History YMMV / Phish

** A favorite show of hardcore fans is the show on June 14, 2000 at the Drum Logos club in Fukuoka, Japan, captured on ''Live Phish 4''. The show is part of Phish's only Japanese tour, where they played in small clubs to audiences full of Japanese noise-rock fans and American fans so devoted to the band that they traveled ''across the planet'' to see them play, giving the show a very homey, relaxed vibe. According to lore, Phish partook in some particularly psychedelic magic mushrooms before the show, and that caused the band to take their music in spacey, unexpected directions that night. The first set is well loved for its offbeat psychedelic jazz feel, while the second set is one of the most exploratory sets the band ever played, featuring two ambient jams and an 18 minute version of "Twist" that is considered to be definitive version of that song.

** A favorite show of hardcore fans is the show on June 14, 2000 at the Drum Logos club in Fukuoka, Japan, captured on ''Live Phish 4''. The show is part of Phish's only Japanese tour, where they played in small clubs to audiences full of Japanese noise-rock fans and American fans so devoted to the band that they traveled ''across the planet'' to see them play, giving the show a very homey, relaxed vibe. According to lore, Phish partook in some particularly psychedelic magic mushrooms before the show, and that caused the band to take their music in spacey, unexpected directions that night. The first set is well loved for its offbeat psychedelic jazz feel, while the second set is one of the most exploratory sets the band ever played, featuring two ambient jams and 18 minute version of "Twist" that is considered to be definitive version of that song.

** A favorite show of hardcore fans is the show on June 14, 2000 at the Drum Logos club in Fukuoka, Japan. The show is part of Phish's only Japanese tour, where they played in small clubs to audiences full of Japanese noise-rock fans and American fans so devoted to the band that they traveled ''across the planet'' to see them play, giving the show a very homey, relaxed vibe. According to lore, Phish partook in some particularly psychedelic magic mushrooms before the show, and that caused the band to take their music in spacey, unexpected directions that night. The first set is well loved for its offbeat psychedelic jazz feel, while the second set is one of the most exploratory sets the band ever played, featuring two ambient jams and 18 minute version of "Twist" that is considered to be definitive version of that song.

** The band's four show Island Tour in 1998 - named because it comprised of two shows in Long Island, New York and two more in Providence, Rhode Island - is widely considered to be one of the band's career highlights. The concerts are held in high regard for the band's energetic playing, the extended jams and a focus on a psychedelic jazz-funk sound particularly favored by some hardcore fans.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Curveball, the band's planned 2018 festival, [[https://variety.com/2018/music/news/phish-curveball-festival-canceled-flooding-fans-onsite-1202908110/ was cancelled 24 hours]] before it was set to start due to flooding in the Finger Lakes area of upstate New York where it was to take place. A combination of flash floods, unsafe road conditions and concerns about the quality of the drinking water played part in the state's decision.

* DorkAge: Generally, fans agree that the band's 2004 tour was their lowest point. These were the last shows before the band broke up, and they were at a fairly low morale point. The band's worst show is considered to be the tour's opener, in Las Vegas on April 15, 2004. Although there are certainly highlights - like Music/JayZ making an appearance with the band at one of their Brooklyn shows - even the best shows on this tour are considered SoOkayItsAverage at best.
** The Coventry Festival, which ended that 2004 tour and were the band's last shows for five years, were plagued by sound and weather issues. It was also very clear that the band were too upset to perform at certain points. This culminated in a horrible, messy version of "Glide" during the festival's final concert that is usually considered to be the band's worst onstage moment. The band would recover with a great "Split Open and Melt" right after that, but that final show in general is considered to be one of the worst they ever played. Although Coventry is an important part of the band's history and does have a few songs worth recommending, it is not considered to be an easy listen. Happily, the band has been in ''significantly'' better form since they reunited in 2009.

** The biggest example of this is "Ya Mar", a calypso song by the obscure band The Mustangs. Mike Gordon heard the tune on a Caribbean vacation in the late 1980s, fell in love with it, and immediately taught it to the rest of the band. It's remained part of their rotation ever since.

** The Coventry Festival, which ended that 2004 tour and were the band's last shows for five years, were plagued by sound and weather issues. It was also very clear that the band were too upset to perform at certain points. This culminated in a horrible, messy version of "Glide" during the festival's final concert that is usually considered to be the band's worst onstange moment. Although Coventry is an important part of the band's history and does have a few songs worth recommending, it is not considered to be an easy listen. Happily, the band has been in ''significantly'' better form since they reunited in 2009.

** The Coventry Festival, which ended that 2004 and were the band's last shows for five years, were plagued by sound and weather issues. It was also very clear that the band were too upset to perform at certain points. This culminated in a horrible, messy version of "Glide" during the festival's final concert that is usually considered to be the band's worst onstange moment. Although Coventry is an important part of the band's history and does have a few songs worth recommending, it is not considered to be an easy listen. Happily, the band has been in ''significantly'' better form since they reunited in 2009.

* DorkAge: Generally, fans agree that the band's 2004 tour was their lowest point. These were the last shows before the band broke up, and they were at a fairly low morale point. The band's worst show is considered to be the tour's opener, in Las Vegas on April 15, 2004. Although there are certainly highlights - like Music/JayZ making an appearance with the band at one of their Brooklyn shows - even the best shows on this tour are considered SoOkayItsAverage at best. The Coventry Festival, the band's last shows for five years, were plagued by sound and weather issues and it was very clear that the band were too upset to play at certain points. This culminated in a horrible, messy version of "Glide" during the festival's final concert that is usually considered to be the band's worst onstange moment. Although Coventry is an important part of the band's history and does have a few songs worth recommending, it is not considered to be an easy listen. Happily, the band has been in ''significantly'' better form since they reunited in 2009.

* DorkAge: Generally, fans agree that the band's 2004 tour was their lowest point. These were the last shows before the band broke up, and they were at a fairly low morale point. The band's worst show is considered to be the tour's opener, in Las Vegas on April 15, 2004. Although there are certainly highlights - like Music/JayZ making an appearance with the band at one of their Brooklyn shows - even the best shows on this tour are considered SoOkayItsAverage at best. The Coventry Festival, the band's last shows for five years, were plagued by sound and weather issues and it was very clear that the band were too upset to play at certain points. Although Coventry is an important part of the band's history and does have a few songs worth recommending, it is not considered to be an easy listen. Happily, the band has been in ''significantly'' better form since they reunited in 2009.

* DorkAge: Generally, fans agree that the band's 2004 tour was the band's lowest point. These were the last shows before the band broke up, and they were at a fairly low morale point, while Trey Anastasio was also in the midst of a bad drug addiction. In particular, the band's three show run at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas that kicked off the tour are held particularly low regard by fans due to the uncharacteristically sloppy performances throughout. The Coventry festival in Vermont that August, which were the band's final performances for five years, is due to sound issues and awful weather that plagued the entire run. The general fan consensus on Coventry is that there are a couple excellent performances scattered throughout, but listening to the whole festival is not recommended for new fans. Happily, the band has been in ''significantly'' better form since they reunited in 2009.

* DorkAge: Generally, fans agree that the band's 2004 tour was the band's lowest point. These were the last shows before the band broke up, and they were at a fairly low morale point, while Trey Anastasio was also in the midst of a bad drug addiction. In particular, the band's three show run at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas that kicked off the tour are held particularly low regard by fans due to the uncharacteristically sloppy performances throughout. The Coventry festival in Vermont that August, which were the band's final performances for five years, is also not well liked for the same reasons, along with sound issues that plagued the band's equipment for the entire run. Happily, the band has been in ''significantly'' better form since they reunited in 2009.

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: The Big Cypress festival. Around 85,000 people attended what ended up being the largest New Year's concert going on, which was a big deal considering it was about to be the new millennium. On the second night, the band played for seven and a half hours, midnight-to-sunrise, without any breaks. Not only that, but the show is widely considered to be one of Phish's all-time best concerts, with the band bringing both quantity and quality. Tell me with a straight face that isn't impressive. The band certainly thought it was, and were convinced when they walked off stage that morning that they would never top it.

** The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFiDu-rNZrI performance of "Bathtub Gin"]] at the Great Went festival in 1997 is regularly singled out as one of the Phish's best jams. There's even a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0ifIs3_7Zw video essay]] that dissects every portion of the jam to explain why it sounds so good.

** The DVD ''Phish: Walnut Creek'' features the band's performance at the Walnut Creek Amphitheatre in Raleigh, North Carolina on July 22, 1997. Aside from being a great show from one of Phish's best years, what makes the concert particularly is that the band played it outdoors during a ''torrential thunderstorm''. Lightning struck the stage three times during the first set, and the third one convinced the band to wrap up the set early. After an hour delay, the band came back and played a full second set, with a special treat for fans that braved the weather: a 20-minute "Down with Disease" that segued into a four part "Mike's Groove" (the regular three songs plus "Simple"). To this day, it remains the only time those two classics have ever been played back-to-back at a Phish show.

** The band's four show Island Tour in 1998 - named because it comprised of two shows at the Nassau Colosseum in Long Island, New York and two shows at the Providence Civic Center in Providence, Rhode Island - is widely considered to be one of the band's career highlights. The concerts are held in high regard for the band's energetic playing, the extended jams and a focus on a psychedelic jazz-funk sound particularly favored by some hardcore fans.

* DorkAge: Generally, fans agree that the band's 2004 tour was the band's lowest point. These were the last shows before the band broke up, and they were at a fairly low morale point, while Trey Anastasio was also in the midst of a bad drug addiction. In particular, the band's three show run at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas that kicked off the tour are held particularly low regard by fans due to the uncharacteristically sloppy performances throughout. The Coventry festival in Vermont that August, which were the band's final performances for five years, is also not well liked for the same reasons. Happily, the band has been in ''significantly'' better form since they reunited in 2009.

* DorkAge: Generally, fans agree that the band's 2004 tour was the band's lowest point. These were the last shows before the band broke up, and they were at a fairly low morale point, while Trey Anastasio was also in the midst of a nearly fatal drug addiction. In particular, the band's three show run at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas that kicked off the tour are held particularly low regard by fans due to the uncharacteristically sloppy performances throughout. The Coventry festival in Vermont that August, which were the band's final performances for five years, is also not well liked for the same reasons. Happily, the band has been in ''significantly'' better form since they reunited in 2009.

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: The Big Cypress festival. Around 85,000 people attended what ended up being the largest New Year's concert going on, which was a big deal considering it was about to be the new millennium. On the second night, the band played for seven and a half hours, midnight-to-sunrise, without any breaks. Not only that, but the show is widely considered to be one of the band's all-time finest performances, with the band bringing both quantity and quality. Tell me with a straight face that isn't impressive. The band certainly thought it was, and were convinced when they walked off stage that morning that they would never top it.

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: The Big Cypress festival. Around 85,000 people attended what ended up being the largest New Year's concert going on, which was a big deal considering it was about to be the new millennium. On the second night, the band played for seven and a half hours, midnight-to-sunrise, without any breaks. Tell me with a straight face that isn't impressive.

** Phish was on hand to induct Music/{{Genesis}} into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They could have taken the easy way out and play them in with one of the PhilCollins-era pop hits. Instead, they played a full-length [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQPh2EM0Ack "Watcher of the Skies"]], a song just progressive enough to be a subtle TakeThat to all of those who've kept Genesis and other prog-rock bands out of the Hall of Fame for so long.

* FanCommunityNicknames: Originally fans were called "Glides" (which in turn inspired the title of the song "Glide") and then later "Phans" or "Phish Heads".