SET 1: Mike's Song: Great way to open the show. Has the face melting rage that you would expect coupled with a healthy dose of that fall 97 funk. Would recommend. > Chalk Dust Torture: Buried Alive tease at 6:34 – pretty normal CDT other than that. My Soul: Standard. Stash: Mike sounds so good in the early going of this jam. This one doesn’t stray far from the path, but there is absolutely no wasted space. Trey does sort of slide out of the potential big ending, there is no true climax. Instead, they go into this really neat space for about 70 seconds or so and then they segue nicely into Hydrogen. I think this is a really cool version of Stash and I would recommend it for its unique nature and combination with Hydrogen. Of the 443 times Stash has been played this is the ONLY time it was paired with I am Hydrogen. How cool is that? > I Am Hydrogen: Standard. > Weekapaug Groove: Very solid version, hard rocking with good length. Great mid set jam. Dogs Stole Things: Standard. Beauty of My Dreams: Standard. Horn: Standard. > Loving Cup: Good way to rock out the end of the set. SET 2: Julius: Straight ahead rocker, nothing like the Cleveland version. Back to normal I guess. > Simple: Does the typical Simple thing, then mellows out and stays mellow for a good bit. The natives become restless, and the band seems to sense that. Things soon get a much greater sense of urgency and by 13 and a half this sucker is jamming hard! Really beautiful stuff. This mellows out again around 18:00 and we find ourselves in a sort of bluesy type jam. Kind of sort of. Fishman is awesome in here. Page too. 22:00 Loops, synth and introspection. Crowd loves it, CK5 must have been doing something amazing. 25:00 Very psychedelic. 26:00 Fish wants Maze or Bowie. Big loops. 28:53 Fish is on the toms, and you know what that means… -> Timber (Jerry the Mule) – Played at back to back shows? Huh, that’s interesting. This tune has been played 99 times ( 8/29/1987 and 9/2/1987 and then 12/7/97 and 12/9/97) and it has only been played at back to back shows twice! Interestingly enough the two times this happened there were days off in between shows but the shows were still played ‘back to back’. This is a solid yet unspectacular version versus some of the others from this tour and year. LOL that it’s listed as a jamcharts version. > Contact: Page funks this one up like crazy, Mike too! Axilla: Standard. > Harry Hood: Axilla tease at 0:52. Good enough Hood, nothing to really write home about. ENCORE: Fire: Rip roaring good time. Summary: Good to very good show. For this tour it’s toward the bottom which speaks to the strength of it all. Agree with the current rating on .net of 4.12/5 (159 ratings). Replay Value: Mike's Song, Stash, Simple

https://forum.phish.net/forum/permalink/1377926730 Portland, Oregon was one of the first West Coast locations to welcome and support Phish in the early 90's. The tapes from the first few Phish shows in Portland aren't the highest quality, but were still well circulated at the time, and demonstrate how the band appreciated the responsiveness of the audience. Phish pulled off a classic April Fool's joke during a two-night stand at the Roseland Ballroom in the Spring '93, and the shows from August '93 and July '98 have been officially released by the band. Other Portland shows since then like 9/12/99 and 10/19-20/21 have been well-received by phans, but I can't help but root for this plucky show from down the homestretch of the Fall 1996 tour. Why? Just [url=https://phish.in/1996-11-24/i-didnt-know?t=1m57s]Because.[/url] Phish played a terrific run of shows in the Midwest between 11/6 and 11/19, but the band seemed to lose their momentum in the huge ice storm that coated the Northwestern U.S. on the 20th and 21st. However, the band was apparently able to rebound from a border crossing into Vancouver, during which (according to phish.com) "Trey and Fish got to know Customs Agents at the border". A Sunday show at Portland's Memorial Coliseum may have been easy to overlook for many on tour at the time, but reviews claim that the scenes both inside and outside the venue were very pleasant that night, not unlike shows in the area in 3.0. (I wonder if those Customs Agents requested the Loving Cup played during Portland's second set?) 2001 had earned a reputation as a lead-in for many dynamic jams, so the transition into Sparkle has probably caused many Phish jam fans to go cross-eyed. But both songs were also CK5 showcases, and it is worth closing one's eyes and imagining the colorful craziness above the stage as one listens to the band race each other to the end line. Speaking of racing, the Reba in the first set so fast and furious it would have made Paul Walker proud, and the Antelope first set closer is determined not to be left in the dust either. A Poor Heart > AC/DC Bag > All Things Reconsidered opening trio is certainly unusual, but impeccably performed, with Trey stretching out during AC/DC Bag and demonstrating his astonishing facility for creating melodic and harmonic tension during the solo.

This show ought to be rated a little higher, I think. Currently sitting at 4.12, this is the lowest-rated show of Fall '97. It's probably bottom three (cuz c'mon, look at the competition), but I find a few more highlights and noteworthy moments than I do in the 12/5 sets. Mike's opener is great funky stuff and the Chalk Dust in the two slot is one of several from the tour that are full of high octane playing. The Stash->Hydrogen melt is a wondrous departure from typical form, and the Weekapaug closes Mike's Groove with gusto. The second-set Simple is an exploratory behemoth that should be listened required listening--especially with the > Timber to follow (these two just make a great pair don't they). The Hood ain't bad either, and I especially love the Axilla jam in the into. Let me be clear: you should listen to all of Fall Tour. Including this show.

https://forum.phish.net/forum/permalink/1377918656 April 1992 has received its fair share of recognition, mainly due to the excellent West Coast run in the second half of this month, which has been well-circulated on Soundboard recordings. A couple of new recordings have surfaced to fill in the gaps from the first part of the month, but the best recording of the whole tour has been overshadowed - this "Separate-from-soundboard 16-track" SBD/AUD matrix from 4/5/92. Whether on earbuds or a quality home theater system, Mike Grace's recording of this "surprise show" is a sonic pleasure that should be shared. The two posted reviews of this show seem to pick nits with the accuracy of the playing, ignoring the peaks of the jams. It's true that this show is not Page's sharpest, but he holds his own during the jams in It's Ice, Maze, the breakdown in Weigh, and another sweet Landlady > David Bowie combo. Meanwhile, Machine Gun Trey demonstrates the art of pointillism with solos from Llama to Runaway Jim, but especially in Divided Sky and a ripping SOAMelt set 2 opener. And as with 4/22/90, the spacious stereo mix from the 16-track allows for excellent attention to the playing of Fish and Mike. The Possum from this show deserves its own paragraph, considering the brief description on the jamming chart. Some fans may feel that Possum is overplayed, but many forget the improvisational weight the song carried for the band in the early touring years, making the song a favorite for many fans at that time. Once the band had let the audience in on the Secret Language, many looked forward to participating in the antics during the extended Possum intros. But just about every Possum from Spring 1992 also features astonishingly inventive soloing from Trey; rhythmic motifs and melodies that were rarely if ever repeated from one version to the next. And although most Possum peaks resemble an 18-wheeler barreling down a seven-percent grade at 90+ mph, the peak for this Possum is more like an F-16 taking off with full afterburners.

My Review: SET 1: AC/DC Bag: As early as 4:23 you can tell something is up with this one. What transpires is fantastic. Obviously practiced. Major goosebumps sitting here listening. -> Psycho Killer: With 40 seconds left, Trey begins setting this up for a silky smooth segue into Jesus Just Left Chicago. Psycho Killer was unfinished and was performed for the first time since March 30, 1993 (413 shows). Unfinished. -> Jesus Just Left Chicago: Page just crushes this one. So good on the baby grand! Trey smokes his solo as usual. Rocky Mountain Way tease by Joe Walsh. My Mind's Got a Mind of its Own: Standard. > It's Ice -> Swept Away > Steep > It's Ice: The jam in It’s Ice is pretty cool. The last 35 seconds or so of it are so pretty as Trey is gradually angling for Swept Away. Gorgeous. This was the first Swept Away > Steep of the tour. After they go back into Ice the composed piece that leads back to the lyrics is pretty rusty. Theme From the Bottom: Solid version. Tube: So loose and funky. Page and Mike tearing it up. Jam: Page is super heavy on the synth to get this started, really sets the tone. You can hear Trey already feeling Slave as early as the late 3’s. His mates aren’t ready though. Really fun jam. Great segue into Slave! -> Slave to the Traffic Light: That run of notes at 9:30 from Trey is the first salvo of many. 10:20 is when he begins his peak in earnest. Utterly awe inspiring. All of this amazing in itself but then he ramps it up even more at 11:15. As if that weren’t enough he lets loose AGAIN at 11:45. This is the most I had ever been moved at a Phish show. Moved me to tears. My most listened to live Phish tune ever, for sure. Best Slave of all time. SET 2: Timber (Jerry the Mule) - Packs a punch – not anywhere near what they threw down in Denver but still a good opener. > Wolfman's Brother: Short and funky. Good version. Could have used something more here. -> Boogie On Reggae Woman: Another enormous bustout, it was played for the first time since September 13, 1988 (989 shows). Jam is short and funky. > Reba: They start this one off at the speed of light. Very interesting placement here. This set is really starting to feel more like a first set than a second set. Pretty average Reba right here guys. Guyute: Another first setter. Huh, interesting. Not exactly a concise version either. > Possum: Pretty rare for this to close a first set. As of 12.4.23 Possum had been played 566 times. 83 times it closed the second set so 15% of the time. Last time it held that spot was 8.12.96, coincidentally I was at that show too. They wouldn’t’ do it again until 7.13.99. This is a good version, but nothing stands out for me. Charge! by Tommy Walker tease at 1:04. We Will Rock You by Queen tease at 2:00 ENCORE: A Day in the Life: Standard. Replay Value: Theme From the Bottom, Tube, Slave to the Traffic Light, Possum Summary: After seeing Cleveland and Detroit and having obligations at school on Monday morning, we considered skipping Dayton. Decided against that and made the drive south. So glad we did! After Possum, we made our way up to the concourse to watch the encore from the closest exit and then sprinted for the car to get home asap. Again, totally blown away by this show, especially that first set. Best first set ever for me. Slave and Tube were incredible. What a weekend run this was! I think Auburn Hills is the most complete of the three. Dayton is rated the highest on Phish.net shown currently as Overall: 4.61/5 (661 ratings). I would give it a 4 out of 5. I know I will get killed for this, but this show is overrated – and I have attendance bias too. It gets tons of hype for the bust outs, the Tube and the Slave. Nothing really hits in the second set. The first set was awesome though. Replay Value: Tube, Slave to the Traffic Light, Possum

SET 1: Golgi Apparatus: Standard, but a tone setter all the same. They were telling us this would be a night to remember. Run Like an Antelope: Love the first three minutes of the jam, all loopy and synthed up. Really cool stuff. Turns into a very long Antelope jam that gets very intense with cool effects from Trey at the climax. Nasty Antelope and very long. Highly recommended. Train Song: Standard. > Bathtub Gin: Really good version, has this sort of swirling effect to it in the midst of the jam, recommended for sure. -> Foam: Incredible segue out of Gin, absolutely exceptional. We were talking about this on the drive up from Bowling Green. I was hoping to hear it and my buddy was meh on it. Big smiles upon the intro. Pages solo is off the chain. Trey takes his down almost to a silent jam and then explodes. Mike goes off during the ending section. Top notch, highly recommended. Sample in a Jar: Standard. Fee: Standard, but I love the creepy little space they create that allows them to sneak in the back door of Maze, it’s awesome. Little things like this compound and egg the fans on and energize the band too. It’s a neat synergy. > Maze: Tons of loops and weird effects in the intro, creepy and sinister. I love it. Stuff like this is what 3.0 is sorely missing. Bring back the evil. Another example, Trey’s playing that leads into Page’s solo. Just straight up nasty with so much hateful edge. 4:16 to 4:46. He crushes this effect that he leaves on for about 7 seconds into Page’s solo, is super sick. Again, listen to Trey starting around 5:07 through 5:46 - he creates this ugly/awesome wall of sound in the background that is unique to Maze. If you are a fan of this song and haven’t heard it or haven’t heard it in a while you really should relisten to this one. More cool stuff from Trey at 7:45 and for about 5 seconds from there. Trey’s solo actually starts with slowing this one down a little bit. He catches a cool, brief little theme in the late 8’s. Here come more nasty effects around 9:18, sounds almost like that reverse reverb that was prominent starting with Fall 98. More of that starting at 10:38, man this is extremely intense. Tons of note bending and creepy stuff. Mind bending for sure. We were six rows back DFC just losing our marbles. Back to regular Trey/Maze stuff at 11:38. Briefly back into the effects at 12:00. Jimi Hendrix on stage at 12:23. Climax starts at 12:49. Good enough peak. But the body of work is what makes this one so highly recommended. Incredible Maze! Cavern: Standard. SET 2: Tweezer: Greatest Tweezer intro ever and it’s not close. They start messing with the timing in a big way at :49. Fish on the wood blocks. Then the crazy effects employed as they come back to the theme are awesome. The huge, huge build up and then actually starting the song proper ramp up so much energy. Hard core Frankenstein effects after the Uncle Ebeneezer. From here it just descends into the deepest, ickiest pornofunk you have ever heard from this band. Just dirty as hell. Trey strumming it out, geeked as hell and keeps raising his pick hand in the air occasionally for emphasis. At one point he stops playing and just starts grooving to Mike dropping bombs. Then he creates these searing loops, dear God I am in heaven. The licks that he lays down at 11:02 and carries forward into a brief theme is great. This goes back into the pornofunk and some stop start stuff. They come out of that, and they collectively create this serene sort of space that gradually builds and then Trey hits THE lick that I have chased ever since – that one moment that of all the Phish I have consumed over these years has been my favorite – 13:54 on the Live Phish recording. What happens from here is pure Phish magic and some of the best pieces of music the band has ever created. Right after THE note Trey points over at Mike and gestures back at himself almost as if to say, you and me here man, let’s go! Hold on to your hat, the next 8 minutes or so are crazy. Incredible Tweezer, highly recommended. 22:06 Trey starts to bring it down and then seriously out of left field comes Izabella. Incredible, incredible segue. -> Izabella: This one has it all – the face melting AND the funk and a great segue into Twist. Would recommend! -> Twist: Standard but another great segue into Piper -> Piper: That segue ruled, so patient. Love that final Twist ‘woooo’ 0:06 into Piper. The first truly jammed Piper! Rager up through the late 10’s. Takes a deep dive into the murky depths. Great interplay on the baby grand from Page with Trey. Beautifully done. This lasts for only about a minute or so and then they ramp it back up, Page adding some dissonance. Would recommend! Sleeping Monkey: Fishman stood up to deliver the last section of his lyrics. Good stuff. > Tweezer Reprise: Trey rocks out hard on this one, doing his goofy rock star dance, hair flying all around. Raging. Great ending to an all time set. ENCORE: Rocky Top: Standard. Summary: One of the best shows I have ever seen. Seared in my memory from the best seats I ever had at a Phish show. Incredible night! Current rating of 4.597/5 (687 ratings) is right on the money. Replay Value: Run Like an Antelope, Bathtub Gin, Foam, Maze, Tweezer, Izabella, Piper

… and life was never the same again. Thank you, Phish… Especially Paul. I looked down on that stage, turned to my brother and our best friend Jay, and said I’m going to be doing exactly that when I grow up (15 at the time). I made a promise to myself, my family, and the universe that fateful night… and I will forever ♾️ be thankful. Words will never be able to express my sincere gratitude for the depths of inspiration the band and their crew provided me then and now.

https://forum.phish.net/forum/permalink/1377909896 Trey: "Tom's the 'Jersey Drunk' on tour, the guy who drinks all the beer backstage. But he's a major creative force in my life, and everything this band has accomplished from the very beginning has been influenced immensely by his sense of humor. Not to mention that Aaron Woolfe and he were my songwriting heroes in ninth grade.” - The Phish Book (1998), p. 76 From This Month in Phish History: June 1997: "On June 19th, a series of contests/bets took place on the bus on the way to Prague. First, Trey beat Tom in a water drinking contest. After drinking a gallon of water in the first contest, Tom challenged Fish to a beer guzzling contest. Tom (drinking a gallon-of-water-handicap-sized 12oz beer) beat Fish, who drank a 16 ouncer, and Tom won $100. Then, Tom took on Brad in an identical guzzling contest and Tom won another $100. Finally Brad was challenged by the group to eat a playing card in order to win his $100 back. He successfully ate the rules card in one sitting and won the $100. Trey, Tom and Fish then offered Brad $5200 to finish the deck but Brad wisely refused ("you got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em, know when to walk away and know when to run" — Brad ran)." There are several excellent reviews of this show posted already, so instead I'll focus on parts of the show that I feel are overlooked: The Bowie set 2 opener isn't very cohesive, but the rhythmic playing reminds me of the Bowie from the Mann Music Center two years earlier. Ain't Love Funny and Bye Bye Foot are beautiful ballads that work much better in a smaller theater than a huge amphitheater, which is probably why neither tune was played again after that summer. The Twist jam actually reminds me of the Ghost jam from two nights later in Koblenz, and the mid-set Ginseng Sullivan > Cavern combo features extended solos in the former and funky jamming in the latter. But the first set is clearly superior; astonishingly fluid, almost like watching a monitor displaying the images in the subconscious mind while one sleeps (also like the Siket Disc).

Fantastic audience source available for this show. Big thanks to John Redmond for another killer old school audience recording! The show kicks off with the very first Llama opener. Smokin’ version that gets a nice reaction from the crowd. Nice Landlady. Awesome YEM with a jam that saw less guitar trickery and more tomfoolery. That’s followed up by an inspired B&D section and vocal jam. Solid Low Rider jam in Suzy. They continue the Low Rider theme during Bowie’s hi-hat hijinx. Good yet pretty straightforward jam to close out the first half. Buried Alive>Fluffhead makes a nice pairing to kick off set 2. Nice Arrival section. Another strong Mike’s Groove from top to bottom. The hardest man in show biz, Chris Lee takes center stage for Love You. On a side note, I’ve known CLee for a number of years. He went to Taft with Trey. I’ll have to ask him the story behind the shout out on this night. A well played Possum closes out set 2. Triple Encore? Encore 2 outshines with a great Donna Lee and GXBX. No sign of a third acappella encore. It appears the setlist noted on phish.net is incorrect. Possum clearly ends set 2 with two completely separate encores. I’m not sure about this third encore because I’m sure John would’ve captured it if it had taken place.

https://forum.phish.net/forum/permalink/1377902421 Those who have dedicated time to listening through the various eras of Phish inevitably discern which years are their favorites. Some may love a particular month of Phish so much that they recommend shows from that month at every opportunity; they may even use a calendar page from that month as their .net avatar. For me, that favorite era is the second half of the Fall ’94 tour. If I had the opportunity to travel back in time and attend all the shows in any 30-day period of Phish tour, it would be 11/12/94 through 12/10/94. Throughout 1994, playing a heavy touring schedule brought a refinement of the band's individual and collective musical abilities; while on the tour bus, the band was immersing their ears in Free Jazz recordings that inspired some of the most sparse and experimental performances of their career. The fact that double CD A Live One was primarily culled from this tour speaks volumes, as well as the show ratings and lists of recommended jams from this period. So what is about the show on 11/18 that makes it stand out, especially over the following 8 shows? Well, there's a first set Page suite of Silent In The Morning, It's Ice, and Tela, then Fishman asserts himself with the snare drum during a SOAMelt that rolls over the listener in waves of sound falling like torrential rain in a tropical storm. The bluegrass segment that follows warms everyone by the fire, and Fishman brings it home with a shout and a mandolin solo. The second set is short, but the jams make me want to get in a car and drive on a highway. There's a wild Llama, a heavy-metal Bathtub Gin, a Tweezer that takes the MLB highway to the Great Divide, and a Possum where all the wrong notes seem like right ones. The Good Reverend Mosier is brought back out for a bluegrass classic and a Runaway Jim that sends everyone down the road feeling glad, glad, glad!

After the 3 nights before expectations were high and the band did not deliver. Maybe it is the one set thing and maybe Trey just doesn't know how to write a one set setlist, but the band went thru several fits and stops without ever achieving greatness. The best part of this show started with About To Run, a true arena rock anthem, thru to the Reprise, but even then it was a kin to being constipated, you just kept waiting for something big to drop, and it didn't

SET 1: Ghost: Heavy synth, and a great loops to get this one started. Absolutely love that! Super cool and even keeled build for minutes on end and then they let it peak in the most subtle way at 12:30. It’s just so sick. The crowd responds in kind. More low key greatness at 12:46. Shift towards that crunchy summer 97 sound in the late 13’s – this is fairly brief though. Hard driving and rocking throughout the 14’s. Trey steps down at 15:30 and hands the keys over to Page and Fish. > Wilson: Standard, but the place was already bursting at the seams ready to get rowdy on a Friday night and this did the trick. > Funky Bitch: Pages solo is outstanding. Really good version all around, spirited for sure. > Black-Eyed Katy: Red hot, Trey gives a good work out. Sparkle: Great energy actually. Crowd is into it. > Runaway Jim: Pretty solid jam here. Goes along as you might expect. The last couple of minutes have a sort of grungy, Hendrix feel to it. It was enjoyable in person those many years ago and still today. Decent segue into MFMF. -> My Friend, My Friend: Standard. Ginseng Sullivan: Standard. Limb By Limb: Incredible guitar work from Trey. So beautiful. He is at the tippy top of his game here. > Character Zero: Wank city. SET 2: Stash: Kind of an all over the place type of version. First peak is sort of harried and flaccid. There is a second peak that sort of sneaks in through the backdoor. A very understated version. Bouncing Around the Room: Ouch. Terrible, terrible placement. Julius: Bizarre placement. At this point I was definitely getting antsy at the show. But things were about to get really weird in the best way. In the late 7’s they start breaking away from the normal structure of Julius. Well sort of I guess. It’s still bluesy in nature and you can kind of still hear the theme so not really Type II. By the 9 minute mark though it does go Type II thanks to Trey, but this is only momentarily -very brief and then Trey brings it back around basically to what you would consider the hard rocking ending part of Julius. At the ten minute mark you can tell they are a ship without a rudder, not sure where to take this. Page is leaning hard on his organ. At 10:35 Trey comes back in heavily with that traditional Julius shredding. 12:30 Don’t take another step lyrics but basically whispered and then back into a quieter jam, Mike stomps his bell. Back into Type II and the funk. In the late 14’s they are taking this down low, getting quiet again. This is very interesting, sounds very cool. Page trying to funk it up, but the rest really aren’t going for it. By 16:40 you can tell Trey is angling for Slave. So, that Julius was interesting if nothing else. Definitely goes type II. Would recommend for the uniqueness of it and the willingness to take some risks. > Slave to the Traffic Light: The two metal builds in the composed section are a little bit more evil, slow, and heavy than typical. Cool. I this point in my fandom I was head over heels with Slave from ALO. Had always loved when – in that version – that dude yells YEAH in the quiet section that happens right after the composed section ends. Thought I would try this at this show. We were way, way up in the rafters. But in the aud on the Relisten app at 4:01 you can hear my yell. It’s faint because it’s so far away from the tapers but it’s there. Getting goosebumps now listening and thinking about this moment and my buddy that was next to me that night that I still am close with all these years later. Good stuff. As a result of this yell, I lost my voice - quite literally - basically couldn't talk on Saturday and Sunday - attended both of those too. At 7:50 you can tell Trey has something up his sleeve. He takes it into a little heavier, edgier territory than what you would expect from a typical Slave, but it’s still within the confines of the normal jam. Crazy awesome trilling at 10:15. Ten seconds after that though is when this goes Type II. Heavy metal raging! By the 15 minute mark, things are just super weird and extremely intense. White knuckle stuff if you were in the right headspace like we were. Wowzers. An easy all timer and the most unique version every played. The segue into Lizards is out of nowhere. > The Lizards: Perhaps not the most cohesive version you will ever hear but it’s good enough. Loving Cup: Has some extra mustard. > Chalk Dust Torture: Pretty normal version. ENCORE: Bold As Love: Awesome. Love this tune so much in this slot. Summary: Really weird show and on the lower part of the fall 97 totem pole. Attended and had a lot of fun but even in the moment we knew it was up to snuff versus most of what had come before it on this tour. There are two very unique jams in this show and some nice bookends, but it doesn’t have that wow factor and the setlist construction is out there. That’s ok. We were about to get a bomb dropped on us the following night. I would rate this as a 4/5. Current rating on .net is 4.17/5 (182 ratings). Replay Value: Ghost, Runaway Jim, Limb By Limb, Julius, Slave to the Traffic Light

https://forum.phish.net/forum/permalink/1377893007 Trey: "...Page's piano is what sets us apart from the million other two-guitar bands out there. Moreover, no other rock pianist plays with as much incredible understatement as Page, who also has a new synthesizer layering style that has opened up a whole new world of colors and textures we can step into. He truly makes the band something special." (The Phish Book, p. 87) Mike: "Sometimes I'll look over at Page for a cue, get this big smile from him, and think, "What a funny situation. We're in this rock band now, when we could just as easily be working in a chocolate factory". Page used to paint white chocolate patches on dark chocolate cows for a living." (The Phish Book, p. 95) Fishman: "It was kind of awkward (when Page joined Phish). Then it was like, "Who are we kidding?" But it worked out pretty good. I'm glad we didn't fire him. I think down the road it wouldn't have worked nearly as well not having a keyboardist." Page [dryly]: "Thanks, Jon!" (Phish: The Biography, p. 46) Page McConnell is a complex personality. He is the introverted romantic stepping forward to croon songs of love or leisure, and the rock-and-roller who handles the lead vocals on songs by Traffic, The James Gang, and Led Zeppelin. He's the mad scientist ensconced in a technology laboratory, and the earnest fellow waving and making eye contact with phans in the "Page Zone". He is the chess player and the Keytar player. His own sense of humor is dry, but his laughter is unmistakable on many early Phish SBDs. He is always mild-mannered and polite, yet he is the one who picks up the axe when tough decisions are to be executed. Above all, he is a vital component to the chemistry and superior musicianship of Phish. It's a safe bet that Mr. and Mrs. McConnell were in attendance at this show as they were the night before, because the spotlight shines on their son frequently during this excellent show. @Mikesgroover's review does a good job of covering the highlights. While this Stash isn't as amazing as the version five nights earlier in Orlando, the tease is cool (I agree that it sounds more like Secret Agent Man than The James Bond Theme). Page also shines during the spacy It's Ice jam, and he tears it up on the Hammond B-3 during a nice, deep Tweezer jam. In addition to the plethora of piano solos, his vocal talents are put on display during Strange Design and the Life On Mars? encore. This is definitely an underrated show, much like the man himself.

It appears, as of November 2023, that this is the latest "official" Phish show that the audio does not circulate for. It's not on PhishTracks or Relisten. So there's been over 1,400 shows since then and they all have been disseminated. Just looking at the setlist, it appears to be another average Summer '92 Santana opener, but given that there's a jam with him, either separate or not, and there's the inspiration for the Walfredo song at this show, seems like a chance to fill in the historical gaps a bit if it ever gets released as part or as a whole.

https://forum.phish.net/forum/permalink/1377885319 "Family" has a double-meaning on DBMBs, but Phish has never forgotten the standard definition of the word. All four members of the band had an upper-middle-class upbringing. They relied on their parents during the fledgling years of the band, and gave credit accordingly in the liner notes to Lawn Boy: "This album is dedicated to our families in thanks for their constant love and support". This went directly against the cliche of the rock and roll outsider who was from the wrong side of the tracks. Even when the band members began to display some of the cliche rock and roll behaviors, they continued to try to balance that lifestyle with home and family, rather than abandoning them all together. And at the Hampton '09 reunion shows, they made a point to enforce the "Family only backstage" rule. Of course Father's Day has been celebrated during Phish 3.0, but Phish 1.0 treated Mother's Day with a notable degree of irreverence. From 1989-1991 the band played the venerable Burlington bar The Front on Mother's Day, with the show on 5/12/91 being one of the silliest Phish shows ever. Playing at the Syracuse Armory on Mother's Day 1992 is hardly a coincidence, as Jon Fishman had grown up in DeWitt, a suburb of Syracuse. To honor this occasion, Jon's mother Mimi is introduced during I Didn't Know to perform the Ceremonial Mother's Day vacuum cleaner solo, along with an amusing story from Jon's childhood. And if you didn't read the show notes, you might think that Mike's own mother really did come on stage to get a hug from her son during the break in Guelah Papyrus! Fans rave about April '92 because of the prevalence of circulating SBDs from that month, but the AUD of this first set is just fine, and the playing proves that the band got better as the tour went on. Big Red commands the spotlight as usual, expertly navigating his solos over the difficult chord changes in Foam and Rift. The "Dave's Energy Guide" teasing in Tweezer is so serious I thought they were actually going to play the song, and Trey rebounds from an out of tune opening in Divided Sky to blow the ceiling off of the Syracuse Armory during the jam. And of course, this band of Family Men can't resist poking fun at the current anthem of Teen Angst during a typically hilarious Harpua. Blood is thicker than water/doses/Heady Topper.

SET 1: Punch You in the Eye: Coming in hot out of the gate. > My Soul: Many aren’t huge fans myself included but this does manage to keep energy levels high. Drowned: included a Couldn’t Stand the Weather by Stevie Ray Vaughn jam. Nice bustout, 52 show gap – LTP 3.18.97. Awesome placement too. This one of course goes to funk town. Loops get it all started. Page has an awesome solo that is lengthy with Trey in particular very energetic in strumming behind him. The last two minutes of this version are spacey – especially the last 45 seconds. Would recommend this Drowned for sure. The Old Home Place: Standard. Gumbo: This jam is very minimalistic. Trey finally breaks that up at the 6 minute mark. As .net mentions, this one definitely has a sinister edge to it. It dissolves into Page plinking away at the baby grand and it almost sounds like he is hedging for Rock A William. I would recommend this version of Gumbo. > Also Sprach Zarathustra: contained Super Bad teases from Trey at 8:17. Trey just killing that Super Bad theme while Page supports him with some super sick effects and then it slides into the second peak while Trey keeps Super Badding – this is ridiculously good. So much fun!!! Would recommend! > You Enjoy Myself: Page teased Smoke on the Water in YEM. Trey crushes both runs at the Note, and the crowd is going absolutely nuts during the second one. This is one seriously locked in crowd. Check out that weird scratching effect at 9:20 as they hop onto the tramps. I have heard this before in YEM but cannot currently place it. Anyway, this turns out to be a pretty run of the mill version and short too. Still, it’s a great way to end a great set! The band and the crowd are completely locked in. SET 2: David Bowie: Bowie was preceded by a Charge! tease, included Take Me Out to the Ball Game by Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer at 0:05 and Baby Elephant Walk by Henrry Mancini at 0:33 teases, a Simpsons signal, and was unfinished. The extended intro is all kinds of crazy. Intense Bowie jam through and through – what you would expect of a high velocity version. But at 17:50 or so this one takes a sharp turn into major chord bliss jam, very rare back then. Would recommend. -> Possum: Good enough version with a solid peak for the era. > Jam: Oh, what’s this now? Woooooo! Lots of energy that piggybacks right out of the typical Possum ending. Trey strumming along quickly here. This goes along much like it starts for the majority of its seven or eight minutes until it suddenly slows down with about 50 seconds left. -> Prince Caspian: Patient intro out of the segue. Strong solo from Trey. Not good enough to necessarily assign it as a replay value type of version though. This version is noted as a jamcharts version though. > Frankenstein: Standard. > Harry Hood: Solid Hood, nothing that stood out for me though. ENCORE: Crossroads: Shredded. Summary: Not nearly as high on that funk jam after Possum as many seem to have been over the years. In general, I am just not as high on this show as the current ratings reflect and what I have read over the past couple of decades. I loved the Drowned and 2001. Gumbo is good and Bowie is really good. But for me, the rest of the show does not match up to the prior night. I understand I am likely in the minority here but it’s my hill and I will take a stand there. I think this show should be in that 4.3 range, current rating on .net is 4.539/5. Replay Value: Drowned, Gumbo, Also Sprach Zarathustra, David Bowie

https://forum.phish.net/forum/permalink/1377869236 While most performing artists play single-set shows, Phish has made a career of playing two-set shows. This is almost certainly because of the precedent set by The Grateful Dead, although the practice likely goes back further than that. Playing multiple sets per show required the band to expand their repertoire quickly, and develop both their musical abilities and their physical stamina. In the liner notes to A Picture Of Nectar, Phish acknowledges that playing three sets a night, three nights a week at Nectar's "taught us how to play". Phish also modeled their approach to first and second sets after The Grateful Dead, with the first set typically featuring tight song arrangements showcasing the band's versatility, and more experimental, psychedelic music in the second set. When the band went through a seismic shift in all aspects of their art between 1996 and 1997, they changed this perception, eliminating the "warm-up" aspect of their first sets. This resulted in some of the band's most highly regarded shows (11/17/97, 12/7/97), but also a few shows where the first set is more creative and enjoyable than the second. But even then, our favorite band would drop a couple of gems in the second half that are worthy of inspection under the jeweler's loupe. Phish hit the ground running at the start of their Summer '98 U.S. tour, and like with 11/3/94, I find it odd that 7/19/98 isn't as highly regarded as the shows that surround it. The setlist displays several jam "heavy hitters", and there is plenty of laid-back funk along with blazing rock and roll. Tweezer is set up to carry the second set, but as with 10/27/94, this version fails to latch on to the deep funk or blissful groove like other versions from this period. But then an angular descending bass line from Mike right at the end of McGrupp flips a switch on the band, and they return to improvisational territory previously visited in the jam out of Horn four nights earlier in Portland. I find these five minutes of improv immensely rewarding and special, particularly in the context of such a mammoth show.

Decent SBD source for this show with a good amount of low end in the mix. Big thanks to John Redmond for getting it done! The show kicks off with a nice four song stretch. Solid YEM. Nice B&D solos in Magilla. Rippin’ Llama. Golgi rounds out a set that flows nicely all the way through. Set 2 starts out with Trey encouraging the crowd to learn the storm dance for the Landlady. An enjoyable Mike’s Groove follows. Tube has a cool little breakdown that leads into the jam. The introduction of Henrietta once again during I Didn’t Know confirms that the Zero Man costume has been officially retired. Strong Possum to close out the set. A red hot Fire rounds out the evening.

https://forum.phish.net/forum/permalink/1377860703 I have never been to the state of Vermont. I'd like to visit there someday, but I only know what I have heard and read about the state. Although Vermont is known for progressive politics and natural beauty, it still seems improbable to me that the four members of Phish met and started playing here. Most American bands that began their career in the early 80s and came to prominence in the 90s were based in New York City or the West Coast/Pacific NW, and there were also thriving music scenes in college towns in the Southeastern and Midwestern U.S., but Vermont may as well have been Canada to most hip young people at that time. On the other hand, the band has never been shy about claiming Vermont as their home, espousing the virtues of that state at every opportunity. And they have acknowledged how their distance from more densely populated urban areas allowed them to develop creatively and forge their own style. The plethora of universities and college bars in the Northeast also allowed Phish to hone their craft and expand their audience without having to relocate to a nearby metropolis like Boston or New York City. And it certainly didn't hurt to be popular with the local skiers, either, which kept their schedules busy during the winter months. Several things about this show stand out to me: The early arrangements of new songs The Mango Song, Chalk Dust Torture, and Guelah Papyrus, which would get ironed out over the coming weeks; the Tweezer with the wind-down ending seguing into one of the first versions of Tweezer Reprise (I wonder if they had originally envisioned the Reprise this way?); Let's Go by The Cars ("I love the nightlife, baby") being used to introduce Fishman, who provides some interesting "Zeroman" pontification; and Trey amusingly forgetting the words to The Lizards, prompting the band to honor a request for an impromptu and ripping version of The Sloth.

This was an interesting one to bring my family to for their first show. The first set started strong and there was great play in Evolve and Mull. Personally was a little disappointed by the Stash, but Bowie closed the set strong. The second set left me a little dissatisfied, especially with Ether Edge. This was the only song that my mom (at 60 y/o) was able to melodically follow, and that's because (sorry mom) it is a campy and churchy tune (see "Lord I Lift Your Name On High"). I prayed I'd never see it again, but the band threw it in the otherwise sublime first set in Nashville 10/7/23. Ultimately the purpose of this review is to advocate for Free in the Jam Charts. While this version is nothing like Cuyahoga, if the goal of a Jam Chart is to change the way we perceive a song, this version accomplished this. Not only was I personally transcended by this Free, but in re-convening with a few friends after the show, I was told I was not alone in this ("I've never heard a Free like that;" "Really liked that last one[sister]"; "The Free though??"). Overall great showing in Huntsville, great two shows to kick off the tour

https://forum.phish.net/forum/permalink/1377852761 Margaret Atwood introduced the phrase "context is all" as a motif in "The Handmaid's Tale" in 1985, and the quote is practically a cliché by now. It neatly summarizes the development of post-modern art in the 20th century, and is a crucial component of our interpersonal digital communication today. But even though context is important, it can also sway our perceptions unnecessarily. Not every Phish show played during August '93, December '95, or Fall '97 was a glorious bacchanalia of sound and light. And occasionally, a very good show is overlooked because it is dwarfed by surrounding giants. Compared to the previous three shows on the tour, or the best shows that came later in November '94, 11/3 UMass may fall short; but removed from this context, I believe this show is far better than "an average show". Phish performed a total of seven shows on the UMass campus between 1990 and 1995. Some are better than others, but the audience response on this AUD recording demonstrates how the Amherst network of colleges was a stronghold for Phish fans in the early 1990s. It makes sense, then, that this show would begin with a nostalgic feel; Fee, Divided Sky, and an old-school Wilson > Peaches combo effectively turn back the clock to the Spring of 1989. However, a remarkable SOAMelt brings us up-to-date with the 1994 Phish sound and style of improv. DWD and Julius rage for eight minutes apiece, while the fledgling Simple sounds like it's almost ready to fly. According to the review on the legacy phish.net review site, Trey was pointing at Fishman when he said "You end up looking like that" during the Vibration Of Life explanation. The segue from the YEM vocal jam into BBFCFM is superb. And listen closely to the very beginning of Nellie Kane, when one waggish lad in the audience yells out, "Play the White Album!" There are many great four-show runs in the band's history, too many to list. But runs of five consecutive great shows are scarcer; partly because 3-show festivals and 4-show NYE runs are the norm, partly because of the physical stamina required. 10/29-11/2/94 is widely regarded as a phenomenal three-show run for the band, and 11/4 has plenty of fans as well, but I feel that 11/3 deserves to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the others.

https://forum.phish.net/forum/permalink/1377836606 The legacy of Phish in Philadelphia is an old story worth retelling. The city was one of the earliest touring hubs for Phish during 1989-1990, likely for its proximity to Trey's boyhood home of Princeton, NJ. They played enough shows in the area to establish a definite fan base there, and by 1992 the Philly crowds was becoming really rowdy at the shows (you can hear the same brave soul shouting for "Crazy Train" during 3/21/92, 11/25/92, and 5/2/93. Stay classy, Philly). Phish graduated to the legendary Spectrum venue in 1995, and the Spectrum can claim to be one of the few venues to host Phish shows in all three eras of the band. Trey's affinity for the Spectrum is also well known, not least because it was the home of the Philadelphia Flyers, who won consecutive Stanley Cups while young Ernest Anastasio III was still playing for the Lawrence Pee Wee hockey squad. [I don't know of any confirmation of this, but I suspect Trey's use and subsequent abuse of painkillers was a result of his appearance in a Flyers Celebrity hockey game at the venue in March of 1997. His posture on stage strikes me as very "relaxed" on the Walnut Creek '97 DVD, and this would also explain the random "All Fall Down" signal at the venue on 12/11/99.] Trey has noted that his first rock show was Jethro Tull at the Spectrum, while the frequency of Bowies at this hallowed venue leads me to infer that Trey also saw the Picasso of Pop perform there during his "Serious Moonlight" tour in July of 1983, just a few weeks before Trey matriculated at the University of Vermont. Suffice it to say that the band has delivered more knockouts at the Spectrum than Rocky himself, and there are many fans who cite shows from this venue as among their all-time favorites. The 1996 NYE run, however, remains overlooked by many fans, mainly due to the disappointing 12/30-31 shows at Boston's Fleet Center, for which more blame falls on the venue than on the band. The 12/29 Spectrum show earns the highest rating on .net from this run, but this show from the previous night deserves recognition as well. There was very little rust for the band to shake off as it geared up for another NYE run. The first standout song of the show is Wolfman's Brother, showing the initial signs of the metamorphosis that would occur the following spring, and a notably smooth transition leads into a speedy It's Ice. The DDLJ > TMWSIY reminds me of the contemplative My Left Toe from the Siket Disc, and the Mike's > Strange Design > Weekapaug Groove also features some softer playing, with Weekapaug ending with a Page piano solo a la Squirming Coil. Those that were there may have complained that these quieter moments "sucked the energy out of the whole city", but the playing holds up on tape and then some!

https://forum.phish.net/forum/permalink/1377827296 It's generally accepted that there is no need for Phish to tour as heavily as they did in the early 1990s. They have earned name recognition in the music industry, as well as the reputation for being one of the most lucrative live acts ever. But every monument needs a pedestal, and Phish clearly made sure that they were building their careers on a firm foundation. The Fall '92 tour schedule was hectic, setting the pace for the next two years: 21 shows in 25 days, traveling over 4000 miles to 19 cities; a grueling schedule by even the most road-rashed tourhead standards. From one perspective, Phish didn't need to undertake this whirlwind run to the Midwestern U.S. and back. They had already toured for 2 1/2 months the previous spring, then spent the summer as a support act for several high-profile artists and festivals, then recorded and mixed an album of really, really difficult original material in the fall. (Trey's face in the band photograph included in the Rift release is an illustration of exhaustion). With a record deal already inked and a new album in the can, most bands would have used the final weeks of the year to take a break from the road, focusing instead on music videos and publicity appearances, attempting to maximize their public visibility. Wisely, Phish and their manager Jon Paluska had recognized that this was not the most effective path to success for them. Instead, the band went out on tour again. Their contract with Elektra provided for no monetary support from the label for tours, but the band knew that touring was the best way to expand their audience. Phish wanted to improve their PA and lighting systems, and add a grand piano on stage, and travel in a tour bus with sleeping accommodations instead of a riding in a van and doubling up in hotel rooms. So they ground out this tour, playing shows for likely around $2,000 a gig, and put their profits back into the organization, believing that this strategy would pay dividends in the years to come. As for 12/4/92, it's one of those shows where the listener must dig a little for highlights. The first set is a "Fall 1991 special" until FEFY and Maze bring us up to date, and Trey's Forbin's>Mockingbird story is a good one (evidence that Trey wasn't lying when he claimed to be a submarine in Time Turns Elastic). Bowie contains secret language but Possum does not, which is exceptional for 1992, and there's a goofy "Aw f***!" signal in the Hood intro, plus a "Milk!" exclamation from Trey at the end. And don't forget to check out the show reviews that explain why Trey cracked up during Cavern, and subsequently asked everyone to "try to be cool" before the second set! And there's another unidentified tease - check out what Page plays on the B-3 at 7:30 of YEM. I'd really like to know what song he is teasing - anyone?

Phish played to a solid crowd in this epic place. First time to enjoy the music since 98’ of Phish after 7/31/98 and 11/4/98. Look up the 2 shows sets lists. Phenomena grips the less than nothing! Give it a whirling fire in the daze to come ringing; into the light heart in the sands and the heart. The show was seriously flawless and more than I could imagine. Really found grace those summer shows with heat and fire burning bright. The sets, this night were straight timing, and mythical expressions that deliver’s and signed with a date. I’ve know seen 13 Phish shows and just for fun this night actually had not an Encore! Band didn’t leave the stage, and actually it was over and everyone knew it the night was over. For some maybe, but not me. After t he nitrous mafia shot my windshield, ripped the 4ner from my Toyota leaving only Run and pulling on my skyroof to try to take all my shit. Just so everyone know so Ohio is not the Heartland. Wisconsin is boyz and girlz. But, The Blossom is a magical venue and region in OH. Cayahoga State Park. Cool cops though and shakedown was stony. Peace????. Long Man River; love long????

https://forum.phish.net/forum/permalink/1377818140 Not all Phish shows are great. Sometimes a Phish show can be marred by uncontrollable circumstances, and other times they just can't deliver the goods on stage. IMO the show on the previous night, 10/3/99, falls into the latter category. That show was the band's first return to the Rosemont Horizon since the exhilarating Halloween '95 performance, and perhaps expectations for 10/3/99 were high, but the band's performance on that night fell flat. However, Phish can always turn it around the next night; the band rarely went into a slump for more than a couple of shows. Listening to 10/4/99 gives me a strong sense that Phish wanted to make up for the previous night. For me, the tip-off is the Funky Bitch appearance early in set 1, considering they had played a relatively ragged version the previous evening with Sugar Blue. Even though they hardly ever played songs at consecutive shows during this period, it makes sense to me that Phish would want to prove to themselves that they were better than what they showed in Chicago. It's also worth noting that Page was playing with a sprained ankle, and it doesn't seem far-fetched to imagine that Trey, Mike, and Fish were acceding to Leo's wishes for a little more polish on the performances. Whatever the reason, this is one of the tightest shows Phish played in 1999, a year of general looseness on stage. The segue from The Wedge > AC/DC Bag recalls the Oh Kee Pa > AC/DC Bag transitions of 1990-1, and Fishman directs the tempo of the band during a fun Makisupa jam (including what might be a preview of the intro to Vida Blue's Most Events Aren't Planned?). The Ghost 2nd set opener admittedly pales in comparison to the Portland monster from the previous month, but there's still plenty of 1999-style Phishiness to be heard. Wilson includes a nice mini-jam that was typical for this era, and the swirling psychedelia of Sand brings matters to a head.

https://forum.phish.net/forum/permalink/1377808193 We always want to listen to the best shows, and usually it is the best shows that are rated most often by users. But once in a very great while, an excellent show slips through the cracks and goes unheard. Maybe the source recording is poor, or new to circulation, or incomplete. This AUD source for 11/24/91 Dartmouth has several dropouts and is also missing the encores, but IMO the two sets that are available are stellar, and deserve to be heard by more fans (possibly as a remastered SBD archival release). This show is another example of the band developing their fanbase on college campuses, and the band manages to get a tight sound in a boomy recital hall. @dscott's show review covers most of the highlights, but listen to the band completely nail the new composition It's Ice, continuing to stretch out the jam, as well as the recently-resurrected Tube. Fishman shows some fortitude by playing through the pain of a splinter in his hand, as well as playing his trombone without a mouthpiece during I Didn't Know - ouch! And Tour Manager Andrew Fishbeck, Monitor Engineer Pete Schaal, Lighting Director Chris Kuroda, and FOH Engineer Paul Languedoc are worthy of mention, all four of whom were literally working around-the-clock to make each show on this tour happen. And this YEM - wow! I hear Trey teasing a melody that almost sounds like the "waiting so long" section of Two Tickets To Paradise by Eddie Money, before the jam dies down and then builds up a groove that is very reminiscent of the dance party/2nd jam of the esteemed 7/29/98 Riverport Gin! Because Phish was a regional phenomenon working toward nationwide recognition during this time, they played shows to a wide variety of audiences; some were rowdy (12/6/91 Middlesbury), others indifferent. The band always took note of the audience response they received, and tailored their show accordingly. At the very end of this tape, Trey thanks the audience for being attentive, implying what kind of audience the band preferred.

SET 1: Buried Alive: Killer opener as always. > Down with Disease: This is a type I rager all the way. Big old loops at the end. Unfinished. -> Makisupa Policeman: Crowd goes crazy for this one when it starts up. Great placement! Woke up this morning, pot. LOL. Chalk Dust Torture: Trey teased Lazy (I don’t know what Lazy is, just found this in the Phish.Net notes). Trey DESTROYS this one. Wowzers. Would recommend! Ghost: Page shines brightly on this one. Drives the funk bus big time! When Page stands up we get down!!! Lots of stop start action starting at 10:20 through the end (couple of minutes worth) > Divided Sky: At first this sounds like Slave. Just momentarily. First and only of the tour. LTP 8.2.97 (Gorge), 23 show gap. Trey is rusty in the early going (tramps). Get past that, and this is a rocking version. Dirt: Exceptional placement! Trey crushes the solo. Soaring is an understatement. > Taste: Close to the Edge by Yes at 6:31. Good Taste with some excellent trilling at the end. The Star Spangled Banner: SET 2: Mike's Song: Big ol’ loops to kick off the jam, love that! Wish they would bring that back. Awesome work from Fishman ratchets the energy up a notch at 6:28, guy is such a beast. Love the subtle mellowing at 8:42 in preparation for the second jam. But instead of going for that second jam, things get a bit funky. By the 12 minute mark they settle this down again into a Trey led jam. Things get quite dissonant in the late 15’s as Trey opts for that weird summer 97 tone. This doesn’t last too long. Shortly after this things are ramping up BIG TIME with Trey wailing like a fiend. Super intense and in your face. Rock and roll!!! With just a minute and a half or so left, Trey manages to ramp up the intensity even more with some severe note bending. Phew! That doesn’t last too long but it surely served its purpose. These guys were such rock stars. They finally head for Simple at 20:52. That Mike’s was incredible. EASY all timer and highly recommended! -> Simple: The Trey/Page musical duet is very cool. Things get pretty crazy in the late 8’s as it takes on a SOAMule sort of feel with Mike and Fish joining back in around 9 and half. Mike and Fish actually drop back out fairly quickly, and Page and Trey create some gorgeous stuff that segues exceptionally well into Dog Faced Boy. That was amazing stuff!!! Highly recommended. -> Dog Faced Boy: They basically jam the opening of this for a good while before actually going into the song proper, super cool stuff and the crowd starts a loud clap along. When they do finally go into the actual song, it’s played a good bit faster than typical. Was played for the first time since August 12, 1996 (109 shows). -> Ya Mar: Crosseyed And Painless by Talking Heads at 10:51. Fun play on the actual lyrics, granpoodie!!! They jam this sucker for 8 minutes! Out of the jam gate Fishman is masterful. This jam is so sick – 4 headed monster! Mike is very prominent, so many bombs being dropped on the Spectrum. This is completely Type II by the way. Trey dialing up the intensity at the ten minute mark taking great runs. But let’s be clear, Fishman freaking owns this jam, dude is incredible. Listen to Mike just destroying America at 13:35 as he guides the band into Weekapaug about 25 seconds later. Incredible! What a finale this ends up being. My goodness, EASY all timer. That was so sick. Incredible segue into Weekapaug!!! -> Weekapaug Groove: Mike is absolutely raging in the early going of this jam, so loud! Around 5 and half things are super funky. They almost take a slight reset or restart and briefly it sounds like they are going to take a hard left into Cavern. By the mid 8’s things settle out of that funky groove into a Trey led romp, this is fairly fast paced. By 9:15 Trey has pushed this thing into overdrive. By the 10 minute mark, the crowd is responding to this and goes berserk. Huge traditional Weekapaug peak at 11:50! Instead of hammering that, Trey takes it back into a funky section at 13:00. Crazy stuff from Page in here. This goes on for a minute and then they get back into a typical Weekapaug wrap up. Scintillating version. EASY all timer, highly recommended! According to Phish.net at some point Trey teased Izabella but I never heard it. Bouncing Around the Room: They could have played anything at this point. Frankly, I think this is awesome placement. After all that came before it in this set, this feels right to me. Character Zero: Played a little slower than usual through the composed section. ENCORE: Ginseng Sullivan: Not seen in the encore slot since 11.24.96 and this was the last time it was placed in the encore slot. > Sample in a Jar: Standard. Summary: Wow, what a show! First set is tame for this tour’s standards. But second set packs a Mike Tyson right uppercut to the jaw type of impact. Loved basically every minute of it! I feel this rating currently on .net is a great representation of what this show is: 4.542/5 (301 ratings). Replay Value: Chalkdust Torture, Mike's Song, Simple, Dog Faced Boy, Ya Mar, Weekapaug Groove

SET 1: Guyute: Typical version, but the crowd goes crazy for it. Funky Bitch: Unfinished. Not your average version! Instead of ending it as they typically would, Trey lays back in the cut just funkily strumming while Mike runs wild and amok. It’s great and I would highly recommend! Wolfman's Brother: During Wolfman's, the lights were turned off and Trey and Mike ducked behind the onstage speakers. When the lights were turned back on, they were hidden from the crowd. Wolfman’s also included a heavy metal style jam with Trey quoting the lyrics to Sanity and Esther. Man, when this jam hits – it’s just a beautiful thing. Like the Funky Bitch before it, Trey hangs way back in the beginning and let’s Mike take the lead. So mellow and so funky. Absolutely delicious. Please listen to the section in the 9’s and beyond. This is sublime, some of the best Phish music they have offered in their career. When folks talk about the band being in the pocket – this is IT. Doesn’t really get better. It is subdued, but that is the whole point. True perfection. This section goes through about the 14 even minute mark when Trey starts to cycle up the pace. The crunch factor enters the chat around 15:45. 18:55 – the hard core theme enters the chat. You know the one I am talking about. The one that goes on forever. If I ever get to meet Trey, this will be the question I lead with – what was the motivation for this excruciating section? Who were you pissed at? How high were you guys? What were you on? 26:25 people whistling, begging for mercy. None was granted. I know this deserves flames, but I will recommend this version. From roughly 9 through 19 is Phish at their career best. What comes next? Hard to put into words. Would recommend. -> Love Me: Of all things they could have gone into, lol. Mike’s vocals are quite on point here. He must have practiced a lot for this. The Squirming Coil: Great Page solo and the incredible dovetail into Loving Cup. This was the first time this combo was matched up in this order, plus 9.19.99, 10.2.99, 12.17.99. Loving Cup: Perfect way to end this set. Smokes! SET 2: NICU: Standard. Stash: Unfinished. Very intense Type I jam that takes a left turn into Type II territory around 11:55. 13:13 shift into porno funk mode. The eventual staccato playing from Trey is exceptional and driving. In the 16 minute range, the only way I can describe this is ‘coming in and out’ – I am certain this is a very poor description for this section so please listen to it but it’s like the band is dunking you under water and then letting you come up for air – albeit briefly. It’s incredible! By 19:45 this amazing section closes out. Big time, psychedelic effects follow but no finish and then into Free. -> Free: First and last of the tour. Left off at 1:59, pick up the song at 1:59. This one is pretty funky. But in the mid 7’s it starts taking on elements of that heavy metal jam from Wolfman’s. Folks probably had PTSD already from that but this time, it was very brief, only a few measures. From there it goes into the ending theme. Really good Free and nicely jammed, would recommend! > Jam: Super heady jam, ethereal. This melts exceptionally well into Piper. Very psychedelic stuff right there! -> Piper: Page absolutely crushes on this one, banging on that baby grand! > When the Circus Comes: Very nicely played. Who said this band doesn’t have soul? Run Like an Antelope: Red hot Antelope! Absolutely smokes, great set closer. Had to have left most a puddle on the floor in the Centrum. They really rip this one. ENCORE: Them Changes: Debut. Thought Page sounded great with his vocals, very strong. Trey has a ripping solo. This was the only time they played this. Fishman also crushes on this. Summary: Show absolutely smokes and is the best of the three night run, which is saying A LOT. That Funky Bitch is awesome, and half of the Wolfman’s is incredible Phish. The Stash, Free, Piper run in the second set is amazing and the Antelope and Them Changes just smokes!! The rating of 4.391/5 (192 ratings) doesn’t quite do this show justice. I would give it a 4.5/5. Replay Value: Funky Bitch, Wolfman's Brother, Stash, Free, Jam, Run Like an Antelope

Decent audience recording for this show. However, the acoustics of the gymnasium are bit boomy. A strong Landlady opens the show. Pretty straightforward yet enjoyable Jim. YEM is delightful. A trippy vocal jam transitions into Magilla. The Bowie closer doesn’t go too deep but has a cool little jam. Unfortunately, Set 2 doesn’t circulate. :(

We love artists like Phish because they are constantly developing and progressing. The Phish Book and the film Bittersweet Motel are invaluable documents because they capture the band during 1997-98, a period of professional and aesthetic transition. The four members were settling new career goals for themselves, while revamping their artistic goals. This led to a notable evolution in the band's overall sound, the effect of which is still heard in the Phish of today. This contrast in styles is most evident when comparing Night 2, set 2 of the Clifford Ball with Night 2, set 2 of The Great Went. How did Phish change so much over 12 months? In The Phish Book, Page comments on the decision to undertake the European tour: 'We didn't just say, "Let's play some clubs!" We've always enjoyed developing new audiences, and short Europe tours seemed like a natural step in that direction'. Just as Santana helped the band break into the Amphitheater circuit in 1992, opening for Santana during the Summer of 1996 allowed Phish to make career inroads in Europe. Meanwhile, the band was adjusting to playing to larger audiences in cavernous arenas, requiring a different approach to performance. That the band was making changes to their sound at this time seems like a coincidence - but maybe it wasn't. The Fall '96 tour was actually less busy than the previous two Fall tours, but the band recognized the opportunities presented by the Winter European tour. Playing shows in front of smaller audiences allowed the band to relax while developing and refining their sound for the rest of the year. The setlist for this show bears many similarities to the 2/16/97 show that was recorded for broadcast on the [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n2B4WOFPfc]German TV show Rockpalast[/url]. That broadcast is one of the better freely circulating videos of Phish in the 90s, but the Shepherds' Bush show gets the nod from me. I can hear extra swagger in songs like Wolfman's Brother, Poor Heart, and Cars Trucks Buses, and good debut performances of the meta-originals "Walfredo" and "Rocka-William". This show also features plenty of cover tunes, a strategy Phish would continue to employ during the tour, culminating with the Cities breakout on 3/1. Slave and Hood in the same set is a treat, and the Jam out of PYITE is must-hear wackiness, starting with the only confirmed spotting of the elusive "Close To The Edge" tease by Trey and taking off from there. Opinions may be divided on this show based on the previous reviews, but to my ears 2/13/97 is a winner.