1988

January: 27
February: 03 | 07 | 08 | 10 | 20 | 24 | 26
March: 09 | 11 | 12 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 31
April: 02 | 06 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 22 | 27 | 28 | 30
May: 01 | 02 | 03 | 05 | 08 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 27 | 28
June: 03 | 04 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 27
July: 07 | 08 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 28 | 29 | 30
August: 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 09 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 17 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 27 | 29 | 30
September: 08 | 09 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 16 | 22 | 24
October: 28 | 29
November: 03 | 04 | 05 | 11
December: 02 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 16 | 17

I Didn't Know featured Fish on trombone. The Bowie intro contained Wilson and Timber (Jerry) teases. Alumni contained additional lyrics. Trey teased Curtis Loew before AC/DC Bag. Antelope included a Sailor's Hornpipe tease from Trey. This show was a benefit for NORML.

It is unknown if 'A' Train was performed in the first or second set of this show.

I Didn't Know featured Fish on trombone. David Bowie's lyrics were changed to "Charlie's Birthday."

Mr. P.C. featured Carl Gerhard on flugelhorn; this was his first known appearance with Phish. Mr. P.C. included a Spider-Man theme tease. Some recordings circulate with Timber in the second set and an encore including Peaches, Funky Bitch, and Donna Lee; this is actually filler from the October 29, 1988 show.

SET 1: Mike's Song


It is unknown if Mike's Song was played in the first or second set of this show.

Lizards was dedicated to Celia for cooking the band spaghetti before the show. Whipping Post included DEG teases and BBFCFM featured a Sailor's Hornpipe tease. I Didn't Know featured Fish on trombone.

Suzy and BBFCFM included Sailor's Hornpipe teases from Trey. Page, Mike, and Fish noodled around with the Hood intro while Trey conducted the costume contest. A fan dressed as Harry Hood won! Bobby Brown sat in on harmonica for Curtis Loew, Richard Wright provided vocals for Halley’s, and Russ Remington sat in on saxophone from Timber through Funky Bitch. Terrapin and I Didn't Know featured Fish on trombone. Wilson was unfinished. This show included the first known performance of Foam and the first known Phish performances of Time Loves a Hero and Donna Lee. Page and Fish teased Terrapin Station before Terrapin.

Humphries House had been a Zeta Upsilon ("Zu") frat house and monthly parties used to occur there that were referred to as "Full Moon at the Zoo" parties. Alumni contained a Possum tease. YEM was dedicated to Dionysian Productions co-founder John Paluska.  This was the first known complete version of Divided Sky, with a large section of it having previously been performed as the back half of No Dogs Allowed. Divided, Bowie, Fluffhead, and AC/DC Bag contained Sailor's Hornpipe teases. AC/DC Bag also contained London Bridge Is Falling Down, and the Flintstones theme teases. The third set was preceded by a First Noel tease. The second set listing might be incomplete, as the recordings that circulate cut into Bowie.

The second set listing might be incomplete, as the recordings that circulate cut during Fluffhead. Cities contained teases of DEG (both before and after DEG was performed). The jam out of Sanity was around ten minutes long, and may have been the first time Fish used the vacuum on stage. This show also marked the only known Phish performance of Andy’s Chest. Ride Captain Ride was played for the first time since March 23, 1987 (114 shows).

This show included the first known performances of The Practical Song and the old version of Esther (with different lyrics). 'A' Train contained London Bridge Is Falling Down teases. The listing for the first set is probably incomplete.

This was definitely a three-set show, although a setlist for the third set is not known. Apparently, the lone taper’s ride home from the show had to leave early! Wild Child was played for the first time since September 27, 1985 (149 shows).

No known setlist


Phish was scheduled to play an outdoor gig but inclement weather forced cancellation. Several other bands were also on the bill, and Mike was slated to run sound (which he had already set up before the rain canceled the event).

No known setlist


This show was a co-bill with The Hollywood Indians.

Satin Doll was dedicated to Fish's t-shirt. McGrupp featured Fish on trombone. Mockingbird featured a "Paul Languedoc/Duct Tape Rap." Fluffhead was preceded by "Sailor in Jeopardy," which included Popeye and Jeopardy! themes. "Sailor" was then played as a jazz version. Fluffhead was introduced as “Lunkhead” and was dedicated to Mike (and his new mountain bike) and to Fish’s newly-shaved beard. The songs listed here are believed to be just one set. The setlist for set II (and set III if three sets were played) is unknown. The source of this setlist is phish.com.

This setlist is possibly incomplete. Trey dedicated Corinna to audience member “Lee, who was moving away” and as a “long overdue memorial to Sheba.”

No known setlist


The date of this show may be incorrect, but is known to have taken place between the Aspen show on August 6 and the show at The Front on August 11.

No known setlist


The setlist for this show is unknown. Some circulating recordings labeled 8/6/88 contain a duplicate setlist from the first and second set of 8/5/88.

On the recordings of this show in circulation, both Dinner and a Movie and Slave are cut. Cities included Dave's Energy Guide teases before actually segueing into the song. ‘A’ Train included a London Bridge Is Falling Down tease from Trey. Funky Bitch was dedicated to The Blue Sevilles, a band playing across the street. Satin Doll was preceded by a Sailor's Hornpipe tease from Trey and a Jeopardy! theme tease from Page. The band brought light board operator Tim Rogers on stage for his birthday and presented him with a “Baked in Telluride” T-shirt. Sanity featured Fish on trombone. BBFCFM included a Flintstones theme tease.

This show featured the first known Phish performances of Mr. P.C. and Maiden Voyage. Fish missed the first two sets of the gig, prompting the band to play two sets of jazz and standard Phish material in his absence with Trey on drums. These opening sets are sometimes referred to as “Jazz Odyssey,” as the lone known taper labeled his master tapes as such. All Blues was played for the first time since April 25, 1986 (119 shows). During Antelope, Trey told the story of what happened to Fish that evening and explained that Fish, who had been at the top of a mountain and, therefore, late for the gig, had to “Run like an Antelope, out of control.” Elsewhere in the set, Trey chided Fish for his tardiness. The narration in Harpua was straightforward, with no teases. Anarchy was jokingly named Whipping Post. Terrapin featured a Fish trombone solo. Many recordings of this show in circulation have the venue mislabeled as Fly Me to the Moon Saloon.

Mike teased My Favorite Things in The Curtain With. Sloth contained a Take Five tease from Mike. There was a brief Gamehendge narration from Trey after Sloth that contained a "Charge!" tease from Page. I Didn't Know and McGrupp featured Fish on trombone. Good Times Bad Times contained DEG teases and 'A' Train contained a Flintstones theme tease from Trey. Trey dedicated Bold As Love to one of his favorite guitar players of all time, Angus Young (guitarist for AC/DC). You Shook Me All Night Long was subsequently teased and in Bold As Love, "Anger" was changed to "Angus." 

This setlist is incomplete.  The set number in which these songs were performed is unknown, but it is believed that these songs were played late in the show.

These versions of Icculus and Sanity appear on the Junta re-release. During Icculus, Trey screamed "This is Red Rocks. This is The Edge!" Sanity was jokingly attributed to Jimmy Buffet. BBFCFM featured a tease of the Flintstones theme and Camel Walk contained a Sanity tease from Mike. This setlist is incomplete.

This gig was a party at the home of local Burlington musician Peter Danforth and included the first known performance of Weekapaug and No Dogs Allowed as well as the first known Phish performance of Walk Away. This version and the next known version of No Dogs Allowed (released by the band on Colorado ’88) concluded with a substantial section of Divided Sky. Fire, Satin Doll and Blue Bossa featured Danforth and Dave Grippo on horns. Blue Bossa also featured "Vincent" on trumpet and Slave also featured Danforth on saxophone. Forbin's through Bold As Love, The Curtain With through Wilson, Antelope, Alumni, Letter To Jimmy Page, YEM, and Contact all featured an unknown additional percussionist. After Weekapaug, Fish teased both Weekapaug and Peaches on the drums. Lizards included a Mockingbird tease from Page. Fire's lyrics were changed to "move over, Rover, and let Cameron take over." Terrapin contained a Fish trombone solo.

Happy Birthday was sung to "Jen" and was subsequently sung in multiple parts of Peaches. YEM contained Flash Light teases and the vocal jam was based on "why should I feed you?." I Didn't Know featured Fish on trombone. This show featured the first known Phish performance of Blue Bossa. Roll Like a Cantaloupe was performed for the first time since October 15, 1986 (103 shows).

Trey graduated from college on this date and treated the crowd to a killer Alumni Blues. Letter to Jimmy Page featured a drum solo from Fish. Suzy Greenberg included Dave’s Energy Guide teases. Trey referred to the "With" portion of The Curtain With as “A Living Nightmare.” McGrupp featured Fish on trombone. The listed encore may actually be the start of the second set; the first set appeared to end after Alumni given Page’s comments.

This was believed to be a three set show, but the second set is incomplete and the third set is unknown. I Didn't Know was dedicated to "Gida" and featured Fish on trombone. This show marked the first known Phish performances of Sweet Georgia Brown and Bold As Love.

No known setlist


Several fans who were in the area for the following evening’s Grateful Dead gig at the nearby Saratoga Performing Arts Center hired Phish to play at their campsite. While the show was apparently taped through the soundboard, copies do not circulate and no setlist is known.

This setlist is incomplete. This show featured the first known Phish performance of On Your Way Down. Mike teased Heartbreaker in the Sneakin' Sally vocal jam. It is unclear whether this recording is actually from this show (which was confirmed for this date), is from another show or is a mix with pieces from various shows. Multiple songs (The Lizards, Possum, Blue Bossa, and Alumni Blues > Letter to Jimmy Page > Alumni Blues) were previously listed in this setlist based on recordings in circulation, but these songs are actually part of July 23, 1988.

Mockingbird was aborted and had to be restarted due to error.  Fire contained DEG teases from Trey. GTBT was dedicated to Don Drive and East Coast Printers. I Didn't Know had a false start, lyrics changed to reference "Daubs" and "Seth," and featured Fish on trombone.

This show featured the first known Phish performance of Satin Doll.  Fluffhead's lyrics were changed to "sure got some Bette Davis eyes" and the song later contained a "Get up John-Boy" quote (in reference to The Waltons). The jam out of Ya Mar featured Jah Roy on vocals. During the jam, Jah Roy quoted lines from many famous reggae tunes, including One Love, Three Little Birds, and Stir It Up. I Didn't Know featured Fish on trombone. A-Train featured a Flintstones theme tease from Trey. This setlist is likely incomplete.

By request, extensive teasing of Iron Man preceded La Grange. The YEM vocal jam was based on the word “down” and contained teases of When the Levee Breaks. BBFCFM contained teases of the Flintstones theme and London Bridge Is Falling Down. This show is full of stage banter throughout, focused on the Dance Contest that took place during BBFCFM and Swing Low, “Art Funk” and “Foul, Reek and Fecal.” “Spunky Billington” (Ninja Mike) & Magoo from Ninja Custodian won the seemingly rigged dance contest and received the grand prize of Phish T-Shirts and a $20 bill. The listing for the third set may be incomplete. Some copies of this show in circulation are mislabeled as 6/18/88.

I Didn't Know featured Fish on trombone and contained a Hands Across America quote from Trey. It's possible that Anarchy may have been played after I Didn't Know, as Trey called for it, but there is a cut in the recording. After the cut, Trey said "that was a special request for our friend Steve Dolley" and jokingly quoted Hello, Dolly! This show marked the first known performance of Contact; Contact lyrics were also sung during Dear Mrs. Reagan. 'A' Train contained London Bridge Is Falling Down and Brady Bunch theme teases. Whipping Post began as Antelope. The actual date of this show may have been June 16, 1988.

Ya Mar and the ensuing jam featured vocals from Jah Roy; the jam contained One Love quotes from Jah Roy and Trey. Halley’s Comet featured vocals from Richard Wright. I Didn't Know featured Wright on drums and Fish on trombone. BBFCFM contained Flintstones theme teases from Trey. The master recordings confirm this listing as the correct performance order. Many recordings of this show circulate with an incorrect song order, an incorrect date (May 25, 1988) and an incorrect venue (Ian’s Farm, Hebron, NY).

This setlist is incomplete; it is also possible this is the second of three sets. Before YEM, Trey declined a request from an audience member, “Del,” and notes that: “Last night was Del request night because you graduated... if you get a Masters we’ll do another request for you.” YEM was dedicated to audience member “Ed” with Trey remarking that he wrote the beginning of YEM while in class with him. I Didn't Know featured Fish on trombone.

This show included the first known Phish performance of St. Thomas. Sneakin' Sally contained DEG teases. Prior to Letter to Jimmy Page, Trey announced that per "Del's" request, they were going to play Letter to Jimmy Page as a band, and then Fish would play it by himself (telling the crowd that Fish didn't know it). YEM was dedicated to Del and La Grange was dedicated to Mike. Bike featured a Fish trombone solo. The date for this show may be incorrect; note that Trey referred to Tela as a debut at this show, though it actually debuted on 3/12/88.

"Vermont Farm Festival." HYHU was briefly played before Alumni. Harpua was preceded by a Rocky Top tease. McGrupp and I Didn't Know featured Fish on trombone. After JJLC, Fish borrowed a snare drum from the Dirch Brothers. Fans of stage banter will want to seek out this show, as the band was particularly chatty.

"Springfest" at Goddard. Fire was dedicated to Bobby Brown; JJLC subsequently featured Bobby on harmonica. JJLC also featured an appearance by three-year-old Cameron McKinney, whom Trey announced was “playing guitar.” I Didn’t Know and Halley's Comet featured Richard Wright adding additional vocals. I Didn't Know featured Wright on drums and Fish on trombone. Prior to I Didn't Know, Trey introduced Fish as "the second best trombonist drummer in all of Vermont." After Light Up, Trey introduced the crowd to Marley and sang to her both before and during YEM. BBFCFM was dedicated to Donald Fagen and Walter Becker of the band Steely Dan. Take the ‘A’ Train, which was preceded by Rockin' into the Night and HYHU teases, featured Carl Boyle on saxophone.

No known setlist


This show may have taken place on the previous night or another night this week instead of the date listed. No other information is available about this gig or venue. This information came from Phish.com.

No known setlist


This show may have been a fraternity party.

No known setlist


This show was a benefit for the 1988 Vermont Reggae Festival presented by The Vermont Reggae Fest Committee.

This show was part of UVM’s Earth Day Festival. If you are a stage banter fan, seek out this show for Trey’s announcements after Fire as someone requested “Page’s new love song.” Trey announced that this requested song is actually called Tela, and announced the future debut of several songs, including “The Tires” (a.k.a. Contact), “The Four-Track Song” (a.k.a. Poor Heart) and “Marijuana Hot Chocolate” (a.k.a. Foam), for which Mike gave a preview of the bass line. The Fluffhead, Dinner and a Movie, Harry Hood, and Harpua that circulated at the end of this show are believed to have been played on March 11, 1988.

This setlist is obviously incomplete. Humphries House had been a Zeta Upsilon ("Zu") frat house and monthly parties used to occur there that were referred to as "Full Moon at the Zoo" parties.

This was the first ever Phish show in New York City. AC/DC Bag was sung for Roger (presumably Roger Holloway), who was in attendance.

Happy birthday was performed in a "dub style" and was played for "Christa" and "Jen." The recording in circulation cuts in the middle of AC/DC Bag; this setlist may be incomplete.

No known setlist


There was a show on this date, but recordings do not circulate. However, mislabeled recordings circulate with this date are actually the Junta release party from 5/9/89.

This was John Paluska’s first Phish show and also the first known live Gamehendge, complete with narration between songs from McGrupp through Possum. This show contained the first known Phish version of Jump Monk and the first known versions of Tela and Forbin’s (although on 5/21/88, Trey called Tela a debut). Antelope contained Dixie teases from Trey. The members of Phish were, by accounts, at the Frank Zappa concert up the street at the Burlington Memorial Auditorium before this Nectar’s gig. This setlist is incomplete.

This show featured the only known Phish performance of The Chicken. Sneakin’ Sally and Curtis Loew featured Bobby Brown on harmonica. Bowie began with a tease medley that included Timber, Alumni Blues, Smoke on the Water, Sunshine of Your Love, Money, Whipping Post, and several others. YEM did not contain a vocal jam. Trey teased Entrance of the Gladiators and spat out the names “Marco Esquandolas... Poster Nutbag... Moses Heaps... Moses DeWitt” during Antelope. Dinner and a Movie was dedicated to “our good friend Susannah.” Lizards was delayed, as Trey cut on Fish for losing his drumsticks during the gig; Lizards subsequently included a theme from I Dream of Jeanie tease. Some recordings that circulate are mislabeled “The Base Lounge.”

This is the first known Curtain without “With.” The second set listing may be incomplete. The first two songs of the second set featured John Carlton on drums. I Didn't Know and Sneakin’ Sally featured Fish on trombone. Mike dedicated Mustang Sally to Abe Vigoda "because it's his birthday today" and later introduced La Grange as being by Vigoda.

This show was an ATO Pledge Party and previously circulated as September 27, 1987. Trey teased Who Knows in Fire and DEG in Whipping Post. There was a third set to this show but copies do not circulate and no list is known. Some copies of this show in circulation are incomplete and out of order. These copies are usually mislabeled as “Pledge Party, Burlington, VT.” Other copies circulate with the complete recording (except for BBFCFM) but have Slave before Bowie; this order is incorrect. Good Times Bad Times, Slave to the Traffic Light, and Big Black Furry Creature From Mars were shot from a video by (or for) Mike. It is unclear whether BBFCFM closed the set or was the encore because a recording of it does not circulate.

HYHU was teased prior to the start of the second set. Antelope contained "Moses Heaps" and Moses Brown" references. Bike included one verse of Love You and a trombone solo from Fish.

After Dear Mrs. Reagan, Trey introduced "Alex," a new waitress at Nectar's. I Didn't know featured Fish on trombone. Happy Birthday was dedicated to Trey's sister Kristy, who was running lights for the show, "Roz," and "Meg." He brought Kristy, "Roz," and Del Martin (because "Meg" was not there) on stage. This show featured the first known Phish performance of Phase Dance. Mockingbird also made its debut at this show and was played without Forbin’s. Before Whipping Post, Trey introduced Lizards as "Where Have All the Lizards Gone?" Page teased the theme from I Dream of Jeannie in Lizards. Suzy was stopped in its intro with Trey jokingly saying "good night" before restarting the song. Trey teased DEG in Good Times Bad Times.

This show featured the first known Phish performance of Sympathy for the Devil.  Bowie contained an Entrance of the Gladiators tease by Trey. This setlist is incomplete and the date of the show may be incorrect.
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