Well, the boys came to play tonight, and PLAY they did. This was my 1st show, my 17th Birthday, and would reign supreme as the finest show I would ever experience.
A buddy of mine who was at this show with me recently reminded me: Mike emerged onstage for the 1st set with his hair piled up on his head ala Marge Simpson. By "Reba" it had all fallen back into place.
And the hilarity never let up from that point on..to Mike's multiple announcements of "Possum" being about "brutal death....this song is about...brutal death."
At the opening of Set 2, just before the Roundabout tease, Trey announces "HELP ME I'M MELTING AND I CAN'T SOLIDIFY"...this is not on my CD of this show, but is present on my old cassette.
Everyone was trying to get Fish to tell the Prison Joke, but he refused "I'm good at embarrassing myself...but..." Even Trey starts chanting "Prison joke, prison joke, prison joke"...from behind Fish's drums.
The keyword tonight was FUN.
And now for the life-changing part: the jam in "Mike's Song," prior to Hydrogen. The strobes and the fog / smoke turned into this vision of massive sailing ships emerging from the stage and floating out over us, with the guys on the trampolines and Trey soloing with nothing but feedback. My 17-year old mind was officially blown. It still is to this day.
And the intro to "Harry Hood"....oh wow.
Repeated listens, over 20 years later, only make this show MORE impressive. Every song is played with 100% sheer conviction, energy, power. Trey is the Master. All of them are simply in Top-form. The entire show flows with ease and beautiful perfection.
Are there "better setlists" out there? "Longer jams?" More sets? Of course, but THIS IS PHISH. At least to this 1.0'er.
Five stars all the way. I even named myself after this one.