Phish 1994: 20 Years Later 04/21/1994 Winston-Salem, NC

I've always sang the praises of Trey on special nights.  Really special nights for the band, sometimes unknown to us as it's sometimes personal.  Like when Branford Marsalis would join the Grateful Dead onstage in the early 90's.  Very special for Garcia.  Lifts the spirits of the artist beyond any understanding we may have from our side of the stage.  It gives everyone that little extra inspiration to dive in and dig a little deeper for that extra special kind of playing.  Winston-Salem 1994 is exactly that.

Who really knows anyway.  I've said from the beginning of this series of blog entries that I'm really looking at this brilliant year as a whole one night at a time.  Trying to get a feel for the band, the audience and the tone the music carries.  When I add it all up to this point, this is what I'm hearing.  I hear it in Chalkdust, I hear it in that second set, I hear it in just about every tune in this show.

No doubt Phish respected the success DMB garnered in the south in a short time, a market with a ways to go at this point for the boys from Vermont.  So Trey bringing his good friend Dave and his band along to open these two shows, this being the second, was not only a great marketing idea but it was just the right call for this band in this moment.  They would return the favor in the California by asking DMB to open some shows at the end of the year in effort to give Dave some much needed exposure out west

Hey the band likes Winston-Salem too right?  97 and 98 fall shows sure think so.  This particular 4/21/94 show is really spectacular and maybe only a very close second to 4/9/94 at this point in the tour but it depends on the day you ask me.  The attitude of the playing and what happens in the second set in stand alone top shelf Phish.

Some folks, particularly type II folks, may get bored with 1994.  These were the days when the band would practice a ton.  Trey would lock himself in a room and dream up ideas for shows and the music wasn't nearly influenced as much with drugs as it was a desire to get better and better each night, continuing to throw themselves into the flames live and without a net to just see what happens.  They were real serious about it.  Songs like Foam, Glide and Split Open and Melt are real serious with some extra juice.  Complete focus and precision rolling their way through this pretty straight forward but very high energy first set.

The first half of set II is a masterpiece and one of my favorite segments of the entire year.   2001>Maze, Fluffhead>Mike's>Hydrogen>Weekapaug.  Some of the darkest Phish music I can remember.  DMB fans had to have been mesmerized.  Utter insanity song after song and they knew it.  Not recommended listening before bedtime.  Maze, Fluffhead, Mike's.  One of my all time favorite Fluffhead's up there with Kent State and the Clifford Ball.

A key version of Possum ends this show, followed by an all time sit in for the encore to accent this over the top night of music.

3 standard AKG sources included one Bob Brown FOB comprise our offerings for this show.  I have not run an AB comparison.


stream 4/21/94 http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/1994-04-21
download 4/21/94 http://db.etree.org/lookup_show.php?shows_key=3050

setlist courtesy of Phish.net 
http://phish.net/setlists/?d=1994-04-21

 Thursday, 04/21/1994
Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Winston-Salem, NC

Set 1: Chalk Dust Torture, Sparkle > Foam, Glide, Split Open and Melt, The Lizards,Down with Disease > If I Could > Cavern

Set 2: Also Sprach Zarathustra > Maze, Fluffhead > Mike's Song > I Am Hydrogen^[1] >Weekapaug Groove, Scent of a Mule, Big Ball Jam > Possum^[2], Amazing Grace^[3]

Encore: Drums^[4] -> Jam^[5] -> All Along the Watchtower^[6]

[1] "I walk awakening on the misty fields of forever" lyrics.
[2] All Fall Down signal.
[3] Without microphones.
[4] Carter Beauford on drums.
[5] Dave Matthews Band.
[6] Phish debut; Dave Matthews Band.

Phish 1994: 20 Years Later 04/20/1994 Lexington, VA

Has the to tour hit Winston-Salem yet?

Virginia Horse Center.  I remember this show for a few things.  One is the big YEM with DMB sit ins. The other is what I remember as being told that this was a really strange venue.  Like a Horse barn, but my memory is sketchy.  The other is that there was a really cool Mike interview done by a writer from Unbroken Chain magazine.  Unbroken Chain was my favorite Deadhead publication around this time, more so than Dupree's or Relix, run by Deadhead and fellow VW bus owner Dave Serrins.  I got to finally meet Dave in Deer Creek 7/2/95.  Great guy.  It was cool as can be to see them do a Mike feature seeing there weren't really any "jamband" magazines then, just Deadhead magazines.  It's been years and years since I've read the interview as I have it buried in an attic crate, but I do remember Mike talking about his evolution as a bass player.  If you really think about Mike's playing, I truly believe while he was not a big impact player in 94, his bass playing post 92, basically through 93 and really in 94 took a huge leap.  He really started becoming a force in driving jams, creativity and overall talent.  All setting the stage for PLM in 97 when I think we all can agree that the change to the Modulus sound and being turned up in the mix was an enormous boost to his confidence.  I remember him speaking of seeing other bass players who were better than him, and him wanting to continue to work hard to get better.

This show is a bit of a snoozer.  Not much to say about the first set.  I've talked a lot about Runaway Jim and how much I love it as an opener this tour, but this version really limps.  I did relisten to the Stash a couple times.  There's probably not a 93 or 94 Stash not worth a couple back to back listens.  Virginia Horse Center deserves some top tier votes though.

Standardly insane 12 minute Lope deserves mention and your attention in a really neat early set II spot.  Shows some life in the set.  All hopes for the Hood to bring this show up fail miserably.  This Hood never gains any traction and really just fizzles into nothing.  My favorite YEM of the tour with the DMB guests.  Very melodic and I really love the horns.  True keeper.  Very danceable.  Signature type version, as in like the Albany YEM, you will know this one when you hear it.  Oh and props to Dave for taking his turn on tramps.

Onto Winton-Salem where the madness ensues.

A couple good sounding AKG sources from this show.  Possibly the same source, I have not done an AB comparison but I would stick with the modern day Watts/Sobel transfer.  This source is FOB but does not suffer from any crowd noise.  My guess (if it's not mislabled) from the sound is they were likely *just* FOB and were in a comfortable enough spot where they could run a high stand with no fears of Amy busting them in the horse barn.  Just my speculation.

stream 4/20/94 http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/1994-04-20
download 4/20/94 http://db.etree.org/lookup_show.php?shows_key=3049

setlist courtesy of Phish.net 
http://phish.net/setlists/?d=1994-04-20

 Wednesday, 04/20/1994
Virginia Horse Center, Lexington, VA

Set 1: Runaway Jim, It's Ice > Julius, Bouncing Around the Room, Rift, Axilla (Part II) >Stash, Suzy Greenberg

Set 2: Poor Heart > Run Like an Antelope, Magilla, Paul and Silas > Sample in a Jar, Big Ball Jam > Harry Hood, Fee^[1], You Enjoy Myself^[2] -> Somewhere Over the Rainbow^[3]

Encore: Highway to Hell

[1] Trey sang some verses through megaphone.
[2] Dave Matthews, LeRoi Moore, Boyd Tinsley, Carter Beauford, and Steffan Lessard. Fishman on vacuum.
[3] Dave Matthews, LeRoi Moore, Boyd Tinsley, Carter Beauford, and Steffan Lessard.

Phish 1994: 20 Years Later 04/18/1994 Newark, DE

I always remember the Bob Carpenter Center show as being the Big Phil show.  I only got to hang with Big Phil a few times mostly in and around the tapers section in the mid 90's as he knew many of the tapers from that era and also thought it was a cool place to dig on a show from time to time.  Really nice guy who was an old friend of Trey's but was still genuinely a true Phish Phan.  So he got to sit in on tramps this night during Mike's for the still ailing Trey.

I also remember Bob Carpenter Center as a tape collector as being a really energetic show.  Perhaps they were excited for the impending day off after 6 consecutive nights.  Or maybe people like Big Phil and Sue Statesir were in attendance.  Maybe they just love Delaware, this was a bigger venue and they just needed to bring the heat.  Who knows but it's fun to speculate isn't it?

Also dug this first set.  REALLY tasty Chalkdust.  Jam this one LOUD (and be ready for the abrupt taper level adjustment 25 seconds in).  A signature Glide with that 94 feel of precision and spot on vocals.  Many choice selections executed very strongly with a rare Oh Kee Pa >AC/DC Bag closer.  I'm sure phans were caught a little off guard with the Bag, but it made for a really neat closer in a time when this tune was a treat.  Additionally, it had been a couple years since this combo had been played together after much rotation in 90/91.

The second half of this second set is easily where it's at.  A very nice Yamar dedicated by Trey to Sue, and this is where the fireworks begin.  This tops version of Yamar leads into a very electric Mike's that melts into a beautiful TMWSIY.  First of the tour and in 32 shows since Darien Snake.  This takes us into what sounded to me like one of the better Down with Diseases of the tour to this point.  Way to finish this show off and give Weekapaug a well deserved night off.  Don't sleep on the Bathtub either at 10 minutes.

Unfortunately we only have one source of this show, a stock AKG source that sounds very nice.  Sounds to me though like there could be some digital noise and potential overloading of the levels going on in spots on this recording.  Warts and all, it's still a nice pull.  Hopefully someday we can unearth a new take on the sound in the room this night.

stream 4/18/94 http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/1994-04-18
download 4/18/94 http://db.etree.org/lookup_show.php?shows_key=3048

setlist courtesy of Phish.net 
http://phish.net/setlists/?d=1994-04-18

 Monday, 04/18/1994
Bob Carpenter Center, University of Delaware, Newark, DE

Set 1: Chalk Dust Torture, Glide > Poor Heart > Julius, My Friend, My Friend > Rift,Split Open and Melt, Dog Faced Boy, The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony > AC/DC Bag

Set 2: Also Sprach Zarathustra > Sample in a Jar, Sparkle > Bathtub Gin, Big Ball Jam> Ya Mar, Mike's Song, The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday > Avenu Malkenu > The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday > Down with Disease > Hold Your Head Up > I Wan'na Be Like You > Hold Your Head Up, Cavern

Encore: Good Times Bad Times

Phish 1994: 20 Years Later 04/17/1994 Fairfax, VA

The 5th of a 6 day stretch of shows with no day off.  These guys are definitely in work horse mode at his point in the tour.  Kinks are worked out, the Northeast is behind us, let's get this thing going and really open it up to a new array of Phish Phans.

This was a huge organic growth period for the band.  92 to 93 saw a considerable jump to larger venues similar to 91 to 92.  But 94 saw some real deal 5,000 - 10,000 capacity venues, particularly college basketball gyms and small to medium size outdoor amphitheaters.  With this brought a bevy of new phans onto the scene.  Even down south where the guys from Vermont were less popular.

The first of 2 shows in 1994 at the Patriot Center at George Mason University (second later in October) opened with the first Loving Cup of the tour and the 10th ever performed.  Foam sitting comfortably in the two spot again in at 9 minutes is nice to see but hindered by a slight hiccup or two.  Surprising due to the frequency of play.

As I mentioned in my first review of this adventure (4/4/94), I really don't know what's going to come of this 140 shows in.  My goal was not to review each show as there's plenty of other reviews of each show available in different places on the internet.  But my goal is to cover and reflect on each show on the day or so that it happened.  I'm not exactly relistening to each show in their entirety for the purpose of composing these posts.  Mostly relying on the heavy listening I've done the past 20 years on this year.  I have however spot checking certain parts of interest to me to refresh my memory, but I'm mostly going off the overall vibe of the show, direction of the tour and as many notable moments positive or not that I can draw light too.

On that note I would be remiss if I didn't draw attention to a fantastic blogger doing something way better than what I'm doing:  http://20yearslaterblog.net

This blogger is actually listening to each show in it's entirety and writing a very nice detailed review of each show adding some excellent perspective drawn upon his 22 years of seeing Phish.  Not to mention his writing is very professional and the Wordpress blog is very easy on the eyes.  I have made a commitment to not read his entires before mine as they go up first, making it very interesting to read his perspective for me after my reflections.  Please check it out!

Set two is very much where it's at with this show.  No real segues but top tier versions of Bowie, Wolfman's, Reba and Maze.  Another second set Wolfman's clocking it at just under 9 minutes really offers the first meaty version of the 4 played thus far.  I really enjoy these early semi-experimental versions, especially the young 29 year old Trey vocals with not as much vocal harmony backing which I usually love and especially on this soundboard.  This music has always for me been about allowing the songs to develop a life of their own on stage.  Wolfman's over the years is no exception.

Not going to dig in much further again as I'm really focusing on a big picture understanding of how 1994 played out.  As always, please feel free to comment to further the discussion and break down any of the particular playing as you may see it.  Otherwise I think the first Patriot Center stop was surely a good one.  Really solid first set with excellent song selection, and a more of a laid back chill second set with some well played songs.

This show is famous for the (Assisted Listening Device) soundboard that has circulated probably since shortly after the show.  So we've been spoiled with that leaving the aud's with little play.  Without an AB comparison of the two AKG sources available, my pick is to almost always go with the Flaschner/McMinn combo.  First set was FOB (bust?) and second set was back in the section.  Wonder how many tapers covered this show and chose to never circulate due to the generous soundboard widely available?  Such a shame.

stream 4/17/94 http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/1994-04-17
download 4/17/94 http://db.etree.org/lookup_show.php?shows_key=3047

setlist courtesy of Phish.net 
http://phish.net/setlists/?d=1994-04-17

 Sunday, 04/17/1994
Patriot Center, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA

Set 1: Loving Cup > Foam, I Didn't Know, Divided Sky, Mound, Down with Disease > If I Could > My Sweet One^[1] > Cavern

Set 2: David Bowie, Wolfman's Brother > Uncle Pen, The Sloth, Reba, Big Ball Jam >Maze, Contact > Golgi Apparatus

Encore: Cracklin' Rosie > Hold Your Head Up, Bold As Love

[1] Random note signal.

Phish 1994: 20 Years Later 04/16/1994 Amherst, MA

With the burden of a 3 night stand in NYC behind them, the band heads back to Phish country for one more show before turning back to go down South for the rest of April.  Interesting little one off date at UMass Amherst Mullins Center, the site of what would be some excellent Phish shows over the years.

Trey goes back to his staple Jim opener and gets probably his best rendition of the tour easily topping Montreal and Buffalo and maybe just a slight slight edge over the really good Beacon version.  This show marks the first version of Axilla II which is something even today I wish they would give a spin.

Stash is the highlight of this show.  At nearly 13 minutes this version is absolutely smoking.  Must hear.  A really nice and jumpy Antelope closes up set two complete with secret language and Nellie Kane teases.

Our every other daily dose of Sample gets the crowd moving for the second set, into Poor Hear and then only our second Tweezer thus far of the tour.  Miss when Tweezer was a little bit more of a treat.  1994 was a fantastic year for this song and this version is no slouch.  You Enjoy Myself with Trey touching base with the Vibration of Life and getting Brad up to substitute on the tramps wraps up the memories of this night.

Possibly a more complete show than most of what we heard in NYC.  This show hits a lot of what you need with some really nice improvisation, new song debuts, Mikegrass tune, top tier version of Stash, some antics and a couple big tracks.  Really good show but not in the league of a Binghamton or even Penn State.  Binghamton pre step in a hole in Buff-a-lo has really weighed on the last week of shows.  Here's to looking forward...

Dave Flaschner once again has our back along with Tom McMinn with a nice FOB AKG source.  The B&K's make another appearance on tour with credits going to possibly Mike Weitzman, seed from Kevin Shapiro and Chris Moore.  And not to forget Bob Brown who in 93/94 graciously covered some important Phish shows like Tom McMinn.  Team AKG for the win!

That's it for the Northeast until July when the magic really happens.  At this point I can't get to Winston-Salem fast enough!

stream 4/16/94 http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/1994-04-16
download 4/16/94 http://db.etree.org/lookup_show.php?shows_key=3046

setlist courtesy of Phish.net 
http://phish.net/setlists/?d=1994-04-16

 Saturday, 04/16/1994
Mullins Center, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

Set 1: Runaway Jim, Fee^[1], Axilla (Part II)^[2] > Rift, Stash, Fluffhead, Nellie Kane >Run Like an Antelope^[3]

Set 2: Sample in a Jar, Poor Heart > Tweezer -> The Lizards, Julius, Bouncing Around the Room, You Enjoy Myself -> The Vibration of Life -> You Enjoy Myself, The Squirming Coil, Tweezer Reprise

Encore: Fire

[1] Trey sang verses through megaphone.
[2] Debut.
[3] Simpsons signal.