There was a period in the late 90's when both sets of a Phish show were fair game for exploratory 'Type II' jamming. That era was a few years off when this show came around; the deep-improv action here is centered in Set II. Grab this one for spectacular versions of Gin, Ya Mar, and Mike's Song, including fan-favourite Trey/Mike banter in the latter two. ('Sing us your song, Mike,' in a honey voice.)

This is joyful music. The fluency, empathy, and excitement on display in August 1993 are still breathtaking; for my money that month (handily captured in SBD recordings!) marks the dividing line between the swell-party-band period of Phish's career and their decade-long bid for the title of Best Improvisatory Group in America. Not to say there's nothing good before 8/93 - obviously that's not the case. But listen to, say, 2/20/93, this show, 5/7/94, 11/30/94, and anything from Summer '95 and you're hearing two or three different bands, never mind the group that emerged from the winter '97 Europe tour with news to share.

I think everybody agrees that August 1993 is a watershed month in the evolution of the band; they were still as musically intricate and explosive as they'd been earlier in the decade, but their chops were drastically improving, meaning that we got great music as well as amusing teases and quotes - the magician developing legit tricks instead of just having good patter, so to speak. I still think the May 8 show is the best of the year, mainly because the second set is so grand, but this is my clear runner-up and my favorite show of this truly legendary month.

It's so bracing to listen to Phish in '93, with everything played with such crazed energy and exuberance, and that comes across in the first set of this show, with a tense and repetitive Stash that roils and churns before returning to the main theme, a well-played mid-set Fluffhead, and a big-time Bowie with a lovely My Favorite Things tease in the extended intro and a jam that swings back and forth between the usual quiet Bowie jam and some uptempo, atonal rocking (as was Phish's style at the time), throwing in some jazziness just for fun. But, naturally, it's the second set that makes this show so beloved, and it starts with one of the best ever set openers in Buried Alive. Rift comes next, then a legendary Gin, and @MiguelSanchez is not exaggerating when he says this is one of the best jams Phish had played up to that point.

The usual Gin jam gets weird and messy right off the bat (hard not to smile at whoever's saying "TUB" an inch away from his mic), even as the band sticks with the Gin theme, then the band starts picking up the pace and we get a *glorious* Weekapaug jam, as powerful as any of the best Weekapaugs themselves are. Trey suddenly starts ripping into a Gin solo as the rest of the group stays Weekapaug (and Fish yells random stuff into his mic like he's Flava Flav), and then the group just starts slowing down and speeding up the tempo at will, almost like they want us to know how proud they are of their own talents. After a few minutes of madness, the jam slows nearly to a crawl (allowing Leo to throw in an organ sting or two), then finally picks back up one more time for Trey to lead the band gloriously into Ya Mar. This Gin really needs to be heard to be believed; you might be put off by the weirdness of the whole thing if you haven't heard much '93 Phish, but the sheer thrill of much of the jam will appeal to any Phish fan.

Ya Mar is as fun as usual, Cactus laying down some bombs as is his wont, then the band launches into the night's last big jam, a Mike's Song for the Phish fan scrapbook. The jam starts out clanking and clattering (and sounding Simple-ish?), then turns into a surprising Page showcase (Trey sits back on this part, even more surprising for a '93 jam), before the jam turns surprisingly melodic (as the jam chart says) and anthemic, Trey hammering away and yelling into the mic with Page really going to work on the organ. We get a big heavy metal-type close with some truly nasty riffing, then a sly return to the main Mike's Song jam, which leads into a charming Lifeboy as palate cleanser. The rest of the set is a nice way to close things out, and Highway To Hell is the perfect encore for a loud, wild, brilliant night of music. 20 years on, this show still has the power to thrill - if you haven't listened yet, get on LivePhish tout suite, and make sure you keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times.

(Published in the second edition of The Phish Companion...)

So this was the second show I made it into, and I say that because it was the fourth show I tried to go to. First, at 12/3/92, the show was sold out and I couldn't get a ticket. On 4/20/93 I actually made it in. On 8/6/93, my friend's dad would not let him drive us (even though I already had the ticket). So when 8/13/93 came along I had to start taking matters in to my own hands because one out of three sucks; I was wasting my youth. So this time I didn't have a ride, and I didn't have a drivers license. But, my parents were out of town. I decided to test my driving skills because... hey, I had a temporary permit, and I had just turned sixteen. So I made the two and a half hour drive, and damn, I was a good driver!
So we entered the Murat Theatre, and for those of you that have never been there it is beautiful, even though it was run by one of those secret societies (Shriners I think). Very ornate, and not very crowded. So at this time I was not too familiar with all the songs, but the one song that stands out vividly was the "Mike's Song". Not only the music, but the stage antics. Somebody was having fun with the smoke machine, and Trey was running around like a madman using his guitar as an axe, chopping through the fog. And I think it was Mike screaming the "Stranglehold" teases, which confused me for a long time because I expected all the "Mike's Song"s to have the screaming in it. It wasn't till years later when I actually heard "Stranglehold" on the radio. And I realized "Mike's Song" was very influenced by Ted Nugent. As for the "Gin": it rocked, and Page was banging on his piano (I guess he was still breaking it in). And they sent us out on the "Highway to Hell". This is still so crystal clear in my memory. I've got to say, I love AC/DC, and Phish rocked the song. I am still waiting to hear another one.

(Published in the second edition of The Phish Companion...)

This was, and still is, my favorite show. My friend Cathy and I left Chicago in the afternoon. Three hours later we found the Murat and there was a "lot scene" at a Phish show for the first time that I had seen. Two guys were selling beer and four others were hackey sacking.
Cathy and I hung out, I had a couple beers and we waited to meet our friend Courtney at the show. When we got inside we realized that this theatre was strange, not very big at all. Senior citizens sold the beers inside. You had to buy a ticket from one of them and then get in line for a can of beer poured into a cup. It was like a cheap wedding.
As we entered the theatre they opened with "Lengthwise" that went into a raging "Llama". One of my favorite (and my first) "Makisupa" followed, and it was much longer than the standard ones today. It flowed into a sizzlin' "Foam". Other first set highlights included "Ginseng Sullivan", a rocking "Fluffhead" and a set closing "David Bowie" with "Magilla" teases and a Friday the 13th jam. So fun.
Right before the second set started, a guy came out onstage saying that if we didn't quit smoking the show as going to end. Phish came out and answered with one of the best sets ever. "Buried Alive" > "Rift", one of the best "Bathtub Gin"s into (at the time) a rare "Yamar". The "Mike's Song" from this show is the stuff of legend, then into "Lifeboy" and an "Oh Ke Pa" > "Suzy". After an "Amazing Grace", "Highway To Hell" encore I was ready for the next night in Chicago. I think I like the way Andy Bernstein reviewed this show for the Pharmer's Almanac many years ago- "This show was so good, even "Lifeboy" made me cringe"- my sentiments exactly.

A worthy Live Phish release. Lots of fun, the band is very playful, while the jamming is purposeful (as opposed to random/haphazard, e.g. Summer 1995). If you haven't heard August 1993, start with this show and 8/14/93. Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound.

i've got to agree with 'ol wax banks there. compared to what they had been playing thus far in their career, phish really took it to the next level in aug 93. there were some hints here and there, but all in all, they never consistently went into that type II jamming. maybe they were still gelling. maybe they were building confidence. who knows, but this can certainly be considered one of their ground breaking shows.

also, as an indiana phish fan, i believe this is their first stop in indy. of course, they played in '93 at the murat. they followed that with another strong showing in '94; although good, it does not compare to '93. then in '95 they took the big leap to deer creek.

anyway, as for this show, it starts out in fine/weird form with a nice little lengthwise. it works nicely into a red hot llama. i really like the makisupa>foam pairing that follows. these two songs worked really well off of each other. they really cut loose for the first time in stash. they fiddle with weekapaugh for the first time of the night. this theme would pop up again. they brink it back home after a typically dark stash jam. a snappy ginseng warms the crowd up for a mind bending fluff head. i really like how they were playing this song in aug of '93. as much improvising as they were doing in this era, you can not overlook how well they were playing the tougher composed songs. mmgamoio keeps the energy up. horn is always a welcome addition, but the bowie closer is really hopping. i love the magilla teases in here. this is a very sharp and focused version.

well, you cannot argue with a good, rowdy buried alive opener. this one gets the crowd going. i'm not a huge fan of rift but hey, bathtub is next, bubs. at this point in their career, this was far and away the best version of this song played. in fact, it may have been the best jam they had ever played. they fiercely explore the bathtub theme, but they start spreading their wings pretty quickly. eventuntually, they hit on a nice weekapaugh jam. they have a vewry good weekapaugh/bt gin/improvasatory thing going before finally drifting into a very fun, jammy yamar. well, surely, they will slow down now. ha, after letting weekapaugh jams pop out throughout the show, they play a very rare weekapaugh'less mike's groove. this mike's song is a real screamer. trey real sinks his teeth into this one. the rest of the band is pretty smoking too. eventually, like they would later do at the creek in '96, they let this hard hitting mike's song drift into a chilling life boy. oh kee>suzy is fun, and it lightens the mood before completely mellowing out with amazing grace. there's one more curveball on the way. nothing like following up amazing grace with highway to hell. highway fits this encore slot really well, and it closes a killer show out in fine form.

phish really made their mark on indy. while deer creek shows may not be the mad house they were from 96-2000, there is still much love for phish in indy(iana), and this show really got the ball rolling.

highlights:
set 1:
length>llama, makisupa>foam, fluff head, bowie

set 2:
buried alive, bathtub gin>yamar, mike's song>life boy

In case you've never listened to this show--get the archival release!--or didn't pay much attention to the the setlist Notes, Type II abounds in both Sets I and II, in this show. I think you can clearly say that Llama and David Bowie went a camera in the first set, and at the very least, Bathtub Gin and Mike's Song did in the second. The musical execution of the songs, jams, and segues is still whipcrack-tight, though; Phish at this point was really a powerhouse, with some phans referring to '93 as the "speed-jazz" portion of Phishtory. This is one of my favorite shows, and I rated it a 5/5. The only realm in which it lacks--just a little bit, for me--is banter, but then again, there's some funny stuff in Mike's. And if you want antics, you've got Fishman on the Madonna washboard. In pace requiescat, Brandon, love you, buddy.

As others have pointed out, Murat '93 comes at a time in the band's career when their free-flowing, reactionary improvisational prowess really began to come into its own. August '93 is full of blank canvas jamming that really breaks the mold of the songs that serve as the point of origin, and this show is no exception (particularly Set II). David Bowie, Bathtub Gin, and Mike's Song all serve as excellent representation of the maturing exploratory interplay the band was tackling at the time and each becoming fan favorites.

David Bowie's extended intro section demonstrates plenty of rhythmic and harmonic quirks that increase tension with steady patience, making the eventual drop-in all the more satisfying. The jam in this section evolves quite a bit, forgoing the path to a crazy anarchy peak and instead opting to rely on controlled musical exploration, working in some fantastic allusions to Mango Song and Magilla. The final peaks absolutely soar (as they always do on Bowie).

Bathtub Gin 8/13/93 is rightfully hailed as a song-defining performance. As the jam charts point out, earlier iterations of this tune rarely left the typical Gin mold. In August 93, though, we see a 16-minute version laden with vocal ad libs and teases abound that reaches a flash point of explosive energy at higher tempo and then slowly descends to an unrecognizable Type II groove and morphs into Ya Mar. Though my unpopular opinion is that Murat Gin is not even close to the best Gin, I will readily concede that it is an important landmark in the band's and song's lifetime for its demonstrative musical creativity.

Like Gin, Mike's Song goes places nobody really expected it to. Once the jam drops into F, a number of sonic grounds are covered from a calm, floating bass solo, to a slow and brooding doomsday-like syncopation that gives way to a Ted Nugent nod. Some of the most incredible parts of this jam though are the seamless transition back to F# Mike's jam and the subsequent melt into a phenomenal Lifeboy.

Outside of these big hitters, this show brings with it a few select versions of other tunes, namely an eerie Lengthwise->Llama, a Foam with 94/95-esque dynamic flexibility, a textbook version of Fluffhead with an especially delicate ending, a powerful Lifeboy, and a closing, celebratory Suzy. There's more to love each time I revisit.

I heard Fluffhead from this show on Jam On today on Sirius and was sold. For a song that doesn't have a lot of room to improvise, they stretched it where they could. I thought it was the best version I've heard. Extremely tight. They were all together and Page sounded awesome. I just downloaded the entire show and I'm going to give it a listen. I'm sure it won't disappoint. I'm a big fan of 1993 Phish. The first year I saw them live.