7-4-99 -- Lakewood Amp, Atlanta, GA

Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 10:17:35 -0400
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Lakewood Amp. 7/4/99 Atlanta, Ga
 
Hello
I know this review is about a year late, but I really should write one since
this goes down in history as one of my most memorable shows.  I was a little
uneasy when I got into the venue, mainly for reasons that happened the night
before.  Mind you, the show on the third was spectacular, but some of the
events were sketchy.  A friend of mine got a hold of some bad X and fleebed
out the whole show.  He didn't know where he was, and kept asking me to turn
it down so he could sleep on the couch.  Kind of scary, I gotta say.  Also,
there was a huge wave of crime going on in the area.  I knew several people
who had gotten there cars broken into or stolen, people who were robbed,
even at gunpoint.  I've seen every Phish preformance at Lakewood, and never
had a problem, I guess the two night stand had something to do with it.
Anyway, these nerve racking feelings went away as the sun went down and the
boys took the stage with a vengance
 
setlist:
1: My Soul, Ya Mar, This Is a Farmhouse, The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony > AC/DC Bag,
The Wedge, Vultures, I Didn't Know*, Fast Enough For You, David Bowie (1:23)
2: Ghost -> Slave to the Traffic Light**, The Horse -> Silent in the
Morning***, What's the Use, Wilson^, Mike's Song -> Sleeping Monkey ->
Weekapaug Groove
E1: Carini^^, The Meatstick^^^
E2: The Star Spangled Banner#
*"Vajonna (Flagina?) Fishman" vac solo (wearing only stars-and-stripes
boxers). **"What's the Use" and "Dark Star" teases. ***"Little Drummer Boy"
tease and glowrings. ^Trey flubs the lyrics; plays "air guitar"; swings
guitar, using his effects pedals and feedback to manipulate the sound.
^^With Pete Carini; lyrics mention Mia Hamm (Trey was wearing a Mia Hamm
jersey). ^^^Chorus-only reprise; with crew and fans on stage doing "The
Meatstick Dance"; after the song, others leave Trey and Mike on-stage to do
the dance alone. #A cappella; band in stars-and-stripes (Fish: boxers; Trey
and Page: pants and vests; Mike: tank-top underneath, revealed during the
song); ended with eruption of fireworks.
 
set 1:
My Soul: I wasn't sure what to think at first, I kind of had my expectations
set higher, but that's my fault.  I wanted a Sanity or Carini opener, but My
Soul was great nonetheless.  Great little blues number to get the blood
flowin, and a tight version at that
YaMar:  Oh yeah, now we're talkin.  First one since 96, and boy was I
stoked.  I did get a little sick of it in 96, but what a return it made.
Reggae beats, groovy guitar..........awesome soloing, "play it
leo"!!!!....happy 4th, here we go
Farmhouse: I wasn't sure what it was at first, the intro was a little
different than I had heard in the past.  This was great though, the song
placement really seemed perfect at this point.  Nice slow number to give us
a chance to gather before...
Oh Kee Pah:  Points for rareity? Oh yeah.  Points for tightness?  Mucho.
This was the first one that really got me moving.  I love Oh Kee Pah,
especially a sweet ass version like this one.  Now we were really picking up
steam.  I don't like Suzy too much, and to my liking it segued into...
ACDC Bag: Your gonna give me a heart attack guys.  I was flailin and jiggin
to one of the best Bags ever.  This was incredible, and blew everyone away.
Wow is all I can say
The Wedge:  Christ Allmighty!!! At this point, I was actually hoping they'd
play something I don't really like so I could chill for a bit.  I was like
they were reading my thoughts and putting them into music.  This Wedge was
hot for sure.  At times, the vocals were a little off, but who cares?  It
was a great song at a super show on a holiday :)
Vultures:  Good lord, when they go for a newer one, they play my favorite
newer one.  I absolutely love Vultures, the vocals were hot and tight as
hell.  The guitar was so loud and hot, again, a keeper.
I Didn't Know:  Finally, time to take a breather.  Of course, I love this
song, but you can't really dance to it.  It was a pretty standard tight
version untill Fish came out in nothing but a pair of red white and blue
boxers.  He was introduced as Vagina Fishman, and played his electrolux for
us.  This was a great time to just try and take it all in.
Fast Enough For You:  Another great rare tune placed perfectly.  I was still
a little out of breath, and I didn't know wasn't really enought time to wind
down.  This was beautiful, tight, and downright transient.  Trey played his
solo flawlessy, and the song took us to new heights as we sat and listened
intently.
David Bowie:  Talk about flawless setlist as well as playing.  This was the
absolute perfect closer to bring the energy back.  I was so happy with this
choice, and it was by far, the best Bowie I've ever witnessed.  They
finished it off with the power playing of Trey, bowed, and left us to ponder
what just happened.  None of us were sure, but we damn sure liked it.
 
Setbreak:  don't really remember, except just couldn't beleive I was
witnessing such a spectacle.  I was thanking god for life and the thanking
whoever for Phish.  I wondered if I could even handle another set like that,
but once that second roll kicked in, I knew it was all good.
 
Set 2:
Ghost: Another kind of standard tune to open, but again, superb.  The jam
was so intense and just picked up more and more energy as it went on and
segued perfectly into
Slave: Oh my god!!!  My first slave since 97 Va Beach, and the best I've
heard.  Apparently there were Dark Star teases in it, but I didn't hear
them.  This was so amazing and tight.  Blistering to say the least.
Horse >Silent: I swear it's like they planned this list with such precision.
We needed a slow one to catch our breath, and this was perfect.  Silent
picked up energy, and kept us dancin again.  Glowrings were thrown, which I
like so much better than glowsticks, much safer.  The energy coming off the
stage mixed with the energy of the crowd made me actually bust a little tear
at this point.  Phish was at there best and everyone knew it.
What's the Use: I wan't sure what this was, till someone informed me that
it's a song off the Siket Disk.  I liked it a lot, very spacy and almost a
little scary.  Sounded kind of Pink Floydish to me.  A lot of delay loops.
A nice time to stare at the sky and enjoy the recreational chemistry.
Wilson:  No way to get the crowd right back to high energy than a super phat
Wilson.  I was so spun at this point, I didn't really notice the lyrical
flubs too much, but I'm sure no one cared.  It was tight and high energy as
it should be.  We all loved it and were ready to keel over from the sheer
bliss.
Mike's: Ahhhh yeah, keep that energy high as can be.  This Mike's was so
blistering, people may have needed to get there eardrums checked.  People,
this was so awesome, you just can't imagine.  So high energy and through the
roof.  Damn, how I want to relive that moment.
Sleepy Monkey: Well, I kind of wanted a H2, as did many I'm sure, but hey,
Sleepy Monkey was great.  I only heard it once at Deer Creek in 96.  It was
superb, great little short segue into.....
Weekapaug:  And the energy hits a peak.  The bass solo was so extended and
awesome at the begining.  It was perfect length and tighter than ever.  They
finished it off and left as we all smile, spun by Phish and whatever else.
Before they came out for the encore, I said to a couple friends, "the only
way they're going to come close to topping that energy is if they encore
with Carini".
Encore:
Carini:  AHHHHH!!!!!  Now, I almost needed an ambulance.  It was so insanely
good, Pete even came out on stage.  This was my first time hearing this too,
so that was a major plus.  I was going nuts, I remember being incredible
spun and turning around and seeing people covered with glowstick juice,
smiling and dancing, and I couldn't ever recall a time when I saw that many
people that happy.  Wow!!!!
Meatstick Reprise:  Well, what can ya say?  After Carini, they could have
played Tubthumping and I wouldn't have complained.  It was fun, Trey was
spealing, talking to everyone and bringing so many people up on stage.  They
debuted the meatstick dance, so it was cool that time.  A super fun ending,
but that's not all.  We pretty much knew a second encore was coming since
they did two the night before (a first for me)
 
Encore 2: Star Spangled Banner: What a perfect ending.  The boys came out
decked out in red white and blue flags and boxers and did a beautiful
patriotic acapella version.  This was so sweet, made everyone, no matter how
rebelious, be thankful about where we live.  When they got to the "the
rockets red glare" party, fireworks came streaming out of all edges of the
ampitheatre as well as the stage.  It was poweful, it was spectacular, it
was Phish. Thank you so much, Phish, for making my life that much happier.
See you at the next show.


Date: Fri, 09 Jul 1999 15:27:01 -0500
From: Ryan Gallagher [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: 4th of July Review
 
Well, today is the 9th and  I've had some time to let it all soak in, and read
some other reviews of the show.  This was my 22nd show, and third of the young
summer tour.  Going in I thought it was going to be awefully tough to match the
3rd show, how could I have ever doubted the boys?
 
SET I
 
MY SOUL:  Definetly not a favorite of mine, and not what I was expecting, but as
Trey belted out the opening chours, I was all smiles.  Nothing earth shattering
here, but we're off with a bang!
 
YA MAR:  My call for the opener, hadn't seen since my first show in 96, and was
more than welcome.  Great Ya Mar in my book.   Page was playing the same note
over and over on the hammond? toward the end, definetly not a standard Ya
Mar.
 
Farmhouse:  Same opening as Trey used during his solo tour, recognized it right
off the bat, one of my favorite slow songs, love the lyrical structure, some
great work from Trey, and I remember thinking the solo was a bit longer and more
passionate than most farmhouses?
 
OKEE>AC/DC:  I really didn't think Suzie fit here...so I kinda saw this coming,
what I didn't see coming was the absolutely RAGING bag that was to follow. They
seemed to turn it over at the end about 5 or six more times more than usual, just
when you thought it was couldn't peak any higher....it did, this was the song of
the set for me, no question.
 
Wedge:  Odd placement, but I'll never complain about a wedge. It struck me as a
perfect selection for the night...This was the first time I really began to look
around the lawn (first time I sat on the lawn since Deer Creek 96)  and up at the
stars, and I knew what a special night it was, and I was a part of it all.
 
I didn't know: Entertaining, what else can you say?  What I'd never seen before
is how Trey had to rush back to the drums before the final verse.
 
FAST ENOUGH:  Loved this one...I don't get why this song takes such a
bashing....I'm not saying the lyrics are anything but cheesey, but as far as the
music goes, it was downright beautiful, Trey's solo was mesmorizing...I got that
tingly feeling all over, you know the one!
 
BOWIE: Called this one...for some reason it seemed like the obvious choice. I
didn't think this was anything special for a Bowie, but closed the set better
than a Cavern, or a Birds, so I wasn't complaining in the least.
 
SETBREAK:  THE blazing infeno that was the men's bathroom: I'm not sure how I
made it back, but by the time I did, it was almost time for set II.  I was hoping
for a 2001, or maybe a brother....but was more than satisfied with...
 
GHOST:  As the digital delay loop started, and I took a look at the glow
necklaces being waved around in cirles, and the sparklers going off, I knew it
was going to be a very special set indeed.. Ghost just pretty much seemed to
groove along without getting to crazy, just a sustained goove.  Very strong Ghost
though...seuged seemlessly into...
 
Slave:  The opening was incredibley funky...Page on the Hammond instead on the
Grand, and it sounded like Trey was using some sort of pedal?  Slave has always
been one of my favorites, and this one really got me going.  I was thinking to
myself that it'd been a while since they'd played a Slave this early in the set?
What a set it'd been already
 
HORSE>SILIENT:  Definelty anything but a standard silient, maybe it was just
hearing it live and on this historic night, but it sure sounded like Trey was
doing something different?  The glowstick war went PERFECTLY to it, and was much
more visable than the one during the Hood encore the night before.
 
What's the Use?:  I'd purchased the Siket Disc..but hadn't listened to it all
that much,  Sounded very familiar though.  This one was LOUD, Mike was dropping
some huge bombs...very deep dark jam...was ready for it to end by the time Wilson
came around, did enjoy it though.
 
Wilson:  Trey is a Rock Star indeed!  I'd never seen the man ass off the hook as
he was during this Wilson.  The jam that proceeded all the craziness was Phish
Rock at it's best.  We were eating this one up in the lawn...great selection I
thought.
 
Mike's:  Had a feeling they weren't gonna let the night go by without busting the
first Mike's of the tour.  THE best Mike's I've heard live, out of the 5 I've
heard.. Again, it was groove central, nothing to dynamic, just plain getting
down, and it really got me moving,  One of the Highpoints , if not the highpoint
for me.  Was hoping for my first Hydro....but instead got ....
 
Sleeping Monkey:  Was sleeping Monkey, had to tell the group of newbies behind me
what this one was...I dont' think they believed me until the chorous came
around...
 
Weekapaug:  A LONG Mike solo, w/o fishman at first...Mike was on fire all
weekend, and even at Tennessee.  A lot of fun, had the now standard break down
session twords the end...and Trey brought it around a few extra times at the end,
Standard, smookin' Paug.  No complaints.. Had me thinking big encore.
 
Encore:
 
Carini: Out of Left field, My first , and it was worth the wait...Really dig this
tune especially Live.  Can't wait to hear this one on the tapes.
Meatstick Reprise:  Let me voice my opinion on the whole dance thing, and the
fact that some people already hate this.  LIGHTEN UP! It's supposed to be a spoof
on the Macerena, a good time, all these people who are already bashing Meatstick,
what are you listening to?  The best funky phish tune to my ears...so good to
groove to, sorry I LOVE the meatstick!!!  It shocks my Brain. Perfect end to a
perfect night , or was it?  Two double encores on the two night stand? I doubt
this will be done anytime soon, The acapella mics were out....and we all
knew...
 
Star Spangled Banner... The boys do a great rendition, and how couldn't they have
fireworks, I knew they'd come through.  Best time, and possibly the best music
I've ever heard at a show.  I know many feel the same way.  I can only hope they
top it at Alpine and Creek....see you there~!

Date: Tue, 06 Jul 1999 20:21:59 -0400
From: Jeremy Ferguson [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: A Weekend in Hotlanta (Part 2 & LONG)

Well, if you read my review from the 3rd, you saw my story about the bus
almost overheating on the way in, but by moving all the gear off the
engine and cranking the heat, disaster was averted and I got a nice ride
in a sauna ;)  HOT HOT HOT day, maybe even hotter than the day before.
As with the third, security outside was nonexistant, and the gatecheck
this day was equally slack.  The day before, on the other side, they
were checkin cig packs, pockets, makin ya lift your shirt, etc...would
have never gotten through intact without my slick useage of a little
Jedi Mind Trick...as he was passing my Stash I waved my hand and softly
said .."nuthin man, nuthin" he was hypnotized, nodded and let me
through;)  My buddy had some nugs taken by a nazi guard :*(.  I
digress...on the 4th the gatecheck was nonexistant, and we made our way
through with no events.  Finally found my buddy that I was lookin for 
all day Sat when his gf ran into my gf in the bathroom!  Woot...bastard
had section 101 both nites (obligatory
mail-order-always-fucks-me-complaint;).  We made our way to the lawn, on
Trey's side about 1/4 of the way up, I liked the view from there a lot.
Psyched up for the holiday show, and after all the speculation about a
possible we're an american band, us blues, born in the usa, or any other
cheese that could have gone down, we were treated to a Standard (by that
I mean no special breakouts or covers) but Great phish show.  This was
my 25th show (tho the fact escaped me until today) and it was a doozy!

Got us started with

My Soul:  Not a big fan of this song, and kind of a disappointing opener
for me.  Danced my heart out anyway, solid solos from page n trey.

Ya Mar:  Now we're talkin .. had been hoping for this song and was not
disappointed.  Nice little Skipping Rocks Around the Pond Solo from 
trey  (a term I just coined ;) that had my bootie shakin.

Farmhouse:  This song's OK, I sat down and had a smoke.

Oh Kee Pah:  Back on my feet!  Love this tune and am glad they broke it
out again.  My second time hearin it and had me thinkin suzie or...

AC/DC Bag:  Kicked ass in a Standard start slow and get real fast kind
of bag way.  Maybe a wee bit more powerful and drawn out than Your
Ordinary Bag.

The Wedge:  Seen this song a few times now, always glad to hear it, puts
a smile on my face.

Vultures:  Was hoping they would bring this back.  I think it was
reworked a bit, and there was an added verse, can't be sure tho, maybe
it was like that last summer?  Was glad to see it, powerful jam. 

I Didn't Know:  Well, I wasn't that far gone, but it was good to see
nonetheless, my first since my first show Hampton 96.  Smiles everywhere
for Fish in his Drawers.  He's gotta be the funniest man alive ;)

Fast Enough For You:  Good ballad, my first time seein it, fairly rare
these days.

David Bowie:  Knew right away it was bowie, tho the intro was extended a
good bit.  Powerful Bowie but nothing over the top.

Good First set, probably about a 6 on a scale from 1-10.  Lots of fun
and we were ready for a break.  Met some really cool older folx from
Florida and had some great conversations.  (older heads always have the
best stories!:)  Average length break and with the now-infamous-digiloop
beginning, we knew we were headed into thickgrooveland and 

Ghost-Solid jam out, don't really remember any specifics other than the
segue was real nice into

Slave:  I laid down and stared into the stars for this one, and was
whisked away to a mystical realm where space and time cease to exist and
all the world is made of music and beauty.  Can't say more than that ;)

Horse>Silent:  This song has some great significance to me and my girl,
due to situations I won't bore you with here.  Always been a big fan of
this one, tho the placement was a little odd.  Silent's beginning-groove
was a little different if I recall correctly, and Silent's outro jam was
definately not the same notefornotesolo that trey usually plays.  He
actually improvised a nice solo, albeit short.  I thought it might
continue and we'd get our first jammed Silent, but it kind of melted
away and the Space set in for

What's the Use:  Having gotten the Siket Disc two weeks ago, and
immediately identifying this as my favorite track on there, I was pretty
psyched when Trey's Powerful Identifying Solo started.  Mike was droppin
some BOMBS.  Eerie and dramatic and spacey and transcendent ... this was
a great 10 minutes.  Highlight of the show for me.

Wilson:  This wilson was Hard Rock Style, ala some of the versions last
summer.  This was probably the most powerful I've heard tho, certainly
the best I've seen live out of 5.  As I'm sure everyone's read, Trey
flubbed the lyrics, then tore the hell out of his solo to make up for
it.  In the feedback before BLAP BOOM etc, Trey was holding his guitar
out at armslength holding it straight up, then tilted to the right, then
to the left, shaking it up and down, making some really great noises,
and basically looking up at it like _THIS IS IT_ (insert holy grail high
pitched noises...aaahhhhHHHHHHHHHHH).  It was a great moment.  I figured
that was the closer, having started about 10:45, but nooooo...

Mike's Song:  Had called this song for this evening and was excited as  
always.  My 8th Mike's, but it's one of my favs and this one was no
slouch.  Just kinda funked and rocked around, never hit the "tramps"
section, then sofly faded away into

Sleeping Monkey:  Always liked this song, standard.

Weekapaug:  They had it all dark and spotlighted Mike for his solo, no
one else kicked in for a measure or two.  Mike tore shit up as always.
Standard kickass paug, dropped into the funk, and leapt right back up
into the end chorus.  Great end to a great show.

E:  Carini:  whewt!  Had always wanted to see this song live and finally
got my wish.  During the shrieking "CARINI HAS A LUMPY HEAD" chorus at
the end, I actually saw mike smile! ;)  Carini came out and pointed at
his head...kinda spaced out into a

Meatstick Reprise/Dance Bonanza:  I say reprise, because they didn't 
sing the verses, but just sang the chorus overandoverandoverandover.
Was pretty damn funny tho to see the whole crew doing a Tripped out
Macarena (as I heard it called a few times ;).  Mike and Trey took a
solo shot at it after the crew moved on....ooooOOOoooh Shox my Brain!
Fun ending...was kinda confused when they left without even a boom or
crackle, but as with last night, the lights stayed down, then the mics
came out, and we got a predictable but necessary

Star Spangled Banner:  Was hoping all night that trey would break out
the jimi style national anthem, but the a cappella version sufficed.  A
big set of works went up at the "rockets red glare" then a big finale
with stuff all over the stage and behind the lawn (right above us!)
exploding at the end of the song.  A wee bit poorly planned, because as
we were walking out, the fallout from the fireworks was falling all over
us, a little got in my eyes...sucked.  Short but sweet blasts to end an
overall great weekend.       

Solid first set, Great second set, probably an overall 7-7.5 of a show.
Lots of energy, and lots of fun, can't wait 'til merriweather and the
last 6-8 shows of my tour (haven't decided whether doin oswego or not,
hafta see how the funds/energy hold out;).

See ya on Friday!  Look for a light blue bus license plate DYDREM...

:)
jer 

Date: Sat, 10 Jul 1999 00:38:27 -0700 (PDT)
From: Bart Tantillo [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Review,  7/3-4/99

Sometimes I hate myself for liking this band so much.  Having been
witness to so many extraordinary performances the past few years, I
have come to expect nothing short of an epiphany every time I go to a
show.  Anything less than that, and I walk away an emotional mess.
Sure, even on their worst nights they are better than most bands
playing music right now, but unless they move mountains, I sometimes
feel unfulfilled.  Phish fans have been spoiled, for some of us just
going to a show and having a blast is not enough.  We want to cry
during the middle part of Slave, laugh hysterically at Freebird, or
pump our fists quietly, to ourselves, after a Mike's Groove or YEM, or
when they stop on a fucking dime after the jam in Antelope, knowing
that we just experienced something wonderful.  I made my way to Atlanta
from Yardley, Pennsylvania (which is a story in itself) with high
expectations for the shows that lay ahead over the next 3 weeks.  All the
pieces seemed to be in place for a monumental tour: the band had a
good amount of time off to get away, to expand their respective styles
and come up with some new material, the millenium countdown was on, and
the band was going to play a ton of shows before the New Year, not to
mention the fact that they seemed to be entering their "peak years"
since the Fall of 1997.  After seeing what I felt was one of, if not
their greatest performance ever on New Years Eve 1998 (argue if you
want, I am sticking to my guns), I was ready for Atlanta, counting down
the days and weeks until I left last Friday.  Oops, this is supposed to
be a review, not a term paper, here goes...........................
   "What the Fuck? A new stage setup? Fish in the back, Mike between
Page and Trey? Have they lost their minds?"  That is what my first
thought was upon entering the Lakewood Amphitheater, and gazing that
wide-eyed, little boy entering a ballpark for the first time gaze that
I find myself doing at Phish shows.  First things first, Atlanta is
awesome, no traffic anywhere in the city, even on a holiday weekend
like this one.  The amphitheatre, though in a horrendous neighborhood, 
and a bit run down as a venue, has sound as good as anywhere I have
ever been.
  Set 1 on Saturday was rock solid.  An inspired Chalkdust set the tone
as the opener, and things didn't slow down a bit from there.  I used to
hate hearing Taste live.  For some reason I just despised the song,
until 4/4/98 in Providence, where they played a Taste that was so good,
Trey took two bows by himself at the end of it, only two songs into the
show.  Since then I have thoroughly enjoyed every version I have heard
and Saturday's was no different.  An amazing Tube>Funky Bitch
disspelled any doubts about the magnitude of the weekend, Phish's first
ever 4th of July shows.  However, the highlight of set 1 was without a
doubt Meatstick, a fairly new tune that I want to be the first to crown
as "the song" of this tour, with Twist Around not far behind.  And
speaking of Twist Around, a bit older than Meatstick, but not by much,
the band played their best version of this song to date to open set 2,
that segued into a rousing Piper (is there any other kind?), before
Moma Dance, now secure as a show making song, brought down the house
with some all-out funk.  Mountains in the Mist, one of Trey's solo tour
songs, now reworked into perhaps the bands best ballad, arose from
Moma, showing that perhaps before all is said and done this band will
have written a good number of touching songs.  What came next was a
total surprise though.....
Antelope!  You know one of those chills down your spine Antelpoes,
perfect set closer!  But no, Contact started, bringing smiles to 25,000
faces, and reminding us of how much fun Phish can be.  Mike led us in
an arm-waving showing of unity, and after a Little Drummer Boy
instrumental full of power, the set had ended.   Fish came out solo to
begin the first encore, grabed his snaredrum, came center stage, and
put his own spin on Little Drummer Boy, with lines like "Gifts I have
not for you pa-rum-pum-pum-pum".  The band joined soon after and along
with Page's father on vocals and kazoo, played Won't You Come Home Bill
Bailey.  What an ending!  But wait, the band has left the stage and the
house lights aren't up yet.  What the Hell?  So out they came for
encore number two, abd what an encore it was, a beautiful Hood with an
even more beautiful Glow Stick war.  "See you tommorrow" said Trey, and
the countdown had begun!
  I am tired, and Charlotte is 8 hours away from where I am right now,
so I will keep my review of the 4th as brief and to the point as
possible.  Simply put, one of the best Phish shows ever, and easily in
my top three or four.  Set 1 had a second set feel to it, with stellar
versions of AC/DC Bag, The Wedge, Yamar, Farnhouse (with a new extended
intro), Vultures (please put this into regular rotatation), and a
smoking Bowie closer, one of the songs I came to hear that night.  Set
2 is just one of those classics, one that will stand the test of time.
Ghost>Slave to start things off, an unexpected Horse>Silent, a new jam
from the just released Siket Disc, a creepy Wilson, including about
four minutes of Trey swinging his guitar in a sacrificial manner around
the stage, creating surreal effects, and then the crowning glory of the
weekend, Mike's>Sleeping Monkey>Weekapaug. Wowee!!  Encore 1 featured
Carini, a personal favorite of mine, with a new opening lyric referring
to a streaker at the Madison, WI fall show.  "I saw you and Carini and 
that naked dude, I couldn't eat my food."  Then what appeared to be a
good number of the Phish organization, crew included came onstage for a
Meatstick reprise of sorts, complete with a "macarena from hell" type
synchronized dance, that ended with just Trey and Mike dancing around
the stage.  Encore 2, yes again, was a fitting Star Spangled Banner,
with the band in Stars and Stripes clothing (check the pics on Andy's
page), and a powerful fireworks display.  A perfect ending to an
amazing weekend!  The band is better than ever, by alot!  See you all
around. BT  

Date: Wed, 7 Jul 1999 16:51:03 -0400
From: "McCormack, Steve" [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: July 4 Review

Well, what can I say, the fact that Phish was obiously having such a
fantastic time on stage almost erases the fact that they were definitely the
shakiest in their performance than I've ever seen them.  But as I said, they
were having a blast, so I enjoyed it about as much as the night before.
 
My Soul Always a nice opener, never fails to work the soil between the toes.
Ya Mar Yes, Yes, YES! This one was sweet, and with such a happy jam I think
even the sun developed dreads.
Farmhouse This has really evolved into quite a nice song, with an always
uplifting and beautiful jam by Page and Trey.
Oh Kee Pah Oh Kee Pah Great, Suzie -- eh, so I boogied as they transitioned
to . . .
AC/DC Bag  At this point the crowd was really apeshit, and with good reason.
This Bag was my first and I loved it.
The Wedge It was great to hear some rift, but this song contained the first
big flub which knocked me off my cloud for a second.  Trey basically had to
give up on a riff and wait for the song to come back around.  And then . . .
Vultures Was much better than a couple summers ago when I saw it.  This was
the first song of the evening to really begin to intimidate my sanity.  It
went crazy, and then just as I was feeling like I had just broken a fever .
. .
I Didn't know Woohoo!  What a tension breaker. This was also a first, and it
allowed me to realize what controllers of mind and mood Phish can be.  A few
minutes before, I had been spooked, and suddenly I was laughing a relieved
"Phew"! as Fishman showed his patriotism while whirling his electrolux.
Fast Enough Another first, and it was slooooooowed down pretty significantly
from Rift, but it was definitely a treat.
Bowie YYYYYYEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS!!!!! I'd just caught my first Antelope the
night before, so hearing the symbols start and Mike's mean bass was revving
me up to kill two birds with one badass weekend.  Then BAM! Ah, yes, Bowie
was perhaps the most flawless song of the evening.
 
Ghost was of course a great lead-off, so eased into it was almost as though
they never stopped playing at intermission but had just turned the amps
down.  Still, no Ghost will EVER beat the one in Atlanta two years ago.
Slave A definite treat. I'd never seen this before, and it was beautiful,
with, of course, the little interspersed moments of craziness.
The highlights for the rest of the set were What's the Use, which I'd heard
them playing the day before at soundcheck.  It is  such an ominous jam that
it was truly spooky and badass!
Then Wilson, and Wilson right off the bad sounded odd. They immediately took
off on some Black Sabbath sounding tangents before Trey, as we all know,
flubbed the lyrics and more than made up for any and all flubs he's ever
made.  It's been rare for me to see Trey just go crazy on stage, so I will
always remember this Wilson and "Flop, Boom . . . "
Mike's Song was good to hear getting cranked up because I knew there was
definitely one more and probably two more coming up the chute. And it was a
smokin' version into Sleeping Monkey (you had to laugh) and I thought they
were going to lead into Let it Be, because the closedown sounded like Let it
Be's.  But I guess it was just a tease or my imagination.
 
Carini kicked ass, as I was totally not expecting it.  I'd thought maybe
Divided Sky or maybe even Harpua into 2001 to fireworks, but I was wrong,
which turned out good.  The Meatstick thing was funny at first, but they'd
played it the night before and it really didn't make me writhe and quiver
the first time, so the second time, after a couple of minutes of laughing at
the disco on the big screens, it was basically "okay, this can't be the end,
so what are they gonna do next?" And the fireworks kicked ass. As they sung
the line "Rockets' red glare", the entire stage filled up behind them with
columns of sparks and there were two huge bursts in the sky that looked like
they'd basically lit all the fireworks they had after tying them together.
It was a great ending to a great weekend, and overall the two best shows
I've seen to date.
 
Steven McCormack

Date: Tue, 6 Jul 1999 18:49:35 EDT
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Atlanta--------4th of july weekend
 
Thanks to all the phans that attended. My 12th show and by far the best
weekend I had in a while. Everyone was so KIND and thoughtful of others at
least the majority. The fireworks in the lot where a great visual and what
can I say about the concert words cant describe the vibe.Fishman was just
down right funny. Loved the boxers I need a pair. Everything gelled together
perfectly from the lot to jonny law not really bothering us thanks PHISH for
an unforgettable weekend.
 
 
                                    danks,
 
                                                 MARTY               Florida

Date: Tue, 06 Jul 1999 12:20:12 PDT
From: poster fukerpants [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: 7-4-99 review
 
7-4-99
 
We got into the lots at about 4:00, walked around, drank about 2000 bottled
waters and saw about 1000 people we knew.  Finally made it into the show
just shy of 8:00 having just eaten some mushrooms.  We had just enough time
to sit down and get situated before the show started.
My Soul-  Good set opener, it was actually what I was expecting them to open
up with the night before... smokin'
Ya Mar-  I had been looking for this tune... couldn't believe it.  Nice jam.
Farmhouse-  didn't recognize this due to the new intro.  Vibrant version,
trey ripped.
Oh Kee Pah-  first thought:  SUZY.  I was wrong, but hey, I was happy to
hear
AC/DC Bag-  a Phat version, nice grooves.
The Wedge-  A first for me... very excited to hear it.  My feet feel
funny....
Vultures-  started to lose it during this song.  started to regret having
eating aforementioned mushrooms.  had to sit.  get a grip, get a grip...
I didn't know-  So damn funny I temporarily forgot my troubles.  Vaccuum
solo tripped me out.  hard.
Fast enough-  excellent choice and a first for me... still sitting down but
groovin none the less.
David Bowie-  Oh shit!  One of my favorites.  Tried to stand up but no dice,
heart was beating too fast.  A fantastic version, thoroughly enjoyed, and an
excellent set closer.
All around an excellent first set.  During set break I began to feel better
and as it got darker and darker I began to feel the presence of a
 
Ghost-  excellent second set opener.  funky, tight, and jammed right into
Slave-  once again very tight, with some funky guitar work by trey during
the intro.
The horse > Silent-  Very nice... complete with a glowstick war during
silent, which as far as I know is unheard of.  There were actually more
glowsticks flying than during the hood the night before.
What's the use-  didn't recognize this, but was blown the fuck away by it.
One word, powerful.  Love to hear this one again.
Wilson-  my first, and an excellent version.  Trey flubbed the lyrics but
made up for it with his guitar madness.  What came next was exactly what I
had been hoping to avoid
Mikes-  Not that I don't like this tune or anything, it's just that when you
hear it live you pretty much know what the next thirty minutes are going to
be like.  Still, a good version.
Sleeping Monkey-  aaaaaargh.  I hate this song.  No offenses to anyone, but
it reeks.
Weekapaug- very tight version, kept building and building and then turned
into a funk jam and then right back into weekapaug on a dime.
 
E1:  Carini-  very happy to hear this one, ragin version complete with an
appearance by carini.
Meatstick-  what the hell?  I can't believe they played it again, it was
cool.  Meatstick reprise or something.  Trey thanks everyone and thanks the
crew, who come out on stage and do the meatstick dance.  After they leave,
trey and mike stay and dance some more for everyone.
 
E2:  I knew it!  It just couldn't be over yet.  Two nights of double
encores.  I'm sure you've heard.  Star spangled banner complete with an
spectacular fireworks show both onstage and overhead.  Wow.  happy fourth
everyone

Date: Mon, 13 Sep 1999 14:36:32 -0400
From: CARLA R HENDRICKS [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Atlanta
 
 
This was my 10th and 11th phish shows and there was a lot of excitement
because of the 4th.
It had been a while since I last saw them(last fall ,MTSU, Murfeesboro)
and was expecting nothing but greatness. I wont go song by song,  I will
just tell you that they seemed more laid back playimg more ballads and
spacial jams, which they did well, and when they did raise some hell it
was executed  near perfectlly. They seemed to play really solid when it
came to a funk groove.I was into it but it was not the best shows I've
seen. They seemed into it and glad to be on tour again. I give it a 7.5
 
Greg,
P.S.if anyone passes through atlanta check out a really cool improv band
called 'Cacklefruit'. It will be worth your time.

Date: Tue, 6 Jul 1999 11:18:24 -0400
From: "Kessler, Adam (NBC)" [email protected]
To: "'[email protected]'" 
Subject: July 4th Review
 
   These were my shows since the New Year's run (not including Trey solo)
and I was not disappointed in the least. Saturday was a very solid show all
around...It's all about the Meatstick!!!  But Sunday was beyond solid. There
was an incredible vibe in the music and in the audience. Here goes...
 
My Soul and Yamar were not the best versions I've seen, but both were quite
good and it got the show off to a great start.
Farmhouse was next and WOW!!! Some people might not like this song, but
having been at Conan the first time they played it, to seeing Phish do it a
few times, to Trey doing it solo acoustic, this version was EPIC!!! The song
has really evolved beautifully. I absolutely loved it!
Oh Kee Pa was next...nice. Hadn't seen it since Red Rocks '95 and its always
a nice rare treat to see. As in '95 this particular version was followed by
AC/DC Bag. Almost knocked me out. Great version. Really high energy and
right up there with the best one I have ever seen.
Next was Wedge. Always like to hear it. Seen ones that have jammed a little
harder and longer but still a fine version. That was followed by Vultures.
Like it a lot. I've seen about 6 of them now and this was as good as any if
not better.
I' Didn't Know is always a treat and Fish in his stars and stripes underwear
was hysterical.
Fast Enough For You was next. Only my 2nd one in 65 shows. Really like the
way this tune builds at the end...some beautiful Trey.
And Bowie was Great!..Nice way to end the set. Wasn't too drawn out. Just
Hot and Jammin'.
 
Second set opened with an incredibly funky good version of Ghost (although
what version isn't) and it moved seamlessly into one of the best versions of
Slave I have ever heard. Trey was playing a different kind of riff and it
was really working..very big crowd pleaser!
Next was Horse>Silent in the Morning. I am personally not a big fan. I
always feel like there is something else they could be playing. Always the
same, but in this instance I did notice the band played it a little
different. Most people loved it, I didn't mind it as much as usual. Silent
in the A.M. went into a really funky jam that everyone agreed was definitely
on the sikett disc. Heard a few different names being thrown around but
since I don't know which one is accurate I'll spare you a wrong name. After
the jam came an awesome Wilson. Sure Trey flubbed a lyric, but it only made
him open up more and have fun with the end...and what and ending!!! Trey
doing the feedback thing with his guitar and then holding it high above his
hear towards the audience...it was GREAT!!!!
With the audience trying to catch their collective breath for a second the
band didn't let them and went right into the funkiest Mike's I have ever
seen. Sure they are all a bit funky these days, but this one stayed in the
groove the entire time, skipping some of the more familiar rocking parts to
keep the funk going. As it slowed we heard the first notes of Sleeping
Monkey. Was a very solid version that went into Weekapaug. Energy to
spare...great one and great show...what would the encores hold in store?
 
First came Carini...really like this tune. A la the Garden in '97 Carini
came running on stage.
After that Trey began to thank Atlanta for the 2 days and said he wish to
thank his crew that we don't see. So from off stage comes about 50 crew
members as the band begins to play part of Meatstick. As they sing the
chorus the crew members begin a dance in unison. Cool, funny dance. As they
leave the stage, Trey and Mike put down their instruments and teach the
dance to the crowd as Fishman and Page continue to sing the chorus. It was a
lot of fun. This was NOT Meatstick...they did not sing any verses, just the
chorus, so I would almost classify it as a reprise since they played it the
night before. Anyway, after that we knew we couldn't be done, could we?
 
Nope...here come the boys again. This time dressed in stars and stripes from
head to toe and they did a fine rendition of The Star Spangled Banner as
fireworks exploded on stage and above the heads of all who had enjoyed a
really great show.
Have I seen better shows, probably, but if this is any indication of what's
to come this summer, hang on to your hats people. They are
smmmmokin'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Date: Tue, 6 Jul 1999 01:34:51 EDT
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: review for the 4th
 
Hey what's up?   This was a great show one of my favorittes ever. Everything
was great except for the guy puking next to my friends and I  outside the
venue when we waiting to get in.  But everything else was done great.   We
got to our seats just when they came on stage:
 
My Soul- This was the 3rd time I've heard this live but it was done perfect
with great solos.  Got the show off to a good start.
 
Ya Mar-   I love this song.  I can't wait to hear it on tape to see if it is
as good as it sounded to me during the show.  Both solos where great to hear
and I love when Trey yells, "play it Leo."
 
Farmhouse-  Another song I like a lot.  This first time I heard it I didn't
recognize it but this time I did and thought it was a terrific song.
 
Oh Kee Pah-  Good song was thinking suzy was comign up and hoping b/c I've
never heard it but not the least bit dissapointed when
 
AC/DC Bag-  Showed up  this song is another one I must hear on tape it just
blew me away.  I was left in awe after this song and knew it was gonna be a
great show.
 
The Wedge-  A good song to hear just sounded really Good.
 
Vultures-  Surprised to hear this but I like this song a lot and it was
played well
 
I Didn't Know-  another one I was glad to hear again was surprised Fish was
just wearing stars and stripes boxers with nothing else
 
Fast Enough-  first time I heard this one and it was a great slow song to
hear that sounded beautiful
 
David Bowie- a great set closer.  I liked it a lot not as good as 8/2/98
Bowie but still great.
SET 2
 
Ghost-  I was hoping it was 2001 b/c I've never heard that one either but
this was a great Ghost knew I'd hear this or Meat that night and wasn't
disappointed at all with Ghost or the transition into
 
Slave-  Great solo at the end for Trey and a great seque between songs with
Ghost.
 
The Horse- a beautiful song played well by Trey and went right into
 
Silient in the Morning- a great song sung beautifully by Page
 
What's the Use-  A good slow song my first time heard
 
Wilson-   A killer wilson I was really surprised that Trey messed up with the
lyrics first time I've heard him do that but I was glad to see him shake  it
off and do a killer solo.
 
Mike's-  I've been to eleven shows now and I've always wanted to hear this
one a great first time for me to hear it.  I thought it was great jamming
throughout.  I can't wait to hear the tape.
 
Sleeping Monkey-  Another first timer and thought it was a great song.
 
Weekapaug-  MIke is a badass at the bass.  I don't know how he can slap so
well b/c I thijnk it's hard.   This song was so good and the whole Mike's
Groove was worth the wait to see if they are goingto play it that well.
Just incredible.
ENCORE
 
Carini- Was hoping for Harpua but this song was great to hear live it was a
first time too.  My friend told me that the 4th of july is paul carini's
birthday?   Great encore though
 
Meatstick-  I love this new song and think it is one of their best new ones.
I can't get the lyrics out of my head.   The dance was spectacular too.
ENCORE 2
 
Star Spangled Banner- sung well and the fireworks were great the crowd
really got into it.
Overall I'm glad I made the trip to Atlanta from Ohio this summer first time
I've gone that far to see phish and it was all worth it.  I had a great time
and this was one of my better 4th of july's ,a lot better then partying at
home.  I can't wait till the 21st at PN see you then.
Bill

Date: Mon, 5 Jul 1999 21:39:31 EDT
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: (no subject)

pardon any grammar, i just got back home (in upstate NY) from the show about
10 mintues ago...
7/4/99 - Lakewood Amphitheatre....
 
I just got back from a nice 2-hour drive and previous 2-1/2 hour flight, and
boy are my arms tired... from groovin' all last night, that is....:)
 
All's I must say is Lakewood is definitely a neat place to see a show, good
sound and security was pretty much non-existant excepting near where they
were parking people and near the gates.  I really liked the mood in the lots,
everyone was really nice compared to most shows i've been too (33 now) which
was great for a change.  i must have bullshitted with over 20 different
people i never knew during the day, not counting yesterday.
 
I probably expected way too much of them (the band) from this gig because of
the holiday, but i've always tended to do that since '97 when they ripped all
of the time....
best year IMO
 
here goes the song by song review...
 
set 1:
my soul - i used to cringe when i heard this, but the last two or three times
i've kind of liked it.  this was one of them, and i think its place as a show
opener suits it well.
i think they play it more rocked out than usual now....
 
ya mar - always great.  not a bad jam, but nothing extravagant...
 
farmhouse - wierd new intro, doesn't really fit the song too well.  good tune
nonetheless...
 
oh kee pa - woohoo!!! first time in 33 shows seeing this one.  i like how
they immediately segue into songs like
 
ac/dc bag - great to hear again as always.  not a classic like 12/30/97 but
great for a standard bag...
 
wedge - great tune, nothing special about it though...
 
vultures - i kind of like this one, but its never high on my wish list. they
can do cool stuff with it at times, and i must say this was one of them....
 
i didn't know - ohhhhh yeah! seen this once before (11/28/97), always fun...
 
FEFY - never since this one either, oddly enough.  not much of a gem but
still the novelty of it was cool....
 
bowie - hells yeah!!!! best way to close a set is with this song or antelope
in my opinion. this one was pretty damn good, taboot taboot....
set II:
 
ghost - call me crazy, but i like the other version of this song better.
however i still like the newer one enough to make me hoot and holler when the
delay loops start.  great jam, thought it would be longer but it segued into
 
slave - which was nice, because they seem to have forgotten how cool
segueways are, especially really smooth ones.  pretty rockin' version of this
tune...
 
horse->silent - it's been a while, so i didn't complain.  i was thinking 2001
or mike's song would be next, but oh well....
 
jam - i honestly thought this might have been a song, because it sounded like
some of the changes were scheduled and not improvised.  phish.net says it a
jam but i think it might be something from the siket disc.  either way this
was pretty cool (one of the highlights of the night)...
 
wilson - seen this a lot but they jammed out this one more than they used to,
pretty bitchin' i must say....
 
mike's - WOO! awesome version of this song, absolutely smokin'.  very
'97-esque in that it didn't climax at all, except it went into
 
sleeping monkey - not a personal favorite, but the lyrics are cute.  i think
cities placed here after a phat segueway would've made this night one to
remember forever....
 
weekpaug - i liked how they let mike take control of this one early.  he
soloed at least 8 measures before the drum beat started.  the rest of it was
quite standard though, but as an ending it was placed really well.
 
e: carini - awesome song, i love it.  not jammed out though but still
good...

meatstick - excellant song, however if they had planned at all to have the
crew come on stage and dance and all that, then why did they play it the
night before (at the same venue too?)  well, actually it was only the chorus
that was song this night, and the crew all on stage was pretty funny...
 
star spangled banner - what i was waiting for.  patriotism and a short but
bad-ass fireworks display to end it all... seemed like daylight for a few
seconds....
 
overall, i rate this show an 8.  i've seen better, and i expected better, but
i was satisfied nonetheless.  the lot scene was great and refreshing and i
hope this trend continues.  see ya'll at camden, great woods and 'wego...

Date: Mon, 5 Jul 1999 19:17:35 EDT
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: July 4th Review

Wow. This is one of those shows which just has tons of moments that you
remember for a long time. Im not going to go song by song, but some memorable
moments for myself were........
-----AC/DC Bag, a song I've gotten tired of but this revived my interest in
it, the boys really showed that this tune can be taken to another level. And
I noticed that the sound has a changed a bit. I don't know if it was
Lakewood, but the band sounds a little more distorted, louder, I don't know,
maybe others noticed this, too.
-------I Didn't Know....I couldn't believe I finally heard this tune. And
while I didn't think it could get any more damn cooler, Fish comes out with
his trusty Electrolux. It was an amazing scene. (The patriotic briefs were
moving as well.)
---------BOWIE!  I've been to 7 shows in my life and I finally heard this for
the first time. When I heard the hi hat intro I knew this was no Maze. They
read my mind, and played the hell out of this tune. I loved every minute of
it.
----------- Over-Charged Beverage Break-----------------
                                  
-----------------2nd SET---------------------
----------Ghost, a song I've always loved and was done great here. I think
this tour is Mike's time to shine.
---------Mikes, I used to love this song but it's been done a lot
recently....Sleeping Monkey was a nice change and always good to chill too.
-------Weekapaug, ---MIKE!  It's all you Cactus.

----------------------ENCORE-----------------------
---------Meatstick, OK I really like this song and I think it's Phish's new
"hit." Very fun to dance to, very fun to sing, and very hard to get out of
your head on the drive home. The dance with the crew was awesome, and when it
was just Mike and Trey it was very cool. I love seeing the band dance.
 
------------------2nd ENCORE---------------------
-----------Star Spangled Banner, just a great accapella tune and the
fireworks behind the band looked amazing, I really want to find a picture of
it because I was in awe of how perfect it looked.
 
---Other comments----
This was a very hot show, and water was expensive which really sucked.
Security used there flashlights way too much looking for drugs, but in an
ironic twist the guard (no lie) starts to smoke bud from a fan's bowl,
continuing this throughout the 2nd set and Encore. Pretty funny, but kind of
pissed me off, seeing as how this guy probably would have busted someone for
it the night before. At first I didn't like the idea of Fish being behind the
band, but I like it now. They seem more together and close now. Trey was a
little rusty on some guitar parts but it didn't matter to me. Can't wait for
Charlotte, my hometown. (By the way, parking's a lot better. I live about 2
miles from Blockbuster and it has great, easy parking.) Later.


Date: Mon, 5 Jul 1999 18:48:15 -0400
From: "Granger, Matt " [email protected]
To: "'[email protected]'" [email protected]
Subject: July 4, 1999

        Can't believe this was the first 4th of July show, but if this was a
indication of future 4ths - mark it on your calendar as a holiday show.
After a solid Saturday show, expectations were high - and I can't believe
any fan would be disappointed.
        Things start to happen with the Oh Kee>AC/DC Bag. The Wedge and FEFY
were good rarities to hear and the Bowie was killer.
        Strong second set - Wilson was amazing - Trey was going nuts with
his guitar, throwing it around his body Hendrix style - looked like he was
having a blast. Weekapaug finished a great set - Trey finished by saying how
much he loved and had fun in Atlanta.
        Fun and Groovy encore. The Meatstick was fantastic - putting a nice
seam on both the shows. The Star Spangled Banner, though not a surprise, was
a great way to end the weekend. I'll never forget the fireworks on and off
the stage. Did anyone else notice at the end of banner - Gordon took his
shirt off to reveal a stars and stripes bikini top ? Classic. Or how about
Trey's Mia Hamm jersey in the first set in honor of the USA victory over
Brazil that afternoon ?
        In my 40 or so shows - July 4th is definitely a standout.
Mg

Date: Mon, 5 Jul 1999 18:28:37 EDT
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Review, 7/4/99
 
The funk was deep and heavy like the heat and humidity. Second set funk jam
from beginning to end was phat. Ghost with Mike set the heavy, led-zepplin
esque tone for the evening, Salve caught everybody off guard and pleased and
fired up a crazy crowd. What's the use on the siket CD is unphucking
believable. Spacey, heavy, and yes funky. I have the disc and new exactly
what it was. SOOOO thrilled, they made me peak so hard there. Horse>SITM was
well place and beautiful and    Wilson delivered the goods big-time. This
Wilson was just pure enjoyment, Trey flubbed up the words, laughed it off,
and wailed like a mad-man on the solo, so phat, the crowd was now in a
complete frenzy, I was on my chair, this chick a few rows over was on
somebody's shoulders, everybody was electric, the energy was phlowing and
Trey was jumping up and down on stage. Bedlam!!!!!!!! Oh just when you think
your really partying they through MIke's in your ears. The funk was laid
down, I was driven to a primal state and bombs were being dropped everywhere.
Sleeping Monkey>Weekapaug to close a beautiful and magical night. Encore was
a party with the fireworks, and I really don't care if the played Meatstick
twice, it's all good. And if you could complain about that, your an idiot.
Later, G-Woods will be amazing, can't wait.

Date: Mon, 5 Jul 1999 15:39:22 EDT
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: July 4th, 1999
 
I travelled far to see the Atlanta shows and was hoping to be knocked off my
feet.  So far I had only been to Kansas and was slightly (but only slightly)
disappointed at its lack of spunk as compared to last year (which was
phenomenal)... but the July 4th show was so incredible that I had an
incredibly huge grin plastered on my face from Ya Mar on.... Since I don't
have the most well trained ear for actual playing techniques I'm not going to
do song by song and just give an overall impression... The first set was a
very very happy set... AC/DC bag is always a treat, and who can not like
Fishman in his patriotic undies playing the vacuum?!???  Fast Enough For You
was a very pretty "down" period, I had never heard that live before and it
was quite beautiful... the Bowie was grand I must say... sometimes taht song
can drone on, but this one was well placed and had a lot of energy I was
definitely pleased.... they were having fun last night.... it was the second
set that killed me though...Ghost into Slave was just what I wanted to hear,
good 'ole Phish segues always make me happy.... as for Horse and Silent, I
had waited to hear them for so long and as soon as I heard the beginning of
Horse my grin got so big my face hurt... that was definitely what made
Atlanta for me... we were hoping for a 2001 or something before Mike's
but...
that Wilson was really quite incredible.... regardless of Trey messing up the
lyrics it was really a great Wilson, full of energy, a lot of fun... and of
course Mike's song etc was as fabulous as it usually is....  Carini was a
real big treat, I had never heard it and I enjoyed that as well as meat
stick... sure i heard it the night before, but c'mon they did a meatstick
dance!  Hell it was better than the macarena and the electric slide
combined!
 I couldn't believe they doubled the encore two nights in a row... when they
came out for a cappella thoughts immediately went towards freebird... but the
Star Spangled Banner with fireworks was more than appropriate adn
wonderful... I really was blown away by this show, it went beyond my
expectations... definitely still riding on the high of that show (the music
not the drugs)... My only fear was the fireworks in the lot... didn't like
fireballs flying under cars, that was not cool!  Hats off to the boys for
impressing me yet again!
B


Date: Mon, 05 Jul 1999 02:07:21 -0400
From: Jeffrey Speer [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: 4th of July
 
Sorry to be short - but it's just "wow" and some more "wow" here in
Atlanta this night.  The band continues to find new areas to explore
that go beyond my wildest imagination, then return home on their soft,
magic carpet.  Guys, it's a whole new world out there...
 
Peace to you all - Jeff

Date: Mon, 05 Jul 1999 23:53:50 -0700
From: "Charles Bradley, Jr." [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: My Very First Show(s)!!!
 
The July 3-4 shows were my first Phish shows. I gotta say that the guys
are unbelievable on the stage. Their music isn't justified until you've
seen them live. The atmosphere was great, all the people were very nice,
and for the girl that sat behind me on the 4th...THANKS FOR THE GUM! I
really needed it.  I will definately be back again when they come to my
hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. Thanks for the great memories.
                                        Brack.

Date: Mon, 5 Jul 1999 22:49:12 EDT
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: WOW!!!!
 
Damn boys, you put on a good show.
I was on the 9th row for the 3rd and 4th and it was the best 2 night stand of
any band I have ever seen.That fire Carini and then Meatstick (again !) was a
really good way to end the shows.You could'nt ask for a better weekend.
 
Had a blast boys,
 
Brent Waldrop
 
   Fort Payne, AL

Date: Tue, 06 Jul 1999 09:17:56 PDT
From: Harry Hood [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: July 4, 1999
 
After seeing Nashville 13th row and a great July 3rd show, I was really
psyched to get to the lawn on July 4th.  Phish played what I think was one
of the tightest shows I have seen in a couple years.  The second set was
phenomenal and the theme of the weekend was the meatstick.
 
I was really hoping to pick up the Siket disc at the Dry Goods counter but
they aren't selling CD's which I think is a mistake.  Still, Meatstick and
What's the Use were familiar to me from the excellent "Ghost outtakes" tape
that I scored at the Farm Aid show.  (Thanks Jen!)  I'm on my way to the
shower and then to phish.com to buy the Siket Disc.
 
And "Get back on the Train" is phat reworked from the Acoustic tour.  Thanks
Trey and Gang for a great weekend.  See you in a couple weeks!


Date: Wed, 7 Jul 1999 01:33:30 EDT
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: (no subject)
 
This was my 3 rd Phish show and it was the best musical performance I have
ever attended, equal to the night before. I phelt the band was having a
great
time and the vibes were great all around. As far as security, they don't
check your balls. Although a distance from Miami, it was soooooooooooo worth
the trip.After an experience like this one, I plan to attend the last 2
shows
of the Phall Tour in New York. 4 shows in 4 days  3 hrs apart. A performance
like this will be hard to top. jose. cya in NY.

Date: Tue, 6 Jul 1999 12:30:53 EDT
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Lakewood
 
The 4th of July was my 50th show and I just wanted to say that those 2 shows
were incredible.  Anyone who looks at a setlist can figure that out.  For
the
3rd the highlights were Gumbo, Cavern, Tube, NICU, Piper, Run,Contact, Bill
Bailey, Drummer boy and of course Hood.  The 4th was just amazing!!!!
Although the crowds are larger and the scene has changed it seemed like old
School Phish to me and Lakewood will be remembered phondly with other great
shows like Sugarbush 95 , Roxy 93 and CCCC in 1992 that helped me reach 50
shows.  Can't wait to see the boys in Charlotte!! Peace

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