From: Brian Hedden 
Subject: Review 8/14/96 HersheyPark Stadium

Phish   HersheyPark Stadium  8/14/96

Soundchecked Funky Bitch and Tush

Set I

Wilson: Nice way to open the first set. Very solid, energetic version but
nothing too outstanding. Definately got us up and in the mood for what was
to be one of the great nights of Phish. This lead into a very strange, but
seemingly orchestrated jam. This lead us into the evening's first highlight...

Down with Disease: I love what they've done to this song. Outstanding
version with a tremendous jam where the song should have ended. This one
kept going and going. The boys brought it back to the end jam with a ton of
energy. This was a wild, rocking version!

Fee: I've never been too big of a fan of this particular song. Trey seemed
to have some problems with his megaphone emitting feedback. There's not too
much to say about this particular song except two words that, to me, summed
the evening's first set...tight, standard.

Poor Heart: This was the same as it always is. The boys seemed to be having
fun with it, but I've never really cared for this particular tune. However,
if you like this song you'll love this version.

Reba: Second highlight of the evening, perfectly placed in the set as I
think we were all ready the evening's first big jam tune. The structured
part of the jam was really tight. The jam itself...melodius...beautiful. At
one point early in the jam, the boys brought it to near silence for a few
seconds. They brought it back so full and rich with sound that when I think
about it I get goosebumps. The climax was stunning and intense. A near
perfect version.

The Mango Song, Gumbo: To me, the set took a bit of a nosedive at this
point. The Mango Song was fun with a nice finish, Gumbo was okay...maybe a
bit flat.

Stash: Yep, another highlight as this tune was jammed out real well. I'm
sure you've seen posts on the net how this one didn't fall into the
dissonance that this tune can, and really it didn't. It kinda stuck to the
central theme and jammed it out with a firey intensity. Trey kept bringing
up the energy level, teasing us by dropping it a bit, and then bringing it
up even higher than before. I was in amazement during this version. 

Ragtime Gal: Perfect way to ease the crowd into the setbreak.

  As a whole, the first set was tight but standard (to some extent). The
boys had energy in the jam tunes, but fell flat in the others. They weren't
bad versions, they just weren't anything that you'd call exceptional. The
second set, however, was a walking highlight and one of the best (if not the
best) that I've ever heard...

Runaway Jim: Right from the opening chords I had a feeling that this was
going to be a great version. This wound up being one of my favorite versions
of this song. Fantastic jamming throughout the entire song. This one had an
extraordinary energy level. This energy level would never waver for almost
the rest of the second set.

You Enjoy Myself: A spitfire version. Really tight in the beginning jam.
When Trey ripped the first notes before THE note, I turned to my buddy and
said something to the effect of that this is going to be an exceptional
version, Trey seems to be really attacking the jam. This was one of the
funkiest, bounciest versions I've heard...has to rank up there with one of
the best. If you liked 10/31/95 for all of it's innovation and exploration,
you'll love this one for it's intensity and energy. It never let up and even
the vocal jam, which at times can be boring (admit it  :^)  ), was wild. I
never sat down during the entire time. Two songs and forty minutes or so
have already gone by...

The Horse>Silent in the Morning: I've always liked these two and this was
better than most. You could feel the energy from the stage even during this
point in the show. Beautiful way to bring things down a bit.

Cars, Trucks and Buses: Great jamming by Page. The whole band attacked this
version. 

Tweezer: Completely unexpected after getting the YEM before. I was almost
shocked to hear the opening notes! A wild, intense, energetic version and
the one tune of the night that really stretched the musical boundary with a
really spacy theme about three quarters into it. I was on my feet for the
entire Tweezer. Outstanding.

Theme from the Bottom: Another unexpected surprise. I may have a preference
to the Page driven version on 6/6/96, but this one ranks almost evenly. This
was a bit on the short side, but who's complaining at this point. The
incredible amount of intensity and energy level that started with Runaway
Jim hadn't dipped.

Hold Your Head Up>Cracklin' Rosie>Hold Your Head Up: This was tight
musically. Fish, being Fish, was great :^)! I had a smile during the entire
time. Here he his, standing in front of 30,000 people with a cymbal in each
hand, singing this Neil Diamond tune. He flubbed one verse (I can't remember
which one). At the end of the song, I remember seeing him run in back of the
amps and stage equipment. So all you see is his head and the cymbals
crashing away above him. What a maniac!

Sample in a Jar: Fooey on all of you who don't like Sample ;^) I LOVE this
song and I LOVED the hell out of this version. Maintaining the energy from
the rest of the set, this was an outstanding version. I remember three
quarters of the way into this turning to my buddy and saying, "This is a
great way to close this set!" So loud and energetic, I had a smile during
the finale except for one thing...I was wrong about it being the end of the
second set...

Tweezer Reprise: Oh my God what a finale. After all of the other tunes in
this set they come out with this. An explosive way to end an epic set.
Getting louder and louder, lights swirling through the entire stadium, the
band brought this unbelievable set to a close an hour and a half after it
began. Exhausted, we got ready for the encore. At this point I'm thinking a
Bouncing or something a little on the subtle side. Nope...

Encore - Julius: Dedicated to Brad Sands' brother Marty, this version
started out quietly enough, but wound up to be an absolutely SCREAMING
version! The whole arena was up and dancing like there was no tomorrow! What
a way to end this show.

   I don't know what happened between the first and second sets, but if
anything was said it worked. The energy and intensity that kicked off
Runaway Jim never really let up. This was an exhausting show to listen to!
An epic second set that ranks right up there with ANY set that Phish has
ever played. One of the best times I've ever had at a show. 

Brian
BHedden@cris.com
--------------------------------------------------------------
From: raymond 
Subject: hersheyyyy

Hey hows it goin? umm.. I hardly ever do things through the computer (im
not too computer literate or whatever the term is:) but i must say i
thoroughly enjoyed reading all the reviews. The reason that Ive
written,however, is that i was amazed by the review of the Hershey show
this summer tour...I totally realize that shows are very subjective
things and that everyone has a different opinion but Brian (im pretty
sure that was his name) is the only kid ive spoken with who even would
call it a "good show" much less rave about it the way he did...i don't
mean to write and say he's wrong or anything stupid like that but it was
a VERY standard show (as you could probably tell from the setlist) The
Energy was pretty low as everyone had been driving all night and coming
after a show like 2nd night Deer Creek(which was an incredible show)
dint help matters any...I'd actually go as far as saying it was probably
the most forgetable Phish show ive ever seen.  Definatly the weakest of
what was a very good summer tour. Okay well i dont mean for this to be
posted or anything i just decided to write because I was fairly
astonished by his review oh heres my E-mail so you can write back if you
were there and thought differently or whatever:):)  rvap@ix.netcom.com

---------------------------------------------------
From: Kevin P Fox 
Subject: HERSHEY

This is in respnse to whoever wrote that that show was the most
forgettable they have ever seen!  I had been driving all night and I
still thought it was a great show.  Maybe it wasn't the best show I have
ever seen but it certainly was not forgettable.  I think that every
phish show is great and none forgettable, how could you forget a show?My
email is kpfox@erie.net- I'd like to hear everyone's comments about this
show and if anybody has a copy of it-lets talk business because I have
not been able to find it anywhere.