Subject: 11/25/94 set II review, thoughts, reflections, etc.
From: Jay Rose 


While taping my 11/25/94 show last night for a trade I really got fired
up listening to set II. I would like to share some thoughts with
everyone about this set.

Being quite busy during the taping of set I, I didn't really get to dig
into it. What I did hear was a nice run through of their album songs.
The only two 'jam' songs were Reba and SOAMelt. I really can't fairly
address these because my mind was elsewhere.

The real fireworks began in set II. This is what I would call a near
perfect set of Phish music. It begins with a 2001. Bam! Right there. It
usually means that you are in for a surpise. I think this is a great set
II opener. You could be in store for a variety of treats. In this case,
it was a Mike's Song. Always a favorite. Never really get tired of
hearing it. This version was fairly standard. Nothing incredible jumped
out at me. By this being standard, I don't mean that it was bad. It just
stuck to the main structure of the song. 

After a Mike's, like 2001, there is always suspense on what they will go
for next. After a few minutes of jamming, the opening riff of Simple
starts to make itself known. This was another nice treat. I know during
11/94 that this wasn't anything out of the ordinary. I just think that
Simple follows Mike's very nicely. Again, like the Mike's, the Simple is
performed in a straight-ahead, no frills way. 

So far I really getting into this. Since the 2001 opener they did not
pause between songs. In retrospect, they were just setting you up for a
great set of music. I think this is a very important part of a Phish
show. There has to be some kind of flowing chemistry of songs/jams that
keep everything together. I think this set is a great example. A example
of how to totally blow a smokin' Mike's or Tweezer would be to insert a
Star Spangled Banner, ala 11/8/96 or Steep-> Swept Away, ala MSG 96.

Anyway, during the Simple jam is where things really get interesting.
For awhile it sounds very segemented. Almost like they were going to do
another 40min. one, similiar to the 11/16/94 version. One part of this
jam really hit me because I think there was a Pink Floyd Astronomy
Domine tease. Well, I don't think it was a tease. It was a full out jam
for maybe 30 seconds. If anyone has heard this, please correct me if I
am wrong. Like I said before this set had perfect chemistry going. I
didn't think it could get any better until....

oommm pah pah oomm pah pah oomm pahh pahh ooooommmmm........

ShiT! HARPUA! Another treat! The suspense continued. What would Poster
Nut Bag be in store for in this installment. In the middle Trey wishes
everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and then narrates the Thanksgiving edition
of Harpua. I won't tell the entire story, but, like most Harpua's, it is
very amusing. At one point Poster opens up his mouth to reveal these
"green love beams". I was lucky enough to be in attendance for this show
and I recall these people in the balcony to the left of the stage
started throwing hundreds of green glowsticks on stage. They really
seemed like they were having fun. For a short time the band and audience
played catch back and forth with these "green love beams". This is
something that puzzles me to this day. How did these people know what
story Trey was going to tell, let alone know they were going to do
Harpua? I am assuming that this was done with the band's knowledge. I
don't know. I would love to know more about this. 

After all of this chaos and the end of Harpua, comes the chords to
Weekapaug. I really felt like I was taken to another place. This set, so
far, wasn't a collection of songs, it was a beautifully performed/jammed
set of music!

This is where my tape flips.

While staring side B I am thinking, "what else could possibly follow
this up?". The Mango Song, yeeaaahhh! I thought this was great. There
was no delay. Weekapaug Groove simply melded in to the intro line of
Mango. I really like this song. It is not overplayed and it has really
nice melody. A good way to end the epic jam which preceded it. 

After Mango came Purple Rain. Again no pause between songs. While Trey
and Fish are making the switch, Page starts the lush opening chords of
the song. During the chorus sparkling purple lights shower over the
crowd. I have to admit that I am not a huge fan of this song, but I
really enojoyed it on this night. A very good performance, complete with
vac solo.

Now I was really in the mood for something faster, more upbeat. Here
comes Antelope. WOW! They just don't quit. I really didn't pay
super-close attention to this version, but it sounded solid and strong.
A perfect set closer. Man, when this song kicks in after the quiet
intro, it is one of the most euphoric feelings. This was the perfect way
to wrap up a perfect set.

but still there was more......

a energetic rendition of Good Times, Bad Times. Exceptional. I love when
Page comes in on "I Know what it's like to be a........"

The thing that really made this show was the musical thread that held
everything together. They totally had me in the palms of their hands to
do what they wanted with me. I never had a moment to criticize what they
were playing. I was entranced throughout. Alot of this is bias also,
because I was there, but, I think everyone should give this a listen.
This is a classic!

~Jason
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Date:    Wed, 17 Dec 1997 17:25:41 GMT
From:    Douglas Wertheimer <102665.2104@COMPUSERVE.COM>
Subject: ** 11/25/94 UIC Remembered **

This will be the first in an attempt of mine to review some "older" shows (ie.
not 97) that I was at.  Some of these shows may already have been somewhat
forgotten, & I will try to remind folks of them.I hope you all enjoy.  Comments
are welcome; please cc me at 102665.2104@compuserve.com.

Friday, November 25th, 1994
U of Illinois Pavillion
Chicago, IL

I: Llama, Guelah, Reba, Bouncin, Melt, Esther, Julius, Golgi
II: Also Sprach > Mike's > Simple > Wicked Jam > Harpua
    Weekapaug > Mango, Purple Rain, Antelope
E: Good Times, Bad Times

This was the second of two great shows played at the UIC Pavillion.  The second
set is definitely a class 1994 Power Set.  Opening with ALSO SPRACH, the band
quickly launched into a raging version of MIKE'S SONG.  This Mike's was the first
-- and last -- time that I witnessed the smoke during the tramps segment.  In
typical 1994 fashion, this segued into SIMPLE.  Most notable about this Simple,
is the jam that came out of it.  This jam was befitting the scariest of Halloween
events.  Someone, perhaps Trey, says "Yoohoo" a couple of times.  This is
somewhat akin to portions of the 12/29/94 Providence Bowie.

The Simple stops abruptly, & the band shouts in unison the words we all want to
hear: "Oom Pa Pa". Trey announces that he will tell us a famous Thanksgiving
story.  At Plymouth Rock, there is a town which likes everyone except for one
man.  He is an older man, who has a mangy dog.  The man is forced to move up into
the mountains, and one day, as he is looking down at the town, he becomes very
angry.  He opens his mouth and lets out a, "scream that was so terrible that it
shook the rafters of the town".  This man's anger was so intense, that it became
a Red Beam of Hate.  The story switches to our friend Jimmy, who is admiring his
cat.  Jimmy's cat is so nice, that when it opens its mouth, it lets out Green
Love Beams.

It was at this point in the show that, you really *did* have to be there.
Someone threw one of those ubiquitous glow sticks, & Fishman commented that
Poster Nutbag's Green Love Beam was, "Much like that love beam".  Glow sticks
started flying everywhere.  Trey tried to continue the story, but was interrupted
by the tremendous amount of glow sticks flying all over the arena.  Trey began
running around the stage, picking up glow sticks, & throwing them back at the
crowd.  To this day, I still wonder where all those Love Beams came from.  All
the glow sticks in the known universe must have been at the UIC Pavillion that
evening.

The rest of the set is particularly notable for a delicate segue from WEEKAPAUG
into MANGO.

Have fun...
sauldude AKA Disco Saul AKA DJ Saul T. Nutz AKA Uncle Heavy