Phish Bags A Stellar ‘Reba’ On Fall Tour 1995
By Scott Bernstein Nov 9, 2020 • 6:40 am PST
Photo via Golgi Project
This year marks 25 years since Phish’s historic Fall Tour 1995. In recognition of that noteworthy tour and to make up for the lack of shows this fall, JamBase presents a daily retrospective highlighting a noteworthy moment from a Phish fall tour concert that took place on that date over the past 25 years (read a note on Fall 1997 here). The 25 Years Of Phish Fall Tour series runs each day between the start of Phish Fall Tour 1995 on September 27 through that tour’s finale on December 17.
Phish took a short break after their Halloween concert in Rosemont, Illinois before resuming Fall Tour 1995 with a three-night stand at the Fox Theatre Atlanta. The opener at the Fox, which was highlighted by a powerful version of “Reba,” took place on this date in 1995, one of three Phish concerts held on November 9 over the past 25 years.
More 25 Years Of Phish Fall Tour on JamBase
The quartet kicked off the run with “Tweezer Reprise,” which had served as the opener for the first time less than three weeks prior in Lincoln, Nebraska. Phish wouldn’t begin a show with “Tweezer Reprise” again until 2010. A beautiful “Divided Sky” followed along with the five-month-old “Prince Caspian” and high-octane “Punch You In The Eye.” Next, a standout “Simple” set the stage for “Reba.”
Phish’s 15+ minute “Reba” in Atlanta was a tone clinic from Trey Anastasio, who used a variety of effects to eek just the right sounds out of his Languedoc guitar. Bassist Mike Gordon and drummer Jon Fishman kept the “Reba” jam mellow for the first segment, which contrasts with the rapid fire bursts delivered by Anastasio. Trey went with a clean tone to start. Pianist Page McConnell took the opportunity of a brief pause from Trey to throw in a few pretty melodies of his own that Anastasio used as a springboard to the second part of his “Reba” solo.
Advertisement
Anastasio put an Echoplex effect to the test, as he utilized an eerie tone for a few measures before kicking into overdrive and building a huge head of steam. Trey then showed off his wah-wah skills in the middle of a barrage of riffs that led to the peak of the “Reba” jam. The guitarist eventually combined multiple effects as he brought the jam to its extremely intense climax. Phish capped the first set at the Fox with the tender “Tela” and a romp through “Sample In A Jar.”
A run of staples — “Theme From The Bottom,” “Julius” and “The Lizards” — gave way to the evening’s other improvisational highlight to get the second set underway. Phish turned in a dynamic 16+ minute “Bathtub Gin” that featured a blissful interlude but mostly was a rocking affair. Pay particular attention to the last five minutes of the “Gin” for some of the best of what the band had to offer, complete with a “Rift” fakeout. The tour’s second “The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday” > “Avenu Malkenu” > “The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday” came next along with Phish’s recently debuted cover of “Life On Mars?” by David Bowie. An a capella “Hello My Baby” led into the McConnell showcase “The Squirming Coil” to end the frame. Phish treated the sold-out crowd to the tour’s first “Loving Cup” as the encore.
Advertisement
Stream an audience recording of Phish’s November 9, 1995 shared by fromtheaquarium below queued up to “Reba”:
