11-07-98 UIC Pavilion, Chicago, IL
1: My Soul, Mike’s Song, Driver*, Brian and Robert*, The Wedge, Limb by Limb, Fikus, Billy Breathes, Beauty of My Dreams, Weekapaug Groove (1:13)
2: AC/DC Bag -> Ghost, Reba, Farmhouse (0:56)
E: Guyute, While My Guitar Gently Weeps (0:14)
*Trey on acoustic guitar.
Phish in Chicago, playing the venue of my top Phish show ever (6/18/94). Here we got Night 1 of Phish’s three night stand at the UIC Pavillion.
My Soul kicks off the show with it’s usual bluesy, feel-good energy. Trey soars at the end of this one with some raging blues licks. Good way to kick off the show.
Mike’s comes in next much to the surprise/delight of the crowd. Trey throws on the space-loop at the beginning of the jam, with Page playing a more light, yet sinister organ jam rather than the usual hectic organ jamming he plays during the [former] trampoline section. The jam then morphs into some nice '98 ambient-funk. Trey and Fish then lead it into a more straight up rock jam with Trey taking some nice leads over a driving Fishman beat. The jam then falls right back into the funk jam moving in and out of the two styles. The post-trampoline jam dives straight into the abyss emerging with a nice soft jam, with Page and Trey trading off some great melodic playing. Mike’s comes to a quiet close with no segue, but the amazingly beautiful jam the precedes it makes it more than worth it.
Trey plays on acoustic for Driver Brian and Robert. Mike sounds extra clear during these quieter numbers and Page adds in some relaxed piano solos. A nice clam way to follow that beautiful Mike’s jam.
The Wedge offered a nice upbeat way to get back into it. Played solidly throughout; tight version.
Limb by Limb follows next and is played at a very calming pace. This version just floats along very pleasantly, keeping with the more melodic, laid-back vibe this show has had so far. The jam eventually spirals up into a cathartic peak with Trey wailing about that really caught me off guard. Fish and Trey just kill it at the end of this one, peaking the jam to perfection!
The immortal Fikus shows up next in this one! This one I believe is the last one they’ve ever played, and its such a shame. This song, for a '98 song, has a really throwback, Phish-jazzy feel to it.
Billy Breathes is played with the same soul-melting beauty of the Mike’s jam and the LxL jams from earlier in the set. Nicely played, indeed.
Beauty of My Dreams picks up the pace with Mike taking a killer solo in the middle of it. Very tight version.
Fishman teases a Hood drum roll (almost), but this ends up just being the signal to start up Weekapaug! Cactus takes a dirtyyy slap solo at the beginning of this one! The jam starts off with Mike still slap-funking the hell outta this bass. Page hops on the clav as this one enters the funk-rock instantly. Trey comes in with some ripping leads as this one morphs back into a straight Weekapaug rocker. Fish is keeping the pace very quick, firing off some nasty fills. This Weekapaug is played with frantic energy by all four members, with great tension and release jamming. Trey fires off a completely mind-bending run at the peak of the jam which made me have to scoop my face up off the floor. They then fire up another fast-paced jam post-2nd chorus which also was unreal before finally bringing the Weekapaug to a close. Crazy Weekapaug I must say!
Overall a very relaxed, soul-melting first set, with a face-melting 'Paug thrown in at the end.
AC/DC Bag starts off with the blues-funk direction. Page doubles down with some clav/piano action, with Cactus laying down some nice grooves. The jam goes into a more spacey, yet driving theme with Fish laying down a nice cymbal-led beat. Cactus is still dropping down groovy basslines with Trey and Page playing off of him. The space-groove then enters a more slower ambient theme with Trey throwing in some loops. Fishman is still trying to keep the pace fast, and eventually lands in a deep ambient jam with Trey and Mike playing music similar to the nirvana section in YEM. Great, deep '98 style ambiance here. Fishman really plays some nice stuff during the ambient jam; very splashy yet groovy. The ambiance slows down and Page adds in a more spacier feel with some synth washes/space noises. Trey throws in some loops as well, as this AC/DC Bag is turning out to be a thing of beauty. Trey then takes some really nice, yet gritty leads over the top of the jam. The jam slows down and turns into a droning loop jam before the space-loop to kick off Ghost is sounded! An amazing AC/DC Bag to say the least! Definitely a must listen.
Ghost starts off with a straight forward intro, nothing unusual. The jam starts off slow and funky, with Cactus dropping serious bombs! Trey and Fish lead the jam upwards with some really tight grooves being laid down by Mike in the back. The jam has some really great peaks in it before it slowly drops into the deep darkness. Mike leads the descent as Trey starts paying some very interesting guitar howls. The jam then exits the dark for a slowed down rock jam which eventually fades into silence. An absolutley amazing piece of Phish. AC/DC Bag > Ghost…phenomenal!
Reba follows next, creating a AC/DC Bag -> Ghost, Reba to start set two! The audience reaction following the Ghost, and seconds later when Reba started is priceless. Reba is played very chilled out and melodic, keeping with the theme of the night. Trey plays an amazingly beautiful solo on this one with an awesome climax. Definitely worth a listen!
Farmhouse sticks with the triumphantly melodic feel of the night, with big, powerful solos taking the place of the tight, quick shredders.
A four-song set with lots of different areas, staying with the theme of laid-back, soulfully driven jams. Overall a killer set of Phish, and a definite must-listen if you’ve never heard it.
Guyute is the encore much to the delight of the audience. This one is a pretty standard Guyute, with solid playing throughout.
While My Guitar Gently Weeps closes out a strong encore to a very solid show. Trey takes a powerful solo at the end of this one, yet it just didn’t do that much for me.
Overall I loved this show, and will definitely be downloading more than a few highlights from this one. Highlights for me were Mike’s Song, Limb By Limb, Weekapaug, AC/DC -> Ghost, and Reba. The AC/DC Bag takes my vote for the best selection from this show, with the Weekapaug coming in as my dark horse pick.
Awesome show…very strange Mikes Groove in the first set and I’ll go for any show with a 4 song second set. Not to mention Fikus…I mean come on…Fikus.
My 10th show…
2nd Set was INSANE!!
Cops went fucking bonkers after the show…
It was cold…
This was a dirty dark, very awesome kick off to the run! My favorite night was Sunday tho!
Fuck yeah titties.
Mike’s goes in and out of evil and funk, as does the entire second set. Gimmesummadatshit