Alrighty, this was my 2nd Phish show. I was completely blown away went I entered the venue, and the stage was a fish tank. Best stage setup they've ever done. I remember bits and pieces of the show. Just before The Squirming Coil came on, some big guy (Big Phil) behind me called it. I was floored that he knew it was what they were going to play. I have since learned how to easily call that song now, but back then I was amazed. The Stash contained Trey and Mike walking around the stage like robots during the composed section as well as the evening news with Connie Chung music...

Fluffhead, well I was 2nd row, and when this came on I lost it, jumping up and down. Trey zoned in on me I guess feeding off my energy. When I realized he was staring at me, I guess I entered fanboy phase (I had just turned 20), and made a confused face because he was staring right back at me. He made a dorky face pretty back at me and looked away. Thought it was quite cool that band like this was so in tune with the audience.

During Contact I swear I remember Kuroda having wheel silhouettes rolling around then venue, and then Phish logos rolling around the venue. Big Ball Jam, I fell try to bop the ball, and Big Phil caught me. Brain, Fish has just gotten a haircut, and told some story about his hairstylist talking to him about the haircut.

Being the newbie that I was at the time, I cheered when they started Sweet Adeline. I was second row and Page GLARED at me. I STFU.

Great, great time. Forget about the next two nights! AMAZING!

Not much of a review, but its what I remember from 17 years ago.

Oh, one other thing, this was pre-Wilson chant. I miss those days. And I also think the clapping in Stash was just starting to begin. Lots of whistles and hooting instead of clapping if I remember correctly. Fish on wood blocks was the most audible.

-Adam Schneider

New Haven was a great venue. Very different than Bender. Lots of space to spread out. The Fish Tank was very psychedelic in this space. Jim was a great opener. Conga lines formed up and down the aisles. With a monster peak in Jim, people were pumped. Peaches rocked, as always. Foam was white hot. Once upon a time, Foam and Divided Sky were sick but not anymore-The End. This Divided oozed energy with a winding jam w/ many peaks and valleys. Stash was grinding. Solid version even if it fell apart towards the end for Connie Chung Reference. COIL is code for early piss break. Who invited Elton John to my rock concert?

One classic memory I have about the fish tank, other than being the coolest stage set up of all time, was during set break. Phish was rocking so hard that all the fish hanging from the lighting rig were swinging. This made the stage squeak the whole set break. Sounded like someone in the room next to you was having sex.

2nd set was solid all the way through. With a huge amount of energy they came out with a purpose and ripped Maze. Fluffhead was great. The crowd’s reaction after powerful pills, awww yeah, everyone went bonkers. Was really funny. Arrival was an ugly beast. And if they follow it up with Antelope well then that means they just wanted more. Good jam in Antelope. In and Out. Fast and Slow. The band wasn’t with Trey the whole time since he wanted to change the pace on a dime but it worked itself out. Contact was funky and fun to dance to on the platform above Fishman. Yes there were pinwheel lights spinning on the walls during Contact giving everyone a warm, fuzzy feeling. Creatures was ok. Strobes flashing. Gordo is a strange one, then it goes right into a routine Walkaway. Walkaway is one tune that is actually played better in 2012 than in 1993. Then a quick-High Energy Chalkdust to send us back into the snow.

Once again we followed the tour buses up the highway witnessing live music history in yet another snow storm stoked for Cumberland. 53’ Trucks whizzed by us at scary speeds and we span out on the highway looking at the exit 66 sign. Got off there for the night to sleep in a parking lot. Checked in around noon at the Senesta-Portland anticipating what was two of all time Phish’s best. It should be noted for the record what an honor it was to witness Phish in their peak.

Phish's trip to New Haven at the end of 1993 saw the band in high
spirits with a downright goofy, fun show exemplified by a second set
run of Contact > BBFCFM, a Big Ball Jam, Simpsons signals, Connie
Chung references, and an endearingly joyful If I Only had a Brain (oh
my!). The heavy hitters here are restrained but forceful including a
vertigo-inducing Maze and a powerful Fluffhead.

The first set is consistent throughout with nothing spectacularly
interesting or boring unless you consider Peaches on back-to-back
nights fits into one of those camps. Well played and well paced but
with few moments of surprise.

Rating: 7.7

Man one of my first, seems so faint in my memory, was a newbie, didn't know alot of songs yet. Remember the cool giant fish tank stage set that was around the band, and the big ball jam blew my expectations of the concert away. I can remember one guy on floor holding the big ball tightly and not letting it go, so the plastic ball strecthed and the music following the movement. Show seemed brightly lit and colorful. It blizzarded so hard that nite we had to turn around after the show to drive back to New Haven to stay at one of my buddies Yale frat/social club houses. Was very cool in snow storm at social club balcony overlooking Yale square smoking our own out of their social club cerimonial pipes. We were only ones there, it was winter break no one on campus. Such a cool memory.