There's not much notable about the first set, to be honest. However, set two is one of the all-time greats among the rare four-song variety, with top-ten versions of Boogie and Halley's that sandwich a druggy Twist and a McGrupp that features an extended, engaging take on the Page-led jam.

The absolute SCORCHER of a set closer in Halley's is overshadowed somewhat by the controversy of Trey's mid-song departure, a la the 10/31/98 Ghost. I was dead center, around the 25th row back. I vaguely recall Trey flashing an annoyed look to his right (stage left), but honestly, it's foggy enough of a memory that I can't be sure whether it's legitimately my own memory, or my lasting mental picture after years of hearing and reading other fans' stories of that moment.

What I do clearly remember is, with his bandmates holding the groove, Trey removed his Languedoc, bowed, and left the stage. Mike and Page exchanged a glance, perhaps laced with a sliver of confusion, but with enough ambiguity as to admire the quality of their poker faces. The jam faded out, the remaining three band members exited stage right, and then shortly afterward the four of them returned uneventfully for the last two songs of 1.0 I'd see them play.

To use the parlance of our times, the level of "ripcording" in Trey's sudden departure has been built up way too much over the twelve-plus years since that show. Relistening to the Halley's jam today, I was surprised to hear them turn the heat down to a simmer a good minute or two before Trey exits, making the fade out sound absolutely natural. Given the rumors swirling about the details of the impending hiatus at the time, and with the 10/31/98 Ghost in recent memory (a far more jarring end to a jam than this one), I think it's very likely that fans perceived drama that did not exist. I'd be interested in other attendees of this show sharing their memories of this moment.

I'm not particularly huge on watching video of past Phish shows (as opposed to merely listening to the audio), but for several reasons, this is one show I'd absolutely love to see again someday.

I've been at all the shows Trey has left the stage in awkward fashion:

1. 8/17/96
2. 10/31/98

and thirdly 9/18/00

I had no intention of attending this show but the rumors were going around that they were going to take a break.

Went to see the new Phish movie three days before the show and was convinced that I was making a good decision.

Drove the six hours, chilled with some kids in the lot playing guitar, shared a bowl. I remember it was a beautiful day.

First time at the venue. THIS VENUE IS GREAT! Not lying. Gorgeous place to see a show.

I like songy (not a word) 1st sets and Caspian's don't bother me as set closers…especially 1.0 Caspians.

I love this 2nd set…it is all oner the place…which I get off on at Phish shows. I remember this Halley's rips…Trey was on fire, Page was on fire, Mike was on fire and Henrietta was ripping the drums like only he can.

Then.

Trey leaves.

This was my first Phish show at on my home turf. The Carini opener brought the thick and heavy energy right from the start. Sparkle, Sloth and, Maze kept the pace quite nicely. Rift offered one more burst before Sleep and Caspian cooled down the atmosphere. Second set Boogie > Twist was awesome. A little funky, a little dreamy. But that Halley's Comet is fire! I heard rumors that this may have bee a night where Trey walked off the stage in the middle of the jam. Whatever! His strings were probably red hot after the shred session he just played for the last ten minutes. Unlike any Trey I've ever seen. Blew my mind! He strummed the guitar one last time. I'm no guitar player but I think he hit his loop, walked off stage and the band faded out. I thought it was an awesome end. I hope one day for that Halley's Comet to be released on a Live Bait in the near future. I haven't heard a Halley's like that since.

as noted in the other review, this is a very good venue. also of note, i drug my dad out here for his first and to date, only phish show. he loved the good assortment of beers in the parking lot.

carini: the boys came out slamming right out of the gate. nice hot start

sparkle: short and sweet

the sloth: awesome! they got the rock and roll vibe back in a big way. good sloth.

maze: this was the highlight of the 1st. as he tends to be, page was all over this maze. very nice high peak.

guelah papyrus: don't see this one very often. good chill out song after a firey maze.

mmgamoio: one of my favorite phishy blue grass tunes. awesome. i thought this set was going to finish strong...

sample: not bad... go ahead and get it out of the way...

rift: hm ok, at least trey didnt flub the lyrics

sleep: come on now

caspian: wow... this set went down hill fast and never turned around. better luck next set...

set 2
boogie on: very long funky boogie on. gordo and page were blazing. fish held it down nicely. and trey had some hot licks. after this jam took a darker turn the clumpsily slipped it into...

twist: not my favorite song, and i found this version to be particularly boring. it seemed to go nowhere, very slowly.

mcgrupp: back on track! very good mcgrupp. page's solo is probably the musical highlight of this show. very eery and dark piano solo.

halley's comet: now we're blazing. they tore through this halley's comet and had a very hot jam going. all of a sudden, trey just looked around, took off his guitar, and headed back stage. page, fish, and gordo wrapped up the jam and abrubtley called it a night. were there bad vibes in the vibe. why kill such a hot jam so early on a nice evening? anyway....

enc:
axilla: they are leaving like they came in, rocking. good axilla

taste: pretty solid taste. if trey was pissed in halley's, it did not show here. he played quite well on this taste. maybe he just needed to catch a buzz....

overall:
the first half of the first set is definitely worth listening too, but unless you are a big caspian fan, the big half is missable. the boogie on is a notch below the chula vista 99 version, but it still probably, at this time, the 2nd best boogie on. mc grupp is a must hear, and halley's is peculiar. all in all, a mediocre show with killer versions of mcgrupp, maze, and boogie on, plus the sloth!

speaking of the nasty Boogie On and memories of the Chula Vista '99 version...both are on the same date! Sep 18

My first time at Blossom, a venue that's become one my favorites for seeing Phish. It's just a beautiful place that offers an all-around excellent concert experience.
As the excellent Phish Companion review correctly points out, the lawn was indeed half empty. Plenty of room to groove, and from the very first chords of Carini, it was a no-holds-barred dance fest. I thought it was nice to hear Sleep. Caspian was long and jammed-out, as was typical for 2000.
I led an impromptu drum circle of sorts during the set break – a handful of people were banging on the lid of a large plastic trash bin! I was actually giving instructions to everyone (“Stop! If you all bang on this thing at random, it will collectively sound like ass. I'll start with a simple beat, and everyone slowly add something complimentary and equally simple...”)
The magic really started to unfold during set 2. The extended Boogie On > Twist segment was quite nice, and Fishman's excellent fills really made the jams. I have fond memories of brazenly cutting a rug with a group of equally ecstatic strangers on the wide thoroughfare between the lawn and the pavilion. McGrupp was spot-on. I've sometimes wondered why Halley's tends to make fans so excited... upon giving this show a careful second listen, this Halley's justifies its status as a fan-favorite: it rocks and rips hard! It will likely remain a mystery why Trey abruptly walked off stage as the song wound down (at the time, I was too busy dancing to even notice).
Taste worked really well in the encore slot; it's one of my all-time favorite Phish tunes. The unusual chord progression gives the illusion of an ever-ascending crescendo, and Trey's brilliant licks pack an emotional punch.
Overall, this was a pretty damn good show! If you like the 2000 vibe, give it a listen. The aud I have ain't too shabby, either.

i love blossom. my first carini. great maze. always love me some halley's..

(Published in the second edition of The Phish Companion...)

It's a shame that it took Phish almost 400 shows to return to the beautiful Blossom Music Center. Sure, it's a smaller venue, but it's such a great place to see live music. Not many people were at this show, as tickets were all over the lot and the Shakedown was pretty miniscule. However, the police were in full effect; mounted officers on horseback were everywhere, and a rumored ninety-three kids got busted selling or trying to buy drugs from undercover cops wearing tie-dyes that said Kmart on them and wearing fanny packs. The parking lot at Blossom is very nice, grass covered and big, yet easy to maneuver. As show time approached we started the walk to the venue, which is an adventure in itself.
You walk along this paved path that is surrounded by trees and forest. Then you come to this stone bridge that you mush walk across. The venue's gate is made up of logs and looks almost like an old fort from colonial America. As you pass through the gate you come upon a sort of nature walk that features stone trails that lead through a pretty flower garden hidden amongst a group of trees. As you walk further down the trail you come to a small hill, and as you come to the peak of it you realize that it is the back of the lawn. You can look down the slope and see the pavilion that is shaped just like a spaceship and very retro looking. As you enter the pavilion you can see that the whole stage and backdrop is made out of the same wood that made up the front gate, and it is easy to tell why this venue is one of Kuroda's favorites to light.
As the show began, a quick look around revealed that the lawn was half empty and there were plenty of seats available in the pavilion. For some reason this show didn't sell very well, apparently. The band took the stage and opened the show with a standard version of "Carini" that was quickly followed by "The Sloth". Getting the metal out right away, the band launched into a fast paced version of "Maze" that served as the highlight of the first set. Overall the set was quite strong, featuring a diverse song selection despite the fact that each version of the tunes was for the most part standard (aside from "Maze"). The rarity "Guelah Papyrus" showed itself and was followed by the bluegrass Phish favorite "My Mind". "Sample In A Jar" once again found its way into my life; however, if they band wanted to play it I was thankful they were playing it in the middle of the first set and not encoring with it.
After "Sample", a standard version of "Rift" led into "Sleep". Although this version didn't sound much different from the studio version, it was still nice to hear, since the band rarely played this tune. "Caspian" followed and thankfully this version was an extended one, with Trey taking the reins and turning it into a genuine set closer. After "Caspian" the band left the stage and house lights came on. I ran to use the bathroom and get water and I noticed that even though the venue was less than full, the lines were longer than ever. I finally got back to my seat as the house lights dimmed yet again and the band kicked into the ever-popular "Boogie On Reggae Woman".
The song proved to be the song of the night, as it got extended into the 1997 style funk and featured a dark and brooding jam that lead its way somewhat awkwardly into "Twist". "Twist" also featured an extended jam that touched on the realm of darkness before coming to a close. The only "McGrupp" of the year 2000 followed and was highlighted by Page taking a beautiful piano solo during the jam while Kuroda bathed the stage in purple light.
"McGrupp" was received by a roar from the audience who wondered what the band was going to bust out next. There was a mixture of screams and laughter while the crowd began to jump up and down as Mike started the vocal intro to "Halley's Comet". This is one of the most fun songs Phish does and is by far a huge fan favorite. The band erupted into an extended funk jam that went way, way out there, abandoning the main theme as Trey wailed and wrestled notes out of his guitar. The jam climaxed and stayed there for awhile and just as it seemed that the band was going to take it in a new direction and possibly even further out there, Trey bowed to the audience and walked off stage in mid-jam, leaving the rest of the band standing there confused. Page, Fish, and Mike held the groove for a few moments since it was obvious they hadn't planned on Trey leaving and they didn't know what was going on. Finally, as there was no sign of Trey coming back the band brought "Halley's" to an end, bowed, and walked off the stage. A very unprofessional ending to an otherwise great set.
The band came back out for the encore and launched into a standard "Axilla Pt. I" before segueing into a monster "Taste", a version so good that we left the venue forgetting all about the peculiar way Trey had left the stage in mid-jam.

Carini: Can’t ask for a better opener than this! Standard and properly raged.

Sparkle: Not a bad place for this. Played well too.

The Sloth: Very cool, love it here in the three hole of the first set!

Maze: Momentum continues, and intensity ratchets higher. I love Maze in this slot. Very sinister, evil loops leading into Pages opening keys. Trey’s rhythm playing really pushes Page to extend his part and it works very well. Trey’s solo – interesting sounding effects at the beginning. Works well, very well. This is Maze has some length to it so kind of early on Trey throttles down a bit and plays around a bit. A good bit of trilling – impressive. Trey’s guitar is LITERALLY screaming at 10:46-10:58! First peak is exceptional, there is a second peak, and they build for one last peak but their seems to be a miscommunication here. Oh well, that was a massive Maze with that I would be happy to revisit.

Guelah Papyrus: Good stuff, nice playing by Trey throughout the lyrics, tasteful, subtle licks.

My Mind's Got a Mind of its Own: Show is really quite old school at this point. Picking and grinning.

Sample in a Jar: Old school continues. But first set is very first set at this point, know what I’m saying? Trey’s solo has some mustard on it. Cool continuation of the end that segues >

Rift: Old school first set! Trey is sloppy @ 2:51. Huuuuuuuge cheer at 5:15 during the pause before ‘And silence contagious in moments like these’. Crowd just loses their mind, from anyone that attended – what exactly transpired to bring such a visceral reaction?

Sleep: Hard for me to sum up in words how much I love this tune. Most would say this placement is not ok. I love it after that huge crowd reaction in Rift, think it’s a perfect compliment. But the tune that comes after it needs to be sharp… >

Prince Caspian: Now this placement? Yeah, not a fan. This would need to be an amazing version for me to justify where it sits and the fact that it did in fact close the set. This is a solid Caspian but to close out the first set, I feel like this does not suffice.

First set summary – Super solid, old-school set. No complaints outside of the closer.

Boogie on Reggae Woman: Pretty interesting that two of the best versions of this tune happened on the same date – this one and Chula from 9.18.99. At just after 9:00 this one settles down and meanders towards funky town. Mike and Fish really do a number on this segment, Fishman especially – total superstar. Great runs! 11:41 Trey starts something that you will hear later in the tour in the 9.27.00 Piper – its brief but it’s there and was heard earlier this tour, just cannot remember in what right now. ->

Twist: The segue into Twist is outstanding and originates from a wall of sound and effects familiar to that signature 99 Phish sound. Spectacular! Fishman does what he can to push this jam into a more upbeat tempo at 7:20 and is mostly successful. Page gets very jazzy at 8:20 on the baby grand, not something you will hear often in Twist – check this out. Things are getting mellow again in the early 9:00’s. The wrap up starts around 10:40.

McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters: Huge cheer for The march of Colonel Forbin - And his fleet hound called McGrupp. The jam opens up with Page tickling the ivories like only he can. Crowd is restless/obnoxious – tons of yelling and whistling. Trey starts adding color around 7:20, Mike too becomes more prominent, and this is sounding fantastic. This is definitely Page’s jam as he leads the band through some truly beautiful areas. At 9:20 he begins to guide the band back into the song proper, but they are really taking their time with it. 10:01 and they are certainly back into normal McGrupp territory. Fish crushes it at 10:18 and the triumphant close begins albeit with a minute or so of space added in. Huge applause for this masterpiece.

Halley’s Comet: Just a straight ahead rager for 10 straight minutes – no subtle nuance to this one – just in your face rock and roll. Trey walked off as the band continues to play for a bit. Per someone that I trust that was in attendance and close to the stage, Trey took a glowstick to the face, hence the walk off. Who can blame him?

Encore:

Axilla: More rock n roll, baby. Standard rocking Axilla, cool choice for the encore. First time ever played in the encore slot and only twice ever (11.21.09)

Taste: Only the third time played in the encore slot, and this is the last time they have done this as of the writing of this review (9.18.22). This version while solid does not have the full body of work as a great version although the trills at the end are sweet.

Second set summary – 4 song second set, that just does not happen very often. The Boogie On was great, Twist was solid, McGrupp was brilliant as was Halley’s. The encore selections were rare and well played sending everyone home on a high note. This show is above average for sure. It’s not a great show but it sure is a very good show. I would rate this as a solid 4 out of 5.

The review I had written got deleted so I'm gonna blast through to the good stuff. Carini > Sparkle > Sloth sequence is a great opener. Maze is the highlight of the set. It's got some ferocious action. Guelah is always nice to hear and I wish it wasn't such a rarity these days. MMGAMOIO > Sample > Rift are played reasonably well. No complaints. Sleep tends to kill the momentum of a set no matter where it's placed and that's still true here. And I love it when Caspian closes a set.

Now, *cracks knuckles* Set 2. I'll start off by saying you need to listen to this set in it's entirety. Boogie begins the set with a total dance party! Rhythmic as hell and funky to boot. The groove perfectly dissolves into a spacey transition into Twist. Twist is fairly average but has a nice patient build up from Trey. McGrupp up next is a serene cool down from Boogie and Twist. Page shines and Trey interweaves his guitar with the keys. Then it settles down into some ambience. Halley's closes the set with an absolute rager of a jam! Seriously great stuff here. Axilla and Taste close the show with strong versions of each.

I can't say enough good things about that 2nd set. Terrific hour of music there. Overall the show has an ok first half but an amazing second half.

Show was great... right up until the end of the second set. Anyone that was there would agree. Since most of the discussion is around "Trey walking off" I will just focus on that.

This was my third Phish show at Blossom, second or third of the tour and in the whereabouts of the 50th Phish show of all-time. This was the first and only time I saw Trey walk out on his bandmates (live) and was very off-putting.

I was sitting second row center. It was one of the better Phish shows I have seen (up there with Dec 95 CSU, July 96 Starlake, Nov 98 UIC) until the the awkward end.

Not sure what it was, but something set Trey off. It could have been someone in the crowd yelling something, it could have been a note or a place where a bandmate was taking the song or it could have been something in his own head. But in the middle of an amazing jam, he took off his guitar, looked at the other guys and just walked off. Phish and Page were looking at each other like WTF. Slowly the band took the Jam to the end and the three remaining members showed their appreciate to the fans in attendance with a wave as they exited the stage.

Shortly after, as we were all wondering why Trey walked off in the middle of the set, the band came back with a completely uninspired encore that (it appeared to me) Trey couldn't finish playing quick enough. No jam, nothing special, just playing the song straight through to finish and get off the stage. I remember Trey taking his guitar off again even before the last note had finished reverberating and walking off stage immediately.

It was a sad sight, but obviously it was a sign of what was to come in the near future (early 2001-02). Overall I rated the show 3 stars