Ask Phish fans about their favorite shows and they’ll most likely tell you about dates and venues dotted across the country, detailing Titanic’s riffs, crazy cover songs, “breakthroughs” and taking musicianship to the next level.
Since their debut on December 2, 1983, Phish have played over 1,700 famous shows and have no shortage of live performances. Fans have been recording and selling shows since the 80s (you can watch almost every show here), and today the band offers about 30 minutes of each show on their LivePhish app (www.livephish.com). Buy or stream. They also usually release one or two archival records a year.
Most recently, the band’s first live album, A Live One 1995, was released on vinyl. It is their best-selling live album to date (Hoist is their best-selling album overall). In addition to Live One, here is our selection of the top 10 phishing live recordings that are widely available on CD and streaming services.
Previously, Fish could play in someone’s backyard, at a farm or, in this case, at a “family park” where, as the flyer says, people could play mini golf, swim in the river, or enjoy “cream ice.” . Cream.” The three-part show is compact versions of many fan favorites such as “Split Open and Melt”, “Harry Hood” and the 14-minute “You Enjoy Myself” (yes, 14 minutes in this tense situation). . From the band’s official live performances, this was as raw and fun as many of the band’s 80s gigs, which is their hallmark.
When it comes to fun, this show has it all: several high quality jam sessions such as “Down With Drugs” and “Mike’s Song”, Primus bassist Les Claypool’s cameo on the beloved “Harpua”, joined by drummer John Fish John Fishman. Elvis Presley in costume imitates a performance of the King’s “Suspicious Minds”, a cover that was played only 13 times between 1995 and 1996, and that was the last time in Las Vegas tonight.
Phish’s ’94 fall tour saw the band travel to many college campuses where they gained popularity. A night in the tiny Jesse Auditorium at the University of Missouri (capacity 1,800) instantly became legend. The first set was fairly standard, but the second was an instant hit with a 30-minute version of Son of Seals’ “Funky Bitch”, showing that any song can go a long, winding road if they so choose. (Example: Baker’s Dozen concert last summer at Madison Square Garden, 30-minute song “Lawn Boy”.) The rest of the show included two Beatles cover versions (“Blackbird”, “Cry Baby Cry”), very strange half. – An electronic, semi-acoustic version of “The Big Black Furry Creature From Mars” and three classic bluegrass tunes, including “I’m Blue, I’m Alone” by Marty Stewart and “My Long Journey Home” by Bill Monroe.
Where did Fish return after a five-year hiatus from 2004 to 2009? Hampton Stadium. The spaceship-like hall has hosted many memorable shows, including this two-day show in November 1998. They replaced long riffs with a series of eclectic cover repertoires such as Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage”, Chumbawamba’s ubiquitous hit “Tubthumping”, Will Smith’s “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It”, Bob Dylan’s “Quinn the Eskimo”, Gary Glitter’s “Rock”. and Roll Part II”, and Vin’s “Rose Liberty”, as well as brilliant versions of the original, such as the 25-minute “Mike’s Song/Easy” combo and the twenty-minute “Bathtub Gin/Bagpiper” one-two hit. .
Fish’s lone performance for the Dallas, Texas club became an instant classic for fans of his epic second set, affectionately known as “Tweezerfest.” Kicking off Game 2 with an energetic rendition of The Rolling Stones’ “Loving Cup” and “Sparkle”, the band ignited the long-forgotten “Tweezer” by weaving the Who’s “Sparks”, the Breeders’ version of Cannonball. , “Sweet Emotion” by Aerosmith, “Makisupa Policeman” by the band, “Walk Away” by James Gang and finally “Purple Rain” by Prince, all performed by Fishman in a vacuum. Other notable Tweezers releases include the 1997 18-minute version. was performed in Denver on November 17, a 37-minute version was performed in Lake Tahoe, Nevada on July 31, 2013, and a version was performed at the Merryweather Post Pavilion, Maryland on July 27, 2014. But the bomb laid the groundwork.
Perhaps in an attempt to become a promising band again, Fish organized two small European club and theater tours in 1997, playing to 1,000–2,000 people a night instead of the usual 20,000 people. Both shows were held at Amsterdam’s 1500 seat Paradiso, which suggests something is in the air… as the three shows get weird and fast. That same year, several early versions of what would become a beloved staple of live phishing appeared in Amsterdam, most notably the creepy “Ghost” that sparked Fishman and Anastasio’s search for the worm. and the “Carini” segment. ‘, a dark and intense ode to the band’s percussion technique, inspired by a seemingly random altercation he went through. 1997 was a significant year for the band, with a European tour that featured many highlights, these highlights defined Phish FOMO. The concert in Amsterdam certainly ended the year.
Celebrating the New Year at Madison Square Garden has become a tradition for the band, which began with this show in 1995. A late-night running joke was that the band was a timekeeper, and as the clock struck midnight, they were seen working on the “Gamehendge Time Factory” stage. “children’s new year”, diapers, etc. Standout performances include Who’s “Drowned”, a tongue-in-cheek cover of Collective Soul’s “Shine” in the middle of a rare “Col.” Forbin’s “Climbing/Flying the Famous Mockingbird” and the 25-minute “You Enjoy Yourself” flow seamlessly into the elusive “Sanity”.
“Never miss a Sunday show” is a phishing phrase, and the band seems to enjoy rewarding those who get out before reality returns on Monday. The night at Wright State was filled with fear and disruption, including the return of Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer”, ZZ Top’s “Jesus Just Left Chicago” and Stevie Wonder’s “Boogie on Reggae Woman”. But celebrities aside, ask anyone and they’ll tell you that the band was great that night – they were great from start to finish and you can hear them one by one.
The Phishing Halloween show has become legendary over the years as they perform “musical costumes” that span the entire album from beginning to end. Their credits include The Who’s Quadrophenia, Talking Heads’s Remain in Light, The Velvet Underground’s Loaded, The Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main St., Little Feat’s Waiting for Columbus, and most recently The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The David Bowie . spider from Mars.
But if you only listen to one, it’s the ’94 OG. Tickets are $18 and they encourage fans to vote for the cover version of the album, with the winner receiving The Beatles White Album from start to finish. The show lasts four hours and ends at 3 am. In addition to the Beatles albums, they also performed two sets of their own compositions, including the excellent “Harpua”, “David Bowie”, “Slave to the Traffic Light” and “Run Like an”. antelope. “
Two years later, after the famous 1995 New Year’s Eve show, the band will return to the garden for three shows, and that sums up what fans love about the band. Extended riffs (“AC/DC Bag”, “Harry Hood”), knockouts (Robert Palmer’s “Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley”), fun (“Harpua”, sung by Proclaimers “I’m Gonna”) Be” (500 miles )”) and the raw energy of rock (“Isabella” by Jimi Hendrix). Is this the best phishing show ever? Probably not. Basic? Definitely landed.
Post time: Aug-21-2023