TTFF: Today In Phish History
11/4/90,94,98
Phish has played a total of three shows on November 4th in their career from 1990 forward, and as it turns out all three carried quite a bit of meat to them. In Fall of 1990, on Phish’s first true tour, November 4th brought the band to Fort Ram’s Nightclub in Fort Collins, Colorado—a show that circulated widely on Maxells back in the day. The last of a five show Colorado run, the band finished their visit to the Rocky Mountain State in style. Come Fall ’94, Phish wound their way to Onondaga War Memorial Auditorium in Syracuse, New York—the same venue they visited during Fall of 2009. November ’94 is a legendary month in Phish history, and this was the third show. Their last November 4th show came at McNichols Arena in Denver, Colorado, on the heels of Utah’s half-empty “Dark Side” extravaganza. This week’s Friday playlist is assembled solely from these three shows, each spaced four years apart. While perusing the selections, the vast differences in style are obvious as Phish continued to add new aspects to their ever-expanding satchel of sorcery. Enjoy the tunes and the weekend!
***
“Harry Hood” 11.4.90 I
A pristine, old-school version of Phish’s uplifting and spiritual classic.
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/ph90-11-04d1t06.mp3]***
“Mike’s > Simple > Mike’s > Tela > Weekapaug” 11.4.94 II
A raucous sequence from Onondaga War Memorial in Syracuse, New York.
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/ph1994-11-04d2t03.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/ph1994-11-04d2t04.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/ph1994-11-04d2t05.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/ph1994-11-04d2t06.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/ph1994-11-04d2t07.mp3]***
This sequence is a vastly overlooked highlight of Fall ’98. The band masterfully blends this monster “Piper” jam seamlessly into “2001,” creating a powerful segue into the spacefunk.
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/ph1998-11-04d2t03.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/ph1998-11-04d2t04.mp3]***
“Manteca -> Caravan” 11.4.90 II
A jazzy combo from back in the day. Trey playfully teases “Woody Woodpecker” in “Caravan.”
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/ph90-11-04d2t04.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/ph90-11-04d2t05.mp3]***
“Slave to the Traffic Light” 11.4.94 II
A gorgeous set-closing rendition from Syracuse.
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/ph1994-11-04d2t10.mp3]***
“Bathtub Gin > Ya Mar” 11.4.98 I
This cathartic “Gin” and rhythmically intricate “Ya Mar” combined to form the centerpiece of the first set in Denver ’98—the set after Utah’s Dark Side freak-fest.
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/ph1998-11-04d1t04.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/ph1998-11-04d1t05.mp3]***
“The Asse Festival” 11.4.90 I
Before “Guelah Papyrus” existed, there was “The Asse Festival.” Check out the early-school precision to this tune.
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/ph90-11-04d1t08.mp3]***
“Frankie Says -> David Bowie” 11.4.98 I
The band displayed their Fall ’98 ambient jamming as they migrated from “Frankie Says” into “Bowie.
[audio:http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/ph1998-11-04d1t08.mp3,http://phishthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/ph1998-11-04d1t09.mp3]=====
Phish 1990
OLD SCHOOL MEMORIES: Few fans in the present-day Phish community carry the veteran tour experience and perspective of having seen—essentially—the band’s entire career. Some of these old-school tour heads still frequent shows with the same enthusiasm they had twenty years ago, and my friend, Todd, is one of them. Check out his blog, “Back In My Day,” chronicling early show experiences from a different era of Phish. Providing a glimpse into the early scene that so many of us missed as youngsters—he was at Amy’s Farm—Todd’s posts provide vibrant, personal anecdotes of a time gone by, not to mention musical analysis, streaming highlights and downloads of the shows he reviews. When you have some time on your hands, get lost in his writings—they are informative and engaging accounts of shows that many of us just know as analog classics; they are a lot of fun to read! Check it out!
Tags: 1990, 1994, 1998, TTFF
da bears!
this Ghost is saweet. so patient and natural. one of the very greatest things to come out of 2000.
da bears
t3
you gonna check out Tinawiren at the ‘Dise nest week?
nest
finishing up the 7/1/11 simple. i had a spiritual experience during this jam at sbix. everything was connected and right, and it was, and still is, indescribable. the combination of the music, lights, and sky that night were awe-inducing. i love the capacity that phish’s music has to elicit emotional and thought provoking experiences.
that is why i try to catch as many shows as i can, that is IT for me. and im feeling totally reconnected to that space right now while listening again.
Second half of this Dark Star is the goods. What a great recording also. Miller nailed this one. This is a must have.. # 2.24.74
t3, great site. Unfortunately nothing under $300ish within 500 miles haha
totally dayman
the fact that you can’t force the moment makes it all the more exciting to try to find it. I also love how sometimes my most intense memories are not so much the music itself in a vacuum, but just a mental imprint of exactly where i was, how i felt, how hot it was, what it smelled like…
Love that Ghost KP. Minimalist for sure. Goes to show that often times the best jams come from Trey laying back and letting the others lay down the groove. They hit some superb spaces in that Ghost. Dreamy, surreal, trancscendental soundscapes.
Enjoying Clifford Ball night two set one on the TV. Making my way through it all. Very nice Reba here
Mr P
i’m gonna hit that – been waiting for a Dead rec
tits McGee stapes
Nicely said dayman
Its like its ready to burst at the seams forever. But they keep building and building it. Slowly. Awesome
thanks @kp and stapes, cannot wait for the next one.. have a good evening gentlemen, i’m off for a walk with this simple.
KP- It’s an El Dude rec. great show. You’ll dig it.
Picked up a six pack of MAgic HAt Howl. Black Lager. pretty good. beats that #9 crap. ( @ Jtran 😉 )
Black as Night Lager actually
About to cue up a first listen to Legion Of Mary for the day’s first bane-age.
Stoked.
@MrP
Think I might jump in on FurThursday™. Is there a plan in place for preshow?
You don’t even know what it’s called Palmer
go back to Jersey
😉
Mr P
are you talking about gd 2/24/74? yeah i’m listening to an amazing SBD right now so it must be that Miller SBD El Dude was pimping
@kp
Probably not. Friends from Burlington coming down that weekend. Also, saving up for msg
http://g.co/maps/7ek5e
The real reason I like Magic Hat (hope that link works)
yeah i loved #9 when it first came out but the shit is too fucking sweet. i’d rather drink piss macros than fruity shite….but wait now i’m a hypocrite b/c i recently had a great Pumpkin Stout
^^the location that’s not Magic Hat is where I work