The set is closed out with an amazing jam in “Harry Hood” punctuated and in rhythm with a fantastic fireworks display. This version of “Hood” is the reason why people follow Phish. What a way to end the first night! Oh yeah, then there’s an a-cappella “Amazing Grace” encore. Not the first choice for encores, but the band has already ripped it up so hard that it is not an issue.
• Day 4 (continued): Disc 4 (Second day, Set 1). My friend and I have decided to pop in another disc and pop the tops off a couple more beers. This one is the next afternoon after the crowd has gotten some sleep after driving for hours to get in the day before, setting up camp, tying one on, and getting three blistering sets of top-notch Phish. The highlights are a super-amped “Punch You In the Eye” and a beautiful “Reba”.
• Day 5: Disc 5 (Second day, Set 2). I’m noticing the band’s outfits. Mike wearing an all green outfit with a neon green shirt and a different-green pants. Trey’s rocking a Grinch t-shirt with a worn-out collar. Fish is sporting the usual muumuu and Page is donning his usual uniform of button-down shirt with jeans. Trey is doing a lot of pulsing to the music this set as he’s letting the jam play through him. “It’s Ice” totally displays the band’s musicianship as they’re all playing different parts while completely in groove with each other, and the audience. Ben and Jerry have a little cameo in “Brother”.
• Day 6: Resuming Disc 5 (on day of reunion in Hampton, Virginia!). So tonight is Phish’s big first reunion show at Hampton Coliseum and it’s hard for me to do any other work than watch these Clifford Ball videos. As the band starts “Fluffhead”, I change my reunion opener pick to this song. It’s a very composed and complex song, in my opinion a prog-rock song, that Phish sort of sloughed off in its later years, despite it constantly being requested.
As phans know, the few years leading up to their break-up was not the most well-oiled Phish you’ve ever heard, and they leaned on looser, funkier jams to take the place of being well-practiced. Anyway, I ended up nailing the “Fluffhead” opener call, and it was an absolute pleasure to know, from that choice of opener and from a recent New York Times article on the reunion, that the band wanted to be as good (and better) than the mid-90’s-era Phish that is brilliantly showcased in these Clifford Ball videos.
Article comments
1 - Scott
Just watched it this weekend. And you are correct...it's ALL there. It's a perfect specimen of the band in it's prime.
I was lucky enough to be at The Great Went, Oswego, Big Cypress, It, and Coventry...and after watching this, I think I'd trade them all to have been at The Clifford Ball.