this is a pretty damn good show, but it is often overlooked due to the previous two nights shows and the fact that it was supposed to be the exclamation point to arguably phish's strongest year.

emotional rescue makes a welcome return after being debuted the month before in hampton. this one is not quite as out there, but it does the job getting the party started. the rest of the set is pretty standard. wolfman's does its thing but is subpar to average by the '97 standard. you gotta like the sloth.

musically, the second set is where the real action is. another fine '97 timber ho! gets this one going in fine style, and who can argue with the killer mike's song that follows. instead of going the way of hydrogen, it drifts into a pretty inspired piper. phish was still cutting its teeth on this jammer, and this one does not soar quite as high as other versions played in the fall, see utah or auburn hills. the finally drift into one of my favorite slow songs phish does. circus works well before completing the somewhat odd los lobos>ween pairing with roses are free. this is another gem they picked up over the past year. they made relatively quick work of this one before shifting into a very inspired weekapaugh.

the third set is pure rowdy mayhem. 2001 is somewhat straight forward before the ny countdown/raucaus. i really like tweezer in the ny slot, but with all the balloons and general rediculousness, this one does not do a whole lot. good energy though. maze is fun, but it is also a pit disjointed. they do slip in some fun birdland teases though. maybe a nod toward va beach from earlier in the year. the rest of this set does not do much for me. ny ny is fun and tweeprise closes the year out in style. good rowdy ending.

I wish I had this show on CD. I used to have it but lost it. The Emotional Rescue breaks into some straight funk off the get go It has a funked out Wolfman's, Also Sprach, and Tweezer. I love the instrumental breaks for each member at the end of Weekapaug. This show does go over-looked. It is real good show in an era great shows. Trey's shirt that night rocked!

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

Now, where the 29th and 30th were highly gratifying musically, the 31st was, well, a big party. That's the only way to describe it. The second set stands out as being well-played and well-jammed; the third set found the band trying hard to play loud enough to be heard over the incredibly vocal crowd (so loud that Trey must not have heard his guitar during "Maze"!). Midnight -  well, all I can say is that the fans around me were certainly tripped out by the intense visual display of udder balls and olive loafs and everything from the previous night's "Harpua."
The story goes that they learned the appropriate "New York, New York" encore that day. Kudos to Page for pulling it off! It was one of those moments where I felt like every single fan was on-stage, and the band and its fans were truly one unit, ringing in a New Year together in the way to which we have grown accustomed.

What a great year for Phish. December 1997 is my favorite single month of Phish. Trey really does get the party started with some sweet riffs. Doesn't get to dark, but stays real funky. This Yamar is everything I love about Phish.Page has a nice solo during Yamar. Auld Lang Syne teased by Trey for a little before the Mike YEEEEAAAAAH part. Fish proceeds to have a nice drum solo. 4 World class musicians taking turns showcasing their talemnt.Love the My Sweet One bust out as well. They play it "up" as the bluegrass folk say. Beauty of my Dreams is played up as well. Wolfman's is typical funk. Really like Trey and Fish slowing it down, playing off each other before the Trey Effects kick in. Some nice whale call action, if you're into that sort of thing. Limb by Limb is standard bliss, as is The Horse > Silent. The Sloth and Fire heat things back up to end the set. The second set starts the funk back up with Timber. Mike's Song is hot, love Page on this one. Stop start jams around the 10 minute mark. Slows down into some beautiful notes Trey plays before a perfect segue into Piper. Piper is standard, nothing to see here. As is Circus (I do have a boner for this cover). Weekapaug Groove ends the set. This one is played up as well. Mike and Page trade solos at the end of this one. Fish gives us one more drum solo to finish off the year. Set 3 review will come another day, maybe.

PHISH, WEDNESDAY 12/31/1997
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
New York, NY

SET 1:

Emotional Rescue: This one is a little different than Hampton. Has more of a hard driving aspect to it. Starts off like Hampton but only takes about 2.5 minutes to reach a fast pace. It pretty much stays in that same pocket more or less throughout with a respite here and there for some Trey strumming the pornofunk stuff. The last 30-40 seconds or so it just kind of drifts into nothingness and then segues into Ya Mar. Would recommend this jam for sure. >

Ya Mar: “Break it down, just Leo” very nice little spotlight there for Page and he takes full advantage. Trey is loving it and the crowd too, loud applause. Around 5:25 the timing seems to get a little awry. At 5:50, Trey starts playing crazy sounding stuff like something you would hear in the middle of an SOAMule jam then they start vocal scatting. This is only brief though. Trey takes a nice solo. Auld Lang Syne tease at 8:22. Nice elongated Fishman drum solo. Not sure if it’s the recording – I suspect it is – but they cut this off and then launch into My Sweet One.

My Sweet One: Mike kind of screws up the food did never run lyric. Then at the end – the Far Away I’ll Say Your Name – is a wreck >

Beauty of My Dreams: The beginning is a mess (Trey). They play this one very, very fast. Some of Trey’s solo is yikes. Fair to say based on some of the miscues thus far in the show that they were feeling no pain from pre – show shenanigans backstage.

Wolfman's Brother: Lots of loops! Funky and slow. At the 9 minute mark Trey starts up that twangy stuff he had working for him in AC/DC Bag from the night before.

Limb By Limb: Standard.

The Horse > Silent in the Morning: Standard. >

The Sloth: Standard.

Fire: Standard.

SET 2:

Timber (Jerry the Mule) – Very good version. It has this awesome sort of droning section from Trey that starts around 7:17 and ends around 7:50. >

Mike's Song: Strong Mike’s. Has a good measure of both funk and rock. Around 10:20 things mellow and then brighten a good bit. The hose takes a peak from behind the curtain at 11:26 – glorious segment – Page compliments Trey so well here. Sublime version would recommend!

Piper: Standard. >

When the Circus Comes: Instead of the typical very last part of the ending this one segues brilliantly into Roses are Free – absolutely phenomenal! ->

Roses Are Free: That transition really caught me off guard – so cool! >

Weekapaug Groove: Full band clinic right here. A showcase in stamina in how to rock out for basically 12 minutes in a row. Very impressive! They settle it down and then Trey says See you next year but before that let’s have Fish take a solo – c’mon Fish let’s see what ya got - Fish gets to take a brief solo after this.

SET 3:

Also Sprach Zarathustra: At 7.53 Fish asks the people with the laser pointers to knock it off. Not sure if they were messing with the graphics on the udder ball or if they were messing with band members? This version is another lengthy dance party. Crowd eats it all up. Very rowdy! >

Auld Lang Syne: Happy New Year! >

Tweezer: The only meh Tweezer you will find going all the way back to 2.20.97. At the climax of the composed section Fish keeps yelling about you can’t hit me over and over – not sure if this in regard to the NYE balloons or the laser pointers. >

Maze[1] – Yikes. Page’s solo seems long. Trey’s is …ahem – directionless would be the kind way to describe this I guess. It’s…not good, lol. At the mid 13 minute range you have to ask yourself – is that Marty McFly on stage or Trey Anastasio. Major yikes. This is a jamcharts version, but I have to think that is only because of the length and ‘uniqueness’ of it – would not recommend, lol. It weakly segues into Caspian >

Prince Caspian: No where near as good as Albany. Very by the book.>

Loving Cup: Seems like a regular version to me but it’s noted as a jamcharts version.

ENCORE:

Theme from New York, New York[2] - Very cool, nice job Page! >

Tweezer Reprise: Standard.

Summary: They just couldn’t sustain the momentum from the previous two shows, understandable really plus they were in party mode this evening it seems Still, a few significant highlights to revisit here. I think the current rating of 4.279/5 (201 ratings) is a fair rating.

Replay Value: Emotional Rescue, Mike's Song, Weekapaug Groove, Maze

[1] Unfinished.
[2] Phish debut.

Ya Mar included an Auld Lang Syne tease. Maze contained a Birdland tease and was unfinished. Theme from New York, New York made its Phish debut during the encore. My Sweet One was played for the first time since December 14, 1995 (155 shows).
SHOW RATING
Your rating:
Overall: 4.279/5 (201 ratings)
JAM CHART VERSIONS
Emotional Rescue, Mike's Song, Weekapaug Groove, Maze, Loving Cup
TEASES
Auld Lang Syne tease in Ya Mar, Birdland tease in Maze

Maze was so painful to watch...I thought it would never end and I'm sure they were relieved when it did...just give it a listen