Phish Groove The Night Away December 4, 1996 - Reuters/Variety By Troy J. Augusto Phish (Pauley Pavilion, UCLA; 12,771 seats; $25) HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Much to the chagrin of Phish-heads everywhere -- but to the surprise of no one who has followed the rising fortunes of this Vermont quartet -- Phish, the little free-form band that could, has reached arena-level status, even here on the West Coast. At the nearly-full Pauley Pavilion, a mix of faithful and newbies noodle-danced for nearly three hours as Phish did what it does best, playing effortless-looking and -sounding improvisational jams that began in the form of a song, but which soon flew off into magical experiences even the band members seemed unable -- make that unwilling -- to control. As usual, the show, which was split into two sets, was a one-night-only blend of songs from the band's six studio albums, as well as a few non-album tracks and cover songs. The evening began with a rusty version of Frank Zappa's '60s instrumental gem Peaches en Regalia, and included such live staples as Down With Disease, offered here as an extended prog-hippie jam, the reggae-flavored Reba and the bluesy, endless crowd fave Tweezer. The other covers played were a show-stopping version of the Beatles' A Day In the Life, Johnny B. Goode and encore Highway To Hell by AC-DC. (Who else but band leader Trey Anastasio would tackle John Lennon and the late AC/DC singer Bon Scott in the same set?) Phish still hasn't crossed into the mainstream, as MTV and commercial radio have yet to find a song to latch onto. But inspiring, sustaining shows such as this one will only, inevitably, lead the group -- perhaps kicking and screaming -- into a mainstream that neither deserves nor understands them. © 1996 Reuters Ltd