Show a Phishing trip July 6, 1995 - Sentinel & Enterprise (Fitchburg, MA) By By Dwayne M. Boyd MANSFIELD – Most Americans celebrate Independence Day Weekend with family gatherings, backyard barbecues, and fireworks. This year, the party began with fireworks of a different sort, with the band Phish performing two brilliant shows at Great Woods On June 30 and July 1. The Vermont-based quartet’s strength lies in its jam-oriented style, which blends many colors of the musical rainbow. The band has gained popularity among its fans largely through virtuoso musicianship, an exhaustive touring schedule and a twisted sense of humor. These Phish do not swim in the musical mainstream. They do not have to rely on overproduced hit singles to reach listeners over the airwaves. As a result, Phish has spawned a loyal legion of nomadic, neo-hippie fans – “Phisheads” – who follow the band from city to city, financing the cost of getting to the next concert by trading tapes of other live shows and selling T-shirts and other concert related paraphernalia. The attendees of the July 1 Great Woods show appeared to be as diverse and colorful as life forms in a tropical aquarium. Throngs of excited fans streamed into the sold-out venue for an evening of groove driven songs that ranged from slow and soulful, to funky (or in this case, “phunky”) hard and heavy, ethereal and psychedelic. The first set included songs spanning various phases of Phish’s history. Each tune seemed to cast a spell over audience members, causing them to dance and whirl like dervishes. Touching songs such as, “If I Could” displayed the band’s ability to convey genuine emotion; the dancing fans slowed to a sway. In contrast, “Llama” got onlookers up and moving and shaking. From there, the band played live favorites including “Split Open and Melt” and “Bouncing Around the Room.” The upbeat tempo of these songs got fans on the lawn jumping up and down. The grassy hillside lawn appeared to rumble; the ebb and flow of the sonic tide expressed unbridled joy. After nightfall, Phish moved through the song, “Maze” with amazing dexterity, meandering through many twists and turns and exploring unmapped musical realms. An extended jam featured scorching guitar work from Trey Anastasio, and keyboard from Page McConnell that sounded like a frantic piece from a movie score. The sky itself lit up: flashing and thundering with the distant boom of holiday pyrotechnics. This added dimension served as a perfect compliment to the explosive song. Without missing a beat, the festivities continued with a reggae-flavored version of “Harry Hood” that, in turn, segued into a rousing rendition of “Suzy Greenberg,” flavored with bits of “Sunshine of Your Love” from Cream and tinted Deep Purple’s “Smoke On The Water.” Before kicking into the encore, Anastasio took a moment to thank the fans who followed the band throughout its summer ’95 tour, which concluded Monday in Sugarbush, Vt. In a final display of appreciation for their fans, Phish jumped right into an obscure Alman Brothers’ cover tune, one often requested but rarely played. Surprises such as this prove that Phish is a band worth catching live. Transcribed By Dwayne M. Boyd Article Copyright © 1995 Sentinel & Enterprise