It's another wide-ranging setlist for Night 2 in Hampton, Fall 1998. That's so significant because the Hampton '97 shows were sort of terse, in the sense that they focused less on "songy" sets and more on funk workouts. There's plenty of Hamptony energy in this two-night run, though. Sabotage, for example, seems to really get the crowd souped. But aside from Set II pretty much consisting of a setlong Mike's Groove, Simple goes to some really pretty, ambient-type textures; Free -> Ha Ha Ha -> Free is an interesting take on refreshing that song, and Weekapaug Groove has some extra mustard as the young'un's like to say these days. Tubthumping is also welcome to me, and was even back in 1999 when Hampton Comes Alive was released. I always love when Tom Marshall sits in on vocals (for two more examples of this, see the 12/31/95 Shine and the 7/16/99 Born to Run.) Phish was having a lot of fun this run!

And now, only 3 years later, my thoughts on Night 2:

Set 1: Probably the more fun of the two Set 1s from a pure song selection standpoint (although my favorite bit of either Set 1s is Rock & Roll Part 2), featuring an absolutely searing BBFCFM, very nice versions of Divided Sky and Foam, and the surprising bustouts of Cry Baby Cry (which has never been seen again) and Nellie Kane (which has). You could stick this first set onto a Summer 2012 show and nobody would be the wiser.

Set 2: Opening with Sabotage (my God, Trey has to work to sing this song; imagine how Adam Horowitz had to feel singing this damn song every night?), the band kicks into one of their wilder set-long Mike's Grooves. A growly and low-key Mike's Song gives way to Simple, and this is one of the most famous of Simples (IMO, the most beloved version between Vegas '96 and Dick's 2014), a utterly gorgeous version that doesn't stray too far beyond Simple's boundaries but serves as the finest version of the "usual" Simple jam (actually, it reminds me a bit of Hydrogen in how relaxed and delicate it is). The rest of the set doesn't have much to speak of, although that Free -> Ha Ha Ha -> Free is weird enough to hear at least once, and the Weekapaug is played at 300 mph like it's 1993 all over again or something. The encore is as charming as you would expect from the description.

Final thoughts: I'd said Night 2 is better musically, but it's really just because of the Simple, a gorgeous jam that's well worth seeking out. I don't know that either Hampton '98 show is anybody's favorite once you've gone past the neophyte stage, but they're definitely worth breaking out if you want a good ol' time with The Phish From Vermont.

A party in Hampton, full of alternately endearing and insufferable covers and goofy juxtapositions (e.g. Ha Ha Ha from Free). When the band started semiseriously covering stupid modern pop/rock songs you knew some switch had been flipped somewhere. Your Phish collection technically isn't complete without a copy of the perfectly-titled 'Hampton Comes Alive,' but that release is only a snapshot of a celebration: shows you where you've been without telling you who you were. With the benefit of hindsight (and plenty of exploratory 1999 shows) you can pass on this one without guilt.

Set 2 from Mike's on is an amazing run of tunes, with a Simple jam to die for (absolutely gorgeous), a typically jazzy Mango, a funky Free, and a monster Weekapaug to close things out. This 'Paug is not the most epic in terms of being taken "out" (no Type 2 stuff in sight) but the sheer energy is always enough to win me over and has remained one of my top versions of the tune.

Overall this show is decidedly better, both musically and set list wise, than night one. And, of course, no Phish collection is complete without the official release.

Such a fun show, amazing energy!
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That Wilson was a great way to start the night, and the blistering BBFCFM contrasts greatly to that Lawn Boy (standard Lawn Boy, nothing crazy). The Divided Sky is also great. CBC was out of nowhere, but fit surprisingly well with the set. NICU was nothing crazy, neither was the DST or Nellie. Foam was good, surprisingly so for me because I'm not exactly the biggest Foam guy (not to say I hate it, or anything). Guyute was tight and so good, and then Bold As Love wraps up the set in one of the best ways imaginable.
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The second set is the better set, not to demean the first one. The Sabotage is iconic, and for good reason; Mike's is full of energy and so groovy; Simple is an epitome of that '98 jam feel that we all know and love; Wedge and Mango are pretty typical, though great side by side; Free is fucking awesome as always, and the HHH in the middle is funny as hell as well as very smooth; Weekapaug Groove was, again, an almost perfect way to end the set. Great shit, all around.
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Then there's Tubthumping.
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OK, don't get me wrong: it sucks. But, hold on guys... Maybe that's the point? IMHO, it's absolutely hilarious and I cannot stress this enough. So funny. Some of the people in these reviews and elsewhere are very critical of the performance for no reason; I don't think they were trying to give their best shot at a transcendent Tubthumping jam... I think they were just having fun, and that's what I love about this band. Suck it up and laugh, why don't you!?

(posted 12 years ago at rec.music.phish)
Ok...sorry about that. Where was I?

Oh yeah, THE BEST WEEKEND OF MY LIFE!!!

Good god. I seriosuyly just cannot get over the phenominon that is the
Hampton Coliseium...WOWZA! For those of you who've never seen a show
there - DO! The mothership has already taken launch from this fair
arena...

So, night two was yet another example of Phsih proving to the world once
and for all that they are the greatest rock and roll band in the western
hemisphere by *topping* a seemingly untoppable show with the nuttiness
that was...

Saturday November 21, 1998 The Mothership, Hampton, VA

I: Wilson->BBFCFM, Lawn Boy, Divided Sky, Cry Baby, Cry, Boogie On,
Reggae Woman->!!NICU, Dogs Stole Things, Nellie Cane, Foam, Velvet Sea,
Guyute, Axis: Bold As Love

II: Sabatoge!!!, Mikes!!!!->Pimple, Wedge, Mango Song, Free->Ha Ha
hA->Free!!!!!, Weekepaug Groove

E: TUBTHUMPING w/ Tom Marshall & Carl Gearhardt

Uh huh. Ok.....how do I start this??

Wilson was nice, obviously,- not as hard a rocker as Alpine's, but when
is segued into BBFCFM (or as much as that song can segue out of anything)
my jaw hit the floor, and I turned to my friend Petey (who's 1st show was
Grand Rapids - 2nd was 11/20 where he gets a TUBE, and now he sees a
BBFCFM at his 3rd show while we're both on the other side of the planet
(Candy!!!)

The set then went on to include Lawn Boy and Divided sky, st which point I
had a similar feeling to last night in the way things were opening up...

CRY BABY CRY - off the White Album I believe, was nice to hear. Everybody
thought it was called "Something" or something. :^)

the BOOGIE ON was very nice, I do believe I have now seen all of them in
the US in the 1990's. Go me! This one was not as nicely played or jammed
as Deer Creek's from this past summer, but was a super Boogie On, as most
have been. This sort of segued into NICU, which was nice to jump around
to.

NELLIE CANE was another tune I thought I'd never hear. I liked it.

after FOAM, which was nice, probably my favorite foam to date, I figured
it would all be over, but no! They had to Pull out VELVET SEA (which is
growing on me...), GUYUTE (which rocked) and AXIS (which goes w/o saying)

Set II opened with a nice Sabbatoge...it seems to loose its energy every
time I see it, but hey. It's fun, and it's gets the kids pumped. ;-)

And then came a little space that could have easily begun Also Sprach
(though it had just been played, I know...) but, not disapointingly,
became

MIKE'S!!!! - this one was short and sweet, but did not lack any of the
intensity of some of the more recent monstrous Mike's, like 8/1/98 Alpine.
In fact, I think it's a good comparison to make - this Mike's was a lot
like the 8/1 Mikes in that I thought my head was going to fall off the
whole time. But then of course came PIMPLE.

The Highlight was the Free->Ha^3->Free. Simply incredible. Then came
Weekepaug - what an incredible way to end the night.

EXCEPT for when they came out and played TUBTHUMPING with Tom & Carl.

Ok - time's up again! See you in New Haven!!! WOOHOOOO!

SET 1:

Wilson: Massive energy to open this show. >

Big Black Furry Creature from Mars: Energy ramps up even more.

Lawn Boy: Standard.

Divided Sky: Feisty.

Cry Baby Cry: Another big bust out. >

Boogie On Reggae Woman: Standard. >

NICU: Standard.

Dogs Stole Things: Standard.

Nellie Kane: Standard.

Foam: Page and Trey both shine brightly in this version!

Wading in the Velvet Sea: Standard.

Guyute: Standard.

Bold As Love: Love it. Great set closer!

SET 2:

Sabotage: That’s one way to open the set!! >

Mike's Song: It is solid – nothing more and nothing less. Gets the job done. >

Simple: I love this version – it defines that 98 ambient sound. Mike sounds terrific in the last few minutes. Highly recommend this version. 3.0 Phish just could not pull this off. >

The Wedge: Standard. >

The Mango Song: Standard. >

Free -> Ha Ha Ha -> Free: Free really slams hard into HHH. Pretty good Free, Mike is liquid.

Weekapaug Groove: Standard.

ENCORE:

Tubthumping: Awful, why play this? Maybe it was amusing in person?

Summary: The first set is about as bland as you can get. Woof. The second set looks cool on paper but the only thing that really delivers (in spades) is Simple. The rating on Phish.net of 4.35/5 (177 ratings) is egregious! Not even close. I would rate this as a 3.75 and I feel like that might even be a bit generous. What a letdown run after that incredible run one year ago at the same venue. Expectations were sky high and did not deliver at all.

Replay Value: Simple

I hear a Blister in the Sun tease at the end of Weekapaug