Alrighty, this was my 2nd Phish show. I was completely blown away went I entered the venue, and the stage was a fish tank. Best stage setup they've ever done. I remember bits and pieces of the show. Just before The Squirming Coil came on, some big guy (Big Phil) behind me called it. I was floored that he knew it was what they were going to play. I have since learned how to easily call that song now, but back then I was amazed. The Stash contained Trey and Mike walking around the stage like robots during the composed section as well as the evening news with Connie Chung music...

Fluffhead, well I was 2nd row, and when this came on I lost it, jumping up and down. Trey zoned in on me I guess feeding off my energy. When I realized he was staring at me, I guess I entered fanboy phase (I had just turned 20), and made a confused face because he was staring right back at me. He made a dorky face pretty back at me and looked away. Thought it was quite cool that band like this was so in tune with the audience.

During Contact I swear I remember Kuroda having wheel silhouettes rolling around then venue, and then Phish logos rolling around the venue. Big Ball Jam, I fell try to bop the ball, and Big Phil caught me. Brain, Fish has just gotten a haircut, and told some story about his hairstylist talking to him about the haircut.

Being the newbie that I was at the time, I cheered when they started Sweet Adeline. I was second row and Page GLARED at me. I STFU.

Great, great time. Forget about the next two nights! AMAZING!

Not much of a review, but its what I remember from 17 years ago.

Oh, one other thing, this was pre-Wilson chant. I miss those days. And I also think the clapping in Stash was just starting to begin. Lots of whistles and hooting instead of clapping if I remember correctly. Fish on wood blocks was the most audible.

-Adam Schneider

With two shows under my belt, I was excited to see my first show outside of NY. Me and a few friends took the ferry over from Long Island, and by the time we arrived at the venue there was a full-on snow storm. I think it slowed us down a bit as we arrived with Jim already playing. When they hit Peaches, I thought that it was an amazing new instrumental. As a Zappa freak, it is hard to imagine a time when I did not know this song, but there you have it. In any case, it certainly put me in a good mood, and when I think of the bounce and positivity of the song it does seem more Phishy than Zappa-y. I know that everyone seems to mention it, but the set did seem to stick out here more than other places – why should that be?

Set I was normal-great and listening to it today nothing really sticks out until Wilson which has three (in my mind) interesting elements – 1) the song takes a brief interesting/creepy turn just before the final verse (from the 3 ½ to 4 minute mark in my recording), 2) they stretch out the pause at the end with some quiet tinkling noises akin to the ending of AC/DC Bag, and 3) they add a Purple Haze riff to the end. From this set, I also recall my first squirming coil, and I was taken aback by the sparse and beautiful outro of the song leading into the set break.

Set II same great stuff – AND Fluffhead is always fun – until Antelope which is probably the only “real” highlight in the show. This one peaks very hard in that way that we all know and love. BBFCFM is another interesting version and hits a slow groove (slow groove in BBFCFM?) before melting perfectly into the James Gang’s ‘70s hit Walk Away. Not an unusual cover for them, but the only time (yet!) that they have segued in from BBFCFM. I suppose that while they normally insist on killing the BBFCFM, this time they were in a gentler mood (the slow groove, perhaps, took the killing out of them) and decided to walk away leaving the job (and the song) unfinished. It got goofy from there to the set closer (Chalkdust), but goofy is a fine thing to be.

This show was not to the two that followed, but what show is?

Man one of my first, seems so faint in my memory, was a newbie, didn't know alot of songs yet. Remember the cool giant fish tank stage set that was around the band, and the big ball jam blew my expectations of the concert away. I can remember one guy on floor holding the big ball tightly and not letting it go, so the plastic ball strecthed and the music following the movement. Show seemed brightly lit and colorful. It blizzarded so hard that nite we had to turn around after the show to drive back to New Haven to stay at one of my buddies Yale frat/social club houses. Was very cool in snow storm at social club balcony overlooking Yale square smoking our own out of their social club cerimonial pipes. We were only ones there, it was winter break no one on campus. Such a cool memory.

New Haven was a great venue. Very different than Bender. Lots of space to spread out. The Fish Tank was very psychedelic in this space. Jim was a great opener. Conga lines formed up and down the aisles. With a monster peak in Jim, people were pumped. Peaches rocked, as always. Foam was white hot. Once upon a time, Foam and Divided Sky were sick but not anymore-The End. This Divided oozed energy with a winding jam w/ many peaks and valleys. Stash was grinding. Solid version even if it fell apart towards the end for Connie Chung Reference. COIL is code for early piss break. Who invited Elton John to my rock concert?

One classic memory I have about the fish tank, other than being the coolest stage set up of all time, was during set break. Phish was rocking so hard that all the fish hanging from the lighting rig were swinging. This made the stage squeak the whole set break. Sounded like someone in the room next to you was having sex.

2nd set was solid all the way through. With a huge amount of energy they came out with a purpose and ripped Maze. Fluffhead was great. The crowd’s reaction after powerful pills, awww yeah, everyone went bonkers. Was really funny. Arrival was an ugly beast. And if they follow it up with Antelope well then that means they just wanted more. Good jam in Antelope. In and Out. Fast and Slow. The band wasn’t with Trey the whole time since he wanted to change the pace on a dime but it worked itself out. Contact was funky and fun to dance to on the platform above Fishman. Yes there were pinwheel lights spinning on the walls during Contact giving everyone a warm, fuzzy feeling. Creatures was ok. Strobes flashing. Gordo is a strange one, then it goes right into a routine Walkaway. Walkaway is one tune that is actually played better in 2012 than in 1993. Then a quick-High Energy Chalkdust to send us back into the snow.

Once again we followed the tour buses up the highway witnessing live music history in yet another snow storm stoked for Cumberland. 53’ Trucks whizzed by us at scary speeds and we span out on the highway looking at the exit 66 sign. Got off there for the night to sleep in a parking lot. Checked in around noon at the Senesta-Portland anticipating what was two of all time Phish’s best. It should be noted for the record what an honor it was to witness Phish in their peak.

My first show! Prior to this the concerts I had seen were Metallica, Steve Miller Band, Queensryche/Suicidal Tendencies, and House of Pain/Cypress Hill. So yeah, this was quite a change. I remember being amazed about how energetic the crowd was from the first note of Runaway Jim. This was clearly a turning point for me. Besides Jim and Contact, there aren't a whole lot of song details I remember. But I do remember wondering why people were shouting "Freebird" as they came out for the encore. ha! Drove in from the Albany, NY area and stayed in a hotel near the venue. The walk back through the snow covered streets was fun.

Twas my first show, attending with my friends Jeff (who introduced me to Phish!) and Lisa (then girlfriend, now wife and we just got back from Riviera Maya together!).

I had been into the band since the prior summer, so knew most of everything and was excited to finally hear and see it all live. With secret language included I was stoked about this show. I had listened to enough tapes that I "knew" that songs like ChalkDust Torture and Cavern would be next.

I definitely recall seeing spinning Phishy pinwheels during Contact, but I also recall there being this huge "FLUFFHEAD" light that arose behind the stage during the chorus-y part of that tune. Seemed normal to me at the time. In retrospect, though, quite unique and I'm surprised no one mentioned it in their reviews. I *know* I didn't dream this up. Right?

Quite an energetic show. I had been into the 2/20/93 tapes a lot then, so was stoked to hear Walk Away, and liked how they fuddled with the tempo; first too slow, then way too fast, then found a place to settle in. As mentioned above, Antelope and Maze were cookin'. ChalkDust is always better as a set closer, and this was just heading into that period where it became their favorite song live, a nice treat.

Great first show all around, and I credit Lisa with having the foresight to get off the highway an exit early to avoid all the snowstorm traffic. We made it in well-ahead of the start of the show. W00t!

This show was a lot of fun! I took my younger sister to her first show an it was snowing like crazy out and we missed almost the entire first set-Yikes! But this was about my 40th show in my early late 80's and early 90's Phish touring days on both coasts. I was so surprised to see them sell out New Haven as I am from that area. It was like, OK, Phish is a real band now...on to the show..Fluffhead>Antelope is rare. It doesn't matter what year- its just a rare combo. And it did not disappoint. The place was packed. People were flooding the seemingly empty joint at first once traffic got in from the snowstorm..man I am glad to have caught this show. I saw a few shows in '94 then not one until '98 and a couple more dozen over the last 10 years. This show reigns as the best of he last of the early days to me. Fluff Antelope is the show highlight- hands down and the Antelope jam is totally insane and long. After this show a new Phish sound was born with the funky and longer induced jams as well as a swell of new material- great stuff like billy breathes, GHOST ad Farmhouse. The quality of my recording is a very good audience- love a sbd if any one has it!?

Phish's trip to New Haven at the end of 1993 saw the band in high
spirits with a downright goofy, fun show exemplified by a second set
run of Contact > BBFCFM, a Big Ball Jam, Simpsons signals, Connie
Chung references, and an endearingly joyful If I Only had a Brain (oh
my!). The heavy hitters here are restrained but forceful including a
vertigo-inducing Maze and a powerful Fluffhead.

The first set is consistent throughout with nothing spectacularly
interesting or boring unless you consider Peaches on back-to-back
nights fits into one of those camps. Well played and well paced but
with few moments of surprise.

Rating: 7.7