Neil Young Guests With Phish At Farm Aid On This Date In 1998
By Scott Bernstein Oct 3, 2019 • 2:30 pm PDT
One of the highest profile performances in Phish history took place on October 3, 1998, when the Vermont jam quartet was given the honor of closing out Farm Aid in Tinley Park, Illinois. Phish kicked off their set with four originals before the legendary Neil Young, one of Farm Aid’s board members, emerged during the “Runaway Jim” jam. The five musicians teamed for an “Arc” free-form feedback jam and a near 20-minute version of Young’s “Down By The River.”
It turns out Phish and Neil Young were supposed to perform “Powderfinger” together that night. The quartet rehearsed the tune only to be disappointed when Young played “Powderfinger” during his own set. Fortunately for Phish, all turned out well when Neil surprised the band by coming on-stage with Trey Anastasio‘s backup guitar in hand. The Ontario native plugged in and started jamming with the band for what eventually turned into the aforementioned — and completely unrehearsed — “Down By The River.” Anastasio told the story earlier this year in Chicago. Watch fan-shot footage of Trey’s hilarious tale captured by David Lundy:
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Neil seemed to enjoy performing with the quartet and the acts teamed up again later that month at Young’s Bridge School Benefit Concerts. There was even talk that Phish would tour as the guitarist’s backing band, though sadly that never came to fruition. A few years back pro-shot video of the Phish/Neil Young collaboration was posted on Farm Aid’s YouTube channel. Watch the well-jammed “Arc” > “Down By The River”:
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Set 1: Birds of a Feather, Farmhouse, The Moma Dance, Runaway Jim -> Arc [1] -> Down By the River [2], Moonlight in Vermont [3], Will the Circle Be Unbroken? [4] > Amazing Grace [5] > Uncloudy Day [6]
This single set performance was part of the annual Farm Aid benefit concert which also included Hootie and the Blowfish, The Del McCoury Band, Brian Wilson, Wilco, Martina McBride, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, and Neil Young. The set featured the Phish debuts of Arc, Down By the River, Moonlight in Vermont, Will the Circle Be Unbroken, and Uncloudy Day (although Will the Circle Be Unbroken was also played during the November 19, 1994 “Parking Lot Jam”). Trey teased Old MacDonald Had a Farm and Dave's Energy Guide in Runaway Jim. Neil Young sat in from Runaway Jim through the end of the set; Willie Nelson and Paul Shaffer sat in during Moonlight in Vermont through Uncloudy Day. Four Native American dancers came onstage before Will the Circle Be Unbroken. Circle featured Willie Nelson on vocals. Amazing Grace was performed for the first time since December 31, 1996 (115 shows) and included instrumental accompaniment. Trey teased 2001 in Uncloudy Day. This set was broadcast live on Country Music Television, though the beginning of Runaway Jim was cut from the broadcast.
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[Originally Published: October 3, 2018]
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