This show understandably gets lost in the shuffle between two strong performances and has no real marquee jams to speak of. With that said, there are quality versions of Gumbo, Foam, Timber, and Mule to be heard, as noted on the jam charts. When comparing this show to others from the tour, it just doesn't bring enough to sit in the upper tier, but it is well-played and has a decent setlist (the first set is nearly perfect to me). If any of Tube, Disease, or Tweezer had gone bigger, this show would really have no faults, so when you're reaching for some Worcester '98, don't forget this entirely enjoyable, if not exceptional show.

(posted nearly 12 years ago at rec.music.phish)

Saturday November 28
Woosta, baby, Wootsa!

I:
Gumbo
Tube
DwD
Guyute
Albuquerque
Foam
MOMA
SOAMelt

II:
Julius
Wolfman's ->
Timber Ho!
Loving Cup
SOAMule
Crapstain (!, yeah, again....) ->
Crossroads
Tweezer
Cavern

E:
Sample
Tweeprise

Wow. This was just tonight. Seems like quite a bit ago....

The Gumbo was really something else. I would definately recomend hearing
this for yourself, even if that means breaking into your neighbor's house
and kidnapping his schnauzer.

Aaron called the Tube (go Aaron) but I called it in the 2-slot (go me).
Tonight's FOAM was particularly good, and included a diminuendo (sp? - my
Italian's not very good...) to virtual nothingness...it reminded me of the
Hood from the Spokane Opera House in '95 - sorry I don't remember the
date...but if you know what I'm talking about it didn't get that
quiet...it just reminded me of it. >%^P

The Split Open was also partcularly good, I thought. It made for a nice,
solid piece of work to call Set I.

The Wolfman's had some very nice jamming which I'm fairly certain ->'d
into Timber Ho!, which was of course a treat to hear for the first time in
nearly a year (am I forgetting one between now and NYE Run '97?). I had
been waiting for Loving Cup, too (I missed Denver & MTSU and therefore was
seeing it for the first time this tour...).

Crossroads was a very big suprise, and definately came out of (->'d) the
Fuckerpants. And, yes, I did give it another (!) this time - it just kind
of 'rocks' now is all. And I mean 'rocks' in a Caspian sort of way,
anyway.

The Tweezer wasn't all that great actually. At some point, when things
were not really going anywhere, Trey said to Mike and Mike said to Fishman
"Cavern," which they then played. Mike seemed to be a bit out-of-himself
since mid-Fuckerpants, and he was really hurting by the time Cavern came.
He seemed annoyed with something - and really didn't put much into the
'Cavern Dance' he and Trey do. Not that he's typically that into the
dance moves, anyway...

So things have been great these past few days, and I can't wait for
tomorrow's moneyback gar-on-tee mayhem. After that I'll be in Wheaton for
a while for anyone who wants to get in touch with me.

From the last four shows (New Haven, Albany, Woosta, Woosta) I'd have to
rank my favorite set/show like this:

Fav. Set: 11/27 II Woosta - Duh. Just wait 'till you hear this (and you
will.) I'm putting it right now in the leagues of 12/6/97 II Auburn
Hills, MI...which was before Friday one of my top 3 favorite sets of all
times. The setlist tells no lies...

Fav. Show: I have to put 11/25 The Knick. Not only becuase of the 4th
Anniv./60th Show deal, (and I *really* still can't believe those
numbers....that's why I keep typing them...) but because of the noticable
change that occured between the Bowie and the Good Times during those
acoustic tunes. Granted, the first set is nothing stellar, but the way
they turned it around and (imPsfho) saved a show from the depths of
failure and salvaged their pride, sanity, and musical prowess only to come
away with an incredible second set.

So tomorrow we end all this silliness...

Thanks again Aaron for the tickets, Pete for the candy, Jerry, Rod and
Eric for the patches, and thanks to all of you who made it through this
ridicculusly long review. See you tomorrow night!!!

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

Sandwiched between the legendary 11/27/98 show and a tour closer, 11/28/98 will probably go unnoticed by many traders. This is a shame because it was a gem. Saturday night at the Centrum was much more of a "Phish the garage-rock band that makes you dance" show than a "Phish the ambient jammers" we see much of from 1998. The show starts off with a “Gumbo”/”Tube”/”Disease”/”Moma” combo that keeps the energy high. Although the first set never goes anywhere crazy, there's intense, solid playing throughout; Trey especially is reckless throughout this show. Listen at the beginning of the second set for a crowd roar in “Julius”; the Centrum was filled with oversized balloons that night, and Trey popped one with his guitar neck. The boys jam hardest on the seamless “Wolfman's” — > “Timber” combo, and the “Crossroads” shocked us all. A legendary show? No. Good times in Woosta? Definitely.

Gumbo: Pretty good version. Felt like Trey was trying for some hose action around 7:30 but quickly thought better of it for some reason.

Tube: Nice, great placement. Will they throw down like they did in Utah? Nein. >

Down with Disease: Standard as she goes, captain. Cool placement though. I bet the energy was through the roof after these first three tunes.

Guyute: Standard.

Albuquerque: Standard.

Foam: Standard.

The Moma Dance: Standard.

Split Open and Melt: Pretty good Melt.

SET 2:

Julius: The most standard version.

Wolfman's Brother: Had all of the earmarks of going downtown. But someone got ADD and yanked it into… (damn shame!!!) >

Timber (Jerry the Mule) - Standard. This one is a ‘jamcharts’ version, lol. >

Loving Cup: Strange placement. Indicative of too much partying and poor decision making. >

Scent of a Mule: Song sucks. This one exemplifies that sentiment. This one is a ‘jamcharts’ version, lol.

Prince Caspian: Oof when this starts up, needed so much more after Mule. But, this Caspian jam is pretty strong. >

Crossroads: Face melter.

Tweezer: Band is just not very hooked up in the very early 10’s. Gets better by the time they hit the late 10’s, but it’s there. That’s why it’s no surprise that just a minute later they choose not to go on with this. Like they were out of ideas?

Cavern: Standard.

ENCORE:

Sample in a Jar: Woof. >

Tweezer Reprise: Standard.

Summary: This show doesn’t have a single tune I would revisit or recommend. The rating on .net is too high:3.724/5 (87 ratings). This show feels like a 3.5/5 to me.

Replay Value: None.