In case you missed the news earlier this week, Phish has announced that their next live release will be the Niagara Falls show from December 7, 1995. It was a subject of a great Phish Friday post we published a few years back:
It was a cold day up in Niagara Falls and not just your typical Buffalo in December cold day. We’re talking really cold, like 7 degrees and windy. The Niagara Falls Convention Center is basically a big 10,000-capacity gym, with bleachers along the right-hand side and a huge GA floor. It has since been turned into an Indian Casino.
Due out on November 12, but thankfully the band has already released the blazing “Slave to the Traffic Light” as well as the “Possum”…
Here’s the news straight from the band:
On November 12, Phish will release Niagara Falls, an all new 3-CD Set recorded live December 7, 1995 at Niagara Falls Convention Center in Niagara Falls, NY. It is available for pre-order now at Phish Dry Goods. Everyone who pre-orders from Dry Goods will receive a Limited Edition David Welker Niagara Falls screenprinted mini-print, created exclusively for this release (while supplies last).
December 1995 was a universally recognized high point for Phish. The band found themselves at Niagara Falls – straddling the border between the United States and Canada beside the fastest flowing, highest, most powerful waterfall in North America.
“Niagara Falls” balanced Phish’s bluegrass and barbershop quartet talents with a healthy dose of expansive improvisation, for which this era of Phish is renowned. The show featured standout playing throughout both sets to mirror the breadth and power of the setting near the Falls.
Set I highlights included a hot combination of The Curtain > AC/DC Bag > Demand > Rift, a blazing first set Slave To The Traffic Light and a huge Possum.
Among Set II highpoints were a legendary over-the-falls freakout of a Split Open And Melt opener, a fast and furious Reba with a soaring jam and an unusual ending that led to a deep swinging Julius. The set ended with Mike’s Song > Weekapaug Groove – one of just three times this combination was played without a third (or more) middle song(s).
“Niagara Falls” was recorded by Paul Languedoc to 2-track DAT and mastered by Fred Kevorkian. Poor Heart (the slow version) from the soundcheck is included on the third disc.
Bundles are available at Dry Goods with this release, including the new 2014 Calendar and a reprise of an original Fall 1995 Tour t-shirt.
Pre-order everything on Dry Goods here.
