Phish – Ventura (2013)
6-CD box set featuring two complete live shows, recorded July 30, 1997 and July 20, 1998 at Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura, California + bonus CD featuring ten tracks handpicked from Phish’s March 21, 1993 Ventura Theatre show.
July 30, 1997 was Phish’s first Ventura stop since Trey learned to surf nearby in 1993, and both the 1997 and 1998 Ventura Fairgrounds setlists were laced with coastal themes referencing the scenic locale. Ventura ‘97 featured a number of must-hear performances including a bass-driven, syncopated Wolfman’s Brother > Chalk Dust Torture, a deep and spacey Stash and a gnarly Character Zero in set I. Peak improvisation of the highest order defined set II with a Free > David Bowie > Cities > David Bowie combination that dominated the show’s second half with some of the summer’s biggest jams. Add in Weigh (played just twice that summer), the first West Coast Piper and a blazing cover of Jimi Hendrix’s Fire and the result was a steaming cauldron of patient funk and cacophonous shredding that defined summer 1997 Phish.
On July 20, 1998 Phish again encountered Ventura’s breezy oceanside. Ventura ’98 was characterized by some new songs, some bustouts and some wicked jams played with a democratic group-mind that conjured a stellar Bathtub Gin opener, a new arrangement of Water In The Sky, the swinging funk of The Moma Dance and a hairy Split Open And Melt set I closer. Set II exploded with a crucial bass-and-drums-fueled Drowned > Makisupa Policeman pairing that utilized Page’s synth stylings to seamlessly blend rock and reggae. A concentrated Maze led to a perfectly placed, self-referential Sea And Sand – played for the first time since 12/31/95 and only the third time ever. An inspired Prince Caspian carved the way into the Harry Hood set II closer. The encore was the Phish debut of Sexual Healing as Trey played drums and Fish, to the crowd’s delight, sang Marvin Gaye’s tale of capsizing in rising waves of love.
A funky, experimental Halley’s Comet capped the show as the band left the stage one-by-one to waves of digital delay that swept the beachside fairgrounds.
The Ventura box set captures the feel of two magical nights of Phish – recorded by Paul Languedoc to multitrack tape, mixed by Jon Altschiller and mastered by Fred Kevorkian. — jambase
Disc 1
1. NICU (6:07)
2. Wolfman’s Brother (12:00)
3. Chalk Dust Torture (11:07)
4. Water In The Sky (4:11)
5. Stash (15:24)
6. Weigh (5:09)
7. Piper (5:07)
8. Cars Trucks Buses (4:50)
9. Character Zero (9:21)
Disc 2
1. Punch You In The Eye (8:57)
2. Free (11:16)
3. David Bowie (21:29)
4. Cities (5:30)
5. David Bowie (6:09)
Disc 3
1. Bouncing Around The Room (3:54)
2. Uncle Pen (4:15)
3. Prince Caspian (8:56)
4. Fire (6:52)
5. My Soul (6:03)
6. Ventura ’97 Soundcheck Jam (9:19)
Discs 1-3: 7/30/97 Ventura County Fairgrounds, Ventura, CA
Disc 4
1. Bathtub Gin (21:56)
2. Dirt (4:02)
3. Poor Heart (3:51)
4. Lawn Boy (3:05)
5. My Sweet One (3:05)
6. Birds Of A Feather (6:20)
7. Theme From The Bottom (9:29)
8. Water In The Sky (2:47)
9. The Moma Dance (9:56)
10. Split Open And Melt (14:00)
Disc 5
1. Drowned (14:52)
2. Makisupa Policeman (8:09)
3. Maze (12:11)
4. Sea And Sand (3:11)
5. Prince Caspian (12:11)
6. Harry Hood (15:31)
Disc 6
1. Sexual Healing (7:49)
2. Hold Your Head Up (1:42)
3. Halley’s Comet (10:59)
4. Ventura ’98 Soundcheck Jam (13:38)
Discs 4-6: 7/20/98 Ventura County Fairgrounds, Ventura, CA
Buenaventura Bonus CD:
1. Maze (10:00)
2. Sparkle (3:52)
3. Divided Sky (14:32)
4. Split Open and Melt (12:43)
5. Lawn Boy (3:21)
6. Tweezer (11:41)
7. Llama (5:01)
8. My Sweet One > (2:09)
9. Big Ball Jam (2:32)
10. Cavern (4:43)
3/21/93 Ventura Theatre, 1-5 from Set I, 6-10 from Set II
http://fp.io/cd9f1114/