Personally I don't think this Esther belongs on the jam charts - it's really rough.

This Fire, on the other hand, is quite interesting. It sounds to me like Trey detunes his E string to get a low, growling sound. He focuses entirely on this sound, which throws off the rest of band and very nearly derails the entire song. The recovery is sloppy, though I must admit I get excited when the band pushes a song like Fire to the brink.

I'll also say I'm always impressed at how enthusiastic the crowd sounds at many of these early shows. Imagine seeing Phish play Esther or Harpua in a bar or dorm hall in 1989. It must have been so bizarre. I guess people consistently "got it" from very early on. It sure sounds that way.