Wade’s World: Phish’s 20th Anniversary Run
After taking most of the fall off the road after the IT festival, The Phish from Vermont got together for four shows before the 2003 New Year’s run in Miami to celebrate their 20th anniversary as a band. Most people thought the band was conceived on Halloween in 1983, though the announcement of the 20th Anniversary Run made it clear that Phish’s first show did indeed take place on December 2, 1983 at Harris/Millis Cafeteria on the campus of UVM. So it came to be, a four-night run through their stomping grounds of the Northeast culminating with the 20th Anniversary Show at The Fleet Center in Boston, Phish’s first show there since New Year’s ’96.
2003 was a “festive” time for Phish, with members having their own party agendas most nights. Even with their propensity to get loose, 2003 saw many of the band’s best post-hiatus shows. This run, while celebratory in vibe, did not showcase the best the group had to offer this year in any consistent manner. There was flashes of utter brilliance at times but they came in disjointed shows. My tour mates and I had an unbelievable time this run celebrating what Phish had given to our lives, so we really couldn’t be pissy about the band reveling in much of the same merriment.
So let’s have a look at these flashes of brilliance in chronological order.
NIGHT ONE: NASSAU
11/28/2003 – Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale NY
Set 1: Bouncing Around the Room, Runaway Jim, Ghost -> What’s the Use? > AC/DC Bag > First Tube, Frankie Says, Bathtub Gin -> Free
Set 2: Waves > Sample in a Jar, Down with Disease, Walls of the Cave, Two Versions of Me, Crowd Control, Mike’s Song > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove
Encore: Crimes of the Mind
Notes: This show included the debut of Crowd Control. Trey introduced Mike to sing “his song.” Crimes of the Mind (first since July 10, 1994, or 504 shows) featured the Dude of Life on vocals. During the song, the Dude congratulated Phish on their 20 years together, and wished them success for 20 more.
[All setlists via Phish.net]
The first night of the run took place at the Nassau Coliseum. Fans were psyched to get back into the room that saw Destiny Unbound dusted off earlier that year, and of course the first two nights of The Island Tour in ’98. The highlights from this show all come from the first set. Oddly enough, this set opened with Bouncin’, the first Bouncin’ opener since Nov. 10, 1995.
READ ON for more of Wade’s take on the 20th Anniversary Run…
