Phishing in Detroit: A Rare Occasion

We’re getting incredibly excited for Phish Fall Tour around these parts, as the quartet hits the road tomorrow night for a two-week-plus jaunt that begins at the Cobo Arena in Detroit. We’ll have setlists, reviews and photo galleries at the bare minimum for you. As always, our friends @YEMblog will be tweeting the setlist and details from each show as they happen.

[Photo of Phish @ St. Andrews Hall by Schwab/RETNA]

Tomorrow marks Phish’s first appearance at the legendary Cobo Arena in the Motor City and just the second Phish gig ever within city limits. Over the years, the group has made stops in the Detroit suburbs of Rochester Hills (7/30/92, 8/12/93), Pontiac (6/23/94) and Auburn Hills (10/28/95, 11/09/96, 12/06/97 and 12/02/99), but the only Phish show in Detroit – besides tomorrow’s show – took place at St. Andrew’s Hall on May 6, 1992.

According to a review posted to Phish.net by Brian Feller – who handles the @PhishNet feed – back in 1992, St. Andrew’s Hall wasn’t crowded at all that night. Forbins > Mockingbird featured a rousing narration in which Trey led the audience through the center of the Earth to Gamehenge. The most memorable part of the evening came when Phish dusted off Shaggy Dog for the first time in 450 shows as they segued into the rarity out of the YEM vocal jam. Shaggy Dog has only been played once since that night.