Saturday, 07/16/1994
Summer Stage at Sugarbush, North Fayston, VT

It’s the last show of Summer Tour! It’s sad on one level. While I’m definitely ready for a break, I’ve enjoyed this process. I’ve heard some amazing Phish music in the last couple of months. Frankly, I’m a little surprised I made it this far. I missed a couple of shows along the way… I blame SPAC and not myself for that. I made up for missing two 1994 shows by seeing 3 in person that weekend, right?

This show is special in so many ways. I happened to be camping in Maine with my buddy Jamie when we decided to hit Sugarbush on our way west… He was ready to get back on Dead Tour for the remainder of the summer. I actually joined him for the Deer Creek run. I managed to score a ticket to the first night… it was the only time I ever got to see Jerry play in person. But this ain’t no Dead blog….

We got to Sugarbush by mid-day and parked at what we soon found out were the lots a few miles from the venue. We piled into a school bus with a bunch of like-minded folks and made our way to the base of the mountain. It was a glorious Vermont day. The view behind the stage was stunning. I can’t imagine a better place to see Phish. Here’s a pic from the 95 shows that I did not take (though I did “Tilt-Shift” it for fun).

The show was nothing short of crazy. It was the first time I was in a Phish crowd that big that was clearly ALL Phish-heads. If there were first-timers at this show, they were well versed. It was the opposite of a newb crowd. No suburban Jersey kids just there for the party, if you know what I mean.

Listening now, I’m immediately transported to the scene of the crime. Some kid in front of us actually had a cracker and gave us some NO2 during NO2!! WTF?!?! That’s a pretty uniquely Phishy experience if ever there was one. The whole first set is tight as can be. Great Stash. Perfect Lizards. Energetic Maze. Tough to beat, really.

Except that it was completely blown out of water by Set 2. I’ll say this: I was fairly sober at this show, but this Antelope frightened me. I the Catapult is hilarious, of course. But it’s the segment after the Catapult that gets me every time. It’s downright scary!

Q: What could they possibly have left in the tank after that set opener?

A: I don’t know, but apparently it starts with an Oom Pah Pah!!

The Harpua segment is the stuff of legend. 20 years later, it is a fresh as it was that night. The story is just hilarious! The COMET CRASHING INTO JUPITER!! I can’t tell you how many people turned to look up when Trey pointed and said “If you look up there you can probably see it!” as they started up 2001. Fantastic. He had us all in the palm of his hand and he knew it.

The rest of the set feels like a victory lap, honestly. The real highlight is the Hood!! An amazingly patient build in this Hood. Sofa King Great! Also, it’s worth noting that Trey is losing his voice by the end of the show and, as such, his vocal on Chalkdust sounds a lot like the vocal track on the Picture of Nectar version. Love it!

Getting out of this show was no picnic. We skipped the busses and caught a ride with some kind strangers back to the other parking world. Then we got rear-ended on the way out by some teenagers in a Suburban (so much for for my all-Phish-head crowd theory). They busted the taillight of my trusty Volvo. We settled the score with a hundred bucks cash and let them on their merry way. They were in no shape to deal with insurance or accident reports. I was feeling generous… plus we were prepared to drive through the night through Canada band to Detroit on our way to Deer Creek.

So, that’s it!! I can listen to other music for a while now, right? Or at least other eras of Phish? I’m headed to Chicago this weekend for another 3-night run. I cannot freaking wait!! The SPAC shows were stellar. The Randall’s run amazing. Chicago should be off the charts!!

As always, thanks for reading! See you on tour!

Saturday, 07/16/1994
Summer Stage at Sugarbush, North Fayston, VT

Set 1: Golgi Apparatus > Down with Disease -> NO2 > Stash, The Lizards, Cavern > The Horse > Silent in the Morning > Maze > Sparkle > Sample in a Jar

Set 2: Run Like an Antelope -> Catapult -> Run Like an Antelope, Harpua -> Also Sprach Zarathustra > Harpua > AC/DC Bag > Scent of a Mule, Harry Hood, Contact > Chalk Dust Torture

Encore: Suzy Greenberg

Notes: Golgi was preceded by an a cappella line of Back in My Hometown. Down With Disease was unfinished. NO2 featured Fishman on vacuum. Harpua included a narration about the comet that crashed into Jupiter. Poster got hit by a comet. Antelope included a Simpsons signal and Trey running around the stage with a megaphone. Catapult saw Fishman take a verbal jab at Trey and his upcoming wedding before quickly recanting. Hood contained a Divided Sky tease from Trey and Chalk Dust included a Barracuda tease. This show was officially released as Live Phish 02.
Setlist courtesy of Phish.net.

Key tracks:
http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/1994-07-16/stash
http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/1994-07-16/run-like-an-antelope (and listen through Harpua)
http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/1994-07-16/harry-hood