What's your favorite opener, and why?

[runawayjimbo]

I damn near lost my shit when they opened with Alumni at Camden '10.

Alumni > BBFCFM no less!  :crazy:

Oh shit, was thinking there was a something in between but that's right. I remember I was standing near these pretty young kids who had no clue what was going on as BBFCFM started. I was raging so hard I think they moved.

I damn near lost my shit when they opened with Alumni at Camden '10.

Buried Alive, Runaway Jim, and Mike's are all also excellent answers.

I mentally dq'd Jones Beach 2012 for this discussion b/c the two openers were such anomalies...


The week I moved out of my ex's house,  opened consecutive shows with Skin It Back and Alumni, the two unicorns I'd been chasing--loudly--for my entire history w/ the band.


I'm still not entirely convinced they didn't somehow know what I needed to hear.

Good point, maybe not standard openers, but openers nonetheless.

[JPhishman]

ACDC Bag... because  .

[natronzero]

Buried Alive's got my vote for all-time King Opener.
I'm also partial to this little stick of dynamite -

October 29, 1994
Spartanburg, SC (USA)
Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium

Set 1: My Friend, My Friend, Sparkle > Simple -> Runaway Jim, Foam, Lawn Boy, Split Open and Melt[1] -> Buffalo Bill -> Makisupa Policeman -> Rift

Set 2: Down with Disease -> The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday > Avenu Malkenu > The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday -> Sparks > Uncle Pen, You Enjoy Myself, Hold Your Head Up > Bike > Hold Your Head Up, Run Like an Antelope -> Sleeping Monkey > Run Like an Antelope

Encore: Harry Hood

[Buffalo Budd]

Natron, that would get a vote from me as well, I love that show.

[anthrax]

buried alive, pyite, and wilson are all time classic openers because they bring the energy up and usually signal a great show to come. 

soul shakedown and partytime (:ducks:) are fun in the proper outdoor setting.

but a mike's opener makes me the most happy.  the show setlist is filled with endless possibilities to come.

[Bobafett]

Methinks buried alive at any point in the first 3-4 songs is a great sign, but PYITE is at the top of my list.  AC/DC is secondi. 

[Lifeboy]

Buried Alive. Because it's frigging awesome.

[PIE-GUY]

Old school: Buried Alive, pyite, or RunJim

New school: PARTY TIME!

[ytowndan]

Buried Alive, Llama, and Mike's would top off my list of favorites. 

As far as one that hasn't been mentioned yet, I love a good CTB opener. 

[cactusfan]

i've never seen so much agreement in any thread about a favorite phish...song/show/anything. interesting.

i too would pick PYITE, Buried Aive and Llama. Mike's and Tweezer are nice, too.

though i think August makes a good case with Crowd Control. nobody doesn't like a tasty "Crowl" as the cool kids call it.

[sls.stormyrider]

Buried Alive
AC/DC Bag

After Midnight (Manchester 2010) didn't suck

[Caravan2001]

Buried Alive. Because it's frigging awesome.

[Caravan2001]

Also, not mentioned, but obvious: Yamar

[WhatstheUse?]

Also, not mentioned, but obvious: Yamar

Hard to beat that one on a warm summer night @ an outdoor shed!

[VDB]

I will cosign what's been said here so far.

I'll also add that the Character Zero opener at Alpharetta 2011 (first Zero opener, I believe) was pleasantly and surprisingly effective.