I'm a young buck in the Phish community. I never saw the world of tapes, and my first show was 2016. That said, I pride myself on being pretty well-versed in the band's history and performance given those two factors, as I've dedicated plenty of my time since that first show digging through the archives, learning from the folks who were there, studying old shows and catching new ones where I can. One thing I've come to deeply understand along the way is the nonnegotiable significance of NYE '93 to the 1.0 fanbase. The band had been ripping and innovating for years at this point, but Summer '93 saw the turning of a major page in their book, as the repertoire became better refined, full-band jamming was established as the norm, and the Phans were--now more than ever--utterly convinced that this band would live as legends. Reading the stories others have shared about keeping this tape on their person, listening to the Reba jam hundreds of times--it's hard to imagine given the fortunate access I have to hundreds of shows at the tip of my finger. But it helps to justify the status of NYE '93--a show perhaps relatively devoid of Type II improvisation, but nonetheless comprised of solid jamming, chops, and grandiose theatre all the way through--as a truly significant performance for both the Phans who attended in person and those who would later be indoctrinated by the tape.

I won't bother saying much more. It's all been said, and can be summed up with just a few words: This one is special. Hear it.