From: Ethan White
Subject: review 12/4 Umass Phish show

Oh, it was a lovely night for a Phish show. The parking lot was fun but 
freezing, so it was nice finally get in the warm, polished Mullins 
Center. I was upset when I first saw my seats: behind and to the right 
of the stage. Little did I know that these would be some of the best 
seats in the house.
I don't remeber exactly the sets (I forgot my pad of paper), but here's 
a rough guess from memory:
SET 1                             SET 2
Julius                            really can't remember
Gumbo                             ??????
Divided Sky                       Stash  
Sparkle                           new slow song
PYITE--->landlady--->PYITE        YEM-->vocal jam
Hello My Baby (a capella)         Sample in a Jar
Axilla                            Horse--SITM
Antelope                          
While My Guitar Gently Weeps                                            encore- Bouncin, Rocky Top                              

        Sorry about the inadequacy of the set list. As you can see, the second 
set sorty of blurs together in my mind. Whoever has the complete list 
please send it to me!
HIGHLIGHTS:
Julius and Gumbo were pretty standard- I got nervous when they started 
with a Hoist song. Divided Sky was nice- Trey stopped the song for what 
seemed like five minutes before hitting the final note that goes into 
the fast part. Good jam. Sparkle was fun, if a bit overplayed. Then, 
PYITE!!!!! My first one, and was it glorious! Definately the highlight 
of the set, if not the show. Then, who knew? A capella in TUNE!! It was 
a genually great performance. Their a capella has improved enormously. 
Axilla- whatever. I had started to get nervous (Hoist spells trouble), 
but then, Antelope!!! Wow! This was better than the New Years version at 
Boston- a crazy jam that Trey kept buiding on. (I could see him smiling 
at Mike when everyone thought he would stop and he didn't!!). To close 
out the set, a GORGEOUS While My Guitar. Trey was ON. His guitar was 
wailing. Set 2 began with the UMASS minuteman making the chess move for 
the audience, and, I'm sorry but this is when my mind goes hazy. I 
recall a great Stash (but aren't they all? This is my 4th one live), 
SITM, Sample, and a new, slow song that quieted the audience. It had a 
nice tune, but was a little too slow for my taste. Anyway, when they 
satrted YEM I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. Trey streched those 
notes FAR! Has anyone else noticed Mike's profinciancy on the 
trampolines? He's a fucking expert! The vocal jam was the highlight of 
the second set- no rythem, just low, dissonant singing that was not only 
spacy, but SCAREY!! The lights were these white rotating stars that flew 
all around, making the Mullins Center one cosmic joint. I was 
disappointed to hear Bouncin,' especially since they played it two days 
before, and hoped for a second encore. I got Rocky Top!! My first, and 
it was great! I fine close to a good show.
overall, 7 out of 10.
By the way- I sat right where the band walked out; quite a memorable 
experience.
Hopefully I'll do better about tonight's set list!
see you at Worcester!

Ethan
efwhite@amherst.edu

---------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 1997 15:00:09 -0500 (EST)
From: Jonathan Epstein
Subject: 12/4/95

12/4/95 - Mullins Center, UMass, Amherst, MA

Set 1
*****
Julius, Gumbo, Divided, PYITE, Stash!!, My Mind's.., Axilla II,
Horse->Silent, Rag Time Gal, While my Guitar Gently Weeps

Excellent song choice for the first set. I'm not usually one for
Julius, but I must admit, its a great way to open a show. I was
pysched for Gumbo. Sky was excellent. I love that new spacey part in
it. Just befoe Trey's solo part. Psyched for Punch!!. Very good. I
love the Rhodes on this one.  Never saw My Minds before.  O, shit, I
skipped the highlight of the first set.. STASH. Huge Stash. Excellent
excellent Stash. And Guitar Weeps to close the set was also excellent. 

The Umass minuteman made the audience chess move. It was a riot!! I am
a huge fan of the Minuteman. I lvoe seeing him at the hockey games.
What a joy.

Set 2
*****
Timber!!!!!!, Sparkle, Ya Mar, Antelope!!!!, Billy Breathes, CT & B,
YEM, Sample, Frankenstein

Timber was incredible. This was my first Timber in 5 1/2 years
(6/16/90) and it was so good. It jammed really hard for like 10
minutes. Incredible second set opener. Ya Mar was also very good. And
ANTELOPE!! was huge.. this was Phish. If I had to play someone just a
few minute of the Phish, I would play them this Antelope. It rocked
really hard for a while. I wish I had time to go into my explnation of
the Phish machine (I will when I have a little more time), but juist   
thin about parts of Antelope incorporated with the lights to make the
Phish machine. Billy Breathes should be called "Billy Caspian". YEM
was very good, though. And the vocal jam!!! The lights really enhanced
this one. I've said it before, Ill say it again... the lights are
absolutely spectacular this tour. Incredible. I was surprised by the
Frankenstein after Snapple. I figured that'd end it, but nope.

Encore
******
Bouncing, Rocky Top

I was expecting some mayhem, due to the band chitter chatter before
Bouncing, but nope. Bouncing pulls ahead of Mikes song in the classic
"2 shows, 2 Bouncing" maneuver. The score is 17-16, in favor of
Bouncing. I better get a Mikes tonight!!

See you all tonight.      

Later.

Jon.