This review will consist of one track only for the time being:

Stash -
All fans of this band really must listen to this and keep a copy handy. The songs opens with a TIGHT composed section, almost angry in it's purpose. No problems here, as finesse takes over. The Maybe So Maybe Not Stash jam very soon turns as dark and ominous as a storm cloud over Kansas. Patiently the band morphs it into a waxing and waning exercise in which each member appears to follow the others like one of those flocks of birds that changes directions wildly, yet all stay together. This really is group improvisation at it's wildest and best. By the 11:00 mark - they launch into a "beautiful jam" that sounds anthemic and triumphant. You will find yourself MOVING to this. Just as soon as it peaks, it's out into the evening news... Then instantly turns scary dark and evil. They screech to a halt, fade and rise as though one person controls the entire band. The sounds of reaction from the audience are entertaining. The band duck, dodge and weave their way back into what seems a high-powered return to the climax of the song. But yet again they seem to follow each other - veering off the road, sounding like a speeding car suddenly spinning on ice towards disaster. and yet again they hurtle wildly thrashing towards the familiar climax ending. I'm nearly out of breath, heart pounding. This is one that makes hardcore fans.

Sometime I'll get around to the rest of the show.

THE GOOD: Right in the middle of an exception week of shows, this show does not disappoint. Things start off with a smoking Sample, and a delectable Caravan follows not far after, giving Fish some nice breaks. Although this Jim is strong, it is greatly overshadowed by the Stash, which other reviewers have commented on. The Stash is a beast, with a TMWSIY tease, a Hood-like progression, and a descent into the depths of hell (akin to the Stash played a week earlier in Grand Rapids). To top things off, Forbin>Mockingbird follows, complete with a journey to the center of everyone's body. The second-set Tweezer is promising, with a poppy Weekapaug-like frolic-y section, some Cocaine teases, a reggae jam, and a Simpsons signal. The Hood is delicate, but comes around nicely to close off the show.

THE BAD: The band must have been exhausted after some thrilling shows earlier in the week, and there are some weaknesses in this one. The Lizards has a few flubs, and things mellow down after the Landlady/BATR combo in the second set. While the acoustic ending was novel (think summer '96), it does not translate particularly well on tape.

ETC: Listen for lots of hey-jamming - Caravan, Jim, Fee, Stash, Tweezer, and even screams of "hey" during Forbin's. The narration during Forbin's takes the audience into their own head, through their nose, into their stomach and heart. Fish takes a washboard solo during Nellie Kane and Trey remarks that Freebird is "the first time anyone ever" had played it (see similar comments on 8/11). Listen for the quick "12345" jam in Tweezer that is very similar to the jam in the previous night's Antelope.

Yes, there is an incredible Stash in this show, which the other reviewers have mentioned. It's one of my favorite Stashes, but this show offers a few other big highlights, including one hell of a Tweezer. Also, check out this different take on a Runaway Jim jam and Fee's extended outro. Some interesting narration in Forbin's and a hard rocking CDT closes the first set.

Tweezer is definitely the highlight of the second set, but the shredding Maze and run of acoustic songs at the end of the set shouldn't be missed either. A Harry Hood encore is always satisfying.

Get this show and enjoy. While you're at it, get the rest of the month too.

No it's true, the Tinley Park show from the night before plays the bigger history book role, and in some cases with good reason -- but this Stash, you could argue, is one of the finest and most promising examples of melodic improvisation that the band layed out this in this most fruitful of months. A harbinger of things to come, many years down the line. It's 18 minutes. If you haven't heard it, what are you waiting for?

This has to be close to the best show of the year, likely the only one that rivals 12/31. It's one of those Midas touch type of shows, everything they play is excellent.

Caravan is outstanding, Jim is perfectly played. Fee is outstanding. Stash is arguably one of the best ever played, it has all of the tension/dark elements Stash should have. Mockingbird has a level of precision that few have.

Tweezer is outstanding. The jam is quite similar to the Murat Gin the night before, except it doesn't fully go into a Weekapaug Groove tease but teeters on it. It's a great feat of experimentation for them. Maze has all the great tension that Stash has. And having the sound turned off for the rest of the set is amazing. After all that fire it's a nice relaxing finish. Also it's quite comical to hear Ginseng Sullivan and Nellie Kane played back to back considering they are both basically the same exact song. Freebird is a little annoying to listen to considering the fact that the audience is obviously going to react like a bunch of loud drunks during a song like that. But it's still pretty solid.

After all that you'd figure maybe a Rocky Top or some quick ripper to end the show. Nope. How about one of the best Hood's of '93? So patient and beautifully executed, I can't see a better way to end a show.

One of the best shows of the year from one of the best Weeks of Phish EVER!

I'm only going to comment on the Gamehendge narration and what may or may not be an error by Trey in the story:

I believe the recording I've heard is cutoff and we do not hear Trey's entire narration, but he states Rutherford the Brave is the hero of this song (the song being Colonel Forbin). And it's Rutherford who is climbing up the mountain to seek Icculus. Perhaps I'm mistaken, but isn't the hero of the song Colonel Forbin and isn't it Forbin who climbs the mountain? Did Trey get confused and just mention the wrong Gamehendge character?

Oh yeah, this Stash? Listen to it.

Sandwiched right between the highly regarded 8/13 Murat, 8/14 Tinsley Park, 8/16 St. Louis, and 8/17 Kansas City performances, 8/15/93 in Louisville marks as the halfway point in a crazy 5-night stretch of consecutive shows. As each of the other aforementioned shows have their own LivePhish release, this one might not get as much attention from the Phan base. While it might not be as consistently amazing as the surrounding evenings, it's definitely worth checking this one out on Relisten, if only for a few tunes (Stash is a required listening for Phans).

Set 1 has some great moments among a uniquely Phishy arrangement of Caravan (jazzheads have to listen to this one), a Runaway Jim that climbs from delicacy to a mighty peak through a nice jam, and a Fee with a cheeky, dreamlike groove appended to the outro that gives Mike a bit of spotlight. The heavy hitter of the show is most certainly Stash, which I believe reaches Top 3 Ever status (among 11/14/95 and 7/2/97). To copy an earlier description I wrote: In contrast to some of the more capricious jams from summer of '93, this one builds on itself and evolves with extreme patience that challenges one to delineate distinct sections. Around 11:00, the band aligns on a fantastically optimistic mixolydian groove full of rhythmic and melodic elements reminiscent of Mango Song. The less-organized blend back into Stash plays extremely well. After this, a fun Colonel Forbin-> Mockingbird and CDT take us home.

Set 2 starts with a nice Rift, followed by a big summer of '93 Tweezer. This one covers a lot of Type II ground, working in some Tweezer-based riffing, Antelope-style higher tempo groove, and dissonant reggae influence, and ultimately working its way back to a blazing Tweezer and burning out to a slow stop. The rest of Set 2 is less notable, hitting a couple more standard electric tracks (including a Maze that lives up to its great August 93 peers), and then transitioning to an acoustic/a cappella set up that capitalizes on the intimacy of the venue. While I'm sure this would've been special to witness, it ends things on a lower note from a tape-listener's perspective. Thankfully, the band opts for a Harry Hood encore to inject one last bit of jam into the evening. The Hood jam scratches the itch for sure, dabbling in more patient and subdued ground (and even teasing a Dorian modal shift for a quick second) before arriving at the peak. *chef's kiss*

Sounds like an (obviously) very early tease of Scents and Subtle Sounds intro within the Tweezer, just before the Simpsons signal.

I don't think Fee deserves to be mentioned as a notable, as it doesn't make the song any better, or even different than other versions that have outros, but definitely Jim, Stash, Tweezer, and Hood do.

Great Tweezer, incredible Stash. Listen to this show now!

August 93' was undoubtedly a turning point on Phish's career from both a musical stand point as well as the growth of their fan base. The bands summer tour was their first exposure to large outside venues some of which they still play to this day (I.E. Darien Lake, Jones beach and The Mann center). This show wonderfully displays the new direction phish was going with their jamming as well as the tightest playing from the band in their careers (up to this point). So without further du... My review.

Set 1

They open the show with a very hot Sample In a Jar, with an awesome solo from trey which really gets the venue rocking. Followed by a well played rare All Things Reconsidered. Then an always welcome Caravan makes an appearance and it is also great all around and featured some odd jamming, which is/was not typical of the song. Trey then does not hesitate to start up Runaway Jim and this version like many others is great and contains a really nice jam before returning to the structure of the song. Fee> Paul and Silas are both short and sweet, and gives everyone a little breather, Fee also featured a short little extended jam out of Fee taboot! This takes us to Stash. I won't talk about it for too long, but this Stash is a MONSTER. It is amazing it has beautiful interplay amongst all the members and then switches to a Gorgeous Major Key jam over a very cool groove for a while. After that the jam fizzles back into a very dark jam then finally coming full circle to end the song.The moral of the story is ALL MUST HEAR THIS STASH! After Stash we are treated to a classic one two punch of Colonel Forbins > Fly Famous Mockingbird. Both of these songs are played perfectly and the narration is entertaining to say the least (just listen to it). Finally a smoking Chalk dust closes this great set.

15 minutes later...

Set 2

Set 2 starts with a quick and energetic Rift, before launching into an awesome Tweezer. Now I feel like because of the epic ness of the Stash in this show this particular Tweezer does not get the attention it deserves. And that just isn't fair because this Tweezer is a beast. The jam starts off with Trey laying done some nice licks before taking a kickin solo. Then at about the 7:00 minute mark it goes type two, and in a dissonant an odd fashion at that. Until the Fishman picks up the pace and Trey lands on a simple but punchy two chord progression. And in a split second someone decided to turn on the HOSE!!! Then in typical 93' style Phish decides to change it up again, this time to some stop start reggae jamming, even including an oddly placed Simpsons signal. Briefly after the signal they return to the main riff. Then they quickly jam again after the refrain, finally bringing the song to a close. The song chosen to proceed that monster of a jam is none other then The Lizards. Lizards is well played and perfectly placed. Followed immediately by a hot Landlady,Bouncing and a solid Maze. The rest of the show is just gravy. Including what was basically a four song acoustic set of made up of Sweet Adeline, Ginseng Sullivan, Nellie Kane, and Free bird. The boys then return for the encore and play a wonderful Hood to conclude the show.

All an all this show has some amazing jams and is a great representation of Phish at this stage in their career. So do yourself a favor and give the entire show a listen you won't be disappointed.

4.5 out of 5 stars (I'll round up)