04-16-92 Anaconda Theatre, Isla Vista, CA

Phish Live Shows
,
#1

Thursday, 04/16/1992
Anaconda Theatre, Isla Vista, CA

Soundcheck: Tube

Set 1: Buried Alive > Possum[1], It’s Ice > Bouncing Around the Room, Split Open and Melt, Rift, Fee -> Maze, Colonel Forbin’s Ascent > Fly Famous Mockingbird > Icculus > Fly Famous Mockingbird > Run Like an Antelope

Set 2: Sanity, Llama, The Lizards, Mike’s Song > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove, Horn > Poor Heart, Cold as Ice > Terrapin[2] > Cold as Ice, Carolina[3], Memories[3], Sweet Adeline[3], Suzy Greenberg

Encore: Sleeping Monkey

[1] Random Laugh, Simpsons, Oom Pa Pa, and All Fall Down signals.
[2] Band and crew introductions from Fishman.
[3] Without microphones.

Teases:
· Harpua tease in Fly Famous Mockingbird
· Follow the Yellow Brick Road tease in Run Like an Antelope

Notes: Possum included Random Laugh, Simpsons, Oom Pa Pa, and All Fall Down signals. Mockingbird contained Harpua teases from Mike. This version of Icculus (first since April 6, 1991, or 118 shows) was, perhaps, the shortest version ever as it did not contain the usual build-up and screaming. Antelope contained a Follow the Yellow Brick Road tease from Trey. Terrapin included band and crew introductions from Fishman. Carolina through Sweet Adeline were performed without microphones. Widespread Panic opened.

#2

Hell yeah! This, along with 1992-07-25, were the first shows I ever got on tape. It’s been a while since I’ve listened to it but this one smokes from front to back. Great choice!

#3

^ Same here!

It was a high speed dub taboot!

Love this show, spent many a nights listening to this on my walkman.

:thumbup:

#4

^Listening on headphones or alone in the car is the only way to truly “hear” a recorded show. That was a conclusion I reached this morning.

I always loved a Buried Alive opener. I remember when it was common, now I would kill a baby bunny for one.

Did that Possum kick ass or is it just me? The beginning is packed with lots of fun stuff, Mike sounds young, virile, and energetic, and Trey shreds.

#5

Fuck yeah! Nice bump y’all. Love dis show for the Paug. Quiet, atmospheric, and empathetic. Some really interesting volume swells and a glorious peak. Very unlike what they had been doing with other Weekapaugs during this time, which was ecstatic, balls to the wall shredding, stop on a dime changes in tempo, tons of secret language and teasing, and in your face tension and release.

#6

I bought this CD years ago. I still have it I believe. Though I think it’s suffered some kind of wear or damage.

Spring 1992 is one of my favorite of all eras of Phish. Haven’t listened to it too much since back then, it should be fun to revisit it again. I shall bust it out. Or: I shall bust it forth.

The bootleg’s recording was SBD; is the google spreadsheet the same thing, or is it AUD? I’m prohibited by my current laziness from checking myself. Plus I’m checking to see if you’re asleep.

I remember being seriously wowed by the artwork on this bootleg, check it out:

#7

^ Kiss The Stone! Those bastards knew how to bootleg!

I am going to dig out my non-KTS, old, bluish CDR’s of this show and listen for the first time in a while…

#8

I’m up to Rift and this show starts off with a bang. As Katie (or possibly someone else) mentioned, Buried Alive openers are quite the treat.

And the intro to Possum is loaded with secret language… The first of which caught me off guard. An excellent jam leads into a solid Its Ice.

A good Bouncing shows off Treys vocals may be a bit low in the mix.

But this Split Open and Melt is one that I love. Early Melts are the best Melts in my opinion.

#9

And wow does the second half of the first set not disappoint. I love the little spacey jam they used to do somewhat regularly from Fee into Maze. And this Maze is an absolute smoker. Trey really showing off his chops to southern California.

A great Forbins with a fun narration of the boulders and trees and boulders and trees tumbling down. A quick Mockingbird tease from Gordon before heading incredibly smoothly into Icculus, and back into a near perfect Mockingbird. Antelope came raging to close out the set. Nothing out of this world, but straight forward and lots of energy.

Second set someone calls for a Sanity (sounds like an audience member), and gets their wish. The contrast between the slowed down ending and the lightning fast Llama intro is quite a treat. And this Llama delivers. It is like the band was in agreement to play this one relatively straight forward, but constantly peaking with energy. Much like the first set Maze, Trey really shines during this one. Lizards is a perfectly placed cool down spot… and the rest of the set review will be coming later.

#10

Just got through the first set, and really got my vintage Phish juices flowing. I love the raw energy, the silly Trey just brimming with enthusiasm. Love it. Unfiltered Phish at its best.

#11

Man that Buried Alive opener is just bursting at the seams, I love it :thumbup:

Early-Mid 90’s Possums are the shit - they had so much fun with the intro, wish they would do that more today.

Mike is an All-Star on this Ice…wow. Bass is just thumping and he’s the one driving the song. The breakdown section is nice with some great jamming.

Bouncing is a pee song…sorry :wave:

These old Melts are awesome. Did I hear Trey ask Mike if he wanted fast or slow right before they start?

Is it just me or did they fuck up the beginning to Rift? I happened really quick and they recovered well but I think it kinda affected the first minute or so and then it was like they made up for it in a big way. Great version.

To ditto someone else, the 2nd half of this set is crazy good. That’s the kinda segue of songs you would expect to see close out a 2nd set. Just straight awesomeness.

#12

Holy Mikes Song. This thing absolutely smokes from beginning to end. The Weekapaug is no slouch either. Horn>Poor Heart is a nice resting place after that madness.

Unfortunately the set kind of takes a resting pace at this point. Fishman song was good with fun banter. But the three acapella songs was just a bit much for me in a row. Suzy tried to bring some of the bands energy back… But it may have been taken out already. The crowd was definitely into it though.

And well a Sleeping Monkey encore… I’ve just never been too into this song… But it was enjoyable.

Overall thoughts. The first set is the meat and potatoes of this show. And the second set started off just as strong, but just couldn’t quite bring it on home for me. But that Mikes Song… Yowza!!

#13

^ took the words outta my mouth

#14

Love the Mike’s! Get’s into an actual jam, not just a vamp to solo over.

This Weekapaug has always mystified me. It’s got an Esther vibe to it, with the light and airy ethereal volume swells. Trey’s tone sounds like it’s make of wispy clouds.

I also agree that the first set is the meat of this show. It’s Ice jam is real cool, and the Forbins/Icculus/Mockingbird is so well done. I never noticed all the little jazz cliches that is the Mockingbird licks. 92 is arguably my favorite year of Phish for that raw in your face energy and shredding, as well as the audible smiling from Trey’s singing/speaking.

#15

^Yeah, that was the last time they really brought such, uh, … labor-intensive material to the stage too. They were debuting all the Rift material that year. Looking forward to revisiting this show, I do not remember the Mike’s/Paug.

What I do remember from this show, after years of not hearing it, … is:

“ROCKS! TREES! BOULDERS! ROCKS! TREES! BOULDERS! ROCKS! TREES! BOULDERS!”

#16

Great show if you love Mike. Bass is way high in the mix. Love the first set. This might have been one of my first tapes…

#17

I despise Mike, and I assume most Phans do too. Why do you think we all try to move as far Page side as possible? I like to turn the bass all the way down when I listen to Phish. I just come up with my own, more straight forward basslines in my head. I mean he’s not even playing a rhythm half the time, it’s all just a bunch of spaceship gobblety gook (not racist) if you ask me.

#18

Yeah, this 2nd set loses me after Poor Heart. Too much quiet after a rocking’ show. I’m pretty sure you can hear someone request Adeline after the first two acapella tunes and then you can hear others plead no more… :laughing:

Like others said the Mike’s>Hydrogen>Paug was stellar and I always love a good Horn.

#19

so hey, that tease from Mike before Icculus is Harpua … crazy good Mockingbird. That Ice is a must hear, just for the Mike angle alone. I’m not usually nuts about Melt jams but this one is totally cool right outta the gate.

Mike’s bass is so high in the mix that it’s crazy. It’s really something to have his parts emphasized, and you realize how much of his work only makes it as far as your subconscious.

#20

I love how much Mike you can hear in Weekapaug. So much pop.

Sorry, done talkin about Weekzpug now.