I: Down With Disease, Bouncing Around the Room, It’s Ice, Ya Mar, Taste, Train Song, Reba, Character Zero, Sweet Adeline
II: Also Sprach Zarathustra-> Suzy Greenberg, Prince Caspian-> You Enjoy Myself, Theme From The Bottom, Golgi Apparatus
E: Good Times Bad Times
Awww…. my first show….
I wonder how many people have found themselves in this exact situation. Years after their first show, where everything was such a wonder, analyzing the show and finding out it was only an average show. This show that held so much magic when you there, is now just another in a pile of average shows on your floor.
Anyway, this show is also the source of my worst “Oh-my-god-I-have-to-pee” story.
This is only show I’ve attended without Terri. This is because I didn’t know her at the time; no fault of my own.
Anyway, I went to this show as a newbie with my friend, Jeff, and a couple of his friends. At the time, I was not very familiar with Phish. I think I had heard Rift, and Billy Breathes (which had just come out).
My expecations for this show were all wrong. Before this, the only concerts I had been to were Metallica, Guns N Roses, and the like. So I was expecting to hear a lot of songs from the new album, and maybe a couple from previous albums.
Of course, what I did hear, was completely different.
the show, we went to pick up more people, friends of the friends of my friend, all pot-smokin’ fools. The friends of friend got high, and I ended up having to drive to the show in a car unknown to me (a stick, which I knew how to drive, but barely).
I had had to pee since leaving River Falls, but I was uncomfortable peeing in a pothead’s house, so I waited. Little did I know we were arriving at the show almost 2 hours before thaey opened the doors. Apparently, the friends of my friend had an extra ticket they needed to sell. We waded through the sea of “nugs for you extra”’s hoping to find that one hippy with money. We didn’t. And they didn’t even get any nug’s. They gave the ticket to a very nice girl who was very liberal with her hugs of thanks.
Then, we waited in line.
Then, we waited in line.
Then, we waited in line.
Then, we waited in line.
Then, we waited in line.
Then, we waited in line.
After about a half hour, I considered peeing my pants to relieve myself of the agony I was experiencing at an exponential rate.
Then, we waited in line.
Then, we waited in line.
Then, we waited in line.
Then, we waited in line.
Then, we waited in line.
Then, we waited in line.
I was fairly sure some sort of permanent damage was being done to my bladder, but I didn’t dare let go, because I was sure the doors would open any minute.
Then, we waited in line.
Then, we waited in line.
Then, we waited in line.
Then, we waited in line.
Then, we waited in line.
Then, we waited in line.
I think I may have died at this point, and just not noticed from the pain.
Then, we waited in line.
Then, we waited in line.
Then, we waited in line.
Then, we waited in line.
Then, we waited in line.
Then, we waited in line.
Then, finally the doors opened. I almost let go of my pool from the shock.
I finally found a bathroom, and attempted to relieve myself. However, I think something went wrong, because, while there was flow, the pain did not subside, and actually lasted throughout most of the show. (I may have had to go to the bathroom again during the show, but who knows?)
The Show
As I said, my expectations of the were all wrong, so I was very confused when Down With Disease began… I vaguely recognized the tune, but had no idea what was happening. The friends of my friend were all still high, and just going nuts during this song. I was enjoyed what I heard but didn’t understand it. Looking back, this was a very hard rocking version of the song. The ending jam was still in it’s infant stage compared to most DWD’s of today, but all-in-all a great show-opener.
Then came Bouncing Round The Room. I don’t believe for a second that there are people who don’t like this song. I think it’s just sort of status thing. The more shows you’ve seen, the more you have to profess a hatred for this song.
After Bouncin’, came It’s Ice. I remember nothing from the show about this song. Upon listening to the CD, I was impressed with the complexity of the jam. This is actually the only live version of this song, I’ve ever heard, so I won’t embarass myself by reviewing it.
Ya Mar is a fun song, although the placement in this set seemed very odd to me.
Taste was also still in it’s infancy on this tour. This was a tasteful version… (I’m sorry, that was very wrong of me)
Train Song. I like it.
And then there was Reba.
Character Zero. I recognized this one at the show. This was a my favorite song off Billy Breathes at the time, so I was excited to here it.
Sweet Adeline. I don’t think I even heard this at the show.
TBC…