The Jam Charts · phish.net's good stuff
The phish.net curators flag the versions that go somewhere - the ones worth pulling the tapes for. This is all of it, counted our way. Tap a song for its history, a date for the night.
Chartings by year
When the good stuff happened, by the curators' count. Tap a bar (or a year below) to read that year's charts.
The 1990 charts
89 entries · 53 nightsExcellent version with solid exploratory jamming as well as simmering tension as the jam progresses.
The first of a handful of "heavy metal" versions (see also: 1/28/90, 2/9/90, 2/21/97 as well as 9/29/00's "heavy metal jam.") "Wilson's" intro starts with a power rock version of the verse chord progression courtesy of Trey, replete with coordinated unison accent hits from the rest of the band. In…
Page is steady, precise and confident throughout. From his excellent fills and soloing in Who Do? We Do! to subtle runs in Clod's early going, the Chairman is clearly in his element here. Meanwhile, Trey and Mike provide awesome support as the intensity and tension build towards the conclusion. Arr…
Trey creates such incredible sustain (and on two separate occasions) that this effort alone merits consideration. Or you can simply use the time listening to Mike, Page, and Fish, who, fully in-synch, play expertly one off the other, creating that classic "Reba" syncopation.
Awesome Mike and Page in this exploratory version that includes a "Wipeout" tease (11:02).
"Alumni Blues" tease in intro. Cool jam that's quite different and interesting. Good quality recording.
Thoroughly ripping early version which again includes a Theme from Bonanza tease.
Awesome segue into "Possum!"
Great "Esther" with strong, full-band playing. Both Page and Trey standout amidst this version which features a unique, shuffling tempo.
Dave Grippo on alto saxophone.
With a noticeably faster tempo for the era, the inventive and sustained "Manteca" teasing grabs one's attention at first, but the dynamic modulation and inspired interaction between Trey and Mike is what truly impresses, here. A highly musical build, with Trey trilling and scattering notes - while…
Grippo on sax. Teasefest includes "Frankenstein."
First version. Long drum intro.
Debut.
"Another One Bites The Dust" and "Gumbo" teases, very good B&D section.
A fun and playful intro yields to strong and spirited playing. Trey's solo is particularly melodic, and great full-band syncopation (highlighted by some notable percussion) rounds out this excellent version.
Breaks from the standard at about 5:30 into a dissonant and somewhat jazz-like foray with excellent Mike and Fish. No real return to "Antelope" before the "Rocco" section, which is nicely extended, cool and funky.
"Flashlight" teases." "You Gotta Be A Doctor" VJ.
Solid version all around, with good interplay, great Fish, and Machine Gun Trey makes a strong showing.
Ass-kicking version that gets out there nicely and is loaded with tension and dissonance. Some sick Trey playing leading to and during the trill.
Big Red lulls us with some beautiful soloing, before training the machine gun at the audience and firing at will.
"Johnny B. Goode" teases plus a somewhat dissonant and incendiary conclusion to the jam. This is a serious ripper.
Very improvisational jamming distinguishes this early thriller. The excellent recording showcases the band sounding fantastic throughout the composed section. Great Mike underpins this version, which finds Trey leading the others through the jam, modifying his tone, and deftly modulating intensity…
"Norwegian Wood" teases in the intro and jam. Good quality jam with some interesting and unscripted variation by Trey.
Seemingly inspired of a single vision, Trey's tone and soulful sustain evokes the mournful pathos of the band's signature 9/14/00 version (Live Phish 3), created more than a decade later. Incredible.
Amusing opening (lyrical) section.
Awesome version with the "Reverend" Jeff Mosier on banjo and Oteil Burbridge on bass. Great intro, good jam with a huge peak, and then a cool breakdown jam featuring the bass acompanied with scat singing.
Hilarious VJ!
Crazy, long early version. At one point Mike sounds like he will break into into "Heartbreaker."
Dissonant jam with lots of "DEG"-like jamming.
-> in from "Fee." Groovy and excellent Page section with solid backing from Mike and Fish. It's all good from there.
Good exploratory version that gets nicely beyond the standard. Great tension, dissonance and experimental jamming.
Incredible Trey. And Page's keys lend added menace to this tense and harrowing early masterpiece. This Mule bites with a vengeance!
The beginning of this excellent jam is unusual and in minor key. Version released on Live Bait Vol. 5.
Kick-Ass version that rages but is also very improvisational. Mike and Trey rock.
Debut. Like other 1990 versions, the jam includes some building tension which is largely absent in later versions and does not include a guitar solo to end the jam.
Jazzy, extended, and inspired, all four members equally contribute to ensure a memorable debut.
Debut is straightforward but well-received by the audience.
Multiple Charlie Chan signals as well as Popeye, Random Laugh and Oom Pa Pa signals. (aka "secret language").
Debut.
In addition to the predictably fleet fingered Trey, Page rocks the B-3 for a long stretch and Fish hammers away on the drums.
Many intro teases and signals (see Setlist). The is an evil monster with dark and very improvisational jamming, rhythmic shifts, and teases and signals in the jam proper. Machine Gun Trey in combat action towards the end.
Why he is called Machine Gun Trey.
Quality jam includes experimental melody lines from Trey, signals, and multiple rolling peaks before the big one.
The audience really gets into this one, clapping along with the band as they all rock it up with Page in a high energy and super fun version.
The jam breaks beyond "Antelope" several times and keeps circling back. Nice screaming by someone (Fish?). Fish is awesome in this version which also has many signals (see Setlist).
Excellent jam segment; "Sweet Emotion" tease (Mike).
Mike dominates this version which features a swinging vibe, a "Chariots of Fire" tease, in addition to strong playing (and solos) from Trey and Page.
Debut. Drawn-out intro, and it ends kinda suddenly midst the jam. Work in progress.
Dissonant, exploratory jam with great tension building. Crazy Trey and Fish as the jam builds to a peak.
Great pacing and impressive musicianship. Trey modifies his tone and solos beutifully, with Page striking a fine balance.
Mildly dissonant, "DEG"-like jamming early on. Then some great Machine Gun Trey action as the jam cranks up.
An early misstep seems to put a little extra pep in Page's playing, most notably his solo. But not before Trey takes a truly cool line and runs through a series of descending chords to create a jam "Foam"-like in sound and spirit.
Dissonant and experimental jamming at first, followed by dependably blazing fast Trey in the latter half of the jam.
Improvisational jamming is spread throughout, as if in step with the musical ideas flowing from the mind of Trey.
Jam has some interesting key changes as well as the expected 1990-style Machine Gun Trey rapid fire action.
Odd and awesome early version which, in addition to great jazz-inflected soloing by Trey, Page and Mike, also features somewhat dark, almost dissonant jamming before the ending.
Good jam that gets very improvisational, especially after 5:30. Machine Gun Trey in combat duty in the latter part of the jam.
Debut. No recording available.
A very cool section with Trey and Page in a sort of call and response. Then a blazing hot build up to blow the lid off.
> in from "Reba." First recorded version is played at a slightly slower tempo. Format includes the now customary Page and Trey sections and has additional vocal refrains at the ending.
Serious kick-ass, blistering and ripping jam. Straightforward, but so what? Archival release from Live Phish.
Mike repeatedly teases "Wilson's" opening notes in the jam. Tease of "Night in Tunisia" in the vocal jam.
While compact, Trey uncovers an absolutely infectious groove, and, predictably, an incredible jam ensues. Unpredictably, however, the band arrives at the "note" absent Fish's tomming, with the version abruptly soaring into space.
> a strong "Jim," this super, early version, showcases the song's potential - not as a jamming heavyweight, but how "Jim" was played for the better part of four years" A versatile, fiery, "turn-it-up" number, which also functions to illustrate the band's considerable, and emerging, full-band musici…
Impressive, though short, early version with "Heartbreaker" teases.
"Possum" -> "Buried Alive" -> "Possum." Great song pairing and an excellent, improvisational, and fiery jam.
-> in from "Possum." "Buried Alive" is played in the intro. Awesome combination and one of the best "Possums" ever. -> back to "Possum."
-> in from "Buried Alive," which is played in the intro. The jam in this "Possum" is awesome, and the "Buried Alive" sandwich is just the icing on the cake.
Very good pre-'91 jam segment.
Tease-fest intro (see Setlist). The jam itself is pretty ripping and gets beyond "Bowie" with great tension building, nasty guitar licks from Trey, and teases or little jams on "Rocky Mountain Way," "DEG," "Fluffhead," and "Wipe Out." Released on Live Bait 6.
Great, high energy and fun version with strong solos by Trey, Page and Mike.
This is a terrific compact "Hood" with crisp, sharp playing, good interplay, and strong Trey. Great sbd recording too.
Some bluesy Page B-3 action, and sick Trey shredding. [Note: virtually every version from '90 - '92 features incredible playing by the aptly named Machine Gun Trey. You really can't go wrong with any of the versions from this period.]
Very unusual and very exploratory (for "Possum") beginning of the jam with jazz-like Trey and "Foam" teases. Shredfest follows.
Super percussion propels virtually every notable "Jim", and, here, it's fun to follow Fishman. Page, however, provides on-point fills and impressive runs, while Mike, dialed in, compliments Trey's customarily incendiary play.
Includes a full band "Low Rider" jam and subsequent tease from Trey.
Passing through the shoals of Fluff's Travels, The Chase and Who Do? We Do! relatively unscathed, Mike really steps it up in Clod, offering powerful counterpoint to Page and Trey, and rhythmic support of Fish. A groovy Page solo in Clod, replete with a schoolyard taunt, and a solid run through Bund…
Some nice "Manteca" teases/jamming. Mike is really awesome on this one.
Vicious tension and dissonance building. A great short version with teases taboot.
Dave Grippo and Russ Remington on saxophone. No recording available.
Although essentially "Type I," this is a sick puppy with mind-numbing tension, "DEG"-like jamming and a "Mo' Better Blues" tease in the intro. Trey is on fire in the trill section.
A splendid full-band outro with melodic riffing that hints at the "Manteca" which fully emerges from the following -> "Tweezer".
Deservedly popular early version with "Manteca."
-> in from "Tweezer." "Manteca" is sandwiched inside the "Tweezer" jam.
-> in from "Manteca" to complete this "Tweezer."
> from "Coil", "Jim" offers a nice, stark contrast, illustrating the band's versatility. Mike's line (later picked up by Page) is fun and infectious, before the song's sustained and collective calm explodes into incredibly fast play - even for early Trey.
Most charted songs
The vehicles. No surprises up top, which is exactly the point.
Freshly charted
The latest versions to earn a flag, newest night first.
Unidirectional and cohesive, the jam here is focused and the band is locked in from the start with little deviation to deliver a grin inducing and arm raising ride that accelerates to a very satisfying peak before crashing > into Llama.
Thematic jamming that bounces along at an even pace with little deviation and only slight modulation but stays focused without wasting time searching and delivers a steady stream of memorable moments that accumulate rather than peak.
One last 20-minute jam before the run ends. The jam starts out energetic, as most “RW” jams do, and keeps its pace for a while until it turns into time to try and see if the aliens can be summoned. Fish seems not ready to stop rocking, so he finds a way to get the rest of the band back on that path…
Rocking outro gives way to a fairly propulsive, beguiling groove textured with thick bass and then winds down over the course of several minutes in a decidedly off-kilter manner.
Trey’s relaxed comping immediately sets the tone of the jam from the onset, establishing a hazy low-key vibe. Mike then introduces a tonal pivot towards minor key territory which platforms a harmonically-rich and at times sci-fi textured atmosphere. As Page moves to the piano, more organic/clean pl…
> from a “Seven Below” you’ll want to check out. Clearly comfortable in the venue on the penultimate night of their run, the band drops “Plasma” in the two-hole of a four song suite lasting around an hour. The band toys with effects as the jam flows along effortlessly before > into a massive “C&P”.
Emerging from the song proper into a melodic take on the main Crosseyed riff thus setting the table with an emotional build. HEROIC riff from Trey around 840 channels Eno's St Elmo's Fire. We shift around 12:25 into an overdrive rock jam before fading back into an minimalistic groove. The return to…
This version earns its “noteworthy” status by way of a comical instrument switch-up between Trey and Fishman, as Trey takes on the drum chair to allow Fish to blow sweet music on his vacuum. Trey then introduces Fishman by a few of his famous aliases before ending the tune.
Shifts into minor at 6:30 and becomes darkly atmospheric with extensive Trey soloing as it builds dramatically to a final chorus of "breathe".
2026 picks up where ‘25 left off in regards to the extended intro section of this classic rocker. The band remains committed to ‘punching up’ the play here with synth effects as well as some additional clean leads from Trey to guide the affair into the song proper. The “Landlady” section still sadl…
Swampy murk-rock typical of “ASIHTOS” gives way to a patient, dreamy vibe at the 5:00 mark before quickly pivoting back towards psychedelic minor-key space rock. The band holds tight here as the music blooms inward, highlighting a loose but but directional vibe. The jam then threatens a full-on fun…
A laid-back opening then turns briefly darker for a minute around 11:00, after which the intensity picks up and the jam crests with a powerfully sustained peak, and finally washes away in a disconcerting ambient deconstruction which eventually > "Caspian".
Standard “Jim” play begins to hint at something more as Trey briefly abstracts his tone with effects towards the front of the jam. As the harmonic range opens up a bit, a downshift just before the 9:00 mark takes the jam into a murky zone. Fishman’s skittering rhythms underpin an almost futuristic…
39 years after its debut, "The Sloth" makes history with its first encore appearance and first version to feature a bonus segment of hard rock jamming tucked inside of the composition.
After warning some hot dogs to get out of his face, Trey is primed and ready to take Axilla deep again. The band is comfortable hanging in the murk of the song and doesn’t rush towards any of their “comfort jamming zones.” The jam feels gooey as it oozes along. Those who don’t need their jams to pe…
Cosmopolitan jam that stays fairly close to home rhythmically but departs melodically under Trey’s lead, brightening and decorating the neighborhood with a brisk and buoyant optimism and a gentle uplift before returning to the song to conclude.
Steps out of the box with low-key minor jamming which then becomes more mellow and dreamy as it transitions to major with synths and then > "Blaze On".
A dark, spooky, and contemplative affair that maintains forward momentum thanks to Fish’s pushing before shifting efficiently to an upbeat melodic climb with familiar motifs and a crushing climax that decays into an ambient sample laden froth.
Bliss-rock at the front gives way for more assertive, rocking play before a series of modulations begins a push and pull between major and minor key tonalities. Settling towards a funky rock zone, the band finds stability and turns the jam into am ebullient, funk-rock rave-up with a smidge of space…
The jam vehicle of the mid-2020s drives forward in a thick groove space right out of the gates. At 10:20 Trey moves into a rawk space before sliding into a Page/Trey duel that brings back memories of Fall 2021 Phish. Trey's chordal bursts at 16:15 push the jam into a new direction before building t…
A true slow build Piper, the jam builds like all Pipers do before locking in around a Trey and Fishman duel. A chordal peaking jam, this never strays too far from what Piper does best, but it's worth hearing all the same.
Momentarily bordering on plinko to kick things off, the jam becomes echo laden and accented with a dark groove as Trey briefly plays on the low end and Mike’s effects cast a shadow that serves as contrast to what follows. Trey’s lead becomes more linear and Page responds in lockstep. The whole affa…
Opening with snarling leads from Trey, this shifts at 9:40 into a more open terrain before Fishman takes command of the jam's direction. Wall of sound Mike and Page moves into a late-nite ambient space highlighted by Trey and Page trading delicate riffs around 13min. Moving deeper into the ether, t…
Emerging from a swirl of abstract sound, the world's lone Dark Puddle is vibrant and free of form; high quality abstract jamming. Building to a major-key peak around 1045 we descend into Mike-led Fuego quotes before another build just after 13min. We hear the road not taken at Sphere where the visu…
Moving into a familiar hypnotic groove space we shift at 9:15 to a deeper groove which thus opens the space for the jam to blossom. Mike and Fish dominate here before Trey shifts the band into Fuego.
Jam chart entries and descriptions are curated by phish.net, a project of the non-profit Mockingbird Foundation.