You can consider this an average show from this time in the band's career. You'll want to hear the strong Divided Sky early in the show, as well as the transition between Wilson and Peaches. Wilson is unfinished because Trey's "Blat Boom" serves as the opening drum beat to Peaches. This was a fairly common occurrence in the 80s, and I was surprised to hear it pop up hear, but it's always a nifty move. The thing you'll probably want to go back to the most from this show is the nasty Split Open and Melt. This one is a must-hear for Melt fans. The set-closing DwD is pretty fiery, as well.

There's nothing quite as essential as the SOAM from the first set as there is in the second set, but the YEM>Vibration of Life>YEM and the Hood (which briefly goes type 2 in the quiet part of the jam) are good listens. The Hood doesn't peak as well as the best versions from this period. The extended encore is a nice addition to bolster this show somewhat.

It's a good show, just not the cream of the crop of the tour.

SET 1: Fee > Divided Sky, Wilson, Peaches en Regalia > Glide: Standard.

Split Open and Melt: Brief DwD tease around 10 and a half minutes? This jam is NOT for the faint of heart. Imagine this left a good many trying to collect themselves after this one. Goes way, way out there. This is an all-time SOAMelt.

Dog Faced Boy, Sparkle, Down with Disease: Standard.

SET 2: Also Sprach Zarathustra > Simple > Poor Heart > Julius: Standard.

You Enjoy Myself -> The Vibration of Life: “You guys know what this is right?” ->

You Enjoy Myself -> Big Black Furry Creature from Mars: Standard.

Harry Hood: Gets extremely weird for a couple of minutes. Starts as a silent jam like you would hear in Foam and that gets strange. Eventually moves back into familiar Hood territory after a minute and a half or so. Other than that this is a very average version.

Cavern

ENCORE: My Sweet One[3], Nellie Kane[3], Amazing Grace, Highway to Hell: Standard.

Summary: Pretty run of the mill for fall 94. SOAMelt has replay value for days and the Hood I suppose has a bit or replay value for the 90 or so seconds of quirkiness but outside of that this show is middle of the road amidst a great tour. I would rate this as a 3.5 of 5.

This is solid show but as I make my way through the Fall ‘94 tour, there are numerous shows that came before it that top it. This being said, there’s enough here to make a listen worthwhile. The Divided Sky is a pretty nice in the 2 spot. The Wilson > Peaches sequence is nifty, with an interesting vocal transition between the two. The Melt is fantastic, giving us a mean, dark and frenzied version that is typical for the time.

As for the second set, we revert back to Simple with a minimal jam after what appears to be the first exploratory version on Halloween. The YEM is really great, adding in the Vibration of Life. And the one other real highlight in this show is the Hood, which was having a spectacular year. This version isn’t as strong as some of the earlier versions from the Fall, but it’s an interesting take nonetheless.

Overall this show is worth checking out but it’s not as essential Fall ‘94 listening as a good number of the shows that came before it.

https://forum.phish.net/forum/permalink/1377852761

Margaret Atwood introduced the phrase "context is all" as a motif in "The Handmaid's Tale" in 1985, and the quote is practically a cliché by now. It neatly summarizes the development of post-modern art in the 20th century, and is a crucial component of our interpersonal digital communication today. But even though context is important, it can also sway our perceptions unnecessarily. Not every Phish show played during August '93, December '95, or Fall '97 was a glorious bacchanalia of sound and light. And occasionally, a very good show is overlooked because it is dwarfed by surrounding giants. Compared to the previous three shows on the tour, or the best shows that came later in November '94, 11/3 UMass may fall short; but removed from this context, I believe this show is far better than "an average show".

Phish performed a total of seven shows on the UMass campus between 1990 and 1995. Some are better than others, but the audience response on this AUD recording demonstrates how the Amherst network of colleges was a stronghold for Phish fans in the early 1990s. It makes sense, then, that this show would begin with a nostalgic feel; Fee, Divided Sky, and an old-school Wilson > Peaches combo effectively turn back the clock to the Spring of 1989. However, a remarkable SOAMelt brings us up-to-date with the 1994 Phish sound and style of improv. DWD and Julius rage for eight minutes apiece, while the fledgling Simple sounds like it's almost ready to fly. According to the review on the legacy phish.net review site, Trey was pointing at Fishman when he said "You end up looking like that" during the Vibration Of Life explanation. The segue from the YEM vocal jam into BBFCFM is superb. And listen closely to the very beginning of Nellie Kane, when one waggish lad in the audience yells out, "Play the White Album!"

There are many great four-show runs in the band's history, too many to list. But runs of five consecutive great shows are scarcer; partly because 3-show festivals and 4-show NYE runs are the norm, partly because of the physical stamina required. 10/29-11/2/94 is widely regarded as a phenomenal three-show run for the band, and 11/4 has plenty of fans as well, but I feel that 11/3 deserves to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the others.