Starting on April 2nd, 1998, Phish kicked off a four-night run known forever as the Island Tour. Playing two nights at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale on New York’s Long Island and another two at the Providence Civic Center in Providence, Rhode Island, the four-night run has taken on a legendary status in the band’s rich catalog of performances.
With one listen, it’s easy to see why. Opening with “Tube,” the band gets to work on some serious funk, setting the tone for an exceptional run of performances. The set also features a very exploratory “Stash”, crossing 13 minutes into uncharted jam waters. The set rolls through “Horn” and “Waste” before concluding with a big “Chalk Dust Torture”.
You can watch set one in full below.
Phish – Nassau Coliseum – Uniondale, NY – 4/2/98 – Set One
[Video: thegreatboognish]
Set two brought more great music, including the debut of a Phish staple, “Birds Of A Feather”, as well as “Frankie Says” which after 1998 would prove to be a rarity. There are lots of exceptional jam segues in the second set as well, including a seamless “Wolfman’s Brother” into “Sneakin’ Sally Through The Alley”. The music keeps grooving through “Twist”, which breaks the 13-minute mark into deep funk territory. “Sleeping Monkey” and “Rocky Top” close out this monster set, followed by a delightful “Guyute” encore for the ages.
You can stream set two as well. The video is chopped into several sections, but they’re all available via the playlist below:
Phish – Nassau Coliseum – Uniondale, NY – 4/2/98 – Set One
[Video: ErroneousJ]
Setlist [via phish.net]: Phish | Nassau Coliseum | Uniondale, NY | 4/2/98
Set 1: Tube, My Mind’s Got a Mind of its Own, The Sloth, NICU, Stash[1] > Horn > Waste > Chalk Dust Torture
Set 2: Punch You In the Eye > Simple > Birds of a Feather[2], Wolfman’s Brother -> Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley[3] -> Frankie Says[2] > Twist > Sleeping Monkey > Rocky Top
Encore: Guyute
[1] Unfinished.
[2] Debut.
[3] No vocal jam.
[Originally published 4/2/16]