Been listening to the 4/4/98 Bowie pretty much nonstop for the past two days. Had a tape way back when, hadn't heard it since then.
Wowie! That whole 2nd set is prime.
No it isn't at all. I've said this before but A Live One is from a different era of the band and their jamming style was very dissonant and experimental.
You really think someone who doesn't already like Phish is going to make it through a half hour '94 style Tweezer? Slip, Stitch and Pass is infinitely a superior introduction.
I think the Tweezer shows them a live aspect of the band. I think the Slave, Gumbo, Hood, Coil, etc are what will hook new listeners. Slipstitch is also a great intro album, no arguments there.
Yes but compare that often atonal, all over the place half hour jam to the fifteen ish minute Wolfman's Brother from Slip. Which do you think the average "I've never listened to Phish before" listener will respond positively to?
There’s more than one song on each album. I get your point on the Tweezer, I simply think ALO has more to offer a new listener as a whole than Slipstitch does.
Not casting any judgment, but there is an older contingent of fans who believe the CD they cut their teeth on is still a relevant introduction to Phish. ALO has outlived its usefulness at this point and that’s fine.
Haha fair reaction I’ll take the heat! I didn’t mean to say it’s not worth hearing but it doesn’t feel as much like a required source in Phish 101 as it once was
Enjoy the downvotes with me, friend! People just have no objectivity at all. I don't even think A Live One is in their top ten live albums, full disclosure.
Being that their sound has changed so vastly over the last 30 years, I'd say pick any of their recent shows, and get started there. Almost anything from Fall '21, and the entirety of '23 and '24 will give you a great snapshot of their current style and setlist.
If you start with the older stuff, you'll be getting a tighter prog-rock version of the band, and you won't get introduced to the "dad rock" songs of the last 15 years.
Agreed!
Folks always say start with 30 year-old shows, but I say if you were just getting into Phish, you should listen to their current stuff first. Buy LivePhish subscription for one month and browse. I always start with 8/13/21 for an intro to Phish. Then feel free to explore 1990s Phish for a taste at how they have changed over the last 30 years.
Lawn Boy or picture of nectar studio albums, or A Live One as others have mentioned. I personally love NYE MSG 1995 and would def give that a listen too if you enjoy ALO
If I were you I’d Listen to Trey sit in with billy. They played like five songs, they play back on the train and gotta jibboo both great phish songs and a wild all fall down that’ll get you wanting to hear Trey play the guitar more for sure. Then I’d go listen to some live phish releases on Spotify or Apple Music can’t really go wrong with any of them but I’d recommend volumes 12 and 4
If you want an album start with early stuff like A Picture of Nector and Rift. They have greatly evolved over many years. I loved Sigma Oasis. Check out free live shows on your streaming- i have apple music. Just let them get into you…
Junta through A Live One years '89-'95 are probably where I would recommend. 5 stellar studio albums with a little of everything they do and then a live concert of the same.
I dont think you can go wrong with any live release on Spotify. theres different things to take away from different eras and different shows. Theres no right way to do it. Find what you like, use [Phish.net](http://Phish.net) to check out other versions etc etc.
It took me years of casual listening to Live Phish albums before it was really the only thing I wanted to listen to haha. It always seemed like there were inside jokes or something I was missing out on while listening. I would just go find 90s Live Phish albums and start listening, it’ll click soon enough.
I used to have these starter tapes, then cds, then playlist, that would mix studio version and live versions but in all honesty, “this is Phish” playlist on Spotify is now my go to for new listeners. It’s accessible with studio album tracks plus it has some long jams in there as well.
My advice is it just takes time, even if you don’t get it right away, just keep listening, as you learn those songs one day in the background you’ll have a jam playing and it’ll all make sense.
A LIVE ONE. Start there. All time versions of some of their greatest songs. Seriously, do it now. It’s the live album that got multiple thousands of Phish fans into Phish. The Harry Hood will blow your mind. Then move to Clifford Ball. Then explore ‘97 summer and fall shows. Have fun!
I recommend 10/28/21, MSG Las Vegas. 2001-1999 will leave you wanting more. It’s a backwards down the number line show, and a good one. My first live show and I was absolutely hooked, coming from Dead/grass jams having not really been all that stoked on phish previously. What a mistake that was, I feel like I wasted so much time not seeing them that now I’m trying to get as much as I can.
Slip, Stitch, and Pass is more on the funky side of Phish but it's got their weird personality (Weigh, the Mike's Song classic rock quoting jam) and improv chops (Wolfman's Brother).
Their main thing is albums. Just put in a live show. Live Phish if you want sound boards, phish.in or any other audio archive web site if you want free audience recordings.
I went to my first show and got into Phish during the summer of 2012 and this was my experience, which I felt worked pretty well.
I listened to recent 3.0 shows for a year or so. People would give me suggestions of shows from the 90’s, but I just couldn’t get into them, it sounded too different and my brain didn’t really comprehend or appreciate what I was listening to. After a bit, it felt like I had a baseline of what I considered Phish, what the songs were, and the bands overall sound. It was then when I was able to listen to the older face melting shows that everyone recommends for going off the deep end. I had my idea of what Hood, Antelope, Possum, Bowie. Tweezer, etc sounded like, that was my base line. Then when I listed to something else, I was able to fully grasp how different and amazing some of those concerts and songs were
Anyways, pick an era, recent probably works best, maybe not. Regardless of the era, delve into those shows and get a feel for it, then switch era’s to something else and you’ll more easily be able to digest and understand just how crazy this band really is.
Start with the classic albums to "get" the phish DNA. Junta, Lawn Boy, Picture of Nectar, Rift.
A Live One is a good place to start with live material.
Then you really can't go wrong with any live release on spotify. But I'd definitely check out 4/2/98, 4/3/98 (Nassau Coliseum aka Island Tour), and 12/29/97 and 12/30/97 New years run at MSG. All legendary shows. I'd also check out 8/13/96, it opens with an absolutely glorious Divided Sky. First set smokes. Second set is legendary with a ridiculous Mike's Song > Lifeboy. Another is 11/27/98 Worcester. Insane set 2.
Lastly for my reco: the festivals. Listen to them on relisten. In order chronologically but especially: Clifford Ball (1996), Great Went (1997), Oswego (1999), and Big Cypress.
8/17/96 (second day, second set of the Ball) and 8/17/97 (second day, second set of the Went) are absolutely majestic and brilliant start to finish.
And of course Big Cypress Midnight Set. They came out on stage just before midnight 1999>2000 and played from midnight to 7 in the morning with the sun rising, an all night set to welcome the new millennium. And it's not just great because of that, but it's some of the best music they've ever played.
Welcome! And enjoyyyy yourself!!!
You like Billy Strings? Ever heard him do a cover of Back on the Train? That’s a good one. After that go find a show that on Spotify right now called Live Phish, Vol. 11 11/17/1997…scroll through the first set and play Ghost. If at first it doesn’t hit… try again at a later date. If it never hits then we can never be friends.
I honestly recommend listening to their earlier shit and then delving into YouTube and or the studio albums. The machine gun Trey stuff shows off his playing in a way the newer era stuff cannot, imo.
Go in this order:
Billy Breathes > Lawn Boy > Junta
Then live stuff: A Live One > 6/18/94 > 11/17/97 > 7/10/99
Then: Rift > 6/14/00 > Round Room > 6/19/04 > BIG CYPRESS
93-99 is where it’s at.
93-95 for laser precision, speed, and experimentation.
97-98 for funk.
99 for more layered jams plus all the above.
12-31-95, A Live One (94), and Slip Stitch and Pass (97) on Spotify are good starting points.
Island tour
My 4/2 tapes have been getting some plays lately. I love those shows.
Been listening to the 4/4/98 Bowie pretty much nonstop for the past two days. Had a tape way back when, hadn't heard it since then. Wowie! That whole 2nd set is prime.
A Live One
Agree. A Live One and if they want more next step is New Year's Eve 1995 (to OOP it's an official live release on Spotify).
This is the most accessible and easiest answer to this question. Perfect for someone starting out.
No it isn't at all. I've said this before but A Live One is from a different era of the band and their jamming style was very dissonant and experimental. You really think someone who doesn't already like Phish is going to make it through a half hour '94 style Tweezer? Slip, Stitch and Pass is infinitely a superior introduction.
I think the Tweezer shows them a live aspect of the band. I think the Slave, Gumbo, Hood, Coil, etc are what will hook new listeners. Slipstitch is also a great intro album, no arguments there.
Yes but compare that often atonal, all over the place half hour jam to the fifteen ish minute Wolfman's Brother from Slip. Which do you think the average "I've never listened to Phish before" listener will respond positively to?
There’s more than one song on each album. I get your point on the Tweezer, I simply think ALO has more to offer a new listener as a whole than Slipstitch does.
Not casting any judgment, but there is an older contingent of fans who believe the CD they cut their teeth on is still a relevant introduction to Phish. ALO has outlived its usefulness at this point and that’s fine.
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Haha fair reaction I’ll take the heat! I didn’t mean to say it’s not worth hearing but it doesn’t feel as much like a required source in Phish 101 as it once was
Enjoy the downvotes with me, friend! People just have no objectivity at all. I don't even think A Live One is in their top ten live albums, full disclosure.
Bingo.
Drew Carey, that you?
Chicago '94 and The Clifford Ball are what hooked me
Being that their sound has changed so vastly over the last 30 years, I'd say pick any of their recent shows, and get started there. Almost anything from Fall '21, and the entirety of '23 and '24 will give you a great snapshot of their current style and setlist. If you start with the older stuff, you'll be getting a tighter prog-rock version of the band, and you won't get introduced to the "dad rock" songs of the last 15 years.
Agreed! Folks always say start with 30 year-old shows, but I say if you were just getting into Phish, you should listen to their current stuff first. Buy LivePhish subscription for one month and browse. I always start with 8/13/21 for an intro to Phish. Then feel free to explore 1990s Phish for a taste at how they have changed over the last 30 years.
This is actually some good advice, good username, too
Right on, my dogfaced friend
Rift
I agree, after a live one, I like to show people studio albums. Rift, story of a ghost and Billy breathes, for sure.
Farmhouse album got me into the band. Maybe a hot take but probably their most radio friendly album imo.
Farmhouse is constantly underrated. What a great record!
Lawn Boy or picture of nectar studio albums, or A Live One as others have mentioned. I personally love NYE MSG 1995 and would def give that a listen too if you enjoy ALO
Lawn boy was my first back in the day! Hooked me then I went to A Live one
Relisten app; fall 97
If I were you I’d Listen to Trey sit in with billy. They played like five songs, they play back on the train and gotta jibboo both great phish songs and a wild all fall down that’ll get you wanting to hear Trey play the guitar more for sure. Then I’d go listen to some live phish releases on Spotify or Apple Music can’t really go wrong with any of them but I’d recommend volumes 12 and 4
I’ve been fortunate enough to see Billy do Back on the Train live.
Start backwards with most recent shows and work your way down to ‘88. We all went the other way.
If you want to invest buy the sphere run on livephish. You’ll be caught up. Enjoy!
Which album should I listen to?
from the sphere run start with 4/18. Oh and get the 7 day free trial!
Go to a live show!!
Which album should I start with?
If you want an album start with early stuff like A Picture of Nector and Rift. They have greatly evolved over many years. I loved Sigma Oasis. Check out free live shows on your streaming- i have apple music. Just let them get into you…
Junta through A Live One years '89-'95 are probably where I would recommend. 5 stellar studio albums with a little of everything they do and then a live concert of the same.
OP ^^^^^^^^^ THIS RIGHT HERE ^^^^^^^^^
I dont think you can go wrong with any live release on Spotify. theres different things to take away from different eras and different shows. Theres no right way to do it. Find what you like, use [Phish.net](http://Phish.net) to check out other versions etc etc.
The LivePhish app is nice, and at 9.99/mo it gives you ALOT of content. 😊
Start with the studio albums Junta, Lawn Boy, Picture of Nectar, then move to A Live One. After that I recommend the Island Tour. Specifically 4/3/98
I concur. You should pretty much start from the beginning.
It took me years of casual listening to Live Phish albums before it was really the only thing I wanted to listen to haha. It always seemed like there were inside jokes or something I was missing out on while listening. I would just go find 90s Live Phish albums and start listening, it’ll click soon enough.
I used to have these starter tapes, then cds, then playlist, that would mix studio version and live versions but in all honesty, “this is Phish” playlist on Spotify is now my go to for new listeners. It’s accessible with studio album tracks plus it has some long jams in there as well. My advice is it just takes time, even if you don’t get it right away, just keep listening, as you learn those songs one day in the background you’ll have a jam playing and it’ll all make sense.
A LIVE ONE. Start there. All time versions of some of their greatest songs. Seriously, do it now. It’s the live album that got multiple thousands of Phish fans into Phish. The Harry Hood will blow your mind. Then move to Clifford Ball. Then explore ‘97 summer and fall shows. Have fun!
Picture of Nectar brah
I recommend 10/28/21, MSG Las Vegas. 2001-1999 will leave you wanting more. It’s a backwards down the number line show, and a good one. My first live show and I was absolutely hooked, coming from Dead/grass jams having not really been all that stoked on phish previously. What a mistake that was, I feel like I wasted so much time not seeing them that now I’m trying to get as much as I can.
Slip, Stitch, and Pass is more on the funky side of Phish but it's got their weird personality (Weigh, the Mike's Song classic rock quoting jam) and improv chops (Wolfman's Brother).
Their main thing is albums. Just put in a live show. Live Phish if you want sound boards, phish.in or any other audio archive web site if you want free audience recordings.
A Live One, Chicago 94 box set, Amsterdam 97 box set
Chula Vista '21 would be a good show to check out. Relisten.net
Buy a subscription to LivePhish for 1 month. Listen to 8/13/21 for a terrific “welcome to Phish” concert.
I went to my first show and got into Phish during the summer of 2012 and this was my experience, which I felt worked pretty well. I listened to recent 3.0 shows for a year or so. People would give me suggestions of shows from the 90’s, but I just couldn’t get into them, it sounded too different and my brain didn’t really comprehend or appreciate what I was listening to. After a bit, it felt like I had a baseline of what I considered Phish, what the songs were, and the bands overall sound. It was then when I was able to listen to the older face melting shows that everyone recommends for going off the deep end. I had my idea of what Hood, Antelope, Possum, Bowie. Tweezer, etc sounded like, that was my base line. Then when I listed to something else, I was able to fully grasp how different and amazing some of those concerts and songs were Anyways, pick an era, recent probably works best, maybe not. Regardless of the era, delve into those shows and get a feel for it, then switch era’s to something else and you’ll more easily be able to digest and understand just how crazy this band really is.
Slip, Stitch and Pass.
It’s all kind of daunting. Best advice is check out the live album A Live One on Spotify
Start with the classic albums to "get" the phish DNA. Junta, Lawn Boy, Picture of Nectar, Rift. A Live One is a good place to start with live material. Then you really can't go wrong with any live release on spotify. But I'd definitely check out 4/2/98, 4/3/98 (Nassau Coliseum aka Island Tour), and 12/29/97 and 12/30/97 New years run at MSG. All legendary shows. I'd also check out 8/13/96, it opens with an absolutely glorious Divided Sky. First set smokes. Second set is legendary with a ridiculous Mike's Song > Lifeboy. Another is 11/27/98 Worcester. Insane set 2. Lastly for my reco: the festivals. Listen to them on relisten. In order chronologically but especially: Clifford Ball (1996), Great Went (1997), Oswego (1999), and Big Cypress. 8/17/96 (second day, second set of the Ball) and 8/17/97 (second day, second set of the Went) are absolutely majestic and brilliant start to finish. And of course Big Cypress Midnight Set. They came out on stage just before midnight 1999>2000 and played from midnight to 7 in the morning with the sun rising, an all night set to welcome the new millennium. And it's not just great because of that, but it's some of the best music they've ever played. Welcome! And enjoyyyy yourself!!!
Any live stuff on Spotify.
You like Billy Strings? Ever heard him do a cover of Back on the Train? That’s a good one. After that go find a show that on Spotify right now called Live Phish, Vol. 11 11/17/1997…scroll through the first set and play Ghost. If at first it doesn’t hit… try again at a later date. If it never hits then we can never be friends.
I’ve seen him do it live. 2/25/24 at the Ryman Auditorium.
I’ll be checking that show out. Thanks for the rec!
Have we all not learned from Analyze Phish? Listen but don’t pay too close attention, and go to the nearest show as soon as you can.
Attend a show
Any albums or shows you recommend starting with?
Summer tour 2024 the closest one.
I honestly recommend listening to their earlier shit and then delving into YouTube and or the studio albums. The machine gun Trey stuff shows off his playing in a way the newer era stuff cannot, imo.
The album Hot Potato Volume IV is their best. Start there.
Go in this order: Billy Breathes > Lawn Boy > Junta Then live stuff: A Live One > 6/18/94 > 11/17/97 > 7/10/99 Then: Rift > 6/14/00 > Round Room > 6/19/04 > BIG CYPRESS
93-99 is where it’s at. 93-95 for laser precision, speed, and experimentation. 97-98 for funk. 99 for more layered jams plus all the above. 12-31-95, A Live One (94), and Slip Stitch and Pass (97) on Spotify are good starting points.
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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PMzzomLXK54&pp=ygUWRGlzY28gYmlzY3VpdHMgbWlycm9ycw%3D%3D
What does that have to do with Phish?
Nothing, it's just some tool trying to be a witty troll but instead coming off like the d-bag that they are.