The soundboard source for this show doesn’t have the digital clarity of the previous night at the Gothic Theatre. There’s noticeable cassette hiss throughout, but it’s still very listenable. The recording begins with the soundcheck, which is a rare treat from this era. This one’s particularly fun, featuring loose, impromptu takes on Sweet Jane, Gimme Three Steps, and Rocket Man. An MC introduces the band before they launch into a fairly straightforward version of Suzy, this is followed by a one-two punch of Curtain>Llama—an unusual and interesting pairing. They extend the end of Reba’s jam a bit. During the Mockingbird narration, Trey gives a heartfelt shoutout to the fans who followed them across Colorado, noting that they saved Forbin into Mockingbird specifically for this final show of the run. A standard Possum wraps up the first set.

Absolutely INCREDIBLE show that I felt I willed on through pure energy. Was sitting about 10 rows back from Trey and felt that every time I cheered it pushed the band to keep jamming! Had a fantastic day in San Fran with the crew prior to getting in line for Bill Graham early. Again, it was such a cute, amazing venue and I wanna go back. With shows like this, why not? We split up and some of us went up to the seats but I stayed with the folks that were on the floor and that definitely was the right choice. Had some expensive beer and waited the long while for show to start. I was definitely "in danger" as being 10 rows back with how hot they were playing - this was going to touch my soul. Simple opened the show - always a solid choice. Similar to the way it opened the MSG run. This one gets to a nice little rhythm before a clean segue into Punch, the "true opener". My first Punch, and boy, was the crowd LIT UP for this one. I had previously gotten a Landlady at Dicks 2015 that I thought was Punch until reading the setlists on Phish.net afterward, but this was the real deal. And it was really well done. The crowd was very into it, and we were rewarded with a Gumbo, a great choice. The Bill Graham Gumbo. My first one live as well, and this one was a doozy. Just like Halley's from the night before, we were given a Type 2 expedition that really reaches a fabulous place. Manteca and Tweezer teases all night long it felt like. Then Reba comes, which continued the hot streak. This first set does not have a dull moment and it was so magical to be there live. I thought this was a decent Reba given the circumstances. I was hoping for some newer stuff and was so pleased to then have The Well. I LOVE The Well, it does a fantastic job fucking with people - the first part is major key "jangly" beat, but then we all get sucked into the figurative well and there's a quality dark jam. Was hoping to catch this live and it delivered. Loved watching the facial reactions of all these people around me who didn't expect it and were definitely blindsided. The Bowie next was titanic. In my opinion, this is the best David Bowie since 2.0. I know, definitely high praise. But it gets Type 2 and has an amazing hose portion. Which definitely puts it up there in the conversation! During this song, it felt like I was connected to the band. Every time I yelled or cheered, they went further. It was like I was spurring them to go on. And I wasn't even on any drugs! Was just a few beers deep. Lol. It was a magical experience, I'm not even sure it really happened, it was that good. Amazing Bowie and then a perfect spot for the Zero first set closer. Was super pumped after that one, it continued the streak of amazing sets and I was struck with the feeling that out of all places on Earth, this is where I would most like to be: Seeing my favorite band at an incredible venue. Sample opener to start Set 2 was probably for the YouTube crowd, you can't give them too much free stuff. The Tweezer that comes next is absolutely mammoth - it's also worth mentioning that if you stuck this anywhere in 3.0, it would be a contender for the jam of the year. That just goes to show the level Phish is playing at right now - a 30 minute Tweezer is seen as "par for the course", even. Ideally we will look back at this as perhaps the high water mark of an amazing mini-tour. Worth every penny to see them Seattle through San Fran. I remember there was this incredible droning rhythm at one point in the Tweezer and it felt like a rave. An absolutely INSPIRED choice to go into Lonely Trip after this, fantastic placement for it, and it worked so well. The Tweezer > Lonely Trip combo, holy shit. Great version of Lonely Trip, and then we were all hyped to keep the energy going with Crosseyed, again a fantastic placement. This one has tons of energy and I recall some great red lighting from Kuroda, there was great drumming from Fish (he kills it every time) and there was a fantastic peak. I also love Pillow Jets so that was exciting to have it come there. One of my favorites from Evolve. And then of course, YEM closer. Just piss in my mouth Trey, or whatever the saying is. It was special because one of my buddies from the Bay was hoping for a hometown YEM and bang, they got it. This was a really tight YEM, had a nice danceable jam, but more wildly, this was maybe the best vocal jam I've ever heard. We all kind of just were stunned afterward. The lights were spinning and Trey and Mike were doing this weird wooing thing that sounded like sirens, and it was just such a Phishy way to end the set. We were all stunned, what an incredible set, what an incredible show. They could have really done anything for the encore. Wading was cute and then a nice First Tube with some shredding. Holy shit. I was so lucky to have witnessed the Seattle through Portland run, they fucking killed EACH NIGHT. I was unable to make the LA shows, couldn't take two weeks off work, just one, but it was definitely the right choice, and while the LA shows were special, these first 5 were just mind blowing. The message: See Phish while you can, they are at a new creative peak, all the shows have something special, and they're exploring big time in both sets. Used the word several times already, but it was just such a magical time. We cruised home, slept sound, and one-by-one departed to SFO. Had a wonderful brunch-type meal at a Korean BBQ spot near the wharf, had a few drinks at a bar, and then took the ride down to the airport. Was back in Portland by night-time. What a wonderful week of travel and enjoying friends and music. Nothing better in the world!

A crisp, clean dSBD recording is available for this show. The levels start out a bit low but get bumped up during Sparkle, and from there the quality is stellar—you can even hear the band chatting between songs. The show kicks off with a decent Bag and follows with a pretty straightforward Fall ’91 setlist. SOAM has a few lyrical flubs early on but recovers nicely with a solid jam. I’m really enjoying how Tube is starting to pop up in setlists again-this one’s a tight little version. Trey dedicates Divided Sky to the spirit of Sun Ra, who had played the Gothic Theatre—a cool nod to the venue’s history. The second set opens strong with Tweezer. There’s definitely some “Wait!” energy in the freezer with Uncle Ebenezer. A clean version of It’s Ice follows. Chalk Dust delivers a ripping little jam, and Mike and Trey joke that Eliza was written by Ringo—classic banter. Mike’s Groove is well played, with Trey really shining during the Groove jam. Always a treat when Tweezer Reprise caps the set—arena rock energy in a cozy theater. The encore includes a spirited Love You with extra introductions for Paul, Chris, Peter, and Andrew. Instead of the usual HYHU outro, the band cues up Curtis Mayfield’s Pusherman—just because Fish likes the song. Trey then honors a request for some folks on phish.net-and explains what the phish.net is for those unfamiliar with the internet. They close the night with a sweet little Stash to round out a very satisfying second set.

This was a really wild and fun show and the first time I traveled for an Phish show. Can anyone point me to a recording of this show? It doesn’t seem to exist. For a long time I was really confused about it, remembering it was out near the beach and when I looked up Music Farm it’s is not the not the venue I remember. Just discovered MF originally and briefly opened at an East Bay location in 1991! Anyway, I have sort of been obsessed with relistening to this show so if anyone knows where I could or also has any memories, please share!

This was the 4th of 5th shows I attended to start the Spring Tour and this one blew my fucking mind the most. Mind you, we were just hot off the presses of three stellar shows in Seattle and Portland. But this one, in a new venue to me, absolutely rocked my world in a different way. I finished up some personal stuff and flew down to SF same-day, arriving around 2-3 hours before showtime. I took the BART in, dropped my luggage off at some temporary storage, and hit a bar nearby where I had a few cranberry vodkas. Met up with the crew in line and we were on our way. Bill Graham is incredible and if Phish ever comes back I definitely want to go. It was worth spending the money to make it happen, and it's such a cool venue. Super intimate, super friendly, and just great vibes all around. Definitely the smallest place I've seen Phish at least by a factor of two. I dipped into my molly stash as I was pretty sure that this night would be a heater, and of course it was. Immediately the energy in the building was hot and the band responded with a nice Buried Alive to start. I was very hyped - this was my first-ever Buried Alive to catch live. Axilla to keep the energy up and I was floating! The crowd popped again when Mike's hit and I thought this was the perfect placement for it. A solid Mike's and my first I Am Hydrogen afterward (at MSG it was Bouncing) and so I was hyped about that. I have seen some commentary about a supposedly subpar Groove afterward but at the venue and upon relisten I don't really hear it. It's one of my favorite Phish songs and always glad to see it. There was a few different directions the next could have gone but My Soul dropped and again it was my first one live. I recall loving the designs of the lights on the roof of Bill Graham and thinking it was an interesting song choice (in a good way). Many of the shows this tour had at least one strong first set jam and we didn't have to wait long for this. This Halley's (again, my first ever!) is INCREDIBLE. It's easily the best Halley's in many many years and arguably the strongest since 1.0/2.0, definitely better than any in 3.0, incredible peak, incredible jam. Must hear. The Roggae that follows is no slouch either, this is a very strong Roggae that I would love to see jam charted. Gets out there. Maze is always nice and then the final punch to complete the set, Split Open and Melt. Love love love this one, could take a SOAM jam in every show, and it's a magnificent cap to everything. All of our crew was definitely stunned and could not wait for the next frame to come. Definitely something I was juiced for - like 5 new songs for me in that set, an all-timer jam (Halley's), a Groove, and a Melt. Set 2 is a beautifully constructed flowing piece of music. The Carini > NMINML > Ruby Waves is like an hour of just pure exploration and jaw-dropping amazement. Incredible energy in the BGCA and they just kept going and going. Literally just continuous exploration for that time, no breaks. I loved the Crosseyed jam in Ruby, it felt to me Trey was riffing on that for like five minutes. Those three songs are a prime example of 2025 Phish picking up right where 2024 left off, and continuing the ridiculous heater they are on. Again, a must-hear. The Ruby Waste combo worked so well for MSG that it was decided to occur again, also to great results, and then we take the WTU journey (magical in the venue, I recall spinning around me to look at all the different sides of the auditorium). When they started Disease to close I figured that it was going to end the set but that it would rage, and our group functioned as a mini-mosh pit during the duration of the song. I apologize to anyone in front of me that I accidentally jumped into. The show ended and I was in a daze. One of the greatest shows I've seen, and I've seen some good ones lately (hard not to, they are playing so well). They could have done anything for the encore but of course they know how to keep raising the bar, so obviously Fluffhead was where we celebrated. Just a magical ending for a magical show. Stumbled out of BGCA still in awe of what I had just saw, and could not believe there was still one more night to go. After the show, there was this amazing firework display out in the grass area in front of the concert hall, which just added to everything. We took a trip back in the Lyft up to my buddy's place in Marin County and had a nice sleep there, ready to recharge. Such a banger evening and it reconfirmed how good they are right now. Definitely listen to this one.

10/31 — Another rough audience recording. Set 1 sounds a bit better than Set 2, but overall, the audio quality leaves a lot to be desired. After Memories, they kick things off with a rippin’ Brother, launching into a fun, high-energy stretch to start the show. Trey takes a cool little solo during Foam, and YEM delivers another strong jam section. The vocal jam even includes a few “slice of pizza” shout-outs, which adds to the weird charm. Before Jim, Trey tosses out a “bucket of lard” comment, then they close the set with a really introspective version of Jim. Afterward, Trey mentions they’re going to take a break and return with the costume contest. Set 2 starts with Landlady and segues into a long but entertaining costume contest. Trey keeps the slice of pizza and bucket of lard commentary going — would love to know the backstory there. He teases that Fishman has a costume worth seeing, but the audience will “just have to wait.” That leads into the opening loop of It’s Ice, with the band repeating “wait” over and over while the crowd responds with increasingly loud “No!” chants. Eventually, they launch into a smokin’ Llama, complete with some It’s Ice teasing. After Fee, Trey admits he forgot the last verse and jokes that they’ll just “wait,” bringing back the It’s Ice loop. This time the crowd takes it up a notch, yelling “Fuck you!” in response — hilarious, and maybe a sign people were getting a little annoyed. MSO follows, full of energy, and then another brief Ice loop gets the same profane reaction from the audience. The band uses this chaos to smoothly segue into Bowie, transitioning through shouts of “Wait,” “Hang on,” “Stop,” and “Hold on.” There’s a tape flip during the hi-hat intro, so some music is missing, but the rest of the version is fantastic — tight, concise, and full of fire. Showboat Gertrude delivers a completely over-the-top vacuum solo in I Didn’t Know that bleeds into the final verse. Hood makes for a perfect set closer, with a beautiful midsection and a jam that really delivers. You can feel good about this Hood! Let’s hope this show gets an official release someday — it’s too wild to be stuck in lo-fi limbo.

Video of this show including the rotation jam has surfaced on youtube. Trey and company are completely commanding the spectrum. So awesome to see. So locked in. Top tier show and 2-night Philly run. I think it's during YEM the crowd starts clapping along with a quiet Trey solo, and then Phish let's the crowd beat dictate the next section of the jam. Even on tape I feel the band/fans mind meld happening. Real quiet and delicate playing mixed with many rock God moments this and the last night. This rotation jam > 16 Candles was definitely much better and made up for last year's 12/15/95 Spectrum Rotation Jam > Mallory.

Unfortunately, this audience recording suffers from notably poor sound quality. What happened to Mike Grace and his trusty 16-track DAT setup? The recording cuts in during the Tube jam, missing the beginning entirely. Sky is solid. Horn is clipped right at the start, and Poor Heart is completely absent—disappointing. Antelope smokes as usual. The end of Wilson is also cut, and the rest of the second set is missing altogether. The encore opens with a wild, spacey jam featuring Showboat Gertrude back on guitar. Instead of diving into a song, Fishman goes with his Siamese Twins joke again, then follows it up with a new joke—though he flubs it. Page saves the moment: “What did the Dalai Lama say to the hot dog man? Make me one with everything.” Fire closes the show and is dedicated to Ralph.

A decent SBD source exists for this show, though there’s some minor static in parts of the first set. Curtain into Jim kicks things off—every time I see that combo, I think of the opening from set 2, night 2 of Clifford Ball. Reba is solid. Hank brings out the bone for I Didn’t Know, which is always fun. Oh Kee Pa into Foam is a nice pairing, even if Foam starts a little shaky. There’s a tape flip at the end of Foam, with a bit of music lost. Trey makes a funny comment about collecting quite the stash of undergarments on stage. The transition from Fee into Bowie is smooth. Bowie itself is solid—yet pretty straightforward for this tour. After Bowie, Trey says they’ll play one more before a quick break, but the tape cuts out, and the song isn’t listed on any setlists. Might’ve been an a cappella tune? Set 2 starts strong with Sky, Wilson, DaaM, and Stash—all tight and well-played. Gin shows a bit more energy than usual for this tour. YEM has a slinky, laid-back jam that leads into a cool B&D section. The VJ is a blast, with Howling making an appearance. There’s a brief tape flip during YEM, but not much is lost. Page’s Coil solo winds down into a ragtime vibe, which is a nice touch. As it ends, a fan yells out for “Fire Up the Ganja.” The first Harpua of the tour is a fun one. Afterward, Showboat Gertrude dusts off Whipping Post for the first time in almost a year. Like the version from The Front on 3/9/90, Fishman gives it everything he’s got—his fretless guitar playing is completely ridiculous and hilarious. Before Horn, Trey thanks Kevin “The Crotchmaster” Crochetiere for setting up the show and for some killer grilled cheese. He even asks him to do it again in the spring. I’d have to double-check, but I think this is the first two-night stand with zero repeats.

Really muddy audience source for this show, unfortunately. Like Night 1 in San Francisco, they open with Memories, but it’s missing from the recording. Kevin Crochetiere introduces the band before MSO. The recording takes a hit in quality after the tape flip following Guelah. That said, Brother has a fiery Trey solo that cuts through the haze. After Bouncin’, Trey shares a story about their first trip to Telluride. Hood is dedicated to Mike and Lisa—beautiful flow in the jam, and Trey absolutely nails the ending. Golgi is solid, standard stuff to wrap up the first set. Set 2 kicks off with a powerhouse trifecta: Llama into Forbin > Mockingbird. There’s a little stumble coming back into the final chorus of It’s Ice, but it’s minor. The Mike’s jam is short but full of energy, and Groove brings the heat—Trey is in full shred mode. Unfortunately, the tape cuts out during the final chorus and picks up mid-Tela narration. The A-Train is clean and smooth, with a nice little Stash tease from Trey. Antelope closes the set with a ripping version—fast, loose, and fun. Sweet Adeline is cut from the source. Glide makes its second appearance on the tour after debuting in Rochester, and they follow it with a blazing Possum closer. Hopefully the soundboards make it into circulation someday—there’s a lot of good playing buried in the mud here.

A (much) earlier reviewer (Qushner) specified a note Mike played during this show’s Tweezer being a highlight; I totally get this sentiment and will add that whatever Mike starts doing around 5:27 in Also Sprach makes my Top 5 Phish Moments. Despite notable flubs and sloppiness in parts of the show (Poor Heart, Ya Mar), I rank this show high because it feels genuine. Like, the energy in the transition from Zero to Also Sprach, the wall of sound, even on a shitty recording, you can’t help but be “there.”

This show features a super crisp SBD source with a beautifully balanced mix. It sounds like there’s one cassette gen in the lineage, but it still outshines the Santa Cruz dSBD overall in clarity and depth. Trey sets the tone right away, joking that the band is all fueled up on one of Fern’s meals and poetry readings — so they’re more than ready. He then playfully introduces Lou Reed on bass. A tight Oh Kee Pa into Suzy kicks things off and gets the room buzzing. Foam is well played and full of precision. Afterward, Trey draws a fun parallel between Prescott College and their alma mater, Goddard, saying, “I don’t think I’ve been in a room with so many weirdos since Goddard — it’s great, it’s like being back home again!” He gives shoutouts to Allen Cole and Doug North, longtime Goddard friends. Stash rips with typical fire. Ya Mar is solid, with Mike hilariously calling out for Cleo. There’s a cut at the beginning of Divided Sky, and unfortunately, a decent chunk of music is missing — but what remains is pure lift-off. During I Didn’t Know, Fish plays his bone “like he’s going into China, Showboat Gertrude!” The Goddard vibes are in full swing by now, and the band launches into a gorgeous TMWSIY > Avenu > TMWSIY > Bowie combo. The Bowie is absolutely scorching — a total mind-melter that could’ve converted any first-timer on a head full. During set break, Trey invites Fern to the stage to read a few poems, adding to the night’s offbeat magic. Set two kicks off with a rock-solid Mike’s Groove, with Groove in particular hitting some especially sweet spots. Tube makes a surprise return after nearly a year on the shelf (last played 11/16/90), and the first Slave of the tour — only the second all year — follows. It’s a beautiful version, played with heart. A standard-but-sweet pairing of DaaM and Bouncin’ comes next, leading into a classic moment: Trey introduces Showboat Gertrude to the stage, and Fish gives the backstory behind the name while reminding us (again) how much he hates HYHU. They wrap the show with a tight and energetic Possum. Before the encore, loud whistling erupts from the crowd, prompting Trey to quip, “I’ve never heard such loud whistling in my life — my dog is going crazy back there!” Unfortunately, Memories and Sweet Adeline are cut from the tape, but all in all, this is a great-sounding source and a killer show from top to bottom.

This was Page's only solo foray into Portland, and the only time he has been with one of his side projects to the Pacific Northwest at all. A solid date - 7/11, right in the middle of the breakup. Aladdin Theater is still kicking well in 2025, when this review was written. Obviously cool to see a Memories Can't Wait on the setlist in any context. There are a few imperfections in the listed setlist and I have submitted a ticket to Phish.net for a fix. The first 5 songs should be: Heavy Rotation, Close to Home, Maid Marian, Everyone But Me, and Final Flight. They do not repeat songs multiple times in this show. I uploaded the full show onto YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWw4i493UZc

This show comes with a nice dSBD source that captures the energy of the room well. The Landlady into Suzy pairing works perfectly to open the night, with a seamless transition that feels locked in from the start. It’s Ice features a funky, groove-driven jam, and they’ve clearly reworked the post-jam section to lead more directly into the final chorus — a nice touch. Both Jim and Foam are solid and confidently played. After Foam, Trey mentions it’s their last gig in California before heading to Arizona, noting that it’ll be his first time there. Similar to the Seattle version on 10/11, Trey approaches the Chalk Dust jam with a fresh twist, steering it in a new direction right from the jump. MSO starts off normally, but Trey calls for Fish to drop the drums, and the band sings the opening lines in a gospel style — a fun and unexpected moment. They follow it with a tight, energetic run-through. Stash is strong, full of tension and release, and Golgi closes out a solid first set with plenty of fire. The second set kicks off with a fiery Llama, and Page really shines during his solo — a definite highlight. There’s some humorous word salad from Trey during Gin, but the band regroups and builds a nice little jam. Tweezer settles into a deep groove and segues nicely into Horn, which makes for a well-matched pairing. YEM includes a cool mini-jam section and a fun vocal jam to follow. Oh Kee Pa leads smoothly into HYHU, and Trey takes a moment to explain that Henrietta is dead, replaced by Showboat Gertrude — and tonight, he’s joined by his mother, Mrs. Gertrude. The banter is off the rails and hilarious, with everyone clearly having a blast. The set wraps with a tight and uplifting Hood, sending things out on a high note. The encore brings the second GXBX of the tour, a punchy closer to cap off a fun night.

This show was one of the best days of my life. Amazing time, amazing show. Had a great experience with the crew coming down on the 7:00am train from Seattle, pulled in, walked to Voodoo Doughnuts (they were tourists, they had to) and then chilled at my apartment, had lots of beers and 4/20 was celebrated for hours. After some great food (shoutout to Nong's Hao Man Gai in SE PDX), we split, and I hosted a nice pre-show party with folks from all over. Among them were 3 of my female coworkers, none of whom had basically listened to any Phish, and who were going to their first show. Oh yeah, and we were on the floor. Lmao. My parents also came up for their first and we were set to have a great time. Walked over close to showtime and we were just getting out of the bathroom when I saw a familiar face - my new boss, who I had no idea was a Phish fan. Another great coincidence. Glad they saw me before I was ripped out of my mind from the secondhand smoke. This show was FIRE. Obviously, 4/20 at Portland, where they hadn't played in 26 years - it was going to be special no matter what. The 46 Days started as we were walking down to the floor and we were on the back right-hand side. This 46 Days is special. It goes pretty far out and created a really nice soundscape. Special for sure. Moma Dance in the two slot is as trusty as can be. I love Moma, so always willing to take it live. My dad (who as previously mentioned, was in for his first show) has had Talking Heads as his favorite band since about 1979. I was telling him about the potential covers as we prepared, so of course they had to oblige by playing Cities within the first 3 songs. ALWAYS happy for a Cities as well. Perhaps the only low point of the entire show was that it was only like 5 minutes long, but they immediately make up for it with a nice segue into a burning, molten-hot Plasma. This is the second incredible jam of the set and we're four songs in. Must-hear! A coincidence as well that we had nice segues into Plasma at other Oregon shows - 10/17/2014 Eugene (my very first!) and also 10/19/2021 (the one with the longest opener in Phish history). Also there is a clear Norwegian Wood tease in Plasma around 11:35 in that is not marked yet on Phish.net. Always love Bouncing. Sigma next is just another fucking BOMB that they dropped on this crowd, many of whom were likely seeing the band for the first time in a long while. They got a treat. This may be the best jam of the show, although the second set has something to say about that. It just keeps going and going. Just when you think it is about to peter down, it goes for another 5-7 minutes and peaks hard.. then straight into the Antelope afterward.. That was the shit, lovely Lope too. This one really got to me on the floor. I've seen some good Antelopes lately, Dicks 2024 likely being the best, but this one hit different. My coworkers were really taken aback because they didn't expect the craziness that Antelopes bring, that was super cool. They were enjoying it! Thought that it was gonna close but they added SANTOS, hell yeah. I probably smoked more in this arena during this show than I have in the last 3-4 years combined. I got very high LOL. But so was everyone else. I don't think I've ever seen more weed being smoked at a concert! Set 2 also brought the heat in different ways. Wave of Hope starts off and I always welcome this, it's been an incredible jam vehicle. This is Great Jam #3 of the show. Wave > Twist > Scents is 45 minutes of prime Phish. The Scents is amazing. I literally always want to see this song when I walk into a show, and it brought it. Welcome Back To The Good Stuff, truly. I was on Cloud 9. Everything's Right is also one of my favorite recent jam vehicles and we were pleasantly surprised to get into dance territory with the Boogie On - everyone was grooving, perfect placement. The Boogie On > 2001 was a reward to the Portland faithful who had been so long without a show. I always want to hear both of these two as well, and it was like a perfect setlist. By this time we had moved from the floor to the 300 level to try and find a seat - and also let me tell you, there were none available - the place was FULL. This was a true sellout for the band and it was definitely one of those times where they delivered. The punchline to the 4/20 show was that it was literally smoky from the vantage point - you could barely see some of the lights and band members at times LOL. Just a wonderful dance party and a great setlist for the new fan as well. Trey earned the ALBTD, which I also enjoy - there was a little bit of everything in this show. Exploration, peaks, dancing, ballads, and everything in-between. You had to expect the Hood as Mt. Hood was nearby, this is a very solid version. There's been some real good versions of Hood lately, that song is on a resurgence. Encore is a nice victory lap and I'll take a Wilson or an ST3L any day. You have to think they knew they played a good show when there is BOTH a Hood and a Slave to the Traffic Light. Anyways; just an incredible show from top to bottom. Seek out the 46 Days, Plasma, Sigma Oasis, Wave of Hope > Twist > Scents, Hood. Also a fun dance party late in the 2nd. We all walked out of the show happy (met some unexpected folks from local stuff on the way out), and my coworkers got to experience the nitrous mafia at full blast. Lmao. None of them were convinced to buy a balloon. But all of the people I got to come to the show - my rookie coworkers, my parents - they all told me they had a blast and really enjoyed themselves. That's the real win! Such a fun show! Got to sleep in my own bed and got ready to prepare for the San Fran side of things, which were another two next-level shows. See you all at Providence Park in Summer 2026 or 2027 (one can hope!)

Crazy ass show, through and through. So many sounds coming from so many directions. The dectet is one of Trey's best eras. Set 1 has insane energy. Some of the best Daves and ML&C's around. The solo acoustic songs are beautiful. I'm always grateful to have more versions of Spices. The Dazed and Confused encore is something else, man. Check this show out for sure.

Hithchiked to the show as a joke, since my parents live 10 minutes away from the fairgrounds. Seeing Trey in my hometown was something my brain had trouble processing right up past the end of First Tube. My brother & his lame gf clearly weren't into it but fuck 'em. I'll never forget seeing my hero melt some faces on the exact spot I watched a guy puke for a solid minute after getting off the Zipper at the Marshfield Fair when I was in high school.

A low-generation SBD source circulates for this show, but unfortunately, the mix leaves quite a bit to be desired. Mike is especially buried, making it tough to appreciate some of the band’s usual balance. The show kicks off with solid versions of Jim and Foam. Before Foam, Trey pauses to give a heartfelt shoutout to his old mentor and teacher, Ernie Stires, noting that Ernie and his children, Ernie Jr. and Liz, were in attendance. He dedicates Foam to him, adding a personal touch to the moment. Reba is pretty straightforward, but Wilson and a blazing Llama make a great back-to-back pairing. The set wraps with a strong Antelope that caps the first half on a high note. Set two opens with a fantastic take on Brother—reminiscent of the standout version from Eugene. Trey dedicates it to Page and Mike’s brothers, who were at the show, joking that the song was written to reflect their personalities. He keeps the banter going, saying the next tune is about an uncle, referring to Bill Monroe’s Uncle Pen after a false start. This was a fun callback to when the song debuted, and Trey’s playful commentary continued: “The next one’s about a mother… and it’s not Funky Bitch,” he adds, referencing Guelah’s unique name as Dave’s mother. Mike’s is strong and well-played, though the Groove is fairly standard by Fall ‘91’s high-energy standards. I Didn’t Know features Zero Man stepping in for Showboat Gertrude, which got a good laugh. For the encore, they dust off Walk Away for the first time in nearly a year—a great surprise to close the night.

Awesome show, don't know why it's rated poorly. Guessing its because many of the hardcore fans aren't from the deep south and most didn't attend this. The entire spring 2022 seems to have been forgotten and jams discarded. Trey's playing throughout this entire concert is top notch. Zero has exploratory jam that is definitely worth hearing. Mike's song wastes no time getting into a nice jam that goes bright major key and then back. You can tell Trey came ready to have some fun. KDF has interesting jam and I am personally very fond of Winterqueen. Carini has great playing and the Weekapaug jam is fun as well. Page keeps it going with the EP and Trey takes it home. And, of course San-Ho-Zay teases are always welcome! Landlady is a song I secretly prayed would come back and in 2022 it did. So cool! Tweezer does not disappointed. Groovy, exploratory and gets spaceship landing weird at the end. Plasma is short and sweet. Wolfman gets very funky and has nice breakdown and then gets taken for a good ride. Miss you is a song i'm less familiar with but was a pleasant listen. Maze is well played and Hood always delivers. Starts peaceful, goes minor for a bit then peaks. Quite fitting for a Gulf coast Hood. Overrall a very happy sounding show outside of the weirdness during Tweezer. Highly recommend.

This was another incredible show in the midst of the SEA > PDX > SF run that I was lucky enough to witness. Had a great time exploring the Seattle downtown (Pike's Place, Gum Wall, some great pizza and beer, and a lot of other little cool detours) with the Phishcord crew that I also met up with at Dicks and MSG 2024. Got to my seat early this time. The concession prices are absolutely ridiculous at Climate Pledge so I brought in a bunch of little Fireball shooters instead. It was also Bicycle Day and so you knew Phish was gonna bring it and it was gonna be special that evening. I did indulge in the Bicycle Juice as well just a little :) Free as an opener is always a good time - got the crowd into it. Bathtub Gin surprised me as I thought it would appear later in the set - this is a really good Gin. Clocking in at a touch over 20 minutes, it will definitely be jam-charted at some point and it departs from what you'd consider a "standard" Gin at this point and time. It also just provides more proof that things can just take off at any time in any set with they way they are playing (really ever since they came back in 4.0). I was thinking about the 11/9/1998 show with both the standout Free and Gins. Both N1 and N2 I believe each song in the first set was given extra juice. This is probably the most apparent with this version of EVOLVE. This is by far the best version of Evolve performed up until this time. It is one of the longest Evolves and really the only one I've heard with a substantial Trey solo during it. He was killing it and was animated during the Evolve and the crowd was feeding right back into it. I am a big Evolve-Head so you can take my word for it. Stash that comes next was also a very good version - I wouldn't make any claims or rate it compared to any others, but it was very nice and did the job, I recall it getting fairly dark. Pebbles and Marbles came next and I was over the moon - it was my 21st or so show and first Pebbles & Marbles. Any time this song drops it is welcome and I thought it was a nice rendition, they were saving the gas for later in the show. The Farmhouse placement I like, maybe in early 3.0 it would have ripped out of a Down With Disease jam or something in the early third quarter but this was a delicate spot, not in the way of anything, and it was my favorite Farmhouse jam that I've seen in person - delicate, nice, and a bit extended. If you like Farmhouse it's worth seeking out. One of the things that marks 4.0 for me as well is just that Trey has gotten a lot better at song placement and selection and knowing when to drop the slower songs (song #3 of the entire MSG run, for example). Walls I always like and this was fun - we also got a Walls two years ago in Seattle and enjoyed it then as well. Pretty sure my tab was kind of a dud at this point but I was nice and crossfaded anyway and didn't really need to go to outer space LOL. The second set is wonderful and I had such a good time during it. The Chalk -> Light -> Chalk is obviously the meat of the set, but the entire Chalk through Monsters stretch is a lovely slab of Prime Phish, and it was a blast. Light is a really good version, probably my favorite of the opening couplet. It does sound like they are teasing songs quite a bit during this run, perhaps a conscious decision. When they went back into CDT to end it, the crowd went wild (of course). Fuego -> Monsters is another bomb stretch, Fuego went hard and then a great segue into Monsters, one of my favorite new songs, this was a perfect spot for it. Piper and BDTNL were kind of exclamation points on the earlier exploration. Solid set for sure! The encore was definitely interesting in a "weird" way - Sleeping Monkey is always sweet - I got one in the encore of my first show (10/17/14 Eugene) and then certainly an unexpected treat - MF MF next, a song that has gotten incredible treatment lately. They went dark with it real quick, and CK5 was showing off with the lights, it was very red and scary. An intriguing choice, almost like they deliberately went with it to go different - the first MFMF encore since 4/291993, which was the only other time it was in an encore, and this was the first time it closed a show. Definitely left us hooked as to what would happen next. This time after the show I stuck with my crew and we had a short sleep (some of did not sleep due to the acid) and then awoke for the next morning early to take the train down to my hometown PDX for the first hometown show in 26 years. What a run in Seattle - I hope they really enjoy this arena because I'd love to come back in 2027!

Nice crispy AUD, very nice stereo separation. S1 thoughts: The Reba is a must hear, it has a lotta of that August 93 spice/pizzazz phans know. A signal-heavy, very playful Guelah follows. Playing nice and loose with the song's structure, a band so in command they are re-writing the song at will just for the hell of it. Another nice SOAM follows, very extended, free part in the middle where Trey takes off from the time signature and the band keeps the tempo, very melodic playing from Trey. Squirming Coil outro is a lovely Page fantasia with some full band playing. Worth your time! August 93 baby! S2: Begins with 2001 as it usually did back then, get hype. Landlady is very loosely played, continuing the vibe from S1. Tweezer is a monster: melodic and creative passing through various mood ultimately culminating in a reggae jam. Reggae Tweezer reads as ridiculous on paper and frankly, it's that way on audio too. But I loved the ever-living hell out of this one, anyway. Quick detour to Gamehendge with a pair of crowd-pleasers. Hot Maze follows, the ensuing jam briefly flirting between coming off the rails vs sticking to its normal structure, the latter prevails but a lovely Maze, nonetheless. BBJ > HHYU imo. Strong Possum to dance the night away.

First, despite what the show notes say about being unclear with which date the recording belongs to, the partial recording does have the following tracks: Scarlet Begonias > Eyes of The World > Whipping Post (20 sec clip), In The Midnight Hour, Fire Up The Ganja Check it out on phish.in. Its worth it if you like hearing early phish get that early phish whimsical tinny Page piano and early Trey guitar sound on some lite psychedelia of Dead covers!

Part of my full run through of Summer '98, see [url=https://phish.net/reviews/1380008243-batleon.html]here[/url] The first set of Lemonwheel night two feels much like night one, set one. It's a longer set without a ton of standout moments. Ginseng Sullivan is a strange choice of opener, but hey, it's a cover? Fitting to end the last show with another one of those? The Gin jam feels like the band stretching their musical muscles a bit, but without straining them. There are a few more standard renditions before we get to Ya Mar, which goes quiet during the jam, allowing for some interplay between Trey and Mike. AC/DC Bag is fun, and Frankie Says has a particularly spooky ending. The next two SOTG tunes tread no new ground but still deliver as the set approaches a conclusion. Possum has been very strong this tour, and this one is no exception. Again, both set ones from this festival are similar, so not a lot else to say here. Set two opens with Down With Disease, and while this one jams out mostly in the typical type one fashion, at around 12 minutes the band actually shifts to a low key funk groove in the same key that makes this one unique. This fades out into the opening notes of Piper. This version is on the longer side but remains constrained within the typical Piper structure. The intro to Ghost slowly oozes out, as this version starts particularly mellow and slow. The band doesn't rush out of this either; this jam simmers steadily over the heat of Mike's bass until around the 9 minute mark when Page starts to direct it into a spacier vibe. This drifts on, with the band channeling the spirit of the previous night's ambient set 4, the music picking you up and drifting you away, not even realizing you are floating off, until the band lands on Fluffhead a little after the 18 minute mark. After that we get two standard cooldown songs, and then the band decides to have some fun. Firing up an extended HYHU intro, Fishman teases Terrapin but instead we get another humorous rendition of Sexual Healing to keep up the cover fun. They close things out with another mighty Antelope, complete with Sexual Healing teases. Set three kicks off with another jolt of cover energy with the second rendition of Sabotage. The song shatters into chaotic noise at the end, and then coalesces into one last great Summer 98 version of 2001. The second jam on this one is very unique... the band really dives into different territory within the theme here, and it's crazy that there is still ground left to cover after all the insanely good versions of this song they hit during this tour, but they find more during this jam. A highlight of the festival for sure. Wilson features an extended ambient interlude that lasts just long enough for you to wonder if the song will go unfinished. The band goes through a run of standard songs, and then gives us one last cover bustout for the tour, wrapping up the third set with an emotional While My Guitar Gently Weeps. The Hood encore is an exclamation point that fades out into one last ambient space, which is strangely punctuated by trombone blasts by Fishman as the festival fireworks show was on display. This resolves in the form of Baby Elephant Walk, a really strange way to end this tour and this journey, but here we are; Phish doesn't always do what we expect. So now that we've hit the end, did my hypothesis prove correct? Was Summer '98 an extension of The Best Phish found in Fall '97 and the Island Tour? In retrospect I was not positive enough about the European leg... aside from the fest set and the anomaly of a bad show the first night in Prague, these are all strong shows with noteworthy performances and a clear extension or evolution based on the Island Tour that preceded it. The West Coast run is stellar, but from there on the tour is a back and forth affair. Texas is mostly a decline, but the band's infusion of unexpected covers (both bustouts and debuts) is inspired and seems to help them energize. By the time they get to Riverport we're blessed with another really strong run of shows that feature some of the best jams of their career (Riverport Jin, Polaris Cities, Alpine Tweezer, Deer Creek Gumbo) before becoming uneven again (with 8/7 and 8/10 being lows, and 8/8 and 8/11 being very high highs with yet another signature jam in the form of the Star Lake Runaway Jim). Overall the festival shows are very long but not necessarily deep... Gumbo, Tweezer, the Ambient set, Ghost, and 2001 being the highlights. Saying "The best phish is Fall '97 through Gorge '98, but not the Europe festival set or Prague N1," is just a mouthful compared to "The best Phish is Fall '97 and the Island Tour," but it may be more true. In terms of everything that came after that, I really can't say enough about the Riverport to Deer Creek run, as well as Columbia and Star Lake. For sure though I can't say this full tour was wire to wire, but the highs were extremely high and are worthwhile, and Summer '98 seems to have way more of those highs than lows.

This audience recording is decent overall, but the sound comes off a bit boxy. It could be the venue’s acoustics or perhaps the mic placement—either way, it doesn’t quite capture the full depth of the performance. The band eases into the night with a slower-paced opener, setting a subdued tone that carries through the entire first set. While everything is technically sound, the playing feels a bit restrained, lacking the usual spark or risk-taking. It’s also one of the shortest first sets of the tour so far, which adds to the underwhelming feel. The second set begins with a personal favorite—a track that always feels like a treat in the opening slot. Sadly, much like the first set, the energy still doesn’t fully ignite. There is a moment of interest during the Clod section of Fluffhead, where a sludgy, almost grungy groove emerges, but the version as a whole remains unremarkable. Things finally begin to gel in YEM. Trey’s gritty tone during the jam is contagious, giving the set some much-needed personality. The bass and drums section stretches out nicely, leading into a playful vocal jam capped by everyone shouting “Hey!” Unfortunately, the recording cuts off right there, leaving us to wonder how the show wrapped up. Part of me hopes they found their stride and closed out strong—but we’ll never know for sure.

Pretty fun show! [b]Set 1:[/b] Solid opening run Sand>If I could (respectable versions) Buried Alive was blah, SYSF makes the jam chart (finds the orbit we/they will be exploring that evening) 🦙(fast by 2022 standards, hints at a 90s jam at the end). Then a jam chart 1/2>🌗 (which who knew that was a thing)->Shafty (also jam chart who knew that was thing either, type 1 but fun). 🍓 ✉️ 23 (also jam chart!?!?!, and is quite fun) then close set one with 🦎. [b]Set 2: [/b]opens with 1st 🧪 (okay to below average, but gets the groove going)>🔥 (this one rips, goes a lot of places and recalls some of the first type 2 territory hinted or explored, also jam chart aka lives up to its emoji) nice seg into Sigma 🏝( also hear the hinting near the end of fuego that's where they'd go) solid little type 1 maybe a little 2, but can hear the beginnings of caspian and then segue into caspia, noy anything special but average to slightly above fo the length>🌊nice standard version>gnarly jam chart 🌭->Simple (solid tight to the vest type 1>Oh ke pah (very tight version!)>Suzy (enough said) to close out the set. [b]Encore: [/b]🎓 blues>✉️ Jimmy 📃>🎓 sandwich the 1st 🎓portion was solid. Little rusty for the 📃 portion. And great end 🎓 bottom of the 🥪! 🎓blues>💌 Jimmy page>🎓 blues. Have to say fun show! Awesome to have experience a shafty and /page 🥪. Then close it out with a rocking jam chart 0️⃣. As of today (5/22/2025) rated at 3.99 with greater than 500 votes...I'd say it's a solid 4.1 to low 4.2

Enjoyable audience source for this show. The night kicks off with solid, straightforward takes on Chalk Dust and Foam. There’s some inspired playing as the band stretches out following Page’s Coil solo. Melt stays within familiar territory but is executed well. Reba is well played, with a tape flip late in the song that results in minimal loss. YEM delivers a particularly nice jam section, with strong bass and drums and a tight vocal jam to close. Rather than ending the set with YEM, the band tags on a lively Rocky Top to wrap up the first half. Set two opens with a ripping Brother that sets the tone. Jim is well played and steady. Llama features a sharp solo from Trey and a playful ending. Suzy is especially spirited, with a fun Spider-Man tease and a little nod to the author. Funky Bitch makes its tour debut in fiery form. A gorgeous Hood brings things to a close on a high note, with some really cool DEG teasing woven into the jam.

A crisp-sounding master cassette SBD source captures this show beautifully. Things get underway with a sharp, energetic Jim. The first Wilson of the tour follows, complete with the callout during the intro. A stunning Reba features some subtle DEG teases from Trey—just enough to raise an eyebrow. Landlady flows seamlessly into Forbin, and whether it was planned or spontaneous, Trey opts to take the small crowd on a trip to Gamehendge—minus Lizards, interestingly enough. There’s a tape flip after Mockingbird, so part of the narration is missing, though it’s unclear how much. Before Tela, an audience member shouts out to Page, asking who he’s singing about. “Sofi Page!” they yell. “Who?” the band replies. A fun moment. Tela is solid, and a strong Bag follows. The first McGrupp of the tour closes out the Gamehendge sequence beautifully. Hydrogen is a little rough around the edges, but Groove more than makes up for it, closing the first set with authority. Set two kicks off with a well-played Llama—perhaps a nod to the Gamehendge-heavy first set. Jesus Left is played with heart. Fish (aka Hankrietta, “the shortest man in rock and roll”) delivers an inspired vacuum solo during Love You. There’s some amusing banter during the hi-hat hijinks, a fun little detour. The Bowie jam starts with Trey teasing something—hard to place, but intriguing—and then takes off. It’s a scorcher! Before the encore, Trey thanks the crowd, noting how much the band appreciated the audience’s attentiveness. Even the Spoonman, who opened the show, commented on how attentive the audience was. A double encore wraps up the night, with the second being a throwback all the way to 1903. The band closes with an a cappella Carolina, performed mic-less to a respectfully hushed room.

Ghost and YEM from this first set are top-notch Mike, I will second the descriptions already posted before me. The sound/mix on the recording from phish.in is amazing. The second set, however, gets a little ahead of itself, as if in anticipation of a planned event. That planned event is a mediocre rendition of Misty Mountain Hop, complete with 10 extra minutes of man, just not good music. I find the song’s placement in the Jams Chart seriously in error.

The SBD source for this show is noticeably oversaturated, and the pitch runs a bit slow during the first set. It’s still a decent listen overall, but the quality takes a clear leap during the encore. Hopefully a cleaner source surfaces at some point, as this show definitely deserves better representation. The band kicks things off with a fiery Buried Alive > Possum opener that sets the tone nicely. Stash is solid, and before Esther, Trey takes a moment to reminisce about the venue. He recalls how, the last time they played there, the audience managed to clap in time to Lizards—a feat he says no other crowd had accomplished in their eight years of touring. He calls it a special place and encourages the crowd to give themselves a pat on the back. lol YEM closes the first set with a particularly engaging jam and a fun vocal jam. The second set starts with a cut at the start of Tweezer. Mike drops some bombs to kick off the jam. Fluffhead is especially inspired! A ripping little Chalk Dust follows. A-Train is smooth and enjoyable as always. The pairing of DaaM>Brother is a standout, made even more memorable by the addition of Artis the Spoonman, who adds a wild, percussive twist to Brother—totally different from other versions on this tour. He sticks around for the remainder of the set, adding his unique flair throughout. A fun version of Brain includes what sounds like a pipe or flute added to the mix—definitely a unique moment. A beautiful Harry Hood builds things to a satisfying peak before a high-energy Tweezer Reprise closes out a stellar set. The encore is where things really shine sonically—the recording quality improves dramatically. Spoonman returns for Lawn Boy and Rocky Top, bringing his eccentric energy and giving both songs a unique flavor. He sits out the second encore, but by then, the show has already delivered plenty of memorable moments.

This one was an absolute heater from the get-go and the start of five stellar shows I attended to begin the Spring Tour. Met up with the Phishcord crew again for the SEA > PDX > SF run. Took the train up from Portland and took a few swigs of Northwest whiskey on the way up. Went to the Museum of Flight in Tukwila and that was a blast preshow, getting to meet everyone up again. We prepped for the show and stayed in a hotel pretty close to the venue, which was dope. I had some MDA for the first time preshow that tasted like shit so I had to fold and buy a beer at Climate Pledge which was $25 after tip. Ridiculous. They actually ripped us off so bad last time we were here in 2023 they got sued for it so I guess they just put the charges in front this time around. By the way the venue is very nice despite the cost of beer and it's got good visuals and the crowd was ready for some PNW Phish. Things started off very hot. The Sand > KDF > Theme are all very strong versions. Sand specifically has a nice jam that announces the beginning of 2025 in grand fashion. KDF and Theme are both delivered with a punch. The highlight of Set 1 is next - an incredible BOTT, maybe the GOAT BOTT! It departs from Type 1 fairly quickly and there's this wonderful Trey trilling segment that rings favorable echoes of the 8/6/2021 Blaze On and the 2/25/2022 Carini. Then it goes full shred mode and peaks. We were stunned at this - definitely did not expect this from Back on the Train. What a moment! 2025 Phish came to play in the same way 2024 Phish destroyed! After 4 solid heavy-hitters, If I Could followed. Beautiful tune and it was my first one ever seen live. Tube was fairly standard and I'm always happy to get a Mull (or basically any other Mike song!) Wolfman's Brother was a powerful set closer - the band on fucking fire! Shoutout to CK5 also killing it, the venue shows his lights so well. The MDA continued to take hold over setbreak and I was holding on for dear life. The Blaze On -> Golden Age -> WGTYM is a full hour of Phish goodness, and an incredible segment for a tour opener. The Golden Age peaks, and THEN ends with this incredible dissonant jam. Must hear along with the WGYTM. This is another fantastic version - so many good versions from this song. I actually swear to god had a blackout for the IAWITW -> Ghost and don't remember it from the venue. Listening back the IAWITW is good but the Ghost is better and closes off a killer 5 song set. Amazing! I resurfaced for Bug and Possum and remember those just fine. Possum always fun to catch at a show. However, I got lost after the show from the crew and ended up going back the other way pretty spun, almost got lost lmfao but then I used the Space Needle as a beacon to get back to the hotel safely. AMAZING start to the tour and really to the next stretch of 5 shows (also the LA ones were great, but I didn't go to those so we stop there LOL). So lucky to have been able to see them and also have them playing so well - some bright spots in a chaotic world. Overall, this has me pumped for Summer Tour. Seattle also kicked ass, it was such a fun visit up there. Phish, come to the PNW more!! And we still have one more night in the Seattle run to go...