From: JOHN WILBANKS 
Subject: Re: Phish reviews

11/22/95
 US Air Arena
 Landover, MD

1.- Cars, Trucks and Buses, Wilson, Antelope, Fluffhead >Travel's, Uncle
Penn, Cavern, Taste (with Fog), Lizards, Sample, Sweet Adeline *

2- Rift, Free>Llama, Bouncing, YEM>Vocal jam, Strange Design

E: Poor Heart>Frankenstein

*a cappella, with mikes

Venue:  I hated seeing the band in a venue this large.  It was a rough
adjustment after some of the places they used to play.  Security was lax
outside, leading to WAY too much nitrous -- that stuff is evil and should
be stopped, hats off to the band for realizing it in their fliers.  Inside
security was rough, with flashlights on every lit cigarette/burning object
and some annoying bouncers.  The sound wasn't bad where I was
sitting, although I've been to USAir Arena in the past and been unable to
hear anything (kudos to the sound crew!).

First set:  good set, with a fantastic run of Wilson, Antelope,
Fluffhead>Travels to really spark things.  Things calmed down with
Uncle Penn and Cavern (I know this tune is beat, but it does bring up
non-Phish Phan energy levels!) but went up to the roof again with
Lizards.  Sample and Sweet Adeline were well done but standard.

Second Set:  Rift sucked -- they could not get it together and looked quite
angry.  Fish was off and finally Trey stopped the tune altogether after
about a minute.  Then Trey stepped up and dedicated the next tune to
Johnny B. Fishman with some very sarcastic comment and the band
launched into...FREE.  Wow.  I'd never seen this before and it took my
breath away.  Nearly 40 minutes long, with Trey going bonkers on his
percussion kit and reaching some depths of Space that I didn't think were
possible without completely destroying melody.   By itself, Free made this
show worth having on tape. Near the end I heard an obvious Bouncing
tease and was actually looking forward to a short return to the planet
Earth.  Instead we went into Llama, which I don't remember.  Then
Bouncing, which was bouncing.  YEM was next and was it ever
huge...get the tape for Free, keep it for YEM.  I have never, in more than
a few Phish shows, heard a vocal jam as deep and frightening as this
one.  Woof.  Strange Design was an odd choice to close the set but I
didn't really care.  A very slow (but fun) Poor Heart into a well-executed
Frankenstein ended the show.

Overall an 8 out of 10.  Yes, they played a bunch of album tunes, but
they were played well (can't we admit that when it happens?) and the
Gamehendge stuff in the first set rocked.  Other than that, FREE, FREE,
FREE and the YEM>vocal jam qualify as the >10 category.  Peace...see
you New Year's!
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11/22/95  USAir Arena, Landover, MD (Charlie Dirksen)

	I mention this only because the first set looks good but is wholly
standard, and the second set has a 34 minute version of FREE with some
WILD JAMS in it and a BOTCHED Rift (my favorite version).  The You Enjoy
Myself in this set is no better than average, but damn, check out this
wild version of Free, if you can spare a 90.