Phish opened the 2nd show at Seattle’s Key Arena with some ambient space prior to Maze’s intro. This Maze is on point and spirited! Next we get a trio of “first time this tour” songs that represent the essence of Phish..There’s some Trey-Page interplay in Guelah Papyrus, followed by some beautiful solos in Foam, and finally a rock ballad in Fast Enough For You.

“This is a little song that we’re gonna do for you about how you people are going to feel after we demolish you in chess. It’s called Blue and Lonesome.” Too funny! The band finds their groove in Free but it doesn’t go beyond the norm.

My 4th The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday caught me by surprise, but made sense once I realized today was the eve of Yom Kippur. Of course they had to play it so they could drop into Avenu Malkenu, “Our Father, Our King”. Gordo rightfully gets down on the bass before ending the song and finishing with TMWSIY.

Sample In A Jar might be Trey’s favorite song if he had to choose; crowd pleasing version as usual. The ending of Sample drops right into You Enjoy Myself, which was so smooth initially that it stumbles a little, but recovers nicely of course. Post tramps Trey jumps on the drum kit and Page steps up to lead the jam in fine fashion. Trey returns to guitar to finish the song properly. Gordo lays down an impressive bass solo before the vocal jam to end the set.

Timber (Jerry) opens the 2nd set. It was the first time played since it’s triumphant return at Sugarbush the past summer after a 258 show gap. This gap was only 6 shows and it still felt like a bustout, we were excited to get this only 6 shows into the 54 show Fall Tour. Of course, the band tore this song up.

The 2nd It’s Ice of Fall Tour comes out of the ending of Timber Ho. The usual Page breakdown occurs and doesn’t get too crazy. This song typically isn’t played in the second set. Sparkle is Sparkle and gets the crowd riled up. Harry Hood immediately drops next and the intro section is quite unique. The Hood jam sounds great and builds to a terrific climax.

The 4th Billy Breathes in six shows is well placed. Faht was really, really unexpected and happens to be the second to last one played to the date. Wouldn’t it be fun if Fishman busted this one out again. Sweet Adeline was also well placed. Phish was really being Phish!!

Oh shit! Split Open and Melt just started!! Enjoying the rare second set placement again. Things get dark real quick to my enjoyment. This Melt bangs around a bit and pushes the envelope. Squirming Coil closes the second set unlike the last time played when it closed the first set. The full band interacts well before leaving the stage to Page to wind things down. Which he does in fine fashion of course.

As a solo encore, Rocky Top seems the most unfair. I even feel that way about Fire sometimes since it is less than 5 mins typically. But Rocky Top is less than 3 minutes. Whatever, we have a day off before the next show in Portland, OR and the start of a 4 day run that will take us to Canada and finish in Montana. But I had a fabulous time in Seattle at the first two indoor shows of Fall Tour!!!

Worthy of a listen: Maze, Foam, Timber (Jerry), Harry Hood, Faht

#20yearslater

The Start of the Fall tour 1995 was lacking a bit with no real feel to it, besides the Shoreline Show on 9/30. Most Shows were pretty weak. After a "decent show" the night before my expectations were high for the Second night in Seattle. Show starts out with a firing Maze then tapers off rest of the set... was average at best. Second Set started out with a below average Timber followed by a good Its' Ice. Then the set began to lose me with no real flow. Harry Hood was OK but other then that. The Second Set was an overall bore.

2.5/5 total at best

SET 1: Maze: Always wanted to see this open a show, closest I ever got was opening the second set at 10.18.95. There is a point in Page’s solo where he nearly stops altogether. Trey rips his solo, this is a solid version.

Guelah Papyrus, Foam, Fast Enough for You, I'm Blue, I'm Lonesome[1], Free, The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday > Avenu Malkenu > The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday, Sample in a Jar > You Enjoy Myself: All of this was standard as standard gets. Trey talks trash to the crowd again before IBIL telling them how they are going to demolish the fans in chess. TMWSIY was beautifully played. YEM for me was below average as Trey spent a good amount of time on his drum kit while Page led the jam. That is a forgettable set, one that I will never revisit.

SET 2: Timber (Jerry the Mule) Nice to see this is likely back in the rotation after the huge bustout at Sugarbush. Great tune to open the second set. This is played at lightning speed. >

It's Ice: This is played very fast as well. Decent little jam. >

Sparkle: Standard. >

Harry Hood: Cool placement. Awesome spacey, creepy effects leading up the lyrics. This is a very underrated Hood. They don’t peak it as hard as I would have liked but all that leads up to it is really enjoyable, check it out!

Billy Breathes: Standard. 4th time played in 5 shows on the tour so far.

Faht: Pretty big bust out, 99 show gap and second to last time ever played with Fish on acoustic guitar. It’s horrible, lol.

Sweet Adeline: Standard.

Split Open and Melt: Solid Melt – Page on the baby grand really pushes Trey in the jam, very cool.

The Squirming Coil

ENCORE: Rocky Top

This was my first Northwest set of 5 shows as I lived in Minnesota at the time. However, I believe I need to state clearly that the set notes for this show are wrong: JON FISHMAN was the one playing the acoustic guitar on FAHT.
I remember him standing up and walking off the stage during the growing city sounds. Great 1995 show!