Look…I know this is huge, and I don’t even know if I can do it at this point, but I think you guys get the drift.
Start wherever you’re comfortable starting…these don’t have to be shows that you were at (as I haven’t been to any), but just what is, in your mind, the best show from each year phish was together, and there is no point doing 2002.
I’ll put mine up later.
gosh a hard one.
Lets see:
1996 10/31 the Omni
1997 07/23 Lakewood amphitheater
1995 06/14 Mud Island Amphitheater
2000 07/11 Deer Creek
1999 12/31 Big Cypress
1998 08/15 Lemonwheel day 1
1994 10/16 Chattanooga
Now ones I wasn’t at:
1993 08/14 World Music Theater
1992 11/25 The Keswick Theater
1991 10/19 The Catalyst
1989 12/01 The Paradise
OK here we go…and this is just based on what I’ve heard:
9/13/90 - a lot of firsts; and a Dude of Life Appearance
3/13/91 - Great Llama start…that’s all I really need
4/18/92 - Gin and Antelope do it for me.
3/22/93 - Gamhenge…need i say more.
5/27/94 - A Reba that will make you feel breezy for sure.
10/28/95 - A dark and dirty second set…10/31 is a very close second
11/7/96 - This second set is very arguably what got me into phish GREAT GIN
11/30/97 - If I have to choose…Hampton is just to obvious
11/2/98 - Although it is maybe my least favorite encore ever.
12/31/99 - Duh.
5/23/00 - The only 2000 show I have other than Vegas…good stuff though.
7/9/03 - I like this Shoreline run better than IT
4/17/04 - I was listening to this today…and it’s pretty great.
Wasn’t really so hard once I had my list in front of me.
Interesting thread…one that would require tremendous thought
I haven’t gotten into much pre-1994 Phish, simply b/c while I would probably enjoy, I don’t think I enjoy as much as 1996-2000 Phish. Having said that…
1994 - 10/31…gorgeous versions of “Simple,” “Reba,” and “Slave,” not to mention The White Album
1995 - 7/3…SET II!
1996 - 8/16/96…no explanation
1997 - 12/7…probably the hardest year to choose from; first set is exceptional with a funky, well-chosen SET II
1998 - tie: 10/31… (“Sweet Jane,” “Wolfman’s”) and 11/27 (“Mike’s Groove”
1999 - 12/31…yup
2000 - 7/11…first show I ever attended
2003 - 7/29…“Crosseyed and Painless”
2004 - 6/24…SET I
w00t???
You really don’t expect ME to go through each year and actually pick ONE show for each, do you?
That’s nuts…sorry. Not gonna’ do it.
^ nuts indeed. I think I’m gonna try anyhow. Here goes…
1990 - 11/4 Fort Collins, CO …because it’s the only show from 90 that I’m familiar with
1991 - 7/12 Keene, NH …because the giant country horns kick ass
1992 - 11/25 Glenside, PA …see reasoning for 11/4/90
1993 - 8/14 Tinley Park, IL …go look at the setlist, and you’ll see why
1994 - 6/22 Columbus, OH …segue-o-rama with Midnight Rider instead of the Simple riff
1995 - 12/31 MSG …why? because it kicks ass! why else?
1996 - 8/13 Noblesville, IN …see reasoning for 11/25/92
1997 - 12/5 Cleveland, OH …difficult choice here, but My Friend My Friend tipped the scale ever so slightly
1998 - 4/3 Uniondale, NY …Roses>Piper>Lovin Cup>Antelope… Carini’s gonna get ya! nuff said.
1999 - 7/24 East Troy, WI …old school! (I omit 12/31 because Big Cypress was not a show, it was a phenomenon.)
2000 - 7/11 Deer Creek …Chalkdust prelude + (Moby Dick x 6) + Chalkdust prelude reprise = fucking amazing
2003 - 7/13 George, WA …best Seven Below ever, First Tube encore, my first weekend of Phish.
2004 - 6/20 SPAC …Because I’m listening to it right now and HOLY SHIT DROWNED > SARATOGA JAM WTF!!!
there. that was kinda fun.
^ Why not man? No one’s holding you to this list…it’s just for fun…we aren’t here to judge…I just want to gain some insight into what other people thought were really good shows from any given year. I don’t think its NUTS…a lot of threads on here are…but this one really pertains entirely to phish, and live phish in particular.
Sorry that was for the post by Vernixx…
I don’t know, man. I’m about to start some stupid, three day long flame war over it. I just need to figure out what I can blame on you. Global warming, perhaps…
yeah man…of course it is difficult! but i agree with whoever said it’s for fun. no one’s asking you to choose between your children. this isn’t “Sophie’s Choice.”
I just don’t feel a particular need to list this when I can’t deciede ANY particular show. I have multiple favorites from each year. It’s just too random for me to bother to ponder.
But one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE SHOWS is alread here. 3-22-93…
Enough said…
You guys have fun.
^
Fair enough.
Off the top of my head so hopefully all the dates and cities are right.
2004 - 06-20 Saratoga, NY *
2003 - 02-26 Worcester, MA *
2000 - 07-11 Deer Creek, IN *
1999 - 12-31 Big Cypress, FL *
1998 - 08-12 Vernon Downs, NY * (12-29 MSG, NY *)
1997 - 12-07 Dayton, OH
1996 - 10-31 Atlanta, GA (11-15 St. Louis, MO)
1995 - 12-31 MSG, NY
1994 - 10-31 Glens Falls, NY (07-13 Patterson, NY)
1993 - 02-20 Atlanta, GA (08-20 Red Rocks, CO)
1992 - 03-13 Providence, RI
1991 - 07-14 ?, VT
1990 - 11-02 Boulder, CO
1989 - 05-28 Ian’s Farm, NY
1988 - 05-25 Burlington, VT
1987 - 04-29 Burlington, VT
1989 - 08.26.89 (A good 3 sets of fun…and not many people there)
1990 - 02.23.90 (I love Alumni Blues…wish it got more play in the later years!!!)
1991 - 07.12.91 (A more jazzier Phish with the Giant Country Horns)
1992 - 04.16.92 (Forbin -> Icculus -> Mockingbird)
1993 - 02.20.93 (Crazy Set 2)
1994 - 10.31.94 (“White Album”)
1995 - 12.31.95 (Do you have to ask?)
1996 - 10.31.96 (Best Halloween ever - Talking Heads “Remain in Light”)
1997 - 12.11.97 (Great Set 2 with first Roses Are Free)
1998 - 04.05.98 (Funked-up Cavern)
1999 - 12.31.99 (After Midnight Reprise gives me chills)
2000 - 07.11.00 (Moby Dick and Chalkdust Prelude/Reprise…amazing)
2003 - 02.28.03 (Destiny Unbound makes its comeback)
2004 - 08.15.04 (Sloppy, but I was just glad to be there…so much energy)
damn that was tough…
This is incredibaly difficult, but I’ll go from the top of my head.
1994-10/31 & 12/29
1995-12/31 of course, but also 10/21 Lincoln, NE (awesome Reba, Bowie, Hood)
1996-8/17(Clifford Ball 2nd night) & 10/31
1997-so hard but 11/17 & 12/30-31
1998-11/2 (darkside of moon) & 8/16 (lemonwheel)
1999-Big Cypress 12/30-31 & 9/17 (w/phil lesh baby)
2000-10/7 (last show before hiatus)
2002-only 1 to choose from 12/31, but it is a favorite of mine all time
2003-12/29-31(Miami) & IT Festival of course!!!
2004-8/15 (I know it was sloppy like taboot said, but the emotion from the boys sealed it for me)
2004- 6/25 Alpine- UNDERATED! YEM->2001->Vocal Jam and looong -7
2003- 12/29 Miami- Tough choice. I easily could have gone for 2/28, 7/15, or 7/29
but, the 2ed night Miami II was strongest in my opinion! All that and a double encore!
2002- well, 12/31 of course!
2000- 7/11 Deer Creek- Yea, we all agree that this show was the shit! Runner up- 10/7 solid, solid, solid bit not flashy
1999- 12/31 OBVIOUSLY! This shit is unbelievable!!! 12/10,11 and 9/18 aren’t bad either
1998- 4/3 Nassau- 1st set is so-so, but the second set is fire all the way through,
every song is on my best performance list! I love the reggae breakdown
in Antelope. Runners up: 11/27 (damn straight) 10/30 (oooooo), and
7/21 (Underated!)
1997- Totally Unfair!!! This is like trying to pick a favorite child! I collect a lot of 1997 and
have heard much of the year but I’ll give you a four way tie:
2/17 Amsterdam- YES!!! Certainly a best ever contender!
6/25 France very consistant, check out the Makisupa-ized McGrupp
11/22 Weekapaug is a fire storm! The rest of the show aint bad either
11/17 Arguably the best 1st set ever!
Please note that I could have gone with anything from Nov/Dec and
would have been satisfied
1996- 8/16,17 The Ball- Definitly the highlight of the year! I like 8/10 but, mostly because
it was my first!
1995- 12/31 I tend to think of this show as a bit overated but it does top the year.
1994- 6/18 Chicago- This is my favorite of all time! I perfer the MLB-> Bowie to pretty much
any jam out there. The rest of the show is almost just as good.
I drool just thinking about it!
In the same league: 11/12 Kent state Astonding DWD->Mercy->DWD
5/7 Bomb Factory
6/17 Run OJ Run!
1993- 2/20 or 5/8 or 5/5 or 12/30 I like em all, kinda like 1997!
And any earlier I don’t really have the right to say. For the above years I have listened to large parts of each tour. I have only heard random shows from earlier years!
off the top of my head only counting shows i saw
93 murat
94 columbus
95 louisville or chicago (halloween) but runaway>free in raliegh was fun
96 lexington or 8-13 creek
97 stuuttgardt
98 utah
99 cypress (btw, even without the late set, sets 1&2 could contend for best show)
2000 6-29 “drowned into rock-n-roll” i luv it!
2003 utah (again, but how??? freakin mormons)
2004 alpine 6-25
my 2c
Here goes off the top of my head:
1992: 11/19 St Mike’s - solid all around, great groove to open set 2.
1993: 2/20 Roxy - earth shattering set 2
1994: other than 10/31? 7/13 Big Birch - anyone on acid at this show? my goodness.
1995: 12/31 MSG - perfect.
1996: 8/16 - the Ball Day 1
1997: 12/30 - tough choice, but I can’t believe the Garden was still standing after this marathon.
1998: 11/27 Worcester - my first show, what else?
1999: obviously big cypress, but 9/18 (?) Chula Vista for the boogie.
2000: 7/11 Deer Creek - this seems pretty unanimous.
2003: 2/28 Nassau - destiny, shakedown, but don’t forget the gin or the monster tweezer.
2004: 6/19 SPAC - Piper -> tweeprise jam!
1993/02/20
1994: too hard (5/7, 12/29, 7/8, 11/30, 6/22) buy probably 5/7
1995/10/31
1996/10/31
1997: too hard (11/17, 12/11, 12/7, 8/9, 7/1, 7/23)
1998: too hard (Island Tour, Summer Tour, 11/27-11/29, 10/31, 11/2)
1999/12/11
2000: too hard (9/8, 10/6-10/7, 9/29-9/30, 7/8, 9/14)
2001/14/34
2002/12/31
2003/08/02-08/03
2004/08/12
^
what show from 2001 are you referring to?