PHISH, WEDNESDAY 08/12/1998
VERNON DOWNS
Vernon, NY

SET 1:

La Grange: Awesome opener, we had a blast getting down to this one. >

Makisupa Policeman: Nice little jam and loops, this show is off to a good start. >

Funky Bitch: Standard.

Possum: Perfect placement, standard version.

Roggae: Standard.

Character Zero: Standard.

Ramble On: We had heard that this was played at Alpine, so it was not a surprise, but we were very excited to see this played again. Very chill jam that has good length and slips so nicely into Slave. Would recommend! ->

Slave to the Traffic Light: Loved this one at the show and still do. Very solid with a great finale. Back then, I hoped to hear Slave at ever show I went to and was especially excited to get this on this particular day.

SET 2:

Mike's Song: Immersed in brooding and dark tones, as anticipated, this performance takes an intriguing turn, mellowing out significantly around the nine-minute mark. Trey initiates a series of loops, seamlessly guiding the band into a soothing jam. After reveling in this mellowness for a minute and a half, a shift occurs as Trey steers them back into a vigorous and hard-charging groove. The final four minutes are a spectacle in themselves – characterized by a muddy, grungy, and intense atmosphere. This rendition stands out as truly outstanding, showcasing a dynamic range of musical expressions. Easy all timer and highly recommended. >

Simple: Has a blues jam towards the end – pretty different for this tune and as such would recommend for the unique nature of it. >

Rift: Didn’t see that coming. Little sloppy.

Loving Cup: Standard. >

Sleeping Monkey: Standard. >

Weekapaug Groove: Standard.

The Squirming Coil: Lovely version, Page was great!

ENCORE:

Burning Down the House[1] - This was so much fun!

You Enjoy Myself: Pretty standard YEM but Page’s Mission Impossible stuff was fun.

Summary: This show is one of my favorites that I have attended. Such a great vibe and big highlights throughout. Plus, the banter from the band was fun and camping across the street from the venue had it’s perks too. Big, big fan. Agree with the current rating on Phish.net of 4.595/5 (>50 ratings)/

Replay Value: Ramble On, Slave to the Traffic Light, Mike’s Song, Simple

[1] Phish debut; lyrics changed to "Vernon down the house."

Possum was dedicated to its author, Jeff Holdsworth, and Fish’s band in high school, Frodo. Ramble On was played in honor of Fish seeing a Led Zeppelin concert at age eleven and contained Cocaine teases; Slave subsequently included Ramble On teases, as well as Those Were the Days teases from Trey and Mike. The Phish debut of Burning Down the House contained alternate lyrics ("Vernon down the house"). HYHU was teased in the banter between Burning Down the House and YEM. YEM included HYHU and Mission: Impossible theme teases. This show is available as an archival release on LivePhish.com.
SHOW RATING
Ratings are currently offline.
Overall: 4.595/5 (>50 ratings)
JAM CHART VERSIONS
Ramble On, Slave to the Traffic Light, Mike's Song, Simple, Loving Cup, You Enjoy Myself
TEASES
Those Were the Days and Ramble On teases in Slave to the Traffic Light, Hold Your Head Up and Theme from Mission: Impossible teases in You Enjoy Myself, Cocaine tease in Ramble On