Phish will revisit the band’s 1998 two-night run at The Gorge Amphitheatre with a new archival release, The Gorge ’98. Out in December on digital and 5CD formats, Friday’s announcement comes alongside a pairing of “Tube” > “Slave to the Traffic Light” from night one.
The preview takes fans back to a time when every “Tube” was jammed out with this slinky, funky delivery. The relaxed pace was indicative of Phish in summer 1998, with the band fresh off a nine-show trip through Europe. Phish arrived back on U.S. soil to open the 23-date summer tour on July 15th, 1998 for a show in Portland, OR, released in 2003 as Live Phish Volume 17.
After that, Trey Anastasio, Mike Gordon, Page McConnell, and Jon Fishman headed north to George, WA for a two-night stay at The Gorge. The band had made its debut at the bucolic shed the previous summer with a two-night introduction on August 2nd and 3rd. Since then, The Gorge has become a regular stop for Phish with the band playing there 22 times in total. Among the highlights of the 1998 run is a four-song second set on night two, featuring the longest “2001” to date.
Listen to Phish stitch together “Tube” and “Slave to the Traffic Light” from the upcoming The Gorge ’98 archival release. Details including a drop date and pre-order information are expected next week.
Phish – “Tube” > “Slave to the Traffic Light” – 7/16/98
Setlist: Phish | The Gorge Amphitheatre | George, WA | 7/16/98
Set One: The Squirming Coil, NICU, Stash, Reba > Fast Enough for You > When the Circus Comes, Run Like an Antelope
Set Two: Julius, The Moma Dance > Piper, Axilla > David Bowie, Tube > Slave to the Traffic Light
Encore:Â Sample in a Jar
Reba did not have the whistling ending.
Setlist: Phish | The Gorge Amphitheatre | George, WA | 7/17/98
Set One: Makisupa Policeman > Ya Mar, Gumbo, Divided Sky, Waste > My Mind’s Got a Mind of its Own, My Soul
Set Two: Also Sprach Zarathustra > Mike’s Song > Weekapaug Groove > Character Zero
Encore: Punch You in the Eye > Rocky Top
Trey teased Close to the Edge and Makisupa Policeman in Ya Mar. Gumbo included Fire (Ohio Players) teases. This unfinished Weekapaug included syncopated jamming and a tease of the theme that signals the closing of the jam segment of Taste by Trey.