Star Lake DVD

[fulltone1989]

Holy smokes, great concert DVD. Went through set 1 last night after work and the jams are really exploratory and enjoyable to listen to. I really dig the Wolfman's and Julius (crazy outside playing) and the Ginseng Sullivan and Bittersweet Motel has really nice interplay between members. Set 2 tonight!

[Stecks]

Truly a great show.  Summer 98 had such a fun vibe to it, tons of random covers, great jamming.  I had a blast at this show. 

[Heady Jam Fan]

Yea, thats fuckin awesome. Love the artwork with all of our bridges - Star Lake is really close to me!

The PGH show a few years ago, my friends and I had 3 full-size buses of people, one went to my house and picked a bunch of us up and met the other buses and more people at the bar.

I've seen so many great shows there, that is one of the last places the Grateful Dead played, June 1995 and Jerry passed in August. I think my parents and uncle were at that show.

[the_great_lemon]

I got the DVD for Christmas this year, and besides the tix to the Dec. 28-30th shows at MSG, that is my most used gift!  Truely awesome playing!

I've heard that people say Phish "was over in 1995"....bunch of nut jobs if you ask me

[IamWILSON]

I've heard that people say Phish "was over in 1995"....bunch of nut jobs if you ask me

I can really see how some people think Phish peaked in '95.  I don't necessarily agree with it, but just imagine if you saw a bunch of shows from '92 to '95.  By '96 their sound started to change again.  And if you were accustomed to the early 90's I can see it turning you off.  However '96 was very much a transition year for the band and there were some great shows in the summer of '97, but fall of '97 through summer '98 is just ridiculously amazing.  Of course I'm partial to summer '98 because I saw every show (previously I was catching 6 or 7 shows per tour), and they really did blow my mind night after night. 

In fact, go to nugs.net because you can stream the entire '98 summer tour there and check out the dark horse "sleeper" run of the tour from Phoenix through 3 shows in Texas, and then the Bonner Springs, KS show.  Those 5 shows were just absolutely amazing.  I can't remember exactly, but there was only 5 or 6 songs repeated during those 5 shows, one of which was YEM which they decided to play 2 shows in a row! If I had a time machine I would totally go relive fall '97 and summer '98, then go back and check out '95 and '92 as those are 2 of my other favorite phish years.

[the_great_lemon]

I've heard that people say Phish "was over in 1995"....bunch of nut jobs if you ask me

I can really see how some people think Phish peaked in '95.  I don't necessarily agree with it, but just imagine if you saw a bunch of shows from '92 to '95.  By '96 their sound started to change again.  And if you were accustomed to the early 90's I can see it turning you off.  However '96 was very much a transition year for the band and there were some great shows in the summer of '97, but fall of '97 through summer '98 is just ridiculously amazing.  Of course I'm partial to summer '98 because I saw every show (previously I was catching 6 or 7 shows per tour), and they really did blow my mind night after night. 

In fact, go to nugs.net because you can stream the entire '98 summer tour there and check out the dark horse "sleeper" run of the tour from Phoenix through 3 shows in Texas, and then the Bonner Springs, KS show.  Those 5 shows were just absolutely amazing.  I can't remember exactly, but there was only 5 or 6 songs repeated during those 5 shows, one of which was YEM which they decided to play 2 shows in a row! If I had a time machine I would totally go relive fall '97 and summer '98, then go back and check out '95 and '92 as those are 2 of my other favorite phish years.

Yeah I have seen the Free Stash on nugs.net...I love that stuff and I'll be sure to check out those that you mentioned.

I agree with all of your points!!  They had their 'Arena Rock' peak in '95 for sure, but saying they were over after that is a bit of an overstatement.

[Stecks]

The 7.31 Polaris "Cities" is a tour highlight, as well as the 8.11.98 Vernon Downs entire show.  One of the best I've seen.

[fulltone1989]

1998 is one of my favorite years. I want to check out the Walnut Creek DVD that 7-22-98 is awesome!

[fulltone1989]

Two deluxe reverbs?

[the_great_lemon]

Yup, that's what it looks like. 

It's interesting, you can start to see him implement the DRs in videos from the NYE run in '97 and the Island Tour '98 along WITH his rack + Languedoc cabinets (using one at MSG and two on the Island Tour).  I guess by mid '98 he had ditched the rack mounted pre-amp and power amp thing in favor of the DRs.

[Heady Jam Fan]

I think Trey said his favorite sound was from the DR.?. But the fans like the Mesa