News leaked today on the interwebs that JEMP records registered the December 6th release date for a three-show archival release from Phish called Hampton/Winston-Salem ’97. There it is, plain as day…
The Hampton/Winston-Salem 97(11/21-23)shows featured Phish at an peak of execution and flow. Throughout the shows, Phish seized most every opportunity to lift and expand. Paul Languedoc’s stereo mix, mastered by Fred Kevorkian, funnels the energy of these special shows nearly 15 years later. Hampton/Winston-Salem 97 contains all the music played over these 3 shows for a total of 45 songs – over 8 hours of music – including never-before-heard material from soundchecks at both venues. The 7-CD box set, a must-own collection for any Phish fan.
This is, as the cool kids would say, “cow funk” at its best. And seven whole CD’s worth, too…I’ve only heard the 11/22/97 Hampton show prior to the news of this release, so I can’t wait to hear the remastered versions in all of their glory.
Read on for the setlists from the shows, and get psyched to hear those never-before-heard soundchecks from the shows when the set is released. Oh and you may as well watch the “Harry Hood,” too…
Friday, 11/21/1997
Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA
Set 1: Emotional Rescue[1] > Split Open and Melt[2], Beauty of My Dreams, Dogs Stole Things, Punch You In the Eye -> Lawn Boy[3] > Chalk Dust Torture, Prince Caspian[4]
Set 2: Ghost -> AC/DC Bag -> Slave to the Traffic Light, Loving Cup
Encore: Guyute
[1] Phish debut.
[2] Emotional Rescue quotes at end.
[3] “Anti-drum solo.”
[4] Unfinished.
Notes: Emotional Rescue made its Phish debut at this show. Rescue was subsequently quoted at the end of Melt. This humorous Lawn Boy featured an “anti-drum solo” – an intentionally boring one. Caspian was unfinished. The first set ended with the delay loop ending of Caspian played until after lights were brought back up.
Saturday, 11/22/1997
Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA
Set 1: Mike’s Song[1] -> I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove, Harry Hood > Train Song, Billy Breathes, Frankenstein > Izabella
Set 2: Halley’s Comet[2], Tweezer[1] -> Black-Eyed Katy > Piper, Run Like an Antelope[3]
Encore: Bouncing Around the Room > Tweezer Reprise
[1] BEK teases.
[2] He Used to Cut the Grass jam.
[3] Lyric changed to “Michael Esquandolas.”
Notes: Mike’s Song and Tweezer both contained BEK teases, with the ones in Tweezer taking place well before the segue into BEK. Fans of stage banter will want to seek out the second set for Trey’s humorous response to the crowd’s Destiny Unbound chant before Halley’s. Halley’s included a jam based on He Used to Cut the Grass (Frank Zappa). The “Marco Esquandolas” lyric in Antelope was changed to “Michael Esquandolas.”
Sunday, 11/23/1997
Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Winston-Salem, NC
Set 1: My Soul, Theme From the Bottom > Black-Eyed Katy, Sparkle, Twist > Stash -> NICU, Fluffhead > Character Zero
Set 2: Bathtub Gin -> Down with Disease -> Low Rider -> Down with Disease, Bold As Love
Encore: Julius
