PHISH, FRIDAY 07/17/1998
GORGE AMPHITHEATRE
George, WA

SET 1:

Makisupa Policeman: Nice chill way to open the show, that relaxed west coast Gorge vibe. Awesome segue in Ya Mar even if it does slightly catch the rest of the band by surprise. >

Ya Mar: Such a chill jam that evolves here. Fits the venue perfectly and the placement as well. Melts into the abyss. Would recommend.

Gumbo: Icky, sticky funk groove right out of the gate. It’s very thick!!! This is a very consistent jam without too much variance until the last 30 seconds or so. This one prefers to stay in the muck and the mire.

Divided Sky: Not a better venue or placement for this tune. Watching the sun set during Divided Sky at the Gorge is pretty cool. Exceptionally well done – would recommend!

Waste: This one has extra mustard, it’s great! >

My Mind's Got a Mind of its Own: Standard.

My Soul: Standard.

SET 2:

Also Sprach Zarathustra: Longest ever. Best ever? It’s right up there. Grooves for days. Highly recommended! >

Mike's Song: This one has a real bad attitude. It’s slower than normal, with a nasty edge to it. Like Gumbo, this one likes to take it’s time in the depths of the muck and the mire. But once it hits that second jam, it’s like the veil is lifted and they bust out that hose. It’s gorgeous and uplifting in an organic way – nice and patient. An exceptional Mike’s from front to back, it truly has it all. Easy all timer and highly recommended! >

Weekapaug Groove[1] - The Taste tease is cool. This version kind of has it all – the typical speedy, rocking stuff but in addition it has a nice funk segment plus a choppy blues segment to finish it off and then segues into Zero, would recommend this Weekapaug >

Character Zero: Standard.

ENCORE:

Punch You in the Eye: Standard, played 161 times but only 6 times in the E slot – 3 of those versions were right here on the US Summer 98 tour. Cool placement! >

Rocky Top: Standard.

Summary: This is one of those shows that – if you are a fan – you know about it and haven listened to it multiple times. It has been lauded for decades and for good reason – it’s one of the all-time greats. That second set is legendary! But plenty of nice takeaways in that first set two. The show has it all and is rated appropriately on Phish.net as the current rating reflects 4.609/5 (478 ratings).

Replay Value: Ya Mar, Gumbo, Divided Sky, Also Sprach Zarathustra, Mike's Song, Weekapaug Groove

[1] Unfinished.

Trey teased Close to the Edge and Makisupa Policeman in Ya Mar. Gumbo included Fire (Ohio Players) teases. This unfinished Weekapaug included syncopated jamming and a tease of the theme that signals the closing of the jam segment of Taste by Trey. This show was released as part of The Gorge '98 box set.
SHOW RATING
Your rating:
Overall: 4.609/5 (478 ratings)
JAM CHART VERSIONS
Ya Mar, Gumbo, Divided Sky, Also Sprach Zarathustra, Mike's Song, Weekapaug Groove
TEASES
Taste tease in Weekapaug Groove, Makisupa Policeman and Close to the Edge teases in Ya Mar, Fire (Ohio Players) tease in Gumbo