Bold As Love

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Originally Performed By	Jimi Hendrix Experience
Original Album	Axis: Bold As Love (1967)
Appears On
Music/Lyrics	Jimi Hendrix
Vocals	Page
Historian	Mockingbird Staff
Last Update	2023-11-21

History

Jimi Hendrix is revered by all fans of rock-and-roll, and is seen by some as the most talented musician to ever take hold of an electric guitar. Trey has noted his affinity for Jimi on many occasions, going so far as to pay tribute to him almost every time Phish has played on his birthday, November 27. On 11/27/92, Trey referred to Jimi as the greatest electric guitarist ever. And to close that show, Phish played its version of Hendrix’s classic “Bold As Love,” one of five Hendrix covers that Phish has played over the years (see “Fire,” “Izabella,” “The Wind Cries Mary,” and "If 6 Was 9"). Technically the four members of Phish have played a sixth Hendrix song live; "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)", but not at a Phish show. 

Phish, "Bold As Love" – 2/18/97, Paris, France

Phish has always chosen to play “Bold as Love” as a straight cover, without altering the song’s feel from the original. The song’s raw energy, especially in the swirling closing jam segment, makes it a fantastic choice as a set-closer or encore – since 1992, it has only been played elsewhere in a show a handful of times. References to various colors in the lyrics give Chris Kuroda a great opportunity to augment live performances with a wonderful visual spectacle, especially when the band reaches the “rainbow” line.

Despite being one of Phish’s oldest and truest covers, the band seems to reserve the song from heavy rotation to avoid spoiling it. After two years of regular play from July 1988 to April 1990, followed by two years on the shelf until its reappearance in November 1992, “Bold as Love” was only played a few times each year before disappearing entirely in 2003 and 2004. However, the song returned to semi-regular rotation in 2009 including performances on 6/9/09 Asheville, 5/27/11 Bethel Woods, 8/4/13 San Francisco and 8/30/14 Dick’s. After not being played in 2015, it returned in 2016 on 07/10/16 Syracuse and 10/28/16 Las Vegas. They played it once in 2017 at "The Baker's Dozen" run on 08/04/17 and was absent in 2018. It returned in 2019 on 02/21/19 Mexico to close the first night of the run and in the encore slot of 9/4/21.

"Bold As Love" 6/9/09 Asheville, NC

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