AUGUST 1993-Reflections

Phish Live Shows
#1

I was lucky enough to experience my first Phish shows in August of 1993, a magically high time in Phish history that was NOT rivaled because of it’s string of killer, impressive, incredible shows. One night after another!
I’m listening to 8-20-93 Red Rocks right now (soundboard…of course!), and I gets this wonderful feeling of elation at the way they sound, the way they jammed, and the tightness of the group. The improvs have total direction (sometimes meandering into full-throttle freak outs). The playing is so spot-on.
Please, for your own referencing and catalogues, if you are missing any of these shows, get them NOW at:

http://bt.etree.org/index.php?cat=5.

What a month it was:

http://www.phish.net/setlists/1993.html#08-02-93

The shows are crackling with energy and brilliance. I ended up quitting my job and following them around most of 1994 after my two August shows blew my mind. I ended up in late 1994 wondering where the last year had gone! I worked temp jobs and moved around the country for the next 4 years, catching shows, following them from theatre to theatre…

#2

Right on.

August 93 is solid and brilliant.

I have yet to find a show I don’t like.

The week of 8/11 to 8/20 is especially great.

2 Great meadowbrook shows start the run and it ends up at Red Rocks. .

#3

The next week was wicked too…Slat lake, Seattle, Vancouver, Portland, and down to The Greek Theatre. That GREEK show was fucking tight! I need a new soundboard of that…can’t wait till project 93 posts that. Portland was outstanding as well, as a former Portland resident, I must say!

#4

I picked up a soundboard from Etree awhile back of the Greek show and wasn’t thrilled with it.
It just sounded a little too thin for my tastes.
However, I’m sure a new source will be up when project 93 gets there (they tend to always find the best sounding sources in their projects)
A matrix of that show might be interesting to hear.

#5

I have gotten everything off of eTree that is Aug '93 (dork, I know). But anyways, truly magical. I never really singled out a specific tour, much less a specific month. I used to group everything by the year. But I must say, there was something in the water during August 1993.

Cincinnati show at the zoo, Darien Lake, Red Rocks, what a fucking month.

#6

anybody wanna help a brother out and seed the greeek show on btetree? maybe? fine…

#7

It should be up on BT very very soon! PROJECT 93 is two shows away from it actually.

Look for it in the next day or two. They haven’t posted a new show in a couple days…it’s due anytime.

#8

the red rocks show seemed fairly straight forward to me… what about it blows you guys away?

#9

“Is the Iguana still out here?” “We’ll be back in a bit… don’t hurt the Iguana…don’t do anything we wouldn’t do”.

Show opens with a superb DIVIDED SKY. Well played and executed.

“ICE >THE WEDGE”. Wicked minor key transition. Great coupling and early WEDGE.

Awesome “ANTELOPE”…one of the best of the year.

Sick ass jam on “SOAMelt.” Very very very open ended and very very 1993.

YEM??? Did you not listen to the YEM, my Colorado amigo??? It’s very well played and the vocal jam is sweet. And I usually HATE vocal jams.

PURPLE RAIN! Fishman and his Mom dueting on Vacuums.
One of the rarely played MANGO SONGs. And the accapella FREEBIRD!!!

Classic 8-93 PHISH. Make me remember why I fell in love with them and why I’m glad I skipped Post Hiatus…

#10

Everything about the end of the summer tour in 1993 impressive. The band could not do wrong. Even the first show of the month at the Roxy in Florida is awesome. Every single show that month has at least one must hear jam. And most of them have like 4-5. It ranges from the legendary one half of a jam (Murat Gin 8/13) to whole sets of blistering hot rocknroll (Tinley Park 8/14). And these two extremes on back to back nights!

August of 1993 is certainly up to par with November and December of 1997 and June of 1994. I would argue that these three periods are the absolute pinacle of phish’s playing.

#11

just sampled the show really - listened to the divided, melt, and slave… and while they were all solid… nothing mind blowing. i may have to go back and check out the yem on your recomendation though.

#12

Off topic, but I will have to say 1993 is the year of SOAMelt. Every version I have heard just builds and builds and builds until it seems like it can’t anymore. The jam in 4/21 may be my favorite moment of Phish ever.

#13

^ Agreeeeed. SOAMelt’s from 1993 are just a climax after climax!

#14

By the way…bt.etree seemed to skip THE GREEK THEATRE show and went straight to December at the Bender in DC.

Somebody gonna have to reseed that Greek Show!!! I’ll look into it. It used to be up on there at one time?

#15

GREEK THEATRE SOUNDBOARD is here:

http://bt.etree.org/details.php?id=20033&viewcomm=157163#comm157163

Get on it people…lots of seeders. Fat pipe download speeeeeeed…

#16

wow vern…Im gonna dl this one just because of your enthusiasm. Of course it doesn’t hurt that its a 8/93 show.

#17

I’ve been told by several others on bt-etree that they believe the Portland SOAMelt to be one of the best and most triumphant of all of 93.

Also get the Vancouver soundboard from that month. Highly worthy shit!

#18

cheers…thanks for the suggestions.

#19

yea thanks vern, i’m really diggin 8-28

Edit: Crimes of the mind is such a sweet song ;D

#20

Yeah…I was at that show. My second Phish show. The Dude was amazing live.