Today in Phishtory: 7/31/99 Japan

7/31 is a special today in Phishtory. I saw two shows on 7/31... ten years apart.

Fifteen years ago, on 7/31/93, it was the summer between my junior and senior year in college. I lived in Atlanta that summer and caught Phish play a rare show at Masquerade Park (which was an outdoor venue just outside the Masquerade Club). That may (or may not) have been one of the first acapella Free Bird. It definitely was the first time that I heard it.

Five years ago, on 7/31/03, I caught two shows in Camden with my boys Gil and Spider. It was raining, but we had covered seats and Phish tore it up in the second set, especially with the delicious sandwich to start the set... Piper > Mike's Song> Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove > Free.

But the show I want to bring to your attention is one that I did not attend. It happened in 1999 when Phish played three-days at the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan. They had so much fun at those shows that they made an effort to return in 2000 for a multi-city tour.
7/31/99 Fuji Rock Festival, Naeba, Niigata, Japan

Set I: My Friend My Friend, Golgi Apparatus, Back On The Train, Limb By Limb, Free, Roggae, Sparkle, Character Zero

Set II: 2001 > David Bowie, Velvet Sea, Prince Caspian, Fluffhead, Squirming Coil

Encore: Jam, Brian and Robert, Simple
Here's a soundboard recording...
Part 1: 7/31/99 Fuji Rock Festival
Part 2: 7/31/99 Fuji Rock Festival
Part 3: 7/31/99 Fuji Rock Festival
Enjoy that show.

Here's a video of an intense jam at the end of Prince Caspian...

Comments

Jay Johnston said…
I too was at that Masquerade show. The Freebird blew me away as it was the first time I'd heard it as well. I remember walking in as the show was starting and getting within 4 rows from the stage with plenty of room left for others. Ahhhh......good times.

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