Written by: Geoff Tischman

My first Phish show was 10/6/90 and was a double bill with Blues Traveler at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester.

At the time I was a student at Rutgers University in New Jersey and spent several nights a week in NYC clubs taping a myriad of local bands (including Blues Traveler and The Spin Doctors). That first Phish show was amazing and I was hooked on the band from that day on.

Between 1990 and 1996 I saw and recorded countless Phish shows all over the country.  After graduating college and starting to work, most of my vacations revolved around going to see Phish, including a very memorable first trip to the Pacific Northwest in ’94 where I saw five shows in Washington and Oregon. So many fond memories I have are associated with seeing this band. My priorities have changed now and while I only see an occasional show, I still love Phish and listen to them often.

In fact, the only time I use my Twitter account is during a Phish tour so I can  follow the setlist as it happens on the Phish From the Road feed.

As a professional photographer, I’ve been really lucky to have opportunities to shoot some of my favorite bands and Phish was at the top of the list of bands I hadn’t yet shot.  I was so happy to get the news that I was approved to shoot Saturday’s show at the Xfinity Center in Hartford, CT. Of all the shows on this summer tour thus far, I picked the right show to attend.

The first set highlight for me was the classic “Halley’s Comet,” which went into a scorching “Julius.”  I assumed that “Julius” would close the set but was pleasantly surprised when they played “You Enjoy Myself” – not usually a first set selection – which saw bassist Mike Gordon and keyboardist Page McConnell switching instruments during the jam and Trey Anastasio putting down his guitar and playing the Marimba Lumina.

Set two opened with a killer 18-minute version of “Down With Disease” and it also included “Tela” and the show ended with an amazing version of “The Lizards” and the Rolling Stones’ “Loving Cup.”

Full Setlist:

Set 1: Pigtail, The Moma Dance, Birds of a Feather, Meat, Vultures > Free, Let Me Lie, Halley’s Comet > Julius, You Enjoy Myself

Set 2: Down with Disease > Sand > Tela, Carini > Twenty Years Later > Run Like an Antelope > Backwards Down the Number Line

Encore: The Lizards, Loving Cup

 To preview or purchase a hi-quality recording of this show (or any show since 2003) visit www.livephish.com

Like any Phish gig, it went by way too fast – here are some of my favorite shots.