Thursday, 12/30/1993
Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, ME

First things first. This show is why I’m a fan of Phish. It’s still my favorite show I’ve ever seen by any band. It’s just a perfect show start to finish.

We woke up in New Haven to a foot of snow and a towed car. It was a rough day after a long night. It was bitterly cold in Portland when we pulled up to the Civic Center. The line to get in was brutal. We got found seats Page side high (of course) and 2 minutes later the lights went down.

…and Bowie! What a freaking great Bowie, too. The dream on and Dave’s Energy Guide teases are so seamless and effortless. Pure fun. A statement of purpose that this night is going to be special. The rest of set flows like a mountain stream. Just perfect. And when you’re listening to it for the thousandth time and it has faded into the background you are very suddenly drawn back in when the Bathtub Gin starts raging like a monster. Greatness.

Then the second set is one for the ages. The Mike’s basically defined an entire new direction for Phish. I still get chills at moments with every listen. Without going song by song after that, let’s just say the whole set is majestic.

I will mention the Slave… I remember reading about Slave on rec.music.phish in the preceding months as people were excited that it had returned for the first time since the 80’s. But going into this show I still had never heard it on tape or otherwise. Needless to say, I was blown away.

Listening now in a rented apartment full of friends, half still sleeping off last night’s epic throwdown at MSG, I’m immediately transported back to the CCCC. Every moment of this show is preserved I’m my memory… Perhaps helped over the years by tapes of the show that have never left heavy rotation for me since I got them in the mail about 3 weeks into 1994.

By the end of Mike’s everyone is awake and the party is rolling by the time we get to Slave. I’m done typing. Time to hang with all these kind people. I have high hopes for tonight. 20 years after my favorite show, I’m beyond excited to see Phish tonight.

Thanks for reading.

Thursday, 12/30/1993
Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, ME

Thursday, 12/30/1993
Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, ME

Soundcheck: Dog Log (x2), Funky Bitch

Set 1: David Bowie, Weigh > The Curtain > Sample in a Jar, Paul and Silas, Colonel Forbin’s Ascent > Fly Famous Mockingbird > Rift > Bathtub Gin, Free Bird

Set 2: Also Sprach Zarathustra > Mike’s Song -> The Horse[1] > Silent in the Morning > Punch You In the Eye > McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters > Weekapaug Groove[2] > Purple Rain > Hold Your Head Up, Slave to the Traffic Light

Encore: Rocky Top > Good Times Bad Times

[1] Trey on acoustic guitar.
[2] Vocal jam; unfinished.
Teases:
· Dream On and Dave’s Energy Guide jams in David Bowie