As we first reported, the latest archival release from Phish comes in the form of Coral Sky – a 2-DVD set recorded on November 2, 1996 in West Palm Beach, FL which is due out on October 19th via JEMP Records. You can pre-order Coral Sky through Dry Goods and the digital audio from this uncut performance will be available at LivePhish.com.
On that fateful night at the Coral Sky Ampitheatre the band was joined by two special guests. Santana percussionist Karl Perazzo sat in for the whole show adding a rhythmic layer that helped the band explore new jamspaces, while Allman Brothers Band drummer Butch Trucks guested on the Funky Bitch encore. Perazzo’s interaction with the quartet could be our favorite part of the Coral Sky clips that have surfaced thus far.
Our Everybody Wins When We Plug Something And In Return They Offer Us Free Shit To Give Away program pays dividends today as we’ve got two Coral Sky prize packages to giveaway to two lucky HT readers. Not only will you get a copy of the DVD, but you’ll also the Pollock-designed Lights Out t-shirt and Pollock’s Lights Out Magnet. All you have to do is tell us about your favorite guest appearance at a Phish show in a comment below. You can also leave your comment on our Facebook Wall for a second chance to win one of these fantastic prize packages.
Here are the rules for this contest:
- To enter the contest, leave a comment below telling us about your favorite guest appearance at a Phish show in 50 words or less
- You can enter a second time by leaving a similar comment on the wall of the Hidden Track Facebook Page
- Your comment(s) must be left by 11:59 PM EST on Oct. 7th
- Anybody entering more than once on Facebook or at the bottom of this post will be disqualified, tarred and feathered
- Two winners will be selected at random from all entries
- Winners each receive a copy of the Coral Sky DVD, Pollock’s Lights Out t-shirt and Pollock’s Lights Out magnet
We’re in the process of prepping our list of Best Guests at a Phish Show and we’ll use some of your responses in our piece. Good luck to all.
240 Responses
Ken Kesey 8/14/97 or 5/5/93 Aquarium Rescue Unit. Two completely different types of guest spots, but both incredibly powerful and significant.
My favorite guest appearance at a Phish show was with John Popper of Blues Traveler.
-parks
favorite guest was anytime Bela Fleck sat in
My favorite guest appearance at a phish show was Ben and Jerry during the Clifford Ball!
Bill Krutzman at Red Rocks last year
My favorite sit in was Derrick Trucks sitting in on funky bitch in Charlotte in 1999. I also loved when a girls soccer team came on stage at GMU in Virginia 1994.
favorite guest appearance is the Slave that Bela sat in on sometime in 94-95, unreal.
BB King 2/24/2003. I know this is an unpopular choice, but seeing such a legend on stage with Phish was a real treat.
The best guest I’ve seen was Son Seals at Oswego. I love the blues and to see him play with Phish was a treat!
Favorite guest was easily Willie Nelson at Farm aid ’88. Sat 2nd row too. Not to mention all the other guests in that set.
Definitely Derek Trucks in 99
– The Prophet
First off, 11/02/1996 was my first phish show! So the fact that they decided to release this all time great night in Phishtory makes me very, very happy. So, My all time favorite guest was in fact Mr. Karl Perazzo and his magic percussion. One of the greatest nights of my life and the reason i’m still love and follow them to this day!
Runner up: PFUNK 12/30/03 – a “PCU” moment! “SKEET SKEET SKEET SKEET SKEET SKEET!”
Wasn’t there, but Jimmy Herring is my all time fav. guitarist. Hearing him rip vs. Trey on Funky Bitch “At the Roxy” 2/19/93 makes me really appreciate how talented he is.
I miss the ARU, guess I should have caught Panic/Allmans in summers past…
My favorite sit-in was Sharon Jones on Halloween. It was the perfect fit for the Stones’ album and by far the best “Suzy” ever!
Easy. Tom Marshall singing We’re Not Gonna Take It at my first show 10/8/99. I had tickets in row XX behind the stage, but managed to sit with my friends Page-side 3rd row. I had a track meet first thing the next morning and dragged ass, but will never forget that first taste of the band I love like no other, up close and in the flesh.
If you count the Giant Country Horns as a guest then it would have to be them.
Son Seals at Oswego, he tore it up. It took him so long to limp off the stage they started a little outro jam. RIP
Favorite guest is Neil Young at Farm Aid in 1998. Really hope they back Neil again in the future…
It has to be Bela Fleck on 11/29/1995. That Slave to the Traffic Light is absolutely incredible… I wish he was always in the band.
I actually really liked the bag pipe player from cedar rapids, 1995. That was very cool and unique! I mean, its no Santana or anything, but it was just so different.
Madison Square Garden 12/31/02 – Tom Hanks (Steve McConnell) makes an appearance during Wilson to open the New Years show! In other words, Phish gets cast away…
My favorite guest appearance was Phil Lesh and Warren Haynes at Shoreline in September ’99. Phil’s whole appearance was great, but both of them for Viola Lee, one of my favorite dead tunes, was unbelievable.
1997/07/09 YEM through Poor Heart with Béla Fleck, Jeff Coffin, Roy “Futureman” Wooten, and Victor Wooten. Awesome!
Favorite Guests – Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, 7/9/97. Just a sick, sick show. Esp YEM.
I don’t need 50 words, just one:
BRUUUUUUUUUUCE.
Bonnaroo ’09 from the pit will probably remain the pinnacle of my concert-going life for quite some time.
Sharon Jones and the Horn Section at Festival 8. The entire Exile Set + The Suzy and Loving Cup were the (.Y.)!!!
5/3/94 – “If I Could” with Alison Krauss
12/30/97: MSG; NY, NY guest Tom Marshall
It was a hell of night, with a very special Harpua (Olive Loaf/Pentagram Story) that had the guest appearance of Mr. Marshall, belting out “500 Miles”. As the narrative details Trey having visions of his future at the age of 10, with a “strange angelic man” singing “music of the spheres” with “white clothes and strange black glasses.” This man was Treys’ friend Tom who had come into the past to describe the future.
Set 1: Sneakin’ Sally through the Alley[1] -> Taste, Water in the Sky, Punch You In the Eye, Stash, Chalk Dust Torture, A Day in the Life
Set 2: AC/DC Bag[2] -> McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters, Harpua[3] > I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)[4] > Harpua, Izabella > Harry Hood -> My Soul, Sleeping Monkey, Guyute
Encore: Carini -> Black-Eyed Katy -> Sneakin’ Sally through the Alley[1] > Frankenstein
AC/DC Bag included Psycho Killer and Third Stone From the Sun teases. I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) made its Phish debut and was sung by Tom Marshall as part of the “Pentagram Harpua,” which also included a narrative about Lost in Space. Pete Carini made an appearance on-stage during the encore. Frankenstein included a segment with Fishman coming center stage with his vacuum. The encore was unusually long; once the band realized they were going to be fined for playing past midnight, they decided to play well past midnight. Sneakin’ Sally was played for the first time since May 28, 1989 (920 shows). Neither of the Sallys contained vocal jams.
Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters Darien Lake 8/14/1997 right before the Went. Madness! So fun.
My favorite guest appearance has to be the John Popper St. Louis Kiel Center 96 show when John came out in a cape in the middle of Mean Mr. Mustard, limping around stage until ripping off the cape and commenceing to completely destroy Weekapaugh and Funky Bitch on the harp. The 2nd set was brought to us by the letter M and the number 420. Love that show!
Phil Lesh on 9/17/99, no doubt
Jimmy Herring in ’93. Shredsville, U.S.A.
R.I.P. ARU. you are missed.
12/31/2009 — Sarah from Pittsburgh. I was truly boggled (with no chemical assistance, mind you) by the strange turn of events. I mean, I always knew it was Fishman … or did I?
Got to say it was Tom Marshall doing the faux-Bruce at Holmdel ’99. Trey hyped it up and as Tom ran on stage dressed as old-school Bruce the crowd was going wild! We were Born to RUN!!!
Bela Fleck during Europe 97 was a lot of fun
So we stumble in to the Exxon station in Nashville near Memorial Gymnasium the afternoon of Oct. 18, 1994 to buy more beer. A guy walks out and I say, “that looks like Bela Fleck.” He turns around, sees our Phish shirts, winks and says, “See you in a little while.”
I’ll go with Scott Murawski 07-13-99 Mansfield, MA. I had a great seats for this show & you could tell Scott was a bit nervous at the beginning of Possum. Trey mouthed something along the lines of “calm down” to him; and then Scott proceed to tear it up.
Free Bird w/ Wynonna Judd
Wynonna Judd on Free Bird changed my life forever
“And this bird you cannot change WHoaaaa- Wynnona Judd & company Nashville 2000
I would say George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic in Miami in 2003. I’ve heard people rag on this show, but if you were there you’d know how funky and awesome it really was. I was laughing so hard! I couldn’t believe it!
kreutmann a red rocks was amazing!
My favorite guest sit-in was B.B. King in Jersey ’03. Legendary blues guitarist w/ one of my favorite bands? Win-win situation. Just to see Trey trading licks w/ him was awe inspiring. Definitely something that doesn’t happen at every show. Once in a lifetime opportunity.
Bill K of the greatful dead, when he came out the last night of RR 09. Jon was sad when he left the stage, I had a good laugh, and even better memories 🙂
My favorite is the Vegas ’96 Les Claypool encore!
4/23/94 at the Fox in Atlanta with Merl Saunders and Col. Bruce. Show was amazing and the whole thing was right in the middle of Freeknik where Snoop Dogg was playing a set miles from the show. We waited in the lot for 3 hours and when we left I almost hit Page when he walked between two of their buses.
My first show
West Palm Beach Nov 95, the year before this show. But this venue was indoors.
Jimmy Buffet- Brown Eyed Girl Encore!! FTW
Butch Trucks also sat in on drums that night for Possum while Fish played the trombone.
Carlos Santana sit in 7/25/92 I got a disc of that show and put in in the jukebox of my local bar and played that thing every friday and saturday night for at least three years
Steven Wright
My favorite guest had to be Merl Saunders. It was ’94 and they were playing at the Fox in Atl. An African American street party was going on outside called Freaknik and they had the streets so backed up that the Fox was not even half filled when the show started. I just walked in and sat directly on the second row w/ no issues. They played High Heeled Sneakers and Cavern with him and to top it off Col Bruce played with them that night as well.
from phish.net “Caravan and the Phish debut of High-Heel Sneakers featured Merl Saunders on keyboards and YEM, which included a Rock ‘n Roll Hoochie Coo jam, featured Colonel Bruce Hampton on piano.”
Any show with Giant Country Horns! That July 1991 Tour is the heat
I’m going to say Leroi Moore 7.21.97. I’ve always been a big fan of Roi’s and know that he and the boys were just having fun on this occasions. You can just hear the audience roaring at the theatrics on stage!
Either Vegas 2000: Kid Muther F’In Rock, American Band or Jay-Z Brooklyn 2004, 99 Problems, but Phish ain’t one!! Vegas 2000 was one of my top five shows (Out of 120) of all time. Sickest Curtain With… ever!! Spocks Brain, I Saw it Again…!!
1994-04-21 Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Winston-Salem NC (Phish)
Drums Jam > Jam > All Along The Watchtower (w/Dave Matthews Band)
drop dead signal early in show <—funny looking up at others with their jaws dropped.
Bill Kreutzmann, Red Rocks, 8/2/09. Maybe not best guest ever, but to have Phish back in Red Rocks was such a speacial weekend and he was part of it.
bob weir. shoreline. west la faaaaaaaaaaaaade away.
Repost: I went over 50 words.
Merl Saunders at the Fox in ’94. It was during Freaknik from and the place was only half full because of the traffic outside. I got to walk up and sit second row. He played Cavern and High Heeled Sneakers. Class act.
At my first show, 12/31/96, the Boston Community Choir came out for Bohemian Rhapsody, Julius, and Amazing Grace. Everything I love about Phish was on display in those three songs: humor, musicianship, improvisation, soul, and the element of surprise.
I’d have to go with Jay-Z from Brooklyn 2004.
My favorite guest appearance at a Phish would have to be the only one I’ve ever seen, when Tony came out at SPAC this year to play on Jibboo. It was pretty cool to see Mike play one of Trey’s Doc’s.
funniest guest spot: “Tom Hanks” (actually Page’s brother) on 12/31/02
musically best: 10/31/09 Sharon Jones, Saundra Williams, David Guy, David Smith & Tony Jarvis on Suzy Greenberg
bela fleck in 95′
6/22/2000 at Starwood Amphitheatre in Antioch, TN. I got to see Del McCoury, Ricky Skaggs, Sam Bush, Ronnie McCoury, Robbie McCoury, Mike Bub and Jason Carter play most of the 2nd set with Phish and then Wynonna Judd came out for Free Bird. It was awesome.
Amsouth Amphitheater. Nashville, TN, July 1, 1999 – Jerry Douglas on Dobro, Ronnie McCoury on Mando, Tim O’Brien on Fiddle and El Buho on Trumpet – Wolfman’s Brother, Beauty of My Dreams, Doin’ My Time, Roggae, Water in the Sky, Get Back on the Train, Poor Heart = EPIC!
I’m a sucker for Page’s dad singing Won’t You Come Home Bill Bailey and doing a little tap-a tap-a.
My fav is Leroi Moore (RIP) at Virginia Beach in 1997. Fun to watch them play 3 instruments a piece.
Karl and Gary on Remain In Light were tha bomb
France 1997 w/bela fleck and the flecktones…ghost and yem are bothh dynamitte…Victor wooten playing the bass solo in ghost is probably the single best thing everr…It honestly sounds like the flecktones and phish were made to be one band…serious epicness!
vegas 96 les claypool cause les claypool’s the shit
despite all the haters, i loved seeing BB King on 2/24/03 at Meadowlands. Such a treat to see that legend onstage and jamming.
11/29/98 – Worcester Centrum
Seth Yacovone came out to play the last 2 songs of the first set. The first was a Seth original but then LAYLA followed. Phish and Seth were flawless. Phish then left the stage leaving just Seth. The crowd roared like I’ve never seen showing true respect for Seth.
john popper
Bruce Springsteen is my favorite sit in that I’ve witnessed. Two of my musical heroes jamming together on Glory Days. Priceless.
Obvioulsy it was Rich on Vacuum in Miami. Dude killed it.
Kid Rock, Vegas 2000 (9/29). Sounds crazy – it was a very un-Phish vibe. But he came to rock, and Phish brought it. Unexpected and fun.
11-15-96 at the Keil Center in St. Louis… during one of the best sets of all time… The “M” Set!!! Some guy all covered in black came out and threw off his cape… John Popper for Mean Mr. Mustard. FANTASTIC!!!
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, 7/9/97
Sickest Ghost Ever! Vic Wooten/ Cactus= Heaven on earth…
And, who could forget about Pierre, from Haagen Dazs
How could it not be when Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters hit Darien Lake, 8/14/1997, for some Bozo Madness. Turn up the insanity.
12/30/03 George Clinton & P-Funk!!!
John Popper
my favorite i saw was son seals and del in oswego
My favorite one in person was Bruce Springsteen at the Roo last year, but you I can’t say its the greatest ever. I am always blown away by the Les Claypool appearance in Vegas 96. I esp love Fish coming out in elviseque gear singing Suspicious Minds.
Seminole Indian Chief Jim Billie!!!
To me it was really special to me because you could really see how excited the band was to have them join them. It was just another awsome moment in a weekend full of awsome moments!!!
I think the girls name was Sara, but I can’t be sure. 8/11/04 – the boys couldn’t scrounge up the lyrics to ‘Tears of a Clown’. Sick show. Trey/Fish double-drums, band antics – but slowing down the song to a slow reggae for the girl to sing it – awesome.
John Popper on 11/15/96 at the Kiel Center in St. Louis, MO. He sat in during Mean Mr. Mustard and Weekapaug to close the 2nd set and on the Funky Bitch encore.
Rich, I think everybody in audience was going I want to be up there and he was totally faced.
Best guest moment I have ever had was the BB King show in 2003 in east rutherford. Probably one of the worst shows ive ever seen, but when BB Kind came out, trey and they boys were on top of their game. Although as I said this is one of the worst shows for me, the 3 songs phish played with bb were incredible and will always serve as a special show.
Summer 99 tour was fire, and 7/16/99 PNC second set was one of my all time favorite Mikes sandwich(2001>Mike>Hyd>Weekapaug>Simple>Guyute,Loving Cup>Glogi
Encore Trey started his usual rant about how he grew up in the area, and was talking bout the best song writer of all time, who was from the same area. So on comes Bruce Springsteen…..no Tom Marshal! The whole get up, and preceded to play the first version of Born to Run!
7-25-92 Santana!and Karl Perazzo and Raul Rekow
My favorite guest appearance at a Phish show was back in 1995 at Saratoga when the Dude of Life came out and sang “Crimes Of The Mind.” He was screaming and yelling and the crowd was going totally nuts. It was a great moment.
Seeing Holdsworth come out in Albany 03 was a treat. Gotta love a Long Cool Woman in a black dress, if only they would have played it twice..
props to the one guy who remembered Steven Wright!
as far as musical quality, any time Bela shows up, you know something awesome is going to happen. that Slave is gorgeous, of course, but kevin played a Llama on one of the B’roo FTA shows last summer that started acoustic with Bela and blended magically into a full-on electric rager. you NEED to hear this song.
Its got to be the Boss at Bonnaroo.
Jay-Z in Brooklyn fo sho!
Well, since I called Jeff Holdsworth, I’ll say that.
Jimmy Herring during the Roxy ’93 run. He meshed well with the phish and provided for some sick guitar craziness.
Boston Community Choir–12/31/96
Bob Wier at Shoreline 10/6/00. El Paso encore.
Original member with a sit in the night before their 20th Anniversary. Camel Walk, Possum, and Long Cool Woman. Awesome time.
Dave Matthews Band sit-ins on 4/20 & 4/21/94.
My favorite sit in was easily Michael Ray
Well, what I’m about to write didn’t actually happen yet. But, i think that David Bowie should make a guest appearance at Atlantic City on Halloween. Now, David has aged a little but still looks great. Imagine if Phish starts playing Harpua and maybe Trey starts talking about his “favorite” book “Stranger in a Strangeland”, but instead the stranger in this story is named Ziggy Stardust and his friends are the Spiders from Mars? Then you hear a low slow deep bass start up. . . . Ziggy walks out on stage and starts the album off with “Five Years”! then maybe leaves for a few songs to come back for a ripping “Ziggy Stardust”! then bowie does a cartwhell offstage
It may not hold up very well when listening now but my favorite sit-in was George Clinton and The P-Funk All-Stars. BIG fun.
Well it has been said already the Son Seals at Camp Oswego was funktastic both songs. However my votes goes to the other guest spot that weekend and that my friends was Del McCoury Fantastic!
John Popper & Noel Redding at the Roseland 2.6.93
Great version of Fire for the encore. Mike purposely messed up Fire have Noel take over on bass!
10-3-1999
Son Seals and Sugar Blue in Chicago doing Messin with the Kid and Funky Bitch!
The best Phish guest was Chris Kuroda singing Possum on 9/04/99. Not sure why he doesn’t sing more often.
Either Neil Young or Claypool.
I loved the shows in 96, like Coral Skies, where Karl Perazo sits in. Adds a nice touch of percussion to Phish. The Tweezer from 11/3/96 is a perfect example of what he added.
My favorite guest appearance that I personally saw in person was Sugar Blue on 8/8/97…sick encore!!
My phavorite phish sit in I have seen in person was either RICH from Miami or Springsteen sitting in at Bonnaroo, Bruce has always been one of my favorite artists so when I got to see Phish and Bruce on stage together it was mind blowing for me.
Sharon Jones at 8 for the Exile Set & Suzy Greenberg. Good Stuff.
Mr. Derek Trucks himself in Charlotte ’99. Crazy to think he was 20 years old at the time. We need another Trucks sit-in.
6/22/2000
bluegrass jam with del McCoury and company. I always love me some phishgrass. Maybe they’ll cover a bluegrass album for halloween this year!
buddy miles and merl saunders at msg in “96. first time unsupervised in nyc, drank some jager with some homeless guys, got chased by the cops, snuck on to the floor for the first time. good times and a hendrix encore.
favorite guest appearance would be bruce springsteen at bonaroo
MMW playing all of YEM with Phish. I don’t think there is anything else to say about that. 😉
Agree with MMW. Sickness.
After they didn’t have a horn section and couldn’t remember how to play Touch Me anyway in Miami ’03, Trey said they would just bring out George Clinton and P Funk! That’s even better than Fishman singing Touch Me! BAM!
i’ve seen two good ones: scott murawski at great woods and michael ray at the pepsi arena in albany… but i’d have to say the best guest sit in was my other favorite band, mmw, in texas in 1995.
My favorite Phish guest appearance was George Clinton and PFUNK in Miami ’03. That was about as crunk as it gets, yAH!!!
12/29/95: Mike’s HS bass teacher Jim Stinnett. The FIRST bass duet – nostalgic taboot – where the bass jam contain teases of Keep it Greasy and Bach’s 6th Brandenburg Concerto.
The best sit in it saw was Leroi Moore on 7-21-97. The Theme melted into a multi-instrumental jam of madness before going into an insane Funky Bitch. I can still see the smile on Leroi’s face as they continued to hand him more saxophones!
Giant Country Horns. My listening to tapes of the Summer 1991 tour were integral to me falling in love with Phish.
My favorite guest(s) appearance would be 11-16-95 West Palm Beach. Butch Trucks came out for Possum & Jimmy Buffett came out for Brown Eyed Girl.
Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters joining Phish @ Darien 8/14/97. Guy we were parked next to *JUST HAPPENED* to have One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in his possession, and got Ken’s sig on it early that day. We thought the Pranksters were just having their fun on the lawn during the show, until “Bozo Madness” took the stage during Col. Forbin’s. Trey warned the crowd that this is what happens 30 yrs later after taking too much acid. Mockingbird got scrapped because “the funk was too deep!” and they went Camel Walk. Than you Ken for your obnoxious repetitive banter, and all the good that came from it!
I really enjoyed the Peter Apfelbaum intro to Taste at Sacramento ’96. I’ve been present for a lot of guest appearances, but that one song really does it for me.
By the encore of the 9.29.00 Vegas show, I just couldn’t believe that Kid Rock was going to be back on stage again. Really? Enough was enough. It was kind of like having Fishman sing not just one song for yucks, but a whole portion of the set and then the encore too. He must’ve had some good blow to share with the band.
St. Louis, 11-15-96, set dedicated to Letter M and number 420, John Popper came on as a harmonica dominating-Mean Mr. Muster during a cover of the Beatle’s classic, spectacular. Was in 7th grade, friend David Cohen’s Mom was our chaperon, she wore a sweater with little fish’s knitted on it.
6/22/00 with the McCoury Bros (and Del), Ricky Skaggs, and especially Sam Bush on fiddle during Harry Hood, great bluegrass guests!
6/18/04: Jay-Z – “I got 99 problems, but a Phish ain’t one!”
I’d have to say my favourite is when the flecktones sat in.
Well I would have to say the Best Sit-In would be a young Derek Trucks coming out for the Encore at the Charlotte, NC 1999 summer show. I remember turning to my buddy and saying “Damn I didn’t know Trey could rip the slide like this, and him promptly telling me that ain’t Trey but whoever that little kid is he has got a bright future in the Bad Ass Guitarist Business.” Found out after the show is was none other that D. Trucks, still one of the rippinest Funky Bitch and Possum 1 2 Punch encores on record.
Anything Bela (and company) touch with the Phish turned to aural gold. ’93, ’94, ’95, ’97 – all of it. I hope that happens once again.
3-18-97 …. Cars Trucks Buses With Dave Grippo and James Harvey
wow!
My favorite moment is when Tom Marshall and Dave Grippo came out for Tub Thumping at 11/21/98 .
It was an evening like no other. Phish paid a visit to Shorline for two nights in the fall of ’99.
The second night rumors proved true, and Phil Lesh appeared with the band. Phish and Phil proceeded to perform the most inspired and beautiful music of our times.
By far the most fun guest was Jimmy Buffet at WPB ’95. Picture this, being on boomers and watching jimmy, trey and all the phish phans signing sha la la la la la la la di da, during brown eyed girl,totaly fun. And as a side note, 1 song earlier butch trucks sat in.
Jay Z in Brooklyn. Seeing all the hippies singing along with his swagger was priceless. Not to mention to stupid excitement on page’s face.
The only guests I’ve seen are The Dude and Jay-Z. I’m going to go with Jay-Z because it was awesome to see all the concession people run out to the aisles and belt out the lyrics and get amped.
John Popper Kiel Center, St Louis. Came out for one of my favorite Beatles Songs, Mean Mister Mustard to wrap up the M songs. Such a mean old man!
Aquarium Rescue Unit during YEM at The Palace 93′. Listen and you’ll know why.
December 30th, 1996. If Stephen Wright were to come out and say something profound at such a random time, it would have made the night alone. But to simply make an appearance as his statement, and the desk bell as the punctuation, made it even better.
Seeing the joy on the face of the late Son Seals as he played his song (Funky Bitch) with Phish in Oswego in the summer of 99 is the highlight of my live music experience.
Bob Gullotti as the second drummer, Hartford 10/23/96. No frills, no unrehearsed singing, no noodling, just solid drumming next to Fishman, a man he was born to play next to.
The hiatus was on the brink of being annouced and the boy’s had arrived in sin city. Vegas what would happen? The second was strong with Dinner and a Movie, Moma Dance, Also Sprach, Fluffhead, Meatstick> and then through the haze Detroits finest Kid Rock Shows up and rocks the house.
5/6/93 Dick Solberg on violin and Jeff Walton on acoustic guitar. My first show. I missed ARU and the dude of life the night before.
The Dude of Life, 11/28/03 at Nassau. Have only seen two, the other was B.B. Gotta take this one.
6/22/2000 Antioch, TN w/ the Del McCoury Band, Sam Bush, and Ricky Skaggs. What can i say? My grass is blue.
There’s been a lot of great guest appearances, but one of my favorites is the “Pierre” show from Lyon, France (7/9/97). Bela Fleck and the Flecktones sit in for a good chunk of the second set, including a sweet YEM -> Ghost. Must hear if you haven’t.
BB King in NJ
gonna go with gordon stone on pedal steel 11/19/92. i can never get enough pedal steel and it actually meshed well with the band and didn’t slow down the set at all.
My first Phish show 6-22-2000 the entire del mcoury band plus ricky skaggs and sam bush. Then wynona judd came out to sing freebird. There were like 10 people on stage
Neil Young, FarmAid
I didn’t start seeing Phish until 1997 so unfortunately I was not at what I would consider my favorite guest appearance but I can never get enough of the 7/25/92 Stowe, VT show where Phish was opening for Santana. A number of Santana percussionists as well as Carlos made a guest appearance on You Enjoy Myself, Llama and Funky Bitch. The You Enjoy Myself is one of my all time favorites with some great back and forth guitar battling between Trey and Carlos.
Check it out!!!!
Not the best musical guest appearance but personally one of the most thrilling was Neil Young with them at Farm Aid. Awesome experience seeing Trey and Neil wailing back to back it was like a scene out of the The Last Waltz.
I know it was recent, but the Boss at Bonnaroo was pretty good
I’d have to go with Derek Trucks on 7/7/99. I had just seen Mike guest with him two days earlier at the Fifth of July Fusion Festival in Macon, GA. It’s still my favorite version of Possum that I’ve seen.
Carlos Santana at Stwoe Vermont in 1992. Great Funky Bitch, great venue.
I enjoyed when Jeff Holdsworth sat in on 12/1/03 because the song selection was so fun and half the people there didn’t even know who he was. It was a real treat to hear “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress, ” the first song Phish ever played.
My favorite was in the summer of ’99 at Garden State Arts Center. Tom Marshall came out as The Boss and the boys played Born to Run. Very funny stuff!
My favorite wuz when that chica Sara playz drumz for John Phish-man in the city where the heat is on all night on da beach til the break of dawn, ya heard?
My favorite guest appearance goes to Victor Wooten on 7/9/97. Mike and Vic playing 1 bass, amazing! The bass slappin intergalactic funk that ensued in Ghost is almost 2nd to none.
My favorite phish guest appearance is Johnny Johnston on electric bagpipes during Amazing Grace Jam 10/20/95 simply because the outro music on 5/8/93 (the last previous AG Jam) was bagpipes. Synchronicity’d.
J. Popper – 11-15-96, Kiel Center, St. Louis, MO. Great Weekapaug and Funky Bitch!
11/18/95
Dr. Jack B. McConnell performing Bill Bailey during the encore. Was my first show and the previous show had Jimmy Buffett. Page: “Last night we had jimmy Buffett come out and play. The only way we can top this is to bring out my dad!”
Favorite and most memorable was the Dude and “crew” in Albany ‘5-5-93’. Just an amazing group on stage including most of ARU, Phish, The Dude, a rubber chicken, and a bag of Fritos! Beautiful night
Sara playing drums in Miami.
Easy call. John Popper on November 15, 1996 in St. Louis. Late in the 2nd set (the “M” set dedicated to Mimi Fishman and the number 420), Phish busted out their one and only version of Mean Mr. Mustard. Popper appears from the sidestage with his back to the audience wearing a cape and hat. Phish is singing “such a dirty old man….such a dirty old man”, and Popper rips off the cape and faces the audience with his harmonicas strapped to his chest. The energy went thru the roof, and they rip up a Weekapaug and a truly Funky Bitch encore. One of the few times Phish employed theatrics to bring out a guest musician. One of Phish’s finest moments.
Wynonna Judd: Epic Free Bird! 6-22-2000 TN
fun show with great Nashville sit-ins througout, but Wynonna’s banter and chemistry with the band was awesome.
Meryl Saunders, MSG ’96
He came out for the encore wearing a Jerry tye-dye and the boys ripped “All Along The Watchtower.”
My favorite guest appearence was big cheif jim billie at big cypress. While it wasn’t the best musically, it was a great moment of comradery and friendship as the people of big cypress welcomed the phish community to their sacred land with open arms. from that bond, the best phish show ever would ensue.
Aquarium Rescue Unit and Dude of Life during YEM on 5/5/93.
8/26/1993 Schnitzer Audtorium w/Baby Gramps
You can’t go wrong with Baby Gramp’s aweseome combination of the vocal stylings of Yosemite Sam and Robert Johnson. “Mice and Bats,” the song Phish performs with him, is seriously twisted and weird.
though it was not a Phish show, they were part of the bill, it was when Neil Young sat in at Farm Aid. Some of the most amazing jams, and two of my favorite musical acts up on stage together. Would love for them to do it again…
Les Claypool in Vegas!!!
Although it gets flamed a lot, I’d have to say Kid Rock. Son Seals and Del McCoury were great as well.
10/06/90 – went to the Capitol to see Blues Traveler w/ some band I’d never heard of opening – PHISH! Phish smoked their set & were joined by Popper on Don’t Get Me Wrong. My mind was blown…the rest is history.
Of all the guest appearances I’ve ever personally seen at Phish shows, Chief Jim Billie was by far the most special. Though he wasn’t an exciting guest for his musical prowess, those songs weren’t half-bad (fall 2010 bustout of Che Hun Te Mo??). His inclusive joy was what made that experience special.
My favorite guest sit-in was Jeff Holdsworth on 12/2/03. The fact that I got to see the original lineup the night before the 20th anniversary was awesome. Hearing him sing Long Cool Woman, Possum, and Camel Walk was sweet! CK5 must have freaked him out with the lights.
Giant Country Horns on 4/4/94 – my 5th show and the night I “got IT”
Page’s dad singing “Bill Baily” On Father’s Day 2004. He was great and had everyone smiling and tap-dancin’ in the aisles!
My favorite that I saw was in 2004 at nassau coliseum when the dude of life came out to sing crimes of the mind.
6/17/04 – Jay-Z in Brooklyn! “Ya’ll was hiding this from me” 🙂
My favorite guest appearance for Phish would be Phil Lesh at Shoreline in 1999 and for the encore Warren Haynes came out as well. Pretty sick show.
I would go for Les in Vegas… The noise.
My favorite guest appearance was Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters at Darien Lake, summer 1997, very weird scene that day, especially visiting the Furthur Bus in the Lot!
Comedian Steven Wright on “Desk Bell” on 12/30/96.
“Ladies and Gentlemen… Tom Hanks!”
(aka – Steve McConnell)
12/31/2002
My favorite was 11-15-96. Both sets were very special to me because I’ve never experienced anything like that again!
Carlos Santana, Stowe VT 1992. That YEM will melt your heart and penetrate your soul, not to mention the raging Llama and Funky Bitch that followed.
anytime the giant country horns joined in for a show.
Ben & Jerry singing Brother at The Clifford Ball 🙂
Definitely Darien 97 with Kesey and the Pranksters. It was as if 2 universes collided into a psychedelic melee.
My favorite would have to be Derek Trucks on slide guitar for “Possum>Funky Bitch” on July 7, 1999 in Charlotte, NC. Derek was younger back then but both he & Trey played really well off of each other.
Oswego: The Del McCoury Band sitting in resulted in the craziest straight forward Back on the Train jam I’ve ever heard. Hot & sweaty!
Les Claypool in Las Vegas
Michael Ray at the Jazzfest because then i knew trey and page were going to sit in with him later that night at Jimmy’s which to this day was the greatest show i ever saw
When Jeff Holdsworth came out in Albany 2003, it was something that i never thought could happen, i felt blessed to see him sing and play Possum and Camel Walk
Bob Weaver at the Lemonwheel
I enjoyed it when BB King came out with the boys up in North Jersey.
My favorite guest appearance was when Billy Kreutzman of the Grateful Dead sat in on the drums at Red Rocks last year. I could not believe it when it was happening. He helped add a nice oompf to that 2001!
4/3/98
Shirtless kid with a tiger backpack catapults on stage during Loving Cup
Fist pumps a few times
Chased off stage by Carini
Epic “Carini’s Gonna Get You” jam follows in Antelope
An unwelcomed guest,
But one of the most memorable on an unforgetable night
Most memerable for me was BB King’s sit in. As soon as he came on my best friend puked all over his girlfriend. It was all in her hair and all down her back…totally drenched. She used my bottle of water to wash it out so she didnt miss it.
The horns and backup vocalists for “Suzy” at 8.
“All the Suzies in the house… raise your hands!”
12/11/95 Warren Haynes on WMGGW
Yeah, Billy from RR for sure.
This (Karl & Butch) is actually my favorite guest appearance. As a fellow percussionist, it couldn’t get any better for me. The textures that Karl helped foster and explore added a very intriguing dimension to the tunes, and Butch was the icing on the cake!
My favorite has got to be Neil Young at Farm Aid ’98. That “Down By the River” is just nasty.
Buddy Miles and Merl Saunders siting in on All Along the Watchtower at MSG ’96.
Favorite has got to be Bill Kreutzman sitting in at Red Rocks! Nice change up to the 2001 that we’re used to hearing!
I’ll never forget my favorite guest appearance with Phish.
It was Tim O’Brien when he played with them at Red Rocks 08/07/96. They played an amazing set with sparklers handed out before the show and ignited during Sparkle. Which lead to an introduction of an Gold Medal winning Olympic athlete and promises of a special guest to come. This turned out to be the infamous bluegrass mandolin player, Tim O’Brien! He joined Phish on the mandolin, bouzouki and just plain lungs for 99 Years , Hold to a Dream , and Doin’ My Time; all of these were debut performances. This was a stellar musical experience evocative of the bluegrassy fusion Phish was imbued with in 1996 and I’ll never forget it!
The tour opener in Antioch with McCoury, Bush, Judd et al. was an amazing show.
It’s got to be Rich on vaccuum
My favorite would have to be Jay-Z for “99 Problems & Big Pimpin'”. It was the first time I actually saw all of the security guards as well as the fans face the stage and wave their hands in the air! It also proved that Phish still can bust out suprises that nobody really sees coming. Great show, great energy…anything can happen at show suprise songs or guest.
Carl Gerhard on trumpet for “Cavern” on 11/20/98 Hampton, dang brass complements that song nicely.
Cheif Jim Billy of the Seminole Tribe. What a great way to start arguably the best Phish concert of all time. Not the greatest music but, you could really tell how much fun he was having onstage. I think the best part of the performance was the way the Phans cheered the Chief on. All those people saying thanks for letting Phish play this wonderful area. Great experience and one I’ll never forget. Rage on Big Alligator!
Ann Arbor 11/16/94 with Rev. Jeff Mosier. This show was outstanding in every way from the Swing Low, Sweet Chariot rager to arguably the best Simple ever played in set II. Chalkdust from ALO was played at this show as well.
I believe it was my 5th show and the interplay between the Rev. and the band was breathtaking. To my surprise, he was back the next night as well. November 1994 was trancendent Phish and has not been topped since IMO.
This is a show that should be released as the AUD copies just don’t do it justice.
Chief Billy! He made everyone feel like an young kid when a guest speaker comes into your elementary classroom, and you are absolutely impressed by them. He welcomed us all and ushered in the greatest show.
“Che Hun Ta Mo” and “Big Alligator” featured guests John McEuen on mandolin, Raiford Starke on guitar, and Seminole Indian Chief Jim Billie on guitar and lead vocals. Big Cypress was my first show. Epic. ‘Nuff said.
Sharon Jones and her crew on Halloween ’09 were pretty epic.
Listening to Jimmy Herring rip up Funky Bitch in the ’92 Roxy set is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.
as mehtastic as he was with the dave matthews band, during the second set THEME from 7/21/97 LEROY MOORE tears up the sax funk vibe. trey has 3 guitars goin, mike 2 basses and fishman 7 drumsticks.
4/15/94 Beacon theater with Giant Country Horns. Grate room and guest. It was like a dream come true.
O YA!
I will have to say my first show 7.03.99, with Dr. Jack McConnell doing Bill Bailey on kazoo.
I would have to say 10/3/99 when Sugar Blue and Son Seals came out for the encore. Sugar was blowin’ that harp so hard during his “Messin’ with the Kid” that his hat flew off of his head. And the Funky Bitch that followed….unreal!
Stephen Wright. Enough Said.
7/25/92 YEM with santana.
Watching Warren Haynes walking around behind the stage at set-break on 12/11/1995 and then having him come out and rip it up on While My Guitar & Funky Bitch.
I’d have to say Jay Z on 6/18/04. It was unexpected, fun, and weird; 3 of my favorite qualities in a Phish show. Being in Brooklyn, The End looming in all of our minds, and Jay Z himself being “retired” made for a memorable night.
6/17/95 w/ LeRoi Moore
My favorite guest appearance was Summer tour opener 6.22.00 in Anitoch, TN.
The second half of the second set was like an Arrested Development concert. There were like 12 people on stage with a full ensemble. Robbie McCoury on banjo, Ronnie McCoury on mandolin and Sam Bush on fiddle, Del McCoury on guitar, Ricky Skaggs on mandolin, Mike Bub on upright double-bass, and Jason Carter on fiddle. Free Bird featured Wynonna Judd on lead vocals and was played with full instrumentation, as opposed to the usual a cappella arrangement.
What a way to finish up the a tour opener in Music City, USA.
It’s all about the filler. I wasn’t there, and I only heard it as filler on something else I’ve forgotten, but 5-5-93’s You Enjoy Myself with Aquarium Rescue Unit is my favorite sit-in ever, if only because it had me completely spellbound, and remains my favorite YEM ever! It happened every so often back in the days of tape trading. Hell, I first heard the Crosseyed>Antelope from Coral Sky as filler. This one was unique because it wasn’t marked-down on the tape from the trader, but I immediately knew it was ARU on stage with Phish–and I never knew it had ever happened. I was an ARU fan for about two years before I knew about Phish. The thought of ARU colliding with Phish for that epic YEM brings a tear to the eye!
Ben and Jerry at Clifford Ball. Those guys nailed it!
My personal favourite is the Phil Lesh sit-in at Shoreline 99. Yes!!
Son Seals doing his own “funky bitch” at Oswego…maybe my favorite phish moment of all time
I loved the Phil Lesh and Warren Haynes sit in at Shoreline 9.17.99. Phil took one bounce on the trampoline and bailed. It was awesome! YEM>Bass Jam, Wolfman’s, Cold Rain and Snow all w/ Phil. Encore: Viola Lee w/ Warren and Phil. What a show!
Son Seals. Camp Oswego
Stephen Wright on the triangle, 12/30/96, Fleet Center, Boston, MA
Definitely the run I saw with Perazzo in 96. I was present for the Atlanta(Remain in Light), West Palm and Gainseville shows. What a run! Loved it. Crosseyed>Antelope!