I only caught the day after in Vernon Downs and Lemonwheel on this tour. Great times, as the band was having fun with new covers almost every night. I wish I had hoped on a show earlier and caught this night, however. I'm not sure why it doesn't more attention, but this Runaway Jim is probably the best jam of '98, and I'd wager the best Jim ever. About 30 minutes of pure bliss that sees Trey pull off a few of those magic galactic licks that sound better ever time you hear them. Definitely one of the record books by the time they bring it back to the Jim finale. I haven't listened to the rest of the show in a while.

How is this Reba not on the jam chart ?
How is this Reba not on the jam chart ?
It's got the bags, the tags, the chloroform.
How is this Reba not on the jam chart?
It's has the wicker. The Wicker !!!!
It has the stopper at the bottom of the tub.
Great build in the jam and whistling !!!
It's SICK. Wait, It doesn't have a tree with a cable tied to it does it ?

I'm reviewing this show based on the 2-DVD set as well as the LivePhish download, not having been in attendance. I rate this show a 4/5, but a 4/5 Phish show is still quite a recommendation.

The Trench Town Rock opener is historically interesting, but otherwise merely "neat" for a Bob Marley fan such as myself, who prefers the original, complete with indecipherable(?) patois that Trey replicated with admirable aplomb. Julius is a particularly stirring version, with some high-fretboard action from Trey that really excites me. Wolfman's funks it up funkily before seguing into a Little Feat bustout that has a tropical feel and lyrical theme; I'm not a big Little Feat listener. Bittersweet Motel has a nice lyrical coincidence, but the Reba that follows is to me the highlight of the show, Runaway Jim included. Stratospheric heights are reached, which is made all the more astounding by watching the close-ups of the band in the DVD that show them intensely focused but lithe listeners, one of the most attractive aspects of Phish in my consideration and really what collective improvisation is--or should be--about.

Runaway Jim is one of the longest versions ever played of that quintessential Phish classic, and the run(away) is well worth the exertion, even reaching a passage that was memorialized in the 30th-anniversary audiovisual/Phishtorical montage on 12/31/13, I think. After the Jim, anything else is icing on the cake for me. They had me at "Reba sink a boulder in the water." They had me at "Danger, I've been told to expect it," in fact. Sometimes highlights alone make a show worth at least 4 stars, even though every Phish show is cohesive in its own way, a canvas that *can* be dissected but is perhaps a dish best served whole. I'll revisit this show for years to come, I hope... thanks to JEMP and Phish, Inc. for the valuable and generous keepsake, and to Phish as musicians for the content.

Great news! This morning's news inspired me to write a show review.

As I've written before here on .net, fans on tour were all riding a huge high coming off the madness of maryland/virginia beach (and a great tour). This show was alot of fun as a result. The lots were extremely positive ... more than normal random high fiving and lots of "can you believe it" conversations. Kinda like the Phish community had turned a corner, and we all knew it.

The debut cover of Bob Marley's "Trenchtown Rock" to open the show was just perfect. Followed with a standard but nice version of Julius set the mood for the show. The Wolfman's jam into the bust-out of Little Feat's "Time Loves a Hero" (over 1000 shows) was awesome. To date, the only version of "Bittersweet Motel" I actually don't mind listening to (the crowd's reaction to the line "halfway between Erie and Pittsburgh" always makes me smile). The remainder of the set was a mix of standards in Sloth and the closer Sample, some nice bluegrass in Ginseng Sullivan, a nice distinctly summer '98 take on Fee, and soaring versions of Reba & Maze.

The second set opens with a very exploratory Runaway Jim, including a sublime tease of "Maria" (by Trey) from the musical West Side Story - which I had absolutely no idea what it was at the time. It's similar in ambition to the Worcester '97 Jim. Although I prefer the Worcester Jim, this one is unmistakably summer '98 and was/is a wonderful listening experience in extended open improv (35 mins). The return to the Jim theme is glorious after the sonic journey. The boys follow it up with exactly what is called for: a couple new tunes (Meat and LxL) which would later be featured on Story of the Ghost (Fall '98). The start/stop of Meat was playful and the crowd appreciated it. For a few moments it threatened to get elastic in that summer '98 kind of way, but coming off the monster Jim, a straight ahead version was called for. I especially like how it finished/went into LxL (which I used to say at the time was Reba dressed up in a Taste drumbeat). If you like Reba and Taste (who doesn't), it's hard to dislike LxL. A gorgeous "When the Circus Comes" (Los Lobos cover) fit in well after the SOTG tunes in what was emerging as the mid/late second set ballad position in the setlist (think Bug, Mtns in the Mist, Velvet Sea, etc.). A straight-forward rocking version of DwD closed the second set in similar fashion to Atlanta, five days earlier.

Depending on your point of view, nothing too exciting tonight for the encore (pretty much impossible to top Sabotage/Terrapin Station), although Wilson had some lyrical variations from Trey which I can't identify, but it's clear, he was in good spirits. Golgi ended a very satisfying show that well represents Phish in Summer '98: well played yet playful, occasional bust-outs, debut covers, rocking out and taking risks. There's better shows in my opinion from Summer '98 but as an overall document on the tour, Burgettstown '98 is a solid, yet welcome/unexpected choice for the next official dvd. Looking forward to the December release!

This was my second of 5 Phish 1.0 shows I attended, and four of those were at Star Lake. I think Star Lake 1997 was a better show overall but this one has aged really well. I recall thinking that Wolfman was well done, and listening to it now, it only gets better. At the time, I lived in a town that is almost exactly halfway between Erie and Pittsburgh, so Bittersweet Motel caused quite a response, and this has to be my favorite recording of it.

But of course it's set 2, with that marvelous Jim, that gets and deserves all the attention. LxL was every bit as good as Runaway Jim, so don't skip it. I had never heard Meat before and everyone was looking at each other trying to figure out what Fish was doing.

Now, here's the thing about Circus: I have never understood why Trey changed the lyrics. It's one of my favorite Los Lobos songs, and it's so evocative of heartbreak that it's hard for me to stomach any alteration. Originally, wheels were "rolling" on the ground. Trey has them "flowing," which is more tranquil and not, to my mind, in keeping with the tone of the song. A rolling wheel brings things in and gruffly rolls them away, whereas a flowing wheel is like some gentle stream, which wouldn't make someone want to burn the whole place down. And then, for some reason, Trey repeats the second verse instead of going to the third, which originally was "I'll scratch your name out on that tree / I'll chase your heart right out of me / it doesn't mean that much / it doesn't mean that much." That lyric perfectly closes the arc of that song. Maybe it's too melancholy for a Phish show, but somehow it always bothered me. Anyway, glad I got that off my chest. I should point out that the playing is absolutely perfect throughout this 5-minute, succinct statement of the song.

So ANYWAY I was really not a fan of DwD at the time I heard this, which is a shame, because this is a really enjoyable version, though nobody would call it a defining moment for that song. A very solid set all around.

Wilson is always a favorite encore for me. As for Golgi, unless and until the band says otherwise I will always believe that the reason this was tacked on to the encore was to make up for the Golgi at the end of Star Lake '97, which featured some sloppy playing by the band as a whole and by Trey in particular. I can almost hear them saying backstage, "alright, we can nail it this time." And I think they did.

For me, this entire show is icing compared to this incredible journey of a Jim. Before I review Jim, I'll mention I always listen to Trench Town through Time Loves a Hero before Jim if I don't want to listen to the whole show. Julius is never not fun and I love it early on. Wolfmans is a dance party and the transition into Time Loves a Hero is fantastic. You're wondering why no Reba or Maze? Reba is a good solo but a bit sloppy on the composed section. I know this opinion isn't a popular one but I have a hard time saying one Reba or Maze is better than the next. They're good songs but typically pretty standard jams never moving too far.

Jim: GOD DAMN. First listened to the version after a long tee break so I could get a job. You can imagine how entranced I was. Trey absolutely tears up this first kind of bright kind of ambient section that slowly fades away and grows darker. Great patience and listening by the band during this switch. The jam progressively grows more ambient and spacey until Trey starts ripping a signature "lets make it a happy jam" riff and off we got with an upbeat jam that gets rocking right around 22 minutes. The fast paced funky section that follows just adds to how good this jam already is. Trey switches on some cool effects at this point and Fishman kicks in a driving beat to keep things moving. West Side Story tease. Return to Jim. The crowd goes wild. The end. One of my favorite jams wish I was 20 years younger so I could have been there.

I know Jim gets a lot of publicity from this show, but damn what a tight Julius and Wolfman's! Reviewers are quick to point a "standard" Julius, but to me this one and the Coral Sky Julius really stand out as tight performances. Fisherman's drum kit just had the perfect sound for such a tight show.

The Jim from this show is the type of Phish jam that makes doing homework fun. Captures the peak of Phish in terms of band intercommunication. Also, a very overlooked AMAZING type I DWD in my opinion. Set I opener covering Bob Marley is also very special.

One of my favorite shows of 98 and ever for that matter.

A must-watch on DVD!

This funk dripping Wolfman's is a lesson in communication, patience and booty shaking. The segue into Time Love's A Hero is the icing on the cake. If you wanna instantly have a good day, check this show out. 1998 is a great year for the phunk. Bootsy, Mr. Brown and Hancock would all approve this show.

I was there about two deep off the rail...I went to college at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh and I believe my entire heady-ass class was there; great time. Arguably the best Jim ever played and the Starlake lot scene back then was nutz! This is worth anyone's collection. LISTEN NOW!

TrenchTown ROCK opener!! need I say more?? This was a really good show, don't know why some people have rated it so low. The Wilson Golgi encore was sick, Runaway Meat LxL and DWD in the 2nd set!! yes the first set was a little relaxed beside the encore.. but the show overall was really good!!

Very nearly a "slice your nipple" medley in the first set.
Damn you Ginseng Sullivan!
Amazing show.

I broke in my tube preamp on my hifi setup with the Schoeps copy of this show & was amazed at how warm and airy my system had become. Turns out - it was the show. No seriously - this show is ridiculous. When the Wolfman's jam hits, veteran phans know that this is gonna be somethin else altogether. The 4 guys bounce harmonics off of every inch of the venue & they're doing it was style. And the show is LOUD too. The maze - just listen - spaced the F*ck out doesnt even describe it. Runaway Jim 95-esque - case closed playa. Its shows like these - when the guys are edgy and hungry that make their 4.0 star shows seem kinda... well just pretty good. A+++++

This was my first Phish show, 18 years old and not knowing what lay before me, A good many of my friends did Summer tour 97 and it sounded magical to say the least. After being awestruck from the sights , sounds, and smells from my first Shakedown, we entered Starlake. i dont remember much after the trenchtown opener, but it was amazing, i was "on the train".
Now 20 years later to the day my 33rd show will be at MPP!!!
This band, this music, this Phamily has done more for me then they'll ever know . And for that i say Thank you!!

This was the last show I attended until Petersen Event Center 2017. I remember being in the parking lot and we were running late and parked very far away. We were trying to hustle and bustle and get our gear put away and the band started. We were like is that, no that cant be it sounds like Trench Town. Sure as sh*t it was. I didn't know i could run that fast, we sprinted to the gate. What's even better is Phish puts it out on DVD, my hometown show on DVD making it the 2nd DVD show I've attended (Clifford Ball). The Runaway Jim was awesome. I'm not the type to over analyze the band with a microscope. The lot was awesome, the band was awesome. I had a fricking awesome time and that's all that matters. Good music and good times.

Another DVD release for review.

It's awesome they were able to release a Summer '98 show on DVD (but a bit unfortunate this was the only one available). That said this is a perfectly great show.

Set I opens with Trenchtown Rock which is a cool choice of cover in a summer tour known for them. Well done.

>Julius kicks in and is nice and fiery. Trey has some great phrasing in the solo and the final chorus is really solid, with Trey wailing of the refrain.

Wolfman's Brother is reliable in the 3 spot. This version is really cool. It has a good slow funky section and some awesome improvisation with Trey just hitting soft rhythms and building into incredible cathartic blues rock releases with the full band right in sync (yea Fishman!).

-> Time Loves a Her with the nifty segue led by Fishman! Cool cover, good playing.

Bittersweet Motel for any locals from Eerie or Pittsburg. Cool.

Reba is up next and this one has a good long jam and solid composed section. It's not my favorite version, but it's definitely good. Trey fires off some incredible fast runs in the jam. It's a wonder to watch. Awesome.

The Sloth! Great choice.

Ginseng Sullivan is a fun romp.

Fee>Maze is a stellar pairing, with Fee containing a great outro jam and Maze being absolutely incredible. A truly great moment.

Sample send us to setbreak smiling.

Great first set, very good song choices, abundant jamming (keep that Wolfman's-> Time Loves a Hero segment and the Fee>Maze for sure).

Set II opens with the big long jam of the day in Runaway Jim. I know people who don't care for this jam at all. It certainly is patient and spacey and does wander a bit at first. I personally love it, because it's textured and jazzy and open. When it finds direction the release is amazing as well with a notable nod from Mike. It also moves into a cool ryhmic sort of dark jam prior to the Maria tease. The return to Jim proper is glorious as well - it would have been easy to forget where the heck you were during this one. For me, this is great and is certainly worth relistens.

Meat is a great choice funky and fun. Perfect.

Limb By Limb is also a nice version and pretty strong. I like it here after the big Jim and funky fun Meat. Good jamming.

Circus is gorgeous truly. What placement. So nice.

DWD is the set closer and fills the role admirably with a blistering type I version that delivers on some heat, while also containing some good themes from Trey. I like this a lot.

Encore is very cool with Wilson>Golgi, both well played and a good atypical encore.

Overall 4.5/5 Great show.

This was my second show. Went with my buddy, Mike.

You dont have to say too much about this one. Epic Jim and only version of Trench Town.

Need I say more?

I was in attendance but the tapes play better than my memory. The highlights include "Trenchtown," "Wolfman's>Hero," "Jim," and "Meat," but "Fee" stands out in particular for the weird little minimalist jam that closes it. I haven't heard every version "Fee," but I've never heard one anything like this performance.

Part of my full run through of Summer '98, see here

The band hits Star Lake with another cover debut; Trench Town Rock isn't as polished as some of the other covers this tour but still gets the show going with some energy. They follow with a strong Julius, and I do love when they play this song early in a set. This Wolfman's is an extended Type 1 affair in the '98 style, with the band leaving no stone unturned in their examination of the song's themes. It comes to a nice rock peak at about ten minutes in and then we get another surprisingly smooth segue into a major cover bustout in the form of Time Loves a Hero after a nearly ten year gap. This one is smoother than the Marley tune and ends up being a great way to close out the opening part of the first set. Bittersweet Motel provides a cool down, and also give the band their first chance to get a crowd pop in Burgettstown during the "halfway between Erie and Pittsburgh" line.

Reba ignites the second half of the set, and this jam has a very chill groove from Trey that Page accents excellently. This tour has had a number of great Rebas and this one feels like no exception as it peaks. Sloth and Ginseng Sullivan are standard, but good. The band breaks into Fee and, after some misses, the Fee outro finally fulfills it's promise this tour as it fades into several minutes of ambient bliss. The peaceful resolution though quickly subsides as the band drops into a Maze with an extra eerie intro. Trey seems bound and determined to make this one as spooky as possible, and this is offset by Page and Mike darting around the theme and building even more tension. This makes the climactic section that much more powerful as Trey torches this version with an exceptional build further augmented by Page and Fish. Once complete the band immediately jump into Sample in a Jar to close the set out.

At several points during this run I've noted certain shows and performances inspired me to do this full Summer '98 run through, and we have reached yet another one. Set two opens with a monster Runaway Jim. This one starts with some nice Type 1 exploration. At about 9 minutes in Trey introduces a loop as things slow down, launching us into the next segment of the jam. More space loops start to emerge at about ten and a half minutes and while the band is exploring we are still very much in type 1 territory. The band is patient as all get out, as they have been all tour though, and refuse to leave the main theme of Jim until they've oozed over every crevice of it. Finally at around 12 minutes space starts to seep in. Trey and Fish are bending this thing back and forth but Mike continues to arc back to the main Jim theme here and there and Page remains in the same key, as if the band is warping back and forth between the typical Jim jam and breaking free completely. At around 16 minutes Mike settles on a brand new bass line and the band finally takes off in a new direction, with Page adopting a new key. Trey is still mostly subdued here as the rest of the band flexes some muscle. The new theme has a driving force to it. This allows the band to start to build to a new peak. The jam gains emotional force similar to the jams at the Gorge as it builds. At 22 minutes Trey finally rips in and we start to hit peak bliss. After three minutes of hose the jam ramps back down and in again, and Mike takes the driver seat while Page riffs. At 28 minutes we start to build again off of a relentless new rhythm. At 32 minutes the band collapses into space, and Trey teases Maria before the band triumphantly returns to the Jim theme to close it out. An absolute masterpiece that stands with the Riverport Gin or Deer Creek Gumbo from this tour, another example of dominance in the era of The Best Phish.

Meat is a cool follow up. Limb by Limb continues to shine during this tour, there are seemingly no bad versions of this song at this point in the band's career. When the Circus Comes is standard. As Circus drifts off the band drifts into the Down With Disease closer. As I mentioned a few shows ago, Disease closers are straightforward affairs and this one is no different (though it feature some Maria-ish trilling from Trey which feels like a nice callback). This still feels like a very good set overall though. Wilson and Golgi make for a nice double encore.

As the tour is winding down we have another standout show here. Set one has two great sequences (Wolfman's > Time Loves a Hero and Fee > Maze). Despite an OK back half, the second set is anchored by this amazing Runaway Jim and another strong Limb By Limb, plus yet another multi-song encore. While things have been up and down we seem to be ending strong and making a last push towards counting this as part of the era of The Best Phish.

PHISH, TUESDAY 08/11/1998
STAR LAKE AMPHITHEATRE
Burgettstown, PA

SET 1:

Trench Town Rock[1] - Wow, never saw this one coming. I didn’t know what it was, but my buddy did and let me know. The summer of covers tour rolls on. This was very cool. >

Julius: This one smokes!

Wolfman's Brother: This one remains in the Type I pocket but funks along nicely. Very good jam this early in set one, would recommend. Fantastic segue ->

Time Loves a Hero: Huge bust out, first since November 5, 1988, or 1,026 shows. Did not know what this was at the show.

Bittersweet Motel: Standard.

Reba: This one just kept going and going…Kind of felt like Trey wanted to make it long just for the sake of some length. Pretty average version.

The Sloth: Standard.

Ginseng Sullivan: Standard.

Fee: Cool jam tacked on to the end, would recommend. >

Maze: Like Reba, Trey just seemed like he wanted to make this as long as possible – which is fine if the payoff is huge, which it really is not. This is a jamcharts version on Phish.net, but I would not recommend it.

Sample in a Jar: Standard.

SET 2:

Runaway Jim: Man, this one felt like it was never going to end. I enjoyed parts of it, but other big sections are not that great and boring. Once this one gets to the 19 minute mark specifically it has some very cool stuff. Would recommend for the overall body of work but be prepared for some of the boring stuff.

Meat: Standard. >

Limb By Limb: Standard.

When the Circus Comes: Standard. >

Down with Disease: Short and rages.

ENCORE:

Wilson: Standard. >

Golgi Apparatus: Standard.

Summary: Another solid summer 98 show. I had fun and have relistened many times since. It is a very good show but it’s not a great show. Currently rated as a 4.568/5 which seems absurd to me. I would hit this one as a 3.9/5.

Replay Value: Wolfman’s Brother, Fee, Runaway Jim

[1] Phish debut.

This show marked the Phish debut of Trench Town Rock and the return of Time Loves a Hero (first since November 5, 1988, or 1,026 shows). Runaway Jim included a tease of Maria from West Side Story. Trey teased Dave's Energy Guide in Limb By Limb. This show is also available on DVD from Phish Dry Goods.
SHOW RATING
Ratings are currently offline.
Overall: 4.568/5 (>50 ratings)
JAM CHART VERSIONS
Wolfman's Brother, Fee, Maze, Runaway Jim
TEASES
Maria tease in Runaway Jim, Dave's Energy Guide tease in Limb By Limb

My 1st Phish show, my 1st live concert ever, and my immediate reaction was that none of the songs sounded like filler, they were all hits IMO. Every other band i knew then at a fresh 19 (just turned), used filller garbage but this show taught me that Phish was 1 of a kind. I could enjoy an entire show and didnt' wanna miss anything. The real treat was that I was a huge Bob Marley fan coming into this and before ever hearing about phish. So to hear Trenchtown Rock as an opener was ironic and beautiful at the same time. Turned out it would be the only rendition performed by Phish, at my 1st show! I just ordered the DVD from dry goods and I'll reccommend every1 else do the same, I don't think you'll be disappointed. I sure am glad that my buddy convinced this was a show worth going to!