Introducing #Phish40
The Disappointments #RANKED
It’s been a while since I put together some fun #Phish content. So over the next couple weeks, I’m going to rank 40 of the most disappointing shows/runs ever. Few notes:
Disappoint does not mean worst. It’s a function of quality + expectations. We’re talking about laying eggs in big spots.
I started in 1995 bc it was too hard to find true disappointments prior given the above criteria.
10 Honorable mentions up next!
#Phish40Disappointments #RANKED
Honorable Mentions 1-5 (no order)
Charleston 2022—expectations weren’t high enough, shows weren’t bad enough
Fenway 2009—Getting all the jamming songs w/ no jams was disturbing but still a fun time
Fillmore 98—Hard to be too disappointed when the show was so unobtainable/unknown to most
Curveball—Tough call but I left this off to make room for another
9/27/95 Cal Expo—One of the worst shows ever. Mild expectations bc of venue/GD connection but not enough
#Phish40Disappointments #RANKED
Honorable Mentions 6-10 (no order)
2/24/03 Meadowlands—terrible show, terrible guest. Neither had much hype
7/3/16 SPAC—Just missed the cut
12/12/97 Albany—S2 setlist was a disappointing war crime for first Knick show since 12/9/95, but this show is really good
8/5/17 Boston Creme—Missed the cut despite some putrid setlist calls on a hyped BD night
Dicks 2015 1st 5 Sets—First time Dicks was a true disappointment but then that DWD & encore. Apology accepted.
#Phish40Disappointments #RANKED
#40 12/15/95 Philly Spectrum
First Spectrum show. Trey’s hometown venue. Epic tour loaded with epic improv. The centerpiece of the second set? A brutal rotation jam.
For many fans, this was their first show, and it holds a special place in their hearts. Too bad the band members didn’t stick to the instruments they know how to play to leave some lasting musical memories.
You might think this is harsh. And maybe it is. Blame Fall 95 for setting the bar high.
#Phish40Disappointments #RANKED
#39 Dicks 2017 Saturdays & Sunday
After slaying the Baker’s Dozen, the no repeats restrictions came off, and Phish played a show for the ages on Friday, 9/1/17, at Dick’s.
Fans braced themselves for an epic 3 nights, but something happened at setbreak on Saturday. 3 meh sets followed. The band either ran out of gas or ran out of fucks. Too bad, because the #Phish who showed up on Friday played like they wanted to conquer the world.
#Phish40Disappointments #RANKED
#38 10/24/14 The Forum, Los Angeles
Did you hear MSG bought the Forum and spent millions renovating it into a concert palace? Yeah, man. Phish’s first indoor show in LA in 10+ years. They’re gonna slay!
Well…
The show was pretty strong from DWD on. But after that first set and the 555 > BDTNL dagger of an opener, it didn’t matter. Jimi Hendrix could have risen from the dead and not saved it. At least LA fans will get more Forum shows in the coming years…
#Phish40Disappointments #RANKED
#37 9/14/11 Essex Junction, VT
First hometown show since 3/18/97 Flynn (Essex might as well be Burlington).
What would they do? Old school throwdown? Local special guests? A nod to their Burlington roots in some manner, right?
How about a very average setlist with very average play? I wonder how many fans called in favors, paid through the nose, or did despicable things to get in?
#Phish40Disappointments #RANKED
#36 12/30/95 MSG
Bet you didn’t expect to see this one here? I didn’t either. As a wide-eyed n00b, I LOVED this show at the time. I paid no attention to the Caspian opener, mid-second set Mule, and complete lack of type II improv in ::checks date:: December 95.
I might be pushing it a bit with this show in the top 40, but this night single-handedly keeps 1995 from having the best Holiday Run ever. It deserves a call out.
#Phish40Disappointments #RANKED
#35 12/3/19 The Met, Philadelphia
Unlike other rare small venue shows of the last 20 years, this one occurred mid-tour and in prime Phish country. It was hyped to no end being a special event for SiriusXM and broadcast live on Phish Radio.
While this show is average for Fall 2019, the broadcast mix and compression from Sirius were so terrible that the only word to describe how the show sounded was “ass.” A laugh-filled letdown for tens of thousands listening.
#Phish40Disappointments #RANKED
#34 10/16/96 Lake Placid
First show since the Clifford Ball at an intimate arena only a two-hour drive from Burlington, VT. Can’t miss!
It missed. Commonly cited as “worst show I ever saw” by fans in attendance, this night set the tone for an underwhelming Fall 96 swing that still plagues that tour’s reputation to this day.
#Phish40Disappointments #RANKED
#33 7/4/12 Jones Beach
Summer 2012 was an exciting tour for the early 3.0 era, and on July 3 at Jones Beach, the band played a fantastic show with big-time bustouts and a brilliant Sand->Golden Age. Certainly they’d kill it the next night for the Fourth of July.
Not exactly. This show embodies everything fans disliked about early 3.0 with 27 songs and ripcords galore. But the worst part? July 4th on the beach and not a single firework. Independence Day fail.
#Phish40Disappointments #RANKED
#32 7/19-7/21/2013 Northerly Island, Chicago
First outdoor shows in Chicago proper ever, and what a disaster they were.
You can’t blame the band for the weather. But putting that aside, they played 3 nights without a single memorable musical moment and assembled one of their weaker 3-set shows of all time.
The kicker? Google “worst Harpua ever” and see what pops to the top of your search results.
#Phish40Disappointments #RANKED
#31 9/4/22 Dick’s
In 2022, Phish shifted the annual Dick’s tradition from a three-night run to a four-night run. Over the first three nights something was conspicuously missing—all of the songs many fans prefer not to hear.
That all changed Sunday night with an armada of modern bathroom tunes. Even an Icculus encore couldn’t save the show. The only reason this Summer 2022 closer isn’t higher on the list is everyone saw it coming a mile away.
#Phish40Disappointments #RANKED
#30 10/22/13 Rochester & 10/23/13 Glens Falls
“Love these Fall 2013 dates. I’m sure Hampton, Worcester and AC will be fun, but the shows of tour will be Rochester & Glens Falls. Tiny arenas, first time back since Fall 99 & Halloween 94. Old school throw downs!”
Nope. Neither of these shows is terrible, but they were the two (non-Wingsuit) worst of tour. Anyone who sacrificed a big weekend to get there, chose very poorly and likely has big regrets.
@chopaganda was there and can confirm. It was the worst show I had seen until 7/6/16, which is my personal Most Disappointing Phish Show Of All Time.
THEY DID THE CCCC DIRTY!!!
@Nolasox @Neddyo It’s kind of weird. Taking a stand for more ads, more Nazis, less control of your data, and basically supporting evil just to spite those who are trying to build something better.
It’s really helps give insight into why people support the modern Republican Party even though everything it does is against their interests.
@chopaganda @Neddyo Yup. There seems to be some odd contempt against Mastodon amongst some folks over there.
I understand people generally dislike change / fear the new, etc., but it takes just a bit of time poking around here to realize it’s better in most ways. We just need more folks over here, but I still think that’ll come. Nothing wrong with a slow build.
@mielcarz @chopaganda @DaveG924 @Nolasox they seem to have found a sweet spot between malevolence and incompetence.
"are they evil or just stupid?" is not anything I need to be around
@chopaganda @Neddyo @mielcarz @DaveG924 Also if this was a deliberate action by Twitter it’s directly impacting these developer’s bottom line. Tapbots is just run by two guys. This could just destroy their business.
As some of you may have heard, Tweetbot is currently unable to authenticate with Twitter which currently has a huge impact on our business. Only mentioning this because we are going to be busy putting out fires and trying to get Ivory on the App Store ASAP. So it will be harder to answer your questions. However you can read our current roadmap for Ivory here: https://tapbots.com/ivory/ Also, here are 1000 more testflight openings for now. Thanks for all of your support! 🙏 https://testflight.apple.com/join/HiTBauI3
@chopaganda 9/1/17 is fucking elite
9/3 Disease is excellent though
Fun fact: Danny DeVito has been spotted at shows of Teh Phish from Vermont.
@chopaganda Q1 is pure heat though. Blew their load too soon’d.
Interestingly they did a centerpiece S2 rotation for their Hampton debut as well. Maybe they tried to think of the least Dead-like thing they could possibly do for their first time at those storied venues?
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