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What are some classic shows I should hear?

First off, there are several classic tours which were relatively consistent and highlighted important pivots in Phish's musical history, particularly Fall 1990, Summer 1993, Fall 1995, Fall 1997, mini-Spring (Island Tour) 1998, and, perhaps, Summer 2000.

"Classic" shows, which show what Phish is capable of, include: 12/1/84 (earliest circulated tape), 8/21/87 Ian's, 5/28/89 Ian's, 11/4/90 Fort Ram, 4/11/91 Carleton's Cave (with the Prison Joke), 4/27/91 Portchester, 5/3/91 Somerville Theatre, 7/21/91 Arrowhead Ranch, 8/3/91 Amy's Farm, 11/15/91 (last Destiny Unbound), 11/30/91 Portchester, 3/13/92 Prov. Campus Club, 3/28/92 Variety Theater (flooded; second set acapella/acoustic), 4/16-21/92 California, 12-31-92, 2/20/93 Atlanta (set two is legendary above all other sets), 3/14/93, 3/22/93 Sacramento (full Gamehendge), 5/5/93, 8/2/93 Tampa, 8/9/93, 8/13/93 Murat Theater, 8/14/93, 8/20/93 Red Rocks, 12/30/93 Portland ME, 4/9/94 Binghampton, 5/7/94 Bomb Factory, 6/17/94, 6/18/94, 6/22/94, 7/6/94, 7/8/94 Great Woods, 7/13/94 Big Birch, 10/31/94 Glen Falls, 11/26/94, 11/30/94, 12/8/94 Spreckels, 12/29/94 Providence, 6/14/95, 6/26/95 SPAC, 10/05/95, 10/31/95, 11/9-11/95 (the Atlanta Fox Theater run), 11/14/95, 11/16/95, 12/7/95, 12/9/95, 12/11/95 Portland ME, 12/14/95, 12/29/95, 12/31/95 NYC, 10/31/96, 12/4/96, 12/6/96, 7/1&2/97 (the Wormtown shows), 8/9/97, 8/17/97, 11/19/97, 11/22/97, 12/7/97, 12/13/97, 12/29/97 II, 12/30/97, 4-3-98, 6-30-98, 7-6-98 (!!), 7-17-98, 7-21-98, 7-28-98, 7-29-98, 8-1-98, 8-9-98, 8-15-98, 10-30-98, 10-31-98, 11-2-98, 11-27-98, 12-31-98, 7-4-99, 7-13-99, 7-17-99, 7-18-99, 7-25-99, 7-31-99, 9-12-99, 9-17-99, 9-29-99, 12-2-99, 12-8-99, 12-11-99, 12-13-99, 12-18-99, 12-30-99, and 12/31/99 (with a 35-song set lasting nearly eight hours!). From 2000, try 5/22, 5/23, 6/22, 6/29, 6/30, 7/1, 7/11, 9/9, 9/17, 9/22, 9/30, 10/4, 10/6, & 10/7.

Longest shows, in order: Big Cypress (12/31/99 alone was 7 hours and 12 minutes), the the Lemonwheel (8-15-98 alone was 5 hours 34 minutes), and Great Went (7/18/97 alone was 4 hours 40 minutes). (Thanks also to Jean-Pierre Thibault 7/21/99)

Classic encores include 11-15-91, 3-22-92 (four songs), 3-25-92 (Fishman, alone on stage, wearing nothing but a bullseye covering his genetalia, performed a vacuum solo), 3-26-92 (with Marley held up during Harpua), 8/20/93 Red Rocks (The Mango Song, Freebird), 04-09-94 (Right before Highway To Hell, which was right after Amazing Grace, Trey dedicates the HTH to the people in the front row who were screaming AC/DC), 5/29/94 Laguna (5 songs), 6/26/94 (4 songs), 10/7/94 (Foreplay/Longtime acoustic, fall tour opener), 10/16/94 Chat. (Highway to Hell > Harpua), 10/20/94 Madison (Icculus > Fire), 10/26/94 II (bluegrass, Page's first bass solo), 10/27/94 (Slave to the Traffic Light -> Icculus, Tweezer Reprise > Closing Jam), 12/11/95 Portland (WMGGW), 11/15/96 St.Louis (Funky Bitch), 12/6/96 Vegas (Harpua with mucho guests and antics), 12/31/96 (Amazing Grace with Boston Community Choir), 6/13/97 Dublin (Stand > Isabella), 7/10/97 France (Funky Bitch), 7/31/97 Shoreline (Cinnaman Girl), 8/2/97 (Harry Hood with no lights with shooting stars at the Gorge), 11-29-97 Worcester (Buffalo > Moby > Fire), 12/12/97 Albany (Guyute > Antelope), 12-30-97 (five songs, including the show's opening tune!), 8-8-98 (Sabatogue debut), 8-9-98 (Terrapin Station!), and 11-18-98 (4 songs!), not to mention the greatness that ended every night of the Clifford Ball, Great Went, and Lemonwheel, and 4-3-98.

For additional suggestions, with tour-by-tour reviews beginning in early 1997, see the flyers distributed by the Mockingbird Foundation at the four 1997 U.S. tours (summer, fall, winter, holiday), and available on their web site. And don't forget about shows that are less popular and underrated due to, for instance, tape availability.

See also, official selections, high-quality tapes in circulation, and soundboards in circulation.

Thanks also to Mark Goldberg, Dan McBride, David Steinberg, Brian "Chico" Lippman, Daniel Hobbs, Ray Coghlan, Brian Ehlers, Brian Cox, Ross McDevitt, Dan Nooter, Daniel Hobbs, Brian Gordon, Robert J. Brennan, Gerhard den Hollander, Phillip Zerbo, Herschel Gelman, Chris Glushko, Jamey Boike, Andy Lepley, Joel.

"I'm only happy with moments. I think I'm happy until a certain amount of time has gone by, and then I want to do something else.
After the moment, I'm just looking for another moment.""
-- Trey Anastasio"

This page last updated February 03, 2007. All contents © 1992-2007 Ellis Godard. All rights reserved.

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