’t have to think about it. So, I’d say our approach is to spend enough time in the practice room that when we get on stage we can be in the moment and know that the amount we studied the show will come through without having to force the direction of the jam just to do what they did. With that being said, we covered 12-6-97 at the Georgia Theatre per a request on our message board and knowing that it was somebody’s all time favorite show and that they were in the audience gave us the extra motivation to be as accurate as possible.

READ ON for more with Adam and Aaron of The Strange Design…

HT: Even for pretty hardcore fans, it could be tough to distinguish exactly which show you guys are performing in the moment. Have you ever considered disclosing the show in advance to give people a chance to familiarize themselves before the shows?

AARON: We are not at the point where we want to disclose what we are doing before it happens. We want to keep the anticipation and excitement high. That is what most Phish fans would be looking for. We are however providing clues and teases, for example, we are playing a two night stand in NYC this month and we have disclosed that we are playing a “weekend at the Hamptons”. That’s not to say which shows though….

ADAM: We have actually had people at our shows that were at the show that we were recreating and figured out what we were doing a few songs into the show. In one particular instance, we recreated an amazing show of Phish in Erie, PA from ‘94 that was an audience member’s first Phish show and his reaction to it was beyond encouraging. It made me think of how I used to be when I would get off Phish tour and seek out the recordings immediately so that I could relive the experience. As far as letting people know in advance, we’re not committed to doing things the same way every time, so you never know.

HT: That was actually a not-so-stealth lead in to this question: What Hampton shows are you playing when you come to Sullivan Hall for your “Weekend in the Hamptons” shows in August?

AARON: Although it is eating me up to let someone know, I can’t say. Let’s just say that you WON’T be disappointed.

ADAM: It was the good Hampton shows.

The Strange Design - Foam

HT: Do you memorize Trey’s Gamehendge narrations?

AARON: We have not done any narrations yet. It will be coming soon though. We wanted to warm up to the Phish fans out there with good setlists, a capella, and even vacuum solos. Narrations are the next on the list.

ADAM: Narrations are a big part of Phish’s uniqueness and we will make sure to approach this unique aspect in a unique way.

HT: Props for nailing down YEM so well. I imagine that’s about the band equivalent of coercing Adrianna Lima to sleep with you. What tune would you say gives you the most trouble?

AARON: I think when it comes to the tunes, we each have our own challenges. Some songs that I may think are simple, the other guys may have extremely complex parts and vice versa. For me, I think that Asse Festival, in the middle of Guelah, may be the most challenging piece I have learned of theirs. It moves fast and Page is literally chasing one hand with the other, not to mention how hard it is to hear his parts when they are in the mix sometimes.

ADAM: As Aaron said, each song poses it own challenges. For me there are a lot of songs where the intricacies within Fishman’s beats are not always obvious. Songs like Yamar, Foam, Stash, Limb by Limb have lots of overlapping rhythms that take time to get used to, but songs like Fluffhead, you Enjoy Myself and Reba have so many parts to remember and such amazing dynamics within each part that when it comes to Fishman, to really do him justice there is very little I would truly call “easy”

The Strange Design - Julius

HT: Would Phish reuniting have any impact on your direction as a band?

AARON: I think it would. Not to say that it would be positive or negative. I think there are lots of heads out there that want to hear Phish music live. When Phish reunite, they will most likely be performing newer music as well as some good oldies. But I don’t think that would hurt us. There’s no other way to hear an action packed ‘91 set or a rockin’ ‘94 set or even a funky ‘97 set without seeing it be recreated. Their reuniting may help us gain more fans.

ADAM: I know I’d want to see them as much as possible so I’d be pushing for us to do our tours based around where they would be.

The Strange Design returns to the road on August 20 in Richmond, VA for a gig at Toad’s Place. After that the quartet heads to NYC’s Sullivan Hall for two “Weekend in the Hamptons” shows on August 22 and 23.