Author Topic: Best Phish show (Read 4666 times)

Vassillios · « **on:** November 30, 2007, 01:01:01 am »

\'94 was their best year, hands down.

best show: 5/7/94

Incredible improvs, segues from cover to cover, \'94 was their peak and they weren\'t even huge yet.

Gordo · « **Reply #1 on:** November 30, 2007, 01:19:52 am »

I saw the thread title and immediately thought 5/7/94. I also love 7/8/94, not only for Gamehendge but the second set is disgusting. other favs: 7-16-94, 10-31-96, 7-8-00, 7-12-91. I was always a firm believer that July meant huge shows.

leith · « **Reply #2 on:** November 30, 2007, 01:37:12 am »

\'94 was neither their best year or their peak and 5/7/94 is notable for pretty much the second set only. One set does not make a best show ever.

Gordo · « **Reply #3 on:** November 30, 2007, 01:42:28 am »

well if you could, please, elaborate. i think it\'s impossible to say which was their best year, \'94 was definitely wonderful. but ****, \'89 through \'00 = :thumbsup: and i definitely saw some great shows post-hiatus, regardless of everyone\'s bitching.

leith · « **Reply #4 on:** November 30, 2007, 02:11:24 am »

Quote from: Gordo;170639

well if you could, please, elaborate. i think it\'s impossible to say which was their best year, \'94 was definitely wonderful. but ****, \'89 through \'00 = :thumbsup: and i definitely saw some great shows post-hiatus, regardless of everyone\'s bitching.

Elaborate? Sure.
5/7/94 has an incredible 2nd set with the Tweezer and all the teases but the rest of the show is not as hot.
Saying \'94 was their best year is ridiculous esp. with Phish as they more than most bands experimented with their sound from year to year. They had not even explored how funky they could get in \'94.
Their Peak in \'94? Laughable. They had not even hit Europe with a proper tour, hit the maturity in songwriting they achieved with Billy Breathes and Clifford Ball was probably just a vague idea in \'94.

The best Phish show is highly subjective for sure but you really have to come up with a show that is stellar throughout and not just for one set.

Yeah it\'s easy for me to say Big Cypress NYE was their best show but then I think of 12/6/96 and 12/31/95 and 4/16/92 and... you get the picture.

davepeck · « **Reply #5 on:** November 30, 2007, 06:21:03 am »

give me august 1993 over almost anything in 1994.

crimsonknuckles · « **Reply #6 on:** November 30, 2007, 06:25:31 am »

i agree dave, my two favorites are 5-6-93(just great!) and halloween 96\'(**** sick!).

freddiewaht · « **Reply #7 on:** November 30, 2007, 06:57:53 am »

6-22-94
end of thread

FrankZappa · « **Reply #8 on:** November 30, 2007, 07:21:49 am »

fall 97.

ds673488 · « **Reply #9 on:** November 30, 2007, 08:29:30 am »

i agree, 1993...i cant talk now but i have many many reasons for this...ill explain later

booztravlr · « **Reply #10 on:** November 30, 2007, 09:04:51 am »

Quote from: davepeck;170653

give me august 1993 over almost anything in 1994.

August \'93 is easily my favorite 1 month stretch they played.

As for best 2 set shows...I am a huge fan of 1998-12-29. Night 2 of a 4 night new years run.

12-29-98 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
1: Rock and Roll > Funky ****, Punch You in the Eye > Horn, Ginseng Sullivan, Split Open and Melt, Brian and Robert, Guyute*, My Soul, Freebird** (1:08)

2: Free, Limb by Limb+ -> Also Sprach Zarathustra++, Boogie On Reggae Woman, You Enjoy Myself (1:15)

E: The Divided Sky (0:17)

Basically a 3 song opener. Solid Split mid set. Rockin Free, one of the best 2001 they did. It clocks in at ~17 minutes and drops nicely into Boogie. Very solid YEM. Divided Sky encore and the place was going nuts.

Anyone else hit up this run? I was only 17 and took a Greyhound bus down to the city with a couple of my friends. Good times.

Yoda · « **Reply #11 on:** November 30, 2007, 09:27:30 am »

I was lucky enough to get tickets to all 4 shows through mail order and I thought that 12/29 we the best out of the run. The show is available at the link below.

http://www.momadance.com/music/1998%20-%209%20Shows/12-29-98%20MSG/

Klout · « **Reply #12 on:** November 30, 2007, 11:43:55 am »

while most phans will disagree about what the best show ever actually is...most will agree it was definitively NOT played at the bomb factory.

Most of 94 was a pretty great though.

As mentioned august 93 was also stellar stretch.

The end of fall tour 97 of course gets a nod also.

But the best month is phish history hands down is December 95.

Every show that month is sick and culminates in 12/31/95 which is at least top three all time.

leith · « **Reply #13 on:** November 30, 2007, 12:23:13 pm »

Quote from: davepeck;170653

give me august 1993 over almost anything in 1994.

Dave have you heard this one? This is my 2nd show I believe. I had just come off 5 nights of Grateful Dead and this one show blew all 5 outta the water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It\'s the Summer Tour ender and it **** rips! I became a Phan at this show big time!

08-28-93 Greek Theater, University of California, Berkeley, CA

Soundcheck: Ginseng Sullivan, Funky ****, Nellie Cane

1: Llama, Bouncing Around the Room, Foam, Ginseng Sullivan, Maze-> Fluffhead-> Stash, The Squirming Coil, Crimes of the Mind*

2: Also Sprach Zarathustra-> Rift, Run Like an Antelope**, The Horse-> Silent in the Morning, Sparkle, It\'s Ice-> Big Ball Jam, Purple Rain^-> HYHU, You Enjoy Myself#, Contact, Chalk Dust Torture

E: Daniel, Amazing Grace

With J.J. Cale opening. *With the Dude of Life. **With "Brady Bunch" theme beginning. ^With vacuum. #With "Oye Como Va" (Santana) jam.

jking · « **Reply #14 on:** November 30, 2007, 12:58:49 pm »

actually, as far as muscianship went, 94 is pretty pinnacle. 97 introduced the lazy white boy watered down \'funk\' that eventually caused everything that had once been great to deteriorate. in 93 they were still wildly experimenting with what they could pull off and august is a brilliant example of that. 95 they spent learning how to play arenas and by december, they had learned. but in 94 they were playing at the peak of their abilities in rooms that were comfortable, familiar sizes. 6/11 and 6/22/94 both screaming as ragers! if you listen to mike and fish, their playing is FAR funkier than anything to happen in later years. fishman especially! post hiatus had some great songs/jams per show, but VERY few great shows.

i can\'t give you a single greatest show, but most of 94 beats the hell out of most of every other year. though every other year does have its highlight months or runs.