Saturday, 05/28/1994

Laguna Seca Raceway, Monterey, CA

Laguna Seca Daze!! I definitely remember hearing about these shows from folks who were there. Everyone spoke very highly of the scene at this festival… and of the Phish shows. The biggest highlight was the Les Claypool sit-in, of course! As much as Les has become a staple at Jam Band fests these days, he most certainly seemed to be “of” a different scene in 1994.

Unfortunately, as much as I heard about how great that sit-in was, it doesn’t really translate on tape. The rest of this show is so good, though, I cannot complain! The Stash is almost as intense as the Great Woods Stash I’m so looking forward to. The Sloth is always welcome in a first set. The Maze is really great, too.

But it’s Set 2 that takes things up a notch. The whole set is downright inspired!! Another great Ice breakdown. The Tweezer hits a locked in groove at one point that VERY reminiscent of the 12/30/93 Mike’s, at least in style. It’s a great Tweezer by any measure. The Reba gets so out there, I pulled a “What song is this again?” moment while listening in the car. It almost sounds like they’re headed into 2001 at one point… a completely unique Reba jam, that’s not just great, but “out there.” It simply must be heard!

And then the famed YEM… well, it’s great, to be sure. I just don’t think it’s “all that.”

On a personal note, I got to eat dinner with a couple of my favorite people tonight… one of whom I’ve seen more Phish shows with than anyone else on the planet (roughly 80 shows together!). Sometimes traveling way too much for work has it’s benefits! Love that kid.

Tomorrow night is officially the end of Spring Tour 1994. Of course, that only buys me a week off… jeebus!! 1994 is brutal.

Thanks for reading.

 

Saturday, 05/28/1994

Laguna Seca Raceway, Monterey, CA

Set 1: Rift > Sample in a Jar, Foam, Bouncing Around the Room, Stash, The Horse > Silent in the Morning > The Sloth, Maze, Cavern

Set 2: Axilla (Part II) > It’s Ice > Tweezer, Lifeboy > Reba, Fee > Llama, You Enjoy Myself

Encore: Poor Heart

Notes: This performance was part of the Laguna Seca Daze Festival that also included Sausage, Gin Blossoms and Freddy Jones Band. Trey teased the theme from Popeye (Sailor’s Hornpipe) in Tweezer. Reba did not have the whistling ending. Trey sang the verses of Fee through a megaphone. YEM featured Les Claypool playing on a second bass guitar and Fishman on vacuum, and included a band-accompanied bass duel between Mike and Les and a Gimme Some Lovin’ tease from Page and Dueling Banjos teases in the jam segment. YEM ended without a vocal jam. Dueling Banjos was also teased before and during Poor Heart.

Setlist courtesy of Phish.net.

 

Key tracks:

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/1994-05-28/stash

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/1994-05-28/tweezer

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/1994-05-28/reba

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/1994-05-28/reba

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/1994-05-28/reba

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/1994-05-28/you-enjoy-myself

(Seriously. Listen to that Reba three times! I did)