R4/W09: 06-28-2000 PNC Bank Arts Centre, Holmdel, NJ

[Caravan2001]

From the depths of the better late than never department comes my review.  I have FINALLY gotten around to listening to this show for the first time ever and boy am I glad I did!  We went to Thailand after the Japan shows, so I did not get on tour until Hartford.  I heard the night after this show from Hick's Round 3 pick, and was not too impressed.  This show is an entirely different animal IMO.

Chalkdust- nice way to start, and a ripping jam.  Great sounding source too, this is a fat recording.

Sloth- a great version, and cool to hear latter day Phish play it as it was pretty rare at this point.  This is a chunky version.  Nice placement too.  I love Sloth in any slot, and this one is great .  So far a great start to the show.

Taste- this is a great Taste, and by the end of this, people must have realized it was on!  They are really clicking by this point. I love the way they pull back into it in the end.

Bathtub Gin- how could I have never heard this show before?  This Gin is SICK!! Off the chains!  I need to relisten to this ASAP

Piper- they keep the energy going here from the Gin.  At one point I thought my stereo was going to lift off.  Even my wife came in and said- what show is this?  That Gin and this Piper is ruling!  You know it's epic if my wife pays attention to it.

If I Could- not a huge fan, but I guess it's a bustout for people that weren't around in 94...The solo is hawt, but I'm needing a Frankenstein or Sabotage here, the rest of the set warrants a high energy closer.....Still, a rock solid first set.

Disease-  This is a great Disease...not too long, but they get their point across.

Harry Hood-  A good Hood, not epic, and interesting placement, but I'll take it.

Jiboo- a good Jiboo, nice, long and jammy, but mellow.  So far, beside some of Disease, this set is lacking the intensity of set I, but it's still good.

When the Circus Comes- not as good as NYE 97 when I made out with the random girl next to me, but it's a good time to hit the bathroom in time to make it back for

Mike's Song- OK, picking the energy now.  This gets pretty intense, reminds me a lot of the Hampton 98 Mike's.  They get into the same groove as that one, but in a lower key.  Pretty sweet, and a good Mike's for 2000.  They fucking stop on a dime during this mofo, which is money.

Albuquerque- Ok, we can sit down and roll a Club here...good version, I guess

Weekapaug- Nothing really stands out on this version for me, but I like it.  I like almost all paugs, to be honest.  I need to hear it again to give another review, I think I was starting to fade at this point.

1st Tube->Cup-  a solid double encore and an unusual pairing, so that's a plus.  If I had been in the shell up close, I would have been raging it I'm sure...

Anyway, big ups to Slim for picking a great show that I had never heard.  one of the best from 2000 that I have heard.  Up until now I always though Deer Creek had the summer highlights, but the Gin and Piper from this (and the Taste) are out of this world.  As I said, I think a little of the fire is lost after the first set, but the second set is still the goods, but a little mellower, and kinda uneven in spots.  I give the first set an A and the second a solid B for a B+ total on this show, maybe an A-....good shit, Thanks Slim...K+

[VA $l!m]

thanks C!

funny, i just pulled this out today as well.
listened to most of the 2nd set in the car. first phish i've been able to listen to since not getting hampton tix.

pulled in my driveway as the mikes was winding up, but i now where it goes and i love that jam.

[gainesvillegreen]

There are some missed cues in this Taste, but it is the real deal.

Sweet Christ.

[VA $l!m]

really wish i could get the video's of these shows.