11/28/2003: Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
Ghost > What’s The Use?
[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/nassau.mp3]
Taped By: Phil Lucks
Almost four months off the road after a jam-heavy Summer 2003, Phish hit the stage with a powerful opening set for the Thanksgiving Run at Nassau Coliseum. Some people were calling this the combination of Ghost > What’s The Use? as the Phish equivalent of a “speedball.” Whatever you want to call it, the jam in Ghost is a keeper and is followed up by this instrumental HT favorite.
07/07/2003: Cricket Pavilion, Phoenix, AZ
Wolfman’s Brother > Scents & Subtle Sounds
[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/arizona.mp3]
Taped By: Phil Lucks
How often are song debuts segued into? Not very. This debut performance of Scents & Subtle Sounds segues out of a particularly interesting rendition of Wolfman’s Brother. After laying down a Manteca-esque and heavy on the cowbell groove, everything starts to slow down around the 10-minute mark with Fishman playing fills between a set of three repeated ascending notes. Things get ambient before Trey starts a groove that nobody in the audience knew, the intro to Scents & Subtle Sounds. While the debut performance didn’t reach the exploratory depths that we would see in Deer Creek and Camden that summer, it’s a strong rendition with nice guitar work from Trey in the I-IV jam. Now if they’d only bring back the intro and play this song more often.
06/30/1999: Sandstone Amphitheatre, Bonner Springs, KS
Bathtub Gin
[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/sandstone.mp3]
Taped By: Rob Clay & Van Murphree
It’s certainly a good sign when the band opens a tour with a 20-minute song, especially when that tune is the “normally 10 minutes” Bathtub Gin. Just when you think the Gin is about to end, the quartet rages through ten interesting minutes of exploration. This tour-opening Gin hinted at the jam style that would develop over the next 19 shows with Trey showing off his “turbo” tone and approach.
04/02/1998: Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
Twist
[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/island.mp3]
Taped By: Boris and Brian
According to the Phish.Net jamming chart for Twist, “Trey and Mike help to lead the jam into brilliant, ‘Type 2’ territory. Trey’s sublime, soaring chords (that soon get dark) make this version stunning.” Hey, why do the work twice, right? There ‘ya go.
And how about this video? CK5 is really egging the band members on, I’d like to see more of this:
11/13/1997: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV
Mike’s Song> I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove
[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/vegas.mp3]
Taped By: jllober
In addition to this killer Mike’s Groove, the Fall 1997 show also saw the debut of Black Eyed Katy. The Mike’s features a nice second jam and some brief CCR teases while the Weekapaug Groove contains a sped-up section. Feeling it.
09/27/1995: Cal Expo Amphitheater, Sacramento, CA
David Bowie
[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/sacramento.mp3]
Taped By: Unknown – (FOB) Schoeps MK4
While this show is best known for the debut of Fog That Surrounds and the assertion by Trey that you may *think* you know this song, but you don’t – the musical highlight is the band interplay in the jam section of this David Bowie.
10/07/1994: Stabler Arena, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA
Foreplay/Long Time
[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/stabler.mp3]
Taped By: Eliot Byron
Just about the last thing anyone expected when Phish returned to the stage for the encore at the Fall Tour ’94 tour opener in Bethlehem was a bluegrass-style take on Boston’s Foreplay/Long Time, but when have the Vermonters ever done what’s expected of them? You had to see the looks on some of the faces in the audience when folks started to realize what Phish was playing. This show is also notable for the debut of Guyute and a gorgeous Reba jam.
04/04/1994: The Flynn Theatre, Burlington, VT
Down with Disease > If I Could
[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/flynn.mp3]
The first show of 1994 is loaded with highlights. Our second speedball combo of this list is featured here with the first full performance of Down With Disease (the jam had hit the live stage New Year’s Eve 1993) and the smooth as it appears on the album segue into the debut performance of If I Could.
12/28/1993: Bender Arena, American University, Washington, DC
You Enjoy Myself
[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/bender.mp3]
Fans wondered if the band would pick up where they left off in August ’93, arguably one of the best months in Phish history, when they returned for the traditional NYE run following four months off the road. Travel to this show was tough thanks to heavy snow, but the boys delivered two action packed sets that included a Possum with a Kashmir jam, the return of Peaches En Regalia as a tribute to the recently deceased Frank Zappa, a ripping Split Open and Melt and this stellar You Enjoy Myself. The melodic approach Trey takes towards the YEM solo makes it a winner as he develops a number of cool phrases throughout the jam.
By Scott Bernstein & DaveO
8 Responses
I like the list, don’t mean to be a hater, but how can you leave off Don’t You Want To Go? Tour opener, right? That gets me pumped every time.
7/21/97 Virgina Beach – Ghost > Dogs Stole Things > Piper to lead off..
9/9/99 Vancouver – Stash
@Dave – Not a hater at all, we talked about it, but ultimately left off Lowell ’cause it wasn’t a tour opener. Would have gone with the Reba from that show had we included it.
@Max Points – Great moments for sure, but the criteria of the list was also that Phish could not have played a live show in 90 days. There was a show 10 days before Virgina Beach ’97, and Phish was in Japan just a little over a month before Vancouver ’99.
7-21-1997 should count because it was the first US show in 7 months, was the first “big”/full sized concert in 7 months (pretty different mentality/approach playing for 200 vs 20000…gear and setup different scale too), and because it kicks ass! US debut of Ghost (and 20 min of never heard cow funk at that), aforementioned Gin, and wackiness/uniqueness of Leroi (RIP) Theme.
I was at Vegas 97 the black eyed Katy was totally out of left field to open the show, who knew what it would become!
revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation revelation…. can’t stop thinking about it
Good list. I’ve been lucky enough to have attended three of the shows above, also 07/21/97 and 9/9/99. There is certainly something special about every tour opener and each of us should be thankful we’re still part of the magic. The people at Bethel are in store for a treat!
Hopefully YEM at Bethel