1986

February: 03 | 21 | 28
March: 02
April: 01 | 15 | 25 | 29
May: 16 | 17 | 24
June: 01
July: 18
September: 03 | 10 | 26
October: 12 | 15 | 31
November: 07 | 14 | 18 | 25
December: 06 | 31
This is likely the first time members of Phish performed publicly on New Year’s Eve. A booking company telephoned The Joneses on New Year’s Eve and asked them if they could play a last-minute show. Apparently not all members of the band were in town so they added Trey and Page and played the show as a combination of the two bands, called “The Phones.” The lineup included Trey on guitar, Page on keys, Steve Drebber on drums, Dan Pine on drums, Tim “T.J.” Johnston on bass, and Mark Jensen on percussion. Sound was engineered by Garrett Mead. While a setlist is not available, it is known that the show included Eyes of the World, Grapevine (I Heard it Through the...), and a Bachman-Turner Overdrive song. 

The jam before Swing Low Sweet Chariot contained a tease of Ramblin' Man (Allman Brothers). Icculus featured Steve Drebber on vocals. David Bowie’s hi-hat intro section included a Streets of Cairo tease from Trey. This show included the first known Phish performances of Funky Bitch, I Know a Little, Light Up or Leave Me Alone, Good Times Bad Times, Little Drummer Boy, She Caught The Katy, and Tush.

No known setlist


The setlist for this show is unknown.

This show was a co-bill with The Joneses. Trey and Mike quoted Fuck Your Face and Minkin during the Melt the Guns intro. Halley’s Comet featured Richard Wright on vocals. Have Mercy featured Jah Roy on vocals. This show contained the first known version of David Bowie.

This show contained the first known versions of many Phish songs, including Lushington, Shaggy Dog, Roll Like a Cantaloupe, Sanity, and Clod, as well as the first known Phish versions of Skin It Back, Peaches, Swing Low, and Mustang Sally. Shaggy Dog ended with a Magic quote. Before YEM, Page played cocktail-style jazz, including snippets of Misty while Trey tuned up. Trey teased The Gumbo Variations in Mike's Song. The third set listing is incomplete; recordings that circulate have cuts before Cantaloupe. The Clod encore began with an impromptu kazoo solo from Mike. This was Paul Languedoc’s first show as soundman.


This show featured the first known performances of Golgi Apparatus and Wilson.

No known setlist


Though recordings do not circulate, it is believed that a show was played on this date at a hippie commune owned by a man named “Irving.” In a 1992 interview, Trey referenced this show when asked about the strangest gig the band has ever played. No setlist is known.

No known setlist


This show was performed on a boat in Boston Harbor as part of the Cambridge School graduation festivities. Mike’s brother assisted Phish in securing the gig.

This setlist is incomplete. Richard Wright provided vocals for Halley’s Comet. This was the first Phish show without Jeff Holdsworth.

While a complete setlist for this “Springfest” performance at Goddard is not known, it has been confirmed that Halley’s debuted at this show with Richard Wright on vocals. Back Porch Boogie Blues also made its first known Phish performance. This is the last known Phish show with Jeff Holdsworth as an official member of the band.

No known setlist


The Earth Day show that had circulated with this date actually occurred on April 25, 1986 according to a Burlington Free Press article.

This show was an Earth Day concert at UVM and took place outside the Bailey Howe Library on the Green. This performance previously circulated with the dates April 15 and April 29, 1986. Trey introduced the band as the “Bob Dylan Band” before they began a jam that led into a short All Blues (the first known Phish performance; it was only about a minute long). Dog Log was dedicated to all of the dogs that were running around, including Marley the Wonder Dog (Trey's dog). Possum included a Help on the Way tease.

No known setlist


The Earth Day show that had circulated with this date actually occurred on April 25, 1986 according to a Burlington Free Press article.

This show was billed as Hunt’s Festival of Fools. Phish and The Joneses switched off for 45-minute sets; the two bands performed the encore together. The Pendulum, which was a recital of revolutionary poetry, featured guest Zenzilé Madikinea. This gig contained the first known versions of AC/DC Bag and Icculus, the first known Phish version of Have Mercy, and the only known Phish performances of Help on the Way, Slipknot and Not Fade Away. McGrupp was spoken in a Dylan-esque fashion, in keeping with Trey’s jokes about Phish being the “Dylan Band.” Free Bird was teased before Not Fade Away.

No known setlist


Phish shared the bill at this show with The Ventilators.

No known setlist


This performance was part of "Midwinter Muse: A Poetry Weekend" and also featured local acts Aron Tagor and Ellen Powell. Zenzile (backed by Phish), Margaret Randall, and Allen Ginsberg also read at this event.

This show was an African National Congress Benefit featuring Phish and South African dub poet Zenzilé Madikinea. Antelope featured Jeff Holdsworth on slide guitar. Russ Flanagan sat in on fiddle for parts of this show. Alumni was played by request. Letter to Jimmy Page contained quotes from Trey of "It's alright" before eventually returning to Alumni. Some recordings erroneously note that this show was a double-bill with The Joneses. This show contained the first known version of You Enjoy Myself, although it is possible that the correct debut was on 2/1/85, and the first known performances of Zenzilé's pieces (all with Phish) Tonight, The Pendulum, Babylon is Burning, and Dec 1661. The first set of this show is identical to what is listed for 2/1/85. The setlist for 2/1/85 is possibly incorrect.
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