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Phish - August 21st, 1987

Ian McLean's Farm · Hebron · NY

Friday1987 Tour1987-08-21
Songs played
31
3 sets · longest: Set 2 (13)
Average gap
5.8
rarer than 67% of all shows, 42% of 1987
Biggest bustout
50
Low Rider - shows since last played
Debuts
3
Hold Your Head Up, Big Black Furry Creature from Mars, Stir It Up
Rotation42% fresh vs previous 5 shows7 repeats from 1987-08-10 - Peaches en Regalia, Divided Sky, The Curtain With, Wilson, Golgi Apparatus, Fee, David Bowie
HarpualegendaryMike's Groove1/3Gamehendge2/9Related to Gamehendge3/11bustout50+ show gap

1 First known Phish performance.

2 Restarted after the opening lyric.

3 Extended intro.

4 First known performance.

5 Freestyle reggae rapping from Trey.

6 Unfinished.

7 Harpua Sandwich: Harpua bookended Bundle of Joy in Set 2 - the 2nd on record, the first since May 11th, 1987.

(Surrender to the) Flow of the night
3:42:41 of music

Song length in play order. Tap a point for that song. Swipe the chart to see the rest.

29:2914:45SET 1SET 2SET 3Dog Log - 4:26 (Set 1)Peaches en Regalia - 3:14 (Set 1)Divided Sky - 4:51 (Set 1)Funky Bitch - 10:40 (Set 1)Harry Hood - 14:50 (Set 1)Clod - 6:09 (Set 1)The Curtain With - 15:52 (Set 1)Light Up Or Leave Me Alone - 10:43 (Set 1)Shaggy Dog - 3:55 (Set 1)Wilson - 6:49 (Set 1)Camel Walk - 5:14 (Set 1)Mike's Song - 17:40 (Set 2)Harpua - 9:51 (Set 2)Golgi Apparatus - 4:34 (Set 2)Sparks - 6:13 (Set 2)Flat Fee - 2:53 (Set 2)Fee - 7:49 (Set 2)Skin It Back - 29:29 (Set 2)Big Black Furry Creature from Mars - 5:40 (Set 3)McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters - 9:42 (Set 3)Stir It Up - 16:59 (Set 3)David Bowie - 16:34 (Set 3)Sanity - 6:29 (Set 3)Swing Low, Sweet Chariot - 2:05 (Set 3)
Longest: Skin It Back 29:29 · 24 songs with recorded lengths
When it debuted

Tonight's unique songs by the era Phish first played them.

  • '83-'8930
Album representation

The studio home of each song, from phish.net. Covers count as one slice.

  • Junta4
  • The White Tape2
  • Covers11
  • No studio album13
Gap since last played

Shows since each song's previous appearance. A big number is a bustout.

  • 1-216
  • 3-51
  • 6-159
  • 16-501
Originals vs covers

Whose songbook tonight drew from.

  • Phish original19
  • Argent1
  • Bob Marley and The Wailers1
  • Frank Zappa1
  • Little Feat1
  • Max Creek1
  • Sam Hopkins1
  • Son Seals1
  • The Who1
  • Traditional1
  • Traffic1
  • War1
Rarity board

A typical night, rotation-wise - 4 songs shelved 50+ shows.

Gap = shows since the song was last played, at the moment it was played.

Jam chart entries
Harry Hood

Strong early "Hood" includes a long, slow-tempo intro (to 3:50) with dogs barking in the background, and a soaring and unusually long (for this period) Trey-led jam, prompting Fishman to comment "that's why I'm in the band."

The Curtain With

Gotta love the dogs, Marley and/or others barking in the background throughout. The Curtain section is very precise, and filled with a sense of energy. Listening along, you can imagine the band had practiced the composed section extensively. The With jam begins with delicate, lofty soloing by Trey, then gradually builds up to a crescendo, before easing back down and fading into the ether.

Wilson

First ever "Wilson" chant from the band in a stretched out intro with nice droning organ and funky Trey comping before reaching the chord changes. When the band takes the volume down, some incredibly well-timed dog barking leads the band into a few lysergic, descending, atonal moments. Signature, briskly-paced, early version.

Mike's Song

Very improvisational version, for any period. Has "Fluffhead"-like moments, a Grateful Dead vibe at times, and the jamming covers a huge range of exploratory ground. Must-hear early Phish improv.

Skin It Back

Replete with Marley or some other dog's barking, the band launches an exploratory, improvisational take on the Little Feat classic. The driving jam features great Mike and Page, and predictably rapid-fire Trey action. Becoming increasingly abstract after 10:30, the playing begins to settle, and Mike leads the band with a great -> into "Low Rider Jam."

Low Rider

-> from an improvisational "Skin it Back," this early nod to the War classic works to cool down the fury from the preceding jam, as Trey humorously sings "La Bamba" lyrics over the "Low Rider" melody. Picking up a blues-tinged theme after 4:30, this great and grooving full-band improv rocks on and -> "Back Porch Boogie Blues."

Back Porch Boogie Blues

-> in from a fun "Low Rider Jam," you may initially hear Grateful Dead-like jamming in this blues-based instrumental. Trey leads the band into increasingly frenetic playing, and Mike and Fish heroically manage to keep up with the torrid pace. Settling down into a more groovy bent, Trey cleverly sets the deck for an unexpected -> to "The Sloth."

McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters

The first version with lyrics sung rather than narrated. The jam follows a similar pattern to others from this period, with Trey strumming quite a bit while Page rocks the keyboard, but this one grows increasingly intense before seeming to veer towards "Possum." Instead, the jam explores more ground, then -> to "Stir It Up Jam" with no return to the typical closing.

Stir It Up

-> in from a strong "McGrupp." While all members contribute (Page's early playing is varied and inspiried) Trey dominates, slowly working Marley's "Stir It Up" into its more traditional form, the ensuing jam informed by lines warm and melodic, rich in tone. Beautiful, must-hear material.

Makisupa Policeman

A supremely odd version. "Makisupa" proper begins more than six minutes in, after the "Stir It Up Jam" comes to a full stop. The first few minutes feature Trey ad libbing, lyrics over a loose, playful jam. It's mostly weird, but the last minute of the jam is a long, magnificent segue -> "David Bowie."

Versions phish.net's jam charts single out as noteworthy.

Setlist notes

This show is mislabeled on many recordings as 8/27/87. Teases were everywhere, including a Trench Town Rock quote from Trey before Hood, a Whipping Post tease from Fish and a Jingle Jangle Jingle tease from Trey after HYHU, a full band Sneakin' Sally tease before Golgi, a Smoke on the Water tease after Sparks, La Bamba lyrics in the Low Rider Jam, as well as a full band HYHU tease and a Slipknot! tease from Trey before McGrupp. Harpua was played by request and was restarted after the opening lyric, which was repeated. The intro to Sparks was extended while Fish relieved himself. McGrupp was introduced as "The Gala Event." The third set was heavy on jamming and light on lyrics. Trey delivered some freestyle reggae rapping before and during the Makisupa Jam that some fans have labeled the “Mouse House Rap.” Mike's included a DEG tease from Trey. David Bowie contained a Tom Sawyer tease and was unfinished. This show contained the first known performance of BBFCFM and the first known Phish performance of HYHU.

Setlist, gaps, jam charts, and notes from phish.net, a project of the non-profit Mockingbird Foundation.

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