1986
February: 03 | 21 | 28March: 02
April: 01 | 15 | 25 | 29
May: 16 | 17 | 24
June: 01
July: 18
September: 03 | 10 | 26
October: 12 | 15 | 31
November: 07 | 14 | 18 | 25
December: 06 | 31
SET 1: Eyes of the World, I Heard It Through the Grapevine
SET 1: Funky Bitch[1], Possum, Peaches en Regalia, Makisupa Policeman -> Fluffhead
SET 2: I Know a Little[1], Golgi Apparatus > Slave to the Traffic Light, Shaggy Dog > Light Up Or Leave Me Alone[1] -> Camel Walk, Jam > Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, Back Porch Boogie Blues, Icculus[2], McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters, Good Times Bad Times[1] -> Skin It Back -> Cities
SET 3: Mike's Song -> The Little Drummer Boy[1] > Whipping Post, She Caught the Katy and Left Me a Mule to Ride[1] > AC/DC Bag, David Bowie -> Clod > David Bowie, You Enjoy Myself, Dog Log, Tush[1] > Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley, Prep School Hippie
The jam before Swing Low Sweet Chariot contained a tease of Ramblin' Man (Allman Brothers). Icculus featured Steve Drebber on vocals. David Bowie’s hi-hat intro section included a Streets of Cairo tease from Trey. This show included the first known Phish performances of Funky Bitch, I Know a Little, Light Up or Leave Me Alone, Good Times Bad Times, Little Drummer Boy, She Caught The Katy, and Tush.
Soundcheck: Bertha (performed by The Joneses), Blues Jam (with members of The Joneses)
SET 1: Mustang Sally, Camel Walk, Golgi Apparatus > Slave to the Traffic Light, Melt the Guns -> Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley, Halley's Comet[1] > Back Porch Boogie Blues > Shaggy Dog, Fluffhead
SET 2: Jam > AC/DC Bag, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, Peaches en Regalia > David Bowie[2], Have Mercy[3] > Harry Hood, Sanity, Skin It Back > Icculus, Alumni Blues
This show was a co-bill with The Joneses. Trey and Mike quoted Fuck Your Face and Minkin during the Melt the Guns intro. Halley’s Comet featured Richard Wright on vocals. Have Mercy featured Jah Roy on vocals. This show contained the first known version of David Bowie.
SET 1: Alumni Blues > Makisupa Policeman, Skin It Back[1] > Cities, I Am Hydrogen > McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters, AC/DC Bag, You Enjoy Myself, Lushington[2]
SET 2: Peaches en Regalia[1] > Golgi Apparatus > Swing Low, Sweet Chariot[1], Camel Walk, Shaggy Dog[2], Mustang Sally[1], Fluffhead, Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley, Wilson > Slave to the Traffic Light, Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn) -> Mike's Song, Have Mercy > Harry Hood
SET 3: Roll Like a Cantaloupe[2], Sanity[2], Anarchy
ENCORE: Clod[2]
This show contained the first known versions of many Phish songs, including Lushington, Shaggy Dog, Roll Like a Cantaloupe, Sanity, and Clod, as well as the first known Phish versions of Skin It Back, Peaches, Swing Low, and Mustang Sally. Shaggy Dog ended with a Magic quote. Before YEM, Page played cocktail-style jazz, including snippets of Misty while Trey tuned up. Trey teased The Gumbo Variations in Mike's Song. The third set listing is incomplete; recordings that circulate have cuts before Cantaloupe. The Clod encore began with an impromptu kazoo solo from Mike. This was Paul Languedoc’s first show as soundman.
SET 1: Golgi Apparatus[1] > Slave to the Traffic Light, Wilson[1], Halley's Comet -> Possum, Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley, Makisupa Policeman
This show featured the first known performances of Golgi Apparatus and Wilson.
No known setlist
Though recordings do not circulate, it is believed that a show was played on this date at a hippie commune owned by a man named “Irving.” In a 1992 interview, Trey referenced this show when asked about the strangest gig the band has ever played. No setlist is known.
No known setlist
This show was performed on a boat in Boston Harbor as part of the Cambridge School graduation festivities. Mike’s brother assisted Phish in securing the gig.
SET 1: Dog Log, Halley's Comet[1] > Back Porch Boogie Blues > Halley's Comet
This setlist is incomplete. Richard Wright provided vocals for Halley’s Comet. This was the first Phish show without Jeff Holdsworth.
SET 1: Halley's Comet[1] > Back Porch Boogie Blues[2] > Halley's Comet
While a complete setlist for this “Springfest” performance at Goddard is not known, it has been confirmed that Halley’s debuted at this show with Richard Wright on vocals. Back Porch Boogie Blues also made its first known Phish performance. This is the last known Phish show with Jeff Holdsworth as an official member of the band.
No known setlist
The Earth Day show that had circulated with this date actually occurred on April 25, 1986 according to a Burlington Free Press article.
SET 1: AC/DC Bag > Dear Mrs. Reagan, Prep School Hippie, Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn) -> Slave to the Traffic Light, Makisupa Policeman, Have Mercy, All Blues[1] > Dog Log > Possum, You Enjoy Myself, Anarchy, Camel Walk -> Alumni Blues > Letter to Jimmy Page > Alumni Blues
This show was an Earth Day concert at UVM and took place outside the Bailey Howe Library on the Green. This performance previously circulated with the dates April 15 and April 29, 1986. Trey introduced the band as the “Bob Dylan Band” before they began a jam that led into a short All Blues (the first known Phish performance; it was only about a minute long). Dog Log was dedicated to all of the dogs that were running around, including Marley the Wonder Dog (Trey's dog). Possum included a Help on the Way tease.
No known setlist
The Earth Day show that had circulated with this date actually occurred on April 25, 1986 according to a Burlington Free Press article.
SET 1: Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn) > Have Mercy[1] > Harry Hood, The Pendulum[2] -> Dave's Energy Guide, Icculus[3], You Enjoy Myself
SET 2: Help on the Way[1] > Slipknot![1] > AC/DC Bag[3], McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters[4] > Alumni Blues > Letter to Jimmy Page > Alumni Blues > Dear Mrs. Reagan
ENCORE: Not Fade Away[5]
This show was billed as Hunt’s Festival of Fools. Phish and The Joneses switched off for 45-minute sets; the two bands performed the encore together. The Pendulum, which was a recital of revolutionary poetry, featured guest Zenzilé Madikinea. This gig contained the first known versions of AC/DC Bag and Icculus, the first known Phish version of Have Mercy, and the only known Phish performances of Help on the Way, Slipknot and Not Fade Away. McGrupp was spoken in a Dylan-esque fashion, in keeping with Trey’s jokes about Phish being the “Dylan Band.” Free Bird was teased before Not Fade Away.
No known setlist
This performance was part of "Midwinter Muse: A Poetry Weekend" and also featured local acts Aron Tagor and Ellen Powell. Zenzile (backed by Phish), Margaret Randall, and Allen Ginsberg also read at this event.
SET 1: Slave to the Traffic Light, Mike's Song > Dave's Energy Guide, You Enjoy Myself[1], Alumni Blues > Letter to Jimmy Page[2] > Alumni Blues, Prep School Hippie, Run Like an Antelope[3]
SET 2: Exiled Shadows[4], The Pendulum[4], Babylon is Burning[4], Soweto Revisted[4]
This show was an African National Congress Benefit featuring Phish and South African dub poet Zenzilé Madikinea. Antelope featured Jeff Holdsworth on slide guitar. Russ Flanigan sat in on fiddle for parts of this show. Alumni was played by request. Letter to Jimmy Page contained quotes from Trey of "It's alright" before eventually returning to Alumni. Some recordings erroneously note that this show was a double-bill with The Joneses. This show contained the first known version of You Enjoy Myself, although it is possible that the correct debut was on 2/1/85, and the first known performances of Zenzilé's pieces (all with Phish) Exiled Tonight, The Pendulum, Babylon is Burning, and Soweto Revisted. The first set of this show is identical to what is listed for 2/1/85. The setlist for 2/1/85 is possibly incorrect.
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