mountain bed Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Ok, I'm now listening to the 7/30/97 Bowie > Cities > Bowie (a fine version but not my fave by any means) and it got me to thinking: there might be a couple of dozen Phish tunes that nearly always blow me away (YEM, Antelope, Reba! , Hood, etc.) but I will unequivocally state that the #1 song for me is David Bowie. It is a perfect example of all that I love about the band - the few, inane lyrics, the first section that has some of tightest, most difficult rock music to play this side of Zappa, and the two chord jam in the second half that could go anywhere...and often did! This was the tune where, if I was in attendance, when I heard the hi-hat intro (and realized that it WASN'T Maze ) I KNEW it was time to start listening hard! Anyway, I'd be innarested in hearing the thoughts of those here regarding their absolute favorite Phish tune. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vacant Horizon Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Ok, I'm now listening to the 7/30/97 Bowie > Cities > Bowie (a fine version but not my fave by any means) and it got me to thinking: there might be a couple of dozen Phish tunes that nearly always blow me away (YEM, Antelope, Reba! , Hood, etc.) but I will unequivocally state that the #1 song for me is David Bowie. It is a perfect example of all that I love about the band - the few, inane lyrics, the first section that has some of tightest, most difficult rock music to play this side of Zappa, and the two chord jam in the second half that could go anywhere...and often did! This was the tune where, if I was in attendance, when I heard the hi-hat intro (and realized that it WASN'T Maze ) I KNEW it was time to start listening hard! Anyway, I'd be innarested in hearing the thoughts of those here regarding their absolute favorite Phish tune. Off the top of my head, probably Rift. I love the perfect studio version of that song. They botched it live, but the studio version with trey and page singing and the phat piano and guitar solos...awesome! After that, probably Slave and PYITE. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mfwahl Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 The newest member is ilovephishThere goes the neighborhood Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mfwahl Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Hard to pick a favorite. For the earlier stuff, there are a lot of standouts: YEM, Divided Sky, Foam, David Bowie. Later on I always looked forward to hearing Tube and Vultures. Probably the best written song all around is It's Ice. The lyrics, melody, and instrumental section are amazing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wheelco Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 hmm . . . Divided Sky, Guyute, Mike's Song/Weekapaug Groove Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moe_Syzlak Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 If I were to make a top 10 Phish tune list, it'd go something like this: 1. Stash2. Fluffhead3. You Enjoy Myself4. Reba5. Col Forbin's Ascent-> Fly Famous Mockingbird6. Harry Hood7. Guyute (great composition -- maybe Trey's best -- that is unfairly maligned due its lack of a jam)8. Run Like an Antelope9. The Divided Sky10. Split Open & Melt Just missing the cut is David Bowie. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bldad Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 I picked up the Walnut Creek DVD when it came out this past Tuesday. As a concert DVD it's nothing special, but the music ..... Jesus! First set is good, but the 2nd set is the stuff that made/makes Phish. The DWD>Mike's segue is awesome. There's one moment (I'm blanking on the song right now) where Page and Trey hook up perfectly; Page shoots Trey a huge smile that is priceless. Absolutely ridiculous how much I like this set. This is one of the few '97 shows I hadn't heard. Actually considering plunking down the $ for the livephish download since I'm having trouble ripping the audio from the DVD. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattZ Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 (and realized that it WASN'T Maze ) Anyway, I'd be innarested in hearing the thoughts of those here regarding their absolute favorite Phish tune. I used to ask myself this same question, but invariably, it ended being whichever song I was listening to at the time that was blowing my mind. I'd tell myself that it was YEM, but then I'd be listening to a show and Harry Hood would change my mind. Or an Antelope. Or even a Slave to the Traffic Light. Or a Chalkdust. Or a Tweezer Reprise. I guess that's why they were my favorite band for so long. If you put a gun to my head, YEM. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moe_Syzlak Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 Backstage recently at Red Rocks, my brother and I couldn't help but recreate a famous photo you all may be familiar with. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 8/10/97 - Deer Creek, Noblesville IN I: Bathtub Gin > Sparkle, Down With Disease, Dirt, Cars Trucks Buses, Billy Breathes, Split Open And Melt*, Bye Bye Foot > Ginseng Sullivan, Harry Hood II: Cities > Good Times Bad Times > Rotation Jam > Rock-A-William# > David Bowie E: Cavern Alright. Now that Jerry Week is officially over, it's time to start Phish Festival Week. I was at this show, and it was easily one of the strangest things I've ever seen. The first set is an all-timer imo - a perfect mix of jamming tunes and the more song-based things that came out of the Billy Breathes sessions. Split Open was a monster! There was a tease of Jimi's "Third Stone From The Sun", as well as a full-blown jam on King Crimson's "Larks Tongues In Aspic (pt.2)". Amazing! Set 2 was where the wierd shit started happening. The Talking Head's "Cities" got a 25 minute workout, and segued perfectly into Zep's "GTBT". THEN...everyone starts switching instruments until it finally ended up with Big Red on drums, Mike on keys, Page on bass, and ol' Sneezeblood Eyeball on the guitar. Which leads into the only version of Rock-A-William ever played in the U.S.. Loved this one - Fish was wearing a spiffy Italian suit, and totally butchered Trey's guitar...one of the most non-musical, amateurish things I've ever seen. Trey musta have got pissed at Fish for stealing his thunder because the opening 'hi-hat' section of Bowie lasted for nearly 9 minutes! My wife at one point screamed out "JUST PLAY THE FUCKING SONG ALREADY!" Anyway, this run-up of shows concluding at The Great Went are nearly all outstanding, and are worth a listen. Party on, Wayne. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 8/11/97 - Deer Creek, Noblesville, IN I: Makisupa Policeman > Maze, Water In The Sky, Guyute, Guelah Papyrus, Limb By Limb, Horn, Run Like An Antelope* II: Timber Ho!, Piper, Vultures > My Soul, YEM , Character Zero E: The Squirming Coil * The 'rye rye Rocco' section featured Page on the theramin This show was my first exposure to a number of newer tunes ( Water/Sky - in the original "country" setting, Limb X Limb, Piper, Vultures, Zero). A fine show that is always going to be overshadowed by the strangeness of the previous night. Timber might just be my favorite cover tune - although it's so obscure I thought it was an original until I got The Phish Companion book. The Coil...is there a better encore than this? I say no. I always loved Page bringing us back down to Earth and sending us home with the meditative solo piano. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mfwahl Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 The Coil...is there a better encore than this? I say no. I always loved Page bringing us back down to Earth and sending us home with the meditative solo piano. Agreed. Aah memories... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattZ Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 8/10/97 - Deer Creek, Noblesville IN 8/11/97 - Deer Creek, Noblesville, IN The Coil...is there a better encore than this? I say no. I always loved Page bringing us back down to Earth and sending us home with the meditative solo piano. Hey MB - thanks for carrying the ball in this thread. I was at both of these shows and they ended my mini run from Chicago to Alpine Valley to Deer Creek. A nice blast from the past to see those set lists. Anyway, couldn't agree more on the coil encore. In fact, I seem to remember that this was my first coil encore. As the song came down, I remember closing my eyes and being carried away to another world (I was sober). When Page hit that final chord, I remember opening my eyes and being absolutely stunned that he was the only guy up there, with the spotlight shining on him. He gave that shy wave that was his calling card, and walked off, as the crowd erupted. I remember thinking at that the time that it was one of the coolest things I'd ever seen. Just a real classy way to end a show. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Matt, I'm more than happy to keep bumping this thing. For one, since the genie's out of the bottle we might as well discuss this band. Secondly, I saw so many Phish shows at this time of the year I always get all nostalgic and shit for 'em. So - 8/12/96 - Deer Creek, Noblesville IN I: Ya Mar, Split Open And Melt, Esther > Chalkdust Torture, Weigh, It's Ice, Dog-Faced Boy, Taste, The Oh-Kee-Pah Ceremony > Suzy Greenberg II: Timber Ho!, Sparkle, Simple, Prince Caspian > McGrupp, Run Like An Antelope, Hello My Baby, Golgi Apparatus, Possum* E: Sample In A Jar * included All Fall Down and Simpsons teases Another superb first set, with many of my fave older tunes (SOAM, Esther, and of course the incredible It's Ice). The second set is no slouch either - I think this might have been my only time hearing McGrupp which was a show maker for me. '96 was when it became obvious that these guys were getting HUGE. The Creek was packed where just the year before there was plenty of room. Oh well. I guess I should have kept my mouth shut and not told anyone who would listen how good these guys were. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bldad Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 8/11/97 - Deer Creek, Noblesville, IN I: Makisupa Policeman > Maze, Water In The Sky, Guyute, Guelah Papyrus, Limb By Limb, Horn, Run Like An Antelope* II: Timber Ho!, Piper, Vultures > My Soul, YEM , Character Zero E: The Squirming Coil * The 'rye rye Rocco' section featured Page on the theramin This show was my first exposure to a number of newer tunes ( Water/Sky - in the original "country" setting, Limb X Limb, Piper, Vultures, Zero). A fine show that is always going to be overshadowed by the strangeness of the previous night. Timber might just be my favorite cover tune - although it's so obscure I thought it was an original until I got The Phish Companion book. The Coil...is there a better encore than this? I say no. I always loved Page bringing us back down to Earth and sending us home with the meditative solo piano. Coil encores = majestic beauty Makisupa opener is always a good sign. I was at these 2 shows as well, and your absolutely correct; the 8/11 was great but tends to get lost in the shuffle compared to the previous night Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vacant Horizon Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 Coil encores = majestic beauty Makisupa opener is always a good sign. I was at these 2 shows as well, and your absolutely correct; the 8/11 was great but tends to get lost in the shuffle compared to the previous night i pretty much saw every midwest and south east phish show in the 90s. it was an ironic time, because i was lamenting having not seen the dead at their prime, but was right there for phish in their prime. i mean, every show was amazing back then. setlists were sick and that was just the way it was. the energy was actually overwhelming at times. it was really interesting watching the scene grow from a few of us doing hacky sack in front of the venue to the huge deadesqe parking lot scene. it's so weird to see all this 'remembering' in this thread. doesn't seem that long ago that phish shows were a dime a dozen. maybe 2-3 shows in one state and an easy time scoring tickets. anyone remember getting the Doniac Shavice(sp) anticipating tour or album news? that was preinternet. damn, i remember the buzz for Billy Breathes being crazy as we Hoist was such a let down. especially after Rift. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vacant Horizon Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 5.5.92 Bogart's Cincy 1: Golgi Apparatus, The Curtain, Sparkle, Stash, Rift, Guelah Papyrus, The Divided Sky, I Didn't Know, It's Ice-> Glide-> Run Like an Antelope 2: Chalk Dust Torture, Bouncing Around the Room, All Things Reconsidered, Foam, Mike's Song-> I Am Hydrogen-> Weekapaug Groove, Silent in the Morning, Poor Heart, Llama, HYHU-> Love You-> HYHU, The Squirming Coil, Cavern E: Contact, Rocky Top my first show. after the first set we literally thought the show was over bc it was so long and crazy!!it was so weird going to larger and larger venues each year. c Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 Hard to believe, but it's already been 4 years today since Coventry. I didn't go, but I have a good friend who did and walked 15 freakin miles to the site. The dude still had enough kindness in his heart to bring me home a shirt - a very cool one: the Phish logo spelled with HYHU instead of "Phish", and on the back THE MOMENT ENDS - 8/15/04. Damn. I'd be innarested in hearing some Coventry stories from anyone here that survived that ordeal. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 The Clifford Ball, Plattsburgh Air Force Base, Plattsburgh NY 8/16/96 I: Chalk Dust Torture, Bathtub Gin, Ya Mar, AC/DC Bag, Esther, Divided Sky, Halley's Comet > David Bowie II: Split Open And Melt, Sparkle, Free, The Squirming Coil, Waste, Talk, Train Song, Strange Design, Hello My Baby, Mike's Song > Simple > Contact > Weekapaug Groove III: Makisupa Policeman, 2001 > Down With Disease > NICU, Life On Mars? Harry Hood > Fireworks Jam E: Amazing Grace Notes: Waste through Strange Design were performed on the acoustic mini-stage. Disease was unfinished. Great, solid show from top to bottom. 8/17/96 I: The Old Home Place, Punch You In The Eye, Reba > Cars Trucks Buses, The Lizards, Sample In A Jar, Taste, Fee > Maze, Suzy Greenberg II: The Curtain, Runaway Jim, It's Ice, Brother, Fluffhead, Run Like An Antelppe, Golgi Apparatus, Slave To The Traffic Light III: Wilson, Frankenstein, Scent Of A Mule, Tweezer, A Day In The Life, Possum > Tweezer Reprise E: Harpua Notes: First "Brother" since 8/2/93 (257 shows), and featured Ben & Jerry on guest vocals. Antelope featured a female acrobat twirling in the rigging, suspended above the stage in a circus-like fashion.Tweezer had big trampolines on each side of the stage, and more circus shenanigans. A stunt plane circled overhead during the Tweeprise, and trailed above during Harpua, which was left unfinished. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ With all due respect to The Great Went, LemonWheel, and ESPECIALLY Big Cypress, this is my favorite of all the Phestivals. This was when we all realized that the boys had MADE IT, big time. Set 2 from 8/17 is probably my very favorite set of Phish ever - some of their most challenging material played flawlessly. I can't recommend this set enough. A DVD of these shows would be the best Xmas present ever! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Happy Birthday Big Red!!! 44 years old today. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Moses Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Happy Birthday Big Red!!! 44 years old today. very happy birthday to my favorite guitarist ever. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wheelco Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Happy Birthday Big Red!!! 44 years old today.hope he stays clean 'til March, bro . . . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 From Jambands.com: Phish: The Biography Over a decade after the release of Richard Gehr Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 That's too bad the book won't be out until Spring. It would be nice to hunker down in the dead of Winter with a new tome about the boys. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mfwahl Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 That's a must have for sure. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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