This brief review is being written on the 18th anniversary of my first show. Hard to believe I'm twice as old now as I was then. It's a once in a lifetime moment to be able to account the first half of life before Phish and life since. I fondly recall the drive from the small town I grew up in, sitting in the parking lot of my high school before we departed and wishing for a Llama opener (called it!), the line up outside, Meg's sitting on the staircase for almost the entire show (flu + fungus = bad idea) and the massive snow storm on the drive home. There was also a dude in a "Cat in the Hat" hat that I must have crossed paths with a least a dozen times. The show was a monumental eye opener and would shape the course of my entire life. I don't recall any moments of utter brilliance musically like I would see in the years that followed but it would be the first time I would witness a then fairly unknown song to me that became - and remains - the musical pinnacle for this fan which is The Lizards. While not a twenty plus minute exploration vehicle this song continues to embody all the pieces of the puzzle. Fishman on washboard for the encore was also a treat. The shirt I bought remains in my possession though it's as thin as a paper towel.

Apologies for the lack of show progress or note dissection but I hope this put a smile on a face or two.