This list is in order by show and not by best jam. Here are the highlights from each show so far. List subject to change as we dig deeper into the recordings.
Top Jams So Far
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- Stash (Mansfield) - Munster tease and really awesome groove into major key courtesy of Trey and Page then quickly back to minor key destruction!
- Hood (Mansfield) - Massive type II version
- Gin > LxL (SPAC Night 1) - First type II Gin in quite some time with a LxL that will turn some heads
- Fuego > DWD (SPAC Night 2) - First Fuego to be taken for a ride and was no failed attempt
- Piper (SPAC Night 3) - Great set overall but a clear highlight was this smoking Piper
- Fuego (Mann Night 1) - More laid back then it's showing at SPAC but that just means there's more room to grow!
- Chalk Dust (Mann Night 2) - Type II goodness that gets super laid back but still retains a good groove within the ambience
- Bathtub Gin (Randall's Night 1) - Exciting type II Gin in the first set!
- DWD (Randall's Night 1)
- Ghost > Wingsuit (Randall's Night 2) - Good amount of minor key jamming from Trey before moving over to major bliss jamming that is quite common for Ghost these days. But ventures into a bit of uncharttered territory with a heavy metal rock riff jam from Trey with overdrive bass from Mike and some plinko work from Page. Certainly an outside the box Ghost for this era. Wingsuit is the perfect come down and one of the better versions played so far (but who knows what lays ahead for this Fuego jam).
- Split Open and Melt (Randall's Night 3) - If you are a fan of classic SOAMs then you will absolutely love this version. They bring it home and then some.
- Chalk Dust > Light > Tweezer (Randall's Night 3) - Not much I can say on this that hasn't already been discussed. Simply one of the best hours of Phish in perhaps this era.
- DWD (CMAC) - Whether we call it the "Randall's hangover" show, there's no question some air had been taken out of the band these two mid week shows. But even an off night Phish can still produce a gem like this DWD to oepn the second set.
- Goldent Age (Northerly Island Night 1) - This is space funk at it's best.
- Piper > Halley's Comet > Wombat (Northerly Island Night 1) - Starting with a relatively standard Piper that gets into more space territory (theme of 1st night was space and funk) and sounds like it will go in to 2001 but takes a left turn right in to Halley's as Trey realizes they are jamming directly on the main chord progression so why not. Definitely one of the cooler segues of the tour and then this Wombat. First type II and boy did they give it the treatment. This gets into almost a "this is the end" type of Doors groove. Really awesome to hear how they completely transform the songs sound in this jam.
- Light (Northerly Island Night 2) - A bit inconsistent this night with their song selections but Light saved the day once again by bringing down the house with another epic version to add to the many already in the books.
- Scent of a Mule (Northerly Island Night 3) - A team effort that makes this the best Mule in 3.0 and certainly up there with any in history
- Wedge, Ghost > Weekapaug (Northerly Island Night 3) - This section along with Randall's night 3 second set opening sequence are in the running for the top spots. A Wedge that is unmatched by any in any era followed by smoking versions of Ghost and Paug.
- Chalk Dust (Charlotte, NC) - The shortest of all the CDTs on this list. Has some cool start stop jamming but of course that brings out the "Woos". Not bad for a band getting back into the groove after a rare 5 day mid tour break. I personally love how this CDT ends with a few jabby licks from Trey, Page once again rocking his lil pumpkin keys and a nice swing beat from Fish and Gordo. Really chill and mellow but sometimes those are the best jams to sit down in the summer and sip a cocktail.
- Carini > Ghost (Merriweather Night 1) - Carini had been a top jam vehicle leading up to this tour but so far hasn't quite hit the same tone as those played in fall 2013 but this one gets close. This opening is hard to not like as both songs, while on their own pretty standard runs, are together a perfect one, two punch to open a second set.
- Light > 2001 (Merriweather Night 1) - Trey throws a simple loop into this jam that helps extend the song into a bit of chaos, but the good kind of chaos. Then Page's masterful lil pumpkin keyboard playing points the jam in the direction of 2001 where they extend the intro a bit before Fishman officially moves them into the song proper.
- Tweezer #3 (Merriweather Night 2) - After turning heads with the Tweezer > BOTT seguefest, they finally hold steady for a glorious 9 minutes of jamming to end the first leg of this epic tweezerfest night. It's tough to honestly pick a single jam from this set as it's just one of those sets that has to be heard as a whole.
- Chalk Dust > If I Could (nTelos Night 1) - Yes, yet another Chalk Dust on this list. The song must have taken its wheaties before tour as it sure has stamina. A soaring CDT that lands beautifully into one of their greatest ballads. A great night in general for Phish ballads (see the encore).
- Fuego (nTelos Night 2) - A subtle slow dark building jam climbs out of this Fuego with Page leading the way on his clav eventually moving back and forth into a happy chord progression courtesy of big red.
- Meatstick > Piper (nTelos Night 2) - This set is pretty killer from the Fuego opener to the First Tube closer and a surprise Lizard encore but this is the definite energy highlight of the set.
This list will continue to grow throughout the summer. Obviously will add to new shows but also some from past that we haven't dug deep into yet. May even take some away. Support the band and purchase all of the songs and shows at livephish.com or also support the tapers and download their audience versions at the spreadsheet. With the exception of Randall's Night 1 and 2, which you can download a great AUD version of each night courtesy of nyctaper.com. Download the first night here and also download night two from nyctaper.com here.
Worthy Jams, just not the top
- Ghost > Paug (Mansfield)
- Reba (SPAC) - from the composed section to the peak of the jam this is a well executed classic
- YEM (SPAC Night 3) - some tough flubs up front but the jam makes up for it on the back end.
- Walls of the Cave (Mann Night 1) - fierce version to end first set
- Ghost > 2001 (Mann Night 1)
- Antelope (Mann Night 2) - pure fire hose and funky licks from Trey to close 1st set
- Carini (Randall's Night 2) - Spacey and airy with some mid-jam electric drill usage by Gordo.
- Harry Hood (Randall's Night 2)
- 2001 > Possum (Clarkston,MI) - a show without much meat but this encore sure packed a punch
- Winterqueen (Charlotte, NC)
- Roggge (MPP Night 1)
- Wolfman's (MPP Night 1)
- Harry Hood (MPP NIght 1)
- Saw It Again > Fuego (MPP Night 2)
- YEM (MPP Night 2)
- NICU (MPP Night 2)
- I Been Around (MPP Night 2)
- SOAM (nTelos Night 1)
- BOAF (nTelos Night 1)
- Wingsuit, Squarming Coil (nTelos Night 1)
Official Phish video clips and quality fan clips of some of the above jams
