From: Ethan White Subject: review 12/4 Umass Phish show Oh, it was a lovely night for a Phish show. The parking lot was fun but freezing, so it was nice finally get in the warm, polished Mullins Center. I was upset when I first saw my seats: behind and to the right of the stage. Little did I know that these would be some of the best seats in the house. I don't remeber exactly the sets (I forgot my pad of paper), but here's a rough guess from memory: SET 1 SET 2 Julius really can't remember Gumbo ?????? Divided Sky Stash Sparkle new slow song PYITE--->landlady--->PYITE YEM-->vocal jam Hello My Baby (a capella) Sample in a Jar Axilla Horse--SITM Antelope While My Guitar Gently Weeps encore- Bouncin, Rocky Top Sorry about the inadequacy of the set list. As you can see, the second set sorty of blurs together in my mind. Whoever has the complete list please send it to me! HIGHLIGHTS: Julius and Gumbo were pretty standard- I got nervous when they started with a Hoist song. Divided Sky was nice- Trey stopped the song for what seemed like five minutes before hitting the final note that goes into the fast part. Good jam. Sparkle was fun, if a bit overplayed. Then, PYITE!!!!! My first one, and was it glorious! Definately the highlight of the set, if not the show. Then, who knew? A capella in TUNE!! It was a genually great performance. Their a capella has improved enormously. Axilla- whatever. I had started to get nervous (Hoist spells trouble), but then, Antelope!!! Wow! This was better than the New Years version at Boston- a crazy jam that Trey kept buiding on. (I could see him smiling at Mike when everyone thought he would stop and he didn't!!). To close out the set, a GORGEOUS While My Guitar. Trey was ON. His guitar was wailing. Set 2 began with the UMASS minuteman making the chess move for the audience, and, I'm sorry but this is when my mind goes hazy. I recall a great Stash (but aren't they all? This is my 4th one live), SITM, Sample, and a new, slow song that quieted the audience. It had a nice tune, but was a little too slow for my taste. Anyway, when they satrted YEM I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. Trey streched those notes FAR! Has anyone else noticed Mike's profinciancy on the trampolines? He's a fucking expert! The vocal jam was the highlight of the second set- no rythem, just low, dissonant singing that was not only spacy, but SCAREY!! The lights were these white rotating stars that flew all around, making the Mullins Center one cosmic joint. I was disappointed to hear Bouncin,' especially since they played it two days before, and hoped for a second encore. I got Rocky Top!! My first, and it was great! I fine close to a good show. overall, 7 out of 10. By the way- I sat right where the band walked out; quite a memorable experience. Hopefully I'll do better about tonight's set list! see you at Worcester! Ethan [email protected] --------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 3 Feb 1997 15:00:09 -0500 (EST) From: Jonathan Epstein Subject: 12/4/95 12/4/95 - Mullins Center, UMass, Amherst, MA Set 1 ***** Julius, Gumbo, Divided, PYITE, Stash!!, My Mind's.., Axilla II, Horse->Silent, Rag Time Gal, While my Guitar Gently Weeps Excellent song choice for the first set. I'm not usually one for Julius, but I must admit, its a great way to open a show. I was pysched for Gumbo. Sky was excellent. I love that new spacey part in it. Just befoe Trey's solo part. Psyched for Punch!!. Very good. I love the Rhodes on this one. Never saw My Minds before. O, shit, I skipped the highlight of the first set.. STASH. Huge Stash. Excellent excellent Stash. And Guitar Weeps to close the set was also excellent. The Umass minuteman made the audience chess move. It was a riot!! I am a huge fan of the Minuteman. I lvoe seeing him at the hockey games. What a joy. Set 2 ***** Timber!!!!!!, Sparkle, Ya Mar, Antelope!!!!, Billy Breathes, CT & B, YEM, Sample, Frankenstein Timber was incredible. This was my first Timber in 5 1/2 years (6/16/90) and it was so good. It jammed really hard for like 10 minutes. Incredible second set opener. Ya Mar was also very good. And ANTELOPE!! was huge.. this was Phish. If I had to play someone just a few minute of the Phish, I would play them this Antelope. It rocked really hard for a while. I wish I had time to go into my explnation of the Phish machine (I will when I have a little more time), but juist thin about parts of Antelope incorporated with the lights to make the Phish machine. Billy Breathes should be called "Billy Caspian". YEM was very good, though. And the vocal jam!!! The lights really enhanced this one. I've said it before, Ill say it again... the lights are absolutely spectacular this tour. Incredible. I was surprised by the Frankenstein after Snapple. I figured that'd end it, but nope. Encore ****** Bouncing, Rocky Top I was expecting some mayhem, due to the band chitter chatter before Bouncing, but nope. Bouncing pulls ahead of Mikes song in the classic "2 shows, 2 Bouncing" maneuver. The score is 17-16, in favor of Bouncing. I better get a Mikes tonight!! See you all tonight. Later. Jon.