PHISH: The Spectrum ‘97: The Spectrum was a multipurpose arena in Philadelphia that opened in 1967 as “America’s Showcase”. It was home to the Philadelphia Flyers and 76ers and hosted notable sporting events and music performances from 1967 until 2009 when it was imploded. A 1974 Billboard Magazine ad proclaimed the venue “The House That Rock Built” with a list of monumental talent that “have all appeared at the Spectrum, the rock capital of the world, where over 1 million rock fans a year have for seven years insured Philadelphia’s preeminence as king of the Rock.”
On December 2nd and 3rd, 1997 Phish brought their “Phish Destroys America” fall tour to the Spectrum. The band sang the national anthem on December 1st at the Flyers vs. Sabres game in the new Corestates Center (aka Spectrum II) before moving next door to the Spectrum. December 2nd and 3rd were Phish’s fourth and fifth of nine Spectrum shows between 1995 and 2003 and their second two-night stand at the legendary venue where Trey saw his first rock concert and supported the Flyers while growing up in New Jersey. ‘The Spectrum ’97’ took place on a Tuesday and Wednesday night, tickets cost $25, and the band stormed the place with swagger and grace.
December 2nd highlights began with the opener Buried Alive > Down With Disease > Makisupa Policeman and continued with a burning fast Chalk Dust Torture and Ghost > Divided Sky. This Ghost > Divided Sky was a one-time pairing with an electro-funk dance party Ghost and the only Divided Sky of fall tour. Set II opened with an incredible Mike’s Song > Simple > Dog Faced Boy > Ya Mar > Weekapaug Groove segment that stretched more than an hour with a double-jammed Mike’s, Dog Faced Boy played to a calypso beat, extended Ya Mar with shoutouts to Trey’s Grandpoony, and Weekapaug thick with funky Clavinet and a high-speed ending. The December 3rd show opened with Punch You In The Eye > My Soul and a hot Drowned and closed with a unique combination of Gumbo > 2001 > You Enjoy Myself. The final Spectrum ‘97 set was a non-stop affair with David Bowie > Possum > Philly ’97 Jam > Prince Caspian > Frankenstein, followed by Harry Hood and a Crossroads encore. Bowie’s intro included references to the venue’s sports mecca status with Take Me Out To The Ballgame and Baby Elephant Walk teases. The Philly ’97 Jam that developed out of Possum was a standalone funk jam with siren effects and fight bell, foreshadowing the Dayton Jam out of Tube later that week.
‘The Spectrum ‘97’ box set captures two formative nights of crucial Phish at a legendary venue recorded by Paul Languedoc to multitrack, mixed by Jon Altschiller, and mastered by Fred Kevorkian. A glimpse backstage is provided by the Funky Bitch soundcheck included at the end of the 12/2 show. This collection is a perfect way to celebrate the power of Phish at The Spectrum.
SHOW NOTES:
•12/2/97 Makisupa keyword “pot” uttered by Mike
•12/2/97 1st Dog Faced Boy played since 8/12/96
•12/2/97 Ya Mar included “Grampoony” shoutouts and a Crosseyed And Painless tease
•12/2/97 Weekapaug included an Izabella teases
•12/3/97 2001 included a brief The Moma Dance/Black Eyed Katy tease and Super Bad teases
•12/3/97 YEM included a Smoke On The Water tease
•12/3/97 David Bowie tuneup/intro included Charge! Take Me Out To The Ballgame and Baby Elephant Walk teases, and Simpsons secret language.
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