Don’t go back to Rockdale

Gonna throw some love to the #phish folk since I've been so #goose focused.

Please tell us your 3 favorite Phish shows attended. Criteria is up to you.

Could be you had a mediocre time cause of chompers but the music is amazing and has held up.

Or maybe you got Icculus or something else you'd been chasing.

Or maybe it was a "you had to be there" type of thing.

Mine in Chron order -

7/17/93 (1st show)
7/14/13 (when I got "it" again)
7/27/14 (GOAT concert for me of any band)

Apr 11, 2023 at 9:20pmWeb
Show threadSethApr 11, 2023
@Backeasyjim
12/1/95 (2nd show, mmm chocolate)
12/11/99 (Unbelievable energy in the Spectrum that night, absolute perfect 2nd set)
12/31/99 (maybe the greatest night of my life)
Show threadDave (nkL⭕ttery)Apr 11, 2023

@Backeasyjim so far...from my first year of Phish

7/23/2022 Bethel Woods
7/31/2022 Merriwether
8/02/2022 Blossom

Show threadChrisApr 11, 2023
@Backeasyjim
Without thinking about it too hard:
Nautica 94 (first show)
Big Cypress NYE set
Storage Jam set at Superball
Show threadGreat WendtApr 11, 2023
@chris @Backeasyjim 02-19-91 (finally got the bartender to go home with me)
Hampton night 1 in 97
Penn State 97
Show threadWorld's Greatest DadApr 11, 2023

@Backeasyjim

2/28/03 Nassau (music)
8/2/03 IT (music & experience)
8/14/09 Hartford (experience)

Fun fact, I recently read an article where Peter from Goose mentions that 8/14/09 was his first Phish show

Show threadJosh Apr 11, 2023

@Backeasyjim

This is tough, but I’ll go with …

12/30/93 (1st great Phish show attended)
12/14/95 (all time favorite concert ever)
The Great Went

I wish I could include a show from 3.0/4.0, but the shows I’ve attended since 2009 haven’t quite done it for me the way the 1.0 shows I attended did. (Although there are certainly 3.0/4.0 shows that had I attended would be in the convo for my top 3).

Show threadPete ⭕️ Apr 12, 2023
@Nolasox 12/30/93 is the show I got IT, same on my list
Show threadChopApr 11, 2023

@Backeasyjim

Cypress
MSG 95
Quadrophenia

Show threadBrad SolariApr 11, 2023
11/17/94 (first show)
11/30/95 (100% sold)
7/31/97 (my first show with the “new” slower, funkier Phish sound--was blown away with how impressive this “new” jamming style was at the time.)
Show threadAllieApr 17, 2023
@vriphish76 @Backeasyjim funny, I was just about to say 7/31/97 Shoreline too. It was such a cool merge of Grateful Dead love with Phish, especially after I’d just moved to the Bay Area 6 weeks prior
Show threadlazylightning77Apr 11, 2023
@Backeasyjim
12/31/95
12/1/95
12/30/97
Show threadRoseyApr 11, 2023

@Backeasyjim All shows below were elevated by the shows immediately preceding or following them.

Clifford Ball (Sat)
Island Tour (4/5)
Tie: 8/8/98, 7/25/99

Show threadRoseyApr 11, 2023
@Backeasyjim shit, I forgot 7/21/97
Show threadDon’t go back to RockdaleApr 11, 2023
@Rosey I thought about including 8/8/98 in my list. Didn’t make the cut. But top 10 for me probably.
Show threadThe Knight Before The NightApr 12, 2023
@Backeasyjim
12/30/93 first show, half the origin of my name
6/30/95 first show up front, epic Trey/Page battle
10/30/10 the Zeppelin show, night before my first Halloween
Show threadBrooksApr 12, 2023

@Backeasyjim

Clifford Ball
11/17/97
Lemonwheel

Show threadsilent_tree_huggerApr 12, 2023
@Backeasyjim
12/30/97 🐶
4/3/98 🚨
10/31/14 🧟‍♂️
Show threadPete ⭕️ Apr 12, 2023
3 “favorite” phish shows attended:
12/30/93
7/16/94
11/17/97
#phish
Show threadWorld's Greatest DadApr 12, 2023
@Phreba So cool you were at 7/16/94, I played that show to death when I was first getting deep into Phish and it’s always felt like the Phish-iest Phish show to me if that makes sense. Like the end of summer 94 was the full realization of who they are and everything else after (funk, ambient, etc) is just a deviation from that.
Show threadPete ⭕️ Apr 12, 2023
@richkny felt like the first phish festival(at least for me). So chill and relaxed. I sold beer all day while on a head full, camped a mile from the base with great friends and fellow phans. And of course that show and that Antelope!! I recall at the time thinking that Antelope was a living breathing machine with a life of its own. And to your point about funk etc, that “lick” that trey played all summer, featured in the Antelope/catapult was what gave us great hope that funk would soon dominate
Show threadWorld's Greatest DadApr 12, 2023
@Phreba That Antelope is so unhinged in the best possible way. If there’s a better delivery of “high gear of your soul” I haven’t heard it. The Harpua is also my favorite narration/story of all time.
Show threadPete ⭕️ Apr 12, 2023
@richkny easily the best Antelope ever, Trey was running around the stage like a madman just swinging his megaphone. The utter lunacy of all of that was just amazing. Other favorite moment is fishman saying “you wish” after the “ain’t gonna be no wedding” line. And then fish taking it back “no you don’t wish, I take that back” So damn funny and classic fishman.
Show threadRedrockstarApr 12, 2023
@Phreba @richkny listed to that antelope more times than any other. Kicking my self I didn’t go to those shows. I can’t image the energy I’d that set.
Show threadBApr 12, 2023
12.7.97 Dayton 🔥
12.31.99 Cypress Sunrise
7.14.19 Alpine Valley
Show threadLL af R Apr 12, 2023

@Backeasyjim
12/31/95
8/16/98
8/22/15

apparently i love festivals. Top 3 bc they come to mind the quickest..hard to pick!! i don’t usually listen back but do to 12/31/95 the most

Show threadChrisApr 12, 2023
@ll_rain @Backeasyjim festivals are the best. It's sad it's been so long since they've had a real one.
Show threadAndy SteeleApr 12, 2023
@chris @ll_rain @Backeasyjim I really wonder if they'll ever do another.
Show threadChrisApr 12, 2023
@drummmerandy @ll_rain @Backeasyjim hope so. It will be sad if Curveball is the final chapter in Phish festivals.
Show threadLL af R Apr 12, 2023
@chris @drummmerandy @Backeasyjim goonies never say die! hope they don’t stop, phish fests are the best
Show threadRedrockstarApr 12, 2023
@Backeasyjim 12/6/97 will always be my favorite 7/17/98 is a close second. Third is harder but big cypress NYE has to be on the list and probably should be 1 but that show is is so unique it doesn’t seem far to compare it to other shows. If not Cypress I would add 2/17/97
Show threadChris NewcombApr 12, 2023

@Backeasyjim Tough to narrow down to just three but would say:

Great Went
12/30/97 MSG
5/22/00 RCMH

Show threadKCRepriseApr 13, 2023

@Backeasyjim
Just three? I think these were my most impactful:

8/17/93 (2nd show, but it all “kicked in” with 2001 to open second set)

Clifford Ball (life changing—pick either night)

11/22/97

Show threadgstratfordApr 13, 2023

@Backeasyjim

12/31/02 - the MSG energy after returning from Haitus 1.0
10/31/09 - Just loved the Exile Set + Guest Musicians
8/31/21 - Shoreline - rescheduled show from Tahoe, rare general admission, and that 40 minute jam :)

Show threadAllieApr 17, 2023

@Backeasyjim I’m just going to toss random thoughts as they come. First up:

6/26/04 Alpine - my favorite Mike Gordon show attended IRL 🫠

Boogie On —-> Ghost -> Free just ridiculous

#Phish

Show threadDon’t go back to RockdaleApr 17, 2023
@alliedise I was at the 2004 Alpine shows too. 6/26 was a banger for sure.
Show threadAllieApr 17, 2023
@Backeasyjim awesome! We randomly bumped into Mike Gordon at a bar in Burlington that fall, and he too loved that show. Mostly because he & Fish smoked Trey 🤣
Show threadtrenthfbApr 17, 2023
@Backeasyjim 12/6/97 Tweezabella, 12/7/92 First Ave First show, 8/9/97 Alpine-the show that hooked me.