As Phish fans all around the globe today celebrate the anniversary of what’s been dubbed the “Island Tour” (due to four shows taking place in Long Island and Rhode Island in April 1998) – JamBase put together a Top 10 list for our readers. As we started to dig in, we were amazed at just how many significant factoids there were – we didn’t even get to include the super-nerdy stats about how many measures long the intro was in these early versions of “Birds Of A Feather.” Without further ado:

#1: Rare case of teasing a song before it’s been debuted: The April 3, 1998 “Mike’s Song” included teases of “Mozambique” which would not be debuted by Phish until September 9, 1999. (Source: Phish.net song history)

#2: Only “Oh Kee Pa Ceremony” & “You Enjoy Myself”: For such an amazing song pairing that opened the April 5, 1998 show, this has never been repeated. (Source: Phish.net song history)


#3: Phish was so motivated by their performances at the Island Tour shows that they almost immediately headed to Dave O’s Farmhouse for a multi-day recording session in which they laid down tracks that would up on The Story of the Ghost. (Source: Wikipedia – The Story Of The Ghost)

#4: Phish announced the Island Tour on February 24, just 37 days before the start of the run and a mere four days before tickets went on sale. (Source: rec.music.phish)


#5: First Phish release to be put out simultaneously as a download and in physical format. (Source: Phish.com news item)

#6: One of two unfinished versions of “2001” (the other notated as such: November 26, 1997) – and what a version it is. (Source: Phish.net song history)


#7: Only unfinished “Possum” – you know they are feeling it when they don’t even finish “Possum.” (Source: Phish.net song history)

#8: Between February 13, 1997 and April 5, 1998 there were four unfinished versions of “Maze.” There have been none since and there were none prior to February 13, 1997. Source: Phish.net song history)


#9: Despite its legendary status in regards to jamming, only one track appears on the Phish.net “20 minute jam” chart (“Roses Are Free” April 3, 1998) (Source: Phish.net 20 Minute Jam Chart)

#10: The Island Tour was the first Live Phish release to include soundchecks. (Source: Phish.com news item)


[Originally Published: April 5, 2014]