As someone who rode the rail for two of those three Gulotti sets, please allow me to contribute a different perspective. 07/26/1997 was my second show (after 11/13/96), so I was keen to be first in line at the now-deceased Southpark Meadows Amphitheater. The outdoor venue was GA, so I tore off like a bat out of hell the second my ticket was scanned, and planted myself front row center on the concrete pad laid out before the stage. I had no idea who the guest musician was that night... while I had heard (and still own a copy of) Surrender To The Air before this show, I did not make the connection to Gulotti at the time. That project is definitely not for a casual ear, so I would have likely been skeptical if I had known that ahead of time (like, what if he brought that weird energy to a Phish show?). My ignorance was bliss however, and I happily, casually soaked up the final rays of the Texas summer Sun as it dipped low before showtime. I was relaxed, and ready for my musical journey to begin.

The first thing I noticed with the presence of a second drummer was the immediate difference in stage presence... the band felt larger than normal, even before they played a note, simply due to the weight of an added kit. When the music started, the increased presence was obvious, though subtle at first. Bob Gulotti was invited on stage for a reason, and it wasn't just to look pretty... the man has chops, and the attention and patience to not just fill a space, but hold the door open for others to inhabit along with him. I mean that quite literally. Phish is a well-oiled machine on any given night... but add someone to the mix who is musically capable, adventurous, and fluent in their core language, and the potential for unseen dynamics and exploration is inevitable.

After a generally tight first set, I remember a nice breeze settling in prior to the start of the second set, bringing sweet relief to the masses. That relief was short lived however, as the Timber>Bowie double whammy that came did verily melt our faces once again. Greazy Fizeek is strong, indeed, but I contend that even he could not have pulled off that massive, merciless second set opener without a little help from his friends. I was stunned by the end of the night, and maintain to this day that it may be may #1 Phish experience (musically), simply *because* of Bob "Beast of the Beats" Gulotti. The warm breeze that picked up earlier had maintained it's potency, and brought me back to Earth well enough to drive myself home that night. However, the fact that this concert is still a hot topic, nearly 22 years after that drive, is testament to the man's talent, and the legacy of his shows in band history. Thanks for this blog post, and for giving me the space to share! :-)