All I have to say about this show is that it's interesting to hear the new songs developing. Unfortunately, like so many early shows before it, it's starting to get hard to differentiate between shows. One positive thing I can say is that the "art of the setlist" is finally starting to come together for the band. CDT, TMWSIY > Tweezer, Guelah Papyrus, Uncle Pen, Cavern is a great run of well played tunes and would be a really good sequence in any year of Phish.

2.5/5 stars here for a show with no discernible highlights or standout moments (except for the chatting during TMWSIY, I wanted to beat those people's brains in).

https://forum.phish.net/forum/permalink/1377860703

I have never been to the state of Vermont. I'd like to visit there someday, but I only know what I have heard and read about the state. Although Vermont is known for progressive politics and natural beauty, it still seems improbable to me that the four members of Phish met and started playing here. Most American bands that began their career in the early 80s and came to prominence in the 90s were based in New York City or the West Coast/Pacific NW, and there were also thriving music scenes in college towns in the Southeastern and Midwestern U.S., but Vermont may as well have been Canada to most hip young people at that time.

On the other hand, the band has never been shy about claiming Vermont as their home, espousing the virtues of that state at every opportunity. And they have acknowledged how their distance from more densely populated urban areas allowed them to develop creatively and forge their own style. The plethora of universities and college bars in the Northeast also allowed Phish to hone their craft and expand their audience without having to relocate to a nearby metropolis like Boston or New York City. And it certainly didn't hurt to be popular with the local skiers, either, which kept their schedules busy during the winter months.

Several things about this show stand out to me: The early arrangements of new songs The Mango Song, Chalk Dust Torture, and Guelah Papyrus, which would get ironed out over the coming weeks; the Tweezer with the wind-down ending seguing into one of the first versions of Tweezer Reprise (I wonder if they had originally envisioned the Reprise this way?); Let's Go by The Cars ("I love the nightlife, baby") being used to introduce Fishman, who provides some interesting "Zeroman" pontification; and Trey amusingly forgetting the words to The Lizards, prompting the band to honor a request for an impromptu and ripping version of The Sloth.

This is definitely an audience recording. Possibly another On Stage recording similar to the recording from The Front on 2/3. Could be the same mystery taper from that night.

The show starts off with a Jim/Foam combo. Both are well played. Trey mentions that Fish wrote MSO about you know who. lol Solid Split Open. Rockin’ Possum.

A strong Chalk Dust opens set 2. TMWSIY>Alvenu>TMWSIY>Tweezer pair nicely. Another smokin’ Tweezer. Like the version in Providence they follow this one up with Tweezer Reprise. It sounds like they’re about to go into Lizards following Guelah but instead move into Uncle Pen. Love You starts right up following Cavern on the Relisten stream cutting Let’s Go. Trey and Mike take a little solo in Love You. Fish is dressed up as Zero Man this evening for the first time since their Colorado shows in the fall. The Lizards that follows is absolutely horrendous! Trey can’t remember the lyrics to save his life! It’s funny that this happened again with Lizards at Sugarbush ‘95. They end up thankfully pulling the plug. Following Sloth Page says “The Sloth, in it’s entirety” Trey: “Now we’d like to play Lizards for you!” lol The mid section of the last three Destiny Unbound’s have been identical. Solid YEM to close out the set. Fun vocal jam! Carry it home! The VJ ends with “On With The Show, This Is It” the Warner Brothers cartoon theme. AC/DC wraps up a decent show.