A Sort Of Homecoming
February 12th, 1993 - œ Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, NY

Before Phish had taken the stage in my hometown hall at around 8PM in a raging snow storm, I had never seen a picture of this band, had no idea what they looked like or what their stage show (or lack of?) was like. I knew some of their music, I had two cd to cassette copies of Junta & Picture Of Nectar. I knew these two albums well, real well, and that was it. Having just moved back to my hometown after Art School in Ft. Lauderdale, I was searching for something new musically and these two albums got me thru that winter of '92 -'93.
I grew up in the 70's and 80's. My musical tastes started with pop music of the 60's - 80's, on both AM & FM New York City radio stations in my pre teen years. I then moved onto heavy metal, punk, The Kinks and the early alternative/college radio music scene during my middle school/high school years. In art school, I was discovering the Grateful Dead, jazz, folk, reggae, industrial / more alternative and digging deeper into classic rock heavily. The newly exploded grunge scene I had liked, and it seemed to come from similar influences as in my life, but nothing really got in my head sonically and made me head-bang, fist pump devil sign style, dance, pogo, kick, sing and get ME like Phish did and STILL does.

The Mid-Hudson Civic Center is very special and personal venue to me. I was born blocks from there (pisces), it is where I started seeing concerts. From Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons w/the parents to my first without adult supervision concert KISS to Motley Crue/Ratt tour to Iron Maiden to Alice Cooper to Ace Frehley to The Kinks and few others. I always did know the sound in that venue was horrible but I also knew that a general admission show at MHCC can be crazy and a lot of fun on the open floor. I knew I could get close and be in a good spot sonically and visually. The night of the show, it was in the middle of a 8'-12" snow storm, but my friends and I were determined to get there. I had 3 tickets for the sold out show, but we had 5 in our group. OK, there should be no problem getting two tickets at the venue before the show. So, as I'm hanging out front of the venue in the snow, I'm asking everyone who walks by if they had any extras.
All the while, my friend and I are talking with a phan from Vermont who had come down for the show. I was familiar with bands who have traveling fans, and was impressed he had made the drive down in a snow storm, so I said welcome to my hometown and shared how excited I was for my first Phish show.
He then says to me, "Mike Gordon just walked by all the people here and no one knew it." I then say, "Isn't that the bass player in the band?"
Phan from Vermont then tells me, "You just asked him if he had any extra tickets."
Wow I'm thinking, how cool is that? A musician in a band who is starting to make their way up to the big time is walking around outside the venue before show time! We get the 2 tickets we need, take a tab and head into the show"..."..."......
First thing I notice when I walk in is the stage. This is not your typical stage set up that I was used to. First off, the drums are not center back stage, but over to stage left. That's different I think as I scan across to see the bass rig, then guitar rig, then a grand piano, Hammond organ w/Leslie speaker and Fender Rhodes set up over on stage right. All in line center. I like that. Behind the instruments are these ten large glass rectangular boxes with paint scribbles across them. This is going to be fun I think to myself.
The band walks out and I'm thinking, look at these geeks, cool! The drummer is wearing a moo-moo with goggles, the bass player, yep that's the guy I asked for tickets, the guitarist looks like a nerdy Chuck Norris and the piano/organ player looks like a GQ preppy guy. This does not look like a rock band?

GOLGI APPARATUS: "I look into the finance box just to check my status, I look into the microscope see Golgi Apparatus!" Yeah, I know this song!! Wait, a song about a ticket stub, right after asking one of the band members for one? Whoa"...weird"..."...All around me people are dancing, so happy, passing me j's and this actually sounds real good in this room 15' back from the stage! This is where I belong.

MAZE: I love me rippin' hi-hat and cool bass lines"...I never heard this song until this night, and I'm dancing and digging it like I knew it all my life. Wow, listen to that organ, this is how boards are supposed to be played! Then here comes Trey".....out of the organ solo and bam".....sling me across the psychadelic plane that I'm on. Holy shit, fist pumping, head-banging at lighting speed. Now this IS metal. Fuck Yeah!

GUELAH PAPYRUS: Nice, I know this one too! What a perfect place for a cool down, tripped out reggae style song. The band seems to be really upbeat and real tight too I'm thinking. What's this trippy Oom Pa Pa signal break?? That was interesting. I'm floored already.

SPLIT OPEN AND MELT: This also is a debut to my ears tonight. What a great beginning to a song with a cool drum start and heavy funky bass line! I love this song from the get go. The piano line in it captures me immediately, one hand is playing the bass line and the other hand is playing a "lead". This guy is genius. Never before since seeing The Kinks in this same venue had I loved piano in a band. The guitar is shredding and still got me head banging.

ESTHER: Another song I know and a chance to catch my breath. They like the Simpsons too? The musicianship continues to blow me away. Well played.

CHALK DUST TORTURE: Hell yeah, I'm thinking as they launch into this song, I had been hearing it on WNEW over the winter and really love a good rocker. I was like a Mexican jumping bean on the floor. I'm locked in with the band and they seem to be locked in with me.
I DIDN'T KNOW: What's this, acapella? Ok, this should be interesting"..."...here comes the drummer in moo-moo, steps up to the mic with a vacuum cleaner? What the $^?? Fun song.

TAKE THE A TRAIN: As soon as those piano notes start I yell, "WOW, Duke Ellington???!!!! Very cool!" I always loved this song and now seeing my new favorite band play it live is really blowing me away. Thank you! Into"..."....

RUN LIKE ANTELOPE: Another debut to my ears, and once again I'm dancing and getting down like I knew this song all my life. These guys are the best, it's like they know what I want to hear, what tempos and notes to play and the dynamics, oh the dynamics. Once again head-banging and jumping around like a possessed nut. This is where I belong.

SETBREAK: All I can think is where has this been all my life up to this night? I have never felt so connected with a band before. It spoke to me on so many levels. It had the hard rocking roots that I grew up with, the improvisational music that I came to like and the humbleness of everyday heroes. The light show also impressed me very much. Kept simple, yet so effective. The lights seemed to be perfectly in synch with the music like I had never seen before. I knew these were not all rehearsed lighting cues, there was a sense of improve to it too. Like the lighting director was part of the band. I had never heard music so clearly before in this room. The FOH sound guy knew not to crank it so loud like heavy metal, yet it was loud enough to rock out on! The venue was letting people go outside for set break, and I wanted to see what snow was like on acid since it was my first time tripping in the snow. For set 2 my friends and I grab a spot on the floor just to the right of the soundboard area. This was a magical night and it was not over"..."..."..."....

MY FRIEND, MY FRIEND: Debut to my ears,I liked how this song started with Trey playing the acoustic guitar propped up on a stand. I liked the feel of this set opener.

ALL THINGS RECONSIDERED: Another debut to my ears, great music, Man this band is so talented. Dig this song.

REBA: Another debut to me, yet here I am feeling like I know this song. Love the composition, the chill plane nirvana segment. Trey is really taking me places on this song I have never experienced before. This is sick.

POOR HEART: All right, a song in the set I now recognize. I am enjoying this, the band seems to be very playful, yet some serious musicianship there.
BIG BALL JAM: More quirky phun here, yet interesting musically. The band seems to be "playing" with the way the three large beach balls are bouncing around. Then the crowd shoots 3 for 3 thru the giant hoop that Mike, Trey and Brad made.

FAST ENOUGH FOR YOU: Another debut to me, a chance to cool down. I love these ballads that Phish play. This song is of pure beauty on my ears.

YOU ENJOY MYSELF: Yes I do! This is great to hear for your first show and I knew it too! One of the quintessential Phish songs. What, they jump around on trampolines?? This is cool, never seen this before at any other concert. Great bass solo and this vocal jam is very interesting and fun. Great improve once again. The vocal jam leads right into a nice"..."....

YA MAR: This was a fun calypso to hear as the snow was falling outside. I really had a good time dancing to this one too.

HYHU>TERRAPIN>HYHU: More silly antics by the drummer in a moo-moo with some vacuum jamming. Hey, the guitarist plays drums too, cool.

HARRY HOOD: Now when this started after the crowd up front kept chanting for it, I had no idea what I was in for. This was religious to me. It was the first time this song was gracing my ears. This seemed like the right song for the right moment in time for me. Pure magic once again. The "heavy metal" thank you Mr. Minor part had me thrashing and stomping the floor like one of those metal shows I saw in this same hall many years earlier. The dynamics of this song took me on an incredible journey like I had never went on before. Thank YOU Mr. Phish!

HARPUA: It's amazing to look back on my Phish career now and see how lucky I truly was to get this at my first show. Throw in a little Michael Jackson and you've got one outrageous story. As the story winds down you hear Trey say, "Look, the storm's gone" I truly felt like things had calmed down outside, even though I was still inside the venue.

ENCORE: AMAZING GRACE/GOOD TIMES BAD TIMES: This was truly the icing on the cake. First, Fishman gets the hall dead quiet and the band sings this beautiful song acapella with NO microphones. Take that shitty acoustics Mid-Hudson Civic Center!
Now, for the Good Times, Bad Times. This was the perfect conclusion for me personally.
In the Hudson Valley, Led Zeppelin always has been and always will be god on radio station WPDH. Zep was a very big part of my high school years and all walks of life love Led Zeppelin. It was the great equalizer. I could not have asked for a better encore for this magical night.

Thank you so much Phish.

The first review was spot on so I will just add my personal notes... This was the first show I got my Dad(RIP) to go to. He went to a few others but this was the best one. I hitchiked from syracuse to Albany the morning of the snow storm. It was a shitty day but I got there really fast. So I meet my dad and it snowed the whole time. The car he was driving was a shared work car and was in serious disrepair. The wipers were frozen so I reached out and tried to fix them. Snap! So we walked in during Maze... My Dad loved it. He took me to my first Dead Show in 1987 when I was 12. He also dubbed my first Phish tape I got in 1989 and listened to it for awhile... He liked Possum. So he didn't get Harpua."what was that shit about the goldfish" I of course was bugging out because it was my first and maybe best. It's a great version. So anyway snow storms lead to great shows...

One of the smartest things I've ever done was listen to this show today, after 20 years away. An EASY 5-Stars, Easy.
One of the dumbest things I've ever done was go to this show in the first place!
See, as mentioned, a bad snow storm raged across NYS the day of this show. My buddies all (wisely) dropped out, one by one, from making the drive to this show...all except me and Jeff. Jeff said "I'll drive, let's go." Such was our Phish-Phandom that we risked our lives that day...I saw at least 3 overturned cars, and one 18-wheeler laying on its side, on the way to Poughkeepsie. Somehow, thankfully, we made it...:0
Walking into the venue was wild: very, very few people there, most people were just hangin out, playing Hac in groups, sittin in little clusters. Making it to the very front was easy!
I seem to recall a local DJ walking out onstage before the show, announcing that "Phish is excited to play a full show for you all regardless of the weather!" Hurray!!!
Oh, and WHAT a show they played. I had NO recollection until today just how spectacular, exceptional this show was.
We were a "Listening Crowd" this evening. There are many, many points ("Esther;" "YEM;" "Amazing Grace" without microphones) where you could hear a pin drop. The band responded in kind to our attentiveness!
A RAGIN' 1st Set..."Split Open and Melt" = ragin.
Fish had this giant piece of plastic that he was shaking during "I Didn't Know."
"A-Train:" a rare and awesome Fish Drum Solo!!
"Esther:" perfect, sheer silence. We were "tuned in" for sure.
"Run Like An Antelope": FIERCE!
Oh man, 2nd Set took it to the next level.....
This "Reba" is nearly definitive.
"Fast Enough For You" was never my favorite song at this time, but it's placement here is absolutely beautiful.
"YEM" has a shaky spot or two at first, but the 2nd half is exceptional: Page turns into Keith Emerson for the tramps section; the boys dip down to nearly sheer-silence why? Because we were listening, attentive, and with a mighty BLAP from Fish, rip-roar into....a Fish / Gordo solo!!!
This Vox Jam is VERY reminiscent of the old Floyd tune "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together...." (you know which one I mean!)
An excellent and hilarious version of Terrapin w/ Vacuum solo....at the end, HYHU; Fish did his thing, running up and down the front of the stage, I smacked hands with him TWICE!!
Now, I was not part of the group chanting for Harry Hood, but the boys launched into it for us without hesitation. This is a very, very fine Harry culminating in Trey's 64th-note insanity on guitar! Speaking of Trey's insanity:
This "Harpua." Now, I'd 'just heard' "Harpua" in May 1992 in Syracuse, and thought "well, that's about it for me." Wrong!
Trey yelling and screaming and shrieking as Poster and Harpua get killed....CLASSIC. A-plus plus plus
Again, a crowd that can remain absolutely, dead-silent for Amazing Grace, then turn around and scream and Rock for a Zeppelin finale featuring Fish's Bonzo bass drum antics.
What more could you ask for?
I'd highly recommend checking this show out, early-90's model Phish at it's finest. I had NO IDEA this show was THIS good. My ratings have changed, and this may be the 2nd best show I ever saw.

Breaking more new ground in the venue category we have the only show at the Mid-Hudson CC and a good one too! Good recording and no real problems for Paul at the board that I can hear.

Very solid front end to the first set with good versions of Golgi, Maze, Guelah, Sparkle and Melt. The second Esther of the year was a bit better than the first one. The Wedge was good, still strange, but good. Chalk Dust had a rough ending turn from Trey, but otherwise good. Not sure what Fish was doing during his "solo" in IDK, but it just sounded like he was rubbing against the microphone stand or something. First A-Train of the year was nice to hear and this one has some great drumming in it. The end was weird going into an unsure, but playful Antelope. Nicely played first set.

The intro of My Friend wasn't all that. It was a little unsure sounding and just average for this tour. The end is kind of creepy and fun. ATR is well played as is Reba, except a little rough at the end. Poor Heart was good, and then the balls come out, then a good, well played FEFY. YEM had its problems right from the intro on. The jam was good, even a quick "beehive" lyric from Trey. Hey we have a bust-out! Ya Mar makes its first appearance this year and this one is rusty and too fast for my taste. HYHU brings Fish back out for a slow, but good, Terrapin. Somewhere along the line Trey pulled himself out of tune because this heavily requested Hood was an awful listening experience. Sorry, it's just bad. The recording cuts off Trey's talking so I'm not sure what he said, but they definitely made up for the bad Hood with a Harpua!!! They all have their moments and this one is great with Poster and Harpua dead at the end. Always great to hear, and nice way to end a pretty good second set.

Fish quiets the crowd for what has become the usual Amazing Grace, which was ok, and then a rocking GTBT to close it all up.

Much better playing tonight overall. Better than the last two shows were, in my opinion. Oh, and that's hilarious that the bus bet is now up to $1,000 after Fish said it was $800 the other day.