(posted long ago to Rec.Music.Phish)
7/17/93 The Filene Center, Wolf Trap Farm Park, Vienna, VA
Charlie Dirksen, San Francisco, CA

It was a gorgeous summer afternoon. My friends and I barbequed for awhile in the lot pre-show. Phish was really starting to "get big" this summer: there were a few vans clearly ready for tour, and a thousand or so folks already in the lot about 2 hours before showtime. There was very little vending, though. Wolf Trap, a small, non-commercial amphitheater-styled venue, usually features folk or classical music, and very little rock. I had no doubt, even before the show, that this would be the only time Phish could play here. The staff wouldn't be able to handle or tolerate the young crowd.

The first set contained solid playing and great tunes, including a pleasant Stash and Reba combo. But the highlight for me personally came with the second set opener. I had seen the movie "Being There" just a few days before this show, in stereo with large speakers, in order to hear the "Also Sprach Zarathustra" in it as loudly as possible. This tune makes its entry at a monumental point in the movie. I had always been profoundly moved by the original classical version, but I was particularly charmed by this funky cover. I remember commenting to my friends -- while watching the movie and listening to this funky 2001 -- on how unfortunate it was that we would never see the song jammed out *live*.

Imagine my shock and Joy upon hearing 2001 open the second set at Wolf Trap! I recognized it at the very beginning -- the spacey intro -- and began trembling, then screaming and waving my arms wildly. I was Fishman-side about 7 rows from the stage, and I know I caught Mike's and Trey's attention. My Dionysian revelry also dominologically caused everybody around me to start ya-hoo'ing, too. It was one of those EVENTS in one's life (if one is blessed enough to have such events) when Everything Falls Into Place and absolutely nothing could ever possibly be more spiritually glorious.

I witnessed the rest of the show like an ecstatic, giddy fan boy who hadn't seen his favorite band in far too long a time. The Leprechaun especially moved me (I wish they would bring this back!), and both Weekapaug and Good Times raged. I wrote the band soon after the show, pleading to receive their newsletter. I was hooked!

THE GOOD: Being sandwiched between two fairly monstrous shows, this show featured some more reserved playing, however, there are some relative highlights. Jim continues on the back of the 7/15 version at around 7 and 1/2 steady minutes and contains a heavy build and great band interplay. Reba is another first set highlight - there's a minute long silent jam section here, out of which emerges some nice story-telling by Trey. The jam in Tweezer in the second set starts off being fairly heavy-metal based, moves into two dramatic tension and release phases, but then fizzles out into Coil. Once again, Leprechaun is a beauty, a bit more polished than the band's first attempt at it (7/15) and nicely placed in between Mike's and Weekapaug, although it seems clear that the band can't quite seem to find a good place for it in the set.

THE BAD: This show is definitely overshadowed by the two nights surrounding it, and unfortunately, many of the jams come up tame in comparison and/or fizzle out. There's also a seemingly strange herky-jerky bunch of song choices. The MMGAMOIO doesn't quite fit the bill between Sample and Stash, nor does the Faht really flow well out of Weekapaug. Listeners may be a bit underwhelmed, particularly because the jams for most of the big songs seem to fizzle. Trey has some great ideas in Bowie, but the band doesn't pick up on them unfortunately. Similarly, the Tweezer completely dies into a Coil riddled with some tough Trey flubs in the 'soaring' section. Weekapaug also, sadly, grinds to a halt into a momentum-destroying Faht.

THE NERDY: The Landlady, in a somewhat relic stage considering that the band had begun playing PYITE during Spring tour, hadn't been played since April. There's a Stash tease in the beginning of Reba, and the Ebenezer break in Tweezer features Trey playing Tweezer in a different key (Tweezer Rep). Faht featured piped-in sound effects. During Daniel, Trey mentions that they had a "really really great time" and that the band really enjoyed Wolf Trap.

No songs on Youtube from this show as nothing stood out in particular.

Truly magical evening on the grass at Wolf Trap. Probably the nicest place I witnessed this band.
We had a cooler full of beer, food...
My friends and I noted that this will be 1 and done for Phish at this venue.
Everyone in attendance had a blast and said never again as the locals bid us fare thee well.

Could only imagine how wild this was.

BYOB and Phish = Whoa

Bring them back to the trap!!!!