The next Phish live archival release, Ventura, features two shows the quartet played at the Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura, California on July 30, 1997 and July 20, 1998. Though only a year separated the two shows, the band had a completely different sound at each appearance and delivered two outstanding performances. This audio-only release provides official recordings of two shows for which excellent audience recordings have never surfaced due to in part to the wind at the venue.
The box set is available for pre-order ahead of its June 18 release date from Dry Goods and those who purchase will receive a 10-track sampling of the band’s March 21st, 1993 show at Ventura Theatre called “BuenaVentura.” In addition to the 6-cd box set, pre-order options include bundles which feature Ventura koozies, t-shirts and posters.
As part of our Everybody Wins When We Plug Something And In Return They Offer Us Free Shit To Give Away program, we’ve got three copies of the complete Phish “Ventura” box set to giveaway PLUS a Big Kahuna Bundle which contains the all new 6-CD “Ventura” box set, Little Stevie Water Ski T on Purple and your choice of Koozie®. To enter, simply leave a comment below telling us about your favorite Phish Summer Tour. You can enter a second time by following us and then tweeting the year of your favorite Phish Summer Tour at us. Let us know by including both “@hidden_track” AND “#phventura″ in your tweet. We’ll give you a third chance to snag one of the sets by telling us the year that your favorite Phish Summer Tour took place on our Facebook wall. Once the contest entry period closes we’ll tally all the entries from our comments section, Facebook and Twitter and pick four winners at random.
Here’s the fine print…
- To enter the contest, leave a comment below telling us about your favorite Phish Summer Tour
- You can enter a second time by leaving a similar comment on the wall of the Hidden Track Facebook Page
- You can enter a third time by following @hidden_track and tweeting your favorite Phish Summer Tour at us and including both “@hidden_track” AND “#phventura″ in your tweet
- Your comment(s) must be left by 11:59 PM EST on June 14
- Anybody entering more than once a piece on Facebook, Twitter and at the bottom of this post will be disqualified, tarred and feathered (If you have a problem leaving a comment and it doesn’t appear, you won’t be penalized for trying a second time)
- Four winners will be selected at random from all entries
- The first winner chosen will win the Big Kahuna bundle, while the other three will each receive a Phish Ventura box set courtesy of Phish Inc.
- HT staff members are not eligible to win
And now, feast your ears on this sensational version of Makisupa Policeman from Ventura…
227 Responses
Summer 94! My first show.. and it was a gamehendge! Been chasing it ever since.. along with everyone else
Summer ’99, had just graduated from Skidmore College and hit the road w/ some of best friends for entire tour.
My favorite summer tour is ALWAYS the next one, 33 more days till this 30th year summer run, bring it Phish and see y’all out there.
My favorite is 2012. I’m not able to make many shows, but I was able to listen to most of 2012 tour via “Couch Tour” and I was able to make the SPAC Run. Those shows were pure bliss and I would pay anything to relive that experience.
My favorite summer tour was the 98 summer of covers tour. Caught the last 8 shows from Atlanta to Limestone.
Summer 97! You can’t beat a tour that begins in Europe and ends in Maine! 1997 was THE year for Phish shows. I wish I had a time machine to do every show that year.
My favorite was my first, 2000! Lakewood, FTW!!!! Great giveaway, thanks!!!
summer 97. saw a bunch of shows and made some friends that tour I still am close with
Summer 1998 was when I finally got around to seeing the band. But I also had a lot of fun in 2010 where I got a Harpua on 4th of July.
My favorite would probably be the Summer of 98 because it’s the first summer I actually “toured” and in my opinion truly experienced Phish for the first time ending with a stop in Limestone, Maine for Lemonwheel. Ah, the memories……..
Summer 99! Way too hot at Oswego but it was still a blast.
Summer ’97. Did Burgettestown through Great Went with some amazing friends. The Bozos! Great times indeed.
I don’t have a favorite, but I’m sure my husband does… Only I don’t want to ask him because this would make a great father’s day gift… So I’ll guess… Summer of ’99?
Summer ’94 is just so smoking! Favorite summer tour
2011 Early Summer Tour – lots of good stuff here
Summer Tour is always great but ’98 was amazing as it ended with Lemonwheel!
Favorite tour was first, with first show…. 99 at Lakewood in ATL
Summer 98, 99 and 2000 all pretty legendary if you ask me.
My favorite tour would be 2011, it my phirst phish tour. My dear phriend, Scottie, took me to 7 shows that summer and it was filled with nothing but the best of times!
2003 because it was the first full tour I did! Had the time of my life. Thanks for the giveaway!
Summer ’97 for me!!
It’s recent, but 2011 was my breakout year, personally. Caught a bunch of shows including Super Ball IX which forever changed me.
Summer 98 was my fav by far! Rhinoceros!
Summer 1997 has been my favorite. The run that took me from Ventura to Shoreline to the first Gorge run was incendiary to say the least. The band was locked and loaded and delivered an amazing stretch od west coast jams!
Summer ’12. SPAC.
Summer 2003. We went to the Gorge for the very first time right after we got married. Best! Show! Ever! So many friends we have met over the years of seeing Phish were there and made it even better! Thank Phish! You are the reason I have met so many amazing and wonderful people!
Summer ’99 was lots of fun for lots of reasons. Foreplay > Longtime at Great Woods!
Summer 1995. Great shows, progressive jamming.
Summer Tour 2003… did almost the whole tour. Loved the drive from NY> The Gorge without stopping. Great Carini as the sun was glaring thru the back of the stage making the band look like they were on fire.
Man… Tough choice. Summer ’97 was all killer, no filler… but Summer ’95 was so innovative and daring…
Let’s split the difference and say Summer ’96. It might be worth it for the Clifford Ball ALONE 🙂
My favorite summer tour was once ’98, as I loved the one off covers. But in 3.0, 2012 has actually taken the #1 spot for me. I did more shows than ever before (13), and hit some amazing venues, like BGCA. IMO, the boys really made a huge leap that year.
98 for me, jagermeister and running with the devil in Atlanta!!
Summer 1993. Good times.
Summer 98. Blissed out funk!
Summer Tour 2000 was my first BIG tour hitting almost all shows. Great 4th of July show in Camden. Survived the police state in Holmdel NJ. Although I was already hooked this really blew up my love and affection for Phish Tour. Thanks for the opportunity to win some awesome stuff! NAMASTE
Summer ’98. Jukebox Tour, great playing, fun to be had. Ramble on! VERNON Down the House! Terrapin!!!!
Summer 1999. Fireworks on July 4 in ATL, My first show. Spandex Fish. Debut of WTU. Red CK5. Deep dark dankness.
I’d have to say 2003…Alpine has never danced so hard.
Fall 2010 was really good to me. 10/30/10 will always be the best thing ever for me.
Summer 94, short summer tour but the guys were just rocking out ahead of treys wedding! Sugarbush run!!
I can’t decide!
Summer 1997 – my first experience of Summer Phish
Summer 2003 – the most shows I’ve seen on a summer tour… and, hey, that Gorge place is really cool!
Summer 2012 – Long Beach-> SF. I had no idea 3.0 Phish was capable of such awesomeness!
Wow, tough call! Gotta say ’94. Ending with my all-time fav show!
Summer 98 saw 1st 5 shows
Summer 93 1st show
Summer 93!
I could argue for just about any summer tour, but my gut is telling me Summer ’95. My first show was in June at the Mann Music Center in Fairmount Park outside of Philly. I remember showing up a few hours early, seeing kids hanging all over the statues outside of the venue, and feeling that pheeling for the first time that I had entered a special, sacred, alternate realm. I had listened intently and almost exclusively to studio Phish for at least a year prior, so I was completely taken up by my heels and shaken out, wondering what the heck I was witnessing during this INSANE show (Spock’s Brain anyone?). I went home a changed person, and thus began my love affair with The Phish From Vermont.
’98 for sure. Funknastiness
Summer ’97 because it was the American debut of Ghost.
Easily Summer ’98 for me. Saw my 1st D Sky in 2 years during a sunset at the Gorge, sensory spit Forb>Mock in NC, Sabotage in MD, Terrapin in VA Beach, and the Wheel!
Summer of ’98! So many fun covers!
Summer tour 1997. It’s hard to argue against the Gorge, Ventura, Deer Creek, Star Lake, Darien Lake and Great Went shows.
Summer 2011. I saw the most shows of any tour that summer. Pine Knob>Blossom, SBIX, UIC x 3. All great shows. So much fun!! So pumped for this summer.
Summer 2011. I saw the most shows of any tour that summer. Pine Knob>Blossom, SBIX, UIC x 3. All great shows. So much fun!! So pumped for this summer.
have to go with summer ’99. 18/20 that tour! this was the real eye-opener for me as a traveling fan of the band.
I think my favorite one to date is summer 97……..just because of the great went!
My fav is probably Summer ’95. I had no choice but to go on tour for my life’s safety. My car broke down in Philly so I attended both Mann Music Center shows. Then rode along the rest of the tour. When I got back home in Ohio I worked the rest of the summer to save money. Then come Sept 27th found myself at Cal Expo and toured with Phish the rest of ’95.
Summer ’98 – Jukebox Tour
Summer of 1999. Epic.
Summer 1994—miss that Classic Amphitheater in Richmond, VA.
Has to be summer of 1997. It was my first time seeing Phish. I was a wide-eyed kid where everything was new and phresh. Best summer of my life.
Summer ’96 because I saw what sure felt like it would be the last ever show at red rocks, and the Clifford Ball!
The summer of 96 because of the epic Red Rocks stand.
Summer 2010 – Killing in the Name of to cap it off for me. My very first Summer t00r.
Summer ’98–Lemonwheel–>cities on the first night still blows my mind!
European Tour of ’98 = Grey Hall, Lucerna Theatre followed by Zeleste. ¡Olé Olé Olé!
Summer 2003 was my first summer with Phish and I had amazing seats at Alpine Valley. I remember looking into Trey’s eyes during Bathtub Gin.
Summer 2000- those june shows are hot fire.
Summer of 1995 was a blast as it was my first real time following the band around from ATL>NC>VA and capped off with 2 amazing nights at Sugarbush. Easy to understand why I was hooked after that.
Summer 1999 – My first big summer tour instead of a couple of shows.
Summers ’97-’00 were all so great. But I think I would say summer of ’09 – which musically doesn’t compare to some others but simply because it felt so great to have this music back. it was truly JOYous.
Summer 1999, baby!
Summer ’98…great times with great friends
summer 97….funk tour of dreams
Summer ’11…UIC and SBIX!!!
Summer 2000
Summer 2012! Was able to catch 10 shows and roadtripped up from Miami at the end of the summer to see Atlanta and Charlotte which was amazing!
Summer 95 – the last “Phish Phans Only” tour.
Summer 98- the summer of covers and funk. Miss a night and you kick yourself for a week
Summer 2011, mostly because of Charlotte (though Portsmouth wasn’t too shabby, either).
’95
Lincoln Nebraska encore Highway to Hell
trippy night in Champagne
Then weeks later Quadrophenia Halloween show
summer 99’s goopy psychedelia
Summer 2011… Gorge & Dick’s
The fun summer of 98
Summer 97!! The funky goodness & my first show!!
Summer 94…nuff said
I gotta go with summer of ’98. Two words: Vernon Downs!
1998 Vernon Down the House>Lemonwheel!
Summer 2000, moby dick!
I’m gonna go with Summer 03. After the wave crashed in and before things got (really) weird. Often under appreciated.
Summer 97 has to be my personal fave cuz thats when I saw the most shows and the band was on phire, as you hear in the amazing Bowie>Cities>Bowies at Ventura, which might be the phunkiest jam ever… but Summer 98 may even have been better, putting it all together, and the Ventura 98 show was probably an even stronger overall show than the year before! And if you think that show is great, dial up the next night at Desert Sky on 7/21!
Summer 97. Split Open and Melt.
Summer 95′ a life changer
Summer 2000-Alpine was my first show so I have a special place for it.
Summer 2003 only because I loved IT. IT was a great time and last time at Limestone.
My favorite was Summer ’09 because the Gorge was amazing!
Summer 97, Trey’s tone that summer is what a humid, steamy summer sounds like to my ears, and that early funk was just sick
My favorite summer tour that I did was ’03 (noob), but musically, my hat goes off to 94. That shit is just bonkers
1995 will always be the phinest of all time to me
Summer of 96 clifford ball started my love for phish
Summer 1999 it was my first Phishing experience.
95. Best combo of experimentation & tight composed sections.
Summer ’94. They were so tight and the scene hadn’t blown up yet. Plus, I saw a few great shows that summer!
While 97 rules fall tours, 95 rules the summer.
Summer 97 although I only caught the great went. My pal Liggett had peeps at higher ground VT. We got back stage for sets 2&3 of night 2. I was sitting in the rafters above fishman looking out into a crowd of 80k for the 1st ever Hood glowstick battle. I’m on show #94 right now. 1st show Newark DE spring 94. Went night two easily top 5 show ever for me
Big fan of summer 2000
Summer 1999 is still it for me. The heat got hotter and started to stretch itself out.
Summer 2000. As a young’un it was a shock to the system to see the traveling circus in full swing.
Summer ’99
Summer 98 was so fun because of the unexpected covers and coming off of the island tour
Summer of 2011 because that is when I saw my first show
Summer 1997. The first summer I saw Phish.
My favorite summer tour is 2009. The Alpine Valley shows. I had a strange (but positive) experience that weekend at the shows which culminated in getting home and my wife telling me we were having our first child. In hindsight, the weird things that happened during the weekend kind of hinted at the news I’d get when I got home. Super special summer.
I’ve always loved summer ’95 Phish. Recently listening to the Blossom release from 95. Great show.
duh summer ’97! i did almost the whole thing, and it changed my life. that gorge show when chris and trey turned the lights out for hood, the SICK austin blister in the sun show with gulloti, epic deer creeks, pranksters!, and the WENT. kind of cliche to crown it best but come on. also scotty b pick me!!! i’m broke and need this set! i remember the notes bouncing off the walls at ventura, the echoes adding a new flavor. im wondering if i’ll hear’em on tape. also i met a super fine honey who wanted to party after the show, but i screwed it up bad. the epic one that got away of my life. PRETTY PLEASE Y’ALL!
Summer 1993–excellent intro to the West Coast.
Going with 1995 my first phish experience.
I have always enjoyed my Alpine-deer creek comb’s. Being from the midwest that is all I could afford each summer. But, I loved 99 cuz of the Deer Creek My left toe-Whipping Post! Epic moment when stars aligned.
Summer ’98… Lemonwheel. Ah, the memories
Summer 96!!! Overlooked because of what went down in 95 and 97 but 96 is the best year of Phish IMO
Gotta go with 2012 I had such a great time a Dicks Everybody Loves Dicks!
Gotta go with ’97 I finally broke free and hit the run from Dallas through through Gorge with a good group of friends, having fun on a western road trip full of adventure and seeing some of places I had always dreamed of. One of the shows we saw was Ventura 7/30. What a day, I was riding a skateboard around on the beachfront side walk and ran into childhood buddies from Asheville…what were the chances (actually pretty decent in those days, we all went separate ways but had the love of Phish to forever bond us) Great show, my first time being front row at a show, with “Antelope Greg” no less and what a doozy. The Cities bust out was f’ing epic, I recall the Bowie intro being quite extended with a lil vacuum thrown in for good measure…overall a tremendously fond memory from years ago that still sticks with me.
Summer 2000. It was personal.
Summer 2012, because I finally hit some shows!
Summer 1997, all the way!
Summer 98. Meeting up with so many people at Lemonwheel was amazing!
It’s a close call, but I have to say 1995.
’97!!
shoreline 95 was my first summer show- also the first show of the chess board. been hooked ever since
I have loved every Phish show that I have attended, but 1997-98 are probably my favorites.
Summer Tour 96
Summer 97!
summer 98 will always be my favorite. bachelor tour! kc, stl, and alpine ftmfw!
Summer tour ’98 🙂
F yeah Summer ’98!
Summer ’96!
Definitely Summer ’97! Only the Great Went!
My favorite summer tour on tape has to be ’98. My favorite summer tour I was actually around for was 2012, where I caught Cincy through Deer Creek.
not much of a struggle for me: summer ’94
Summer 95 SPAC -> Sugarbush
Summer of ’98. Loved the covers. trenchtown rock!
my favorite one that ive experienced is summer 2011. first time traveling out to CO to see them. but overall Summer 93 is my go to.
This summer!
97 was amazing. theyre all amazing.
Definitely summer ’97. i LOVE the walnut creek show
Summer 97
Summer 97!
Without a doubt Summer 94
Summer Tour 98 was TOO much fun. Loved waiting to find the next shows debut performance
Summer 1998, full of gems. The MpP show was fab!!
Summer 2009..Boys are back in town!
As a 3.0 fan 2012 was great. Saw 10 shows and each one rocked. As far as the 30 years goes, 1995 is 1995 😉
Summer of covers! 1998
Summer 2003. Not for the music but for a few crazy experiences.
It’s a draw between 94 and 95. I hit more shows in 95 and mud island in Memphis took the cake that year, but 94 was my first mini tour and the Big Birch show in Patterson NY was something so special – a wedding tent with wedding chairs, everyone folded the chairs and piled them up to make room for dancing…. I was next to Page’s Aunt and Uncle for most of the show…. and the Cavern> Wilson> Cavern set the stage for an EPIC Tweezer. It was just unreproducible.
Summer 2000. Caught Toronto which was awesome.
Favorite Phish Summer Tour was 1993.
2012 was the first really great tour I got to see lots of shows on. SPAC was a great stand.
As a late blossomer into Phish, I have to say 2012 was a great Phish Summer for me. Was lucky enough to go all three nights in Bader Field and enjoy the great weather with some awesome shows.
Summer 1998 FTMFW!
Summer ’97!
Summer of 99, first tour of college break and we had the whole world at our fingertips….magical times. Oswego was damn HOT!!!!! xoxo
Finding Phish during their hiatus, my favorite tour that I got to experience had to be 09 simply for the glory of my first phish shows (purely selfish reasons). But 97 to me has to be when they sounded the tightest/explored the most/ really phunked it up.
Summer 95, of course!
I’ll have to go with summer 2000 based purely on the all-time jam/space-funk oddysey that I witnessed as the sun set on us in the ATL at Lakewood during the first set Tweezer on 6/24!
MY Favorite Summer Tour Is 1998, Since That Was My First Year Of Phish.
My favorite was 2009, because that’s the first year I traveled for Phish! My life has been forever changed since!!!
Summer tour ’95 was definitely my favorite year. I remember the sugarbush shows like it was yesterday
Summer of 98. Pure Fire !!
Summer ’93, specifically August. I caught 3 shows and they were filled with super tight playing, great energy from the boys and the phans, and some phishyness.
Summer 1999
My favorite summer tour was actually 2012. I have to give it the nod over earlier, more celebrated summers from 1.0 because I was a bit too young to see very many shows at that time. I managed to hit 7 or 8 hows this past summer and all were beautiful experiences. Dicks ’12 changed my life! So many good shows 🙂
The oft-discredited summer of ’99, mainly because that was the tour that I got to see a ton of. My favorite Phish moment came during that run – Camden, 7.10.99, Chalk Dust – absolute BLISS!
Summer 1996, Red Rocks, To Clifford Ball. Amazing!
My favorite Phish summer tour would be 1994, specifically June. One of the first Phish jams I ever heard was 6/18/94 Bowie>Mind Left Body>Bowie. At the time I didn’t think music this good could even exist. Needless to say when they released it last year I nearly had a heart attack with excitement.
Not only that show, but the rest of that month was pure insanity and it carried over well into July (a la 7/16/94 Hood)
1999!!! I did almost the whole summer your!
Summer 2003 was an interesting time. Caught a lot of shows, especially the Charlotte > IT run, and in a nutshell…things got a little weird.
Summer 97 and Summer 98, did both entire tours. Time of my life.
’99, my first summer doing any type of tour. The sights, smells and sounds made it so much more significant. Hopped on at VA Beach until Holmdel which included my 18th birthday at GW. Plus, having some epic throwdowns helped, VA Beach Fee, MPP Mike’s>Twist, CAMDEN, GW both night and Holmdel spectaculars. Hope we get some more official releases from that tour. Wish I had been out West for ’97 but finally glad we can get a good (Non-windy) sounding SBD of the show!
Summer ’98! I was at Ventura, and caught a few shows on the west coast before heading to Vernon Downs at the end of the summer. What a great summer!
Summer 1998. Lemonwheel was wonderful.
Summer 1998!
Summer 1997–Ken Kesey at Darien Lake? So memorable!
For me, my first full tour (and still to this date the one in which I saw the most shows) was summer ’94. It started with the 7/2/94 show at what was then called The Garden State Arts Center and with the exception of the Canadian shows that summer (and ironically the 7-8-94 Gamehenge show) went all the way to Sugarbush. I was 19 and can honestly say that it was one of my best summers ever. Thanks Hidden Track!
My first summer tour 2009, when the boys got back together again!
Summer 98. My first phish show ever at Shoreline. And nugs.net posted the whole tour for download online, so I’ve been listening to summer 98 for years. Wasn’t at Ventura either year, but the friend that got me into Phish saw his first two shows at Ventura, so I’d have to give Ventura 97/98 the assist in the birth of my fanhood.
Summer 2000 because I saw 14 shows and had a blast at some of the best venues in the U.S.
’97 was heaven
2009
2013, because they keep getting better, and so do I. Also, ’98.
Summer 98
Summer 98! First shows ever. Burning down the house!
Summer 2012 – first full tour. Sweet Jane, Dog Log, Shaggy Dog, Shafty, Old Home Place, Skin It Back, Happiness is a Warm Gun, Avenu Malkenu, Bittersweet Motel, Purple Rain, Psycho Killer, Cracklin Rosie, LaGrange, FYF show, etc… Need I say more?
Summer Tour 1997 was the best….incredible music, great venues, great people. What a tour!
Favorite tour = Summer ’97. Only saw the Ventura show but have that whole tour on disc for long drives.
Summer 1998… I mean who’s not nostalgic about their first, right? My live Phish experience kicked off at the Gorge that summer and that was it….
Summer ’98 — Summer of Covers, and we got Terrapin Station.
Summer of ’03, my first summer tour!
Summer 98 – Loved both nights at Deer Creek and made lifetime memories that will never fade away.
Lots of well-deserved love for ’98, but my vote goes to Summer 1996, which laid the groundwork for many summers to come. Went to Hershey and the Clifford Ball, unforgettable experience.
’03 for the wild Camden show. Sad no stop there in 2013.
Summer 96. It’s when I finally GOT IT.
Summer ’97 of course.
Summer ’99! All was breezin’!
Ventura 98…Sexual Healing!
Summer 97 for me, completely gets over looked by Fall 97. Summer 97 was a warm up funk party for what would come that following Fall.
Runner up: Summer 94. GAMEHENDGE!
Europe 96
Summer 97 all the way!
Summer 98
though i only saw the great went: summer 1997.
summer 97
My favorite summer tour, by far, was/is Summer 1995.
Summer 95. First summer with phish 🙂
Summer ’09. I was late to get into Phish, and never thought I would be able to see them. The reunion was a dream come true.
Summer of ’09 because I was a Coventry and never thought that I’d see it happen.
Summer ’98
Fall ’98, b/c of Halloween
summer 98
Summer 94 is my favorite.
Summer ’96.
Summer 2000!
FIrst live show! PNC Arts Center in NJ. They launched into Chalkdust and I was hooked. Saw them 3 times that summer and have seen’em at 30 times since. Damn fine time.
I saw 10 shows apiece in 99 and 00, but seeing 6.17.11 in my hometown and getting my first Forbin’s / Mockingbird + Icculus (!) was more than I ever expected. They even talked about my neighborhood, NoDa! So, even though I only saw that one show in 2011, it’ll always be my favorite summer tour.
I’m kind of a noob, so I’ll say Summer ’11. If for no other reason than that magical Memorial Day Weekend at Bethel Woods!
Summer 97′ start/stop Phunk! “I could Really Use More Cowbell!!!”
Summer 98
SO I GUESS I DIDN’T WIN HUH?
Picking the winners (using random.org) tomorrow. good luck!
Would say summer 98 but I didn’t go cause I was 7. So, I will have to say 2012. ::Shields body from flying tomatoes::
Summer ’97 FTW.