But now I'm ready to get into it balls deep as I start the epic run that was Phish Fall Tour 1995: It was 20 Years Ago Today, Phish Live at the Capital Centre, Landover, MD, November 22, 1995.
As I wrote before, the summer of 1995 was a season of contrasts. I was geeked when the Dead announced their Fall tour after their hellacious Summer Tour had finally ended. We were doing three nights at the Spectrum and I was pumped. It would be my first real run of shows after I had graduated. Then Jerry died and my whole world collapsed. You can read about that here.
To say I was depressed is an understatement. But then about three weeks after that I got a flyer in the mail announcing Phish's extensive Fall Tour. How extensive? Try a 54 date tour going from the end of September until the third week of December, spanning the country from San Fran to Lake Placid. Few points of note about this tour. First, they probably booked this in the spring without knowing the upheaval our scene would be going through. Second, it would also be a trial by fire. The kings of our scene were gone and Phish had an opportunity to show they would be the new standard bearer for all things improv. It would also be an endurance test. With only a week off after Halloween, it was run of mostly one night stands as they traversed this great land. What would their energy level be seven weeks into the tour? I was about to find out
Wednesday,
11/22/1995
USAir
Arena, Landover, MD
Soundcheck: Funky Bitch, The Old Home PlaceSet 1: Cars Trucks Buses, Wilson > Run Like an Antelope, Fluffhead, Uncle Pen, Cavern > Taste That Surrounds, The Lizards, Sample in a Jar, Sweet Adeline
Set 2: Rift[1], Free -> Llama, Bouncing Around the Room, You Enjoy Myself, Strange Design
Encore: Poor Heart[2], Frankenstein
[1] Aborted.
[2] Slow arrangement.
You can stream it here
We rolled down in Nad's dad's
van, a hulking behemoth from the early 80's. It was our friends'
first proper Phish show (they had attended 10/7/94 in Fairfax, VA,
but only to hustle nitrous in the Lot.) We had our full equipment
packed for some super dope tailgating. After the usual way over the
top security check that was always present at the Cap Centre, we got
down to business.
First set was typical for the
era. High energy CT and B got us going. First set Fluffhead is always
welcome. I'm a big fan of Fog (which evolved into Taste). But the
nutmeat of the show was about to hit us upside the noggin in the
second set.
They started of with Rift,
which quickly fell apart. Trey blamed Fishman for it and then
proceeded to show us the future of Phish with a 33 minute!! version
of Free. Wow!! This was the second real lenghty trip into the
farthest reaches of space the boys ever did, the first being the
Disease from Saratoga Springs the summer before. I might be wrong on
this declaration, but I don't think I am. Words don't do this song
justice, but things really get interesting after the ten minute mark.
Everything after that was gravy. I normally don't like a slow song to
end a set but Strange Design was just the warm embrace we needed
after such a long journey. Not the biggest fan of the slow version of
Poor Heart but glad they were mixing up the arrangements.
We made it home and prepped
for a hearty Thanksgiving meal, just like everyone else on Tour. And
after a day off, we would be back on the road for the next show on
the tour in the Steel City, which I will write about next time.
Dave Kemp
BA American Studies
PhD Rock and Roll
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