Search - Phish :: Live Phish Vol. 14: 10/31/95, Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, Illinois

Dissociative Identities

My Uncle Stu | Boston | 12/19/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"
I have very mixed opinions about these Phish Halloween live releases. First off, kudos to the band. I have to appreciate any band dedicated to its audience enough to rehearse up an entire albums worth of music for a single show. And it's a clever concept, having the band go in disguise on Halloween not via costumes but by covering a classic album by another band. But here's the down side: The actual music is not that good. The problem is, constrained by both the amount of material they need to learn as well as their attempted fidelity to the original, a band like Phish, appreciated for their improvisatory skill and energetic style, is not playing to its strength. I was beside myself with anticipation prior to hearing Phish covering the Beatles White Album (10/31/95, Live Phish Volume 13). But what I ended up getting was something a little less than the Beatles White Album itself and a little less than Phish playing Phish.



However, of the series, this one was my favorite. On October 31st, 1995, in my old backyard of the Rosemont Horizon, Phish played the Who's Quadrophenia, and it does not disappoint. Something about this Who album translates well to Phish plus horn section.



Even minus the Quadrophenia, this is a live show worth owning. In all fairness to Phish, I should have mentioned before that they do play a generous amount of their own music before and after the Halloween cover album in these shows. Volume 14 features a marathon You Enjoy Myself, A Day in the Life, My Generation (A Who cover but not part of Quadrophenia), a nice Sparkle into Free, and Divided Sky. Buy it and enjoy. Gotta go, nighty-night.



"

Phish hit it well!

plinny32 | Haddonfield, New Jersey | 01/14/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Quadrophenia is one of the most complex albums made, and also one of the best. I am honored, as a who and phish fan, that phish did a cover of quadrophenia, my personal favorite who album. I know it was tough for trey to sing as daltrey and play guitar as townshend at the same time, but fishman had the hardest job of taking keith moon's job. Either way, phish played awesome and if you are a phish or who fan, buy this album"

Three words: You Enjoy Myself.

Philip C. Cody | 08/04/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Phish's Halloween 1995 concert is a great show. It has an excellent first set, highlighted by Trey's jazzy solo in "Ya Mar" and a sweeping "Free." The group's famous spoken word pieces "Harpua" and "Icculus" shine throughout. Unfortunately, I can't comment much on the Quadrophenia songs because I am not familiar with the album, although they are very well performed with the Phishy twist to them, although extended improvisations are missed. The 10/31/98 show featuring the Velvet Underground's Loaded was better in my opinion, largely because I am familiar with the tunes on Loaded, but Phish jams them out on that show. What I can comment on, however, is one of the crown jewels in Phish history: the epic 40:10 YEM. Yes, I paid 25 bucks for this 4-disc album, but hearing rumors about that YEM made me buy it. It lived up to every expectation and more. Throughout 40 minutes, Phish explores the heights of manic, speed-fueled guitar jamming (listen to the audience go completely nuts around the 15-minute mark) to the depths of space to monolithic blues-derived slow rock. The group's entire history summed up in less than an hour. Equally legendary is the 12/29/94 David Bowie, which is fortunate enough to recieve release in this series. The show closes with an amusing (if predictable) cover of "My Generation," featuring one Jonathan Fishman gleefully trashing his drum kit (surprise!) Kieth Moon-style. Fun way to close the show. But if not for the YEM, this would have been simply a very good Phish show. The YEM made it a show that would go down in Phishistory. 'Nuff said."