Can you imagine Phish opening for Widespread Panic or Goose today? Not ever gonna happen again. They surpassed them around 1992-1994 But for sure in 1995 when they played MSG New Years. . .they had hit the stratosphere and there was no going back. They still occasionally play small venues and they are my favorite shows. In fact my all time favorite attended show was Reading 2017. . .a MUST LISTEN show!!!! And it opens w one of my least favorite songs go figure Cars Trucks Buses but even that had extra Big Mac sauce and frenetic energy. Around 1992 They were equal or even below other "jam" bands like Toad the Wet Sprocket and Blues Traveler and DMB. Now the only band that some would say still outshines them is Dave but I could not disagree more. Dave may be more univerally popular because they are radio friendly and people in general like Daves voice better than Trey's Even I would agree that Phish singing is not their strongsuit but us fans do not give 2 shits. We go to tolerate his voice and especially Fishman's but we go because we love composed classical music and we love Jazz and when you mix those you get this amazing mix of genres like Funk Blues even a bit of Rap like Tube is sorta Rap like spit poetry obviously Rock and Roll Classic Rock Bluegrass Country I mean they mix all genres except Christian/Gospel but even they have a few of those like More and Tide Turns and All of These Dreams and Mountain in the Mist all have bar tune hymn sounds that could be church songs easily. The lyrics are anything but Christian especially in Death Dont Hurt Very Long Possum Friends Bug Lifeboy Those are songs from an atheist or agnostic mind of Trey. Clearly he is not a Jesus Freak but we do not go to their concerts to go to church People joke about the church of Phish because of how devoted we are to their music and the whole scene the Shakedown Alley the euphoria of friendship and feeling of oneness you get on Molly and or LSD and shrooms feels like you are truly one w your fellow fans and almost transcend earth and land in heaven the new Jerusalem is YOU ENJOY MYSELF w all of us chanting nonsense like "speaking in tongues" There are too many similarities that they even parodied it themselves at the Donut MSG 13 night run opening the White Choir Hymn where Fishman acted as a non pedophile priest giving us holy phish water and the incense of weed because it actually used to be weed if you research Chinese history so that was a fun little play on religion for it does feel like a religious experience when it is epic. But it can be like hell too. I have been to some shows where I wanted to die and or leave whichever came first. . .like Merriweather 2009. By far the worst show I ever went to was the reunion 20th when Tom got on stage and shrieked like a really tall monkey for Makisupa Policeman their song from the 60s 1969 apparently. That show even the Twist was god awful The friday was worse than any other friday and that song already sucks. The only amazing version being NYE run 12-28-2003. That show was actually quite good if you pretend you are on dope like Trey was.
Onto this show. I love Walk Away one of their best covers and that is saying something They do many amazing covers like While My Guitar Gently Weeps Good Times Bad Times Have Mercy Trenchtown Rock Golden Lady Boogie On 2001 Found a Reason Jesus Just Left Chicago Fire Jumpin Jack Flash Loving Cup Torn and Frayed Life on Mars? Five Years Starman 1999 Purple Rain Sexual Healing Golden Age When the Circus Comes Albuquerque FAR too many to count really That should be what they do for the 7 night run make 2 or 3 nights of just covers w themes for each night starting of course w Theme from the Bottom and then go into it Like Reba went into the White Album and changed my life forever 1994 phish was born Trey says 1995 but I say 1992 or 95
This show is too short and nothing stands out. 3.0 at best