Phish: new archival release Alpine Valley '98

Another archival Phish release is available for streaming and download: Alpine Valley '98:

On August 1, 1998 Phish returned to Alpine Valley in East Troy, WI for their third show in America’s Dairyland in as many years. Alpine is a favorite venue – one of the largest amphitheaters on the circuit with a capacity of 37,000, sprawling parking lot, a steep-sloped lawn, and wooden roof. This was the thirteenth show of a 23-date U.S. summer tour. Tickets and parking cost $27.75, and the show was sold out. The rowdy Saturday night Alpine crowd was pumped but, even amidst the Summer of Covers, nobody could have predicted this show’s bookends.

Set I exploded out of the gate with a four-song opening sequence of Ramble On > Mike’s Song > Esther > Weekapaug Groove. The Led Zeppelin debut followed by Mike’s > Esther (the only such combination to-date) sent shockwaves through the audience. This was the first Esther in almost two years, and it resolved into a funky cowbell-driven Weekapaug. Other set I notables included Fikus, a rarity debuted earlier that summer in Copenhagen that appeared on ‘The Story of the Ghost’ album that fall, and a lively Funky Bitch set closer. Set II highlights included Wilson > 2001 > (1998’s only) Magilla > 2001, a transcendent Tweezer > Fluffhead, and a blazing fast Chalk Dust Torture. The encore was another debut cover - Jane’s Addiction’s Been Caught Stealing > Tweezer Reprise, that put the exclamation point on this quintessential summer ‘98 show.

Setlist and notes from phish.net:

SET 1: Ramble On[1] > Mike's Song -> Esther > Weekapaug Groove, Guyute, Fikus, Birds of a Feather, Lawn Boy > Funky Bitch

SET 2: Piper > Wilson > Also Sprach Zarathustra -> Magilla > Also Sprach Zarathustra > Tweezer > Fluffhead, Brian and Robert > Albuquerque > Chalk Dust Torture, Frankenstein

ENCORE: Been Caught Stealing[1] > Tweezer Reprise

[1] Phish debut.

This show was webcast live and marked the Phish debuts of Ramble On and Been Caught Stealin’, as well as the breakout of Esther (first since October 19, 1996, or 139 shows). 2001 contained Crosseyed and Painless teases from Trey. Chalk Dust included a Jean Pierre tease from Trey and a Shake a Tail Feather tease from Mike.

» livephish.com