It Was 20 Years Ago Today: Phish, April 8th, 1994, University Park, PA

      Hello everyone. I hope your brackets didn't take too much of a hit. Mine did because I am awful at gambling on sports. But I'm not here to talk about March Madness, I'm here to discuss another type of madness, the kind that grabs you when you see an incredible band live for the first time. While I had no idea just how important this band would become to me, this is where it all began. So without further ado, let's get it on as I present another installment of It Was 20 Years Ago Today, Phish , Live at Rec Hall in University Park, PA on April 8, 1994.
       It was my junior year at Penn State. I had at least Picture of Necter and Hoist at the time. I definitely did not have any shows on tape. So I knew very little about Phish other than what I had read in Relix magazine. This was way before the Internet so information was scarce. Rec Hall is a rather small place, so as soon as this show was announced it became a hot ticket.
      I clearly remember people camping out overnight. I did not but was still able to score tickets. Pretty sure everyone on campus that I knew got tickets but I did read people following the Tour got shutout as it was sold out.
       We were pregaming at our apartment on West College Ave, which was about 5 blocks from the venue. Another pre show party was even closer to the venue which was next on our travel itinerary. But as we were chilling out, a news flash came across the TV screen. Kurt Cobain was dead, evidently from a self inflicted gunshot wound. Damn, I was floored. I loved Nirvana. Some of the people I was with couldn't have cared less, but I was really stunned. It was a truly sad time in the rock and roll community but the show must go on.
       We made our way to the other preshow party on the north side of campus. Ran into a bunch of people from the York area. There was one guy running around in a dress. He said something to the effect of, “Don't sweat it. It makes it really comfortable to dance in”. I replied something to the effect, “ No worries, I been to a bunch of Dead shows”. It was way more common back then to see that. As we are walking into venue, someone offered me a dose. I really wish I had taken it.

Friday, 04/08/1994
Recreation Hall, Penn State University, State College, PA

Set 1: Maze, Glide, Foam, I Didn't Know^[1], Punch You In the Eye, The Horse^[2] > Silent in the Morning > Down with Disease, If I Could, Lawn Boy, Llama
Set 2: Split Open and Melt, McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters, It's Ice -> Digital Delay Loop Jam^[3] -> It's Ice > Sparkle > Harry Hood, Bouncing Around the Room, Big Ball Jam -> David Bowie, Suzy Greenberg
Encore: Contact > Big Black Furry Creature from Mars^[4]
[1] Mimi Fishman on cymbals
[2] The beginning featured Trey on acoustic guitar.
[3] First ever Digital Delay Loop Jam.
[4] Mimi Fishman on "1-2-3-4".
Teases:
· Stairway to Heaven, Misty Mountain Hop, and Owner of a Lonely Heart teases in Suzy Greenberg
Notes: The beginning of The Horse featured Trey on acoustic guitar. It's Ice contained the first digital delay loop jam. Suzy included a Stairway to Heaven tease from Trey as well as Misty Mountain Hop and Owner of a Lonely Heart teases. I Didn’t Know included Mimi Fishman on cymbals. Mimi also counted off the break in BBFCFM.

You can stream it here 

 http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/1994-04-08

      Maze was a great opener. The first 5 songs kind of sum up Phish at the time. Intense jamming, vocal gymnastics, weirdness, and a less intense type of jamming like in Foam. Overall, a very entertaining first set.

       The second set really blew me away. The Split was REALLY intense. I liked McGrupp because they name checked myself. It's Ice is considered one of the best versions of all time and I remember thinking, Why is that drummer standing on his stool? The Big Ball Jam was unlike anything I'd ever seen before and Suzy Greenburg seemed like a flat out rock and roll barn burner. I used to think if they ever released that as a single it would go to number 1.

      The encore was something else altogether. Contact was nice and mellow followed by some of the heaviest of heavy shit I've ever heard. Plus, the drummer's mom was involved in the second song of the night. Add in the lights, and my young brain was left scrambled.

One of the few photos from the 90's of myself

      As we left I really had no idea how much of an impact Phish would have on the next 20 years of my life After a show like that my first thought was “ok when do I see them again?” They were playing at a venue in Philly I had never heard of. And in that summer in 1994, I saw Phish at the Mann Music Center. Which is where they are playing again this summer, 20 years later.

Dave Kemp

BA American Studies

PhD Rock and Roll