We’re nearing the end of our way-too-long Phish Joy Box giveaway as we’ve only got two questions left. As we’ve been telling you, the Phish Joy Box includes the CD plus 10 posters dedicated to each one of Joy’s 10 tracks each designed by a different artist, an extensive hard-bound booklet, as well as a “complete second album” called Party Time along with a DVD featuring some of Phish’s live performances from the first half of 2009.
[A Look at a Joy Box Mockup]
We’ve got two Joy Boxes to give away and you’ll have eight chances to enter our sweepstakes. Today, we’ve got our seventh question of eight and each answer you give will count as one entry in the contest. That’s right, you can enter eight times by answering all eight questions. Just don’t get greedy and answer the same question twice. This contest will run until September 25, 2009 at 11:59PM.
Just follow the rules below and we’ll announce our winners on 9/28:
- To enter the contest leave a comment below telling us about your favorite guest appearance at a Phish show
- All comments must be longer than 10 words and shorter than 50
- Your comment must be left by 11:59 PM EST on Friday, Sept. 25
- Don’t be greedy, only one entry per person, per question
- Winners will be selected at random from all entries to all 8 questions
- Winners receive one copy of the Joy Box each
So there you have it. As you see, question #7 is “what is your favorite guest appearance at a Phish show?” Keep on checking Hidden Track for question #8.
- HT Joy Box Giveaway: Question #1, Question #2, Question #3, Question # 4, Question #5, Question #6,
- Previously on HT: Joy Review, Festival 8 Giveaway
- Dry Goods: Joy Box Pre-order
138 Responses
My favorite guest appearance was buddy miles & merl saunders, 10/22/96 at MSG. great show, great Watchtower encore!
Carl Gerhard and any other member of the GCH nothing beats the cavern with carl on hampton comes alive
Jay-Z coming out in Brooklyn and performing 99 Problems, not only did the fans go nuts but all the food vendors left their posts and rushed forward to check it out!
My favorite guest has to be John Popper from that show where he comes out and does the sick weekapaug Groove! Sick.
I would have to say Les Claypool. I’m a huge Les fan and getting both together is awesome. Though a very very close second is the GCH.
Carlos Santana 7-25-92, Love that Funky Bitch et al
I got such a huge kick out of The Boss playing with the band. Something about Phish and Springsteen seems so right being from the NYC / NJ area.
This is the easiest question yet. 8/17/97 at Darien Lake. KEN KESEY AND THE MERRY PRANKSTERS!
“What kind of bird can it possibly be
Way up there in the Bozo tree?
A Mockingbird! A Mockingbird…”
~Ken Kesey
phil lesh 10 years ago. amazing to see both worlds come together as one that night
santana summer 92
Considering the possibilities, still nothing beats a simple Tom Marshall appearance. Just watched the 12/30/97 500 Miles the other day, and smiled all the way through.
Micheal Ray in Albany 2000, amazing Funky bitch! Fun dancing on stage and phun1
Seein Tom come out, even if just to sing “Rye Rye Rocco”, always hits the spot. Hopefully he makes an appearance on-stage this Fall.
11/28/94 at the long-gone New Haven Coliseum
The Dude of Life sat in for the encore at this show, my first, and I was lucky enough to have received first row seats through the mail ticketing system.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Boss’s sit-in at Bonnaroo this summer. Great Weekend!
7/25/92
Santana playing on You Enjoy Myself is insane, he and Trey also tore apart Funky Bitch that night.
Seeing Ben & Jerry (yes, from the ice cream) come out to help sing Brother at the Clifford Ball in ’96 was pretty fun.
so many great sitins to choose from
kid rock was a real fun night
Stowe Performing Arts Center, Stowe, VT…the YEM featuring Carlos is just great
Layla with Seth Yacovone, the first tune they played detracted from the set. But Layla brought the energy right back.
The Dude of Life! He just added more funk and goofiness to everything.
I love the Kid Rock sit in. Funny as shit.
The Reverend Jeff Mosier. Some killer stuff there in 1994.
2/6/93 Roseland ballroom. John Popper and Noel Redding. Popper played Buried Alive and Possum to close the set but the real highlight was the Fire encore w/ Noel Redding.
Worst sit in- BB King at the Meadowlands. 2/24/03
I always liked the Derek Trucks sit in on 7/7/99
Great Woods 7/12/1999 with Scott Murawski. Tuesday’s Gone Encore, of course, on a tuesday.
i mean 7/13/99, sorry
I thought Jay-Z was hilarious and I he’s my favorite rapper.
I am going to stick with guest appearances that I witnessed live but there were many, so this wont be easy. In order of sickness:
-Peter Apfelbaum/John McEuen 11.30.96, Pure F-ing bliss
-KID ROCK – 9.29.00 (Sickest energy I have ever seen)
-Phil Lesh and Warren on 9.17.99? Both my worlds collide
for the first time on stage (Phil & Phriends too)
-Jay-Z/Cyro Baptista: 6.18.04 – out of left field
-Bruce Springsteen – Bonnaroo (Glory Days)
-Warren Haynes – Shoreline 9.16.99
-Neil Young – at Bridge School 99
-Tom Marshall – multiple times (5oo Miles, Born to Run
etc)
-The Dude of Life (03 Nassau)
Worst:
-B.B King’s was on-stage way too long – Meadowlands 03.
-Bob Weir was probably the worst guest I ever saw. Band gave him to much respect and let him pick what he wanted to play( El Paso, Chalkdust Torture2> West LA Fadeaway (should had been Sugar Magnolia). But I am NOT complaining about any of them even when they don’t work!
So many good ones but I think Jay-Z and Phish was the best one. Not really in terms of the music but just the energy created by Jay-Z’s surprise entrance.
There’s no contest that it’s Claypool, Vegas ’96/Laguna Seca ’94.
Bella Fleck. There are few who really melt into the heart that is Phish like he does.
the 5th member at Pepsi Arena – only cause it was unexpected not because the music was good…but still very fun!
Not into DMB but the Leroi guest was great. All the guys had multiple instruments going. Good stuff.
I really like when Karl Perazzo sits in on percussion. See Halloween ’96 and the 3 Florida shows from that tour.
My favorite guest appearance was Buddy Miles and Merl Saunders at MSG fall 1996. Awesome Encore!!
Favorite one I witnessed was opera singer Andrea Baker singing O Mio Babbino Caro a capella after the racous debut of Simple on 5/27/94. Best part was while the singing was distracting us, the ushers were busy getting boxes of Mac and Cheese to everyone so we could all jam with the band!
hands f’ing down… kid rock in las vegas. i’d just learned how to bend my bones with my mind, and things were getting weird… kid rock appearing probably saved my life.
Bela Fleck – every time he sits in, it’s money! Check out the Llama from 10/18/94 – starts acoustic and turns electric. Greatness!!
Baby Gramps at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland, OR 8/26/93! Mice and Bats (with obligatory Neil Young fakeout beforehand).
Del McCoury Band & Winona Judd at the end of second set in Antioch, TN 6/22/00 for the kickoff to summer tour: Blue and Lonesome, I’m Coming Home, Uncle Pen, Freebird.
Bill K. at Red Rocks was also pretty swell.
Jim Stinett (sp.?), one of Mike Gordon’s bass instructors, made his way on stage during the middle of a jam in Worcester in 1995. He and Mike did a classical bass, dueling bass. Phish played Bathtub Gin into The Real Me back into Gin that night. It’s one of the best shows I’ve ever seen them perform.
My favorite guest appearance is one that I watched live, although on TV: Neil Young at Farm Aid. Down by the River was awesome!
Bill K at Red Rocks this year was pretty amazing. I thought the music was decent but the fact that I saw the show live was special. I felt I witnessed a historical event.
Son Seals at Oswego. It was towards the end of his life and it felt like a celebration of his work.
My favorite guest appearance that I’ve seen live has to be when Son Seals (guitar/vocals) and Sugar Blue (harmonica) came out for the encore at Allstate Arena (10/03/99), they played Funky Bitch and Messin’ with the Kid… Down right nasty!
My favorite guest appearance was when John Popper of Blues Traveler came out and played with the guys. Hell of a tune.
Kid Freakin Rock. Nuff said. Not greatest of voices for any of them but vibe was incredible. Perfect fit for Vegas. Totally insane.
Dude of Life Tuscaloosa, Al
Saw JayZ with the boys at Coney Island. Very cool that all the hippies knew every word.
From what I have seen personally, I really enjoyed Seth Yacavone (sp?) at the Centrum.
For me it was seeing them play with Jeff. I know I’m a Phish geek but seeing the orginal band play together was a little extra special for me.
Always been a big fan of the Buddy Miles/Merl Saunders sit in at MSG in 96, but the Popper sit in at St. Louis was pretty cool as well.
My favorite sit-in has got to be Carlos Santana in ’92 in Stowe for YEM, Llama and Funky Bitch. Talk about an opening scorcher!
Tom Marshall. Anytime the main lyricist of Phish joins them it’s a treat. Looking forward to Marshall 3.0.
my favorite guest was Phil, the crowed went nuts when he came out and there will never be that smiles again. cant believe its ten years.
Les and Larry at Vegas ’96, which morphed into the Elvis impersonators during Harpua!! That was a night I will never forget…
Bob Weir, I dont remember the exact date..he came on to do couple of songs ,,,started with chalkdust
All the musicians who helped play the Remain In Light set. By far the best Phish has ever played with a guest on stage.
Bela Fleck on Slave To The Traffic Light. I can’t remember the exact date, but wow, he just shreds it. Incredible emotional version.
Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters Bozo Madness from summer 97 definitely is my favorite guest appearance, along with Phil from Shoreline 99.
les claypool vegas 96. love the wildwood weed and harpua with mike and les bass slappin!
I usually don’t like the guest appearances but Michael Ray and the Cosmic Krewe in Albany 2000 was great!
I liked hearing Bela Fleck and the Flecktones in Europe 97. YEM, Ghost, Poor Heart was Amazing!!!
6/17/95 when Dave Matthews and the late, great LeRoi Moore guested on “Three Little Birds” in the encore.
Gunna have to go with Santana (close 2nd to Phil Lesh), they clicked right off the bat!
When I really thought about it I guess I have seen quite a few special guests over the years. Hard to pick so I will say Derek Trucks in Charlotte. In retrospect it was really cool and I think Derek was only about 17 at the time.
Maybe it isn’t exactly a phish show as they were openers for Santana in 92. But when Carlos joined them on stage along with Karl Perazzo and Raul Rakow, it was magic…
My 2nd show–October 8, 1994, George Mason University–the GMU Women’s soccer team came out and did some sort of spirit cheer.
I love listening to any show with the Giant Country Horns. They add so much to the music. I can’t listen to Suzy Greenberg without them!
While the Claypool sit-in is a personal fave just because I am a giant Les fan, the Bela Fleck appearance on Llama is absolutely ripped and brought that song to a whole new level. GCH of course deserve mention, although that stretches the definition of “guest appearance”.
John Popper on “Mean Mr. Mustard” > “Weekapaug” 11.15.96
the energy at that show was amazing
There have been so may great guests over the years, but I would have to say Jay-Z… it just shows the bands diversity!
I’ve got to go with Tom Hanks. It was so awesome that some people don’t even believe it was really him.
My favorite guest was Leroi Moore at Virginia Beach on 7/21/97. It was crazy, Trey playing 3 guitars, Page straddling his piano and keyboards, Mike playing 2 basses, Fish holding as many drumsticks as possible, and Leroi playing along on 2 saxes.
RIP Leroi!
I’m not a guest spot fan at all when it comes to Phish, but the 91 Giant Country Horns shows are fantastic. Bring them back for 8!
my favorite would be when Ben & Jerry came out. Sung one line of brother, then got off the stage. perfect.
I have to go with Santana 92. They really do just rip that set. That “import” CD was some of the first Phish I ever heard.
The very first time I saw Phish, I had never even heard of them. They opened for Santana and later came out and jammed a few songs with Santana. I believe Fishman even played the vacuum. The whole show blew my mind and I couldn’t help but wonder “What the #@cking #@ck was that?” I soon learned a lot more about Phish after that night…
Les Claypool from Vegas ’96… Then again you could also go with the Elvis impersonators from the same show… tough call… Elvis impersonators!
My favaortie guest apperance would have to be anytime the Dude of Life comes out to play, specifically Amy’s Farm and NYE at Northeastern in 91.
Jay Z was my favorite guest appearance! Two of my favorite artists on stage grooving hard, it was dope!
I’d have to say Bela Fleck and the Flecktones joining for YEM>Ghost>Poor Heart in France in ’97. was pretty rockin’ on all accounts.
“Tom Hanks” at 12/31/02. The best type of sit in; short, funny, energetic, and classic Phish.
My favorite guest spot at a Phish show was Ken Kesey and the Pranksters.
Slave to the Traffic light with Bela Fleck. Bela is an incredible artist.
I’d have to go with one of the Mimi Fishman vacuum solos.
Eventhough the playing and the sound during the p funk sit in was rather off, the whole energy of that show in Miami 03′ was powerful. That’s a night I will never forget. I made my funk the p funk that night!
Always love a good horn appearance on a Suzy Greenberg or a Cavern, but my favorite guest appearance that I witnessed has to be Jerry Douglass on Dobro (especially on Wolfman’s Brother)in Tennessee in 1999. Sweet.
The Mar-Mar during Harpua @ Ziggy’s in 92. I wasn’t there but you gotta love it.
Favorite witnessed: 6/22/00 Hood>Dog Faced>Hood with Ronnie McCoury on mandolin, Rob McCoury on banjo, and Sam Bush on fiddle. Way cool.
It has to be Phil Lesh at Shoreline
Tom Marshall on NYE 1993 in Woosta doing the lyrics to Antelope. Rye Rye Rocco….
Definitely Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters at Darien Lake 1997 during Colonel Forbid. I got to meet him at a Prankster style book signing too. You can’t deny your roots and you can never trust a prankster!
4/4/94 Giant Country Horns – my 5th show and when I “got” Phish for the first time
My favorite was Sugar Blue on 8/8/97. The venue sucks, but the show was great!
although i did enjoy marshall @ nye 93, i loved les claypool @ the Vegas 96 show on Harpua, some really great shit, that whole set is fantastic and hilarious
11/30/96! Not only does John McEuen sit in on banjo for two great bluegrass tunes, Peter Apfelbaum also joins the band on sax for an incredible Taste! To top it off, both guests send this show to the next level with an Amazing Grace jam and a rockin’ Possum! Easily the best guest appearance with a Phish show!
YEM with Santana blew my mind. Hearing such a great musician play with phish is just amazing.
This one is simple… SANTANA! I love his soulful licks and together with Phish that show gets some regular attention!
I would have to say Tom Marshall at the Coventry Festival. It was the only show i’ve been to where they had a guest appearance. And it was sweet to see the guy who co-wrote most of their songs.
My favorite was Leroi Moore, may he RIP, at Virginia Beach on 7/21/1997. Playing 3 instruments a piece, Leroi, Trey, Mike and Page made an awful racket. It was fun to watch.
My favorite guest appearance at a Phish show is Carlos Santana. Feels so smooth!
neil young at farm aid, hands down. the nastiest jam ever on down by the river.
It was cool when Page’s dad came out on stage at SPAC in 2004 and played Bill Bailey and then he tap danced…so cool!
Gene Simmons 🙂
The vid on Youtube (not sure of the date or venue) where the full choir comes out for Bohemian Rhapsody. Pretty clever if you ask me.
Neil young at Farmaid. I have a new appreciation for Neil’s guitar playing and I love the noise abstract improv – possibly Arc? How can they top this? Clapton?
Best guest performance was P-Funk during the Miami New Year’s shows.
HORNS
Ben and Jerry at The Clifford Ball. Having worked at Ben and Jerry’s for a year made it even funnier to see them on stage singing Brother. Page’s dad in Atlanta 99 was pretty awesome too.
Tom Hanks at MSG on New Years for the first post-hiatus show……wait a minute…..that wasn’t Tom Hanks!!
Favorite guest appearance was Buddy Miles (along with Merle Saunders) at 10/22/96. It was my first show, and it was amazing seeing such a legend after his prime along with legends in their prime.
Tom hanks. Err.. Tom Wilson. Err.. Wait a sec.. Tom mcconnell??
My favorite jam from guest appearance is when Medeski, Martin, & Wood came out with Phish 10/14/95 Austin City Music Hall for YEM. Truly amazing stuff.
I would have to say Jay-Z in Brooklyn. I was not too sure everyone enjoyed it, but i sure did. Seems like a unlikely combo, but i worked out quite well. Way better than Kid Rock.
John Popper anytime he sat in, but mainly 12-28-1990 was an amazing night!!
B.B. King in his chair at the Continental Airlines Arena. My 2nd Phish show and grew up listening the blues and especially B.B. King. Fully enjoyable.
Phil Lesh at Shoreline 9/17/99 of course. wow! what a great sound.
My favorite guest appearance was Jay Z. It was great being in my hometown (NYC) and having hova pay respect to phish’s audience with an appearance. Plus its unreal when this type of pairing results in something musically brilliant like big pimpin.
Loved Popper’s appearance at Waterloo in 95 although my favorite might be from the Bridge School Benefit in 98 when Neil Young came out to jam on the end of Hood then they played Helpless together. Goosebumps.
For sentimental reasons: I had just been dating my now wife for a few weeks when I flew out to Cali to go see the ‘last shows’ (lol). When Booby came out to sing “El Paso” (where she is from), I took that as “My sign” and made the girl me wife.
My favorite has to be John Popper 11-15-96. The Letter M show. Popper ambled on stage with a cane, cape and busted into Mean Mr. Mustard with the band into Weekapaug. It was an amazing appearance!
My favorite would have to be when Phill Lesh came out @ Shoreline. I am a Dead fan, and hearing Phish play a couple of their tunes with Phil, was great.
Easily Bela and the Flecktones 7/9/97. Incredible second set.
This is a tough one. Santana or Claypool
Santana 1996 in Europe. No questions asked. Although, John Popper was nice in St Louis circa 1996’ish.
I would have to say it was “Tom Hanks” at NYE 2002/2003. This was the only show I can think of where they brought out someone and had most of the audience fooled with who it actually was. Those phunny phuckers!
That one Zappa lookalike from the anniversary vid. Only because I really thought it was Zappa!
I didn’t see it live, but the Down By the River with Neil Young is intense!
In person, my favorite would have been Seth Yacavone from the Thanksgiving 1998 Worcester run. Those shows were nuts. On tape, my fav is the opera singer from 5/27/1994.
Page’s brother….um I mean Tom Hanks.
John Popper. Kiel Center in St. Louis, MO. 11/15/1996
They played the “M” set. This show brought to you by the letter M and the number 420. Mean Mister Mustard > Funky Bitch > Weekapaug encore was incredible. My older brother had this on VHS video too.
I have only been to one show.. and there was no special guest.. except me!
Gary Gazaway, Dave Grippo, and Karl Perazzo – Halloween 1996 – pretty much no contest…
Page’s Dad 7.31.2003. He had some sweet dance moves